World 7 · Motorcycles
Trail and wild
Zephyrus is my first motorcycle. A Triumph Scrambler 400 X, khaki green.
Two long rides so far, and one weekend of off-road training.
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Waiting for the first bike
I was very interested in biking way back when I was in school. I was always waiting for my first motorcycle.
Before college my mom and dad were ready to buy it. Then, because my college was in another city, they said no. You will get it once you finish your engineering.
My brother promised that he would buy me my first motorcycle if I didn't take one right then.
Falling twice
My brother sent me his own bike for 4 or 5 months. I realised I was still not that great with riding bikes.
I fell twice. The roads in Mangalore are slippery when it's rainy, and that bike didn't have ABS (anti-lock brakes), so the brakes just lock the tyres and you fall.
I was not a bad rider. It's just that you learn things only when you fall. I sent the bike back.
Zephyrus
I graduated. As soon as I came back home to start my work, my brother, as promised, bought me my first ever bike. I call her Zephyrus.
The freedom that you get riding a bike, nobody understands it. You can just keep riding and riding, and you can talk to yourself.
The rides
To be honest, I have not done huge rides apart from one or two.
The first was with my brother and my cousin: Ooty, Kodaikanal, and then Kolli Hills for the hairpin bends. About a week. I had never ridden 300 or 400 kilometres in a stretch before.
The second was about 400 kilometres one way, on my own, to a quiet place in the forest. It was me and her, and she took care of me the entire ride.
One weekend off-road
I did off-road training on her. One day of training, and on the second day we had to climb an off-road hill. I think it was the scariest thing that I've ever done on her.
Going one time doesn't make you a good rider. You need to keep riding constantly and hitting new trails to be a good off-roader.
Take care of your bike
If you don't take care of your bike, your bike will not take care of you.
I gave Zephyrus for service every 2 or 3 months, and got the chain maintenance done in between. I maintained my bike like it was brand new.
When my brother took her far up north, a service centre there told him the bike is maintained so beautifully that it is just like a brand new bike.
She is with my brother now, while I'm in Denmark. That will always be my first bike. I will never sell her.