The iconic American motorcycle Harley Davidson is now available in India and there have been several people who wanted to own the iconic motorcycle and now it has been reported that Sheeja Mathews, an HR professional with an MNC in Bangalore, is the first woman in India to own a Harley-Davidson.
According to a report in The Economic Times that Sheeja, 34, had placed an order for the Harley-Davidson Iron 883' model, costing Rs 6.5 lakh (ex-showroom), in February this year; it was delivered to her on Monday. The report quoted her as saying "Though there are other superbikes available in India, I always dreamed of owning what I firmly believe is the ultimate superbike, a Harley-Davidson.’’
It was also mentioned in the report that Sheeja has a passion for bikes and adventure sports, like drag racing. She has been riding bikes from the age of 15. For the past 10 years, she has been riding her husband's Yamaha Rajdoot 350 to work. "Due to heavy traffic in the city, I intend to take the Harley to office only once a week. I will mainly use it for long weekend cruise trips," she says. Sheeja's husband, a drag racer, is supportive of her passion. "My 7-year-old son is very excited and wants to show off the bike in school," she said, according to the report.
According to the report, Sheeja believes women are increasingly taking to biking, and wouldn't be surprised to see many more sporting Harleys on the street. Bangalore already has a sizable number of women riding bikes like Bullets and Pulsars. "People are concerned about the weight of the bike. However, I am no size-zero lady and can comfortably ride the Harley-Davidson. My weight works perfectly for this bike." Sheeja plans to become part of the Harley Owners Group in Bangalore. Groups such as this regularly make trips to places like Ooty, "and I would be interested in being part of these rides". The report stated that Sheeja said that buying her dream bike would not have been possible without Harley opening its new showroom in Bangalore. The American bike maker started selling bikes in India last year, and offers a total of 15 models priced between Rs 5.5 lakh and Rs 38.66 lakh.
