Torquing India with Vir Nakai

Some years ago I started following the Instagram account of Vir Nakai (@Virnakai) and was enthralled by the many beautiful motorcycles that graced his page, and importantly where they were taking him and his friends. It turns out I wasn't the only one, his page has amassed followers from around the world, more than six and a half thousand at last count. 

Photo Credit: Harsh Man Rai

As luck would have it, Vir is currently on holiday in London while his wife has been working on the production design of Bollywood movies being filmed here. With a generous amount of patience granted to us by his five year old daughter, I was able to learn a little more about Vir's affinity with the wonderful world of motorcycling. 

 

The author, Gia and Vir Nakai at the Bike Shed

Vir has been around motorcycles from a very early age; he recalls "When I was three-years-old I was sitting on the tank of my father's Royal Enfield, we were riding home from the shops and I was holding some eggs. Next thing you know, I'm on the ground, amazingly neither the eggs nor me were damaged!" 

This potential scare never put Vir off the idea of riding himself. Although concerned about safety, his father said he could ride but with certain stipulations, “he said I must pass my schooling... which I never quite did, and it must be a Royal Enfield.” Vir has indeed obliged with the latter, having owned around 10 Royal Enfield’s now and using them as the bike of choice for his tours across India.

After studying a combination of Economics, English and Psychology, Vir started working with a software company before moving into advertising. Not satisfied in his day job he used an opportunity of being selected as a rider for a 10-part television series, aptly called “The Road Trip” as a springboard into the motorcycle industry. He began writing for various publications including AutoCar India, and then started the Helmet Stories blog with Harsh ManRai whom he’d met on The Road Trip. Harsh was the man responsible for bringing the ‘Rolling Stones’ and five other publications into India.

Matching Sunset Edition Enfield - Photo Credit: Vir Nakai

 Through the Helmet Stories blog more and more people were asking about the roads Vir was riding and that’s how the tours began. “We’ve never paid for marketing, it’s all word-of-mouth, the blog and our Instagram page” he says. “I’d rather sell India, I’d rather see people come back and do their own rides, I’ll help them!” Rest assured that Vir and his team are conscientious in making their tours as environmentally sustainable and ethically responsible to the remote communities they may pass; from leaving no litter behind and bringing their own firewood due to deforestation issues down to employing local staff who help ensure indigenous cultures are respected.

Traversing a tricky section. Photo Credit: Harsh Man Rai

There is no ‘one’ ride that Vir recommends, “honestly there are too many great roads to choose from and it doesn’t matter what time of year, there’s always somewhere fantastic to ride in India, always,” he tells me. If however you want to ride the Himalayas specifically there is a limited window from May – September before the water crossings on roads as high as 18,000ft (~5500m) get too deep.

Dwarfed by nature. Photo credit: Harsh Man Rai 

Vir is able to work a job he is infectiously passionate about thanks to the tribal-like support of his family. His daughter get's to stay with every variety of relatives while he's off traversing the rural parts of the country, taking riders from the world over along with him. If you would like to take a tour with Vir as many including Ted Simon (the author of Jupiter’s Travels) at a modest 80 odd years of age have done, or to get advice on planning your own, then feel free to contact him on his instagram @VirNakai or through the Helmetstories website.

Extreme adventurers Jay Kannaiyan and Ted Simon. Photo Credit: Vir Nakai 

Vir's Triumph on top of the world. Photo Credit: Vir Nakai 

Happiness is found in a hairpin through the mountains. Photo Credit: Harsh Man Rai 

Ribboning roads beckon. Photo Credit: Vir Nakai

A wise man takes in the view. Photo Credit: Harsh Man Rai

Photo Credit: Harsh Man Rai

Relaxing with the local wildlife. Photo credit: Vir Nakai

Honda XL250 restored to former glory

The beautifully restored Honda XL250. 

It’s no coincidence that long-time bike fan Charlie Webster chose to restore a 1972 Honda XL250.

Charles on his competition winning bike

The 61-year-old Brisbane electrical contractor owned three XLs during the ‘70s and was the first person to pick one up from the Honda dealership in Toowoomba. That same year he rode the XL to an unexpected victory at the Queensland Enduro Championships and the only modification Charlie made was to fit a larger knobby tyre on the front. The owner of the dealership was very happy with Charlie’s win because the XL sold like hotcakes following that unexpected victory.

Charlie was not only the underdog because the Honda XL250 had not had a lot of off-road race success, but he was also competing against race favourite Hans Tholstrup . The well-known Danish adventurer’s achievements read like an extract from the Guinness Book of Records: solo crossing of Australia by car; motorcycle crossing east-west; solo flight around the world in the smallest plane; fastest around the world by motorcycle; truck across Australia’s centre; double-decker bus jump of 25 motorcycles with Dick Smith; solo walk across Simpson Desert; open boat from Australia to Japan; and solar car across a continent.

Charlie’s mates had given him a hard time before the race, but he entered just for the love of riding. The glory of a race win against Tholstrup on an unlikely bike came as a welcome surprise.

Charlie also rode one of his XLs from Toowoomba to Mt Isa across mainly unsealed roads. It took him three days because the bike has a limited range of just 100km.The epic ride paved the way for his business as an electrical contractor, travelling the countryside on his BMW R75/6 carrying everything he needed to give someone a thorough quote.

Among the memorable bikes Charlie has ridden over the years was a Norton 750 Commando Fastback that belonged to a mate. He had swapped his car for the bike as a favour so his mate could get around while recovering from a motorcycle accident.

Charlie also had his share of crashes. The worst was crashing a Suzuki PE175 at Conondale motocross track and breaking his leg. 

Prior to restoration. 

After a long search, Charlie found an XL in Toowoomba that was in a suitable condition for restoration. It had low mileage and Charlie knew the only two previous owners from when it was bought brand new in 1972. The XL didn’t need a lot of mechanical work, but it was badly corroded. It took Charlie a little over 12 months to source all the parts and return the bike to its original condition.

For his next venture, Charlie seems to be following in the footsteps of his old racing nemesis, Hans Tholstrup. Earlier this year Charlie bought a 1989 BMW R 100 GS Paris-Dakar edition and he is now preparing to circumnavigate Australia.