Monday, December 26, 2011

Season's Greetings from Helmet Stories

2011 was a super year for Helmet Stories. We rode in the Rann of Kutch;  charted new routes in Spiti and rediscovered  the awesome back roads of Maharashtra. We rode across the country for Kotak's 25th Anniversary celebrations and  started a Breakfast Run in Mumbai.  2012 promises to be bigger and better as we have a few surprises up our sleeve and are adding more rides to helmetstories.com. So don't go anywhere there is lots more to come.
Now before we hit the beach and start cracking open the cold ones we just wanted to wish all of you guys out there (yes you too the person from Belarus who just got to the blog) a super New Year and hope you had a great Christmas.
Ride Safe.
Harsh & Vir



Monday, December 5, 2011

Helmet Stories - Vir

So a week or so ago while I was still in Chandigarh an old friend Rahul (a Merchant Mariner who is following his talent in making great videos and has started a company called Starving Artist Videos)showed up at home with his Cannon 5D and said lets shoot a 60 second video on you and Helmet Stories. So after 6 hours of planning and 3 odd hours of shooting this is what we got and we have to agree it aint that bad.
p.s - that baby in the film is my daughter Gia and yes she loves motorcycles too.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Breakfast Run - My bike is faster than yours

While a new tube is being arranged for. Ouseph and Donald discuss who's bike is faster.

Breakfast Run - 2nd flat

Seems today is my day. Got another flat in the same tyre.

Breakfast Run - And then there were 3

3 of us will ride back once my tyre is fixed. The rest have carried on to further destinations.

Breakfast Run - Fixing the tyre

Breakfast Run - Riding on

The crew is dispersing as people are riding on and some are going back to Mumbai while I get my back tyre fixed as it has gone flat.

Breakfast Run - first course

Breakfast Run - where is the food?

Breakfast Run - time to eat

A good ride and all the bikes have reached time to eat.

Breakfast Run

14 bikes have came out early morning for the breakfast ride. One BMW, 2 CBR's, 2 Ninjas and a hand full of Enfields. Stopped for a smoke break.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Mumbai Breakfast Run

So you like breakfast, you like to ride your bike and you live in and around Mumbai then boy, are you in luck as we have put together the first ever Mumbai Breakfast Run. The idea is to get together, ride out, eat breakfast (we prefer pranthas) chat with other bikers, swap stories over a garam chai and head back homewards to be back latest by lunch time.

There will be more Helmet Stories Breakfast Runs so if you would like to be a part of one here is how to go about it. We have a Facebook Group and well you can always come to the blog to catch up on information on the next ride.

So December 4th, 2011 (this sunday) is going to be the first breakfast run to Lonavala. We all catch up at 6:00am on Palm Beach Road just after the first signal after the Vashi turn-off and from there we take off.

Some important things that we all got to keep in mind:
  • Please note that we do not allow members to consume alcohol or other intoxicants during the ride.
  • Please carry your tools and other necessary equipment along with bike registration, insurance etc
  • Please be nice to other road users.
  • Make sure you have fuelled up before you show up at the rendezvous point.
  • Please wear a helmet and any other safety gear you feel comfortable in. Pillions will require a helmet too
  • Please make sure your vehicle’s tyres are in decent condition – we don’t want you slipping anywhere and bring a pillion only if you think your vehicle is capable enough.
  • Please ride safely at all times and obey all road rules. No burn-outs, no anti-social crap and no macho bullshit. The last thing we want is angry cops/general public/local residents on our case.
  • Your participation on the ride is entirely your choice, and by attending you are agreeing that Vir (a.k.a. Helmet Stories) will accept no responsibility (legal, financial, medical, or otherwise) if you damage yourself, your bike or anybody/anything else.
  • If you see a fellow rider in trouble, please stop and help. It's what bikers do. If there are any injuries (suspected or otherwise) call an ambulance immediately and hang around until it arrives. Better to be safe than sorry. Do not let an injured fellow rider back on the bike until you are completely sure they're OK and not in shock.
Other than that let's ride and have fun guys. For all of you who can't make it, wait for the pictures and videos to come up. See you Sunday.



Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Field bashing

Most of last week we all followed the Helmet Stories crew as they rode to Rider Mania in Goa.
I know I sat and waited for each and every post and it drove me nuts that I was so far away and not a part of that brilliant ride. So today I took out the 500cc and went bashing around in a field outside Chandigarh and I must say I feel a wee bit better.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Rider Mania 2011, poolside

Rider Mania 2011, nuts

Rider Mania 2011, Hot Chilly

Rider Mania 2011, Road Rage Customs

Rider Mania 2011, custom bike Black Widow by Javeen

Rider Mania 2011, 500cc finals

Kenneth of Shimoga Bulls turns it on. Leading Chotu Baljit by 20 metres, a huge lead

Rider Mania 2011, 350cc finals start

Rider Mania 2011, 350cc heat 3

Helmet Stories rider Ouseph 'Ricochet' Chacko leads by a country mile

Rider Mania 2011, 350cc heat 1

Manish helps a rider back on after a spill

Rider Mania 2011, dirt race practice

Junaid in action on his practice lap

Rider Mania 2011, dirt track spectators

The Helmet Stories corporate stand

Rider Mania 2011, our man Ouseph!

Rider Mania 2011, dirt track scrutiny

Rohan Pimpley getting his bike ready

Rider Mania 2011, for Vir, again

Had a ham roesti for you, Vir

Rider Mania 2011, breakfast at Lila Cafe

Not the choriz-pau but equally good