Page 39 - Panama City Living July-August 2019

One of the things that sets the Motor Maids apart from other women’s riding groups is that members have to ride their motorcycles to and from the national convention if they want to participate in the convention activities. Tiller will make the trip on a 2015 Harley Road Glide Special painted in official Motor Maid blue.
A mother of three and grandmother to six, Tiller admits her kids were not keen on her riding when she started and have reservations even today. “It’s only because they worry,” she says. “But I tell them I am enjoying life and a tomorrow is never guaranteed.”
Joining the Motor Maids has opened doors to new friendships for her. “You are meeting women who have the same passion as you and you become friends for life,” Tiller points out. But it is also about the memories. “It’s always about the adventure,” she says with a smile. "There's never a wrong turn."
When the Motor Maids get on the road as a group, reactions range from “thumbs up” to stares of disbelief. Jones and Tiller say the Motor Maids are highly respected. “They know who we are,” says Jones. Even clubs like the Outlaws and Hell’s Angels recognize the Motor Maids. “They know us as respectable ladies who ride,” says Jones. During events such as Thunder Beach in Panama City Beach, the local group welcomed members from Indiana, Alabama, Georgia, and other states.
The Motor Maids attract ladies from all walks of life. At the luncheon during Thunder Beach the gathering included Lisa Snow, a retired schoolteacher; Judy Steed, a registered nurse; Sandy Culbreth, a financial specialist; and Di Cox, a blood bank
MOTOR MAIDS HISTORY
TDot Robinson (right) and her daughter, sporting personalized Motor Maids hats. (1947)
THE MOTOR MAIDS STARTED WITH TWO WOMEN,
Dot Robinson and Linda Dugeau. Robinson, born in Australia, had moved to the United States in 1918 at age 6. As a young woman, she competed in endurance races in a time when female drivers were not welcome on the racing circuit—but that never stopped her. She set out to prove that you can be a lady and still ride a motorcycle.
Dugeau was 19 when her husband taught her how to ride a Harley. She started a letter-writing campaign in 1938 to establish a national network of female motorcyclists who owned and rode their own machines. Dugeau and Robinson teamed up, and it took them over three years to find enough members to start the group.
In 1939, Robinson set out on a ride across the United States looking for women who owned and rode their own motorcycles. She found 51 and the charter group of the Motor Maids was formed the following year. It was sanctioned by the American Motorcycle Association in 1941.
The organization operates under the mission statement that reads “The Motor Maids are a diverse group of women motorcyclists united through a passion for riding while fostering a positive image and promoting safe riding skills.” The official website for the organization says the group aims to present a positive image of women motorcyclists.
Co-founder Linda Dugeau on a 1937 Indian Junior Scout. (1939)
39 • July–August 2019 • www.PanamaCityLiving.com