Photos by Genevieve Davis & Amanda Rau for WGT, Indian Motorcycle

Kelly Yazdi, founder of Wild Gypsy Tour, grew up in Minnesota riding quads and dirt bikes, but it wasn’t until she moved to California that she gave herself the present of getting her motorcycle license on her 18th birthday. “With the Pacific Coast Highway in my backyard, my passion quickly turned into something greater,” she said. “I found purpose in riding and wanted to share that. I was fortunate to connect with Arai Helmets for a gig, and that turned into a legitimate job.” 

Originally, Yazdi started Wild Gypsy Tour as a women’s exclusive motorcycle festival set to spearhead the legendary rally at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip. The inaugural event was held in 2017, and 2020 will be its fourth year. Still, Wild Gypsy Tour has gone far beyond an annual event; it’s turned into a movement. 

According to Yazdi, it’s “grown into a year-long tour focused on building the motorsports community, supporting women in powersports and providing opportunities for adventure enthusiasts to get involved in the lifestyle. Our ‘for women, by women’ platform is focused on Tribe, Adventure and Purpose.”

“The industry has given so much to me,” Kelly said, “not only from a career standpoint but also through the lens of meaningful relationships. As long as there are two-wheel machines, I’ll be married to producing projects that grow our community.”

Beyond founding Wild Gypsy Tour, Yazdi wears many hats in the motorcycle industry, including Event Producer, Special Projects Manager, Brand Ambassador and more. She even works as a motorcycle stuntwoman, and recently worked on Katy Perry’s Harleys in Hawaii music video. 

“I’m the kind of person who likes to keep things colorful,” she told us, “and I have a variety of projects in the works. I’m a big fan of working on teams who share the common goal of elevating the industry as a whole – united we stand! I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some of the industry’s most innovative brands and pioneering companies, including the upcoming Derwood – Republic of Texas Motorcycle Rally and the Roland Sands Designs Super Hooligan National Champion Series powered by Indian Motorcycle.” 

For women thinking about learning to ride or getting involved in the motorcycle industry, Yazdi had this to say: “DO IT! Or, as my dear friend the late Jessi Combs, would say, ‘You want to do it? Then just do it!’ The motorcycle industry is full of so many opportunities for women. Whether you are a rider, writer, photographer, creative, engineer, marketing slayer or simply an enthusiast, there is a place for you in the industry.”

If the two-wheel lifestyle sings to you, you can contact Kelly at https://www.wildgypsytour.com/connect. For those who want to learn how to ride, reach out at https://www.wildgypsytour.com/learn-to-ride and Wild Gypsy Tour will get you set up! You can also learn more at @WildGypsyTour on Instagram or facebook.com/WildGypsyTours— Joy Burgess

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