International Women’s Day: Challenges Female Motorcycle Travellers Face

Riding in India is a challenge in itself. Motorcycling even more. And sadly it just gets a lot more difficult and complicated for women to pursue the same. Not to highlight the recent tragedy that involved a pair of Spanish motorcycle world travellers, India’s staunch stance and regressive beliefs are a pain. And while a more concrete solution is the need of the hour, we here would like to try and make the joy of motorcycling all the more favourable for riders of all genders.

LACK OF PROPER FACILITIES

Finding clean and accessible restrooms can be a challenge on long journeys. Major highways offer some relief with food courts, but venturing off the beaten path often means compromising on hygiene. While most hotels don't deny restroom access, the general lack of clean facilities remains a concern. So, even though the Indian highway infrastructure will improve and get better, planning and identifying decent spots prior to the day’s ride will surely go a long way in easing this issue. Yes, this isn’t the best solution but one that unfortunately is a necessary one in the Indian context.

SCARCITY OF FEMALE-CENTRIC RIDING GEAR

Safety gear is paramount, but finding well-fitting options can be a struggle. The market for women's riding gear is limited, often with fewer choices. Thankfully, this is where some of our Indian brands must be lauded for actually taking the initiative and catering to the women’s needs. Both ViaTerra and Rynox have dedicated riding gear for female riders, providing the best solution for Indian female riders to stay safe on their rides. Even Royal Enfield’s riding gear department has dedicated gear for female riders. Thus, one needn’t wear just the same ill-fitting options that are generally suited for the male body type or worse still, wear gear that is ‘female-oriented’ just because it has pink accents.

LITTLE EMPATHY

While empathy is a good start, concrete solutions are required. As a society, we need to acknowledge the challenges faced by women motorcyclists and treat them as equals on the road. The Jharkhand incident isn’t the first but hopefully we can try to make it the last. A few months ago we came across an issue where female riders were mentally harassed by locals on the outskirts of Bengaluru, not because they were doing something illegal but just due to the fact that they had been taking a breather on the highway that had a bunch of houses located parallel to it. The fake sense of bravado and showing machismo needs to stop. And small steps like being a bit more welcoming will go a long way.

Motorcycling has no gender and we at Acko Drive intend to keep it that way. Hence, we would just like to extend our support to our female riders in any way possible, just so that we can keep our roads safe for all.