How to join a women riders' club in India: what Bikerni, WIMA India and WRWR actually ask for

If you are a woman in India who wants to ride with a club, the entry bar is lower than it looks. In practice you need a licence, any motorcycle or scooter you can actually handle, and the patience to turn up for a few club rides before you are counted as a full member. The paperwork is minimal. The gatekeeping is social, and it happens on Instagram and WhatsApp.

The short answer: a licence, a bike, and three rides

The Bikerni, which calls itself India's first all-women motorcycle association, was formed in Pune on 15 January 2011 by Urvashi Patole and Firdaus Shaikh. A Delhi chapter followed in 2012, and by 2021 the group listed 17 chapters across the country, including Bengaluru.

The joining process is ride based, not fee based. LBB's write-up on the club states that to qualify as a full-time member you need to complete three mandatory rides with fellow members, that you can ride any brand, type or make of motorcycle, and that there are separate rides for the scooter and moped class. The rhythm after that is one city ride a month, a regional meeting every three months, and workshops in between.

A caution from this desk. We tried to open thebikerni.com on 30 October 2026 and the domain did not resolve, so chapter contacts now live almost entirely on social media. Verify the chapter admin and the ride lead through a mutual rider before you send money for any ride kitty or merchandise.

WIMA India is a division, and that changes how you join

The Women's International Motorcycle Association has been running since 1950 and lists 60 national divisions. Its own instruction is simple: you become a member by joining your national division, and if your country does not have one, you can propose setting it up.

India does have one. The WIMA India page describes its aim as a non-discriminatory and impartial platform for women motorcyclists irrespective of caste, creed or the bikes they ride, names Anita Krishnan as president, and gives an email address and an Instagram handle as the way in. Listed activities are rides that promote tourism and local crafts, plus college visits under a travel to impact banner. The practical difference from a city club is reach: a division membership plugs you into international rallies, not just the Sunday breakfast run.

The relay moved into an app

Women Riders World Relay used to be about physically handing a baton across borders. For 2026 it runs through the WRWR app from 1 January 2026 to 1 January 2027, with riders collecting points for their country, completing riding challenges and logging maintenance. The organisation says it has 20,000+ members across 100+ countries. For an Indian rider, that means you can take part from Bengaluru without waiting for an organised leg to reach you.

Brand owner groups and festivals work differently

An owners' group is tied to the machine, not to an application. Indian Motorcycle's IMRG asks riders to register through imrgmember.com and is supported by the company and its authorised dealerships, with planned rides and meets as the benefit. Royal Enfield's public rides calendar, by contrast, lists open events such as Motoverse 2026 and the Moroccan Odyssey from 25 September to 6 October 2026, with no women-only ride listed at the time of writing.

Festivals are where the clubs collide. India Bike Week 2026 is set for 4 to 5 December 2026 at Panchgani in Maharashtra, roughly 4 hours from Mumbai and 2.5 hours from Pune, and it advertises guided rides to the venue from Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru. If you want to meet several clubs in one weekend before committing to any of them, that is the cheapest research you will do.

Sources

• WIMA, Become a member
• WIMA India national division
• Bikerni Association of Women Motorcyclists, Wikipedia
• LBB, India's first women motorcycle club and how you can join
• Women Riders World Relay, news and press
• Women Riders World Relay, home
• India Bike Week 2026
• Indian Motorcycle Riders Group India