INTERVIEW: CASEY J. // INDIAN MOTORCYCLE
Casey: @tonedapollo
Indian Motorcycle: @indianmotorcycle
MEET CASEY FROM INDIAN MOTORCYCLE
Meet one of the womxn in our motorcycle collective whom we look up to and are honored to know. Casey works for Indian Motorcycle, helping the company reach emerging consumer markets– most of which make up those The Litas consist of: women, LGBTQ+, multicultural, and Gen Z riders and motorcycle enthusiasts.
Hailing from Fresno, CA, Casey currently resides in Los Angeles, CA, moving to the City of Angels after she got out of the Navy six years ago. She was a K9 handler in the Navy, then moved onto executive protection (um, ok, badass!) until she turned to training police and protection dogs. Finally, she landed a job with Indian Motorcycle/ Polaris, and this is where we met Casey. Keep reading to learn more about her journey into the motorcycle industry.
Q: What do you ride?
A: In my garage is an Indian FTR Carbon, KTM 300 XCW, and Honda CRF100.
Where did your love for motorcycles begin?
A: My cousins had dirt bikes growing up, but it wasn’t something girls were supposed to do. That only made me want to do it even more. When I was in high school, we had a family friend who was a diehard Harley guy, and he loaned me an old Yamaha XT250 that I rode to class and back. It was a finicky machine (as all old bikes are) and left me stranded on the side of the road a few times; but eventually, I saved up enough money to buy a used Ninja 250 at 18 years old– and the rest, as they say, is history.
“I’ve found that no matter where you are, you find that fellowship on bikes. Even when pulling into a dusty gas station in the middle of nowhere, someone will wander over to chat with you about your ride. Riding can give you a connection to someone you might otherwise have nothing in common with.”
Q: How has riding changed your life?
A: There’s a unique sense of freedom and independence on a motorcycle that I don’t think you can find anywhere else. I was a shy, nerdy kid (still am)-- and when I first swung a leg over a bike, it gave me a boost of confidence and an adrenaline rush that I’m still addicted to 17 years later.
The people I’ve met in the riding community have also had a lifelong impact on me. When I first moved to Los Angeles, I knew no one. The riding community is where I made some of my first friendships – people I’m still close with today.
I’ve found that no matter where you are, you find that fellowship on bikes. Even when pulling into a dusty gas station in the middle of nowhere, someone will wander over to chat with you about your ride. Riding can give you a connection to someone you might otherwise have nothing in common with.
I did a solo dirt bike trip in Morocco back in 2016 for a multi-day ride through the Sahara Desert and Atlas mountains. I rented a bike from Motoaventures, who also supplied a GPS for navigation. I believe I was only the third woman they had seen ever come through. I was also the only American on this tour, and I was probably half the age of most of the other male riders in the group. Once they got over their surprise, they were all so supportive. There were two men from France who were on the same skill level as me, and despite me knowing no French and them barely speaking any English, we instantly bonded, riding side by side through some of the most isolating and unforgiving terrain I’d ever been on. We started as strangers doing this crazy thing and left as friends. That’s a core memory I’ll never forget.
Q: Tell us about your work for Indian Motorcycle.
A: I started with Indian Motorcycle over three years ago on the events team where I drove a truck and trailer full of demo bikes all over the country. I’ve driven everywhere from Florida to Sturgis to Seattle. I attended most of the big motorcycle rallies and events, as well as smaller pop ups along the way. It was intimidating at first, as some of the smaller demo stops would just be me loading/unloading 6-8 motorcycles and running the demos with maybe one other person. There were some learning experiences as I started, but I met some incredible people on the road. It was very rewarding to see women riders showing up to demo and be excited to see a woman actually working it. Working demos in so many different locations, I realized how apprehensive some female riders were about coming out to these events and how often they had negative experiences in the motorcycling world. Being able to create a safe space where they feel comfortable and taken seriously is something I strive for.
After two years of driving, I was brought on full time to the Customer Growth team at Polaris/Indian Motorcycle where I now get to work with the emerging customer markets in the industry: women riders, LGBTQ+ riders, multicultural, gen z, etc. I’m so blessed to be able to do this for a living, and I’ve learned a ton from the teams here (shoutout to my boss Mallory who is an incredible human whom I admire and have learned so much from) and seeing their passion and support has been inspiring. It’s been so rewarding working with these important communities. I firmly believe motorcycles are for everyone, and I’m very passionate about carving out space for the “non-traditional” rider. I know what it’s like to face bias, and I’ve also been lucky enough to have people in my corner who support and encourage me as a rider. If I can in turn, pay that forward and make someone else feel like they belong and deserve to be on a bike the same as anyone else, I’ll know I’ve made a difference.
Q: You have traveled all over the states and beyond with Indian Motorcycle; what has been your favorite experience so far?
A: Riding through the South of France for International Female Ride Day in 2023 takes the cake. Bringing together women riders from different countries, who had never met before, and embarking on a multi-day journey from Toulouse to Nice was something that could’ve gone sideways– but did the opposite. We all shared a love for riding and bonded over that on an adventure that I’m sure took all of us outside our comfort zone. Lifelong friendships were made there.
Q: Any advice for womxn who are interested in working in the industry?
A: There’s no one way to do it, and I wish there was, because we need more women in the industry. But I would say just get involved in the riding community, network and get to know others in the scene. Get your foot in the door doing something else. I started “at the bottom” as a truck driver and at every event, I hustled my ass off and made myself an indispensable part of the team so that when a position opened up, I was an easy consideration. Don’t be afraid to reach out to women you see crushing it in the industry. I’m always happy to chat with people, and I’m sure most of the women I know working in the industry are down to do the same.
Q: Do you have any personal philosophies you live your life by?
