THE BIG BAD MACHINE
Technology that is half a century old!
Brand Name long forgotten by billions!
Bike for long associated with goons and villains of the tinsel town.
Mileage that will make any Indian bleed through eyes!
Looks thats from Jurassic age!
These are what I have been hearing ever since I saw a big black machine thumping along in a narrow road.
The rider broad chested and heavy bellied. The typical large black sun glasses (Cooling Glasses, as he would prefer calling). Those golden (or gold plated) chains around his neck, a tough match for the Bullet's Chain.
I have never ceased to wonder as to where on earth a bike such as that was made!
My father, ever so proud of having riden a bullet in his heydays, used to say this "Bullet is the best". Then why the hell did he not have one?
Nine out of ten people, whom I approached to know about Bullet, more out of curiosity than out of any big interest for a big, black and ugly machine, gave me the proverbial ten opinions none of which came out to be true. "It gives the same mileage at all speeds and gears", "It is 400CC""It is powerful than a Car""I rode a bullet at a top speed of 150 kms""Guess what! We used to do wheeling with our bullet""I travelled 8 hours non-stop from Chennai to Madurai""If you ride a Bullet, you will never have back pain"
These are some of the observations which many of the elites I approached had offered.
None of them turned out to be true.
By far the bike with the worst mileage. It is 346CC to be precise. None of the bullet goes beyond 100kms (except the newer ones TB and Bull500). Even god can't do wheeling in a Bullet. Brother you need not travel 8 hours, just do it for 3 hours and you will find your bullet generating heat enough to melt your legs into gas.
The last observation was the only one which remained true for long. Till I was bedridden for severe back and neck pain.
I had been riding a bullet for 9 months now.
Whats in a bullet that makes it the least sought but the most desired bike?
How is that 9 out of 10 have some thing to say about this beast?
With so many negatives, why is it that, even the very few who ride and enjoy this machine, are the most envied bikers by the bikes themselves.
No other bike has captivated the imagination of many young minds who even without having seen a thumper, have an opinion to air.
What makes the bullet tick?
My dream bike wasn't a bullet till I bought one. It was something else. Yet I was floored by the Bullet.
As I reverse geared and went back into what made me buy my bike, I thought I had found answers to quite a few questions I had just put forth.
What's in a name? "A rose will be a rose even if it is known otherwise" does not hold good for everything. Splendor called as Zapper would have failed miserably. As would Pulsar had it been called Miracle. Herohonda Joy bombed because, the name simply didn't fit. The name is synonymous with what the bike represents. Bullet with a name Excel or Wonder would have failed as miserably as Bajaj Byk or Hero Honda Joy.
Bullet ticks because its a Bullet. Whatever follies its makers had commited, whatever action or inaction that followed for close to 6 decades thereafter, is forgived for that one action of naming. Bullet represents not only speed, but also a force that will kill. A force that is all too powerful to ignore, and at the same time, to ignite. It represents power and independence. It represents joy.
My first brush with a bullet was a triples lift as a school boy (I was around 12). I was sandwiched between two big guys. It was scary. The noise too much for my tender ears. After thanking them for giving lift, I sweared them at their back, not heard by them.
The next was when I was in my final year at college. Right at 1.00 AM. Had to beg for a ride from my friend. Know what happened! A short trip of about 1 kilometre was all I rode. After which the monster stopped. The fuel tank was not open. And I didn't know how to start, coz. It was started by my friend when I sat on top of it. Had to push it back. Horrible! If only it was as simple as a PC. One button to restart!
But the pleasure in that one kilometre was enough to kindle a very strong passion and liking for the machine. It took another 2 years before I had one of my own, though a second hand machine only. My father rode it till my home and I used to take the machine out every morning to practice. (As if I was Max Biaggi).
As an owner, I rode it for long distances. Those distances taught me more about the bike. It also helped me know more about myself. Probably it helped me understand why the bulleteers are such a die hard fans of their mean machine.
It was like a friend. The constant thump can jolly well be equalled to heart beat. The bike was amazingly smooth. It could maintain that smoothness even at a speed of 20 kmph or 100 kmph at the top gear. It had life in it. It was unique.
Any bulletteer I met used to wax eloquence about their machine. We are as passionate as one can imagine. None of us complain. We dont bother about its minuses. We did not bother other's criticisms. We are not hurt when all Chota bikes overtook us. We are not in it for any race. We ride it for life. AND WE DO NOT SHARE OUR BIKE.
I bet, not other bike in India has such a loyal and passionate fan following.
There may be faster bikes. There may be bigger bikes. May be in the near future Harley might invade India. May be Honda and other bikes might come in with bigger machines. Big machines does not mean that you have to like them. Any bike should have a life in it. A life enhancing effect attached. Bullet has that.
The minuses are also pretty evident. The perennial oil leakage is something which you have to live with. One should not look at the gasoline prices while riding a bullet. Just fill the machine as much as it needs and it will heed to your taste. But then one does not ride a bullet for mileage. It is not quick (except the recent ones). It is loud.
Now I own a Thunderbird. I had sold my old bullet to one of my friends (another die hard fan). The day begins with my bullet. The day fades when I am on my bullet.
I ride my bike when I am happy. I ride it when I am sad. I go with it when I am angry. I take its shelter, when I am smitten.
One has to OWN one to realize this and relish what I have conveyed. It cannot be borrowed.
Own one. Ride one. Live. Evolve.
Technology that is half a century old!
Brand Name long forgotten by billions!
Bike for long associated with goons and villains of the tinsel town.
Mileage that will make any Indian bleed through eyes!
Looks thats from Jurassic age!
These are what I have been hearing ever since I saw a big black machine thumping along in a narrow road.
The rider broad chested and heavy bellied. The typical large black sun glasses (Cooling Glasses, as he would prefer calling). Those golden (or gold plated) chains around his neck, a tough match for the Bullet's Chain.
I have never ceased to wonder as to where on earth a bike such as that was made!
My father, ever so proud of having riden a bullet in his heydays, used to say this "Bullet is the best". Then why the hell did he not have one?
Nine out of ten people, whom I approached to know about Bullet, more out of curiosity than out of any big interest for a big, black and ugly machine, gave me the proverbial ten opinions none of which came out to be true. "It gives the same mileage at all speeds and gears", "It is 400CC""It is powerful than a Car""I rode a bullet at a top speed of 150 kms""Guess what! We used to do wheeling with our bullet""I travelled 8 hours non-stop from Chennai to Madurai""If you ride a Bullet, you will never have back pain"
These are some of the observations which many of the elites I approached had offered.
None of them turned out to be true.
By far the bike with the worst mileage. It is 346CC to be precise. None of the bullet goes beyond 100kms (except the newer ones TB and Bull500). Even god can't do wheeling in a Bullet. Brother you need not travel 8 hours, just do it for 3 hours and you will find your bullet generating heat enough to melt your legs into gas.
The last observation was the only one which remained true for long. Till I was bedridden for severe back and neck pain.
I had been riding a bullet for 9 months now.
Whats in a bullet that makes it the least sought but the most desired bike?
How is that 9 out of 10 have some thing to say about this beast?
With so many negatives, why is it that, even the very few who ride and enjoy this machine, are the most envied bikers by the bikes themselves.
No other bike has captivated the imagination of many young minds who even without having seen a thumper, have an opinion to air.
What makes the bullet tick?
My dream bike wasn't a bullet till I bought one. It was something else. Yet I was floored by the Bullet.
As I reverse geared and went back into what made me buy my bike, I thought I had found answers to quite a few questions I had just put forth.
What's in a name? "A rose will be a rose even if it is known otherwise" does not hold good for everything. Splendor called as Zapper would have failed miserably. As would Pulsar had it been called Miracle. Herohonda Joy bombed because, the name simply didn't fit. The name is synonymous with what the bike represents. Bullet with a name Excel or Wonder would have failed as miserably as Bajaj Byk or Hero Honda Joy.
Bullet ticks because its a Bullet. Whatever follies its makers had commited, whatever action or inaction that followed for close to 6 decades thereafter, is forgived for that one action of naming. Bullet represents not only speed, but also a force that will kill. A force that is all too powerful to ignore, and at the same time, to ignite. It represents power and independence. It represents joy.
My first brush with a bullet was a triples lift as a school boy (I was around 12). I was sandwiched between two big guys. It was scary. The noise too much for my tender ears. After thanking them for giving lift, I sweared them at their back, not heard by them.
The next was when I was in my final year at college. Right at 1.00 AM. Had to beg for a ride from my friend. Know what happened! A short trip of about 1 kilometre was all I rode. After which the monster stopped. The fuel tank was not open. And I didn't know how to start, coz. It was started by my friend when I sat on top of it. Had to push it back. Horrible! If only it was as simple as a PC. One button to restart!
But the pleasure in that one kilometre was enough to kindle a very strong passion and liking for the machine. It took another 2 years before I had one of my own, though a second hand machine only. My father rode it till my home and I used to take the machine out every morning to practice. (As if I was Max Biaggi).
As an owner, I rode it for long distances. Those distances taught me more about the bike. It also helped me know more about myself. Probably it helped me understand why the bulleteers are such a die hard fans of their mean machine.
It was like a friend. The constant thump can jolly well be equalled to heart beat. The bike was amazingly smooth. It could maintain that smoothness even at a speed of 20 kmph or 100 kmph at the top gear. It had life in it. It was unique.
Any bulletteer I met used to wax eloquence about their machine. We are as passionate as one can imagine. None of us complain. We dont bother about its minuses. We did not bother other's criticisms. We are not hurt when all Chota bikes overtook us. We are not in it for any race. We ride it for life. AND WE DO NOT SHARE OUR BIKE.
I bet, not other bike in India has such a loyal and passionate fan following.
There may be faster bikes. There may be bigger bikes. May be in the near future Harley might invade India. May be Honda and other bikes might come in with bigger machines. Big machines does not mean that you have to like them. Any bike should have a life in it. A life enhancing effect attached. Bullet has that.
The minuses are also pretty evident. The perennial oil leakage is something which you have to live with. One should not look at the gasoline prices while riding a bullet. Just fill the machine as much as it needs and it will heed to your taste. But then one does not ride a bullet for mileage. It is not quick (except the recent ones). It is loud.
Now I own a Thunderbird. I had sold my old bullet to one of my friends (another die hard fan). The day begins with my bullet. The day fades when I am on my bullet.
I ride my bike when I am happy. I ride it when I am sad. I go with it when I am angry. I take its shelter, when I am smitten.
One has to OWN one to realize this and relish what I have conveyed. It cannot be borrowed.
Own one. Ride one. Live. Evolve.
Comments
i like your bullet.. have seen it..
do you have a pavillion seat atlest now???
Hey am also a bullet lover.. may be the exceptions like you..
don mind about minuses.. enjoy the rides foreva..
I'm myself so surprised to know how embarrassed (almost ashamed) I could feel to reveal this fact to YOU--I don't know to ride a bike! I don't know how to drive a car, either! I don't know how to swim. And I can't play any musical instrument.
Well don't be surprised by this bout of confessions. Now on at least I won't feel uncomfortable reading any of your posts related to any of these issues :) Moreover, I consider all of these 'life-essential' skills. Will learn them someday :)
It's nice to know you love your Bullet so much.
TC.
Though, I consider driving a car as one of the biggest accomplishment in my life. Even bigger one would be to have a strong neck and back continuously, so that I stick around my bullet for long.
Thanks again for your comments.