Royal Enfield Bullet
The Royal Enfield Bullet was originally a British overhead valve single cylinder four-stroke motorcycle made by Royal Enfield.
I think at some point of time we have all seen and envied a group of Royal Enfield Bullet riders out on a Sunday ride whether in the city or on the highway; and I was yearning for my service intervals so I could finally go on a long ride without having to worry about damage to the engine during the run-in period. A day was just around the corner and that’s when I found out about this, who were organising a ride. The distance was short and perfect for my yet-inexperienced self.
I guess at some point of time or the other we all tend to overestimate our endurance, skill levels or are just plain overconfident and underprepared. I once attended a night-out in pouring rain without any rain gear. Even before we had reached our destination I was chilled, sleepy and had delayed reactions. The return leg of the journey was just as difficult, struggling to stay awake, muscles aching for mercy. When the pit stop was called, I was literally praying for the ride to end soon. A lot of my false confidence evaporated that day, and yet Gokarna was the biggest eye opener of them all. pouring rain, sleep, fatigue… Let’s just say I learnt overnight what my own limits were and how important it is to never go on any ride under prepared.
As I attended more and more rides, my confidence level grew as well as my riding with Royal Enfield Bullet. I was now fairly confident of doing a 500 kilometre round trip with far less fatigue.
I firmly believe that is important to respect your motorcycle for what it is, rather than vent your frustration for what it is not. If you want your street fighter to behave like a highway cruiser, well, sorry to disappoint you. Motorcycles are made for a purpose and to try anything else on them will only wreck your engine, and possibly you too. Know your ride’s strengths and weaknesses; adapt your riding style accordingly and your bike will remain largely trouble free for years to come.
For anyone that loves their motorcycle (Royal Enfield Bullet in my case), the relationship between man and machine is special. Like any relationship, there are crests and troughs, there will be times when you are disappointed with each other, or you forget to take care of each other, despite all the happy moments you were meant to share. Love often blinds you from the side of each other you are not willing to see. Yet there is a deep underlying trust between you and the machine; I believe if it had a human voice it would tell you how much it loved you back.
Royal Mech 