9th IJMS CONFERENCE
Pacific University Oregon
25–28 July, 2019
Details | Program | Schedule | Film Screenings
Keynote Speakers Profiles
Loryn Cole
For most of her life, Loryn Cole saw motorcycles as an unnecessary risk. She never thought she would ride on the back of one, much less own one herself.
But now, Loryn not only rides motorcycles, she writes about them, rebuilds them, and teaches new riders as a Team Oregon instructor.
In 2013, her boyfriend (now husband) told her he wanted to learn, and she was so scared for him that she burst into tears. He encouraged her to take a beginner class with him, and when she did, she fell in love with riding.
Learning to ride, though, was a challenge for her. Instead of going straight to a motorcycle, she bought herself a scooter, which helped ease her in to the world of riding and proved to her that you don’t have to be a “natural” to become a competent motorcyclist — you just have to stick with it.
Like so many people, Loryn found empowerment and confidence through learning to ride. In 2015, she started her blog RIDEWELL to share her story and what she learned about motorcycle safety.
That same year, Loryn decided she wanted to learn to work on vintage motorcycles, so she purchased a running 1980 KZ440 that she hoped would be her daily rider… But turned out to actually be a dangerous basket case.
Then, a friend introduced her to custom builder Sofi Tsingos of GT-Moto. Sofi took Loryn under her wing and transformed Loryn’s Kawasaki into a show-stopping custom bike called The Little Rat. Sofi also helped Loryn troubleshoot issues and taught her how to take care of her new custom bike.
In 2017, Loryn and her boyfriend (and the Kawasaki) moved to Portland from their home state of Texas. There, she bought her own project bike, a 1982 Honda XL250.
During the next two years, Loryn worked to rebuild the XL, while also becoming a Team Oregon instructor, keeping up with her blog, holding down her job as a marketing data analyst, and getting married to her favorite riding partner.
In February 2019, Loryn’s XL project debuted at the One Motorcycle Show, and shortly after the show she and her new husband bought a house in Portland.
Motorcycles have meant many things to Loryn. They showed her a new way to live and gave her a tool to conquer her fears and anxieties. She loves to talk with new and experienced riders alike to explore the richness of what motorcycles mean to the people who ride them.
One day, Loryn plans to combine her passions for writing, motorcycles, technology, and psychology into a book about her motorcycle rebuild project that explores the affect different kinds of technology have on our lives and wellbeing.
But, for now, she’ll just settle for a good long ride on her XL project.
Chris Page
Chris Page grew up on BMX bicycles and skateboards in Southern California but only began riding motorcycles upon moving to Portland and falling in with the right crowd of local artists and designers interested in two wheels.
His girlfriend (now wife) rode, so he dove in. Within six months of gaining his endorsement in a parking lot, he lined up to race at the Oregon Motorcycle Road Racing Association. Twenty years later he is club president, owns 20 bikes, has raced in the US and Europe, and lead track day instruction for the local Ducati dealership, MotoCorsa.
In 2014, with several friends, he founded the Portland Motorcycle Film Festival as a fundraiser for purchase and deployment of Air Fence at Portland International Raceway. They’ve sold out every show, and have been startled by the number of international submissions to an event begun as an excuse to get riders together in the winter in Oregon to hang out and watch films about riding the world. These films have expanded their horizons and made them all ache to get on a bike in Chile or Kazakhstan or Vietnam. Chris’ favorite track is Spa, Belgium, though he desperately wants to race Phillip Island or Assen.