Home grown motorcycle store in Goregaon has a lot for bikers

There is a line of shops on New Link Road in Goregaon that sell all sorts of home décor and looking at these from on the opposite side of the thoroughfare, Vardenchi Lifestyle Garage seems to blend right in. But then we cross and peek in through the big glass windows to find two gleaming custom-made motorbikes staring us in the face. This door has two knobs that are aptly made of wrenches. Pulling at them, we enter the air-conditioned space that offers instant relief from the oppressive Mumbai heat. It's in fact a whole different world inside, one in which biking enthusiasts would feel like children who have entered a candy store.

A shelf in the store with biking helmets; The apparel on display

That's because after 10 years of customising bikes from different factories in Pune, Belgaum and Jogeshwari, the proprietors finally launched a full-fledged showroom this month for the various products they offer. These include everything from safety gear, spare parts, apparel to, of course, gleaming motorcycles of the sort that are on display. A store manager who does an excellent job of making us feel at home (even though the only bike we have ever possessed is a puny 100 CC one) informs us that earlier, the company would make much longer ones akin to café racers and Titans. But then transport laws were amended in such a way that a bike's chassis couldn't be cut beyond a certain point, meaning those earlier models had to be discontinued.

A garage in the anterior where bikes are customised. Pics/Sneha Kharabe

So, what the firm now offers are a mean 500 CC machine that comes in various designs, and all the parts for which are manufactured in-house. These can be bought online and are priced at '1.25 lakh, meaning they are a fraction of the cost of a regular Harley Davidson, which is what this enterprise that's owned by a Maharashtrian seems to be emulating. The helmets, too, are reasonable at around '2,000 even though they look as sturdy as lampposts and are aesthetically designed. The T-shirts, though, have too much branding for our liking and are only up for show right now, since they will be on sale a month later. And while an avid biker might give an arm and a leg for the stylish shoes on offer, they are a tad expensive at roughly Rs 9,000 a pair.

But the most intriguing part of the store is a room in the backend where the bikes are assembled after different parts are brought in from the factory. We find two models that are near completion, with only a paint job remaining. And despite that section being essentially a garage, it is surprisingly clean with no trace of oil or anything else in the air, which many such places tend to have.

Overall, then, this homegrown store promises to give its international counterparts a run for their money. Motorcycle art on the wall gives the place a touch of elegance. There is also an LCD screen that plays videos tracing the firm's journey. It's a new start for the proprietors, this showroom. And given the fact that it's taken 10 years in the making, it only goes to show how good things come to those who wait.

At: New Link Road, Motilal Nagar, Goregaon West.
Time: 11 am to 8 pm
Log on to: vardenchi.com

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