Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ON a crisp winter morning at Spar Greenfields in Harare, the air rumbles as powerful engines are ignited.
A group of over 20 bikers, clad in matching leather jackets inscribed with the words “Zim Free Riders”, rev their machines in a display of raw energy and brotherhood.
But look a little closer.
Among this sea of roaring engines and rugged camaraderie stands a woman.
She is confident, poised and indistinguishable in her riding gear, save for the name stitched on her jacket — Pauline.
That woman is Pauline Dana.
She is not just part of the club; she is running it.
Dana is the newly elected president of Zim Free Riders, making her the first woman to lead the 10-year-old motorbike club.
Her rise is more than symbolic; it is a powerful statement about gender, grit and breaking stereotypes in what has long been a male-dominated arena.
“This is all about passion,” Dana says, her face lighting up with pride. “We love motorbikes, and the Zim Free Riders community now feels like family.”
Her nickname among the riders? The Iron Lady.
Yet Dana’s journey to the helm of the country’s most recognisable biking club is as unconventional as it is inspiring.
A former banker with no family ties to biking, Dana’s love affair with motorbikes began unexpectedly, and amusingly, one ordinary day when she found herself caught in a motorcade led by police bikes.
The seamless formation, the metallic glint, the sheer power of the bikes weaving effortlessly through traffic — it all struck a chord deep within her.
“It wasn’t just the bikes,” she recalls. “It was the power, the freedom and the way the riders moved like one. I told myself right there that I would ride a motorbike one day.”
That day would come in 2017.
At a sports day event, four men thundered into the grounds on their bikes.
With exhausts howling and chrome gleaming under the sun, they instantly captured everyone’s attention.
For Dana, it felt like fate.
“I approached them, nervous, but determined. I asked if I could ride. To my surprise, they were welcoming and shared stories about their club, Zim Free Riders,” she says. “That same day, I knew this was it.”
Weeks later, Dana had signed up, completed her training and officially joined the “brotherhood”, a label she would soon help evolve into something more inclusive.
Joining Zim Free Riders was not just the fulfilment of a dream. It was a transformation.
The once-reserved banker became a bold trailblazer on wheels, earning respect from her peers and redefining her identity. But the transition did not come without resistance, especially from home.
“My mother couldn’t understand it. She was worried about the danger and the stigma. But with time, they saw how serious I was,” Dana says. “When I proudly brought home my first bike, a gleaming black machine, it became a symbol of my independence and defiance of expectations.”
Back then, women bikers were rare, almost unheard of. Dana knew her presence would challenge norms, and embraced it.
“I became an ambassador by default,” she says.
“Every ride was a message: We are here too.”
Public perception soon changed.
What began as curious stares and whispered scepticism turned into admiration. Dana’s defining moment came in 2020, when she led a female biker escort, the Iron Angels, for the First Lady, Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa.
“The First Lady’s reaction was priceless. You could see the surprise and pride in her eyes when she saw that the entire escort was made up of women,” Dana says with a smile.
“That was a moment of validation.”
Fast forward to 2025, and Dana is now the face of Zim Free Riders, a club that comprises over 60 active members across Zimbabwe and the diaspora.
Her election earlier this year was not a token gesture. It was a resounding endorsement of her leadership and commitment to the biking community.
“Last year, one of the vice presidents was a woman. Now, I’m president. It shows how far we’ve come as a club in supporting and accepting women in leadership,” she says.
As president, Dana oversees the club’s operations, ensuring members adhere to local traffic laws, uphold safety standards and maintain the club’s values.
But her role extends beyond logistics.
“I promote the spirit of Hunhu/Ubuntu, togetherness in joy, sorrow, illness or any event we take part in,” she explains.
That ethos runs deep in the club’s social outreach programmes.
Zim Free Riders regularly gives back through charity rides and donations, with Chinotimba Old People’s Home and Tanyaradzwa Children’s Home among the beneficiaries.
And while myths still swirl around biker culture, from blood oaths to reckless behaviour, Dana is quick to set the record straight.
“We’re about responsible riding,” she says.
“We don’t do races or stunts. We ride for fun, for family and for charity.”
To join the club, prospective riders must have a valid Class Three driver’s licence.
Membership costs US$60 per year, with flexible payment options to ensure inclusivity. New members are mentored by seasoned riders to help them pass practical road tests.
Dana’s presidency is a celebration of evolution, not just of a biking club, but of Zimbabwean society’s readiness to embrace women who dare to dream differently.
“I’m proud of where we are now,” she says. “We’re proving that passion doesn’t have a gender, and that leadership doesn’t come in one form.”
In the roar of engines and the rush of wind, Dana has found not just a thrill, but a purpose.
