Fear List | Motorcycles
Maya Lynne and her motorcycle classmates. | March 2026
I have been very comfortable with my luxury Honda CR-V. But recently, even as early as this time last year, I began to ask myself why I needed a car anymore. What big loads was I carrying, whether human or product? And I came to one conclusion: I didn’t need my SUV anymore. I needed a motorcycle.
And before you ask, Is this a midlife crisis? The answer is no. First and foremost, I hate driving cars. I repeat, I hate driving. Anyone who knows me knows that I hate driving. If I had my choice between a cook, housekeeper and a driver, I would pick a driver first. The idea of a car for me was always in regard to having a big family and community. I’m at a place in my life where I am enjoying my own company or that of one or two more people at a time. 3 or more people can feel draining.
While in Bali, I used to order a rideshare motor scooter to take me from Kuta to Ubud. I only ride that far as the passenger, so I can listen to music while enjoying the wind in my hair. I intuitively ride with the flow. I hang out for the day and then ride back. The round trip takes 2-3 hours by bike, depending on traffic and time of day. There is such freedom when I can feel the wind on my body.
Lifestyle: Won and Done
The motorcycle class was 2 days. 2 ½ hours of classwork and 5 hours of motorcycle training a day. I was on a motorcycle riding, swerving, leaning, quick stpping, turning, weaving, starting and shfiting. The class started with the maximum number of students: 12. There were 10 men and 2 women.
By the end of Day 1, there were 9 men and 1 woman (me). The next day was written and driving practical day, and I found 4 new guys in the class, all had to take the written and 2 also had to take the practical. So here I am, all 5’5 of me little lady in a class with 14 other guys. I cannot show fear or nervousness because I am too excited to be nervous. But, I notice something about the men.
They are very nervous. And it feels palpable in that room. We forget that our men really do have fears. During the break, between written and riding, I told some of the guys that and so I was in a place in my life where I want to do the things I fear because I want nothing and no one, including myself to hold me back.
I was the only person in class who trained on two very different bikes. Day 1, I was on a motorcycle, Honda Rebel, and Day 2, I was on a motor scooter. (Hello Europe and Asia!) these are 2 very different rides. One has a clutch and gear shifts and a back crake on the right and the other… doesn’t. I was the only one learning two styles of riding. On one, my legs are spread wide like I’m riding a horse. The other, the guys were making fun of me saying, I looked like I was driving one of those electric grocery carts in the parking lot. I could not stop laughing.
So, how did I do? I finished in 1st place. I tied with 1 of the guys for the riding practical. That’s right. Not only did I get over test anxiety fear, drigin fear, fear of falling, fear of falling, I finished first in my class. Toot toot! Beep beep!
Intuition: A Lesson in Love
In October 2025, I was afraid to drive a motorcycle. In March 2026, I was licensed to ride internationally.
I love the independence of a motorcycle. When you’re driving a motorcycle, you have to make yourself your number one priority. You have to anticipate the traffic of cars, bikes, animals, and humans. Bali is a place where you drive without stoplights and stop sign. All driving is instinctual. You have to feel the rhythm of the traffic; the other drivers on the road. You are all mentally communicating to make sure that you stay accident free.
The more I drove, and especially when I took the California Motorcyclists Safety Program, I could feel every emotion when people lost their balance and fell, when they stalled. I watched people give up and quit and I watched people rally around each other as we took our practical tests in front of one another.
I realized at that moment, with a smile, that this was something I was doing for me. I have been on journey to find hobbies that I love and love sharing. And this hobby was a lesson in fear and love. And love means making sure that I take care of my safety (helmet), my business (legal paperwork), and my independence (drivers cancel.)
Travel: It Takes Two
There are certain things you just shouldn’t do alone, and one of them is learning how to ride a motorcycle. This experience is a great reminder to not be afraid to ask for help or open to receiving it.
Having no one to tell me this wasn’t something I should or could do allowed me to listen to my intuition and make a choice without the stress of other people’s opinions. Also, the freedom to fail privately, which I didn’t, brought me relief.
Learning from calm and patient people is what I am most grateful for.
Maya Lynne driving in Bali, for the first time, with her instructor. | November 2025
FACT: Many expats ride illegally in Bali. If they get stopped by the police, they pay a hefty fine. And if they are injured or the bike is damaged, they don’t have insurance to pay for it. They have to go in their own pockets and those are also hefty fees. I did not want to put myself that position. Especially in a foreign country.
You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep growing, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.
