Women and Biking? No Way…

Why should Boys have all the fun?

We can proudly say this because the number of female luxury motorcycle owners is increasing by the day. Luxury bikes are manufactured by companies like Harley Davidson, Triumph, Banelli, Ducati and Indian motorcycles. Larger disposal income, freedom to travel, personal and professional independence and new found love for these beautiful machines has gotten many women to own these  luxury bikes.

One such bike lover is Vaidehi Patil who doesn’t like cars now. While driving a car, she can’t feel the wind blowing through her hair; neither can she feel it thumping against her chest. However, she can only feel it when she rides her Triumph Bonneville . She is one of the 50 odd Triumph owners. In December, she rode it all by herself from Pune to Mumbai.

Many women riders have been introduced to biking either by their husbands or their boyfriends, when they accompanied them for rides. Now, the wives and the girlfriends are the riders themselves. In the past two years, the number of women accompanying their partners has multiplied by three times. These women riders are mostly well placed executives and entrepreneurs, who want to buy these machines with their own money.

Whether it’s for freedom, adventure or for spiritual experience, women are taking up biking with an increased voracity. More than half of the females riding motorcycles cite it as their key source of happiness. More than half of the female riders are happy with their current state of relationship. Studies have shown that after a ride, they feel less stressed and relieved. It boosts up their confidence levels and makes them feel independent and fearless. This helps in improving a woman’s feeling of self worth. Riding a motorcycle sends undetected, vibrations through the skeletal structure as you absorb the shock from both, the road and the motorcycle.

Harley has recognized the growing trend of women riding their own bikes and thereby created a “Women Riders” section on their website. This is a community for those who are interested in riding. Here, they can reach out to one another and find an overview of motorcycles, gear, rider testimonials, and also find events which interest them.