Somewhere along California’s Highway 1, my GPS led me astray. Down the road, I noticed a couple of motorcycles pulled over on the shoulder with two people who appeared to be women looking around confusedly. Taking a chance, I pulled in behind them in my tired little Prius hatchback and shouted, “Hey, you guys trying to find Babes Ride Out too?” After a few exchanges, we discovered that we had to make a particularly tricky U-turn on the highway to get to our mecca of motorcycle babes.
When we reached our destination, the male entrance guard mumbled that it was “certainly the most women I’ve ever seen on bikes.” We were 2,000 strong, a group of badass babes descending upon a camp outside Santa Margarita — kindred spirits who share a love for motorbikes.
[T]he sense of community, friendship, and rebellion is palpable.
Now in its seventh year, Babes Ride Out (ironically shortened to “BRO”) is an annual festival unlike any other. Motorcycling is a predominantly male sport — men make up 81% of motorcycle owners in the U.S.— but women are its fastest-growing demographic. Women sometimes travel thousands of miles — by bike, automobile, and plane — to relish in the counterculture and camaraderie out on the dusty roads, where the sense of community, friendship, and rebellion is palpable. One couple, Becca and Alex, even got engaged at the October festival.
The festival is more than a testament to the empowerment of modern women; it’s also a space for a diverse group of women to find common ground, a space that’s magical and rare. All ages, shapes, colors, sizes, and sexual orientations are represented—and we all looked so fucking cool in black leather, throttles rumbling.
BRO customizes five to seven routes to a variety of destinations, including the Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Hearst Castle, and Morro Bay. You can choose to ride with a few friends or link up with a big group; the festival’s an easy place to make instant buddies. As we swept up to Morro Bay, I rode “bitch” on the back of my friend’s bike, gratuitously squealing when she revved up over the rolling hills.
The entire Central Coast was crawling with babes on bikes. Every time we saw another babe riding out on the road, we hailed each other with peace fingers on our left hand (the hand that doesn’t control the speed of your bike), a nod to our unique community.
As a fan and a lover of leather-clad babes on motorcycles, I’d known about the festival for years. Now that I was finally here, I spoke to other riders about their experiences and what brings some of them back year after year.
Jess Reid, 32
“I’ve been riding since I was 17, and I’m here for the babes.”
Joy Lewis, 37
“I’ve been to almost all the Babes Ride Outs—it’s the one weekend where all of my favorite people are in the same place.”
Eliza and Aino
“We came all the way from Oslo, Norway, for this festival; we saw a YouTube video about it and decided to come.”
Nancy, Janet, and August
“We’re all from different places, and we only get to see everyone when they come to this festival. We’ve been coming for five years.”
Bobbie Long, 24
“I’m a first-timer who knew only one female biker before. I found an LA group at a Venice Vintage Motorcycle Club rally, and they harassed me enough to come on this trip. It has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life.”
