Well. It has been just 20 minutes since the bike changed hands.

Morning I removed the helmet box, side box ( got it when San got her side panniers for Vulcan, she wanted only one – both she said makes her look like a delivery agent ).

My last ride on Adventure 390 was from the basement parking to the outside car parking.

I had lot of dreams when I got this bike. Thought I will go all over the country.

Managed a few long rides. Bang to Coimbatore. Bang to Bheemeshwari. Multiple trips to Bettamugilaalam.

Had an insignificant fall once. The only time Krishanu sat on the bike, I was being extra nice and put the laptop bag in the front, and it slid down and got entangled in my hand and I could not turn the handle – and we both fell. After that he never got on my bike.

Had a serious fall another time – because of me riding still on jet lag. Had a microsleep moment and I found myself lying on the road. That kind of woke me up. [ https://kvrlogs.me/2022/09/08/i-fall-down/]

After that fall my drive for riding 390 reduced. My speed reduced. Earlier I would always look for any opportunity to take the bike out. But slowly unconsciously I started taking less and less of the bike.

Anyway.

I think I am just trying to justify and patting myself saying – that we were anyways drifting apart.

Noooo. I want to experience the thrill of going on 100+ with the confidence that I can come to a stop if needed ( KTM always gave me the confidence ).

I am having that teeny weeny regret of having let go of my bike. But I had to do it. Next few years I am going to be away from Homeland for extended periods of time. Don’t want such a fine machine to stay unused.

Here are the bikes I rode so far.

1. Hero Honda Sleek – 1998 ( My brother-in-law handed me this – had it in final semester of college ). Many of my friends learnt riding on this bike.
   
   
   
2. Hero Honda Splendour 1998 – 2000 ( The fill it shut it forget it bike, I think it gave 80km per liter. Seriously! ). Had this during my 2 years of my Chennai life when I worked in TCS. Lovely bike. I took it to Tirupati from Chennai. The only long ride. And many office commutes from home in Velachery to Sholinganallur. The day I wrote GRE, I had a fall on Old Mahabalipuram road. A small child suddenly darted across the road. The car in front me, a doctor’s car, hit a sudden brake. I was in dream state and before I could react I banged the car and broke the tail light. The doctor was furious. The crowd got me soda and supported me – what can the bike guy do – the girl crossed suddenly. I was in a daze for a few minutes – the helmet strap choked me during the fall. Then I rode back home with a few bruises.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Honda Unicorn. 2006 – 2019. 150 cc. After we returned to India we were out looking for a house. Once we went to see an Apartment in Outer Ring Road and could not get an auto back – as it was so deserted. These were the pre-Ola and pre-Uber days. Had to fight to get back. Next day we went to Honda showroom in Domlur and bought a Honda Unicorn. It had lovely suspension and San loved its pillion riding. Later she learnt riding on this bike. Rode it a lot from home to work and numerous shopping expeditions to MG Road, Commercial Street, Lal Bagh, MTR, Cubbon park… San’s family, my sister’s family would visit us and there would not be space in car, and I would be on the bike with one more person pillion riding. Oh those memories.
   
   This was the first bike Puttu rode sitting on the tank. We used to drop him in First Step – Montessori school in AECS Layout. And the trips to Narmada clinic – he sitting in between us – for vaccinations and during fever boughts.
   
   Once we had a fall on Marathahalli bridge. San and I were lugging lot of stuff. We had got 2 floor fans for the office from Home Town in Marathahalli. This was the 1st summer in our little office in AECS layout and it was getting quite hot. I saw some dark substance on the road – oil – and saw a bike hit sudden brake and fall down. By instinct I too hit a sudden break and the bike skidded and we both fell down. Luckily nothing happened.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 cc- 2014 – ( with me still ). Mid life crisis! And REs are the solution. Got a 2nd hand bike from Bangalore – it had a MH number plate and I was in Mumbai that time. Rode it from Bang to Mumbai. Later would make one more Bang to Mumbai ride. After we got back to Bangalore it got stuck in paper work transfer. I found an agent and he was to transfer the papers and get a KA number plate. The bike got transferred but KA transfer didn’t happen. He has disappeared. My bike is in Tirisangu state now. Plan is to keep it for a few more years and mod it. This one will always stay with me. Has raw power and can feel the thump while riding. The feeling is Indescribable!
   
   But the brakes never gave confidence. So I would stay within 60-80. And touch wood – never had a fall in this one.
   
   
   
   [https://kvrlogs.me/2014/06/05/bangalore-to-mumbai-on-a-thunderbird-500cc-part-1/]
   
   
5. Bajaj Avenger 220, 2018 – 2022. This was San’s first geared bike. She names her bikes – this was called FLG. ( Feels like God – the tag line of this bike ). Charu learnt bike riding on this.
   
   
   
6. KTM Adventure 390, 2020 – 2024. This is like an SUV. Can take it anywhere. Goes really fast and stops like a full stop. Now that’s a “bike” bike!
   
   
   https://kvrlogs.me/2020/12/27/bit-by-the-bike-bug-again/
   
   
7. Kawasaki Vulcan. 2022 – with us still. San’s first Super bike. After lot of analysis and Over thinking – finally San got this one. Now San was over hearing me tell Prithvi I am feeling a bit sad that I am without a bike, she said “Vulcan is yours” This is love guys 🙂 She is quite possessive of hers and she is giving me license to ride Vulcan.
   
   Till my next bike, Vulcan is going to be my Vaahaan for now.
   

So what am I eyeing next?

I started liking the adventure 390’s posture. Next few years I am going to live more in US. First have to get a motor cycle license there. Which will be hard in my visa status.

Triumph tiger is one I am impressed.

Honda Gold Wing – even though it’s more like a car. I am curious how this will be.

Harleys have always fascinated me.

In US I can rent bikes. Will not purchase and will get my yearly quota of riding done. One has to feed the soul.

Once I am back in India – mostly it will be an electric one. I love the idea of riding the Ultraviolette bike.

It is hard to keep KVR and a bike apart.

It was a Wednesday morning. Sep 7th. I took Standup from home. Then was on call with Tata AIG Insurance – I had paid for renewal but did not get policy documents. It was expiring on 10th. What if basement gets flooded and insurance is not there. They put me on hold forever and finally I get the document by email. I have an interview at 11:30 AM. Shucks, it was 11:10 already.

I take my trusty Adventure 390. Forget to wear the riding wind cheater I typically wear.

At the SAP Labs turn I spot this MG SUV coming on the wrong side. This is a usual – nothing out of the ordinary. To save petrol many do this – else they have to go a long distance to take U turn to join the road towards Hoodi. That was the direction I was going.

I had just got out of the signal and was at a nice 50/60 or more. I take a split second decision to overtake him on the right, instead of slowing and following or going to the left.

I go quite close to the right of the car.

And suddenly the car is swerving into my line. Damn – he was taking a U turn.

And it happens in a split milli second. I feel my bike hitting the driver door.

My first thought was – something was going to run me over. Thankfully nothing like that happened. The car guy stopped. And no bus/lorry was behind. My lucky day.

The bike had fallen on my left leg and I was pinned. I was shouting – Help lift the bike.

Few people came and lifted the bike. I wiggled out and just lay on the road stunned. It all happened so fast.

Someone tried to hold my shoulder to lift me up, I refused and sat up by myself.

Second thought – hope I have not got a fracture. My left hand where I put on the road while falling was hurting. My left leg was hurting like crazy at lot of places.

Now someone was trying to lift me up. Again I refused and I got up. Meanwhile someone moved the bike to the side of the road. I gingerly walked to the side and sat down.

My Apple Watch was buzzing – I saw that a count down was going on. It had picked up that I had fallen and was about to send an Emergency SOS to San.

She was minutes away from speaking in a conference in Mumbai. It would have spooked her if she had got the message.

I cancel it. Again the watch was asking – Are you sure and gave me few options – It was a wrong alarm, I fell, but I am ok etc.

I spoke with the car guy then. Took photo of his license.Got his number and gave him a missed call – and made him show the phone. Gave him Gyan at the same time. I hope nothing serious has happened – I will not bother you. But please do not ever go on the wrong side again in your life.

He was apologizing but surprisingly I was not angry – either on him or on myself. Yes I was stupid for having gone fast. And without any riding gear.

I see another car just go on the wrong side. I sigh.

The crowd around me was asking the car guy to take me to a hospital. I refuse.

I was observing my legs and hand. Yes it was hurting and burning but I felt it was fine. No Fracture.

I check the bike – it was intact. Nothing broke. Not even the rear view mirror – which typically breaks in such impacts.

I could move my left hand fingers – so knew I could ride back home. It was only 4/5 kms away. Better recuperating at home than sitting in a hospital.

I check for phone, bike key, laptop bag, water bottle. I thank all the kind souls who were there helping me out. Then I get up on the bike.

My left hand was hurting releasing the clutch. Luckily Adventure 390 has quick shifter – to change gears I need not hold the clutch – just change gears with my left leg and gear shifts. Whenever I had to slow I had to use clutch – on U turns and inside AECS Layout.

Knew my left hand was not right. Stopped at a medical shop and got Savlon, Cotton and Volini spray.

Got Home. Cleaned the cuts and bruises. Quite a few were there – mainly on the left leg – knee till ankle. Left elbow. Right elbow. Right knee. There was a deep puncture wound – and bleeding was not stopping. Put cotton and plastered it.

I stopped using my left hand. Turned on Dictation on Mac and was sending messages using it. Quite effective. Attended meetings as usual and a few escalations. Otherwise was seeing Carlsen-Niemann drama. And was reading the flood tweets.

I think I was lying on the puddle. My pant was fully drenched.

Day 2 – today

There was swelling on my left hand. I was worrying if this is a fracture. Kept putting volini, under warm water periodically. Did not give any work to the left hand.

If this does not improve by evening – decided to go see a doctor and get an X-Ray + plaster etc.

Luckily by evening I could move my fingers – grasp and hold things without pain. Could also type a bit.

Now its 10:24PM – typing fluently. Swelling is there – but I am confident left hand will be alright.

1.There are idiots on the road.

Idiots who drive on the wrong side.

Idiots like me who go fast – without any armour protection.

I typically wear a riding jacket, riding pants and boots and gloves on my long rides. A fall like this would have not scratched me even.

But I cannot wear this to office.

Resolution : Never cross 40. With Armour – perhaps 70/80 – but that’s it. I just realised that there was absolutely no time to react. I could not even hit the brake – forget counter steering to go away from the car. Nothing came to my mind. I saw the car swerve into my path and next moment I am lying on the road praying nothing should run me over.

2. Life is so fragile. So unpredictable

I was lucky yesterday. It could have turned fatal. What if I had went under the car. I had absolutely no armour protection – except for the helmet.

Riding a bike is very dangerous. I know it very well – but I have to be extra careful.

Actually I was a bit fatigued. The previous day I woke up at 4 AM – we were in Bahrain to catch a flight to Dubai, stop over there and then to Bangalore and finally got back home around 10PM.

I typically do not drink coffee till mid-day but asked Amma for coffee while attending standup. I was feeling a bit woozy.

Resolution : Never ever ride or drive if I am fatigued. It is just not worth it. Putting my life and others in danger.

That’s me with all my armour – yet to wear gloves – just before embarking on a 6 hour solo trip to Bettamugilaalam and back.This was shot just 2 weeks back by Prithvi, when I dropped him at his Saturday coaching class before I went on the ride.

To all the people who love me. I will be extra careful. I will slow down. Promise.