Windy City Women Riders MC

Bell. You probably knew the California-based auto parts company produced the first modern crash helmets, way back in the ’50s. You probably didn’t know that Roy Richter, president of Bell from 1945 until 1978, was an important builder of racing cars who went on to develop the famed Cragar SuperSport wheel—you’d recognize it if you saw it, trust me. In fact, if you were at a motorsports event in the ’60s and ’70s (and if you remember being there you probably weren’t really there, har, har), you would have seen plenty of Bell helmets and those five-spoke, polished Cragar wheels. But in the intervening years, Asian and European helmets have dominated the helmet market. What happened?

What happened, probably, was the decline of American manufacturing of consumer goods. Or maybe Bell just stopped innovating enough to keep its share of customers. In any case, Bell faded away, its helmet brands sold off.

See link below for the rest of the article:

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2011/02/md-product-review-bell-star-helmet-and-transitions-fx-visor/

In Biker Chicz of North America, Edward Winterhalder and Wil De Clercq have compiled in-depth profiles of twenty-two fascinating women who ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Each chapter features an individual whose life story is compelling, intriguing, fascinating, and inspirational.

Global studies indicate that 12 to 18 percent of motorcycling enthusiasts are women. The number of women motorcycle riders in North America has increased exponentially since the early 1990s, and that exciting trend continues. American Motorcycle Industry Council statistics indicate that over one million new motorcycles were sold in the United States in 2008. Of that impressive number more than 100,000 were sold to women.

While each woman featured in this book is unique and extraordinary in her own right, there are, not surprisingly, certain attributes they all have in common. In addition to being avowed motorcycle riders they live to ride and ride to live they are successful, intelligent, freethinking, adventurous, creative, inspiring, and tenacious. They are women who have followed their dreams and dared to live life on their own terms. All are survivors who boldly took on challenges that many of us men or women would find daunting. Some of them came by their success easily, others by triumphing over adversity.

Despite their common traits, most are as different as night and day. Some are introverted, others extroverted; some are family oriented, others are loners. They ll be the first to admit, however, that without their Harleys, they would not be who they are today. Their beloved motorcycles are what defines them and what sets them apart from their nonriding sisters.