There are certain moments life which one can never forget like the first kiss, your first goal for your school football team and then there are some which ‘ DEFINE YOU ‘ – Your First knee down, your first SBK !!
January 3rd 2010, after 11years and 48 days from the day I had seen a 1998 R1, I was the proud owner of a 2008 Yamaha R1. The adrenalin spike I had the very first time I sat on my super-bike was UNPARALLEL and all this even before I had cranked the R1.
I knew that from this day forward, Come What May, I would go down as an R1 owner and NO ONE could steal that feeling from me and Its bloody impossible to phrase the experience, you gotta FEEL IT.
The R1 evokes the exact feeling every single I board the saddle (apart from the last 2 fuel stops during the Saddlesore run 😛 ).
In-spite of its mind-boggling power and the FEEL LIKE GOD presence, the R1 has made me HUMBLE and PATIENT , it has taught me to respect the other motorists on the road, it constantly reminds me to keep a CHECK on the right wrist.
Lessons from the R1:
Not only does one appreciate the ferocious power of this hooligan, but you start to understand so much about the ‘Motorcycle Behavior and Dynamics‘ and the feedback you get it absolutely brilliant which prepares you for – what to expect, motorcycle’s behavior to your minor inputs.
I mean, all these are so pronounced on a bigger engine motorcycle that it is IMPOSSIBLE to MISS THEM.
How to make it special ?
The entire night I was thinking about How special can I make this day for the R1 ? Apart from the regular stuff of binging on Speed 97, good old wash and polishing.
Deep down I knew the best way to celebrate this occasion had to be ‘ A SOLITUDE RIDE with the R1 and a brilliant tarmac – A Quality Conversation between the rider and the motorcycle’ and a dedicated ‘Diary‘ to my R1 – The R1 Diaries 🙂
It has been 2 glorious years riding and living with the R1 and if I could I would do it all over again 🙂
‘A Big Hug and Thank You‘ to my parents and all my pals who have been a part of this journey, without their well wishes, it just wouldn’t have worked 🙂
Cheers to more motorcycling and hopefully an outing on the race track soon; you have and will always be loved, cherished and treated as family; your companionship is the BEST GIFT to my existence.
May the urge to explore roads and food never cease 🙂
KTM (Keep Touring More) 😀
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