BENGALURU: While studying engineering in Bengalur u , A b - h i s h e k C h a n - drashekar and Akash S (now the co-founder and CTO of their startup) took a trip to Puducherry with the intention of gaining inspiration for their venture. For the trip, they decided to hire their own transport to explore the city at their own pace. But it turned out to be dicey, as they were not sure about the quality of the vehicle they were getting from a local person they contacted.
In addition, the payment was made using cash, and they had no guarantee on the transaction. Soon after, while sitting at their college cafeteria, they knew what their entrepreneurial venture would be – their own bike rental company – Royal Brothers. “Indians know how difficult it can get to own your own transport. The cost, time, hassle it takes to get your vehicle on the road and maintain it, is too much hassle for someone looking to enjoy riding.
Again, public transport in India is known for being unreliable, expensive and uncomfortable,” says 25-year-old Chandrashekar, the co-founder and CEO of the company. To hire a bike, a customer needs to first register on their website (royalbrothers.com) or on the app, upload their documents, including ID proof and Driver’s Licence. Once done, they can choose the city from which they would like to rent. They can select the dates for rent (shortterm and long-term), and then choose a bike from their fleet.
The customer is directed to the payment gateway, and can then identify the closest RB store and pick up the bike. From friends who were the first clients to now having serviced over 2.5 lakh customers, with 20 million km, the company has come a long way since they started in 2015. “With expansion comes the challenge to stay authentic, to be able to provide the same quality service and products to customers. Again, with expansion, comes the challenge of new geographies along with their demographics that need to fit with the brand,” says Chandrashekar, whose company comprises over 70 employees.
When they first started, they booked their first fleet of 5 Royal Enfields with their first five customers, and have expanded their fleet to over 2,000 motorcycles across CCs and brands. Triumph, Harley Davidson, and Royal Enfield mot o r cyc l e s . Benelli, KTM, a n d B a j a j bikes are available for the adrenaline junkies while the scooter fans can opt for the ever-reliable Honda Activa as well as Suzuki Access Aprilia SR 150, and the Yamaha Fascino.
In the first three years of operations, they bootstrapped `2 crore in investment, post which they received `7 crore in Series A funding. “With renting, we are enabling people with mobility, where they don’t have any financial commitment and minimum liability. We’ve built our model in such a way that we have vehicles across the 2-wheeler spectrum – from scooters to tourer bikes and superbikes,” he says. The prices differ based on the vehicle, with starting price being `13 per hour for 30km.