Page 12 - Lady Rider June.cdr

Women in the Saddle: Breaking Barriers on Two
Wheels
LACONIA, N.H. – Jennifer Anderson still vividly remembers the fear that gripped her the
first time she swung her leg over a motorcycle. Perched atop a borrowed Harley-Davidson,
staring down a winding, steep Denver road, tears welled up in her eyes. "I was terrified,"
she admits. "I didn't know if I could do it.”
Fast forward more than twenty
years, and Anderson is not only a
confident rider but a prominent
figure in New Hampshire's biker
scene. As the deputy director of
Laconia Motorcycle Week, she plays
a central role in one of the largest and
oldest motorcycle rallies in the
world.
Anderson is part of a growing
movement of women who have gone
from hesitant beginners to fearless
leaders within the motorcycle
community. These women aren't just
riding—they're organizing,
educating, and shifting the culture of
motorcycling from within.
"A few years ago, I would have been
shocked at how many women were
riding," Anderson says. "Now? It's
just normal."
Laconia Motorcycle Week: A
Century of Tradition, Now
Reimagined
Held annually in the picturesque city
of Laconia, New Hampshire,
Laconia Motorcycle Week is a
celebration of all things two-
wheeled. With roots tracing back
over a century, this ten-day festival
attracts hundreds of thousands of
enthusiasts for scenic rides, vintage
bike showcases, live music, and
street food.
The event, in its 101st year, serves as
a symbolic gathering place for
motorcyclists of every stripe.
Increasingly, that includes women.
Among them are Donna "Wheelz"
Mahoney and Jovi McMahon,
members of the all-female riding
group Chrome Angelz. Their
presence—along with that of many
other women-led clubs—is proof
that the landscape of biking is
changing.
Lady Rider Magazine 11
Passing the Torch: Biking as
Family Legacy
For many women, the motorcycle
bug bit early—thanks to their dads,
brothers, or boyfriends. Cindy Lou
Egalka, who grew up just north of
Laconia, recalls her initiation at age
five. Her father sat her on the gas
tank of his 1948 Indian Chief and
took her for a ride.
"That was it," Egalka says. "I was
hooked. That's even my license
plate—'HOOKED.'"
As a teen, she'd sneak rides on her
brother's or boyfriend's mini bikes,
carving her own path along New
Hampshire's back roads.
Mahoney, now 68, began riding at
nine. A neighborhood boy in
Canterbury, NH, taught her the
ropes. When she later applied for her
license, she was told she was one of
the first 10 women in the state to be
officially registered.
"I raced motocross with the guys,
and they didn't accept me at first,"
she remembers. "But once I started
riding, they respected me."
Historic Inspiration and a
Modern Surge
While female riders are nothing
new—icons like Adeline and
Augusta Van Buren made a
t r a n s c o n t i n e n t a l r i d e i n
1916—modern women are drawing
fresh inspiration from these early
trailblazers.
A century later, their descendants
joined 100 other women to recreate
the cross-country journey. That
historic ride continues to echo in the
lives of today's riders.
The numbers reflect a shift. In 2018,
the Motorcycle Industry Council
reported that 19% of motorcycle
owners were women—up from just
June 2025