Women's History Month: Female Motorcycle Legends & More

Making your mark—while breaking barriers and stereotypes—is tough; thankfully, these women are tougher than any obstacle that stood in the road. These female motorcycle trailblazers prevailed in a male-dominated sport, proving that you can join 'em and beat 'em. In honor of Women's History Month, Twisted Road is taking time to honor some of female trailblazers in the motorcycle world. It's hard to believe that some of these women were making tire marks as early as the 1900s! Each is worthy of being remembered.

Here's to the hard-riding women from moto's past, present, and future. Ride on ladies!

Susan Lang

Lang was a moto superstar, known for completing a solo long-distance motorcycle trip in 1915. She piled her 3 kids into a sidecar (and you have a hard time loading your kids in the mini-van!) and rode. Additionally, Lang was acknowledged as one of the most accomplished motorcycle mechanics in the country—including both male and female wrenches. Along with her husband, Lang owned Harley dealerships in Waterbury, Connecticut, and Providence, Rhode Island.

Dorothy Smith

1930's and 40's-era motorcycle stunt-rider, Dot Smith, was a member of the female riding group, "Motor Maids," established in Rhode Island in 1940. Motor Maids was one of the first women's motorcycle groups ever and is the country's oldest still-existing women's motorcycle club.

Beryl Swain

Swain’s name is well-known among motorcyclists. She became the first solo woman rider to compete in the Isle of Man TT when she took on the mountain course in 1962. She finished 22nd in a field of 25 in the Ultra Lightweight class before motorcycling’s governing body pulled female entrants, stating that it was "too dangerous" for women. But when you have the love of motorcycles in your soul like Swain, it does not keep you away from racing. Swain continued to race in the UK, including speedway racing at Hackney Wick.

Mary McGee

Let's talk about another fearless female rider: American motorsport racing pioneer Mary McGee. In 1956, her husband introduced her to car racing which then led her to a love of racing motorcycles. She was the first woman to compete in motorcycle road racing and motocross events in the US. McGee was also the first woman to hold an FIM (Federation Internationale de Motorcyclist) racing license. In 2000, at 64 years of age, McGee began competing in vintage motocross events. In 2013, she was named a FIM Legend for her pioneering career and, in 2018, was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

Elena Myers

Myers is a pro motorcycle racer from sunny California who has a number of wins under her helmet. When you begin riding motorcycles at the young age of just eight—and have the support of your family—you have a head start in becoming an influence in the moto community. Myers went from pocket bike racing to mini bikes, then to supermotos. At age 11, Myers raced on John Ulrich's Team Roadracing World in the United States Grand Prix Racers Union National Series class and won her first race. In 2010, she was the first female to win an AMA Pro Racing road race, the first to win a professional race of any kind at Daytona, and the youngest female ever to enter the AMA racing series.

Hayley Bell

Hayley Bell is the founder of Women Riders World Relay, a global female biker motorcycle relay. The yearlong event takes place all over the world, with women passing a GPS-outfitted baton throughout a journey across the world. WRWR coordinates women motorcycle riders to participate in this ride, bringing a sense of unity to women who ride around the globe. Though they speak different languages and ride in varying terrain, it is motorcycles that unite them.

Ranjita Ravi

Ravi, co-founder at Orxa Energies, has her sights set on electrifying all means of transport. She and her Orxa partners want to create high-performance electric motorcycles, leaving behind range issues and charging anxiety—chasing a balance between breath-taking design and ground-breaking engineering. Ravi earned an MBA from ESSEC Business School in Paris and has over 10 years of experience in sales, marketing, and internal audit, in over 20 countries. She is working to shape a more eco-conscious moto future.

Maria Costello MBE

Costello is the only female motorcycle racer with the letters MBE (an order of the British Empire award) after her name. She held the record for the Isle of Man laps for a female rider and was the first female to get on the podium for the famous mountain course. She has gone on to earn a place on the podium for the Senior Classic TT and holds the female lap record in the Northwest 200. Her impressive skills in the motorcycle world have led her to be a sought-after mentor for young riders in the European Junior Cup. Costello is also a part of FIM Women in Motorcycling Commission and runs her own women-only track days in the UK.

Avalon Biddle

Biddle's love of motos started at the young age of six. By the time she was 13, she had started road racing. After exploring the motorcycle world in her hometown, Biddle spread her wings by heading to Australia, then eventually to Europe to chase her dreams of racing in the World Championships. With15 years of motorcycle experience, she is still making her mark on the track.

Laia Sanz

Sanz began learning to ride at a young age, entering moto competitions at age seven. She has since grown to become a motorcycling pioneer, competing in the Dakar Rally in 2012 where she was the only woman to finish the world’s premier rally raid on a motorbike. By 28, she was a 13-time Women's Trial World Champion and 10-time Women's Trial European Champion. Sanz has shown true strength on the course (a feat on it's own) and did so while dealing with some serious medical constraints, some of which left her bed-ridden. Through hard work, determination, and strength, she persevered, placing 12th and 17th respectively in the 2020 and 2021 Dakar Rallies.

Gevin Fax

Fax was living in Los Angeles, when she got her first vehicle—a moped —at age 10. She moved on to a dirt bike, then a street bike and beyond. By the time Fax was in college, she had ridden 100,000 miles on two-wheels. In the early ’80s, Fax purchased her first Harley from a dealer in Kentucky. There were not many African Americans on motorcycles, let alone women riders, and even fewer on Harleys. Her love of motorcycles landed her a role in a Turner Broadcasting Documentary, "Biker Women," where she rode her motorcycle across the country. Fax is a champion of women, a poised speaker, an experienced musical performer, stuntwoman, actor, and more.

You can read more about Gevin Fax in Twisted Road's interview with her here.

Twisted Road Tip: Want to learn more about some amazing women that carved the road for female motorcycle riders? Check out The American Motorcycle Girls featuring female riders from 1900-1950.

Competing as a female in a male-dominated sport might feel lonely, but females around the world are banding together in support of women on motorcycles and taking the lead. Check out these female riding groups and find yourself a female motorcycle family:

Babes Ride Out
Atwyld
The Litas
A Quest Called Tribe
Women Riders World Relay
Wind and Throttle
Motor Dolls
The Throttle Dolls
Vichcraft
Women's Moto Exhibit
Stellar moto
California moto Mart
East side moto babes
Motor Maids