It was the rising wave of the RUB era (Rich Urban Biker). The kids of Baby Boomer professionals were leaving the nest and the parents, now with extra time and money, embraced the biker lifestyle. This was undoubtedly embedded in their psyches in the ‘60s, when drive-in movie theatres showcased all-night outlaw biker flicks, and they bought Harley’s newly designed road bikes as fast as they hit the showroom floors. Celebrities, movie stars, even politicians were quick to latch on to the fad; ultra-rich Malcom Forbes bought Elizabeth Taylor a purple Harley Davidson. The RUBs would trailer custom-made choppers to traditional biker rallies such as Sturgis and Daytona, unload, and parade up and down the streets.
Harley’s new line-up, though it kept the traditional styling, featured an aluminum engine that required less maintenance and was user friendly. This attracted women riders. Though women have always been part of the riding scene, up until the 1950s there was no Interstate Highway system, and the gravel and asphalt roads were a challenge to all motorcyclists, including the female ones. The machines were generally kickstart and required a certain amount of mechanical knowledge to keep running. So avid women riders were rare.
Harley’s new Evolution engines changed all that. Two women riders from the Chicago area, Jo Giovannoni and Chris Sommer Simmons, saw the trend and started their own magazine, Harley Women.
I don’t remember how I discovered the magazine, but I sent them some cartoons, which they liked. So, I began doing some illustrative work for them, churning out simple pen and inks for their various features, sometimes illustrations for fiction pieces or editorials.
The above illustration was taken from an actual photo of Jo saddled up on her Harley. I’ve also got one of her publishing buddy Chris, but its whereabouts escapes me right now.
I also tried to tailor cartoons for women riders.
The owners were featured on a national talk show (which one, I can’t remember, I think there’s a pattern here) along with Rusty Dennis, the mother of Rocky Dennis, whose life story was portrayed in the movie Mask, which starred Cher, Sam Elliot, and Eric Stoltz as Rocky.
Unfortunately, the rise of the digital age, desktop publishing and higher printing costs were the bane of the magazine industry. However, on the plus side, the internet has provided a digital platform for the history of women riders, such as this tribute to Jo and her personal endeavors.
End