Road to Ruin: How China’s Motorcycle Influencers Risk It All for Views
One by one, they fell: a 19-year-old in southern China’s Hainan province; an 18-year-old in eastern Jiangsu; and two more women, ages 16 and 21, in southwestern Yunnan.
Riding through cities and open roads, they were rising stars in China’s booming motorcycle scene, their social media accounts filled with high-speed stunts and viral videos — all designed to capture attention and push boundaries. Yet, in just over a year, each of them was killed in a violent crash.
Once a male-dominated subculture, motorcycle riding has seen a surge in female participation in recent years, with women pushing the limits to carve out their space in an increasingly crowded online landscape. With the number of influencers rapidly increasing, competition for views and followers has become cutthroat, and every post must fight for attention.
Xiaoye, a part-time motorcycle influencer who asked to use a pseudonym, put it bluntly: “If you made these videos safely, they wouldn’t be interesting…It’s like extreme sports — people want to see things they wouldn’t normally encounter,” she tells Sixth Tone.
The recent death of the 19-year-old in Hainan has reignited heated debates on social media, racking up over 100 million views on microblogging platform Weibo. According to domestic media reports, the influencer, known as DJ Wan Xiaoju, was speeding when she collided with a garbage truck.
Though she wore a helmet, her lack of additional protective gear raised questions about safety standards within the community. Earlier videos posted by her show a similar disregard for safety, and she’d been fined for reckless riding just two months earlier.
Female motorcyclists are often known for their distinctive style, drawing attention with tight suits, short skirts, and black stockings, creating a blend of appeal and risk that fuels both fascination and concern. On Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, hashtags like “Motorcyclist Girl” have amassed billions of views, showcasing influencers in flashy attire racing through cities.
But such incidents aren’t limited to motorcycle influencers alone. In recent years, content creators across various genres have resorted to extreme measures to gain attention, often with fatal consequences.
In 2021, an influencer died while livestreaming her hike from her hometown in China’s central Henan province to the Xizang Autonomous Region in the southwest, pushing herself past reasonable safety limits for views. In 2023, two influencers lost their lives after engaging in dangerous drinking contests during livestreams, where consuming excessive amounts of baijiu was a challenge for their followers.
In response, Chinese authorities and social media platforms have both issued new guidelines and regulations to curb dangerous content and promote safer online engagement. But with the competition still fierce, creators often continue to take extreme measures to stay relevant.
While many online are now calling for greater attention to road safety, for the motorcycle influencer community, these tragic incidents have sparked misunderstanding of their work. Many riders say they are simply pursuing their passion for motorcycling and trying to make a living, but their accidents have become a focal point for criticism.
Full throttle
Growing up in the southwestern metropolis of Chongqing, the “Mountain City” known for its steep hills and winding streets, Xiaoye was familiar with motorcycles from an early age. In a city where cars often struggle to navigate narrow lanes, motorcycles offered a practical solution.
Then, in 2012, the Benelli Yellow Dragon 600, China’s first domestic four-cylinder street bike, was released. “I couldn’t ride at the time, but it just looked so cool — like a way to stand out,” Xiaoye recalls. “That’s when I really got hooked on motorcycles.”
As motorcycles transitioned from practical transportation to symbols of lifestyle and adventure, particularly among younger generations in China’s first- and second-tier cities, sales reached a record high in 2021 since 2015.
The market surged 25% between 2019 and 2022. A significant portion of that growth came from large-displacement recreational motorcycles — typically those with an engine capacity of over 250 cubic centimeters — which saw a 42.97% year-on-year jump in 2024, with sales reaching 756,600 units, according to the China Chamber of Commerce for Motorcycle.
But motorcycling remained a male-dominated sport, with limited models available for women.
Pingping, 27, a full-time motorcycle influencer on Douyin, remembers the early days well. At just 160 cm tall, she struggled to find a motorcycle that fit her, as most bikes were designed for taller riders.
“When I started riding in 2018, there were almost no women in the scene,” Pingping, from Hangzhou in the eastern Zhejiang province, tells Sixth Tone. “Whether domestic or imported, they were mostly built for men.”
But as more women entered the sport and their unique style gained visibility on social media, brands began to take note. Today, several companies offer models specifically designed for women, considering factors like height, weight, and even color.
Over just six years, Pingping says the share of female riders in her motorcycle social group has increased from just 1% six years ago to 10% now.
Unlike bicycles or electric scooters, street motorcycles — often weighing several hundred kilograms — require extensive training and practice, particularly for new female riders.
Xiaoye bought her first motorcycle in 2022 after saving up enough money during college. She recalls how, during her first training session, the bike tipped over more than 13 times.
“Balancing the bike when it stops is actually the hardest part,” she explains. “If you don’t steady yourself, it just tips right over.”
It took Xiaoye nearly 20 days to master balancing the bike. As she gained more control, she found herself taking greater pride in the process, especially as she learned skills like making smooth turns, which deepened her appreciation for the sport.
“It’s hard to put into words,” she says, “But learning a new skill feels incredibly exciting and exhilarating.”
Skirting the edge
Xiaoye started posting motorcycle content on Douyin in early 2023, initially as a way to capture her own journey. At the time, female riders were still a rarity, and with Douyin heavily promoting outdoor sports, her videos quickly caught attention.
“It was easy to attract traffic at the start,” she says. Eventually, Xiaoye left her day job to pursue influencing full-time, focusing entirely on filming and riding.
In her videos, she often wears shorts, boots, and black stockings, a sleek style that’s now her signature. Her bold look has earned her thousands of likes and 20,000 followers, with many viewers commenting, “Girls look cooler than boys on motorcycles.”
In China, this style is often referred to as cabian, which literally translates to “skirting the edge.” The term describes any content — fashion, suggestive gestures, or even dance — that typically features revealing clothing like Xiaoye’s. The goal is to grab attention on social media platforms without crossing the line that might attract scrutiny from authorities or violate platform regulations.
Xiaoye acknowledges that while the attire might be eye-catching, it’s far from practical for safe riding. “What we wear for filming is very different from what we wear when we’re actually riding,” she said. “We do pay attention to safety when we ride.”
Despite the risks, the style works to create visually striking content, as standard motorcycle gear tends to be bulky and unflattering. This approach is common among other female influencers, many of whom wear skirts or schoolgirl uniforms in their videos.
According to Xiaoye, even male motorcycle influencers often opt for minimal clothing to highlight their physique and draw attention as well.
In a crowded digital space where everyone is competing for attention, influencers need to craft content that stands out. “Whether humor, coolness, beauty, or even something more provocative, the video has to have a hook that grabs people’s attention,” says Xiaoye.
For Pingping, who typically dresses in professional riding gear, there are times when she alters her usual look to cater to audience expectations, particularly from her mostly middle-aged male followers.
“I’ve filmed in less clothing before, and it definitely gets more views,” she admits. “For example, if you’re in a place like Hainan, near the sea, you won’t get any views if you don’t show more skin. So, there’s always a trade-off to make.”
The choice of clothing often sparks both praise and criticism. Online, some argue that the outfits are unsuitable for riding on city roads. “Motorcycling is a niche community, and it’s hard to get everyone to understand it,” says Xiaoye. “You just have to focus on doing your own thing.”
Struggling to balance visual appeal with personal safety, both Xiaoye and Pingping emphasize the importance of adhering to traffic laws and ensuring the roads they film on are safe. Most of Xiaoye’s videos are shot at night, when traffic is lighter, and she only removes her protective gear while filming. Despite her provocative style, she insists that “skirting the edge” isn’t her goal.
“What I often hear from others about my account is that this girl is really cool and stylish. That's actually the kind of image I want to create,” Xiaoye says.
As a rider who prioritizes safety, she practices “defensive driving,” always keeping a safe distance from other vehicles.
“The difference between riding a motorcycle and driving a car is that we’re ‘meat wrapped around iron,’ while drivers are ‘meat wrapped by iron,’” she explains. “We can’t survive a collision; if we hit something, we’re always the ones who get hurt,” she explains.
However, these safety precautions often go unnoticed in her videos. Viewers are drawn to the thrilling and fashionable aspects of motorcycle riding, which can overshadow the risks involved.
Many recent motorcycle accidents involving female influencers have highlighted the dangers of riding without proper protective gear. While these choices are personal, Xiaoye acknowledges that the flashy styles promoted on social media may encourage young women to overlook safety.
“Because we present ourselves a certain way to the audience, some people might choose to ride in a similar manner just to look good. But if something goes wrong while riding like that, the consequences can be fatal,” she warns.
Motorcycle accidents involving female riders can attract more public scrutiny than those involving their male counterparts, with critics focusing on their attire and emphasizing the risks. “In the niche motorcycle community, some issues are magnified, but these are personal matters that have little to do with the mode of transportation itself,” says Pingping.
The tragic accidents and apparent disregard for safety have drawn attention from state media. In 2023, Xinhua highlighted how short video platforms prioritize content with higher view counts, pushing influencers to take extreme measures for attention. The report stressed that only through self-discipline, strict oversight, and legal penalties can the “life-threatening livestreaming” phenomenon be curbed.
Similarly, Guangming Daily criticized influencers for sacrificing safety for views, stating, “The internet has opened many doors, but it has also amplified primal instincts. Risking one’s life should never be the key to gaining views.”
While Xiaoye continues to post weekly videos of her riding her upgraded motorcycle, the path to becoming a full-time influencer is far from easy. Beyond visual appeal and a unique style, internet fame often hinges on luck and timing, she explains.
Motorcycle content is also seasonal, with traffic peaks in summer and slowdowns in winter. As a result, Xiaoye took on a new role in late 2024 as a streamer at a motorcycle factory.
Pingping, with nearly 120,000 followers on Douyin, has leveraged her love for motorcycles to promote local tourism and help guide new female riders. Now, she plans to shift her focus from just riding to showcasing the motorcycles themselves, aiming to bring more people into the sport that has broadened her social circle.
For many influencers like them, it’s about more than just the ride — it’s the image they project to the world.
“There’s an adage in our community: ‘Ride with style, not speed,’” says Xiaoye. “If riding a motorcycle doesn’t make people say I look cool, then what’s the point?”
Editor: Apurva.
(Header image: Xiaoye takes her bike out for a spin. Courtesy of Xiaoye)
