By Team ItsGoa
The Goa Motorcycle Club is one of the most well-known clubs in Goa dedicated to riding enthusiasts. It was founded in 2020 by members of the Bisontes Locos Motorcycle Club (MC), the state MC of the Goa region since 2013. The idea behind creating a separate club was to have an all-inclusive club like no other and involve experienced riders owning motorcycles of 150cc and above to be a part of a riding experience.
Since its inception, the members of the Goa Motorcycle Club have gone on rides on custom-curated routes designed with a ride theme in mind. Routes include tarmac, broken tarmac, village roads and off-roads. Rides include breakfast, lunch and snacks/refreshments arrangements which are made in advance. The club started with shorter rides of 150-250 kms in 2020. By the end of 2023, they went on to do 250-550 kms for day rides. The club has over the past 3 years grown into a close-knit community of riders who share a true passion for motorcycling.
In a nod to their adventurous spirit, the Goa Motorcycle Club has a special event lined up for this year’s edition of India Bike Week. This unique initiative called ‘Secret Trails’ aims to explore uncharted natural trails in Goa alongside fellow participants from the India Bike Week. The event promises to be a highlight, showcasing the club’s commitment to pushing boundaries and discovering new horizons.
In a brief conversation with ItsGoa, Mr. Peter Fernandes, the administrator of the Goa Motorcycle Club, shares details about the motivation behind the creation of the club, the various activities of the club, details about the “Secret Trails” event planned for this year’s India Bike Week and lots more.
Excerpts
Team ItsGoa: When was the Goa Motorcycle Club founded, and who were the initial founding members?
Peter: The Goa Motorcycle Club was founded on Sept 13, 2020. The club’s initial founding members are me along with Anthony Fernandes, Sachin Sutar, Zenon D’Costa, Brent Rafearo, Joystan Fernandes and Roy D’sa. All seven are executive committee members of the Bisontes Locos MC, the state MC of the Goa region. Luke Sequeira, founder of Numadic, Goa assisted me with social media strategy and branding for the club.
Team ItsGoa: What motivated the creation of the Goa Motorcycle Club, and how has it evolved over the years?
Peter: The motivation behind starting the Goa Motorcycle Club was to create a community of riders in Goa, promoting motorcycling in its true essence. Our small core group of the Bisontes Locos MC has been riding together for many years, but we felt that more pure motorcyclists should enjoy the riding experiences that we used to curate for ourselves. Motorcycling is a culture which unites passionate riders and surpasses all our shortcomings for that short time on the road. We have been a brotherhood since 2013. The question was could we create a culture based around what we had among the few of us?
Over the years, we came to the conclusion that it was a really good decision to start the Goa Motorcycle Club and allow fluidity in it. It’s grown from 13 riders on its inaugural ride to having 172 riders experience our 33 rides over the past 3 years. The quality of riding has improved by leaps and bounds. We are just extremely blessed with a serious bunch of riders, who have just assimilated into the motorcycling culture naturally.
Team ItsGoa: Kindly elaborate on the various activities of the Goa Motorcycle Club.
Peter:
- Rides – We have conducted 33-day rides for 172 riders so far, covering a total distance of 9490 km from September 2020 to September 2023. The ride routes and destinations are not shared in advance. Every rider signs up for an adventure, with only ride-related information made available in advance. A full-day ride allows one to unwind and connect to nature. It’s an unparalleled experience.
- Academy – Four off-roading workshops were conducted by Bhumik Lalwani, official Ducati India racer and off-road coach, for riders in Goa who wanted to learn the technical aspects of riding a motorcycle in off-road/trail conditions.
- Ride School – We have conducted professional riding lessons for six riders, all women, to ride geared motorcycles in a structured manner, with the eventual aim of joining Goa MC rides.
- MRF Supercross – 10 Goa MC riders were track marshals for an official FMSCI Supercross race in Goa.
- India Bike Week (2022, 2023) – We have organised two Rideouts for IBW in Dec 2022 and will be organising four Rideouts IBW on Dec 8-9 2023, for the event’s latest edition.
- Hero Xtracks – 16 Goa MC riders got a chance to participate in the Hero Xtracks off-roading event held in Goa in March 2023.
Team ItsGoa: How does the club contribute to the motorcycle community and enthusiasts in Goa?
Peter: We have emphasised wearing full riding protective gear for every ride that we have organised or in riding-related events that we have participated in. It’s one thing to say we promote safe riding with protective riding gear, but just over the past three years, we have been able to not only promote but have also witnessed riders grow with the club in terms of taking protective riding gear seriously. Where one started off with merely wearing a basic helmet, they now ride with boots, gloves, jackets, riding pants, quality helmets and more. We focussed on organising high-intensity and challenging rides for community riders. Every ride has been different and not a single ride has been repeated till date. We have ensured that we have rewarded our riders with a Goa MC patch if they participate in 10 rides or cover 3000 kms, whichever is earlier.
Apart from rides, we have also conducted a group tour for 16 riders to witness the first MotoGP race weekend at Buddh International Circuit, Noida. We have conducted off-road workshops and riding school classes for riders who wish to learn to ride a geared motorcycle in Goa. 10 riders from the Goa Motorcycle Club were invited as special guests to launch the Revolt RV400 electric motorcycle in Goa.
Team ItsGoa: Tell us more about the ‘Secret Trails’ event planned for this year’s India Bike Week.
Peter: For the India Bike Week 2023, we will be organising a total of four Rideouts.
- Outback Goa Ride- Dec 8, 2023, 7 am-12 noon
- Triumph Trails Ride- Dec 8, 2023, 7 am-12 noon
- Secret Trails Ride- Dec 9, 2023, 7 am-12 noon
- Wild Grub Ride- Dec 9, 2023, 7 am-12 noon
The four rideouts are all custom-curated routes that match the theme. Rides will start at 7 am from the IBW venue at Vagator and end at 12 noon. We will be taking riders to the serene side of Goa, where they’ll ride on uncharted land filled with trails, twists and picturesque landscapes. The chill spots along the ride will be raw in nature, untouched by mainstream tourism.
Team ItsGoa: Where specifically in Goa do you plan to explore uncharted natural trails, and what makes these trails special?
Peter: We have planned the routes for the four Rideouts, as per the directions given by the IBW organisers. Each ride will involve 3-4 hours of bike riding. The Outback Goa (tarmac) ride is designed for street and naked bikes. The other three rides- Secret Trails, Triumph Trails and Wild Grub are trail-focused. Most of the trails are of medium-level difficulty. The distances of these rides will range from 75 km-135 kms, 7 am – 12 noon.
Considering the start and end point of IBW, Vagator, we will be riding primarily in the talukas of Pernem, Bardez, Bicholim and Sattari. The trails that we chose for the IBW Rideouts are actual secret trails that mostly only villagers use for their commute. They are tucked away in our Goan villages. The experience of riding off-road is challenging and fun.
Team ItsGoa: How does the Goa Motorcycle Club aim to enhance the experience for participants during this event?
Peter: We will aim to give riders coming from across India and abroad for the India Bike Week 2023 Rideouts- a unique riding experience in Goa. Although just a half-day ride, it will be intense and involve a lot of riding skills and challenging sections. Goa has to be seen in its entirety and not just the coastal belt. We aim to show our riders the bits of Goa that get missed out on a typical holiday to Goa. We also hope the riding experience with us will make them see Goa in a different manner – from a rider’s perspective – and it will make them come to Goa again, just for a ride.
