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International Female Ride Day Now: Sat., August 22, 2020

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By Diana Rowe

Ladies, no question, 2020 rolled in like a pissed off Mama Bear. Yet what remains for women is still our passion for riding.  Did you know that nearly 20 percent of motorcycle owners are women who bring the girl power to nearly 1 in 5 motorcycle owners? Hey I’m looking at you Team Gen X and Y as your age group is the fastest growing motorcycle owners, at 22 and 26 percent respectively. (Source statistics: https://www.WomenRidersNow.com/) But the super cool part is that that passion for wind therapy has not age or gender restrictions!

One of my most precious memories in gearing up and setting off with my BFFs for motorcycle riding adventures. I challenge the ladies to make 2020 the year for female riders. Call your girls and let’s get out there and ride together. If you’ve never ridden on International Female Ride Day, save the date to meet up with your girlfriends to ride on the rescheduled date of Saturday, August 22! This celebration of women motorcyclists is now in its 14th year, and it’s happening in your home town.  

What IS International Female Ride Day (IFRD)?

Launched in 2007, this annual international one-day event was created for women motorcyclists by women motorcyclists and this year, it celebrates its 14th anniversary this year. 

Vicki Gray, Founder of IFRD, said it best, “IFRD, created for change; to advance motorcycling for women.” All brands participate and all forms of motorcycling participate: road, track, dirt, three-wheelers, side-cars, and scooters.  JUST RIDE!

All over the world, now in six continents and over 120 countries, women fire up their motorcycles for a globally synchronized ride on IFRD each year (usually) on the first Saturday in May. Due to COVID-19 concerns in 2020, the annual ride was rescheduled to Saturday, August 22. But the mantra remains the same, calling women to “JUST RIDE!”

Who celebrates and empowers this Movement? 

The group behind IFRD is MOTORESS, an online community of women motorcyclist enthusiasts based in Canada. This group wanted to bring greater awareness to women and motorcycling by designating one day each year for all female motorcycle riders to get out and ride. Their grassroots efforts have paid off as IFRD has grown to be the worldwide phenomenon it is today with hundreds of thousands of women getting the message to take out their motorcycles on that one day and ride.

In addition, Polaris, the global leader in powersports, recently partnered with International Female Ride Day® (IFRD), the globally synchronized ride day celebrating women riders and their passion for powersports.

On Saturday, August 22, in communities all over the U.S. and the world, women riders are organizing their own group of riders to spend the day on their motorcycles together. Riders who don’t have a group to ride with or simply want to ride alone, just getting out on your motorcycle, scooter, or trike on that day is good enough. If you feel like sharing your day with others, take a photo and post it on social media with the hashtag #ifrd. 

Tips to JUST RIDE on IFRD

Ride to work. Call your girlfriends and arrange a meet up! Ride to a local motorcycle dealership and go shopping. Take a ride in your neighborhood. Just ride into the mountains. Ride to your local motorcycle restaurant and bar for lunch. JUST RIDE!

In addition to Colorado Rider News, there are several ways to find a group in your area of you’re not aware of one yet:

Visit MOTORESS for details on events.

Check out, LIKE and follow the official Facebook page for IFRD for more info and for sharing photos.

Visit WomenRidersNow.com and their extensive list of Women’s Motorcycling Clubs and connect with one in your area.

Call your local motorcycle dealership and ask the folks if they know of any groups of women riding on that day.

To learn more about this special day and how to get involved, visit the IFRD page on Motoress.com. You’ll also find a link to buy t-shirts and other IFRD merchandise.

Windsisters of Colorado

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By Stormy

If you live in the Denver area and ride a motorcycle, there are just a handful of women groups to join and meet other like-minded riders that share the same passion for motorcycles.  Three ladies, Sparkle, Khaos, and Xeva started Windsisters of Colorado with the desire to create a positive, warm, and welcoming group of both lady riders and honey huggers. Sparkle emphasized, “Having tried previously to be a part of a formal ladies riding group helped me see that there were not enough networking platforms in Colorado for ladies to connect.”   They originally started with a handful of lady riders and have been blessed over the last four years, as it has grown to almost 400 followers!

Finding Windsisters  

Windsisters was whispered in other ladies’ groups and soon on social media because of the fun quarterly socials and rides they were hosting and posting.  That is how I discovered Windsisters. I know Khaos pretty well for we went on a spectacular motorcycle road trip to Seattle and down the Pacific Coast back to Colorado several years ago.  She hosted a social at the Glenn Bar, and I met some awesome lady riders. It’s cool to learn that there are women riders out there from all walks of life and to hear their story on how they got into riding.  What I like about Windsisters is that they open their arms to anyone regardless of what they ride, of all makes and models of two and three-wheel motorcycles and all ability levels.

Positive Female Presence

Sparkle boasted about the Windsisters of Colorado Facebook social group page.  She continued, “This allows ladies to share experiences in the wind, tips on maintenance or riding gear and allows members to share meet-up opportunities. The goal of the group is to encourage a strong POSITIVE  female presence in the Colorado riding community.”

Although started in the Denver metro, Windsisters has now spanned across Colorado.  They encourage ladies to share events to help others know what is going on in their areas.  

Sparkle articulated, “TOGETHER we can create a beautiful environment promoting lady riders.  We are thankful for the people who have helped create the group that we have, as it takes each person to show up, be engaged, and be open to new friendships for it to continue to grow.”

Connect

They are always looking for ladies to partner and host a meetup in their area.  Their next social event will be January 18, 2020 Holiday After-Party.

If you or any lady friends you know are interested in joining, please request to join Windsisters of Colorado on Facebook. 

Women’s World Record Attempt 2019

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On Saturday, August 24th at 10 a.m. at a Harley dealership in the city of Frederick, CO, women bikers attempted to set a world record of having the most women riding their own with no passengers in one parade ride.  This ride took place in the countryside of over 50 miles. I was fortunate to be able to work behind the scenes and see this event come to fruition. I oversaw organizing the road captains. It was a great feeling to volunteer for this wonderful cause as well as the attempt for a world record.

“In Colorado, women bikers are growing like a weed,” said Susan Udero, organizer of Colorado Women’s World Record Ride. “There are 88,000 bikers registered (in Colorado). How many are women? (The DMV) said 4,000 or 5,000.”

Susan says the world record is held by the United Kingdom, where more than 1,100 riders showed up.  Although it was a great event and the women riders had a fantastic time, they were not able to set the record.  The number of women riders were only 465, but they weren’t discouraged, because they were also riding for a wonderful cause, Firefly Autism.  The event raised $25K for children with autism because of these benevolent ladies.

“All the proceeds from this incredible event come directly to Firefly Autism,” said Jesse Ogas, Executive Director of Firefly Autism.

Firefly Autism is based in Denver and provides support to children and families who are impacted by autism.

“We work with children from 18 months to 21 years of age, who are impacted with autism,” Ogas said.  He continues and says that the money raised from this world record attempt event will go to scholarship families who might not be able to pay their deductibles, who might not be able to pay their premiums.  Ogas boasts, “These women are having a huge impact for the children and families at Firefly Autism.”

After the parade ride, a lot of fun activities were going on at High Country.  Angry Steve Band was performing on stage, trophies were given out for various categories, and guest speakers Momma D, Helen Tornquist, Rhonda Brown, and Kimberly Chavez spoke on their experiences at this Colorado world-record attempt. 

Susan Udero says that her and her volunteers will try again next year and are already planning and organizing.

Women: No Longer Just Back Seat Riders

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The number of women motorcycle riders is on the rise and the manufacturers are beginning to pay attention. According to the latest national survey by the Motorcycle Industry Counsel (MIC) they found that among the age group of women now make up 19% of motorcycle owners compared to 10% ten years ago.

Nearly one in five United States motorcycle owners are now female, compared with one in 10 less than a decade ago, and the data suggests that American women could soon make up one quarter of owners, which would be a major shift in motorcycling demographics, according to the latest national survey by the USA Motorcycle Industry Council.

The survey also found that women owners among younger generations is growing with 26% of motorcycle owners being women. As the number of mature motorcyclists shrink, they are being replaced by new riders and increased number of women.

The surveys also concluded that women are riding the following:

  • 34% of female riders
  • 33% scooters
  • 10% sport bike riders.

Data from this survey also concluded that:

  • The median age for female motorcyclists is 39 versus 48 for males.
  • More than 49 percent of women motorcyclists do their own maintenance or have a friend or relative do it, instead of taking their bikes to a shop.
  • New motorcycles are preferred over used by 57 percent of female riders.
  • 49 percent of female motorcyclists are married.
  • 47 percent of female motorcyclists have a college or post-graduate degree.

“Today more women are getting off the fender and into the driver’s seat.  For many years motorcycle riding has been a male dominated culture.  But our brothers on the asphalt are making a lane for us ladies. I didn’t start riding until I was 47.  I feel free and incredible joy behind those handle bars.  The days of catty behavior being in style are gone. Women need to stand shoulder to shoulder and support one another. Each one bring one. I can’t imagine my life now without a motorcycle.”

– Dazzlin, President, Bling Devas, MC

The riding community is also seeing a greater number of women motorcycle clubs such as the Bling Devas, MC and Rebel Queenz. There are women riding groups such as Women in the Wind and Sin City Moto Girls, are expanding and involving their groups in ALL THINGS MOTORCYCLE.  

Here in Colorado, a group of ladies have organized a ride on August 24th to attempt to break the world record for the largest number of women riders on a ride. If you are a woman rider and available that day, come out and support this World Record Attempt. The event starts at High Country Harley Davidson at 8am.

August 24 Womens World Record FACTS

If you would like to apart of Colorado history, please join us!  All you need to do is pre-register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/colorado-women-ride-world-recordparade-attempt-tickets-57664702678 and meet at High Country Harley Davidson, 3761 Monarch St, Frederick, CO 80516 at 8 a.m.

  • If you want to be in a section with your posse, please ride in together because you will immediately be assigned to a section.  You can meet each other some where before riding in.
  • When you ride in, a traffic coordinator will direct you to where to park and a section lead will inform you of what to do next.
  • The parade will start approximately 10 a.m. and once you return, the festivities will begin.
  • Angry Steve will be performing on stage from 12 – 3 p.m.
  • Team Wildlyfe is a unique group of local fire and LED performers sure to entertain.
  • Special Guest:  Helen Tornquist, Rolling with Ronda, DJ Jones, Paty Juarez, and Kimberly Chavez
  • Trophies will be awarded for Farthest Distance Traveled, Eldest Woman Biker, Youngest Woman Biker, best looking trike, and Most Women Club Members locally and out of state.
  • Prayer:  Robert Espinosa will be honoring Wind Brother Bret Kerr
  • The Unofficial Party will be at Jerry D’s, 604 8th St, Dacono, CO 80514.

More information at www.missbubblesproductions.com.

Ride Canada: Interview

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By: Belt Drive Betty

As the editor of a newspaper that sponsors a lot of events, there are always stories to print and that’s wonderful, but few stories have touched my heart quite the way the Women Riders World Relay has.

Women from around the globe are joining hands to help empower other women and educate the manufacturer as to the size of the female audience and what their needs in gear and motorcycles truly is.

So as their sponsor I decided to do a little Q & A with a few of these ladies…


Name: Roberta Orbach

What Leg or Ripple Relay were you part of? A. Albuquerque-Los Alamos-Santa Fe New Mexico

What dates did you participate in the WRWR? A. April 16

What do you ride?A. 2015 Kawasaki Versys 650

What is one thing you want other women to know about the Relay. A. It is exhilarating, freeing, and an awareness that you are not alone pervades you body.

What was the single most important thing you took away from participating in the Relay? A. New friendships!

What advice would you give riders wanting to participate in the WRWR or a Ripple Ride? A. Do it with abandon.

What Leg or Ripple Relay were you part of? A. Kelowna to Nakusp

What dates did you participate? A. June 1st

What do you ride?  A. 2018 Kawasaki VulcanS 650

What is one thing you want other women to know about the Relay. A. It’s fun. Eye opening to the amount of women riders. There are people from all walks of life and backgrounds.

What was the single most important thing you took away from participating in the Relay? A. That I can do it. I have had my license for 11 years-ish. The most I’ve ridden in a day was about 200km. (Mostly because I didn’t trust the bikes I had to go much further.) I ride pretty much every day but on June 1st I road over 550km.

What advice would you give riders wanting to participate in the WRWR or a Ripple Ride? A. Just get out and DO IT! See what happens.

It’s wonderful to see so many ladies riding these days, I am grateful to play a role in this movement!