Lillian LaFrance was born as Lillian Ossage, but she changed her last name when she got into riding in motordromes. In 1916, she ran away from home in Kansas to be part of a traveling carnival.

Eventually, La France became one of a very limited number of women stunt riders and was the most popular female stunt rider in the 20’s and 30’s. La France was billed as the “World’s Foremost Woman Motorcycle Stunt Rider” and also as “The Girl Who Flirts with Death.”

In the 1924, at the age of 30, LaFrance started riding Indian Motorcycles in the Wall of Death motordrome and was one of the most popular stunt riders, male or female. Although she was very talented at riding motorcycles in the Wall of Death, LaFrance eventually became the first person to drive a small midget car in the motordromes.

She wore the popular skull and crossbones design on her jersey. It is speculated that she did so because she romanticized her possible death-wish.

Here is a video of her riding in the Wall of Death. Let us know what you think on social media.