MILWAUKEE — There's nothing like lifting a 750-pound motorcycle to set a woman's heart aflutter.

It takes more skill than strength, and it's one of the tricks taught at Harley-Davidson "garage parties," where women learn the nuts and bolts of motorcycles and are inspired to become riders.

Harley created garage parties, held at the company's dealerships, to recruit more women customers.

The free events cover everything from motorcycle clothing to engine maintenance. There's also the bike "lift" lesson, where a petite woman can lift a tipped-over motorcycle by using technique and her lower body strength.

"It was difficult but doable," said Sandy Haselow, who attended a recent garage party at Suburban Harley-Davidson in Thiensville, Wis.

"I was very pleased to know that if I ever get in a situation where the bike is on its side, I could lift it back up," she added.

Haselow, a Harley rider for five years, has attended two garage parties. She likes the events because they're casual yet informative.

"You can always ask questions which might pop into your head when talking about the mechanical aspects of a bike," she said.

Some of the garage parties start out with flowers, balloons and snacks. Then the women tour the Harley dealership, learning the basics of motorcycle engines, transmissions, chrome-laden accessories and rider clothing.

"When it comes to clothing, some women want to be discreet. Others want to be billboards and have as much 'bling-bling' as possible," said Heather Wesolowski, general merchandise manager at Stock's Harley-Davidson in Manitowoc, Wis.

At some garage parties, women can climb aboard a running motorcycle that's strapped down to a machine. They can twist the throttle and experience the rumble of the powerful engine without having to take the bike on the road.

"We call it a virtual ride," said Lori Thiel, co-owner of Open Road Harley-Davidson in Fond du Lac, Wis.

"You get a feel for the seating position and how the clutch and gears work. There's an adrenaline rush that says 'I did it,' " Thiel said.

Garage-party guests get into the dealership's service department where they learn about things such as oil changes, spark plugs and air filters. They can ask questions without feeling awkward or intimidated, since the events are aimed at beginner motorcyclists.

"And you don't have some guy standing around who thinks that he knows everything about bikes, whether he does or not," Wesolowski said.

Experienced women riders are encouraged to bring their female friends to garage parties, where the guests range in age from teenagers to senior citizens.

Robin Butzke, a legal assistant in Milwaukee, brought a friend to a garage party at House of Harley-Davidson in Greenfield, Wis.

Wom en are Harley's fastest-growing customer base. About 12 percent of motorcycle owners are female, nearly triple the number from 20 years ago.

Many husbands and wives spend weekends and vacations riding together. Harley has a Web site for women riders.

"But there's still some stereotype of a woman not being able to handle a big, powerful bike," said Genevieve Schmitt, founder of Women Riders Now, an online resource for women motorcyclists.

Schmitt has been the guest speaker at 25 garage parties. One of her main messages is to make riding time a priority.

For Harley dealerships, it's hard to tell whether a garage party with about 30 guests will result in the sale of a bike. Yet it's not unusual for someone to make that purchase during an event, even though it's not specifically aimed at sales.

One of the most common garage-party questions is "What is the right bike for me?" Harley-Davidson has many types of motorcycles, and choosing the right one can be daunting even for experienced riders.

"We explain the differences," said Laura Lawrence, general manager of Route 43 Harley-Davidson in Sheboygan, Wis.

"I would say that we have sold at least one bike at every garage party. At one party, we sold three," Lawrence said.