KOZHIKODE: Anything associated with bike racing and stunting was always seen as a ‘bad boys’ thing in the city, until Bandidos Pitstop initiated the first dirt race challenge here two years ago. This extreme sport has become such a rage today that the recent Dirt Race Challenge organised by Bandidos Pitstop saw a whooping crowd of 5,000 people throughout the race. It was also the first floodlit national-level dirt race challenge.
The race that was held last week saw a jam-packed Kinasseri ground, where bikes roared to life. It is not just a pastime for these young riders, it is a part of their life. What the spectators saw was not just another bike race, it was pure dedication of the new gen and the people who back them.
Bandit Bikers and Outlawz are some of the prominent biking groups in the state. Bandit Bikers are part of Bandidos Pitstop, who have built a strong foothold in the city by organising the dirt race challenge. The Bandit Bikers can be called one of the first and the most famous professional bike stunting teams from Kozhikode city.
The team started winning the hearts of bike-loving youngsters in 2005. Now it has more than 18 members who perform stunts. It is the only team from Kozhikode which got a chance to perform stunts with the Red Bull.
About the race and the overwhelming support they received from the city, Naveedh Valiya Valappil, one of the organisers, says, “The response was tremendous, the feedback was also good.”
“The people who saw the race said that they had never seen anything like it. The fact is, people did not know that it was a sporting event, it was seen as something boys meddle with. The image is changing now,” explains Naveedh. The dirt race challenge that was held earlier this month had a total of 12 classes such as Bullet Class, Gear Class, Ladies Class and a Bandidos Race, which is open for all the categories. The race saw a participation of more than 150 riders from across the country, with the maximum participation from Chennai, Mangalore, Bangalore and Coimbatore. A few racing teams from Kozhikode also participated in it. Tanveer from Mysore, who is a biker with the TVS, took home the ‘best biker’ award.