Custom sportbikes have typically been a show of testosterone-fueled manly one-upmanship to go bigger, faster and smoother. But nowhere in the books does it say that girls can't play, too. Lillian Gallegos is a working mom, wife and hardcore biker who decided she wanted to ride with the boys-but not as a passenger. "I had already been riding over two years when I told my husband I wanted a custom bike. We went and got an R1 and I knew I wanted it to be better than the guys' bikes."
In its quest to make it beat the boys, a stretched 240 sits out back with purple accented RC Components wheels. The shimmer of the polished frame is offset with purple powdercoated accents and spikes to help break up the custom white and purple flamed paint. But make no mistake-this bike is strong enough for a man but made for a woman. "I wanted something girly but boyish at the same time. That's why we came out with the flames but in purple. My husband still won't ride it though and says it's too girly. I have other guy friends that will take rides on it, but I won't put them on the back. The only person I'll ride on the back is my son."
If you're ever in the Denver area and see someone blasting on a fat tire R1 with flowing hair, don't assume it's some hippy dude out for a joyride. It's probably Lillian showing the boys a thing or two about how to roll big-shorty style.
2000 Yamaha R1
Front end: RC Components "Alien" wheel
Rear end: RC Components "Alien" wheel, C&S Custom 240 swingarm
Motor: Custom exhaust, Power Commander
Paint: Roberto Zamora
Polish/chrome: Mile High Metal Polishing and Finishing
Accessories: Eye Candy spike kit, Custom Dynamics LEDs, custom seats, undertail, lowered kickstand, mirror block-offs
Owner: Lillian Gallegos
Builder: Mile High Metal Polishing and Finishing (milehighpolishing.com)