🏍 FIELD GUIDE 30: Get your motor running

Way back when I was a youngster, this woman came into my life and brought with her some kids that are now my cousins and we magically grew a whole new branch to our family tree.

Today, she’s sharing with us her adventures in motorcycling, mechanics, and how to turn your passion into a profession that proves you’ll never work a day in your life when you love what you do.

-Skyler

Name

Athena Ransom

Habitat

Pompano Beach, Florida

Occupation

Owner of Vagabond Chopper

Soundtrack

Hello!

Im Athena Ransom.

I am a custom motorcycle builder who is passionate about creating safe, reliable, and cool choppers from parts. Sometimes just parts from other companies I work with and sometimes I get to hand make parts depending on the build concept.

I like to start with an idea and see how it comes to life. The motorcycle tells you what it wants as the build progresses, and I deliver.

I started out at 16 as a passenger and was involved in an accident at which time I kinda inherited the remains and took on the challenge of bringing life back into it. As a young girl around a lot of men bikers it became sort of a joke until her unveiling. Then the laughing turned to drooling and I was on my way to earning the respect of my guy friends and some shop owners.

I got a part time job in a small shop so I could get my parts at cost and after completing the bike I was offered a full time spot but I chose to bartend at night and ride the snot out of that choppy- and boy, did I. As I grew in years, I got married, had kids, and continued to customize my motorcycles while living life, working, and raising kids.

That was the 80’s and 90’s. In in early 2000’s myself and my best friend and now husband opened a shop called Vagabond Chopper.

The shop has taken us on many journeys. I had the opportunity to build a bike live in 2007 on the NBC Today Show with my friends through our charity team The Chopper Chick Crew. We also did builds for the National Breast Cancer Foundation, RAACE Foundation and Boys and Girls Clubs of America. I have earned my way through the industry with hard work and have been recognized for many things but my biggest accolade would be my children and my grandson they are amazing human beings.

I am a member of the Motormaid which is the oldest womens motorcycle club in the world and ride with women who have been riding since the 1940’s. I am continually inspired to be my best with them as my example.

Recently, I was a mechanic on an all female ride from start to end on Route 66. Forty women on bikes rolling cross country. It was quite an adventure and many issues along the way but those ladies showed the motorcycle world what they are made of and I was super proud to be their mechanic along with my best friend Vivian Charros.

I am lucky to do what I love and I have traveled by motorcycles to the best places in the United States like Alaska, Sturgis, South Dakota, California, Colorado, and so many more. I’ve been blessed to be respected and accepted by my peers and followers alike and I look forward to building and riding for many years to come.

My latest fun is that I have a little talk show on Facebook. It is called Athena After Dark on Monday night 10pm EST, where my industry family and friends come on and answer questions so the world can get to know a bit about them beyond what they do for a living. It’s a positive and funny show as I’m just learning.

I’m hoping in the future to build a bike for Queen Latifah and also Jason Mamoa. Beyond that, I say no matter what life throws at you catch it and do your best with it.

Don’t step on people to get ahead - go around them instead.

When people say you can’t, remember you can DO anything. How it turns out is the mystery AND the word “try” means to attempt and never succeed so remove that word from your vocabulary and tell the world to move over you’re coming through.

Thanks for listening and remember, be kind to yourself and others. It matters.