- 25 Indian Navy riders will cover more than 1,600km
- Connects 10 historic forts across Maharashtra
The TVS Ronin has been chosen for the Indian Navy’s new Fleet to Forts motorcycle expedition, a 14-day ride covering more than 1,600km across Maharashtra. This expedition will see a 25-member naval contingent ride the motorcycle through interior towns, villages and historic fort locations.
The ride was flagged off from Kohli Stadium at Navynagar in Mumbai and will cover 10 forts associated with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Several of these are part of the Maratha Military Landscapes of India, which have recently been inscribed on the UNESCO heritage list. The expedition also has a youth-outreach component, with the Indian Navy using the journey to speak about career opportunities, including the Agnipath recruitment route.
The group is being led by Captain Shekhar Deshpande and includes officers, sailors and Agniveers. Women officers, women Agniveers and members of the naval community are part of the contingent as well. The route deliberately cuts through smaller towns and villages rather than remaining on major highways, which should give the Ronin a useful mix of city, rural and longer open-road riding.
The Ronin sits somewhere between a relaxed roadster and a light modern-classic tourer. Its 795mm seat height is accessible, the riding position is upright, and the 14-litre fuel tank gives it enough touring ability. Its 181mm of ground clearance also gives it a little more breathing room on poor surfaces than a low-slung cruiser would. This expedition is not an off-road event, but riding across interior Maharashtra over 14 days will inevitably involve roads of very different quality.
The Indian Navy says the forts are being used as a way of linking the expedition with Maharashtra’s maritime and military history. Vice Admiral Rahul Vilas Gokhale, Chief of Staff of the Western Naval Command, described the ride as an opportunity to combine adventure and outreach, while encouraging the riders to engage with local culture and communities.
TVS is using the expedition to reinforce the Ronin’s existing positioning around travel and what it calls its “Unscripted” riding philosophy. This association with the Navy is intended to connect exploration and motorcycling with younger riders.
