Five Women, Their Harleys and a Camera

Harley-Davidson is celebrating 100-years of strong and confident women riders by supporting renowned photographer and motorcyclist Lana MacNaughton and the Highway Runaways Ride. Distinguished for her “Women’s Moto Exhibit,” MacNaughton is leading four of her closest female friends on a cross country Harley-Davison motorcycle journey.

The Highway Runaways Ride is inspired by the infamous Avis and Effie Hotchkiss ride in 1915, when the mother and daughter became the first women to ride their Harley-Davidson motorcycle across the U.S. Many women have blazed their own trail in the sport of motorcycling, and MacNaughton leads a modern day celebration of how women riders are unleashing their rebellious spirit and living life on their terms. Like the Hotchkiss ride 100-years ago, the Highway Runaways Ride is also being powered by Harley-Davidson.

Specializing in the photography of the modern-day female motorcyclists, MacNaughton has dedicated her career to capturing and revealing the courageous and beautiful women who live to ride. During the 4,500-mile trek, MacNaughton will collect stories from women riders and take photographs of those who share her passion for the open road.

“This ride embodies the spirit of strong and powerful women. Riding a Harley is about escaping the authority and the structure of mundane life; running away is our dream and it has now become our reality,” MacNaughton says.

Through the Highway Runaways Ride, MacNaughton and her friends are exhibiting their freedom and independence on two-wheels, and they aren’t the only ones riding Harleys to exhibit their strong and powerful spirit. In a survey commissioned by Harley-Davidson, a majority of women riders said that motorcycling made them happier, more confident and feel sexier. MacNaughton is providing a glimpse into motorcycling on these terms, using her camera to capture experiences along way. The pictures will be posted on both Lana and Harley-Davidson’s social media channels at @womensmotoexhibit and @harleydavidson, using #hwyrunaways.

A Highway Runaways Kickoff Party takes place on July 2, at The Shop in Brooklyn, 234 Starr Street. The party, presented by Harley-Davidson, starts at 5:30 p.m. and lasts until close. The night features bands, bikes, beer, a special guest speaker and a chance to meet the women of the ride.

Once on the road, Lana and the others will ride through the Southeast, then across the southern U.S. before heading west to their final stop. They will visit Atlanta, Nashville, Austin, Albuquerque, Denver, and Reno. Along the way, they will stop at Southern Devil Harley-Davidson, Cartersville, Ga. (July 5) and Rocky Mountain Harley-Davidson, Denver (July 22). The Highway Runaways Ride concludes in San Francisco, after logging some 4,500 miles and hundreds of memories. MacNaughton’s Women’s Moto Exhibit is also being featured at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee during its Custom Bike Show Weekend, Sept. 4-6, 2015.

For more information: www.h-d.com/women

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame recently named Marilyn Stemp and Steve Piehl to its board of directors.

Stemp is a pioneering figure in the motorcycle industry, founding IronWorks Magazine with her late husband, Dennis, and becoming the first female editor of a nationally circulated, mainstream motorcycle magazine. She also revived their trade magazine, Iron Trader News; edits the monthly Kiwi Indian News; contributes to several powersports media outlets; and is the founding editor of Sturgis Rider Daily. Stemp is a noted editor and writer of several motorcycle-focused books. Her consistent support for charitable efforts in the industry include the annual Biker Belles Celebration, Las Vegas BikeFest and as campaign chair for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum’s development plan in 2014. She co-founded the Flying Piston charity events taking place in Daytona and Sturgis each year and is a National Ambassador for All Kids Bike. Stemp was inducted into both the Las Vegas Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the Sturgis Museum's Hall of Fame in 2018, and in 2022 she was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Powersports by DealerNews.