For many, motorcycling can be a fun hobby or an affordable way to commute. For Jocelin Snow, motorcycling is a way of life. From rider to racer and adventurer, she has devoted her life to all things two-wheeled. ADVMoto recently got a chance to chat with Jocelin to learn where her obsession started, what she’s up to now, and where her travels will take her in the future.

 ADVMoto: Tell us a bit about your background and how you got into motorcycling.

 Jocelin Snow: No one in my family rode motorcycles, but I caught the motorcycling bug quite young and bought my first motorcycle (a Kawasaki KDX80) with my paper route money, without telling my parents. I paid a kid at school $10 a week all year until I had it paid for. Then, I took the school bus to his home where he taught me the basics of how to ride.

I rode that bike every chance I could, having to push it just over a mile to abandoned railway beds and old sand pits where I could ride. At the time, I did not have any riding buddies, so I learned the hard way about proper gear, and why riders wear it. And, I learned about motorcycle maintenance and what had to be done to keep a bike running properly.

By 18, I had progressed from the KDX80 to a Kawasaki Ninja 250, and on to the more powerful Ninja 750. Along with the larger Ninja came the need for speed, and I soon discovered drag racing and road racing. After a year of road racing at a club level, I obtained a pro racing license, and became one of the first females to race AMA 250GP. My professional road racing career was short-lived. After a few years I found myself in a wheelchair, following a horrific crash at Daytona.

When I recovered from the crash, I began racing off road. I found it more affordable, and felt it was a little less risky racing hare scrambles and enduros.

Many people have inspired me, but the earliest was the legend himself, Malcolm Smith. I joined him, along with a group of expert off-road riders in Baja on a few occasions. It was a change from my solo riding and competition, and I discovered I enjoyed riding with other riders, sharing the day’s action and taking in the scenery. After an exciting day of riding, we would all gather around as Malcolm shared some of the most amazing riding stories. These stories stay with me today and inspire me to push for my goals and never give up. I continue to be inspired by Malcolm, his love of motorcycling, and his desire to seek out adventure.

ADVMoto: Racing a BMW R1200GS through technical terrain can be a challenge. How do you manage such a massive machine?

 JS: At 5'-1.5" and 115 lb., just about every motorcycle I’ve owned is a bit oversized for me. I’ve struggled with all the usual, dabbing a foot, getting a bike off the kick stand, stopping without tipping over, etc. The GS Trophy and riding a big adventure bike really isn’t “racing,” in fact it has more to do with slow-speed handling, balance, and control. With my inseam, dabbing isn’t really an option when I have to slide all the way off the seat to get a foot down. As I like to tell the guys I ride with... size really doesn’t matter. What does is keeping the bike moving forward in balance and under control.

About eight years ago, I attended a motorcycle show and found myself drawn to this amazing BMW R1200GS Adventure. I remember it clearly; it looked quite intimidating, all black, with bright yellow accessories, and had every Touratech aftermarket part on it. The salesman explained that this was the machine that would do everything. I could put it all together on this bike—the road racing, the off-road, the technical riding, the long haul—this was the bike. Then, I sat on it, and after several attempts, I could not upright the bike from the kick stand. At that point, I’d owned well over 30 motorcycles, and rode them plenty, but this one was scary. I walked away from the bike in defeat, while my riding buddies told me that I was too little for such a big bike, and that I needed to be able to have two feet on the ground to properly control such a serious machine.

Over the years this bike that I could not have and could not ride, ate away at me. It bothered me that I was not strong enough, tall enough or good enough to ride that bike.

And then one night, I went to bed thinking about Malcolm Smith’s stories of perseverance, determination, and confidence. I woke up the next morning believing I could ride that BMW R1200GS just as well as the next guy, and so I bought one. The 2016 BMW 1200GSA was my first of four BMW GS motorcycles, in just two years.

So, “How to I manage such a massive machine?” The answer is, I believe I can manage it, so I do. I practice often, and I ride as much as my schedule allows. But mostly I work to find a way to make the bike do what I want it to do. I do have my own special ways to get a GS off the kick stand, counter balance in tight maneuvers, negotiate technical terrain, and even pick the bike up from a drop, but mostly, it’s truly mind over matter.

ADVMoto: Tell us a bit about your experience at the 2018 GS Trophy Challenge in Mongolia.

 JS: The GS Trophy Challenge in Mongolia was everything you’ve heard, “The experience of a lifetime.” However, it was not just the Trophy competition in Mongolia that made it such a memorable experience—it was getting there.

Competing in the Trophy is just as much a test of mental strength as riding ability. I seriously tested my inner strength from the very beginning. I’d just returned from a 30-day, 12,000-mile ride to and from Alaska when I decided to try out for the GS Trophy. Although I had completed the Alaska trip and my first Next Step off-road training class at RawHyde Adventures, I had only been adventure riding with my new GSA for about four months.

Some say the BMW GS Trophy is about the riding, some say it is about the competition, others say it is about seeing the country. I would say it is a little bit about all of that. But for me it is mostly about the people. My greatest memories are socializing with the Mongolian locals (especially the kids), learning about my fellow riders and their countries, and getting to know the marshals and the folks that make it all possible.

ADVMoto: What does it take to go from ADV rider to racer? Did you take any type of training?

 JS: I actually went in the other direction… from racing to adventure riding. Learning to control a big adventure bike in all terrain takes practice. If I put it all in order, it would look something like this: Dirt bike riding, drag racing, flat track racing, motocross, road racing, hare scrambles, enduro racing, Supermoto racing, and eventually landing here, at adventure riding. I think if I had known then what I know now about adventure riding, I would have taken up adventure riding a long time ago.

I’ve had various training during my 35-plus years of riding. When road racing and flat tracking, I took the Danny Walker Supercamp School. The Penguin Roadracing School in Loudon, NH is where I trained for road racing. I did some private training with Dave Wood for single-track and technical trail riding. Doug Chandler showed me the ropes of Supermoto. And I did my adventure motorcycling training with RawHyde Adventures in Castaic, CA and Country Trax in Johannesburg, South Africa.

ADVMoto: If you could explore any part of the world, where would it be, continue racing, long distance travel, etc.?

 JS: HA! Do I have future riding plans lined up? You bet I do!! I’ve partnered with UpSouth Adventures in Cape Town, South Africa, and am leading my first two-week tour in South Africa in late November and December of 2018. I have three more tours planned there with them during 2019. I’m also partnering with Epico Moto Adventures and leading a women’s adventure tour in Colombia in January of 2019. I’ve traveled most of Europe by motorcycle, but my bucket list includes Iceland, New Zealand, and the Silk Road, and of course, as a BDR ambassador and lifetime member, I would like to complete every single BDR route at least once, maybe twice. I haven’t been everywhere… but it’s on my list!

ADVMoto: Any words of inspiration to share?

 JS: Believe in yourself, follow your dreams and never give up. The world is such an amazing place, get out and discover it.