Ladies with a love of two wheels are fighting hard to gain some well-deserved recognition within the motorcycle industry, as estimated figures show that, of the 5.5 million motorcycle holders in the UK, around 550,000 (that's ten per cent) are now women.

TV soap star Tracy Shaw on a Vespa ET2 50ccIn an online survey, conducted by one of the UK's leading motorcycle insurance specialists, even men think that female riders don't get enough recognition.

Results show that 93 per cent of both male and female motorcyclists think that there are not enough women biker role models.

The Bennetts survey also reveals that 31 per cent of motorcyclists think that lady bikers are treated in the same way as any other road user, while another 35 per cent feel that male bikers are more courteous to women bikers than male drivers are.

A further 19 per cent of bikers feel that road users think that female riders fit in to a typical biker stereotype, while the remaining 15 per cent of bikers surveyed believe male road users often pass sexist comments at lady riders.

Bennetts is now helping to shatter this stereotypical image of lady riders with Living Free, a booklet that has been written exclusively for women and is aimed at inspiring more women to take up biking.

Living Free was launched after the success of the first Bennetts female biker booklet, Born Free.

The booklets are designed to give female riders an opportunity to voice their opinions and share their experiences in a male-dominated industry.

Bennetts also offer women riders a discount of up to ten per cent off their insurance on certain insurance schemes, as a way of welcoming them to the biking scene.

To get a free copy of the Living Free booklet, send a C4 sized, stamped addressed envelope to: Catapult PR, 19a - 20a Marsh Mill Village, Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire, FY5 4JZ, mentioning the Oxford Mail.