In case you haven’t been following H-D’s latest promotion, “Get Down to Daytona” has been quite a hit with the ladies.

More than 200 videos were submitted from a variety of women, all with interesting stories to tell. The six finalists’ videos show an assortment of experiences, such as a daughter and father reunited through riding after years of separation, a sister thanking her brother for inspiring her to ride, and a sisterly bond where the road is their escape from illness and the worry of being single moms. Also, see a daughter who is reminded of her father’s “no fear” message when she’s almost ready to give up, and a woman who thanks her boyfriend for helping fulfill a lifelong dream by grabbing the handlebars of her own Harley. Finally, see two friends who encouraged each other to ride and were there for each other each step of the way to becoming experienced riders.

The three women with the most votes will receive an expense paid road trip for two from Atlanta to Daytona with Karen Davidson, great-granddaughter of William A. Davidson, one of the Company’s founders, as well as three nights stay in Daytona, just in time for Bike Week.

The video clips are posted online here for viewer voting to begin. Visitors to the site can view each video and vote on their favorite to help send that woman rider and a guest to Daytona Bike Week ‘08. Voting will end December 12, 2007, and three winners will be announced December 14.

Times are changing; the new millennium finds women no longer relegated to the back seat of your HOG. Biker babes of today can be found straddling their own custom Sportsters and even belong to their own motorcycle clubs. In fact, many will claim they can ride and wrench far better than a man and you might want to believe it. You may find all types of women in these modern clubs all bonded by their love for motorcycles. This week, I would like to shine the spotlight on a specific women-only club.

In particular, I’d like to highlight and welcome the infamous Devil Dolls of San Francisco. Well known for their estrogen-only rides, calendars and GOTH-block SPF 666 sun block, watch out for these popular ladies on the streets of California. The Devil Dolls are riding high in the lime light, thanks in part to beautiful women with equal parts of sass and riding skills. If you have the itch to see these road princesses you may every year during the clubs sponsored one-day ride through San Francisco and east toward Livermore. The three-hour ride is girls only, but the boys are welcome to join them at the last stop. This is where the fun can be had, the girls organize shenanigans like the Mr. Devil Dude Contest to give fellow gentleman riders a chance to strut their stuff and impress the leathers of a Devil Doll.

As promising as it is to have more women join the ranks, the separation of the sexes might not make the most sense, at least to most men crazy about the idea of touring with several hundred women. In any event, cheers to the women that are embracing the wings of the Harley Davidson, I think I can speak for most men in stating that it is nice to have more parity among the enthusiasts.

It’s not just a guy thing any more. There’s a lot more women riding motorcycles today than every before. Just in the last few years there has been an enormous spike in the number of women buying (and riding) motorcycles. And many are sporting more than just a little wood! (Pun intended).

As I mentioned in my inaugural post, the Sportster is not an entry level bike. It’s very powerful and handles very well. And it’s a Harley! Women dig that. It really pushes their button, so to speak. Women are buying them in droves.

According to Women Riders Now, there has been an over 35 percent increase in women riding over the last decade. That would include my wife, my sister-in-law, and one of my SILs best friends, who all started riding within the last 10 years. They’re all around me, and I like it!