Eleven years of celebrating motorcycles and the community built around them, and the party just keeps getting bigger and better! India Bike Week 2024 brought together thousands of bikers, gearheads, and motorcycling aficionados from across the country and beyond — 25,000 people in all! Just imagine the number of new faces I came across, with a tonne of familiar ones in the mix. There’s no denying that the festival has evolved into a global-scale celebration of motorcycling culture.
The days leading up to the festival saw the highways dotted with motorcyclists, all on their way to a weekend of fun and frolic amongst the thousands of others who share similar quirks. Every year I see the same response to IBW, and that is an army of motorcycle aficionados gathering together to celebrate their two-wheeled companions. Our team managed to get inside the gates a day prior as everything was being set up, and it truly blew our minds. The work that goes into preparing a venue that big to accommodate a multitude of people and their motorcycles, not to mention the clockwork-like coordination it takes to keep everything running smoothly.
This year, IBW offered a perfect blend of entertainment and community, as one of India’s largest motorcycle festivals came back to Goa with a refreshed agenda for anything on two wheels (and maybe more). From adrenaline-pumping activities like the Harley-Davidson Flat Track race (for which Rajputana Customs built custom X440 flat-trackers) to mesmerising exhibitions and performances, IBW was an unmissable event for anyone with a passion for motorcycles. The event also featured a wide array of bike collections, too, ranging from cutting-edge superbikes to custom-built cruisers and vintage machines.
One of the standout features of IBW is its celebration of India’s vibrant custom bike culture. I witnessed an incredible display of creativity and craftsmanship at the Custom Build-Off. This was a highlight for many, as talented custom builders showcased their unique creations, which ranged from artistic choppers to high-end performance motorcycles. The Build-Off offered a fascinating look at the artistry and engineering that goes into creating these one-of-a-kind machines.
Visitors also had the opportunity to interact with these builders and learn about the intricacies of customising bikes. The diversity in design — from sleek cafe racers to a Harley-Davidson with a sidecar — highlighted the varied tastes and preferences within the Indian motorcycling community. What’s more, the sidecar Harley, ‘J-One,’ made by Bombay Custom Works and Jameson, was given away as a prize on the final day of the festival! I sure envy the lucky guys that bagged it.
In addition to the spectacle of custom bikes, thrilling rides, and live performances, IBW 2024 also provided a platform for learning and networking. The event featured numerous workshops, talks, and seminars conducted by experts, with topics ranging from motorcycle maintenance and repair to rider safety and the basics of adventure touring. Personalities like Elspeth Beard, the first British woman to circumnavigate the world on a bike in 1982, and Marcus Engel, a blogger riding across the globe on an EV, shared their stories, and if that isn’t inspiring enough, I don’t know what is.
I did feel like I was running around like a headless chicken at times, because there was so much to do and so much to see. Everything was happening all together, and I didn’t want to miss anything. A colleague’s race happening on the track, an interesting talk happening at the Big Trip tent, a music performance on one of the stages… Phew, too much to keep track of. At one point I heard the intro to Summer of 69 by Bryan Adams, and I turned around to get the shock of my life — it was being played on stage by a DJ on a laptop.
The multiple riding gear stalls set up at the festival were thriving with people of all ages looking to snag a good deal, while the food stalls were abundant with mouthwatering delicacies and overflowing with beer, of course. It’s not a party until the spirits flow, as they say, and that rings true in Goa, especially. A star attraction was the Big Forkers Meat Fest, where people rushed to satisfy their protein cravings. I found myself waiting in line for quite a while before my turn finally came. Didn’t take too long to wolf down my food, though.
Brands like Hero MotoCorp, KTM, Brixton, and Reise had set up stalls with showcases of new and upcoming launches, too. Most of us made a beeline to the KTM stall to check out the new 390s. Bajaj had also set up something new, the Pulsar Daredevil Bridge, alongside a stunt training zone for those who dared. Oh, and how could I forget? There were also the usual suspects revving their engines till kingdom come, and while I used to get annoyed by this, I have made my peace with it. Everyone is trying to express their enthusiasm in one way or another, and as long as no one is harmed in the process, it’s fine by me.
Our friend, Yogi Chhabria, bagged third place in the Harley-Davidson Flat Track race, while Yogesh P and Satyaraj Arumugam placed first and second, respectively. Events like the IBW Hill Climb, the Dirt Dash, and an obstacle race set up by Tiivra saw quite a bit of footfall. The other crowd-pullers were the FMX show and the lineup of artists at the different stages, like rapper Divine, hip-hop artist Brodha V, indie music artist OAFF, and others. You had to have been there to feel the excitement and the energy!
By the time it all came to a close, you could see the happiness and joy on the attendees’ faces. Coming together to celebrate motorcycling is something truly special, and Goa is an apt place to do it. There’s no sorrow in the festival ending because everyone knows that we’ll all be right back next year, and the year after that, and so on. IBW 2024 was a weekend well spent, and I’m sure everyone who was there would agree with me.
