The members of Kovai Thumpers Motorcycling Club are full of stories …about finding accommodation in a remote corner of Berhampur, being served omelette at 3 in the morning by a fellow rider on a highway, sipping tea at a remote Himalayan tea shop during the rains, and more.
“We are united by one passion —brotherhood and love for the Royal Enfield,” says Ramesh Madhavan, founding member of Kovai Thumpers, an exclusive Royal Enfield Club and one of the oldest motorcycle clubs in town.
“Our riders have been to most of the motorable roads in India, have several lakh kms of riding experience, and share friendship with various clubs in India,” he says.
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It’s been nine years since Ramesh along with Sherin Samuel started the club. “It was just three of us and we went on a ride to Hasanur. Now, we are 600 plus of which 80 are active members,” says Ramesh. While short rides to Ooty, Kodaikanal and Valparai are routine, the members meet on every second Sunday to plan their big rides. As a part of the Brotherhood of Bulleteers Motorcycling Consortium (BOBMC), the biggest bikers consortium in India, they also participate regularly in BOBMC’s Rider Mania. “We connect with different parts of our country, the people and their culture during our trips. Recently, 40 of us covered the dessert state of Rajasthan. We stayed in tents and it was a great experience,” he recalls.
The oldest member is a 65-year-old and the riders include businessmen and other professionals. Ramesh is an entrepreneur, G.Biju imports timber; there is C.V. Adheth who is in furniture business, Madhu Sudhan. A., who farms in Pollachi and advocate M. Bala, the newbie to the club. The networking during biking trips also helps them grow their business, they say.
Biju, remembers how the rumbling sound of a group of bikes passing by got him hooked. “I immediately enrolled and my first ride was from Coimbatore to Nashik, a whopping 4,000 kms for the Rider Mania,” he says.
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Adheth, who has done rides to Mumbai, Guwahati, North Karnataka, Chennai, and Puducherry, says the experience of moving in a group makes one responsible.
“There is discipline and order. We follow instructions. The ride captain decides the route. We maintain uniform speed. We brave all kinds of weather. Though the rides are physically challenging, the thrill of it keeps us going,” he says.
Advocate Bala says, “Rain or shine, we are on our bikes living the moment.” The members have done memorable monsoon rides in Vagamon in Kerala.
“We have done exciting places in South Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu,” says Madhu Sudhan, who is also a wildlife photographer. He enrolled after reading about the club online.
Ramesh says though they ride for passion, they don’t compromise on safety. “We adhere to rules. We don’t overtake or over speed and ensure that the traffic is not disturbed. We have conducted road safety and helmet awareness drives. We encourage youngsters to abide by road rules and we are against drunken driving.” The club has been a part of awareness drives such as ‘Save Wildlife’ and ‘Save Valparai’.
As the Kovai Thumpers gear up to celebrate the ninth anniversary at Masinagudi on April 4 and 5, Ramesh the founder says he hopes more women riders take up biking. “We want to see more women take to the roads like there are in the West.”
The team also wants to ride the North East belt, Bhutan, Sikkim and Leh terrain, which is every biker’s dream.
Though the rides come in the way of their work, they don’t mind: “The freedom, the thrill and the goose bump moments, and riding in a group of 20 to 30 is worth it.”
Kovai Thumpers is a non-profitable organisation. There are no charges. Bikers have to spend on their accommodation & food on trips.
To enrol, call: 9843399399 / 9894749920
Follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/kovaithumpers.ktmc/