There’s an old saying that racing began five minutes after the second bike was built. I reckon a similar argument can be made for motorcycle clubs as well. Today, when you buy a lifestyle motorcycle, you’re also buying into the community, activities and experiences that the brand sells with it. And when executed well, these can become a significant factor in deciding what you buy. Understandably, brands are increasingly treating this as an important pillar in growing their customer base.
One such initiative from Triumph in India is its Touring Experiences programme. As the name suggests, these are multi-day rides that take you through some of our country’s more scenic routes, with destination-led activities along the way. Of the four experiences that took place this past September, I joined the last of the lot – the Konkan Twisties, which took us from Mumbai and Pune to Dandeli via Goa and back.
Triumph entrusted me with a Scrambler 400 XC for this roughly 1,300km journey, and I’d soon learn that it was all the motorcycle you’d need for a ride like this. In fact, of the 21 motorcycles that joined the ride, only three – a Bonneville T100, Rocket 3 and Tiger Sport 660 – weren’t part of the 400 platform. While the 400s may be positioned as the entry into the brand’s portfolio, they represent a step up for many Indian riders. For many, they also represent a first foray into enthusiast motorcycling with a brand that previously offered considerably more expensive machines. I also learnt that, for a large majority of the riders on this trip, this would be their first multi-day ride. And it’s precisely this customer base that Triumph is looking to nurture through these experiences.
My journey began at the Triumph dealership in Andheri, Mumbai, before we rendezvoused with more riders from Navi Mumbai and then met the rest of the group from Pune en route. From there, we made our way to the coastal town of Ganapatipule, crossing the Jaigad River on a short ferry ride before settling in for the night. The Konkan coastline is particularly beautiful at this time of year, with the monsoon having just drawn to a close. Experiencing this was very much the point of the route, especially as we made our way towards Goa the following day.
Day 2 saw us properly commit to the narrower coastal roads. It isn’t the quickest way to get to Goa, but it’s undeniably the most scenic. Unfortunately, a late start meant we had to abandon the coastline after lunch at a beautiful beachfront restaurant in Devgad and head back to the highway to make up for lost time. And make up for it we did. As dusk fell, our convoy of Triumphs broke into smaller groups, each travelling at its own pace, but we all made it to our destination safe and sound. The itinerary had also factored in a rest day here, which included a visit to a spice farm.
The next morning, we set off for Dandeli, which would be the shortest stint in the saddle, but perhaps the one I enjoyed most. The Scrambler 400 XC proved an excellent companion on some of the less-than-ideal stretches of road, and the dense tree covers offered some welcome relief from the heat. Our accommodation in Dandeli was a secluded cluster of cottages, making for a quiet evening after the ride. With no network connectivity for our phones, time seemed to pass a little more slowly, and that was rather nice.
That evening, we sat around a campfire talking about the ride. Just a few days earlier, most of us had been complete strangers, but we’d gotten along rather well over the course of the trip. For the newer riders in the group, this was an ideal introduction to long-distance riding. Triumph takes care of all the logistics, including a backup vehicle, a technician and spare parts, for a very reasonable fee (Rs 20,000 in this case), leaving you free to focus on the riding. It makes the prospect of a longer ride considerably less daunting, particularly if you haven’t been on one before.
Having more riders from the Triumph team would have allowed the group to be split according to riding pace, making the journey more comfortable and safer for everyone. But riding in a group inevitably involves a degree of compromise – and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, it’s the price you pay for the company of the people you ride with, and that’s a compromise I can live with.