In Baraghan, Iran, motocross rider Behnaz Shafiei has a passion for dirt riding.
Despite the fact that in Iran women are banned from riding motorcycles in public, Behnaz stokes her passion by riding on dirt and amateur tracks. “When two days pass and I do not ride my motorcycle, I get really ill. Even the thought of not having a motorcycle someday gives me an awful feeling,” she explains. “Sometimes, I think to myself, ‘How did people in the past live without a motorbike?’ Is life without a motorcycle possible?” That’s a question a lot of us motorbike fans wonder often, I think. Her peseverance despite cultural barriers is impressive and admirable.
Conservatives in Iran denounce the idea of women participating in men’s sporting events as well as general street riding, so really practicing your craft as a woman in the country can be exceedingly difficult. The 26 year old rider Behnaz got together with five other women to rally for official identification by Iran’s Motorcycle and Automobile Federation that allows them to race on amateur tracks.
“My goal is to be a pioneer to inspire other women,” Shafiei said. “Together, we can convince authorities to recognize women’s motorcycle racing.” Recently after riding, she removed her helmet, drawing a crowd of ladies to take photographs with her. “I did not know that it was a woman riding until I noticed her hair,” housewife Mahnaz Rahimi said. “It took me by surprise that a woman can be so courageous. I don’t have the guts to do such a thing.” It seems like her goal is in progress already.
Photos #1 and 7 are from Mohammad Moheimany of jamejamimage.ir.
Mary McGee is a pioneer in American motorcycle racing, thanks to her untamable determination and a spirit as warm as her smile. Her excitement for motorcycling, especially racing, is contagious even in her eighties. She was the first woman to receive an FIM racing license in the United States, first woman to complete the Baja 1000, and the first woman to race the Baja 500 solo. These aren’t her only firsts, either. She was also the first woman in motocross and road racing in the States. McGee was rightly inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame in 2018.
Tags: behnaz shafiei, dirt, dirtbike, international, iran, middle east, motolady, motorcycle, motorcycles, news, off road, offroad, pioneer
Posted on June 12, 2015 in MotoLadies, News & Features by Alicia Mariah Elfving
