Rockford: 1,433 Women Break World Record for Largest All-Female Motorcycle Ride

1,433 women on motorcycles rolled through Rockford, Illinois, on Saturday and set a new world record. The ride broke the previous benchmark of 1,002 riders by more than 400 participants. Atlas World Records certified the achievement on June 13, 2026.

The event was organized by Midwest Women Riders, a nonprofit founded in 2008 by Ellie Rains. Riders traveled from across the country and Canada to take part. Some came as far as Alaska and California, according to KELOLAND.

"I cried the whole way, and I was listening to other women saying, 'I cried the whole way back.' I think we all did, because we just knew that we did it," said Dawn Van Hoepen, a motorcyclist from Rapid City, South Dakota, who rode to Rockford with five women she met through the biker community.

Three records in one ride

The group set three separate Atlas World Records during the event. According to participant Sandy Hanson from Huntington, Indiana, the records included the largest all-female motorcycle ride, the most biker women in a parade formation in motion, and the most biker women on the longest parade of 31 miles, as reported by WPTA 21Alive.

"We didn't break one," Hanson said. "We didn't break two. We broke three records."

An official headcount was taken at 11 a.m. on June 13 before the ride departed from the Hard Rock Casino Rockford, according to WIFR. Two Atlas World Records adjudicators independently verified the count. A third-party witness counter maintained a separate tally for confirmation, according to Atlas World Records documentation.

A decade-old record falls

The previous record of 1,002 riders was set in 2016 in Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia, by an event organized by Debb Dagger and 2WheelBabes. That record stood for 10 years before the Rockford attempt, according to Atlas World Records.

Kierstyn Jones, a member of the Fort Wayne chapter of Stillettos on Steel, said she was excited to surpass the old mark.

"I got a long time left to live, and I told my husband I'll be chasing this world record for the rest of my life," Jones said.

The weekend behind the ride

The record attempt was part of the "Get Your Groove On 2026" weekend, the largest women-only motorcycle event in the Midwest. The event featured workshops, guest speakers, vendors, and live entertainment at the Hard Rock Casino Rockford, according to WTVO.

Michelle Jamison, owner of Bandanas by Michelle in Minnesota, was one of the vendors at the event. She said motorcycling helped her build friendships and independence.

"I had boyfriends that I dated, and I enjoyed riding behind them. But then I wanted to get rid of the guy, and I still enjoyed riding. So, I got my license, and riding is just a great way to build other friendships," Jamison said.

Angie Hum, a rider from Huntington who met Hanson through the local Stillettos on Steel chapter, said she had no idea how large the turnout would be.

"I could not believe how many riders kept coming in," Hum said. "We had no idea. They were lining us up, and they just came coming and coming, and we had no idea it was 1,433."

Rains, the founder of Midwest Women Riders, said she decided to attempt the record last year after years of organizing the annual event.

"I had to make a decision," Rains said. "Should I go for it or not? And I'm like, you know what? Go big or go home."

"I think people are going to be talking about this for a very, very long time because it was really, really something to witness," Rains added.

Why it matters to Rockford

The event brought thousands of visitors to the Rockford area over a three-day weekend. The Hard Rock Casino Rockford served as the base of operations, and the 31-mile parade route moved through the city and surrounding communities. Local businesses saw foot traffic from riders who traveled from across the nation.

Jones said the record was about more than motorcycles.

"Being surrounded by other women, coming from all different backgrounds, all different races, all different, two wheels, three wheels, it doesn't matter," Jones said. "What matters is that we're in the wind. We're doing this together."

Hanson said the energy on ride day was unlike anything she had experienced.

"The day of the ride, it felt like there was so much electricity in the air," Hanson said.