From vintage Vespas to Royal Enfields: Thiruvananthapuram’s riding communities
Members of the Vintage & Classic Scooters Club (VCSC) rode ten vintage scooters, including a silver 1982 Vijay Super Mark 2 and a blue 2000 LML Vespa, to Kannanthura Beach in Thiruvananthapuram as the sun set.
The VCSC, founded in 2017, is one of several city-based two-wheeler communities that bring automobile enthusiasts together to promote safe riding and encourage proper vehicle maintenance. Other local groups include Travancore Royal Enfield Club (TREC), Voyagers Brotherhood, Riders of Technopark, Royal Enfield Retro Riders Trivandrum, Royal Enfield Retro Riders Trivandrum and Trivandrum RX, which organise short and long rides and help members source spare parts and connect them with mechanics and other resources.
The VCSC Thiruvananthapuram chapter has more than 40 members who ride classic two-stroke scooters on organised outings. “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,” said Akshay AS, the club’s admin, who owns a vintage LML Vespa. “Not all scooters are suited for long rides, but we still do it. When problems arise, we help each other out.”
Travancore Royal Enfield Club (TREC) was founded by Arun S Kumar in 2020 and now has more than 400 members, organising over 12 long rides a year with its recent ride 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 said.
Riders of Technopark began in March 2025 with four riders and has since expanded to more than 500 members drawn from the tech community. The club participated in India Bike Week, billed as India’s biggest motorcycling festival, in 2025 and required 35 riders for that appearance. “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,” said founder Kiran MR.
Voyagers Brotherhood, with nearly 150 members, organises rides across the country on machines ranging from Harley-Davidson and BMW to vintage Jawa, Yezdi and Ola scooters. “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,” said the club’s president, Lakshmi S Nair. Last year, the club earned a world record for creating the largest bike image forming the words “Say No to Drugs”.
Women form active contingents across several clubs: TREC has 50 women riders who organise monthly rides, Riders of Technopark counts more than 20 women members, and 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,” said Lakshmi; organisers said vintage vehicle groups have fewer direct women members, though women associated with members regularly attend their events.
Clubs also provide logistical and technical support to members, from recommending mechanics to assisting with repairs, insurance and gear procurement. “We suggest mechanics in their area. With our members spread across the district, we help them irrespective of their age,” said Vineeth VS of Royal Enfield Retro Riders Trivandrum, adding, “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.” For members who restore machines, the work of sourcing parts is part of the appeal: “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,” said Aneesh Kumar of Trivandrum RX.
Members said the communities also involve Non-Resident Indians who leave vehicles in the city and join rides when they return on vacation. “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,” Vineeth said, adding, “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.”