Classes on motorcycle maintenance, changing flat tyre and driving

Nearly 60 bikers participated in Riders’ Boot Camp, a road safety awareness initiative, organised by Jawa & Yezdi Owners Club of India, Mangalore, here on Sunday where they were informed about the fallouts of careless driving and given tips about safe driving.

The club took this initiative of organising the event in the wake of increasing road fatalities, particularly involving two-wheeler drivers, said Arun Shiri, a club member. While the World Motorcycle Day was on Saturday, the club organised the event on Sunday to attract more people. Mr. Shiri said the initiative is a trial run, which would later be taken to the public.

The participants were shown many video clippings of accidents, majority of which were captured through CCTV cameras installed at busy junctions in various cities. The participants were told to learn safe driving by watching such incidents and not to commit similar mistakes.

Maintenance training

There were presentations about road safety by civil engineer Sudhir Bhandarkar and first-aid by Brijesh Khandige. Rohan David, who had been to Laddakh a couple years ago on his Yezdi, shared his experiences and elaborated about the preparations before and during the expedition.

There were many practical events to test drivers’ skill in various aspects, including on maintenance and driving. After a brief about bike maintenance and repair, a competition on changing flat tyre was organised. Similarly, a slow bike racing was organised for the enthusiasts.

Joyel Fernandes from Zero Gravity, a professional stunt group, performed stunts and advised the participants to confine stunts to secluded places and not endanger life of public. Those performing stunts should wear safety gears to protect themselves, he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Mangalore / by Special Correspondent / Mangalore – June 23rd, 2014

It was a bikers’ day out in City, on Sunday. From professional bikers to those who are passionate towards biking all got together with their classic Royal Enfield, Yezdi or modern Pulsar R15, Yamaha KTM, Duke 390 at KACES ground, at Balmatta, for a cause. 

The Jawa and Yezdi Owners Club and other motorcycle clubs of Mangalore had organised ‘Boot Camp’ for the benefit of motorbike riders with a message ‘Safe roads for self and others’.

One of the organisers Sudhir Bhandarkar, structural engineer by profession in USA, in his presentation on Road Safety, said that the deaths of youth aged between 20 and 30 by road accident is increasing year-by-year in India. Most of the times, it happens because of lack of responsibility and road sense.

Now youth get two-wheelers with 370 CC engine, but many don’t know the lane discipline. A good helmet, jacket, shoe and first-aid kit are necessary for the biker, he said. Though the government started programme called ‘Road safety week’ in January, it didn’t continue later.

Speaking on the objective of the programme, Shawn Fernandez, the main organiser of this event highlighted the failure of ‘Pehle Aap’ initiative of the government, which failed to take off, though it was a good effort. Dr Brijesh Khandige shared an audio-visual presentation on First Aid and CPR.

Joel, stunter of Team Zero Gravity spoke in detail about ‘Organized Stunting’ and precautions which should be taken. For wheeling, daily practice for at least three months is needed, he said.

Rohan David, another member of the organising team, who rode to the highest motorable road on earth on his 1976 Yezdi, spoke about ‘Riding long distance, with specific emphasis on Leh and Ladakh’.

Slow bike race, tyre changing, bike hauling competitions were organised on the occasion. Motorcycling clubs including Yamaha R15 Riders Club, Pulsar 220 Naked Wolves, Dark Viperz, Revlimiterz, Team Zero Gravity and the Mangalore Jawa and Yezdi Motorcycle club and Orange Falcons participated in the event.

Organisers Arun Shiri, Zahin Aranha and Sanjay Kamath and others were also present.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / Mangalore – DHNS, June 22nd, 2014