India Bike Week 2024: These Ramayana-themed Harleys Stole The Show

There were many beautiful bikes at the India Bike Week 2024, but there were two specific Harley-Davidsons which attracted a lot of attention because of their beautiful paint job. These Harley-Davidson Electra Glide and Deluxe Soft Tail motorcycles, named Jatayu and Sampati visually narrate the entire story of Ramayana, from the birth of Lord Rama to his victory over Ravan.

These special Harley-Davidson bikes are owned by two friends Mr Chirayu Bhatt (Jatayu) and Mr Vijay Devnani (Sampati), who are based out of Jaipur.

How do Jatayu & Sampati Harleys tell the story of Ramayana?

The story of Ramayana starts with the Harley-Davidson Deluxe Soft-tail which is the younger brother, Jatayu. The front fender of the bike features the first chapter from the birth of Lord Rama to the ‘Seetaharan’ and, at the rear fender, it has the visuals of Jatayu being killed by Ravan when he was trying to rescue Mata Seeta. 

The other half of the story is continued on the Harley-Davidson Electra Glide, who is the elder brother, Sampati. The front fender of the bike shows Sampati telling the story of how Jatayu tried to rescue Mata Seeta from Ravan. The rest of the story of Lord Rama’s victory and his coronation as the King of Ayodhya is also depicted on this bike’s paint job.

All the golden and glittery paintwork on both bikes is actually made with real gold. The owners have also got custom helmets for each bike, featuring the names Jatayu and Sampati, along with their pictures crafted in gold on the back. Both bikes come with panniers on either side, beautifully painted and adorned with two shlokas from the Ramayana.

The Electra Glide now features a sleek two-in-one exhaust, which not only enhances its appearance but also improves the bike’s ground clearance. It has also received a few updates to its underpinnings, including a larger 21-inch front wheel—an upgrade from the previous 17-inch wheel. The Electra also has an active air suspension which lifts up the bike a few inches to make it easy to ride over speed breakers and broken roads.

The story behind Jatayu and Sampati-themed Harleys

The owners told us that this idea popped up in their minds when they were coming back from a ride, and till then both the bikes were completely stock. The idea was to display their bond and brotherhood in a unique way that also appeals to Indian culture. They chose Jatayu and Sampati to represent brotherhood instead of Lord Rama and Lord Lakshmana, as they wanted to create something unique. Additionally, the choice aligns with Harley-Davidson's original logo, which features a bald eagle. Then, they discussed the idea with artist Mr Gopesh Bhatt, who got the job done in just 2 weeks. 

How much does the modifications cost?

The paint job of the bikes alone costs Rs 15 lakh and the custom exhaust and other modifications cost Rs 12 lakh, which means the bikes have Rs 27 lakh worth of modifications and custom work. On road, the Harley Deluxe Soft-tail costs them around Rs 25 lakh and the Electra Glide is priced at around 44 lakh. That means, the cost of the whole project is about a whopping Rs 1 crore! That's just insane!