Women love riding bikes – Can we just stop being surprised at that, please?

By Debarshi Nayak

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If you search about women riding motorcycles on Google, you’d think you’d be greeted with a flurry of results about women-biker communities and articles about women riders but, what we are welcomed with is a barrage of content drivel that follows a similar vein – an element of surprise. Now, is it really unconventional that a woman can ride a bike? I think not, because it is completely NORMAL.

Look around a bit, and you will find out that a lot of girls are just as passionate about motorcycles as guys are made out to be. In fact, one of my friends has not only been an active participant of Bikerni—the country’s first and largest women’s motorcycle association, but is a die-hard fan of the Royal Enfield bike! And to top it off, also has the most enviable Enfield riding gear to boot. It was she, who introduced me to this amazing offer initiated by Drivezy on International Women’s Day. As part of their #RoadQueen offer, Drivezy is offering a flat 70% on all Royal Enfields on their platform. And it doesn’t stop there; riders can also avail an additional 30% back in their Drivezy Promo Wallet by sending in pictures of their road-trip stories.

Now that sounds like a crazy deal, right? Surely…it is a crazy deal without sounding “CRAZY”. The fact that the subject is being given the gravity and normalcy it deserves is refreshing and reassuring because bikes have been a part of women’s lives ever since they have existed. Don’t believe me? Let’s embark on a journey together.

Clara Wagner – First Woman Motorcyclist

Clara Wagner competed in 1907, and supposedly won an Indianapolis endurance race, but was denied a trophy because she was a woman. | Courtesy: Wheels through Time

The first documented woman motorcyclist, Clara Wagner, dates back to 1907. Clara, however, is known not just for being the first woman to ride a motorcycle – she also put the Wagner motorcycles on the map by achieving a perfect score in a FAM 360 mile endurance race from Chicago to Indianapolis in 1910 at the mere age of 18. And her journey, like countless other women bikers, had just begun.

Sonia Jain – First woman to ride 100 different motorcycles

Sonia Jain at Mana Village on Triumph T100 Motorcycle | Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Sure, the seeds of change may have been sown in the west, but India isn’t far behind when it comes to the achievements, biking communities, or records made by women bike riders. Let me introduce you to Sonia Jain, a digital marketer based out of Delhi who recently etched her name on the Limca Book of World Records for riding 100 different models of motorcycles. With this achievement, Sonia has become the first woman from India to have had ridden the highest number of motorcycles ever. Hang tight to those rails…it doesn’t stop here. 

Biking Queens – Independence Day Feat!

The ‘Biking Queens’ were received with a rousing reception after they hoisted the tricolour at one of the world’s highest motorable passes, Khardung La in Ladakh, on Independence Day. | Photo: Facebook/Biking Queens

A group of 56 women bikers going by the name Biking Queens rode over 10,000 km, covering 15 states to hoist the Indian national flag at a height of 18,380 ft at Khardung La pass on Independence Day in 2017. Having started their journey from Gujarat, the group covered 6,000 villages in 15 states over a period of 45 days. As Delhi’s first woman to be a bike taxi driver, Tumpa Barman wears her biker badge proudly. The 21-year-old ferries her women passengers around the capital city, says that her job has given her a confidence boost. And yes, there’s more. Recently another commendable feat was achieved by the BHF Women’s motorcycle team ‘Seema Bhawani’ – who displayed spectacular formation, expertise, and skill in motorcycle riding on Rajpath during the 69th Republic Day celebrations. The spectacle comprised of 108 women riders on 28 motorcycles, stunning viewers around the world. Now the more you decide to dig deeper, more such stories emerge.

It is now…more than ever before, that women are taking up motorcycling in record numbers – so let’s collectively ensure that we don’t act surprised when we see a woman riding a bike. Because when we do, it does have a dash of misogynistic conditioning, which certainly isn’t cool. So, let’s just be normal then, ok? OKAY?

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Featured Image Credits: hamerred49 via Instagram