AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference
UPDATED INFO:
| New Update: Women & Motorcycling Conference Read it here first By Genevieve Schmitt, Editor |
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This is a special section of WRN dedicated to keeping you informed on updates for the upcoming AMA Women & Motorcycling Conference. Because I am on the advisory council, I have access to important information on the conference. This page is where can read these updates exclusively.
WRN will report on aspects of the conference that you won’t read anywhere else, so sign up for the WRN e-Newsletter so you’ll be notified when this section is updated.
Looking for someone in your area to ride with to the conference? Need a roommate at the conference? Visit WRN’s Conference Connections to post a notice or browse others.
WRN produced the official DVD of the 2006 AMA Women & Motorcycling Conference. You can purchase the DVD by clicking here.
Want to register for the conference? Visit WomenandMotorcycling.com.
Event Details
When: August 19-22, 2009
Where: Keystone, Colorado
Venue: Keystone Resort & Conference Center
Theme of conference : "Riding to New Heights"
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Posted 7/31/09
Motolight Offering Women’s Conference Special
The other day a woman rider called Tina Hollaender, owner of Motolight, asking for a set of Motolight auxiliary lighting for her bike so she’d have them in time to ride to the conference. That got Tina thinking. Maybe a lot more women would like a set to outfit their bike for their ride to the conference. So from now until the AMA Women’s Conference, that being August 19th, Motolight is offering free shipping on orders of its auxiliary lighting. This special is in addition to the already 10 percent off discount being offered until the end of the month. The special is offered to everyone; not just those going to the conference.
If you need convincing on why you need these, check out the honest unsolicited testimonial from a woman who received a set of Motolights as the grand prize winner at the 2006 Women & Motorcycling Conference in Athens, Georgia. She talks about how much the auxiliary lighting has increased her safety on the road and she cites examples to prove it. Click here to go to the Motolight story; scroll down to the bottom to read the comment.
Deadlines, Shmeadlines
Hurry! Conference fees increase on Monday, Aug. 3! If you haven’t yet registered for the AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference, presented by Harley-Davidson and Buell, please hurry. Pre-registration savings of $20 end on Monday, Aug. 3. It’s now $165. After August 3, it’s $185. Know someone who’s planning to attend, but they haven’t yet pulled the trigger? Please forward them this message and encourage them to bank their pre-registration savings today. Registration can be completed here.
Posted 7/28/09
WRN Booth Schedule 
Cris Sommer Simmons, author of the new book The American Motorcycle Girls 1900-1950 (reviewed on WRN) will be selling her beautiful new coffee table book (cover at right) and doing autograph signings at the WRN Booth all three days of the conference at the Vendor Marketplace in the Conference Center. The Marketplace is open from 9:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m.
Since the book is very big, she will be taking orders for shipment to your home from my booth. The book is $50, and includes shipping. Checks, cash or credit cards will be accepted for the book. We will have a copy of the book at the booth for you to see. It’s incredible. You’ll want to own one. Cris will be autographing limited edition, unique book plates that you can take home with you on the bike and stick in the cover of the book when you get it. Here are the time she’ll be doing autographs:
Thursday 8/20: 2:00 – 5:00 pm
Friday 8/21: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Saturday 8/22: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
We’re also selling the AMA Women & Motorcycling conference DVD that my company produced for the 2006 conference at at the discounted rate of $15. Cash or checks only. We have about 70 of these left.
We will also be giving away an Icon Hella Textile jacket – see below. Whether you’re a cruiser rider, sportbike rider or passenger, this jacket will work for anyone – it’s that versatile. Be sure to stop by the booth to sign up for your chance to win. We’re also giving away magnets, post-it notes and more. Can’t wait to see you.
Posted 7/27/09
For those interested, I am working on the schedule for the Women Riders Now booth this week including when author Cris Sommer Simmons will be doing book signings at the booth. There’s also a chance that WRN’s Backroads With Betsy columnist, Betsy Huelskamp, will be at the conference and will doing autograph signings at the booth. We’ll let you know when we know.
Seminar Speakers Bios Posted
Check out this link on the AMA’s conference Web site for the latest listing of the seminar speakers and their biographies.
Posted 7/20/09
WRN and the Women’s Conference Prize Drawing 
So we’re planning on having a booth at the conference’s marketplace area where we will be taking names for our Women’s Conference Prize Drawing, which is a brand new Icon Textile Hella Jacket shown below. This is a top notch light to midweight textile jacket featuring a superior fit and lines shaped to a woman’s body. It comes with a full removable liner, lots of venting, removable armor in shoulders, elbows and back. You’ll need to stop by the Women Riders Now booth at the conference to sign up for the prize drawing.
We will also be giving away lots of goodies at our booth including WRN magnets, new Post-It notes (I can’t live without Post-Its) as well as canvas tote bags that say Woman Rider magazine on them. For those who remember when I was founding editor of the print magazine Woman Rider, I have a whole bunch of these quality tote bags that I need to give away. I found a box of them hidden away in my attic – maybe they’re a collector’s item! In any event, stop by the booth to get yours. We’re also working on the details of having author and motorcyclist Cris Sommer Simmons signing and selling her new coffee table book "The American Motorcycle Girls 1900-1950" at the booth. More details to come.
Posted 7/16/09
KYMCO Latest Manufacturer to Offer Demo Rides 
KYMCO USA will haul out its fleet of scooters to offer demo rides at the AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference. "KYMCO scooters are easy and fun to ride, and because they are equipped with constant velocity transmissions (CVT), they offer riders with little or no shifting experience a great opportunity to participate in the sport," said Tigra Tsujikawa, marketing and special events manager for the AMA. "We are very excited about KYMCO’s presence at our conference."
The KYMCO USA scooter product line includes a wide range of models and colors, including the sporty new 500cc Xciting. KYMCO will also bring out its the 5-speed transmission 250cc Venox shown at right, it’s new entry level sport style motorcycle, the Quannon 150. Other models range in engine size from 50-250cc, and many feature sleek European and retro styling. The Spartanburg, S.C.-based company has been on the U.S. powersports scene for more than 30 years, and today it distributes motor scooters, motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles manufactured by its parent company in Taiwan.
Update to Kawasaki’s Involvement with Conference
WRN has learned that Kawasaki will not be bringing it out its demo fleet of motorcycles to the Women’s Conference but will be involved in the conference in some sort of sponsorship capacity the details of which are still being worked out. Earlier on this page, we announced that Kawasaki would be doing demo rides at the conference. We’ll keep you posted on exactly how Kawasaki will be involved as soon as we know.
Posted 6/29/09
Ducati to Bring Demo Bikes to Conference 
Ducati is the latest addition to the demo ride lineup and will offer conference attendees the opportunity to sample a variety of its most popular models. "Ducati is very excited to take part in this year’s conference," said Press Officer John Paolo Canton. "With the addition of the Monster 696 to our lineup, more women than ever are riding Ducatis. This conference is an important event on our social marketing calendar, and more importantly, we want to offer the opportunity to ride our bikes. The Rocky Mountains are the perfect environment to experience the performance of our motorcycles, and we look forward to a great event."
Added AMA Marketing and Special Events Manager Tigra Tsujikawa: "This summer’s conference is the premier event for women motorcyclists. Ducati’s presence underscores the significance of women as a rapidly growing and important segment of the motorcycling community, and we enthusiastically welcome Ducati’s participation." Demo rides will be available for conference attendees beginning Aug. 19 and continuing through Aug. 22.
Posted 6/28/09
Deborah Grey to be Keynote Speaker for Friday International Street Party 
Canadian motorcyclist Deborah Grey will be the keynote speaker at the Friday evening International Street Party during the conference. Deborah is legendary as the first-ever Reform Party Member of the Canadian Parliament. This avid motorcyclist is an incredible speaker/presenter who’s listed in Canada’s National Speaker’s Bureau. The Friday night International Street Party is being organized by the Motorcyclists’ Confederation of Canada (MCC).
Liz Jansen, an MCC director and chair of its Women Riders Council, said she was delighted by Grey’s selection as the keynote speaker. "We are proud and thrilled that Deborah Grey will be delivering the keynote address at the International Street Party," Jansen said. "She is a role model as a Canadian, woman and motorcyclist. Above all, her life exemplifies the conference theme of ‘Riding to New Heights.’"
A master storyteller and the author of "Never Retreat, Never Explain, Never Apologize: My Life, My Politics," Deborah is renowned for her ability to combine her no-nonsense attitude, wit and humor into a compelling presentation. You can read more about Deborah at her Web site, DebGrey.com.
With the theme "Riding to New Heights," the conference not only honors the contributions of women riders to motorcycling’s past and present, it also celebrates the fast-growing role that women riders are playing in the future of motorcycling. The registration fee covers admission to all seminars, as well as opening ceremonies on Wed. Aug. 19, a barn dance on Thurs. Aug. 20, the International Street Party on Friday Aug. 21 and a closing banquet on Sat. Aug. 22. Both the barn dance and closing banquet include dinner.
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Speaker for Opening Ceremonies Named 
Motocross racer Ashley Fiolek will be the guest speaker at the women’s conference opening ceremonies on August 19, the first night of the conference. Ashley has led an inspiring life as an athlete racing motocross since she was 7 all while being deaf. She is also the first woman to ever be on a top level factory team with male riders racing for Honda. Ashley’s mom will be interpreting for her. Ashley’s story is sure to inspire and uplift all in attendance.
To learn more about Ashley, you can view the WRN video segment on in the Motorcycle Videos section at this link. Scroll down to find her story.
Additional reading: Editor’s Blog: Ashley Fiolek Joins Honda Racing
"Lois On The Loose" to Speak at Closing Celebration Ceremony
Lois Pryce is an inspiring motorcycling world traveler who’s written two books, one called "Lois On The Loose" about her motorcycle trip from Alaska to Argentina. Her follow up book, "Red Tape & White Knuckles" chronicles her ride through Africa. Lois is sure to bring a spark to the Conference with her inspiring stories and incredible wit. To read more about Lois, visit LoisOntheLoose.com.
WRN Exclusive: List of Some of the Seminar Presenters
Many of you have been asking who is presenting the seminars that will be a major part of the conference. Well, members of the advisory council have been working to secure experts in their field to lead the seminars and panel presentations. Here is a list of presenters so far:
– Accident Scene Management: Vicki Sanfelipo
– Dealer Interaction: Gina Dusterhof & Kathy Jo Porter
– Dual-Sport and Adventure Riding: Heather Lewis, Erin Ratay and the Dirty Dozen
– Inspirational Seminars: Erin Hunter
– Making Your Bike Fit You: In progress
– Motorcycle Mentoring: In progress
– Online Shopping: Ken Wahlster (Bike Bandit)
– Preparing for the Ride: Packing/Gear/Apparel: Brenda Hickling-Thatcher & Barb Grueschow
– Real World Street Strategies: Walt Fulton & Nancy Foote
– Secrets of Veteran Riders: Brenda Hickling-Thatcher, Kay Gilletly & Deb Lower
– Solo Riding and Touring: Carla King
– Survive Institute: Michael & Debbie Gardner
Special Room Rates Going Fast
On July 1, the block of rooms that the AMA reserved for the conference will be released in "general inventory" meaning these specially handpicked condos and hotel rooms will not be available to the public. What does that mean to you if you’re considering going to the conference? That there will be a limited selection of rooms left available at the special AMA conference rate. Reservations can be made by calling Keystone Resorts at 800.258-0437. International participants, call .970.496-4242, or email keystonegroupres@vailresorts.com. Mention group code CZ0AMAW.
AMA President to Hold Reception for AMA Members
The AMA will host a reception on Wednesday, Aug. 19, during the Women’s Conference to recognize AMA members who are registered for the conference. AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman and other VIPs will be present. This will be a great opportunity to meet and greet not just the leaders of your association, but other AMA members. Appetizers and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided. If you’re an AMA member and are registered for the conference, please RSVP to 800.AMA.JOIN. Space is limited, so please call as soon as possible.
Schedule of Events
Tuesday, August 18: Pre-Registration
Wednesday, August 19: Registration, Guided & Self-Guided Tours, Demo Rides, Marketplace, Hands-On Action Center, Seminars, Welcoming Ceremony
Thursday, August 20: Registration, Guided & Self-Guided Tours, Demo Rides Marketplace, Hands-On Action Center, Seminars, Rocky Mountain Barn Dance
Friday, August 21: Registration & Information, Guided & Self-Guided Tours, Demo Rides, Marketplace, Hands-On Action Center, Seminars, International Street Party, including a bike show, riding apparel show, and entertainment
Saturday, August 22: Demo Rides, Marketplace, Hands-On Action Center, Seminars, Celebration Ceremony & Banquet
Posted 6/18/09 
BMW Joins Conference with Demo Rides
BMW Motorrad USA will be providing a demo fleet for attendees to test ride at the 2009 AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference, presented by Harley-Davidson and Buell, Aug. 19-22 in Keystone, Colo. "We’re thrilled that BMW will be on hand with some of their most popular street and dual-sport models for our conferees to ride," said Tigra Tsujikawa, marketing and special events manager for the AMA. "The Colorado Mountains play host to some of the best motorcycle roads in the country. Add the demo rides to a full schedule of great riding seminars, a fantastic vendor marketplace, numerous conference activities and the facility’s impressive amenities, and the AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference is the top destination for women riders in 2009."
"BMW Motorrad USA is ecstatic to be rolling to Keystone for the AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference," said Myrrh Davis, event and communications specialist for BMW Motorrad. "The Motorrad team will offer demo rides on new low-seat and low-frame models, along with our standard-height models. We will also arrive with a fist full of quarters and laundry detergent for those playing with us in the dirt at our Dual Sport Demonstration Area. And with inspiring seminar speakers Heather Lewis and Erin Ratay, it will be difficult to say ‘no’ to the thrill of an off-road foray."
The 2009 AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference, presented by Harley-Davidson and Buell, is the country’s premier event for women motorcyclists. With the theme "Riding to New Heights," the conference not only honors the contributions of women riders to motorcycling’s past and present, it also celebrates the fast-growing role that women riders are playing in the future of motorcycling.
The registration fee covers admission to all seminars, as well as opening ceremonies on Aug. 19, a barn dance on Aug. 20 and a closing banquet on Aug. 22. Both the barn dance and closing banquet include dinner.
Registration is $165 through Aug. 3, which includes a commemorative t-shirt. Registration after Aug. 3, as well as on-site registration, will cost $185. Participants can register now at by clicking here, or by phone by calling 800.AMA.JOIN. While the event focuses on women riders, it is not limited to women. Men are welcome to participate with a paid registration.
Sign up for conference e-mail alerts at info@womenandmotorcycling.com, and Twitter about the conference at http://twitter.com/womenandmoto.
Meet the Conference Advisory Council
There’s a new section on the AMA’s Women & Motorcycling Conference Web site called "Meet the Advisory Council" It’s at the bottom, left hand corner of the page. Yours truly is part of the council.
Posted 5/13/09
Expand Your Riding Horizons at the Conference 
Are you a street rider through and through who’s never considered going off road? I’m sure you’ve heard that dirt riding techniques help your street riding immensely. After 20 years of riding on the street, I’m doing a dual sport ride prior to the conference with nationally recognized off-road and dual sport riding coaches Andrea Beach and Bonnie Warch of Coach2Ride.com. I want to improve my street riding by learning to ride with confidence on gravel and dirt roads. (Visit FirstGiving.com/genevieveschmitt to learn more about my ride and to donate.)
Now you can have the same opportunity as me. Dual sport riding classes will be offered at the women’s conference from Wednesday through Saturday by Coach2Ride.com trainers Bonnie and Andrea. There will be one class per day for now. If they all fill up, more will be added. Cost is $99 and includes bike and protective gear. This is an amazing deal for people at the conference. Regular price is $180. You can sign up directly with Coach2Ride.com by visiting the Web site to learn more, or by calling 858.382.1515.
Demo Rides 
So far, Yamaha and Kawasaki have publicized that they will be there with their fleet of demo bikes for conference attendees to test ride. And of course, Harley-Davidson and Buell being the presenting sponsor will be there with their demo bikes.
Yamaha will be providing a demo fleet of sportbikes, dual-sport machines, and of course, cruisers including the popular V Star 950 pictured at right. Kim Knupp, national events manager for Yamaha, says "Yamaha has always supported the AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference; this is a great way to continue that support. We consider the women’s market very important, and one of the best ways to serve that market is to make sure we provide motorcycles for the woman rider that fit them and work best for them."
Jan Plessner, Kawasaki public relations manager, says, "Women are an important part of our customer mix. We are looking forward to participating this summer and plan to bring a large assortment of both sportbikes and cruisers." The Vulcan 900, shown at right, will be one of the cruisers available for test riding.
Both Kim and Jan feel that the location is a major draw for the conference, which will offer some marvelous demo-ride routes, thanks to its location at the Keystone Resort & Conference Center in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains.
Motorcycle Rentals For The Conference
EagleRider, the world’s largest motorcycle rental and touring company, is the Official Motorcycle Rental Sponsor of the 2009 AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference, presented by Harley-Davidson and Buell. EagleRider is offering a 15 percent discount off regular rental rates to AMA members who attend the conference. The discount is valid at any of EagleRider’s 63 United States rental locations.
"With a growing number of women taking part in the motorcycle lifestyle, it’s great to see women getting recognized as part of the motorcycling community," said David Goff, marketing manager of EagleRider. "EagleRider is proud to be part of the Women and Motorcycling Conference."
AMA members who would like to take advantage of this special 15 percent conference discount should use the promotion code, available in the "Members Only" section of http://www.AmericanMotorcyclist.com. Bike reservations can be made now through the EagleRider Web site, EagleRider.com. Members can also contact EagleRider’s Central Reservation Team at 888.972.4537 or at rent@eaglerider.com by mentioning the AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference.
Poni's Stable 