By Aney Mathew

 

Think motor bikers and the mind conjures up images of big, burly guys in black, with tattooed arms, sporting skull caps, wearing skull-themed jewellery and not really up to much good; a reference to lady bikers either triggers doubt or invokes further thoughts of disapproval – thanks to movies.

In Qatar, female bikers can often be spotted in groups mostly on weekends. But the people in these groups are far removed from the delinquent image that you might have imagined in your mind.

“We are a group of fun, creative, amazing, professional women with diverse backgrounds. Our group includes entrepreneurs, architects, graphic designers and managing directors. We are grandmothers, mothers, daughters, wives, and sisters,” said Margarita Zuniga, Industry & Institutional Relations Coordinator at VCU, who serves as the Ladies of Harley (L.O.H) Officer for the Qatar Chapter.

She added, “We function under the wing of the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G) and are a group of women motorcycle enthusiasts who find excitement and exhilaration in discovering new sights and experiences, by riding the open road as a group every week; it doesn’t matter if you ride your own bike or ride as a passenger. We also get away every now and then by attending rallies anywhere in the world to enjoy the company of our fellow brothers and sisters.”

Bikers in general, especially Harley-Davidson riders do make an impression wherever they go, generating anything from curiosity and awe to a sense of intimidation.

The ladies are quick to dispel the misconceptions linked with the group. The tattoos, for instance, often are not real, but a sleeve worn for the effect that also doubles as a protection from the sun.

But riding the straight roads of Doha is not the only thing they do: they are seriously involved with some important outreach activities. In a chat with Community, some members of the L.O.H Qatar Chapter spoke about their passion for their bikes as well as the social causes they work for.

“We are not bad or scary or into gangs,” said Amy Lee Fischner, a Procurement Administrative Assistant.

Enrica, who runs her own event management company, pointed out, “We are like a big family. The way we dress is an artistic way of expressing ourselves; we enjoy what we’re doing but we are also here to help.

“We are sensible and try to get involved in events involving families and society. As a group the world over, the Harley-Davidson bikers do a lot for the society. One of our groups goes around distributing water and fruits to workers on a regular basis. When we attend events we often get amazing responses from people, especially children who want to climb on the bikes and take pictures.”

She added, “We are involved in a lot of awareness rides, but are mainly associated with the World Cancer Day, National Cancer Survivors Day, Breast Cancer Annual Ride and the Garage Party for ladies interested in motorcycles.”

Margarita said, “In 2009, the L.O.H collaborated with Think Pink Qatar and the Qatar Cancer Society to join the fight against breast cancer. For the last three years we’ve also collaborated with the Ritz-Carlton’s Pink Ribbon 5-year campaign.

“In addition, we also take part in rides with the local H.O.G for events such as the Traffic Awareness Week, Qatar National Sports Day, Say No to Drugs, National Day and the Desert Challenge Ride.”

Most members of the group were attracted to riding because of the experience, which they described as “exhilarating” and enough to get you “hooked from the get go”.

Enrica explained, “The Harley-Davidson bikes produce one of the nicest sounds — it is very loud, yet warm, unlike speed bikes. When you see a Harley coming, it looks like you are being approached by a bull. Once on the bike, you don’t want to be on the pillion anymore; you want to ride on your own; it is an amazing experience.”

Jackie Bowles-Kay, an artist, said, “I’ve been riding motorbikes since 14. I’ve driven all kinds of bikes and have been part of many rallies. What I enjoy most about riding is the close camaraderie that exists among riders.”

Marlene Daou, an architect, wore a big smile. She said, “My most memorable experience as a rider was my first cancer ride. We started off our programme as a small group of riders busy tying pink ribbons on the bikes and distributing pink T-shirts.

“Then all of a sudden we heard this roar and a large number of our bikers came riding in; everyone including the burly, male riders were sporting pink; it was a very interesting sight. Listening to the stories of the cancer survivors was also very stirring; add to this the way we were received both by the organisers and the crowd –  it was a very inspiring experience for me.”

Amy affirmed, “Riding for the cancer events is most awe inspiring. Listening to the stories of the survivors is an indescribable experience.  It also gives you the opportunity to meet other bikers.”

While the passion for riding is unmistakable, the group in Doha is knit together very closely and safety seems to be the key to their riding protocol.

“Even if the weather is hot you feel like going for a short ride; it’s also a great way to meet each other. We ride together with our main group as therein lies the fun, but we follow strict guidelines that makes group riding safe on the road,” Enrica pointed out.

Marlene added, “People like the way we ride — in a staggered formation, not random. We have designated captains, road marshals and sweepers, who ensure the group rides safely and conscientiously while enjoying the ride.”

Despite the fun on wheels, the riders face their fair share of challenges. Jackie said, “I’ve been riding for years and have been on so many rallies to various countries and have never had to fear. However while riding solo here is Qatar, I’ve been bullied on the roads by motorists on several occasions.”

Margarita added, “When riding as a group, the way we ride arouses a lot of curiosity and interest; sometimes people slowdown and move too close to our formation to film us. That is dangerous for us.”

Marlene continued the thought: “People don’t understand the bike culture. Motorists try to break into our staggered formation. This puts us in danger; as we have nothing to protect us unlike someone driving a car. The Harley riders here do not race against others and are not in a hurry — we don’t bother others. We are quite disciplined, people must understand we are very vulnerable to being hurt.”

Another challenge for these bikers is that they aren’t allowed to ride through Saudi Arabia to get to other regional countries for rallies. “This means we have to ship our bikes all the time,” said Margarita.

But then biking has become a part of these women’s lives. “A recent study commissioned by Harley-Davidson shows that women riders are confident, independent, smart, powerful, determined, even fearless; being noticeably happier in life and in relationships. That’s been our experience too here in Qatar — taking control of the handle bar on an open road is indescribable. We empower other women to take the challenge of learning to ride, providing them with encouragement and support,” said Margarita.