Sameer:
And This Is How It All Started...
I was born a couple of decades ago in a sleepy town in Central Maharashtra. Being the only child of my Parents, spent all my childhood like a Dream in any Good Ol' English Classic - Yes, Mysteries, Magic, Fairy Tales, Songs on an Ol' Gramophone & a little bit of everything that still brings a smile back on my face.
The Teens were pretty much like a fleeting glimpse. Friends, Parties, Mindless Wandering, Mistakes & Regrets that one laughs at a couple of years later. Spent those years playing the Guitar with Friends, listening to Heavy Metal, doing Wild Things & dreaming of owning a Harley Davidson.
And time flew by [I wish I could turn it back], I lost my Parents, left my hometown, got myself a Job, got married & came to Hyderabad quite a few years ago, just had a Scooter [still have it] & my Wife's Kinetic & the transportation part was taken care of. Well, for me, any vehicle meant nothing but a Locomotive that would take a person from Point A to Point B.
But slowly I started feeling like buying a Bike for myself. When I looked around, I didn't find a single moving object attractive. I always wanted something equally Old, equally Legendary & equally Antique to replace my Dad's Scooter cause I didn't want to cut that thread of memories that bound me to the past & to the memories of my late parents.
Just to imagine myself riding one of those Plastic Bikes [No Offense: May that be Fiero, Libero, Enticer, Eliminator, Avenger, Pulsar & the likes] felt like a SIN or Betrayal as I could connect myself with none. Then, one fine day all those years came back to me when as a Child I used to look at this HUGE PIECE OF BRITISH EQUIPMENT in awe & amusement & the very moment I realized what I wanted for myself, what I longed for!
Spent some good two Years surfing the Net through Bulletin Boards like this one here. On the road, kept looking at every Royal Enfield I possibly could like a Schoolboy at a New-Found-Love! I grew more restless as I stumbled on the INDDIETHUMPER's Website. One day shot an e-mail to Daman & to my surprise, like a Big Brother he responded immediately & encouraged me about buying a Bullet.
Kept my fingers crossed, kept calculating, kept counting days, kept convincing my Wife, kept going to the Royal Enfield Showroom, kept ingoring mediocre suggestions by Mileage Concious Rider Friends, kept dreaming & two years later... It all seemed possible & one morning I got myself at the Royal Enfield Dealer who had become familiar with my face quite a long ago.
Worked out a deal & was asked to wait for 7 Days for the delivery - those 7 Days felt like a 7 Year Itch. Finally, on the 14th of October - There she was, right in front my eyes - standing naked & looking as beautiful as she would always be & most of all "ALL MINE"! A friend of mine helped me drive it back home.
The very next morning [After a Sleepless Night], I got myself riding my Long Chrished Dream & I literally felt like Crying with Joy. It's got fine tuned with my HeartBeat now & I am sure that same must be the case with all of you. The Acceleration, the Force, the Beauty, the Freedom, the Intimacy, the Identity, the Sanctity... I feel Blessed. Man, one must ride it to connect with what I am talking!
This is one of the best choices I have ever made in my life. I may have written way too much but I guess the ride is just worth the experience that I have tried to capture here in words. I get those jealous stares all the time, so far I have been asked about the bike by some 6-7 people. An Army Sentry saluted me with a "Jai Hind, Sir!" & that kind of touched my heart.
A guy peeped out of his Innova to ask me about my Bullet, the Model & the Price. Well, now my Wife does feel that I wasn't all that wrong! So guys, it's time to say Good Bye!
Ride On, Drive Safe & Hey... Reclaim your Life with the Royal Enfield!