Tag: people

  • Maureen Willis

    Maureen Willis

    British Division Captain, 1965-1973 and Ellen Pfeiffer Award recipient in 2017

    This is the nomination that was submitted by WIMA GB: 

    Maureen has been a member of WIMA since the 1950s. Now in her mid-eighties, she is an honorary member of WIMA GB, and lives quietly, in Wales, with her husband, Ron. 

    Our founding president’s method of running WIMA was to control all the national groups. When this was no longer practical, WIMA GB would have failed had it not been for Maureen who kept WIMA GB afloat. She wrote personal letters to lapsed members, sent information out to all the members and did all of this out of her own pocket until the group started to build up funds. The letters she wrote were the beginnings of our monthly newsletter, and she held a rally in 1965, thus introducing the concept of an annual rally for WIMA GB members. 

    WIMA GB is one of the longest running WIMA national groups, but would many national groups running today have even formed, if Maureen had not kept WIMA GB going, and met and talked to so many people on her travels? We firmly believe that Maureen has made a massive contribution to WIMA World. 

    This is Maureen’s WIMA story in her own words: ‘I was fourteen years old and living in Dublin when the boy next door got a motorbike. It was love at first sight. A beautiful 1931 KTT Velocette! Soon I was spending hours in his garage, learning how the engine worked. I really loved bikes and welcomed any opportunity to go pillion on any make of bike. 

    I joined WIMA, but never met any members. One day, I had a letter from the American WIMA president, Louise Scherbyn, asking me to take over as captain of WIMA in Britain. Once I got the names and addresses of members, I wrote to all of them on a regular basis. This was the start of our WIMA NEWS of today. 

    In January 1965, we went to the Elephant Rally in Germany, where I met Ellen Pfeiffer, the German WIMA captain, and also several American members. In October 1965, I held the first WIMA meeting in Britain at my parents’ hotel in North Wales, taking advantage of my parents going away on holiday! After that I held an annual WIMA rally, every year, for several years. These were camping rallies and days were spent chatting and taking part in gymkhana events. In the evenings we sat round a campfire and sang songs.

    In 1970 we went to the WIMA rally in France. Being WIMA’s 20th anniversary, we were given a pendant with ‘WIMA 20th Year’ on it. The scenery was great, the rally was great, and we met many lovely, friendly WIMA girls and families. It was a highlight of my biking days in France. To this day, I still wear that medallion. 

    I got a Honda 400 Four in 1976. This bike was called ‘Ladybird’. We attended the California Motorcycle Jamboree held at Ventura just north of Los Angeles, where I met American and Canadian WIMA members. As we got older and retired, we spent more time riding locally. 

    It is great to know that WIMA is expanding to more and more countries, and I am proud to be part of such a great organisation. I still enjoy being a WIMA member and only regret that at the age of 85, I have finally got to hang up my helmet due to failing eyesight. I have now sold all my bikes. 

    So I say to all members – KEEP ON BIKING as long as you possibly can.’

  • Ellen Pfeiffer

    Ellen Pfeiffer

    Continental Division Captain from 1964 

    Ellen was one of the founders of WIMA in Europe in the year 1958.
     She was very active in motorcycle racing and competition. The early WIMA meetings in Germany, therefore, were always held in locations near racing circuits such as the Nürburgring or the Hockenheimring.

    Accordingly, the focus of the subsequent annual rallies was about serious competitive racing. Being fast was always Ellen’s intent and what gave her most pleasure.

    She competed successfully in endurance and long-distance events on her Horex motorcycles, followed later by a Norton Dominator, a Honda CB450 and then BMWs.

    WIMA owes Ellen a great deal for many things, but some say the most outstanding is the early links which she forged with the Iron Curtain countries, enabling women riders from suppressed countries like Czechoslovakia to meet us from the West and begin lifelong friendships.

    After 25 years of organising the German WIMA division, Ellen ‘retired’ as an active captain, but kept her dignity like the ‘Queen Mum’. She concentrated on being ‘Ellen’; that meant, riding to almost every WIMA event no matter how far the venue was (she even took part in the well-known WIMA trip to launch WIMA Japan in 1996). She told real motorcycle stories, her experience during the years and about the countries she explored on her motorcycle, salvaging, now and then, some young women’s big bikes from difficult alpine places and, most of the time, being faster than any other woman, in her very charming way.

    Her speed became legendary, as did her technical expertise, which was as basic as her 25-year-old BMW. But…it was always enough to be fast. Ellen died at the age of 69 in March 2001.  She was a ‘First-Class Female Biker’, a WIMA-Lady to the last.

    Information provided by Claudia Fehrer of WIMA Liechtenstein, Floh Petit of WIMA Germany and Anne Gale of WIMA GB.

  • Faye Rickert

    Faye Rickert

    USA – Canada Division Captain, from 1966

    Faye was mentioned regularly in early issues of WIMA News, for trophies won at rallies, mention of her travels, and also her love of sewing. 

    Written of Faye in WIMA News Spring 1966, ‘Last year, she dreamed the idea of making an autographed friendship quilt for herself and sending patches to members for signing on (sewing) their own names, thus making the quilt an item of interest. Faye’s personal contact with members has extended acquaintance with one another. She sends a ‘thank you’ to members who helped make her quilt a success. The photo of Faye Rickert and daughter, Barbara Seber featured in WIMA News of Winter 1966. Also mentioned was Faye’s granddaughter, Melody, who planned to ‘own her own Bridgestone because her grandad’s HD is almost always occupied by her grandmother or aunt.’

  • Audrey Henderson

    Audrey Henderson

    New Zealand – Australia Division Captain, from 1966

    Many years have passed, but this has failed to dim my love of motorcycling. Long before I had a bike of my own I was very involved; back in the early 1950’s I was offered the opportunity to start and edit a Girl Riders page in the N.Z. Motor Cyclist, a monthly publication. I was a shorthand typist – not a journalist – but this was great and opened the opportunity to form countless motorcycling contacts throughout the world.  

    Almost immediately I was in touch with Wendy Hides (née Oliver) from Christchurch, N.Z.  We were the first N.Z. members of WIMA. The late Louise Scherbyn regularly wrote to us with long and interesting letters. Her enthusiasm was infectious and it was clear to see why WIMA prospered under her guidance. Note: neither Wendy nor I were ever captain in this area. Editor’s note: Audrey is listed as Division captain on the front of WIMA News from Spring 1966. 

    When I bought my own bike, I decided, ‘Have Bike – Will Travel’ and set out on a working holiday/tour of New Zealand. It was during this adventure I was dared to compete in the Ixion MCC (Wellington) Two Day Touring Trial. That’s when I met Ian, later my husband. My bike had no hope of keeping up with him, so after our marriage I replaced my trusty little C10 BSA with a Speed Twin Triumph so we could ride together. After a couple of years of freedom, our first daughter decided to put in an appearance. Can’t take a baby pillion!!  Simple solution – a sidecar outfit. She loved that and consequently became the youngest member of WIMA. I had always felt that sidecars looked awkward and unwieldy. Not so, fitted properly they are great and can negotiate almost anything.

    Now, in my nineties, I still have a soft spot for motorcycles, but have to be content with horrifying my friends by travelling regularly out of town in my car and really living a great life. Thank goodness I am not like some oldies with no interests and nothing to do.

    (2025)

  • Anke-Eve Goldmann

    Anke-Eve Goldmann

    International Press Correspondent, 1963-1977

    Anke-Eve was born in Berlin in 1929, and the family moved to Prague at the start of WWII, only returning in 1945 to a city in ruins. Life was hard; they lived in one room as there was no heating. However, the house was in the American sector and the Americans ran a youth club where Anke-Eve learned not just English, but also about printing and journalism. She then taught German for ten years to children of American military personnel stationed in Germany. Meeting husband-to-be Hans von Kimmel marked a huge change in Anke-Eve’s life – she discovered motorcycles. Anke-Eve started riding in 1953, on a BMW R67/3 which they traded for what is believed to have been the second production BMW R69 built, in 1955. She tells an amusing story of being stopped by the German police while speeding on her BMW (without a licence). They were so astonished to discover she was a woman, that they just asked her about the bike and not for her papers! She only passed her test in 1956, on a Vespa.

    In 1958 Anke-Eve found a newspaper article about WIMA. In the Netherlands, in Scheveningen at the Zandvoort racetrack, Jopy Deijs-van Dinter was organising an international rally for motorcycle women. Anke-Eve and Hans rode over. She was one of nine participants at the rally which went down in history as the beginning of WIMA in Europe. She later participated in the 1959, 1960, 1961 and 1963 rallies, becoming WIMA’s international press correspondent. As well as attending WIMA Continental rallies, Anke-Eve was a regular at the mid-winter Elephant Rally in Germany, wrote articles for numerous international magazines and even designed her own leather motorcycle suits with the German manufacturer Harro. 

    In 1959, Anke-Eve beat eleven other WIMAs on her home circuit, the Nürburgring, and in 1961 she came first at the Hockenheimring in the pouring rain. Average speed: 125.9 km/h. The same year, Anke-Eve and Hans married, and she became a full-time housewife. It was the end of work and of financial independence, but she continued to ride motorbikes for another decade. After her son came a daughter – when her daughter was born, the following message came out at the 1965 WIMA Rally ‘Anke-Eve has given birth to a girl! Behold! The future of WIMA is settled!’

    (Written by Sheonagh Ravensdale from Trui Hanoulle’s interview with Anke-Eve in Wiesbaden in 2024)

    Anke-Eve Goldmann , Photo ©Trui Hanoulle

  • Jopy Deijs-van Dinter

    Jopy Deijs-van Dinter

    Continental Division Captain from 1959

    The first Continental division rally in 1958 was initiated by Jopy Deijs-van Dinter from Rijswijk in the Netherlands.

  • Brenda Alderson

    British Division Captain, 1962-1963

    Brenda joined WIMA in 1960 and in 1964 she started the newsletter … In those days the newsletter was an international edition that came out quarterly. Brenda was the first editor and later the circulation and advertising manager. When the newsletter began, Brenda’s job was to write it, send it to Louise, the international president, for approval, and on its return to type, duplicate, collate, staple and mail it! No small task. Later the latter part of the job was handed over to a printing company in America. 

  • Muriel Scott

    Muriel Scott

    British Division Captain from 1956

    Very little is known about Muriel. The first WIMA rally in England is recorded as having taken place in 1956 and was organised by the then captain, Muriel Scott. About eight members attended. Muriel was not elected, she was appointed by Louise. 

  • Michelle Lamphere

    Michelle Lamphere

    International Vice President since 2025

    “WIMA is a powerful network of passionate and inspiring women. I’m excited to support our members and help foster even more connection, collaboration, and visibility for women motorcyclists worldwide.” — Michelle Lamphere, International Vice President

    (October 2025)

    International Regional Officer – Americas and Australasia 2025

    In 2024, the International Council of National Presidents voted to create WIMA International regional officer roles and three regions: Americas & Australasia, Europe, and Asia & Africa. These new team members will work to develop and maintain good relationships among divisions in their region, support divisions with regional events, work with the international public relations officer on regional matters, foster good communications between divisions, ensure all NPs are informed about regional issues, assist the IP with preparing the NPs’ meeting agendas, write articles for the WIMA website and social media, help the IP and IVP to promote WIMA and grow new divisions.

    In 2025, Michelle Lamphere was elected by the NPs of her region as the first regional officer for Americas & Australasia. Michelle has served as the NP of the USA since 2020, building that division from dormancy to nearly 700 members. From 2013-2015, she travelled North, Central and South America by motorcycle, and published her account of this journey in ‘The Butterfly Route’. 

    In 2019, she helped to organise WRWR (Women Riders World Relay), a global women’s motorcycle relay, which included coordinating and communicating with non-English speaking contacts in more than 80 countries. Since then she has tried to keep her Spanish language skills current while building friendships and community for motorcycling women in the Americas.

    (2025) 

  • Siân Davis

    Siân Davis

    International Graphic Designer since 2024

    Contact details:
    Email: sian[at]wimagb.co.uk
    WhatsApp:

    Having been national president for GB for a couple of years and starting to get a grasp of WIMA as a whole, I felt my skills as a graphic designer could be put to good use on an international level and so I was nominated and voted in as the first international graphic designer. I hope to help create a cohesive image of WIMA all over the world, to promote a recognisable brand and help strengthen the bond between riders, national divisions and the public.

    (2025)