An 8,000-km bike ride for the future of the girl child
We’ve heard of superbike groups heading out for weekend rides and promoting biker brotherhood. Bu there’s one company which likes to do things differently. Iconic American bike maker, Indian likes to associate all their rides with a social cause and for them there’s nothing more important than educating the girl child. A few weeks back 12 riders belonging to the Indian motorcycle rider’s group (IMRG) undertook a three week long ride across the Golden quadrilateral to promote the cause and they call it “Wheels of Change”.
The long 8,000 km long ride began with a visit to a girls orphanage on the outskirts of Delhi. For some time now the motorcycle maker has been doing its bit of identifying the places which educate the girl child and are in need of all the support they can manage. In this case the company distributed benches and bags to kick start the ride in the most auspicious way. Indian motorcycle riders who are equally passionate about this noble cause as they are about biking would make many such stops to work for the cause during the trip.
Apart from working for promoting the girl child education the Indian motorcycle riders group would experience different road conditions, changing landscapes, varying temperatures and diverse cultures. The 19 day ride would see them ride through some of country’s most popular cities like Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kokata and Lucknow. On the first day the group would ride to Jodhpur more than 600 kms away. Avoiding the morning rush hour the first battle was won. A wide open road was what they were longing for and the Delhi Jaipur highway. However the presence of a lot of trucks on this route there was a constant changing of lanes which kept these cruisers busy. With so much power at their disposal the riders were enjoying cruising at high speeds. More than 20 riders on Indian motorcycles cruising on a fast highway was a sight to behold. So many baggers on display are extraordinary but very welcome. A century old American icon gracing the Indian roads just made the highway look more vibrant. As the riders reach Jaipur they are welcomed by like-minded riders who want to support them in their noble cause. In solidarity they declared that they too will ride with the gang all the way till Jaisalmer. Educating the girl child is a cause that is dear to all.
And so it was an even bigger group as they hit the fantastic highway to Ajmer. The cruisers hit top form soon enough and begin to munch miles with ease. The road conditions remain fantastic but as the day progresses the weather keeps getting hotter. But as long as they’re riding the weather does not bother them. Yes they do need to halt but even the pit stops are strategically planned to save time. As the food and fuel stops merge the gang takes a well deserved break to refuel their bikes, themselves and have long discussions on how the ride has been till now. What went wrong, what can be done better, what’s the next target all is discussed and deliberated upon. As the day nears end, the gang makes the last dash towards Jodhpur through varying landscapes. But it does get dark when the IMRG reaches their destination for the day a little behind schedule. It’s been a hard day’s ride but now it’s time for some well deserved rest. It was the second day of the Indian motorcycle riders group Golden quadrilateral ride in support of gild child education. The bikes soaked in the beautiful morning sun, waiting for the riders to arrive and hit the road. The Roadmasters, the Chiefs, the Scouts were on the road pretty soon as the group kick started their ride for the day. Just like how it was on the first day the bikers were once again greeted by some beautiful tarmac. But this was even better as there was hardly any traffic and some beautiful landscapes kept giving company all the way. The ride could enjoy the ride a lot more and soak in all the sights and sounds. Riding in a group brings together joys that are unmatched something you just cannot experience when riding alone. The camaraderie on display is amazing. And it just keeps getting better as the time passes. Once the riders get used to each others’ riding styles and patters it is a lot of fun and with these iconic machines the relation is even stronger.
In comparison to the pre- vious day which ended very late this day was a breeze. Conquering the beautiful Rajasthan roads at high speeds the IMRG reached Jaisalmer in no time. Now this was a parking lot that would make any bike lover feel weak in their knees. More than a 100 samples of this iconic bike company on display was purely unmatched. Indian motorcycle riders from across the country had ridden down to have a fun weekend and a royal welcome awaited them. This was in fact a rest day. But the riders still got on their bikes to fulfill an important cause; that of empowering the girl child. An all girls’ school in a state that has for long seen the neglect of the girl child was the perfect place for Indian motorcycles to take forward this noble cause. The bikers interacted with them, motivated them and helped them realise the importance of education in realising their dreams. The young stars were all smiles as they were handed over the lovely school bags.
It was quite a sight outside the classrooms as the girls got a chance to be up close and personal with the Indian motorcycles. Along with the bikes women riders of IMRG were the centre of attraction too as they were an ideal motivation for these school kids. For them these riders represented success and freedom and the enthusiasm on display was infectious. It was great way for the group to end their stay in Jaisalmer. The next day IMRG riders on the Golden Quadrilateral ride would head to the first of many destinations to carry forward the all important cause of educating the girl child. The wheels of change are well and truly rolling.
Apart from working for promoting the girl child education the Indian motorcycle riders group would experience different road conditions, changing landscapes, varying temperatures and diverse cultures. The 19-day ride would see them ride through some of country’s most popular cities ...
Shams Naqvi is an anchor/ producer for the News X motor show Living Cars