Experience the patriotic spirit at these Independence Day bike rides in Mumbai

West Coast Riders Meet has been hosting bike rides since 2021

Say Independence Day and most of us think of it in terms of proudly saluting the nation and using the day-off from work for some much needed rest and additional time with friends and family. For the West Coast Riders Meet (WCRM), an association of motorcyclists comprising over 180 clubs around India, August 15 is more than just another bank holiday. The group, which is hosting a series of bike rides around the city this Independence Day, combines their chosen hobby with a fundraising opportunity for the families of Indian soldiers.

"We provide a donation box at our events, where anyone who is interested can donate whatever they can. It's a contribution for the families of martyred soldiers, who have experienced great loss," says organiser Gaurav Rajpurohit. "We are hosting these bike rides at two different locations around Mumbai to honour India's soldiers as a group. Since August 15 is a day off for many people, the idea is that we can use that time to stand up for the soldiers of our nation, in the true spirit of Independence Day. The Vasai-Virar ride, for example, is only two hours."

The bike rides are aimed at raising funds for charity, like the welfare of families of martyred soldiers

The bike rides, which will be held at Vasai, Navi Mumbai, Mira Road, Bandra and Powai, span from 30 to 60 km, and will mainly consist of Royal Enfield riders. "Our Vasai-Virar event will only have Royal Enfield riders, but our ride from Navi Mumbai to Camp Max off the Mumbai-Pune highway allows all bikes above 150 cc."

WCRM has been running these events since 2012, on both Independence Day and Republic Day, focusing on a range of different charitable causes. The group also has an annual event for International Women's Day in March, in which female riders lead the group. "Along with raising awareness of the bravery of our soldiers, we also hold other events which support causes like women's empowerment. For our ride for International Women's Day, we encourage female riders on any two-wheeled vehicle to join us and lead the journey."

WCRM events have a huge turnout every year, with up to 700 motorcyclists gathering together to enjoy the ride as a group. Rajpurohit says, "When we began hosting these events in 2012, we had even more riders showing up for the same event. We had around 3,800 riders for a single event, but we realised that managing almost 4,000 riders safely is not an easy job. Now, we have split this event into several smaller rides around the city, with our primary aim being to promote road safety. This year, the Vasai traffic police will be riding along with us to raise awareness for road safety."

In keeping with this goal, the group also has strict rules for riders to keep the event as safe as possible for everyone involved. "We will turn away anyone who isn't wearing a helmet or is wearing slippers, for instance," Rajpurohit explains. The full list of rules for riders is available on their Facebook page.

WHAT: Independence Daybike rides
WHEN: August 15
WHERE: Vasai-Virar, Navi Mumbai, Mira Road, Bandra, Powai
TO BOOK: I-Ride with Safety on Facebook