For WE Ride (Whites Employees Ride) Issue #8 we hear from Nancy in sales about her two-wheeled journey and how her Harley helps get her out of the house and break up the parent-work-parent-work-parent routine.
WE Ride is all about sharing our passion for bikes by introducing a team member, what they ride, wear and use in the shed.
Let's meet Nancy and get stoked to gear-up and go!
What’s your name, what do you ride, and what do you do at Whites?
Nancy Vaalepu-Wilson, 2013 Harley Davidson Sportster Seventy-Two (XL1200V), and I have very recently changed roles and joined the Internal Sales team, so I am still finding my feet...
In a nutshell, we answer customer queries, helping them solve issues/questions. We process customers' orders and assist with helping them to place their orders and trying to figure out what they need. So, if you call up, chances are you'll be speaking to either myself or one of the other Internal Sales Trio — Marc or Dave.
Previously with Whites I have dabbled in Freight and Logistics, Purchasing Support, and a bit of Admin and Accounts work as well.
How long have you had your bike and what mods have you made to it so far?
Almost 16 months and I’ve done a fair number of mods to date:
- Tank lift, de-badged tank.
- Emgo Slash Cut mufflers.
- Aftermarket amber triangle headlight retrofit for a vintage style.
- Sissy bar.
- Vans Cult Grips.
- Screaming Eagle spark plug leads.
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Side mount number plate.
- Oxford Auxiliary Lights.
- Shinko SR777 Whitewalls.
- Thrashin’ Supply Mini Essential Saddlebags.
- Crash bars.
- Thrashin’ Supply Points Cover.
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Front/rear LED indicator retrofit with fronts under-perch for a cleaner look.
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Horn relocation to the front of the frame, due to ignition coil relocation.
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K&N Oil Filter.
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Harley 2-Up Seat with Thrashin’ Supply seat bolt.
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Putoline V-Twin oils; engine and transmission.
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Quadlock/RAM Mounts handlebar phone set up.
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Motobatt battery.
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Aftermarket chrome mirrors for a different look.
- Coil pack relocation for an old-school aesthetic (even-length Screamin’ Eagle spark plug leads).
Do you have more plans for your Seventy-Two?
My vision for the bike is always evolving… But I bought the bike completely stock standard and I’m pretty happy with where it’s at, for now.
What sort of riding do you enjoy and where do you like to do it?
A big chunk of my riding is mainly urban and usually fairly short rides… #mumlife! I definitely don’t get to ride as often as I would like to, but I have recently done a couple of big charity/social rides which were also a lot of fun! (Guess how many times I had to fuel up the sporty!)
Are there any notable products that you use on the regular to enhance your riding?
Oxford Mint Helmet & Visor cleaner 50ml — Compact travel size so it’s easy to store on the bike.
Monimoto 7 — Extra peace of mind!
Oxford Bungies Xtra (Yellow) — Great for unintended larger item purchases (don’t tell my husband!).
Whites Scissor Lift Jack — Easy to use and holds the weight of the bike, plus it doesn’t take up much space in the garage.
Tell us a bit about your life on two wheels...
I made a spur–of-the-moment decision back in 2018 to jump into something new and after never having been on any sort of motorbike or scooter, I went and sat my BHST and absolutely LOVED it and craved more!
The next week I went and bought my first bike, the HD Street 500. My husband started his licensing journey not long after and it’s been such a cool experience for both of us and something for us to do as individuals and outside of being Mum and Dad.
We’ve been through a few bikes between us now, such as the Triumph Street Triple, Honda CB300R, the HD Iron 1200 Sporty, and my 72 😊.
On a side note, shout-out to Mark from Revs Motorcycle Centre in Paeroa, who I did all of my training and licensing with — I highly recommend Mark!
Tell us about your gear — why you chose it and what you like about it.
Oxford Super Jeggings — Nice and thick, yet cushy and comfortable. Also, high-waisted which is a must for a ladies fit!
Shoei Neotec 2 Helmet [now succeeded by the Neotec 3] — Premium, comfortable helmet and I like the ability to flip the face up when stopping for gas... Sporty Life!
Sena SRL2 Mesh — Can’t be without music when cruising solo, or comms with my husband when we’re riding together (but he probably prefers a music-only option 🤭).
See all Nancy’s gear in more detail, here.
See Nancy’s Shopping Lists
Check out all Nancy’s bike mod parts in one place » mods product collection.
