MUMBAI :

As an avid motorcyclist, Sundays are either for breakfast rides or brunches. So, when the invitation for the Suzuki Matsuri came, plans changed, and the afternoon was dedicated to a much anticipated gathering of bikers, Suzuki fanboys, and girls. Last week, Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd presented the 3rd edition of the Matsuri event in Mumbai, a mere 20 minute ride from my home, and suffice to say… I had a real blast there.

On my way to the event, all I could see around were biker groups riding their clean Suzukis and heading to the event arena. People had come on their scooters and motorcycles, and while there were motorcycles from other brands that tried to blend in with the groups, but they stood out like sore thumbs. In the small lanes, the roads seemed to be owned by Suzuki motorcycles. It was quite a spectacle and in a way displayed what awaited at the Matsuri event.

Even though it was already December in Mumbai, the afternoon was hot, and wearing a helmet and riding gear was a sweaty affair. Stomping around in boots, finding the entrance to the event, everywhere I turned all I could see was enthusiasts smiling and talking about their motorcycles. Some riders knew each other, while others were just being introduced to new faces. The only thing that was common here was the Suzuki logo and motorcycles.

“Suzuki Matsuri’s number one objective is the celebration of the spirit of motorcycling. For us, it is about the passion of motorcycling,” said Devashish Handa, Executive Vice President - Sales, Marketing, and After-Sales at SMIPL. And that was pretty evident at this event. SMIPL, had gone all out to offer riders all the thrill and excitement on the tracks that they had specially constructed in order to give riders a taste as close as possible to the real thing. 

SMIPL had constructed a Gymkhana and an Enduro track for the participants, where they could try out their three offerings, the Suzuki Gixxer, the V-Strom SX ,and the Avenis. I tried out all the three two-wheelers on offer and needless to say, it was a super fun experience. Starting from the Enduro track, the V-Strom SX surely tackled everything that was handed to it, including a steep climb and descent, followed by a small patch of sand to test the traction ability of the bike. The Enduro track was a perfect place to show the capabilities of the V-Strom SX, where the bike excelled even at the hands of novice riders. This was just another testament to the durability and ease of handling of the bike, not to mention, the go-anywhere nature of the adventure tourer. The motorcycle, even after all the bashing it took at the hands of the participants, went on relentlessly through the loop, without breaking a sweat.

After that, the first stop at the Gymkhana was to test the Avenis 125, which was really peppy through the corners and was really fun to fling around. The acceleration of the scooter was enough to keep you on your toes in the small track, and the handling was good enough to navigate through the rather tight curves on the track. At any given point on the track, the scooter did not feel out of its comfort zone and kept zipping through without any problems.

The final stop was the Gixxer, which went through the paces on the track with the mix of curves and a small straight, providing a very thrilling experience. The Gixxer was quite out of place on the track but that was primarily because of the fact that the tyres could not keep up with the spotty tarmac. With a few slips through the corners, the Gixxer completed the track and kept the adrenaline levels up until you got off.

The all-Suzuki motorcycle parade was one of the more eye catching highlights of the event. If the parade was not a testament of people’s love for the brand, the waiting line outside the box office to get the tickets and wristbands to get in that I saw this morning was surely one. Inside, the guests grooved around the electrifying music sets from the likes of DJs such as Dj Sazi and Gravity, amongst others. The lucky draw and contests were also a good way to keep the guests engaged and their spirits high. If the entertainment stage was not enough, the stunting area surely did that work with the stunt riders keeping the gaze of audiences with their brilliant performances.

The Suzuki Matsuri event was a high octane and energetic event that captivated the audiences which came from across the country. The interactive booths kept up with the crowds and the food stalls made sure that it catered to different palates. The superbike stall, which included the Suzuki Katana, Suzuki Hayabusa, Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE, and the Suzuki GSX-8R, was a hotspot for all enthusiasts to admire at the beautiful motorcycles built by the company. The 2024 edition of the Matsuri was surely for the passion of motorcycling and at the end of the day there sure were a lot of very happy faces around.