~ More than six thousand people revv into Vagator Goa for the 6th edition of India Bike Week ~ December 6, 2019: The much-awaited two-day biking extravaganza ‘India Bike Week’ kicked off in Vagator, Goa for a grand celebration of moto-culture. Quirky experiences and anecdotes shared by stalwarts like KTM Adventure Ambassador Giovanni Sala and KTM Factory stunter Rok Bagoros were a treat for the biking enthusiasts who rode into Vagator Goa assisted by Easy Roads App, to participate in the most celebrated festival for bikers from the farthest corners of the country. Riders came in from as far as Guwahati and Jammu. This year, India Bike Week was home to some of the greatest names in bike design and manufacture, the rarest bikes and accessories, big launches, handpicked music acts, barbecues, beer gardens, training academies, track racing and much more. As always, the mega event was spread across five areas specifically – the main stage, Howling Dog Bar, The Big Trip, The Ladakh Tent and The Club Village & Stunt Zone, in addition to allied events all over the area.
Saluting Moto-Women IBW 2019 opened Day 1 by paying homage to the spirit of moto-women and celebrating their passion towards the motorcycling life, followed by a panel discussion with lady superbikers from all walks of moto-life. From globetrotters to motorsports athletes, India Bike Week saw some of the most inspirational women in the community come and share their stories. The discussion saw Dr. Maral Yazarloo-Pattrick, Dr Neharika Yadav, Aishwarya Pissay, Anam Hashim, Sonia Jain, Dr Sarika Mehta talking about the moto culture for women in India. Globe riders Candida Louis and Anu Dewan were also some of the other women bikers present at India Bike Week 2019 who were felicitated earlier on in the day.
Stunts by RokBagaros & FMX 4ever KTM Factory stunter, Rok Bogoros led the KTM rider parade along with the FMX 4Ever stunt riders and they laid out a visual treat for the awestruck IBW fans! 6 of the best Indian stunt teams competed for the championship title which is being judged by Rok Bogoros.
Bike launches of the day Several manufacturers launched their most-awaited bike launches awaited eagerly by the motorcycle industry and community at IBW2019. Day 1 of India Bike Week 2019 witnessed the launch of:
Triumph- Rocket III, KTM – 390 Adventure launched by Mr. Rakesh Sharma, Executive Director , Bajaj Auto Ltd., along with KTM Adventure Ambassador Giovani Sala – six-time World Enduro Champion. An entirely new brand was launched as a surprise – Husqvarna with a special India spec Husqvarna 250.
Orxa Energies, showcased their performance electric motorcycle – The Mantis. Orxa Energies is launching their motorcycle at a public forum for the first time after having gone ‘stealth’ since 2017. The Mantis has been styled as a Naked-Sports, fully-electric, street bike – India’s first in this category. Orxa unveiled the specs at India Bike Week and plans to launch the vehicle commercially in mid-2020.
Content Creators Meet The Vloggers’ meet saw some of the biggest moto content creators giving bike enthusiasts a unique opportunity to get up-close and personal with their favorite YouTubers to learn more about the Art of Moto-Vlogging. Vloggers JS Films – Dinos Vault, Tollfree Traveller – Winter Wanderer and Alex Chacon hit it off in the Big Trip arena to discuss how they made it big by turning their daily trips and adventures into some of the most exciting two-wheeled content on the internet.
Breaking Down the Build Renowned names including Rezza Hussain, Vijay Singh, Adil Dumasia, Leroy, Arjun Raina and Kyle Pereira spoke at length about the potential of customized bikes in India and spoke about the high quality of bike customisation in India.
India Bike Week 2019 wasn’t just all intellectual discussions, loud machines and live tracks that kept everyone hooked. Roadster by Myntra launched their #ReasontoRoad community. Visitors thronged the Dyno-Wheelie Machine, Burnouts and learnt about the biking intimate details of the gasoline cult from cafes hosted by Trip Machone, Throttle Shottle and Gareg Built Café’s Kyle Perieria. The Collectors’ Corner showcased vintage, classic and large bore bikes in India and the line-up was presented by Swaran Bajaj, Hafeez Contractor and Jehangir Faroogh.
Other activities that dotted the day included a JS Films Calendar launch and meet up with Oggy F at the Howling Dog Bar. This was followed by addresses by:
Maral Yazarloo, Sukesh Vishwanath, Girish PV and Manas & Anu Dewan at the Big Trip Arena;
meetups with Ridergirl Vishaka, Sagar Sheldekar; eventually leading up to the class music act by Best Kept Secret, and a heart-thumping performance by Pineapple Express to close the day’s activities.
The 4 Live Tracks – the IBW Hill Climb saw Giovanni Sala make some a special entry at the main stage; Harley Davidson’s Flat track, Moto Mob and the Big Rock Enduro Training not only enthralled the participants with adrenaline and action, but the riding sessions at these tracks up-skilled their riding capabilities under instruction from the masters. Festival specialist, Seventy EMG has re-imagined India Bike Week 2019 to create the ultimate celebration for ALL bikers – regardless of what’s ridden, which bike brand and machine is sworn by.
India Bike Week also ensured that entry to the event was granted only if the riders came wearing a helmet. The team also arranged for helmet lockers keeping the safety for riders in mind.
Over the years, India Bike Week has been home for all Indian Biking; the one festival that embraces the passion, independence and adventure of all the men and women riders of India, regardless of the motorbike brand they ride and Seventy EMG has ensured that the tradition continues this year as well.
