Arianne Mihalka: Like Father, Like Daughter
People develop a passion for motorcycles for many reasons—the freedom, the exhilaration of speed, the focus demanded of mind and body to pilot a bike safely—but for a rider like Arianne Mihalka, riding her RT keeps her in touch with her father’s spirit.
“Being my father’s daughter, I grew up around motorcycles all my life. My dad always had a motorcycle, and I loved riding with him since I was very young. Back in Venezuela and after he moved to Miami and then to Sykesville in Maryland, I always rode with him when I had a chance, but I was always on the back of his bike. Then in 2013, I had some big changes in my life. First, I was going through a divorce, and I decided it was time to get my own bike and do something fun for myself. My dad came to Florida and we went to BMW Motorcycles of Fort Lauderdale, where my dad had worked for many years, and he helped me choose my first bike. My dad was very supportive and excited about me getting a bike, and then the worst happened, a few weeks later my dad passed away; it was very unexpected. Since then, besides loving to ride, being on a bike is the best way to be close to him.” Arianne added, “It’s in my DNA.”
It was no wonder Arianne’s attraction to motorcycling had begun with her father. Paul Mihalka was a two-time Venezuelan and one-time All-South-American motorcycle racing champion in what was the largest engine class of the time. Additionally, Paul was an inspiration and mentor to Jim Ford, author of The Art of Riding Smooth.
“I always admired my dad for his passion for motorcycles, and I loved riding with him, but I only understood why he liked it so much this last year when I finally made it out of Florida and did a nine-day trip with my boyfriend, Brian Gillespie, who also rides a BMW.” Arianne and Brian rode the Blue Ridge Parkway and through the Shenandoah National Park, and she said she “loved every minute of it.”
Arianne’s connection with her father’s history also extends to the brand of bikes she’s had. “I grew up around BMWs all my life. My dad did 1.2 million miles on BMWs, and being an engineer myself, I really appreciate their design and performance. Only a rider since 2013, Arianne’s first BMW was a 2012 F 800 R. “It was a great starting bike, but three years later it was time to upgrade. My next bike was a 2009 R 1200 R, I ride a lot with the Gold Coast Beemers, our local BMW club, and finally it was easy to keep up with the group. I really enjoyed that bike, but last year we were doing longer rides, and I started thinking about how nice it would be to have some wind protection and more storage, so I got a 2011 R 1200 RT. I just LOVE this bike. This one is a keeper for a long time.”
One of Arianne’s earliest memorable rides was as a passenger on her dad’s bike when they ran Skyline Drive in West Virginia. Another highpoint was riding with Jim Ford on his “invisible roads” the day of a memorial ride that Jim organized in the Appalachian Mountains for her father.
“Since I started riding, most of my rides have been local in Florida. We have our annual club ride to Mount Dora…some beautiful roads and a great group of people. Arianne also mentioned the BMW winter rally in Starke, Florida, and going through the Ocala National Forest. “On my last trip to the BMW MOA National Rally in Lebanon, Tennessee, we took the Auto Train from Stanford, Florida, loaded the bikes and got off the next day in Virginia. The train was a wonderful experience, and we then headed to the rally, going through Skyline Drive, the Blue Ridge, little Switzerland, and the Tail of the Dragon.”
Following her father’s advice, Arianne says she is a firm believer in ATGATT. She said she’s only had one close call so far, a run-off caused by some loose gravel on a curve. “Luckily, the side of the road was sand and grass, and besides a good scare, I didn’t go down.” Arianne says there are many things she loves about riding, including what she called “the best therapy,” the feeling of freedom, the adventure, and sharing those adventures with her boyfriend Brian and a great group of friends. She added that she dislikes traffic, distracted drivers and the heat and humidity of Florida in the summer.
Ariane has been a member of the MOA since she started riding. “I really enjoy reading the magazine, and I think the Anonymous Book is an amazing idea. I never had to use it yet, but I know my dad found a lot of help there when he needed it on his long trips. It’s fun to read all the comments on the MOA Facebook page—sometimes it gets very interesting!”
As for the future, Arianne says she has a full bucket list. “I love riding and going on trips. We organize a one day ride a month with the club; those are a fun way to catch up with friends, and we try to go to different destinations every time, but I definitely hope to be able to do longer trips in the U.S .—so many beautiful places, national parks to see. I also would love to ride overseas in Europe, visiting places where my family is from, Hungary, Poland, Austria and Switzerland.” Truly Paul Mihalka’s daughter, she would also like to try racing someday. As her father always told her, “You don’t stop riding because you get old —you get old because you stop riding.”
