Sportsmen and their Rides

Riding the success with the motorbikes and flaunting them is the new cool for cricketers around the world. Cricket is worshipped in India just as people worship the deities. It is not just a sport for Indians, it is a religion rather. Motorbikes are the next important thing to Indians. India is one of the leading manufacturers of motorbikes in the world. With the explicit range of motorbikes in the market today, the cricketers own some of the most exquisite and a swanky bike of all times as it has become a style statement too. They are often seen vaunting their bikes. Scroll down to explore the love of the cricketers for their bikes.

1. Mahendra Singh Dhoni:

MSD, the renowned captain of the Indian Cricket Team is a well-known biker amongst other cricketers. A fervent admirer of bikes, he is affluent enough to buy all the bikes; he owns 16 bikes in total, which have exorbitant prices. This ardent cricketer owns a variety of bikes in his garage which comprises of a Kawasaki Ninja ZX14-R, a Ducati 1098S, numerous Yamaha RD350s and a custom bike that was made exclusively for him by TVS Motors. He also launched his own World Super Sports Championship racing team, named ‘Mahi Racing India’!

His latest acquisition is a jet black Confederate Hellcat X132. The bike in itself is the result of an uncompromised design and manufacturing approach. It ensures superior performance, reliability, ergonomics and quality. The superbly engineered case is machined from two blocks of billet 6061 aircraft grade aluminum instead of using the usual casting method. It combines in itself America's best V-Twin technology and America's superior powertrain technology. The Hellcat employs a 2163cc V-Twin engine that outputs 132 bhp and 203 Nm of torque. It is a bike best suited to cruise around a town at a sedate pace. The Hellcat retails at a mind-boggling price of Rs. 60 lacs. A well-deserved bike for the captain, that is as unique and cool as he is on the cricketing field.


2. Shikhar Dhawan:

Shikhar Dhawan, the famous Indian opening batsman who started his career in March 2013, is also a bike lover. He currently owns a Suzuki GSX 1300R Hayabusa. Dhawan is one of the key players in the IPL franchise ‘Sunrisers Hyderabad’. He is known for his sturdy physique, warrior-like aggression and a strong character of his own, akin to the characteristics of the Hayabusa. The Suzuki Hayabusa is the most distinguishable bike in India. The motorcycle is built on a light yet rigid twin-spar aluminum frame with an aerodynamic design. The bike core is a booming 1340cc engine that produces 197 bhp and 137 Nm of torque. The engine features Suzuki’s SDTV fuel injection system with dual 12-hole, fine spray injectors per cylinder and a ram air intake with large volume airbox. Fluid clutch engagement, robust off-idle torque, and well-sorted fueling add up to super-smooth departures from stops. The standard anti-lock brakes with a firm two-finger squeeze deliver tire-howling. At a starting price of Rs 15 lakhs, the Suzuki Hayabusa may cost lesser than most other superbikes in its class and this bike is recommended only for the most hardcore speed junkies!

3. Pragyan Ojha:

26 years old Pragyan Ojha is a reserved, hardworking Indian cricketer who has spun the cricketing world with his spins. He is also labelled as one of India’s best-left arm spinners. Currently, he owns Harley-Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight. The price value of this bike is Rs. 9,15,475 approximately. It is an urban brawler that drips attitude from every element; from the fat, balloon tires to the all-steel peanut tank to the solo seat. The premium suspension with cartridge damping up front and an adjustable cartridge emulsion system in back helps in maneuvering the 260 kg bike in the city and imparts a comfortable stance for the rider. Its thunderous-sounding 1202cc V-twin engine produces a torque of 95 Nm. Brakes are effective enough for a comparatively lightweight cruiser even with the single 300mm disc on the front. He certainly owns an exceptional engineered bike.

4. Sachin Tendulkar:

Sachin Tendulkar is the most prolific run-maker of all time, and arguably the biggest cricketing icon the world has ever seen. Blessed with the keenest of cricket minds and armed with a loathing for losing, Tendulkar sets about doing what it took to become one of the best batsmen in the world. He remains, at a distance, the most worshipped cricketer in the world and is a proud owner of Yamaha FZ 16 bike! It's designed elements are very stylish and dynamic and Yamaha calls it the ‘Lord of the Streets’. It is powered by a 153cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine that generates 13.8bhp at 7,500rpm and 13.6Nm of torque. The motorcycle is equipped with disc brake at the front and drum at the rear and has 17-inch wheels with 100/80 and 140/60 radial tyres at the front and rear respectively. The motorcycle weighs 135kg and has a fuel tank capacity of 12 litres. It is priced at Rs 74,343 in India.


5. Yuvraj Singh:

An electric fielder and one of the cleanest hitters of the ball is Yuvraj Singh. He helped India in winning the World Cup after 28 years, in 2011. The costliest player in the 2015 IPL auctions and bought by Delhi Daredevils for a mammoth 16 crores, he is a serial superbike owner. He’s got a 2007 Yamaha R1, an FZR400, an Apache, Karizma and KTM Duke 390. When he decided to customize the Duke 390, he turned to Mukul Nanda, 27, of Autologue. For the Duke 390, Autologue has designed a standard kit called the X26. It includes modded headlights, side panels, a new tail and petrol tank, among other bits. These kits cost roughly Rs 50, 000. In addition to the standard X26 body kit, Singh’s bike, named YouWeCan after his NGO, also has a special custom paint job and bits of aluminum welded onto the machine on the cricketer’s request. The design was heavily modified based on the inputs from the star cricketer and gained appreciation from the fans.

The passion, dedication, commitment and, of course, a lot of money are the few things that describe cricket in India. Cricketers truly make a lot of money from match fees, endorsements, etc which gives them the ability to splurge on such expensive bikes. While you are busy watching them making the country proud, we’ve tried our best to put together their passion for bikes that they behold.

6. Glenn McGrath

Former Australian fast bowler, Glenn McGrath who is known for his perfect length and line. He has won a large number of matches for the Australian cricket team. But, he is also fond of sport bikes, adventure bikes and loves to ride them through tough terrains, which induced him to buy a gleaming grey Ducati Multistrada 1200. In fact, this Multistrada 1200 is turned out to be his best fellow for the long motorcycle rides. The bike is powered by an 1198cc 90° V-Twin engine that develops a 150 bhp of power and 119 Nm of torque. Multistrada comes with four riding modes which a rider can choose based on the requirement that includes Urban for city riding, Sport for the twisty roads, Enduro for the rugged terrain, and Touring for cruising on the highway.

7. Shahid Afridi

Who can forget the “Boom Boom” cricketer, yes you are on right track? I am talking about the all-round player and also the former captain of Pakistan Cricket team, the one and only Shahid Afridi. As the public loves him for his performance and the way he plays same as he loves to ride a high-end bike whenever he get time. Afridi is a proud owner of Suzuki Hayabusa. Just like he used to hit the bowl when he was batting the same way he accelerates his bike on which he rides on the road. The bike is propelled by a powerful 1340cc, four-stroke, four-cylinder engine that belts out 197 bhp of power at 9500 rpm along with a peak torque of 155 Nm at 7200 rpm. The powerful motor comes coupled with a six-speed constant mesh gearbox which helps the bike to achieve a top speed of 299 kmph.