EDITOR'S NOTE: Tune in for the "Along the Ride" segment on "Inside the Issues with Alex Cohen" on Spectrum News 1. Every other week, digital journalist Susan Carpenter will focus on transportation, mobility, electric vehicles, and environmental sustainability in Southern California. To watch this week's segment, click the arrow above.

LOS ANGELES — It’s springtime, when many people gear up and get ready to hit the open road.

On May 1, many women will heed that call for a motorcycle event called International Female Ride Day. Now in its 15th year, it's a day to empower women and draw attention to the fact that, yes, women do ride. In fact, more women are riding now than ever before.

5 things you need to know

  1. Nineteen percent of motorcycle owners are women, but the percentage increases with younger generations: 22% of Gen X and 26% of Gen Y riders are female.
  2. Women are drawn to motorcycilng for the camaraderie, outdoorsy feel and fun.
  3. Several ladies-only rider groups now have events that draw thousands of motorcyclists, including Babes Ride Out, Black Girls Ride and Women's Motorcycle Tours — the latter of which is hosting the cross-country Suffragists Centennial Ride this summer.
  4. Motorcycle makers have been cultivating a younger, more diverse ridership with motorcycles that are smaller, less powerful, less expensive and less intimidating.
  5. Motorcycle and scooter sales increased 11.4% in 2020 compared with the prior year.