Aizawl, Sept. 6: Old bikes, the saying goes, don?t die ? they thunder on.

Lending credence to this adage is a World War II antique, which is going strong even six decades after being manufactured by the Royal Enfield ? makers of the Bullet motorcycles ? and is the oldest motorbike running in Mizoram.

The motorbike?s owner, R. Thanpuia, is a member of Aizawl Thunders ? the state?s one and only Bullet bike club.

Established on November 5, 1999, as the Aizawl Bullet Club, it was renamed the Aizawl Thunders in 2001, because the members felt that the original name was ?too tame?.

Today, it has on its register bikes and members of all ages.

While Thanpuia?s bike dates back to 1945, the 60-odd Bullets of the Aizawl Thunders boast of many contemporary ones, too.

?There are some bikes in our club which the younger generation may not want to be seen dead with, but we have several modern ones, too,? said Lalrinchhana, a member of the club.

Contemporary Bullet models like the Thunderbird, the Machismo and the Electra make up the majority of the club?s bikes.

Explaining the preference for these models, Lalrinchhana said, ?Sine most people prefer the conventional placing of brakes and gears they go for these bikes.?

These models have the gears and brakes placed on their left and right respectively whereas the other Bullet models have them placed the other way round.

Just as the Thunders? bikes differ in age, so do the members. The youngest member is 20 years old and the oldest over 60. James Lalhmingliana of Khatla at 60-plus is the club?s oldest member, according to Lalrinchhana.

The club, however, does face difficulty in expanding its membership because Bullet bikes are expensive ? ranging between Rs 68,000 to Rs 92,000 ? and its owners, therefore, few.

However, those who do join this exclusive club are driven not only by their passion for the mean machines. They also gear up the charity machine of the state?s capital.

?We have helped orphanages in and around Aizawl several times. We donate commodities bought from our funds. Lately, we donated biscuits and other goodies to the Hermon Children?s Home,? said Thanpuia.

The next programme on the Thunders? agenda is a tour to Lunglei later this year. ?We have promised to help a local charitable group there,? Thanpuia said.

The club collects funds through donations by members as well as through contracts that are executed in the club?s name.

One of the main persons instrumental in setting up the club is Hmangaih Johan of Chaltlang. In fact, the motto of the Aizawl Thunders is ?In Johan we trust?.

Infiltrator held

Abdul Gafur Mian, a Bangladeshi national, was arrested from Binnachara village under Golokganj police station of Dhubri district by a BSF jawan on Monday night.

Mian hails from Goter-Alga village under Kurigram district of Bangladesh.

BSF authorities handed Mian over to Golokganj police after preliminary interrogation.