Flagged for the first Friday of May each year, International Female Ride Day, occurring this year on May 1st, prepares to host its third year celebrating women motorcycle enthusiasts around the world. The event has fast become “the date” in women rider’s agendas, embracing the campaign’s request to simply – just ride.

Female Ride Day, the globally synchronized day for women, was designed to emphasize and spotlight the many numbers of women who ride motorcycles, celebrating not only their diversities, but similarities in their shared passion for motorcycling. It became a huge hit at its inception in 2007, instantly identified among women riders and has since tripled in involvement each year. It is now an inescapable campaign, celebrated from all corners of the planet. It now encompasses a range of international cultures and locations including Canada, United States, South Africa, Australia, Greece and the UK to name but a few, with Poland joining in this year.

"Women have enjoyed motorcycling since its invention and the numbers continue to increase. I see this as quite simply a natural evolution, perfectly coinciding with women’s changing roles. I often remind people there was a time women were not permitted to vote, unimaginable today,” says Vicki Gray, campaign founder. “On Female Ride Day, women riders from all forms of motorcycling – road, dirt, track are asked to unite in the activity of motorcycling and just ride! By getting out there, women visibly demonstrate and markedly underline the many numbers who ride motorcycles. The day is an awareness building event, each participant a role model by her own example, influencing other women to enjoy the enjoyment and satisfaction motorcycling produces” she adds.

“The day is free to enjoy as you wish, with the only request being to get out there and be present on your motorcycle. It has become a terrific incentive for women’s rider clubs and friends to get together and celebrate their common interest in the activity. In some locations, International Female Ride Day signifies the kick-off to riding season. It’s up to each woman to decide how she would best like to celebrate the day – one of the campaign’s unique characteristics and I believe one of the main components of its hugely contagious success. Recognizing that this campaign has been fully supported by the motorcycling industry undoubtedly added to its momentum. Women are encouraged to simply join in, take part, play a role and just ride,” she adds.

Traditionally, the campaign invited women to share what they did on Female Ride Day by submitting a photo of themselves with their motorcycle to MOTORESS. The photos have then been displayed within online photo pages and the first photos sent in were presented a special ride day memento or souvenir. “We could not keep up with the increased number of photos submitted in 2008, which was really unfortunate. So this year we’re investing in an instant self-uploading photo placement area to ensure all pictures are properly and proudly displayed. We will still offer a souvenir for the first photo submissions, but have to limit it to the first 100 received, simply due to budget, as you can imagine,” says Vicki.

Founder Vicki Gray can be heard discussing the annual event in detail on Clutch and Chromes Podcast from April 2008.

MOTORESS® is an international brand and community headquartered in Toronto Canada, with a strong online presence “connecting women with motorcycling” by engaging readers with the passion they seek in every aspect of their motorcycling lifestyle. The website includes topics covering news, gearstyle, technique, know-how, beauty, health, inspiration and more – all relative to living the lifestyle of motorcycling. MOTORESS continues to build the most feminine, friendly, vibrant motorcycle community for women; entertaining an audience of over a quarter million monthly unique visitors.

Riders interested in the International Female Ride Day and what women are planning in their communities, more information can be found at MOTORESS.Com.