How the movie, " The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" taught us the essence of motorcycling

A quote by Benjamin Button is by far the best description for the essence of motorcycling

" For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be.
There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want.
You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing.
We can make the best or the worst of it.
I hope you make the best of it.
And I hope you see things that startle you.
I hope you feel things you never felt before.
I hope you meet people with a different point of view.
I hope you live a life you’re proud of.
If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again. ”

Yes, this is a quote from the movie, "The Curios Case of Benjamin Button", which was an adaptation of the 1922 short story of the same name written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The movie was simply brilliant and showcased an uniquely elegant storyline, which helped it to get 13 Academy Award nominations and grab 3 Oscars. But let's concentrate on this quote shall we. 

Brad Pitt repairing his Royal Enfield Bullet (from the movie)

In the movie, this quote was narrated by Brad Pitt, while he wandered around India on his Royal Enfield while he was in his 20's. But the only reason why this excerpt is so dear to me is because, it is the best ever description of why we ride on our motorcycles. In the movie, Brad Pitt has been portrayed as a man who ages reversely. Mr. Benjamin (played by Brad Pitt) loves riding and can be seen riding a number of classic motorcycles, including Indian Scout, Triumph and a Royal Enfield.

The quote was written as a letter to his lover Daisy (played by Cate Blanchett), while Benjamin was touring India. He pursued a simple life, mingled with the locals and lived off his backpack just like a vagabond. Brad Pitt as Benjamin even toured Leh Ladakh & the Khardung La pass, which is highest motorable road in the world. He worked in a garage to repair his Royal Enfield Bullet and also earn a living.

I personally think this is by far the best lines that has completely captured the true essence of motorcycling. And if you disagree, do what I did. Download a audio sample of these lines. Put on your earphones, and play it while you ride your motorcycle ( preferably solo ) and go where the road leads. When these lines echo in your ears, coupled with the steady rumbling of your motorcycle and the cool breeze, you will feel free and ecstatic. And then my friend you'll know what I am talking about. 
And if you have a better movie excerpt that has similar ring to it, feel free to comment and share the same below the post. Happy motorcycling.

16 reasons why you should never buy a Royal Enfield

I bet, most of us at some point of our lives would have been fascinated with a Royal Enfield. We were so blinded with its sheer power and grace, that we almost neglected it's flaws.

So to simply prove a point, I have penned down, 16 reasons stating why you should never buy a Enfield.

1. They are so ugly that they make heads turn.
2. It generates a lot of thumping which unintentionally excites you
3. Riding a Bullet provides more fun per litre than any other bike. Hence it is a skid mark in our abysmal monotonous life.
4. It compels you to leave your house and take unwanted long rides.
5. You start to care more for your bike than yourself.
6. You arrive late at  family functions, even though you are happy.
7. You get addicted to leaning your bike at sharp turns.
8. You waste a lot of your time by taking the long way to home.
9. Paparazzi might have a thing or two for your bike. 
10. While riding other bikes, it would feel as if you are riding rice rockets.
11. In extreme circumstances, you might even become popular which will make you feel like the slutty sister of prestige (Source - Birdman)
12. You have to say "No" to your friends every time they wish to have a quick ride.
13. Road trips with you car won't excite you as it used to.
14. You would miss getting sore saddles within short distances.
15. Each of the bikes are hand painted. Such a turn off. Who would ever want their bikes to be personally pinstriped by an artist.
16. You would start making lame efforts of cornering your car as well.
    

Thus for all the haters out there, we have put forward the exact reasons, why people should never buy a Royal Enfield.

Feel free to comment and let others aware of other such shortcoming, if any.

7 Packing tips for motorcycle touring

Motorcycle touring is great fun. But when it comes to road trips on motorcycles, packing your essentials carefully does play a vital role. Generally while embarking a trip, we look into every detail including, routes, accommodations, destinations to visit and possible rest areas. But seldom do we plan while packing our luggages.

There are some travelers, who like traveling with the bare necessities, i.e. only with an extra pair of socks and toothbrush. But for the not so spontaneous travelers, you need to keep the below mentioned things in mind while packing for your next adventure.

1. Sorry Sir! No boot space - With car comes boot space, but with motorcycles, well, not so much. Even if you have a full fledged touring motorcycle, space is one thing which you don't have in abundance. So you need to pack the basic necessities in the order of priority. If you don't have a touring bike, then you need to make sure that harnessing your luggage should not wreck any on your belongings. So keep fragile items at bay.
   
2. Small things come in big packages - Do you really need a month long supply of hair gel and toothbrush on a trip which would only span a weekend? So travel with a decent amount of belongings like a single comb, a small tube of toothpaste/ hair gel, small bottle of cologne, stuffs like that. Make sure that you throw the cardboard casing of these resources before keeping it in your bag. They do take up a lot of space and during your trip no one would ask for detailed description of the products you personally use.
   
3. Bags that are slim yet sexy - While packing you need to maintain a delicate balance between the amount the things you can stack in your bag and also how heavy and bulky your bag would feel once its all wrapped up. If you over pack, it might prevent you from taking hassle-free long rides and can also jeopardize the condition of the contents in it. If you too much empty space, your travel bag would transform into a sack/ sachet and might not even be able to withstand the gusts of wind while riding.
   
4. Bullet-proof vests: Check - Come on ! There is no need for you to travel with your complete wardrobe. But while touring, emphasize on packing thin layered clothing. They are light, flexible and almost wrinkle free.
   
5. Man vs Bike - Touring is a strenuous affair, but it doesn't burn a lot of calories. After all it's you motorcycle which is doing all the hard work over miles of asphalt. But when hunger strikes or in case of emergency, make sure you always carry a few sticks of energy bars and few bottles of water with electrolyte. And once you are done eating or having the reserve snacks make sure you visit the immediate gas to refill your reserve.
   
   
   
6. Packing, work of art - While packing, try your level best to make you packing in the form of a pyramid, so that all the weight is evenly distributed horizontally. So that when you lean or take sharp turns, the weight of your baggage gets evenly distributed on both sides. Put the heavier and more rigid items below, followed by the lighter ones on top. Such arrangement will ensure proper packing and also provide a proper structure to your bags.
   
   
   
   
7. The mechanic in you - Even if yours is a well maintained bike, prior to your trip make sure you check your motorcycle's tires, controls, lights, oil & fluid, chassis & stands. Also ensure that the motorcycle tool-kit is present at a points of time. If you would be using a GPS, make sure that the relevant maps are loaded in it, and is properly charged.
   
   
   

The above mentioned points are just the tip of an iceberg. When it comes to motorcycling touring the expectation varies from person to person and their own taste. So, travel light, pack only what's needed and most importantly travel safe.

And don't worry if you ever forget your way during the trip. Cherish the moment, enjoy the nature and remember "Not all those who wander are lost".

How to plan a motorcycle trip

Someone justly said, "Traveling in a car is like watching a film... Riding a motorbike is like starring in it." Long motorcycling road trips is all about seclusion, finding inner peace and especially enjoying the long wide road. But to make the trip a success you need to plan properly and take into account every important aspect while riding.

So below mentioned are some of the important parameters that you need to ponder upon before you embark on the magnificent voyage with you backpack & you motorcycle.

PLAN PLAN PLAN !!

1. Target your interest - You yourself should be aware of the places that you want to visit during the trip. If mountains and forests fascinate you, you must chalk out that places which are worth watching which are in the vicinity of your travel route. If you plan properly you wont miss any destination and would be able to avoid unwanted round trips thus saving precious time.
   
2.  Set ground rule for the distance to be covered - Its all about the journey, not the destination. So while riding you should set a practical limit of the ground to cover in a day. It majorly depends on the bike you ride, the type of road you are on and the weather condition. A distance of 250 km in a day is a decent stretch to cover & is achievable. If you plan to cover long patches, it might be tiring, and affect you upcoming days of riding. As you would be in a hurry to cover the distance, you won't be able to cherish the ride and deviate from the sole reason of riding.
    
3. Consider road and riding conditions - Some roads are not safe to travel during certain months of the year. Traveling the mountain passes during the winter or monsoon is not a good choice, as these paths are susceptible to land slides or heavy snow fall. Hence take into account the geographical location that you are about to venture into.
   
4. Time management - If time is not managed properly, you will be able to visit your planned destinations by the skin of your teeth. This will decrease the thrill of riding and increase strain. Whatever might be you plan, never forget to make a few pit stops in between. Else you would be suffering from sore saddle which would completely ruin your future road trips.
   
5. How do you prefer to travel: As a lone ranger or as a wolfpack - Riding is all about venturing into the unknown, discovering new places, discovering yourself and others surrounding you. If you prefer seclusion and want to ride according to your own rule then riding solo is the best solution. But if you want to share a few smiles and talk about the journey so far then you should travel along with your buddies. Either way, riding will open new frontiers and would definitely change your perspective towards life.
   
6. Spend Benjamin judiciously - While you are burning your rubber over the tarmac, you never know what you might encounter the very next moment. So you need to properly channel your expenses and evenly distribute your fund for the basic necessities like food, shelter & gas. You should also keep a decent amount for timely parts repairs or in case you bike breaks down.
   
   
   
7. Gear up - Proper gearing up is a must. When you are cruising over the highway at over 100km/hr, a single mistake would throw you off your saddle. And if, God forbid, any such mishap happens it would be your gear that would decide whether you would walk away for the accident or confine yourself to a hospital bed. Also, before starting your trip you need to get your bike thoroughly checked, especially, tyres, controls, lights, oils & fluids, chassis, stand, to name a few.

And the most important part of planning a long motorcycle trip is simply to have fun. So go ahead, plan well and let the trip leave an everlasting impression, which you would relish for the rest of your lives.

DIY: How to kick start a Royal Enfield

And as the warm fuzzy summer days has gone with the winds, its time to embrace the cool foggy and in some cases, snowy winter. You can't complain about the cold winter motorcycle rides nor the picturesque locations you are bound to encounter, but kick starting a bike can be a pain in the butt. And for Royal Enfield owners, it might be a real concern. But actually it is just a myth. If you follow the steps properly, starting a Royal Enfield would be as easy as climbing the stairs.

Source - https://enfieldriders.wordpress.com/

So the step-wise process to kick start a Royal Enfield is as follows:

1. Keep the "Kill" switch in "On" position. It might seem obvious, but sometimes a minute mistake creates a great problem.
2. Keep the fuel tap in "On" position.
3. If engine is cold ( which would surely be the case in winter), push the gold colored choke lever located near your right knee. For Electra, you need to pull out the choke.
4.  The compressor release should be engaged.
5.  While the compressor release is engaged, try to kick start around 3 times. This helps to prime the engine and helps the starting mechanism, especially when the engine is stone cold.
6. Turn the ignition on.
7. Now the bike is turned on, choke is on, compressor release is engaged and the throttle is closed. At this point, gently move the kick start lever. If you look at the ammeter gauge, yo can see the needle deflect to the left and then return back to the center. As you slowly move the lever, you will notice the deflection of the ammeter needle. Move the lever a little further until the needle comes just in the middle. The center position of the ammeter's needle indicates that the piston is placed exactly where it should be for starting.
8. The serious part is over. Now, release the compressor release and kick the bike.
   NOTE - While kick starting, strength in your hind limbs is not that important. So doing heavy squats doesn't necessarily mean that you are capable enough for kick starting a Royal Enfield. The secret is a long kick with a decent continuation ( go with the kick and don't mind stretching you legs).

If the steps are followed properly you would be able to breath life into the beast within 3-4 kicks. And believe me when I say this, once you master this technique, you would forget to ever place your thumb print over the electric starter. After all, kick starting a RE has a charisma of it's own.

In case you require any assistance, this video might come in handy.

BTW...

Merry Christmas!


From,
Royal Enfield Continental GT :)

Royal Enfield Continental GT Version 2: How the Continental GT be made better

Cafe Bikes' Qualities

To start with lets just emphasize on the basic qualities of a Cafe Racer.

The Cafe Racer motorcycles have some distinct features that makes them stand out from the other motorcycles.An ideal Cafe Racer looks something like this.

The feel that you get while you mount the saddle of such  a beast is ecstatic. When you rev your bike, the engine gets in sync with your heartbeat and the feeling is unmatchable.
Here's a video which portrays what it feels like while you ride a Cafe Racer and the history behind it. It also mentions the distinguishing feature of a Cafe motorcycle.

Similarity with Ducati Sport 1000

I am not saying that Royal Enfield has copied any bike ,but its a complete different bike altogether.

Still it shares a close and striking resemblance with the Ducati Sports 1000.

Ducati Sports 1000

Royal Enfield Continental GT

Let us refresh our memories how the experience would seem like when we mount on a Ducati Sport 1000.

And according to me the police chase sequence is the best video to commemorate it.

So my question is how can the Royal Enfield be revamped? Or what to expect from Royal Enfield Continental GT Version 2?

The answer is quite simple ,the Continental GT in itself is a masterpiece and given that its a product from the stable of Royal Enfield makes the bike even more special.

But still if there are some discontent people out there,we can suggest you with a few alternatives here and there to make the existing Cafe Racer even more aggressive.

1. Inverted telescopic suspension.
2. LED tail lamps ( similar to the new Thunderbird )
3. Further lowering of the Clip-on handle bars
4. Wider tyres .
5. A Short yet loud exhaust.
6. Exposing more mechanical parts and bringing the intricate details of the bike to light.