Why Don't Many Girls Ride?

[JoshMoto]

I'm just putting this out there, but I've been riding for about a year and a half and guess how many girls I've met here in Alabama that ride? Two. (I don't count the ones that ride on the back, that's just sitting) I was just wondering what you guys think the reason for that is.

 

[MIcruiser]

most of the women i talk to dont ride our of fear they cant handle the bike. They like riding on the back, just dont think they can handle a bike on their own.

Others may think they wont fit into a generally male dominated sport/hobby, which I call bull shit. I WANT to see more lady riders. I think the sight of female eyes through a full face helmet is sexy as hell.

 

[BbqRider]

From my experience, many women who would be interested in riding are put off because they don't feel they can handle a bike, usually because they are smaller and shorter which makes most bikes too intimidating. This is just my personal experience. I suspect mostly it's because it's such a male-oriented thing that many women feel a bit excluded or intimidated

 

[JoshMoto]

most of the women i talk to dont ride our of fear they cant handle the bike. They like riding on the back, just dont think they can handle a bike on their own.

Others may think they wont fit into a generally male dominated sport/hobby, which I call bull shit. I WANT to see more lady riders. I think the sight of female eyes through a full face helmet is sexy as hell.

Hell yeah dude, I would love for my gf to ride even if its something small like a grom. Doubt it'll happen though

 

[JoshMoto]

From my experience, many women who would be interested in riding are put off because they don't feel they can handle a bike, usually because they are smaller and shorter which makes most bikes too intimidating. This is just my personal experience. I suspect mostly it's because it's such a male-oriented thing that many women feel a bit excluded or intimidated

Well I'm not a super tall dude (5'6 1/2), but I find the ninjas and cbrs comfortable. I think that they should at least talk to some riders about it. I've found that riders are some of the most chill people ever, I doubt anyone would oppose it

 

[SwissMotard]

Too many guys would be creepy around them

My fiancée doesn't ride because she lacks the necessary awareness and would ride straight of a mountain.

 

[JoshMoto]

Too many guys would be creepy around them

My fiancée doesn't ride because she lacks the necessary awareness and would ride straight of a mountain.

"That mountain jumped right in front of me"

 

[dandoolittle]

I know loads of female riders. One of them quicker than most

 

[Clint Love]

I know several women that ride (aside from some of the ladies on here). There were several of them in a club I helped start back in 2004 or so. They ride just as well as the guys in the club. I used to work with one lady who drag raced bikes. She was good at it, too. There's a couple of girls I know also who got their license just so they could ride with their husbands and be part of the fun, rather than always sitting on the back. The female rider population is growing. According to a recent study, females make up 14% of motorcycle riders.

 

[lupin]

Did you think you were going to meet women riding.

 

[jthomas]

I know a few. Taught my best friend to ride, she was super keen to get the bike, but then she was scared to get on it, but know shes a hardcore rider and got back on with out worries after a car hitting her. A true champ.

 

[Pigs]

I feel like its the same reason you don't see many women football(the murica version) or rugby players.

 

[KittenMeat]

girls don't ride as much because motorcycles have typically marketed towards men, as a "man thing" and also a lot of men are really hostile or really brazen in approaching females that ride. Women who ride, in my exp, get a LOT of attention, and not all of it good.

If they really get into it, men start saying shit about them, starting rumors. It's a real pain in the ass, and I can totally understand why many women don't wanna hang out in the moto scene.

That being said, I know some lesbians that ride that meet the misogyny with an equal amount of shit talking back to the dudes who talk down to them.

The worst thing in the world is the "mainsplaining" i see being done to women that have been riding longer than even I have. "oh that bike is cute. When are you gonna get a real bike?" type stuff....


also so much womens gear is frou frou flowers and shit. My lady prefers black on black on black ninja style, and thinks all of that looks dumb (meanwhile I like suomy helmets and shit. we're a pretty atypical role reversal relationship though)

 

[Reize]

But I think more women would pick up riding IF the US brought in more bikes that catered to women's tastes.

Women don't like superbikes, they like vespas and groms. It's got nothing with being able to handle it. A car is a car, whether it is a huge ass jeep or a tiny beetle, both only require stepping the accelerator and turning the wheels. But women still mostly prefer the beetle or mini cooper.

Why? Aesthetics, superbike aesthetics are mostly marketed at men, with aggressive stylings, while women would much rather pick a cuter vespa, or grom.

Problem is, there is just not many bikes that in the market that appeal to women.

 

[KittenMeat]

But I think more women would pick up riding IF the US brought in more bikes that catered to women's tastes.

Women don't like superbikes, they like vespas and groms. It's got nothing with being able to handle it. A car is a car, whether it is a huge ass jeep or a tiny beetle, both only require stepping the accelerator and turning the wheels. But women still mostly prefer the beetle or mini cooper.

Why? Aesthetics, superbike aesthetics are mostly marketed at men, with aggressive stylings, while women would much rather pick a cuter vespa, or grom.

Problem is, there is just not many bikes that in the market that appeal to women.

True story. The more I think about it, the more I think you're right.

Women really seem to like the Triumph Bonneville/Thruxton aesthetic. Motorcycles that look like motorcycles instead of spaceships.

A lot of girls don't really even like superCARS much less superbikes. Most of the ones I talk to are way more into bentleys, maybachs and big lexuses, and the occasional supercar that has a nice classic look to it (the shelby cobra, for one)

 

[dandoolittle]

Women don't like superbikes, they like vespas and groms.

That's the biggest load of tosh ha

Every female I know (expect a couple of 125 riders) owns some sort of superbike

 

[Ride_NZ]

I love the way it's all guys in here discussing what women want in a motorcycle. How about we get some women in here and we ask them?

 

[dandoolittle]

I love the way it's all guys in here discussing what women want in a motorcycle. How about we get some women in here and we ask them?

I'm quite ashamed to be called the site owner when we have comments like 'women love groms and Vespas'

 

[ChunksLife]

damn that's a harsh comment women don't like groms no one dose. i see alot of women riding all sorts of bike 1 of my neighbours rides an r6 and she rags the crap out of it she has flown past me several times. all i can say is she all ways has a smile on her face so i say bike life is for every one there should be more of a market i agree.

 

[Reize]

That's the biggest load of tosh ha

Every female I know (expect a couple of 125 riders) owns some sort of superbike

But that is cherry picking data, because you specifically associate with women who already ride in a market with superbikes. You haven't considered the untapped market of women who could have been potential riders but are not riding for several reasons.

I'm a marketing guy, and while motorcycles are not my forte (i mostly do IT equipment), the gender based marketing segmentation is real. Of course there are some cultural differences here and there from country to country, but in general, it holds true that in many places, there must be a clear divide in the presentation of a product to different genders and socio-economic classes.