SPEED!!!

What is it with man and his need to go fast? the fastest mile, the fastest car, the fastest whatever..I've been trying to figure this out for a long time. What possibly could speed offer that man is willing to pay the ultimate prize for it. As for me, it has been a fascinating journey thus far. Well, Don't u take me for a hardcore racer. This piece of writing, to put it in a Gandhian way, is the beginning of "My Experiments with speed".
It all started with my first bicycle. A BSA champ, blue in frame, with ample chrome glinting, it could set any child's heart on fire. A lot of stunts, a broken toe-nail, a stitch in the head, a broken frame and a near-death experience later, it was time to move onto better things. My BSA-SLR ;-)
A really sad state of affairs for the next few years until i moved to chennai and then the top gear. I rediscovered speed so to speak.A desolate 1 kilometer stretch of open tarmac meant i touched max speeds that my legs could support. The highlight
undoubtedly was me learning to drift a cycle sideways. Making it a point to always screetch to a halt. A really burnt rear tyre was my proud trophy at the end of two years. Oh, i almost forgot to mention, i managed to bang into an auto on my sister's TVS champ.Yes, back then the moped was the fastest thing on two wheels that i could lay my hands on. Guess, the seeds were sown way back then
A long 4 years in college without my own set of wheels meant, i was cooling my heels. But then it was a good time to get my basics right and fall in love with the Yam and that technological wonder called the two stroke engine. Four strokes can get u from A to B, But 2 strokes, now that is what u call a real piece of work. They could sieze up if the oil was not right. U had to choke it, kick it till
ur legs hurt - to start it up. and they drank petrol by the gallons. It was like the machine had a personality of its own. Mind u no two machines were similar, each had its quirks and the acquaintance was a gradual process. But when a 2S gets going, boy does it get going.That wonderful rush from ur feet up as u rapidly shift gears, leaving a huge pail of smoke on all the 4 strokes trailing behind.
Back to chennai and i still did not have my own set of wheels. But the fact that my friend bought a Yam albeit a 4S, was consolation enough.A refreshing trip to Pondy on the bike had really rekindled that spirit in me.
I had made a promise to myself, that my first bike would be an RX preferably a 5 speed. A painfully long 1 and a half year long wait, and i found my prefect machine a black RX135. After the initial touch up and the getting-to-know-each other phase, it was time to let myself go. It was back to the proving grounds for me...the same desolate mile..
That 1 minute run on a cold night on the yam will forever be etched in me. Just to get my blood running i started off raising the throttle till the whining engine became a pain on the ear. Pulled back on the clutch and into first gear and i let go...Exhileration....back off to avoid a wheelie and then into second...and my heart was pumping blood into my brain like there was no tomorrow..and onto third...and i was already doing 50. my hands began gripping the handles tighter for dear life. the whiplash was tremendous and i was already pushed a few good inches behind in my seat 70..75....the noise was ear splitting. People were pointing and shouting at me i think, but it was all a mere blur for me..and into 4th...the engine now calming down to a steadier drone which was slowly being smothered by the gushing wind in my ears. 80..85..90..92..95...98....i could feel the machine itching to go faster,but the distant streetlight on the corner rushing up on me faster than ever, and, with the exhileration being taken over by a morbid fear, my actions
ceased to be wholly mine. I began noticing strange things around me now. It was like the bike was on cruise control and i had all the time in the world to enjoy
the world around. Strangely though, at these speeds, with your eyes watering, there seems to be no motion happening around. people standing still while in motion.
My heart was pulling hard on the throttle, while my brain was taking my hands off it...a flash in the corner of my eye, a headlight or a flickering street lamp, maybe and i was out of the trance. Hard on the brakes, wheels locking up, Brakes let go...hard on the brakes again..burning rubber and the vehicle is now sideways. Hard on the front brakes let go of the back and the vehicle corrects itself.down shift to 3rd and a semblance of control. Both the brakes again and i go sideways into the corner. Throttle and the vehicle straightens up. ...PHEW..Sweating on a cold night in chennai.
i still wonder why i did that on that day..Maybe i will never do it again..Maybe..but then one thing is for sure..I have begun to understand the machinations of SPEED.....