Drome riders experience centrifugal force between 3 and 4 G’s and don’t wear helmets due to the fact that the force would not let them even hold their heads up to see or hear while riding.
Sam credits the G force for keeping her in good physical shape. You have to be strong to control the bike on the wall at speeds up to 60 mph and even stronger to move around on the bike and perform acrobatic tricks. Not to mention the riders assemble and disassemble the wall themselves at each location and it is heavy, dirty, grueling work.
One legend dies and another emerges
Sam toured with Sonny traveling the seasonal carnival circuit across the U.S. and Canada up until 1981. While other riders left to go home in slower times, Sam’s home was with Sonny and the motor drome. Despite being a female, which was not an easy stigma to overcome in those days, Sam moved up in both the ranks and respect of drome riders quickly. She was a lithe, feisty, beautiful and strong woman with a passion for the adrenaline rush thrills that riding the drome brought.
At the end of the 1981 season in Canada, the carnival retired their drome, and all the riders were retired as well. They ended up working together on a horse farm in West Palm Beach, Florida where Sam had worked for many years during off season. Sonny eventually ended up running the farm. Sam missed the drome and went back on the road shortly after with another show. Sonny was diagnosed with diabetes and had to retire from riding permanently. He still came to visit Sam to give his help and advice up until he had a triple bypass heart operation in 1990. His health continued to decline and Sonny died in 2002.
continues
The American Drome Co.
Sam continued on with her career and eventually joined the The American Drome Co. owned by Jay Lightnin’ of Sturgis fame. The American Drome tours the U.S. and performs shows including Daytona, Sturgis, and Hollister for the biker rallies. Sam also rode as a trick rider for 3 years in the mid-nineties with the California Hellriders out of Massachusetts. The Hellriders were started by Sandra D. and her husband and riding partner Doni Daniels. Sandra D. is the only female presently drome riding in the U.S.
Sam rode in 11 dromes in her lifetime including two overseas, one in France and one in Germany, where she earned the admiration and respect of the drome riders and fans from around the world. She had a bad wreck in France in 1992 and spent 4 months in a French hospital recovering from a broken back, pelvis, ribs and numerous other serious injuries. Additional months were spent in a wheelchair recovering. Yet when asked about it later, Sam said the upside to it all was she learned to speak French during her time in the hospital. As soon as she recovered, Sam was back to riding.
Sam Morgan:
Queen of the Motor Drome
Sam Morgan taught the late, great Indian Larry to ride the wall shortly before his untimely death in August, 2004
“Indian” Larry Desmedt (April 28, 1949 - August 30, 2004) was a noted bike builder, stuntman, and innovator in the world of custom motorcycles.
Indian Larry was born in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York. He became interested in motorcycles at an early age, and became a fan of artist Kenny Howard (aka Von Dutch). He later moved to California to apprentice under legendary hot rod builder and pop artist Ed “Big Daddy” Roth.
Sam riding the Varanne Family’s Wall in France
Sam Morgan was loved and respected by so many around the world. Remembered as an amazing daredevil speeding furiously around the wooden walls with her long silver-blonde hair flying in the wind and always with her signature joyful smile on her face. She loved to “buzz” the big macho bikers watching her at the top of the wall with her front wheel. And she loved to see the children smile and squeal with awe as she sped around the wall. She was a friend, inspiration and mentor to many. When not riding, Sam loved to play guitar, was an avid animal lover, collected and worked on Vintage bikes and was an accomplished artist in both stained glass and glass etching artwork. Sam has been featured in The New York Times and Good Morning America for her career racing and acrobatic trick riding in wooden barrel motordromes.
Video of Sam Morgan in action on
ABC’s Good Morning America, Sept. 2006
