This post was written by Gareth Maxwell Roberts, the director of the documentary “She Rides,” and the man behind “Oil in The Blood,” a celebrated documentary on custom motorcycle culture.
As a lifelong biker, I’ve witnessed a seismic shift in motorcycling from a shrinking, aging, male-dominated landscape toward an expanding, progressive, and inclusive horizon—a movement pioneered by women.
The director Gareth Maxwell Roberts has already interviewed dozens of women for inclusion in the film, and interviews are scheduled to run into 2025.In a world where women were told they could not and should not ride, they have not only defied expectations but thrived in every aspect of motorcycle culture.
In 2019, my production partner Lucy Selwood and I released the critically acclaimed documentary feature film “Oil In The Blood” about the contemporary custom motorcycle culture.
One of the most rewarding and fascinating aspects of making the film was meeting the inspiring women making inroads in a historically male-dominated culture and industry. We featured a chapter on women in motorcycling in the film, and at the time, I certainly believed it was worthy of a film in its own right.
A few years later, that film is getting made: “She Rides.” An independent production by motorcyclists about motorcyclists, “She Rides” aims to provide a platform that highlights and celebrates female motorcyclists, both historic and current, and challenges the gender barriers that continue to exist.
The film came into being from a chance conversation with Sean Kelley of 73 Moto and The Ace Cafe, Sanford. Sean’s collaborators, Sarah and David Pagan, very quickly joined the discussion, and the core team was formed. Motorcycle activist Kiki Azim and photographer Heidi Zumbrun subsequently came on board as associate producers.
Much like the denial motorcycle classic On Any Sunday, the film She Rides will cover female motorcyclists from all corners of the motorcycle world, from racers to custom builders and everyone in between.With this crew of long-time riders and moto adventurers who between them have a comprehensive background in film and television, we set out to create an engaging, in-depth examination of women in motorcycling.
Conversations progressed, Sean secured initial finance, and production began in early 2024, with shooting commencing in February at the seminal Mama Tried Show and Flat Track Friday. We have since filmed a number of interviews and Hill Country riding in Texas, and at The 1 Moto Show in Portland.
To date, the team has interviewed over forty women, from flat track racers to custom builders, dealership and workshop owners, show runners, photographers, influencers, adventure riders, and educators. We’ve interviewed mechanics, race engineers, bike gear designers, and stunt riders. Our youngest interviewee is six years old; our oldest is in her sixties. All of their stories have been fascinating, illuminating, entertaining, and inspiring.
We plan to speak to many more women about their experiences in motorcycling. We will attend shows and events throughout 2024 and into 2025, continuing to connect with the women who are defining their place in motorcycle culture.
We will film specific interviews in Boston, New York, LA, Florida, London, and Europe, as well as shooting dynamic action sequences to include stunt riding, racing, street riding, and adventure biking. We are currently raising funds to allow us to film in Australia, Asia, and Japan.
Female riders are now the fastest growing sector of the motorcycle community, not just in the United States but around the world.The narrative is told by the women on camera; there is no interviewer or narrator. The story emerges from the voices of the motorcyclists who share their experiences.
We are delighted with the material we have filmed so far. We have captured amazing testimonies from fascinating women.
“She Rides” shines a spotlight on how female motorcyclists are constantly rewriting the narrative and pushing limits, paving the way for future generations to defy societal expectations and blaze their own trails. It’s a privilege to bear witness to the women’s biker revolution that is transforming motorcycling and ensuring its future.
If you’d like to track the progress of She Rides as it’s filmed you can follow the official Instagram account here which posts regular updates. You can follow the director on Instagram here.
All images copyright 2024© – Gareth Maxwell Roberts
Articles that Ben has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
