I’m 40+ and Want to Ride — Is It Too Late?
Short answer?
Absolutely not.
Long answer?
Forty+ might be the perfect time to start riding a motorcycle.
And I don’t say that lightly.
The Lie We Tell Ourselves
Somewhere along the way, women get sold this idea that riding is for:
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Young adults with nothing to lose
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Girls who’ve “always been into it”
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Women with no responsibilities
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The fearless
That’s not reality.
The truth? Most women start riding later than you think.
They start after kids.
After a changed relationship status
After careers stabilize.
After finally deciding they’re allowed to want something just for themselves.
What 20-Year-Old "You" May Not Have Had...
At 40+, you have things you didn’t at 20. Please know this isn't every 20 year old, just my personal experience learning later in life. I know many people younger than we that have all these traits :)
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Patience
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Emotional regulation
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Risk awareness
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Financial stability
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Self-trust
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A stronger sense of identity
- More likely to ride because it feeds you.
That makes you a better rider from day one.
But What About the Fear?
Let’s talk about it.
When women Google this question, they’re really asking:
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“Am I too fragile now?”
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“What if I get hurt?”
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“Is this irresponsible?”
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“Is it selfish?”
Fear at 40 isn’t weakness. It’s wisdom.
The difference is you learn to work with it instead of ignoring it.
You take a safety course.
You buy proper gear.
You practice.
You build skill gradually.
That’s maturity — and it keeps you safer.
Your Body Isn’t “Too Old”
Forty+ is not old, especially these days!
Riding is about:
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Technique
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Balance
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Awareness
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Practice
Not youth.
And if strength is your concern? That’s trainable. Skill beats brute force every time.
The Real Question
It’s not:
“Am I too old?”
It’s:
“Am I ready to stop ignoring the part of me that wants this?”
Because here’s what happens when women start riding at 40+
They don’t just learn a skill.
They remember who they are.
They build courage in a way that spills into everything.
Work.
Marriage.
Motherhood.
Friendships.
They stop shrinking.
What If You Start… and Love It?
Imagine being 90 and saying:
“I’m so glad I started when I was 40.”
Instead of:
“I wish I had.”
If You’re 40 and Curious, Here’s What To Do
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Take a beginner course.
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Sit on bikes. Don’t overthink it.
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Talk to other women who ride (Drive to a Babes Ride Out event)
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Rent before you buy (EAGLERIDER)
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Start small. Build gradually.
You don’t have to become a cross-country traveler.
You don’t have to ride highways next week.
You don’t have to prove anything.
You just have to start.
Growing older isn’t the end of something.
It’s when women finally stop waiting for permission.
And if riding has been whispering to you?
That whisper doesn’t go away.
It gets louder.
The only question is whether you answer it.
