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Meaning-making is a concept in psychology that implies just what it sounds like- trying to make meaning of things in life. I am quite fond of this concept because, for the most part, there’s no right or wrong here. The meaning that we try so hard to find is different for everyone. When people ask me why I ride a Motorcycle, they are unwilling or unable to understand regardless of how much I explain. Motorcycling completes me and instils a sense of contentment within me. To me, it is one of the greatest sensations in life. To me, it is a combination of physical, mental, and emotional bliss. For many, motorcycling is freedom but for me, it is a larger-than-life expression of freedom. In simple terms, it is an integral part of my life and defines who I am.
Adulthood has its particular symptoms. It is mostly dreams being propelled by hormones so when I turned 18 in 2003, the rush was particularly high. Now that I was the right age, it was time to bring home my first motorcycle- the Bajaj Pulsar 150, definitely male. Soon enough, the pillion seat was occupied by a definitely female which paved the way for the love story that followed.
The next bit is where everything truly started to change and motorcycling was the catalyst for that change. I had moved to Delhi from Guwahati for higher studies and got introduced to xBhp, India’s largest motorcycling community in the year 2006. xBhp’s philosophy was to bring like-minded people together i.e. motorcyclists.
I was amazed at how many people joined xBhp for weekend rides. Throughout my early days, motorcycling was generally scoffed at but with xBhp, I found people like me, people who believed motorcycles to be much more than just machines. And so, Sunday rides became a regular part of my life. Finally, a road trip to Lansdowne with friends made me realize that even with motorcycling I wanted more. In simpler terms, I discovered my affinity for touring and long-distance riding.
A little twist in the tale came when life led me to Mumbai and as luck would have it, I spent 2 years there while doing my MBA. That fast-paced life had its own lessons for me but it could never hope to bend me out of shape and make me forget the meaning of life I had dreamt for myself. After completing my MBA, I came back to Delhi.
A fresh graduate with a job but this time, the travel bug bit me a tad too hard and did not let go. I quit my job to ride a motorcycle from Delhi to Assam and that ride garnered me an interview in a local news channel. That whole fiasco was one of the greatest times of my life. During my time in Delhi, I got familiarized with off-road riding. From the dirt to the desert, this peculiar form of motorcycling grew on me very quickly. After a few more years in Delhi, it had become a part of my life.
What’s so good about off-road riding? Well, you are your best self when your motorcycling is squirming under you trying to fling you off of it. You are your best self when you find yourself at the precipice of control. That moment between having control and losing it- that is the moment where you have this clarity. It was in one of those moments that I realized that my home, Assam, was calling me.
I heeded that call and headed to Assam. Northeast India, even to this day, remains unexplored for the most part and in those days, even less so. That became the motivation for my adventures that started out small but grew at a consistent pace. The places usually found on postcards were suddenly real. Nature’s beauty blinded me. Every picture was worth a thousand words.
I was rechristened as ‘adventurebaba’ and born out of those adventures is ‘Trailmasters Stories’- a collection of unique travel experiences from the Northeast and a platform facilitating further exploration of the region.
A lot more stories of that kind along with my love for automobiles landed me another opportunity. I was tasked with hosting a show called ‘On the Wheels’ on ‘Time8’. While that project did not fructify, it did give me an idea. That’s when I started ‘Rad Street Tribe’- the only automotive channel on YouTube with Assamese content. This was all going in parallel with my job but finally, my passion for travelling and motorcycling took over and I decided to go for it.
After quitting my job, I became a tour organizer and a tour guide while also working as a freelance automotive journalist. From being a part of people’s experiences while travelling to being one of the curators for the first team to ride from Northeast to Myanmar, life was good. I was where I wanted to be and I was content. In my books, being content is not about the right destination as it will always elude you. It is about knowing that you’re on the right path and so, you keep moving.
2021 saw me do some quality work with xBhp for JK Tyre and Bajaj, motorcycle expeditions from Guwahati to Ladakh, and finally, back to where it all started- xBhp. Currently, I am a part of the xBhp Core Team and my life revolves around motorcycles, travelling, testing new machines, and creating content.
I still ride off-road. Remember that moment of clarity I talked about earlier? Well, all that fleeting moment entails now is smiling. Being happy that the meaning I imagined for my life was the right one… for me.
Adulthood has its particular symptoms. It is mostly dreams being propelled by hormones so when I turned 18 in 2003, the rush was particularly high. Now that I was the right age, it was time to bring home my first motorcycle- the Bajaj Pulsar 150, definitely male. Soon enough, the pillion seat was occupied by a definitely female which paved the way for the love story that followed.
The next bit is where everything truly started to change and motorcycling was the catalyst for that change. I had moved to Delhi from Guwahati for higher studies and got introduced to xBhp, India’s largest motorcycling community in the year 2006. xBhp’s philosophy was to bring like-minded people together i.e. motorcyclists.
I was amazed at how many people joined xBhp for weekend rides. Throughout my early days, motorcycling was generally scoffed at but with xBhp, I found people like me, people who believed motorcycles to be much more than just machines. And so, Sunday rides became a regular part of my life. Finally, a road trip to Lansdowne with friends made me realize that even with motorcycling I wanted more. In simpler terms, I discovered my affinity for touring and long-distance riding.
A little twist in the tale came when life led me to Mumbai and as luck would have it, I spent 2 years there while doing my MBA. That fast-paced life had its own lessons for me but it could never hope to bend me out of shape and make me forget the meaning of life I had dreamt for myself. After completing my MBA, I came back to Delhi.
A fresh graduate with a job but this time, the travel bug bit me a tad too hard and did not let go. I quit my job to ride a motorcycle from Delhi to Assam and that ride garnered me an interview in a local news channel. That whole fiasco was one of the greatest times of my life. During my time in Delhi, I got familiarized with off-road riding. From the dirt to the desert, this peculiar form of motorcycling grew on me very quickly. After a few more years in Delhi, it had become a part of my life.
What’s so good about off-road riding? Well, you are your best self when your motorcycling is squirming under you trying to fling you off of it. You are your best self when you find yourself at the precipice of control. That moment between having control and losing it- that is the moment where you have this clarity. It was in one of those moments that I realized that my home, Assam, was calling me.
I heeded that call and headed to Assam. Northeast India, even to this day, remains unexplored for the most part and in those days, even less so. That became the motivation for my adventures that started out small but grew at a consistent pace. The places usually found on postcards were suddenly real. Nature’s beauty blinded me. Every picture was worth a thousand words.
I was rechristened as ‘adventurebaba’ and born out of those adventures is ‘Trailmasters Stories’- a collection of unique travel experiences from the Northeast and a platform facilitating further exploration of the region.
A lot more stories of that kind along with my love for automobiles landed me another opportunity. I was tasked with hosting a show called ‘On the Wheels’ on ‘Time8’. While that project did not fructify, it did give me an idea. That’s when I started ‘Rad Street Tribe’- the only automotive channel on YouTube with Assamese content. This was all going in parallel with my job but finally, my passion for travelling and motorcycling took over and I decided to go for it.
After quitting my job, I became a tour organizer and a tour guide while also working as a freelance automotive journalist. From being a part of people’s experiences while travelling to being one of the curators for the first team to ride from Northeast to Myanmar, life was good. I was where I wanted to be and I was content. In my books, being content is not about the right destination as it will always elude you. It is about knowing that you’re on the right path and so, you keep moving.
2021 saw me do some quality work with xBhp for JK Tyre and Bajaj, motorcycle expeditions from Guwahati to Ladakh, and finally, back to where it all started- xBhp. Currently, I am a part of the xBhp Core Team and my life revolves around motorcycles, travelling, testing new machines, and creating content.
I still ride off-road. Remember that moment of clarity I talked about earlier? Well, all that fleeting moment entails now is smiling. Being happy that the meaning I imagined for my life was the right one… for me.
. Wish I could go on a long ride too.
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