Royal Enfield Rider Mania 2011

 

Royal Enfield launched two bikes – Classic Desert Storm and Classic Chrome 500cc – a while ago. What a way to show case these 500cc monsters to a fabulous event!

 

Last year, I got to ride the export version of the Classic 500 (green). This year, I got the new Classic Desert Storm to zoom off to Goa. I selected the NH4 highway for a smooth and safe ride. Later on at the event, I also got a hands-on experience on the Classic Chrome; read on to know my first hand experience of both the Bullets and this year’s Rider Mania!!!

 

 

 

Day 1:

 

It was early morning and the media guys were among the first to take stock along with the Event Organizers and the Big Wigs from Royal Enfield. Slow and steady, the participants starting pouring into the venue with their bikes. Some of them were neatly modified for the events like the Dirt Track. However, it was the Desert Storm and Classic Chrome that stood out in attendance.

 

There was a registration counter wherein the guests were tagged and given merchandise. The paramedics, ambulance, and a fire brigade truck were on standby for any eventuality.

 

 

 

 

The first event lined up for the day was the Slow Race. The participants had to ride their respective bikes over a distance of 30 m in straight marked lanes without touching their feet to the ground. The rider who got to register the slowest time would be declared the winner.

 

Arun Arsid from Café Bullet Goa, winner from RERM 2010, was sorely missed as he could not make it for the event.

 

There were three heats of eight participants each. The winners of the respective heats were:

 

Heat 1 winner: Faisal Shaikh, Café Bullet Goa

Heat 2 winner: Ashok Naidu

Heat 3 winner: Black Jack a.k.a. Jack Jigg

 

All the winners and qualifiers qualified for the final heat. It was indeed a close contested heat; however, it was Faisal Shaikh from Café Bullet Goa who won the RERM 2011 – Slow Race.

 

 

1) Faisal Shaikh, Café Bullet Goa

2) Arvind Singh

3) Ashok Naidu

 

 

This event gave a feel like being at an RTO where license seekers are usually asked to do a figure of 8.

 

After the Slow Race, the participants geared up for the Figure of 8. Each team consisted of four participants each. The idea was that the 1st rider would start from a designated box and take his Bullet through the designated track, ride through it in a Figure of 8 fashion, and bring the bike to a stand still to another designated box without touching the feet to the ground. The 2nd rider would take over, then the 3rd rider, and finally the 4th rider would bring the bike to the same box where the 1st rider had started from. The team clocking the fastest time would be declared the winner.

 

The 1st team, with Dr. Pradeep Singh Negi from Pune, was unable to complete the heat as one of the team member tripped. As a result the entire team was disqualified.

 

This time there were two teams from Café Bullet Goa (the winner from RERM 2010) who clocked the fastest times of 55 and 56 seconds, respectively. This being a tough event, all the eyes were now focused on the last team – The Bulls of Shimoga. Sachin Chavan asked them if they were confident of beating the time set by Café Bullet Goa; and they acknowledged positively. Their confidence beamed on their faces, bright.

 

The team started well acknowledging the cheers from the crowd, upbeat to challenge the time set by Café Bullet Goa. With precision, they navigated through, ensuring that they don’t waste time and commit mistakes. When the final rider came across, everyone looked with anxious faces toward the time keeper. When Sachin Chavan announced the time – 54 seconds!!! The venue erupted joyously and The Bulls of Shimoga were declared the winners.

 

 

Team members of The Bulls of Shimoga

 

1) Indu Shekhar

2) Dolphy Pinto

3) Deepak Pal

4) Kenneth Harsha Kotian

 

 

 

Each team comprised of four participants. They had to lift their bikes, carry it over a distance of 30 m without touching the bike to the ground.

 

At the shoot of “GO” signal for the participants, eight teams lifted their bikes and frantically sprinted across the finish line. A couple of them were barely able to make it, although most of them tripped on their way through. At the finish line, there was some confusion about who had actually finished cleanly. After watching the video several times, it was the team of Dr. Pradeep Singh Negi (Pune/Nasik) who had eventually won the event.

 

 

Team members with Dr. Pradeep Singh Negi:

 

1) Dr. Pradeep Singh Negi, Pune

2) Abhishek, Nasik

3) Abhishek Dubey, Nasik

4) Amit, Nasik

 

Later in the evening, the guests were treated with a live performance by Zedde, Mumbai and Alter Ego, Hyderabad.

 

 

 

Such a privilege to have a beautiful, clear cast morning. Although, it was overcast for about an hour, there was absolutely no threat of rains. A perfect day to host the outdoor Dirt Track events for the 350 and 500cc categories.

 

Like the previous year, I expected a huge Red Bull wigwam in the center of the track. However, they were most notably absent and their place was taken up by MOTUL. Poor DJ Black Jack, along with his equipments, had to take shelter under a meager MOTUL umbrella.

 

 

Sachin Chavan flagged off the heat, unlike year last when it was done by the Red Bull Grid Girls. The riders were jostling for position and as usual they all graced our eyes with their ‘spills and thrills.’ The track marshals, paramedics, and the ambulance were on standby for any eventuality.

 

But we did not witness any drama in this race. Finally we witnessed Dhaval Vikas Toke, Roadshakers, Pune (bike number 46) who won the heat comprehensively.

 

 

1) Dhaval Vikas Toke, Roadshakers, Pune

2) Ashutosh Mahadik, Firelords, Pune

3) Tanmay, Roadshakers, Pune

 

 

 

Sachin Chavan braved a very humid afternoon and flagged off this heat as well. The Roadshakers group from Pune had taken up their position and were cheering for their man – Baljeet Gill – the winner for past 2 years.

 

 

 

However, Kenneth Harsha Kotian from The Bulls of Shimoga (bike number 90) took an early lead at the first corner with Baljeet Gill close on his heels and pursued him till the end. Dr. Pradeep Singh Negi ranked in 3rd place here and never ever looked like troubling the leaders. It seems like God was on Mr. Kotian’s side. It was his birthday and he rode immaculately and with precision without making any mistakes. He took the chequered flag from Mr. Gill and Dr. Negi. Baljeet Gill was gracious in defeat and jokingly quipped that he gifted the win to Kenneth Harsha as it was his birthday. That’s the spirit Baljeet! True sportsman.

 

 

 

1) Kenneth Harsha Kotian, The Bulls of Shimoga

2) Baljeet Gill, Roadshakers, Pune

3) Dr. Pradeep Singh Negi, Pune

 

 

 

The sequence in the event was to clear the hurdles, comprising of tires, small rocks, rubber pipes etc., in a precision manner. A point was docked everytime the riders made a mistake. Instructions were given before the start and the rider who clocked the fastest time without any mistakes would be the winner. A couple of starters faltered and it actually demanded much patience to watch few contestants actually clearing the hurdles. But it was Baljeet Singh Kocchar of Roadshakers from Pune who finally won the event.

 

 

 

1) Baljeet Singh Kocchar, Roadshakers, Pune

2) Kenin, Café Bullet Goa, Goa

3) Sandeep Chandra, Hoskote

 

Day 3:

 

A lot of events were scheduled on the final day as a couple of events had to be taken forward due to time constraints on the previous day.

 

 

Many bikes had lined up inside the hotel Garden Lawn. The owners ensured that their respective saddles were spotless. Not to forgot, some of these bikes competed in the previous events. Last minute entries were entertained as they frantically worked on cleaning their bikes and ensure that they were gleaming under the sun.

 

 

 

1) Vijay, Café Bullet Goa, Goa

2) Nagendra, Bangalore

3) Aravind – Hubli

 

 

This was a team event of four participants each. Each team had to remove the two wheels and the throttle/clutch cables from the bike, carry them across 30 m to the judge for verification, take the dismantled units back to the waiting team, and assemble them back again. Once ready, they had to start their bike and sprint it across the same 30 m. The 1st team to finish the task in the shortest time would be declared the winners.

 

Only four teams took part in this event. All eyes were set on the team of Café Bullet Goa, Goa, winners of this heat from RERM 2010. They took off very well and were among the leaders when tragedy struck. They frantically looked out for a missing component as their bike wouldn’t start.

 

However, it was the other members of Café Bullet Goa, Goa who stole the thunder and posted the fastest time and were declared as eventual winners.

 

 

1) Sagar, Kalim, Mayur, Nitin, Café Bullet Goa, Goa

2) Baljeet Singh Kocchar, Mustansir, Dhaval, Sumit, Roadshakers, Pune

3) Mahesh, Aravind, Nachiket, Somaiya, Hubli

 

 

 

During the day, the top honchos of Royal Enfield inspected the various custom bikes. All of them were neatly modified. A couple of foreigners had also entered in this competition. All day long, they ensured to keep their bike clean from the dust. In the end, it was the entry of Black Widow, a group started by Javeen, Kotayam, Kerala who took the honors. He had also won the top prize in 2010 as well.

 

 

1) Black Widow, Kotayam, Kerala

2) The Sunburn Special Edition Bike, Vardenchi

3) The Reaper, Leroy

 

 

 

 

Immediately after this, it was announced that everyone would be gearing up for a Celebration Ride across the village of Anjuna/Vagator. This was not an event or a task, but merely to showcase a symbol of unity and brotherhood. The riders were requested to follow Santosh Vijay who led the ‘procession’ in a single line and not to overtake anyone else.

 

This was a good ride of about 15 kms. The photographers and videographers jostled to take up their positions to capture their favorite moments. The traffic came to a standstill just as an acknowledgement and respect to the THUMPERS!!!

 

 

 

Unfortunately, ladies did not participate and it was left only for the men to take up the challenge. During the initial rounds, the participants had to drink a bottle of chilled pint of Kingfisher. The participant who drank the entire bottle first, completely and neatly, was declared the winner. Rajeev Agarwal, winner of this event from RERM2010, and John Smith, the runner-up were sorely missed.

 

However, it was left to Kuku Thampi from Mumbai and Nishit Saigal from Ahmadabad to do the honors. This time around, they had to gulp down two bottles. Both of them seemed zonked due to their earlier rounds, but there was no looking back for Nishit Saigal who finished the two bottles in the fastest time. When interviewed, he quipped that he did not have even a single drop of beer in six months – so who dare beat him!!!

 

 

1) Nishit Saigal, Ahmadabad

2) Kuku Thampi, Mumbai

 

 

 

It was a sad sight to see only four women competing in this event. But it was Reshma from Café Bullet Goa who beat her compatriot Alvira.

 

 

1) Reshma, Café Bullet Goa, Goa

2) Alvira, Café Bullet Goa, Goa

 

 

 

 

Of course, the last event of RERM 2011 had to be power packed.

 

Tejas Dutta, an body builder and winner of RERM 2010, missing from the call of duty. Hadn’t he just got engaged recently?!

 

Frantic calls were made for last minute registrations. This competition started with groups like Café Bullet Goa, Roadshakers, and The Bulls of Shimoga cheering for their respective candidates. The photographers as usual jostled for positions and even asked the referees to step aside to capture the best shot.

 

However, it boiled down to an old war horse, Siddharth Naik a.k.a. Chinu from Baroda and a young lad, Sajin from Cochin. Looking at Sajin, his physique and attitude reminded me of Tejas Dutta. Early leads were taken by Sajin and it looked almost certain that the young bull would tame the old horse. But Chinu was not to be taken for granted on his day. Both of them seemed deadlocked and it took efforts from Santosh Vijay to ensure the competition was completed neatly and in a fair way.

 

By this time, Sajin was already tired and had almost ran out of gas. Chinu had a masterplan and executed it well and finished off Sajin after a brief restart. The whole of Gujarat gang erupted at the onset of dusk and Siddharth Naik a.k.a. Chinu was declared the winner.

 

 

1) Siddharth Naik a.k.a. Chinu, Baroda

2) Sajin, Cochin

 

 

After the prize distribution ceremony, the curtains fell down and RERM 2011 came to a close, following a live performance from Anushka Manchanda.

 

Even though the mega fabulous show might have ended and everyone goes separate ways, THE THUMP THAT BINDS will surely bring us all together next year for RERM 2012.