With no paved roads or reliable maps, riding motorcycles in the early 1900s was challenging for anyone, let alone a pair of young women. In 1916, Augusta and Adeline Van Buren embarked on a remarkable journey, crossing the United States aboard a pair of 1,000-cc Indian Powerplus motorcycles. The pioneering sisters crossed the continental U.S., covering 8,850 gruelling kilometres in 60 days.
In an effort to free up men for other wartime duties, the sisters hoped to demonstrate that women could serve as military dispatch riders. They dressed in military trousers and leather riding breeches and battled poor roads, heavy rains, and extreme prejudices. It was socially unacceptable in the day for women to wear pants, and despite being arrested multiple times for wearing men’s clothing, they completed their journey, becoming…
You're reading a preview of
Motorcycle Mojo (Digital) - 1 Issue, September/October 2024