This is a special section of WRN dedicated to keeping you informed on updates for the upcoming AMA Women & Motorcycling Conference. Because I am on the advisory council, I have access to important information on the conference. This page is where can read these updates exclusively.

WRN will report on aspects of the conference that you won't read anywhere else, so sign up for the WRN e-Newsletter so you'll be notified when this section is updated.

WRN produced the official DVD of the 2006 AMA Women & Motorcycling Conference. You can purchase the DVD by clicking here.

Want to register for the conference? Visit WomenandMotorcycling.com.

Event Details
When: August 19-22, 2009
Where: Keystone, Colorado
Venue: Keystone Resort & Conference Center
Theme of conference: "Riding to New Heights"

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Posted 8/27/09
Conference Wraps Up
The AMA Women & Motorcycling wrapped up after four incredible days of fun, camaraderie and learning. To read articles so far about the conference on WRN click on these links:
Photo Gallery: The Conference Photo Essay
Conference Highlight Wrap-Up
Editor's blog: Initial Reflections on the Conference
Riders Roll in for AMA Women & Motorcycling Conference

For the AMA's stories and photos from the conference, visit WomenAndMotorcycling.com. Video coverage of the conference is also available on the AMA's YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/AmericanMotorcyclist.

Posted 8/11/09
Update to WRN Booth Activities
As we posted below, Cris Sommer Simmons, author of the new book The American Motorcycle Girls 1900-1950 (reviewed on WRN) will now be selling copies of her book - and for those who want to take the book home with them, she will have copies with her. Previously, I mentioned that she would simply be taking orders figuring most people wouldn't want to carry a big coffee table book on their bike. For those who want to take the book with them, Cris will have copies on hand to sign. For those ordering, she can sign a limited edition print of the cover of the book.

Posted 7/31/09
Motolight Offering Women's Conference Special
The other day a woman rider called Tina Hollaender, owner of Motolight, asking for a set of Motolight auxiliary lighting for her bike so she'd have them in time to ride to the conference. That got Tina thinking. Maybe a lot more women would like a set to outfit their bike for their ride to the conference. So from now until the AMA Women's Conference, that being August 19th, Motolight is offering free shipping on orders of its auxiliary lighting. This special is in addition to the already 10 percent off discount being offered until the end of the month. The special is offered to everyone; not just those going to the conference.

If you need convincing on why you need these, check out the honest unsolicited testimonial from a woman who received a set of Motolights as the grand prize winner at the 2006 Women & Motorcycling Conference in Athens, Georgia. She talks about how much the auxiliary lighting has increased her safety on the road and she cites examples to prove it. Click here to go to the Motolight story; scroll down to the bottom to read the comment.

Deadlines, Shmeadlines
Hurry! Conference fees increase on Monday, Aug. 3! If you haven't yet registered for the AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference, presented by Harley-Davidson and Buell, please hurry. Pre-registration savings of $20 end on Monday, Aug. 3. It's now $165. After August 3, it's $185. Know someone who's planning to attend, but they haven't yet pulled the trigger? Please forward them this message and encourage them to bank their pre-registration savings today. Registration can be completed here.

Posted 7/28/09
WRN Booth Schedule
Cris Sommer Simmons, author of the new book The American Motorcycle Girls 1900-1950 (reviewed on WRN) will be selling her beautiful new coffee table book (cover at right) and doing autograph signings at the WRN Booth all three days of the conference at the Vendor Marketplace in the Conference Center. The Marketplace is open from 9:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m.

Since the book is very big, she will be taking orders for shipment to your home from my booth. The book is $50, and includes shipping. Checks, cash or credit cards will be accepted for the book. We will have a copy of the book at the booth for you to see. It's incredible. You'll want to own one. Cris will be autographing limited edition, unique book plates that you can take home with you on the bike and stick in the cover of the book when you get it. Here are the time she'll be doing autographs:

Thursday 8/20: 2:00 - 5:00 pm
Friday 8/21: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Saturday 8/22: 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

We're also selling the AMA Women & Motorcycling conference DVD that my company produced for the 2006 conference at at the discounted rate of $15. Cash or checks only. We have about 70 of these left.

We will also be giving away an Icon Hella Textile jacket - see below. Whether you're a cruiser rider, sportbike rider or passenger, this jacket will work for anyone - it's that versatile. Be sure to stop by the booth to sign up for your chance to win. We're also giving away magnets, post-it notes and more. Can't wait to see you.

Posted 7/27/09
For those interested, I am working on the schedule for the Women Riders Now booth this week including when author Cris Sommer Simmons will be doing book signings at the booth. There's also a chance that WRN's Backroads With Betsy columnist, Betsy Huelskamp, will be at the conference and will doing autograph signings at the booth. We'll let you know when we know.

Seminar Speakers Bios Posted
Check out this link on the AMA's conference Web site for the latest listing of the seminar speakers and their biographies.

Posted 7/20/09
WRN and the Women's Conference Prize Drawing
So we're planning on having a booth at the conference's marketplace area where we will be taking names for our Women's Conference Prize Drawing, which is a brand new Icon Textile Hella Jacket shown below. This is a top notch light to midweight textile jacket featuring a superior fit and lines shaped to a woman's body. It comes with a full removable liner, lots of venting, removable armor in shoulders, elbows and back. You'll need to stop by the Women Riders Now booth at the conference to sign up for the prize drawing.

We will also be giving away lots of goodies at our booth including WRN magnets, new Post-It notes (I can't live without Post-Its) as well as canvas tote bags that say Woman Rider magazine on them. For those who remember when I was founding editor of the print magazine Woman Rider, I have a whole bunch of these quality tote bags that I need to give away. I found a box of them hidden away in my attic - maybe they're a collector's item! In any event, stop by the booth to get yours. We're also working on the details of having author and motorcyclist Cris Sommer Simmons signing and selling her new coffee table book "The American Motorcycle Girls 1900-1950" at the booth. More details to come.

Posted 7/16/09
KYMCO Latest Manufacturer to Offer Demo Rides
KYMCO USA will haul out its fleet of scooters to offer demo rides at the AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference. "KYMCO scooters are easy and fun to ride, and because they are equipped with constant velocity transmissions (CVT), they offer riders with little or no shifting experience a great opportunity to participate in the sport," said Tigra Tsujikawa, marketing and special events manager for the AMA. "We are very excited about KYMCO's presence at our conference."

The KYMCO USA scooter product line includes a wide range of models and colors, including the sporty new 500cc Xciting. KYMCO will also bring out its the 5-speed transmission 250cc Venox shown at right, it's new entry level sport style motorcycle, the Quannon 150. Other models range in engine size from 50-250cc, and many feature sleek European and retro styling. The Spartanburg, S.C.-based company has been on the U.S. powersports scene for more than 30 years, and today it distributes motor scooters, motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles manufactured by its parent company in Taiwan.

Update to Kawasaki's Involvement with Conference
WRN has learned that Kawasaki will not be bringing it out its demo fleet of motorcycles to the Women's Conference but will be involved in the conference in some sort of sponsorship capacity the details of which are still being worked out. Earlier on this page, we announced that Kawasaki would be doing demo rides at the conference. We'll keep you posted on exactly how Kawasaki will be involved as soon as we know.

Posted 6/29/09
Ducati to Bring Demo Bikes to Conference
Ducati is the latest addition to the demo ride lineup and will offer conference attendees the opportunity to sample a variety of its most popular models. "Ducati is very excited to take part in this year's conference," said Press Officer John Paolo Canton. "With the addition of the Monster 696 to our lineup, more women than ever are riding Ducatis. This conference is an important event on our social marketing calendar, and more importantly, we want to offer the opportunity to ride our bikes. The Rocky Mountains are the perfect environment to experience the performance of our motorcycles, and we look forward to a great event."

Added AMA Marketing and Special Events Manager Tigra Tsujikawa: "This summer's conference is the premier event for women motorcyclists. Ducati's presence underscores the significance of women as a rapidly growing and important segment of the motorcycling community, and we enthusiastically welcome Ducati's participation." Demo rides will be available for conference attendees beginning Aug. 19 and continuing through Aug. 22.

Posted 6/28/09
Deborah Grey to be Keynote Speaker for Friday International Street Party
Canadian motorcyclist Deborah Grey will be the keynote speaker at the Friday evening International Street Party during the conference. Deborah is legendary as the first-ever Reform Party Member of the Canadian Parliament. This avid motorcyclist is an incredible speaker/presenter who's listed in Canada's National Speaker's Bureau. The Friday night International Street Party is being organized by the Motorcyclists' Confederation of Canada (MCC).

Liz Jansen, an MCC director and chair of its Women Riders Council, said she was delighted by Grey's selection as the keynote speaker. "We are proud and thrilled that Deborah Grey will be delivering the keynote address at the International Street Party," Jansen said. "She is a role model as a Canadian, woman and motorcyclist. Above all, her life exemplifies the conference theme of 'Riding to New Heights.'"

A master storyteller and the author of "Never Retreat, Never Explain, Never Apologize: My Life, My Politics," Deborah is renowned for her ability to combine her no-nonsense attitude, wit and humor into a compelling presentation. You can read more about Deborah at her Web site, DebGrey.com.

With the theme "Riding to New Heights," the conference not only honors the contributions of women riders to motorcycling's past and present, it also celebrates the fast-growing role that women riders are playing in the future of motorcycling. The registration fee covers admission to all seminars, as well as opening ceremonies on Wed. Aug. 19, a barn dance on Thurs. Aug. 20, the International Street Party on Friday Aug. 21 and a closing banquet on Sat. Aug. 22. Both the barn dance and closing banquet include dinner. error '80020009'

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