Shows & Events

Ultimate Harley-Davidson Custom Bike Builders

December 12, 2013 by Jim Gorde Leave a Comment

The International Motorcycle Show’s Ultimate Bike Builder stopped in Long Beach, California under sunny skies this past weekend. The Long Beach International Motorcycle Show Ultimate Bike Builder was quite an attraction. Check out some of the epic mean machines that the builders created.

Shannon Venturo’s motorcycle – the Dazln – is a 2011 Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe. It took third place in the Ultimate Builder MOD Harley Class.

Chris Richardson came in first place in the Ultimate Builder MOD Harley Class. His 1959 Harley-Davidson FL takes elements from his bobber style combined with a fairing and hard bag to deliver an exceptional low-slung and skinny Bagger. The bike also features a 3” stretch in the rear, hand-made custom saddle bags, fairing, oil tank, gas tank, exhaust and a narrowed rear fender.

Gary Savill took second place in the Ultimate Builder FreeStyle Class with his Wraith Heimdall Slammer, based on a more modern 2013 edition bike.

Sam Baldi took top honours with first place in the Ultimate Builder FreeStyle Class with his bike, Lost Angel, winning the big money. Lost Angel is a custom 2013 Harley-Davidson Softail which features a trans brake and centrifugal clutch.

Story: Jim Gorde

Images: Harley-Davidson

India Superbike Festival 2013

October 20, 2013 by Jim Gorde Leave a Comment

The 2013 edition of the Indian Superbike Festival took place at Amanora in Pune. We bring you the highlights.

A Honda Valkyrie Rune with Suzuki Hayabusas for company

Suzuki B-King, BMW K1300R and a Honda FIreblade strike a pose

Honda VFR 1200, Yamaha FZ1 and a Suzuki Gixxer gleaming in the afternoon sun

A sparkling new Ninja ZX-14R holds its own next to the Honda GoldWing 1800.

An assortment for the ages: Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Custom, Honda CB1000R and a customised Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14

Parked away from the crowd, this CBR and 848 EVO looked like long lost buddies

KTM grabbed a lot of attention with this: the 350 SX-F, and the RC8 and Duke twins

Harley-Davidson Super Glide Custom finds a peaceful spot

Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Custom complete with even more chrome, an immaculate paint job and Vance & Hines exhaust pipes

BMW Motorrad had quite a few offerings in the open

Moto Guzzi California 1400 and its smaller sibling

This Suzuki SV decided to show up after dark

Images: Jim Gorde

KTM Orange Day comes to Delhi

October 4, 2013 by Jim Gorde Leave a Comment

KTM Racing India recently conducted the third Orange Day for its customers in Delhi. The Orange Day event has been conceptualised to allow customers to experience the racing genes of the company’s popular motorcycle, the 200 Duke. Owners also get a chance to interact among each other and face off on a race track.

The venue for the Orange Day was the Parking Area near the ATC Tower at the Cargo Stand of the Indira Gandhi International Airport (Terminal 2 Road), with KTM owners as well as non-KTM motorcycle enthusiasts among the invitees. Proceedings kicked off with registrations followed by a classroom session by a racing expert on racing basics and the best way to extract the most out of the bike. This was followed by a demonstration on the track and then the race. Other events included service camps, KTM Powerwear and Powerparts stalls, refreshments and music. The company also showcased its 1190 RC8-R superbike, the 350 SX-F and the recently-launched 390 Duke. The first few buyers of the KTM 390 Duke received the keys to their motorcycles at the event.

Speaking at the occasion, Ishwinder Singh Khurana, DGM Probiking, Bajaj Auto Ltd. said that the KTM brand was rooted in racing and the company wanted KTM owners to experience the capabilities of the motorcycle on a race track. The Orange Day has been organised in Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Noida, Chennai, Vadodara, Jaipur, Kochi and now Delhi, and would be held in other metros too.

KTM has won over 230 World Championship titles in various categories including 12 consecutive Dakar Rally titles. Their motorcycles seek to follow this racing philosophy through the use of light and high-strength alloy components allowing what is usually the best power-to-weight ratio in their respective classes.

Story: Gaurav Nagpal

Harley-Davidson Chennai HOG Ride

October 3, 2013 by Jim Gorde 4 Comments

Chennai recently woke up to the sound of 300 Harley-Davidson motorcycles roaring through the city. H.O.G. chapters across India from Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Indore and Kochi came together with their families making this a big milestone for Harley-Davidson in India as it was the biggest zonal ride ever. The posse made their way through the streets of Chennai to Mahabalipuram in celebration of the 2nd Southern H.O.G. Ride. The three day event, organized featured live music, stalls having the latest Harley-Davidson merchandise on display, a tattoo parlour and a “Swap Shop” where riders could exchange motorcycle accessories and install them on the spot.

“The Southern H.O.G Ride has always been one of my favourite regional rides. I attended the first Southern H.O.G Ride in 2012 which was nothing short of fantastic. This year’s edition has been equally fabulous if not more. These three days passed in a flash, as I made new friends, shared my riding stories and will now be riding back home with a whole new set of brothers” Bala Chandrasekharan, Director, Coromandel H.O.G, Chapter, Chennai. Coromandel Chapter is the host chapter for the Second Southern H.O.G. Ride. As the men at Harley-Davidson say, ‘You’re not just buying a bike but an entry into a culture and lifestyle that the brand offers’.

Story: Rommel Albuquerque

Harley-Davidson’s Independence Day celebrations

August 16, 2013 by Jim Gorde Leave a Comment

India’s streets were rife with independence day celebrations as the country completed its 66th year as a free nation. Harley-Davidson’s owner groups from across the country got in on the act as well, adding to the festivities with their own unique twist. Members of the Harley Owner’s Groups (HOG) from Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad and Chennai all participated by taking to the roads in their respective towns as a collective, with many of them even taking the opportunity to contribute to various causes while they were at it.

The highlights from this countrywide ride included Chandigarh’s ‘Himalayan’ chapter of the HOG, who rode down to the iconic location of India’s Wagah Border in tribute to the country’s soldiers protecting our national boundaries, ultimately spending the day with them. Chennai’s ‘Coromandel’ chapter took the benevolent approach to celebrating Independence Day by undertaking a fund raising effort through their travels. They raised money for and spent time at a school for the underprivileged. Kerala’s ‘Spice Coast’ chapter also marked the occasion by contributing to a noble cause, they visited the residents of an old age home in Karuna. The HOG from Ahmedabad, ‘Nine Bridges’. meanwhile celebrated the memory of Mahatma Gandhi by traveling to the city of his birth – Porbandar, and also indulged in some philanthropy by making donations at an old age home.

The various owner’s groups responded magnificently to the call of contributing to the countries 67th Independence day festivities, filling the streets across India with the tell-tale roars of their Harleys.

Story: Harket Suchde