ROYAL ENFIELD MOTORCYCLES

“preparing yourself”

I am a firm believer in the human mind’s ability to control the physical body. It can make the physical self tap into reserves of strength that you never knew existed. It can make your body endure pain, discomfort and torture to levels that you never imagined it could. How else do you explain a barely 65kg guy with a skinny build like me managing to lift up a fallen – loaded royal Enfield that should easily be 220Kg or so, on ice slabs, above 17000 ft in thin air, with a whiteout wiping out my vision? Or someone who suffered a fall and hurt his right arm within the first 200km of biking complete a 2800km trip through ice, snow and storms.. as if nothing happened… It is always, always mind over matter..

To begin with, you need a body that will listen to you. Flexibility is key and not power. Stamina is key and not strength. So if you work out, focus more on endurance exercises before you decide to become a biker. Do a lot of back strengthening exercises. If you have a naturally fit back and decent posture, you are blessed !!

If you have a constitution that is comfortable with street food and a stomach that can incinerate anything, you are the chosen one! A good biker has a great stomach So hit streetfood with a vengence, upset your eating patterns, generally tell your body what is coming its way.. which is complete chaos

Rains are a biker’s worst enemy and best friend, depending on your tolerence to it. If you catch a cold and start sneezing at the first sight of clouds, you will have a tough time being on the roads for long. Happy bikers usually are the ones who dont towel their head dry .. just joking. If you are someone comfortable with wet weather.. you get an A grade already !!

The last of the physical requirements, is a body that will respond to temperature changes with joy! When you cross the plains at 45 degrees weather, and hit the mountains to face a hail strom and sleep in a tent above 14000ft with the temperature at minus 10 degrees, you need to be able to love it all.. If you do. Just get on your bike and go climb the himalayas man! what are you waiting for?

But hey, these are the things that every one of us have, but at different levels. Experience builds all of these, and everything has a first time..

The world is a terrible place, Indian roads are hell.. So once you set out on our highways, you are literally at war. You could be shoved off the road, you could be cut from the wrong side, you could be surprised by a pothole, a cow!! a running street kid.. Enough to get your adrenaline to flow high and you to start a fight. … But Don't

I might be sounding preachy, but your objective on the roadtrip is not to prove to the world you are smarter than them (which you know already you are.. but keeo it to yourself)

Your objective on the roadtrip is – NOT TO VISIT A BEAUTIFUL PLACE – But to complete it.. Succesfully, without a scratch and do several trips again and again.. till you comvince yourself you have done it all.. Not be a roadkill. No!

And this biggest of all assets for a biker, I cant tell you how to aquire. It comes with being at peace with oneself.. your life experiences and your expectations fromt he world. But it is good to realize that the world is a good place at the end of it.. and everybody is looking for some respect. All you need to get someone on your side, is to give them a bit of it..

With this I think I have poured out whatever I thought was relevent to a motorcycle tourer in India.. As I learn more, I will share it. And I woudl like a lot of you hit the road as frequently as you can, fall in love with the highways and the hills and write about them so that wandering souls like me, could feel “I have done my job right”

End of the series .. See you on the road!