“I wish I could zoom around on my bike across the world!” said ardent biker Esha Gupta just before her 110-day bike journey across 17 States in India was flagged off in the city on January 26.
The Bengaluru girl plans to cover 38,000 km on her Bajaj Avenger 220 DTsi. Covering an average of 400 km a day, Ms. Gupta is expected to complete her tour in May. She will pass through cities and towns of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab.
Ms. Gupta’s last biking expedition was in 2014 when she zoomed past the Golden Quadrilateral, covering 7,000 km across 10 cities in 40 days. “That was a forerunner to my latest ride which I hope to create a record with as the longest bike ride by a woman,” she said. She has crossed Kodaikanal and is on her way to Rameswaram, and will be halting at Thoothukudi on Monday.
Ms. Gupta’s bike adventure has been organised and promoted by Throttle Club, an online motorcycling platform encouraging biking as a culture, particularly among women. “The cost of Esha’s bike ride will be approximately Rs. 4 lakh, including the pre-ride investment,” said Mangesh Deshpande, Chief Operating Officer of Throttle Club. “About 1,200 litres of petrol will be required for her tour.”
Ms. Gupta quit her job at a multinational corporation nearly five years ago as she “was pining for a more adventurous life.” She doesn’t believe solo bike rides are unsafe for women. “I have travelled extensively and I am confident that by following the right guidelines one can remain safe on long rides,” she said.
And what does she think of Indian roads? “The highways haven’t spoilt my back as yet. So the roads are okay,” she said.
Published - February 01, 2016 12:00 am IST
