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**Technician** · 07-17-2009, 03:43 PM

oh bro chill
dont be so serious and take it to heart
i apologize for whatever offense you got from my side

look at the positive aspect of whatever you did
i am falling out of my chair laughing on hearing comments

I am using so many smileys, still you apprehend me serious.

It is always great to express subjects such as Life, Death and Life-expectancy, in a little bit lighter vein.

After such a statement you say Cheers???

And since I did it and continue to do it with as much commitment and seriousness ..... it no longer remains a potentially life-threatening activity. It becomes life itself.

Most of the people here will not understand the meaning of it since they have not seen much time passed in their life on a bike.

So, in the end, I believe the age and home responsibility do not bring death of the biker's soul or biker itself, if one lives one's life as a biker with much commitment and seriousness, as pointed above.

Remedy
Those whose soul die after passing of certain time, either due to

(i) general disinterest - should take some extra step to enliven their interest;
(ii) Home responsibility - should take some time out to live your life to enjoy biking;
(iii) Due to fear of death for the sake of relatives - No solution, but will have to consider my above controversial advice.

No offence to anyone.

**NitinGirish** · 07-17-2009, 03:50 PM

Does age & responsiblity bring death to the biker soul? I dont know. But it surely brings restrain and its good. Barring few exceptions, most people's reflexes tend to slow as they age. In my opinion after 40, its good for everybody if one's biking is limited to getting grocery from the neighbourhood store.

Forget 40s, I am 25 and there is a distinct change in the way I ride compared to my college days. My heart pounds when I have to apply brakes suddenly. I ride at lesser speed.

Smart thing to do is quit before something unpleasant happens. After all, passion wont heal fractures or bring back life.

**outworldly maniac** · 07-17-2009, 04:03 PM

OF sir

great write up
as DK said ( applause

)

you always touch the nerve and enlighten us with such sensible write ups
its feels good to have you among us

long way to go for me
hope to learn a lot more from everyone here
not only about biking but also about life and to use knowledge in a proper way

thanks you for giving out time for us

and all xBHPians here who have a brotherly warmth

cheers

**kaynmantis** · 07-17-2009, 05:29 PM

Originally posted by Old Fox View Post

......The biggest lesson it gave me was that when it comes to the real deal, I and I alone decide my fate. My best friend riding 10 feet from me would just be a helpless spectator if I decided to ram into an oncoming truck head-on. When I was on my bike, I was the master of my fate.

Excellent write up. Though I have reservation on the comment above. What if the truck decides to ram you. Fate it seems will be at the hand of the trucker. Perhaps there is a fine line between recklessness and passionate. Though this is more of a philosophical thought and I may have misunderstood you. No offence intended.

**darkknight** · 07-17-2009, 05:41 PM

Originally posted by kaynmantis View Post

Excellent write up. Though I have reservation on the comment above. What if the truck decides to ram you. Fate it seems will be at the hand of the trucker. Perhaps there is a fine line between recklessness and passionate. Though this is more of a philosophical thought and I may have misunderstood you. No offence intended.

correct and incorrect.A truck driver may "decide" to ram you be it in a car,suv or merely crossing the road.so that's fate or accident whatever you decide to call.
The write up describes the feeling of riding at a particular age and not just a means to commute,show off or "just for the heck of it feeling"
It's more described a a way of life just as other things are and more importantly it is metaphored with life itself.
another interesting read wud be this thread

The Rider - xBhp.com : The Global Indian Biking Community

http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/hard-torque/5051-rider.html

Hard Torque is the editorial section of xBhp where selected members pen down what they think about a particular issue related to bikes or biking.

& yess passionate & recklessness are certainly different .a passionate person is very rarely reckless and most of the biking accidents occuring on the roads can surely be avoided if only the rider is more carefull.

**shrinathrao** · 07-17-2009, 07:07 PM

you are gr8 ken sir

Originally posted by ken cool View Post

I wonder what is the average age of the bikers who are replying here. It is easy to say what you are saying and not so easy to execute it. I have seen so many people here and elsewhere not being able to execute even a short tour because of "social" "familial" pressures even being economically, financially independent and having to practically give up biking and bikes.

One major crash, I hope it does not happen to anyone, but they do happen, will change the way you live forever. Not just you, but of the way people, family, society look at you, with that look of "I told you so". I have been biking for more number of years than most of you guys have been living on this planet. Yes, of course, initially it was illegal riding since in those days, the early 80s, there were not too many police checks nor too many vehicles. 28 years of riding and I am still on a motorcycle and I am not tired. Yes, I do get tired doing very long rides in India. That has more to do with roads and traffic conditions than age. Doing a 1000 kms in a day in developped countries is really no big deal!

I do not know whether I will ride forever and all the time. I do not ride all the time. I also drive a car. I love cars too. Keep doing test drives of most new models. But I will keep riding a motorcycle till I am physically able and till it keeps giving me pleasure. The moment something does not give me pleasure anymore, why do it. It is that simple. I will keep biking as long as biking gives me this pleasure.

I hope so too. But a lot of people have said it and later backed out. For "n" reasons.

Ken Sir,
Firstly you are a living legend for all of us here in XBHP.. To be frank looking at your posts its like every true biker blood boils and its like you are creating a road easier for us as its already travelled with your bikes footsteps.From the day i have joined XBHP you are a real live biker whose soul is like i differnt breed which mixes with all generations, and reading your blogs inspires me to travle and travel on my bike.

**Mik** · 07-17-2009, 07:38 PM

Recently, i landed up in a situation (snowstorm on Rohtang top) where my bike was simply not a match for the safety of a four wheeler. Maybe solo i could have dealt with it, but having my wife with me became a liability as i was dead scared about her safety.
As one finally settles down(marries i mean :P) responsibilities do come up. I have felt that in the past few months. Nowadays i don't cut through traffic as much as i used to. There are practicalities associated with a car which a bike cannot claim to have.
In the future i do see myself using a car for many purposes. But, i don't think that in anyway i will lose my passion for biking for days at a stretch. When on tour, a car can never match upto a bike for its sheer experience. I won't let go of that feeling of "me my bike and mother nature" for anything in this world

P.S: A Ferrari in my garrage would be an exception

**ken cool** · 07-17-2009, 07:45 PM

Originally posted by shrinathrao View Post

Ken Sir,
Firstly you are a living legend for all of us here in XBHP.. To be frank looking at your posts its like every true biker blood boils and its like you are creating a road easier for us as its already travelled with your bikes footsteps.From the day i have joined XBHP you are a real live biker whose soul is like i differnt breed which mixes with all generations, and reading your blogs inspires me to travle and travel on my bike.

And I thank people like you who inspire me to push myself. And thus at times I forget my age. Quite often in fact. And this leads to me doing antics that I had NEVER imagined when I was younger. Getting the knee down for example. I could have never done it when I was 18. But I can do it now that I am nearly 41!

But I am still 18

**shrinathrao** · 07-17-2009, 09:17 PM

thats the spirit which we would like to borrow from you

Originally posted by ken cool View Post

And I thank people like you who inspire me to push myself. And thus at times I forget my age. Quite often in fact. And this leads to me doing antics that I had NEVER imagined when I was younger. Getting the knee down for example. I could have never done it when I was 18. But I can do it now that I am nearly 41!

But I am still 18

Ken sir,

thats the spirit which I would like to borrow from you so when i am 41 i can also try some different biking styles with care and hosh, as its told legends preachings are not buried but becomes a part of study for all generations to come.

shrinath

**hell_glider** · 07-17-2009, 10:11 PM

Originally posted by ken cool View Post

One major crash, I hope it does not happen to anyone, but they do happen, will change the way you live forever. Not just you, but of the way people, family, society look at you, with that look of "I told you so". I have been biking for more number of years than most of you guys have been living on this planet. Yes, of course, initially it was illegal riding since in those days, the early 80s, there were not too many police checks nor too many vehicles. 28 years of riding and I am still on a motorcycle and I am not tired. Yes, I do get tired doing very long rides in India. That has more to do with roads and traffic conditions than age. Doing a 1000 kms in a day in developped countries is really no big deal!

exactly.

i had that one major crash. luckily though the accident itself was horribly scary, i got away with just very bad bruises. though a lot of people on the road had assumed i had made my date with god. (i ended up under a bus, skidding headlong..bus coming at me, my bike under the left front tyre of the bus and my head and body firmly under the axle. thank god for the helmet)

following that, i got myself a car immed. i had just come back to india after a 5 yr stint abroad, and couldn't face that fear and risk anymore. i still couldn't bring myself to sell the bike. it stayed there gathering dust and rusting.

finally, around 6-8 months back i was back on the saddle.

but now, i realise, i can't ride the way i used to when i was in college. i'm older, married and have people who depend on my well being as well. i still ride a lot. but no crazy stuff now. just ride to enjoy the sheer pleasure of riding.

age and responsibility does alter your perspective on a number of things. biking is no different.

**L.P.** · 07-17-2009, 10:56 PM

Rightly said my Freind, today iRide [

], oh i mean i ride a Bajaj Discover the risk involved for me riding a bike is equally proportional to my speed or my CC, to the rather than a person walking or driving or sitting in the car.. It is 125 times easier for me to Die but a person riding an R1 it is even 875times easier for him!

So it is just the way we think, people IF ride responsibly they can do anything they want i can see So many people who have been an inspiration to us,like said earlier Kneeing down at 41 or Riding an R1 for 15,000 Odd kilometer's at an age of 43 leaving thier 7months old kid at home!

It is the way you think,that Kills the BIKER Soul inside you!

Biker does not mean a person who can do stunts or ride rash in traffic,go zig zag zoom in traffic he wil then end up with a..
***Thap,Thup,Blam,Bloooom*** in the end!

Although a Maturity and control in riding comes after a Certain age or incident,Agreed!

LP
- Amen

**Rajkumar11** · 07-18-2009, 11:05 AM

Interesting thread.
I guess I am one of the lucky ones. I get to be 18 every other weekend although I am half a decade older than Mr. Ken. I test tyres for MRF so I get to ride at the Chennai circuit twice a month.
Although I am no longer interested in riding bikes on the streets and refuse even when friends offer me a ride on their superbikes, I would rather be at the circuit and thrash around even if it is on a puny pulsar 220.
I think the urge to relive your true biking days never dies however old you get.

**L.P.** · 07-18-2009, 12:54 PM

Originally posted by Rajkumar11 View Post

Interesting thread.
I guess I am one of the lucky ones. I get to be 18 every other weekend although I am half a decade older than Mr. Ken. I test tyres for MRF so I get to ride at the Chennai circuit twice a month.
Although I am no longer interested in riding bikes on the streets and refuse even when friends offer me a ride on their superbikes, I would rather be at the circuit and thrash around even if it is on a puny pulsar 220.
I think the urge to relive your true biking days never dies however old you get.

Very Well Said there Sir..

Your reviews about MRF tyres would be Appreciated in the Tyres Section,If you could throw some light!

Link: TYRES

**shrinathrao** · 07-18-2009, 05:02 PM

does age and responsibilty kills the rider in us

Seeing all the writeups and experiences of all senior members i think i am too young having just 18 years of experience in bike riding, i have to go along way and i will make sure i will keep my biker alive the way ken sir and other senior members are doing.

LONG LIVE THE 2 wheeler riders

**ken cool** · 07-18-2009, 08:23 PM

Originally posted by Rajkumar11 View Post

Interesting thread.
I guess I am one of the lucky ones. I get to be 18 every other weekend although I am half a decade older than Mr. Ken. I test tyres for MRF so I get to ride at the Chennai circuit twice a month.
Although I am no longer interested in riding bikes on the streets and refuse even when friends offer me a ride on their superbikes, I would rather be at the circuit and thrash around even if it is on a puny pulsar 220.
I think the urge to relive your true biking days never dies however old you get.

My humble hats off to you Mr Rajkumar. Good to see someone like you reply here. It is not often that I get to meet people older than me in this country after my father expired who have kept the biking spirit alive within themselves. However I do feel that it is rather unfortunate for the majority of us who have never tasted what it feels like to be on track with a motorcycle. Maybe someday I will be able to fulfill that too. Thanks for your reply.

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