MotoSoul 5.0 didn’t try too hard this year, and weirdly, that worked in its favour. There were no dramatic themes, no big-bang launches, no ‘this changes everything’ reveals. Instead, the festival just… existed. In a good way, though. It had stunts, it had racing, it had music, it had new tech, and it had enough happening across the grounds to keep you wandering without ever feeling lost or overwhelmed. Think of it this way — If last year was a full-power lap, this one was more of a steady cruise. Not slow, not boring — just comfortable.
The Customs Everyone Kept Staring At
The biggest magnets at MotoSoul were the two Smoked Garage builds, and TVS knew exactly what it was doing by putting them front and centre.
First up: Kensai, the Ronin turned bobber-leaning café racer. Tan seat, underseat exhaust, air suspension, and a metallic green that looked like it belonged on a motorcycle twice its price. It didn’t shout for attention… beecause it knew that people would walk up and say, ‘Okay… that’s actually nice.’
And then there was Speedline, the Apache RR 310 reimagined into something that made most riders stop mid-sentence. Slick tyres, fully fibre-composite bodywork, a swingarm built from scratch, and an exhaust that looked illegal. Yes, it was showbike stuff — but that didn’t stop me from fantasising about the production version of a neo-retro café racer like that flying out of showrooms. It’s the kind of bike you look at and immediately imagine your bank balance shaking its head.
A Helmet That Thinks It’s in 2045
The only major ‘announcement’ this year was TVS tying up with Aegis Rider. They showed off the Vision AR helmet, which basically wants to put a fighter-jet HUD inside your visor. Carbon fibre shell? Yep. Front and rear cameras? Yep. OLED projections that follow your line of sight? Yup, that too. Is it clever tech? Definitely. Is it necessary? Ehh… depends how much Iron Man you have in your bloodstream. Will it cost a bomb? Absolutely.
Cool idea, borderline overkill — the kind of thing you try once, nod approvingly, and then quietly wonder how distracting it’ll be at 100 kph on a bumpy road.
A Smaller Crowd, But a Better Vibe
The turnout wasn’t huge this time, and honestly, that might have been MotoSoul’s secret win. For once, people had space — to breathe, to talk, to try out activities without queuing like it was a theme park.
You could hop between off-road training, gymkhana, flat track, racing simulators, and the moto crossfit zone without waiting forever. And because there wasn’t a sea of humanity, everyone looked a little more relaxed, a little more open to conversations with strangers, and a lot more willing to participate.
Some Good Deeds, Some Missing Faces
TVS kept things grounded with a couple of thoughtful moves — partnering with MT Helmets for more affordable options, and donating 100 kids’ helmets to local school children. Not headline-grabbing stuff, but meaningful.
The only real downer was the thin attendance from AOG chapters, especially from the north. MotoSoul usually feels like a massive Apache reunion; this time, it felt like someone forgot to add half the cousins to the group chat.
So What Was MotoSoul 5.0, Really
It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t flashy. Maybe, it wasn’t trying to outdo last year. MotoSoul 5.0 simply leaned into the ‘soul’ bit — smaller crowd, more breathing room, plenty to do, and enough cool metal on display to keep the enthusiasts happy. It didn’t roar; it hummed. And sometimes, that’s actually nicer.
A little less noise, a little more soul. That felt about right for this year.
