The cover came off the first production motorcycle in history built specifically for women at an official unveiling at ROAR Motorcycles headquarters in Daytona Beach on Saturday, March 7. The WildKaT is the first purpose built motorcycle designed from the ground up for women riders. “This bike is making history,” said ROAR Motorcycles president and CEO, Kathy Tolleson, the builder of the motorcycle. “We are challenging the industry with the WildKaT.”
The WildKaT is the culmination of many hours of hard work. WRNs Genevieve Schmitt visited with the ROAR team at Daytona Bike Week in 2008 when the proprietary motorcycle was just taking shape. A year later during Daytona Bike Week 2009, local media and a group of women riders watched as the WildKaT was introduced. “We will begin manufacturing the WildKaT in the spring of 09 and we have nothing but high hopes and aspirations that women riders across the land will take notice of this truly unique product,” said Tolleson. “It has a unique look that I would call vintage modern and is the best handling bike that I have ever ridden.”
The bike features a 1200cc Harley-Davidson motor sitting in a proprietary chassis thats able to accomodate both short and tall women. The frame suspension and design can be adjusted from a petite 23.5 inch seat height to a taller 29.5 inch height with no fender gap providing women a more custom fit and safer ride.
Tolleson says most bikes are designed for mens stronger upper bodies and longer limbs. The WildKaT has been ergonomically designed for a woman with a narrow tank to create a narrow profile, handlebars that are adjustible, an easy-pull clutch, and floorboards that are within reach. Other features include Chrome Ride Wright wheels with billet hubs and polished stainless steel spokes (that include a lifetime warranty), Hawg Halters four piston dual action brake calipers, Daytona Twin-Tec EFI fuel management system (thats fuel injection), LED lighting and Dakota Digital multi-function instrumentation, Super Trapp exhaust pipes, Works Performance shocks, just to name a few. The bike retails for $22,970. To watch a video of Tolleson talking about the bike on YouTube click here.
Reservations for the WildKaT are now being taken. Tolleson reports that the first 25 reservations flew out the door and were gone before the end of the day Saturday. Those bike will be ready for delivery in six to nine months and will be numbered and signed. ROAR is running a special for the next 25 WildKaTs. They will be offered at a $1,000 discount and will be available in eight to 10 months. Call 386.255.7527, toll free 866.621.ROAR, or visit RoarMotorcycles.com for more information.
The WildKaT is a precursor to an entire family of ROAR motorcycles that will include a sportbike called the StreetKaT, and a touring bike called the Lioness.
Since its grand opening during Daytona Bike Week 2008, ROAR has been dedicated to customizing motorcycles to make them more female-friendly. By lowering the seat, a woman can use her legs and hips when picking the bike off the stand and can put her feet firmly on the ground when stopping. The handlebars and foot controls are also adjusted so the rider does not have to stretch but can ride comfortably. If you have a motorcycle youd like ROAR to customize to fit you better, contact them. Their Web site is RoarMotorcycles.com.
I like the bike, and it is as close as I have seen to a ladies style. Women really do need true “girl” colors. I would love a white bike with purple hibiscus flowers on it, or how about something w/pale yellow flames, or maybe baby blue or pink?! If you could order it with hard cases to match, that would be awesome.
I find no-one makes a bike that even closely resembles a lady like look; it always seems to be black, or darker colors, and then there's the leather and fringe, nope, not for me, I want to look like a lady, not a guy! I also don't want to look like a tramp either, with low cut shirts and tight pants! I am not over weight or insecure, I just want a real ladies bike, something feminine, not a guys bike made up to look like a gals ride.
A beautiful bike. Hope I get to see one close to where I live. Glad to see there is a bike built just for women. About time!
I'm definitely driving over to check out this new shop. I ride a '07 Triumph Bonneville T100 and love it. I would love to have it tweaked to make it more comfortable and lower.
I also was visiting in Florida this past week and visited the folks at Roar. What a great bunch of people and great store for women in mind. All the bikes we saw were awesome and got a detailed and informative tour of WildKaT. Even though pricey, I immediately fell in love with the WildkaT, its design, concept, and look. I am owner#27 and I think first in New York and hope to decide my color in eight to 10 months.
I was just having a discussion with my husband last night about how I don't fit well on my Harley, an 87 FXR. He bought it for my 50th. It is a truey hot bike, don't get me wrong! I'm now 55 and I have arthritis in my hands and the stretch to my handlebars is a real stretch so I also get sore across my back after a short ride.
I want to sell my Rebel 250, my Honda Shadow 600 and the Harley to get a bike that fits me. He is balking. Says I can ride the Shadow because I won't be able to ride any other Harley if I can't ride the FXR I have now. Sounds like bull to me. The WildKat looks great to me.
I loved the FXRs. An amazing motorcycle. When I bought my Dyna Low Rider in 1994, it was the last year of the FX frame. Harley changed it to the Dyna frame. If I owned an FXR, I would never get rid of it. Good luck in your search.
Beautiful bike. I can't wait to see it close up. I love your shop and I visit every time I come to Daytona. I also love my seat that you guys covered and cut down for me.
Yes, great bike design! I have sat on this one and very well balanced. I ride all kinds of bikes and this one is, by far, a well designed cruiser!
What an awesome bike. A little too late for me also, but you have done another awesome job Kathy (and her crew)! Betty Boop will continue to shine for me as an awesome job by the ROAR crew. Go ROAR!
What a sexy looking bike — curves in all right places. It's hot!
I love the idea, but there's already a company in the market making bikes for women. Ridley Motorcycles builds a perfect bike for new riders and women so I don't agree with the “only company out there.”
Ridley does not market their motorcycles solely for women. Ridley, like Harley-Davidson, suggest to women which of their motorcycles would be favorable to women, but in no way does either company design a motorcycle from the ground up just for women, like ROAR has done.
Wow, I love the look and color design!Good luck and hope I get the opportunity to be near one.
A beautiful bike for sure, and I'm pleased for women who can do that for themselves. I've been riding since 1974 and working on motorcycles since 1976. One of my major studies has been to make women's bikes comfortable for them as there was nothing on the market of long-rides-in-the-sunshine size that most could touch the ground with. The bikes had to look better after I touched them than before!
With women, good looks are everything.
These are still the days when folks look at women with surprise and joy in their eyes, especially the farther away from home they are.
I had the opportunity to visit the ROAR Store last week during Daytona Bike Week. The bikes are awesome and the customer service is great! If you plan to visit Daytona Beach make it your business to stop by the shop. You will hate that you didn't.
I am a 4-foot 11-inch tall woman and I ride a 1200 Sportster Custom. My husband has had it lowered as much as possible, but I still could use a inch. I am goong to be looking for this bike, or any other that has followed suit to cater to women. I love to ride! Yea to the person who came up with this idea of catering to women. Love your site.
I now ride a 500 Vulcan and am looking for a little more power, would love to take a stroll on your bike. The price is a little steep but love the concept of a woman's bike. Good luck!
Awesome. ROAR is changing the motorcycle world forever. I've known Kathy for almost 17 years and I know she has the ability to take this to the top of the industry.
About time somebody figured it out. I have been riding a custom built bike identical to this one since 2006. Only difference is it did not cost me $20,000-plus dollars. Mine was built in my garage by my boyfirend. Being only 4-feet-11 it is a great bike to ride.
Very, very nice. I'm a 5-feet 1-1/2-inch trike rider with very short legs and have been riding for more than 33 years (I'm 66 now and still ride). I've watched the women rider population explode through the years, and it's about time there was a bike just for women. I do have a motorcycle license, and probably would have ridden two wheels, but would never ride anything where I could not put my feet flat and have a bend to my knee. That left a hardtail…nope, wouldn't do. You're a “few” years late for me, but hopefully lots of women will get a “ride” that's meant for them. Kudos!
Be sure to visit our sister site, TrikeRidersNow.com, an online magazine for trike riders.
This is a great looking bike, and I look forward to finding out about more bikes designed specifically for women. I'm tired of having to look into customizations and thicker-heeled boots just so that I can ride what I want.
All I can say is, it's about time a motorcyle was manufactured with the woman rider in mind. I look forward to visiting your showroom in the near future.
Love it, love it, love it! Let's see if the “other guys” will take notice and follow suite!
After reading your article, I think that it is great to have a bike fit just for women. I think the bike is very sharp looking.