Ask any biker why they take on miles of open road on two wheels, and the answer will most likely be universal: a love for the open road and camaraderie.
That spirit was evident when about 24 women bikers from South Africa, Eswatini and Zambia, known as the Throttle Sisters, travelled to Namibia to explore the country on their motorcycles.
After arriving from Rehoboth under the escort of local riders, the group left Windhoek on Sunday, heading for Swakopmund.
Throttle Sisters spokesperson Tshireletso “Tsotso” Jezile, who was visiting Namibia for the first time, says the experience of meeting warm-hearted people and travelling on open roads would stay with the group for years to come.
“We were brought together by a group of lady riders and the dream was to travel Africa on our motorcycles,” Jezile tells Top Revs.
Since joining the group, Jezile has travelled to Mozambique and, last year, Zambia as part of their southern African tour. Namibia was their latest destination.
“We chose Namibia as our next part as it borders South Africa and we try to do everything just above us, and the idea is to cover the whole the Southern African Development Community region,” she says.
The group’s trips also take place during Women’s Month in August, with the riders using their journeys to celebrate women and demonstrate that motorcycling is not only for men.
“Firstly to commemorate Women’s Month and secondly to show that we also can ride, as there are charity rides and we are open as such to show we care as mothers,” Jezile says.
The riders, dressed in full motorcycle safety gear, attracted considerable attention wherever they stopped. Tourists and other bystanders took the opportunity to interact with the group and pose for photographs with their motorcycles.
Jezile says the group also wanted to challenge the perception that motorcycling is predominantly a man’s activity.
“Look at us,” she says, pointing to the group as an example that women can take on long-distance motorcycle trips just as their male counterparts can.
She encourages people with big dreams to pursue them.
“If you put your mind to it, it is possible,” she says.
Jezile says the group had experienced nothing but warmth during their travels.
“When we got here on Saturday, there was a group of local bikers waiting for us (at Rehoboth). We were so happy and we could see that Africa is actually one nation, a nation of love,” she says.
She says the group was travelling with a message of love and hoped their journeys would help break down borders between people.
The Throttle Sisters also sampled Namibian cuisine, including traditional food at the Single Quarters in Windhoek.
Jezile says experiencing a country’s traditional food was an important part of experiencing its culture, with the group’s kapana outing proving to be one of the highlights of their Namibian visit.
The group’s name reflects their shared passion for motorcycles, with the riders not shy to show off their machines. Their bikes could often be heard long before they were seen as the riders revved their engines.
A support team travels with the group to assist with breakdowns and mechanical problems along the route.
For the Throttle Sisters, the journey is about having fun, meeting different cultures and sharing their message of love.
And motorcycling is clearly not limited to the young. The group’s chaplain rides her own motorcycle at the age of 65 and is affectionately known as “our senior citizen”.
The group is scheduled to return to Windhoek tomorrow before travelling back to South Africa via Botswana.
