On shiny metallic beasts

The thunderous growl of a Harley-Davidson bike is one that is hard to forget. But once you get intimate with the metallic beast, you realise that it’s a harmless and loving purr that emanates from its belly. Ask any Harley owner and they will vouch for the bike’s gentle and comforting nature. It is this passion for the bike that brought together the Bengaluru chapter of the ‘Tusker Harley Owners Group’.

Started in 2008-09, the group is the official entrance to the spirited world of riding a Harley. Although the City’s roads had been smoothened by the bike before, it wasn’t until an official dealer set shop here that the group began. Now, the club sees nearly five to six new entrants as the bike gains increasing popularity.

Ramesh Gala, an elected honorary member of the club, was present in the initial days of the club’s founding. After spending years travelling around in slow and tedious forms of transport, he decided to buy a Harley-Davidson ‘Fatbob’. Now, he takes his ride out whenever he can (rather, whenever the roads allow it). Talking about the group, Ramesh says, “It is a nice way to meet new riders. Although there are other unofficial Harley groups, we are the official one and see many members coming to us.”

The group tries its best to harvest a sense of road safety in its riders, emphasising on rules and regulations set by the law. Ramesh adds that they work closely with the police to educate riders on safety precautions. “We aren’t speed bikes, though we could be. We control how we ride because safety comes first,” he says.

Vishal Vasu, another member of the group, is the proud owner of a ‘Speed 750’, which he bought over a year back. He says, “It is a great place to make connections and some friends; it is also very adventurous. We go for many planned breakfast and night rides, which are great and real fun.”

As part of these planned rides, they visit areas in and around the City. “We have rides every Sunday. Once a month, we have a night-out ride, where we go to a hotel or pub and spend time with each other, talking about the bikes, accessories and more,” says Vijay Kumar, another member who owns a ‘Fatbob’. They also have breakfast rides, where they start out early and catch a bite to eat on their way. Each ride is at least 150 kms one way, so they spend a good time on the bikes, roaming the countryside. Each ride has about 40 to 50 members and they travel to places like Kolar, Belur, Mysuru, Chikkamagaluru and more.

Sanchay Sinha, a senior vice-president with a private bank, adds, “When we are in the group, we discuss only about riding. The club helps us network with people and hold healthy discussions about the riding scenario. It includes a diverse group of people from across and since we meet regularly, the discussion is always about bikes.” From trends in bikes to international rallies, the discussions in the group vary.

“We also learn about customisation of bikes,” adds Sanchay. With almost 1,100 Harleys on the roads of the City, the bike is ever-popular. According to Vijay, the group is a cult and even a brotherhood. For members like Sanchay, the group has helped them with their adventurous streak.

He has been a member of the group for the past two-and-a-half years and says, “People who share the passion of riding are together in this brotherhood.” He adds that they are in the group because of a common interest in the machine. Sanchay feels proud to be a “part of the cult” and says that the club has helped him and many members.