Women poured through the rally gates this year, showing up day and night alone, in pairs or packs, and dressed in trendy Scottsdale finery, designer leathers or swanky salon fashions. Once almost the exclusive domain of savage and crazed men, motorcycle rallies have seen a steady influx of women riding or walking in, adding balance and clean faces and nice smelling hair to what used to be a grizzly gathering.

 

Just when we thought there couldn’t be more pink and ink adorning womanly arms, thighs, shoulders, busts and even necks, we are again surprised, often pleasantly so. Furry and frilly were seen about, as were bikinis and big, black boots.

 

After kicking off with below-normal temps, the weather warmed up and the girls dressed down. Skirts and shorts inched up, and leathers away. Body bling was also on the rise, perhaps as a kind of moto-tribal nod to the biker lifestyle.

 

Women account for roughly 25% of new Harley purchases, and they are making their presence felt on the road, at the vendors, and in the crowd as fashions in jewelry, leathers and clothes (or lack of) grow more daring. 

 

Not very long ago, women seen at bike rallies were, for the most part, usually beer and vendor girls, wet T-shirt, bikini and Miss Whatever Rally contestants, 20-somethings in painful looking heels sometimes accompanying 60-somethings in relaxed fit Hawaiian shirts, or the other half of a two-up couple. Seldom was seen a single woman, at leisure, alone or in small groups, just enjoying the big show. Women riding their own bikes were even more rare. Not anymore.

 

Rally organizers do not break down male and female attendee numbers, at least not publicly, but the demographics could reveal some emergent national trends. The data and keen reporter eyeballs suggest more and more single women are walking and riding into motorcycle rallies nowadays. That’s a movement we can get behind.