Ride Triumph Tiger XR on a four day trip to attend the IBW - Indian Bike Week 2016 fest held at Arpora, Goa
So the four days with the Tiger that I was so looking forward to finally came up. This being my very first time riding a distance of 640 km on a motorcycle in a day (12hrs). Have to remember two important things here –
1. Enjoy the ride (In my case, on the Tiger with the Beaux Adventures team)
2. Do not have high hopes of the IBW
Why the second? Had already read about it at RiderZone which was funny and yet a warning of what I would likely expect of IBW. And then later in December 2015, had met with fellow biker/owner of Moto Chronicles and he too had similar experiences to share of the IBW which didn’t instill anything positive.
Previous day was a busy day at work and so didn’t get enough time to get sleep. Spent the night packing up for the trip with just about half an hour of rest before setting out from home.
Day 01 : Bengaluru to Goa
Wed, 17 February 2016
Mounted my Viaterra Velox panniers onto my Duke and rode to the designated spot at 5:30am where we were to switch to Tigers. Was given the SW Motech panniers for the Tiger which gobbled up my Velox panniers with ease and with more room to spare. By about 6:30am, Vish, Kiran and I started out on Tigers, while Saurabh and Sharan came in car. Got to NICE road and then onto the Tumkur road. While we kept a steady pace of about 90km, we saw many other bikers mostly the Harleys bunch riding along towards the same destination. As we neared Chitradurga, there was good cross winds along the road. At some point much after, we stopped for lunch, where there were already few other Harley bikers who had halted too. After a couple more short stops and a railway crossing we finally reached Goa and place of stay. 14.5 hours of travel but didn’t feel exhausted.
Route: Metro (Kanakapura Road) BLR – Mollem – Ponda – Mandrem Beach GOA
Map short URL: https://goo.gl/maps/ciJgMQzmE6G2
Day 02 : Goa
Thu, 18 February 2016
Loved the place of stay. Serene, quiet, practical and simple. Mostly all the guests there were foreigners who were looking for a quiet and holistic experience than the typical swanky air-conditioned room in a bustling resort in the heart of the city. For some reason, we got the feeling that the place and people there didn’t seem to like our presence there and that made it a bit awkward at first. Moreover, we were to be joined by 3 other guys – Saurabh, Vivek and Sharan making it 6 guys with just one cottage/kuteer booked for stay which was not possible. They would have to stay at another place booked closer to the venue.
Took the day easy and slow. Rode to the venue to check on the indoor stall allotted to the Beaux team exhibitors comprising of Vish, Vivek, Saurabh and Sharan. Vivek had ridden from Bengaluru today and got to the venue by evening. Local manpower was only made available by 6:30pm and then after the work went on till next morning.
At the IBW parking lot, as some of the bikes started rolling in, there was an entry of a guy on his Honda 650. From the time he has entered the IBW premises, he has done nothing but rev his bike on neutral, followed by other similar duds. Wonder if the IBW organisers have paid this fellow to come here and do that the next 3 days, for that is exactly what he did along with few others.
Meanwhile, Kiran and I with nothing else to do, chilled out at the restaurant opposite the venue – Twenty Three with beer and fries, checking out the various bikes and babes. For dinner, we walked to Baga beach and spent time aimlessly till 3 in the morning. Was feeling sleepy. We informed the guys and we took one bike, rode back to the place of stay and crashed.
Day 03 : Goa
Fri, 19 February 2016
By about 10am, we checked out from current resort and checked into the other resort where the Beaux team guys were put up, which was relatively closer. By this time, they were already back at the venue. Got there and checked out the various stalls put up on display. For lunch, we walked out to the restaurant and got back in to continue our tour of the place. At the end of day, Sharan’s car front wheel was stuck in mud. Took help from guys owning a 4×4 Force Gurkha but to no avail. A member from PowerDrift came forward to help but didn’t help too. Sincere thanks for the help Jassi. There were several cars that were stuck in the soft mud. We however had to leave the car behind, have dinner at the restaurant close by and return to our resort of stay.
Day 04 : Goa
Sat, 20 February 2016
The Beaux team left for the venue early and Sharan had his car pulled out from the muddy patch with the help of Chevy assistance crane. Kiran and I chilled out in the swimming pool at the resort and then later hired a scooter as a mode of transport which was more fun. Rode out on this old but new mode of transport to get to the venue and spent time checking out indoor/outdoor stalls. At the end of the day and end of the IBW fest, we packed the stuff into Sharan’s car. He and Saurabh had to leave early the following morning, needed to get sleep and so they decided to eat close by while Vish, Vivek, Kiran and I drove upto Baga beach for dinner.
Day 05 : Goa to Bengaluru
Sunday, 21 February 2016
Vivek, Sharan and Saurabh left for BLR early by 6am or so. While Kiran, Vish and I were up by 9:30 and packed to checkout by 11am. Vish had to take the flight and so took a taxi. Thereafter Kiran and I set on our return journey back. Wanted to try another route out of Goa and so suggested we take the Chorla ghat to which Kiran gladly agreed. After having filled fuel full tank at Ponda, we rode on. Thoroughly enjoyed riding the twisties over smooth tarred roads on the Chorla ghat route. Having passed Ponda, we then passed Honda and Londa. Am not joking here. Reached the underpass junction just before Kittur and took the right to continue on. We passed Gabbur and Chabbi. These weird names were stuck in my head. It was passed lunch hour, we were hungry but continued to cover more ground and stopped at Kamat Upachar, Varur at about 4:30pm or so. Had the usual safe bet – idli-wada and coffee/tea. Two elderly men requested for their pictures on the bike. We obliged and they thanked us with big smiles.
We continued on keeping a good speed of 100-110km. Somewhere near Hiriyur, we couldn’t help but stop at the sight around us – to the left of the road was clear blue sky and the moon was in full view amidst small thin sheet of cloud while to our right was the sun setting against shades of orange hues around it. A weird feeling giving a more astronomical essence of riding on one planet that is in between the moon and the sun. We humans are so puny. Sigh! The miracles of nature.
Having decided we stop next at Sira for tea, we continued on but as the sun set I couldn’t spot the desired tea point at Sira and just rode passed only to stop at the toll booth near Tumkur. Had tea, while we answered the same old queries from people – How much does the bike cost? What is it’s mileage? Continued on and finally reached Bengaluru at about 12:40am.
Dropped the bikes at its designated place. Got to my bike – Duke 390, put on the panniers and sat on it. What the heck happened to my wild stallion? It had shrunk into an angry little pony. That is the feeling after one has ridden a Tiger I suppose. It was a bit weird all the way till I got home and it took almost 3 days to feel the Duke to be grown up again.
Route: Parra GOA – Mapusa – Chorla Ghat – Metro (Kanakapura Road) BLR
Map short URL: https://goo.gl/maps/G29XLarUjDT2
First time impression of Indian Bike Week
Got to see a lot of nincompoops parading about on their big fat machines (mostly Harleys) that created more sound than actually traverse places or covered good long distances.
For the record, the locals of Goa are aware of this fact – a good number of stinky rich pot-bellied old farts bring their big chrome stacked shiny Harleys (and the like) in shipping containers while they travel by flight into Goa, get onto their bikes to ride around town mostly near and around the venue, rev their bikes desperately seeking for attention.
Also, if some of you bikers think – oh, it’s about how the bike exhaust sounds and how loud, then why don’t you’ll modify your bikes to have up-swept exhausts with it’s outlet up-close and in your face and then rev all you want till you go deaf.
So much for my venting out my frustrated self of what I heard at the IBW. Bikes screeching for help and nothing more.
Would I attend IBW in future?
Very likely NOT, for there are lot more beautiful places to see within India and elsewhere, then spend time at this noise making bike fest that serves not much purpose. MTM on the other-hand is more bike- rider-travel-destination oriented meets that makes a lot of sense.
What is IBW?
A place for the rich to show off their expensive motorcycles that don’t do anything but be display pieces. Bikers groups to parade around in groups to show their activity. Two-wheeler mini auto expo (only thing making sense here). Piddly music fest to make the Harley owners feel ‘special’.
