Leather-clad and love-fuelled: Moms who chose the open road

You’ll spot them between traffic signals and twisty turns of the highway– helmet-clad, confident, and astride roaring engines. But what you don’t always see is what fuels these mother bikers: grit, a touch of rebellion, and an unwavering love for the road. With Mother’s Day around the corner, we explore how, for these women, biking isn’t just a hobby–it’s their freedom ride and their motherhood badge, worn with leather jackets and engine grease. Balancing school runs with high-speed highway pit stops, they prove that motherhood and independence can both roar down the same road.

‘Why not a car?’ and other unsolicited questions
If these women earned a rupee every time someone asked why they didn’t opt for a car or a scooter, they’d probably own a Ducati each by now. “People at work would say, ‘What if you fall and break your limbs?’” recalls Tusi Banerjee, a Kolkata-based biker mom, adding “I have a 12-year-old daughter who keeps my helmet & shoes ready before every ride. When my child and family support me, why should I listen to others?” Divya Vasave, based in Vapi, Gujarat, returned to biking at the age of 45 after a long break. She says. “When I bought my bike again, people looked at me like I was having a midlife crisis. But really, I just missed the joy of the ride.”

Simran Rider, a delhi based biker mom

Mom mode: On. Engine: On
Balancing school pick-ups and highway pit stops isn’t an easy act, but these riders manage both—often on the same trip. Simran, a resident of Delhi who has adopted the surname ‘Rider,’ began biking when her daughter was just seven-months old. She says, “Being a mother is part of your life, not your whole life. I’ve done Delhi to Goa, Bhutan to Nepal, and across Himachal–all after becoming a mom.” Seema Ranjith, from Hyderabad, who started riding in the ’90s, used to strap her toddler son onto the fuel tank and cruise through the city. “He’d lie on the tank, fall asleep, and we’d go pick up my husband from the office. That was our version of a family ride.”




How family support fuels the journey of mother bikers
For many mom bikers, the open road is not just a journey of independence but one made possible by unwavering family support. Seema Ranjeeth credits her father for sparking her biking passion and recalls how her late husband would guide her remotely on solo trips, saying, “There’s a place 800 meters ahead on your left to rest.” Simran enjoys her husband’s encouragement and her daughter’s excitement before every ride, with the little one already dreaming of her own bike. Vidya, who rediscovered biking at 45, is driven by her husband’s belief in her, saying, “His confidence in me gave me the strength to start again.” And Tusi Banerjee from Kolkata rides with her 12-year-old daughter as her pit crew, who dreams of riding herself. These women aren’t just riding for themselves—they’re fueled by their family’s support and good wishes.

There’s nothing in this world that a woman cannot do. Being a mother is a part of her life, not her entire life. And trust me, your child will never tell you, ‘Don’t ride’. They will enjoy the journey with you for sure – Tusi Banerjee, a Kolkata-based biker mom

From whispers to wrenches: Biker mothers build their own tribe
Despite the judgment, there’s a growing community of women who are finding power in the pack. “When I got back to biking after 20 years, I realised how many women are now riding,” says Divya. “I went to Surat just to get my bike and rode 200 km back home. It felt like reclaiming a part of myself.” Simran’s taken it further—she now teaches women in her neighbourhood how to ride. “Mobility is independence,” she says. “You shouldn’t have to wait for someone to take you somewhere—whether it’s for fun or an emergency.” In fact, in 2013, when a neighbour’s toddler started bleeding from his ears, Simran rushed them to the hospital—on her bike. “She was hesitant at first, but when Ola and Uber weren’t options, my Avenger came to the rescue.”

My message to all women is: Please take charge of your mobility. Make commuting from one place to another easy, Don’t depend on anyone. I’ve started training women in my neighbourhood to ride – Simran Rider, Delhi based biker mom


12% of motorcylcle owner in India are women with 6% increase in the number of women riders has been noted since 1990

Back in the ‘90s, boys would try to scare me on the road, swerving close to see if I’d fall. Now, there’s more acceptance. Girls still struggle to convince families just to go on a neighbourhood ride – Seema Ranjith, a Hyderabad-based rider mom


“I’ve seen men speed up just to overtake me, as if it’s some kind of insult,” says Tusi Banerjee. But sometimes, the roads deliver sweeter surprises. “Once, a judge rolled down his window at a traffic signal and gave me a thumbs-up,” she adds