The other side...

Nowadays it's become quite a fad to own a cool bike. In India, specially a Royal Enfield. I wonder how many of the buyers think about the purpose a bike was made for before buying it. I pity the ever so common cruiser or sportsbike that only gets to ferry its owner from office/college to home and vice-versa. But here is why i call it a fad. These machines are not easy to mantain, and certainly not cheap. Sure you can get the occasional service/wash done and feel great, but if not taken care of properly, with the required amount of time, effort and money, they wont last a decade. I fear the current fad that is at a high, will only result in a few good brand names sustaining a lot of damage and mechanics making a quick buck in the process. Once major problems start kicking in due to years of improper use and insufficient care, the same buyers who don't know what their bike is built for, will only regret the money they spent and curse their makers.

Which is why I decided to write about the other side, the other side of motorcycing. Not the side that involves wearing fancy gear and clicking fancy pictures for fb and watsapp dp's. Not the side that involves roaring or zooming across a short section of open street feeling like Valentino Rossi, before getting tangled in traffic again. But the side that involves passion, patience and your purse! 

 I have done over 60k kilometers on my RE classic in about 3 years. It has brought me immense pleasure taking me to amazing places but also giving me the pleasure of its company in the garage. You read that right, i have spent many weekends and long nights trying to get rid of that nagging ticking sound, that mis-timed beat, that fuse blowing so frequently, that squeaky brake and a thousand more. Aquantances often say "why is your bike so fragile, you're always fixing something" well its not. Its taken all the extra add-ons that I've put into it and carried me all over the country, not to mention the daily 60kms commute to and from work. And I won't let it be in any condition except perfect, i can't ride her around with a fused brake light or sagging indicator. So i spend time with my bike and i enjoy it. 

Today i redid the entire wiring of my bike. There wasn't an immediate need, but she was showing signs of weak wires and like i said, i love to keep her just perfect. It took many long hours in the garage, but it was a recommitment of my passion not only to my bike but to the concept that has given me so much - motorcycing. I confess i prefer anything mechanical to electrical, and wiring is a nightmare to me. But it let me appreciate the intricacies and complexity of the beast i have come to so love.

As i keep saying to a lot of budding bikers, take care of your bikes. You don't have to fix everything yourself, but find a good mechanic and ensure that she's always perfect. Sitting and watching while your mechanic works on your bike is the first step to learning where what is, let alone fixing it yourself. And use your bike for the purpose it was built. Rather don't buy a cruiser if your not gonna ride long, don't buy a racer if it will never see a track, don't buy a dirt bike if it's always gonna be clean, you know why? Cause if its just a style statement, you'll never have the passion to see it through, the other side.