Starting from Scratch

Triumph generously handed us a Scrambler 400 X and asked us to accompany them for three days as they rode down to the coast and back. We were delighted to oblige

- Charan Karthik

MOST OF US HAVE been riding a bike for a while and our love for two wheels is endless. Putting the fun between the legs is the primary goal. Wink. So, naturally, when most of us get a bike, we cannot wait to take it out for a spin. When I got mine, I covered more than 1,000 kilometres within the first week and I did that in the absence of formal guidance or training. This led to some small mistakes that could've been avoided. If I had the chance to go back, I would surely unlearn and relearn a lot of the things I did while also cutting down the number of mistakes.

In recent times, riding in cities and backroads has become one of the riskiest activities a biker can possibly undertake. Road conditions do not seem to get better either. So, in the interest of safety, it is up to us as riders to be aware, have control, and be safe in this chaotic environment. The Triumph Ride and Learn (TRL) programme aims to do exactly that. Spanning three days and filled with a mix of lectures, riding, and group discussions, it is undoubtedly one of the most thought-out and welldevised programmes I have attended.

Day One

The proceedings started off with 12 of us gathering in front of the Triumph showroom at Pashan, Pune, at six o'clock in the morning. Tiger 900s with their in-line three-cylinder engines rumbled and disrupted the quiet, fog-covered morning roads as they made their way into the parking lot. The TRL is headed by Sachin Chavan, an individual with over three decades of experience in motorcycling. He was assisted by Ritika Lahiri, Triumph's Rides and Community Manager.