Big corporations are finally waking up to what American women have been proving for years.
They’re not just sitting on the sidelines anymore when it comes to extreme sports.
And this massive corporate backing just opened doors that women off-roaders never saw coming.
Major brands recognize the fastest-growing powersports segment
Synchrony and KTM North America announced their joint sponsorship of the Babes in the Dirt 2025 Off-Road Adventure Series, a move that highlights the explosive growth of women in powersports.
Started in 2014, Babes in the Dirt has grown into America’s biggest community and competition series for female off-road enthusiasts, revolutionizing a male-dominated industry.
The statistics explain why major corporations are suddenly interested.
Female riders have become the most rapidly expanding demographic in powersports, breaking down barriers about who can handle motorcycles and ATVs.
Susan Medrano from Synchrony didn’t mince words about why her company jumped on board.
"Synchrony supports Babes in the Dirt’s mission to open powersports to women all over the world," Medrano said. "Over the last year alone, Synchrony has hosted a series of events to unite women in the powersports community and encourage more to follow suit."
The financial services company will handle financing for motorcycle purchases, parts, gear, and accessories sold through Babes in the Dirt events.
This partnership tackles a major obstacle that prevents many women from entering the sport.
According to Babes in the Dirt, 23% of 2024 attendees didn’t own their own bike but planned to purchase one within the year.
For those women, getting the money together was the biggest hurdle.
Ashmore Ellis knew the boys’ club had to go
Ashmore Ellis didn’t set out to revolutionize anything when she started Babes in the Dirt.
"Babes in the Dirt was created more than a decade ago with the mission of transforming the landscape of the powersports industry by opening the door for anyone and everyone to enjoy these off-road adventures," Ellis explained.
The organization was intentionally designed to redefine the image of the stereotypical motorcyclist to "look and be simply ‘anyone’" and welcome "everyone."
This approach has worked remarkably well over the past 11 years.
What started as a small group of women riders has grown into a nationwide movement that’s changing the face of powersports.
The events create memorable experiences where women feel supported and confident while pursuing adventure sports to diversify the rider community overall.
KTM North America is bringing its expertise in high-performance motorcycles to the partnership.
During the 2025 Off-Road Adventure Series, the Austrian-based manufacturer will showcase its latest motorcycles and offer participants the opportunity to test ride them on-site.
"Growing the sport of motorcycling is not only a passion of ours here at KTM, it’s a mission that we are excited to share with all Off-Road Adventure Series participants," said Christy Hall, Vice President of Marketing at KTM North America.
Smart money follows the money
Here’s what really happened: somebody in corporate America finally did the math.
Women aren’t just showing up to powersports events anymore – they’re opening their wallets and spending big.
And when you’ve got that kind of buying power, the suits start paying attention real quick.
Synchrony didn’t partner with Babes in the Dirt out of the goodness of their hearts.
They saw dollar signs, and lots of them, in a market that’s been sitting there waiting for someone to take it seriously.
Synchrony’s decision to become the official financing partner shows that financial services companies understand the economic impact of women entering powersports.
The company has been actively hosting events to unite women in the powersports community and encourage more participation over the past year.
Sure, they’ll sell some bikes and financing deals along the way.
But the real story is that women have become too big a market to ignore in powersports.
We’re talking about riders who don’t just buy motorcycles – they buy gear, accessories, insurance, maintenance plans, and everything else that goes with the lifestyle.
Synchrony and KTM figured out that throwing serious cash at women’s off-road events isn’t charity work.
KTM’s "Ready to Race" mentality aligns perfectly with the mission of empowering women to take on challenging off-road experiences.
KTM has earned recognition as a top European manufacturer of high-performance street and off-road sport motorcycles, operating from its base in Mattighofen, Austria.
Now they’re applying that same competitive spirit to growing women’s participation in the sport.
The 2025 Off-Road Adventure Series will provide women with access to race-proven technology and high-performance motorcycles that define the KTM brand.
This corporate backing ensures that women off-roaders have the financial support, equipment access, and manufacturer expertise they need to excel in a sport that’s no longer just for men.
