Indian bikes gave tough competition to high-performance machines negotiating the tough terrain at the Desert Storm rally
Indian bikes gave tough competition to high-performance machines negotiating the tough terrain at the Desert Storm rally
A 135 cc local-made bike versus a 500 cc KTM or Honda?
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Made in India: Participants riding Indian bikes at the Desert Storm rally
Pics/Shashank Shekhar |
Looks like no competition at all. But, the ground reality proved a far cry from the performance analysis on the paper.
A non-modified 135 cc Yamaha bike beat a 500 cc KTM, Honda and Polaris. That too, while negotiating one of the toughest terrains at the recently-concluded Desert Storm rally in Rajasthan.
Mohanlal Sharma, won the race on his non-modified bike ahead of some of the meanest machines that were specially imported for one of the country's toughest motor-sport events.
"I participate in all major rallies of India. This time I was surprised to see high- performance bikes specially Polaris at the Desert Storm rally. After the first stage, I realized the rally is not about only engine power but navigation skills."
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Thrills on the wheels: A participant on his superbike at the rally |
Superb suspension and hi -tech tracking system provided anu00a0 edge to the superbikes. Runner-up Raj Rathore, a travel and tour operator who was riding a Fiero bike said, "My bike was low on power and had an average suspension. But while racing, Iu00a0 was ahead of better machines."
"My bike was not even equipped with the Global Positioning system (GPS) to track directions. So, I kept following tyre marks and fortuantely I was spot on."
Indian biker Sanjay, who drove an Honda CRF said, "Indian bikes performed really well because their riders made correct decisions which is very important at such terrains. Desert storm rally is particularly very difficult for bikers because apart from the terrain, they have to wear the same clothes for five days and almost everyone falls as the rally route is one of the toughest."
