BIKER chicks - they're great. They're not afraid to get their hands dirty or their hair wet and they wear leather.

Think female biker (and we're not talking about the pillion passenger) and there's a tendency to picture a big butch broad in flat shoes.

Actress Angelina Jolie, who owns a BMW F650GS and a MV Agusta Brutale, and pop diva Pink, who rides a Harley Davidson Fatboy, are helping to rid the biker chick of that image - proof that you can be a sexy biker without being driven into the butch lane.

Although Tuesday's motorbike evenings in Poole attract mainly male bikers, times are changing.

Some 20 per cent of all UK motorcycle licences are held by women, so we decided to hit the road and talk to a couple of female bike enthusiasts to see what it is about motorbikes that revs their engines.

Becky Booth from Blandford is 5ft 5in, blonde and due to give birth any day. She says she's addicted to motorbikes.

"There are some scary-looking biker chicks, but most are just normal, like me. They just happen to be addicted to motorbikes."

Becky's fascination with motorbikes started when she rode on the back of her brother's moped in Italy at the age of 12.

It wasn't until her parents went on holiday one year, that she decided to take her bike test.

Becky explains: "My dad rode a scooter in the 1960s, but he thought motorbikes were unsafe. In 1991, when I was 21, my parents went abroad and I took my bike test. I was one of the first girls to do my CBT (Compulsory Basic Training)."

She says when her parents returned, they weren't too happy about what she'd done: "They were worried. They know how scatty I can be, but my dad ended up buying me my first leathers."

Becky says her first bike was a Yamaha YB100, which she bought from a scrapyard and did it up herself.

Becky says: "I wouldn't say I'm naturally gifted at doing bikes up, but when needs must, I'm handy with a spanner."

She then went on to buy a Kawasaki GPZ305 that cost her £500 and which she describes as "rubbish," and ended up with a CBR 600, which is sitting in her garage.

Becky says: "I can't ride at the moment. Being pregnant makes it impossible to bend down, so I'm back in the car for now. I miss my bike like you wouldn't believe."

Biking is a big part of Becky's life.

She gave up a career in nursing to run the all-girl bike accessory shop Girls Bike2 in Upper Parkstone; the shop is full of pink leather jackets and helmets with dragonfly graphics on.

Her passion has also worn off on her husband. Becky explains: "When my husband and I first got together, I took him away to Wales for a weekend on my bike. He became totally addicted."

Even Becky's wedding had a bike theme - she was escorted to the church by female bikers.

Becky says she gets a buzz from motorbikes and loves the idea of being in control.

She believes that when it comes to motorbikes, there's no such thing as a stereotype any more because bikes are now designed especially for women; more lightweight and manoeuvrable.

Becky says: "You don't have to have big strong arms and legs any more to ride a bike.

"The type of woman biking attracts are friendly and sociable. It's great seeing the same faces at the meets.

"Biking has lost its macho image. And yes, before you ask, my baby girl already has a Mini Moto at home waiting for her."

Heather Isaac is blonde, 5ft 4in, aged 49 and works for Laceys solicitors in Bournemouth. In May this year, she passed her bike test and bought herself a Kawasaki 650 ERF. Her passion for bikes started in her teens.

"I've always loved motorbikes, she said. "I always ended up going out with guys not for looks, but because of the size of their bike!"

In her 20s and 30s, Heather's life turned to "fast cars and children". It wasn't until Heather met her fourth husband, four years ago, that her passion for motorbikes was re-ignited.

"When my husband mentioned he had a an Aprilia 1000 RSV, I thought he was the man for me.

"He then bought a ZX10R Kawasaki, and it felt great being back on a bike again."

Heather decided it was time to take her test. Her first attempts failed as she crashed on her CBT; but she persevered and passed.

"I was over the moon and bought myself the ERF.

"I only had it a couple of weeks when I dropped it and broke a bone in my foot and was in plaster for six weeks!"

That didn't put her off. She says that as soon as the plaster came off she was back on the bike.

Heather says her passion for bikes is driven by a need for speed. She also loves the camaraderie and says that because the numbers of women bikers are growing, they are no longer seen as a novelty and people don't tend to react anymore.

And when it comes to Heather's youngest daughter Chelsea riding a motorbike, Heather definitely believes in practising what she preaches.

Heather tells me Chelsea already rides pillion on her husband's bike and has her own motoX bike that she adores.