Too many projects, too little time

I have been on two wheels since age 12. Just like everyone else I rode my single gear bicycle through school and college. My father would never buy me a motorcycle but he let me ride his 100cc Kinetic Honda scooter when I used to go home on holidays. I was determined to buy one with my own money someday.

2001: 350cc – 01 Royal Enfield Machismo A350

After joining my first job, my motorcycle dream was back on. I could not afford the 150cc bike I planned to get, so I got myself an old 100cc Kinetic Honda scooter as a temporary fix. In a month I rode it hard enough to seize the engine. I sold it immediately and wanted the toughest bike I could afford. A 350cc enfield was the only choice. It was my first real motorcycle and the only new vehicle I have ever owned. Even with barely enough cash (INR 66k, about $1300) to afford the purchase, I was the happiest person on earth when I took delivery of this shiny maroon bike. I still remember getting up at dawn for a week to practise shifting the gears. This bike was a turning point of my life. I got addicted to the open road and long trips. I joined the Bangalore bullet club and made friends with enfield riders all over India. We did some incredible rides. Priti and I visited numerous places around Bangalore. In two years I clocked 40,000 kms before coming to the states for graduate studies. I still miss that bike very much.

2003-2004: Bikeless for a year

I came to the US for graduate studies in Aug 2003, leaving my riding life behind. It was a tough year in a new place without a ride.

2004: 600cc – 93 Honda Shadow VLX600

Around Nov 04, while I was almost fed up with boredom, my friend Daman pursuaded me to take a look at the used bike market. I got myself an incredible deal – a 1993 Honda Shadow 600cc v-twin in perfect condition with only 5000 miles. Riding in a foreign country was more than I could ever dream of. I clocked over 6500 miles on the bike, combing out Long Island and a few visits to the New York city.

2005: 1000cc – 02 Kawasaki Concours

In a year of riding the v-twin cruiser, I found myself longing for distant trips with more fuel range and better weather protection. It was time I considered a sport touring machine, and with not a lot of cash in hand, a Kawasaki Concours ended up as my only choice. With sheer luck, I got myself an excellent 02 model with 18k miles from a guy at Ohio. It was just in time for the best trip of my life, crossing the US in the middle of winter. I prepared the bike with accessories for a month, and then rode it down from Stony Brook, NY to Sunnyvale, CA in 12 days, crossing 4700 miles in an extended route to avoid snow and extreme weather. Afterwards I did a few memorable (and crazy) rides in the southwest while working in Sunnyvale.

2007: 1300cc – 06 Honda ST1300 ABS

After a trip with Priti on the concours, feeling the lack of two-up comfort and just out of bike lust I flew to Loveland CO one fine morning and rode a fully loaded black ST home. 1320 miles on a crazy fast machine with adjustable windshield, best-in-class suspension and brakes definitely kept me happy. Only for so long. I could not somehow get used to the sport touring posture, with or without bar risers, and the two-up comfort didn’t improve as much as I thought. Luckily, for not much loss I could upgrade to the ultimate touring machine, a Honda Goldwing.

2008: 1800cc – 05 Honda Goldwing GL1800 ABS

This is the bike I only dreamed of since it came out in 2001. I could not even believe I got to own one. The best touring machine ever built. It felt like home on the comfortable seat and Priti could not be happier. We have a couple trips already on it, including a 7-days-3200-miles Colorado trip. We can do 800 mile days on this bike without any discomfort. Looking forward to some very long trips in near future. The best part of owning this bike is the membership of GWRRA and meeting up with the fellow wingers of the local chapter, which is CA2Q for me.