India's First All-Women Motorcycle Riders Team Will Make History In the Himalayas Starting Today

Come 9th July, 2016, 20 women bikers will create history by being the first all-women biking expedition to the Himalayas. From mothers and professionals to students from various parts of the country, this ride to the northern hills is already creating much buzz in the women biking community. The Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey-Women (HO-W) edition is a 2,200 km treacherous journey through rough, mountainous terrain for almost 17 days where women will travel from Delhi to Kashmir and end their journey in Chandigarh on 24 July.

Apart from riders, the entire crew from doctors, mechanics and technicians to back-up drivers as well, are all women. They are being led by the much renowned Pune sensation, Urvashi Patole, the founder of India’s first women bikers community, The Bikerni. Rising from 11 members in 2011 to 1000 members in over 20 chapters across the country, 28-year-old social media analyst Patole has previous experience with such expeditions but never an all women one.

“I have received training in first aid, self-defense (Israeli Krav Maga) and handling extreme situations during such rides in the last few months. Six Pune Bikerni members are joining me apart from women from other cities. They are a mixed bunch of moms, married women, students and others. I am very excited for the journey,” she said.

Patole had led a 10-women expedition to Nubra Valley in the past but the ridicule hadn’t left them. “As women, even if you are riding and your support team is comprised of men, people will still have the misconception that women can’t do anything without them. We will not be taken seriously or be thought of as attention seekers. There is a thought process that women need hand-holding, support in adverse situations.

Even while riding, people don’t give women riders privacy and might crowd us and pay too much attention. Harassment and eve-teasing is also quite common but we are ready to deal with all of this. With this ride, I hope we bust some myths,” she said.

Patole will teach riders how to tackle tricky rocky terrains, how to ride through slush, water and snow and fix their own bikes if need be. Royal Enfield is teaching their women factory staff to be onroad mechanics for this expedition. 30-year-old Sarah Kashyap, Royal Enfields' first female rider hired in the rides team, is Patole’s co-lead rider.

As an assistant manager in the strategic initiatives of the rides team in Gurgaon, Kashyap has been consciously focusing on the female element of bike riding ever since they began their STRE initiative. 'She travels on a Royal Enfield,' a clever play on the hindi word ‘Stri’ for women began in 2015 to create more platforms for women bike enthusiasts.

“In the last year or so, we have seen a huge growth in the number of women riding as pillions and riding bikes themselves. Their enormous presence at our events was proof enough for the need to create something like STRE. We have organized inter-city rides but it is our first ever all women cross country ride. We were afraid we won’t find a back-up van driver but we eventually did. Women working in the production line in the factory carrying out different functions were roped in and trained as mechanics for this ride. We have gone all out on finding the best all women crew we could and were optimistic about it coming together, and it has,” she said.

STRE is also tutoring, mentoring and supporting women motorcycle enthusiasts in the country. With this expedition, they hope more women will come forward and take charge of their wheels. “I am sure that when we come back, all of us will be seasoned riders and capable of doing something like this by ourselves. Nothing is more liberating and gives immense confidence boost like riding your own motorcycle to wherever you want to go,” said Kashyap. The riders in the odyssey have come from Gurgaon, Delhi, Guwahati, Bangalore and more cities.

Flagging off their journey from India Gate Delhi, The group will pass the motorcycle mecca which is Ladakh. Right from Manali, Jispa, Leh, Tso Moriri and Tso Kar, they will also explore the lake circuits and the highest motorable road, the Khardung La pass. Talking about riding issues which are specifically female, Patole said that finding a place to relieve themselves might be their toughest challenge.

“You can’t go behind a rock or a bush to pee in such areas. Finding a safe place to relieve ourselves might be a task because there are no rocks or bushes in the mountains to go behind. If women are menstruating, the back issues might affect their ride. We are there to help each other so we hope this will go without a hitch,” said Patole.

She mentioned that women might have to stay covered up in some areas to not reveal their gender. Kashyap mentioned that the altitude may also play spoilsport while riding but they are positive about taking compliments from strangers for what they are--compliments.

Feature Image: STRE Facebook Page