The Official Mumbai Offline Meet(G2G) Thread

[viraj_s85]

Tu buddha ho gaya hai...new members ki ragging karna tu bhool gaya hai...tujhe firse mukane le jana padega shayad

Sala ab overnight plan kar hi tu... dikhata hu sab photographers ko... lekin is bar DK bhi chahiye and only shot glass allowed to drink any kind of liquid.. phir dekhte hai buddha kaun hai...

[ankurvvvv]

The ride was fun, except for the part where a fellow bikers friend, without gears crashed into a corner and was severely injured

That's bad...hope he will get well soon.

[satyenpoojary]

Hello xBhpians of Mumbai. I come in peace and in One Big Fat Piece…

To stir a hornets nest, I am proposing calling off the riding gear mandate for rides.
Yes you read it right.

No more mandate on riding gear except for those required by the law – The Helmet, (and the shoe in case you have run from the law)
The documents rule still exists. HOWEVER we still do RECOMMEND and appreciate people wearing riding gears.

Why this change:
xBhp has evolved, and so has the Mumbai and Pune chapter of it. Consequentially we have evolved into probably the most stringent of the chapters all across India. I, like many seniors and juniors of the community take pride in both being a reason for the change and being good at executing and enforcing it. To be honest, we all have immensely benefited from it, we have been able to build a strong, sensible motoring community here (or so we wish to think!).

Back then we called this initiative “For the greater good” and in complete Irony, I (in my individual capacity) propose to call this too “For the greater good” too. The idea is simple. Collectively we might have evolved, but the ‘other’ group of ones who want to ride but cannot buy gears or do not have gears at the moment have been considered as outcasts. This was never the true xBhp philosophy. The community (or whatever of it remains) always had the moto “Any bike: Any one”, go ahead google for it if you don’t believe me!

The idea is to involve the ones who didn’t want to ride with us, or couldn’t ride with us for whatever reasons. The idea is to learn from their experience, and to share our experience. Am sure this way we would have many more people coming on the rides, and thus more people consciously understand motorcycling as a dangerous hobby and safeguard themselves. Or look at it this way, who knows we would have another funny guy in the gang, or another hot chick (ok that’s hoping for too much) but the point remains, that the community grows and makes some impact on the motoring culture in and around Mumbai. Who knows may be the so called outcasts would eventually convert into the gear wearing riders!

PS: I do not work for xBhp. Growing this community doesn’t yield me any monitory gains, neither is this a network marketing scheme.

Your views on this are more than welcome

[Karthik Mathur (Orange)]

calling off the riding gear mandate for rides.
Yes you read it right.

No more mandate on riding gear except for those required by the lawWhy this change:
xBhp has evolved, and so has the Mumbai and Pune chapter of it. Consequentially we have evolved into probably the most stringent of the chapters all across India. I, like many seniors and juniors of the community take pride in both being a reason for the change and being good at executing and enforcing it. To be honest, we all have immensely benefited from it, we have been able to build a strong, sensible motoring community here (or so we wish to think!).or whatever of it remains

Hi, i have never been to any of the xBHP rides or meetups and don't even have a jacket, but i feel though everybody can not afford it, for a ride which will invariably involve high speed highway riding, stunting at times, many other things which do pose a reasonable threat to our limbs and not only the head and knuckles, it is better for riding gear to be compulsory. If it is not mandatory, then many members(who can afford) who were about to buy because of this rule, wouldn't care.
If someone genuinely can not afford it, okay, but he(implies both man and woman) is risking himself much more than the other more affluent riders.
And for sure, any one who can buy a bike costing more than 60K(mostly people here are having pulsars, karizmas, rtrs etc.), can buy a decent helmet, gloves, jacket and knee-guard, all of which would come for lesser than 10-15% of the bike price.
In one of the earlier posts of burninrubber, he had mentioned of a guy who got seriously injured coz of lack of riding gear.
So i feel riding gear, even if not a costly jacket, at least elbow and knee guards, in addition to the legal compliance, should be mandatory.

[rkakkar]

Hello xBhpians of Mumbai. I come in peace and in One Big Fat Piece…

To stir a hornets nest, I am proposing calling off the riding gear mandate for rides.
Yes you read it right.

No more mandate on riding gear except for those required by the law – The Helmet, (and the shoe in case you have run from the law)
The documents rule still exists. HOWEVER we still do RECOMMEND and appreciate people wearing riding gears.

Why this change:
xBhp has evolved, and so has the Mumbai and Pune chapter of it. Consequentially we have evolved into probably the most stringent of the chapters all across India. I, like many seniors and juniors of the community take pride in both being a reason for the change and being good at executing and enforcing it. To be honest, we all have immensely benefited from it, we have been able to build a strong, sensible motoring community here (or so we wish to think!).

Back then we called this initiative “For the greater good” and in complete Irony, I (in my individual capacity) propose to call this too “For the greater good” too. The idea is simple. Collectively we might have evolved, but the ‘other’ group of ones who want to ride but cannot buy gears or do not have gears at the moment have been considered as outcasts. This was never the true xBhp philosophy. The community (or whatever of it remains) always had the moto “Any bike: Any one”, go ahead google for it if you don’t believe me!

The idea is to involve the ones who didn’t want to ride with us, or couldn’t ride with us for whatever reasons. The idea is to learn from their experience, and to share our experience. Am sure this way we would have many more people coming on the rides, and thus more people consciously understand motorcycling as a dangerous hobby and safeguard themselves. Or look at it this way, who knows we would have another funny guy in the gang, or another hot chick (ok that’s hoping for too much) but the point remains, that the community grows and makes some impact on the motoring culture in and around Mumbai. Who knows may be the so called outcasts would eventually convert into the gear wearing riders!

PS: I do not work for xBhp. Growing this community doesn’t yield me any monitory gains, neither is this a network marketing scheme.

Your views on this are more than welcome

Not a good idea. Cannot afford, borrow. We are generous but we are strict about safety. We aim to develop good practices through this discipline cause self-discipline is a rare virtue. This is not a kiran social club.

[Horror]

calling off the riding gear mandate for rides.
Yes you read it right.

No more mandate on riding gear except for those required by the lawWhy this change:
xBhp has evolved, and so has the Mumbai and Pune chapter of it. Consequentially we have evolved into probably the most stringent of the chapters all across India. I, like many seniors and juniors of the community take pride in both being a reason for the change and being good at executing and enforcing it. To be honest, we all have immensely benefited from it, we have been able to build a strong, sensible motoring community here (or so we wish to think!).or whatever of it remains

This is a welcome decision. Compulsory riding gear has been withholding many people from riding with us(maybe even girls None that I know of), But on the other hand it has also been saving people from nasty scars and brusies during falls. I myself have experienced a couple of falls and have come out completely unscratched, one of the worst being the 180 degree wheelie on the slope of hell. Well what I mean to say is that you never know what might happen on the road and so it's better to be safe than sorry. By imposing this rule people are going to learn about the advantages of riding gear the hard way, and I do hope people learn and just don't ignore it.

[satyenpoojary]

Hi, i have never been to any of the xBHP rides or meetups and don't even have a jacket, but i feel though everybody can not afford it, for a ride which will invariably involve high speed highway riding, stunting at times, many other things which do pose a reasonable threat to our limbs and not only the head and knuckles, it is better for riding gear to be compulsory. If it is not mandatory, then many members(who can afford) who were about to buy because of this rule, wouldn't care.
If someone genuinely can not afford it, okay, but he(implies both man and woman) is risking himself much more than the other more affluent riders.
And for sure, any one who can buy a bike costing more than 60K(mostly people here are having pulsars, karizmas, rtrs etc.), can buy a decent helmet, gloves, jacket and knee-guard, all of which would come for lesser than 10-15% of the bike price.
In one of the earlier posts of burninrubber, he had mentioned of a guy who got seriously injured coz of lack of riding gear.
So i feel riding gear, even if not a costly jacket, at least elbow and knee guards, in addition to the legal compliance, should be mandatory.

Dont be so sure about 'affording' riding gears bit. There are many reasons why many dont wear riding gears. Heck my family thought carbon fibre gloves were an over kill till the time I had an accident where one of the gloves CF protector actually bend and gave in. I gave the other to my dad to try and hammer it to look like one that got damaged and since then he got the point.
Now they dont bother even if wore a pink riding suit!

Not a good idea. Cannot afford, borrow. We are generous but we are strict about safety. We aim to develop good practices through this discipline cause self-discipline is a rare virtue. This is not a kiran social club.

Debatable. Since when are running FFEs and cornering on public roads "Good practices"
Riding gear arent license to ride insane.
I am being honest, I ride 100kmph+ most of the time, I am sure many do. And I can bet my arse on it being anything but 'safe' on Indian roads. Ofcourse this is not a Kiran Social Club, but then the safety 'standards' that we boast off are nothing more than Made in Thailand but batched international standard goods.


And you are still missing the point. The point is to get more involved, to let them understand why these gears are important and not diktat for the sake of snob appeal.



Edit:

This is a welcome decision. Compulsory riding gear has been withholding many people from riding with us(maybe even girls None that I know of), But on the other hand it has also been saving people from nasty scars and brusies during falls. I myself have experienced a couple of falls and have come out completely unscratched, one of the worst being the 180 degree wheelie on the slope of hell. Well what I mean to say is that you never know what might happen on the road and so it's better to be safe than sorry. By imposing this rule people are going to learn about the advantages of riding gear the hard way, and I do hope people learn and just don't ignore it.

Hang on! Its not a decision, atleast not yet. Its a discussion
Ofcourse there are legit reasons on why one should wear riding gear, no matter what!
Not many learn the hard way, I mean I dont want to name people, but there are 'friends of freinds' who have crashed and we individually have not been able to convince them. The idea is for them to join in, see a ride with so many people, experience why we think the gear is handy and hope for them to change. Who knows some of us can actually give up our old gears to these people!

[Karthik Mathur (Orange)]

This is a welcome decision. Compulsory riding gear has been withholding many people from riding with us(maybe even girls None that I know of), But on the other hand it has also been saving people from nasty scars and brusies during falls. I myself have experienced a couple of falls and have come out completely unscratched, one of the worst being the 180 degree wheelie on the slope of hell. Well what I mean to say is that you never know what might happen on the road and so it's better to be safe than sorry. By imposing this rule people are going to learn about the advantages of riding gear the hard way, and I do hope people learn and just don't ignore it.

It is better that fewer people ride and not get hurt rather than many riding and get seriously getting hurt, isn't it?

And also, not everyone gets the second chance when they get hurt. Riding gear will increase many fold the chances of getting a second chance to ride responsibly.

in my opinion, when xBhp is trying to develop a proper biking culture in India, complete riding gear should be an essential part of it.

[satyenpoojary]

It is better that fewer people ride and not get hurt rather than many riding and get seriously getting hurt, isn't it?

And also, not everyone gets the second chance when they get hurt. Riding gear will increase many fold the chances of getting a second chance to ride responsibly.

in my opinion, when xBhp is trying to develop a proper biking culture in India, complete riding gear should be an essential part of it.

You are still being obsessed with being hurt, my point is involving them and taking them through the change. People still ride no matter what. People still get hurt, with or without gears.

xBhp doesnt 'mandate' riding gear. The so called culture is something that 'we' the members (including yours truly) made and took forward.

Just to cite an example, we have a small but very active group in vasai. This group consists of some the jazziest of brains in automotive segment. Be it journalists, to riders, to tuners, or even the otherwise useless me.

This group rides pretty often, the riding gear wasnt mandated and is still not mandated. But yet people have now started realizing its importance and are buying it or lending it and using it!

[niranjanvaidya]

You are still being obsessed with being hurt, my point is involving them and taking them through the change. People still ride no matter what. People still get hurt, with or without gears.

xBhp doesnt 'mandate' riding gear. The so called culture is something that 'we' the members (including yours truly) made and took forward.

Just to cite an example, we have a small but very active group in vasai. This group consists of some the jazziest of brains in automotive segment. Be it journalists, to riders, to tuners, or even the otherwise useless me.

This group rides pretty often, the riding gear wasnt mandated and is still not mandated. But yet people have now started realizing its importance and are buying it or lending it and using it!

I can see what you are getting to. The need for riding gear is certainly contagious and can be termed a placebo. While I do not really endorse the mandate bypass, this is something we can surely try out just for the sake of experimenting.

What remains to be seen is the toll that this experiment takes on our members. Hopefully it should not come at a cost that is too high and we do a complete U turn towards the gear mandate.

Any which way, riders who value their lives and skin will still turn out in their finest of leathers while the ones who are satisfied with "scratch-less escapades" will chance their luck time and again.

[rkakkar]

Debatable. Since when are running FFEs and cornering on public roads "Good practices"
Riding gear arent license to ride insane.
I am being honest, I ride 100kmph+ most of the time, I am sure many do. And I can bet my arse on it being anything but 'safe' on Indian roads. Ofcourse this is not a Kiran Social Club, but then the safety 'standards' that we boast off are nothing more than Made in Thailand but batched international standard goods.


And you are still missing the point. The point is to get more involved, to let them understand why these gears are important and not diktat for the sake of snob appeal.

Actually you're missing my point - Get more involved, but not at this cost (decision). Expansion is always welcome, but rules are rules. Granted we all bend them from time to time, but at least we should start off right. Aim for 100% and you'll achieve 80. Safety should not be an option. If the law didn't implore helmets, we'd make that optional too.

[NikhilB]

@Satyen

Even I started out on the Fox elbow and knee pads, with a normal jacket to boot (If I remember correctly, it was actually a raincoat).

Total thing cost me 450 bucks. (Special xBhp discount at AH )

It ain't that high a bar, wouldn't you agree?

[antz.bin]

IMO, The only other good reason you guys had 'mandated' the riding gear rule, apart from everyone's safety, was for convenience (let me explain). Since I wasn't part of Pune chapter back then, I may not know the exact reasoning, but this is what I understand.

We go on group rides, to enjoy a well earned vacation, and spend money behind that enjoyment. If it is a group ride, we have other riders spending their money on their own enjoyment. If somebody in the group is careless ( yes I call them careless) enough not to bother wearing riding gear and has a crash, he doesn't have the greatest chance possible of surviving unhurt. If this hurt person is seriously hurt due to his carelessness, his / her co-riders are also suffering because of him since they have to make arrangements for hospital stay, bike transport and all this time, ruining our own vacation time (which could have been easily spent enjoying).

If EVERYONE is kitted, and somebody kitted has an accident, AND in the 50% scenario he does get hurt (going by my exceptionally good experience, I have been hurt zero times out of 5 total falls when fully kitted), at least everyone in the group was showing concern and responsibility for the group, its time and money. Since such a thing can happen with anyone, it is now the duty of his co-riders to help him out of the mess.

This is not saying that the unkitted rider should be left alone to die. But the unkitted rider is more of sureshot inconvenience to the group if he happens to crash. I for one, would refuse to ride with an unkitted rider on a group long ride even if it means I myself have to continue solo(since I know how to take care of myself and also have been lucky till now). If the unkitted rider cannot take the pains of borrowing gear(for free) from the community, why should the community take the pain of attending to a sureshot casualty.

So, Mr. Poojary, I disagree with you on this proposal. If such a proposal is passed in Pune, I would rather myself arrange gear for the unkitted rider or I will flatly refuse to ride along. I have nothing against anyone but I hope my bhaavnaayein are clear here.

[satyenpoojary]

I can see what you are getting to. The need for riding gear is certainly contagious and can be termed a placebo. While I do not really endorse the mandate bypass, this is something we can surely try out just for the sake of experimenting.

What remains to be seen is the toll that this experiment takes on our members. Hopefully it should not come at a cost that is too high and we do a complete U turn towards the gear mandate.

Any which way, riders who value their lives and skin will still turn out in their finest of leathers while the ones who are satisfied with "scratch-less escapades" will chance their luck time and again.

I am perfectly fine in this waiver being allowed for "shorter rides" thats the way it used to happen a few years back and slowly the need for gear was understood and adopted by many..
and any way we are a HUGE community in mumbai and almost all of them have gears, it would mean some grand numbers to possibly tire us down...
I volunter to take care of the noobs in the rides where I am there, am sure there would be atleast a few more who would like to volunteer too with strict rules on riding...

Actually you're missing my point - Get more involved, but not at this cost (decision). Expansion is always welcome, but rules are rules. Granted we all bend them from time to time, but at least we should start off right. Aim for 100% and you'll achieve 80. Safety should not be an option. If the law didn't implore helmets, we'd make that optional too.

Does the now mentioned details change your decision?
Its more like an induction to smaller rides, heck it has happened to you too! If I am not wrong you got a riding jacket recently didnt ya!

@Satyen

Even I started out on the Fox elbow and knee pads, with a normal jacket to boot (If I remember correctly, it was actually a raincoat).

Total thing cost me 450 bucks. (Special xBhp discount at AH )

It ain't that high a bar, wouldn't you agree?

It isnt. But on the other end of the curve, the riding gear is now seen as a license to ride like an arse. The concept of riding in and as a group is taking a toll.
I met a chap who got his brand new R15 and was riding it from Satara to mumbai. I rode along with him. He just had a helmet and the cheap gloves on him. We spend like 15 minutes discussing his new bike and why he should wear gears and he was sold to the idea.
Its not the affordability that I aim to target, its the arrogance and ignorance of both them and us.

[Karthik Mathur (Orange)]

You are still being obsessed with being hurt, my point is involving them and taking them through the change. People still ride no matter what. People still get hurt, with or without gears.

xBhp doesnt 'mandate' riding gear. The so called culture is something that 'we' the members (including yours truly) made and took forward.

Just to cite an example, we have a small but very active group in vasai. This group consists of some the jazziest of brains in automotive segment. Be it journalists, to riders, to tuners, or even the otherwise useless me.

This group rides pretty often, the riding gear wasnt mandated and is still not mandated. But yet people have now started realizing its importance and are buying it or lending it and using it!

U aren't wrong in saying that i am obsessed with the "getting hurt" part of it.

All of us, however experienced or inexperienced, aren't immune to falling down. Biking is not the safest activity that one can indulge in, hence all efforts must be done to make it as less risky as possible.

Imagine there are quite a few of us practising cornering. If riding gear isn't made compulsory, then even those without it would come and no doubt would be highly tempted to corner hard. At that speed if someone crashes, without riding gear, he is gonna get screwed really hard!

Under such circumstances, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Till helmets were made compulsory, many people never bothered to wear them in spite of knowing who useful they are.

Same way, if riding gear is made compulsory, people will crib in the beginning, but as and when they get used to it, it will become a habit.

Instead of making it compulsory for everything, it could be made compulsory on a case to case basis.