When one examines the wide array of motorcyclist magazines on the newsstand, one is most likely to find an overwhelming focus on such things like bike construction and maintenance, new models from leading manufacturers, and sporting aspects of riding. This masculine bias is not surprising since many of these magazines are published by men for men. As a result, the thousands of women who are motorcycle enthusiasts have been swept under the rug and forgotten. Until now. Woman Rider attempts to go where no other biking magazine has gone before, and caters to an underserved segment of the market, namely women riders! In hand for review, I have two of the most recent issues, Spring 2003 and Summer 2003.

Woman Rider is a quarterly magazine, published by the Affinity-Ehlert group, the same group that publishes Rider, Cruising Rider, and American Rider magazines. Its design is similar to its companions, only with a slightly more “soft” touch to reflect the feminine focus of its readership. There are lots of photos with the articles, and plenty of ads for biking apparel and motorcycling accessories. One of the biggest drawbacks is that the magazine is not found on newsstands and can only be obtained by subscription. The subscription rate is in the area of $11.95 per year (4 issues), which is a bit steep compared to other publications of this type. But Woman Rider makes up for it by providing high quality content.

Unlike other riding mags, like it’s brother publication Rider, this publication focuses more on the experiential aspects of being a rider. Where other magazines have a more technical focus, Woman Rider provides a softer touch for women to read about places to visit and share stories of the adventures. For instance, the cover story in the Summer 2003 issue tells the story of three women who faced life threatening situations, and found hope and passion for life through riding. Susan Agin was diagnosed with cervical cancer, which threatened to be terminal. Riding helped her to find a new life, and overcome her illness. Another woman, homemaker Lisa Preston, shares her story how the joys of riding helped her deal with breast cancer. Other articles tell stories of cross-country trips, foreign tours, and recommendations for places to visit. These stories are just a few examples of the style of Woman Rider magazine.

That’s not to say that there aren’t articles that are more technical. But most of the product reviews and tech talk are relegated to the regular columns, and mostly are subordinated to the more personalized aspects of the magazine.The Mall is a regular column that provides short reviews of products and services that riders may need. You Go Girl provides news on events and organizations women riders may like to know about. Wrenching Tips gives some practical maintenance advice. Riding Right discusses bike safety.

Overall, Woman Rider is a great magazine that serves a very useful function, namely catering to an overlooked group of motorcyclists. While this magazine is targeted for the needs of women, men can enjoy it as well. It’s main strength may also be criticized by some as its main weakness, specifically that it doesn’t provide a lot of information on motorcycles. But Woman Rider smartly recognizes that there are plenty of magazines about motorcycles, and seeks to be a magazine more about motorcycling. I give this publication four and a half stars.


Related Reviews:

Rider

American Rider

Cruising Rider

Hot Rod Bikes


Recommended: Yes

Recommended For: Hobbyists/Enthusiasts
Primary Reason for Buying: Articles