China motorcycle influencer, 35, passes away in highway accident, allegedly didn't fasten helmet properly

A female motorcycle influencer in China died following a highway accident allegedly after not fastening her helmet properly, which sparked debate online about safe riding practices.

The 35-year-old rider, Qi Shuoran, passed away on Jul. 11 after being sent to the hospital, reported China Press and Chinese media.

Her helmet was allegedly not fastened properly at the time of the accident, Qi's fellow rider disclosed in response to online comments.

Hit guardrail

Qi, who is from China's Jilin province, was said to have hit the guardrail while riding along a highway, and sustained head injures from the accident, Jimu News reported.

She was brought to the hospital but succumbed to her injuries there.

A memorial service was reportedly held for Qi on Jul. 19.

Stirred up debate on riding safety

Qi, who was nicknamed "Harley Aunt", was a member of the Harley Changchun Column, a motorcycle enthusiast group in China.

Qi was known online for her sunny nature and courageous attitude.

Her account, "骑哈雷的小姨", has more than 30,000 fans on Douyin.

She reportedly started riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles in 2019.

In 2024, Qi rode 30,000km with a group through Tibet and the Gobi Desert, Sichuan News reported.

Tribute videos taken down

After Qi's death, the Harley Changchun Column posted a tribute video to Qi on its Douyin, along with a video of fellow riders participating in a farewell ceremony for her, according to China Press.

"Your brothers are here to see you off! We all saw you turn into a butterfly and fly into the sky," the farewell video was reportedly captioned.

As of Jul. 22, the videos have been taken down from the group's Douyin page.

Spate of deaths

The news of Qi's death quickly gained traction on Weibo from Jul. 19, with many users mourning her loss at a young age.

Others called for safer motorcycle riding practices, such as fastening helmets properly, instead of trying to "show off".

Qi's death reportedly follows a string of high-profile road deaths of motorcycle influencers in China over the past two years.

Motorcycle internet celebrities such as "Crazy Brother", Zhou Junhao, Brother Tail, "Sanmaozi", and "Brother Tou" all lost their lives in road accidents, Sichuan News reported.

Top image from Weibo