When the members of ‘The 5th Gear Riders’ say that they are a club with a difference, it is not an empty claim. Apart from the usual trips and rides, the group is also invested in doing their bit for the society.
“I started the club in December 2014 and have organised more than 22 trips,” says Laxmi Narayan Agrawal, the founder of the club. “Though there are plenty of motorcycle clubs in the city, what sets us apart is that we support charities through our trips.”
When asked about how he got the idea for such an initiative, LN, as he is called, explains, “In December 2015, I collected funds from friends and family for the Chennai floods. Though people did support the cause, it was a bit difficult. We had around 10-15 riders in the club at that time and I thought that I can ask the participants to contribute something during every ride, since they are not being charged for the ride per se.”
The group has already raised funds for charity twice and the the riders have supported the idea wholeheartedly.
“Social awareness combined with a passion for riding was a good enough reason for me to be a member,” says Ravi Kumar, a systems administrator.
“Apart from that, another thing that impressed me was how each trip was well-planned and how safety was given paramount importance. LN is a good leader and makes sure that everything goes on smoothly. The start and end time of the trip is religiously adhered to, the grace time is only five minutes.”
However, everything doesn’t go according to plans sometimes but that is how the best memories are created. “Once during a ride we got lost because Google Maps went mad,” laughs Anish Singh, a techie and a rider.
“We even have photos of the app pointing us into the mountains, asserting that the highway was that way. There is a common feeling among riders that we can’t trust Google Maps. That day we realised why.”
Apart from that, Anish also fondly recounts the time three of them went on an endurance ride to Hyderabad.
“We went and came back the same day, that is almost 1200 km in a single day. It was a challenging yet fun experience,” he says.
The group has ridden to places like Lepakshi, Chitradurga, Ooty, Gandikota, Talakadu and Belum Caves to name a few.
“The ride to Lepakshi was my favourite because the number of riders was good,” says Rasmi Ranjan Mishra.
“We got to spend more time with each other. It is an awesome group and we have great fun, riding and exploring new places.”
The name of the club is an expression of support for lower segment bikes, something that not many clubs endorse.
“An interesting aspect of this club is the openness to accept all bikes with no restriction on the type, brand or power. That, combined with a unique concept of giving each ride a higher purpose other than just burning some rubber, intrigued me,” says Nitin Keshav.
No wonder they say no road is too long when you have good company!
(The club can be contacted on 9019422763)
Published 18 July 2017, 15:42 IST