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Tour of rann of KuTch news Keep riding bulleT bose

may June 2012

ma r k e t i n g n ew s l e t t e r

Tour of Bhutan 2012

royal enfield

2kick start

If you would like to contribute to The BeAT email us at ppsathaye@royalenfield.com editorial team Shaji Koshy, Sachin Chavan, Praveen P Sathaye

Dear FrienDs,

Earlier this year we celebrated the ONE RIDE day on the 1st of April, 2012. This day is celebrated on the 1st Sunday of April and is one when Royal Enfield motorcycles all over the world get out on the roads and the whole environment is abuzz with the combined sound of the thump. The simple reason being this day is the one when most of the countries in which we are present, the weather is conducive for a ride. A little earlier and Europe is frozen, a little late and India gets the unbearable summer. This year we also

had a dedicated website for ONE RIDE which formed the platform for all Royal Enfield enthusiasts to share their experiences and photographs around the ONE RIDE. You would find the various images collated by us from all over world on the occasion of ONE RIDE further in this issue.

The month of June witnesses riders from all over India riding out towards Ladakh, the land of the passes, as the name translates directly into. This is often called the riding season and this is the time when we also set forth on the Himalayan Odyssey, an epic ride to Ladakh from Delhi. This year a total of 67 riders were flagged off from India Gate amidst much fanfare on

the 9th edition of the Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey, and would cover a good distance of 2500-odd km before they roll back into Delhi. Daily updates from the riders as well as video clippings and photos were instantly shared directly while on the ride on to our social media platforms which helped other enthusiasts and their friends and families keep abreast of their adventure.

Another event which we are introducing this year as part of our effort to bring all the Royal Enfield enthusiasts together for celebrations is the REUNION. For years Royal Enfield enthusiasts and riders have been bonding over rides, meeting like-minded people, and getting together to celebrate the Thump that binds at the Royal Enfield Rider Mania annual fest in Goa. With the Royal Enfield REUNION we now take this celebration to the different parts of the country having one REUNION in each direction; North, South, East and West to be specific. At the REUNION, the enthusiasts and riders from that region and the surrounding states can ride together and meet like-minded enthusiasts from around, bond over the celebrations and other motorcycle events around their Royal Enfield motorcycles and spend a relaxed yet adventurous fun-filled weekends with friends.

So heres looking forward to meeting up with you at REUNION SOUTH at Ooty and being a part of the celebrations of this annual get together of all Royal Enfield aficionados.

Till then... Ride Safe and dont forget to put a helmet on while riding.

shaji koshy

senior Vice-President, sales and marketing, royal enfield

www.royalenfield.com

T o u r o f ra n n o f K u T c h n e ws K e e p r i d i n g b u l l e T b o s e

may June 2012

m a r k e t i n g n e w s l e t t e r

Tour of Bhutan 2012

royal enfield

cover photograph by ha rsh m an r a i

3 upcoming rides

Royal Enfield REunion South royal enfield organises various Rides and Events for Royal Enfield owners throughout the year. These are adventure-filled fun and leisure activities and rides taking place at exotic localesopportunities for brotherly banter, road talks and biking binge. At the REUNION, enthusiasts and riders would be riding together and meet like-minded enthusiasts from around, bond over the celebrations and other motorcycle events around their Royal Enfield motorcycles and spend a relaxed yet fun weekend with friends. There shall be a raft of events for the enthusiast at REUNION from competitive events to information sessions as well.For the REUNION South we

are inviting the riders to ride in from all over and converge to Ooty where this extravaganza will be hosted at the Sterling Resorts. Spread across 17th, 18th and 19th August 2012, the action packed weekend would have:

1. Music and EntErtainMEnt- Bands and dJs

2. info-Matory sEssions around Motorcycling

3. custoM BikEs on display4. EvEnts and gaMEs with

prizEs to BE won5. stalls showcasing

MotorcyclE gEar and accEssoriEs

6. MErchandisE and collEctiBlEs on salE

Schedule17-19 august, ooty.

For more details on the Royal Enfield REUNION please check http://www.royalenfield.com/reunion/ or send email to asaxena3@royalenfield.com

17-19 August,

2012

4upcoming rides

Royal Enfield Tour of NH17 2012

T ake a scenic tour winding around the legendary NH 17, often dubbed as the West Coast Road having inspired a couple of Bollywood blockbusters on the lines of Bombay to Goa.While the main theme

is on riding through places around the scenic Mumbai-Goa Highway, the highlight is to romance the western monsoons walking through clouds at one moment in the Western Ghats or strolling on virgin beaches watching the waves create magic, gorging on strawberries to sipping a piping hot coffee while the rain vents its fury outside. Each and every moment of this ride is one which will certainly give you your moments of discovery where the sheer bliss of riding to remote places and riding in challenging weather on your Royal Enfield will make it seem like an experience of a lifetime. This year, a short ride through the scenic valley of flowers is an added bonus.Riding in the rains has

always been a romantic, lively and exciting experience for

many and Royal Enfield would provides service and medical back-up to provide confidence not just to the participants but also to their friends and family. The Tour of NH 17 has expert and experienced pilots to guide the group in various areas of bike riding and coping with the weather and terrain.For more details on the

tour of nh 17 please email tourofnh17@royalenfield.com or call on 044 42230244 and speak to us.

The iTinerary

a u g 1 1 1 7, 2 0 1 2

mumbai harihareshwar tapola ganapatipule gaganbawda malvan

dandeli vagator

5N epal has a special place in the hearts of adventure junkies and its no longer restricted to just climbing Mt Everest. It is a great country to ride your Royal Enfield in and its as simple as crossing the border. The 2nd edition of the Tour of Nepal will take 30 riders across the borders to experience an awesome motorcycling adventure!This is your opportunity to

capture the roseate dawn glow on snow-capped Himalayas and abundant wildlife in the the sanctuaries besides the

hustle-bustle of the culturally rich Kathmandu. Over this 10-day ride across the scenic mountains forming the famous Annapurna ranges you will see the worlds deepest gorge. You will also glimpse wildlife in the Chitwan and Bardiya sanctuaries and ford a few shallow rivers. A visit to the birthplace of the Buddha and the Pokhara lake would be some of things you would cherish. These experiences along with the sentiment of oneness with their Royal Enfield motorcycles on such an arduous ride shall

stay with the riders for years to come. If you

are looking for something more materialistic then

Kathmandu is a great place to shop in during the rest day. Starting from Lucknow

we shall cross over into Nepal at Dhangadhi and after 10 adventurous days of riding in the Himalayan region return back into India through the same place. The weather would be cold in the mountains as winter is round the corner so come prepared. The weather and terrain being slightly demanding this ride is

recommended for riders with intermediate to expert riding skills.For more details on the

tour of nepal please email tourofnepal@royalenfield.com or call on 044 - 42230244

Royal Enfield Tour of Nepal 2012

The iTinerary

s e p t 2 9 1 0 o c t, 2 0 1 2

lucknow dhanga-dhi bardiya pokhara jomsom kathmandu chitwan bhairahawa

lucknow

upcoming rides

6news The Odyssey Rides AgAinthe Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey, the ultimate motorcycling adventure in India, was flagged off on 23 June, 2012 by Dr Venki Padmanabhan, CEO , Royal Enfield, from India Gate, New Delhi. The 16-day adventure had 67 riders from India and abroad riding 2,700 km from Delhi to Ladakh and back on their Royal Enfields. Addressing the group of Royal Enfield enthusiasts present, Dr Padmanabhan said, We are honoured that this band of riders have elected to come with us, on our motorcycles, on this epic bucket list ride, not just honoured but deeply touched. The motorcyclists would be back in Delhi on

Sunday, July 8, 2012 and shall be welcomed by an extravaganza to celebrate their accomplishment.

The Fuel economy challengeBVM Moto, the official Royal Enfield dealer for Gloucestershire in the West of England, organised a fuel economy challenge on Saturday 14th April, 2012. Open to all petrol Royal Enfield motorcycles in two classes (one for bikes with EFI and the other for carburettors), competitors rode from BVMs showroom in the market town of Stroud to the Watsonian Squire factory near Stratford-on-Avon, on the other side of the Cotswold hills. The route was far from ideal for achieving good economy, with many steep climbs. However the organisers wanted a real life result to compare with the published economy figures of nearly 80mpg. The winner recorded 96.93 miles per gallon. Refuelling of the motorcycles was overseen by Mr V Vikram from Royal Enfield who had travelled from Chennai for this event and was delighted at the figures obtained.

ROyAl enfield uk deAleRs AnnuAl cOnfeRenceThe Royal Enfield dealers in the UK got together to enjoy a 120-mile ride around the Malvern Hills in glorious spring sunshine as part of the companys annual conference in March 2012. Their trip included a visit to Redditch, where Royal Enfield motorcycles were produced from 1901-1967. They also stopped for lunch at the recently-opened Royal Enfield pub in the towns old cinema, where you get attractive discounts if you come astride a Royal Enfield motorcycle. The day was rounded off with an informal dinner at which awards were presented to the best-performing dealerships.

7 dealer news

royal enFielDs newesT DealersWith each passing month, Royal Enfield is continuously expanding its network across India as well as the world. Addition of new dealers and work-

shops/service stations are all part of our endeavour to reach out to customers and enthusiasts and address their requirements.

Following new dealers were inaugurated in the last months of March, April and May.

PCS Automobiles5 Nai Sarak, Habba Kadal, Srinagar,Jammu & Kashmir 190001Phone: 0194-2472781; 9419006415Email: pcs.automobiles@gmail.com

Manzil Motors Pvt. Ltd.Mr. Puneet Gaur9/A IDC Sector 16, Gurgaon Haryana 122001Phone: 0124-4231683, 4231684, 9560711988Email: puneet.gaur@manzilmotors.com

Goswami Automobiles73 Chow Mandi, Roorkee Uttarakhand 247667 Phone: 9897238608 , Email: goswamiautomobiles11@gmail.com

Sachdeva Enterprises Shakambari Road, Near Balaji Man-dir, SaharanpurUttar Pradesh 247001Phone: 9897881919, Email: upsham.sachdeva.sachdeva@gmail.com

Bucho Royal EnfieldMr Kipa Babu

C Sector, NaharlagunArunachal Pradesh 791119Phone: 9402297058Email: buchoroyalenfield@rediffmail.com

LAWMA Enfield B/13, Pu Lawma Dawr Sikulpuikawn, Mission Veng, AizwalMizoram 796005 Phone: 0389-2334731, 9436143671Email: lawma_enfield@rediffmail.com

Achhar Singh Royal C/O, Jorhat Pharma Distributors Achhar Singh Complex, JorhatAssam 785001Phone: 9435738596Email: achharsingh_royal@yahoo.com

Merins Royal Enfield Pynthorumkhrah, Polo Hills, ShillongMeghalaya 793001Phone: 9863067586Email: arfatswer@email.com

Royal Ridentity Pvt Ltd, 7, Sigma Prime, Near Sardar Patel Statue

Vallabh VidhyanagarAnand, Gujarat 388 120 Phone :9898484500Email: royalridentity@gmail.com

Rimik Motors Pvt Ltd, New High Court Road, Sharda Vihar, City Centre, GwaliorMadhya Pradesh 474 003 Phone: 9425735616Email: prateek_mehta@ymail.com

Dinesh MotorsPlot No.11Beside Wadgaon Police ChowkiBapat Nagar, Nagpur Road Chandrapur Maharashtra 442401Phone: 07172-260555, 9822050565Email: dineshmotors.re@rediffmail.comJay MotorsOpp. Baramati Dudh SanghNira Road ,KasbaBaramatiMaharashtra 413102Phone: 02112 221055, 9922880888Email: jaymotors11@gmail.com

Synergy Auto Inc.Beside Hotel Peninsula

Andheri-Ghatkopar Link Road Saki NakaMumbai 400072Phone: 022 28590070 / 71, 8286610000Email: synergyenfield@gmail.com

Raghu Ram Auto CareGarodia Heights, Near Sheni Mandir, Garikhana ChowkHarmu Road, RanchiJharkhand 834001 Phone: 0651-6571607, 9905110006Email: raghuramautocare@gmail.com

Unique Motors S-9,City Centre Sector 4 Bokaro Steel City, BokaroJharkhand 827004 Phone: 0654-2233304, 8102916565Email: uniquemotorsbokaro@gmail.com

Leelasons AutoDhansarJharia RoadDhanbadJharkhand 828106Phone: 7631050369/ 9504103172Email: leelasonsauto@gmail.com

8one ride

ONE RIDE 2012The first Sunday of April is celebrated worldwide as the ONE RIDE day where Royal Enfield owners all over the world are encouraged to take their motorcycles out and ride. This year the ONE RIDE took place on the 1st of April and was celebrated across the world. This celebration is in line with Royal Enfields philosophy of promoting the adventure and leisure riding under its keep riding initiative.

Although each rider could have his or her own individual One Ride Royal Enfield encouraged them to either start the ride from any of their Brand Stores/Dealership/Distributor or Service stations or end at them for an easy count. Special ONE RIDE commemorative stickers and cloth patches were distributed amongst the riders who proudly adorned their bikes, helmets and jackets with these memorabilia. This was a ride for camaraderie and unity where the roads came alive with the distinct thump of Royal Enfield machines. The event became big with the support of all riders and enthusiasts who came forward and joined in the celebrations.

Even if the riders were not able to join any of the ONE RIDE celebrations they still take out their beloved Royal Enfield on this day and show the chrome and the polished tank some sunlight and ride.

Perhaps one of the largest celebrations of the ONE RIDE was in Mumbai-Pune where the riders rode out in 2 groups; one to Manori while one group rode to Lonavla to meet up with the riders coming in from Pune. The riders assembled at the Big Wheels Cafe and then rode up to the legendary slopes of hell to test their off-road skills. Various clubs also joined up for this

ride and it served as a great occasion for the Royal Enfield brotherhood to bind and celebrate. The riders from Ludhiana rode out to the RDB Fort near the Gurudwara Manzi Sahib. Delhi was the other city in India which saw a huge turnout of riders who rode out to Neemrana from various parts of the NCR region. The Awadh spirited riders from Lucknow rode out to the Nawabganj bird sanctuary for this occasion and turned up in strong numbers. The Riders in Chandigarh rode up into the mountains in a huge group for this day. Royal riders from Kolhapur rode up to the Panhala

fort for the One Ride celebrations. Darjeeling Enfielders also had their ONE RIDE in Siliguri and Darjeeling. This event was also celebrated all over the world with close to 5000 Royal Enfield riders being part of it. Special stickers were issued to commemorate this event and were distributed all across.

There was a special micro-site created for this event accessible on www.oneride.in where enthusiasts could enter details of their individual One Ride celebrations and rides as well as upload pictures through a Facebook connect.

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racing legend

The dawn of the seventies was a period when the Bullet was becoming more and more popular on the tracks and the man who should be acknowledged for this popularity was Bhasker Rao, popularly referred to Bullet Bhaskie whose faired racing machine was doing great laps at

the Sholavaram circuit. It was at the same time when Bose also followed through with ever increasing expertise on the Bullet. In 1974 with experience gained from 4-lap and 6-lap races, Bullet Bose was slowly graduating into a different league altogether. His first Grand Prix win was in 1973 and he repeated his success in 1974 along with winning a drag race in between. Unfortunately in 1975 his Bullet developed a snag and did not produce the desired results but 1976 saw him back with a vengeance and grab pole position on his Bullet 350.

The following years he also started rallying on the Bullet 350, starting off with the Gabriel Rally in 1978 and dirt track races in the same year. The racing surface changed but the indomitable spirit reigned as ever. He also took part in the Sudarshan Rally the same year bagging fourth on his trustworthy Bullet. One of these rallies he had to cover a distance of close to 3500 km in just a little over 36 hours of riding. He remembers that after riding nonstop through the unforgiving terrain, slush and dirt he as well as the motorcycle was hardly recognizable at the end of the rally.

From 1980 onwards he was backed extensively by UCAL, a memorable year for him as he won the Rolling Trophy for that year by winning the requisite 3 consecutive Grand Prix races. In the GP races he bagged a total of 7 trophies year upon year taking the chequered flag with grace and pace.

Speed with precision had always been the forte of Bose as was proven by the fact that right from 1979, he actually won the special award for the fastest lap time continuously for almost all races, irrespective of the final result of the race. Thus he proved that when focussed he was actually the Fastest Indian. He also went on to bag the Chief Ministers trophy for Best

Rider in 1985, 1988, 1989 and 1993, and was also awarded Indias Best Rider award in 1990 and the Ugadhi Puraskar in 1993.

Although he had started riding other motorcycles including the tiny but potent TVS moped, at heart he always longed to race on the Bullet. Its not strange that despite having some of the real fast monstrous fast Japanese machines on the track, Bose ran one of his last Bullet races in 1993, a year before he moved on from motorcycle racing to car racing. During his racing years, he garnered over 350 victories. He holds the record of winning six times on the trot and getting two

Mico Rolling Trophies. At one time, the advertisement for the Madras Motor Sports Club carried his photo as part of its campaigns.

Then, he switched to car racing and showed a special interest in rallying. He gave up competitive motor sports in 2000, not because he woke up to the fact that he was not getting any younger. He had always played by the rules of the game, and this quality endeared him to all the big wigs at the Madras Motor Sports Club and they considered his transition from racer to racing official extremely beneficial for the sport.

His racing career with the Bullet has witnessed phenomenal success and over the years and he relives his golden moments through a register that is pasted with photos and press reports. Apart from the trophies, the only thing concrete that has emerged from his

glorious past is a 1960 Bullet. This was perhaps the reason why in 1990, the Car & Bike International magazine listed Bose as the No 1 racer of the year, amongst an illustrious list of other stalwarts.

Perhaps his last year of riding the Bullet 350 was at the 36th National races in 1993. After which the legendary No 5 sticker was then carried forward by his son Siddharth Kishore who besides having inherited his motorcycle has also inherited the racing genes. But does that mean that he is out of racing and out of sync with the Bullet 350? Definitely not! The Bullet 350 is one such machine which shall always be close to his heart and shall hold a memorable position in his mind forever.

Bullet Bosethe grand prix yearsThis is the 2nd part of the article on the motorcycling racing legend G Subhash Chandra Bose continued from the previous edition of The Beat.

Multiple winner of the Chief Ministers Trophy for Best Rider in 1985, 1988, 1989 and 1993

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Bose's Royal Enfield with a miniscule fairing for improved aerodynamics

The legendary No. 5 in track action

Bullet Bose and Bullet Bhaskie share a joke at the Sholavaram racetrack

After 3500 km in rains at the Coimbatore

Scissors Action Rally

Bose on his Bullet 350 starts the

South India Rally

ride story

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Royal Enfield Tour of Bhutan

2012Text by: aakash ahuJa

Photographs by: harsh man rai

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ride story

all the riders for the Royal Enfield Tour of Bhutan assembled at Siliguri; completed the riding gear scrutiny and bike

inspection and prepared for D-Day. They started off with a flag-off ceremony where the Darjeeling Enfielders, riders from the local Royal Enfield club, came down to see them off. The riders took the long, but more picturesque way up to Darjeeling via Mirik and used the rest of the day to go around for sightseeing and shopping. The next day they rode down the twisty roads through the tea gardens of Darjeeling and made their way to Yoksum in Sikkim. The initial route from Darjeeling to Pelling was quite challenging, with ultra-steep downhill turns and then the unending off-roading that followed. The riders then rode to the small town of Rumtek from where one could see the city of Gangtok in the distance on the opposite hill. Before reaching Rumtek, the riders stopped for lunch at a restaurant aptly named Clouds End. From the restaurant balcony you get a birds eye view of the valleys and mountains below which are constantly engulfed in pristine white clouds. The next day was going to be a big day as we would be riding into the beautiful and evergreen kingdom of Bhutan across the Indian border.The Land of the Thunder Dragon

(Bhutan) as its called is a landlocked state, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by India and to the north by Tibet. The first town we entered in Bhutan was Phuentsoling at the Indo-Bhutan border. Though not a big place, the people here are very friendly and courteous. Once the bike permits and route passes were all in order, the riders carried on the capital of Bhutan Thimpu. As they climbed the mountains ahead, they were all awestruck with the immense beauty and lush landscapes that greeted them. Thimpu is a great city to visit in Bhutan,

with its impeccable architecture, cultural heritage and even a night life. One shall find a variety of karaoke pubs and a few discotheques. A little further away from Thimpu is the town of Paro, a nice, quiet and peaceful town, whose main attraction is the world famous Tigers Nest monastery perched high up on a mountain crag. It was built in 1692,

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tour of rajasthan

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ride story around the Taktsang Senge Samdup cave where Guru Padmasambhava is said to have meditated for three months in the 8th century. Padmasambhava is credited with introducing Buddhism to Bhutan and people from all over the world come to visit this monastery in seek of inner peace and enlightenment. After a good day of rest and

relaxation, the riders headed towards Bumathang. There are many significant Buddhist sacred sites near the town, such as Kurjey Lhakhang, which holds a body print of Guru Rinpoche; Jambey Lhakhang, one of the 108 monasteries that in mythology were miraculously constructed by King Songten Gampo in one night. It has a river flowing alongside the highway as you enter the city and the beauty of this place keeps you in awe. It got a bit nippy here as the sun set but the view of clouds swooping in and out of the adjacent mountains made it worthwhile.The next day the riders rode to

Mongar which is at an altitude of 5250 feet. Mongar is 190 km from Bumthang. The journey took them through the 4000 meters high Thrumsing-la pass to the town of Mongar in eastern Bhutan. The waterfalls, sleek curves and lush vegetation on the way provided for the spectacular views. This journey was through one of the highest motorable roads of the country. The road remained closed in the winter as it gets fully covered with snow. Next on the route was the town of

Tashigang and the final destination on the route in Bhutan was the border city of Somdrup Jongkar. On that day of the ride, the riders were blessed with cool showers of rainfall as they rode up the mountains and through the clouds. It was truly a divine experience. Finally they crossed the border into Assam and further on to Guwahati and were back on Indian roads. Though most of them felt nice to be back in India, the country of Bhutan did leave a lasting impression on all of them who rode together on this trip. They made new buddies, helped each other out in a jam, laughed hysterically at each others jokes, and came back with memories that will forever be etched in their minds. The Royal Enfield Tour of Bhutan was simply fantastic, and given a chance, most of the riders would do it all over again.

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ride story

TexT: sanThosh ViJay images: Various ConTribuTors

10 MARCH, 2012 AHMEDABAD: The riders started pouring in one by one and underwent their bike and riding gear scrutiny which was followed by a pre-ride briefing. The riders got to know each other and exchanged points and expectations from the ride. The next day 18 riders took off from

Ahmedabad on this epic journey. Mr Mahesh Nayak, Deputy Commissioner of Police formally flagged off the tour from the Acropolis Mall where a large crowd had gathered to cheer the riders.

Ahmedabad is reckoned as the cultural capital of Gujarat and sets an example to many other cities and towns this side of the country, thus making it the obvious choice for the flag-off. With this event the culturally rich city known for the arts, crafts and culinary delights woke up to its adventurous side. After the first regroup, the riders headed towards Zainabad and reached later in the afternoon. After a short nap, the riders got some much needed practice when they took an off-road trail to a nearby lake to watch the migratory birds. The group rode out from Zainabad

the next day and promptly hit the Little Rann of Kutch. After entering the vast

Royal Enfield Tour of Rann of Kutch

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Royal Enfield Tour of Rann of Kutch

desolate landscape the riders couldnt hold themselves back and enjoyed it to its fullest extent running wild in the vast emptiness that extended in every direction. The day ended at the campsite in Dholavira where the team could see the Great White Rann right in front of their eyes, a terrain that they had to negotiate the next day.On the 13 March, after breakfast the

riders ventured into the Great Rann. Riding over sandy and rocky trails they went through the two border outposts at Machhi and Karni which are areas quite secluded from regular civilization. Upon reaching the Greater Rann, the riders were a little disappointed when they

20

realized that the Greater Rann was still wet and flooded due to recent rainfall. However the ride through the trails to Karni and Mucchi was any off-roaders dream and more than made up for the disappointment. In the evening they visited the 4000-year-old-Harappan Civilization site near Dholavira before calling it a day. The next day was a long ride and the

riders covered approximately 300-plus km out from Dholavira to Dhordho. The day ended at the serene Kutch Rann Resort at Dhordho, after a night ride out into the White Desert, which to the delight of the riders was dry.15 March saw the riders heading

all the way to the India Bridge. Unfortunately they were not allowed to cross over towards the border because of a technicality regarding the permissions. After spending a disappointing few hours, the riders rode out to Kala Dungar, also known as the highest point around the Rann to watch the spectacular sunset and then headed back to a different corner of the White Desert and rode through the night before returning for dinner.The penultimate day of the tour

perhaps ended up being the longest day of the whole journey. The riders on their Royal Enfield motorcycles left from Dhordho and to cross the Little Rann once again to head back to Zainabad. The riders were more confident of tackling the Rann this time around and they really enjoyed putting themselves and their motorcycles through manoeuvres that they wouldnt have dreamed of a scant few days ago. After a small party for all the riders where they shared stories of the individual adventures they had during the ride and how they bonded over the motorcycles they called it a day. The next day, on 17 March, the day

started off with the riders slowly getting to realise that this was perhaps the last day of their adventure. No one really wanted to head back to civilization but then they shook off the after effects of the nights party and geared up for the last 120-odd km ride back to Ahmedabad. Getting off the bike at journeys end, the riders were exhilarated and recollected moments of their adventurous ride as they dusted off their jackets and finally gave their bikes some rest.

ride story

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club

The Royal Knights Motorcy-cle Club is one of Bangalores most popular biking clubs. The club which was started in April 5, 2006, by a small

group of like-minded, dedicated Royal En-field enthusiasts, has grown over the last five years, to become one of Indias premier Royal Enfield motorcycle clubs. The first ride of the club was on 9th April 2006 to Belmuri Falls near Mysore, with just 2 rid-ers Debraj and Shakti.The reason that makes the Royal Knights

stand apart from other clubs is perhaps their simplicity and the fact that they make their rides a spectacular affair. For them the ride is more important than the destina-tion. They follow various riding formations based on the amount of traffic on the road. There are guidelines which every rider must follow to ensure everybody has a safe and fun ride. The Club even has its own terms and conditions and prerequisites which every potential member must go through

before joining the club. All in all, they are a professionally man-aged group of motorcycle enthu-siasts who believe in riding free.The Royal Knights Motorcy-

cle Club is also one of the easi-est clubs to join. All you need is a Royal Enfield motorcycle. The members of the club come from various backgrounds; people from all walks of life, who would have otherwise never met, get a chance to rub shoulders with each other simply be-cause they share a similar passion riding. From artists to architects, IT professionals to doctors, entrepreneurs to students; the club has them all. The members go about their daily grind of life from Monday to Fri-day (some even on Saturday), and escape on to the highway on Sunday. For them, riding with the club is a well-deserved break and a stress buster which prepares them for the coming week. Royal Knights Motorcycle Club Anniver-

sary rides are only for the members who are regular to the club. The first anniversary celebrations were at Wayanad, Kerala in April 2007 where 20-odd members rode to and then followed by a great party, dance etc. Each of the anniversary rides are spe-cial in itself and means a lot the members of the club. The 2nd Anniversary was cele-brated at Masinagudi and the 3rd Anniver-sary Celebrations was organized at Coorg. The 4th Anniversary Celebrations was or-

ganized at Lovedale (Ooty), Hill Country in 2010 April which was attended by more than 45 mem-bers while the 5th Anniversary Celebrations ride to Wayanad Golden Gates Resort in 2011 was by far one of the biggest ever cel-ebration with 80-plus motorcy-cles riding together and 90-odd people. This year the 6th Anni-versary Ride was held from 9- 11 March, 2012, at Kodaikanal.

This ride covered close to 1200 km in just three days.Although, the club might only meet dur-

ing rides or club meetings, it goes well be-yond just being all about motorcycles. Per-sonal friendships are also cemented over rides and all in all, they are more than leath-er and Kevlar clad men cruising past you on their rumbling motorcycles. They consider themselves to be a brotherhood of people, and every ride only helps in ensuring that the brotherhood goes stronger.The club boasts of a wide array of motor-

cycles, from the vintage classics of the 50s and 60s to the modern fuel injected beasts of today. You would also find motorcycles modified to such an extent that they have no resemblance to their original look though some keep their bikes the same way they bought them, even if it has been close to 25 or 30 years. The Royal Knights Motorcycle Club has travelled to almost every destina-tion in South India. But the sheer size of the group in every ride somehow is a hindrance when it comes to travelling long distances; thus most of their rides are short and sweet.

To join the Royal Knights in Bangalore and be a part of their rides, send a mail to info@royalknightsindia.com

Royal Knights, Bangalore

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Nerve CariB / ruN jaCkeTCome summer and riding with a armoured jacket becomes quite tiresome, firstly due to the heavy weight of the jacket as well as the heat which makes it quite uncomfortable inside. The Nerve Carib is a great summer mesh jacket which makes riding in hot weather a breeze without compromising on protection as well as comfort. The mesh front of the jacket has good ventilation while the cordura

material on the back and sleeves provides good all weather protection. The CE approved armour is surprisingly light-weight and does not add to the weight of this jacket. There are no side pock-ets in this jacket. There is however a small pocket in the liner inside

and one pocket in the front to keep your phone along with a few other things and this pocket has a waterproof zip-per arrangement. This jacket can be worn in light rain and offers minimal protection against precipitation and in a downpour, its not of much use. Unfortunately this jacket is available only in black there is not much style attached to it in terms of look and feel but it has good comfort and functional utility attached to it.Available through leading riding gear sites and stores for ap-

proximately INR 6000, this jacket is definitely is value for mon-ey and is one of the most inexpensive ones available in India.

PraVeen P sathaye

gear review

reviT SaNd jaCkeT The Revit brand is well known for its ergonomic fit and Sand jacket is one of its offering for adventure touring. The jacket as they call it, is a four seasons one which comes with two removable liners. One is a waterproof one while the other a thermal liner to keep the rider warm when it gets cold. The jackets outer layer has a water resistant coating and with the liner inside, the waterproofing is remarkable. On the hotter days, the zip-pers in front, back, arm cuffs can be opened and the venting works fairly well. This is not a mesh jacket but it does a good job for an all-round one. The jacket can be zipped together with the pants. The jacket comes with three pockets, two on the front and one large one on the back. These pro-vide plenty of space and most of the important stuff can fit in them. How-ever these arent exactly waterproof. The waterproof liner as well as the thermal liner has a breast pocketso if you want to securely place your phone or iPod, then these are waterproof. Revit has gone one step fur-ther on its previous editions by using re-enforced stitching in key stress places on the suit thus making it tougher. The neck strap is now adjustable and has a unique hook design so it doesnt keep flapping when you unbut-ton it. There is CE-approved armour used inside the jacket. The armour is foam type however once you pull it out and have a look at it, its smaller than the ones used on some of the top-of-the-line riding gear

available today and somehow does not instil great confidence. There are straps that can be used to adjust the fit. Available in four colours, this jacket is most liked for its ergonomic fit, styl-ing and the thermal and waterproof liners.

Available through leading riding gear sites for USD 470, this definitely is on the higher side but is value for money if coupled with matching riding pants. adarsh saxena

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keep riding

The following rides were organised by Royal Enfield all over the country under the Keep Riding initiative started to encourage enthusiasts and customers to ride out on their motorcycles.

AhmedAbAd to SulA WineS viA bhAndArdhArAIn March 2012, riders from Royal Riders Ahmedabad rode out to celebrate the grape season by riding to the Sula Vineyard near Nasik via Bhandardhara. This was a ride they all were looking forward to as it also gave them an insight into how wine is made. A wine tasting session was organised after which the riders lazed around the vineyard. The scenic route through Bhandardhara hills and back through Saputara provided the much needed adventure during this ride

AhmedAbAd to tApArpurALate February saw riders visit a relative-ly unknown place a mere 120 km from Ahmedabad. The riders wanted to explore

the new places and villages rather than the usual tourist destinations. Taparpura is a small village aloof from the city life and bathed with peace and quiet. The riders decided to explore the fields around the vil-lage and riding on their Royal Enfield mo-torcycles was the only option. The decision meant tough off-roading through the rustic paths where only tractors had been seen till now. The ride was made more interesting by a nice relaxing lunch made right there on the field, amidst interactions with the vil-lagers, making it a perfect weekend.

AhmedAbAd to little rAnn of KutchThe occasion for this ride was the 2nd An-niversary of the Royal Riders showroom in Ahmedabad and what better way could

have been to celebrate this than a ride. The ride was organized to the Little Rann of Kutch, about 130 km from Ahmedabad. The passion for riding in Ahmedabad and their love for Bullets were highlighted when the number of registered riders for this ride crossed 150. The thunderous sound of all the Royal Enfield motorcycles roaring in sync woke up the entire city to a sight eve-ryone would cherish for long. Once on the Rann, all one could see were Royal Enfield motorcycles riding as far as the eye could see. This group of riders consisted of very different people with many varied interests but having one thing in common, their pas-sion for the Royal Enfield.To join more rides from Ahmedabad contact Puneet Singh Banga on psbanga@royalenfield.com

Ahmedabad rides: Clockwise from top left, to Sula Wines, Nasik; to Taparpura; and to the Little Rann of Kutch

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vAlentineS dAy ride, GAndhinAGArValentines Day 14th February 2012. Love was in the air and the Royal Enfield riders in Gandhinagar celebrated it with style. This ride stemmed from the strong belief that there are just two loves in a riders life, the love for the sweetheart and love for the Bullet. So a ride just for couples was ar-ranged which later on culminated in a salsa session and workshop. This unique event got a great response from the people who after the salsa rode out to end the day with a romantic candle light dinner.For joining our rides from Gandhina-gar please get in touch with Puneet Sin-gh Banga on psbanga@royalenfield.com

mumbAi to GAnpAtipuleThe riders started riding in at 5.00 am at Nerul brand store and soon all 10 of them had assembled together. Accompanying them was Mr Mallick, one of the senior rid-ers who for this trip had got along his wife and was travelling by car. Harshil Desai, the Brand Stores Manager from Bandra along with other staffers Sunil and Priyank, ac-companied the customers. Since this was one of the first long ride for many of the rid-ers there, a certain amount of nervousness did prevail but the guidance of Royal En-field staff definitely did give them the con-fidence to undertake this ride. They rode down the scenic NH17 via Panvel, Vatkal Naka, Kolad and the meandering Kashedi

Ghats where the curves did add the nec-essary thrill to the ride. By the time they reached Ganpatipule, it was evening and the riders after checking into their rooms headed out for some some fun and games on this most spectacular beach on the Konkan coastline.The next day they visited the legendary

Ganpati temple and around noon left for Mumbai, but not till they had spent time on the beach riding up and down on their Royal Enfield motorcycles. Riding through the pleasant evening the

riders rode into Mumbai as light started to fade away. This was one ride which the rid-ers would carry fond memories of for days to come.For joining our rides from Mumbai please get in touch with Harshil Desai on hjdesai@royalenfield.com

GurGAon to ShimlA Under the Log Out program for Polaris Labs a ride from Gurgaon To Shimla was organised in March 2012. A total of 7 rid-ers joined this ride and some of them were

riding on Royal Enfield motorcycles for the first time. The riders rode up from Gurgaon towards Chandigarh on the first day, riding further till Solan and finally culminating in Shimla. While returning they took a differ-ent route, climbing further into Kufri and then descending into Chail and finally get-ting back to Gurgaon via Solan and Chandi-garh. Overall an amazing experience for the first timers, such rides often entice young riders to adapt to the Royal Enfield riding culture and who then subsequently gradu-ate into becoming Royal Enfield owners and loyalists.

GurGAon to lAnSdoWneA Log out Ride took place in February which was organised for the people from the armed forces. A total of 13 riders rode on this trip and started off from Gurgaon early

Valentine's Day ride, Gandhinagar

Gurgaon to Shimla ride

Mumbai to Ganpatipule ride

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morning. Their stay in Lansdowne was ar-ranged at the Indian Armys Garhwal Regi-ment guest house. At Lansdowne they were taken around by one of the Army personnel, who rode along with them on the Bullet 350 Army edition. The riders rode to some of the most scenic locales around Lansdowne the next day. The third day they all rode back to Delhi, definitely missing the awesome expe-rience they had in the hills.For joining our rides from Gurgaon please get in touch with Anil Goyal on agoyal@royalenfield.com

delhi to tilyAr lAKe, rohtAK A Log Out ride was jointly organised with Royal Bikers, the club based out of the deal-ership Kaytee Automobiles in Mahipalpur. A total of 11 riders started off from Ma-hipalpur at 5:30 AM and rode out towards Dhaula Kuan and then onwards to Pitham-pura as more and more riders joined them

at these places, before getting out of the city and reaching the Tilyar Lake around 7:30 AM. The riders then basked in the lake view and gorged on the breakfast prepared by the Haryana Tourism Restaurant there. By 8:30 they started the return ride. Dur-ing the return ride they halted specially for

a cup of tea at a dhaba as Rohtak is famous for this typically Haryanvi Tea. Riding on-wards the group reached Delhi by 11: am it-self after which the bikers dispersed. It was indeed a morning well spent as claimed by all the riders.

Gurgaon to Lansdowne ride

Delhi to Tilyar Lake ride

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keep ridingdelhi to lAnSdoWneThe Royal Bikers is an initiative taken by 2 hardcore Royal Enfield riders Amit Kau-shik and Manish Bhaskar to promote a safe and well organized riding culture with a lot of learning and fun. This club is attached to the Royal Enfield dealership Kaytee Automobiles. The Royal Bikers club was kick-started on 1st April, the One Ride day this year. This club rode out to Lansdowne under the Log Out ride initiative from Ma-hipalpur. The riders left Delhi at 5:00 AM and were backed up by a Tata Xenon pick-up truck for support. Lunch was at the fa-mous Jain Shiknjee dhaba on the highway. The riders also explored the rustic hillside doing a bit of off-roading along the river. The next day, after watching the sunrise on the mountains they rode out to Haridwar. After a dip in the holy Ganges River, the rid-ers turned towards Delhi and home.

delhi to riShiKeShThis ride was organised from Kaytee Auto-mobiles, the dealer in Mahipalpur and close to a dozen riders rode out on this ride. They started off in the early morning at 5:00 AM from Delhi and rode out towards Rishikesh taking the highway towards Modinagar and then onwards to Rishikesh. Where they stayed at a camping site and enjoyed a bon-fire at night. The next day they undertook river rafting and other sporting activities beating the chill and having a good time be-fore riding back to Delhi in the afternoon.For joining our rides from Delhi please get in touch with Anil Goyal on agoyal@royalenfield.com

KorbA to chorGhAtOne fine morning 10 riders rode out from Kailash Auto Agency, the Royal Enfield dealer in Korba and rode out to the famous picnic spot of Chorghat about 120 km away. A major part of the ride was done on broken roads and added the fun and adventure to the ride. Chorghat has a river from where water is supplied to nearby villages and hence riding to the water body as summer started setting in was definitely a great ex-perience. Though this was one of the first rides in this region, the culture of leisure and adventure riding is slowly catching up in this region also as is in the rest of the country.For joining our rides from Korba please get in touch with Srinivas on srinivas.pilli825@gmail.com

Delhi to Lansdowne ride

Delhi to Rishikesh ride

Korba to Chorghat ride

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