Nearly eighty years ago, when Gloria Tramontin Struck first began riding, she was denied gas, lodging and ridiculed for riding a motorcycle. Fortunately, the world has changed, and today more than 20% of riders are female. Those numbers continue to increase as more women discover the life-changing freedom and personal satisfaction that come with riding motorcycles.
As one woman told us, “Every time I ride it changes my life.”
And women aren’t just quietly riding, either; they’re making serious waves within the industry. Women have a powerful voice in motorcycling and are filling all kinds of roles, from racers to builders to marketers to brand ambassadors to event planners to photographers to writers to dreamers and more. Women are changing the very fabric and landscape of our industry – and the world along with it.
All of which explains our desire to honor and celebrate women motorcyclists, and indeed women in general, in this very Special Section. We’re only able to cover a small slice of the female riding universe here, of course, but we – and the women we’ve covered – know full well that the sentiments expressed throughout these next 60 pages are universal and strongly felt.
So enjoy yourself as we dedicate an entire issue to the badass ladies – from this country and around the world, and from ages 12 to 94 – who are living wild and chasing a life on two wheels. There are more than a few inspiring stories.
As Gloria Tramontin Struck says, “Every day brings me a new opportunity to follow my dreams!”
During the month of May, Thunder Press will be publishing features of inspiring women in the sport and industry of motorcycling. Stay tuned!
Awesome , glad to see this magazine