A man-machine rendezvous that set Bengaluru roads on fire

Enthusiasts take off on their bikes for the rally as part of World Motorcycle Day organised by Deccan Herald, Associations of Biking Community (ABC) India in association with IOCL, Ceat and Suzuki at Lulu Global Mall in Bengaluru on Sunday. DH Photos/ S K

Bikers take part in a fashion show as part of the event.

Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad, The Printers Mysore Ltd Joint Managing Director K N Tilak Kumar and members of IndianOil rev the bikes to inaugurate the event.

(L-R) Palani Kumar, GM, Retail Sales, IOCL, Karnataka, V Vetriselvakumar, CGM (Corporate Communications) IndianOil, and K Prasad, CGM (Lubes), IndianOil SERVO and others flag off the bike rally.

A section of the audience at the programme.

Thousands of motorcyclists connected over stories of cross-country journeys at a grand event to mark World Motorcycle Day here on Sunday.

Organised by Deccan Herald and the Association of Biking Community (ABC) India, it kicked off with a traffic awareness ride from Global Malls, Rajajinagar, followed by a day-long expo on all things motorcycle at Jayamahal Palace Hotel.

Nearly 500 motorcyclists set out on a ride for about 20 km before heading to the expo venue.

The expo saw the convergence of over 4,000 people and 70 biking clubs under the umbrella of ABC India.

It included a fashion show organised by the Lulu Group International, talks on tyres and maintenance, and a panel discussion on traffic discipline attended by Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) B R Ravikanthe Gowda.

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“Whenever I have had a bad day, getting on my bike instantly clears my mind. Even if I have had the best day ever, going for a ride makes it even better. My bike is my best friend,” said one of the attendees as he revved up for the slow motorcycle race towards the evening.

The event also saw fitness enthusiasts engage in push-up and arm-wrestling contests, accompanied by foot-tapping music by bands such as Fourplay, Beat Boys and Beat Gurus. Riders from across the country spoke about their enduring love affair with motorcycles to a rapt audience of all ages and backgrounds.

Vintage and modified bikes stood out in a sea of leather and metal.

Veteran motorcyclist Navroz Contractor and leading mechanic Joseph Raja also talked about the importance of safety gear and the need to pre-check bikes before going on rides.

They shared tips for motorcycle maintenance and stories from their journeys. A sumptuous lunch was followed by more fun-filled activities, including a tug of war.

“It was a wonderful experience. I got ideas to modify my bikes, there were YouTubers and other stars present and it was a pleasure to interact with them. The gear at the stalls was amazing to browse through,” said Venkatesh, a member of the Pulsar Fortune Club.

Presented by IndianOil XP95, the WMD 2022 event was organised in association with Ceat Tyres, Suzuki and The Roadster Life. Lulu Group International was the fashion show partner, Royal Enfield traffic awareness partner, Manipal Hospitals health partner, 6 Miles to Isle of Man accessories partner, Coca-Cola hydration partner and Unibic snacks partner.

While the audience was blown away by fabulous musical performances, it was the revving of bikes punctuating the air that truly stole the show. As a rider put it, “Hear that? That’s the sound of freedom.”