The motorcycle diaries

Sisterhood on wheels

Esha Gupta met a few foreigners during one of her trips and learnt that they came to the country to rent bikes and visit Leh-Ladakh. This stirred an idea in her mind — she also wanted to ride a motorbike to the mountains.

She came back to the City and hoped one of her male friends would lend her his bike so that she could learn how to ride it. When that option failed, she decided to buy her own motorbike and make her wish come true. Today, she’s part of ‘Bajaj Avengers Club’ and a pro rider who loves travelling and exploring places with her Bajaj Avenger 220 DTS-i.

Just like Esha, the City witnesses many women who’ve taken over the roads with
their prized possessions of Harley Davidsons, Royal Enfields and more. Women are rising to the occasion with their geared bikes, often shocking onlookers.

Deepti, a proud Royal Enfield Thunderbird owner, says, “It’s the love of my life. As a child, I remember sitting on the tank of my dad’s Enfield; the feeling of the wind in my hair and straddling a beating, thumping, powerful machine stayed with me till I could get my own ‘thump’. My love affair with the bike started when my dad would open his bike almost every Sunday and I would be his happy helper.” She’s also the administrator for the Bengaluru chapter of an ‘all-women-all-India’ biking club called ‘Bikerni’, where women from around the country connect and interact to share their passion for bikes.

Over the years, women have moved past stereotypical gossip to discussing bikes. They are proving that they can be as daring and skillful in negotiating sharp turns and making bold manoeuvres as men.

Sangeetha Jairam, a bike enthusiast, says, “I have been riding a bike since I was 15. Sport bikes and dirt bikes are my favourites because of the kind of riding I like to do. The kind of terrains I enjoy are more of nature and rough roads rather than smooth tarmacs. The challenge of different terrains thrills me.”

Chitra Priya created history by becoming the only female bike rider in the country to have completed the ‘Saddle Sore’ endurance ride. She rode her Honda CBR250R for more than 23 hours from Bengaluru to Pune and back to win the title.

Many others have tried to be part of this race, but were unsuccessful in beating Chitra’s staggering record of 2,500 km. But for most women, it’s not about being part of a club or going on adventure rides.

 “I ride for the sheer leisure. It relaxes me and gives me the confidence to conquer the world sometimes. I don’t get why people make such a big deal about it. Just because I’m a woman does not mean that I can’t ride a heavy bike — they are not even that heavy! But it is nice to see some jaws drop; it gives my ego a boost,” explains Jessie Zachariah, another bike enthusiast.

Whether they are riding bikes for the convenience or to feel the wind through their hair, women bikers are growing stronger by the day in the City. These women are passionate when they handle the vehicle, go on doubles and triples, and are more adventurous than men.

Gowri Yale, a member of another women biker group called ‘Hop on Gurls’, says, “I don’t think any woman should limit herself to a certain type of vehicle; the more types of vehicles you use, the better it is for your mobility and unlimited freedom.”