Indian Motorcycle to celebrate Van Buren Sisters’ Centennial Ride

It goes back as long as 100 years ago when two female riders, Augusta and Adeline Van Buren, broke all the barriers and conquered the Pikes Peak by riding across United States on their Indian motorcycles. Gussie and Addie (as they were known) were the first women to ride around 8851km in 60 days, each by their own solo motorcycle, in 1916. And so, to honor and celebrate their valor, the Sisters’ Centennial Motorcycle Ride which will be held between July 3 to 23, will commemorate 100th anniversary of their indomitable journey.

Dressed in military-style leggings and leather riding breeches, a taboo at that time, Gussie and Addie set out on 1000cc Indian Power Plus motorcycles when America was about to enter the World War I, in 1916. The sisters sought to prove that they could ride as well as men, to serve as good military dispatch riders, so as to free-up the men for other tasks. They were the first women to ride and reach the 14,115ft summit at the Pikes Peak, each on their own motorcycle. In 2002, they were inducted into the American Motorcyclists Association Hall of Fame and in 2003 they were inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame.

The Sisters’ Centennial Motorcycle Ride will loosely follow the 1916 route of the sisters to honour motorcycling heroines of the past and promote growth of women motorcyclists and the motorcycling community. To know more about the event, click here.

The Indian Motorcycle wishes to claim a market share of 15 per cent by 2020 with its current line-up of the motorcycles like the Scout, Chief Dark Horse, Chief Classic, Springfield, Chief Vintage, Chieftain and the Roadmaster against the current premium motorcycle market leader, Harley Davidson.