A Guide to Motorcycle History: Female Trailblazers

A number of women, known as "female trailblazers," paved the way for women motorcyclists in the 20th century and beyond. Beginning in the early 1900's, several women, including mother and daughter Avis and Effie Hotchkiss, rode across the United States on their motorcycles. A number of these trailblazing women went on to form women's motorcycle riding groups. The oldest of these groups is Motor Maids, Inc., which began in 1940. Other women's motorcycling associations across the US include Women on Wheels, Leather and Lace Motorcycle Club, Sisters in Spirit Motorcycle Association, and Women's International Motorcycle Association.

Avis and Effie Hotchkiss

Avis Hotchkiss and her daughter, Effie, were the first women to ride across the US on motorcycles. The pair rode across the country in 1915, from Brooklyn, NY to San Francisco, because Effie wanted to see the country and Avis did not want her traveling alone. The first leg had Avis riding in the sidecar of a three-speed Harley Davidson and Effie driving the bike. The Hotchkiss women did not travel across the country to earn fame or awards. During the two months of their trip across the country, the women faced extreme heat and cold, rough roads, and wet weather. They returned to New York in October.

Dorothy "Dot" Robinson

Dorothy "Dot" Robinson had motorcycles in her blood. Her father was a sidecar manufacturer and her mother rode to the hospital in a sidecar to deliver her. Dot Robinson paved the way for other women riders by participating in endurance races starting in 1930. Her first win was in a 100-mile race in 1930. In 1936, she was the first woman to participate in Michigan's Jack Pine Motorcycle Run, a 500-mile trek. While she did not win that year, she did end up winning in 1940 and again in 1946. Along with Linda Dugeau, Robinson started Motor Maids in 1940. She served as president of the association until 1965.

Bessie Stringfield

Bessie Stringfield earned the nickname "Motorcycle Queen of Miami." She was the first African-American woman motorcyclist to ride across the US. She made her trip in 1930, at age 19, after riding for three years. In 1990, the American Motorcycle Association included Stringfield in an exhibit, "The Heroes of Harley-Davidson." An award given to women who contribute to the motorcycling sport was named for Stringfield in the year 2000. In 2002, she was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

Vivian Bales

Vivian Bales appeared on the cover of the Harley Davidson Enthusiast in 1929. After her cover appearance, she made a 5,000 mile trip on a motorcycle from Albany, GA to Milwaukee, WI. She wrote about her trip in the November and December 1929 issues of the Enthusiast. Since she took a lot of pictures and compiled scrapbooks, her trip from Georgia to Wisconsin is one of the most well-documented motorcycle trips in history.

Women's Motorcycle Associations

Motorcycling brought a freedom to women that did not previously exist. The trailblazers were able to travel on their own and explore the country as they wished, earning renown as they did so and smoothing the way for future female motorcyclists. The goal of motorcycle associations, starting with Motor Maids, Inc, was to bring female motorcycle riders together. Robinson and Dugeau started the group to unite women riders and to promote interest in riding among women. Another women's motorcycle association, the Women's International Motorcycle Association, was started in 1958 with a similar goal. It aimed to connect women riders, whether they were experienced or beginner riders.

Other groups, such as Sisters in Spirit, are designed to give women an opportunity to ride together. In an effort to show the positive effects of motorcycling, Sisters in Spirit participates in charity events in local areas. Women on Wheels, a group started in the 1980s, has a similar mission. Members strive to bring positive attention to women riders and to educate people on motorcycle safety. Leather and Lace, another group started in the 1980s, was first founded to promote women riders in a time when they were looked down on. The mission of Leather and Lace is to promote riding and to protect the welfare of children.

Resources

1. Women's International Motorcycle Association - Motorcycle association for women started in the US in the 1950s. It now has members in countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and Finland.
2. History of Women and Motorcycles - History of women riders, starting with bicycle riders in the 19th century.
3. Women in Motorcycle History - Effie Hotchkiss - A description of Effie Hotchkiss' trip across the country.
4. Vivian Bales, The Enthusiast Girl - Biography of Vivian Bales. Includes an excerpt of her writings on her 5,000 mile trip.
5. July Celebrates Women's Motorcycle Month - An article about Women's Motorcycle Month.
6. The American Motorcycle Girls 1900 to 1950: A Photographic History of Early Women Motorcyclists - A book review of The American Motorcycle Girls 1900 to 1950 , published in the International Journal of Motorcycle Studies .
7. Women and Motorcycling (PDF) - A masters thesis on the growth of women riders and the ways the motorcycle industry should take notice.
8. Motorcycling Tribute - A tribute to various motorcyclists, include women cyclists, who have inspired RiderCoaches in Fairleigh Dickinson's Motorcycle Safety Program.
9. Dorothy "Dot" Robinson - A biography on the life and accomplishments of Dorothy Robinson, one of the first female motorcycle pioneers.
10. Bessie Stringfield - A short article describing the achievments of African American motorcycle rider Bessie Stringfield.
11. Motor Maids - An in-depth history of the first national women's motorcycle organization, known as the Motor Maids.