xBhp.com's THE GREAT INDIAN ROADTRIP Cavalcade Completes 8000 km and Transits Through Mumbai

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India , 2006-10-18

A group of five bikers, on a nationwide 20,000 km road trip, today zoomed into Mumbai in the wee hours of the morning. The bikers are part of The Great Indian Road Trip and entered Mumbai on the second leg of their journey across the country. As they drove into Mumbai, the bikers drove straight to the historic Gateway of India to commemorate the milestone of having completed 8000 km on their trip. Spread over 110 days, 26 states and with 5 bikes, The Great Indian Road Trip, has been conceived by India’s largest pan-India biking community, xBhp.com.

xBhp.com, backed by its principal sponsor Castrol Power1 and a host of other sponsors, has undertaken an ambitious road trip through the length and breadth of India on bikes and motoscooters. The Great Indian Road Trip was flagged off from Delhi on 15th August in an event that attracted huge attendance of biking enthusiasts.

The aim has been to undertake the most radical pan-India road trip ever conceived. It is an expression of freedom and the spirit of exploring the world. This trip is not just about the thrill of traveling around India on motorbikes but about discovering new routes, the surreal experiences, interacting with strangers, and above all appreciating the diversity and beauty of India. This trip will bring together all this and preserve the memories in the form of thousands of visuals and videos, to be converted into a coffee-table book & an online repository of information that could become a treasure for travelers and explorers of India.

xBhp.com is a pan - India non profit biking community with thousands of members. The road trip will be done on India’s most exciting bikes - the Kinetic Comet 250, Kinetic Italiano Jupiter and Kinetic Italiano Blaze, as well as a super bike - the Fireblade CBR 1000-RR. All bikes have been running on Castrol Power1 engine oil - a top grade bike lubricant specially engineered to meet the high performance requirements of latest 4 stroke bikes.

Saugata Basuray, Marketing Manager, Castrol India Ltd., the main sponsor of the trip said, “Castrol has close links to some of the great feats achieved by man and machine through its long-term support of sporting and record breaking achievements on land, sea and in air for over a century. It was therefore logical for us to support this great journey that the xBhp bikers are embarking on. All the motorcycles will be running on Castrol Power1 – our top of the line, high performance premium 4 stroke motorcycle oil. Power1 incorporates Castrol’s proprietory Trizone technology which ensures complete protection of the three critical parts of a 4 stroke bike – clutch, engine and gear. The xBhp team was looking for the best oil for their expedition which will take them through some of the most treacherous terrain and Castrol Power1 was their obvious choice.

“It’s been a fascinating journey for the biking enthusiasts who have braved the undulating vagaries of the terrain and nature alike. Already, the 8000 km journey has been a saga of human adventure. For demanding conditions like cross country road trips, it was very critical for us to choose a lubricant that would ensure that the riders get the maximum performance and power from their machines on this challenging endeavour. Castrol Power1 emerged as the natural choice and the experience of the bikers with Castrol Power1 has been stupendous”, according to Sundeep Gajjar, Head Convener, xBhp.com

Some Quick Facts:

The Trip:

-- 20,000 km across India.
-- Over 570 cities in 26 states.
-- 6 bikes and two backup vehicles
-- One of the World’s fastest Superbikes (CBR 1000RR Fireblade)
-- 3 Italian Scooters (Kinetic Italiano)
-- Hyosung Comet GT-250 (Kinetic)
-- 2 Backup Vans (Force Motors) & a Mobile Communications Center.
-- The team comprises of young automotive journalists & photographers equipped with professional SLR and Mini DVD cameras (Canon).
-- The Mobile Communication Center will enable the required connectivity allowing the photographs and videos to be uploaded on to the Internet. This will allow the GIR team to share their experiences with desktop adventurers around the world.
-- Scheduled city rallies in 6 major cities of Delhi, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai and Chennai will have hundreds of automotive enthusiasts joining the GIR team. (For G2G’s and short trips on route)
-- The GIR shall also be a potent medium to widely spread awareness on different social causes across the rural/urban populace it will pass through.
-- The GIR will also have an interactive element with the online community allowing them to suggest the itinerary at each place the GIR team visits. This online element will happen in real time, enabling the community to effectively drive the trip.
-- All the vehicles will be completely branded with the signage of the sponsors, making this the first branded road trip ever in India.

Online Resources:

-- Official club website : http://www.xBhp.com
-- Official trip website : http://www.theGreatIndianRoadTrip.com
-- Trip blog on rediff.com (promoted by rediff.com) : http://xbhp.rediffiland.com

About Castrol Power1:

Castrol Power1 is a top grade bike lubricant specially engineered to meet the high performance requirements of latest 4 stroke bikes.

Castrol has been associated with Moto GP – the ultimate contest of man and machine in the biking world, for several years. Castrol Power1 – which is available globally in over 30 countries, incorporates all the learning that Castrol has gained over the years while developing racing technology. Along with a unique Power Release formula it incorporates Castrol’s trade marked Trizone technology, which ensures optimum protection for a bike’s three most critical parts – engine, clutch and gear. For enthusiast bikers, Power1 makes the difference.

About Castrol India Limited

Castrol India Limited is a public limited company in which 70.92 % of the paid-up capital is held by Castrol Limited, U.K which is a part of BP Group worldwide. Starting off as a trading unit in India, Castrol has grown to become the largest lubricant company in the retail automotive segment. Castrol has constantly demonstrated its commitment to Indian consumers by offering world class products, backed by the highest level of customer service. Castrol India is acknowledged as the technology leader in the Indian lubricant industry.

For more on Castrol India, visit www.castrol.co.in

Contact

Archana Thomas, IPAN, Mumbai, + 91 (022) 2266 1755 / + 91 9322702013
[email protected]