From long-time owners to those interested in
trying powersports, Polaris invites women riders to "Just Ride" this International Female Ride Day,
taking place globally on Saturday, May
6
Polaris continues to elevate the voice of the
women rider with new IFRD insights project
MINNEAPOLIS, April 19,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII), the
global leader in powersports, today shared how it is continuing to
help spotlight and celebrate the participation of women riders in
powersports as an official partner of International Female Ride Day
(IFRD). Polaris is inviting women riders, no matter their
powersports vehicle of choice or their skill level, to
"Just Ride" on Saturday, May 6. To continue to listen and learn
from women riding enthusiasts across powersports, Polaris is also
launching a new survey on IFRD aimed at gathering insights and
elevating the perspectives of the women riders.
Polaris celebrates the participation of
women riders in powersports as a partner of International Female
Ride Day.
IFRD aims to keep women at the forefront of riding and encourage
new women to join, while promoting the diversity of women already
engaged in all aspects of the powersports industry. Women can join
in by riding their off-road vehicles, motorcycles, three-wheeled
vehicles, boats, or other powersport vehicles on May 6 and use the hashtag #IFRD2022 to join in
the conversation. Polaris is celebrating IFRD across the U.S. and
around the world with off-road and on-road group rides, dealer
events, and demo rides to further empower, recognize and welcome
the participation of women in powersports.
"As the global leader in powersports we want to help build
an active and thriving industry and women riders are a central part
of that - it's why we participate in events like IFRD, to celebrate
women riding enthusiasts and inspire even more to join," said
Pam Kermisch, Polaris chief customer
growth officer and fellow woman rider. "Women riders have a long
history in our industry, but we are seeing the number increase as
more discover the joy, freedom and outdoor adventure that
powersports can offer. In fact, women participation across our
portfolio of products has grown by nearly 10% over the last 5 years
and we will continue to make women feel included and welcomed as
they ride with us on the open road, trail, snow or
water."
"I am thrilled that Polaris is partnering with International
Female Ride Day again for 2023," said Vicki
Gray, founder of IFRD. "Their support has been and continues
to be invaluable in propelling International Female Ride Day to
even great heights. I'm grateful for the synergies we share and
their absolute support of our vision – highlighting and supporting
women riders while expanding equity in powersports."
Listening to All Riders Across the Industry
In addition to celebrating the passion of powersports with its
women riders, Polaris is also furthering its efforts to listen to
and learn from its women owners, riders and powersports enthusiasts
with the launch of its most expansive women ridership survey
efforts to-date. Launching on IFRD, a new survey project aims to
further elevate the voice of the women rider and gather additional
insights on how to enhance the powersports experience.
"Polaris is continually listening to and learning from our
customers – and that includes our women riders," Kermisch shared.
"From in-depth customer research, to partnerships with groups like
Black Girls Ride and Women Riders Now, to the launch of our
Empowersports Women's Riding Council in 2020, we have been actively
working to connect with and bring the voices of our women riders
deeper into Polaris. We will continue to expand our efforts to
engage with and hear from the women in our industry."
Inspired by similar recent activities conducted by key partners,
such as The Litas, Polaris aims to survey women powersports
consumers in the off-road, on-road and marine segments. The survey
can be found on Polaris' IFRD landing page on May 6th, 2023.
Participating in IFRD
Participation in IFRD is free and easy. Participants can ride
solo, with a group of friends or family, or as a passenger. Riders
can also participate by sharing photos of their rides and what
riding means to them on social media using the hashtags #IFRD2023,
#FocusFemaleForward and #internationalfemalerideday. Polaris is
supporting IFRD in several ways, including:
- More than 300 Polaris and Indian Motorcycle dealers across
the United States and Canada are offering local IFRD rides, meetups,
or celebrations.
- Hosting a ride in France with
participants from the U.S., Canada
and across Europe. Riders will
leave from Biarritz, France, and
end at the Indian Motorcycle Nice dealership for an IFRD
celebration. The celebration will be open to public and
owners.
- Sponsoring planned events and activities by women's riding
groups including, The Litas, Ride Wild, and Black Girls Ride.
"The Litas motorcycle community celebrates the power and spirit
of women ridership, and with this upcoming IFRD, we will honor the
fearless women who ride with us," said Jess
Wise, CEO and founder of The Litas. "With our branch
activations around the world, The Litas and Polaris are proud to
stand by the side of women riders everywhere, helping to create
unforgettable adventures and fostering meaningful connections
within our community."
For 17 years, IRFD has fostered a community of current and new
women riding enthusiasts dedicated to advancing women in
powersports. The ongoing theme of "Focus-Female-Forward'', first
introduced in 2021, continues to be a focal point for 2023 and
highlights the mission of IFRD.
More information on Polaris' support of IFRD, along with a list
of participating dealers, is available on the
www.polaris.com/IFRD.
About IFRD
About International Female Ride Day® International Female Ride
Day® is a globally synchronized ride day for women motorcycle
riders and women powersport enthusiasts. Referred to as a
"movement" by its participants, its call to action, "Just Ride! " asks women to be on their
motorcycles or powersports vehicles on the first Saturday of May
each year. Created in 2007 by Vicki
Gray, a lifetime motorcycling advocate, road, and race
instructor – with the purpose to profile and highlight the many
diverse women enjoying the activity of motorcycling. Its mission,
among several, is to that of building awareness, expanding female
rider numbers, and for parity globally across all forms of
motorsport and powersports. IFRD simultaneously encourages other
women to take up the activity. The event is managed under the
MOTORESS® canopy.
About Polaris
As the global leader in powersports, Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII)
pioneers product breakthroughs and enriching experiences and
services that have invited people to discover the joy of being
outdoors since our founding in 1954. Polaris' high-quality product
line-up includes the Polaris RANGER®, RZR® and Polaris GENERAL™
side-by-side off-road vehicles; Sportsman® all-terrain off-road
vehicles; military and commercial off-road vehicles; snowmobiles;
Indian Motorcycle® mid-size and heavyweight motorcycles; Slingshot®
moto-roadsters; Aixam quadricycles; Goupil electric vehicles; and
pontoon and deck boats, including industry-leading Bennington
pontoons. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a robust
portfolio of parts, garments, and accessories. Proudly
headquartered in Minnesota,
Polaris serves more than 100 countries across the
globe. www.polaris.com.
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SOURCE Polaris Inc.