Most everyone who knows me knows I used to ride dirt bikes when I was in my prime. Coming from a family of motorcycle riders, (my dad owned Honda’s back in the day and eventually graduated to Harley’s and finally moved up to a Boss Hoss Trike, while mom, who also began her early days on a Honda, has since moved up and on to Harley Softails and beyond), it should come as no surprise to anyone that I’ll lend my support to almost any movement which promotes the female motorcycle enthusiast and promotes her safely and well.

I mean really, riding isn’t just for guys, right girls?

It just so happens that a few days ago, Harley Davidson announced they’ve teamed up with The Biggest Loser trainer Jillian Michaels (who will have a show of her own on NBC called Losing It with Jillian), to encourage women to gear up and get behind the wheel of their own motorcycle.

Michaels, who I’m happy to learn is a life-long motorcycle enthusiast and a licensed rider, is pairing up with Harley-Davidson to spotlight National Garage Party Month, which features one lucky woman – and three of her friends! – with a special weekend and an opportunity for a Michaels meet and greet in Los Angeles.  The weekend will feature participation in the Harley-Davidson Rider’s Edge New Rider Course, spa treatments and a motivational talk with Michaels on how to live a better, healthier life.

For those who are not familiar with Garage Party events, essentially it’s all about getting to learn about motorcycles and the sport of riding in a non-intimidating environment, and you can meet other women who are also interested in riding, too. These low-key, women-only events are absolutely free and cover things like basic motorcycle controls, how to customize a motorcycle’s style and how to gear up for a ride. Garage Party events are organized into small groups, and the experience can be very empowering, especially if you’ve always had a desire to ride, but didn’t know where to start. While some dealers host the event year-round, Harley-Davidson has declared the month of March to bring awareness to Garage Party events nationally.

Harley-Davidson started hosting Garage Party events at dealerships throughout the country in 2005 to encourage women to embrace the sport of motorcycling. According to recent data from the Motorcycle Industry Council, women riders now represent 13 percent of all new motorcycle purchasers and 23 percent of all motorcyclists.

The groups are small, and there will be four informational seminars:

• Motorcycle Orientation – Learn the basic differences between Harley-Davidson motorcycle families.
• Motorcycle Gear – The important attributes needed in motorcycle gear.
• Customization – Learn how to customize a motorcycle to reflect a rider’s personal style and ergonomic needs, using Fit Shop that many dealers have.
• Self-Service – Find out how just about anyone can handle the weight of a motorcycle, including an interactive experience on picking up a motorcycle – for those who are interested in trying it out.

For more information about Garage Party events, to find a Garage Party event in your area, or to learn more about the sweepstakes visit www.harley-davidson.com/garageparty.  The website also has some cool videos which feature women who are just learning to ride, and some have even shared their own stories about how they learned to ride, why they ride and what it means to them.  Check it out – it’s awesome!  If you’eve ever dreamed of rising, but never thought you could, trust me – you really can!

Tags: Events, General, Harley-Davidson, Motorcycles // Add Comment »