Adrenaline, Sweat, and Axles are known to be as one of the most classic hobbies till date, if long bike rides with your bae accelerates your heartbeat, then you’re in for a treat. In the last few years, India has been bustling with rental startups, be it domestic or international big players, but all of them have one thing in common – the ride is either a four-wheeler or an auto. When it comes to two-wheelers, there are only a handful of service providers who actively operating in the country. While, some of them have gotten around to develop a good foundation, there isn’t any startup that calls out to the passion of bike-riding. Until you meet Akshay, a 25-year-old, culinary degree holder from IHM Mumbai, who turned his love of bike riding into one of the most exciting startups in the industry.
What Exactly is On Two Wheels?
On Two Wheels provides rental service to customers to rent out motorcycles from a period of 1 day to long monthly rentals. With motorcycles starting from Rs. 500 per day up to Rs. 2000 per day – On Two Wheels takes care of your every need, be it commuting in the city, taking a weekend trip or going for that long cross-country ride. Being a one-of-a-kind rental company in Mumbai with an in-house service station, that specializes in care and maintenance of Royal Enfields, it also is a one-stop solution for every biker needs, be it a regular servicing, minor repairs or a full engine overhaul, these service stations are also equipped with modifying, restoring and redesigning your Enfields for good.
How did a two wheeler rental startup idea came about?
On Two Wheels is completely incepted out of the love for three things- Travel, Motorcycles & Food. Who wouldn’t wish unlimited supply of all these things? Akshay says that after completing his graduation in 2014 from IHM Mumbai and working for 18 months in Adventure Tourism Sector, he had covered 1,50,000 kilometers in the span of 4 years and that was the time when things began to unravel. Speaking on which Akshay says,
Rentals were something I started completely out of noticing how unorganized the entire market is. Poor quality of motorcycles, bad experiences, and ill-treating owners was a common sight. The same goes for the Royal Enfield Service Station – riding an Enfield for the last 7 years, the situation of their service stations was very well known to me. The customers couldn’t put their faith in any of them. And with the rising number of Enfields on road, I realized I am way past the right time to enter the Garage market.
After doing adequate research on the same, it was on December 6th, 2015 that Akshay started On Two Wheels in Lower Parel, Mumbai.
I knew that I always wanted to have my own company. I did not see myself starting off when I was 22 though. It was my father who really pushed me into this whole thing and not a day of regret since then.
What Has Been the Public Verdict about On Two Wheels? What are some of its future targets?
Well, On Two Wheels completed its flagship ‘guided adventure motorcycle tour to Spiti Valley’ in the Himalayas this August with 7 participants on Royal Enfields. It is an end-to-end package including accommodation, meals, Royal Enfields, Fuel, backup van, flight tickets along with a Mechanic, Tour Guide and a Road Captain. A 9-day long tour to the last Indian Village en route to Tibet visiting monasteries more than 1000 year old, this tour is a delight for the hardcore bikers who dream to ride on the hilly terrains of the Himalayas. From campfires to star-gazing this trip is much awaited in the bikers culture throughout the nation. They will be announcing more trips to different parts of the country very soon.
Apart from that, On Two Wheels is known for its creative studio that caters to bikers across all manufacturers specializing in Ceramic Coating, which is a very careful treatment of the bikes to maintain its shine and protect from intoxicants.
Akshay is thrilled with the response that this startup has been getting and further adds that,
I am now looking to scale up the business. We will add a couple of more bikes by the end of this year. The future goal is to create the best Royal Enfield service station in Mumbai; a place where Royal Enfields are treated carefully with love and bikers are welcomed to share their motorcycle escapades.
So, if you’re a biker who also dreams to travel to distant valleys in the Himalayas, or just for a long weekend trip with your friends, or perhaps get yourself inspired with some popular bike design culture in the nation, the next time you’re in Mumbai, do peek into ‘On Two Wheels.’ We’re quite sure that you won’t be disappointed!
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