Women and Harley-Davidson: 9 things you may not know

The world’s most iconic brand has always been a symbol of freedom, regardless of gender. The story of the Milwaukee-based company founded in 1901 is not only that of founders William Silvester Harley and Arthur Davidson but also that of the women who have made this brand unique.

1. A LEGENDARY BRAND LOGO BORN OF A WOMAN

The first woman to ride a Harley-Davidson was Janet Davidson, Arthur Davidson’s aunt. But it is not only for this that we must remember her.
Janet was a true artist. She had been employed by her uncle Alexander McNab in a lingerie shop. Her job was to create designs for original, fine fabrics. She was creative, she loved to paint and decorate.
Right from the start, William and Arthur had clear ideas about their future, all they needed was a logo to start getting serious. And what better opportunity than to ask their aunt to design it?
Janet set to work and created the famous ‘bar and shield’. It was a badge with a bar on the front in which the word Harley-Davidson appeared for the first time. With the same passion he decorated the tanks and mudguards of all the bikes in the warehouse by hand. He certainly had no idea what he had created: the world’s most recognisable motorbike logo still in use today.

2. THE FIRST FEMALE BRAND AMBASSADORS

In 1915, an event happens that has the unbelievable. A mother and daughter set off on a journey that seemed impossible, especially for two women: to cross the United States from coast to coast aboard a Harley-Davidson.
At that time it was not easy for women in the States. They did not yet have the right to vote, wearing men’s clothes was considered illegal in many places and it was barely acceptable for a woman to ride a motorbike, let alone plan long-distance road trips.
Despite everything, Effie, 26, had a big dream ever since she learned to ride a motorbike ten years earlier: she dreamed of becoming the first Lady Harley to travel across the country.
Her mother Avis, 52, did not want to crush her daughter’s dreams by preventing her from setting off, but being aware of the dangers, she decided to accompany her on this venture.

They travelled an average of about 250 km a day, which, considering the poor road conditions and the lack of signposts and petrol stations, was a brisk pace. After two months of travelling and 8,000 km, mother and daughter arrived in San Francisco, making history and entering the Guinness World Records as the first women to make a transcontinental journey on a motorbike. During the journey people stopped to watch them, some curious and admiring, others critical, but revenge on the latter was not long in coming: on the way back, Harley-Davidson invited them to stop at the Milwaukee factory to become brand ambassadors.

3. AN “ENTHUSIAST” BIKER

Vivian Bales became famous for being on the cover of the November and December 1929 issues of “Enthusiast” magazine. But few knew how this came about.
After buying a Model B single in 1926, her first Harley-Davidson motorbike, Vivian decided to take her first ‘big trip’ with her best friend from high school, to visit Josephine’s sister who lived in St. Petersburg, Florida, about 500 km from Albany.

It was only the beginning. Inspired by her first ride, Bales decided to buy the new 1929 Twin D model, which she described as a ‘real treasure’ and, encouraged by her new bike, she wrote to Hap Jameson, editor of Enthusiast magazine, telling him that she would like to take a solo trip north to visit the Milwaukee factory.
Although Harley-Davidson did not officially sponsor the ride, they provided her with customised jumpers that read ‘The Enthusiast Girl’.

Bales’ famous trip took place in the summer of 1929 and appeared in many national publications, as well as in Enthusiast magazine. In every town she passed through, Bales met local dignitaries and Harley-Davidson dealers, most of whom volunteered to support her on her journey that lasted 78 days and covered over 8000 km.

That tour was so significant for her that, before she died on 23 December 2001, she asked for a motorbike procession to be held at her funeral.

4. THE FIRST ‘COMMUNITY’ OF FEMALE BIKERS

In 1932, while attending Wellesley College, 19-year-old Linda Dugeau learned to ride a Harley-Davidson model JD. Inspired by the NightyNine, a group of licensed women riders founded in 1929, whose first president was Amelia Earhart, Dugeau began looking for other women interested in forming an exclusive club for female motorcyclists.
In the late 1930s, she joined forces with Dot Robinson, an experienced and famous rider as well as owner of a Harley-Davidson dealership. In 1940, after three years of working with women motorcyclists, Dugeau and Robinson brought together 51 members to found the Motor Maids of America (now Motor Maids, Inc.).

The following year, the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) granted membership No. 509 to the Motor Maids. Dugeau became the first woman secretary of the organisation and Robinson the first president.

5. THE FIRST BLACK FEMALE MOTORBIKE TRAVELLER

Long before the Civil Rights Act (a federal law of the United States of America, which declared unlawful registration disparities in elections and racial segregation in schools, the workplace and public facilities in general) became law, there was the first black woman to ride a motorbike across the country. We are talking about Bessie Stringfield.
This motorcycling icon rode across the United States on Harley-Davidsons, owned 27 of them to be exact, and took care of each one herself by doing the maintenance and changing parts when necessary.
To support herself, she earned money by performing motorbike stunts at various events and served on a civilian motorbike team for the government during World War II. It was not at all easy being a black woman in the southern United States but Bessie, like a true rebel, never gave up her motorbike and her freedom.

6. TWO MOTORBIKES DEDICATED TO WOMEN

It is usually thought that Harley-Davidson motorbikes are only intended for males, but not everyone knows that in 1988 the iconic US company offered a smaller motorbike specifically designed to appeal to women: the Sportster Hugger.
This model was essentially an XLH 883 with lowered rear suspension, different seat, handlebars, shock absorbers but still with a V-twin, 4-stroke engine. It was a model very similar to modern ‘Low’ models.
If we rummage through old publications, we find another motorbike dedicated to the female public, a Sport model from 1920. A printed advertisement of the time advertised the Sport as ‘a woman’s outdoor companion’ and a cover of The Enthusiast magazine from 1920 depicted a woman riding this model.

7. A FEMALE PIONEER RIDING A HARLEY-DAVIDSON

One of the most memorable motorcyclists of the 1910s was a woman named Della L. Crewe who was born in Wisconsin in 1884.

Crewe loved to travel, and on 24 June 1914 she began her ambitious journey riding a Harley-Davidson Two-Speed Twin with sidecar. She set off with a puppy that some friends had given her to keep her company during the journey and named it Trouble. As she wrote in a note in her diary, ‘Trouble will be the only problem I have on this trip’.

Crewe’s final destination was New York City, but he made several stops along the way. He passed through Kansas, Chicago, Milwaukee and then on through Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and arrived in New York. The weather varied greatly and became increasingly cold and challenging with many rough or no roads.

Finally, in December 1914, he arrived New York City on a cold day. He reportedly wore four coats, four pairs of socks and sheepskin shoes, while Trouble wore a jumper.
‘I had a wonderful trip, I’m in perfect health and my desire to keep going is stronger than ever,’ proclaimed Crewe. Her 8655-kilometre motorbike trip not only proved to be a success, but earned her national fame.

8. GERTRUDE HOFFMANN, THE FIRST FEMALE MOTORBIKE INFLUENCER

A world-famous theatre actress, Gertrude was a daring character who gained notoriety for her dance performances in the early 1900s. But she was also a shrewd businesswoman and an early director and choreographer. Her name and image were used to promote products such as Adam’s California Fruit Gum and Harley-Davidson motorbikes.
In 1919 she was photographed in Chicago while buying a two-cylinder Model J and a sidecar. The image was taken and reused in newspapers and motorbike publications throughout North America.
While Gertrude was on tour, local dealers took advantage of her notoriety by advertising the brand with photos of the woman.

Perhaps exploiting the media during its tour, but no doubt taking advantage of its fame, Harley-Davidson used Gertrude Hoffmann in a dealer-customisable print advertisement for the 1920 Sport model.

9. ARE WOMEN WHO RIDE HARLEY-DAVIDSON HAPPIER?

Happier riding a Harley-Davidson? According to research commissioned by the US brand from the agency Kelton Global, the answer is yes. The results show that female motorcyclists are twice as likely as their non-motorcycle counterparts to feel ‘confident’. They are also twice as likely to feel ‘extremely satisfied’ with their appearance.

The study, in which 1,013 female motorcyclists and 1,016 non-motorcyclists were interviewed, also points out that female motorcyclists are happier in their careers, happier in their friendships, happier in their home life and are twice as likely to be ‘extremely satisfied’ with their sex life!

Ph. cover: Sonja Sartori

Source:
Harley-Davidson Insurance
Wikipedia
National MC Museum
Adventure Bike Rider
Harley Davidson – Una filosofia di Libertà