Photos courtesy of Leticia Cline

Once , on her way to Sturgis , a buffalo charged while she was riding , tearing up her knee . Then in Northern Thailand on a motorcycle tour , the group hit a diesel spill up near the Burmese border , further damaging that knee after she low-sided and pushed the bike aside to clear the road .

“ I always ride everywhere because early on I was never taken seriously because I didn ’ t look like a biker ,” Cline said . “ So , there I was , with surgery scheduled , when I decided I wanted to get on some adventure bikes .”

Cline has ridden through two hurricanes , flash floods , tropical storms and has raced Harley-Davidsons in Hooligan competition and flat track , and earned three Iron Butt awards . It would be difficult for anybody to replicate her motorcycle and life resume , which also includes modelling for Playboy and Maxim , working for the Trump Organization and starring in the Ashton Kutcher-produced reality TV series Beauty and the Geek . Plus , she loves skydiving and all extreme sports .

“ I have always said that modeling killed my motorcycle career , and motorcycling killed my modeling career ,” she said . “ Finally , I said fuck it ! I knew it when I posted a photo of my motorcycle on Instagram and it got more likes than me in a bikini .”

But in a lot of respects , pursuing a career in motorcycles was never a choice . It was just life coming full circle . Cline grew up with motorcycles and , to

Cline owes a lot of motorcycling interest to her late father . On what would have been his 67th birthday , over 500 people showed up to celebrate his life .

her , it was just like a language she had always spoken . There is even old 8mm footage from when she only six months old showing her tinkering on bikes with her father , “ Smiley .” Cline took a brief hiatus from the sport when her father unexpectedly passed away . She rode his Softail to the funeral in 2008 and didn ’ t ride again until 2014 .

Over the course of her career she has represented numerous brands . In 2015 , she represented the Distinguished Gentleman ’ s Ride to help raise funds for prostate cancer research . Cline has also survived her own battle with cancer .

On the 10th anniversary of her father ’ s passing , Cline started renovating his old garage in Cave City , Kentucky . It is now a community garage , free to the public . She has also opened up a bar , Smiley ’ s , in his honor . Over 500 people showed up for what would have been her father ’ s 67th birthday .

Cline acknowledges that in the early 2000s the industry didn ’ t take female riders seriously . Since then , female riding has exploded .

“ We are not the weaker sex and we can do whatever we want ,” she said , adding that manufacturers have taken notice in designing bikes comfortable for both sexes .

Her advice to new female riders is to take a class and get comfortable , and don ’ t be afraid of bigger bikes .

“ Problem is , women tend to go small but the bigger the bike the easier it is to ride ,” she said .

Check out Cline ’ s website at www . leticiacline . com or on Instagram @ leticiacline and @ smileys _ garage .

— KALI KOTOSKI

34 | MAY 2020 | THUNDERPRESS . NET