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WheelsOfGrace.com Volume 9 Issue 5 31 MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY NEWS to an Italian union leader. Volkswagen considered selling Duca as part of an asset review that started last year to examine op ons for opera ons that aren't a fit for its car and truck focus. VW's Audi luxury division, which owns Duca , hired Evercore Partners Inc. to advise on strategic op ons, people familiar with the ma er said in April. A Duca official declined to comment on the sale process, while VW spokesman Eric Felber said the company doesn't comment on market rumors. A sale of Duca could have beefed VW's cash by as much as 1.5 billion euros ($1.8 billion). The company reported a surprise charge of about 2.5 billion euros in the third quarter as plans to buy back or retrofit tainted U.S. diesel cars proves more complex, bringing total damages from the two-year-old scandal to over 25 billion euros. Duca had picked five bidders in July that were expected to make binding offers by October, people familiar with the ma er said in July. Those included the Bene on family holding company Edizione Srl and former owner Inves ndustrial Spa. The bidders valued Duca up to 1.5 billion euros, the people said. Retaining a business with hardly any overlap with other parts of VW's sprawling automo ve empire will likely raise ques ons about the asset review in a strategy revamp through 2025. Failure a er months of work is a fresh blow to Audi, VW's largest profit contributor, which faces a management overhaul. Audi bought Duca from Italian buyout firm Inves ndustrial for about 860 million euros in 2012. Inves ndustrial took a controlling stake from another private equity firm, TPG, in 2006. women motorcyclists Discuss inDustry, exPeriences anD more insPiring young female riDers to keeP riDing By Ashley Price COLUMBUS, Ohio — With a combined 100 years of riding experience and more than 500,000 miles of riding among them, four well-respected women of the motorcycling industry took the main stage during the AIMExpo at the Greater Columbus Conven on Center to Share their experiences and encourage more women to ride. Tracy Motz, head of marke ng ac vi es at RevIt North America, Jen Muecke, demo instructor for BMW, Jenny Smith, managing editor for Rider magazine, and motocross racer Pat Jacques shared stories about how they got involved in riding and racing motorcycles and how the industry has evolved and appeals to women. They also shared advice for women motorcyclists of all ages. One common theme among these women: Each felt at some point that riding a motorcycle was something that other people did not want them to do. But, they persisted. For Motz, Muecke and Smith, learning to ride a motorcycle didn't come un l later in life. Motz took a break between her undergraduate and graduate schooling to ride across the country on a motorcycle. While she knew she always wanted to do a cross-country trip, funds forced her to learn to ride a motorcycle, instead of buying a car. What was only supposed to be a trip of a couple months turned into a three-year journey across both North America and South America. "The first ride I ever took on a motorcycle was three years long," Motz said. Muecke always had an interest in riding, but didn't climb on a bike un l she was in her 20s, because her parents wouldn't allow it. A er working with other women who rode, she bought her first bike and got her coworkers to teach her how to ride. "It was really great to have these other women to teach me to ride," Muecke said. "It was quite empowering, actually." Smith's parents also resisted her desire to ride. So, she was forced to buy a bike in secret. She didn't even let the person she bought her bike from know that she was buying it for herself. Instead, as she told him it was for her boyfriend. She would push her bike nearly two blocks down the street to a church parking lot where she taught herself to ride. "That is not how you should learn to ride a motorcycle" Smith said, laughing. "But I'm glad it worked out, because I wouldn't be where I am today without that experience." Jacques got her first bike when she was around 8 years old, but had to share it with her brother. A er ge ng accepted to an honors society when she was 11, her father asked her what she wanted as a reward, and she insisted on a motorcycle. Eventually, her brother began racing, and while she would go to the tracks with her bike, her dad would only let her ride and prac ce. A er a ending a few races and seeing her talent, he allowed her to start racing motocross. And she started winning. "I was the only female motocross racer on the East Coast," Jacques said. "I had to line up and race with the boys. But it was fun. One young boy cried because he had never lost to a girl before." The women also highlighted the importance of riding a bike that is comfortable for a woman and wearing gear that is appropriate. Motz said there are not a lot of gear op ons for female riders, but she explained that it's because female riders are a small and costly por on of the en re motorcycling market. "My femininity is not defined by what I wear," Smith said. "I am feminine, whether I am in a dress, or if I am covered in mud. To me, it's more important that I'm protected and safe, even if that means wearing a jacket that the sleeves are too long, or spending a lot of money on gear. Because I'm worth it." Muecke and Smith went into detail speaking about riding a bike that is fit for women and also star ng out on a bike that a female rider won't be afraid to drop. "It's OK to start on a slower bike, like a 300," Smith said. "Everyone thinks you have to hop on a sport bike and go fast, and that's not the case at all. It just has to be something you feel confident on and can touch [the ground]."