Stilettos on Steel – Newnan Chapter Formed, Launch Party set for July 29

From Special Reports

In 2009 the founder of Stilettos on Steel, LLC, Anne Zube, found herself at a turning point in her life – she took a Riders Edge course and was given a surprise weekend Harley rental for her birthday.

After the weekend, she found herself hating to take the motorcycle back. She immediately realized that the wild hair turned into passion, and she wanted to create something where other female riders could come together to learn and enjoy biking. Stilettos on Steel Female Riders Group, LLC was founded in Madison, Wisc., in 2010.

The Stilettos on Steel, LLC organization is a female-owned business that provides membership and networking services to female motorcycle riders across the United States. The mission of the organization is to help women who dream of riding to take the next step in becoming a motorcycle rider. The more experienced riders enjoy working with new riders to help them hone the skills that they have learned in their riding classes to prepare them for adventures of the open road with their new Stiletto Sisters.

Since the launch, you will find Stiletto chapters have expanded across the country with chapters in 20 different states including Georgia. The chapters are led by area officers trained by the founder Anne Zube, Burklin Nielson, and Lysandria “Lala” Coreano who are the National Officers.

Since 2003, the number of female motorcyclists has increased by 67 percent and nearly one in four riders in the United States are female. Newnan and Coweta County did not have an organized group of females that would support other female riders. That changed with the  announcement on May 27th, Stilettos on Steel, LLC officially made it to Newnan – The City of Homes.

After getting to know other Stilettos the last two years at She Rides Moto, an annual event hosted by Smoky Mountain Harley Davidson, local resident Ginger Queener knew that this area needed a chapter in Coweta. Upon returning from the 2023 SRM event, she contacted the Stilettos on Steel, LLC organization and along with five of her riding sisters – Sheri Dillinger, Kirsten Levy, Barbara Shattuck, Paula Sword and Beth Herman – they began getting the chapter off the ground and plans for a launch party to reach other female riders in the community were in the works. The chapter has had ladies and businesses reaching out with excitement to assist in getting this chapter off the ground. It is with great pleasure the announcement of the Stilettos on Steel – Newnan – City of Homes Chapter.

Bigfoot Cycles Service and Repair was the first business that stepped up and wanted to assist! Owner Andy Knowles and his wife Katie met with the ladies and offered their location and services to build this chapter that supports women riders. Both Andy and Katie come from strong line of women riders. Andy’s sister rides, his mother, who is now in her 80s, still rides – she owns a Ural with a sidecar – and Katie’s sister rides and her mother rode prior to her passing but is still with us in spirit! Their goal when they opened Bigfoot was to have a business that supported women riders and to help with making sure they had a friendly and safe environment to learn and to have their bikes worked on.

The first event that they will host for Stilettos on Steel, LLC – Newnan – City of Homes Chapter will be on Saturday, July 29 from 4-8 p.m. at Bigfoot Cycles located at 194 Greenville Street in Newnan. There will be door prizes, food, music and fun.

The hope is that other female riders in Coweta and surrounding counties will come out, meet the members, learn more about Stilettos on Steel, sign up to join the newly formed chapter and embark on a journey of riding, skills building and networking with other riding sisters. Rest assured, this is purely a riding group – while the Newnan Chapter will be riding in fundraising events, it will not host fundraisers, handle funds nor will there be volunteer requirements.

There is an annual membership fee to Stilettos on Steel, LLC. The group will host monthly rides that will be short, long and overnight in distance, garage parties and opportunities for skills building classes.

For more information, please reach out to the Newnan Chapter Regional Coordinator Ginger Queener at [email protected].