The Road Is Hers

 The engine starts. The visor drops. Hyderabad looks different. Across the city, women are taking to two wheels as a statement of freedom - commuting, crossing borders, tackling mountains and building communities. From MOWO and Bikerni Hyderabad to Nomad Bikers Club and SheMoto, a new riding culture is emerging, powered by training, safety, camaraderie and adventure. The motorcycle is no longer just a machine. It is a passport to freedom.

THE THROTTLE EFFECT

For Anisah Fatima Latheef, gym owner, strength and conditioning coach and Bikerni rider, the motorcycle represents entry into a space where women no longer have to prove they belong. “Riding with an all-women community is empowering. There is a strong sense of camaraderie because everyone understands the challenges and excitement that come with being a woman on a motorcycle.” The challenges are familiar: heavy traffic, long distances, breakdowns and unwanted attention. Her answer is preparation. Start with shorter rides, understand the machine, practise safety skills and gradually stretch the boundaries. “We have all had our share of falls and chosen not to give up.” Long-distance riding changed her confidence, particularly a journey to Umling La. “Umling La taught me patience. I started believing in myself more than ever.”

“Riding with an all-women community is empowering. You realise you don’t have to prove that you belong in what has traditionally been seen as a male-dominated space.”

—ANISAH FATIMA LATHEEF

FREEDOM HAS TWO WHEELS

For Leena Reddy, founder of SheMoto Women’s Riding Club, riding began as a search for freedom and became a journey into self-confidence. “What first drew me to motorcycling was the sense of freedom and independence that comes with being on two wheels.” The bigger discovery was that riding was not simply about reaching a destination. “It was about discovering my own confidence and pushing beyond my comfort zone.”

Longer rides and unfamiliar roads tested her, but each challenge taught her to stay calm, trust her skills and keep going. For women, fear, safety concerns and social expectations can be major barriers. Her advice: train well, gear up, know your motorcycle and start at your own pace. “Don’t let fear decide what you are capable of.”

“Confidence doesn’t come from being fearless. It comes from facing your fear, learning from it and continuing to move forward.” — LEENA REDDY

THE RIDE AS MEDITATION

For business analyst and Bikerni Hyderabad’s one of the admins, Sushmitha Reddy, motorcycles were part of childhood. She remembers sitting on the tank while her father rode. Later, seeing groups of women riding together inspired her to begin riding herself. The feeling was immediate. Today, riding is almost meditation.

“When I ride I don’t have a hundred thoughts running through my head. I’m completely present and focused on one thing — the ride.” Her most transformative journey was Umling La in Ladakh, where snow, black ice and difficult conditions tested her. “It showed me what I was capable of while also making me more humble.” The journey also taught her that riding is about looking beyond yourself. In a group, you watch out for the person beside you.

“You don’t leave a co-rider behind.” But Sushmitha is candid about the road’s darker side. Women can face harassment, intimidation and riders deliberately trying to compete with them. Her response has been greater preparation — group riding, advance route planning and heightened awareness. She does not believe women should have to take such precautions simply to feel safe. Until the road becomes more respectful, however, preparedness matters.

Her message to women held back by fear is equally direct: start small, ride with a group if necessary and gradually build confidence. “You don’t have to become fearless before you start. Sometimes confidence comes because you started.”

“When I ride, I don’t have a hundred thoughts running through my head. I’m completely present and focused on one thing: the ride.”

—SUSHMITHA REDDY

CHOOSING THE ROAD

As a woman, I have often heard, ‘You shouldn’t travel alone. It isn’t safe.’ But every ‘you can’t’ became motivation. That doesn’t mean I take safety lightly. I plan my stays in advance, avoid night rides, start early, service my motorcycle, wear full riding gear, carry a basic repair kit, share my location and keep my loved ones updated. I don’t ride to prove I am better than anyone.I ride because I refuse to believe I am less capable simply because I am a woman,” says Atreyi Sarkar, biker.

“I don’t ride to prove I am better than anyone. I ride because I refuse to believe I am less capable simply because I am a woman.”

—ATREYI SARKAR

WHEN MOBILITY BECOMES POWER

For Jai Bharathi, founder of Mothers on Wheels (MOWO), riding goes beyond recreation. It is about mobility as a life skill and a pathway to opportunity. Her own perspective was shaped by a 17,000-km motorcycle expedition across Southeast Asia, where she saw women working as bike-taxi riders in Thailand. “I started thinking about what mobility could mean for women in India.” She realised the gap was not simply a lack of women riders, but a lack of awareness about mobility and the opportunities it could create.

“Mobility is not just about getting from one place to another. It can become a life skill, an employable skill and a pathway to opportunity.” That transformation can mean different things to different women — riding to work, taking children to school or earning a living.

“In Ghattu, in Jogulamba Gadwal district, women who previously had no driving licences are now obtaining them. Elsewhere, women have taken up electric-auto driving around Charminar, including at night, while women in Telangana are being trained towards bus-driving licences,” says Jai. Different roads. Different women. The same shift in possibility.

“Mobility is not just about getting from one place to another. It can become a life skill, an employable skill and a pathway to opportunity.”

—JAI BHARATHI

TRAINING BEFORE THE HIGHWAY

For Maya, founder of Nomad Bikers Club, learning to ride is only the beginning. Becoming ready for the open road takes practice. “We stay with our riders until they are fully ready for long-distance touring.” The club encourages new riders to take solo rides around the city and its outskirts before moving to highways. Small challenges become preparation for bigger ones. “Confidence is built by learning to handle the unexpected - before the unexpected happens on a highway.” Maya also challenges the idea that adventure riding requires physical strength. “It is entirely about technique, precision, body balance and mental endurance.” The essentials are equally practical: proper riding gear, a serviced motorcycle, puncture and repair kits, and an understanding of the machine. And women do not need a large convoy or male escort.

“Solo touring offers women a rare sense of focus, freedom and self-reliance, changing how they see themselves.”

— MAYA

THE ROAD RULES

1. Train before you tour: Build confidence on familiar roads first.

2. Know your machine: Learn the controls and basic maintenance.

3. Gear up: Wear a full-face helmet and appropriate protective gear.

4. Service before adventure: Check the motorcycle before every long ride.

5. Carry the basics: A puncture and repair kit can prevent a crisis.

6. Share your route: Keep trusted contacts informed.

7. Respect the road: Preparation is part of the adventure.