From left to right, Motor Maid Dot Smith with club co-founders Linda Dugeau and Dot Robinson, about 1940.
RIDING FORWARD: 85 YEARS OF THE MOTOR MAIDS
Written by The Harley-Davidson Museum
Photos by Josh Kurpius Archival photos courtesy of H-D Museum
Motorcycling has always been for everyone. But in the early 20th Century, that was not entirely clear.
Women rode in clubs from nearly the earliest years of motorcycle history. Milwaukee’s Lillian Hauerwas and others were part of the Milwaukee Motorcycle Club in the early 1910s. Numerous motorcycle clubs around the world were regional, and often with a men’s chapter and women’s auxiliary.
But it was not until 1940, when Harley-Davidson dealer Dorothy “Dot” Robinson and H-D rider Linda Dugeau formed the first women’s national club, the Motor Maids. Robinson was born into a motorcycle family. She told the family story of her mother being transported to the hospital in a sidecar on the day she delivered Dot in 1912. Dot campaigned in the grueling Jack Pine Enduro, became the first woman to win a class in 1947. Dot also ran the Detroit, Michigan Harley-Davidson dealership with her husband, Earl.
Linda Dugeau learned to ride motorcycles on a Harley-Davidson model JD at Wellesley College in 1919. By the late 1930s, both Robinson and Dugeau had collected numerous contacts in the rider community. Linda later drew inspiration from a club for women airplane pilots, the Ninety Nines (whose first President was Amelia Earhart).
To cast a wider net, Dugeau purchased ads in motorcycle magazines, and wrote letters to publications and dealerships. She later recounted the desire to resist the stereotype of women motorcyclists as “tough, immoral and in general not fit for decent people’s society.”
In 1940, the Motor Maids were founded with 51 original members and received their charter from the American Motorcycle Association (AMA). The only requirements of membership of the Motor Maids was ownership of a motorcycle and existing membership in the American Motorcycle Association (AMA). The first annual meeting was in 1944 in the AMA hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Members noted the attendance might have been higher, if not for gasoline rationing to support the war effort.
Like the many clubs that preceded them, the Motor Maids sought branding and an identity to distinguish themselves at events. Their original uniform color was pink, but in 1944, the design was changed to royal blue and silver grey. At the same time, they adopted a blue and white shield as their logo.
MOTOR MAIDS CO-FOUNDER LINDA DUGEAU DREW INSPIRATION FROM A CLUB FOR WOMEN AIRPLANE PILOTS, THE NINETY NINES (WHOSE FIRST PRESIDENT WAS AMELIA EARHART).
Those early years in the midst of WWII influenced their dedication to staying active. Some Motor Maids served as civilian dispatch and courier riders and many wrote letters to servicemen. Like so many other clubs, members helped with the stateside effort to help the troops as much as possible.
The years that followed the war saw a resurgence of motorcycling and club activity. Uniformed clubs across the U.S. welcomed back members from the service along with new members. Activities centered around riding to motorcycle rallies and motorcycle races. For the Motor Maids, attending by motorcycle was the only accepted means of transportation. The rallies often included parades of all clubs, including the Motor Maids. All clubs wore their uniforms, and often flew flags on the lead bike.
They also held their own events and meets, some of which had titles, like “Maids in the Woods.” Some meets included competitive riding, including endurance runs. Trophies were awarded to the winner at the evening’s dinner.
Over the years, chapters and members reported in from across the country to Harley-Davidson’s magazine, The Enthusiast. In many cases, it was a brief paragraph on a recent meeting or rally. Other times, there was a full article, written by a Motor Maids member about a ride. One such article was penned by Gloria Tramontin (later known as Gloria Struck). Gloria departed her home in Clifton, New Jersey to visit her friend and fellow Motor Maid in Toronto, Ohio. After seeing the local sights, they set out for Canada, visiting cities in Ontario and Quebec. They entered back into the US in the east and parted company at Syracuse, New York.
Another member and ambassador of the Motor Maids was Hazel Kolb. Kolb ringed the US on her H-D Electra Glide in 1975 for a total of 15,000 miles. In later years, Kolb’s Harley-Davidson Tour Pak warmly invited people to “Say Hi to the Motorcyclin’ Granma!” referring to the nickname she had earned. Because of her diplomacy the AMA went on to create the “Hazel Kolb Brighter Image Award” to people and groups that present a positive image of the sport of motorcycling. She was also the first woman to serve on the AMA Board of Trustees.
TODAY, THE MOTOR MAIDS 1,100 PLUS MEMBERS ARE FOUND ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. THE MOTOR MAIDS REMAIN THE OLDEST WOMEN’S MOTORCYCLE CLUB IN THE WORLD. IN 2025, THE MOTOR MAIDS CELEBRATE THEIR 85TH ANNIVERSARY.
The photograph collection pictured here was originally acquired in the early 2000s with very little provenance. Thanks to a photo in the collection that also appeared in The Enthusiast, the archives was able to identify the likely owner of the collection as Betty Lou Martin, a member of the Motor Maids from 1946 to 1997. She was very active in the organization, including attending many regional events throughout Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, and Missouri, as well as visiting other Motor Maids and attending Conventions throughout the rest of the country. In 1958, she was appointed State Director of Southern Illinois and St. Louis. In 1960, she earned “Queen of the Highways” title from Motor Maids for covering the most miles in 1959.
First identified in The Enthusiast as Betty Lou Caldwell living in Mason, Illinois, much of the collection depicts when she was living and working in the Champaign-Urbana area. Motor Maids updates indicate she was an accountant and sometimes ran a donut business. She was a member of the Champaign-Urbana Motorcycle Club.
The Motor Maids continue to meet annually in a different location, as they have done for decades. Among the yearly acknowledgements is the Linda Dugeau High Roller award, given to the member who logged the most miles in the previous year.
Today, the Motor Maids 1,100 plus members are found across the United States and Canada. They promote motorcycle safety and advice on touring and other tips. Charities and non-profits they support include breast cancer research. The Motor Maids remain the oldest women’s motorcycle club in the world. In 2025, the Motor Maids celebrate their 85th Anniversary.
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