I've always believed that a person's greatest teachings come from the most subtle persons, places and things that come and go during a person's lifetime. Just imagine, Gautam Buddha's greatest realisation came when he casually went outside his palace and saw some of the most insignificant things, people and suffering, which he couldn't have otherwise known. A very inconspicuous apple gave Newton the enlightment which not only decided his present, but also ours. In our day to day to live, we come across numerous such events, instances and people, which live you so impacted, that the logical boundary of practicality, imagination and passion diminishes to oblivion.
I've always loved motorcycles, since the time I didn't even knew what's it's like riding one. The look of a motorcycle sketched a different level of ecstacy in my thoughts. My mother tells me I used to collect 5 and 10 paise so that we can have our own Hero Honda which I can see and sit on it, feel it, look at every nut and bolt of it any time I like. At that age, I genuinely feared riding a motorcycle, but that never was a deterrant for me to stop being amazed by these amazing creation of mankind. Time went and at one point I was lucky... really lucky enough to buy my own motorcycle, a 2006 model, Hero Honda Super Splendor, which I lovingly called my Mustang.
I so so loved everything about it. Unfortunately, I guess, it's time was up with me and it was time to get something more matured... it was time for me to bid adeu to the Mustang. It was time for me to shift over to the next level of motorcycling in India, the 2007 Black Bajaj Pulsar 200, my Black Devil, and Devil it was. The Devil is known for all bad reasons, but at the same time, the Devil possesses immense knowledge, a knowledge to look deep inside one's self and excite that deepest desire. The Devil never demarcates between the type, quality and nature of desire, a desire is a desire and therefore I think the Devil owns it's reputation. I must confess that I so badly wanted the Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi for myself, but due to financial restrictions, I went for the Bajaj Pulsar 200 and at Rs. 73,000 on-road back in 2007, it was not cheap either. But today if I think about it, I would say that it was purely a giant leap of faith that waited for me when I "had" to go for the Bajaj Pulsar 200 instead of the Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi, and what happened after was not history as "they" say, it was the chain of very fortunate events that would shape my future.
Truly speaking, that motorcycle, that Bajaj Pulsar 200, bearing registration number, HR 26 AN 4807, that entity taught me so much about motorcycling, about responsibilities, about the importance of having a calm head on shoulder, that I couldn't have thought about that I would actually appreciate one day.
I was literally enticed about everything about this motorcycle. The Fear the Black paint scheme, the Wolf Eye head lamps, the riding posture, the rear set foot pegs, the bulky and beefy exhaust, the exhaust note, the split seats (minus the mechanism to get the seats off).... man I can go on and on. I must admint that, neither I have been the copy book good rider during my ownership and had my share of crashes and mishaps, but never for one had she died on me. She always made sure that I reached home, before she runs out of the heat in her chamber.
Everytime I rode her, till the last time I rode her, she always taught me something new, every time, with each crank. Over the time, I went in with the necessary and minimalistic mods with the motorcycle, just to ensure that the pleasure quotient always remains intact. But guess I forgot some investments, investments that should have been given paramount importance no matter what. I faltered and paid the price so dear that till date, both my wife and me have not been able to fully come out of it.
On 7th, November, 2011, broad day light, from a guarded gated parking lot, the motorcycle was stolen and in just 7 minutes. She was just gone... as if she was not even there. For days, her tyre marks were at the place where I used to park. For days I could feel her shadow, and hoped that someone has played a prank and it would just come back to me.... but it didn't. It was just gone. Couldn't get much help from authorities, because no one thinks a motorcycle can be a big deal and everyone got the loose point from my side that it's insurance had expired and I missed on that (and I still cannot understand, how I for once could have done that)
This was the last pic I took of her, the last time I rode her, and before I could even realize, she was gone just three days after.
No matter what comes and goes, this motorcycle would always have a special place in my heart and life, and any motorcycle which I might have, would have to do a mighty well job to come even at par to what this motorcycle was to me.
With this final note of respect, gratitude and apology, I bid good bye to Devil who taught me what it's to be a human.
I've always loved motorcycles, since the time I didn't even knew what's it's like riding one. The look of a motorcycle sketched a different level of ecstacy in my thoughts. My mother tells me I used to collect 5 and 10 paise so that we can have our own Hero Honda which I can see and sit on it, feel it, look at every nut and bolt of it any time I like. At that age, I genuinely feared riding a motorcycle, but that never was a deterrant for me to stop being amazed by these amazing creation of mankind. Time went and at one point I was lucky... really lucky enough to buy my own motorcycle, a 2006 model, Hero Honda Super Splendor, which I lovingly called my Mustang.
I so so loved everything about it. Unfortunately, I guess, it's time was up with me and it was time to get something more matured... it was time for me to bid adeu to the Mustang. It was time for me to shift over to the next level of motorcycling in India, the 2007 Black Bajaj Pulsar 200, my Black Devil, and Devil it was. The Devil is known for all bad reasons, but at the same time, the Devil possesses immense knowledge, a knowledge to look deep inside one's self and excite that deepest desire. The Devil never demarcates between the type, quality and nature of desire, a desire is a desire and therefore I think the Devil owns it's reputation. I must confess that I so badly wanted the Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi for myself, but due to financial restrictions, I went for the Bajaj Pulsar 200 and at Rs. 73,000 on-road back in 2007, it was not cheap either. But today if I think about it, I would say that it was purely a giant leap of faith that waited for me when I "had" to go for the Bajaj Pulsar 200 instead of the Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi, and what happened after was not history as "they" say, it was the chain of very fortunate events that would shape my future.
Truly speaking, that motorcycle, that Bajaj Pulsar 200, bearing registration number, HR 26 AN 4807, that entity taught me so much about motorcycling, about responsibilities, about the importance of having a calm head on shoulder, that I couldn't have thought about that I would actually appreciate one day.
I was literally enticed about everything about this motorcycle. The Fear the Black paint scheme, the Wolf Eye head lamps, the riding posture, the rear set foot pegs, the bulky and beefy exhaust, the exhaust note, the split seats (minus the mechanism to get the seats off).... man I can go on and on. I must admint that, neither I have been the copy book good rider during my ownership and had my share of crashes and mishaps, but never for one had she died on me. She always made sure that I reached home, before she runs out of the heat in her chamber.
Everytime I rode her, till the last time I rode her, she always taught me something new, every time, with each crank. Over the time, I went in with the necessary and minimalistic mods with the motorcycle, just to ensure that the pleasure quotient always remains intact. But guess I forgot some investments, investments that should have been given paramount importance no matter what. I faltered and paid the price so dear that till date, both my wife and me have not been able to fully come out of it.
On 7th, November, 2011, broad day light, from a guarded gated parking lot, the motorcycle was stolen and in just 7 minutes. She was just gone... as if she was not even there. For days, her tyre marks were at the place where I used to park. For days I could feel her shadow, and hoped that someone has played a prank and it would just come back to me.... but it didn't. It was just gone. Couldn't get much help from authorities, because no one thinks a motorcycle can be a big deal and everyone got the loose point from my side that it's insurance had expired and I missed on that (and I still cannot understand, how I for once could have done that)
This was the last pic I took of her, the last time I rode her, and before I could even realize, she was gone just three days after.
No matter what comes and goes, this motorcycle would always have a special place in my heart and life, and any motorcycle which I might have, would have to do a mighty well job to come even at par to what this motorcycle was to me.
With this final note of respect, gratitude and apology, I bid good bye to Devil who taught me what it's to be a human.
Very good read bro.. straight from the heart. Could feel and empathize with your emotion.
ReplyDeleteModels like your black devil even with its imperfections become legends.. just because they evoke such strong feelings.
Hoping you will soon get another of its breed soon to help you move on
@Payeng
ReplyDeleteTruely man, if I can get so affectionate about a motorcycle which didn't had the best of things, and yet had so many good things in it... the next thing that comes to my life would only take the affair forward (fingers crossed). At the same time, as I said that it would need to do a damn good job just to come at par with what the Devil was to me.
Nice man....
ReplyDeleteTruly justified...
:)
Thanks Saurabh
Delete