Sometimes you lose sense of time. When the balmy wind hits your face you stop glancing at your watch. There is something in the heavy thump of a piston, in the way it cranks out power from the red-hot cylinder block. The road might stretch out to the horizon; the trees might rush by you faster than a freight train, but the heady vibration from the machine that you sit on shows the world where you stand.
I always loved bikes though I still can’t ride a bicycle. But from the time I started riding an Enfield, my life changed.
There are bikes and then there are Royal Enfields. Yesterday, a Royal Enfield fan told me: “Every Enfield rider knows that the bike is an underpowered shit. But it has an attitude.” I wouldn’t second him, but I can tell you there are always two ways to reach a destination. To me, how you reach it, is more important! Of course, any Japanese bike, which has decent amount of power, can kill an Enfield in a quarter mile drag. But that’s not the reason why among a few others, I ride an Enfield.
Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia: (“Royal Enfield was the brand of the Enfield Cycle Company, an English engineering company. Most famous for producing motorcycles, they also produced bicycles, lawnmowers, stationary engines, and even rifle parts for the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield. This legacy of weapons manufacture is reflected in the logo, a cannon, and their motto ‘Made like a gun, goes like a bullet’. It also enabled the use of the brand name Royal Enfield from 1890. And now Royal Enfield is considered as the oldest motorcycle company in the world still in production and Bullet is the longest production run around model.) See, legacy matters…
The bike survived two World Wars. During the Second World War, the Flying Flea aka the Airborne, a ligther version of the Bullet was para-dropped behind enemy lines with British troops. Hmm…I find this exciting—something like travelling back in time and feeling like a paratrooper while negotiating Delhi traffic in circa 2008.
Then there is the question of feeling good while riding. This is relative. But after coming back home, dog tired after a tiring day at office, this is the only bike I feel like taking out for a spin. And after 5 minutes on it, there is usually a huge grin plastered all over my face. Why? Well, you got to ride it. All I can say is that there is difference between having sex and making love. Haw…
6 comments:
1890 was also the year when St.Josephs's college, Calcutta was founded!!
well, john.. totally off topic.. hope you dont mind.. i was wondering.. you took a bullet on your trip to jaipur and it gave you a lot of problems.. then for your ladakh trip you took a unicorn which was trouble free and handled the terrain well.. so how come you're back to the bullet now?
Dear Rohan,
well, guess it's the trippy feelin that a bullet gives you. it's a hell lotta probs riding one and carin for one like a baby. But in places like ladakh, you can't take a chance...though in the end, goin there is takin a chance. lol
I changed two bullets in a span of 6 months. The feelin from each was completely diff. One was a 2004 electra, the other was a 1993 std.
The std was a dream come true.
But then again, i got a taste of the 1800cc Suzuki Intruder. Well, u c i cant take that to Ladakh as well because of low ground clearence. But that doesnt take away the credit from the monster.
In the end, I guess it's like romance. True romance doesnt last long. What do you say?
well, i can't say about true romance or romance in general as my experiences vary way too much for me to make my judgment.. but i can say something about the bullet.. i got mine, a 92 standard about four months back after selling my 150 dtsi and rx100 (both of which were completely trouble free).. initially, i missed the pulsar every time the bullet gave me trouble.. these days, its more like every time it screws up, i think of selling it.. but once it starts and i hear the thump.. i just cant.. i think I'm heading towards true romance.. let's just see how long it lasts!
had been to Manali in December, rented some bulls which were nice.. couldn't go further up as roads were closed.. Ladakh's on wish list.. i know its more about the rider than the bike.. but was just wondering which bike I'd like to take.. my own bike would be good... but then i have my apprehensions about it screwing up at the wrong time.. have had quite a few instances of that happen already =)
Suzuki Intruder's uncharted territory for me.. never ridden anything over 350cc.. hopefully one day I'll steal one and proclaim my "anarchy in the Bombay" ;-)
also, you're still holding on to the std right? read about it in the "late night booze hunting" blog post.. care to elaborate about why the 93 std's dearer over the 04 electra?
Sure. Firstly, the immediate feelin that one gets on an ol' std is that it's much heavier than the new models. I enquired with the mechs and they told me that the material that went into buildin ol' machines were better. Understandable. Secondly, the std is the only Bullet that can be tuned for city or highway use. This is interesting. Ask your mech how.
With the electra I did a trip to Jaipur. I wasn't gettin the 'feel' on the way. It felt way too tight.
Then I took the std to Corbett. Lemme tell you, it was just butter smooth. At 80 kph, all you cud feel was the quiet thump of the iron cast and that too oh-so-smoothly. I thrashed the bike through bad roads and good, continuously and believe me, the twin-spark thunderbird that followed me was no match in terms of riding pleasure.
I guess, the std is still what u get what people used to get in the fifties. The company didnt tinker too much with it and that's the reason for its impeccable 'feel'.
And no, I dont have it now. Sold it coz i needed some money. Slowdown huh?
Yea, even I had to slowdown as well. And I never liked the Pulsars. Had one for four years. The handlebar is way too low for sexy cornering. It's not a scientific bike and component quality is also shit. will be puttin up some pics for u. wait.
nice! didnt know about the tuning for highway and city use.. i wonder if my mechanic would know too.. yet to do a long ride on my own bullet.. but roamed around quite a bit in manali, kasaul etc. with the rented bike.. got a nice feel of bullet+mountains.. waiting to go back again..
had to slowdown.. i used the rx100 for a good 3 years as it was my first bike. sold it and got the pulsar which though i liked, couldnt develop a personal bond with it as it was too neutral for my taste and frankly lacked character.. i just got it coz around that time, the 50 kms commute to and fro from work was gettin a bit expensive on the rx.. but after 7 months on the pulsar i was so bored and had so many back aches that i knew that there was only one bike that could save me from the ordeal.. so got a bullet.. was very bitter sweet experience initially.. but is gettin sweeter as days go by...
waiting for the pics.. cheers!
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