As the sun sets at Kannanthura Beach in Thiruvananthapuram, the crash of waves is interrupted by the rising hum of two-stroke engines. A contingent of vintage scooters, painted in bright metallic shades, heads towards the sandy coastline, leaving behind a cloud of dust that disappears within seconds.
The 10 scooters, ranging from a sleek silver 1982 Vijay Super Mark 2 to a blue 2000 LML Vespa, belong to members of the Vintage & Classic Scooters Club (VCSC), Thiruvananthapuram chapter. Founded in 2017, the club is among several city-based two-wheeler communities that bring automobile enthusiasts together, promote safe riding and encourage proper vehicle maintenance.
Clubs such as VCSC, Travancore Royal Enfield Club (TREC), Voyagers Brotherhood, Riders of Technopark, Royal Enfield Retro Riders Trivandrum and Trivandrum RX organise short and long rides, help members source spare parts and connect them with mechanics and other resources.
For many owners, these communities are also a way to share a personal passion with a larger group. Akshay AS, admin of VCSC Thiruvananthapuram, which has more than 40 members, says his love for scooters and two-stroke engines began with the vintage Bajaj Chetak. “Before I joined VCSC, I used to believe that old people rode scooters and they couldn’t survive long distances. But then I found like-minded people who love them. We have made so many friends in the group and across south India through our rides.”
“Not all scooters are suited for long rides, but we still do it. When problems arise, we help each other out,” adds Akshay, who owns a vintage LML Vespa.
TREC, founded by Arun S Kumar in 2020, has more than 400 members and organises over 12 long rides a year. Its recent ride was to Ilaveezhapoonchira in Kottayam. “A few years ago, I used to have a vintage Bullet. Back then, there weren’t many active groups organising rides. Those using old bikes face certain difficulties, such as identifying the right parts and finding the right mechanic. So, I began enquiring and started a support group for old Bullet riders. That evolved into TREC, which now has both vintage and new bike riders,” he says.
Members of Travancore Royal Enfield Club
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Riders of Technopark, founded in March 2025, started with four riders. “We used to go on long rides, travelling individually or with other groups. We also attended and organised events for other communities. So, we thought, why not do the same for techie riders in the city? It is solely built on brotherhood,” says Kiran MR, founder of the club, which now has more than 500 members.
The club participated in India Bike Week, billed as India’s biggest motorcycling festival, in 2025. “We were only a few months old when we attended the festival. From a club’s perspective, that would have been impossible for a new club to achieve. We needed 35 riders. It tested our endurance and our ability to adjust to people riding at different paces. It brought together people of different ages,” Kiran says.
Riders of Technopark
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Voyagers Brotherhood organises rides across the country. Its nearly 150 members ride Harley-Davidson, BMW, vintage Jawa and Yezdi bikes, as well as Ola scooters. Lakshmi S Nair, the club’s president, says, “We plan rallies on February 14 to commemorate the Pulwama attack and on Kargil Vijay Diwas, among others. We also organise interactive sessions at colleges and road safety awareness programmes.” Last year, the club earned a world record for creating the largest bike image forming the words “Say No to Drugs”.
Aerial view of the Say No to Drugs typography
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Women are also active members of these communities. TREC has 50 women riders who organise monthly rides, while more than 20 women are part of Riders of Technopark. Voyagers Brotherhood has around 25 women members. “We organise workshops for women. We even have those riding Activa scooters approach us. Even though some of them are concerned about what others might say, people are still coming forward,” says Lakshmi. The vintage vehicle groups have fewer direct women members, though women associated with members regularly attend their events, organisers say.
Voyagers Brotherhood
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The communities also offer practical support, from servicing and repairs to sourcing spare parts. “We suggest mechanics in their area. With our members spread across the district, we help them irrespective of their age,” says Vineeth VS, a member of Royal Enfield Retro Riders Trivandrum, a vintage bike community. “Our club collaborates with vendors who can provide riding gear at cheaper rates. We even support our peers with insurance claims if they meet with an accident.”
Royal Enfield Retro Riders Trivandrum
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For Aneesh Kumar, a member of Trivandrum RX Club, the appeal lies in restoring the machines themselves. “We find the act of building and restoring a vehicle more exhilarating, especially when you work with a mechanic, finding parts from Bengaluru and Delhi. It is a great joy to build a vehicle like that.”
Vineeth points out that Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) are also an important part of the communities. “When they return to the city for their vacations, we organise rides with them too. A few of them have left their vehicles here. It is our duty to take care of them and help with repairs if needed. Whenever they come, we meet, ride and eat food together. It gives them great joy to be part of the collective.”
He adds, “When we build communities like these, we bring together people of different age groups. Youngsters reach out to us to improve their bikes. Many of them enjoy preserving vehicles, which gives us happiness that even after our time, this hobby might go on.”
Published – September 23, 2026 05:00 pm IST
