RIDER MANIAC – December 2015

IN CONVERSATION WITH SHREESHA RAO. OWNER OF A ROYAL ENFIELD. AN AVID BIKE ENTHUSIAST AND ALSO A PARTICIPANT OF BIKE RALLIES ACROSS TOWN

What do you like most about the Enfield Riders rally that takes place in the country?
It is the diversity of people that you get to witness at these rallies. Geographically you’ll find riders from almost all parts of India most of them from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru & Chennai also, everyone finds time out of their hectic schedules and commitments to do what they love the best,that is to ride and explore. Personally, I have met riders who professionally are investment bankers, chartered accountants, techies, game designers, doctors and students, so you feel the diversity I am talking about and all of them come to a single platform ,all enthusiastic about the ride.

What attracted you to the Royal Enfield?
Right from my childhood I’ve been fascinated about two wheelers. Thanks to my folks, my first ride was when I was 3, on a BMX. Going down memory lane, I remember when we used to travel, I would sit on the suitcase and drag it for the whole length of Pune Station thinking it was my Yamaha. It was a rage back then. My dad owned a Yezdi Classic Twin Silencer which I could never get a hold on since I was too young. Thus, given the initiation, owning a Royal Enfield was a natural choice. A combination of the old school feel, raw power & thump makes it a winner.

What are the usual number of participants in such rallies and how diverse are they?
Usually rides on tougher terrains would see lesser number of participants but this depends majorly on the organizers so you would expect to see about 40 to 50 riders, whereas, destination events attract a lot of participant numbers going into a couple of thousands.The only advice I would give a bike enthusiast is to enjoy and ride safe.