On a Ducati 900cc Bike, She Vrooms: Superbiker Neharika Yadav

“My journey started five years ago after a visit to the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida. I got really inspired by the riders there and since then I have been riding a Ducati 899 Panigale and racing with the boys,” says Neharika Yadav. She is the only female superbiker among almost 40 men who participate in the Superbike challenge every year.

 Her inspiration

Talking about her inspiration to start biking, she says that the first day when she went to the track the bikers that inspired her. It was the sound of the throttle. The fuel ignited the passion that brought those people together and that is what motivated her and there has been no looking back since then.

One might get intimidated by not finding a single soul of their own gender while doing something, but it is not for Yadav, who describes it as a “superb feeling” to ride amongst all men racers.

Camaraderie with the boys

She also appreciates the camaraderie between the boys and herself as they appreciate her talent and she learns a lot with them. “The guys are all really nice, they help me, teach me, motivate me so ‘d say that it is hardly like competition. But it is fun being the only lady racer among men. I really get to push myself even more. Looking at the kind of timings that the men are reaching, it helps me perform even better and give my best performance,” says Yadav.

Parental Support

Traditional mindset discourages parents from letting women ride bikes, but Yadav’s army background overcame that challenge. “My parents have been extremely supportive of what I do. But my mother has stopped coming to my races because the first time when she came, she saw a bike crash and that was the last time she ever came. She feels extremely nervous about what I do,” smiles Yadav.

She calls out to women to at least try to ride a two-wheeler once in their lifetimes. Yadav points that once a person is on two wheels whether it is track racing or on the road, the things one experiences are inexplicable. “I would inspire all the women to come out on bikes and giving that aspect of life also a try.”

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