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Women Indian riders walking in the Desert

Indian Motorcycle and Women Riders

IF YOU'RE ON TWO WHEELS, YOU'RE WITH US

International Female Ride Day

As women's participation in motorcycling has continued to grow over the last decade, Indian Motorcycle is once again celebrating International Female Ride Day (IFRD) to help spotlight women riders in the powersports arena and further celebrate and accelerate the participation of women in motorcycling. The 18th annual IFRD is scheduled for May 4, when women in over 120 countries ride their motorcycles in unity and support of the women-riding community. This year's IFRD emphasizes the goal of including and encouraging new women to ride while shining a light on the diverse participation of women already engaging in motorcycling.

Indian Motorcycle driver in the highway

Meet the Litas

From an Instagram page to a worldwide community of riders.

Jessica Wise had never been interested in riding motorcycles. It hadn’t occurred to her, mostly because the only people she’d seen on two wheels were men. But then, one late afternoon on the University of Utah campus, waiting for a bus back to her dorm, she saw her: a woman. On a bike! She looked about Wise’s age and rolled confidently through campus on a black motorcycle and wearing a black leather backpack. Wise liked the way it all looked. “That planted a seed,” she says. Within a week, she’d bought the same leather backpack. Within a year, she had her first bike.

It was easy enough to teach herself to ride and even to get comfortable on the road. But finding other women to ride with was more difficult. “There wasn’t any way to go up to another woman on a bike and say, ‘Hey, you want to be friends? Want to ride?” Wise says. The world of riding felt a little too competitive. There was no easy way to connect—so she started her own. The Litas.

2022 Daytona Bike Week Women’s Event

Connecting with Women Riders at Daytona Bike Week

The Indian Motorcycle team hosted a first-ever brunch and demo event exclusively for women riders in partnership with Indian Motorcycle of Daytona Beach. The goal of the event was to provide an exclusive space to experience the Indian Motorcycle brand, connect with other women riders and staff, and experience our full range of Indian Motorcycle models and riding gear. More than 20 women participated, some of whom had never ridden an Indian Motorcycle before. Attendees included members of the Medicine Wheel Ride motorcycle club, Indian Motorcycle ambassador Ana Simmons as well as media representatives from Biker Belles and Women Riders Now. It’s important to know that women are interested and highly engaged with the full Indian Motorcycle brand. “The feedback from the group was extremely positive,” said Mallory Apperson, customer growth manager for Indian Motorcycle.

Empowersports Women's Riding Council

The Empowersports Women’s Riding Council exists to uplift the passions that fuel women and put forth deliberate efforts for increased representation, inclusion and participation of women in powersports. The council joins women from all backgrounds and riding terrains as respected representatives of their sports, who will meet regularly with Polaris leaders to discuss breaking down barriers including increasing diverse women representation, vehicle and gear considerations, safety practices, combating biases and demystifying the sport for more women.