Women’s Motorcycle Riding Movement

H-D’s Female Outreach Managers Tell All

By Taryn Funcheon

Photography by Courtesy OF HARLEY-DAVIDSON

In celebration of all female riders no matter the motorcycle brand, Harley-Davidson declared May as Women Riders Month. For the Motor Company, this is an exciting time for women of all ages and backgrounds to learn to ride motorcycles and to offer them support throughout the experience and on the road. We thought this was the perfect opportunity to commemorate some industry ladies and riders who are helping make significant contributions to women and motorcycling and who have helped shape Harley’s women outreach efforts.

First off, piloting the ladies riding movement at H-D is Women’s Outreach Manager Leslie Prevish. Helping other females see and feel the passion for motorcycling for the past 20 years, Leslie was introduced to two wheels back in her childhood. “My dad was a rider and I remember one short but exhilarating ride with him when I was 8 years old before he passed away and my mom sold the bike,” Leslie recalled. While Leslie was living with her brother during college, in which she received a bachelor’s degree in Journalism, and a master’s degree in Italian, and a master’s in business administration, her brother encouraged her to get her motorcycle license. “I hadn’t really thought about it before that,” Leslie said, “since there were so few women riders–around 3 percent–so I’m glad he suggested it!”

After Leslie finished her master’s in Italian, she worked as the promotions coordinator and later a Buell salesperson at A.D. Farrow Harley-Davidson in Columbus, Ohio, from 1995-’98. From there, it was off to Milwaukee to H-D where Leslie has worked the past 11 years and has enjoyed several roles in public relations. “I also managed Buell Riders Adventure Group and was the editor of Enthusiast,” Leslie said. “Then I lobbied for the [Motor] Company to create a women’s outreach manager position, and a year and a half ago, I started in my dream job working full time to promote women and motorcycling.” Leslie humorously added, “In college a boyfriend asked what my dream job would be, and when I said I’d love to market motorcycles to women, he laughed and said, `No one will ever pay you for that.’ Guess he was wrong!”

In Leslie’s role, she works with many departments in marketing and also throughout H-D to implement its initiatives to encourage women to ride and promote stronger bonds with existing female riders. This year has been the greatest for outreach efforts, from a fully redesigned website dedicated to female riders (http://www.harley-davidson.com/womenriders) to events, rides, mentoring programs, and much more. Outreach initiatives include H-D Garage Party events, where dealerships across the country host free women-only shows that are targeted toward new or inexperienced riders, as well as Share Your Spark, a mentoring DVD for both current riders and aspiring riders looking to help one another. A first in the industry to encourage women to ride is H-D’s We Ride, a guide that provides inspirational stories and educational materials to help women understand what motorcycling is all about. “We have heard many dealers say that women have been inspired after reading the guide to take the rider course and buy a motorcycle,” Leslie said. “And that is why I love my job, because I know that each of those women is starting her own adventure on two wheels and hopefully someday will help encourage others to ride as well.”

Source: www.hotbikeweb.com