The old man and the bike.

When I went on my first club ride (with Bikers’ Creed India) last year in May 2022 (if I remember correctly), a mere week after having taken my motorcycle out of the showroom (after 20 years of being motorcycle-less and not having ridden anything, not even as a test ride, before that day, for 2 decades straight), and told one of the co-founders of the club, Karan Aklujkar that I’ve got the helmet, gloves, knee pads, and riding jacket, and that I am ‘set’, he smiled and said that soon, I’d want auxiliary lights, then an ECU-remapper, backpacks, saddlebags, a BT headset, maybe aftermarket exhausts, a brighter headlamp, sturdier foot pegs, ceramic coating, a mobile holder, a charger, on-board cameras, a GPS tracker, better spark plugs, high-end relays, a touring seat, a water bottle holder, and various accoutrements and thingummies for my camera, bags, and fitments, and that this is just for the motorcycle, while I would upgrade my jacket, my armour, my helmet, my headset, my gloves, and get myself real riding pants and boots.

I laughed. Because I was sure I was not one of those crazy nutcases who were obsessed with biking and couldn’t sleep well without having ridden at least 100km a day…and then, dreamt of riding while they slept.

Well, to cut a long story short: 20,000km and 11 months later, I’m not laughing now.

I bought everything he listed (bar the aftermarket exhausts, which I abhor) within the first six months, except the pants because I could not find good, comfortable, and safe riding pants that also catered to the narcissus in me (after all, I’ve got a rep to protect). And today, I finally found the black Shimas that Kaustubh Thengodkar (of Gear & Throttle House) knew I’d fall in love with. And I duly fell in love with them. So, while earlier, I was just a middle-aged man having a midlife crisis with a fast bike, I am now a middle-aged man having a midlife crisis with a fast bike and fancy accessories, which include a pair of sexy riding pants. In short, meri pant bhi sexy hai!

P.S.: I am told that the next step towards total insanity is to buy another bike for off-roading. Hahahaha. I know what you’re thinking. But hear me out…how’s the Hero XPulse 4v 200? I rode Prasad’s, and I think I’m in love. Sigh!