Why I am heading down to 2016 India Bike Week

Words: Jehan Adil Darukhanawala

Thwarted by fate on two occasions, India Bike Week, hosted at  Vagator, Goa; seemed a distant reality for me. A motorcycle nut like me was stuck in Pune while the biker junta rode down every year for the festival. This year however lady-luck is on my side as I am eager to attend the event.

Having heard stories of riding the twisty B-roads on-route Goa like the Chorla ghat, have sold me on the idea of swinging a leg over my bike and riding down to the beach.  All bikers will be riding from various parts of the country as a part of the ‘Great Migration’ to Goa. IBW has devised three main routes towards Goa to ensure the bikers’ safety. A direct route from Hyderabad, a Chennai originated route via Bangalore and the final one beginning from Delhi via Mumbai and Pune.

IBW has hosted several international personalities over the years. This year they are getting legendary twelve time FIM Trials World Champion Dougie Lampkin. Dougie has been the king of the trials arena who has 99 Grand Prix wins to his name. You may have seen him in an episode of Top Gear UK, where James May pits him in a race against two freestyle runners as a tribute to the BBC headquarters, London. Also a man who we have been closely following, Indian Dakar hero — C S Santosh also comes to Vagator.

I am keen to check out a new addition to the festival, the Dirty20 Enduro Challenge. Derived from the EnduroCross championship, the course will take the riders to hell and back as they will have to negotiate rocks, sand, logs, rings-of-fire (yes, you  read that correctly) and just in case you want to clean yourself up, a water pit will do the job. The course comes with a message of spills guaranteed.

There will also be the finale of the National Stunt Championship, adjudged by Indian FMX champion Shyam Kothari and stunt expert Bhuvan Choudhary. It is always a pleasure to see the man-motorcycle chemistry as they dance their way around performing twirls and lifts. 40 stunt teams from India are vying for the title with a shortlisted 8 to compete at the event.

Apart from being an avid biker, I do like to spend majority of my relaxation period catching up on the latest movies. IBW has combined my two hobbies and has given an opportunity to several motorcycling nuts like myself to enjoy motorcycling on celluloid at the IBW Film Festival. Open to all, the aim is to showcase the love and passion that the motorcycle evokes beautifully.

Bike unveilings from Harley-Davidson, DSK Benelli and Triumph has set my heart racing. The Bonneville Street Twin, is one of the few bikes that will be showcased.

Oh, I forgot to mention the biggest reason you should make it out to Goa. One lucky IBW ticket owner will ride home a custom-made Royal Enfield by Mean Green Machines as part of the inaugural IBW Bike Raffle.

If these reasons aren’t enough to get your motor-running, I don’t know what will. Perhaps a three letter word that trumps them all – GOA!

As we look forward to the upcoming edition of the India Bike Week, we look back at the 2015 festival where Sirish knocked an item off his bucket-list — riding down to Goa aboard a Harley Davidson here.