During the 1930s, motorcycles symbolized elite masculinity in Taiwan. Today, however, motorcycle riders do not only include wealthy men, but also men and women from different class backgrounds, marking an important historical shift. In this article, I explore what led to this shift: the changing relationship between motorcycles, masculinity, and class. The research materials I use in my analysis include advertisements, newspaper articles, and interviews with motorcycle users. This article is divided into three periods: 1930-1963, 1964-1980, and 19811-2007. In the first period, motorcycle riders were predominately wealthy elite men, with women riders constituting only a small minority. At the time, men rode motorcycles to display their identity, status, and masculinity while women rode motorcycles to embody the new image of 'the modern woman'. In the second period, riders were no longer predominately elite men, but men of diverse class backgrounds, including the working and peasant classes. Through owning a motorcycle, the latter were now also able to display their masculinity and prove that they were responsible men; for women, on the other hand, the motorcycle became simply a means of transportation. In the final period, scooters mostly replaced motorcycles on Taiwan's streets. But while working-class men began using motorcycles primarily to earn a living, a few in the middle class still used them to perform masculinity, distinguishing them from traditional middle-class men. Finally, some women began using motorcycles as a way to display and strengthen their masculinity.