Full speed ahead: Nashville entrepreneur launches female motorcycle apparel company

The Trinity Collection will be available online and at three Harley Davidson stores

From stargazing to sourdough bread making, people picked up dozens of at-home hobbies during the pandemic in an effort to adhere to social distancing guidelines and curb their cabin fever. But 25-year-old, Trinity Wiles, wasn’t going to ride out the pandemic cooped up in a kitchen baking bread or hunched over in a garden tending to cherry tomato plants. The self-proclaimed adrenaline junkie felt a sudden need for speed. 

She thought, as the Harley Davidson slogan goes, “Screw it, let’s ride.” Three years ago, the 5 '3 Nashvillian enrolled in a two-day motorcycle class, bought a $650 Suzuki motorcycle off Facebook Marketplace and took off riding.

Wiles quickly discovered, like many things — smartphones (often too big for women’s hands), backpacks (that cut across a woman’s breast line) and even calorie counters (most are calibrated using the male metabolic rate which is 8-percent faster than women’s)  —  motorcycle wear is designed for men, not women. 

“We are so limited,” Wiles explained. “There aren’t many companies who are tailoring their designs for us. Women’s motorcycle apparel is mostly just smaller versions of men’s clothing.” 

Big brands like Suzuki and Kawasaki have tried patronizing women, scaling down the size of their men’s products and recoloring them rose-gold , a strategy in the fashion industry known as “shrink it and pink it.”

“Not only is it aesthetically unflattering, but it's unsafe,” Wiles adds.

Women are 47-percent more likely to suffer severe injuries in motorcycle accidents than men, according to an American Public Health Association study. The study links this startling statistic to “inadequate protective gear.”

That sparked an idea: a female motorcycle fashion line for women by women.

Wiles got to work and in 2022, Trinity Mototech was born.

This month, the petite, blonde biker will roll out her first collection. The aptly-named Trinity Collection, features three edgy pieces — a moto jacket, riding pants and an athletic tank.

Each article is crafted with breathable, flexible fabrics that compliment a woman’s silhouette as opposed to traditional materials — like leather and canvas —  that mask and swallow the female figure and don’t offer adequate protection.

The piece she is most proud of, the Artemis Zip jacket, is her take on the industry’s most iconic symbol — the leather jacket. Constructed with black wax-coated denim and lined with Kevlar — a soft, anti-abrasion fabric that protects the skin in case of sliding — the jacket’s adjustable waistband highlights a riders’ hourglass shape.

It pairs perfectly with Wiles’ Neverland riding pants which she designed to look, feel and fit like leggings. The super stretch denim — also lined with Kevlar —  “moves the way you move.”

Both the Artemis jacket and Neverland pants include removable CE Level 2 armor — the most protective grade of motorcycle armor — in all of the high impact zones — elbows, back hips and knees.

Wiles designed her Armada athletic tank to appeal to more than just motorcyclists. She describes the sleek, spandex, zip-front cropped top as “a must-have athleisure piece.” 

Her first collection will be available online at trinitymototech.com and at three Harley Davidson locations.

Wiles has no plans of slowing down. She is on a mission to meet the growing demand. The percentage of female motorcyclists has more than doubled over the last ten years. Today, 20-percent of all motorcycle owners are women.

The female founder has plans to develop a new apparel collection and a line of accessories in 2024. She adds that she hopes to expand her apparel line to include plus size women. The Trinity Collection will be available in sizes XXS - XL.

Harley Davidson may have built a business on “big toys for big boys” motto, but Wiles is out to prove there is a market for cool wear for cool women.