79 - One of My "Hero's"

I was sitting at my desk wondering what I was going to write today. The day was good, but nothing really stood out; then my phone rang. It was a friend of mine telling me that a mutual friend of ours had passed away. I know – my blog is supposed to be positive, and this is.

I can’t remember the first time I met Nickie Hero, but I know it was in the mid to late 70’. She was a member of the Motor Maids, the women’s motorcycling organization I belong to. She joined the organization in 1948, and after a number of discussions and arguments with me, accepted her golden life membership in 1998. Why did she argue about this? Well, it’s a long story, but I’ll give you the “Readers Digest” version – she was in a motorcycle accident where the doctors told her she might not walk again. It kept her off the bike for a couple of years, but even though she was in her late 60’s, early 70’s at that time, it did not stop her from working her rehab and eventually getting back on a motorcycle. You see, our constitution and bylaws state that in order to receive your Golden Life membership, you have to have 50 consecutive years of active riding membership. I was a National Officer at the time as well as our Florida District Director, and explained on more than one occasion that we have provisions in place for situations like this. She finally relented, but honestly, she was never happy with receiving her Golden Life membership – she didn’t feel she deserved it.  The rest of us, however, knew that she did.

Nickie and her husband “Hero” are both people I loved and looked up to in many ways. They were both pioneers in our sport. My friend, JSB, told me that Nickie had made her peace with her condition, talked honestly with Hero, then curled up and went to sleep, never to awaken again.

God speed, my friend. Enjoy your time with Nancy, Dot, Regina and all those others who passed before you, and join the forces of our guardian angels wearing Motor Maid blue.


Below is an article from a 1956 issue of The American Motorcyclists magazine about Nickie. Also 2 old photos of her from the same magazine.  The "snow" photo was from 1958.  Enjoy.  (The photo at the top was November of 2006, the last time I saw Nickie.)

KNOW YOUR STATE DIRECTOR – Nickie Hero, Florida

Nickie’s interest in motorcycles began when she was just a very little girl. She would save her pennies to buy gas for her brother’s old 1925 model cycle and in return for gas money he would let her ride on an old iron luggage carrier down a dirt road and bounce her across some rough railroad tracks to the service station. Then she would walk home while brother went for a ride on Nickie’s ten cents worth of gasoline. She is still doing the same thing! Saving her pennies to buy gasoline, that is. No walking this time, and no hard luggage carrier.

Nickie really began living when she married a guy AND a motorcycle! They went to California, honeymooning and Nickie rode buddy seat.


Andrew, Nickie’s husband, taught her to ride seven years ago and she promptly joined the Motor Maids of America. It wasn’t until 1950, when attending the Convention at San Antonio, that she really began to enjoy the Motor Maids as an organization. From that time on, she has looked forward to Motor Maids’ meeting. Nickie is on of the more active highway girl riders and has totaled up 135,000 miles of solo riding, covering all 48 states and part of Mexico and Canada.

Nickie’s hobby, sport, pleasure, means of transportation and interest is motorcycles! Several trophies have been acquired through the years of riding and most of them are long distance awards. There is one that is special, though. It was won in an endurance run. She has ridden many endures, having the best time fo her live in every one, but one time she won a trophy.

Andrew and Nickie Hero are motorcycle dealers in Pensacola, FL, and have one child. Their daughter, now nine years old, is learning to ride a 125 so she won’t waste any years before she knows the pleasure of motorcycling. Nickie is 5 ft6 tall and has always ridden a 74.