European stunt riding champion and Red Bull athlete Aras Gibieza describes his India experience and the enthusiasm for the sport among Indian youth.
Riding a motorcycle is not something that is considered an art form, but watching stunt rider and Red Bull athlete Aras Gibieza astride his Kawasaki Ninja 636 can dispel that notion fast. In the city as part of India Bike Week On Tour, a series of promotional events for the upcoming India Bike Week to be held in Goa on February 20 and 21, Aras showed motorcycle enthusiasts a well–choreographed routine that got hands waving and fists pumping.
In a small lot behind Oberon Mall, ringed by youngsters crowding around the performance area, Aras performed wheelies, stoppies, watchtowers, and more, dancing with the snarling machine, and keeping it balanced on one wheel as it bucked like an untamed bull. The 25-year-old Lithuanian is on his first tour of India, and is loving the atmosphere. “I’ve been here for a month now, and this is the eighth city we’re visiting as part of the tour. Each city is different, the people are different, and the riders have their own styles, its been great,” says Aras, who has won multiple stunt riding titles in Europe.
India Bike Week also includes riding competitions, music performances and interactions between riders, glimpses of which were provided at Kochi, with many riders turning up to display their mettle. As the roar of engines dominated the background, Aras took a moment to evaluate the standards of stunt riding he had seen in India. “The main difference here is that riders use lower capacity motorcycles, 200 to 300cc compared to the 600cc or more that riders in Europe use. Also, the styles used are mostly emulated from the ones seen among European stunt riders, though it is beginning to change.”
Aras started riding at the age of 10, when his grandfather bought him a Suzuki RG50 scooter. “I started doing wheelies on it within one week,” he laughs, adding that he went on to buy his first superbike, a Yamaha R6, at the age of 16. Sixteen? “I only used it on the racetracks. If I had tried using it on the roads I wouldn’t have been allowed to have it!”
By 2008, he had moved on to stunt riding, and winning honours wherever he went, going on to participate in events in Spain, France, Poland, Germany, Italy, and Morocco. Despite the sport still developing in India, he says that the talent on offer is impressive. “I’ve been following the scene in India for years, but now it’s good to see people doing better circles and impressive watchtowers (a type of stunt where the rider performs a wheelie and balances himself atop the motorcycle handlebar). We saw over 200 teams and 2,000 riders, and some guys in Coimbatore did some really impressive stuff. So India is definitely catching up.”
Aras considers his meeting with C.S. Santosh, one of India’s most accomplished off-road riders and a participant of the gruelling Dakar Rally, among the highlights of his trip. “We spoke on the sidelines of the Top Gear awards, but I’d like to spend more time with him and maybe go for a ride,” says Aras, ruing the fact that he will be unable to attend the India Bike Week later in the month.
Before parting, does he have any tips for aspiring riders? “It is important to practise in safe environments and not on public roads, because what we do is dangerous and you could end up hurting yourself or others. Keep it simple, warm up yourself and the bike, and most importantly, make sure you have fuel”
Source :thehindu.com
