The vroom of bikes rent the evening air at the neighbourhood cricket ground near Teppakulam. Four young collegians display an amazing stunt show on their bikes. One of the bikers revs up the machine and the bike roars and takes off to 90 degrees. He rides the two-wheeler on a single wheel and even does gymnastic while moving on it. As the bikers throttle it out, clouds of dust and smoke rise up as a small crowd gathers to watch them. After 20 minutes of what looks like a choreographed dance with bikes, the men remove their helmets, pull over their bikes and get chatting. “We have a show in Nagercoil the coming week and this is a practice session,” says K.K Srinivasan, who owns a TVS Apache.
“At a road show organised by KTM, we watched professional stunt bikers from Chennai perform and got inspired,” says ASA Kubendran, owning a Yamaha FZ. “We saw stunt videos on YouTube and also learnt special moves from teams in Chennai and Coimbatore. Stunt biking is all about experimenting with the mechanism of the bike. If you understand how the combination of braking, throttle and clutch works, you can be a master of your bike.”
“Though bike stunts is not a recognised sport in India, we are doing it with a professional approach. We never attempt it on roads and public places. We always wear the necessary gears including jackets, protective pads and guards, helmet and shoes. When we are invited to perform shows, we advice people not to try it. Our aim is to only entertain audience and spread awareness on road rules and safety,” says K S Dinesh, who performs on a Honda Shine. Apart from college events, the team showcases their bike stunt skills at helmet awareness rallies and auto expos. “Recently, we did a show at an automobile exhibition in Tamukkam. We dramatised the show with coordinated group moves and had a voice over on the need to wear helmets. The idea was to attract the attention of the crowd and also give them something to take back,” says KS Vishnu, riding a Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS.
Stunt biking has given us an identity apart from some part-time earning, say the friends. “We see it as an opportunity in small town Madurai where there are not many professional stunt bikers. The sport is surely a head-tuner and we also get to earn some money. As a team, we charge around Rs.10,000 for a show.” says Srinivasan. They have also modified their bikes from fitting a cross-cage to avoid damages while falling to improving pick-up of the engine. “Even the rear-brake is relocated so that we can apply it on hands as we do stunts on the bike,” says Kubendran.
“When I am up floating in mid-air holding on to just the hand bar of the bike, I feel heroic, though for few micro-seconds,” says Dinesh. “The key to perfect the art of stunt biking is to maintain the centre of gravity. That will ensure we don't fall and help us conquer the fear and master the sport.”
