When you meet Murshid for the first time, you do not assume much, with his calm demeanor and his grounded but confident appearance. Spend 2 minutes with him and you start realizing the multi-faceted and multi-skilled person he is. One minute he is coordinating a national race, the next minute he is shooting a vlog for his Youtube channel and then jumping on to a Google Meet call with stakeholders spread across South East Asia and the Middle East. This is the trailer to a serial winner; an entrepreneur, a race promoter, a performance rider, a social media influencer, and a family man.

Murshid, or Murshikka to his lacs of fans, started very young with stunting in the early 2000s. Back then, accessing a 150 cc motorcycle was a challenge. Murshid and his team, the Bandit Bikers, would borrow or modify motorcycles and perform daredevil stunts in empty plots, highways, and soon after at sold-out venues. Stunting was still considered a miscreant act and usually met with frowns and general disapproval. With avenues opening up, Murshi made a name for himself and soon rose through the ranks in India and even got an opportunity to ride and perform with the legendary Chris Pfeiffer. Being someone who is never satisfied with immediate achievements, Murshid set his eyes on organizing and conducting races. Murshid chuckles when he says a race conducted by racers is a lot more exciting than one conducted by brands or established organizations. Murshid and his team conducted a sold-out event in 2019 titled the Dirt Xtreme. Dirt Xtreme in its single year garnered a serious name for itself in the dirt racing and stunting community. The team is all geared for a re-run once the pandemic-related restrictions lift. One can see the glint in Murshid’s eyes when he speaks about the upcoming events.

One of the challenges that plagued riders starting their careers was accessibility to quality riding gear and accessories. Murshid and his team identified this gap and started ‘Bandidos Pitstop’ in 2014. Today, Bandidos Pitstop is India’s largest superstore when it comes to all things motorcycles. One can walk in and leave with riding gears, motorcycle accessories, performance parts, riding accessories, maintenance tools, and often a friendly chat with Murshid. The founders still carry the same passion they had when the doors to the establishment opened and are usually at the door or in the garage catching up with the team or fellow riders turned customers. Bandidos Pitstop ventured into the e-commerce space in 2018 paving the way for a wider footprint and more satisfied riders and customers. The store is considered the “Biker’s Candyland” always catering something sweet and satisfying for every rider that stops by.

In 2018 Murshid started vlogging his race days and promotion events on Youtube and posting actively on Instagram. His candid style, honesty in delivery, and a no-frills approach to work and riding garnered a large fan following; more than 250K across Youtube and Instagram, the last we counted. Murshid giggles and looks away when we discuss popularity and fame. He considers the followers and subscribers as part of his team and community. He is excited while talking about the events and awareness programs lined up for the community. There are Murshikka fan pages that constantly post dedication posts and an avid set of riders who believe in Murshid and his message. While driving through Thrissur, we noticed a few riders slow down next to Murshid’s customized Thar and wave and smile. Murshid parts his legendary long hair and smiles while acknowledging all the love.

Murshid and his team are planning a revolution in terms of race procedures, the race calendar, and race experience. The retail team is working towards building a state-of-the-art shopping, testing, and engagement experience for the community. When we ask what is up next for Murshid, he just smiles as always and responds ‘follow me on Instagram @murshid_bandidos”, his sign-off catchphrase.