Currently pursuing mass communication from Loyola College, Hyderabad, Dileep Reddy has always been passionate about biking. “Since I was a child, I’ve been a huge fan of bikes. However, I’ve only started riding since the last one year,” says the 20-year-old.
Dileep, along with his friends, is part of a stunt biking club called Crusey Monster Riders. The team of seven meets on a regular basis, to practise various stunts, including wheelies and side saddles. When asked what drew him towards biking, he says, “Almost everything. Just the thought of sitting on a bike spurs me and I’m passionate about everything related to biking.”
While he spends most of his time practising various stunts, Dileep also enjoys going on long rides with his friends and has already gone to places like Bheemavaram and Bangalore on bike trips. “I’m not much of a solo rider and I feel any biking trip is much more enjoyable when you go with a group of friends. That way, we experience the journey together,” observes Dileep, who rides a Pulsar 200 NS.
With most stunt riders drawing criticism for taking needless risks and putting their lives in harm’s way, Dileep feels that no compromise is made on their security while performing stunts. “We all wear protective gear while doing stunts and at no point do we put ourselves at risk. A helmet is an absolute must and we never go without a helmet, even on a regular ride. But for stunts, we also wear body armour and knee guards to protect the legs,” the motorhead points out.
While going on rides with a helmet is much easier than doing stunts wearing heavy protective gear, Dileep assures that it’s worth the effort. “Riding is fun, but doing stunts is a completely different experience altogether. The rush you get when you pull off a stunt perfectly is on a different level,” he says, passionately.
Despite his assurances, stunt riders continue to draw criticism from various quarters as many feel that one cannot justify stunt riding, regardless of protective measures. Shrugging it off, Dileep says, “Even though it is illegal to do stunts on roads, it’s perfectly alright to be able to do it in a private area. We usually meet at a private place and take all protective measures, so I don’t see why it should be an issue.” Apart from doing stunts, Dileep continues to venture on long rides with his friends. “My next trip will be to Goa, which will happen this month. We are also planning to go to Kerala after that,” he says, signing off.
suhas@newindianexpress.com