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<ul><li><keyword id="4741912" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="aishwarya-pissay">Aishwarya Pissay</keyword> has won 9 championships — both nationally and internationally — in a sport with very few men, let alone women, participating from India.</li><li>The latest feather in her cap was cinched when she came third at the Dubai International Baja, which was the first round of the FIM <keyword id="11117865" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Baja-Rally-World-Cup">Baja Rally World Cup</keyword> under the women's category in February 2021.</li><li>The brutal beginning of her rewarding career involved three major injuries and a couple of hundred minor ones. </li></ul>Fearless Aishwarya Pissay navigates through life on a motorcycle through the harshest of terrains, at the fastest possible speeds, and has brought India much recognition though few would know it. She has won 9 championships — both nationally and internationally — in a sport with very few men, let alone women, participating from India. In 2019, she became the first Indian athlete to win a World Cup at the FIM Baja Rally World Cup in the women's category and placed second in the juniors category in the overall championship (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme <keyword id="9785123" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="baja-world-cup">Baja World Cup</keyword>). And the latest feather in her cap was cinched when she came third at the Dubai International Baja, which was the first round of the FIM Baja Rally World Cup under the women's category in February 2021. What began as a hobby when she was 18⁠ — Pissay and a friend decided to pool in and buy a bike for casual rides on weekends⁠— turned out to be a relatively lucrative career. One she had not fathomed. However, the brutal beginning of her rewarding career involved three major injuries and a couple of hundred minor ones. Even as she spoke to <keyword id="824043" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Business-Insider">Business Insider</keyword>, Pissay was recovering from a wrist injury from the Jordan International Baja rally racing event held in March 2021. There are two types of motorcycle racing — one is road racing, and the other is rallying. Road racing is an enclosed circuit race and whoever crosses the finish line first wins the race, whereas rallies are longer length courses conducted over rougher terrains like dunes, forests etc. Pissay has mastered both. Edited excerpts of our conversation with Pissay follow. <div type="image" title="Aishwarya Pissay" msid="82128012" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Aishwarya Pissay &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Is this something you always wanted to do or is it something that just happened? I started riding motorcycles at 18, and I really didn't think that I would be racing motorcycles before that because it's a very unconventional sport. And, in our country, at least, I had not heard of any motorcycle racers as such at the time who were competing internationally as well. I came to know about a few accomplished racers like Aravind KP and <keyword id="1617630" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="CS-Santosh">CS Santosh</keyword>, who were racing internationally as well, only once I started getting into racing. But that was in rally races. With road racing, there was no such set benchmark that I could look at. What does it take to succeed in this career? I think a not-giving-up attitude, determination, perseverance, discipline and a goal. It takes the same amount of work as any other sport. It needs a lot of time on the bike and a lot of training. Not just the riding aspect of training, but a lot of physical training as well because our races are more endurance specific. So to sustain through all of that, I think physical fitness and mental fitness also play an essential role in my training. Tell us a little bit about the training that is required. My training is broken down into gym, mental fitness training, navigation training, and riding. In a week, I go to the gym pretty much every day and even if I'm not in the city, I make sure I still do my routine workout there as well. When I'm going to the gym, we're focusing on physical fitness, strength, agility and endurance. These are the aspects that we are looking at with training at the gym. I also have a nutritionist who takes care of my diet. Then with my mental fitness coach, we work on a lot of meditation, breathing techniques, visualisation. We also play the PlayStation because that's the closest that we have to simulate a racing situation, and we also work on a lot of puzzles. We also discuss race strategies. On Fridays and over the weekends, I go to ride. We focus on doing motos, and I have a lap timer on my helmet, which technically tracks my lap timings. We take the reports from that and use them to assess how we could be better. Before international races, like when I was in Dubai for the 2021 FIM Bajas World Cup, I spent one month training there before the race. After which, I participated in the race and finished third in that race. <div type="image" title="Aishwarya Pissay" msid="82128016" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Aishwarya Pissay &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> So how many times have you sustained an injury, or have we just lost count? Well, I've had a lot of minor crashes and those I've lost count of, but with respect to really bad injuries, three. My latest injury was at the Baja World Cup in Jordan on March 19th. I had this accident during a race, and I broke both my wrists in this crash. I was operated on right after on the very same day, and I flew back to India. Now I'm working on my rehab. I've been working on wrist mobility and my fitness routines, the ones I can still work on, especially with my lower body and endurance. Ever thought of embracing an alternate career after any of the accidents? No, never, because I think even if I fall down the stairs, I might break a wrist or break a leg. I can still break something not doing what I do. I think in any sport, the risk of injury exists, and I don't think it has ever bothered me. I think I've always come out of these injuries stronger, and these injuries have just made me more motivated to go towards my goal and achieve them. Can you tell us about your next big race? My next big race is round three of the Baja World Cup. It's happening in Spain in July, so that's what I'm preparing for. <div type="image" title="Aishwarya Pissay" msid="82128032" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Aishwarya Pissay &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Which one has been the toughest terrain that you have had to navigate? Jordan, the one I had the accident in. This is where one of the Star Wars IX: The Rise of Skywalker's epic dune scenes was shot. It's mixed terrain — it has a lot of sand, a lot of hardpack, and many blind spots. It's a lot more challenging, especially with navigation. For navigation, we use a road book which is not a digital device. It is a paper roll that we put on the bike, and we are navigating ourselves reading pace notes that we have to recalibrate or scroll up and down based on the odometer we are at. How does one make money if they choose to take this up as a profession? When I started racing motorcycles, there were not many women or men who had made racing a career. So when I started out, it was more of a hobby, but when I started performing well and started winning championships — privately and with small sponsorships that were in-kind or bikes — did I get my big break. <keyword id="648816" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="TVS-Racing">TVS Racing</keyword> has been in the racing scene for 39 years, and they are always on the hunt for good athletes. We started working together in 2017, and they started supporting me with the rally, nationally and internationally. Them coming on board meant they started taking care of my training, my racing, and it became a job that involved remuneration. Since then, the graph has just been curving upwards. Any government support? Not, not yet. I was nominated for the Arjun Award in 2020, but I believe nobody from <keyword id="735786" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="motorsports">motorsports</keyword> got it. However, just recently, <keyword id="638723" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kiren-Rijiju">Kiren Rijiju</keyword>, Union Sports Minister, added <a href="https://twitter.com/KirenRijiju/status/1308618966777040897" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">motorsports</a> to the list of disciplines eligible for government jobs under the sports quota, which is really great. It's a good start, and I think it's just going to keep getting better from here. What about family? Were they always supportive? In the beginning, my grandparents were a little wary about it because they hadn't heard of anybody doing anything like this. So they wanted me to pursue this as a hobby. But when results started showing, and especially when the association with <keyword id="62356" type="DOMAIN" weightage="20" keywordseo="TVS">TVS</keyword> came along, things really changed, and they were also more accepting of the idea. My mother definitely has been very supportive in terms of what I do. She's never really stopped me from what I want to do, and I think that is one of the greatest support that you could get from family — not having to stop you from what you want to do. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/new-super-earth-only-takes-2-4-days-to-complete-a-year/articleshow/82115255.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">A newly found ‘super’ Earth only takes 2.4 days to complete a year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/watch-crystal-clear-hd-video-of-nasa-astronauts-walking-in-space/articleshow/82099944.cms">WATCH: Crystal clear footage of NASA astronauts walking in space, changing out pipes, installing cameras and much more</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/scientists-are-roasting-meteorites-to-recreate-the-birth-of-planets/articleshow/82102499.cms">How to bake a meteorite — scientists are heating up space rocks to recreate the birth of planets</a>

Aishwarya Pissay, a champion motorcyclist, describes what it takes to ace the circuit

<ul><li>The <keyword id="10735716" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="himalayan-450" source="Orion">Himalayan 450</keyword> promises more power to riders for long tours, as was widely sought.</li><li>The tank size, instrument panel and tyres will also see changes to balance ADV and touring needs.</li><li>Biking enthusiasts await the new <keyword id="6426894" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="himalayan" source="Orion">Himalayan</keyword> as it tries to bridge the gap between itself and the KTM 390 Adventure.</li></ul> Royal Enfield began updating itself as a modern bike manufacturer around a decade back but stuck to their core design philosophy of producing easy-to-ride retro bikes. Thus, it was a surprise for many in 2016 that after acquiring the reputed chassis making brand, Harris Performance a year earlier, the 1901-born bike major decided to go with a completely modern looking Himalayan 411. The biking community, however, wasn't complaining as the bike was an adventure touring dual sport motorcycle, a gap that needed filling up. Fast forward eight years and Siddharth Lal’s team is getting ready for major upgrades to enhance performance and live up better to its touring description while having a global ambition. Such is the fandom of the Himalayan 411’s looks amongst the bike driving community that a section is slightly worried about “too much look change”. Says Abhishek Roy, an avid biker who has done a round trip to Leh-Ladakh from Hyderabad, “Looks will definitely matter. But, if the bike has everything that I’ve picked from the leaked information available, then looks might become secondary.” So, what are these changes that the biking world is excited about? To understand that we need to look at the Himalayan 411 with which RE won its biggest war in placing itself as a more-than-just-retro manufacturer. The Himalayan 411: What was amiss? The Himalayan 411 and its sister, the Scram 411, which was launched in 2022, offered Indian riders who wanted to go off-roading a viable option. The engine, however, has its limitations, as it is air-cooled and, thus, the bike sometimes lacks the required torque needed on long haul rides. Says Nishant Shukla, a biker who has explored the Western coastal line as well as Rajasthan’s desert terrains on bike, “Since I am not a big off roader, I would also see the highway worthiness of the new Himalayan. If it has ample power/torque. Moreover, the current Himalayan lacks the fancy adventure bike aids such as ride by wire, quickshifters etc.” The competition has heated up in the ADV (adventure) segment, with the launch of the Yezdi Adventure and Triumph Scrambler 400 X. In the lower rung of this segment, the Hero’s XPulse 200 has done well but the main competition for the new Himalayan will still be the KTM 390 Duke Adventure. The current 411-cc, single-cylinder engine pushes out only 24.3 horsepower, which translates to approximately 110 kmph cruising speed. Compare this to the KTM 390 Adventure which has 43 horsepower at its disposal. Moreover, after the 110 kmph speed, acceleration is found lacking unlike the RE’s 650 twin-cylinder offerings – the Interceptor, the Continental GT and the Super Meteor 650. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What the market expects from the new Himalayan 450" text="What the market expects from the new Himalayan 450">What the market expects from the new Himalayan 450</cmsannotation> The new Himalayan, as per media reports, will try and resolve the above issues. Business Insider took a deep dive into this new offering by Royal Enfield: A liquid-cooled engine The new Himalayan, is expected to come with a liquid cooled engine, unlike its predecessor. This should translate to longer riding time at a higher torque. It is estimated to produce around 40 BHP and 40 Nm and will be paired with a six-speed gearbox, as per a <a href="https://www.team-bhp.com/news/royal-enfield-himalayan-450-leaked-ahead-launch">Team-BHP report</a>. Multiple riding modes Auto tracking websites suggest that the new bike will come with three riding modes, which was missing in the previous edition and has riders excited. The bike should be enabled by a first-time ride-by-wire system. Says Roy who is waiting for the bike launch before making up his mind on the adventure bike to buy, “I’m really waiting to test the different drive modes and the ride by wire.” The modes on offer should support rain riding, off road riding and cruising (normal). The off-road mode when enabled will switch off the ABS (anti-locking braking system) at the real wheel to support deliberate rear sliding. A bigger tank? The tank on the new bike, as per leaked images <a href="https://www.autocarindia.com/bike-news/royal-enfield-himalayan-450-leaked-ahead-of-november-launch-429182">reported by Autocar</a>, looks to be bigger and reports say that it could be as large as a 15-20 litre unit offering longer run time. Expected launch Royal Enfield is targeting an <a href="https://www.bikewale.com/royalenfield-bikes/himalayan-450/">early November launch</a> of the bike as per multiple reports. It is noteworthy that the bike manufacturer holds its annual biking event – the Rider Mania – in Goa each year around the same time and the buzz on the street says that the new Himalayan might be unveiled between November 24-26 for the public in full glory. The global ambition The top end of the new Himalayan 450, as per reports, will be launched later next year and is codenamed K1X. The buzz on the street is that Royal Enfield has rallying aspirations and might be targeting the coveted <keyword id="76133" type="General" weightage="40" keywordseo="dakar-rally" source="Orion">Dakar Rally</keyword> in years to come. The event is open to amateur and professional entries but the latter make up about 80% of the participants. In fact, one of India’s top offroaders, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuHUIjVhFeC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;ig_rid=b7715b60-a33a-47bc-95d1-a8e5d547dff8">CS Santosh</a> released a teaser on Instagram of the bike a few months earlier showcasing its agility. That the company has ambitions to play in the European and American markets is no secret. The company’s 650-cc bikes have been a favourite of sorts for the British market already as they offer decent power with acceleration at a cheaper rate than the Suzuki, Harley, Triumph and Kawasakis. In 2020, UK’s Motorcycle Industry Association showed that the Interceptor 650 sales were second only to the highly popular Honda PCX 125 scooter. Tyre changes? The new Himalayan is likely to stick to CEAT tyres but media reports suggest that unlike its predecessor it will be made from a special compound to support both off-roading as well as highway cruising. To put it in context, the company currently says that the present Himalayan’s tyres are designed 70% for roads and 30% for off-roading.

Explained: Why the motorcycling world is kicked about the Himalayan 450 that’s set for launch this November

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Aishwarya Pissay, a champion motorcyclist, describes what it takes to ace the circuit

Kavita Majumdar

Explained: Why the motorcycling world is kicked about the Himalayan 450 that’s set for launch this November

Abhishek Jha

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