Thumping up the ride

Five ‘Royal Enfield’ enthusiasts, Mahesh, Cherian, Deepak, Amit and Anil, started a group back in 2013 and named it ‘Thumpers United’. Today, this biking group has grown into a club of 69 members. The ‘Thumpers United’  say  that it is more than a mere club. There is thump, there is eagerness and passion. That binds all the riding enthusiasts together. 

“More than a biker’s club, it is like an extended family. I have been riding with this club since March, and there is a lot of camaraderie and bonding,” says Sriram, one of the members.

Praveen Singh, another rider says, “I am 42-years-old, and have always wanted to ride but was never a part of any group as most of these biking groups are just about entertainment and fun. I always ride with my children and that is the reason I wanted a group which has more of a family atmosphere.” He adds, “When I got to know about ‘Thumpers United’, I went for a ride with them and knew this was it. I saw families riding together, and this is the biggest catch of this group. How ‘Thumpers’ stand out is — when I go for rides now, I bring my son and daughter along and when they go and sit behind somebody, I am not worried at all since I know they are in safe hands. We go for day rides every month and every second month we plan an overnight ride.”

The Club has riders from the ages of 21 to 69. As for the safety measures, they have a strict process of registration. Though this group is open for any and everyone who is passionate about riding, the riders should be 18 and above in age and they should have proper documents with them.

Nagraj, another member, says, “We make sure not just the rider but even the pillion is well geared with riding jackets, full-face helmets, knee and elbow guards, gloves and proper riding shoes. We have a back up vehicle that will have a first- aid kit and a mechanic with us wherever we are travelling.” He adds, “We have speed checks, so no overtaking or overspeeding is allowed. We follow certain rules and we are disciplined in our approach.”

Devaki, one of the women riders of the group, says, “I am pretty new to this group and have done a couple of rides. I had a KTM and being a passionate rider, I feel encouraged and accepted by the group. It is a cosmopolitan group and I feel really comfortable with the boys. There are people with all kinds of interest, so apart from just bike rides, it is a great place to meet new people.”

Though it started solely as a Bullet biker’s club, they have included KTMs lately. “Since some of the Bullet bikers got KTMs as their secondary bikes, we have also included KTMs but no other bikes,” says Deepak.

“Our motive is to advocate responsible motorcycling, socialising and giving a chance to our passion for riding. All Royal Enfield owners are welcome to join us as guest riders and once they complete 777 km with the club they become the permanent riders of the club,” shares Bobby Gowda. 

Covering almost the entire South India, the Thumpers have a long and a well-planned list for their future rides.

“We have covered Bhutan, Leh-Ladakh, Spiti Valley and almost the entire South India except Kerala. We have plans to cover the Rann of Kutch, Nepal, and Arunachal Pradesh next year. This will also include our biggest plan — the Everest base camp,” adds Pramod.