Marianna Taylor of Motorcycle Mechanics Institute

Marianne taylor in north carolina with her harley davidson motorcycle

In a wave of blue and black shirts that flooded the hallways of my school, I was among the less than 10% of women who had chosen to make a career in the motorcycle industry by attending a mechanics institute. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2015 women made up 26.7% of jobs in the motor vehicles and equipment manufacturing industry. A mere 7.3% of these women worked in automotive repair and maintenance.

When I walked into one of my last courses of the Harley-Davidson technician program I was met with an outstanding and inspirational representation of the latter statistic.

Today, yielding a special place in Daughters of the Road’s span of influences, we are sharing the story of Marianne Taylor: the one and only female instructor currently teaching at the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute in Florida.

Marianne Taylor has worked for several dealerships as a technician (mechanic) over the years. She began turning wrenches at a Saturn dealership, then devoted 14 years working with Harley-Davidson Motor Company. She has taught motorcycle safety courses for 17 consecutive years, automotive courses in vocational schools, and today she teaches motorcycle mechanics courses at a leading technical school.

As a young girl, Marianne’s internal compass aligned with the world of gears, grease, and the intricacies of the machine. Initially, choosing a career as an automotive technician resonated with her because it allowed her to gain a skill that she knew she could take anywhere in the world, find work, and make a living wage. What transpired was a transformative journey, one that allowed her to develop a deep understanding of the intricacies of both man and machine.

Because of the existence of many barriers to entry as a woman in the automobile industry decades ago, the rejections seemed to outweigh the opportunities. In 1993, she was given a chance by a service manager at a Saturn dealership to prove herself. Among the roughly 200 other technicians who serviced every vehicle from Saturn, GM, Pontiac, and Cadillac, she was the only female to occupy a lift in the facility. After about a year, her co-workers began to accept her. “It was challenging to say the least,” she recounted.

With a strong fortitude and an encouraging demeanor when I attended her class, I couldn’t help but imagine what sequence of events molded such a figure, and what interested me moreso were the potential lessons that could be imparted upon me. I was moved by the advice that she so graciously shared with us, and committed to memory the wise words that have already aided me.

A guiding principle that kept her head held high through challenges is a personal commitment that is burned into the fiber of her being: the firm belief that the first step to doing anything takes the strong investment in knowing that you are indeed capable.

“When I wanted to learn how to ride a motorcycle, there wasn’t anyone in my life that supported my decision. Not family, not friends. I learned about the motorcycle safety course, enrolled in it, got my license and had my first bike before I shared with my father what I had done. When I told him, I saw him cry for the second time in my life. It was decision that I made on my own, for myself. It turned into a hobby first, then a passion and a profession,” Marianne stated in her interview.

The newfound and intentional discovery of motorcycles marked a significant shift in her life. She one day faced a grave ride to work, during which one of her customers cut her off in a car and nearly caused a potentially fatal accident. From then on, Marianne vowed to serve motorcyclists both in keeping their bikes on the road and keeping their own lives on the road.

The years she’s spent serving as a motorcycle safety instructor has undoubtedly changed the lives of countless riders.

We asked if there was anything that she noticed different pertaining to women in their participation of the riders’ course, and she responded with a poignant memory.

When instructing a rider’s course one morning, she noticed a woman struggling in one of the first exercises. The woman stated aloud, “I just can’t do this!” Marianne in her empowering and sincere manner responded, “Well, if you truly believe that, then you probably can’t. But you are a strong, bright, and capable woman. I believe you CAN. Try to take that voice in your head and turn it around. Use it to focus on what you need to do to succeed, rather than beating yourself up.”

Resonating with this story, I reflected upon my own journey through both learning how to ride and to wrench on motorcycles. I realized that throughout each, my biggest enemy was my own voice inside of my head. Learning to transform that energy into constructive problem-solving and committed focus shifted the game that I play with myself.

A common tendency for women is to expect immediate perfection. Many of us have been bred through many microaggressions to believe that if we are not producing excellent results to begin with that there is something wrong with us, or that the activity, whatever it may be, isn’t for us. However, the true payoff of learning and thriving lies both within its practice and inevitable failures.

“Be patient with the process” is a statement Marianne reiterated throughout the interview.

Patience fosters the new generations of motorcycle mechanics that Marianne has a hand in developing every three week rotation. She frequently teaches the classes that require complete disassembly and reassembly of various Harley engines and transmissions, and those that delve into the evolving technologies of the motor company.

Since she transitioned into teaching motorcycle mechanics, I am positive that many students will testify to the aptitude she has for teaching, and the genuine quest she has for her students to succeed: no question will go without a thoughtful answer, and no judgement ever will be passed in her presence.

I am comforted in the fact that out of the 7.3% of women devoting their lives to the industry, many motorcycle mechanics and riders to come will have the opportunity to learn under Ms. Marianne Taylor’s influence and together we will increase the statistic.

Furthermore, we hope that her message can be spread even further through other DOTRs that may find interest in motorcycles, whether it be learning to ride or to wrench. With an honest and unapologetic integrity throughout her work, she stands as a testament to the fundamental values upon which DOTR was founded.

J Shia of MADHOUSE MOTORS

With humility and an unwavering diligence, J. Shia of Madhouse Motors represents an elite caliber of people who grind - both literally and figuratively. As a motorcycle mechanic and builder, she brings unique talents molded with skill to the forefront. As a business owner, she shelters a plethora of bare bones motorcycles and the people willing to breathe new life to them. J and her team have restored and built a multitude of motorcycles over the years and continue to deliver pieces that stand the test of time.

Camaraderie has always been a pillar of the motorcycle community. It is the foundation upon which we build riding clubs, it is the basis for the subtle wave we send to passing riders, and it is what binds us together as a subculture and separates us from the masses. When Kristen first introduced me to J. Shia and the work of the Madhouse Motors team, what shined through amidst my fervent scrolling of their photos (which depict many powerful, yet beautifully-crafted machines) were the intangibles: family, passion, artistry and soul. It is the unique recipe of these ingredients that this team has mastered, and continues to replicate time and again, that qualifies J. Shia and her entire Madhouse team as legends in the making.

Attempting to be diligent in my preparation for this interview, I attempted to locate some background information on J.’s life and her many accomplishments. I was perplexed to find that this woman, who at this point I have grown to worship, is essentially “off the grid” and relatively absent from internet coverage. Upon admitting this discovery to J., ever so humbly, she replied:

“I guess I stay low-key because I’d rather be a part of the community than stand out under a limelight. I have to brand myself as it is, and I’d rather only do it as much as necessary to get new customers or projects in the door. I’d rather focus on building momentum for the shop and showing off the projects we do.”

It is this humility and grounded-nature that sets J. apart from many of the icons being broadcast within the industry today. Madhouse’s focus is always on the machines and the craftsmanship, not the pomp and circumstance of being a part of a growing clique within the biker community.

Upon inspection of both J.’s personal Instagram and that of Madhouse, one may notice the simple beauty reflected in the photography of the images. J. began her formal education in art school studying to be a travelling documentary photographer. Her artistic vision is evident in the attention she pays to the minute details of both the photographs and the machines depicted therein.

Tracing the roots of the motorcycle bug - mounira shia in lebanon

One can trace J. Shia’s mechanical roots back to skilled metal workers in Syria and Lebanon. With the rust and grit coursing through her veins, it is easy to assume that J. has been wrenching with her immediate family from day one. Much to our surprise, she told us that, while a majority of her immediate family are riders and mechanics, her mentor in the moto community is Sayre Anthony (Head Mechanic at both Madhouse Motors and Nova Motorcycles). To “whom I credit for most of my personal growth as a mechanic and the growth of the shop as a whole,” she shared.

As most often happens when we get to speak to people whom one finds inspirational, we were eager to know what inspires J. Shia. What are her aesthetics? What motorcycles get her blood pumping? In the realm of photography, J. aspires to channel legends like Bruce Davidson and Shelby Lee Adams. When it comes to bikes, she admits that her inspiration is dependent upon the nature of the build and the customer themselves. She implies that inspiration is easy to find in an industry “with so many talented folks out there.”

She did share that she’s in love with all things vintage, specifically pre- and mid-WWII era machines. “I’m most proud of a few restorations we did over the past winter on some bikes from the 1920s and 1930s. I’m a bit of a history geek, so I was super happy when we got the jobs,” J. said.

There is neither a bike too obscure, nor an engine too small for J. and her Madhouse family. Pride in true craftsmanship and the heart of each hand that touches it is left imprinted on every build Madhouse puts out. Everything they produce seems to acquire its own identity before it leaves their shop: from a beautiful little Honda Dream (cb77) to a rugged and historic 1951 Gillet Herstal (Belgian military bike), the perfection of each machine stands as evidence of the kind of dedication that can only be dredged up from a special place of the soul, one that is devoted only to truly passionate endeavors. It seems that J. and her cohort have harnessed this passion (one that many spend their whole lives chasing) and reproduce it again and again for each of their builds, making them unique in a scene where words like vintage and custom often become trite.

Ironically, what makes J. herself so unique, are some of the very qualities that many consider “normal”. She endures the standard daily grind: Waking up early, getting her “kiddo” ready for his day, loading her truck, opening shop, and depending on caffeine as the lubrication that keeps that machine running. She never subscribes to the idea that she is a pioneer in the women’s scene, insisting that what she and the Madhouse “family” have built is more of a community accomplishment than a singular effort. That community not only holds the employees of the shop, but the customers and the greater Boston riding community.

J. shared a bit of what makes Boston a haven for riders:

“...the people in Boston who ride are unbelievably supportive of each other. I’m not sure if that’s unique—I hope other city riding scenes are the same—but Boston riders are really fond of helping each other out and supporting each other with everything from builds to breakdowns.”

Images of lively barbeques coupled with video clips of bikes ripping through dirt prove to us that this Madhouse family has found a way to make their passions their livelihoods.
 

“I think what sets Madhouse Motors apart from other shops is that we’re not in it for the competition; we just want to make and fix bikes so that people can enjoy them. The shop is a place where my friends and family can hang out and enjoy each other’s company. The Madhouse outfit is a ‘family’ business, but most of the people who make the whole thing work aren’t related by blood.”

Ever-clinging to her cool demeanor, J.’s most valuable advice, characteristically, is also the most simple: “Do it because you love it, share your knowledge and keep the competition to a minimum.”

If presented with an album of their work, one can see that the Madhouse Motors credo of ignoring the instinct to compete, becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy: In the commitment of the Madhouse team to ignore competition, they have achieved a level of their craft that has made them a force to be reckoned with within the builder community, therefore putting them in a class all of their own.

Yet, what I love most about what J. and Madhouse Motors have built is neither held together by bolts, nor powered by fuel, but is an abstract. They carry an unpretentious image that concerns itself solely with family, motorcycles and community. There is beauty in simplicity and J. and the team at Madhouse Motors have become the champions of that ideal.

To drool over their raddest of creations and to follow J. and the team in action, check out www.madhousemotors.com or follow @madhousemotors and @jshia on Instagram.

Sofi Tsingos of GT-MOTO

“He who works with his hands is a laborer.
He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.
He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.”

— Francis of Assisi

PhOTO BY BRANDON LAJOIE

A coalescence of craftswoman, artisan, and philanthropist - Sofi Tsingos is  what one might call an modern Renaissance woman. She is known for her cafe racer builds, which echo the aesthetics of art deco, paired with her own twist on science fiction. Alongside her father and the GT-Moto family, Sofi has built over a dozen custom motorcycles since 2010 ranging from her first, a 1977 Honda CB550, to her latest, a 2013 MV Agusta Brutale 800.

It all began with some duct tape and a motorcycle. Sofi light-heartedly recounts in her interviews of a tale in which she, as an infant, was strapped with duct tape to her father’s motorcycle gas tank. It is no wonder that this blue-eyed baby would grow up to crave the smell of fuel and the symphony of turning ratchets. George Tsingos, a prior aircraft mechanic, became the first superhero in Sofi’s world. The due diligence and countless requirements for quality control that he practiced in his craft molded the habits and priorities that Sofi has adopted in her building routine.

Having also grown up under the wing of an aircraft mechanic, I, too, appreciate the knack for patience and the “getting-the-job-done-right-the-first-time” mentality that has been hard-hammered into my working routine. There is a certain finesse that is acquired when one is aware of the potential for damage if even the finest of details is overlooked. When a person flies, his/her life is dependent on how well the plane has been built and maintained. There is no margin for error when lives are at stake. Thus, it seems natural that aircraft mechanics gravitate towards the world of motorcycles where they know their skills will be put to the very same test. Two wings in the air and two wheels on concrete demand the same type of care and respect.

photo by brandon lajoie

“I don't care how much you know or how long you have been doing it, you get your work checked,”  Sofi states in her interview. The devil is in the details, yet Sofi has been practicing the drill of hyper-attention, and the evidence of this has materialized in her unique custom builds. A decade ago, Sofi became a testimony to the importance of those details. While owning a Ducati 996 race bike and 748 street bike, the maintenance performed by shops that she thought she could trust ended up being more of a detriment to her bikes than she had expected. Fed up with sub-par work, she decided to attend a technical school so that she may learn how to work on the motorcycles herself. Through this, she gained the comfort and peace of mind in knowing that the work would be done right if done by her own two hands.

From then on, she’s been continuously expanding her skill set, namely by taking fabrication classes at night and practicing by day. After working in dealerships, aftermarket shops, custom chop shops, and performance shops, Sofi still attests that her most invaluable skill is the ability to learn. She dives headfirst into what fancies her curiosity and stands as a testament of patience and hard work. It is because of these things that she has become a force to be reckoned with - she is ever-flourishing in her talents and will continue growing, and therefore, rising.

When asked why she chose to start GT-Moto rather than build on her skills in a dealership environment, Sofi replied that she chose to work alongside her father because he “never tied his employee’s hands.” Working in a multitude of areas in the car and motorcycle industry opened her eyes to the many possibilities, but working with her specific team allowed their individual creative passions to thrive. Herein lies the mission of GT-Moto, the desire to create a family that employees and customers will enjoy, thus, creating a home. In her ever-humble nature, she prescribes to the notion that there isn’t much that hasn’t been done before. So with open doors, Sofi hands off her knowledge to those who are eager and ready to absorb, with the intent to create more well-informed riders and wrenchers. Such a willingness to “spread the love,” so to speak, creates a positive, infectious attitude within the people GT-Moto affects.

Even more than developing a space in which people may cultivate their creativity, Sofi holds her fist in the air for a cause that’s beyond her own work. After several personal experiences with cancer, Sofi has found herself deeply rooted in the fight to find a cure for the disease. “I am not book smart and will never be able to find the cure for cancer. I will never be a doctor. I feel like if we can all put what we are good at to use, then we can change the world for the better,” she avows. Several of her motorcycle builds have been focused with that cause in mind and proceeds have been raffled off benefiting people directly inflicted by cancer (See: Bethany’s Build), or research institutions such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Armed with a passion, a cause, and a work ethic beyond that of many people we know - Sofi Tsingos exemplifies the core values that should always put on a pedestal. She works without fear, but rather, with a mission to leave a lasting positive impact on the things that fuel her daily. We believe that she is readily equipped to create change whether it be in inspiring women to dabble where their curiosity leads them, or helping in the quest to discover the cure to cancer.

To see more of Sofi Tsingos and support the efforts and artistry of GT-Moto, check them out at www.gt-moto.com.