January 7th, 2007
Ever since I bought my RE Machismo I wanted to get an RE T-shirt to wear while I ride. I wrote to the RE people and they replied that I couldn’t buy one anymore as they stopped selling it! That’s very bad actually. They are ignoring a loyal community and losing a chance for free publicity (they fail to support the most loyal motorcycling community in India).
Later I heard that I can get one by writing an article in the RE web site. That’s something I could do, I thought. I like writing too. I decided to wait for another bike trip. But you know what: at Silver Bullets, we almost always ride together and in all the rides I participated another fellow rider was present; it’s none other than Babu Tharikh, our web master.
After every ride, when I sit down to write the story, I get either an Email or a phone call saying that the trip story by BT is already there on the RE web site! He beats me every time!
There is no fun in writing the same story again. More over BT narrates better than I do. I found only two ways to get my T: either I do a trip without BT which I hate to do. Or submit a story before he does which I found almost impossible. So I had to look for other options.
Then came the Ponmudi trip. This time I had an idea: I told him in advance that you write the trip story but I take the T this time. If you do not know what happened in that trip read this blog.
This evening, I got a call from BT. He told me that your T arrived! I said thanks. I went to his place and he was waiting for me with the family on his Bull. I greeted them (but I could not smile at them because of the sutures on my lips, sorry for that). BT handed over the T saying that “don’t fall again, you won’t get anymore T’s”.
I’ll try not to fall again. Thanks for the gift, dude!
***
It’s a regular golf T in dark blue without pocket. Royal Enfield monogram is stitched to the left chest.
RE should start selling RE-branded merchandise. Those who love RE loves to wear RE Ts and use RE stuff. By not selling them RE is making a big strategic mistake.
December 25th, 2006
While setting up this blog tool I never thought that I would be writing something like this as its first post.
In my eighteen years of motorcycling I never got injured from a bike in any manner–though I knew that someday or the other I would fall from my motorcycle; I mean every rider will, if he pushes the limits of his riding skills. I used to be that kind of a person ever since with my first motorcycle. And even now I am.
This happened on a short trip organised by Silver Bullets to Ponmudi and back on 24 December 2006. We had a not-so-smooth ride up to Ponmudi hills as we had to stop at several places for Gopu to catch up as his Bullet ran into a seizure besides other problems. Inspite of all these JSR managed to get some very cool snaps on his Nikon.
On our way back we had a simple (but slightly heavy) lunch from Vithura. After a short break we started riding again. This time we were a little over 70kmph with me behind JSR while Jay leading the ride. Babu was about a hundred meters behind me.
We reached Anad junction at around 3:30PM. Traffic was a little high at that time. I was riding at around 50kmph. Suddenly a scootter (if I remember it correctly, there was a child standing on the platform) ran across my way while he tried to negotiate a gutter (probably without watching the oncoming traffic). I turned the bike to the left quickly to save them. But I had to slam the front brake as I could not find enough room on the road for me on my left. The front wheel got locked and bike fell on its right side (I violated a very fundamental rule here; but I couldn’t help).
A little bit of physics here: as I was riding at aroung 50kmph, though the bike had stopped, my body was still moving at that speed. My head, with the body “hinged” on the handle bars through my arms, vigorously struck the ground to dissipate the momentum. All that happned in less than a second. That scooter was saved and so was the kid.
My half-faced helmet absorbed the impact of that fall. But the severe shock which had transmitted to the head put me in total imbalance for the next fifteen seconds. I couldn’t balance myself. Some how I managed to sit on a fencing stone on the right side of the road. My leather jacket too absorbed its share of impact as it was torn appart at seveal stitches.
I was severely injured with cuts on my lower and upper lips and a deep cut on my chin. After the first aid at Nedumangadu Taluk Hospital we rushed to KIMS. All the cuts were cleanly sutured at the Oral and Maxillo Facial Clinic at KIMS hospital by Dr. Surej Kumar. Thanks to him and to his team! They did a great job, indeed.
I also thank the taxi driver who took me to the hospital so quickly through the evening traffic. Jay, JSR, Babu and Ajith were wating outside the Emergency while my cuts were being sutured. Thanks to you all dudes! Your presence turned out the scenario a lot light and joyous.
Update: Read this trip story published in Royal Enfield web site. Thanks to BT.
***
Without my helmet, I would have died on the spot. If I were wearing a full-faced helmet, I would have easily walked away from the scene.
Hey, riders, consider wearing protective gears while riding irrespective of the length or duration of the ride. A helmet is a must. A jacket with protecttive padding is a necessity, combined with this, a pair of knee pads and riding boots would be excellent.