THE STORY OF HOW THE MOTORCYCLE CHANGED MY LIFE..
The Beginning
It was Dec 17th, 2012 when my roommate and I from engineering, were traveling to Kochi when on the way we saw a showroom at the side of the road, painted bright orange with motorcycles the likes of which I had never seen before, parked in front of it. My roommate told me that a new motorcycle brand called ‘KTM’ had entered the market and we decided to go for a test ride.
The next day at the showroom we were greeted by a young enthusiastic sales advisor who explained to us the technical specs and gave me the key to the test motorcycle. I did not know it at the time but from the moment I turned on to the highway and twisted the throttle, my life was going to take a turn for the better. I had never experienced anything like it before. I was in love.
I knew there was no chance my family would approve of this decision but I was so enamoured with the experience that what pocket money I had left, my heart compelled me to withdraw and book the motorcycle. Back home after much persistence and perseverance, finally, I was able to secure the approval for the purchase.
The Club
Fast forward few months, I met with other like-minded enthusiasts online and we decided to meet up for a ride, a 350km circular scenic route through the Sholayar forest range. It was the first group ride of my life and it was while riding under the canopy of those lush green trees, engulfed by nothing but the sound of our engines, leaning left and right through the sweeping hairpin curves, that I experienced the true meaning of freedom, of meditation in motion and the brotherhood of riding.
This ride was soon followed by a collective being formed, a motorcycle club called ‘Duke Owner’s Club (D.O.C)’ with around 25 riders, which was at that time one of the first KTM owner’s club in the state. We knew as a group that we would take motorcycle safety with utmost seriousness and involve ourselves in philanthropic efforts whenever possible. As a club, we took part in donation drives and safety rallies that were organized by various well-known names in the state but the feather in our cap was when we were requested by KTM themselves to help execute their marquee ‘Orange Ride’ that was also televised on 'Mathrubhumi First Drive', the automotive program of the regional news network.
The Internship
The next milestone came when during my MBA, I was selected by none other than Harley-Davidson India for the Summer Internship Program. The project was on understanding the barriers of migrations of Royal Enfield riders to Harly-Davidson. The experience was exhilarating and overwhelming at the same time. As an aspiring biker, I had kept the few experienced riders that I'd met in high regards, but here was an office filled with passionate bikers and beautiful Harley-Davidson motorcycle paraphernalia that would've been any motorcycle enthusiast’s paradise. Spending time with the people who sold and serviced these beautiful pieces of art while also learning about the legacy of the brand and the HOG (Harley Owner's Group) culture was an absolute delight.
The highlight of the program was when I got to ride a Harley myself, a ‘Street 750’, as part of a 'Tribute Ride' that was conducted in the memory of two renowned individuals in the HOG community - Mrs.Veenu Paliwal and Col. Meetinder Sandhu.