Re: The Poser, the Ascetic and the Middler

Once again a gem from you sir!
Nicely written.

Sent from my Xperia L.

Re: The Poser, the Ascetic and the Middler

It is always a pleasure to read your perspective of motorcycling. Helmet off!

The most amazing line - "Stop the upward trend and the soul escapes leaving only a cadaver behind. And the dead can only be buried. "

Thank you for this great article.

Re: The Poser, the Ascetic and the Middler

Fantastic piece sir. You echoed my sentiments and you always do so magnificently. Helmets off to you sir

Re: The Poser, the Ascetic and the Middler

Thanks Krishna. Or I should say 'Thanks once again'

Thanks for the appreciation. I do see lots of passionate and well meaning bikers lose eventually lose out on the sustainable pleasures of motorcycling just for such mundane stuff.

Thank you for those words and glad to know of the empathy. Makes the effort and the sharing so very worthwhile.

Re: The Poser, the Ascetic and the Middler

However for the sake of discussion, I would like to say that since the difference between the human and the machine is huge in terms of skill, the rider does hit a plateau in mastering motorcycling. I mean, how many of us could say that we have extracted the maximum out of the parallel twin quarter liter parked in the garage (And the liter class are in a different league still).

Not saying about people like you who are blessed to ride the best bikes out there. But for average joes like me, the road runs out before the bike feels the redline.

P.S : Probably that is what tracks are for Nevertheless, the constant urge of moving up on the skill climb is what a biker should always aim for.

Re: The Poser, the Ascetic and the Middler

Fantastic read, Sir! - quite synonymous to what your signature conveys.

'have a doubt though - Based on generic parameters, I am assuming that I am not a poser. Characteristic traits that may figuratively define the same are shying away from camera, limelight, announcements etc. I also feel that I am fairly accustomed with the mechanics of riding my current bike, in terms of reflexes, posture, braking yada yada (but every other rider guy feels the same). Given the circumstances, I can do away with my current bike and live like the gentleman.....

but, I still feel like upgrading - am I a poser? certainly not an ascetic, I believe. Is there a category for me? - I think Indian biker crowd involuntarily is creating a segment in between the phases. So much for social depravity!

Is it an organic evolution of mindset? like what @Deathmate.Zed mentioned in his earlier post.

Re: The Poser, the Ascetic and the Middler

From the same article above that you and i have read -

After having seen your riding skills, i think you need to downgrade to a tricycle But on a serious note, the commuters that we ride are good for when we start off, but we outgrow these faster than we think. Unfortunately more often than not we do not have the moolah to upgrade our motorcycles at the same pace as that our skills have upgraded.

Re: The Poser, the Ascetic and the Middler

Truly said sir.
Indian scene is more of the extreme on both sides, people(Posers) with deep pockets and zero experience are seen riding Intruders and Busas helmetless wearing those loose T-shirts and flip-flops.

While for the aficionados it's their life, forcing them on the ascetic road depriving themselves for the sake of survival.

It's now that the scarce tribe of Middlers are coming into limelight, it's all because of the young market of India.
Every manufacturer wants a share of Indian market, providing us Ascetic tribe a chance for an affordable upgrade.

While manufacturers are busy providing the fireworks it is the offline as well as online fraternity like xBHP which helps noobs in handling the fireworks.
Effectively, upgrading posers into Bikers.

Thank you sir for pening down all those emotions artistically.😊

Re: The Poser, the Ascetic and the Middler

Thanks. As for your reflective query - we all come in shades of grey. And even those shades vary in time. A poser does not necessarily have to hog the limelight - he will be as much a poser if he just internalizes it. The point is that the poser rides as a performer, outward in expression, doing things with the prime motive of impressing the audience he perceives around him. He may or may not stick around to hear the applause though. The ascetic paradoxically is also concerned with his riding but the ride is not for the audience but for what exists within him. Which is why for him improving upon skills is so important - he can ignore neither the brickbats nor the applause that rises within him. So in a nutshell it is the choice of our audience that makes us either posers or ascetics.

See how much you exist as either and the relative ratio will have the answer to your question

Thanks Jitu. And yes I guess every positively contributing member here in the community feels vindicated when someone like you acknowledges the efforts with statements like - 'Effectively, upgrading posers into Bikers'.

Re: The Poser, the Ascetic and the Middler

Excellent piece, very well written.