Women who ride motorcycles are sexier, feel happier and are more confident that women who don’t ride.
That’s the results from a Harley-Davidson commissioned study, conducted by American market research company Kelton Global, who interviewed 1013 adult female riders and 1016 adult female non-riders via email.
While the online survey was conducted in America, it has implications in most countries.
Here are the major findings:
More than twice as many women who ride always feel happy (37% compared with 16% of non-riders);
Nearly four times as many always feel sexy (27% vs. 7%);
Nearly twice as many always feel confident (35% vs. 18%);
More than half (53%) of women who ride cite their motorcycle as a key source of happiness;
Three-quarters (74%) believe their lives have improved since they started riding;
Almost two in three women who ride (60%) have good communication with their partner compared with 38% of non-riders; and
Half of women riders (51%) have good physical intimacy experiences, compared with 35%.
Women riders who responded to the online survey used words such as confident, extremely satisfied, free and independent.
Harley-Davidson’s director of women’s outreach marketing, Claudia Garber, is a mother of two who started riding six years ago.
“It’s about freedom,” she says. “When you’re doing things you want to do, for yourself, and you feel confident, it goes into every aspect of your life, including how you feel about yourself. You feel more comfortable in your skin.”
Women account for more than 12% of American riders, up from 10.5% in 2009, largely as a result of Harley’s campaign to target women with events such as Garage Parties where women are shown how to get a licence and look after their bike.
Read my story here.
The proportion of women riders in Australia is well under 10%.
Maybe more women should throw a leg over and feel better about themselves.
Read my review of the film, Girl Meets Bike about women on motorcycles.
