Want to join this exclusive gang? First get a bike that's 800cc or more

GURGAON: Driving a car may be a strictly utilitarian affair, the main motive of the driver being to get from point A to B. Riding a motorbike, on the other hand, can be an activity that transcends the banality of transport, and belongs to the sphere of experience. This is in short the motto of the 'Born 2 Ride Motorcycle Group', consisting of about 40 bikers spread across the NCR.
Being a biker comes with a whole new lifestyle, a new set of on-road ethos. Hobby biking, since its inception, has been a collective enterprise, something you do as part of a larger set or 'brotherhood' as many bikers these days tend to call their motorcycling groups.
This was the reason why Rahul Sharma, an anesthesiologist living in Gurgaon's Sector 15, decided to sign up for the group the day he bought his Harley Davidson. "It was about two-and-a-half years ago. I enquired about biker groups at the showroom itself," he said.
Members of Born 2 Ride belong to diverse professional backgrounds. They come together once a while for either 'short spins' - a Sunday morning affair on the outskirts of the city, ending with breakfast - or long-distance motorbiking voyages that can span thousands of miles.
"Riding together, rather than solo, is a different experience altogether," says Rahul, who owns a 1,700 cc Harley Davidson 'Fat Bob' and a BMW 1200 GS. When asked how exactly a group ride differs from riding solo, Rahul was lost for words. We are in the realm of experience, where you have to undergo something in order to understand it.
Rohan Singh Monga, a 25-year-old businessman, is another member of the group, which, he said, accepts only those who own 'cruiser bikes with an engine capacity above 800cc'. "No sports bikes in this group," he said. There are rules and regulations, of course, and road safety is a particular area of attention for all members. This is why membership is offered sparingly.
"We are selective about who enters the club. A prospective member has to be brought along by a full member first for a few guest rides. Then all members vote to decide whether to accept the new arrival," said Rohan. Members often refer to their group as family, and the bond that binds them all is the motorcycle - perhaps the most lasting symbol of a getaway.