Here are the Women who Inspired me, and continue to Inspire me to do better, ride better, and go further.
MOTOLADY
Alicia Elfving is an Icon in the Women’s Motorcycle Community. She inspired me to work on my own motorcycling instead of taking it to a shop. I found her when I first started riding when she was in the middle of building Pandora, her Ducati Monster. She took a bike that was trashed and turned it into something so beautiful. Watching her strip that bike down to the frame, gave me the confidence to clean my carburetors myself. She is still an inspiration to me, and I’m proud to call her my friend. Women’s Motorcycle Show is her baby, bringing the spotlight to Women Motorcycle Builders.
INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE
ONHERBIKE
Kinga Tanajewska, has been travelling around the world solo on her BMW since 2017. I found her when she posted some of her first videos of her solo charity ride around Australia. I thought “this woman is incredible if she can travel alone through some of the most remote areas of Australia, through gnarly sand, I can ride my motorcycle 1,000 miles by myself.” She gave me the confidence to travel alone, despite the naysayers, and start recording my own trips. I’m stoked to say I’ve been able to work with her on some of her shirt designs.
WEBSITE | YOUTUBE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK
Are you seeing a theme? Women inspiring other women is so powerful.
NORA
In 2016 Nora left the Netherlands to ride through Europe, Russia, Central Asia, to Indonesia and back on a 2005 Suzuki VStrom DL650. I had never seen anyone take on a RTW Trip on a VStrom before, and her video diaries of that trip were raw, she never pulled any punches about sharing the ups and downs of that kind of travel. Since then, she’s traveled from the Netherlands down to the tip of Africa with her partner Jojo. She continues to be an inspiration to me, and a reminder that it’s just as important to show the beautiful moments as to show the shitty ones.
YOUTUBE | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK
JOCELIN SNOW
Jocelin is the ultimate Adventure Rider. She doesn’t let anything stop her once she puts her mind to something. She competed in the 2017 BMW GS Trophy and earner her spot on the International Women’s Team. She has 14 motorcycles including the 2016 BMW 1200GSA and the 2019 1200 Rallye. Watching her handle these motorcycles that normal people would deem “too tall” just emphasizes her determination and proof that with the right skills you can ride any bike you want to.
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KRIS FANT
Kris is an endless source of positive energy. She’s apart of the Rev’it Women ADV Team, she writes for Women ADV Riders Magazine, and she’s a Counselor. It’s like magic trifecta of a woman who’s bright spot wherever she goes, and is always giving back to the motorcycle community. Volunteering to help with events and just being the voice of encouragement. I feel so so lucky to be friends with this incredible woman in real life.
DOODLE ON A MOTORCYCLE
Carolyn aka “Doodle” has been documenting her riding journey on Youtube for the last 3 years. She inspires me to never get complacent in my abilities. Always strive for better and always support other female riders. She is always practicing, always learning new skills like taking the slow speed riders course until they asked her to represent them.
MEGHAN STARK
Meghan is an entrepreneur, running her Moto Coffee Inspired company Great Lake Supply Co, as well as being a fellow Moto Youtuber. She is so chill, and is always inspiring me to strive to be my best self, make my best work while always taking care of myself. Balance is the most important part of being a Creative.
STEPH JEAVONS
In 2014 Steph Jeavons left Wales and rode around the world on a Honda CRF250, a bike many deemed inappropriate for such a trip. She proved that sometimes a little bike is more appropriate than a big loaded bike, becoming the first British Woman to visit every continent on a motorcycle, yes including Antarctica. She jokes that she is the first woman to drop a bike on every continent, and her humor and humility comes through in everything she does including her book “Embrace the Cow”.
ELSPETH BEARD
Speaking of World Travelers, Elspeth Beard is an architect and motorcyclists who was the very first English woman to ride a motorcycle around the world. She took off in 1982 on a BMW R600 during a time when not many people were travelling around the world by motorcycle, let alone a woman riding a large motorcycle solo, there was no Google or website to help her navigate, and there were little to no resources to organize a trip like this. She was scoffed at by motorcycle companies, telling her she would never make it. She’s documented her journey in her book, ‘Lone Rider’ which should be on every rider’s reading list right up there with Jupiter’s Travels.
There are SO Many things about her story that is incredibly inspiring, I can’t possibly list everything that makes Elspeth one of my great heroes. I’m just so glad she is now getting a fraction of the recognition she deserves.
WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM
DANELL LYNN
The first Female Rider to hold & break the World Record for Longest Journey by motorcycle in a single country. Danell Lynn was woman I found who was travelling solo in the United States long term. She has a very thoughtful perspective on life. Her book “1 WOMAN, 1 MOTORBIKE, 1 YEAR- A GUINNESS WORLD RECORD JOURNEY” which is a compilation of all of her blog posts she wrote on her trip, Is on my to-read list currently.
FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
ITCHY BOOTS
Noraly has a degree in Geochemistry and a history working in the Gold Mining Industry, which shows through in her videos documenting her trip around around the world on her Royal Enfield. She’s gained a rapid following on Youtube with her positive attitude and doing something many other dream of doing.
WEBSITE | YOUTUBE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK
KILLSWITCH QUEEN
If Alicia rebuilding a Ducati Monster wasn’t inspiring enough, may I present to you Olivia, who works on her bikes herself. I found her when she was customizing her Sportster into a Wasteland bike, and followed her journey as she got a Suzuki Bandit and brought it back to life. The Bandit has since been featured on TV and Motorcycle Shows. If there was any female mechanic to be inspired by Olivia is it. She has a very “well let’s try it and see if it works” attitude, and I love it. You don’t need the best tools, the best work space and the experience to start working on your bike. Just do it and learn as you go, the more mistakes you make the more you learn.
YOUTUBE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK
LOIS PRYCE
Lois is another incredible woman who did what many of us dream of doing; she quit her boring office job and took off on her motorcycle. Her first book “Lois on the Loose” documents her trip in 2003 when she traveled from Alaska to Argentina. In 2006 she Rode through Africa, and in 2013 she rode through the Middle East documenting her journey in her books. She says the best thing to come out of her journeys is that she found out that she wanted to be writer. She also founded, with her husband Austin Vince, the Adventure Travel Film Festival.
WEBSITE
HER TWO WHEELS
Jess has sky rocketed in the last couple months of starting her Youtube Channel and it’s not hard to guess why. She’s real, she’s blunt and she takes every opportunity to ride. Even when the rest of us are hiding in our warm houses, she gets out and about for the thrill of the ride.
INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | FACEBOOK
OTHER WOMEN WHO INSPIRE ME
Let me know of other women riders who inspire you in the comments!