Sun, sea, sand and the thump of Harleys

The rumble is unmistakable. Harley-Davidson — the adrenaline-thumping American icon — is burning up the miles on Indian roads, potholes and all. With its new Street 750 — made in India for India and the world — HD is gunning to stay streets ahead of the competition. There are already 8,000 Harleys on Indian roads, and 2,000 of them were in the sun and sands of Goa to celebrate five years of the camaraderie.HOGs (Harley Owner Groups) rode in from practically all over the country. Some rode all week — from as far away as Kolkata (2,300km), Chandigarh (2,100km), Ahmedabad (1,200km) and Jaipur (1,200km). It was the largest HOG gathering so far in India and the streets of Goa throbbed with the distinctive roar of the Harley V-Twin as the brotherhood of bikers made their way through palm tree-lined roads to Vakator beach. If two wheels move your soul, the Harley rally was the place to be. As the sun set on the Arabian Sea, a feast of chrome and leather unfolded — unshackling the spirit of freedom that Harley embodies. If it matters at all, it was also one of the biggest gathering of CEOs, MDs, entrepreneurs, self-made millionaires — all in one place and all brought together by the passion for Harley-Davidson.
Watching corporate and business honchos giving their machines a rubdown after the long hard ride was proof of the bond between man and machine. Lounging on a Sportster Iron 883 and watching the Harleys thunder by was a familiar face: Suraj Jagan, singer of the chartbuster ‘Give Me Some Sunshine’. Looking dapper in a leather jacket and a military style cap, he pointed at the Harley stall, where excited petrol heads were crowding around the gleaming bikes, and said: “It’s like being a kid in a toy store. Great to be part of such an event. This is my second Harley. I love riding so much that I, in fact, moved base from Mumbai to Goa so that I could ride like a free spirit.” It is the same spirit of adventure that brought Sandeep Ghuman all the way from Kolkata for the third time in a row. Rather than tiring him, the weeklong ride on his Fat Bob had put a spring in the 46-year-old’s step. “I come here for the sheer love of biking. It is fantastic to ride down half the breadth of the country.
Everywhere you stop for petrol or to tank up yourself, people crowd around, asking you about the Harley and how it feels to own one. Harley should realize that we, the ones who ride down to events like this, are its real brand ambassadors,” said the proud holder of a 30,000km patch. Riders bonded over music — Sufi band Nasya was belting out chartbusters — and road-trip stories. Handlebar moustaches competed with waxed handlebars, leather jackets with weather-beaten faces; trip patches with tattoos… Harley-Davidson India MD Anoop Prakash, who went around high-fiving the riders, said: “This is how we localize the Harley global experience. People ride in with families, there’s local music and local flavour. There’s excitement, adventure.
Events such as these help marry the quintessential American icon with Indian traditions.” A customized Street 750 caught his eye and he pressed the owner for its specs. The modified Harleys were quite a sight, in fact — one had a leather coating from tank to tail, another looked custom-made for Batman. There was no way this trip was going to be complete without getting on a Harley. I chose the Fat Boy. There are Harleys and then there are Harleys. And this one is the Big Daddy of them all. Rest your grips on the sweeping handlebars, stretch your legs to the I-give-a-damn stance, feel the sheer energy of the V-Twin, the sea breeze in your face… and the oomph as the shift unleashes the power of 70 prize horses... Feels like freedom.