An Article published in the Hindu - March 28th, 2005 (with permission)
WHAT BRINGS them together is their twin passion - Love for the Royal Enfield bike and wanderlust. They call their club Royal Beasts, after the Enfield, which they say epitomises who they really are. According to them they are different for the very reason that they choose to ride the powerful Royal Enfield bike.
This unique Delhi-based motorcycling club is only three years old but has over 200 members. The members are from all walks of life and the age ranges from 18 years to 70.
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| Karthik, Rajiv, Raja & Amar |
"We come together because of our common obsession for travel and the Royal Enfield bike but soon discover we have a lot of other things in common as well," says Imran, a member of the club.
The club does not have any administrative wing, office or address. It is as informal as clubs can get. The meetings are held every Sunday at a roadside dhaba near the Qutab Institutional Area where the members discuss their riding adventures and future expeditions over cups of chai-patti. From time to time the members go biking in small or big groups to different parts of the country.
The bike means many things to many people. For Rishi riding his Royal Enfield bike is nothing short of meditation. "No matter where I ride the bike, the experience is spiritual," he says.
For others like Waseem, the Royal Enfield symbolises strength and class and makes a powerful statement about the rider. "Royal Enfield is the most powerful bike on Indian roads and when it is on the road it signifies authority. This authority is reflected on the rider too," he says.
No commerce
The Royal Beasts members may adore the Royal Enfield bike but they would never like to promote it on a commercial basis. "Ours is an exclusive club of adventure. We don't want any kind of commerce to enter our club. It will ruin everything," says Kartik.
For this reason the club refuses any sponsorship for their cross-country bike expeditions.
"It is a very free and independent group, and we do our own thing. If sponsorship comes in, one has to listen to the dictates of the sponsors. That goes against the spirit of our club. We encourage our members to save money and expect them to be enthusiastic enough to spend their own money for the expeditions," says Kartik.
Therefore any Royal Enfield enthusiast who wants to join their club is thoroughly examined before being accepted as one of them. Tour operators are especially discouraged from joining the club. "It is not just love for the machine, the member should also share the passion for adventure and travel, says Mahima, 19, the only female member of the club.
She has her own Royal Enfield bike and rides it to her college everyday.
The club was founded three years ago by Kartik and his friends. "We saw that most people who rode the Royal Enfield were different, so we decided to contact them," he says.
Kartik and his friends would approach anyone riding the Royal Enfield bike and ask them if they would want to join their club. If the rider was not around they would stick a slip of paper to the bikes with their contact numbers.
"Gradually people started contacting us and our club was formed," says Kartik.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2005/03/28/stories/2005032801050400.htm
