Riding Under the Radar

Meet Three Women You’d Never Guess Ride Motorcycles

By Jessica L. Knouse  |  Photography by Melissa Ring

They’re moms, professionals and community leaders. They wear business attire by day but when they’re not working, they throw on leather jackets and ride for miles on their motorcycles. Unless you catch them in action, you’d never know they belong to the sisterhood of bikers.

“I guess you could say it started with a boy,” says Janise Bankard with a laugh. “It was down in the [Florida] Keys. This guy named Bobby—I thought he was cute, and I wanted to go on that motorcycle ride.” What began as a youthful crush turned into a lifelong love of riding. “Then my brother had a motorcycle, and I rode with him up and down the Keys on a poker run. And that kind of started it for me.”

As vice president of marketing and development for Hoffman Homes in Gettysburg, Janise is one of those professionals who you wouldn’t guess rides a motorcycle. She loves riding with her friends, her husband Kevin and her daughter, Jessica Brown.

For Jessica, motorcycling was more about watching her mom own the road. “I always watched her and I was like, ‘That’s so badass. If she can do it, surely I can do it.’” Riding wasn’t just something she admired—it was something that called to her. “It’s very immersive. You’re completely detached from everything,” she says. “You’re in the present. You’re smelling things. You’re feeling things. You’re seeing things. It’s a whole different experience.”

Jessica, a master stylist and makeup artist, has been a senior floor manager at Meraki Salon & Spa in Gettysburg for five of the 10 years she’s worked there. Yet her passion for motorcycles has led her to create a branded social media presence on TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram under the handle
@bikes.and.balayage.  

Jessica’s first bike, Gypsy, marked the beginning of her own journey, albeit one born from heartbreak. “She was really special because she came to me after a breakup,” Jessica shares. “I needed new friends. I needed a new passion. That’s exactly what I found.” She now rides Gemma, her touring bike, which she affectionately says “is about to take me across the country and back.”

Her most memorable trip so far? “Last year I went out to Sturgis, North Dakota,” she says. “I did Beartooth Pass, Yellowstone and Glacier. And the country out there is so beautiful … to be able to ride your motorcycle thousands of miles and just see it on two wheels is so amazing.”

The hardest part of those long-haul rides, according to Jessica, isn’t just the miles. “Weather can definitely be a challenge, like rain and cold—you have to be prepared. And then sometimes getting into predicaments where the bike’s really heavy and you drop it, especially if you’re on your own. But hopefully you’re never alone and you have someone to help.”

Janise’s longest rides haven’t taken her across the country, but they’ve filled her heart. “One of my girlfriends and I rode down to Myrtle Beach. The guys were way behind us, and we were hauling it down 95. Just doing our thing—you know, biker babes.” Another standout moment for her was a mother-daughter trip to Daytona. “Jessica treated me to a trip. We shared a place together, and she hired a photographer to go around and take pictures,” she says. “It was a really memorable trip.”

Jessica often participates in bike rallies across the United States. “Gettysburg Bike Week is pretty much a non-negotiable because it’s right here in our backyard,” she says. “I really enjoy Daytona Bike Week every year because it’s in March. We’ve gone all winter, tired of the cold. It’s the first time we can go ride in a T-shirt.” Her favorite, though? “Sturgis. It’s the heart of festivals. Best riding, best views, best party—it’s just the best of the best.”

Jessica and Janise share more than just chrome and blacktop—they share a purpose. They recently rode together during a charity ride benefiting Hoffman Homes, where Janise works. “Jessica rode and had some of her friends come, even though it was raining that day. Having her share in this mission and watch the kids hand her cards that they’d written—just the excitement of that was great,” Janise recalls. “I almost chickened out on the ride because of the rain, and Jessica said, ‘Mom, what do you mean no? You’re riding this ride.’ So I did. And I’m so glad I did. I would have missed that experience.”

That spirit of encouragement and empowerment is central to both women’s outlook on riding. “Always have someone to look up to. If they can do it, you can do it. Go out and live your best life—don’t wait,” says Jessica.

For Janise, it’s about pride. “I’m so proud of my daughter. I hear it over and over again from people—‘Your daughter is one amazing chick.’ And I see it. She’s evolved. She’s such a powerhouse. And she’s out there encouraging other women to be the best they can be and just ride.”

Jessica backs that up with action. Her social media presence is filled with gear reviews, how-to videos and honest reflections. “I do a lot of gear reviews or like, things I put on my motorcycle. I give reviews on how I like it, or if I don’t. It’s very much a lifestyle—what it’s like to be a biker.

“I like to just try stuff that a woman typically wouldn’t do and see what happens,” she adds. 

And that includes wrenching on her own bike. “She goes so far now as to replace parts on her motorcycle,” says Janise. “It started with this pink toolbox I talked her into buying, and then from there it went crazy.”

Getting started doesn’t have to be intimidating, Jessica says. “In Pennsylvania, you can take the course for free through the state. They have the motorcycles and everything. As long as you pass the course, you’re licensed. You don’t have to know how to ride a motorcycle. They teach you from scratch.”

And support is everything. “The key to new riders is having a support team, somebody that can help you,” says Janise. “Jessica definitely had that between Kevin and me. We were there for her all the way.”

Riding a motorcycle is about more than just speed or rebellion—it’s about freedom, empowerment and connection. “It’s definitely an empowering movement for women,” says Janise. “There’s nothing better than having your girlfriends all together on their scooters. You’re buzzing down the road, and it just lightens up your day. I can be upset or have things on my mind, and I get on my motorcycle—and the breeze takes it all away.”

Speaking of friends, both Janise and Jessica ride with their friend Cindy Fremont, financial advisor at Edward Jones in Hanover. When she’s not donning her business suit and heels in the office, you’ll find Cindy cruising the back roads of Pennsylvania on her motorcycle. Known to her riding friends as “Big Red” because of her signature red curls and commanding presence, Cindy is one of many women challenging the stereotype of what a motorcyclist looks like.

“I show up in a suit, crazy shoes … I look professional,” she laughs. “For people to see me on my bike, they don’t even know it’s me. Even my clients—one time I waved to a client at a gas station and she didn’t recognize me. She looked around the pump and went, ‘Oh my God!’”

Cindy’s love for riding began as a passenger. “I started riding with my husband when we lived back in Bucks County. I was always second up,” she explains, which means riding as a passenger. “But when we moved out here 25 years ago, I wanted to ride for myself. So I got a Yamaha V-Star and started riding. It’s just the freedom of it that I love the most.”

That freedom was briefly threatened when Cindy began experiencing issues with her arm strength, however. Rather than give up riding, she adapted. “It was a choice: don’t ride anymore or do something different. So I had my Indian Chieftain Classic triked by California Sidecar. It came back and … it’s just badass,” she says with some sass. 

For Cindy, riding is about escape. “When you ride, you forget everything else. You are where your seat is. You just get to enjoy it,” she shares.

Though she doesn’t do cross-country trips like Jessica, Cindy takes long, scenic day rides whenever she can. Some of her most memorable moments have come from group rides with organizations like ABATE, the Alliance of Bikers Aimed Toward Education. “There was a massive ride from the Capitol in Harrisburg to Gettysburg—thousands of bikes. Every road was shut down. I mean, people think bikers have a bad reputation, but they do a lot of good. Fundraisers, veteran support, community events—it’s pretty incredible.”

She’s also a proud participant in the Mid-Atlantic Women’s Motorcycle Rally (MAWMR), held annually in Gettysburg. “Hundreds of women come in from all over. They do training, repairs, group rides—it’s amazing. Just a whole weekend of women supporting women. It’s super empowering.”

Despite the stereotype-defying nature of her hobby, Cindy doesn’t feel out of place in the biking world. “I don’t really find challenges in the biker world. I find more challenges in my business as a female. On the road, though, you need to be respectful, especially in group rides. You risk everyone’s life if you’re not on your game.”

Her advice to women interested in riding? “Go do it. If it’s a passion, explore it. Find a bike you’re comfortable learning on, not just one with a brand name. Take the class, learn the road and be aware. People don’t see you. They’re looking at their phones.”

And while she’s passionate about safety—“I always say: prepare for the slide”—Cindy also advocates for biker awareness in the community. “If you’re mowing your lawn, don’t blow grass into the road. It’s like ice for motorcycles. You will kill a rider.”

Through it all, Cindy’s commitment to her community remains central. “The biggest part of what I love to do is give back. Whether it’s through my work, my riding or supporting women—it all ties back to that.”

So the next time you see a flash of red hair under a helmet on a three-wheeled Indian, know that Big Red isn’t just riding—she’s breaking expectations with every mile.

As Jessica puts it: “Just ride it like you stole it.” 

From the looks of it, they all are. 

Learning to ride in Pennsylvania can be easy.Interested riders can get their motorcycle permit and then sign up for a free class in riding safety by going to learntoridepa.com. If you pass the class, you will qualify for a motorcycle class license. The course is sponsored by the state to Pennsylvania residents at no cost. Instructors teach students at any level—no experience needed—and they can provide a motorcycle to practice riding as well.

Start Your Engine!

MAWMR, Mid-Atlantic Women’s Motorcycle Rally
www.mawmr.orgABATE

Alliance of Bikers Aimed Toward Education
www.abatepa.org

Follow Jessica Brown on social media:

Instagram: @Bikes.and.Balayage

TikTok & YouTube: @bikesandbalayage

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jessica.annette08