Inside Amber Cohen’s motorcycle revolution

When Amber “Mamacita” Cohen’s father arrived home on a new motorcycle 30 years ago, her mother made a scene and hauled her father back to the dealership. She returned two hours later with her own motorcycle.

Cohen recalls her parents dropping her off at school on a motorcycle and rode a bit herself, but “fell out of it” when she started having kids. Then, 10 years ago, came a knock on her door.

“Basically, there was a group of women trying to set a record for most motorcycle women in one place,” she recalls. “It was coming to my hometown.”

Cohen got involved with the group, which fell short of the record, but she was moved after seeing 800 female motorcyclists coming together. “It was the coolest thing in the world,” she says. Three years later she launched Ladies in Leather, an organization that now consists of professionals, mothers, caregivers and community members, “the people who serve you lunch, sell your insurance, help you with your banking.”

Cohen, who owns three motorcycles — her daily ride is her classic Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail — is now preparing for the eighth-annual Ladies in Leather Parade & Rally from Sept. 10-13 in Wichita Falls, Texas, the nation’s largest traveling all-female motorcycle parade and rally. There’s always a charitable component to the rallies, and this year it’s a food drive.

Are you surprised at the diversity of women you’ve seen since launching Ladies in Leather? I knew that we were out there, but we I just didn't realize how many there were and how many sisters rode together, mothers and daughters rode together. We’re civilians when we’re not on the bike and we’re bikers when we are.

Did the rapid growth of the organization surprise you? It really just started exploding. At our first rally, our first parade, we  had a little over 300 women, and we've seen thousands participate over the last seven years. We’ve had an amputee lead our parade. We've had a Guinness Book of World Record holder (with) the most miles traveled in a continuous trip through the United States. It’s just a celebration of community.

What there always a focus on charity and community? We started it with that in mind. We were like, “Hey, we’re bringing 900 bikers to your town, so we need something to lead with.” So, we started food and blood drives, and last year we donated 1,000 pounds of food to the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank. Any kind of give back we can do.

Is Ladies in Leather a membership organization? No. We call ourselves a family. We have 100% established family roots with each other. These women bond like best friends that they didn't know that they had or needed. We see these groups forming inside of our groups. Every September we have this big party (the Ladies in Leather Parade & Rally), and we call it our family reunion. These women come from almost 40 states.

Women now account for 19% of all motorcycle buyers. What’s behind that? I think it’s a lot of things. For myself, it’s just a love of freedom. Do it once and you’re not going to stop. It’s a sense of freedom and empowerment. For some, I think it’s economical. You can get a tank of gas for $20 and go 200 miles.

When did the thrill really hit you? I’d say it was the first time I hit speed, when I got on the Interstate and hit 60. I did all the right things, running circles in the parking lot: shift, clutch, brake. I spent a good two weeks in the neighborhood, you know, stop sign, practice the turn, slow down, speed up. When I hit 60, I thought, “Wow, this is what it’s all about.”

A lot of this is really about women’s empowerment, isn’t it? One-hundred percent. This is why we’re here. If we can inspire one girl to look and go, "Oh my gosh, that woman is my mother's age, and she's riding a motorcycle. Maybe I can go apply for that job that I want. Maybe I can step out of this abusive relationship and live my life. Maybe I can fight whatever demons I’m fighting with.”