On our Rumble Podcast #18 we welcomed our first female guest on the show, Nina Hoeglund. Not because she is some superstar, although there are some who would beg to differ, but because she is a regular young woman and part of a group of three social media savvy female motorcycle riders.
With pals Erica and Maria, Nina (originally from Sweden) co-founded The Throttle Dolls [https://thethrottledolls.com/] in 2014 and can now boast solid followings across all social media platforms with almost 130,000 on Instagram alone.
Okay, blokes, these women are head-turners for sure, but not in any grubby cliched fashion, draped over fuel tanks in barely-there bikinis. No, as Nina puts it “we just wanted to connect other girls out there who we knew were riding on their own and just form a kind of sisterhood with group rides and meetups. Sure, we’re a ‘girl gang’ but it’s all about getting out there, having fun and exploring on our bikes.
“We see the motorcycle stereotype all the time on TV and in some magazines,” says Nina, “where the tattooed girl washes her bike seductively in a bikini. That's not us at all.”
I wondered why The Throttle Dolls were enduring where other girl groups of social media-focussed female riders were falling away and Ben, our sales manager here in Melbourne, pretty much nailed it by saying “you really are tapping into that sense of community that exists among riders. We see it here all the time with Harley-Davidson buyers. They’re looking for more than just a beautiful bike - they want to belong.”
Going back in history, we know that Harley-Davidson was perhaps the first motorcycle brand to really embrace the female rider with spokesmodels, dedicated women’s attire and a celebration of the feats of female riders like Avis and Effie Hotchkiss, Della Crewe, Vivian Bales and the African-American wonderwoman rider, Bessie Stringfield, who broke many barriers for coloured women riders.
Founding member of The Motor Maids, Dot Smith, on her brand new EL Knucklehead 1939 (HD Museum)
In fact, in 1939, the first all-women motorcycle club was formed in the USA and are still going strong today. The Motor Maids [https://www.motormaidsinc.org/] now have well over 1000 paid-up members coast-to-coast and Canada with most choosing to ride Harley-Davidsons, of course.
Here at Harley-Heaven, women have always been a part of our motorcycle family with dynamic female sales staff - including Nina for a time - parts specialists and this year we welcomed our first female dealer principal at Harley-Heaven Western Sydney when Cara stepped up to fill some big boots.
So girls, head into your nearest Harley-Heaven dealer where you’re guaranteed a warm welcome.
