Ajinkya Firodia, MD, Motoroyale, MV Agusta, is trying to wrap his head around the saree guard!

Luxury bike makers in India have a peculiar problem. It’s seven yards long and makes for a gorgeous ensemble — a saree. Turns out, for companies to be able to sell bikes in India, all of them should have a saree guard — a metal guard near the rear wheels that prevents sarees from getting caught.

This rule applies to all bikes, even high-end super bikes, and Ajinkya Firodia, managing director, Motoroyale, MV Agusta, is not happy about it. He says, “The mandatory saree guard rule is a bit silly. It takes away from the look of a luxury bike or super bike.”

For others in the company, this saree-guard rule is a revelation. Raffaele Giusta, sales and marketing director, MV Agusta Motor said, “I had no idea what a saree guard was. It was only when I came here that I realised that to sell a bike in India or Nepal, a saree must be guarded.”