Whether for confidence, spiritual experience, community independence, adventure, or freedom, more and more women are choosing to embrace the motorbike life, and taking to bikes with an increased voracity.
Many of these women are learning to ride during their 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s, confronting cultural expectations, societal stereotypes, and personal challenges along the way as they embrace the independence and freedom of motorcycling. While women on bikes are currently at an all-time high, it’s nothing new, and chicks have been riding motorbikes since before they could vote.
There are definitely a lot more women getting into motorcycling though, and they’re now one of the fastest growing demographics in the industry.
Right now, women make up 12% of motorbike owners in the United States. And when you look at both riders and passengers, 1 in 4 are female. Not to mention that a quarter of all purchases are either highly influenced or made by women.
The industry is beginning to realize exactly how many women want to be on the open road, and you can now find motorcycle gear online, including motorcycle jackets for women and even Icon gloves– designed for female hands.
In 2013, around 27 million people in the United States operated a motorbike, and approximately 6.7 million of these people were women. A survey from 2013 (commissioned by Harley Davidson) found that of women riders, 37% reported always feeling happy, compared to just 16% of women non-riders. There were similar numbers for confidence, with 35% saying they always feel confident, compared to just 18% for women who don’t ride, and another big statistic was communication, with a huge 60% of women saying they were content with the way they communicated with their significant other, compared to 38% of non-riders.
Need some more reasons to own a motorbike? The same survey found that more than a third of female riders reported that they feel less stressed after they’ve been riding, while 50% said they were extremely satisfied with their current relationships. And for those that ride, more than half of them said that their motorbike was a key source of their happiness, and almost three quarters of female riders said that they believe that their lives have improved since they began riding.
Since so many women are beginning to ride bikes, and women have a natural affinity toward connection, many of these women have connected with each other. There’s even a resource called Women Riders Now, along with hundreds of riding clubs that are women only, numerous Facebook groups, and a number of organisations including Women on Wheels.
Back in 2013, Maggie McNally-Bradshaw was (unanimously) elected as the chair of the AMA (American Motorcyclist Association) board of directors. This is the first female to lead the board in the 89-year history of the association.
As you can see, millions of women are enjoying their motorbikes every day. If you’ve always wanted to own one, keep in mind that there are women of all ages learning to ride and purchasing their own bikes every year, and this number continues to grow.
