RIDING TO ALL THE POINTS OF INDIA

The launch of Harley-Davidson in India sparked a love of extreme long-distance riding for one rider

Like many in India, 38-year-old businessman Varun Vanam had been brought up riding small-capacity motorcycles and owning a Harley® had long been a dream of his. In 2010, the launch of Harley-Davidson in India and the very first dealership opening in Varun’s home city of Hyderabad inspired him to purchase an 883 Sportster®. At that time, there was just a small group of Harley riders who Varun joined for Sunday rides, and it was not long before the Hyderabad dealership was talking to him about an officer position in the newly formed Banjara Chapter. Varun recalls being called in for an interview by the dealership and only realising at that point that ‘H.O.G.®’ stood for Harley Owners Group.

“I recall thinking, OK, that makes sense,” he laughs. “So, I got the officer position without even knowing what H.O.G. stands for! By 2013 I was in Milwaukee, attending Harley Officer Training.”

The Sportster was soon upgraded to Varun’s perfect bike, a Fat Boy®. “I traded up to the Fat Boy because I had always been a huge fan of the Terminator films,” Varun says. “From the moment I saw the first two films, I decided I had to build both the body and the bike – even my business is in protein supplements for bodybuilding, and my bike has paintwork with murals in a motivational theme depicting all the Mr Olympia champions, including of course Arnold Schwarzenegger.”

When the Regional Rally template was launched in India – with rallies based on the four cardinal points of the country – Varun’s passion for long-distance riding began. His first big ride was a 1,200km ride in 2012, taking 24 hours from Hyderabad to Kerala. This was followed in 2015 by an endurance ride on a much bigger scale – visiting the capital cities of all 29 Indian states. Varun completed the task in 28 days, covering 17,500km in the process.

Now a Regional H.O.G. Director with a love of long-distance riding, Varun began planning his next big trip to visit the furthest cardinal points of India – North, East, West and South. This became known as the ‘NEWS’ ride, and starting in Hyderabad, Varun and his riding partner, Dr Jagdeesh, rode to the southern foot of India and then to the furthest western, eastern and northern points before returning to the state capital 18,000km later.

“Many people overseas have the idea that it is difficult or unsafe to freely travel in India, but that is not the case at all,” says Varun. “This kind of experience shows what India is all about and showcases the beauty of both India and its people. Everyone we met was so friendly and helpful, without exception. I’ve ridden in many countries, and the difference between riding in India and the rest of the world is not just the friendliness of the people but the huge variety of cultures and scenery from one place to the next. You can ride 200km and see mountains, desert, forest and ocean, meet multiple different cultures and local cuisines – I cherish those moments on a long ride in this country.”

Varun attributes his successful endurance ride to two things – Harleys’ ruggedness and ability to cope with occasionally poor road conditions and the closeness of the H.O.G. family. “Here in India, where the roads are sometimes damaged, it is vital that your bike can withstand those conditions, and I know that Harleys are strong enough to withstand any issues they might encounter out on the road. Just as important, there is no other brand where you will find the friendship and brotherhood you get with H.O.G. and Harley-Davidson – it is like being part of a family, and it is a very rare thing to find. It is why I decided I had to become part of the Harley family in the first place, and it’s a decision I’ve never regretted for a moment.”

With two major long-distance rides now completed, Varun is looking for his next challenge. “I have lots of plans, although I recently got married, so I’m busy with family life right now, but there are a couple of rides I’ve been planning for when I get the chance. One is simply to travel the country with no goal and just see where the road takes me. The other is to head to the USA and do a similar ‘NEWS’ ride to the one I did in India – starting at the easternmost point in the US, then heading to the southernmost point, in the Florida Keys, then to the furthest point west, north and east – this time hopefully with my wife alongside me!”

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