Michele Smith from the famous TV series American Thunder on SPEED Channel and then Two Wheel Thunder on Discovery HD Theatre, is by far the most recognizable female face in the motorcycle world, she is the celebrity we all know and love. If you’ve been to a major motorcycle rally anywhere in the country, you’ve surely seen it. She makes public appearances, signs autographs and has fans take pictures with her wherever she goes. How did this happen? How did she become a celebrity in the motorcycle community? Michele has been a dear friend of mine for the last 4 years when we met on the production of American Thunder, and I have produced several other videos with Michele as the subject of admiration. I wrote to her the other day and asked if I could do a story on her and she gladly agreed and said, “Ask Shannon, anything for you love.” So I did.
I, like many others, want to know how she became the First Lady of Motorcycles. While talking to her, I said several times that she was a celebrity and she finally stopped me and said, “First of all, I don’t consider myself a ‘celebrity,’ I’m just someone who became a recognized figure in the motorcycle industry.” . So from there, the word “celebrity” was left out of the conversation. So to start off I simply asked him “Where did it all start for you and the motorcycle?” His answer was as follows (Michele Smith): “My first step to be part of the motorcycle world was to take the motorcycle safety course in Ca. because of a foreign video I was working on. They had hired a double of risk to drive and When this little 90 pound girl came along I almost fell! For the close ups they strapped the bike to the back of a pickup truck and I had to sit on it and pretend I was riding as I drove down Hollywood Blvd. I thought Heck I’ll never let this happen again so the next day I signed up for the motorcycle safety course and ordered a new Sportster 883. That’s how I started riding.My first ride was one in Southern California called “The Love Ride”. I had a lot of fun. Not long after that, I went to audition for “American Thunder” and the rest is history.
That explains the beginning of his passion for motorcycles, but I wanted to know more. This is the woman, who is in “The Knowledge” of the motorcycle world, where she has been for the last 10 years and where she is going in the next. This is a brain I had to choose, now if she could get through those beautiful golden strands of hair that fall like a waterfall of pure gold… ~~ Oops, sorry, end the dream sequence, I’ll just ask her. Michele, how have things changed in the last 10 years, more appropriately, in the last few years? (Michele Smith) “. I think what’s changed since I’ve been a part of motorcycle culture is the fact that there are a lot more women riding today than there were 10 years ago. When women see other women riding, they think ‘geez “. , if she can do it, so can I.” Women are no longer satisfied sitting on the back of a man’s bike. Look at me, I went from posing next to these bikes in my early modeling years to riding a motorcycle, something I thought I would never be able to do until that 90-pound girl showed up on the video shoot. I wish I could find her just so I could thank her! It’s funny, I guess my style has changed a lot since the early days before I got into the motorcycle business. I was going through my closet the other day and looking at some of the designer clothes (now vintage like me) that I managed to hold on to and thought now what I would look like riding a bike. Yes, I dressed very differently back then, but I also spent a lot of time. I was abroad and it was a completely different lifestyle. I’m so much more comfortable these days in a pair of ripped jeans and boots!”
Now, one thing I’d like to mention here is that Michele is also a big advocate of female riders getting on the bike in the front seat, grabbing the bars and going on an adventure. I have seen and met many women who have said they would never have gotten on the front of a bike if they hadn’t seen Michele riding Daytona or Sturgis or on TV at some point, she is the hero of it. Obviously, Michele isn’t the first woman to put an American iron through her leg, look at Margret Wilson, who has ridden more than half a million miles on a motorcycle and is a member of Motor Maids, Inc.’s Golden Life. But what Michele has achieved is this, she has brought it into the mainstream, she used her talent and beauty to change the hearts and minds of people all over the world when it comes to the position of female riding on a motorcycle.
Moving on, I wanted to know where Michele thought she would be if she joined the motorcycle industry.
(Michele Smith) “Let’s see where I would be if I wasn’t in the motorcycle industry. That’s tough. I started out in the entertainment industry and that’s pretty much all I know except designing lingerie (www.jeweledgs.com). For a while I was so busy with the lingerie line, at one point I thought about quitting the TV show. Thank God I stayed!” Michele is the designer of the line of Jeweled G’s thongs that embellish the back of the female figure. Michele has also designed the “No Needle Tattoos” t-shirts that make your arms look like you have these awesome arm tattoos. You can find them on her website.
Now you hear all these stories of famous people having issues with stalkers or weirdoes behind them or paparazzi just making her life miserable, but Michele feels perfectly safe in the biker community. She said: “I’ve met a few weirdos in my day but that’s to be expected but no one has harassed me or done anything to really cause an alarm. I feel very safe amongst the biker community, there are so many personals.” bodyguards around who have received hugs while enjoying themselves to the fullest.
Now that we’ve learned how you became the most famous woman on a motorcycle, what are you doing now? (Michele Smith) “I’m still making personal appearances. Rhode Island was the first stop of the New Year. I’ll be making appearances mostly in the East/Northeast, as that seems to be the market for a lot of the events I book. Even in the months In winter there are many indoor events.Keep in mind that most people can’t get out and ride in the snow covered areas, so the indoor events give them a chance to see what’s new on the market.American Thunder it went off the air at the end of 2009. In 2010 I did a new show for Discovery HD Theater. We did about 10 episodes and now that’s gone too! We really need another good informative motorcycle show. I have fans who would love to see something new , everyone misses American Thunder and Two Wheel Tuesdays. The problem is that Reality TV took over and it seems like now all the shows are based on reality.”
Back to the brain selection… Ooohhh, silky.~ Sorry, I got lost in the golden flow again… Personally, I’ve seen a lot of changes in the motorcycle world in the last few years, and I was sure that Michele would have an opinion on the subject so I said this. Michele, tell me where you see the motorcycle world going in the next 5 years, from touring to enthusiasts and how they ride. (Michele Smith) “Over the last few years I have really seen the industry go under. Many builders and suppliers went out of business and moved on. But I see positive change coming and things are slowly picking up. There will always be enthusiasts of motorcycles and as long as there are people who love to ride bikes, there will also be people who will buy bikes, parts and accessories, they may no longer spend a lot of money on a custom one, but have the desire to have a motorcycle for some still they’re there. I meet motorcycle enthusiasts at events all the time who tell me they have not one, but two or more bikes in the garage. And now they’re just taking good care of them and putting little extras on them to keep them going. theirs
It would seem from what you see or don’t see on TV that Michele Smith’s tour is coming to an end, but I know Michele pretty well, if there’s anyone out there who can take a lemon and turn it into lemonade, she’s the one. The motorcycle industry has been fueled in many ways by Michele Smith and many people, including manufacturers, owe it to her for getting the word out about their products, events, or simply giving them the confidence to get on a bike for the first time. time. She’s a celebrity to us, even if she doesn’t see it that way, we look up to her, look up to her, and of course we can’t stop looking at the Twins. So Michele, thanks for taking the time to enlighten our readers with your story, it’s one we all wanted to hear about and we certainly hope to see a lot more from you in the future, maybe something like your work in July/August 1991. those who are true fans of Michele Smith. Until next time, see you on the road.
More information about Michele Smith, including booking information, can be found on her website, www.michelesmith.tv