Udupi: Hero MotoCorp Gifts Centennial Bike To Udupi Youth Who Rode Across India On Old Splendor

Udupi: A youth from Shirva in Udupi district, who travelled across 17 states on a 25-year-old Hero Honda Splendor — including pilgrimages to Ayodhya and high-altitude rides to Ladakh — has received a rare gift from Hero MotoCorp: the Centennial bike worth Rs 14.5 lakh.

Prajwal Shenoy, often accompanied by his father Rajendra Shenoy, has covered over 50,000 kilometres over five years on their trusted Splendor.

In recognition of Prajwal’s remarkable journey and enduring loyalty to the Splendor, Hero MotoCorp gifted him a Centennial — one of only 101 bikes specially produced to mark the 101st birth anniversary of its founder, Dr. Brijmohan Lall Munjal. The ceremonial handover took place at Shakti Hero in Udupi. The company acknowledged Prajwal as a “Best Customer” for his passionate and purposeful use of their product.

“This is no ordinary bike. It is highly advanced, and this gift is to encourage safe and committed riding,” a representative stated.

Speaking to reporters, Prajwal said, “I never expected a gift like this for what I thought was a small personal journey. I am happy.”

He narrated how the travel journey began a few years ago.

“Five years ago, we rode to Bengaluru on the Splendor. From there, we slowly started exploring other states. We never faced any issues with the bike, just regular oil changes and fuel breaks. That gave me confidence to go farther — to Tirupati, Goa, Maharashtra and beyond.”

“In February, I did a solo ride to Ayodhya. For our Leh-Ladakh trip, we took the bike by train to Delhi and then rode 1,500 km in 12 days,” he added.

The journey on the bike included pilgrimages to places like Ayodhya, Kumbh Mela, Tirupati, Madurai, Kanyakumari, Puri Jagannath, Shirdi, Nashik, and Pandharpur.