Kristin Korber, a LadyMoto and a member of the AllAboutBikes.com community, is the proud winner of the REV'IT Jacket contest! She is also our Featured LadyMoto of the week.
Where do you live?
I was born & raised in Yukon, PA. I currently & for the past 3 years live in Grapeville, PA which is in between Greensburg & Jeannette.
How long have you been riding and how did you get into motorcycles?
Actually, I have been into motorcycles & speed since I was young! I begged Santa for the Evil Knievel stunt motorcycle when I was about 8. My parents begrudgingly bought it for me even though it wasn't a "girls toy"! I loved that thing! I have been "riding" since age 12 when our parents bought us our first Honda 110cc trike if that counts! Then I moved on to Quads & the Quadracer 250 (I actually won a women's heat Quad race against adult women at a local Grange Fair when I was 15 years old! Those women weren't too happy! :) I was so proud of that! Then, growing up in a rural area with lots of trails & woods I ended up stealing my boyfriends dirtbikes alot or riding with them. Then, once I was college age, bikes took a back seat to life until I hit age 37. I would always say I was going to buy a bike, but it never happened. Once my sister bought one then I HAD to get one too so we could ride together. It was a 1997 Honda Shadow 600. I rode it for one summer but never really enjoyed it. I'm not the "cruising" type so I traded that boring cruiser in on a sportbike the following Spring (2008). THAT put a smile on my face!
What kind of bike do you currently have? 
I currently ride a silver 2005 Hyosung GT650. Not too many people have heard of Hyo's. They are Korean, but the company made engines for the Suzuki SV650's for years. They are not like the che ap Chinese bikes out there! As soon as I brought it home I pretty much rode everywhere! I love it! I will never go back to a cruiser. As for mods, I have a jet kit & aftermarket exhuast which makes it sound mean. I think that's my favorite mod! My brother & I made the fender eliminator ourselves. I removed the pillion pegs & replaced the pegs on my rearsets with black racing-style which allow for more lean angle (not that I've had the chance to try them out yet!) I also have a tinted windscreen with black bolts & black rear spools. As for mods that need to be done...I have flush-mount front signals that need to be installed. A spare set of wheels that I plan on having powder-coated gloss black. After that I will put on a pink racing stripe & pink rim tape so people know it's a girls bike!
What was the first motorcycle that you owned or rode?
Well, the first sportbike I rode was my ex-boyfriend's CBR600. That was about 4 years ago. The rest, I answered in the previous question!
What other bikes have you owned in the past?
The 1983 Honda 110cc ATV. A 1985 250 Quadracer. 1997 Honda Shadow 600. 2005 Hyosung GT650.
What is your favorite part of riding?
I love the feeling of freedom that you get while riding! Just you sitting on top of that engine with nature all around you in the open. I think you could put anyone on a bike & they would fall in love with riding. Maybe not a sportbike as I chose, but maybe a cruiser or trike instead. I believe there is a bike out there for everyone. You just have to find the one that suits you & I think I have found mine in my Hyo right now! I just need to get out to do some trackdays so I can get my "speed" fix legally & learn the correct way to control my bike. I STILL have chickenstrips!
Tell us about your riding habits - Do you have a group or friends that you often ride with? Do you use the bike to commute or just for fun? What’s your longest / favorite ride you’ve been on?
Well, I have ridden with my ex-boyfriend, brother, sister & alone so far. I joined the Sportbike Association of Pittsburgh as well as the SBA's Women Rider's & I plan on doing some riding & track days with those folks this coming season. My sister & I ride up through the Laurel Mountains quite often.
Kristin Korber. 2507 Newark Street, Grapeville, PA 15634. 724-516-7859. Thanks again!
If you could ride anywhere you wanted, where would you want to go?
California Superbike School! Just kidding! I would love to take an extended trip through the former Yugoslavia. That is where my ancestors are from & it is just absolutely beautiful countryside & roads. I belong to a forum specific to my brand of motorcycle (korider.net) & a fellow from that area has sent me pictures & I would have to say that would be something I want to do before I am too old to ride!
What’s your favorite memory that involves you on a motorcycle? I know it's not legal, but the first time I looked down at the speedometer & it was at 3-digits. I LOVE the speed!
Any funny/embarrassing stories that you care to share with AAB readers? Yes! Everyone told me that it wasn't a matter of if I would go down on my bike but when. Well, I went down on mine when it wasn't even running! I was out for a ride with my brother & he needed to stop at a store. I had worked late the night before & waited outside for him. My bike was off. I had my helmet on top of the gas tank & I layed my head down on my arms on top of the helmet. I guess I fell asleep because my brother came out of the store & startled me. I guess I wasn't parked at enough of an angle & the bike went over with me on it. I looked like a total fool. A couple laughing guys came over to help me get the bike back up. Damage to the bike was minimal. Just a cracked blinker. My ego was damaged much more. I'm sure those guys thought "girls on bikes!"!
Any Additional Comments?
I wish that more people/magazines, etc. would pay more attention to the Hyosungs. They do have quite a following but it seems that everyone concentrates mostly on the "big four" & the Italians. The Koreans make a pretty decent bike for less than the others. So, if you're on a tight budget, or just want something different, the Hyosung is a great bike!
Thanks for sharing with us Kristin and congratulations on winning the REV'IT Jacket!
