A Kinetic scooter that went twice across the Sahara Desert, the fastest moped in the world, and AJ Stevens bikes, a 100-year-old that uses a matchstick to light their headlamps at night to throw light on the road they are travelling on.
31 Icons From Vintage World
BMWs, Harley-Davidsons, Nortons, Sunbeams, BSAs, and more - these 31 vintage bikes are not just a sidelight at the Oberoi Concours d'Elegance being held in Udaipur, but are stars in their own right.
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Oberoi Concours d'Elegance 2026
The second edition of the Oberoi Concours d'Elegance 2026, being held at the Udaivilas Palace in the city of lakes, Udaipur, is hosting not just some historic and vintage cars but also marvellous vintage bikes with their own individual stories to tell.
Rare AJ Stevens
Jehangir Foroogh is a passionate bike enthusiast; his 1926 and 1927 AJ Stevens bikes are 99 and 100 years old and are probably among the only ten left in the world, say experts.
The racing model 1927 has no lights and no horn. It was manufactured by the UK-based firm AJ Stevens only for the racing tracks.
Jehangir's 1926 AJ Stevens bike, now 100 years old, uses carbide and water to light the headlamp in the motorbike. The carbide and water, when combined, are ignited by a matchstick to fuel the headlamp, which was used to light up the road at night. It has no battery and the gears on the side are manoeuvred by hand.
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"I found these bikes at a scrap godown; they had no engine, and I had to put them together myself. The bikes are so old that their parts are no longer available, and I had to buy them in bits and pieces. By the time I finished restoring the bike, I had two engines ready, one of which I used in the bike and the other one has been kept in a cupboard," says Jehangir Foroogh laughingly. "I bought it for 3 lakhs, added some more money restoring it, but now it's priceless," he adds.
Passionate bike collectors, enthusiasts, and those who have lovingly restored bikes from pedals to pistons say collecting cars is a hobby, but bikes are pure passion.
"There is a personal freedom in driving a bike and being part of a rally. Hooligans go for speed, but it's being with the elements that is so unique about a bike ride," says Adil Jal Darukhanawala, a bike enthusiast from Pune who started India's first car and bike magazine.
BSA Gold Star
The BSA Gold Star restored by Anil Bhingarde has been driven from India to London twice; its owner played cricket for Mumbai and gave lifts on his vehicle to greats like Sachin Tendulkar and Kambli. "But when I didn't make it very far in cricket," says Anil Bhingarde, "I turned my passion and obsession to restoring bikes, and I have personally restored all my 16 vintage bikes."
1959 Sunbeam
Hafiz Contractor's 1959 Sunbeam was the superbike of the 50s. It has two cylinders and two crankshafts and has been restored by the owner himself.
Curator's Vision
Classic motorcycles with their vintage vibes are a star attraction at the Oberoi Concours d'Elegance, says curator Siddhraj Singh. "We wanted bikes to be part of the classic tour d'elegance, as bikes, and even the moped and the Kinetic scooter, were so much a part of the Indian landscape, and we wanted to bring back to people and audiences their lost stories."
The motorbikes have been divided into categories: early motorcycles leading up to the 1930s, the pre-war classics influenced by machines developed for wartime use, and the classics leading up to the years 1946 to 1969, when war-surplus machines moved towards large-capacity sports bikes. They are a treat for those who love bikes for the freedom they bring.