My Bike first

One fine night when I told a biker, coincidentally also my brother in law that I want to pen down a blog on his passion for biking, little did I know that a bikers love for his bike and ‘a bike ride’ is not only unconditional but also unbelievable.

It all began when he decided to take his next ride from Mumbai to Bangalore leaving behind his 7 months pregnant wife all by herself. That moment I told myself that there ought to be something really special here and there I was in his house listening to his passion, affection and adoration for his bike and his ‘ride’.

When in class 12, Vivek discovered his love for bike and riding and started learning on his father’s Chetak scooter. This continued until his brother got a bike from Madras and he started taking it around. Unfortunately this love affair had a quick break up as his father had to sell off the bike. That was the day when he decided that one day he will own a bike of his own and thus started his savings for the purchase of his dream machine. To everyone’s surprise, the day came sooner than later and there he was along with his father settling for a Royal Enfield, all elated and excited. It was a first of its kind a 350cc classic Royal Enfield bike. The first ride that Vivek took was to Alibaugh for wedding with friends. Post which he went to Lonavala couple of times again with friends. However, for the longest time he was itching to take a ride alone. One fine afternoon when he went to a local mechanic to do a sanity check, the mechanic uttered these golden words “sahib saab perfect hai”. Upon hearing this, he decided to take a ride all the way to Nashik.

Vivek loves to explore Google maps and it is here where his dreams take flight. He would for hours sit and search destinations on google map planning various rides across the length and breath of the country. One night his father told him about his grandmother who stays in Mangalore not feeling well. The next thing he did was picking the phone on a dear friend and requesting him to accompany him on a ride to Mangalore via Goa. The friend happily agreed. Likewise, Vivek took many rides and became a pro at planning these.

Is it risky? Yes it is. You may be a confident rider who has the knack of identifying the risks on the roads, and who has developed good riding practices to manage the uncertainty that shadows every vulnerable road user but every ride is a lesson learnt. The key is to be prepared for any kind of risk.

Few tips from Vivek

• Keep your emergency contact no. and photo id in the pocket

• Carry a first aid box with basic medicines

• Carry water bottle. The key is to keep yourself hydrated

• Be visible. You can often disappear in the blind spots. Smart positioning on the road, lights and reflective gear are a must as this ensures safety

In addition to this, to keep other road users in the know, use clear hand signals as often as possible to indicate your next move. What is interesting to note is that bikers also use hand signals to greet each other. A passer-by on the highway might be a stranger to us but a biker for a biker is never a stranger.

There’s a different thrill that comes with each bike ride. The adrenaline rush of being affiliated with something adventurous is fulfilling. Vivek remembers giving a lift to a cop on the highway once and recollects the cop patting his back after the ride concluded and stating “you ride quite well”. That’s not all! There is an exceptional satisfaction of being respected by citizens. Once he ran into a bunch of young strangers at an eatery on the highway and remembers being saluted and respected by them when they learnt that he was a biker. The feeling was out of this world. It’s like knowing that so many people wish they were where you are, and never will be.

While all of this is fine! The most important being a bond almost stronger than that of blood that he has with his bike. Let’s call it the karmic connection. Strangely, he feels safer on his bike than while driving his car. In fact, he feels that a lot of times his bike has saved him from running into trouble. He mentions that he has often mentioned to his wife that she shouldn’t worry for him if he is coming back home on his bike. He is assured that the bike will take care of it all!

Likewise, Vivek shared many other interesting stories from his various rides. Some fascinating, some astonishing while others beyond belief. I do hope u enjoyed reading his experiences . For more daring stories you can always write to him directly at Viveknair01@gmail.com. Adios.