India Bike Week’s 10th edition will have several iconic motorcyclists from across the globe sharing stories from their travels in the BIG TRIP segment of the event.
Panaji, December 2023: Even as global motorcycling enthusiasts are set to thunder into Goa to participate in the 10th edition of the India Bike Week (IBW) on December 8 and 9, iconic bikers will get an opportunity to share their trailblazing motorcycling journeys as part of BIG TRIP, a platform which celebrates the spirit of epic adventure powered by two-wheelers.
This year, the greatly-anticipated BIG TRIP segment of IBW 2023 has an incredible line-up of riders from India and across the world eager to share their adventurous stories and experiences.
Embracing the motto ‘Everyone is One’, the BIG TRIP aims to inspire more people to escape the mundane and embrace the unknown, through first-hand narratives of riders who have achieved legendary status due to their biking accomplishments.
“The goal of the BIG TRIP segment is to motivate all to pursue their goals and make their dreams a reality, irrespective of age and differences in upbringing. The love IBW has been receiving since 2013 has been amazing. Now in 2023, we are calling the tenth edition ‘10X’ because we hope it turns out to be ten times bigger,’’ says Martin da Costa, CEO & Founder, Seventy EMG and Festival Director.
Motorcycle enthusiasts attending the IBW can look forward to hearing about the journeys of several BIG TRIP speakers, especially Simon and Lisa Thomas, a dynamic couple who have been motorcycling around the world for 20 years and have been named the world’s foremost adventure motorcyclists. Karolis Mieliauskas who recently completed ‘the world’s coldest bike ride’ from Siberia to Oymyakon will also be participating in the segment.
Several women motorcyclists will share a myriad of inspirational stories onstage as part of the BIG TRIP segment. An explorer at heart, Reshma Kasim Noor a.k.a. Nomadic Hijabi Rider Noor is known for her spunkiness and has travelled 9,000 kilometres. Similarly, Juvena Huang a.k.a. The Wandering Wasp has completed a 44,000-kilometre trip across 25 countries in 27 months.
Gearheads, an endearing slang term for biking enthusiasts, can also look forward to hearing about the legendary escapades of Gaurav Sharma, Arjun Raina and Yogesh Alekari, among others at the BIG TRIP.
Information on Key Speakers:
1. Reshma Kasim Noor a.k.a. Nomadic Hijabi Rider Noor: Reshma Kasim Noor, widely known as the Nomadic Hijabi Rider Noor, is recognised for her courage, independence and unwavering passion for motorcycling. Her journey began in Bengaluru and has taken her all the way to Nepal. So far, she has travelled 9,000 kilometres on her Royal Enfield Classic 350 in India and is now planning a trip to Saudi Arabia.
2. Gaurav Sharma a.k.a. wander.da: Gaurav Sharma is a content creator who runs a Hindi podcast along with Chetan Soni called ‘Life is Enjoy’ on which Indian globetrotters are invited to share their travels around the world. Their first series takes listeners on a 25,000-kilometre journey across South America.
3. Yogesh Alekari a.k.a. roaming_wheeels: Yogesh Alekari is based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. He studied architecture but completed a course on mountaineering out of passion. This year, he decided to embark on a 100-day bike journey from Mumbai to London, that will see him traverse 24 countries on three continents, covering a distance of 25,000 kilometres.
4. Arjun Raina: Arjun Raina is the founder of the custom moto-building workshop MotoExotica based in Dehradun. MotoExotica’s journey in the custom motorcycle scene began in 2013 with the first edition of India Bike Week and has been going strong ever since. He and his team are known for building motorcycles with exotic designs tailor-made to their customers’ every request.
5. Simon and Lisa Thomas: Simon and Lisa Thomas, a dynamic couple from England, have spent the last 20 years exploring the world across their motorcycles. They have earned the reputation of the world’s foremost adventure motorcyclists. They have travelled across continents and diverse landscapes and connected with various cultures over their journeys. Simon and Lisa are also celebrated authors, photographers, and motivational speakers.
6. Juvena Huang a.k.a. The Wandering Wasp: Juvena Huang, known by the sobriquet ‘The Wandering Wasp’, has fearlessly ridden 44,000 kilometres across 25 countries in 27 months. Her journey began with the purchase of her first scooter on her 20th birthday, after which she left her home in Singapore to explore the world. Through her Facebook Page, ‘The Wandering Wasp’, Huang shares intimate travel experiences and reveals obscure aspects of countries, fostering cross-border understanding and tolerance.
7. Karolis Mieliauskas: Karolis Mieliauskas is a renowned Lithuanian motorcycle rider, adventurer and inspirational speaker. His passion for travel has taken him on several exciting journeys across multiple terrains. He recently motorcycled across the coldest place in the world in a journey dubbed ‘The world’s coldest bike ride’. His trip started in Siberia at a bone-chilling -38 °C and ended at Oymyakon, the coldest habitable place on Earth.
8. Claudia Wodarz: Claudia Wodarz, also known as Miss Ride A Lot, is a well-known German motorcyclist who has recently ridden across more than 10 countries. She has participated in several major biking events and has considerable adventure sports experience.
About India Bike Week: India Bike Week is the definitive annual motorcycling gathering for motorcycling enthusiasts from across the country, and beyond. For two days straight, India Bike Week will be home for India’s biking fraternity. With the greatest names in bike design and manufacture, the showcase of desirable classic and custom machines, a wide range of biker goodies on sale, Big Trip stories, delectable food, bands performing live, track experiences, and much, much more, the 10th Year of ‘IBW’ promises to be the best motorcycling weekend of the year.
