Meet The Litas NANAIMO

Finding freedom, forging friendships, and discovering who you become along the way.

The road has a remarkable way of teaching us things about ourselves that we couldn't have learned standing still.

Vancouver Island has a rhythm all its own. Ancient forests stretch toward rugged coastlines. Mountain roads twist through towering evergreens before opening to quiet oceanside towns where riders gather over coffee, watch ferries drift by, and plan the next adventure. Every road invites exploration, and every ride offers the chance to discover something new—not only about the Island, but about yourself.

For The Litas Nanaimo, riding has never been solely about motorcycles. It's about choosing growth over comfort. It's about finding people who celebrate your victories, stand beside you through life's challenges, and remind you that confidence is built one ride at a time. The motorcycles may have brought us together, but it is the community that keeps us riding.

ABOUT

The Litas Nanaimo is run by three women who shared a simple vision: create the kind of riding community we wished we'd found when we first started riding. While we all come from different backgrounds, careers, and walks of life, we are united by a love for motorcycles, genuine connection, and creating a space where women feel welcome, supported, and empowered.

Shelby:

“I was born and raised in Alberta before moving to Vancouver Island in 2019 to build a new life for myself. Since making the Island home, I've pursued higher education, built an incredible community around me, and intentionally created a life centred on growth, wellness, and becoming the best version of myself.

For years, I admired motorcycles and the lifestyle that came with them. Every time I saw riders on the road, I found myself thinking, One day. It took me longer than I expected to finally act on it, but in 2023 I decided it was time to stop thinking about riding and start doing it. My motorcycle journey began on a Honda Shadow. It was the perfect bike to learn on and gave me the confidence to develop my skills, but it wasn't long before I realized I wanted something with a little more attitude. A year later, I brought home my 2024 Indian Sport Chief, and I haven't looked back since. What surprised me most wasn't how much I would enjoy riding—it was how much it would shape my life.

Motorcycles introduced me to a community I never knew I was missing. What started as learning to ride became finding confidence, a sense of belonging, and friendships that feel like family. Riding has opened doors to opportunities and experiences I never imagined, including helping grow The Litas Nanaimo alongside two incredible women.

Looking back, it's hard to imagine my life without motorcycles. They haven't just changed how I spend my free time—they've changed the people I've met, the places I've gone, and the person I've become.”

Kim:

“My love of motorcycles started in childhood, watching groups of bikers fly by on the highway during family road trips. I was fascinated and knew that one day I'd ride my own Harley. After spending my teenage years on the back of motorcycles, I got my licence in 1996, bought my first bike—a Harley Sportster XL883—and immediately set off with my husband on a road trip through British Columbia's Interior. Experiencing the open road from the rider's seat gave me an entirely new perspective. The freedom, independence, and connection to the ride were unlike anything I'd experienced before. I remember thinking, This is it. This is me. More than 30 years later, I still feel exactly the same every time I ride. There's something about motorcycling that's difficult to put into words, but once you experience it, you simply know.

I discovered The Litas by chance about three years ago when I met the Nanaimo Collective on their way to Dream Roll in Shelton, Washington. Their warmth and friendliness immediately made me feel welcome, and I accepted their invitation to join. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made. After years of riding mostly alone or with the guys, finding a community of women who share the same passion for motorcycles—and who value connection, support, and belonging—has been truly life-changing. The friendships we've built and the memories we've created on every adventure mean more to me than I could have imagined.

After 23 wonderful years with my Sportster, these days you'll usually find me riding my 2009 Harley Dyna Low Rider or my 2002 Indian Spirit. My 1988 Harley FXR is just a few tweaks away from being road-ready. Whether it's riding season or the off-season, I'm looking forward to making more memories with these incredible women, who have a remarkable way of filling your heart simply by sharing the road together.”

Jaycille:

“My journey into motorcycling started later in life, but it quickly became one of my greatest passions. As a young adult, my dream was to retire early and travel the country with my husband, a motorhome, and our motorcycles. Life took a different path, but I wasn't ready to give up on the freedom and adventure I had always imagined. After a few years of riding on the back of someone else's bike, I decided I wanted to experience the journey from my own seat.

In 2020, at 47 years old, I completed a motorcycle riding course and bought my first bike. From my very first ride, I was hooked. Riding gave me a sense of freedom unlike anything I had experienced before. When I'm on my bike, the worries and distractions of everyday life fade away, and my focus narrows to the road ahead, the ride itself, and staying safe. It's one of the few places where my mind can truly be still.

While I enjoy the peace and independence of a solo ride, I also discovered something special through The Litas. I was drawn to the branch by the opportunity to connect with supportive, like-minded women who share a passion for riding. The friendships, encouragement, and sense of community I found have kept me coming back year after year.

As retirement gets closer, I still haven't given up on my original dream. I look forward to exploring new roads, discovering new places, and continuing to create adventures on two wheels, surrounded by an incredible community of riders.

THE CREW

The best part of our branch is that no two riders are the same. We ride different motorcycles. We work in different careers. We have different personalities, riding styles, and life experiences that brought us here. Some of us are brand-new riders. Others have been riding for decades. Some commute every day, while others simply live for weekend adventures. That diversity is our greatest strength. There's no expectation that you fit a certain mould to belong here. We encourage every rider to develop her own confidence, style, and identity, knowing she has an entire group cheering her on every step of the way.

Whether it's completing a safety course, buying a first motorcycle, building the confidence to join a group ride, or simply showing up for a coffee meet-up, every milestone deserves to be celebrated. We're not trying to create riders who all look the same. We're creating a community where every woman is encouraged to grow in confidence, embrace her own style, and ride her own journey.

THE JOURNEY

Success isn't something we measure by the number of rides we've organized or the kilometres we've travelled. It's measured in something far more meaningful. It's measured in the friendships we've built, the confidence we've watched grow, and the countless moments when women have quietly shown up for one another without ever being asked. Like any family, we've celebrated promotions, graduations, birthdays, sobriety milestones, new motorcycles, and personal achievements together. We've also stood beside one another through loss, heartbreak, injuries, uncertainty, and life's inevitable challenges. Those are the moments that define who we are. One ride, however, has become part of our collective story.

If we had to choose one ride that best captured who we are, it would be our recent trip to Tofino. What was supposed to be a beautiful coastal ride quickly turned into one of the most challenging days many of us have experienced on motorcycles. We battled torrential rain, poor visibility, mechanical issues, and breakdowns spread throughout the day. But nobody complained. Nobody got left behind. People doubled up on bikes, waited for one another, made phone calls, solved problems, and stayed until everyone was safe. It wasn't our easiest ride—but it was probably our proudest. Those are the moments that remind us that this group is about far more than where we're riding. It's about who we're riding with.

That day wasn't memorable because everything went according to plan. It was memorable because it didn't. Sometimes the greatest adventures aren't the ones where everything is perfect. They're the ones that reveal exactly who you're riding beside. When we think back on that ride now, we don't remember the rain. We remember the people. Because that's what The Litas Nanaimo has always been about. The destination is simply where the photographs are taken. The journey—and the women who share it—is what stays with you forever.

“Riding with The Litas means discovering a community you didn’t know you were missing.

It means finding people who celebrate your successes just as enthusiastically as they help you through your challenges. It means sisterhood instead of competition, encouragement instead of judgment, and friendships that extend far beyond the road.

Motorcycles bring us together. The people are what keep us coming back.”

— The Litas Nanaimo

THE COMMUNITY

Shelby reflects:

“People often assume motorcycles changed my life because they gave me an exciting hobby. The truth is much deeper than that. Before moving to Vancouver Island, I spent nearly a decade searching for direction. Like many people, I knew I wanted more from life, but I wasn't always sure what that looked like. Choosing to move here became the beginning of a complete transformation. Since then, I've intentionally built a life rooted in service, education, wellness, recovery, and community. Professionally, I work as a counsellor in addictions and mental health. Every day, I have the privilege of witnessing people discover strengths they didn't know they possessed.

Although motorcycles aren't part of my profession, the values that guide me in both spaces are remarkably similar. Showing up. Encouraging growth. Creating environments where people feel safe to learn. Celebrating progress rather than perfection. Helping people believe in themselves long before they fully believe it themselves. Those values don't disappear when I take off my work badge and put on my helmet. If anything, they become even more visible.

The women I've met through The Litas have become far more than riding partners. They're the people who celebrate life's biggest milestones, check in after difficult days, offer encouragement when confidence wavers, and somehow always know exactly when someone could use a coffee, a conversation, or simply another ride. Motorcycles gave me a passion.”

The community gave me a place where that passion could grow into something far more meaningful. It gave me a family.

THE ISLAND

There are few places in the world where you can experience such incredible diversity in a single day's ride. On Vancouver Island, one moment you're winding through towering old-growth forests. The next, you're tracing the coastline with the Pacific Ocean stretching endlessly beside you. Continue a little farther, and you'll find yourself climbing mountain roads before ending the evening beside a quiet marina, watching the sun disappear beneath the horizon. Every ride feels different, and every season offers something new.

One ride every motorcyclist should experience is the journey to Tofino. It's one of the Island's most iconic routes, winding through cathedral-like forests before opening to breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. Once you arrive, everything slows down. Walk the beach, share a meal with friends, and take a moment to appreciate arriving under your own power.

Closer to home, we find ourselves returning again and again to Maple Bay, Cowichan Bay, and Genoa Bay. These quieter roads encourage you to slow down—whether that's enjoying a coffee overlooking the marina or lingering over dinner after a beautiful ride.

One of the greatest gifts of riding on Vancouver Island has been sharing these roads with our neighbouring branches, The Litas Victoria and The Litas Comox Valley. Those rides remind us that while every branch has its own personality, we're connected by something much larger than geography—we're connected by sisterhood.

And that's perhaps the greatest hidden gem of all: not a destination on a map, but the people you meet along the way.

THE RIDE

Reflecting on her own journey, Shelby shares: "For years, I rode on the back of motorcycles, thinking, maybe one day I'll ride my own. Eventually, I realized that if I kept waiting for the perfect moment or the perfect opportunity, it probably wasn't going to happen. So I created my own opportunity. Take the course. Buy the bike. Ask the questions. Find a riding community. Then jump in. Nobody starts out experienced. Every confident rider you see today was once nervous on their very first ride. Finding The Litas gave me the confidence to keep growing, and now I have an incredible group of women to share adventures, road trips, coffee rides, and life with. You'll never regret betting on yourself."

THE GOAL

There is something incredibly special about being surrounded by women who genuinely want to see one another succeed. Not compete. Not compare. Simply encourage. In a world that often asks women to prove themselves before they're accepted, we've tried to create a space that offers something different—a place where encouragement comes before expectation. Where questions are welcomed. Where mistakes are part of learning. Where every milestone, no matter how small it may seem, is celebrated with the same enthusiasm. Whether it's someone purchasing her very first motorcycle, passing her road test, riding in a group for the first time, or simply finding the courage to join us for coffee, those moments matter. Because confidence rarely appears all at once. It's built through dozens of small victories.

We also believe representation matters. When new riders see women confidently maintaining their own motorcycles, planning road trips, supporting one another, and embracing the freedom that comes with riding, something powerful happens. Possibility expands. The question changes from, "Can women do this?" to, "Why couldn't I?" That's the kind of environment we hope to create—one where women leave not only as stronger riders, but as more confident versions of themselves. Because motorcycles may teach us how to navigate winding roads, but the community teaches us how to believe in ourselves.

THE ROAD AHEAD

One of the things we love most about our community is that there's always another adventure waiting just around the corner. Some rides are carefully planned months in advance. Others begin with a simple message: "The weather looks beautiful. Who wants to ride?" That's part of the magic.

The truth is, every ride is special in its own way, so it's hard to choose a favourite or the one we're looking forward to most. It just so happens that our next ride takes us through the winding back roads of the Cowichan Valley to Genoa Bay. It's a route that captures so much of what we love about Vancouver Island—quiet roads, beautiful scenery, great food, and the chance to slow down long enough to enjoy where we are.

Looking ahead, we're excited to keep exploring new roads, collaborating with neighbouring Litas branches, and creating experiences that bring women together through a shared love of riding. As our chapter continues to grow, our hope is to stay true to what has made it special from the beginning—a welcoming community where every rider feels they belong and every ride becomes a story worth telling. After all, there will always be another road to explore, another café to discover, and another sunset worth chasing.