Announcement

**Noor** · 12-08-2008, 07:14 PM

Introduction Approved

Welcome to xBhp, Pleasure to have you on board.

**Praful** · 12-08-2008, 07:19 PM

Wow, I'd be waiting to hear more about your travelogues and biking experiences that you have garnered over the past 32 years!

Welcome aboard!

**mac187** · 12-08-2008, 07:38 PM

Welcome to Xbhp...

Xbhpians will surely help you with any inputs you require.....

**torque_ankur** · 12-08-2008, 07:40 PM

Hi welcome to XBHP, would like to see you in our Delhi G2Gs when you come down here in march.

**sam92** · 12-08-2008, 07:42 PM

welcome dude ,,

**Sunny** · 12-08-2008, 08:06 PM

I had a fantastic welcome email from Sunny and perhaps I should say something about that.

Welcome on board! That was hardly a welcome, that was just the things available on the menu

.

As far as your trip to India is concerned, a special ride on 17 bhp mean machine in rush hour traffic will be specially charted out for you!

**mithun.08** · 12-08-2008, 08:09 PM

Welcome abroad brother

**Old Fox** · 12-08-2008, 09:26 PM

Originally posted by Olias View Post

Hi guys,

Glad to join you all in cyber highway.

I'm a biker from the UK. I've been riding for 32 years on all sorts of bikes from the 1970s on Z1 Hawasakis to ZX-9Rs in the 90s to Harleys now.

I've been part of the bike scene and lived the life in clubs etc and on the road since I was 17 years old and loved every minute apart from the numerous 'offs' I've had but that sort of goes with the territory.

I had a fantastic welcome email from Sunny and perhaps I should say something about that.

I'm a (very) mature student and I'm doing a MSc postgraduate degree at Newcastle University. My dissertation (writing next summer) is centred on the evolving bike scene in India from what was a strictly utilitarian use to what you guys (and others) have created now. All credit to you for that. The scene in the UK evolved in the 50s & 60s in a very different way to yours and was a product of the post WW2 world. I would like to chart the evolution and compare (and contrast) bikers' experiences in India vs the established bike life in the west. This is not a voyeuristic experience I'm here for but a genuine qualitative study into the formation of a sub-culture in India (that I am part of in the UK).

I'll be in India (Dehli) in March and as part of my research, I'd like to meet up with lifestyle bikers there to find out their 'take' on the scene. In the UK we have the old style outlaw clubs and family clubs and my study will investigate the presence of the whole spectrum in India...hopefully.

Anyway... The pity is, that I'm here and you're there for the moment and there's nothing more I'd like than a ride out with you, but for the moment I'll have to wait. I hope that you don't mind that I have an 'agenda' of sorts but in exchange, I'd be happy to give low downs of the bike scene in the West to those who wish and the benefit of my 32 years riding and 20 years in the motorcycle industry as a dealer for Yamaha, Kawasaki, Ducati, BMW and latterly Harley-Davidson prior to leaving to take up historical study and now the MSc. I'd appreciate any help you can give me and I'll give back any way I can.

Ride free dudes and keep the shiny side up!!
Olias.

Hi! Olias,

Welcome to xBhp.

Thats one long journey on two wheels

And pretty intrigued by your spirit to learn...mighty rare in these times of Mr. Quick-fixes and Ms. Short-cuts all around.

I too have been riding for two decades and some more. On the right side of forties now. And the oil/blood ratio flowing through those veins n arteries still remains unchanged.

A word about the 2-wheel scene here. Biking is still primarily utilitarian here. One does witness a few rare spikes and high spots where riding is a life-style statement but the point A to point B transport stuff prevails strong as ever. And so sensible power outputs allied to reliability and fuel economy shall remain as the design brief for motorcycle makers in the sub-continent for times to come.

Sure looking forward to seeing you here. And also looking forward to sharing on that huge amount of riding experience from a person as reflective about motorcycling as he seems passionate about it. As Richard Bach writes in Illusions," The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under one roof."I extend to you a warm welcome again on behalf of the entire xBhp fraternity.

Ride long and safe...
Old Fox

**rpmboy** · 12-09-2008, 12:14 AM

"NAMASKAR" is what I want to say ya.

welcme to xbhp, the truest biking club in India.
I hav been to UK way back in JULY 08', man the roads & the way the bikers represent themselves is really world APART. In India it slowly picking up the speed, sme lucky individuals do hav big bikes but the majority of the users are still left behind. But the scenerio is changing and a lot hav to be done. xBhp has been a catalyst in bringing all the common thinking people together. we r all commom people with an difference. Deep in our hearts we still believe our bike is the bst companion one can hav. personally I think that mine 150cc Pulsar is one of the best ,practical SBK in that particular segment. As the oppurtunities come & go ,we will also be able to lay our hands on real performers. And in India Yamaha has started the fire which has included many like companies like SuZuki & HOnda to name a few.

There is no other better thing to do than to ride towards horizon on one's favorite bike, isnt it ??

Once again ,Welcome oops ,NAMASTEY to u in xbhp.com

**shadez** · 12-09-2008, 10:51 AM

welcome aboard Olias...

thats a lot of experience you have in biking. would love to hear more from you.
and yeah, where in India would you be in March?

**Olias** · 12-09-2008, 02:03 PM

Thanks for the warm welcome!

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the warm welcome. I've a lecture at 9am and it's 7.30am here so I'd better get a move on. Here (hopefully if I've done it right) are a few of pics of rides I've done....

'Tours' in France (this year) on the way to Portugal.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t79/Olias1340/100_0225.jpg

The Pyrenees

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t79/Olias1340/100_0249.jpg

On the Spanish side of the Pyreness... What a ride.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t79/Olias1340/100_0262.jpg

The Best Biker Rally in Europe... Faro, Portugal.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t79/Olias1340/100_0345.jpg

This is what I look like after a 7 hour day on the bike... Worn out and old!! LOL.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t79/Olias1340/100_0405.jpg

A Sunday ride in the North East of England with mates....

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t79/Olias1340/100_1027.jpg

**L.P.** · 12-09-2008, 03:11 PM

Originally posted by Olias View Post

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the warm welcome. I've a lecture at 9am and it's 7.30am here so I'd better get a move on. Here (hopefully if I've done it right) are a few of pics of rides I've done....

'Tours' in France (this year) on the way to Portugal.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t79/Olias1340/100_0225.jpg

The Pyrenees

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t79/Olias1340/100_0249.jpg

On the Spanish side of the Pyreness... What a ride.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t79/Olias1340/100_0262.jpg

The Best Biker Rally in Europe... Faro, Portugal.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t79/Olias1340/100_0345.jpg

This is what I look like after a 7 hour day on the bike... Worn out and old!! LOL.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t79/Olias1340/100_0405.jpg

A Sunday ride in the North East of England with mates....

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t...0/100_1027.jpg

Interesting ..

... HHhhhmmm...
Welcometo xBhp Mate..

Heard about UK a lot these days,from our freind who visited UK,and also i work For British Telecommunication..
So..

..

**pulsater** · 12-09-2008, 04:54 PM

welcome mate, thats one hell lot of space you need to fill up with the research and theory work you have taken as your brief. I would advice you to start with online research (as I can see you have started it by login in here

). you might also wanna get the latest profile and production information of various manufacturer in India through internet. there are websites that give you all the yearly statements and annual sales info in exchange of few pounds. sorry, currently i am missing out the names from where I use to look for the info. but anyways, that would help you get a clearer picture of the motorcycle industry in India. Next, you can meet with xBhp.com senior members and other genuine bikers group to know how the Indian motorcyclist have evolved over the last 10-15 years. there has been some real challenging touring expedition undertaken by Indians in the past including members from xbhp itself. Not to forget, Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey is one of the toughest in the world. If possible be a part of it next year and I am sure you will have an opinion of your own.

Do share your report when you are done with it. Would love to see a western prospective on our biking culture here. all the best.

**Olias** · 12-09-2008, 10:40 PM

Originally posted by pulsater View Post

welcome mate, thats one hell lot of space you need to fill up with the research and theory work you have taken as your brief. I would advice you to start with online research (as I can see you have started it by login in here

). you might also wanna get the latest profile and production information of various manufacturer in India through internet. there are websites that give you all the yearly statements and annual sales info in exchange of few pounds. sorry, currently i am missing out the names from where I use to look for the info. but anyways, that would help you get a clearer picture of the motorcycle industry in India. Next, you can meet with xBhp.com senior members and other genuine bikers group to know how the Indian motorcyclist have evolved over the last 10-15 years. there has been some real challenging touring expedition undertaken by Indians in the past including members from xbhp itself. Not to forget, Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey is one of the toughest in the world. If possible be a part of it next year and I am sure you will have an opinion of your own.

Do share your report when you are done with it. Would love to see a western prospective on our biking culture here. all the best.

I feel we think along the same lines dude. I'm looking into the manufacturers' marketing and projected growth stats at the moment.
I'd be happy to post the dissertation or send it to Sunny for example to maybe have a separate link to it. It should be around a 20,000 word read. I have my views on how it might evolve in future, but I'm from the west and the lifestyle here evolved very differently with various catalysts nudging it every so often.
Interestingly, we in the west (in the 1970s) were heavily influenced by Easy Rider and my understanding (though I might be wrong) is that Dhoom was a ground-breaking film for the biking culture in India.

If that is the case, I wonder if there is a custom bike scene in India like there is over here? Who or what informed that? Lots of questions and no answers yet! LOL.

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