Over the years, xBhp has taken up some epic roadtrips. We have been around India quite a few times and then, there have been some very special roadtrips to other parts of the world as well. In addition to the locales and the roadtrip itself, these epic excursions have also been made special because of the machines that have highlighted them.

While some of our roadtrips have featured only one motorcycle, quite a few of them have been done with a whole cavalcade. Yet, there has always been one machine that was at the forefront; a flagship in every sense of the word. We had already recounted some of our Ultimate Roadtrips in a previous issue of the xBhp Magazine, this time we will take you through the flagship machines from some of our most memorable roadtrips.

The roads may have differed, the machines may have differed, and the experience may have differed. But the one thing that has been around more than a few times, to say the least, is Castrol POWER1. The roadtrips we are going to discuss were all as trying as they were enjoyable, more so for the machines that had to endure hundreds of kilometres every day through varying climates and terrains. But they all thrived because Castrol POWER1 took care of them through the thick and thin of these roadtrips.

Powered by Castrol POWER1, all our machines thrived and saw through these epic journeys. Even more so was the case with the extreme machines that have served as the flagships of these journeys. So, for the 12th Anniversary of the xBhp Magazine, let us rekindle the memories of some of those epic machines.

Great Indian Roadtrip (2006) – Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade

In 2006, xBhp took up one of its very first pan-India rides- the Great Indian Roadtrip. In a time when motorcycling was still nearly non-existent, we took a slew of epic machines all around the diverse landscape of our great nation. Among these machines, the flagship was a Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade.

At a time when superbikes were a rare occurrence, taking one around India was a surefire challenge. In addition to being able to control such a machine and covering some serious distance with a riding stance that committed on a daily basis, we also had to ensure that our motorcycle was in top shape because being able to fix a broken superbike would have proven to be more than a tough nut to crack.

With a roadtrip like this and a machine like that, a technical disaster was an ever-present scenario. First of all, the motorcycles of those days were not as sophisticated as they are today. Secondly, touring on a superbike that is meant for racetracks was already deemed crazy by quite a few. And lastly, with the rarity of these motorcycles, it was even rarer to have a fix ready if a problem was to occur.

And in the face of all those possible adversities, the roadtrip went smoothly and our Fireblade saw it through without any hiccups. More than a fair chunk of the credit goes to Castrol POWER1 for providing the care and protection the engine needed over long distances on highways and during the crawls within city confines. And with the performance brought to the table by Castrol POWER1, we also enjoyed riding the Fireblade around India to the fullest.

Passion Hunt (2009) – Yamaha YZF-R1

Our next major pan-India trip was Passion Hunt powered by Castrol POWER1. In our quest to find the most passionate biker in India, we put to test the best of Yamaha in the form of a YZF-R15 and on top of that, the flagship of this trip- the YZF-R1. Moreover, for double the fun, we had two of those flagships!

We took up Passion Hunt in 2009 and while motorcycling had gained a fair bit of traction by that time, superbikes were still relatively scarce. And the R1 was a full-fledged litre-class track weapon. So as was the case with the Fireblade, this trip too came with its own set of challenges. The extremity of taming two 180-plus bhp superbikes aside, the long distances we had to cover on a daily basis were a challenge for both the man and the machine.

For this roadtrip though, the challenge for the man was tenable because of experience. By 2009, we had already notched up more than a few thousand kilometres of bog bikes and therefore, it was relatively easier to go the distance and see the trip through. The challenge for the machine was a different beast though.

But with our experience with Castrol POWER1, we were sure that both our R1s would be able to complete this epic roadtrip. Despite the warm climate, a high-compression 998cc inline-4, and almost 10,000 km, the two R1s came out unscathed, all thanks to Castrol POWER1. Extreme machines require meticulous care and treatment; something that Castrol POWER1 has always excelled at so the successful culmination of this incident-free ride was no surprise to us.

#thankYou Ride (2015) – Benelli TNT 899

xBhp is nothing but the people who have made it. The thousands of motorcyclists that have been a part of xBhp’s journey are the reason why we have thrived. In our bid to thank the xBhp community… in person nonetheless, we decided to ride around India again in 2015. For this roadtrip, we had a cavalcade on Benellis with us. From the TNT 600i to the TNT GT, we had a variety of Pesaro’s finest at our disposal.

Among those fine machines, the title of the flagship has to go to the radical TNT 899. We have ridden numerous motorcycles over the years but the TNT 899 was surely one xBhp’s most prized possessions. With a side-mounted radiator, an aggressive front fascia, an exposed frame and an underseat exhaust; the TNT 899 was eye candy to even the most experienced of riders. Moreover, its 898cc triple-cylinder was so different from anything we had ridden, be it the character or the sound.

With just over 100 horses propelling it to a top speed of over 250 km/h, the TNT 899 was surely a thing of beauty. The best bit about it was how it did not sacrifice top-end performance for some serious midrange grunt. It proved to be a boon on highways and city roads alike. That said, nearly 10,000 km is nothing to scoff at enough to put even the best of motorcycles to test. But it was a test that all our motorcycles, including the TNT 899, passed with flying colours thanks to the liquid engineering of Castrol POWER1. Protection and performance went hand in hand as we went around India, thrilling everyone we met with the TNT 899’s uniqueness and the confidence instilled by Castrol POWER1.

#PowerTrip360 – Kawasaki Ninja H2

Up to this point, we have talked about going around India for around 10,000 km. Now it was time to take things up a notch. A 20,000 km ride around Australia; christened as PowerTrip360 and powered by Castrol POWER1, it remains one of our most arduous roadtrips ever. For this ride, we had two motorcycles with us. One was the pride of Bologna, the Ducati Panigale 1299. While missing the title by a close margin, it just could not be the flagship of this epic road trip.

That title invariably went to the Kawasaki Ninja H2. How could it not when the thing boasted of forced induction? Rarely it happens that a motorcycle changes the game so drastically that it reaches a cult status right at its launch. The Ninja H2 did just that with its supercharged inline-4. Restricted to just a smidge below 200 bhp, we knew that the H2 had a lot more to offer. After a few modifications, we had it singing to the tune of more than 250 bhp!

Now imagine riding such an extreme machine over 20,000 km in the searing heat and biting cold. The varying climate and landscape put forth a heck of a challenge amplified by the extreme engine of the Ninja H2. In addition to the space constraints, the added heat is one of the major reasons why forced induction is not commonplace in motorcycles. While Kawasaki’s engineering acumen ensured that an absurdity like the Ninja H2 was born, it was Castrol POWER1 that ensured that this absurdity sustained itself throughout the 20,000 km that we covered in this road trip.

Regardless of the riding conditions, Castrol POWER1 made sure that the H2’s engine could deal with everything that this massive distance could throw at it, including a racetrack stint that let us really open the taps of the Ninja H2.

#roadTripUnited – Suzuki Hayabusa (2nd Gen.)

With the motorcycling ever-expanding and diversifying motorcycling scene in India, we thought that it was time for xBhp to do what it does best; bring the motorcyclists of India together. With this thought in mind, we came up with the idea of #roadTripUnited, a 10,000 km+ roadtrip around India in a bid to unite the various biking groups all across India.

With a stellar fleet of motorcycles, it was truly difficult for us to determine a flagship for this roadtrip. But then, when we really got down to think about it, it was fairly easy. What could be better than the fabled Suzuki Hayabusa to regard as the flagship of this trip? The Dhoom bike was one of the very few machines responsible for bringing motorcycles and motorcycling into the mainstream.

1,340cc, 4 cylinders, nearly 200 horses, and aerodynamics darn near perfected; the Suzuki Hayabusa was rightly regarded as a hyperbike. And despite the stellar numbers and performance in extreme, it was a motorcycle that was as good at touring as it was at setting speed records.

Regardless of everything it was capable of, it needed the right partner to bring out the best of it and sustain it for more than 10,000 km in a country as diverse as India. From good roads to bad roads, from highways to cities and from warm climates to cold; our Suzuki Hayabusa always kept its best foot forward thanks to Castrol POWER1 that circulated in that gem of an engine. From keeping it cool to maintaining its viscosity over prolonged beating, Castrol POWER1 ensured that our Hayabusa felt the same at the end of this trip as it was at the beginning.

#roadTripUnited2021 – Kawasaki Ninja H2 | Triumph Rocket 3 R

After the beating that the pandemic proved to be, everything seemed grim. Even as the pandemic receded, wave after wave of resurgence made it difficult for motorcyclists to keep doing what they love; riding. On top of that, with the uptick that motorcycling saw in the past few years, the diversity among rides and riders was at its peak.

With that, it was important to again inculcate a sense of camaraderie and brotherhood among the motorcyclists of India. With that goal in mind, we decided on a sequel to the #roadTripUnited. But this time, we were out to not only unite the riders but the various motorcycles as well.

To that end, xBhp’s cavalcade that rode around India included a 125cc scooter, a 313cc sports-tourer, two Mahindra Thars that we had deemed as the biker’s car, and finally, the world’s fastest production street-legal motorcycle and the motorcycle that boasts of the largest engine ever fitted on a production motorcycle; the Ninja H2 and the Rocket 3 R… respectively, if you must.

While doing this particular recount of the flagships of our roadtrips, we couldn’t settle on one for #roadTripUnited2021. Both the Ninja H2 and the Rocket 3 R are extreme machines in their own regard. Be it bragging rights or specifications, both of these motorcycles can trade blows all day. Ultimately, we decided that here, we were going to declare both of these motorcycles as flagships.

There is not a lot that has not already been said about the Ninja H2. Brutal acceleration, scintillating top speed, and marvellous engineering are all mild praises for the supercharged inline-4 of the Ninja H2. Ever since its launch, we perpetually thought that nothing would ever come close to what the Ninja H2 is. Hinckley, though, had other ideas. While the previous Rocket III was something to behold, the new Rocket 3 R absolutely blew all that we had in mind to smithereens.

With its 2.5-litre triple-cylinder engine, joint dislodging 221 Nm of torque, and nearly 300 kg of heft, the mannerisms of the Rocket 3 R are mind-blowing, to say the least. A cruiser with the agility that can tease a purpose-built streetfighter, the Rocket 3 R is also one of the fastest accelerating motorcycles on the planet. With all that, it easily justifies sharing the flagship title with the Ninja H2.

With all the praise that we can shower upon these two machines, we have to reserve a significant amount for Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE. With the know-how of taking care of extreme machines at the pinnacle of motorcycle racing, MotoGP, distilled into the stellar 5-in-1 Full-Synthetic formula, Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE was the only engine oil we could rely on for all our machines.

Whether it is the insane 2,458cc triple of the Rocket 3 R that revs up to 7,000 rpm or the supercharged inline-4 of the Ninja H2, with Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE taking care of them, neither of the two skipped a beat when it comes to Ultimate performance. And with the Ultimate protection and cooling offered by Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE, both of our #roadTripUnited2021 flagships endured and maintained the performance that machines like these promise.