Coronavirus has turned our motto of The Thrill of Riding to The Chill of Riding equating to a lot of nap time than saddle time. Most of the 142km that I’ve logged this month on our long term Bajaj Dominar 400 UG was during the pre-Corona days. Of course, there have been some grocery runs too but very limited.
Now the long rides that I have taken before the pandemic have been great. The not-so-aggressive rider’s triangle and a robust chassis means the Dominar can really keep you happy on long rides. The sixspeed transmission is smooth and the gears slot into place effortlessly. I like the way the exhaust sounds. It has a full-bodied tone and gets quite loud once past 6000rpm. Well, now after the lockdown, I have just been looking down at the Dominar through my window and praying for the situation to get better so I can go riding. But of course, the Dominar is a good-looking bike and keeps my Nikon busy.
Once every 3-4 days I start the engine to keep the fluids flowing but actually it’s just an excuse to hear that exhaust note. And when the petrol hits me, it takes me back to the good old days, reminding me about that wonderful feeling of riding a motorcycle.
Words by Abhishek Benny