After an intense monsoon this year, it’s time for Goa to turn not just warm, but hot and roaring. India’s party capital is set to become the country’s motorcycling capital starting this weekend, with three festivals coming up – Royal Enfield Motoverse, TVS MotoSoul, and the India Bike Week.
Motoverse: Happening from November 21-23, the Motoverse – previously called the Rider Mania – is Royal Enfield’s signature festival, where riders from India and across the world take part. This year, riders can take part in dirt track championship, challenge themselves at Ace the Hill (hill climb race), and for the first time try and break limits on the Guerrilla 450 (the activity is called Busted Knuckles Build Off). Those who love the Himalayan 450 can take part in the Himalayan Spirit, a unique off-road experience.
Beyond the bikes, Motoverse also has an artist line-up boasting of Hanumankind and Diplo, alongside performances from pop-and-rock bands such as Euphoria, The Yellow Diary, and Thaikkudam Bridge.
An annual trend is that people ride to Motoverse – from places as far as Delhi and Kerala, either alone or as part of a riding club. Royal Enfield told FE that a lot of foreigners also attend it – who fly in, let’s say, to Mumbai, and ride a motorcycle from there. Even people who directly fly to Goa usually take a bike on rent and ‘ride to Motoverse’.
MotoSoul: For the first time, TVS Motor Company is organising MotoSoul independently (previously it used to be held alongside the India Bike Week). TVS expects thousands of its riders to descent to MotoSoul from December 5-6. The company said this year’s event is themed ‘All Out Motorcycling’, with an “adrenaline-packed itinerary featuring motorsports activities such as dirt track racing, stunt battles, FMX shows, and the Globe of Death performance (similar to the Maut ka Kuan spectacle in circuses). Like Motoverse, MotoSoul will also have live music concerts, international DJ nights, freestyle shows, community rides, as well as exclusive product launches and showcases.
India Bike Week: The oldest of such festivals, the IBW – December 19-20 – isn’t tied to a single manufacturer, but is open to all. Once can ride in on a Royal Enfield, a TVS, a Bajaj, a Hero, or just walk in. Organiser Martin de Costa told FE that the IBW is Asia’s largest motorcycling festival, and this year will be the 12th edition. “Under the ethos of ‘Everyone as One’, the IBW champions a non-judgmental, inclusive community where all riders – regardless of their machine or origin – are united by the shared spirit of the ride,” de Costa said. “The IBW is more than a festival; it’s a cultural movement that offers a rare chance for Indian and international riders to come together, rev their engines, and experience the pure, unadulterated passion of motorcycling.”
For attending all these festivals, patrons need to buy tickets, available online.
Where are they held?
All these will be held at Hilltop, Vagator, in North Goa, because of logistical, geographical, and cultural factors. Hilltop has been famous for hosting large-scale music events (such as Sunburn) for decades, and is a massive and open ground that can handle the complex infrastructure required for motorcycling festivals. Spread over 10 acres, Hilltop has sufficient space for racing and off-road activities, as well as safe space to accommodate 15,000 to 20,000 riders. In addition, because of such large-scale events being organised over the years, the Vagator-Anjuna belt has thousands of hotels, guesthouses, and campsites to support the massive influx of visitors. One of the organisers told FE that the region is accustomed to hosting large, multi-day music and cultural festivals, and this has made local logistics, permits, and vendor support readily available. The timing is also right, coinciding with Goa’s peak tourist season when the weather is pleasant and dry for outdoor activities.
Global events
While these are India’s showpiece motorcycling events, there are far bigger fests globally – such as the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (held in Sturgis, South Dakota, USA), with a quarter of a million bikes – and Ducati and BMW do their own brand festivals, which are also bigger.
