MotoNirvana…on a bullet

Here is what you need to achieve salvation on top of a hot and throbbing mass of chrome.. strategically placed between your legs..

1. A stupendously well surfaced ‘real’ expressway like the one shown here..

2. An inspiring base city to start with

3. Plenty of time to waste

4. A bullet, any make as long as it is run in, preferably some 3000 odd km old.. or rather broken in.. the way Nandan and the bullet itself would love you to.

5. A strong horn

6. You ( with enuf testosterone still left to take a little risk in life )

So I start my trip to Greater Noida.. from Delhi. Just to explain myself a bit here, there are only two real expressways in the country.. One that connect Mumbai to pune, and the other that connects greater Noida to noida.. ( The DND flyway that connects Delhi to Noida is just fine.. but something that gets over in 15 min of riding.. aint gud enuf.)

Nothing worth writing about till I reach the Sarai kale khan – ISBT- DND flyway turning on the way to Ashram.. and then the drama begins..

The DND flyway itself is like a dream road of sorts, you see mercs and BMWs doing what they are best at.. speeding, with the under belly almost touching the hot tarmac. And when you haven’t seen anything better, you think it is great!. The signs on the roadside look fancier and fancier as you move ahead in the six lane jet black road to NOIDA..the world seems better all of a sudden.. I hit 80, and as usual the bullet wouldn’t budge any further.. and I don’t have enough clearance to go full throttle on it.. I give up and stick to 80kmph. The bull is straining. Then I go and make the stupid mistake of taking a wrong lane into the toll plaza.. and make the unforgivable act of riding opposite to expressway traffic, for some 50 meters.. to enter the right lane. Whew! The toll paid.. I enter the paid stretch of the flyway, and in a blink, its over. I wasn’t expecting anything more. So I move on.. not knowing how far this place called Greater Noida really is from noida.. and move on along, taking my cues from the wonderful signboards.. A nondescript sign board on the decently surfaced four lane road says :Noida -Greater Noida expressway” and a turn await me ahead..

And then, a vision unfolds in front of me in all its unfathomable splendor!. A straight wide and empty road with a thousand lamp posts lining it as far as my eyes would let me see. And my lungs vocalize my excitement and surprise with a strong gush of wind.. i grin to myself and twist my throttle…

The Electra heats up and rattles up a metallic storm of sorts as I push her beyond her – till now- limits. The beast refuses to cross 80 no matter what. The road turns, and I decide to slow down. After some 10 kilometers of cruising at a stable 80, I turned my face sideways to overcome the wind gush on my ears to focus on the engine and exhaust sounds, all fine till now, the valve tick has become very loud, but still very much in happy rhythm. I decide to go for the kill. With a quick turn of my wrist, i max out her accelerator. Now it is up to the bike to interpret my actions.. I refuse to let the accelerator loosen. She gets a hint, and the needle starts to cross 80 with a doubtful jerk, it moves and moves till the halfway point between 80 and 100, ninety. I slow down, as I can feel the engine straining under neath my legs, and a crazy new vibration settling in. I ease off the throttle for a full minute. And then I go again. This time the lady is more responsive, the midway point is reached without any doubt. But the needle refuses to go further. And given the fact that the fastest I have ever driven a two wheeler is 80, and that I have felt a bike hit 100 only by sitting behind one of dear friend’s pulsar was also playing a part. A part of me was holding me back, and so was a part of the bike.. The needle by now has moved ahead towards the 97 km mark. And then.. as a plethora of new vibrations set in and the engine start to wail in new sounds.. I ease her off. Still not at 100. I try again after 5 minutes. The destination is just 3 kilometers away and the stretch of straight road in front of me is going to end soon.. I have to try it again. So in another 30 seconds, i ready myself to hit the magic number.. 90 was easy to reach from 80. She has now become used to the speed. And 97 was reached too. Then I just slouch down and let my body close to the tank..The lock of my open face cruiser helmet tugging at my neck. I prepare to arrive. The needle vibrates heavily as I cross 97. I am focusing on the road as much as I can while glancing at the speedo without loosing focus. And then, the lady enters a completely new level, of sound, of vibration, and feel. I could tell it was crossing the 100 mark without looking at the speedo, and my glance at it didn’t contradict me either.. She held on for some 15 seconds. And the I let go. Cant stall an engine on a freeway some 38 kilometers off my home, can I? I reach this city called greater Noida in a few minutes, and it looks liek a scene from Resident evil 2. Deserted streets with little or no human presence. large imposing buildings.. half built, built, and left.. great infrastructure and no people!.. Well there will be people, this is India and we are good at producing people…

Mission Greater Noida done in about an hour, I get back on my chrome goddess at 5.30. And this time, the trip was going to be different and I knew it.. I knew the road, I knew how long it would last.. and I knew my electra could do it. So without thinking twice, as soon as I hit the freeway, i max out the babe, and she responds like a grasshopper touched!. In a matter of seconds, she is on speeding ticket territory. And I see the hot and 100dised engine respond to my every wish, which now was only more speed. The speedo hit 100 without a doubt or a delay.. like she normally does 80. And then, for some 12 kilometers.. I keep her at it.. occasionally cooling off for a few seconds every two minutes or so or so. by now my body is brimming with endomorphines and I start singing as I speed down one of India’s most beautiful roads.. I have hit my own 100, on a bullet! the bike I was scared to buy.. ride.. and even test.

As I settle myself comfortably at the century mark on the firm seat, I say more… and she obeys. The babe goes to a place just under 110, I think she hit close to 107 on that peak. I bring her back in 4 seconds to 100 and I cruise along.. sitting in commuter style.. minimally slouched, wind blowing my shades into my eye sockets.. flies hitting my forehead only to smash themselves against it.. and i cruise at the magic number for as long as I reach Noida.. and I soak in as much as I can from the speed as I can.. Stopping for a juice break at the entry to DND flyway, i take her effortlessly to 100 straight, many many times. and as i enter the city past the openness of the roads I left behind. I can see that my bike has become a completely new person now. The chrome goddess responding to every little twist of my throttle with eagerness.. like she just found her voice after an intense throat clearing exercise. As I parked my baby at home, I check the engine temperature with my palm, I touch the disks to find them warm, and as I locked her up, I pat her on the tank ad blow her a kiss. The little schoolgirls of my neighbor looked at me with amusement. I smiled to myself as I walked away from my dream machine, i am a bulleteer now.. I have earned it. But I wont become a complete bulleteer, until and unless I make the ultimate motorcycling pilgrimage to ladakh.. and that my friends, would be an epic post.. Will warn you beforehand. I promise..