WOMEN IN MOTORSPORTS: BRITTANY WOODS MASSEY
Instagram: @brittanywould
MAKING HER MARK IN MOTORSPORTS
For Brittany Wood Massey, motorcycles aren’t just a passion, but a career, a community, and a platform. From crafting campaigns at Vans to driving social strategy at Monster Energy and Bell Helmets, she’s spent over a decade amplifying women in an industry that’s long been dominated by men. Along the way, she has helped shape how brands connect with riders, created spaces for women to be seen and respected, and turned her love of two wheels into a powerful voice in motorsports culture.
Read along as she shares the challenges, triumphs, and lessons that have defined her journey, and learn more about the ways she’s helping pave the road for the next generation of women riders.
ABOUT A GIRL
I’m Brittany. I grew up in a suburb in Southern California, where I went to fashion school and learned to ride motorcycles in the Azusa Canyons. I started riding in the summer of 2014 after a breakup (cliché, I know), when I was hungry for an outlet to feel empowered during a moment that left me feeling low.
My father rode motorcycles most of his life, so it’s always been something in the background, but never something I thought to pursue. Funny how all it takes is an emotional setback to catapult you into a direction that may have always been the obvious path. So, to my parents’ consternation, I took motorcycle classes, got my license, and spent the next 10-ish years riding to campouts on the weekends.
I started out on a Yamaha V-Star and now ride a 1993 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200XL. However, over the past six years, I’ve transitioned into spending most of my time on my Husqvarna TE250.
THE JOURNEY
I feel like anyone who rides a motorcycle has fantasized about monetizing their passion, or at least working in the industry. It’s something I’ve romanticized throughout my career, and I’ve found small moments to spotlight that passion along the way.
During my time doing social media at Vans, I developed an editorial concept focused on Babes Ride Out and the influential, badass women within the community. That concept opened doors for me professionally, from working at Monster Energy to landing my role at Bell Helmets.
Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to work with various motorsports brands, helping shape their social strategies.
It’s not a competition,
and it’s not something anyone else gets to decide you belong in.
What sparked your passion for motorcycles?
It sounds cheesy, but honestly, the freedom. I love being able to do something that feels both therapeutic and challenging, whether I’m riding alone or with others.
I think I got tired of spending my weekends getting blacked out at bars and following it up with Sunday brunch (though those things still exist…just in a different balance now). Motorcycles made me feel more like me. They gave me the freedom to just get on my bike and ride to another state on a random Tuesday if I felt like it.
Was there a defining moment that solidified your path in this industry?
I’ve always been drawn to telling stories about women carving their own paths - stories that deserve to be told on a larger stage. I came up during the women’s streetwear era around 2008, blogging for Hellz Bellz, then eventually making my way into Vans, specifically on the women’s side.
Throughout my career, I’ve noticed a consistent thread that fuels me: amplifying women in male-dominated spaces.
When I started at Bell Helmets, I saw a gap that hadn’t been filled. Women were hungry to see other women on podiums - not just men on tracks. They were tired of being seen as models or accessories (though there’s nothing wrong with that).
Across action sports, I’ve consistently felt that women’s stories haven’t been given the visibility or respect they deserve. That’s something I’ve been passionate about, and something I plan to continue pursuing.
THE INDUSTRY
Honestly, the biggest challenge (I have faced as a woman in motorsports) has been feeling heard and understood. I’ve worked in social media and advertising for 17 years. I’ve seen the rise of Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram. But somehow I have felt like I was always treated as a junior, or my opinions didn't matter.
My biggest struggle has been feeling like I constantly have to prove myself and my place at the table, over and over again. It’s been one of the most frustrating experiences of my life, but also, in some ways, self-inflicted, seeing as I chose to be in this space.
My proudest achievement has been leaving the environments that made me feel small, and stepping into my own power by starting my own social media consultancy.
I’ve been able to build myself up, and give myself the validation and confidence I used to seek from others. Instead of questioning whether I belong, I now sit at the table with motorsports executives, sharing my experience and helping them connect with communities through social.
I truly believe that without those struggles, I wouldn’t have developed the confidence that was always there beneath the surface. Sometimes all it takes is leaving a room you’re no longer welcome in to realize there’s an entire stadium waiting for you to arrive.
“The world is small, and life is short. Motorcycles have been a source of joy, freedom, connection, and community for me, and that’s really what the human experience is about.”
SOME ADVICE
Data. Know your data, share your POV, and don’t miss a step.
Mistakes can create openings for doubt, but when you’re grounded in your data and clear in your intention, it becomes much harder for others to pick you apart.
Find your community and build your network. I truly believe I wouldn’t be where I am today without a strong group of women supporting me, whether that’s having my back or saying my name in rooms I’m not in.
Seek out a mentor, and work your way up, but also make sure you’re mentoring others along the way. We need to support each other in this industry...not from a place of defensiveness, but from a place of intention and inclusion.
Now more than ever, women are riding motorcycles. Since 2013, it’s estimated that around 20% of riders are women - that’s roughly 1 in 5. We are no longer a niche - we are a major, visible force shaping the culture.
The tide is shifting, and it’s important that we continue building connections and creating space for the next generation of women riders.
THE FUTURE
I see more women in leadership, and women being considered from the start when it comes to product design and marketing.
Ashmore of Babes Ride Out said it perfectly:
“It’s brands designing with women in mind from the start… It’s walking into a dealership and choosing from multiple performance-ready options… and evolving to where women don’t need a qualifier to be respected.”
The future is being shaped by communities like The Litas, and leaders like Ashmore and Anya of Babes Ride Out - women who are creating spaces where others are encouraged to show up, be themselves, and take up space.