Clara Marian Wagner (11 November 1891 – 30 December 1961) was one of the first documented woman motorcyclists, who became notable as an endurance racer and was sponsored by the Eclipse Machine Co., a bicycle company, for using its braking products.
Clara Marian Wagner | |
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| Born | November 11, 1891 St Paul, Ramsay County, Minnesota |
| Died | December 30, 1961 (aged 70) Cathedral City, Riverside County, California |
| Known for | Pioneer female motorcyclist and racer |
In 1907, Wagner, 15 years old and the daughter of the Wagner Motorcycle Company (1901-1914 )[1] owner George Wagner from Saint Paul, Minnesota, became a member of the American Federation of Motorcyclists (FAM).[2][3]
Clara Wagner put the company's motorcycles on the map by achieving a perfect score in a FAM 360 mile endurance race from Chicago to Indianapolis in 1910, aged 18,[4][5] but was denied the trophy because she was female.[6] She won several such events.[7]
At the time, Wagner was celebrated on a series of postcards as "The most successful and experienced lady motorcyclist"[8] and rode one of the first motorcycles designed specifically for women.[9]
References
edit- ^ Standard Catalog of American Motorcycles 1898-1981. Jerry Hatfield. ISBN 0873499492, 2006
- ^ The Perfect Vehicle: What It Is About Motorcycles. Melissa Holbrook Pierson. W.W. Norton & Company, 17 May 1998
- ^ Motorcycle. Steven E. Alford, Suzanne Ferriss. Reaktion Books, 3 January 2008
- ^ Bikerlady: Living & Riding Free. Sasha Mullins. Citadel, 1 Aug 2003
- ^ Making Her Mark: Firsts and Milestones in Women's Sports. Ernestine G. Miller. McGraw-Hill Professional, 29 May 2002
- ^ The Chrome Cowgirl Guide to the Motorcycle Life. Sasha Mullins. MotorBooks International, 24 September 2008
- ^ 26th Annual Trailblazers' Banquet, American Motorcyclist, May 1963. p. 28
- ^ True Pioneers, American Motorcyclist, June 2006
- ^ The American Motorcycle Girls: 1900 to 1950. A Photographic History of Early Women Motorcyclists. Cristine Sommer Simmons, Karen Davidson. Parker House, 15 April 2009
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