Cruising with Bobbi Prueter

Cruising with Bobbi Prueter

Bobbi Prueter first caught our eye when she messaged us about her gnarly slide after being cut off by a big rig out in Tennessee. We got the chance to catch up with her and Lucky Lucille. Read on to get the full story of Bobbi's trek from Tennessee to Michigan.

  

Tell us a bit about yourself (where are you from, what do you do, what do you like to do for fun, etc.) 

I’m Bobbi! I’m 29 and I live in central Michigan, where I work as a CNC Lathe Programmer/Machinist. I kind of fell into the trade by accident, I actually originally got hired into my shop to clean. After a week of cleaning I’d had enough and asked if I could try running a machine, they needed help and agreed and the rest was history! I taught myself as much as I could and 8 years later I'm a top level programmer. I enjoy what I do and the challenges that come with it. I love working on bikes, and I think my dream job would be building custom bikes! Machining my own parts after hours is the best perk of my job. I could spend hours dreaming up bike designs, or really designs for anything.. I love drawing, creating, building, gardening, and learning anything and everything.  

Motorcycles though, they are the love of my life. I love everything about them. When I’m on a bike, that’s when I feel my most authentic self. It’s when I'm most happy and free. The bike is a portal to a place that exists nowhere else.  

 

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Credits: Amelia Ponce

 

 

What do you ride and how long have you been riding?  

I’ve been riding for 9 years now! The bike I've been riding for the last 6 years is a 2004 Harley Sportster. When I bought it, it had spray painted tins, barely ran, and was mostly stock. Over the course of two years I tore it down and rebuilt it into my own style and gave it some more power! Her name is Lucille and she’s been the best bike to me, we’ve gone on so many adventures and truly transformed together. The first time I strapped a tent and a weekend bag to her, I was HOOKED. 
After discovering how much I love riding long distance, I was really wanting to get something a little more practical and comfortable for big trips. A year ago I bought a wrecked 2020 Harley Low Rider S from an auction and completely disassembled it, down to replacing the frame, and am now nearly finished building my dream FXRP inspired “mini bagger”.  

I also really enjoy flying and renting bikes to try out new models!

  

How did you come across Atwyld and what made you want Atwyld? 

I believe I came across Atwyld through the Babes Ride Out Instagram. I was in the market to upgrade my gear and loved the brands style! I felt that the pieces were well thought out and high quality. I also really like to support women owned companies, plus so many amazing women riders who I look up to were wearing the brand! 

 

Favorite Atwyld pieces? 

Everything?! My first pair of jeans I bought were the Raven and I still really love them, they're just simple and easy and look great! After experiencing the quality of those pants (and drooling over them for months) I splurged and got the Alltime 2.0 leather jacket, and the Shred jeans. I adore that jacket and get so many compliments on it! Truly I plan to wear it until the seams come apart.  
Aside from protective gear, I can’t get enough of the jumpsuits! I’ve got the Pit Crew in 3 colors and the No Service in olive.. I'm obsessed, ok? 

 

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You caught our eye when you DM'd us about your incident with a Semi. Tell us a bit of what happened and how your gear held up.  

On May 19 a small group of us were riding down to Tennessee from Michigan. Severe weather had been putting us behind schedule and had us changing up our route, and around 10pm we were riding through Nashville on 65, a busy 6 lane highway. I was in the back of the group, which had gotten a bit broken up (not good!) and noticed a semi trying to merge into my lane. Initially, my thoughts were on my friends who I was hoping could get by the truck in time before he came over (they did!), but then suddenly he was in my lane and braking hard. I was able to narrowly avoid collision, but I had to brake HARD too, and my bike started to get head shake. I was thinking as quickly as I could, but with all the traffic around and the rear end of the truck inching closer, I had no where to go and nothing to do but brake harder. It all seemed to happen so slowly, but in the blink of an eye my front end washed out and both me and the bike were sliding across two highway lanes. I can vividly recall watching the pavement as my helmet was dragging across it and thinking “is this really happening?” 
How I got so lucky to have not gotten ran over, I'll never know. After sliding/tumbling across the lanes I stood up quick as I've probably ever moved and got off the road. I was wearing a full face Simpson helmet, Atwyld Alltime 2.0 jacket, Atwyld Shred Jeans, and a pair of Dr Martens. I was not wearing gloves and my hands suffered some road rash, but the rest of me had been protected! My beloved pants were wrecked, but did their job. I had lost a shoelace and scraped up my helmet. My jacket suffered some scuffs but was still solid as ever! This gear absolutely saved my life and I couldn’t be more grateful.  
A lovely woman stopped and helped me get my bike out of the highway and stood with me until EMT arrived and my friends were able to find me, she was an angel. After being checked over, my boyfriend determined my bike was okay to ride and had only suffered cosmetic damage, we both got so unbelievably lucky, I've taken to calling the ol' gal Lucky Lucille now. We were about 115 miles from our destination and I knew if I didn’t keep going right then, pain would settle in. I zip tied my boot on, put a set of nitrile gloves over my bleeding hands, and a set of my boyfriends gloves over that, got back on my bike and finished the ride.  

 

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Credits: Bobbi Pruener

 

Any advice to riders? 

No matter how long you’ve been riding, how many miles you have under your wheels, or how cautious you try to be... sh*t happens. Prepare for it the best you can. Keep calm and keep your wits about you. Wear as much protective gear as you can afford and consider your journey. In a city like Nashville, EMT arrived quickly, but in a rural area you might be waiting awhile for help. Carry a basic medical kit, and understand how to use what you carry. You never know when you might need it for yourself or a friend.

 

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