They Are the Future of Motorcycling So We're Opening the Gate and Letting Them in for FREE at Babes in the Dirt

This year, we're making a change at Babes in the Dirt that means a lot to me personally. 

We're welcoming ages 12+ into Babes in the Dirt, and admission for ages 12–17 is completely free for these little gals. 

There is a very intentional reason behind that decision. If we want a future for motorcycling, we have to invite the future of motorcycling into the room. For years, our industry has had conversations about how we bring new people into riding. How do we grow participation? How do we reach the next generation? How do we create lifelong motorcyclists? I believe part of the answer is incredibly simple:

Let them see themselves here

You Can't Become What You Don't Know Exists

Think about being 12, 13, 14 or 15 years old and walking into an event where you're surrounded by hundreds of women riding dirt bikes.

You're seeing riders of different ages, backgrounds, professions and skill levels.You're seeing people learning. You're seeing people picking up motorcycles after falling. You're seeing friendships built around riding. You're meeting the people who work for motorcycle companies, gear brands and organizations you may have never known existed.

Suddenly, motorcycling isn't this distant thing that belongs to somebody else. It's something you can imagine yourself doing. That's representation. It isn't simply putting someone's face in an advertisement and saying, This sport is for you. It's giving them the opportunity to actually experience the community and see where they could fit inside it.

Why 12–17 Is Free

Because we don't want the ticket price to be the reason a young person doesn't get to experience this. At that age, it's an opportunity to discover that motorcycling exists for them if they want it. If the ticket cost for an adult + camping is making it difficult for you to bring your child, please email ashmore@babesrideout.com. so we can help you. No judgement, no explanation needed, nothing but support from team Babes in the Dirt.

Access Has to Come Before Participation

One of the things I've learned after years of building motorcycle community is that telling people they're welcome isn't enough. You have to create an actual on-ramp. Young people especially need opportunities to safely experience motorcycle culture without feeling like they already need to know everything about it.

• They need to see what the bikes look like.
• Touch the gear.
• See other kids doing it and learning as they go
• Ask questions.
• Meet riders.
• Talk to brands.
• See training happening.
• Understand that everyone started somewhere.

Fun Fact: The Motorcycle Safety Foundation's DirtBike School is available to riders as young as six and teaches not only basic riding skills, but responsible riding practices, risk management and environmental awareness. That matters because the journey into motorcycling doesn't have to begin at 18 with someone handing you the keys to a street bike. It can start much earlier with education, exposure, mentorship and safe opportunities to learn.

We Want Them to Meet the People Who Can Help Them Next

This is another huge reason we're doing this. Babes in the Dirt isn't just a gathering of riders. It's an intersection of people and organizations within motorcycling. Brands. Trainers. Experienced riders. Industry professionals. Advocates. Organizations. People who have spent decades riding and people who are still figuring it out.

Imagine being 12 years old and feeling safe and supported enough to ask someone:

• How did you learn to ride?
• What bike would you recommend I start on?
• How do I get into racing?
• What does this piece of gear actually do?
• Can you work in the motorcycle industry?
• Where can I take a class?

Those conversations matter. The industry spends a tremendous amount of energy trying to reach people once they're old enough to become customers and we think we should also be thinking about how we build relationships with people before they're customers at all. Not to sell them something but to welcome them.

This Is How Community Becomes Mentorship

I didn't grow up with a roadmap into motorcycling. I personally started as an adult in my late 20s and I didn't have a network of mentors showing me exactly where to go, who to talk to or what opportunity came next. A huge part of why Babes Ride Out and Babes in the Dirt exist today is because we wanted to help create the community we didn't have and now we have an opportunity to extend that community even further.

The Future of Motorcycling Doesn't Just Happen

We talk a lot about "the next generation" as though eventually they're simply going to arrive. I don't think it works that way. We have to invite them in, remove barriers where we can, introduce them to responsible riding, connect them with training, give them access to people who can answer their questions, and show them the incredible number of ways motorcycles can become part of their lives. Most importantly, we have to give them the opportunity to see themselves as part of this community before anyone asks them to buy something from it.

If we want that future to be strong, diverse, skilled, responsible and passionate, then I believe it's our responsibility to start opening the gate for them now. 

Expect special programming from Husqvarna, Synchrony, MotoFitClub, and more! 

Link to sign up for Babes in the Dirt 2026: https://babesrideout.ticketspice.com/babes-in-the-dirt-2026-lasertown-johnson-valley-ca-