All the ride moves

Before you ride into the sunset on your bike, here’s what you need to know - from one woman rider to another

- Taranna Khetpal

What do trolls know? All they see on their screens is a girl on a shiny motorcycle, helmet gleaming, leather jacket catching the light, mountains or highways in the distance. Every shot screams cool. No one knows how much harder it is for women to be on the road, especially on solo trips.

Because long rides test patience, endurance and discipline. A day can begin at 4.30am — before the sun is up. Who knows what's hiding in the shadows between the hotel and the parking lot? Gear (jacket, gloves, pants, padding, shoes, helmet) can add some five kilos of body weight ~ making it harder for lighter bodies to distribute weight through hairpin bends. No place is truly safe from harassment. Here’s what some women have learnt along the way.

“No rides after 6 or 7 in the evening,” says Cherry Bhidola (@Rider.Girl.Cherry), 24, who has been riding since June 2021. From her base in Dehradun, she's steered her Suzuki V-Storm 250 through Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Sikkim, and Uttar Pradesh. Unknown shortcuts? Skip. Isolated stops? Avoid. Small talk with a stranger? Limited. Familiar dhabas and petrol-pump loos are safer than random pit stops. And all halts and detours are mapped out and double-checked before she starts out. “A ride isn't just about where you want to go, it's about how safely you get there,” she says.