| The motorcycle didn't spring full-blown into this world. | | | | people ever to climb up and down Pike's Peak. They, |
| Rather, it evolved from the earlier bicycle. Women | | | | too, completed a transcontinental ride. Their |
| loved bicycles for the mobility and freedom they | | | | 3,300-mile trip took almost two months, and they |
| allowed. In fact, Susan B. Anthony said, "The bicycle | | | | had to contend not only with many unpaved roads, |
| has done more for the emancipation of women than | | | | but also with social mores. Once they were arrested |
| anything else in the world." | | | | for publicly wearing trousers. |
| In the 1880s, bicycles were a huge fad. Then, in | | | | In the 1920s, Harley published a magazine called The |
| 1885, Gottlieb Daimler made one that had an engine. | | | | Enthusiast. It sponsored Vivian Wales on a 5000 mile |
| Strictly speaking, it wasn't a bicycle, because it had | | | | trip to a Harley factory. Another early motorcycle |
| four wheels instead of two. Two were safety | | | | heroine was Bessie Stringfield, a.k.a. the Motorcycle |
| wheels. This bike went a magnificent and stately 12 | | | | Queen of Miami . She made 8 solo-cross country trips |
| miles per hour. | | | | and was a motorcycle dispatch rider. |
| An idea was born, and soon other motorized bicycles | | | | Bessie had started out with two strikes against her: |
| were invented. Perhaps the first true motorcycle was | | | | she was a woman and she was African-American. At |
| a charcoal fired two -wheeler made in 1869 by | | | | first, she couldn't even get a motorcycle license in |
| Sylvester Roper of Massachusetts. | | | | Miami, Florida. However, a police officer interceded in |
| Within two decades, motorcycles were being | | | | her behalf. |
| mass-produced. The first such bike was the | | | | Motorcycles were also used in wartime, which gave |
| Orient-Aster, which was made by the Metz Company | | | | them a lot of public exposure. About 20,000 Harleys |
| of Waltham, Massachusetts. This state clearly loved | | | | were used during the WWI. They were ridden by |
| its bikes. Another early cycle was the beloved Indian, | | | | couriers, soldiers, and others. |
| made by the Hendee Manufacturing Company in | | | | As motorcycle popularity grew, it was only natural |
| Springfield, Massachusetts. (Later, the company | | | | that some people became highly skilled in its use. |
| changed its name to Indian Motorcycles.) | | | | They showed off these skills in motordromes, which |
| In 1902, Harley Davidson sold its first three | | | | had been around since the turn of the century but |
| motorcycles, and soon there were dozens of | | | | grew in popularity during the 1930s. A motordrome |
| manufacturers. They had names like Marvel, Exelsior, | | | | often advertised itself as "A Wall of Death." |
| and Henderson. The Depression killed off all but Indian | | | | Essentially, it was a giant barrel with a platform on |
| and Harley, and soon only Harley remained. | | | | top for viewers. They could look down on |
| Women enjoyed the motorcycles as much as they | | | | motorcyclists, who sped around the inside of the |
| had enjoyed bikes. After all, they were economical | | | | walls, held in place by centrifugal force. One of these |
| and fun. They also didn't have the stigma that they | | | | early daredevils was Margaret Gast, who billed herself |
| acquired later. Early riders were seen as | | | | as "The Mile a Minute Gal." She was not the only |
| adventuresome, not as outlaws. | | | | woman daredevil. May Williams and Jean Perry also |
| In 1915, Indian motorcycles offered front and rear | | | | performed on the walls. |
| shocks. Since these cushioned the ride, people began | | | | By 1940, the United States had its first women's |
| to consider long-distance travel as a real option. That | | | | motorcyle club, The Motormaids. Today, there are |
| year, a mother-daughter team, Avis and Effie | | | | scores of such clubs. Anyone who wants more |
| Hotchkiss, rode from New York to San Franciso. | | | | information about the history of women and |
| They didn't take the direct route. Instead, they | | | | motorcycles may want to check out the book Hear |
| meandered about, covering 5,000 miles. | | | | Me Roar: Women, Motorcycles, and the Rapture of |
| The next year, two society women in their 20s, | | | | the Road. I haven't read it, but I've read several |
| sisters Adeline and Augusta Van Buren bought a pair | | | | descriptions of it and seen the table of contents. It |
| of Indian Powerplus Bikes. They were the first | | | | looks like fun. |