If you are new here and you are not sure what the IFRD is all about, then stick around for a bit and allow me to shed some light on this inspiring movement. The International Female Ride Day was established to celebrate the women in the motorsport industry, it embodies the very spirit of every woman motorcyclist in over 120 countries worldwide.
This year the IFRD started their campaign #IFRDEveryWoman. The goal of this was to capture the essence of inclusivity and unity among the riders that make up the community of female riders across the globe. I decided that I needed to quote the words found on their website as it is so beautifully put: “Everywoman” is a term that represents the collective experiences, struggles, and triumphs of women from all walks of life. It embodies the idea that there is a common thread that unites women across different cultures, backgrounds, ages and experiences. It celebrates the diversity and universality of the IFRD experience, acknowledging that every woman, regardless of her individual circumstances, has a unique role to play and contribute to the collective narrative of women who ride.” And embody, it did.
On Saturday morning we found ourselves flocking together like a bunch of pink flamingos at various locations across Gauteng. There were three starting points, Fast KTM & ROC Harley, Triumph JHB and World Of Motorcycles; we decided to join the latter, but for the more adventurous ladies, there was also an “off-road” route starting at Fast KTM in Alberton.
After a chilly morning ride to Centurion and a few greetings to our fellow lady riders, we received the briefing, kitted up, hopped on the bikes and were en route to Zwartkops Raceway.
Even though the ride was relatively short, it was a great success with no incidents, only a queue of bikes further than the eye can see—a huge shoutout to the marshals for ensuring a safe and enjoyable ride. There were ladies from all corners of Gauteng as well as plenty of men, some alone and others with their ladies perched on the back; to say that the turnout was brilliant would certainly be an understatement.
We rolled up the hill with Zwartkops Raceway on the horizon and we soon found ourselves rolling into the pits where the ladies had designated parking on the full stretch of the pit lane with Motul making their appearance as we rode in. Seeing all the ladies park their bikes on either side was a sight to behold, not only for the number of riders but the diversity as well. There were women riding bikes ranging from the best-looking Harleys to SuperSport bikes and of course our daring adventure ladies.
The theme for this year was “A Day At The Races” and they did a great job at embracing that theme. The tables were set with black and white checkered tablecloths, the roof had red flags flapping in the wind, as well as the iconic checkered flag as the centrepieces. Not only did they go all out with the décor, but there were amazing prizes to be won which included the first 300 entrants receiving a helmet bag and plenty of goodies!
Of course, a bike event wouldn’t be the same without the dealers making their appearance, so there was a full range of bikes on show giving the ladies a taste of the latest bikes on the market. A few of the dealers that pulled through were Biker’s Warehouse who brought us brands like Suzuki, Husqvarna, Honda, Kawasaki and Sym; KTM Centurion and BigBoy were also present. Having the bikes available to see in person makes a world of difference because everyone knows a woman needs to physically see what she’s buying—googling just isn’t our vibe.
Another brand that went all out was Motul, who brought the ladies an experience that was booming. What was it you may ask, well it was an instant printing photobooth which enticed the women to strike their best pose and let me tell you, those ladies were killing it.
All in all, it was another successful IFRD and after reading that first statement I could truly start to appreciate the actual meaning behind the movement, and this year’s ride certainly embodied exactly that. The diversity among the women who attended was indescribable and you could look around and realize, even though we are so different we all share the same passion for motorcycling; and it is in this that we find common ground and are able to build a community that provides support and friendship that will forever stay alive.
If you missed this year’s ride, be sure to look out for the next one as we continue to grow this initiative of women riders coming together and celebrating ourselves and the community which is International Female Ride Day.
