If you think that the bike culture in India is almost non-existent, then think again. We thought so too, but the India Bike Week (IBW) changed that once and forever.
Every year, bikers from across the country get together in Goa during the IBW to celebrate the spirit of biking. They come from all corners of the country, like Pune, Bengaluru, Mumbai and even Dehradun.
These bikers don’t ride alone, nor do they ride in in small groups. They ride in thousands.
Their bikers ‘announce’ their arrival by revving of their engines together. This, in turn, sparks off a friendly (or maybe not) rev battle between groups of bikers, each of whom ride a different brand.
These bikes are powerful, and thanks to their huge engines, they are borderline deafening. And if you’re someone who calls the exhaust note “noise” instead of “sound”, these powerful beasts will leave you running for cover.
The dusty venue makes it difficult to stand close to all the bikes coming in.
Once all the riders come in and park their bikes, the next thing to do is to head over to the never-ending party which kept getting crazier.
There was a Dyno too, set up by Shell, where you can see how much power and torque your bike generates in real-time.
There were some stunt riders who had flown in from other countries to display their skills.
And if your expensive bike gets too dirty, you can get them cleaned at the venue, that too by models.
Why? We don’t know either, but it didn’t look like anyone was complaining.
Since these bikes are supposed to signify the rider’s personality, some riders really upped the ante. They built custom motorcycles – many were built completely by hand.
If you are planning to visit the two-day event next time around, then you might want to make sure that you arrive on the first day of IBW. That’s the day when most riders arrive. The energy tends to fizzle out by the end of the second day.
Be prepared for a jolt to your hearing capabilities – the revving, like we told you, takes a toll on your ears.
If you’re okay with that, then you are in for an experience that you will remember for a long time. And if you’re a bike lover, then you might just remember it forever.
(The author was invited by Harley Davidson to cover the India Bike Week in Goa)
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