The Battle of the Sexes has entered every category one can think of…there have been female Pharaohs, a female Pope (oh, yeah) and female astronauts so the idea that motorcycling is a man’s domain. Well, that old bit of chauvinism went out the door decades ago minus a few countries where women are still not even allowed to drive cars much less motorcycles.
Statistics indicate that women riders today constitute from 12-17% of U.S. motorcyclists and that percentage continues to increase, all part of the $Billion annual motorcycle market. (About 15 percent of Kawasaki's motorcycle sales are to women, the largest percentage in the industry. Harley-Davidson is second, with 12 percent women buyers.)
While we’re happy to have large numbers of female passengers snuggling up close, it’s also way cool to see so many ladies piloting their own machines. The motorcycle industry has also recognized that customer demographic and has come up with bikes and apparel targeting that customer base. It’s all good.
Thanks to this treasure trove of photos seen here we can take a journey back into the past and watch as the image of Fem Flyers has evolved over the decades.
Fast and Furious Brit Lady Racers
The ladies have been getting into the thick of things, on the track as well as the street, for nearly a century. By 1910 they were competing in English trials competitions, race venues that required finesse and balance to negotiate tough terrain. The First World War of 1914-18 further introduced motorcycling to women who were employed as courier and dispatch riders while serving in the British military.
Those skills later translated to civilian competition back in merry old England. Case in point, the British trio of Marjorie Cottle, Louie McLean and Eyth Foley who back in 1925 competed in the ISDT taking home the gold medals in that demanding trials competition. Of the three, Marjorie would become a superstar so to speak, first with Raleigh (in one endurance run clocking 1370 miles across England on a 1740cc machine) and then with Triumph from the 1930s onward.
In fact she was on board a factory Triumph competition bike during the 1939 International Six Days Trail when Germany invaded Poland starting WWII and had to switch directions and race to the border and safety aboard her bike.
American Lasses Get in on the Action
While the female barrier for the famous Isle of Mann TT was cracked in 1952 by a London housewife named Beryl Swain and then confirmed when Mrs. Hilary Musson finished one place behind her husband John in the 1978 Formula 3 TT, a major milestone in the entry of female racers onto world class circuits took place when Di Cox became the first woman professional racer to compete on American mile and half-mile tracks. Taking the challenge to England was Debbie Evans who competed in the 1978 Scottish Six DaysTrial, an international event of high caliber. Another milestone Fem Flyer was Tammy Kirk who on June 25, 1983 became the first woman to qualify for a starting position in an AMA Grand National Final.
Early Riders
According to the history found on the official Harley-Davidson web site, May 2, 1915 was a special day for American motorcyclists and family values as well. It seems that the mother-daughter team of Avis and Effie Hotchkiss left Brooklyn, New York on a three-speed Harley V-Twin sidecar rig. With barely recognizable roads and very few Holiday Inns or gas stations in betwixt the plan was to dip their toes in the Pacific Ocean on the other side of the continent and then ride home.
The pair was not looking for glory or a page in Guinness, rather a classic road trip to see America. Facing “bad roads, heat (120 degrees in New Mexico), cold, rain, floods, and all such things with a shrug of their shoulders,” they made their way with a stop to fashion a tire tube out of a blanket. But they made it to San Francisco, the first women to go transcontinental on a bike. And they made it home to Brooklyn as well after their five-month adventure.
Bessie Stringfield
A woman riding a motorcycle in 1920 was a rare sight and frowned upon by some. Make that a black woman riding a motorcycle in 1920s Miami, and it’s a whole other story. But nothing could keep the “Queen of Miami” from being the first African-American woman to travel cross-country solo. And that would, at age 19, three years after she first started riding at sweet 16. She would go on to meet the challenges of racism, bigotry and sexism riding through the lower 48 states during the '30s and '40s, and then venturing farther afield, rolling through Europe, Brazil, and Haiti. World War II kept her in the saddle working for Uncle Sam as the mobilization of the country provoked thousands of women to join the military. Bessie served in an Army motorcycle dispatch and for four years, she traveled cross-country her saddlebags stuffed with classified documents.
In 1990, Bessie Stringfield was honored in the American Motorcyclist Association's (AMA) inaugural exhibit, “Heroes of Harley-Davidson.” Ten years later, the AMA instituted an award bearing her name, which honors women for their contributions to, involvement with, and accomplishments in the sport of motorcycling. In 2002, Bessie was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
Through her long life she owned 27 Harleys and when told to stop riding due to a heart condition, she responded, “If I don't ride, I won't live long. And so I never quit.”
The One and Only Dot Robinson
Inducted in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998 Dot Robinson’s pioneering achievements included that of AMA Enduro Champion and co-founder of the famous Motor Maids (1941). She was literally one of the first and foremost ambassadors of women and motorcycling. During the 1930-50s she competed in endurance runs although attempts were made to prevent her, but her efforts opened the door for other female competitors. She was born Dorothy Goulding in Australia in 1912, and almost in the sidecar rig her father, a renowned sidecar design and builder, used to transport her mother to the hospital. The family moved to Saginaw, MI in 1918 where they ran a motorcycle dealership, Dot growing up surrounded by bikes and the sport.
Dot won her first trophy in 1930 at the Flint 100 Endurance run and a year later married Earl Robinson in1931, the couple competing in endurance runs and races and in 1935 completed a record transcontinental. In 1940 Dot became the first woman to win in AMA national competition with her victory at the famous Jack Pine competing in the sidecar class. In the same year she founded the Motor Maids, the organization instrumental in convincing many women to try motorcycling for themselves. By the 1950s, Dot no longer wore black leathers because of the stigma caused by bikers-are-bad movie connotations, and started wearing her trademark pink riding outfits. Harley-Davidson offered Dot and Earl a dealership which they operated until 1971 in Detroit. By 85 she had ridden over 1 ½ million miles. Dot passed away on October 8, 1999 at age 87 but left a lasting legacy. And the Motor Maids are still active. More info at www.motormaids.org.
The Hellcats
Biker babes have been the staple of movies for eons on both the tube and the big screen, case in point the semi-classic flick The Hellcats (not to be confused with the 1957 The Hellcats of the Navy about WWII Hellcat fighter planes starring both Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan.) The plot of the 1967 Hellcats bike flick concerns an ex-military guy seeking revenge over the killing of his undercover cop brother.
Naturally the badguys/girls are a Mob run biker gang hauling drugs from Mexico to U.S. Oddly enough they’re called the Hellcats. Probably as close as they could safely get to another hellish bike gang name. The hero and his dead brother’s girl friend team up to infiltrate the gang.
A partial list of the actors and their characters’ names includes Ross Hagen as Sergeant Monte Chapman, Dee Duffy as Linda Martin, Sharyn Kinzie as Sheila and Del 'Sonny' West as Snake and Robert F. Slatzer as Mr. Adrian.
For some reason you’ll notice throughout the movie it’s easy to see there are no bullets in Mr. Adrian’s gun. (To enjoy the right ambience, grab a six-pack and rent it but watch it sitting on your bike in your living room.)
July is National Women’s Motorcycle Month
If you haven’t marked it on your calendar, get with it. One person who definitely has is Genevieve Schmitt, a former producer of Good Morning America who fell in love with bikes after producing a news segment, and as the result became the founding president of Women Riders Now, based in Livingston, Montana.
Said Ms. Schmitt in a recent Dallas Morning News article, “We are about a quarter of the way up the mountain. Women are kind of the transitional group as boomers leave the market and the industry tries to reach out to younger buyers. And I believe there are still thousands of women dreaming about getting motorcycles.”
She also thinks that women account for at least 12 percent of bike buyers and are growing even faster than the industry acknowledges. “In the last 10 years, we have seen a broader line-up of engines and bikes than in the past. The aftermarket has responded with clutches that are easier to pull in, seats that can be fitted lower to the ground, different pegs. All of that is clearly in response to the growing number of women riders.”
Quarter Mile Star
As of this writing a half dozen women have taken top honors at national NHRA events, the go fast world of the dragstrip. They include Angelle Savoie (22 wins) Pro Stock Bike; Shirley Muldowney (18) Top Fuel; Lori Johns (4) Top Fuel; Shelly Anderson (4) Top Fuel; Lucille Lee (1) Top Fuel and Christen Powell (1) Top Fuel.
Blazing down the drag strip takes nerves of steel and lightning reflexes, two attributes shared by a bevy of lady dragracers including the aforementioned Angelle Savoie with her record 22 NHRA victories. As profiled in Thunder Valley Racing, Angelle has earned the title of the “winningest female in NHRA history. In 1996 she began racing in the Pro Stock Bike division at Denver's Bandimere Speedway and immediately got everybody’s attention. In 2002 she took her first NHRA World Championship and along with Shirley Muldowney became the only women to win a NHRA world title, and followed that up the next year with a second straight NHRA World Championship.
With 22 wins she overtook pioneer NHRA racer Shirley Muldowney's 18 career victories and carved her name in NHRA history. Her stats include a best ET at 7.049 seconds with a career best speed of 192.44 mph and that achieved on a sport bike. A registered intensive care nurse, she currently she owns Angelle's Motorsports, a Suzuki motorcycle dealership in New Orleans.
Our own Valerie Thompson holds the #2 Plate for destroyer Drag Bike Racing and three AMA World Land Speed Records, two on Bikernet.com, 5-Ball Racing Machines. And we can’t leave out Laura Klock for piloting the World’s Fastest Bagger last year, 2006.
Femmoto
According to their official statement, “Femmoto started as a female-only track and demo day, allowing women of all skill levels to try some of the newest machines on the neutral and safe environment of a race track. The event has grown to include participation for several manufacturers including, Kawasaki, Buell, Aprilia, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, KYMCO, Honda, Suzuki, and Hyosung.
The program has found a home at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and has grown to two days of on-track demos, three days of street demos, MSF dirt and street schools, two track-days, and new for 2007 street-based demos. Male riders have a place as well, and can participate in the track and street demos when accompanied by a Femmoto participant.” For more information on Femmoto, log on to www.femmoto.com
WOW
The mission statement of Women On Wheels® , founded in California by a woman motorcyclist in 1982, is to “unite all women motorcycle enthusiasts, whether they ride their own machine, are motorcycle passengers or enthusiasts, or future motorcyclists.” With over 3500 WOW members, from teens to 80-year olds,located throughout the United States, Canada, and several other countries. WOW continues to grow.
“WOW's focus is on the members and the lifestyle of motorcycling, rather than on the machine. WOW members enjoy every make and model of motorcycle imaginable — it's not what we ride that's important, but rather the fact that we enjoy riding to begin with! We're for beginners and veterans; we're for people from all walks of life; we're for motorcycle commuters, racers, tourers, etc.”
Promoting a positive image of motorcyclists to the non- motorcycling public is the organization’s top priority. Recognizing their achievements, Women On Wheels® was awarded the Hazel Kolb Brighter Image Award in 1993 by the American Motorcyclist Organization. More info at www.womenonwheels.com or 1-800-322-1969
Chrome Divas
Originating in Tallahassee, Florida in 2002, Chrome Divas, a ladies-only motorcycle organization, was formed to provide “a means of camaraderie, community participation, and a national link to all women who ride motorcycles and strive to be known as outstanding citizens in their communities with a preference to ride, have fun and share their talents and compassion in group effort.”
This organizations consists of both riders and passengers and even some non-riding women who just love motorcycles and participating in charity functions as Chrome Divas support many worthwhile causes including breast cancer, Children’s Home Society, rape crisis center, Angel Flight, and juvenile diabetes to name a few. Diva fundraisers have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local charities. More info at www.demo.chromedivas.com.
“THE GIRLS”
The Wheels Through Time Museum located in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, presents a special exhibition called “THE GIRLS -1905 – 1955” – a photographic history of Women in Motorcycling. “Their images, the memories of loved ones and countless relics of their two wheeled past are displayed in an exquisite presentation in honor of those who have paved the road for women riders.”
Says the Museum’s founder and operator, Dale Walksler, “They were the queens of the slipstream and they lived out their dreams of adventure, independence and freedom on the open road. It was a time when women were called girls, ladies and, more affectionately, gals. Back then, women riders represented just a tiny slice of the motorcycle market, perhaps one or two percent, compared to 10-12 percent today. But these gutsy, independent women trail-blazed the way for women today.” More info at www.wheelsthroughtime.org.
Motorcycling in China
You probably heard that Harley-Davidson opened up a dealership in Beijing and that several Milwaukee Motor Co. honchos paid a visit to that country apparently where all things are or will be made. In any case ladies may well ride bikes in that land of one billion residents, maybe not on Harleys but China does produce a vast number of small displacement motorcycles for transportation and also quite a few military sidecar rigs via their old Cold War enemies, the Russians.
Joseph Stalin himself established IMZ-Ural in 1941 specifically to build copies of the BMW R75 as combat vehicles for the Red Army. Built in Siberia and tank tough, ultimately 10,000 of the M-72s went to war. Meanwhile the Chinese Communists, acquiring Russian copies of German WWII BMW’s, came up with their own variations including the Changjiang as used by the Chinese Army. You can still buy them from Chinese distributors.
We’ll end our story with a comment by Jean Davidson, the granddaughter of Walter Davidson, one of the founders of the Milwaukee Motor Co. and author of Growing Up Harley- Davidson: Memoirs of a Motorcycle Dynasty and a second book Jean Davidson’s Harley-Davidson Family. These words come from the foreword she penned in The Harley-Davidson Reader published by Motorbooks.
“People always ask me what the fascination is with owning and riding a Harley. I always answer the same way: Have you ever taken one and gone for a ride? Feeling the wind and the sun on your face makes you feel a part of the environment. Even riding in the rain and snow give you a feeling of control You are breaking away from the everyday structure of your job and your responsibilities to do something for yourself, You can choose to ride alone and feel the Zen of riding or you can ride in a group, giving you a feeling of being with friends doing what you all love.” Bottom line…Man or Woman, and whatever brand of bike, those words apply to all of us who live, breathe and dream motorcycles.
