In the rough and tumble halls of Congress there’s one thing a group of Democratic and Republican female lawmakers can agree on: the thrill of riding motorcycles.
Six years ago, Rep. Becca Balint, Vermont Democrat, first hopped on her Honda Rebel, a small cruiser, and she’s been rolling the roads ever since.
“I love to ride. It’s a way to absolutely clear my head and be hyper-focused on something other than politics,” said Ms. Balint, 50, a freshman lawmaker from a rural district.
Sen. Joni Ernst, an Iowa Republican and life-long biker, co-founded the Senate Motorcycle Caucus in 2017. She says revving up her Harley Davidson on the open highway is “a great stress reliever.”
These are two lady lawmakers who celebrate International Female Ride Day, observed worldwide on the first Saturday of May. Canadian motorcycle enthusiast Vicki Gray established the annual ride in 2007.
The ride spans 120 countries with women on two- or three-wheeled speedsters hitting the road to celebrate women’s advancements in motorsports.
The growing number of female motorcyclists is also reflected in their representation on Capitol Hill.
“The women motorcycle riders are the real badasses,” said Rep. Susie Lee, Nevada Democrat. “International Female Ride Day is about elevating the cultural, social, and active lifestyles of women who ride. I might even be due for a bike upgrade soon.”
Ms. Balint often rides the back roads of Southern Vermont down into Massachusetts and sometimes wheels it over to New Hampshire to clear her head and “smell the breeze.”
She said she plans on joining the House Congressional Motorcycle Caucus, a bipartisan group of riders and lawmakers.
Rep. Dina Titus, Nevada Democrat, lauded International Female Ride Day as a “great opportunity to celebrate the solidarity and overall community among women who participate in motorsports and recreation.”
“As a member of the Congressional Motorcycle Caucus, I know motorsports have historically been dominated by men. The IFRD moves the entire community forward by encouraging diverse participation and involvement,” she said.
Ms. Ernst, 53, rides a Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe and has been riding a motorbike since she was a pre-teen tooling around her family’s farm on a dirt bike.
Learning to ride back then was necessary “to get around the farm and back and forth to the neighbors’ house,” she said.
Ms. Ernst participates in several group rides, including the annual “Roast and Ride” fundraiser that supports the Freedom Foundation, a veterans service organization based in Cedar Rapids.
Like Ms. Ernst, Rep. Claudia Tenney, New York Republican, rides a Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe.
“It’s fun. … I don’t really have the time to ride horses anymore, [but] I would say it’s very similar, that same sort of freedom of riding a horse, riding a motorcycle,” she told Roll Call when first elected to Congress six years ago. “A horse is not as reliable as a motorcycle, but it’s just fun to go out in the countryside with my friends and enjoy a beautiful afternoon.”
Though many Capitol Hill women prefer riding cruisers, other lady riders enjoy sport bikes, adventure bikes, dual sport bikes, cafe racers and dirt bikes.
They also engage in various genres of this male-dominated sport such as track riding, trail riding and motocross.
In another sign of the growing ranks of women motorcyclists, Ruts to Racelines is a track riding and dirt bike event organizer “dedicated to helping women build confidence and skill to become better and safer riders.”
Ruts to Racelines owner Marika Krejci, a former competition track rider, launched it in 2018.
“Track riding helps you [ride better] on the street and makes you a more focused and safer rider,” she said. “That’s why I incorporate the dirt bikes too.”
More women are riding now than ever, with 19% of motorcycle owners being women. According to research from the Motorcycle Industry Council, that number increases as the riders get younger, with Gen X at 22% and Gen Y at 26%.
In 1998, about 8% of motorcycle owners were women.