You would think that in a world of equal opportunity and rights, it would be no surprise to have women venturing out in two wheels in greater numbers.
However, up until recent times this would have been quite the fantastic sight indeed as it remained the last male bastion.
Of course women riding motorcycles is nothing new and there have been many game women riders who have led the way and paved new ground for all riders.
Let’s not forget Hotchkiss: mother and daughter duo or the Van Buren sisters who changed many hearts and minds during the first quarter of the 20th Century.
Dot Robinson, Bessie Springfield, Vivian Bales…the list seemingly endless of pioneering ladies on two wheels but perhaps the overriding element is that all of these women just wanted to do it for themselves and not be holding to the whims of men.
Modern day women bikers are doing it all over the world whether racing, clubbing or the grand adventurers too. Patsy Quick for her Dakar rides, Maria Costello – The Queen of Bikers, Ana Carrasco for racing success and Elspeth Beard for adventures beyond the horizon.
However you would have thought that with all of these mighty women throughout history that the take up would have been a lot quicker and with greater force.
Perhaps it was traditions of male dominance and women’s domestic roles that took them away from motorcycling but these days women and younger ladies are fundamentally more independent both spiritually and crucially financially too.
They are not beholding to male counterparts to enable them to seek out rising thrills and explorations. This this has led to more and more women taking up riding, in fact it is the fastest growing sector in motorcycle ownership.
Both manufacturers and apparel vendors are focusing on what women want to wear and ride as opposed what men assume women should wear and ride.
Many more women motorcycle clubs are being formed, whilst others are coming together to form organisations that create their own accessories and apparel ad well as organise their own events, in fact there is a growing trend for events and rallies that are for women only.
There is no doubt these are exciting times for women who are interested in motorcycling and any lady social media influencer is finding a greater voice in the modern online world too.
Whilst there is still a long way to go to even up the playing field, there is also a movement of women cashing in on the action and exploiting the attention that businesses are showing too.
Let us not forget that businesses are always looking for any inroads to new markets and if women can be the face and the key at the same time, then it is right for this to continue, however the greatest success will be when more women create businesses and control the supply, demand and marketing in between too.
Until that time, there is a growing party of riding ladies and doing it just as well as any man could ever do it, perhaps even better. But this isn’t about comparisons, this is about going it alone and doing it for themselves…something that would make the early pioneering women most proud.