Motorcycles that once ruled Indian roads drew every onlooker’s attention here on Sunday. They were no ordinary bikes, but motorcycles which every young Indian wanted to own in the early 60s.
The vintage era of Yezdis and Jawas was brought alive when a group of youths from the Odisha Jawa Yezdi Motorcycle Club (OJYMC)rode the bikes in the city last Sunday. The club was organising its Winter Meet-2013.
The tough bike was manufactured in India by Ideal Jawa (India) Limited a.k.a. Jawa. The company started commercial production of motorcycles in 1961, in technical collaboration with Jawa Limited of former Czechoslovakia.
Standing tall for its tagline ‘the forever bike that offers forever value,’ the Yezdi was and is still popular amongst bike enthusiasts.
Though not many of these bikes are seen on the roads these days, there are people who have preserved them with utmost care and ride them for sheer pleasure.
On Sunday, the rally of around 35 people rode along Nalco Square, Damana, Info City, KIIT campus before culminating at Nalco Square. The bikes driven included Yezdi, Jawa, Roadking, Classic, Deluxe, Kavyacka, Monark and other variants.
‘‘The mileage is less, but the comfort in riding the bike makes all other factors redundant,’’ said Shantanu Kumar Rath, a PhD student of Utkal University, who organised the rally.
Spares are difficult to come by and most of what is available turns out to be fake, rued the members. The members help each other whenever problems arise. ‘‘In case of spares, we get it from scraps and workshops and collect them from wherever available,’’ added Gauhar Abedin, a lecturer in Economics, Nimapara College and a member of the club.
And it is a passion that is handed over from one generation to the next. ‘‘It is great to see the young guys carry on the same passion,’’ said Lyndon Thomas, educational instructor in GITA College, another passionate Yezdi enthusiast.
The bikers want to continue their activities in Bhubaneswar and other parts of the State to create awareness among people about the bikes which are much more than just retro motorcycles.