Woman Carves Biz Niche For Female Bikers
Buying a comfortable motorcycle isn’t easy if you’re a 5-foot tall woman. Most motorcycles are manufactured for men.
But a petite pastor, Kathleen Steele Tolleson of Daytona Beach, has created Roar Motorcycles for Women — catering strictly to female riders. From diamond-tufted seats and matching saddlebags to custom colors and artwork on lowered and modified bikes, Roar’s showroom is crowded with specialty creations for this growing segment of motorcycle buyers.
The Bellevue Avenue shop is where the energetic biker spends most of her time, except when she’s out riding — like during Biketoberfest last week, when she rolled in with her entourage to introduce a designer line of bikes, called “Distinctively Roar,” at the Festival of Speed at the Orlando Ritz-Carlton.
Or on Friday when she hosted a “Sisterhood Ride” for many different women riders clubs.
“I want to be the Martha Stewart of the motorcycle industry,” Tolleson said in an interview.
Photo by Roar Motorcycles for Women.
Jaclyn on November 1st, 2008 10:45 am
This is a great lady who really get’s it! Women are not strictly stuck to the kitched now a day’s like they use to be, we also play sports, work out at a gym, go hunting, fishing and yes…even ride motorcycles, so why not start making products that women can use more comfortable? most products in the sports, hunting, fishing and motorcycle department are made more for a man’s use, well…move over men…because women are up and coming in all these activities.
CoolProducts on November 5th, 2008 3:58 pm
It seems that finding a niche market that you are familiar with and have an innovative idea for is one of the best ways to start off. Of course, it wasn’t just the possession of a great idea that gave her success, but her own person drive, and possibly some luck, that got her there! Congrats.
cassy on November 8th, 2008 5:54 am
I been dreaming of riding a motorcycle but thats it…my problem is Im lack of height. With this new designs of motorcycles, a woman like me who dream of riding a motorcycle can now be happy!
Leave a Reply