Marianne Weber

[WD Forte]

Ages ago I came across a line art pic of a woman riding a BMW.
I instantly liked it and even carved it on to a box top on the wee CNC
https://imgur.com/YO83SD6.jpg
https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=328957


I assumed (wrongly) it was 'art' and only just now found out it
was based on a photograph of a woman called Marianne Weber
and it was taken as she speed tested the R68 in 1952.
https://imgur.com/72zqhw7.jpg

I did some googling and
According to vintagebmw.org

"(When told the new bike could do 100mph, she jumped on and got it to 99mph--in civilian clothes, with no gear other than gloves!).
She was a Belgian journalist and was supposedly reviewing the bike for a French magazine.

This is a very similar 1951 picture of her on a Vincent Black Shadow, where she got it up to 112mph! Again, no helmet, but at least she had real motorcycle boots and gauntlets. "

https://vintagebmw.org/forum/download/file.php?id=31948&sid=bcf2b4fb2be9b9860451ffac016bd44d&mode=view

testing an AJS model 20 1952
https://scontent-lhr8-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/181460184_10158770888633791_5571356205583814558_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=a26aad&_nc_ohc=LYx_nxMeun4AX8HWN2Q&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr8-2.xx&oh=00_AfCm2k4sDUosJGy1LYr0W3vZIZ-6CC9n_Uodt9J4nIkQkA&oe=6410F46B
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bikers smell of wee

[Rob W]

That's cool,

Absolutely zero fucks given, fair play.
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'16 GSX-S1000F

[blurredman]

Real women don't wear helmets.
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CBT: 12/06/10, Theory: 22/09/10, Module 1: 09/11/10, Module 2: 19/01/11
Past: 1991 Honda CG125BR-J, 1992 (1980) Honda XL125S, 1996 Kawasaki GPZ500S.
Current: 1981 Honda CX500B - 91k, 1987 MZ ETZ250 (bored to 295cc) - 38k, 1989 MZ ETZ251 - 49k, 1979 Suzuki TS185ER - 9k, 1973 MZ ES250/2 - 17k.

[A100man]

'112 mph on the Brussells to Antwerp road - conditions were far from ideal'
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[doggone]

[jeffyjeff]

Thanks for the post. I had never heard of Marianne Weber. Nice pics. Let me share some links to another well-known female motorcycle pioneer, Anke Eve Goldmann, who also primarily rode BMWs.

https://thevintagent.com/2017/09/07/anke-eve-goldmann/
https://blackarrowlabel.com/blogs/journal/game-changer-1-anke-eve-goldmann
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History shows again and again how nature points out the folly of men - BOC

[Easy-X]

Then:

https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/Classic/BMW%20R%2068%20%207.JPG

Now:

https://mediapool.bmwgroup.com/cache/P9/202003/P90386406/P90386406-the-bmw-r-18-first-edition-04-2020-2248px.jpg
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Polarbear]

How interesting. I've never heard of her either. Fair play to her as well.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[WD Forte]

Then there's that Beryl Swain.
Imagine coming home expecting 'er indoors to have boiled beef and carrots ready for yer tea, only to find her decoking an engine on the kitchen table

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1632/6403/files/83394278_pg8325-4_1024x1024.jpg?v=1493722761

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ocIH8rBdJ8&t=114s
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bikers smell of wee

[Freddyfruitba...]

[jeffyjeff]

[Polarbear]

I do love seeing things like this. You don't need paranoid whiners to promote womens lib. Find the ladies that did. Well impressed.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[WD Forte]

In the Youtube vid, Beryl's Dame Edna type specs made me larf
I do recall they were popular when I were lad
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bikers smell of wee

[grr666]

It puts me in mind of a pic I had lined up as an idea for one of my next tattoos.

https://i.imgur.com/lJNzWH8.jpg
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[jeffyjeff]

[WD Forte]

[WD Forte]

Beryl Swain became the first woman to race at the Isle of Man TT on a 50cc Itom in 1962

https://b1944490.smushcdn.com/1944490/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/03/Beryl-Swain-2-1024x743.jpg?lossy=1&strip=1&webp=1

More wimmin:

An International Six Day Trial legend of the 1920s and 30s, Marjorie Cottle led an all-female British team to win the Silver Vase in 1927.

https://b1944490.smushcdn.com/1944490/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/03/Marjorie-Cottle-1024x789.jpg?lossy=1&strip=1&webp=1

Elspeth Beard, the first English woman to ride around the world, began her journey in 1982 on a BMW R60/6. From the UK, she shipped her bike to New York City, riding on to Canada, Mexico and Los Angeles.

Then it was shipped to Sydney, and Elspeth spent a good while travelling in Australia. Next she travelled to Singapore, riding back into Europe across Asia. She arrived back in the United Kingdom in 1984, having travelled 48,000 miles. She published a book, Lone Rider, about her travels, which came out in July 2017.

https://b1944490.smushcdn.com/1944490/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/03/Elspeth-Beard-Before-leaving-1024x777.jpg?lossy=1&strip=1&webp=1


Theresa Wallach was one of the trailblazers. Born in London in 1909, Theresa went on to become a racer, motorcycle adventurer, military dispatch rider, engineer, author, motorcycle dealer, mechanic
and riding school instructor
In 1935 Theresa and her friend, Florence Blenkiron, rode from the UK down to South Africa on a 600cc single-cylinder Panther with a Watsonian sidecar and a homemade trailer. Crossing the Sahara, riding through equatorial Africa, and finally arriving in Cape Town, they managed the whole trip with no back-up – not even a compass to hand.

Following the trip, Theresa wrote a book, The Rugged Road, which tells the story of their epic ride.

https://b1944490.smushcdn.com/1944490/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/03/Teresa-Wallach-775x1024.jpg?lossy=1&strip=1&webp=1
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bikers smell of wee

[Bhud]

[Polarbear]

You wonder why the media don't promote women like this and what they were doing way before it became mainstream. I'm into bikes and never heard of them. WHat other women in different fields have been ignored as well.

But, hey ho, lets promote some twat in a lycra balloon suit as a star for the great unwashed to look up to.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Freddyfruitba...]

[colin1]

Opening sentence "I only found out that I was the first British woman to motorcylce go around the world in about 2009."
At home with Elspeth Beard: Part One
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlQJRYHWrTE&ab_channel=TheBikeInsurer
part two
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TL0Fa3BFy0&ab_channel=TheBikeInsurer
part three
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MeCoY2r17Y&ab_channel=TheBikeInsurer
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colin1 is officially faster than god