Nov 22, 2007 01:26 PM
6344 Views
(Updated Dec 14, 2007 01:13 PM)
This review is not about the website bombaybikers.com but is based on my experience on my first ride with the Bombay Bikers Club on the 10th - 11th Nov 2007.
*What is Bombay Bikers.
*Bombay Bikers is an informal group of friends with a passion for biking. They welcome any motorcycle and encourage riders to be confident of their ride and riding. The speed is immaterial, it is the trip that matters. The rides are usually in formation or in teams. The leader stays in front and the others keep pace. No man is left behind and there is someone to lend a hand when the need arises.
Emphasis is on enjoying riding your favourite wheels on a
long trip, seeing new places around Bombay - Thane - Navi Mumbai, honing your
mechanical talent and discovering trusty friends. The ride usually has enough
breaks for a newbie to stay focussed. Riders who want to stay on the safe side
and leisurely pace always catch up at these halts.
Kamal Sharma the founder of this group also insists on maintaining high
safety standards and ensure that all bikers carry with then a tool kit
which includes spare clutch wires, tyre tubes and all the other basic
spares which could be tough to get if stranded on a desolate highway.
Why did I join Bombay Bikers.
Biking had alwayz been my weakness and even though I commute approx 90
Km by bike everyday I still had that itch to go on
long rides with a group of bikers who had the same kidas as mine.
My first Ride with Bombay Biker.
The ride was to Bhimashankar. We started from Eternity Mall, Thane around 8:15 am. We were 12 bikers when we started off and by 4 pm we were left with 9 who dared to continue on our mission.
Even though I was a newbie I was welcomed with so much warmth that within the first half an hour of riding I could feel as if I had known this group since a long time. I could connect with them and understood their signals - like when we had to slow down, when we had to increase the speed, when we had to be in a single line and so on.
There was always a team lead who used to be the navigator and the others would follow. Well, when there is a bunch of young blooded bikers, sparks are bound to fly but here it was so different, Apart form a few races, nasty and rough blind turns and overtakings everyone was disciplined.
We were always riding in groups and if the lead felt that there were riders lagging behind he would halt & the entire group waited for the others to catch up. Infact the founder Kamal was always in the last position so as to ensure that no one lags behind and also to ensure that if anyone has a breakdown then atleast he is there for that person if the others have already raced ahead.
*Breakdowns.
*My bike was the first to breakdown. It had two nails in the rear tyre and got a puncture. Stuck on a highway I was a bit worried as to how I was to get a mechanic to get it fixed. But all my worries were gone in jiffy when the entire group halted and got to fix it them selves. A group of 10 bikers eagerly waiting to lend a helping hand to a newbie who had a flat tyre. That was touching. More than that they were no amature's - they fixed the tyre in a wink of an eye. Infact even I learnt it and am sure will be able to help some one remove and re-fix the rear bike tyres if the need arises.
This group taught me many things, besides safe riding skills it taught me to be tolerant and patient as well. I learnt a few mechanical skills as well.
This trip was a over night trip wherein we traveled almost 560 Km in two days. It was fun.
Total Number of Breakdown: 3
To know about the other break downs check Battousai's blog on bombaybikers.com
*Accidents.
*Well its sounds boring and there is no thrill or fun till you meet with a minor accident atleast when on such long adventurous trips. And so there was fun for me.
I banged into a sign post on a turn in the night. [Had I not banged into the pole it would have been fatal] It so happened that I heard somthing fall from my bike and just turned to check what it was and lost control on that bumpy road in the dark. The thing that had fallen was my rear left indicator light.
Now here comes the Hilter(Kamal Sharma) who was sweeping [trailing behind on purpose] as usual and saw me bang into the pole. He had every one halt and started shouting. He was like people are ready to risk their life for a Rs 10 spare part. lol
Well the fact is that Kamal is concerned and worried for the safety of all his riders and hence he gets a bit hyper at times. But he is correct and has the right to do it if he needs to discipline us and ensure that there are no fatalities and that we all enjoy the trip and reach back home safely.
Total Number of Accidents: 3
To know about the other accidents check Battousai's blog on bombaybikers.com
Next Two PlannedTrips.
1] Tiger Point - Night Ride
2] Goa - New Year Eve
I enjoyed every bit of this trip and recommend all you crazy bikers
like me to this club. If you have it in you come on sign on and be a
part of the only happening biking club of Bombay. Bombay Bikers.:)
