Lat month, I reluctantly turned 50. And I tell you it is a strange feeling for someone who has been stuck at 18 for a very long time. I used to love motorcycles at 18, I still do. I used to travel at 18, I still do. I used to do things without thinking of the consequences, I still do. I used to think that the world would be a better place if everyone rode motorcycles, and I still do.
Then there is the reality. I used to do wheelies, which I don’t do, I never could afford new tyres, which I can now, I used to have hair, which is not the case now. In short, this turning 50 thing is making me slow down and press the pause button. What the heck, I am realising that life has a rear view mirror for a purpose. I just somehow want to cross the damn day and breathe easy. And I hope it is all the same and I am still 18 all over!
And guess what, many of you reading this column can help me stay 18. To begin with, Sirish can send his Kawasaki ZX-14 R to where I stay so that I can ride like the wind for a whole month. That should be simple. The editor of this magazine has got far too many machines that he can do justice with and can send his Triumph Thruxton to keep it rolling for another month. That is two months taken care for. I promise, I will write stories free of cost.
Classic Legends has been promising me a Jawa test bike for eons, now they can be extra nice and send me a long-termer for at least six months. C’mon, it is all in the family.
Kartik and Kyle at Motoring World can ensure that my Yamaha RX 135 is restored to perfection (money no bar) and delivered home – just because I don’t have the time to get that done and I don’t trust most of the mechanics I come across. Once they finish this, they can start working on the RD and then paint the Vespa.
My darling wife can utter the magical word ‘yes’ the next time I talk about buying a Royal Enfield Himalayan. No, I don’t have to do the buying act, but it will be music to my ears to hear her say ‘yes’. Alright, that was just to annoy her.
My buddies at Creek Slayers can organise a five-day ride to a desirable place anywhere in world - as long as we are riding, ambient temperature is around 17 degrees and there are coffee shops where one can park the bikes and kick the tyres, I am fine.
My boss can give me a month’s leave so that I can hit the road, solo, on my Harley to meet interesting people I have come across in my life and put it all together into a book. Just one month. This is seriously a bucket list item and I have to do this on my motorcycle.
My friend Surjith owns a few, (yeah, you read that right) Nortons and I would like to take turns and ride them in the hills of Kerala for at least a week.
I want my daughter to learn to ride and come with me on Sunday morning rides – she just turned 18 and I'm certain she wouldn’t mind people in her age group riding with her, right?
If all these people mentioned above keep their word, I think I will feel all right for a while at least. What did a famous Canadian say? ‘Some day I will be eighteen, goin on fifty five…eighteen till I die!’