Yuriko rides a sparkly pink and purple 1976 Shovelhead chopper… she’s a petite little lady… probably 5’ even. She’s perfected kicking it over with the whole weight of her body. Size isn’t everything.
I frequently hear ladies saying, “I’m too short for that bike” and Yuri proves that it’s a matter of determination. Her bike is very custom, making it fit her much better than a lot of stock bikes would. However these bikes are still quite heavy… it’s all about bike control. Practice makes perfect!
Photograph by Ben Zales (bentheboog), copyright 2014.
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.
Tags: 1970s, 1976, 70s, chopper, harley davidson, kickstart, kickstarter, los angeles, motolady, motorcycle, motorcycles, petite, pink, purple, real, shovelhead, yuri, yuriko takeda
Posted on May 28, 2014 in MotoLadies, Motorcycles by Alicia Mariah Elfving