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.