Saturday morning fever

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The alarm was ringing for quite sometime and Kushal was about to snooze it. “Suddenly I recalled I had to leave for the Breakfast Run. I reached the meeting point and was so charged up that I applied the brakes at the very last moment and the bike almost skid.

I was quite embarrassed as stunts are not encouraged here,” recalls Kushal Ashok, a computer engineer and a motorbiking enthusiast about his first journey with Delhi Bikers Breakfast Run (DBBR), a group of bike enthusiasts in the city.
The group aims to unite all those who love riding bikes. “There are many biking clubs in the city but for most of them value of the biker is directly proportional to the value of their bikes. But we do not care about which bike you ride. It could be a Honda, Hayabusa or even a Luna. People are more important than machines,” says Joshua John, founder, DBBR. A pastor and freelance artist, John says his inspiration to start the group was based on simple values — ride, respect and relax.
The group also explores new exciting options for having breakfast. The food aspect is planned by Joshua’s friend and biking enthusiast, Sohrab Khilrey. “Knowing the Delhiites’ penchant for food, we also look for interesting dhabas or joints that have breakfast buffets for members. After riding for two-three hours early morning, we usually look forward to our breakfast dates, where a buffet spread is already waiting,” explains Khilrey.
DBBR is organised once a month on a Saturday. From 40 active bikers in 2009, the group now has 2,000 members, comprising of professional bikers and amateurs from different walks of life.
“The traffic-less roads, great company and scrumptious food got me hooked to DBBR. Together we have been to Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary in Gurgaon, Dabchick in Hodal, Murthal on NH 1 Meerut and Badkhal Lake recently,” says Abhishek Thakur, a member since the inception of the group.
Apart from striking great conversations with like-minded people over breakfast, members are often heard strumming guitars and singing.
The first thing that John and other key members of the group ascertain is whether all the riders are carrying the necessary biking gear, such as helmets. Young bikers, high on energy and spirit, tend to race their bikes and at times get rowdy. How do they check that? “Till date, I haven’t come across anybody in our group who doesn’t follow rules. Every member respects the speed limit and traffic rules,” says Fahad Ali, a member of DBBR.
Talking about their forthcoming trip, John says, “This November we would be celebrating our third anniversary. We have planned a ride to Rishikesh followed by a night camping and rafting the next day,” adds Joshua.