The Fairer Sex

Women have become motorcyclists in record numbers over the last decade or two , and they ’ re altering the very orbit of our sport in many very cool ways . It ’ s good stuff , for sure , and perfect grist for this special edition of Thunder Press .

But for me , those of dual X chromosome makeup have been profoundly impactful for a lot longer than that – for most of my nearly fifty years of riding , actually .

Honda ’ s You Meet The Nicest People magazine ads in the ’ 60s ( when I was a young boy ) were my first exposure to motorcycling and women , but pretty quickly it was my late mother who took over that role , and fortunately for me she played it for a long time .

When my father broached the idea of me having a minibike in ’ 70 she obviously agreed – or at least didn ’ t fight it . ( I also got a BB Gun around the same time , so the words “ You ’ ll shoot your eye out !” clearly never crossed her lips ). God love that woman !

When I started racing motocross in ’ 74 she came along with me and Dad on occasion , and while too horrified to watch the starts ( maybe because of the time I holeshotted and proceeded to get run over by several bikes when I bailed in the first turn ) she packed a mean lunch and took care of things so my spoiled teenage ass didn ’ t have to . She ’ d clean my goggles and hang up my sweaty Bates leathers ( see photo ) and keep our little pit space nice and tidy .

And later , when I took up motocross again in college , she and I probably did 75 percent of the races together during ’ 83 – and had a blast . It ’ s been 12 years since she passed and boy do miss her . RIP , mom . And happy Mother ’ s Day .

My wife was a motorcycle-industry insider for quite a while , too , doing scooter and motorcycle advertising during the ’ 80s and ’ 90s for American Honda – which is where we met , actually . Just as today , there were times back then when she did not appreciate me or my motorcycling hijinks . One of those times was at Laguna Seca during filming for a dealer video , when I somehow got her to agree to ride on the back of a CBR1000 with me for a couple ‘ slow ’ laps . ( Hee hee !)

I feel the need to mention a handful of other women who ’ ve been helpful or inspiring – or just plain cool – over the years . Irma Hutton was like a second mom to me when I moved to Los Angeles to join the Motorcyclist staff .

Like most moms , my mom Elaine was always there , in the background , doing things for me , even at the races .

Heather Hane-Karr , Motorcyclist ’ s art director in the late ’ 80s , taught this rookie the ins and outs of layout and design . Fellow motojournalist Jamie Elvidge came onto the scene about the time I did in the mid- ’ 80s and has been a friend and colleague since . Jan Plessner made it easier to get my son Alex into motorcycling way back when .

There are more . Leah Orloff is a Harley-Davidson engineer who builds a mean-ass KZ550 engine in her off hours ( MOMBA , yes !), while Anne Wiley builds some mean-ass windscreens . The late Cindy Cowell made vintage racing even better ( if that ’ s possible ). Joyce Smith , wife of Malcolm , helped grease the skids ( and scanned a bazillion images ) for Malcolm ’ s autobiography . Alice Sexton ’ s a great designer who ’ s just cool as hell . And Becki Edmondson and Marilyn Stemp , who are just great people . Must also mention the late , great Jessi Combs , who inspired so many women ( and men ) across the powersports industries . RIP , JC . I know I ’ ve left some out , and I ’ m sorry !

Lastly , huge thanks to Joy Burgess , who came up with the idea to do this special Women In Motorcycling section and who ’ s spent several months assembling the many pieces . And of course there ’ s the always amazing Gloria Struck ( and her daughter Lori ), who was gracious with her time and photographs while rehabbing a broken hip . Thank you all !

See ? Bad-ass motorcycle woman are everywhere . Hope you enjoy the issue .

If you dare to go toe-to-toe with Boehm find him at longstrangetrip @ thunderpress . net . May your wounds quickly heal

4 | MAY 2020 | THUNDERPRESS . NET