It took 350 CC @ 80Kmph to beat 44 celsius!

I never thought I would become passionate about biking. I don't know why. Perhaps, I loved the idea of a backrest in the car, the comfort of the cool wind blowing out of the AC duct. Though I had friends who enjoyed it, I was never game for it.

But some incidents which happened over the past few months ignited this spark. Now how longer the flame kindles, I dont know.

I came back from USA last week after spending three months. Now this is the time of year there when the harsh and somber winters gave way to pleasant and refreshing summers with sun and sand taking the front seat. And its during this period when the bike lovers cruise out on their 1000+ cc mean machines, with 'I don't give a damm' attitude. Every time I saw one of those gangs, it left me with a bloody strong urge to try that out.

Then, I happen to watch a movie called 'Wild Hogs'. I had no idea what it was about, but it turned out to be about a bunch of 4 friends (all 40+ though) who decide to hit out the roads on their bikes to rediscover themselves leaving behind the worldly affairs.

Somewhere between this, my flat mate handed me over the book "The Zen and Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". I haven't read it till the end, but without going into whats it about,I will share what author thinks of bikes and cars. He says that traveling in a car is like being stuffed in a box with a view to the outside world as if watching TV, frame by frame. On the other riding a bike is like being in the frame itself, feeling the ground, the wind gushing past your hair and soaking in the view without it being diluted.
WOW!, The urge to hit roads grew stronger and stronger.

The last incident could perfectly explain what godsend means! A childhood friend back home informed me that he has bought a brand new Royal Enfield (For the uninitiated and UnIndian!, this is the best you can lay hands on in India).
This was indeed godsend.

All of these incidents happened as if something wants to push me to biking!

I returned back in mid june, you cannot have a worse timing to land up in Delhi. From a cool 5-10 deegree for three months to the cruel 45 degrees, the transition was killing and brutal. All I could think of was a closed AC room, there is no way I could venture out on the roads, I thought. But on a blistering Saturday afternoon,my friend and I hit out on the roads on his enfield. I rode it from Noida to Karol Bagh . With 350 CC between your legs (pun unintended) and with the throttle taking you to 80+ Kmph (you can go above that,the bike can easily allow that, but not the traffic), you DO FORGET everything else. Its sheer pleasure. Why didn't I ever try it before!!
44 deegrees was now nowhere to be felt, traffic jams didn't seem to be that troublesome, the thought of doing noida delhi on a bike seemed trivial.

The flame is ignited, how long it kindles, remains to be seen.