Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125746
By Ken Weingart Cycle News East RYE, N.Y., Aug. 23, 1971 - The New York Daily News front-paged the picture of a sweet little gal's face alongside an airborne CZ in full mo tocross trim. It was Miss Kerry Kleid, a demure (!) 21-year-old talented photographer who had just made history by being licensed as a real-honest-to-goodness Professional Motorcycle Competitor. Miss Kleid is small, slender, pretty and single. She speaks with the soft voice of a babe but her words emanate from a trained and educated mind. She has a quick wit and charming manner. And'she has successfully destroyed the AMA's stand against gal riders. Kerry had been issued a regulation green and white competition license by the Al\1A, but when she attempted to enter a meet at Unadilla, N.Y. on July 5th, it yvas "lifted ". A suit was promptly filed in Manhattan Federal Court under the jurisdiction of famed Judge Constance Baker Motley. Judge Motley is an ardent Women's Lib proponent, and is known as ultra-liberal in her decisions. Russ March, AMA Executive Director, explained that Miss Kleid's license had been improperly issued. He said that if- Kerry filed a proper application, her license would be immediately reissued. Miss KJeid then contacted her district A.iV1A congressman and received the necessary recommendation. The license was then issued and the court case was dropped. The AMA is struggling to organize its rather confused licensing procedures. Kerry is 2 I-years old. She looks younger. She does NOT look like any motocrosser I have ever seen. She does not act like most racers, having been a student at the University of Denver and at Franconia College in N.H. It was "up there" in New England that she was introduced to motorcycles and motorcycle competition. Within a short time after being dragged to spectate at a scrambles, she was out on the track and mixing it up with the boys. She consisten tly placed well. Kerry progressed from Novice to Expert her fIrst year out. Her early riding experiences are a credit to the farsigh tedness of Sal DeFeo, Ghost Motorcycle Sales, Port Washington, N.Y. Sal recogniz.ed her natural abilities and fostered them with funds, machinery, equipment, mechanics and instructors. A short ride east of Ghost is a sand and gravel operation that has bared a tremendous scarred wasteland. Sal's trucks would ferry Kerry and riders like Sonny DeFeo or Barry Higgins out to practice. She learned well. Nor is she limited in her talents. Kerry is a fine photographer and a skilled horsewoman. Her specialty is Dressage. Oddly enough, while never hurt on a bike, she managed to get busted by a horse. A few months ago, in Jersey for a meet, while loading the horses in a van, she was on the receiving end of a well-placed kick that slammed the tail gate into her face. Her nose was smashed and a laceration sliced from brow to lower lip. It took 60 stitches to get her together. And mo torcycles are dangerous? ,. • • • • • • *****.* •• ,. •• •• **** •• * ••• *.********** • • • ****** ,. ,. ,. ,. ,. ,. ,. KERRY KLEID, PROFESSIONAL MOTORCYCLE RACER •• * •• *.* • • • • • * • • • • • • Kerry rides machines furnished by American Jawa. She rides a 250cc CZ. Between American Jawa and Ghost, she gets a lot of top fligh t assistance. Miss Kleid is single, fellas. And, aye, therein lies the rub. You must ride as well or better if you want to be seen with her. Though she may be called a Women's Lib-type, she is quite feminine and realizes that she couldn't comfortably emasculate her date in front of a crowd. Her folks, Mr. & Mrs. Louis Kleid of Rye, N.Y. are' quite understandably proud of their daughter, but are not too thrilled with her ambitions. They are not motorcycle orien ted, nor have they ever ridden. They have seen her race Jt ,. ,. ,. ,. ,. .. ' ,. ,. ,. ,. only once. Mom claims that she didn't like it, but Kerry says that Mom talked about it for weeks after. Kerry is headstrong enough to have reached her plateau without any financial help from the folks, nor their blessings. Kerry started riding three shon years ago, yet she cannot give you a verbatim report on races won without referring to her scrap book. That's how many events she has been in. 1 asked her if she plans to try other forms of competition. It was not the first time this question came up. Her answer was quick and short. "Perhaps half mile. No one mile. No road racing". And then, "Yes, half mile. I'd like to race at Middletown, N.Y. I don't have the machine for it, but I'm willing to talk... ". She has done desert racing and loves it and will do more. Other than her photography, Dressage is her only other involvement. It is a form of horsemanship requiring tremendous skill, patience, dedication and concentration. It is diametrically opposed to the tension of motorcycle racing. Kerry fin sit relaxing. Dressage excites Arthur Godfrey. To each his (her) own. We will see a lot of Kerry on the track now. She is already planning on Unadilla this fall, and has been looking forward to events in Wisconsin and Idaho. She anticipates no animosity from other riders. Having ridden with the best of them, she asked (and received) no special favors. We migh t well find Kerry Kleid leading a new wave of pink leathers and sequinned bikes. It's a whole new ball game. The ladies gotta do better on the track than they do on the highways. Hch, heh, heh. I just th ought of those AMA Professionals that were caught with medical reports signed by obstetricians and gynecologists. Ohio is gonna have a ball with names like Kerry KJeid and Sammy Dunne. Neuter-gender names, feminine persons in and (former) all-male sport. As AMA Referee John Genise said, 'The only drawback is trying' to get promoters and track owners to install Ladies' Rooms in the pits for the' kid•. " They can always follow Jane Anne Poulos, the girl mechanic. She must have a few tricks by now. WELCOME, Kerry' Kleid, to the Wilder Wide World of Sports. We all wish you well. JUST REMEMBER TO SIGNAL IN TURNS. --_ • •,. * *. * • * • * * * * * *,. .**.* •••••••••••• ...... ,. .. ,. .. .. .. .. .. .. U " • • • • • . .. .. ,. •••••••••••••••••• * ••• .. .. .It Jt .. .. .. • It It It may seem ,like a 10.8 way (baby) from Victorian tenDis to cigareUe c:oiiimercials, but this lady has made a.!!!!L. jump. : -*************************.*********.*************************** •• *******- >- U ~ Jt .It .It : Z w .j ......--,,.,;,. ,. • - Jt u o ~ w