International Female Ride Day: Just ride!
Every year, on the first Saturday of May, International Female Ride Day® (IFRD) is observed, aiming to celebrate motorcycling among women riders and their unity.
The event's motto "Just ride!" further aims to encourage other women, who have not yet discovered the beauty of two-wheelers, to start this activity. IFRD also aims to dismantle the entrenched [gender-restrictive] perceptions about female motorcyclists and women on motorcycles, promoting diversity and gender equality. Women participating in IFRD demonstrate that the skill of riding a motorcycle is timeless, age-independent, and diverse among women who have mastered it.
"Every Woman" is the main theme of IFRD 2024
The theme of this year's eighteenth edition of the event is the #IFRDEveryWoman hashtag. This hashtag symbolizes the celebration of diversity and the dynamic spirit of women in the world of motorcycles and motorcycle sports.
"EveryWoman" refers to the collective experiences, challenges, and triumphs of women from different backgrounds. It symbolizes the existence of a common denominator that connects women from different cultures, backgrounds, age groups, and experiences. "EveryWoman" celebrates this diversity and the universality of experiences within IFRD, emphasizing that every woman, regardless of her individual situation, plays a unique role and makes a significant contribution to the collective narrative of women behind the handlebars.
How to Participate?
To participate, you just need to... ride (just ride!). Alone or in a group—it doesn't matter, nor does the type of motorcycle. Invite a friend, take your daughter, granddaughter. Inspire, set an example, teach.
What you can do to show you're celebrating that day:
- Post the IFRD logo on your website, on Facebook, Instagram, or a flyer
- Print the logo and place it on your motorcycle
- Take a photo and share it on social media with hashtags to spread the word:
- #FemaleRideDay
- #IFRD
- #IFRDEveryWoman
- #IFRD2024
- #InternationalFemaleRideDay
- #JustRide
Organizers' Social Media:
Story of an Unwanted Passenger
Wait. Taking this opportunity, I wanted to tell you a short story about an unwanted motorcycle passenger who forced a practical modification and reflection on the place women occupy in the eyes of motorcycle clothing manufacturers.
The Intruding Passenger Who Left a Mark
One sunny day, I went for a ride on my scrambler through the villages. My hair tucked under a helmet, gloves well-fitted, and a smile as wide as the road ahead of me. Little did I know that nature had a less pleasant surprise in store for me.
During the ride, I suddenly felt a strange tingling in my right jacket sleeve. At first, I thought something was happening with the material, but the tingling quickly turned into an intense sting. Literally. It turned out that a bumblebee had decided to make my sleeve its base of operations for the sightseeing tour.
The situation became unpleasant when I realized that before I could stop in a safe place, this uninvited guest might decide to taste my arm more than once.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity and a few bites, I found a safe exit. As soon as the motorcycle stopped, with great relief and no less haste, I began to shed my jacket as if it were the hottest issue of the century. The bumblebee, somewhat dazed by its express flight, landed on the ground next to the jacket, as I suppose, just as disoriented as I was.
I returned to the bike, now without the uninvited passenger, but with a few painful new souvenir bumps on my arm. The rest of the journey was peaceful, but every subsequent flying insect nearby was treated with due respect and slight paranoia.
From Bumblebee to DIY Hero
This adventure with the bumblebee intruder also had a practical effect.
I didn't want any more surprises, so I decided to modify my sleeve to have better regulation. I looked around for velcro, hooks, buttons, elastics, and other haberdashery scraps that could play that role. I cared about it looking nice, so I wrote to the manufacturer asking for spare snaps. They replied positively with a smile. And thanks to this, I will fit nice snaps in the right place on the sleeve, without much interference in the material.
Thanks to this modification, my future trips will be more comfortable, and I will get rid of the sleeve paranoia. Moreover, the new 'clip' will be extremely useful in various weather conditions, which further justifies this 'venture'.
A small change, but very significant!
But to what end am I going? This whole situation with the bumblebee passenger hitchhiking and the need to modify the jacket leads to reflection on a certain aspect of motorcycle clothing. Namely, male equivalents are often equipped with more functionalities. We're talking about a greater number of snaps for adjustment, better fastening systems, ventilation, and often better protectors. It is curious why motorcycle clothing manufacturers pay more attention to details in men's clothing.
Hey manufacturers, what about the needs of female motorcyclists?
Where does this difference come from? Is it a belief that men need better protection more than women? Do they have higher demands regarding the functionality of clothing? Is there a belief that men are more likely to invest in more expensive, technologically advanced equipment? Or maybe it's assumed that men decide to go on longer and more extreme motorcycle trips?
These reflections lead to the conclusion that perhaps it is time for manufacturers to start taking the needs of female motorcyclists just as seriously. More and more women are riding motorcycles. Ladies, just like gentlemen, value safety, comfort, and functionality, and tailoring clothing to these needs could attract more women to the world of motorcycles, giving them the feeling that their needs are just as important.
With this note, I end the post, wishing on the occasion of International Female Ride Day, that motorcycle clothing manufacturers look at us—ladies—with the same seriousness as the gentlemen. What do you think?