Drink and drive is permitted here. They serve coffee.
Words: Gasha Aeri   Photography: Sanjay Raikar

Drink and drive is permitted here. They serve coffee.
Words: Gasha Aeri   Photography: Sanjay Raikar

After a hard day on the road, a group of Bedouins return following the shiny star and head for the most sacred beverage known to mankind – coffee! Sounds like a complete mismatch, because, one, bikers fly and not walk like the Arab wanderers, two, coffee wouldn’t be the first thing they’ll reach for after giving the migrating birds a run for their worms and, three,  if you can see my bias towards coffee then you’re absolutely correct. Pune isn’t the Mecca of bikers for no reason. Twisties at a meagre distance of 20 clicks, biking groups, a fine array of bikes to be heard and seen as the biker unleashes the fury of the machine and, guess what, dedicated cafés too!

The next time you find yourself in Bavdhan or surroundings, visit The Moto Café to know why. Coming from the style-sheets of Nikhil Sood, an IT professional and an enthusiastic rider of the Royal Enfield Machismo, the café caters to all those who like to look around as they sip their coffee and cheer for Rossi in the final lap. “My rider buddies on their way to the ghat for a tiny spin must have a good place to assemble,” says Nikhil.

The first step under the shed and the wall on the left flaunts 1:12 scale models of some of the finest bikes so far. Nikhil must have feared kleptomaniacs, for these models are tied to the shelves. Looking at it from the right is a collage of caricatures and sketches and upstairs you can give that strained back some relief as you lie on the couches. The arch looks down on the chairs below, but, hey, the real sight is right behind where you sit: a whole wall full of best moments captured from MotoGP races to produce bhp beyond insanity. You have coffee table books, games, PS3 with another LCD TV, automotive magazines and, of course, some lip-smacking delicacies and beverages too. A glance at the menu-card is enough to give you a good idea. For me their mushroom cheese panini tops the list.

Race evenings at the café are a treat with bikes of all makes and sizes standing in the parking lot, numerous eyes riveted to the same large-screen TV, collective howls and claps and seasonal discussions over the riders.

So, the next time you wish to flood your veins with some gasoline and do it the biker way, you know where to find us.