Keeping Girls On Motorcycles

On any given weekend at your local motorcycle club, you will see throngs of kids blasting around on dirt bikes having a great time. More often than not, it’s at these local club tracks where kids are introduced to motorbikes. Boys and girls (under 10 years old) get out there and simply enjoy riding their bike without too much competition. Not many of the kids or parents care where they finish in the pack — it’s just about having fun.

- Amy Harburg

Then as the kids get older, it becomes obvious that it’s no longer boys and girls out there on the track; for the most part it’s just boys. So where do all the girls go? The simple answer is that girls tend to be less interested in the noise, dust or mud and the competition that motocross or enduro comes with. Girls either naturally gravitate away from the motorbikes or are encouraged to take up safer sports such as netball or gymnastics.

Considering the participation numbers for girls in the motorcycling world are low to begin with, it’s somewhat unlikely that many will continue through their teens without considerable encouragement. Of course, there are the exceptions and often these girls go on to have great success in their chosen motorcycling discipline. But still the numbers are low.