Delhi's Royal Beasts

The road not taken: Delhi is packed of ‘unstable Uranium isotope’ adolescents ready to take on the world head on, its not only city of Nizams, Nomads, Wealthy & underprivileged but also full of young turks of richie-rich parents.

If you worried about falling off the bike, you’d never get on: You can love them or hate them, but you just can’t ignore them! Started on April 6, 2002, by two friends, Kartik Krishnan and Ajeet Hundal, with an ambition to form an exclusive club of Bullet enthusiasts, the Royal Beasts have today grown to a huge 202 members.

The Royals Beasts: In fact, so rapid has their growth been that within one-and-a-half years they have became the third largest group in India. Yes, Royal Beasts is part of a nationwide phenomenon of Enfield bikers coming together to enjoy their bikes. Similar Enfield bikers’ groups are running in cities like Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and even Aizawl.

Why should boys have all the fun? Gautam Da (Inddie Thumpers) & Mahima Nijhowne (Royal Beasts):Talk to the youngest member of the group and you know that biking is no longer a male thing... 18-year-old Mahima Nijhowne, owns a Royal Enfield, and joined Royal Beasts the day she turned 18. Ask her about the reaction she gets from fellow motorists on roads, she says, “I get a lot of thumbs-up signs from people. Sometimes they clap or smile or just look at me in amazement.” Does she face uncomfortable moments? She says, “Not really. But then, who would mess with a girl riding on a Royal Enfield?”

I have miles to go before I sleep, Bally (Road Raiders - Doon), heading towards Rohtang: Sachin Chavan, an automobile journalist, “Last time we went to Ladakh, we had to cross this stretch which was very close to the China border. It was a dirt track and we had no map to help us navigate. That was a real tough one.” The group goes on two big rides every year, one to Ladakh in summers and to Goa in January. Besides, the group organises short trips to Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, etc. When in town, the group meets every Sunday evening at Qutab Institutional Area, opposite the Fore School of Management.

Man, Machine and Myth - Romancing the Roads, on way to Ladakh: Take a look at them and you know that this is a wide variety of people brought together by one passion, Royal Enfield. There are doctors, lawyers, students, marketing guys, journalists, entrepreneurs... and many others, who are part of this group. Says Sachin Chavan, “There’s this unbelievable camaraderie amongst us.

No commerce: The Royal Beasts members may adore the Royal Enfield bike but they would never like to promote it on a commercial basis. "Ours is an exclusive club of adventure. We don't want any kind of commerce to enter our club. It will ruin everything," says Kartik.
For this reason the club refuses any sponsorship for their cross-country bike expeditions.

You don't suffer, kill yourself and take the risks I take just for money. I love bike racing: It is a very free and independent group, and we do our own thing. If sponsorship comes in, one has to listen to the dictates of the sponsors. That goes against the spirit of our club. We encourage our members to save money and expect them to be enthusiastic enough to spend their own money for the expeditions," says Kartik.

I enjoy dirt bike riding, reading classic literature, impressionist art, traveling, and music: Therefore any Royal Enfield enthusiast who wants to join their club is thoroughly examined before being accepted as one of them. Tour operators are especially discouraged from joining the club. "It is not just love for the machine, the member should also share the passion for adventure and travel, says Mahima, 19, the only female member of the club.

A bike is only as bad as it's worst rider: She has her own Royal Enfield bike and rides it to her college everyday. The club was founded three years ago by Kartik and his friends. "We saw that most people who rode the Royal Enfield were different, so we decided to contact them," he says.

The mean machines: A lot of fun stuff happens when you go out on a bike compared to when you're in a car. You're more in the environment. It's enjoyable. Even when It's raining It's still fun. So, if you’ve always wanted to don your leather pants, leather jacket and leather shoes, and ride ‘peacefully’ into the sunset on your Royal Enfield... ride into the Royal Beasts. There’s no entry fee, no joining procedures... all you need is a ‘thumping’ love for the Royal Enfield! Happy cruising!