Trials and tribulations of a lady biker in Kuala Lumpur

Melissa Duis hopes to be a skillful rider soon and tackle the city's streets and beyond. – Pic courtesy of Melissa Duis, May 2, 2014.A string of protests hit my ears when I first mooted the idea of getting a motorcycle. Generally, my inner and outer circles bellowed out an ocean of objections; the chorus of expostulations did my sensitive soul much harm and left my spirit broken, reduced to a damaged spectre of my once optimistic self.

I was regarded as impulsive and whimsical but in all fairness, I must begin this account by expounding on why I wanted – actually needed – a motorcycle.

The city of Kuala Lumpur (KL) promises accomplished highways, challenging back roads and affecting dirt roads so if it were just for transportation, I would have stuck to a car.

But KL is also notorious for its outrageous traffic jams – often with ridiculous causes – and in a rare move of self-defence, I must put it out there that I am essentially a practical person.

Hence, my ultimate, singular and firm decision to get a motorcycle. So did I eventually get one? Much to the irritation and dismay of my naysayers, I did.

So, in a nutshell, the impetus of my bike purchasing was really a combination of practical need and potential desire to enjoy the sport of riding.

KL is a city that almost makes it more logical to ride a bike to work and travel due to the city’s massive traffic jams. A bike also has cheaper maintenance and fuel expenditure in a city where cost of living is on the steeper end and it provides ease of manoeuvrability overall.

So, why is the society at large so discouraging of lady bikers? From my naysayers’ totally understandable point of view, the biggest concern they have for lady bikers is safety.

Ironically, I completely agree with them but I hold on steadfastly to the notion of me, one day, being a skillful biker; comfortable and confident on my two-wheeled vehicle.

The fear dwells in me still but I’ve taken baby steps to overcome that fear and I hope to be riding solo soon.

So far, under expert supervision of close friends, I’ve revved my bike to the 5th gear – albeit for a short distance – and I’ve committed to finding riding gear that aren’t just clothes that fit but are protective and also pretty and befitting of a lady.

At this point, I feel that my journey to mastering this new activity is still in its infancy but I hope to at least complete the first step – conquering the trepidation.

In conquering this fear this lady biker wonders if a great deal should come from one’s society, the self or the facilities provided by a country.

As a novice lady biker who tenaciously strives towards overcoming all odds, I still have to juggle the affairs of my mind with actually perfecting my riding – tough is nearly not strong enough a word to describe my internal struggle.

For instance, on one particular evening when I had just returned from a motorcycle store where I had ordered a full set of riding gear, I decided to unwind from a full day of grappling with a situation I have yet to fully get used to by slowly taking out my make-up kit and returning to something that was more familiar.

Lipstick and brush in hand, I dabbed a little here and there with adept hands and felt in control but as my gaze fell on the highways of the city with riders swiftly and expertly cutting through traffic, my confidence falters a little.

Just a little. – May 2, 2014.

* Melissa Duis is just discovering the joys of riding and she hopes to share more adventures here through her stories.