Delhi Bikers

When Delhi based photographer Tiatemjen Jamir (aka Tia) heard that it was not until 2010 that a remote village called Menchuka was connected by road, he knew he had to ride there. Turned out there were others heading that way from his hometown in Dimapur, Nagaland.  Nestled at 6000ft, the Menchuka Valley is surrounded b y rugged mountains and the Siyom River runs through it. But getting to this relatively unexplored place in Arunachal Pradesh turned out to be an unforgettable adventure. Here is the first hand story by Tia on his 1400km's adventure with the Naga Chiefs MC. The Nagaland Motorcycle Club with The Double Karma's of Arunachal We struggled on the highways of Assam where buses didn’t care if we were on the road or off it. Some seemed like they were intentionally trying to run us over!  We crossed the Brahmaputra on a boat with our bikes strapped on, and in spite of the constant chugging of the boat engine, the hour long ferry ride was quite serene and calm. ...

Riding down the South Extension flyover I scan the service lane for parked bikes.  Last month nearly 300 bikers had turned up for the Breakfast Run.  This time, I spot just one.  Warm welcome, short instructions, easy ride.   But does it matter? No. Not if there are no sponsors to please or any reputation to keep. Maybe one day no one would come. There would be enough clubs doing weekend rides that are far better organized with super deals and destinations. Then Delhi Bikers Breakfast Run (DBBR) would have run its course.  But that day was obviously not today because soon there are 150 bikers. New faces same old relaxed vibe Many new faces…almost all are there because someone personally recommended the Breakfast Run or dragged them along. And as usual over a dozen clubs are represented. DBBR attracts many first timers who eventually join one of these clubs.  And the number of ladies who pitch up on their bikes or sit pillion be...

People say you are crazy. Then you find out, you're not the only one! Ladakh season is barely over when a Delhi Biker has to face the big dilemma. Should he/she ride to Aizwal, Goa or Chennai this winter? October to January is the bikers IPL season. When battles are fought to win the maximum ‘biker-fans’ for a given ‘event-team’. All the events have their unique attractions and flavor. While the loyalists and organizers make their annual pilgrimage to whatever validates them most, the rest prefer to hop around. Ten years from now, the one ‘must-do ride’ for a Delhi Biker will largely depend on what values motivate these events today. I rode 2000km's to forget I rode 2000km's Are they hosted for the bikers or for some brand? Are people getting value for their hard-earned money, time and energy spent to get there? Or do they feel ripped off by shoddy planning, poor or no accommodation and having little to do besides beer guzzling.   Do t...