Women On Wheels – WOW!

Most people view biking as a macho thing, riddled with beards, sweat and lots of leather. Although they are right to some extent, what the masses don’t associate biking with is women. Sure, women aren’t exactly dominating the motorcycling world, but that doesn’t mean they’re not present! There are an increasing number of gutsy gals out there who actively choose to leave the stilettoes behind and strap on those riding boots. Forget nail paint and lipstick, these strong-spirited women bikers take on the open road like they do all things, with everything they got. There may not be as many of them as they’d like, but what they lack in numbers, they make up for in charismatic passion.

Back in 2011, two such women—Firdaus Sheikh and Urvashi Patole, decided enough was enough, and started ‘The Bikerni’- the first ever riding group exclusively for women bikers in India. These women from Pune had a dream to create a movement to motivate all women to embrace the wild side and travel to places never imagined, on a mode of transport that wasn’t embraced by their gender. Their efforts in spearheading women empowerment through motorcycles had a spectacular result; in just a few days, 200 women from across the nation assembled to join the ranks. "The Bikerni" is the first group registered with the International Women Bikers Association.

From then on, its only been on the up and up. Holding true to their cause, these women ride for social causes, especially those related to women and children. Having taken part in events like International Girl Child Day with CRY (Child Rights and You) as well as for the unforgettable ‘Damini’ case, they organize events such as motorcycle trips, participate in the international Female Ride Day each year, and are associated with Royal Enfield for a TV show. One of their most active members, Sheetal Bidaye, became the first ever female solo rider to reach the world’s highest motorable pass—Marsimik La, and earned her spot in India’s Limca Book of Records. Soon after, 11 of their riders set the record for the first and largest group of lady motorcyclists to reach another one of the highest motorable roads in the world—Khardung La. Of these 11 riders, one woman is Dr. Aparna Bandodkar, a Mum-biker (if you know what I mean) who formed ‘REgals’, which stands for Royal Enfield Gals, based out of Mumbai.

The time has come for biking to be represented by more than just men in black, but by women and all their colors as well. Who would’ve thought a vibrant saree and leather boots would look so good!

Visit Trails Of India, an online platform for everything to do with biking. You’ll find bike trails, exciting stories and so much more about these dynamic women. Download the app from the Google Play Store or the iOS App Store to start your journey.

A tech geek, who love to explore and share about the latest bike technology.