PETALING JAYA, April 29 — Female biker Kartina Daud Sharman doesn’t have as many choices for riding gear compared to her male counterparts.
Like many other women riders, she’s often left disappointed whenever she walks into a motorsports store as many of the clothes are designed and tested for safety with a man’s physique in mind.
This means that the padding meant to guard one’s knees and elbows in regular motorcycle gear may fail to protect a female rider due to differences in body types.
“With the rising number of motorcycle accidents in Malaysia, safety is very important. The only defense you have when you’re riding is your clothes.
“Women’s bodies are different from men. We fall into three categories: regular, petite, and tall,” Kartina told Malay Mail.
“We want people to know that there is a market for women’s riding clothes, so why not tap into it?
“It will be good for business and most importantly, it will help reduce the number of motorcycle injuries on the road.”
In a world designed by men, Malaysian female bikers are kickstarting their engines to address the gender gap in rider safety through Ripple Relay Malaysia.
The relay supports the Women Riders World Relay (WRWR), an initiative aimed at spotlighting the growing number of female bikers around the globe and the need for proper riding clothes for women.
Kartina, who is the ambassador for Ripple Relay Malaysia, said that the rides will see all kinds of bikers rallying together to jolt the motorsports industry into realising how viable a market for women's riding gear can be.
“This Ripple Relay is open to women with all CC bikes. So even if you ride ‘kap chai’ bikes, it’s also allowed.
“At the end of the day, we’re all riders and we still need the right clothes and the proper riding gear,” said Kartina.
Riders from Ladies of Harley kicked off the relay on April 27 where they rode from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka and back, with the group’s leader proudly carrying a baton along with the Malaysian flag and the Ripple Relay Malaysian banner throughout the ride.
The baton will be passed along to team leaders from 15 different women riding clubs taking part in Ripple Relay Malaysia before it gets sent to London in December for the WRWR closing ceremony.
Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Azman Ujang and Safety First WhatsApp group founder Samad Rahim were present at the April 27 flag-off ceremony which took place at The Gasket Alley, Petaling Jaya.
Aside from highlighting the need for riding gear tailored for women, female bikers will also be working with the Safety First WhatsApp group to reduce the number of motorcycle accidents on the road by sharing their knowledge and tips with "kap chai" riders.
Azman, who is an advisor in the WhatsApp group, said that women riders were the ideal mentors for the project as safety is always at the forefront of their minds.
“One of the biggest issues in the country right now is motorcycle safety, especially for ‘kap chai’ riders. We lose 4,000 lives every year due to ‘kap chai’ accidents.
“We’re organising many sessions in the coming months to educate ‘kap chai’ riders on the importance of safety.
“This is a good initiative by the big bikers because they really know the A to Z of safety rules,” he told Malay Mail.
When asked why a WhatsApp group was set up rather than a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Samad said that the accessibility of a WhatsApp group will allow important information to be conveyed quickly to their target audience.
“Going to an NGO requires a lot of prerequisites and registration. If it’s a WhatsApp group, anybody can join.
“This is especially important because people who own ‘kap chais’ tend to be from the younger generation and the B40 group,” said Samad.
Ladies of Harley member Sue Rahman hopes that she and her fellow bikers can set a good example for motorcyclists and help reduce the number of casualties on the road.
“Through the Ripple Relay, we want to demonstrate to the public how we wear our gear and how we ride.
“We are currently thinking of how we can get ‘kap chai’ riders to come and see our riding style and our convoy rides.
“We want to be like their big brothers and sisters and advise them not to risk their lives on the road.”
