In this fast-paced world, sometimes, you need to pause. at the GS trophy, you stop running and live a little
“GENTLEMEN!”
In a friendly yet strict tone, Tomm Wolf addresses his pack. I say pack, see, for the back of his T-shirt reads ‘Malelobo’, meaning ‘big, bad wolf.’ Following him are a handful of the 40 gentlemen (riding their own BMW GS motorcycles) who are here in picturesque Canacona, Goa, to be a part of the GS Trophy India qualifier. The morning sun is beating down on us all, humidity levels rising, but the riders follow Tomm without a peep, who will train them over the course of the next six hours to be at one with their machine. In the unforgiving heat, it’s important to keep the mood light, and thankfully, Tom’s a witty guy.
Silver hair glimmering in the sunshine, the 58-year-old explains the rather straightforward task at hand: “You ride up the slope, see the cone placed up ahead – think of it as a broken Harley – you slow down, turn around without putting your feet on the ground and execute a U-turn. Low-speed control.”
“What happens if we put our feet on the ground?” asks an unsuspecting participant.
“We cut your legs off!”, replies Mr GS Trophy. Laughter ensues. Soon after, Tomm’s pack is at it, tip toeing, finding their feet and mastering the task. When they get it right, they high-five Tomm on the way down.
At another training point, instructor Burak Ercan is teaching a group of fairly inexperienced riders to ‘walk the bike’. It’s a pretty simple thing to do: use the clutch to keep the bike moving as you walk alongside it. Some stall their GS, some drop theirs, but soon enough, the baby steps transform into confident strides.
This story is from the December 2017 edition of BBC TopGear India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 2017 edition of BBC TopGear India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Mercedes-Benz EQS 580
WHY IT'S HERE To prove that Mercedes-Benz is the luxe king, irrespective of what's plonked under the hood or below the cabin.
Porsche Ice Experience
It's a game best played on ice with the Porsche 911 Dakar
F.A.T. CAMP
Take one Goodwood Festival of Speed, shrink it down, add skis and thermal underwear... you've got a recipe for an unforgettable day
ALL Stree DOWNHILL FROM HERE
The Challenger is dead, for now. Will the muscle car survive? We couldn't leave California without a 1,300bhp grudge match
A HIGHER POWER
They're the gnarliest, toughest Porsche 911s of modern times - and they're called Doris and Edith. Altitude does funny things to your brain...
VILLAGE OF THE DAMO
What do you get when you cross an R5 Turbo with a Suzuki Jimny? This is the company that decided to find out
CINQ OR SWIM?
The reborn Renault 5 concept promised much - does the full production version live up to the hype? Say bonjour to the EV supermini with proper Gallic flair
THE TEAM BUILDING EXERCISE FT. CITROEN C3 AIRCROSS
The Peppy 7-seater that Helped Me Break the Ice and Make New Friends
FUEL THRIFT
Experiments On The Atal Setu
BEYOND THE "BADGE
A Symphony of Engineering