Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Smell of Love in the air...

Today I was riding from home to office, and suddenly a Bullet whizzed past me. There is something captivating about that bike - may it be the old world charm, may it be the 'king of the road' feel you get when you ride it, or may it be the thump - there is no bike to replace the good old Bullet.

After listening to the thump for some time, i thought today I will blog about the start of my love affair with bullets. And then i read about another love affair at Doc Akkis page today morning.

I still remember the first day when I rode bullet as a pillion. It was the day when my dad’s grandmother passed away. I and my mom were at my mom’s home - about 70 km far from my dads place, and i was a kid. There was no frequent bus service, so dad's cousin Roy came to pick me and my mom, and he came on a Bullet - a Black one. I rode all the way, sitting on the tank, and man - that ride hooked me. The feeling of wind on my face, the deep thump and the feeling of being on top of the world.

But it took lot of time before i swung my legs across a bull next time - it was again as a pillion. I waited patiently, knowing that no other bike can satisfy my urge. Years flew past, I started riding out, and changed quite a number of two-smokers and then one day, during my PUC, one guy challenged me that, if I can kick start his bullet, i can take a ride. Little did the guy knew that he was provoking a bullet fan - two half kicks with the decomp down and a third definite kick, and the red beast roared into life. And I rode the bullet for first time. Strangely, I never felt it awkward or out of place - the right side gear shift/ left side break arrangement. I somehow always feel more comfortable riding a bullet than riding any other bike.

After that day on the Red Bike, lot of miles passed under the seat, and till date, I am hooked to her big time. No other bike evokes the feeling a Bullet evokes, and no other bikes allow me the satisfaction of getting close to the bike as a Bullet offers me. Now, after almost ten years of biking, after changing the saddle for more than a dozen times, I still skip my heart whenever I come across a bullet.

These are the two beauties adorning my garage now, other than the ever trustworthy steed – Jeevs. The first one is Arwen, she is 1976 model and the second one – Kochupennu, is 1996 model. Both are Standard 350CC Royal Enfield Bullets.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jeevs.. is a vehicle! no no. I didn't think anything else.. serious :)

You know when I was in my high-school.. my "amavan" also had a bullet.. and ooo.. how I loved to go around on it!! It is royalty personified!! Everyone looks at you in amazement and jealousy.. and I used to love the look on the faces of the girls from my school..

tee-hee!! with a handsome guy on a rollercoaster ride to the school!
;D

your black beauties have a fan here.. I loved the 2nd name.. "Kochupennu"? ;P

Prats said...

Oh!!thats one sound that can get you on a high!!I remember a friend who had said I could ride one if I could put the bike on its stand..and sadly my strength didn't match my determination :(, But I get to sit behind and experience the feel of the "king"

Love the names you've given your beauts...esp 'kochupennu'..pennu I understand, but what is kochu???

Love LJ Joshi said...

feels good to proclaim your love for the bull, nahi?

yaar, even jeevs is a good chap, after all the upgrades he's gone thru...

Meghna said...

Hi Anoop,
U r really a crazy bike lovr! I don't see a lot of bullets around here these days! Good to see that pic...

black coffee said...

oh! bikes.. my love for them is so difficult to describe.. and the bullet? thats like the God of all bikes! my brother had one and the jolly rides i had on em! u got me all nostalgic..
and oh nice to see a link to my post too! thanks for that.. :)

Priya said...

Guyz are guyz isn't it.

Gunjan Aylawadi said...

i fail to understand hw can men love bikes so much!!

Kuttibalu said...

maaan.. i can't explain the bullet experience i had... no words for that.. one can only feel it.. I also enjoy driving behind a bullet, you could feel the knocking shock wave massaging you :)

Priya said...

Xh,

Ur tag done:)

--xh-- said...

@veens: yeah, Jeevs is my Honda Unicorn :P
@prats: you bet. Bullet is one of teh best sounding bikes in the world.Kochu means small :-D
@LJ: he he, you know, bhai :) and yeah - Jeevs is a nice guy - afetr all, he have taken me through whatever i have thrown at him.
@meghz: hm. come to b'lore, i will give you a ride.
@doc Akki: wow, tahzt so nice to know. when u come to b'lore next time, will give u a ride :-D
@priya: :P he he
@gunj: well, it is almost teh same way girls like to do makeup and like to visit salons..
@kuttibalu: he he, tru da. you ahve to experiece it. and if you like the shockwave of ordinary bullets, wait till u get one fitted with a Goldie silencer. :)

deyyam said...

hey da..
long live ur luv for bikes!!!
c u arnd here :D

guesssssssssssssssssss who m i :P

aMus said...

bikes with names...now i've heard it all!!! :)

but the feel of th wind on your face when you are on those powermachines is overwhelming...happy riding...

Pointblank said...

Oh! No! I was all set to read a romantic tale. U ruined my mood. Damn! ;)))

Shruti said...

U really had to take up a meme?? Anyway, not my fault! You've been tagged! :)

Sameera Ansari said...

Hmmm nice babies you have there! :)

abinash said...

Hi anoop. Bullet is bullet. Beyond any comparision. May be next time u will see me on a bullet. :)

Aarthi said...

Nice write up and cool pics to have accompanied it.....:)