Sally Stanke -- #640
Bozeman, MT
2004 Honda GoldWing
Trike, Lehman Conversion
************************************
After graduation from an all girls college in Columbia, Missouri, Sally purchased her first motorcycle, a 125 cc Harley Davidson with a
two stroke engine. That was 1950 when, according to Sally, the finishing school, Stephens College, did not quite get her finished! Sally took
off from Columbia, Missouri, enroute to Dade City, Florida, on that motorcycle. She spent a few weeks visiting in Florida and then she was
off again, riding that same bike from Florida to Illinois. Motorcycle riding is neither a passing fad nor a novelty for Sally Stanke. From that
first trip in 1950, until today, Sally has tallied many miles on any one of the many motorcycles that she has owned over the years, most of
which have been Hondas.
That first motorcycle ride in 1950 was not Sally’s first solo. To celebrate her 16th birthday, Sally earned her private pilot's license,
flying solo in a single engine land plane, at the earliest possible age allowed. She went on to earn her commercial pilot’s rating while
attending Stephens College.
After some traveling, Sally joined the U. S. Navy and spent 4 years in the service as an electronics technician. The Navy took her to
Hawaii where she purchased her 4th and biggest bike of the time, a Royal Enfield 250cc. It was not until many years later that Sally bought a
larger bike than the Enfield. While in Hawaii, Sally met her future husband. They married, had three children and were later divorced.
As a single parent, Sally began a career with the
United States Postal Service in Livermore, CA. Later she
transferred to Bozeman, Montana, where she completed 30
years of service as a federal employee. For many years, Sally
was busy working and raising her children. Vacations and
weekends for Sally and her kids were spent camping and riding
trail bikes. Each had their own trail bike that they would load
on a trailer and pull with her RV. When you visit with Sally
she will share with you the dirt roads and trails that she and her
children traveled with trail bikes. Some of them are the
highways favored by motorcycle riders today. One such road
is the Chief Joseph Scenic By Way in northern Wyoming. It
was a unimproved gravelled road when Sally and her children
were riding on it. Her kids grew up riding motorcycles on
trails mostly in Montana and Wyoming. They were riding on
trails long before they could legally drive. In 1972 the family
discovered great bicycling and motorcycling trails in the Moab,
UT area.
1963 Honda Hawk 305
Approximately 30 years after her first trip on a motorcycle, Sally found herself on the back of a Gold Wing, piloted by her adult
daughter, Jan. It was July of 1979, Jan had flown into Billings for her brother’s wedding. Jan found and purchased a used Honda Gold Wing
1100cc during her time off in Montana. She then planned to ride it to California where she lived. Sally had plenty of vacation time built up
from the Post Office. A trip with her daughter would be fun. Sally asked, "May I go, too?" Sally accompanyed Jan home as a passenger.
Granted, traveling the highways to California was a nice trip, Sally began to wonder why she was a passenger on the back seat of this
motorcycle, after all, she had taught this young one to ride! She and the kids had spent many years trail riding. Now, those trail riding
children were grown and no longer at home. She had time to travel, and she knew where there was a bigger bike for sale.
Upon returning home from California, Sally bought herself a Honda 400 cc. That was September. She promptly rode it to Florida.
The following year, 1980, she traded that 400cc for a 750 cc, another Honda. Sally had time to travel, and travel she did. As she was getting
the 750 serviced for another trip to Florida, she learned of a 1981 custom 900 cc with a shaft drive that was for sale. As soon as she returned
from Florida, she traded for the 900. And that is the bike Sally put the most miles on, over 46,000 while criss crossing the country.
Sally’s knees began giving her problems. Originally the knee injuries came from the softball Sally played when she was in her early
20's. The knees progressively worsened over the years. The leg position of motorcycling , walking and standing became very uncomfortable
for her. Sally took up riding a pedal bike for the exercise to keep her knees strong and in shape. To retain her mobility, Sally did thousands
of miles on organized group bicycle rides, in addition to intense Velodyne training at home from 1986 to 1998. She finally had to have the
knees replaced. Sally is the subject of two very successful total knee replacements. This has allowed her to be much more comfortable while
riding motorcycles.
In the summer of 2004, Sally began researching a builder that could
convert her 1997 Suzuki Intruder 1400 to a trike. She compared different
conversions. She chose the a Lehman conversion to be added to her beloved
19th bike. Sally took delivery of her old bike / new trike on October 15,
2004.
Connie Young, another one of the Big Sky Lady Riders had a trike, a
Honda Gold Wing with a Lehman Conversion. Connie suggested that Sally
take it for a spin. A Honda Gold Wing was a bike Sally had always dreamed
of riding ever since the trip to California with Jan. The Gold Wing had never
been an option due to her height. She was not tall enough to set both feet to
the ground while straddling a Gold Wing. She did not want to ride a bike
that she did not have complete control of, with both feet planted firmly on the
ground.
The whole picture came together when she rode Connie’s trike. Sally could now have the Gold Wing that she had always wanted It
did not matter that she could not touch the ground, not with a trike.
Sally began searching for a Gold Wing Trike. In May of 2005, Sally went to Washington, bought her 20th Cycle, and rode it home.
The Honda Gold Wing she had always wanted with a Lehman conversion was now a reality. By the end of the riding season in Montana,
Sally had tallied over 15,000 miles on her new ride.
Sally loves to travel . Today, she regularly takes long trips by herself on her Honda Gold Wing Trike. The summer of 2005 found
Sally busy attending many of the area’s women’s events. She rode with 5 others to attend the Chick’s Run in Wyoming. As the other gals
were preparing to head back to Montana, Sally said,”I will not be returning with you gals. I am riding to Colorado to visit some friends.”
They rode north and Sally rode south. At the Ride In Event in Boise, Idaho, she did the same thing. The Big Sky Lady Riders were headed
east and Sally headed north to visit in Spokane. Sally also attended the Ladies PAS Rally in Great Falls, MT, the Alberta Rally in Drayton
Valley, Alberta.
Labor Day Weekend found Sally with several of the Big
Sky Lady Riders and their husbands in the Black Hills of
South Dakota. That weekend, Sally shared her Birthday with
this group. They were so very honored to have Sally in their
company. In fact, honor is what is felt when Sally shares her
thoughts of travel, motorcycles, and life, with you. One of the
aspects of Sally’s experience that she wants to make sure
everybody understands – she would not be so actively riding
motorcycles if she had not taken care of her bad knees. She
stresses the importance of regular exercise and proper diet.
That is why she can still throw her leg over a motorcycle and
travel 700 miles in a day at the age of 75.
Sally is not hard to find. She is listed in the Bozeman telephone book.
She is also listed in the Women on Wheel® Member Directory. If you are
ever in the Bozeman area, look her up. On second thought, call ahead of
time, to assure that she will be home. She loves to have company. She likes
to have traveling companions, too. Sally will drop most anything for a day of
riding.
Sally’s mascot is a Skunk on Wheels. She has these skunks pasted on
everything that she owns. If you see a bright purple trike with a skunk on the
trunk, headed down the highway, wave. You have just encountered one of
the most experienced lady motorcycle riders in Montana.
This profile was put together by Cynthia K Black in 2005 with Sally's approval.