Hear Me Roar: Women, Motorcycles, and the Rapture of the Road

by Ferrar, Ann

• ISBN13: 9781884313240
• ISBN10: 1884313248
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-08-01
• Publisher: Motorbooks Intl

Summary

Written by a journalist from the saddle of her motorcycle, this book chronicles the bold world of women in motorcycling: the myths, the history, and subcultures of free-spirited riders with a passion for two wheels and the road. This is the first account of this little-known facet of women's rocky road to personal independence in America. Packed with stories and photographs of pioneering women and their machines from the first grande dames who hitched up their skirts to ride motorized bicycles at the turn of the century to the high-tech drag racers, stuntwomen and exotic adventure riders of today. "A woman's symphony on the road." The New York Times.

Table of Contents

Author's Preface---To The Next Generation	vi
Introduction---Unsung Heroines: Turning a New Page in Herstory	ix
Part 1: Women, Motorcycles, and the Rapture of the Road
``Everywoman'' as a Rebel: The Voices of Women Who Ride	3	(14)
Incredible Women and Their Freedom Machines: A Chronicle, from the Turn of the Century to the Fifties	17	(24)
We've Ridden a Long Way: A Chronicle, from the Sixties to the Present	41	(16)
From Biker Chic to B Movies: The Motorcycle Woman as an Icon to Glamorize---and to Trash	57	(20)
Zoom and the Art of Motorcycle Madness: Women Who Drag-Race Harleys	77	(14)
Road Warriors: Women Who Race Superbikes	91	(12)
Cowgirls on Wheels: Women Who Race Motocross	103	(16)
Flying Solo: Adventurers and Explorers	119	(12)
Part 2: Riders' Resource Guide
A Biker's Social Calendar: Rallies, Runs, and Watering Holes	131	(18)
About Bikes: A Primer on Choosing a First Motorcycle, with Tips on Lowering Ride Height	149	(16)
Basic Motorcycle Safety and Risk Management, with Tips on Choosing Protective Gear	165	(13)
Appendix---Riders' Resource Directory	178	(28)
Acknowledgments	206	(2)
Notes	208	(2)
Index	210	(2)
About the Author	212