With the increase in women motorcycle riders, one question you should be asking yourself is: What is my share of the women’s market in my community?” While women riders have been around a long time only recently have they been referred to as an actual market segment.
Selling to Women: Female-Only Motorcycle Events
My husband, Norm, was getting tired of wearing the same leather motorcycle-riding jacket he’s had for years, so he asked me if I could find him something different. We ignored the silly adage that you shouldn’t mix leather and textile and chose a waterproof textile jacket that fits him perfectly, looks great with his leather chaps and looks even better when he’s sitting on his motorcycle.
Jacket Review: Joe Rocket Atomic 4.0 for Men
A new generation of women riders is emerging and a talented young photographer is setting out to capture it on film. “I didn’t see any images that depicted who I was or the women I started riding with,” says Lanakila MacNaughton, of Portland, Oregon, “so I set out to take some shots of those girls to see where it would go.”
A New Generation of Women Riders
To say that my history with motorcycles was minimal would be an understatement. I had never ridden “anything,” and 26 years ago had ridden on a bike as a passenger for about an hour. My husband, Mike, rides bikes and has raced dirt bikes his entire life. When he retired, and a girl friend of mine got her motorcycling license, I decided to take the leap and work towards getting mine.
Reader Story and Review: From Bike to Trike
It all began 4 years ago. With the children grown and out of the house, my husband, Neil, said, “Its time to start riding again.” I said, “Have fun”! I had never ridden on a motorcycle, except for once when I was 18, and that ride was enough for me. I also once rode on the back of Neil’s motorcycle and didn’t think it was that much fun. But, for my 50th birthday, Neil somehow managed to have me take motorcycle lessons.
Reader Story: Learning to Ride, One Motorcycle at a Time
Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing bad about riding pillion on the back of a motorcycle. For many years, I used to sit behind my husband, Jonny, on his Harley-Davidson Softail Deuce, spacing out and staring at the scenery. But now that I’ve taken the leap to the rider’s seat, I’m encouraging more women to move from the back seat to actively riding their own bikes.
Reader Story: How One Woman Inspired Another to Ride
Edelweiss Motorcycle Tour: Best of Europe WRN reader tours Europe on a Honda NC750. Read the story.
The Himalayas have been calling me since I was a young woman. Having visited there half a dozen times, I cannot begin to explain why in a page of words. The Himalayan Mountains surround you with 360 degrees of visual splendor that can never be captured fully by the lens of a camera.
Backroads With Betsy: Motorcycling Trip of a Lifetime Riding in the Himalayas
Joan Krenning is going public with her constant struggle with weight and her recent gain of 25 pounds while on her Glory US-A Freedom Ride. Join Joan as she commits to lose the weight while preparing for the next leg of her journey.
Joans Journey: Struggling with Weight Gain While on the Road
Women Riders Now (WRN) is kicking off the holiday season with our annual gift guide of EXCLUSIVE DEALS just for WRN readers. You wont find these anywhere else! Shop from the comfort of your couch (or motorcycle saddle) and take advantage of these one-time offers. Some expire sooner, some later, so dont delay!
2013 WRN Holiday Gift Guide for Motorcyclists