Colin and Ryan Pyle are brothers who have an affinity to motorcycles and travelling — who doesn’t? But they give it a unique twist with Tough Rides: India where they travel the length and breadth of the country on some of the most difficult roads India has to offer. Colin speaks to us about the journey and how it was filming in India. Talking about the origins of the series, he says, “I was a banker in Toronto and my brother had the idea to do a biking trip across China. He had already lived in China for a while, so he suggested we do this trip and I sold my business to do it.” He goes on to say, “We enjoyed it so much because we got to see countries in more detail and of course, the riding was a bonus. Post China, both of us were thinking of which country would offer as much diversity and culture and landed on India.”
“Riding in India was really enjoyable despite a lot of the roads being in bad condition. The diverse and beautiful landscape and people more than made up for it. They were extremely friendly and very helpful. I loved the cultural aspects of the country! The experience of seeing the Golden Temple and the Wagah Border Crossing was something I’ll never forget. We also noticed that there were a lot of similarities between China and India, but there are also differences. While China’s infrastructure helps you travel longer distances, India’s culture is more open and free.”
When asked what the most dangerous road in India was, he answers, “Riding in the north was challenging, but I think it was more dangerous travelling in the south-west region because the roads were crowded with people, animals and vehicles.” He also has advice for people who want to ride around the subcontinent — “I just want to tell travelers that India is a magical place, but pack light — just bring your bike and backpack. People here will definitely help you out, so don’t overthink it!”
They have huge plans for Tough Rides for the upcoming seasons as well — We’re planning to do a Tough Rides in Brazil, and then to go to Russia to round out the series. We’d love to see the development in these areas because all four of these countries are the future of the world. We’d love for westerners also to see the growth of these countries because they haven’t made an effort yet.”
(The show airs every Monday at 10 pm on TLC)
