Re: Giving up on Biking

Cool... That must have been quite a spectacle. Did people stare?

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Vikram buddy, I salute you for having the guts to pour your heart out this way. Not many people would do it for sure.

I also echo what some have said in this thread, perhaps you could take this as a sabbatical and after a year or so which the so called astrologers have said is complete, you can slowly bring back the subject of biking with your family and get a bike again.

In fact I would advice you to start a bike saving account which you can put in xxx amount per month and at the end of the year you will have extra cash to buy a bigger/better bike for yourself. You could have something to look forward to, begin the countdown and dream about your next bike.

Take care buddy and keep smiling.

Cheers

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Hi Cyborgk,

Thats actually good food for thought, I wont lie, I have thought about getting back on the saddle sometime in the future. Saving up in the manner you have suggested would actually make the sabbatical bearable as I can at least dream. My family would take some convincing but then this advice like the others on the thread have shown me some light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks for reading through the whole thing.

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Vikaram... you know what's the problem with society? as children we've been grown up with stories & a concept that a "Hero" is only someone who goes against the tide, wins at all costs & stands tall etc etc. But in real life heros come in many shades & in every walk in every form & heros not necessarily wears a cape or has a chiselled body .... a Father who gives up his own needs to fulfil his child's desire is a Hero, a mother who wakes through the nights to care for her sick child is a Hero....

And you sir.... You're a Hero too!!! coz giving up your own love for yourself for the sake of your Family.... is nothing short of Heroic in my books. Pls don't judge yourself from other's lenses.

Your post itself tells me that it came from deep introspection & realist perspective. I only hope someone from your family would read this! Coz I personally feel your pain, I was in the same spot earlier. My astrologer gave me only till the age of 22, today I've live more than half of that number beyond 22! I've had few bike accidents & quite a few bicycle crashes, one of them made my ortho say I may never be able to bear any weight on my Left wrists & plam as my left hand was already weakened from 4 other fractures in the past.

But I never resisted.... I simply proved them wrong, consistently I was a quite rebel. Yes for me during those quite rebellions I at still had my cycling. For them my cycling antics was more than enough for them to handle bike tours! but one day when commuting with my wife we had a small accident (could've been fatal had luck would've gone foul), that made her & everyone realize how random the life is, how it's not just touring etc which can kill you! What you know shortly after Wife initiated me to upgrade to a better bike & 27 Dec'14 I booked my GT, after some experience of motorcycling I went on my first Big Ride from Bombay to Jaipur in Nov'16. Even this tour was passively rejected by my family, inlaws & who not.... but they've realized my motto - "better to die once one day than a thousand deaths every day".

The reason I narrated my small story is coz, Like you I too simply relegated to the fact that I may never own a Good motorcycle just commuters, but You never know what event will trigger a change. So you may give up something you desire in actions but never let it go in your mind, for all you know change is just round the corner.

Good Luck to you... & hope you find solace in something till the time you back!

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Really glad to know I m not the only one and even better to know you broke the cycle (no pun intended) and re took control of what you believed in. Man the more I talk to you guys the more I feel that warm feeling I had astride my bike. Fun fact, I was in a conundrum between the RC 390 and the GT (singe seater) till October last year and would have bought one of them. Man i respect you for taking the road less taken and getting the GT. Thats one classic steed you have there. Will go through your ownership review.

Also, yes like you mentioned society has shaped many of us (me) to look from their perspective and that probably bogs me down further, will surely take solace in what you said and face this with a more positive approach. Keep riding into, with and around the sunset Sir, do it for people like me who take pleasure in knowing that there is always hope with an outlook like yours.

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Couldnt Stay away. Gave into my instincts.

So first off I would like to thank all the people who actually understood what I was going through and gave this thread its due importance. You comments helped me stay afloat and battle depression. Unfortunately giving up on riding kept pushing me till i found myself at the bottom of an Abyss. Heck it got so bad that I had to even take up counselling.

If im not the same man I was when i rode how will I ever be happy. So with the thought that tomorrow in still undecided and today is what we make of it, I went ahead and got myself a brand new set of wheels about a week ago.

Sure it was impossible to convince everyone I knew about my thought process, but then it was always a personal choice. We all know bikes are dangerous, much more than a car. But suffocating in your own self pity inside a car is not what a sane person should have to endure. My salvation lies in riding, like most of you.

If i go it will be on my terms. No more fear, no more cowering under the shadow of tomorrow and no more giving up control. I am usually not so verbose but in the past week since I have been riding my new bike, it has made me truly internally happy. Its definitely not because of the gleam of new paint or a new engine. Its because I have found myself and fit in the picture of "my world" like piece of jigsaw.

I hope to see you, dear rider/reader, someday parked next to me on a traffic signal, not revving my bike, not being impatient but wearing a ubiquitous looking helmet with a smile inside the lid. You will not notice me, but I will be there. Or maybe I will pass you by on that highway run, not zooming past you but enjoying the spectacular feel of the blacktop under my soft compound rubber tyres. You will not know its me, but I assure you i will be there. You will not know its me but I will be behind you waiting in line at the fuel pump, admiring my bike. Whenever you are at the service station explaining to the service personnel in detail about how you want the settings tweaked just right, I will be there noticing you and learning from your words of wisdom.

I will always ride silently and disappear into the crowd that is us, till you cannot differentiate yourself from me.

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Re: Giving up on Biking

[MENTION=65319]Vikramaditya[/MENTION] would you mind sharing a picture your new ride..

Re: Giving up on Biking

After so much mental struggle, its great to know that you got new bike. please post pic

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Here you go. old and new.

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Thats great. Dominar is awesome choice. Even i am considering it in few months time.

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Man i haven't read anything like this in near future. You're really good with words.
After seeing the first post, i felt really sad about you, but the last post was a massive twist in the story. I never thought it will end(continue) this way, pretty sure nobody who read the first post would have expected this.
#respect

Re: Giving up on Biking

Vikram - Great to see your new ride and so glad to see that you are back on the road.
Reading through the whole thread, I realized that every person who rides goes through that phase when your "hand shivers to push the throttle" for some reason or the other. Have been through the same phase, but gave in to the temptation of finally starting biking/touring. But yes, I still have that little fear whenever I think to push the throttle little more to feel that rush of speed, on the positive side, I ride more responsibly because I know that someone is waiting back for me at home.

Peace

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Thank you Zikzak. I myself didnt expect to sink so low upon giving up my wheels. I have been riding since I was 12 years old (bicycle). I remember not having friends, never playing gully cricket and never attending birthdays. I was just happy that I would cycle in the afternoons after school and during holidays within my colony. I think for people like us who are intertwined with bikes its more of the passion of riding picking us than us picking it. Really glad that I have a brotherhood here.

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Seriously bro, there is a massive change that can be just experienced between your first and the newer post. I wonder how did you even survive this in person! Like, if you wrote this much, it is obvious that you were much more depressed in real.

I understand this from both perspectives. Your family is concerned for you, irrespective of the source of the prediction/belief. All they want is you to be safe. And you, just don't want them to worry and so you let it go, even though you didn't believe in it.

I had kindof faced the same issue. Someone, had told that apparently the 'time' my bike was constructed may not be good and hence it is bound to get involved in accidents and same time it was predicted by one astrologers that, I was supposed to get my knee damaged. I.E broken,twisted etc.. Something that might require physio and all. Now, I didn't intended to mock them as I don't know the science(if at all anything) behind it but I was firm that I won't believe in it as I don't see a reasoning in it. My mom was worried. I assured her that I don't believe in these things but I would still be extra precautious. Although worried, she was ok with it. On my part, I made sure that even if it was a small/big ride, I would call her once I reach the destination.

Eventually, the 'TIME PERIOD' provided for the accident expired! Still, irrespective of who/what it is credited to, I believe that it was solely because of the SAFETY i took while driving, and the cosmic powers that I trust. I don't believe that now that time-period is over or so, I can be careless as nothing would happen. I rather have a realistic approach, and believe that sooner or later I might fall, but what matters is brushing it away and getting back on the saddle again. And that is what still drives me on the 'DREADED BIKE'

Trust me, the only thing that will save you is your safety gears, carefull driving and a bit of luck/wishes/prayers. Because sometimes, it maybe the drunk car-driver who is at fault.


On a lighter note:
Someday someone will recognize you while riding silently and while standing in line behind us at the fuel station with the pic you provided, And you won't be able to be the dark knight you wanted to become!


And here is some food for thought!

The story of Takshaka-The king of serpents from Mahabharat.

King parikshit was cursed to be bitten by snake. Parikshit was told there was no way to save him from getting bitten. He created a fort on an island, created it with ponds surrounding the castle so as no snakes can make way. His sentry made all efforts to protect the king in best of their abilities. He rested inside his single room, and never ventured out in FEAR of the snake. There was possibly no way a snake could slide in and reach him.

Takshaka knew of this hurdles. He assumed the form of a worm, got inside a fruit that was going to be shipped to Parikshit. The fruit reached Parikshit and he was about to eat it when Takshaka came out and re-assumed his original form and bit Parikshit, killing him instantly with his venom.

I took the following moral from the story: There's no way anyone/anything can save you when it's time. Then why worry? Either it's your time or it isn't.


Well, finishing off the long and philosophical post !!

Really glad, you got back to riding!

Happy & Safe Riding.
Chao!