There is no better feeling than hopping on a bike and riding to a place you don’t know, just to enjoy the breeze and watch the sunset. A biker’s life is more about the journey rather than the destination. Bikers ride because it provides a sense of adventure, it free’s their mind temporarily, they feel like one with nature or the world. Also from being a great hobby, it allows them to practice and share in social relationships.
Bisontes Locos is not your typical bikers club, where you need to earn your place. Standing for camaraderie, experiences, and passion for riding, this club will welcome you with open arms. All you got to do is put on a helmet, throw on that leather, and just get riding. All bikers are welcome to this club as long as they ride bikes above 200cc. Safety comes first with Bisontes Locos, so you need to be having that helmet and riding gear on for all types of rides. From impromptu rides to planned journeys, these guys do it all. The aim is to encourage anyone who has a passion for riding. On rides on those endless roads, you’ll make new friends and your passion will only grow when you move in this pack.
Bisontes Locos is a motorcycle club in Goa with a set of ideals that purport to celebrate freedom, nonconformity to mainstream culture, travel, and loyalty to the biker group. At Goan Insider we had a chat with one of the founding members, Peter Fernandes. The excerpts of our conversation are below.
Tell us a little about yourself
My name is Peter Fernandes and I’m from Gaunsawaddo, Mapusa. I am working on the Indian Super League (ISL) project with the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG). But what I’m most proud about is that I’m the Founder of the Bisontes Locos Motorcycle Club (MC), based in Mapusa, Goa.
The Locos, as we call ourselves, consists of a group of motorcycle riding enthusiasts with a deep passion for exploring the hidden gems and beautiful hinterlands locations in Goa, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. We meet and go on rides almost every other weekend. We firmly believe that, if Goa is promoted well for its all-around beauty, which consists of not just the beaches but the evergreen forests and wildlife sanctuaries, it holds the potential of being one of the top eco-tourism hubs of the world.
What is the inspiration behind starting Bisontes Locos and how did you come up with the name?
Bisontes Locos was inspired by the love for motorcycling and to form a brotherhood of motorcycle touring enthusiasts. As a group, we could explore more places than we could individually.
The name Bisontes Locos is inspired by the state animal of Goa, the majestic Gaur (Indian Bison). The Gaur is a symbol of pride and strength. ‘Locos’ is a Portuguese word for crazy. Back in 2013, the first India Bike Week festival was scheduled to be held in Goa and we wanted to represent our state of Goa at the festival. So we came up with this funky Portuguese name which translates to “Crazy Bisons”. The top rocker on our club patch represents the club name – Bisontes Locos; the middle is the club logo and the bottom rocker represents the area of operations – Goa. The letters M.C. at the right-hand corner of the logo stand for “Motorcycle Club”.
When was the club first started? How has the journey been so far?
The club unofficially started in 2013, when five members of our riding group made their presence felt at the India Bike Week Festival in December at Vagator, Goa. We wore custom designed Bisontes Locos MC t-shirts. Since 2013, we have been going on bike rides, but in an unstructured manner. I decided to add some structure and took on the responsibility of getting ourselves formally registered in September 2018.
The journey has been really good so far. Since the formal registration in September 2018, as a club, we have successfully completed 41 motorcycle rides, covering in total 12,500kms. Our rides cover a minimum of 250kms as a single day ride.
When was the first time the founding members realised their love for motorcycles?
4 members of the Locos have known each other since higher secondary school. We all owned geared bikes when we finished college and had the knack for exploring places within Goa, at the most Amboli or Chorla Ghats. This way back in 2006 to 2007. In college, we had a plan to set out to explore each and every beach in Goa. We were successful with that mission and managed to pen down 55 beaches. I guess the beach mission was what kind of kick-started the innate love for motorcycles, as the motorcycle would let us see more and explore beyond our comfort zone. We had to endure some difficult treks to discover some beaches. Today, those beaches have some sort of access, for example, Cola Beach and Butterfly Beach.
Run us through the various activities the club and it’s members are involved in
Our primary focus is organising planned day rides within Goa and to the neighboring states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. Every ride includes some bit of exploring, eating local food and discovering new scenic spots.
We are partnering with Goa Motorcycle Club (Goa MC) to organise 10 rides till December 2020. The inaugural ride with the Goa MC was held successfully on 13th September 2020. There will be 9 more rides in the next few months culminating in what we call the ‘Santa Ride’ around Christmas time.
How has the response been from other Goans towards your club?
We are only Goans in the club so far. The response has been encouraging and every ride we do, there’s always new riders joining us, which is satisfying to see the least.
Did your family support you when you first started riding a motorcycle? How about now?
Oh yes! It was my dad who bought me my first motorcycle which was a Hero Honda Passion. It might sound cliché, but it actually was the start of my motorcycling passion.
My parents know that the club is a weekend venture and not something that I am relying on for my finances. Our club riders do not drink alcohol on rides and of the 41 rides done together, post the completion of the rides, we have sat for a couple of beers on maybe 5 occasions. So technically, any healthy activity goes well with family.
What are all the routes and destinations the club has been to? Which would be the most memorable one?
We have kept a record of all the 41 rides that the club has completed so far. Most content is available on our Facebook page and Instagram handle, Bisontes Locos.
Our club members have done the Yumthang Valley, Sikkim trip in April 2018, Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir trip in October 2018, and another member has personally done motorcycle rides in France and Canada, where he works almost 3-4 months of the year.
There seem to be a number of communities and riding groups for riders? How does someone who is just starting get involved, say even with your club?
Yes! There are a number of riding groups for riders in Goa. Most clubs encourage any rider with a scooter or motorcycle to join on their rides. Those clubs don’t have any distinction from the engine capacity of the motorcycle or scooter or the type of bike. They focus on ensuring their rides are safe and enjoyable. To get involved with our club, the rider needs to have his/her own motorcycle of a minimum of 200cc capacity. We don’t encourage riders with scooters as our rides cover a minimum of 250kms for a single day ride and sometimes include difficult terrain.
Could you tell us about future destinations you are planning rides to?
The Locos are planning a motorcycle ride starting February 2022 that will cover 6 countries – India, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. The details of the ride are being worked out and will be made public by January 2021, so that other like-minded and experienced riders could plan in advance and join us on this epic adventure.
here’s another ride planned for October 2021 from Goa to Arunachal Pradesh. This ride plan will be made public soon by October 2020.
What is your best memory ever regarding Motorcycles or the club? Which is the worst?
Conquering 3 Ghats, namely, Chorla Ghat, Tilari Ghat and Amboli Ghat in a single day. Also, riding a 450kms loop via Kaiga Nuclear Plant, Yellapur, Londa, and back in a single day is also a quite memorable ride.
Luckily, we haven’t had our share of a very bad experience yet. There have been bike breakdowns, tire punctures, electrical problems with the bikes, but we have somehow managed to overcome a lot of difficulties along the way.
How is the riding scene in India as compared to other countries? Have you seen any changes over the recent times?
The motorcycle culture is slowly becoming mainstream in India. A lot of clubs have sprung up in India lately. The number of clubs has increased by almost 200% when I compare the clubs represented in the first edition of the India Bike Week in 2013, to that of the latest edition held in 2019.
What do you think about the stereotypes that people have on you, bikers?
People associate a group of bikers as being nuisance creators. Sometimes loud aftermarket exhausts are fitted with the motorcycle, resulting in noise pollution. We are also looked at as showoffs just because we wear the proper riding jacket and gear on our rides.
If there was one thing you could change about the way people perceive or think about riding, what would it be?
I feel people do not respect the power of their motorcycles enough and fail to understand that in the wrong hands it could mean death. Parents should not fall for their child’s pressure to buy a performance vehicle, especially a bike above 200cc engine capacity. Riding with a helmet is a life and death decision and a helmet should be a crown on your head every time you start your bike. Another big aspect is that motorcycling riding is perceived as a “Boys or Men thing” to do. It’s definitely not and every woman out there should experience the joy of riding a motorcycle, regardless of engine capacity and type of motorcycle design.
What does motorcycling and the club bring to you? What is so empowering about it?
Motorcycling has helped me make some really good friends, who I can proudly call my brothers. I know I have people who I can rely on and have my back. We are a close-knit group of individuals from various fractions of life. We are all equal in the club, with no room to differentiate any individual based on religion, caste, colour, profession etc. We support each other in both, our personal and professional lives. That is very empowering for me.
If you had advice or something to say to bikers or future bikers, what would you want to tell them?
Respect your motorcycle! It takes a lot of practice, patience, and hard work riding thousands of kilometers to become a good rider. Always wear a helmet, shoes, and proper gear while riding, even if it’s for a short ride downtown. Take care of your motorcycle like it’s your baby.
What is the dream with Bisontes Locos?
The ultimate dream of Bisontes Locos is to grow our community in collaboration with the Goan M.C., and to assist charities that are using the power of sports for uplifting the lives of underprivileged children. We want to tie-up with organizations such as Khelo Rugby in Calcutta, Oscar Foundation in Mumbai, and Child Reach Nepal, whom some members of our club have directly worked with in the past. We plan to start charity rides from mid-2021, once we can put together a concrete plan. We have really good examples to follow such as the Sikh Motorcycle Club Punjab that basically is the heart and soul of the Khalsa Aid NGO. The Sikh MC members pool in their resources and contacts to do good and that’s what we want to do. Most of our members have lived privileged lives with a good family, but understand that as a community we can do much better for the ones that don’t have a family.
Do you have a story to share with the world? Send us an email at contact.goaninsider@gmail.com
Author: Jonas Monteiro
Jonas Monteiro is the co-founder at 'Goan Insider' and also the founder of 'La Festa', a food business in Goa. He is the founder of 'Artiste Domain', an event and digital marketing company based in India and the co-founder of 'Domain Records', a record label based in India and L.A. He is a qualified therapist holding a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology with over 4 years of experience in mental health. Jonas is also a well-renowned Musician, Singer-Songwriter, DJ, Writer and a serial Entrepreneur. A very social individual who loves connecting and interacting with people. To get in touch with him you can Follow and DM him on Instagram @jonasmonteiromusic or email him at jonascastilhomonteiro@gmail.com
