From the Diary of a Biker

There is nothing quite like the joy that comes from riding a bike. Whether its on highways , through dirt or over the rocks , biking is one of life's simple pleasures. Bikes are a way to get around the town, to relax, to have adventure , to stay happy.
I have been riding bikes since I was 12 years old. My biking journey started with hero honda Splendor, than followed Bajaj Pulsar and finally came the love of my life Royal Enfield Bullet.

Switching from pulsar to bullet was smooth except the starting part. During the initial days I was hurt a few times while starting it,but as we became intimate I learned the art.
I used to ride it everyday, even rain, wind  and darkness couldn't stop me.

There is an incident that made be fall for my bike and brought us together.
It was last year of my college life. I and my friends had got placed in top IT companies of India and wanted to enjoy the remaining time having lots of fun and adventure.
Our college was in Indore. We all had a dream to visit IIM Indore once ,before actually getting admission into it...:P
One day our college got over before time and we decided to visit IIM Indore.
We took our bikes and reached the destination in some half n hour. After trying all our ways to convince the security guard to let us in and explore the campus , we finally gave up.
But 2 of my friends had something else on their mind.After strolling outside the campus for some 5 mins they drove their bikes right through the open gate. We kept shouting but till than they rode their bikes well inside the campus.Security guard roared angrily at us and started dialing numbers from his landline phone.
After 10 mins we could hear the sound of a police siren which was slowly becoming loud.
I quickly analysed the situation and called my friends to come outside ASAP as police was coming to arrest us.
All of us sat on our bikes and waited for 2 of our friends to come outside. The people jeep was right in front of us and at the same time 2 of them came speeding outside.

We rode our bikes as speedily as possible as if it was a run for our life. I was rushing through ,at the top of all speed limits. The feeling was incredible. Gust of cool breeze flowing through my face , blowing my hair.
My mind became numb just focusing on nothing else than the endless highway and the speedometer.
It was than when I became a speed demon and adventure crazy. The feeling of floating in air, sometimes even flying, while riding my bike made me fall for it..:)

I love riding my bike because of the following reasons.
1. Thrill
2. Adventure
3. Self Reliance
4. Freedom
5. Passion
6. Speed
7. Feeling of Brotherhood
8. Cool Factor
9. Single Mindedness
10. Sensation and lastly
11. Light on pocket when compared to driving a car.


But why people love their bikes even more than their spouse or girl friend.
To get the ans I met many bikers from different runs of life,belonging to different age categories. I asked what is that reason they ride for? Why is bike the first love of their life?
Here comes the replies.

Some say that riding is the closet thing to flying. The excitement, thrill and freedom while riding is beyond description.

For lot of them riding a bike tends to focus the mind in such a way that is eliminates all other mental distractions and creates a single mindedness.Thoughts and worries about the common stresses of everyday life , such as pressures from work and home disappears from our mind during the ride.As a result mind becomes refreshed after the ride.

Biking is about being a speed demon. Cruising on highways with the rush of adrenalin when we go in full throttle ,with the wind rushing on your face is magical.So the speed and sensation is what they ride for.

Motorcyclist often feel like they belong to a big community and that sensation give them something in common.So for many the reason to ride is for the bond that they share with other bikers.

                              

Many women said that they are fed up been a pillion rider. Now they want to own a bike and fell the sensation, the adrenaline rush while riding a bike..So for experience and thrill of lifetime women ride bikes.

Riding a bike makes a person look cool..When a gal or guy walks into a restaurant with leather jacket, gloves and helmet under arm they invariably exude a swagger and sense of cool just isn't the same as rolling up in a car.  So the cool factor associated with motorcycle make them ride it.

Fuel saving at pump takes priority for some people. As bike can get more than double the fuel economy of car, it make them serious money savers.

                                                     


But there is also a  different part of this story. There are many people who carry a wrong perception about bikers. They consider them violent thugs of some gang which can harm them anytime. But this is totally a misconception. Bikers follow a code of brotherhood not only between themselves about also with others.
Here are my words on behalf of bikers all over the world for all the people who consider us wrong.

I saw you pull your child closer when we passed each other on the sidewalk
But you didn't see me playing with the kids at the local park.

I saw you stare at my long hair
But you didn't see me and my friends cut ten inches off for locks of love.

I saw you roll your eyes at our leather jackets and gloves
But you didn't see me and my fellow bikers donate the old ones to those that had none.

I saw you look in fright at my tattoos
But you didn't see the names of parents written in and out of my heart.


I saw you complain about how loud and noisy our bikes can be
But you didn't care about the volume of your DVD player


I saw you change lanes while we passed by
But you didn't see that I was rushing fast so that I can be with my family.


I am just a biker with friends a family, but you didn't see me.

I have written this with the hope that people will understand the bikers and will befriend them.


This post is written for The Castrol Power1 Blogging Contest on Indiblogger...:)