Latest / JUSTRIDE Podcast / Inside The World’s Most Extreme Motorcycle Tours - Royal Bikers | JUSTRIDE Podcast Ep.12
Transcript
- Admin: right, welcome back to Just Ride, we talk all things motorcycling, the roads, the stories and the adventures that stay with you for life. ⁓ Now, today's guests are taking us somewhere different. ⁓ Raj and Manish are the founders of Bikers, a company creating motorcycle expeditions across some of the most surreal and challenging places on earth. ⁓ From the high altitude roads of Ladakh and Spiti to Nepal and Bhutan, probably pronounce those incorrectly. They've spent years guiding riders through the landscapes most of us will only ever see on YouTube and in documentaries. But this isn't just about riding motorcycles. It's about adventure, mental resilience, brotherhood and what happens when you take people completely out of their comfort zones and into the Himalayas. ⁓ God. That wrong Himalayas. Himalayas. Himalayas. Himalayas. And alongside the tours themselves, they've also built a strong social impact initiative through the Headlight Foundation. helping communities in some of the most remote regions they ride through. This is going to be very special. Raj and Manish, welcome to Just Ride. No, I've absolutely really been very excited about you guys coming on the show because I think internationally this is our first international podcast which... It is. So just tell us where you are and how warm it is. Manish: Thank you, thank you guys, thank you. Rajendra: Thank you. Thank you so much, guys. Thanks for having us. Yeah. Manish: ⁓ so currently we are based in New Delhi. The temperature here right now must be around 40-41 degrees. Admin: Yeah, well, think we've got about 12. 12. It's 12. Manish: Wow lucky you guys Admin: before we jump into it uh Raja Manish how how did you guys actually meet? Manish: Yeah, so we are doing these rides from 2012 and We are doing this continuously ride mainly to Leh and Ladakh and Raj is one of the customers we get. That's how I met him in 2014 I guess. he was one of the... So at that time we used to take big groups like maybe 30, 35, 40 bikes at that time, motorcycles. And he was one of them and he definitely fell in love like us. And then he repeatedly came for the Ladakh trip one year after the Admin: Right. Manish: That's how we bonded and we get into a good long-term relationship. Rajendra: I would probably add that he got me bugged into ⁓ the Himalayan ⁓ And where ⁓ I living life. ⁓ And you leave good friends and people who show you good things. ⁓ So how we have been riding together since ⁓ it's over a decade now. Admin: Wow, did either of you imagine that this would be the life that you've got now when you first started riding and obviously riding together? Rajendra: Yeah, probably. I thought that, will ride as friends and it used to be my opportunity to ride out to the Himalayas for those 15 days every year. And I used to rejuvenate and come back. But yeah, when I look at it now, probably things have evolved. It has evolved gradually. And I'm happy the way it has evolved because we have come a long way from being ⁓ one of the riders on this tour to now being a partner of Rollbikers and taking it to the next level now. It's a long journey. We can talk more about it. Admin: Yeah. No, that's fantastic. And ⁓ think Manish, from my perspective, know, Royal Bikers now operates in some unbelievable places, right? ⁓ where did the original idea come from for ⁓ Royal Bikers? ⁓ that the link with Royal Enfield or how did that come Manish: ⁓ Yes, somehow. So like in 2011 or maybe 2012, one of my close friends, bought a Royal Enfield dealership in New Delhi. And that's how he used to get new bikes which are even not launched in the market. So that we used to take these bikes on a spin for a test ride. And then we started doing long rides. And that's how the idea of starting this group came into existence. Admin: about? you Manish: we earlier started to do weekend rides for people like we used to have like 15, 20 people, 25 people. for a trip for like around 150 kilometers away on Fridays and come back on Sunday. So that's how we started this and after 150, 250 kilometers we realized that this is not a cup of tea and we need to do something big. So then we started planning big rides. we even used to go, me and my friend, we used to go to a place called Lansdowne. It's in Uttarakhand. So we used to go there in the morning. We used to leave at 5.30 in the morning. like 250 kilometers away. So we used to go there, have lunch, and come back in the same day. So that's how it started. And then we used to say that what next? used to... Admin: Yeah. incredible. Manish: do something big. So that's how we started planning these Ladakh trips because Ladakh at that time used to be the mecca for the riders. Everyone wants to go to Ladakh because at that time the highest motorable road used to be Khardungla which was supposed to be at 18,380 feet at that time. Now its height has been reduced, I don't know how, but at that time it used to be the highest and everyone wants to be there. It used to be a milestone, right? Admin: Yeah. well. Yeah. Yeah. Manish: everyone who's riding a bike he wants to go there so that's how he started all this yeah 18,000 yeah yeah it's 18,000 yeah Admin: Did you say 18,000 feet? Wow. Are you flying a plane? I get a nosebleed with us sitting upstairs. Raj, your first bike was a Hero Honda Splendor. was like seven and a brake horsepower. that's crazy. Now you're leading Himalayan expeditions. How was that? Rajendra: Yes? Manish: Ha Admin: like to be able to come from that and now leading, because we've chatted and it is still unbelievable what you and what the listeners are gonna ⁓ get through tonight, know, and understand, but how did that all kind of for you really transition into just now doing these massive expeditions? Rajendra: You know what, good that he brought out that ⁓ Hero Honda thing here because that's the first bike that I got as a gift from my dad. And also ⁓ it was the bike that, I mean, it was the highest selling bike in the world at that point of time. India is the market, if you know, it's more of a commuter bike driven market. So everyone or probably every second person would be riding 100 or 125cc bikes. Admin: Alright. Yeah. Yeah. Rajendra: So I was one of them and I was using it for daily commute. And then that's how I got plugged into motorcycling. Now from there, probably ⁓ when a lot of things happened, I shifted town, I shifted from my hometown to where I am right now. College happened, ⁓ jobs happened, and I got married, and I was gifted a bike, and so on and so on. Now when do I own this bike? I see a long way has been covered already. And the motorcycling has been constant throughout. Admin: Yeah. Yeah. Rajendra: whether it was 100cc or 500cc Royal Field that I was gifted by my wife or a Himalayan 411 that I got later and then I bridged to 450cc. So that has been an amazing journey. what has been most stunning about this fact is that motorcycling has kept me going. I think that happens a lot, but then for me, traveling to several cities. doing the daily job and then again finding time for those 15 days to go out and to the Himalayas and live life. So that has been a fantastic journey. Admin: You know, we joke about people calling their motorcycles names. not going to point them anybody, tell us about you. You've named one of your bikes or you name it. Tell us about that Thunderbird, Jaja, I can't pronounce that. Tell us about that. Rajendra: HAHAHAHA Yeah. Manish: You Rajendra: Okay, so yeah, I mean, that's something that I did after riding, after going on my first ride on that bike that was to ⁓ Manali, which is in the Himalayas again. That was my first ride with my wife and we were going to a Royal Enfield event, weekend event and I kind of, you ⁓ Admin: Yeah. Rajendra: liked riding. ⁓ I was getting into the long rides on that bike. It's a 500cc bike in the Himalayan. It does a Royal Field Thunderbolt 500cc. And when you ride the bike, probably, know, it belongs to you. You know, I know a lot of people are not able to relate to it. It's fine because ⁓ it's something very, very personal that, when you relate to something and you probably ⁓ think that, okay, either you are a part of it or that element is part of you. That's where this thing comes out of it. That's why I've named the bike as Jaja Board, which in Sanskrit is derived from a Sanskrit language word, means Yaya word, which means wanderer. Jaja Board is what I call it. Admin: Yeah. He is one with his bike. He's one with his bike. And you refer to the Himalayan and like going all on that like it's our Helmsley TT. I mean, we do the Helmsley TT all the time. It sounds like you guys just go up and maybe, you know, go up at 18,000 feet and just for a little ride out. I mean, that's it for Rose. mean, that's just. Yeah, but we do 60 kilometres for lunch and then turn around and do 60 kilometres back. Not 250 and 250. Manish: Ha Admin: Manish, what are you riding? What's your kind of journey? Manish: ⁓ So I write a Himalayan 450 right now. Before that I used to have a Royal Enfield Classic 500 which I loved the most and I've done a dark trip on that maybe more than 15 to 20 times on that. So and like I've completely changed it. I've removed all the unnecessary parts which are not needed for a long ride. I've made it like a bomber. Removed the fuel injector, replaced it with a carburetor and even increased the bore size of the Admin: Nice. Yeah. Manish: Inger and we inserted the piston of GT 650 into that so it has become a rocket and That was the most ⁓ Closest bike to my heart, but unfortunately in India there are certain laws that we you cannot keep your bike Petrol bike vehicles which are more than 10 years old in Delhi So unfortunately had to leave that you cannot even keep that in your garage So that that's the unfortunate part Admin: Ha ha ha. Mm. Yeah. Oh wow. you can't keep the bike at all. What happens to it? Manish: No, you cannot keep the bike even in your garage. So I don't know how these are strange rules in here because of the pollution and all the AQIs and all. So that's why we have to lose our beloved way because we cannot stay forever with them like like like I'm sure it's not like the case in UK. You can keep the bikes forever with you. That's the sad part. Admin: and No. But some people don't, they just change them all the time. Yeah, we change ours quite regularly. They don't get that emotional connection with airbikes at an older age. Manish: Ha ha ha ha. Yeah. Rajendra: bike got picked up by ⁓ the because I was a lenient. said, hey, no one would pick up that old bike of mine. And they came down and picked up and handed a receipt over to the guard that, hey, tell you, give it to the owner and ask him to come back and take it. So yeah, that has been there, unfortunately. Admin: So it's, yeah, I mean, in terms of our riding experiences, I mean, we've done Scotland, we've done Wales, we've done the UK and our kind of our TT, the ride that we do mainly is not a far away and we love it because we love every part of the road where it makes us feel fantastic. But for people who've never been, what does riding in Ladek actually feel like? Manish, this one's for you. Manish: Okay, so see Ladakh when people think of Ladakh they only think of the ⁓ highest motorable road and all the scenic places which they must have seen on the social media. But Ladakh is a very different terrain altogether. It's not like a regular hill station where you can just go drop your bags and start exploring. Right, you need to take care of the altitude. The altitude takes a toll on your body. Right, if you're not acclimatized properly you... Admin: Yeah. Manish: in trouble. So it is advisable, if you are specially coming to Ladakh, specially by air, you need to give your body at least 2-3 days to acclimatize. Because you coming from a low altitude to an altitude of 11,500 feet. So you need to spend 2 days at least doing nothing. Just sleep, relax, sit in the balcony of your hotel, watch the mountains, snow clad mountains and do nothing. Maybe a quick walk in the market, Admin: Alright. Wow. Manish: some coffee in some beautiful cafes in there with the mountains in the background yeah so you need to give your body yeah so Admin: You're not selling it to us. It sounds awful. Why would we want to? Sounds amazing, doesn't it? does. Manish: Yeah, it is amazing. You need to witness it only, only then you'll realize. So then maybe you'll stop asking us the questions why you go there again and again. Admin: Yeah. Yeah. We keep looking at the person that holds the money strings and we keep saying, when are we going? Well, we are, we are. And our promise to you guys is, we've promised a lot of people, we are going away everywhere this year, but yeah, certainly only UK, but we're definitely looking at how we fit a trip in and come out. Because I think what's interesting when we start to understand more about, and we'll... Manish: Hahaha Admin: that will dive deeper into what people need to do when they're prepared to come out. it is, Raj, you said, well, hang on, you need at least two days to acclimatise. I'm like, well, don't just get off a plane, jump on a bike and go up in the Himalayas, you know? It's like, no. So that element, think for anybody listening, is probably going to surprise them, unless they are a seasoned adventure rider who does go into these extreme places. so what... Rajendra: Yes. Admin: Why do you really, I mean, it might be an obvious question, but why do you need to acclimatise then rather than just jump on the bike and going up? And I suppose this is about altitude, but what are the misconceptions from people about Rajendra: So what happens is, when you are riding into the Himalayas, ⁓ there are two things that you have to understand. One is when you're riding in India, the riding conditions are very, very different from where you are from, or from other part of the world. So one is that ⁓ you would find a lot of people, a lot of traffic, of ⁓ unnecessary elements coming your way. So that's one condition. And the other is the weather conditions that you're riding in the Himalayas, right? Where you land and lay, and you start the riding point is lay. and you landed about 10,000 feet. So probably wherever you are, you're landing at 10,000 feet, your lungs are getting a shock of sorts. Hey, where am I? So it sounds scary, but then this is the fun of adventure. Adventure is just not riding through the dirt. You have to be prepared for what is coming your way and what you're achieving. So when you land there, ⁓ you have to stand by for two days because your body gets used to the climatic conditions. Your lungs get used to the less oxygen in the air, which is fine. It's not that people will die because of less oxygen, but it's just that it gets used to it gradually. And then once it used to gradually, we start our climb one by one. And also there are some precautions that we take on the way and ⁓ while we are there. For example, very, very important and very basic thing is that every half an hour to one hour we'll ask We'll stop, all right, and say, hey, have a sip of water. We will say, don't exert yourself unless you really need to go and answer a nature break. Because there, the ⁓ air is heavy. You're breathing heavy. And even if you're moving 10 steps, it's actually taking a lot of energy out of your body. So save your energy, because you have to see the best site at the summit. So those are the few, few instructions that we try to pass on and make people aware. A lot of people are not aware of these things. And that's why we say that, OK, when you are coming and riding, we organize a mandatory briefing where all these inputs are shared. And it is very well told to people that, this is what you ideally should do. You're free to not do it. But then if you're not doing it, then probably this is what can happen to you. Manish: you Rajendra: AMS, altitude mounted sickness, is something that easily hits you there. And when it hits you, you'll probably not realize it. You'll realize when it has already impacted you severely. Your head will start spinning. You will start vomiting. Or probably there will be a severe headache. And then you just have to do nothing and sit in one corner. And we have oxygen cylinders, supplementary cylinders. Just take that and just relax till the time you feel normal. Admin: But I think it is about the adventure isn't it and I think it is about the ⁓ I've seen obviously on the website as well some of the views and some of the the the terrain and It just looks absolutely I'm gonna say gentlemen, but it does look fabulous It absolutely looks fabulous and I think I'm sure flying into that sort of altitude Yes, like you said, but you're taking every precaution you possibly can for your customers to make sure that everybody's everybody's acclimatized and let's go on this adventure and let's have a really lovely time and seeing some wonderful, wonderful, you know, visions that you're going to find around every corner. What more could you want? Yeah. And it's funny, isn't it? lot of people get really obsessed with the Himalayas, right? And, you know, when you start to really talk about people go, oh, yeah, I would love to go there. And it seems to be something that everybody is really quite... Why do you think people are so obsessed with going there? Manish: So as I told you before you need to go there once so you will get the answer on your own So see there are two kinds of people one who likes the mountain and one who doesn't like the mountains. so so so the people who likes to the who likes the mountains and If he goes there once he will definitely come back again right so so so so if you if you if you're talking about mountain that is the ⁓ Peak of the mountain like there's no other mountain where you can ride which is Admin: Yeah. Mm. Yeah. Manish: above the mountains in Ladakh and Himalayan region. There are other mountains where you can go hiking and tracking but you cannot ride your bike and if you love your bike and you love the mountains so that's the place you have to be. Admin: Yeah. Yeah. And also it's a place where not very many people actually go. ⁓ If you take the capacity of the world to go to. Himalayas. I knew it getting wrong. That's why I'm saying it all the time. But go into that location. If you think the amount of people in the world, it's only a small number of people who get the opportunity to go there and ride their bike. So when you go there, like you guys have said. Manish: Hahaha! Admin: It's massive adventure and there's all elements to it that make it that adventure. And I think that's the key, isn't it? It's word adventure. And Raj, you said it earlier, you know, it's not just about riding somewhere pretty or scenic. It's about having that spirit of adventure. And there's lots of people that you've mentioned when we've obviously looked at your introduction to what people will expect out there. You find that a lot of people actually cry, don't they, when they get to it? Is it Umling la Well said, well said. Thank you. you. What is that moment about? Is it that personal challenge of being able to get there? it the views? it? What is that then managed, do think? Why do people get so kind of, you know, cry after reaching somewhere like that? Manish: So see, Umlingla stands at a height of 19,024 feet. So when you're climbing up there, you get several holdings on the way that says that currently you are higher than the Everest base camp. And that is one achievement. It's not easy for everyone to come there and it's not easy for everyone's body to climatise and adapt to that. Admin: ⁓ it's... Absolutely. Yeah. Manish: situation right so maybe that's the that's the reason why people ⁓ feel like emotional, right, because they have achieved what they have dreamt of, right. So for us, going there is not a big task. We can go there like it needs just one week of planning and we can go there. But someone who is coming from a country like UK or Australia or anywhere from Europe, it's a big, big thing. Maybe they are coming there for the one and the last time they might not come there again, right. So that is one moment which they want to cherish throughout Admin: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Manish: their life. Maybe they are creating stories for their children or maybe their grandchildren. Admin: Wow. Yeah. Manish, you said a little bit earlier that once you've been once, you're going to come back. the penny has dropped for me is because now I know why we haven't been already because we'll have to come back. won't be one trip, it'll be more than one trip. And maybe our bodies will be so acclimatised, we could just keep going and keep going and keep going. I mean, that's the other thing, isn't it? I mean, when you talk about that, so Raj, I think we chatted then when we met like a motorcyclist. Manish: Yeah. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Maybe you can think of a podcast from Omling Laatong. Admin: Go on, sorry, Manish. Yes, yes, yes. Who's going to carry the equipment though? I'll make it, I'll carry it. Whatever donkey you can use. Yeah, I'll be the donkey. Manish: Ha ha ha. Rajendra: You can leave the logistics to us. Just come over. Admin: ⁓ Hey, you know we're coming. I mean, just in terms of a fitness level then, I mean, do you guys need to maintain a lot of fitness then? Because you make it sound so easy, like, we're just going to go up there, you know, to 19,000 feet, whatever. And that scares me at the moment. But do you have to be you guys have to be physically fit to be doing that so often? Rajendra: Great. fitness is at two levels, mental and physical. ⁓ When we look at ourselves as ⁓ two operators and leaders, we have to be 100 % fit for several reasons. Because if one of us falls sick, then the pressure is on the other guy and the entire group is at risk. So for us, it has to be at supreme. But when we talk about the fitness levels to the riders and to the people who are thinking about it, we just tell that, you have to be right fit. That's the most important thing. You need to know how to ride a motorcycle. You should be able to control a motorcycle in an off-road track. And you have to listen to instructions because that will keep you healthy and safe. So that's the primary ⁓ goal there. Admin: Mm. Rajendra: And then on the medical side is supremely important because you are going to see a lot of changes in the climatic conditions in the people and the place that is around you. And probably it's not going to be as what you think it would be. So then those changes impact you at the end of the day. you're very happy at one moment, you're probably at times you are by yourself and crying that, hey, this is something that I should have shared with someone I loved and probably he's not here. Admin: Yeah. in there. Rajendra: He could not come with you and so on and so forth. So there are a lot of emotions that go through it. So emotionally also, we see a lot of people shelling out or probably not able to cater to it. So that's why we say that, you should have a basic sense of what you are getting into because that's why we tell that, this is, we give you a preparatory guide book where things are noted down that, hey, this is what will happen on this, on these are the places that we will go. This is the altitude, this is the temperature. So you're very well prepared. And then once you are there, we are also there, right? So we probably will take care of everything else there. Admin: Yeah. Okay, that sounds great. So four of us, we've never been anywhere like the Himalayas. There we go. So what could we do to prepare before we come? Rajendra: Probably, the first question that I ask everyone is that have you done any off-roading? If not, probably we would certainly recommend someone that, just do an off-roading because that will build your confidence. It's not for us, it's for your confidence. So if you're confident about writing anywhere in the world, then probably yeah, and on off-roads also, then probably yes, that's the first step. And then once you know what you are getting into, once you've gone through the document that... Admin: Yep. Yeah. Rajendra: the preparatory list guide document, should have the right riding gears, proper riding gears. That means it should be a textile jacket. You should have gloves for all season, a helmet with probably a pinlock visor because it will save you from that fogging thing. That is pretty irritating for me. And at times, when we cross these water crossings, there are places where your feet get wet. Unfortunately, I haven't found a single boot that I saved my legs from getting water inserted. Admin: Thank Rach, need to wait this. Rajendra: ⁓ now what I on is the ⁓ waterproof socks ⁓ saves me from cold feet. So those preparations go place. And then once everything is there, you just get on a flight and rest is taken care of by us. Because ⁓ when you land, someone will be there to pick you Admin: ⁓ Yeah. Rajendra: And from there on, all accommodations, all breakfast, lunch, all needs, even the roadside tea, coffee, is the most interesting part, and the chats we would have on the roadside cafes, that's also there. Everything else is covered. You just have to prepare mentally yourself, and you know what you're getting into, and that should be all. Admin: Yeah, and you do capture it, don't you? I've been on your website and you've shared some stuff with us before. Certainly we met you at Motorcycle Lab. I think for people going there that I mean, we have cameras and lots of people want to take cameras, but you guys go next level, don't you? In terms of what you capture, because people have not not been there with them. You you mentioned there about like, want to, you know, I wish I'd brought my brother or whoever else might have ride, but you do create that, don't you? And you give that experience back to them. Rajendra: Yes. Admin: so they can then share that when they get home. do you have quite, you must have a big team then, managing, I mean obviously you've, you know, in terms of putting this on the road and doing it, just talk us through the kind of team, the support that you bring to this. Manish: So we don't have a very big team because what we believe is doing everything on our own and the people who share the same passion for the rides and motorbiking. So one of the USP of our trips is we don't outsource our trips to any third party or anyone. So if you have registered for a ride, can be sure that either me or Rajendra or... Admin: Bye, yeah. Manish: or both of us will lead you to the destination and we'll make sure that you have a pleasant and good experience, right? We don't keep it on the hands of some other third party people, right? And when it comes for the team, we have a few dedicated people who works for us. ⁓ We have different sets of people who works for us. Like we have a different team. If you go to Leh, we have a different team. If you go to Kerala, if you go to Northeast, Admin: Yeah. Manish: because it's not always possible for us logistically to carry the same team of people, of mechanics and photographers from Delhi to all the destinations all the time. So we have a few different sets of people who work for us in all the destinations we have. Admin: Hmm. Yeah, but you have a support, do you have a, so if you go. Rajendra: I think what I wanted to add here is the photography part you rightly picked up because I remember at Motorcycle Live, there was this couple who came and said that, hey, when I told about, there's a drone pilot and there's a photographer who will come along, take pictures and we give it to you as a memory that you relish all over. And they OK, how much would you charge that for? I said, OK, that's the price. The price includes it. No, how much would you charge me for that picture? No, it's included. So it was unbelievable for her because probably she had traveled somewhere and they were charging per picture and per video separately, which I said, OK, that's unfair because ⁓ it's their photograph, they are writing and they would have signed up for it. So they should get it. yeah, they would get it and they ⁓ would get a lovely video. think there are some videos that we have ⁓ in our stock and we can. Manish: You Rajendra: share them. So those pictures, they take you there. mean, the moment you start seeing those videos and if you are there in the video, probably you just transport yourself there immediately. Admin: Because I think that sometimes when we've been out, you forget to take a picture, don't you? And can imagine being in the extreme and the challenging place. I'm already thinking, we'd be thinking about so much as my foot's still wet, how am I feeling physically? And you probably won't get your camera and go, ⁓ actually, you'll see. So the fact that you build all that in. Yes, you will. Yes, you will. OK. ⁓ being general and generalizing here I I will be taking pictures all the time and I'll just be selfies all the way around on live stream. It's not true. the only person going up the mountain with a selfie stick going there. Yeah okay. Manish: You Okay, so you'll enjoy a lot with Rajendra then. Because he's also like that. Rajendra: Yeah? Yeah, we'll write together. Admin: Manish, can't help it. I can't help it. But I think that obviously for people watching this and, you know, we want, from the moment we met you and obviously Manish, we've been on a call, it's people's perceptions of what these things are and what do you need to prepare for it. But I think what's great about you guys is the passion and the fact that you guys live through this and you, is... it is part of your life anyway and you want to pass on that kind of experience. think more than that though, think from reading the information prior to today's ⁓ pod is about the foundation and really about the ethos of not what you know really want people in those local communities that you're going to ride through. to welcome people as opposed to seeing them as being a hindrance in their community and the joy that they can bring as well into the community and the diversity. So I think the foundation's really, really important. I'd love to hear a little bit about the foundation. The Headlight Foundation, isn't it? The Headlight Foundation. Manish: Yeah. Rajendra: Yes, that's it is. So you know what? I'll tell you a bit background why the Headlight Foundation came into being. So we were riding to a place called Hanle in 2017. It was a pretty remote destination at that point of time, very few homestays there. of course, was no electricity, was no mobile connectivity, continuous connectivity was not there. So it was pretty remote place. then what it had was it had the highest observatory in the country. And it was also the highest dark sky reserve in the country. So dark sky reserve is where you get to see the stars and the galaxies clearly if you are interested in astronomy. So when we reached there or when we started talking, started to know about the place, like we do research about every new place we visit, we got to know about these conditions. And we said, OK, that's a place that we think has limited resources. We'll go and see what are the chances there. So then we went there. We found more about the place where we got to know whether during the winters, the temperature dipped. it dips to about minus 25 to 30 degrees. So ⁓ that's how ⁓ problematic it is for the people living there. And what happens, the bigger problem that came to us is, because we were talking to a school teacher who was the most learned and ⁓ the circle of influence for the village, he said that the problem that they face is that the future is not helping the future of Ladakh. I why? Because the problem is that there was a high rate of dropouts of school. Because Hanli, as a region, was inhibited by mostly nomads. As a daily routine, they would rear the cattle around the area which is green, and then they will go away. So for them, that's their primary focus. Other things, including education and other things, is probably not the primary thing. So probably if their children are not ⁓ in a better condition, they would carry the children along and they would leave the school there and their education will stop there. Probably they would start it next season or somewhere else if there is a school around. So that was a big problem. We realized that it could impact the growth of the region adversely. So we conceived a project that, why can't we make a school environment conducive of where... Everyone can stay, the children can stay back and enjoy and study and also not get impacted by the harsh weather. So we conceived that, we can set up a solar powered room heaters in the hostels. And we did that eventually, it took us four or five years that COVID happened. So finally in 2022, we accomplished that project where We said that, let's ⁓ set up the heaters. We have set up the schools. ⁓ We have trained the teachers. We have trained the people who manage those devices. And that started our journey into this segment where we said, OK, we can do better for the people there. And we can probably bring a change in the people. And that happiness that we got, when the parents of the children came and said, sir, you have done such a big thing that ⁓ will help my children study forever. I'll not take him back ever from the school and he's going to stay there in the school. And ⁓ that's where the local government representative also came. And they said that that's a very big statement on this part that hey, motorcyclists are not just coming here and enjoying having fun and going back. They're probably giving it back to you. So that was something very, very inspiring for us because one, it was an emotional moment that Admin: Yeah. Yeah. Rajendra: people, the children, about study, the parents were happy. We were happy that we could do something of this sort. Having said that, we didn't have any formal training or any formal information about how do you run an NGO till that time. So this all happened because we saw a need and we met friends, we met corporates who would fund that project, and we did it. Admin: Yeah. Brilliant. Fantastic. Rajendra: And that's how it started, you know? And that's how we got to more projects. The government gave us more projects and we started taking them up. Admin: Yeah. That's unbelievable. Absolutely fantastic. again, you're not going to get that from your standard tour company. And that's what I love about what you guys bring to this. I'm spending the little time that we have and we are looking forward to coming out there. But it's more than just a tour company, isn't it? It's about you living and breathing that part of the world, but making sure that when people go there, they also get to experience that and understand. Rajendra: Yes. Admin: the impact of, you can't just come here and let's think about what we're doing here. They're thinking about the kind of environment and I think emotionally, you can probably see why people get quite emotional when they go there. What do you think is the, mean, getting back to the kind of the Himalayan and those terrains, what's the toughest terrain that you guys certainly manage? mean, obviously in terms of your background, what's the toughest terrain up there that you've had to endure and a point where you probably thought, I don't think I can continue with this. you had one of those sorts of moments? Manish: So I never thought that I'll continue with this. So one of the treacherous ⁓ ride which we have done is climbing towards there's a pass called Rohtangla. So this pass comes when you're coming from Leh towards Manali. So that's one of the most treacherous passes. So right now they have made a ⁓ tunnel so you don't have to cross the pass if you're going to Leh. Admin: All Manish: At that time when we did that it was like around 2014 or 2015 maybe. So at that time the tunnel was not there and we were climbing from, we were going from Laid towards Manali and because of some breakdown or some landslides we got stuck on the way for maybe 3 hours, 4 hours. So technically we were supposed to reach Manali at 5 or 6 in the evening but we got delayed by 3 or 4 hours and we started climbing the mountains. pass in the night and that used to be one of the treacherous passes which people generally avoid in the late evening hours as well so we had to climb in the entire dark where there's full of mud slush big boulders it was raining snowing as well the visibility is very low ⁓ the climb was very steep the bar and because of the oxygen and oxygen levels it's very hard to for the bike Admin: I don't see it. Yeah. Yeah. Manish: also to accelerate we have to remove the air filters from our bikes so that it gets more air yeah so so that so that was the I think the hardest and the scariest thing but but but it never came into my mind that I have to stop doing all this because it just makes you more strong yeah Admin: See ya, because that was one of my questions as the mountains ever genuinely scared you. think that obviously genuinely scared you. Manish: It's case you see I've been into many times in such situations where you feel like you shouldn't be alive. So one thing I've learned from all these situations that you need to secure yourself first before helping others. Right. You cannot do this in a moment of what Admin: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Manish: say like adrenaline that if you are not ⁓ in a position to help others you cannot do that. So first you have to make sure that you reach at a certain point or a certain position that you will be able to help others. Right. So generally that's what you should keep in mind you should not do in a ⁓ Admin: Yeah. ⁓ Yeah. Manish: instance that without thinking anything you should think and be in a position to help others first. Admin: Yeah. Yeah. And that is that is obviously your experience that you guys have that mental agility that hope being able to just relax in, you know, conditions that we would probably find quite extreme just even listening to that. But again, that's probably another reason why people should come out there. And if they're going to go out, go you guys because you've got that level of experience and and calmness. And I think a lot of people are Certainly when you look at why adventure bike is accelerated people are thought you know what I'm gonna go and do something that I've never done before and I think a lot of people search for like how it makes them feel their well-being and you know and you think people are doing that when they come on a trip are they searching for something a bit deeper are they wanting those kind of experiences? Manish: So there are such instances when people want to do something extreme but they start panicking when something goes out of their expectation. And we generally say that if everything goes as per the plan, there's no adventure. there's another thing which I generally say to the people that prepare for the worst and hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Admin: Mm. Yeah. Yeah. That's a good mantra. Manish: Right. yeah. So, so the terrain is like, ⁓ you, you always have to ⁓ be prepared with a plan B because plan A can, can, can be over anytime. Right. So you always need to have a second plan with you. So if, this, if roads get closed, if something bad goes, you always have to have plan B. Yeah. So always have, you need to make all the Admin: Yeah Yeah. Yeah. Manish: alternate rooms alternate arrangements for everyone Admin: Yeah, and people... Rajendra: You know what I think I need to add here is that a lot of people want to do this on their own and they have done it and they have done really well. But what happens is, if you are trying to do it and if you're not aware of the situations and challenges, that's where the problem occurs. You see that, I have done the entire world, I have traveled so many countries, I have done this and that, but you have to understand where are you riding. I'm coming back and focusing on the riding conditions here because Admin: Yeah. Yeah. name. Yeah Rajendra: For you, ⁓ blowing a horn would be like, OK, you're cursing someone. But here, it's a lifesaver. So you tell the other person that, hey, I am behind you. Don't run me over. So those things are very important for you to know. And once that is sorted, probably you have someone to guide. If you're riding with a tour company, not us, but anyone, what happens is you are safe. Your arrangements are there. You face a challenge. Another challenge is that you would probably Admin: Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Rajendra: or find ⁓ limited people talking your language. So their communication becomes a problem. So you would want to have a certain kind of bed at the end of the long ride. That needs to be assured. So you probably need to know where you are going and whether that kind of bed or that kind of accommodation is available. So these things, know, times matter a lot when you are in those high altitudes because one, you have written for about 10, 12 hours in the worst conditions. Admin: Yeah. Yeah. Rajendra: And then at the end of the day, if you're not getting food and not getting the right bed, then probably you're not getting a fresh and that the next day is also gone. Admin: Yeah. Raj is mainly because of what you're saying and everything else we've experienced with you. If we went when we would go with you guys is that when we get there, everything's taken control, it's taken control. The control is taken out of our hands. We just need to do what you guys tell us to do and ride and enjoy the moment and enjoy the experience. Whereas, like you said, a lot of people can say, yeah, I've been here and I've done this. You know the environment. You know. conditions, the weather, everything. You would see this coming a mile off, whereas we wouldn't even pick up on it. So going with you guys would just put everything, peace of mind, ride your bike, have fun, enjoy the experience. that's a really good point that because I think that the expectations of somebody going there is, ⁓ well, I'm expecting this. What are the biggest mistakes that riders make before arriving other than riding off road and we are? If we can fit it in soon, we're going to go and do a proper off-road course. There's a company down his way and there's a company ⁓ down at Clitheroo that do it. So we're going to go and do that anyway. But what are the biggest mistakes you think that people make, Manish? ⁓ I'll give this one to you before they arrive. Manish: you So one of the biggest mistakes that people do not do but maybe they expect is treat the high-altitude terrains like landa like a normal hill station. Right. So as I told you again that you need to acclimatize your body you need to know the terrain which you are in. Right. It's not like a normal hill station. You cannot just go there reach there by by a flight and step down for a for a walk or for a ride so you need to acclimatize that's the major month for riding into high altitude rides. Admin: Hmm. Yeah. And can I ask as well? we've jumped on a plane, we've landed, we're at ⁓ ridiculous height. ⁓ But how many people would you have on a tour? So maximum, how many people would you have on a tour? And then the second part of my question would be, would we be riding the Royal Enfield 450 Himalayan? Is that what we'd be riding? Manish: so the maximum number of people which we have taken on a ride, it was in 2014 and there were like around 42 bikes, 42 motorcycles, right? And 42, yeah. Admin: 42. I thought I was taking 12 out. Manish: Yeah, and coming to the second part, sorry, I forgot the second part you asked, sorry. Admin: It was the motorcycle that they would be riding. Manish: Yeah, sorry, sorry. Yeah, yeah. So, so the bikes which we provide currently is Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 because we think that those bikes are the perfectly meant for this terrain because sometimes you feel like you need a more powerful bike. But the terrain is such that you don't need a more powerful bike because it's not easy for everyone to control a maybe 900 or a 750 cc bike in that terrain because you are riding at a altitude of on an average altitude of around 12,000-12,500 feet and with a big cliff on one side and you are just riding on the very narrow road. Sometimes the roads get so narrow that it's hard for two vehicles to cross through, right? So you don't want ⁓ everyone to ride at a speed of maybe 60s or 80 kms. So generally, if people are coming from UK or some other parts of the country, maybe Admin: Thank . Manish: we not all of them are used to ride heavy bikes. So that's why we keep them a mid powered bike 450 is the best bike for this terrain because it's not overpowered, it's not underpowered. You will feel ⁓ exactly that the bikes are meant for these roads. Right. Plus plus the major month, another month for riding in these high altitude roads is you need to respect the roads. You cannot just fly on those roads. You need to respect the roads, maintain a good decent speed, right? That's the only thing. Rajendra: I think, if I've understood your question, the first question right was that, OK, how many people do we ride with? Wasn't the question? OK, so we probably ride with a very small group because that's what our focus is on to ensure that we have a great experience. So we would ride somewhere between six to 10 people. And eventually, happens that, OK, the 10th guy or probably someone from the group says that, on the last moment, my brother, my friend wants to join. So we'll stop at 12 and not more than that. Admin: Yes. Rajendra: Because we believe that if the experience has to be passed on well to everyone and we chat with everyone, we understand, we chat with everyone every day. So then, you know, that's where the group and the bonding forms. That's where the camaraderie comes in. So that's why we would not do anything beyond 12. Even we have done rides with one person also, because, someone would have canceled their ride and the other one was not canceled. He has his dreams. He would have started seeing his dreams of riding on that road. So we have not canceled the ride because we cannot let a rider lose his dream because someone else is not coming along. Manish: So that's the present scenario Raj is telling me. Raj is telling you guys the 42 bike scenario which I told you that used to be in 2014. So don't get scared that we used to take so many people right now. Admin: Thanks. Rajendra: Yeah. Admin: ⁓ I've got a question, but it's a more technical and a mechanical question because we are talking about bikes as well. So obviously when you're going up the mountains and everything else, obviously using the bikes, how do they cope with obviously lack of oxygen and obviously because of obviously air to fuel mixture and everything else. Obviously these bikes tuned a little bit differently or they stock as they come off the mat from the man. Just taking the air filter out. Rajendra: Yeah. Admin: Yeah, but that's just thing, but the other thing is that doesn't actually change. Manish: That's the thing we used to do in the earlier bikes maybe like 10 years back But now now they are the bike which we which we take Himalayan 450s I told you that they have gone through intense testing in the Himalayan region into the Ladakh and in the on the highest motorable roads there we have like earlier we used to use the 411 at that time we used to spot these 450s and we have spotted these 450s for many years there they have done in Admin: Thank Yeah. Manish: intense testing, maybe like two years, three years of intense testing in the high altitude terrains and they have tuned it like that, that you don't really have to do anything in that because it is meant for that terrain. Admin: I've already had some training anyway on the Himalayan 450 motorcycle live not last year the year before our good friend Gareth from Woodcote events he was on the show recently they had the Roy Lenfield experience and so as producer told me myself that were the only ones that got on the bikes and tried it so I've actually technically Rajendra: Okay. Hey. Admin: I'm already a lot more experienced. He's fully trained. I didn't get out of first gear, but I've passed the test, but I've never ridden one of those before. I've rode it around the dirt tracks that Motorcycle Lab had put together, which is an incredible experience. have to say, I feel like I'm almost ready to start the next level of The next altitude level is five foot. I the biggest kind of mountain of earth was probably about seven feet. Manish: You Ha ha ha ha. Admin: So I've got about 17,000 something to go, but it's a start. It's a start. It is a start. It's more than Martin and I did that. Yeah, we just held your bags. that's that's that's the point I was making there is that Roy Lenfiel and I are lots of like dealing. I think the red days aren't that Gareth was mentioning. I think it's probably a good idea for people to go and maybe do that. I think they do some off road experience as well. But go and try the bikes and we've got Mike. Rajendra: Yes. Admin: There's a guy there, Michael Lee, that has the actual 450 and he'll come out and he goes and takes that bike all over the place, isn't he? In extreme conditions. It's such a successful motorcycle, isn't it? It really is a successful bike. Yeah. Yeah. So I think, Rajendra: You know what I'll probably add here is the way Royal Enfield ⁓ brings the bikes to the market is very, different from what I've seen in other brands. So probably I'll take a minute to explain what am I understanding. Royal Enfield is based, or it's growing out of the community that it has built around. So earlier, if you look at the Indian market, it was a bullet that used to be sold for anyone who wanted to have a heavy motorcycle. Admin: ⁓ Yeah. Rajendra: And that bullet was a Rolland Field classic, ⁓ another version of the classic. It's still being sold as a bullet. So now when Rolland Field sells a bike, he just doesn't sell a bike. He also built the community around. So every dealership around the country is responsible to organize rides ⁓ and invite the riders and take them on a breakfast ride or quarterly they would do a long ride. So that happened. Admin: Mm-hmm. Rajendra: So when that happens, a lot of people around see that. And they said, hey, I would probably want to do that. I would want to do that. And that's how more people come and say, hey, I want to ride that bike that everyone rides with their friends. So that's how it has built up. And when it comes to the Himalayan bike, it has been tested endlessly. it has been tested. It has been made for that purpose. I mean, that's how said. That's how it's taglines is made for all roads and made for no roads. Admin: Mm. Rajendra: And when we ride these bikes on those terrains, probably honestly, I I've been riding these bikes long, but when I ride these bikes, probably I think this is the most complete bike for that terrain. We can easily take a Tiger, we can easily take a BM. But the only thing that will go in my back of my mind is if at all a small glitch happens, I have to it down. But this bike can be made and this bike can be remade because I have a mechanic back with me. He's trained by Rod Neffield and he probably can't... Admin: Got you. Yeah. Yeah. Rajendra: do the things that will make the bike go again. So those things actually have made Royal Findem one of the most trusted brands here and probably it's growing ⁓ everywhere. Admin: So, um, I'm just blown away to be honest. I think we didn't expect to hear a lot of this and we're now probably thinking ourselves, do we really want to go and do this? Yes, 100%. Are we physically capable? not. Rajendra: we didn't want to scare you or anyone here. But then it's something that ⁓ all need to be prepared. OK, what are we getting into? You should know that. You should not see a poster and say, I would do ⁓ it. Honestly, I had done that. But yeah, now things have changed. There are a lot of things available, a lot of information available. ⁓ then if you do it once, you probably will be thanking yourself more than anyone else. ⁓ Admin: Yeah Yes. Yeah. ⁓ Rajendra: I would surely want you to come over and try it once. Admin: No, we're going to do that. We're going to do it. But Manish, you talk about sort of, know, the adventure mindset and mentality. And one thing that really stood out for me when I was reading through your answers was you believe that adventure riding is more than more mental than physical. Do you want to kind of expand on that? Manish: Again, you go to these harsh mountain rides, entire thing, the altitude, the weather is maybe the harsh weather, right? The wind is so cold that if you're not wearing ⁓ gloves, right? For example, I tell you that I cannot wear the warm gloves. I generally wear the leather gloves, right? So on the snow-clad mountains as well. Admin: and Yeah. Right. Manish: when you are riding the air starts to peep in from your thumbs, right? If you are holding the throttle like this. So your thumbs starts to get cracked because of the cold air. So like the lips start cracking, right? Your skin will start to come out. So these are the things which you have never expected if you going to such ⁓ places. So these are the things you get to realize only when you riding there. Admin: Yeah. Right. Hmm. Manish: So for all these things you need to be physically strong as well, but I think mentally strong is a more appropriate word. because the environment will take a toll on your body, right? So there was a case when I got stranded in 2013 in a snowstorm at the Khardungla top, 18,380 feet. And I got stranded a lot. It was Admin: Yeah. Mm. Yeah. Manish: knowing minus 14 was the temperature and I cannot see anyone who was riding with me and I started walking alone on that trip so I you get to start hallucinating yeah I feel like someone is calling my name because there was nothing to see nothing all white strong and I was walking alone till the time I found the army bunker where I took a break and I so it's all right yeah so they're mind games Admin: Yeah. Yeah. Right. you you Yeah. Manish: like you get to hear, you get to see which is not actually there. So you need to be mentally very strong. Admin: Yeah, yeah. because you've seen physically strong riders struggle mentally. What do you think? What do you think? ⁓ Bricks people mentally in the mountains and is it the extreme conditions? Is it the temperature? Is it just the the tightness of having to cope? What do you think bricks people who think they're physically very, very strong? And what do you think? Manish: Yes, yes. So. It's not entirely one thing only or it's not only the altitude or only the cold weather. It's a combination of all plus plus you get of sometimes you get a feeling that you might not survive this. So the case I was telling you some of the riders which was which were with us they have recorded the last video on the mobile that mom this I'm stuck here and I might not see you again. So maybe Admin: Hmm. Right. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. Manish: When you find my phone you will get to know that I love you and this and that so they have made such kind of videos right, but thankfully Nothing bad happened and like when we see those videos right now, we love we share stories but but at that time it was like We have seen people who? Want to go to pee, but they don't want to be Just realizing they might need it to drink because we have no water to drink. so they are are are chances Admin: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Manish: like this also. So there are many things. Admin: And do you yeah, and do think people come back kind of changed people, do think from and. Manish: Yeah, so once you survive these kind of situations and when you come back you realize that your body is more capable of what you expect, right? You rediscover your body. You never thought your body will do so many things which you have never expected. So once you get back, I think you are a very changed personality. Admin: I'm you Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And certainly, I think, you know, people buy, I mean, they the adventure bank market has exploded and people buy that because they want to be part of that. But I think that what we're getting from you guys is that if you're to go and do an adventure, then you are going to you are really going to experience things you probably never experienced things you're prepared for. You're going to come back probably mentally and physically fulfilled. You're going to be drained. But I think it's the more and more I see about where you guys ride like that we provide locally, you can't begin to imagine all of that until you get there, do it, but do it properly and do it with people like yourselves who know what they're doing. And I think if anybody's been watching this and certainly wants to go there, then they need to check you guys out. And I think that's what I'm certainly taking away from this is there's gonna be more to this than just taking your... your GS or whatever and going maybe into Europe, but you're gonna be going in somewhere that you've probably never experienced. It's like you said, it's an adventure. And you're gonna push your body, you're gonna push your mind. As you guys have said, you're gonna be in situations that are not necessarily dangerous, but you are gonna be the, you've gotta push through some of this. It's not a walk in the park, as they say, do you what mean? It's not. I mean. Manish: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, definitely not. Rajendra: At times you can be amazed that, we are talking about the most ⁓ toughest situations and then you sail through. But that has also happened in the years because ⁓ things are planned and then if the weather is great, you're just riding on your bike and then you're enjoying good food and everything. So it's not every time it's as extreme. But yeah, when it's extreme, we are prepared, very well prepared. So that's the point we wanted to make across. Admin: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, It just makes me more excited. know. Just because sometimes the unknown is very exciting because you don't know what to expect, but you expect the unexpected. So you're going to be in there. You're going to be enthralled in all this environment. You're just going to get absorbed. It's just fascinating. Absolutely fascinating. I know Martin's really eager to get a question. Well, we haven't much chance today, have we? ⁓ And I'll apologize to Martin just to quickly ask. And I'm really curious about obviously people flying in and then maybe getting people and I'm gonna look to my right and I'm sure he'll look to me as well that become over prepared and I mean by that is bringing far too much kit because I pack if I'm going to to the Himalayas. Yeah, if I pack to go away for a few days, I take in 30 or 40 kilos of stuff with me. Manish: Hahaha. Admin: And it's like, really? So do you ever get people landing and you just say to people, I'm sorry, but you're not going to, you can't take that or you're not going to need that. Manish: ⁓ So We don't tell them that you don't need them because if at times they need them, they are to blame us. So we don't tell them that you don't need them. But obviously ⁓ before update, we give a ⁓ list of things which we recommend. So we always ask the people to pack their luggage according to that. So generally people don't bring much luggage or much things which are not needed. Plus in India, if you are Admin: You Yeah. Manish: taking a domestic flight from New Delhi to there so the baggage allowance is very low it's around 15 15 kgs right so so they cannot so yeah so so you cannot take like 30 kgs of Admin: All right, so that's the hairdryer out the car. Sorry. That's all right. Andy's been worrying about that all episode. You get four days. Yeah, four days one pair of pants. Yeah. So you saw that. Manish: Hahaha So you cannot take 30 kg of stuff from Delhi to land. In case you want to, you need to book two tickets then. Admin: I think we need to bring our own support team. You've been telling us about, you know, some of the amazing things and part of it to sound a little bit scary because it is an adventure, but tell us about some of the funny things that have happened. There must be some funny stories you've got, the silly things that people have done or some unusual events. Manish: Hahaha Yeah, so definitely there was a there was a ride I don't remember which year it was maybe 2015 or 2014 so we were stuck in a in a landslide as a there's a small avalanche that happened in front of us maybe half a kilometer ahead of us yeah and and we were waiting for the for the army people they were clearing it off with the JCB and all so there Admin: you Manish: guy with us and he just went across the little boulder on the left side ⁓ behind the snow to answer the nature's Right. And certainly one of us he shouted, Avlaach Avlaach and he just stood up and he just put put some snow into his pants and started running towards us. Admin: I'm not gonna eat you. Manish: So that was the funniest thing I remember that happened to us. Admin: Ha There isn't going to be any snow when we come is there? You're in the mountains. You're in the mountain. Rajendra: The The snow would be there in the mountains, otherwise it will be very, very dull. But yeah, will not be always an avalanche or a landslide. But landslide is something that's very, very common in that region because ⁓ there are the government authority who takes care of the road, building the roads. They clear it off. And it is much ⁓ better than it used to be 10, 12 years, ⁓ the story that we are telling you now. In fact, one of the funny stories that Manish: Just do. Rajendra: One of the funny stories that I think I would tell you is it's not just we make fun of it, people make fun of us also. And what happens is, over the last ride, ⁓ a bunch of guys from Millennium, Merseyside came ⁓ to us, with us to Rajasthan. And we were connected on our Cardo systems. Me and Manish were always communicating. Manish was leading. I was the tail. And we were communicating on things that we were to do. And there was a way that we used to talk. And he called each other. Manish is called Manu. And one of the guys in between, he would say, Manu. And just be silent, like I'm calling him. And Manish was like, OK, go ahead. And no one would talk about it, because it was not me. They were doing for fun. And Manish is always answering that because he has to answer that call. And that happened for a few days. And that kept happening. And then we realized, OK, someone is playing around. We said, OK, go ahead, play around. We will also play around. So yeah, those things happen. People make fun of us also. And we have a good time. That's how we say that. When we are smaller groups, we become friends. And we have a gala time by the writing or we are just having a beer. Admin: Yeah Yeah, that's important. I think it'd be a massive experience. So I just want to start talking about some technology that you guys use out there and obviously on your adventures and particularly one of the things that you mentioned that some of the roads that you go on don't even exist on maps. How much do you rely on instinct and sort of local knowledge to be able to navigate? mean, obviously you guys, if you know if the terrain is changing, what technology do you use or if you don't? How do you get through that? Manish: So there's no foolproof technology that works in that altitude because most of the places we are riding, it doesn't have a mobile signal there. So either you need to carry your ⁓ satellite navigation system. So that is one thing which you can rely on, which is connected directly to the satellites. The second thing, you can download offline maps, but that too doesn't work. perfectly there. in those times you need to rely on your local knowledge. Right? So we have been writing there since more than a decade maybe. Admin: Yeah. Manish: like last 14, 15 years. So we know that few roads, internal roads are there, which Google will not show you on the map. Right? And even if Google is showing your destination four hours away, it might take you eight hours or nine hours to reach there. Right? So you cannot rely on Google there. So I have seen people who have planned their rides, ⁓ like from point A to point B, it says like 300 kilometers. Admin: Hmm. Yeah. Manish: Generally you do 300 kilometers on a flat place you can do it easily in like five hours, right? 300 kilometers in that terrain will take the entire day Admin: Yeah. Rajendra: just to add to that, what happens is there are challenges that we face on the road. One, experience helps for sure. ⁓ Local knowledge is ⁓ helpful. But what think is going to be a game changer is ⁓ the Just Write app us. Because ⁓ the biggest challenge, ⁓ mean, we are with friends or we're writing with ⁓ our group. Admin: Yeah. Yeah. Rajendra: is that if someone is left behind because he said that, I'll come on my own and you just go ahead or I'll go to that place and you follow me. So what happens is it's important for us to know where all the riders are. And if at all we can have a visual image of where the person is, if at all he needs our help or if he doesn't need our help, that's where a problem is solved here. So kudos to you guys that I think that's going to be a big boon for us where we Admin: Yeah. Yeah. Rajendra: will ride more safe and the technology is going to help us in big way. Admin: ⁓ And one of the things that inspired us from certainly in the development of Just Ride when I spoke to you, Raja Motorcycle Life was, hang on a minute, what are the extreme challenges? Networker, Manish had mentioned there, and we have got SATCOMs, and you will be able to use the link through Iridium with some of the SATCOMs providers that we've used. we really looked at everything that you guys are doing and the challenges there and thought, how can we create a solution that will give you the confidence that gives you already give this confidence to people that with you, the very nature of who you are. But if we can fulfill some of the technology challenges and make that even easier, it's probably taking a little bit more pressure off you guys, because obviously, being with the most responsible people that you are on those expeditions. Yeah, can we plug that gap? And I think that's one of the things we're so excited about with Just Ride is that in those conditions, you know where everybody is, you know, at least the people have got a copy of the proper route, not the Google map route, you know what saying? And making sure that if they get a little bit left behind, they know where they're going. And if they have to get the SATCOMs connected, they'll be able to see the other people on the map as well. And if something goes wrong, as you know, we've got impact detection and emergency alerting. One of the big things is that alerting the people on a group, because we found it in Wales when a phone came off a bike. We knew where the phone was. Yeah, but we knew Andy was all right. He was like, where's my phone? And I think we learned from that when we were in Wales that, well, hang on a minute, we can build that element in the technology that we don't need the ambulance to turn up because he's OK. But in your environment, hang on a minute, someone's right back, has had an off, and we've been able to communicate with that. I think that's that. It really got us quite excited, to be honest, in terms of can. I mean, you did pose as quite a big challenge. mean, you can do it. do it in the most extreme places. think, well, I'm pretty confident we've now done that. But I'm really excited for you guys to take it out there and really embrace it and use it and, you know, stress test it. Rajendra: We are actually looking forward to it more than because you know how many times I've asked you, hey, where are we? Because we are keen on that because one, it will solve a lot of problems for us. It will make the rider confident. And it will probably be a new dimension in the riding in places where we don't exist on the maps. So we are equally excited. Admin: No. Yeah, absolutely. We've got some quick fire questions and we always finish a podcast on a few quick fire questions. So gentlemen, I'll ask you individually, okay, if that's all right. And we'll start with Manish. If money was no object, I probably know the answer to this Manish actually. If money was no object. what motorcycle would you buy? Manish: I think BMW 1300 Admin: ⁓ yes! Which one? Which one? Manish: R1300GS ⁓ Admin: Make sense. And these are never quick fire, by the way, because we always divert off and we were with a friend yesterday that's just bought one of the trophy edition he rocked up yesterday in Helmsley and it's he's gone from a Harley Davidson big what was it was it the streak light he got rid of? I think it was a streak light. Black. Manish: You Admin: Yes, it was black and it made the tees made on it. You could like plug your hairdryer it. would be totally unsuitable for the Himalayas. it would. ⁓ And he turned up yesterday and it's a great bike. mean, certainly 1300 now, is incredible. But so the same question for you then, Raj, what would you buy? Manish: you Rajendra: Probably, the terrain that I'm riding and places that I go, think a Triumph 900 would suit me. Admin: Nice bike. Yeah, Yeah. And you had one of those once upon a time, didn't you? I did. I had the off road by the way. And nearly the pro one. think it was it was it a GT pro. No, it was the 900 pro. And that was my first time on that kind of bike. And it was great. And actually, when it got delivered, it was wet. I remember take and I was literally throwing it around thinking, oh, Rajendra: Tiger Tram 900, yeah. Manish: Thank you. Admin: And what a great I love the grunt on it. I think was fantastic Bike but I only had it for I think it was about a weekend or something. But yeah, I enjoyed that. Yeah Manish Who's your motorcycle in hero? Manish: Okay, so I used to watch a lot of ⁓ Grand Prix and Valentino Rossi is the person who used to inspire me. I used to watch a lot of racing. used to be in the final few laps. He used to be at the fourth or fifth position and just in a matter of two laps he used to cross the lead. that's the person I think. Admin: Bye. He is the goat for a reason. is very, good. Raj? Rajendra: Yeah, easy. Manish: Yeah. Rajendra: Well, probably for me, Hiro would be someone who would inspire to do something for me. So probably if I have to consider motorcycling, Hiro, would prefer someone would be my dad because he got me into motorcycling. He was riding motorcycles when I was growing up. So that was one. And if at all I have to look at the public figure, think Che Guevara, I think I've read his story when he traveled through the entire South America and ⁓ probably... He transformed his life, probably that's relate to it on the transformational bit. And if I really look at the motorcyclists, I I saw Guy Martin riding a 500, bullet 500. And it was music. Everyone's left behind. He started late and he left everyone behind. yeah, so I'm sorry, lot of three videos instead of one. Admin: ⁓ That's probably the second mention for Guy actually. Come on Guy, come on. We'll make him a proper cup of tea I tell you that. ⁓ come on Guy. Manish, favourite place to ride your bike? Manish: You Rajendra: you Manish: So there's a place called Mori Plains. So Mori Plains, it's on the way from, if you're going towards Leh, there's a stretch of around 50-55 kilometers, straight roads, not straight roads, little ups and downs, but big valley and on the left and right there are huge huge enormous mountains. So that's the place I like the most. It's called Mori Plains. Admin: It'd be lovely if we have some images of that as well, we can get any images, that'd be lovely. Manish: Yeah, definitely, definitely. I'll try to share some facts with you. Admin: Thank you. Raj. Rajendra: Yeah, think Hanle would be the place because Hanle, if you go there, I mean, it is one of the most beautiful and surreal places that, for me, at least. what happens is when you go there, it transforms. It looks very different in the morning and when it's twilight, it's very different. So that transformation also is magical. And then again, at the night, you see the stars through your eyes. And then the places that we stay, Admin: Mm. Rajendra: It has got that ⁓ object which lets you, ⁓ that lets you see the galaxies and stars and planets. that way it's always a fascinating for me to write to Hanley, always. Admin: And I think that probably leads me to the next question. So I think I know the answer, Raj. And I'll start with you this time. It's sunrise on night rides. Rajendra: or it has to be mornings. Night is to enjoy with friends. Admin: Yes. Manish? Manish: For me it's early morning rides till the time sun sets, so maybe long rides. Admin: Yeah, well, yeah, well, I'm just gonna wrap it up there guys Thank you so much. Thank you so so much. Yeah. Yeah, and We're gonna have to start saving some money. Yeah, we're gonna lot of He's promised us a lot of adventure truly fully will sell some subscriptions so we can pay in fact that that could be it that Could be our whole thing Manish: Ha ha ha. Admin: Yeah, buy a subscription so we can come to the Himalayas and fulfill our dreams. Yeah, that sounds like a good plan. There's a lot of other dreams we need to fulfill as well. Before going to the going there, I would imagine we'll probably see you guys again at MCL this year. Will you be there this year? Manish: Ha ha ha. Rajendra: Yes, we will be there. will surely be there. And probably we'll have more stories for you and your customers to share and more proof of concepts with us. Admin: That's very cool. I'm looking forward to you getting your hands on Just Ride and you know, us being able to see you document some of those rides out there and the photographs you can add to it and yeah, that's going to be fantastic. we are really, really thankful you made the time today to come and join us on the Just Ride podcast. Don't forget if you're, if you're, on, don't forget if you're watching this, don't forget to like, subscribe. Yeah, please, please put some comments in for the guys if you've been on one of their tours. How was it? If you haven't, why haven't you? But yeah, reach out to the guys, get involved. They will look after you. We're very excited. We're so thankful that you came on the show today and we wish you every success with Royal Bikers. Guys, well done. Thank you. Rajendra: Thank you so much. Manish: Thank you.