Heads turned, eyes popped and jaws dropped as the three bikers rode by on their sturdy Yamaha R1s and R5s. The bikers were from the 'Passion Hunt' team of XBHP ('X' Amount of Braking Horsepower), a bikers' club that boasts more than 15,000 members from all over the world, to spread the word on the 'Castrol Power 1 Passion Hunt'. The hunt is to choose the most passionate biker of the country from out of eight Indian cities.

Team members Sundeep Gajjar, Sunil Gupta and Sandeep Goswami are travelling to different cities to hunt for guys with a passion for bikes. The competition was officially flagged off from Mumbai by actor John Abraham, a passionate biker himself. "Though Jaipur is not among shortlisted cities, those who wish to participate can do so in New Delhi on March 8,” informs Gajjar, who is the founder of XBHP in Delhi. After Delhi, the hunt will be on in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bangalore. They have already been to Mumbai, Pune and Ahmedabad. In all, the team will travel 14,000 kilometres to cover the eight cities.

It's quite wonderful how these bikers juggle their dreams and work. “We are good at balancing the two important aspects of our lives,” smiles Gupta. But before he can say more a gang of young bikers surround him to learn more about the event and the place becomes abuzz with chatter.

The roar of a 1,000cc engine and the distinctive features of these splendid machines are awe inspiring. To win the glamorous Yamaha R1, just put on your safety gear, turn on the ignition and zoom

What, when where

The hunt will shortlist a total of nine bikers, one from every city and one online, to compete for the title of 'India's Most Passionate Biker' that is to be held on April 22 at New Delhi. The bikers will be tested for their skill, style, knowledge and passion. The winner will take home the Rs11 lakh-Yamaha R1 bike. The Delhi leg of the hunt will take place at Deshbandhu College.