Bonding over Biking

So today was a damn hectic day..had to do a couple of urgent jobs at home and then i had to rush to TIFR at Trombay for the project work. Moreover it was damn chilly outside.In a city like Mumbai you never expect temperatures to dip below 10 degrees. But this time it was going to get even colder , read the newspaper headline as I was sipping hot tea this morning.

Suddenly Mom yelled to stop reading that paper and complete the couple of urgent jobs she had specially enlisted for me. The 'so-called-urgent-jobs' were supposed to be bills , bills , bills and bills ...electricity,mobiles , landlines...none of which had their last dates approaching fast enough..but anyways I had to complete them or else my Mom will virtually murder me. Even after discovering this ultimate truth I was a bit lazy to get into motion quickly until Mom poked me again.I wished the newspapers had a timepiece column which would automatically update the time for the readers like they had the date and the day mentioned there.Glancing at the wall-clock taking my own sweet time I realized that indeed it was late enough. I just packed off things and got out to pay the bills.

Fortunately I was just the second person to stand in the queue at the counter of the MSEB. I was so happy about this just because i hate to stand in queues especially when I have some more interesting and important work to do. While I was thinking about this the MSEB guy at the counter and the person standing in front of me got in a flurry of words. Both of them were exchanging 'unmentionable' titles..suddenly reminding me of the knighthood the Queen were supposed to confer on our very own Tendlya. I thought of the weird comparison I was making and laughed at it. After both our 'Wordsmiths' have lost theie energies I got a chance to do my duty and I did it with much ease.

Returning home I rushed to my bike...my first and the only love.. I had till now...a 1996 Yamaha RX135...so committed...so powerful...so nasty..yet so gorgeous...This is her 11th year with me and she is still young...young enough to beat the hell outta the 'so-called free-bikers'...the Pulsars ...the Unicorns and the feeble Splendor..She was waiting for me like a dutiful wife waits for her husband who returns home after a battle...Totally busy with my exams for the past 2 months I was just not able to find some much needed time to look after my bike.As I cleaned the dust from her body the bike started breathing slowly...the dust had actually hardened and required valiant efforts to get that thing off...I just took her to a shower and then on to some scrubbing to bring back the bling..I meant the chrome...Slowly and steadily I started rubbing the fender..the crash guard..the rims..the bike began to shine...after some vigorous hard work my baby was shining like a superstar...the morning sunlight just gleamed on her fender...and I was falling in love with her again..really no joy like this...treating your much prized possession not as a possession but as a part of your own soul...

After this it was time for a spin. Donning my biking gear and the backpack I headed to TIFR. It is some 22 to 25km from my place and is reachable in some 20 to 30 mins. As I gave the ignition the bike roared...it was sweet music to the ears..I think any one who has a bike or even a car for that reason..the engine roar is definitely the sweetest music. The weather was perfect to ride. Nice warm sunshine...spotless blue yonder and the clean and smooth road..i guess they had some roadwork just done...so it was THE time to cruise and ride along..I was easing along a nice 60 kmph...and was just enjoying the ride..feeling the strange and a very obvious connection with my bike..It was strange but I had a very close relationship with my machine which was slowly getting spiritual..we rode as if the bike was a part of me.As I rode along I found the big daddy of the RX135...the Yamaha RD350..this guy was cruising along as I spotted him from a distance..the RD350 is easily spotted because of it's firing and the trail of smoke it leaves behind..I rode near him..it was high torque RD and was very well maintained...the guy and myself chatted while we rode along as there was very less traffic..I normally have a word with the RD350 bikers whenever I see one..thats just because of the immense respect I have for this bike..introduced way back in the 70's this baby has a kickass engine..come any 350 from the desi Bajaj or the Hero Honda this Japanese stud will leave others gasping for air...Anyways I was nearing the diversion from the highway which headed towards my destination.Bidding adieu to the other fella I zoomed off. Glancing at the watch I was realizing it would be late if I cruised.So I downshifted the gears I cut my way through the traffic and I just reached TIFR in time.

Truly one of my most enjoyable rides of recent times...