Malavika R., Post-graduate in Bio-diversity
She calls her Yamaha bike Abhay (fearless). After a 30-minute lesson from her dad’s friend on how to ride a bike, she booked her own. “I rode from my home in Vadavalli to SACON in Anaikatti almost every day to get acquainted with it,” she remembers.
Later, while doing her post-graduation in Pune, she went on long rides with friends to Mahabaleshwar, near Maharashtra, and regularly joined women biking groups on their rides too. “That is when the bug bit me,” she smiles. After completing her studies, she rode from Pune to Coimbatore and now leads the She Riders group.
Malavika recalls riding in Leh, the Mecca for any biker. “I got an opportunity to touch Khardung La, the highest motorable road twice,” she says proudle. She hired a Royal Enfield bike at Leh, touched Khardung La, went to Nubra Valley and came back. “I felt like I was on top of the road and became very emotional. There were hardly any roads, little oxygen and I had to ensure that I didn’t fall sick with Altitude Motion Sickness … yet, I made it all alone. Though the distance from Leh to Khardung La is 40 km, you gain an altitude of 7,000 ft and the uphill ride is quite challenging. But, the return was so much fun; it left me exhilarated.”
She documents all her rides and plans to send it to the Iron Butt Association of America.
Malavika says riding with an all-women group is exciting. “When you are in a group, you can easily find a solution to a problem. Once your helmet, and the safety gear is in place….there is no stopping you.”
Ranjitha Ravindran, RJ with Hello FM
Ask Ranjtha, “Why do you ride?” and she shoots back straight-faced, “Why do you breathe?”
She got hooked to biking when she saw a Stda X Akka zip past her on a bike. “I didn’t know what a clutch or gear was but I wanted to get on to a bike. You have unisex clothes, helmets; why not a bike?”
Her brother Mahesh Prasanna, an avid biker trained and encouraged her and she is now preparing for the Khardung La.
Ranjitha has ridden to Rameshwaram, Thrissur, Pollachi, and Kanyakumari along with the Lone Wolf Bikers, a biking group in the city.
“With She Riders, we want to help women who want to explore the road and build a sisterhood of bikers. We want to promote safe riding. When you ride in a group, you learn a lot,” says Ranjitha.
She is always seen with her Pulsar that she calls Romeo. “I don’t need any reason to go on a ride. Biking opens up several opportunities… you learn photography, you want to write about your experiences, you also become a foodie. During our breakfast rides, we hunt for the best food available.”
She Riders also want to do their bit for good causes like creating awareness on wildlife conservation or helmet awareness.
“We get flak for polluting the environment, especially during the group rides. We ensure that we allow only those bikes that conform to pollution norms. Coimbatore is still new to women bikers. So, we get a lot of negative comments from fellow riders, especially when we have a fall. But, there are people who encourage us with a hearty wave. That keeps us going.”
Abinaya Sundaram, Business Development Manager at Mystic Studios
“Biking is meditative,” says Abinaya. “A ride can perk me up immediately and make me feel confident.”
Abinaya started off as a commuter. “I renovated my dad’s Hero Honda Splendour, and use it for my daily commute. Though my parents were worried initially, they are very encouraging now. I got hooked to group rides after I saw a group of women riders waving to me in Chennai,” she recalls.
She says one has to interact with the bike and understand it to enjoy the ride. “I call my bike Pooh and am very sentimental about it.”
She also borrows her fiance’s Royal Enfield Classic for group rides. “You can ride any bike. Unlike a bike without gears, these bikes are more interactive.”
Though they are inspired by bikers like Chitrapriya and Alisha Abdullah, Abinaya says “Every single woman biker you see on the road is an inspiration.”
Hemalatha Periasamy, Works with ITC foods
“I live to ride…” says Hemalatha. “People who look at my thin frame are often doubtful if I can handle the weight of my bike. It’s all in your head.”
Hemalatha who has been commuting on her Yamaha, is now into group rides. “When we get stuck in the middle of traffic, men are very scornful about us riding a bike. But there are also parents who point to us and tell their daughters to learn bike riding. It leaves you with a high,” says Hemalatha.
Her brother taught her to ride a bike and now she wants to explore dirt racing and super bike racing too. “Rash driving leads to accidents. We want to set an example on how to ride safe, especially during group rides. With She Riders, we have done breakfast rides to Pongalur and Avinashi. And, we are looking forward to our first hill outing to Kotagiri soon.”
Shruthi Suresh, MBA student who also runs an event-management company
Through this column, Shruthi wants to request her parents to buy her a bike. “They worry that no one will marry a girl who rides a bike,” she laughs.
She borrows bikes whenever she goes on rides. Shruthi has done group rides with the members of Cotton City Throttlers biking group in the city. “Most parents worry about our safety. We always ensure that we wear a helmet, safety gear and maintain uniform speed during our rides.”
Shruthi’s ambition is to ride from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. “We want to encourage all those women who need an outlet to join us and enjoy the thrills. It gives you a great opportunity to find new friends, bond with families, and explore your hidden talent too.”
She says commuting on the city roads is not easy for women bikers. “ People still stare at us and pass negative comments. But, for us, a bike ride is so liberating.”
