Mary McGee is a pioneer in American motorcycle racing, thanks to her untamable determination and a spirit as warm as her smile. Her excitement for motorcycling, especially racing, is contagious even in her eighties. She was the first woman to receive an FIM racing license in the United States, first woman to complete the Baja 1000, and the first woman to race the Baja 500 solo. These aren’t her only firsts, either. She was also the first woman in motocross and road racing in the States. McGee was rightly inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame in 2018.
Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride 2014 LA
Hundreds of motorcycles participated in the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride this year in Los Angeles.
The ride itself stopped at the Griffith Observatory, then headed to Deus in Venice Beach for BBQ and chats about each others dapper and dashing attire. Suspenders, boots so shiny you could see yourself, waxed mustaches, ladies in high waisted pants, fancy glasses, bow ties, EVERYWHERE bow ties! Eyecandy abound, well coordinated clothing and excellent machinery surrounded you. A sea of motorcycles, where Triumph was definitely in the majority of bikes there. Most all of the bikes were, as the DGR website describes motorbikes best suited for the event, classic styled motorcycles- “café racers, bobbers, trackers, customs, modern classics, and two wheeled machines”. The regular ratio of motorcycling women to men was smashed- ladies were everywhere.
Seriously, it keeps going! And these weren’t even all the ladies there… nowhere near.
My buddy Ian Halcott of Twinline Motorcycles was hanging around looking fancy.
This chap and his Ducati 999 749 streetfighter certainly got some stares. It’s not often to you see an Italian Superbike stripped of all it’s bodywork.
Antique BMWs, doesn’t get much more dapper than that, does it? This is one of my all time favorite vintage motorcycles- I love the way the tank sits inside the frame like old Zundapps did.
More awesome bikes at DGR, some more dapper than others:
The tobacco pipe, ah yes.
Everyone dresses to the nines differently, you see. In the same way we all like to customize our motorcycles very little, or a lot, to our liking.
Classic British tracker goodness.
The sparkley-est Triumph of them all, complete with silver leafing. My kind of ride!
The most excellent example of a classy yet “undefinable two wheeled machines” at the event- I adore this bike and rider’s style.
Completely candid photo of this couple standing in the bushes.
Lastly, I caught a photo of the elusive Shaik Ridzwan of the Mighty Motor. He loves to give me a hard time (and vice versa)- so when I asked him for a photo of him with his bike he denied me. As a photographer himself, he should really know, we don’t give up.
Big, hug, heaping congrats to Mark Hawwa and DGR team for hitting your goal of raising over ONE MILLION dollars for charity. The motorcycle community never ceases to amaze me.
In case you missed it, check out the MotoLady + Scott G. Toepfer photoshoot for the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride earlier this year.
related: more from the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride ▲
Posted on September 29, 2014 in Blog, Events, News & Features by Alicia Mariah Elfving
Looks like my street triple r would have fit in…..I had thought not. Oh well. Next time!
Wish I could have joined the fun. This looks like a great time and a great way to get engaged with the LA motorcycling community.
I’m pretty sure the streetfighter-ed Ducati is a 749, and it’s Gustavo Penna astride it: http://www.bikeexif.com/ducati-749
Thank you Chris, post is updated! I googled 749 and 999 streetfighter, because I had thought it was a 749 when I saw it in the past. Didn’t find your article though, yay!