HARLEY’S HIDDEN SECRETS
She sits astride the burly motorcycle like it was made for her. With custom-made, personalised gloves, scarf and a dainty bow in her tied-back hair, Dorothy “Dot” Smith smiles like all her birthdays have come at once. Her svelte figure and delicate demeanour completely subdue the intimidating machine, a 1939 Harley-Davidson EL “Knucklehead”, as if it were some savage beast, entranced as I am by her effortless beauty and poise.
Dot's story is just one of many hundreds, including a surprising number of women, collected here at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She was one of the founding members of the all-girl “Motor Maids” motorcycle club in 1940, along with 50 others including Linda Dugeau and Australian-born “Dot” Robinson. If Dot Smith were alive today, she would be well over 90. The club, however, continues to thrive with more than 1200 members in the USA and Canada.
Overall head of the museum is Bill Davidson, great-grandson of founder, William A. Davidson. was fortunate to meet Bill and his wife Angie when they toured down under in 2017 for the brand's Australian 100-year celebrations.
