Royal Enfield, Love and Valentine’s Day
- By Nithin Ramkumar
- February 24, 2022
What does the sound of a two-stroke, good food, and Royal Enfield have in common? A fan base! We talked to two couples who share a love for motorcycling and travel all around the country in their Royal Enfields. Joseph Antony and Roshini, friends-turned-lovers, married around eight months ago and have been dreaming up their vacations since. We also talked to recently-wed Kanyakumari natives Jeno Primal and Hepzibah Amal, who had a blast in Kerala during their honeymoon bike ride through the state.
Joseph and Roshini run a cute restaurant called ‘Joe’s Café’ near Chennai. The café is so popular among tourists and bike riders that it was featured in ‘Lonely Planet’, a travel guide which is often referred to as the bible of travellers. The couple loves exploring places and has made a loop trip from Manali to Shimla and Darjeeling. Joseph Antony, affectionately called ‘Joe’, is a native of Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) and grew up adoring his neighbour’s new two-stroke motorcycle. Moreover, his passion for motorcycles and the sound they make were nourished by this neighbour, who would allow Joe to sit on the bike often. Years passed, and Joe found himself with a girl who shared his passion for motorcycles. Roshini, who disguised herself as his best friend first, tells the story of how they realised they were in love and decided to take the relationship to the next level by getting married to Joe. Roshini also grew fond of the Royal Enfield Classic 350’s iconic ‘duk duk’ sound, and her friendship with Joe has only fuelled her love and passion for bike travel and exploration. Roshini is currently training to ride heavy motorcycles on the highway and is under the tutorship of Joe, which she hopes will enable her to ride from Chennai to Mahabalipuram soon. Even though travel plans were limited due to the pandemic lockdowns, the couple took a ride to Pondicherry to see if long-distance travel as a couple on a motorcycle was viable. Roshini laughs while she says, “first, he wanted to test me.” The couple travelled to Ooty and swore on bikes to have a romantic trip. Roshini says that being open to the elements and close to the person you love makes the whole trip more enjoyable and lively. The ability to stop anywhere and take detours to explore new places makes bikes the perfect romantic getaway machine. The couple’s brand loyalty has helped them narrow down to the model they would purchase when Joe thinks Roshini is fully equipped to ride a motorcycle. Roshini has been eyeing Joe’s Royal Enfield Himalayan for some time now. Joe says the key to a long-distance couple travelling on a bike is prioritising the pillion rider. The couple had certain hand gestures that they would use to communicate with each other while riding. They make sure they have time to relax during their vacation and limit the riding to, say, two days while on a seven-day trip.
Now let’s go through the experience of the civil engineer couple Jeno Primal and Hepzibah Amal from Kanyakumari. For a long time, Jeno has been an ardent biker and has been travelling with his friends almost every weekend. He has travelled almost everywhere in the country and plans to tag his wife, Hepzibah, along with on these rides. The couple, who got married in December last year, went on a honeymoon ride in Kerala soon after. They rode through Vagamon, Alappuzha, and Munnar. While looking for a life partner, Jeno’s main aim was to find a partner who loved riding as much as he did. Jeno says he was excited to have found just that and was also happy not to limit his weekend rides with his friends. Jeno says being married changed his travelling habits a bit, from staying in a tent to staying in a hotel, or riding through the night due to the lack of traffic, to limiting bike travel to day-time. Couple-riding has brought about a sense of responsibility and safety in him, allowing him to take a different approach towards riding. Long straight roads bore the couple, who find excitement in twisty roads like the ones in the hill ranges of Kerala. The couple knew each other for six months before marrying, and they claim that bike rides brought them closer together. Like Joe, Jeno too shares a love for Royal Enfield and is waiting for the spied, more powerful version of the Himalayan to be released and cannot wait to get his hands on one. The couple says the brand is a significant factor in bike-lovers. The pandemic has hindered their plans, but the couple believes they will be able to explore the North-East of India soon
India Bike Week Shifts From Goa To Panchgani Hills For 2025 Edition
- By MT Bureau
- December 02, 2025
India Bike Week (IBW), presented by Gulf Syntrac, has shifted its 2025 venue from Goa to Panchgani, Maharashtra. The move, executed due to the rescheduling of Zilla Parishad elections in Goa to the IBW dates, means riders will now converge in the Deccan hills on 19th and 20th December 2025.
IBW 2025 will transform Panchgani into a high-altitude playground for riders, featuring new trails, cooler winds, bonfire nights, camping and after-parties. The edition promises IBW’s line-up yet, offering motorcycling experiences across multiple terrains – from hill climbs and mud trails to manufacturer-led road tests.
Martin Da Costa, Founder and CEO, Seventy Event Media Group, said, “As we celebrate 12 years of India Bike Week, it’s incredible to witness how this festival has grown into one of the world’s most spirited motorcycling gatherings. Although circumstances pushed us to shift venues this year, our ethos remains the same – community, adventure, and the freedom to explore. Panchgani offers us a fresh canvas and IBW 2025 is shaping up to be our most exciting edition yet.”
IBW’s 12th edition includes showcases such as the Endurance Stunt Show by Pol Tarres powered by Gulf Syntrac, the Wheelie Experience by Aprilia and India’s Test Ride Arena featuring the majority of India’s premium motorcycle line-up, now including a showcase by the Gulf TrackHouse MotoGP Team.
Over 10 riding experiences await, from the Pulsar Stunt School to a dedicated Kids’ Mini Moto Track by Vida’s Dirt-E K3, along with masterclasses led by expert creators and overlanders.
Competitive racing will feature on FMSCI-backed tracks such as the IBW Hill Climb by Reise Moto and Harley-Davidson Flat Track Race.
The Skoda Kodiaq All-Wheel Drive Track makes its debut, offering driving and off-road challenges.
Presented by Carlsberg Elephant Strong Soda, the festival’s music line-up includes performances by King, Karan Kanchan, Sugga Honey, along with Harley-Davidson Rock Riders’ Music featuring Antariksh.
The BIG TRIP presented by Gulf Syntrac returns with a compelling line-up. Twelve speakers – including global overlanding legends Simon & Lisa Thomas, Elspeth Beard, Zubin Jaafar and storytellers Kshitij Saxena, Gautham AG, Candida Louis and Maral Yazarloo – will bring narratives of grit, resilience and exploration.
The Ladakh Tent presented by Carlsberg Elephant Strong Soda hosts discussions, including ‘India on Two Wheels,’ a Storytellers Roundtable, ‘RTW 101,’ and ‘Women in Motorsports.’
The Jameson Connects Howling Dog space brings together creators, rider groups, and lifestyle influencers.
Hero MotoCorp Clocks 31% Sales Uptick In November Amid Continued Demand
- By MT Bureau
- December 02, 2025
Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, registered dispatches of 604,490 units in November 2025, marking a 31 percent YoY growth.
In the domestic market, the company sold 570,520 two-wheelers, up 30 percent YoY, as against 439,777 units sold last year. On the exports front, the sales came at 33,970 units, as against 20,028 units, marking a 70 percent increase YoY.
This performance sustains the growth momentum following the festive season, driven by positive consumer sentiment across urban and rural markets, supported by GST benefits and a macroeconomic landscape.
VAHAN registrations showed strong domestic demand, with 886,330 units registered in November 2025. Retail registrations grew 26 percent to 1,882,739 units for the combined period of October and November 2025, reflecting dealership and consumer demand.
The company's performance was supported by the success of new models such as the Xtreme 125R, GlamourX 125, Destini 110, and Xoom 160.
VIDA, powered by Hero, sustained its growth trajectory with 12,199 VAHAN registrations, reflecting a 66 percent growth compared to the same period last year. The company strengthened its position in the EV sector, capturing a 10.4 percent market share. The VIDA Evooter VX2 continued to drive retail growth and sales volume, and the company also expanded the line-up with the VX2 Go 3.4 kWh variant.
Suzuki Motorcycle India Sells 122,300 Units In November 2025
- By MT Bureau
- December 01, 2025
Suzuki Motorcycle India (SMIPL), the two-wheeler subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan, has announced its sales performance for November 2025, recording total sales of 122,300 units. This marks a strong 30 percent YoY growth over 94,370 units sold in November 2024.
In the domestic market, the sales touched 96,360 units last month, which was 23 percent growth over 78,333 units a year ago.
On the exports front, sales grew 62 percent reaching 25,940 units in November, up from 16,037 last year.
Additionally, SMIPL’s aftersales business continued gaining momentum with spare parts sales of INR 955 million in November.
Deepak Mutreja, Vice-President – Sales & Marketing, Suzuki Motorcycle India, said, “We are grateful for the growing confidence our customers place in Suzuki. Their support, along with the dedicated efforts of our dealer network, continues to drive our growth. Alongside strengthening our presence, we are also expanding customer engagement initiatives and experience-led programs to bring riders closer to the brand. We will continue to invest in enhancing accessibility, after-sales experience, and community-building as we work towards sustained growth.”
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Clocks 25% Sales Growth In November
- By MT Bureau
- December 01, 2025
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI), one of the leading two-wheeler manufacturers in the country, has reported wholesales of 591,136 units in November 2025, up 25 percent YoY.
The total sales figure for the month included 533,645 units in domestic sales and 57,491 units in exports.
During the period, the automaker continued its commitment towards road safety by organising awareness campaigns across various cities nationwide, encouraging responsible road behaviour through interactive learning.
HMSI also celebrated Children’s Month with a Kids Carnival across all its manufacturing facilities, Traffic Training Parks (TTPs), and Safety Driving Education Centers (SDECs). The initiative, themed ‘Safety Explorers: Journey Through Traffic Land,’ aimed to make road safety learning engaging for children while promoting safe habits from an early age.

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