Here to participate at the Bike Festival of India, stuntman Aaron Twite says sportbike freestyle is not as glamorous as it is perceived to be. He talks to Karan Bhardwaj about the ‘blood and sweat’ that goes into the making of a fine rider
He lifted his bike in air as if he was playing with some toy. His extreme grip and command over his superbike showed his level of engagement with the vehicle. After practising the stunts for over 18 hours a day, globally-acclaimed biker Aaron Twite spells magic on tracks. That’s probably the reason why thousands of his fans thronged the Buddh International Circuit last weekend when he took part in Bike Festival of India (BFI). Along with him, there were about 30 bikers who were pitted against each other for the first-ever Indian leg of XDl Championship, the biggest sports league for sportbike freestyle in the world.
Twite feels ‘strange’ when we call him one of the greatest bikers round the corner. “I don’t see myself as an important biker but just a kid with knack for stunts and love for machines. I still believe I am learning every skill,” he says with a smile. He is one of the most experienced XDl athletes who has been doing the XDl Street Jams in the past. “I got into biking at the age of 22 competing in local competitions. It was then when I first bought a superbike. But the dream has always been there. Ever since I saw races and bikers on TV screen, I knew I wanted to grow up and do this one day,” he shares. The biker finds events like BFI a platform to meet like-minded people. While sharing anecdotes from the global competitions, he says, “It’s good to meet bikers around the country. It’s not just a sport connection but a cultural connection too. There is always something to learn from co-riders and competition should always be healthy. It’s also not as glamorous as people think it is. There is a lot of blood and sweat that goes into the making of a fine rider.”
Sportbike freestyle is still in its nascent stages and haven’t found the mainstream attention. It was almost zero when Twite embarked his journey. “It was like just a bunch of kids competing with each other. Now there is a lot of development and recognition all over. With XDl in process of concluding a deal with the FIM, it will elevate the sport to World Championship status and in the ranks of MotoGP and F1 racing. There is a lot in store for future bikers. The XDl Championship is an initiative by the bikers and for the bikers. Even the stunt rules are defined by evolved professionals,” he says.
With new hubs and international-level tracks emerging in India, the country also holds promising future for the sport. The stuntman calls India the biggest motorsport destination. “Given the skilled level of riders and facilities — with world class tracks like Buddh International Circuit and initiatives like Bike Festival of India, there is a lot of motivation for the sport. Over 70 per cent of my fans are Indians even on social media platforms,” he beams.
The dangerous acts that the bikers perform give goosebumps but the performers themselves like to relax before the final draw.
In fact, they bring down the practice sessions. “The best thing to do during the event is to relax. I do not practise before my races as it strenuous. Mental strength is also significant. One needs to keep calm. Stunt biking is something in which you cannot exert yourself else it can lead to mishaps. We practise for 18 hours everyday but just a day prior to the races we need to take it slow,” Twite informs.
Though he has been to India, he is not acquainted with Indian counterparts. But “I see a lot of talent here as compared to the kind of bikes available. The talent is enormous, I am sure with better availability of machines and training schools we will see lot of talent coming out of this.” How are you engaged off bikingIJ What are the other interestsIJ “We don’t have a life off-biking. I use ‘we’ because I feel it goes for the biking community. We have to practise minimum 18-19 hours and travel all the time. But, yes, I love adventure sport apart from stunt biking and competitions. I like to rock-climb,” he signs off.