Wizards of the wheelie

Meet The Ghost Ryderz who have become synonymous with freestyle stunt riding in the country

November 26, 2014 06:51 pm | Updated 06:51 pm IST

The Ghost Ryderz team

The Ghost Ryderz team

Seven years ago, a group of motorcycling enthusiasts, tired of routine rides, decided to try out something new, and attempted a few wheelies and stoppies in abandoned parking lots and plots in Thiruvananthapuram. They created an Orkut page, put up some photos and videos, and gave themselves a name that they did not realise would one day become synonymous with freestyle stunt riding in the country: The Ghost Ryderz.

“Every single one of us decided to try out stunts, and we decided early on that we wanted to do it professionally and not be branded as hooligans. We made sure to practice only in abandoned areas and use proper equipment, and soon people started noticing us,” says Mikhil Mohan, spokesperson for the group, over the phone.

Within a few months of putting up their first stunt video, the group got a call from a college in Kottayam to perform at their auto expo, and the team got their first taste of recognition. “The entire 24-member team attended that event, clad in matching jackets and all, but as we became more serious, the stunt team became smaller, with only those most comfortable performing in front of crowds participating and others taking up managerial roles,” says Mikhil. However, it was in 2009, with the arrival of riders from Chennai who saw the Ghost Ryderz online and wanted to participate in the flourishing freestyle stunt scene in Kerala, that the current roster took shape. Today, the Ghost Ryderz are Mikhil (Phenom), Abishek M. (Neo), Senthil Kumar (Dauntless), Saravana (Damboy), Sreekant Rajan (Brutus) and Lotus Sabu (Smokey).

The group’s popularity exploded in 2009, when they got a call from MTV. “MTV and Bajaj were organising a show called Stuntmania and they invited us to pick participants and provide support and training. We did a six city tour with them and visiting cities like Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai and Pune helped establish us as a recognised outfit in North India too.” The Ghost Ryderz returned for the following season of Stuntmania and went on a nine-city tour, visiting popular colleges. By 2011, their association with Bajaj grew to the next level, with Bajaj Pulsar becoming the official sponsor for the team and taking them to participate in various shows around the country.

“I think this was a period when youngsters in India realised that they could make a living as street freestyle athletes. More motorcycle companies began conducting rider-based events and sponsorships. This spurred us on to be even more professional in our approach, as we learned new stunts and began practising synchronised moves to make our shows more engrossing,” says Mikhil, adding that the stunt riding scene in India is still in a fledgling state compared to other nations, but is growing at an explosive pace. “After all, we have many more motorcycles and a youth population that is enamoured by two wheels.”

In recent years, the Ghost Ryderz have been at every major automotive event in the country, including Red Bull Speed Street, ace rider Chris Pfeiffer’s tour of India and the recently concluded Bike Festival of India. They have featured in a few movies as well, such as Enthiran and Mangatha in Tamil, Mere Dad Ki Maruti in Hindi as well as China Town and Thank You in Malayalam.

Mikhil says that despite the rise in fame the original group of riders who started out seven years ago is still very close. “When we began we rode and performed on our own motorcycles, now we have 23 motorcycles, including a few superbikes, vehicles to transport them, as well as a team to support us, be it marketing, cinematography or editing. However, we still have a Whatsapp group of all the people who have ever been associated with this team, and we are constantly in touch. It’s not that we never have differences of opinion, but apart from being professional teammates, we are also great friends,” Mikhil says.

Despite all the recognition, the team are now looking to establish that India has arrived on the freestyle riding scene. “While we have generally had great support from international athletes, there is a perception that performing on smaller motorcycles makes us inferior. We aim to change that by making a mark in an international freestyle riding championship,” says Mikhil.

The Ghost Ryderz’ meteoric rise is a sign of hope for aspiring stunt riders who are willing to take on the sport in the right way. With luck, motorcycle enthusiasts in the country will soon have more riders to cheer on as they burn rubber, pop wheelies, and bring the crowd to its feet.

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