Bengaluru leads in adventure biking

Riders love the diverse terrains, all accessible within a radius of 300 km, and the friendly weather

India has woken up big time to the world of premium bikes, and Bengaluru is emerging the undisputed leader in adventure riding.

“We consistently sell more premium bikes than Delhi and Mumbai,” says Madhan Mohan, manager at a superbike showroom that sells about 20 bikes a month.

He makes a distinction between adventure bikes and superbikes. “Earlier, only the rich could afford superbikes, and they bought sports bikes. Now, adventure bikes are available, and they can be used every day,” he says.

Bengaluru is cosmopolitan, and many take to biking and hiking on the weekends, say bike enthusiasts. The premium bikes now available can be used both for work and weekend outings.

Manohar Joshi is a cinematographer and avid biker. “Bengaluru is not just a Karnataka city, but a city with people from Delhi, Mumbai, Kerala... Plus, there are tons of places near Bengaluru to visit in a 300 km radius, while that is not the case with other metros,” he says.

He says Bengaluru is a weekend hub for bikers. Sports bikers ride to visit restaurants, but adventure bikers explore trails and nooks and crannies in nature.

“The weather and community matters. Whoever settles in Bengaluru wants to explore, because of the good weather 12 months a year. In Delhi, there is fog and heat, and in Mumbai, it is difficult to get out of the city because of the traffic,” he says.

Praveen K M, software professional, says Bengaluru offers a variety of terrain. “You get the mountains or the sea and you can get to experience different states. This is the centre of south India. It is the IT capital; it is a commercial place and people can afford it,” he says.

Many superbikers get involved in social causes. Aravind K, director with a consulting company, says: “Some delivered medicines during the lockdown. Some delivered cancer medicines outside Bengaluru in coordination with the administration and the police.”

“In a group that predominantly has Harley-Davidson bikes, we work for social causes. We ride at a slow pace. It is a hobby. That is the experience. It is a culture. Even as a hobby, we were doing it on smaller bikes,” he says.

Adventure bike brands

Kawasaki Versys 650 — Rs 7.08 lakh (ex-showroom price)

Kawasaki Versys 1000 — Rs 11.44 lakh (ex-showroom price)

Honda CB500X — Rs 6.87 lakh (ex-showroom price)

Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT — Rs 8.93 lakh (ex-showroom price)

Benelli TRK 502 X — Rs 5.25 lakh (ex-showroom price)