His words would definitely hold true for the 10 New Zealanders who arrived here on Friday. The riders on their 500cc Royal Enfields grabbed the attention of bystanders as they ‘thumped’ their way into the city.

Having started their journey from Chennai on December 30, the Kiwis are travelling through Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Kerala and Karnataka to improve awareness among the public about traffic rules and safety.

The ride, which is being sponsored by Preethi Home Appliances will end on January 21. The bikers started from Chennai and passed through cities such as Pondicherry, Kodaikanal, Coimbatore and Ooty before reaching Mysore.

Speaking to media persons, Preethi Home Appliances Managing Director T T Varadarajan said that the troupe will travel to Bangalore and then head towards Chennai. He said that the riders will complete 2,200 km during their marathon 23 days ride.

He said that the team has received an overwhelming response from the people in the country. The ride is aimed at increasing traffic awareness among people so that the rising road accidents can be reduced. He said that a majority of two-wheeler riders are also being affected due to the flouting of traffic rules. He hoped that their ride would be successful if the awareness they created would save the life of atleast one person.