Being a female adventure rider is never boring, but today it’s particularly exciting: The Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) has just released an excellent report about the shifting gender demographics among motorcyclists. 19% of riders are now women, with younger riders making up even higher percentages (22% of Gen X riders are female and 26% of Gen Y). From the report:

“‘As the number of Boomer and mature motorcyclists shrink and are replaced by newer riders, we could soon be looking at a solid 25 percent of motorcycle owners being female,” said Andria Yu, MIC director of communications. “We’ve seen with our own eyes many more women riders — on the roads, on the trails, on the track, with families, at motorcycling events, forming clubs and just being part of everyday group rides. Many people in the industry have worked some 30 years to achieve this, and now the data confirms it: More and more women are getting out there and enjoying motorcycles.’

The MIC polled 2,472 adults nationwide for the 2018 Motorcycle/ATV Owner Survey. For decades, the MIC surveys have served as the census of motorcycling, and have tracked a steady growth in the percentage of women who own bikes.”

The report mentions that women are, on average, spending more on aftermarket parts and accessories than men, making them a growing economic force in the industry as well:

“The 2018 owner survey also found that women motorcycle owners spend, on average, $574 a year on tires, routine repairs, maintenance, replacement parts, and accessories and modifying equipment, compared with $497 by men.

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‘We’ve seen particularly strong growth in the aftermarket sector for women,” said Cinnamon Kernes, newly appointed vice president and general manager of MIC Events and the American International Motorcycle Expo presented by Nationwide, the largest powersports trade and consumer show in North America. “Over the past decade, more women are designing riding gear and other products specifically for female riders, working in major companies or creating their own brands. Having gear designed for women by women was a huge step and has certainly helped encourage female ridership.’”

While the report doesn’t break down its numbers into styles of riding among women, we’ve observed a notable increase in female offroad ridership in recent years. Events like Over & Out and Babes in the Dirt have drawn younger, female ADV and dirt riders out of the woodwork and into the industry spotlight. The largest female cross-country dual-sport ride, the Suffragists Centennial Motorcycle Ride, is set to take place in July-August 2020.

Gear manufacturers like Rev’It and Atwyld have launched women’s offroad lines, and they’ve formed women’s teams to design and field test their gear. And major rider collective The Litas, active in 29 countries, just announced support for grassroots-style organizing of female dirt rider branches. All this to say: No matter where you’re riding, expect to get passed by more & more women on two wheels. MIC.org

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