[GTO]

Happy 12th Birthday, Team-BHP!

When you come down to it, Team-BHP is really only about the cars...and the people! Together, they've created some truly fantastic memories.

They say a picture speaks a thousand words. Hence, I'm going to share some special moments from the last 12 years here. Please also contribute with your own Team-BHP pictures & memories on this thread.

Life is good...

When you head out for Team-BHP's 1st holiday drive with a bunch of relative strangers (related thread):


When a BHPian hooks your Dad up with a car he used to own in the 70's (related thread):


When Team-BHP's 'books' get blessed @ Diwali Pooja:


When you wish you had a wide-angle lens for one of the first meets of 2004:


When it's Sunday & time to play...


...or perhaps, on weekdays too:


When Team-BHP usually makes for the biggest group at family functions:


When jumps go well...


...and even when they don't:


When you visit a BHPian's home and are told that these 2004-batch stickers still welcome visitors...12 years down the line!


When you participate in an auto show for the first time:


When friends drive 1,000 kms to spend a weekend together:




When Team-BHP gets prime placement in your bedroom...


your cabin...


your office...


...and even wedding gifts!


When pals burn the floor at your party:


When an early morning in Bombay goes like:


When birthdays are a big deal, even if it's not your own:


When you find beautiful places no one has been to before...


...even though getting there posed its own set of challenges:


When a supremely talented Moderator makes you a special-edition bumper sticker:


When a buddy makes you fall in love with motorcycles:


When BHPians create rangolis that leave you speechless:




When a mad ICE-man leaves his office to work on your 'disco':


When your hosts insist on slapping Team-BHP stickers onto Team-BHP servers:


When someone buys you dhokla because you had a problem with the restaurant's food:


When you head out to just - DRIVE!


When a BHPian beefs up his garage:


When you spend a Sunday working on new Team-BHP sections and it feels like a Sunday well spent:


When you test a yet-to-be-launched car and give such honest feedback that it's never launched at all!


When your birthday gifts are like:


When your workstation is ripped apart and the only things on your mind are 'new threads' & 'reported posts':


When there are 5 people online and it still feels like a 'busy' forum:


When a mass SMS leads to this. Remember, this was before WhatsApp & Facebook existed:


When Dad is first to hold the keys to your office:


And it's got quite the view:


When boys...


...will be boys. We just don't grow up :


When you get in the boot to shoot a video, and YouTube.com doesn't even exist:


When you go discovering new places with friends:


When a typically Team-BHP day drains you out:


But the next morning, you're ready for it all over again:


When it's time to retrospect and you realise there's nothing else you'd rather have done for the last 12 years. Thank you Team-BHP!

[Rehaan]

The Team-BHP life is good...

When online friendships cross each other in the real-world, and beyond.


When someone makes you laugh, even if they are miles away.


When applying a sticker is a sign of pride & brotherhood.


When you take a trip with people you barely know, and it's only the very beginning of your epic journey.


8 years later at the same spot: ...the journey still continues - just with more power!


When you leave work early, because a friend wants to mod his car.


When the old man presses the button, and you know it's going to be epic.


When you'd rather cut a cake on a hood than a table.


When California isn't too far for a Team-BHP meet, or bell-bottoms.


When a point-and-shoot camera is the limiting factor, but the passion is unlimited.


When you've only got one thing on your mind, even at work.


When the pundit knows what's up.


When getting the right shot means 8 minutes of framing and 20 minutes of waiting, but you're used to it now.


When a distinguished mod is willing to get down and dirty for the shot.


When taking ancient cars up a mountain is considered fun.


When you find out who's really been thanking all your posts.


When you're waiting in line, because there's BHPians waiting online.


When every BHPian wants to push the same button...


...and turn the same switch.


When a common passion crosses boundaries, and even continents.


When a unique method of rat proofing the engine bay gets more attention than the beautiful scenery.


When every group picture gets a reply saying can someone please add names.


When your favourite place in the world can move around, but never changes.


When you know more engine figures than phone numbers.


When what you drive doesn't matter, as long as you love it.


When your idea of a religious experience is going around in circles.


When you know what car it is, and 'normal' people have no clue.


When you think; wow - maybe we're living the dream.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWyGf5VNPos

Credit to various BHPians for some of the photos!

[noopster]

Awesome thread. Here goes mine.

Life is good...

When even your luggage declares your identity:


When boundaries between team BHPian and best buddy get permanently blurred:


When taking pictures like this excites you even as others stare at you weirdly...


..and no travelogue is complete without the mandatory pics of your ride:




When generation next shares your passion...





...even as your wife wonders why you're so eager to take the kids to the toy store


When you double up as tour guide to first-timers to your hometown:


...and when the first Bimmer you drive is an M5!!!


Happy birthday Team BHP!

[Samurai]

As years go by, it is becoming harder and harder to summarize the mounting years into a few paragraphs... But images can speak a 1000 words each.

So I am just going to post 1-2 pics from my every year in Team-BHP.

12th June 2005 [Bangalore - Mulbagal Drive]



11th Dec 2005 [Bangalore - Krishnagiri Drive]



8th Jan 2006 [Go-Kart Meet at Patel's Inn Bangalore]



28th May 2006 [National Team-BHP Meet - Goa]



1st Dec 2006 [Mega Chennai Meet]



7th Dec 2007 [Kellambakkam Offroad Training for Team-BHPians]



13th July 2008 [Jeep Thrills Offroad Event - Coorg]



5th Nov 2008 [Delhi Meet]



15th Nov 2008 [Family Meet at Vihangama Resort]



24th Jan 2009 [Munnar Mega OTR]



6th Sept 2009 [Sakleshpur Special OTR]



21st Feb 2010 [First Mangalore Meet]



25th June 2010 [First EXAMM/AKC OTR]



30th Jan 2011 [Second BODA Annual OTR]



5th June 2011 [First Udupi Meet]



19th Aug 2012 [Kodachadri OTR]



17th Dec 2012 [National Moderator Meet - Pawna]



10th Feb 2013 [Founder's day Meet - Udupi]



25th May 2013 [Samurai finally goes to Japan on Team-BHP business]



13th July 2013 [National Moderator meet - Mumbai]



15th Feb 2014 [Team-BHP 10th anniversary gift ceremony]



11th Aug 2014 [First RFC in India]



1st Feb 2015 [Wild Udupi Meet at the Beach]



27th Oct 2015 [Japan Again - Tokyo Motor Show]

[benbsb29]

Team-BHP is undoubtedly more than just cars. It’s a bunch of people who are united by a common passion, and needless to say, this extends to the human element as well. Since joining Team-BHP in 2006, I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of people from this forum who’ve become my friends even off the online world.

I don’t have as many pics, but even the few below more than depict the special place Team-BHP as well as Team-BHPians have in my life, and some of the memories.


At Nandi Hills – The once upon a time default TEAM-BHP adda.




We meet, unfazed by rain, hail or fog.


When one man’s wheels are a source of joy for many others.


When objects in the rearview mirror are actually your friends.


Traffic jam in the middle of nowhere is probably a Team-BHP meet.


There's always a reason to drive, and find new places. All in search of that perfect wallpaper pic of your car.


Never give up! Jaggu will do anything for a good pic. iPhone does the rest.


When friends from Team-BHP babysit your car when you are away – with DBHPian condor.


Making photographers out of ordinary people - the love for cars. Under the watchful eyes of the master himself.


Giving an inter-state Team-BHP mod a welcome to Bangalore. Noopster does a stop-over.


Bragging rights which few can counter - driving on the one and only Buddh Circuit! http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...l-circuit.html




Automobile interests extend to coverage of heavy vehicles too. VolvoFM480


Taking Team-BHP international - With DBHPian phamilyman – Possibly the first meet in Brisbane, Australia.

[Rudra Sen]

We do have a very hectic and tough life and this is a perfect place to chilax.



A touch of car has to be there.. even when we're chilaxing early in the morning.



A touch of car again. How can one resist such background?



Rehaan baba with one of his thousand gizmos.



Me: FlyingSpur, come closer.
FlyingSpur: OK




Me: Come closer. Leave that truck behind.
FlyingSpur: More?




Me: FlyingSpur! Closer I say!!
FlyingSpur: Arre, I'm going to touch you then!
Me: Don't bother, that's not your A Class and this is Rehaan's Innova.

[khan_sultan]

Ah, it's that time of the year again when you look back as if it was yesterday you started on this journey with Team-BHP and how it became an integral part of life with friends who are closer than family, friends who are more friends than your school friends, friends who are meaner & more evil than Dr Evil himself, friends who know more secrets about you than you yourself :-)

Really, feels like yesterday but looking back time really flies. Going back through the old threads and pictures did make the evening nostalgic.

Here are some of the small extremely enjoyable moments from my life here -- in no particular order or chosen for a reason. Just random pickings from the ocean of footprints we leave in this online house of ours called Team-BHP.

When you have the First OTR organized solely on Team-BHP for Team-BHPians in 2008. Till that time, jeep_thrills & suzuki yahoo groups used to organize such OTRs
Sakleshpur OTR



When pearl valley used to be off-roaders backyard for camping in Bangalore -- those were the days
Pearl Valley OTR



And when 5 crazy Team-BHPians, impromptu decided to go on a 6 day GQ drive back in the winters of 2008.
GQ Drive 2008



When you are returning from office and see a Team-BHP meet going on. You join in and have some fun.
Team-BHP Meet



When you drive 1000 KM one way for an off-road event with fellow Team-BHP offroaders. You behave like alice in wonderland or a kid in a candy shop
EXAMM /AKC OTR



When your raincoat looks like a NASA space shuttle astronaut suit in an OTR to Munnar, during the monsoons, with fellow BHPians
Munnar OTR



When it's raining cats & dogs and you like are a kid are having the best time of your life playing in the rain & mud. Yes, we want that pic to be clicked.
Sakleshpur OTR



When you have the master himself -- rudra -- joining in for off-road and makes your gypsy look larger than life

[ampere]

I don't have pictures of people to share. But still its been one hell of a journey. When I take up my pen to write this piece, I just realise that I am one of the youngest within the “oldest” of the lots within this forum. Its like that proverbial transition generation which has seen both the worlds; the young and the old. But when I look at it just as a member, I also feel it does not matter which generation you belong to. Its the journey that counts.

I see the forum through a different eye, which I am sure many would agree too. To me the forum has been seminal in re-kindling that wandering soul. A true justice to the title and the words “Discovery of India”

Some of my personal favourites being:


The discovery of Kaas

Its been one of the best finds of the forum. And more importantly I have experienced in two colours. Firstly the colours of the monsoon seen through the eyes of the members. And secondly the grand landscape which it presents in winter through spectacular colours




Some Exotic locations in western ghats.

And to say I have explored is an understatement. Every new post on the forum about this region brings some thing new to the list. The monsoon season exploration of this place is still playing hard to get!




Unexplored places that bring a smile to our face
A perfect example of a place which can go unnoticed thanks to the shadow of its big brother. Finding such a place and reading about it, in itself is a revelation. Snapping it through your eyes takes you to that next level.



Hidden paradises close to our homes:

This is where all the action is. The search begins for that weekend itch. And it never stops, till you find something which that satiate your drive for that next journey of exploration.







And of course the re-discovery of the 2-Lane highways

Do I even need to say anything? Thanks to the boring 4-lanes, that urge to find that unexplored road by the country side is ten folds more than actually driving on it!








I am not even mentioning Leh and Himachal!

And last but not the least..

The collective sharing that has happened through the years which I have read and cherished have personally given me some amazing friends. Not to mention many, who have already translated from the virtual to the real physical world. I hope this journey continues sine die.

[Aditya]

Twelve years - that's a long time. Team-BHP has gone from being a small forum with a handful of members to the best automotive community in India.

It has given me opportunities to make friends, enjoy drives, parties and vacations with them, go wild and laugh a lot. It has also given me the joy of working in the industry that I love most.

Looking back, I have a lot of fond memories - drives we had to Mahabaleshwar, Goa, Bangalore, Alibaug and more.

I do not have too many images with me since I lost a lot of data when my old computer gave up the ghost. So, I'm sharing the handful that I managed to fish out.

Goa 2007:




Driving some of the best cars in the world at Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi:












Driving the JBL evil twins from Mumbai to Bangalore:










Blind Man Rally 2013:

[moralfibre]

Happy birthday Team-BHP!

12 years have passed and it still feels like yesterday:

When you do a recce for a drive that's planned for the next day:



And it turns out to be one of the most successful meets:



When you have company for craziness:



And it isn't restricted to just one weekend:



Even if the tank misses wipers during torrential rain in Mahabaleshwar:



When your ride gets elite company at Amby Valley:



When a classic moves from one bhpian:



To another:



When only folks you meet past midnight are bhpians:



And all we discuss at scenic locations is CARS!



When drives to Goa are epic:



When you get to flirt with a wishlist item:



And your first off road experience is in a Range Rover:



Here's wishing all of us many more years of happy motoring!

[aah78]

Twelve years have passed by in a jiffy!

And it feels strange but still not difficult to imagine that a lot of my first interactions with Team-BHPians has been overseas.

These are just a few of my memories over the many years - all linked to being a Team-BHPian and how the petrol (or diesel) that runs in all our veins makes those instances, special.

A nice surprise - getting to experience this:


In this sweet little inconspicuous Swift (in Mumbai):


Meeting these guys for the first time, ever:


And getting to experience this monster tear up NYC streets:


Learning what makes this teensy yellow car so special:



Catching up with these chaps:


To experience this V10 bellow is it's last hurrah:


Meeting up with a friend, and a fellow Team-BHPian, just because:


When you click a picture in happiness:


And wipe a silent tear as you say good-bye...:


Happy 12th Team-BHP!!!

[mobike008]

This September, I will complete a decade of being a member of Team-BHP. I can only say one thing that after becoming a member to this fabulous forum, my life took a 360 turn and because of this forum I was able to express my love for automobiles and make so many friends and a few out of whom have become part of my life and darn sure this friendship will go till the grave

When I joined the forum in Sep-2006, I was fascinated by the opportunity to meet new people who had similar passion as me. I love automobiles and food ( in that order ) and made full use of this opportunity to organize tons and tons of meets in Hyderabad that included not just the general drive meets but, also many theme based meets and just to give you an example of the meets that I organized were as follows and I doubt if any other city in India were able to cover similar theme meets.

Theme of the meets could have been anything. But, the topics discussed at each of these meets were about "Automobiles"

Sample ones below :

1. Drive Meets
2. Dinner/Lunch Meets
3. Boat Ride Meet
4. Ghazal Night Meet
5. Haleem Meet
6. Holi Meet
7. Breakfast Meets
8. Cheese Meets
9. Drag Race Meets
10. Biking Meets

All these meets were just an excuse to meet new members and catch with members that I gelled well with.

Team-BHP has given me and opportunity on several fronts to learn from the amazing contribution by members with such vast knowledge not only about automobiles but, our forum is also a treasure trove for information on everything that is non-automobile related too. It used to amaze me in the beginning but, then realized later that quality of both content and members on this forum is "Given"

Not to mention the opportunity to review and drive a cars/bikes will always be memorable and etched into the mind forever

Below are some pictures that I randomly picked over the last decade from the forum itself that hopefully gives a brief glance into the glorious time that I had with members and all thanks to this beautiful forum

Many Congratulations and Happy 12th Anniversary to Team-BHP !!!

[Tushar]

When nirvana is just a throttle twist away:


When there's never a lack of excuses to explore:


When obsession is just a part of the daily to-do list:

[Gannu_1]

Man, I really don’t know what to say. This forum has changed my life like no other. I was addicted to gaming and computer hardware and used to be a couch potato - you know, the kind that comes back from work only to sit in front of a TV/desktop gaming all night? I used to pen down short reviews about the games I had completed and the hardware I owned. Enter Team BHP in April 2013 and buying a ride during October 2013 - I am now fixated on cars, modifying my ride, penning down DIY guides, changing my perception of cars, learning to drive them carefully and safely, traveling to new places among others.

Team BHP is now my second home - my wife knows best! Ask her and she will tell you what I prefer to do on weekends, what car do I dream about upgrading in the future, what she prefers to gift me for the anniversaries and such. Heck, she even knows some of the TBHP handles with whom I interact often! I made a lot of good friends here as well - some of them whom I am yet to meet in person! All this makes me immensely proud to be a part of this community!

Here are some pics depicting the radical change in my life all thanks to this forum that I had joined less than 3 years back:

What I used to take offs from work for:





What I used to preorder and eagerly wait for, until the delivery guy shows up on my doorstep:





How I used to spend my time:





What I used to hold in my hands:





What I used to show off to my friends and colleagues:





The only BHPian I’ve met so far is Parag (got to increase that count!) when he had stopped by at Navsari for a short break so here’s the click:

Happy 12th Birthday Team BHP - here’s to many more birthdays, quality content and membership!

[S2!!!]

To start off with, I'd like to congratulate each and every one - moderators, members and even readers for Team-BHP's success story. I've been a Team-BHP addict since 2006 and a part of the core team since 2014. We all know what Team-BHP is today, so I won't elaborate any further.

Exactly on this date last year I met some mods. Before meeting them, I felt like I knew them for years, but after, these are a completely different lot; not even a fraction as serious as they'd appear while moderating the threads on the forum


It's been an awesome journey, working with Team-BHP. My parents still think that all I'm doing is chilling at work, driving cool cars and having a blast:


My friends think I'm some tech guru who knows all about new car tech and quite often, I get calls from them with strange problems they face in their cars:


Fellow auto journos think that I'm always sooo seriously working, studying the press literature, clicking a few thousand pictures etc. (at media drives) for our Official Reviews:


In reality, this is what I'm doing at Team-BHP