The machines vroom ahead to match the howling winds. The roar of the Royal Enfields, Harleys and Triumphs ruptures the solitude of the highway.
At least it used to, until a fortnight ago, when the water war between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu escalated and put an end to people-to-people camaraderie.
Until the violence over the Cauvery issue escalated, members of biking clubs that rally around the cult brands would roar across the border, on to village roads, from dawn to dusk. The bikers, a community built around the famous machines, stood out against the monotony of the rural landscape with their high-decibel travels.
The tensions have changed all that. “We would soak in the rural landscape as we ride past and have local children cheering us,” says Sandeep Menon, a biker from one of the oldest clubs in Bengaluru formed by Bullet enthusiasts. The city has about 40 clubs, and Mr. Menon did not want his group to be named.
For the riders, silent bonds are built on the trip both with oneself and the surroundings. The bikers usually roll their wheels, priced anywhere between Rs. 1.4 lakh and Rs. 15 lakh, out on the weekends for adventure, he says. This weekend, the biking club that he is part of, was scheduled to hold its annual retreat in Yercaud, jointly with a similarly ancient club in Chennai. There would have been 130 bikes on the trip.
“It was planned as a meeting of two of the oldest clubs from two capital cities of the now-warring states. “What better example can there be of inter-State camaraderie than this? Now, we are very disappointed, because we cannot travel,” says Mr. Menon, who had to call off the plan on Thursday evening.
From the beginning of this week, police started turning away all Karnataka-registered vehicles that had managed to enter through rural roads, reaching as far as Krishnagiri toll gate.
“A 15-year ritual has now been broken. We are travelling across two States within our country,” he says passionately. “We are a close knit community.
When people turn away vehicles, it is like saying we cannot take care of you. For now, the bikes have hit a hurdle and fallen silent.
