On Mother's Day, moms may crave motorcycles

Women are a fast-growing segment of motorcycle riders and owners, so it's not surprising that many female riders are also moms and grandmothers.

About one in four motorcycle riders are women, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council, a trade organization, and among motorcycle owners, about 12% are women in 2012, up from about 10% in 2009, the latest statistics available.

This hasn't gone unnoticed by motorcycle manufacturers and motorcycle clothing and gear makers.

"Female riders are increasing year after year and the industry has been paying attention," says Cristiano Silei, CEO of Dainese, which makes protective clothing and gear for motorcycling. "Several of the most recent motorcycles launched are easier to ride, feature lower seats and are more attractive and sophisticated from the design standpoint. Most importantly, technical and protective gear ... have been increasingly developed to better fit the female body."

Honda, for example, launched six entry level motorcycles over the past three years that are lighter and easier to handle, says Lee Edmunds, Marketing and Communications Manager with the motorcycle division of American Honda Motor. "We are seeing strong growth with women riders."

Dominique Cheraki, CEO of Ducati North America, also notices a growth in women riders. "The female motorcycle community has never been larger than it is today," he says, "Now more than ever, female riders are participating in track days, attending club gatherings and purchasing all types of Ducati motorcycles."

"You can see how the motorcycle culture has evolved when you see a family in a showroom surrounding a new motorcycle, and mom is the first one to swing a leg over the seat," Cheraki says.

At Harley-Davidson, "Women have been part of the Harley-Davidson riding community for decades," says Jill Close, the company's women's consumer segment lead. "However, our efforts, and those of our dealer network, intensified over the last decade and went beyond advertising to include more experiential elements like Garage Party events, rider training at our dealership, a section of our website dedicated to introducing women to motorcycling and the Harley-Davidson brand."

"Our marketing ... helps more people, including women, picture themselves on a Harley-Davidson," Close says. "For instance, Black Widow, played by Scarlett Johansson, rides a Harley-Davidson Project LiveWire electric motorcycle in the recently released Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron, reinforcing cool, strong women riders."

Paolo Bacchiarello, Director of Operations for REV'IT! North America, a motorcycle gear company, says, "Women are a serious, dynamic category of motorcyclists whose numbers are growing year over year, and we treat them as a distinct segment. In the REV'IT! design process, gear is conceived from the ground up to fit a female body."

So if you know a mom who rides, maybe this Mother's Day, forget the set of earrings and opt for a set of new tires.