Mr. Shyam Kumar’s Deccan Odyssey is the showstopper for the second edition of the India Bike Week that begins on 17th January. Kumar from Hyderabad, spends most of his time at his privately owned construction company, but he tries to press-in every available free time in customizing his motorbike that suits him. It is said that the bike's petrol tank features images of the Hi-tech city, Mecca Masjid, Qutb Shahi tombs, whereas images of Biryani and Chai adorn the rear fenders.
Mr. Shyam Kumar rides a Harley Davidson motorcycle. The bike costed him around Rs. 18 lakhs and he has been reported to have spent another Rs. 10 lakh to customize it. The business in early 40's was quoted as saying, “ Customisation is like composing a song, a unique stamp of the rider on the bike. My father had an automobile store so I was surrounded by two-wheelers. It seems only natural that I veered towards that..”. Moreover, Kumar is a proud owner of around 16 other vintage bikes. When questioned as to how he managed to maintain them, he answered, “ I keep in touch with mechanics and auto parts store across the country and ask them to call me whenever there is vintage bike on sale or some part I need for my bikes is available. Whenever I travel, and I’ve travelled quite a bit, both within the country and abroad, I keep an eye out for merchants and bike lovers who can help me with my collection”.
Harley Davidson company and the Harley Owners Group (HOG), has honored Kumar Odyssey as the best customized bike in Southern India. It is also worth noting that Kumar has been collecting bikes when he was just 18! Talking about his Harley, Kumar said, “A Harley doesn’t become a Harley Davidson until it is modified, however small the modification might be. As for the Fatboy Slim, the award denotes everything there is to love about the city. It portrays elements of Hyderabad that makes it so beautiful,”. Kumar also added, “So you have Haleem, Irani Chai, Charminar, the Buddha statue, Hyderabadi biryani and pearls as a part of the design. And every image painted on the bike has a personal memory attached to it. Finally, when the bike won the best customised award from Harley Davidson, the feeling was that the entire Banjara HOG had won it”.
The bikes owned by Mr. Shyam Kumar is valued by him just like priceless jewels. The bikes are one of its kind, and it definitely portrays the true biker spirit in this true blue motorcycle enthusiast!
