Save our tigers!

When the catchline from the Indian cricket captain says "Just 1411 left", it makes one sit up and wonder for a while. Once the ad was done, I rushed to the computer and checked out the website. I even joined the roar and noticed this morning that 31,000 people have since, joined the roar. All the action is at www.saveourtigers.com.

Is this another marketing gimmick to gather a huge database of emails and phone numbers? Is it some innovative branding effort to get into the hearts of people? The motive is beyond judgement, for if you have watched the tiger moving in the wild, you will know that any effort of educating humans about the threat of this mighty beast disappearing deserves an applause. With the forest reserves becoming picnic grounds and places to unwind with alcohol and cigarettes and the animal tracks being used to test the off road capabilities of that newly acquired SUV, I do not see much hope. What we can do? Stay away is what is recommended. Let the reserves heal themselves and flourish again. Let the tigers grow in numbers, in a fearless and unpolluted environment. I have done my days at Sambar Road at Jim Corbett and I miss the place but I am keeping away from planning future visits. I am doing my bit. Are you?

Land Ahoy!

I have been away from home (read Kolkata) for two years now. First, it was Mumbai and then Bengaluru. Time went by like a breeze on the personal front. There was work (after two years of doing my own thing between 2006 and 2008) and a little money too. Life took an all new meaning when there was money to be drawn from an ATM at the end of every month.

However, there were a few things that kept flashing ever so mildly at the back of my mind. Friends, family, the fact that my daughter was growing up with fairy tales of her grandparents and motorcycles haunted me as I churned out power point and excel files on my office desk between 9 to 6. I decided that it was time to head back to the only place that could be called home. By mid February, I hope to get on that plane and see Nitin's smiling face at the airport once I land. I have never been an ambitious person and I am happy going back to a lesser paying job as long as I have people who care around. Then again, the feasibility of Monoshock starting up is higher on the hallowed grounds of Kolkata.

I look forward to churning out those e magazines as much as some of you look forward to reading them. The power point and excel sheets will have priority, but then, so will friends, family and motorcycles!

See you soon people. The view from the east is better!

- Rahul

The VW Jacket Days

Last week, while on a trip to another city and some serious drinking there, I caught a bug. By the next morning, there was a frog in my throat and a few hours later, a fever came along. Once back in Bangalore, I searched through my old trunk, looking for something warm to wear and I found the old VW jacket.

As I was wearing it, reruns of the old days filled my mind's screen. Me, the VW Jacket and the Honda Hornet 250 made the picture complete. Monoshock ran as a website for a full two years and the blog is still online but there never was a story on the Hornet and me. There was a comparo though which featured the Hornet, written for BS Motoring but thats it. I never wanted to be seen as a guy who rode an import around town and had followers because of the 180 section rear and that seductive exhaust note. To me, Monoshock was a website for everyone, created and maintained by people who were like any other biker on the street. Lonely deep inside, sensitive, caring and a bit loony.

The Hornet is long gone and the zeal for the website has lost itself somewhere in the twists of this road called life. The VW Jacket still remains. Its on my shoulder as I write this. It still smells of the days gone by. The wife just came in and asked, "What are you doing wearing shorts and that jacket?"

"Just planning to take the Hornet out", I replied, transported to another day.

Poor Rahul, she would have thought as she walked out, must be going round the bend!

I saw the Harley Davidsons roll by!

Bangalore witnessed a great event lately. Great atleast for the bikers around. A bunch of men (as Ben would have put it) startled the city astride Harleys, the potato sound booming and bystanders gawking. Yes, I was one of them. Out on the road in the morning, running a small errand for the wife, I noticed these mighty metal monsters hogging up the road. It was a great feeling. Completely child like. I remembered the time when I had seen the P180 for the first time. And the time when I had brought home my very own Hornet 250. It was a humbling experience to watch engineered metal at its desirable best. I hear that the Harleys in India will be priced between four and fourteen lacs and I also hear that their market research claims there are enough buyers even at that price range!

Just awesome. If any one of you happen to buy one, lemme know so I can come over and ride one. No matter what I am told in that department, I need to feel it first hand!
- Rahul

Still Around

Almost a year has gone by since the last post. A year that was full of surprises, laughter, friends, struggle and hardships. The economic slowdown did little to uplift dampened spirits and emotions. I did go around though. Down the little green hills of Coorg and the cobblestone pathways of Pondy. I even drove up to Ooty and spent a whole afternoon gazing at the meadows from the verandah of the Ooty Gymkhana Club. A little bit of writing has happened too, albeit they are all notes. Some of them, have been penned down just to amuse myself. The hard drive has some new images as well, but they do not really fit anywhere on Monoshock!

To tell you the truth, I have carried my camera along to pretty destinations this year but, have often come back home without clicking a single picture. The biker in me, loves the "Midship" sticker on the new Yam. I think the new Zma sucks and Dubai was always over rated. But thats just me. Doing a round of the web, I see too much information on motorcycles. Tech Specs and user reviews pop up from the most unsuspecting links and everyone seems to be generally happy. There are also a few around who still email. Asking about a possible restart of the www.monoshock.in website. Thanks so much! Mean it from the bottom of my heart. I really have nothing to tell them right now.

Except that, I am still around!
- Rahul

Remembering an old friend!

The cellphone blurted out an alarm at 6 AM. It was a birthday reminder set for a few friends who mean the world to me. I looked up and saw it was Parikshit's birthday. (Doc to me). Memories flooded my mind's screen. That gentle genuine smile from behind the lid. The warm sparkling eyes. That fluid language straight from the midst of Freshwater East in the July 2007 edition of the Monoshock emag! I never endorse drinking or smoking but I raise my glass of rum for you tonight as I try and put my lonely self to sleep. Hope you had a great day, and continue to have many thousands more of them. Someday, we will be back again like the good old days doc.
Love
R

The Shed

I had a chance to take a look at a decaying old factory from inside today. The walk to the shed was riddled with bush and snakes (heard the security staff swear by the 'Big Black One'). The top had blown off in places and the setting sun was peeking through one of those gaping holes in the metal and asbestos! I shudder when I think this was a place full of people at one time, manufacturing who knows what for who knows who... The image is with me to stay. I am happy for that. It makes a lovely desktop wallpaper. Fits widescreens too!

- Rahul

Bang galore for the buck!

I have been living in Bangalore for almost two months now on work and I still have not been able to figure out how the city moves. Call a Meru cab and 8 out of 10 ten times, the waiting time for a cab to arrive at your doorstep will be in the excess of two hours. The buses seem to go nowhere even when they are clogging up every possible street er, lane to be more precise. Then there are the double coach buses, joined by a vestibule that resembles some ancient space ship docking system from the children's books. Three wheelers are another story. The meters are completely warped. I remember having done what seemed to be 15 kays and this guy's meter read 24 kays. Negotiations from a guy who does not know the local language is mostly futile. Running a car with those petrol costs is unviable.

Biking is an option if you do not mind massive concrete carrying trucks and buses constantly sniffing your backside. Their motors hissing away barely inches from your rear numberplate. Hence my state of confusion. The office is about 3 kays from where I put up these days and with the cool breeze and clear blue sunny skies, I have been walking back and forth all these days to work. And each time, drooling at the P220 or an FZ that passes by, recklessly overtaking that dump truck from the left. Darn!

Quantum of Solace

When I was a kid, a quantum of solace came from watching my mother move around the house on her many chores. Wearing a gown that touched the ground. I sat back in the verandah, glass of milk in my hand and watched her move around the local friendly cows that mowed our lawn naturally every other day. A few more years went by and I stared at coloured posters of big bikes clung to the sides of the Kolkata metro railway station exits, almost never having the money to buy one for the wall in my room where the paint had flaked off. The laminated Kawasaki GPZ was one that stole my imagination and kept me awake many nights. Just its mental image!

Then there were girls. I could almost never take my eyes off a particular shade of skin on the upper arms and necks. I must have ogled shamelessly at millions. I guess I am a visually stimulated person to a large(r) extent. Now, irrespective of what I ride and where I go to, there are times when I find myself parked by the road side. For no no rhyme or reason. Just watching the crows flying home or little children going to school. Or trees, trying to make conversation in the distance. Their language of longing so unmistakable and yet, calm.
There is solace all around. And if it is not, its just a ten minutes ride away. Thats a promise!
-Rahul

Our Truth - Lacuna Coil!

Just came across this amazing band called Lacuna Coil. This album called Karmacode has a number by the name of 'Our Truth' that figures as my top female rendered grunge number!
Pick up the album if you can find one. You can watch the video here. . .

Site Building. Aw the good old days!

While I am in the process of restructuring the Monoshock website, adding an all new feel, easier navigation and some new material, the old memories keep coming back with every click of the mouse. Jai's spanking new Zma, run in religiously for all of 3 km before he said 'To heck with running in'. There he was that early morning, looking out into the horizon. The sky as perfect as the Kolkata winter would allow.

This very view is now dotted with concrete monsters inching their way up to the heavens. Every inch of land has been flogged for its worth. There is a message there. At least I can read it. Genuinity, good times and creativity are somehow never connected with money. I for one am a sucker for all of those. Money can go to hell. As far as Monoshock is concerned!

Yamaha tickles our man Neo!

Our man Neo does not mind when an R15 blows him into the weeds while he is riding over to the office on his old, red P180. He does not even wince when the spec sheets of the latest arrivals read seriously advanced figures. Neo was, till now a very happy man.

The Yamaha FZ16 changed all that. A franctic call came to me once in the middle of the night. "Darn Rahul! These Yamaha dudes have slapped a 140 section rear on the FZ16 man!", Neo blurted out. I heard him out and hung up, sure of the fact that he would not sleep all night. He would feel destroyed. Its not about cubic capacity or bhp mates. Its all in the rear rubber! Road test on the All New Monoshock website soon!

Seasons Greetings from Monoshock!

Six years ago, one of my long aimless rides had taken me to Aurangabad. I had met N there. She was beautiful, warm and alive. Her expressions reminded me of those pretty women who feature in classy advertisements. Their faces emotive, their lips quivering. Around her neck, she wore a silver necklace. 'It was given to me by my father', she said. In one of our close encounters that followed, I remember that necklace as the only thing left on her body. I spent countless hours at night, staring at her Goddess like fingers while she slept peacefully.

She was a chirpy and easy pillion when we blasted across the rain swept plateaus beyond the Buddhist caves just above Aurangabad. My P180 classic, wearing that trademark lilac colour pulling the insignificant extra weight like a relentless locomotive. The bass note from the blowtorch exhaust coupled with that 'jet engine' whine from the engine intoxicating me.
Then, one morning, she was gone. Just the way she had appeared. That morning was Dewali. She promised to stay in touch. People can be forgiven when they break some promises in life. Like every biker out there, I forgave her. We people keep forgiving don't we? Its Dewali again. I thought I would let all of you know. N never comes on to the Monoshock site. At least I would like to keep believing that, forever.
Happy dewali bros. Happy Dewali N.

Hitting the rewind button on a Pulsar 200

Somethings never fade from the memory. When Monoshock started, the Pulsar 200 was the first bike we tested officially. Today, a good friend of mine in Bangalore threw me his P200 keys before he went away for a couple of days to attend a family wedding. The morning was clear and there was a nip in the air when I fired her up. In no time, the cobwebs of almost 3 months of non riding were swept away. Bangalore traffic is however your worst nightmare come true. Menacing buses come within inches of you in traffic crawls despite knowing what that contact can do to a petty rider. Pedestrians are perpetually on a suicide mission while crossing streets. I have a simple rule for riding in this city now. If you see someone planning to make a crazy move, rest assured that she/ he will just do it. I reserve the braking judgement now. That way, I am a lot safer!
The road that starts from the flyovers at Hebbal is good all the way to Nandi Hills except a few rough patches that do not even figure as I write this. Along the way, some strange plantations came around. Some sort of a tender crawler that needed support and looking under these crawlers gave a very gemoetric and mesmerising view. Here is one for you to enjoy and figure out.

The hills started after a long, smooth straight where I pinned the throttle and held it there. 113 kmph is the max the digital speedo read out. It would go no more and for the moment, that was enough. The climb started abruptly after a right turn and this is where I felt the difference between a P180 and a P200. Even in the most serious hairpin inclines, I was very comfortable on second cog. Not even once during the hill climb did I engage first gear except when I got off to shoot this picture. A 20 degree temperature coupled with a clear blue sky and decent twisting roads was just what the doctor ordered for a Sunday afternoon.

I reached the top which was bursting at the seams with happy faces carrying packed lunches. These packages would be a lot lighter once the day was done and the downhill journey started for the many families. A fifteen buck parking ticket and a three buck entry ticket later, I trudged my way up to the top of the entire sanctuary. It was a tiring walk and many times during the climb, I was reminded by an inner voice that the fitness regime I had been putting on hold for so long now needed a jumpstart. Yes, that is a priority now. The view from the restaurant on top was simply surreal. The word horizon takes an all new meaning from up there. And so does architectural scale model. The world below looks like the perfect place to be in. The green terraced slopes and the fields that stretch till the end of the world from there make you forget that there are wars, crimes and killings happening right then, in some cussed part of the world. The same world! A greasy, meaty lunch was made quick work of.

Before dusk arrived and made things tough for a rider who has lost the touch, I headed back down. I kept the 3rd gear engaged to give me an unhurried and controlled descent. Many bikers I had seen on my way up had simply cut their motors and were riding the brakes and they would do that till the slopes ended. Not a great thing to do though as it it may get dangerous with the brakes fatigued and no engine power in case of an emergency. Grape sellers greeted me on the way down and then through part of the straight, with a bunch of the ripe fruit hanging from an outstretched arm. Little did they know that I love my grapes crushed, aged and in bottles with cork stops that go 'pop' when unscrewed!

I am getting back to doing what I love most. Riding and writing. Contrary to the scenery around me, the mist around my mind is clearing. There is quite some way to go though. I am reminded of my commitment to those who believed. I park the P200 beside an old temple wall and shoot a picture. Darshan will be back tomorrow and his steed needs to go back to him. I will borrow another one soon. From someone kind enough to lend me one. maybe it will be the Yamaha R one five (need to say that right!). Or a Karizma. I do not know. The gates have opened again and the road lies just beyond it. See you soon!

- Rahul

Daman

We mostly travel to get somewhere. For something. Often forgetting the means to the end. What we get at the end of it all is always not what the truth is. A few days back I rode away to Daman. Once I reached there, the image was pretty disturbing. I wondered where all the Portugese architecture and splendour was. Not many locals, busy running their numerous bars had a clue either. Someone wise told me that it was called Moti Daman. I reached, and what I saw was unbelievable. Beautiful. I touched the old church walls and absorbed in my mind's screen as many images as I could of the human passion to build, travel and spread. At the end of the day, all you touch and all you see, is all your life will ever be!

Action Update Folks! Please

We wonder where the action happened? Oh yes, the TVS flame has launched itself grandly on hoardings all over the country. The sky behind the bike is beautiful to look at and that’s what held our attention for a good 30 seconds! The P220 is still quite a rare site on city streets. The Apache RTRs are on the rise. Yamaha and its MT (01) promises still appear to be a far cry from street side reality.

The R One Five (as the Yamaha blokes insisted, it be called) is something our eyes still scan on the horizon. There is nothing from Bajaj KTM or Honda for that matter. The Kinetic SYM thing does not appear to have taken women into any kind of flight. We know for sure that there are lot of informed folks out there who drop by the Monoshock site and blogs. Let us know what we missed guys. Hand hold us for a month and have patience. We will thrash them bikes around again till they beg to be photographed in a display of wild action. Ok! That reminds us, where is the camera?

The lunatic is on the grass...

...remembering games, daisy chairs and laughs.... This dvd is a must buy for all you Floyd fans out there. The best thing about this album is the fact that it was created in grim times with grim lyrics but the music is so uplifting that it leaves you astonished.

This 'Making of The Dark Side of the Moon' dvd has Roger Waters doing an accoustic solo of the that opening line song and David G rendering some amazing guitar solos and an accoustic version of 'Time'. Guess what? It is just timeless. I watched it six times in four days and I think I can do it again.
- Rahul

Motociclismo ‘s’ 2008 bike of the year awards

More than 35,000 readers of the major Italian bike magazine Motociclismo voted for their “Moto dell’anno 2008” (Bike of the Year 2008) and scored Ducati a best ever result in Sport Bike, best in Supermotard and a major result in the Naked Bike categories.

Choosing from 280 models split into 12 categories, including 125cc, Cruiser, Naked, Dual, Enduro, Supermotard, Touring, Sport Bike, Sport Touring, and three scooter categories, the public’s favourite and most eagerly awaited award was for best Sport Bike. For the first time ever in the history of such awards presented by motorcycle magazines, a single manufacturer – Ducati – had recorded an unprecedented clean sweep of votes and claimed the first three places.

The Ducati 1098 took the coveted first place with the Desmosedici RR in second and the stunning new 848 filled the ‘podium’ with third place to achieve the previously unmatched haul of trophies. Ducati’s domination of the Sport Bike category is a clear indication of the credibility and respect that the Italian manufacturer enjoys in this specific sector, traditionally a bench-mark and inspiration in the motorcycling world.

Ducati’s success that evening, however, did not end there. Once more, the highly original Hypermotard took first place honours in the Supermotard category and the beautiful new Monster 696, despite being launched just a few weeks ago, took an incredible second place in the Naked Bike category. To complete the impressive haul of awards, the Multistrada scooped third place overall in the Dual category.

Heck it has been long... really long!

Hello guys,
It has been 6 months now since we went quietly into the night. I owe all of you an explanation and apologies. Sure, that will come. But after I get the site and other things online. Should take me about 4 days from now to get Monoshock back to life. There were a lot of comments and mails. Some of them overwhelming. We will discuss all of them, this time, when its time.
By this weekend, Monoshock and its team will be at your service again.
- Rahul

Riding into the sunset - Avenger 200

Here is an image of our test rider alongside the Bajaj Avenger 200 oil cooled cruiser. Shot on the NH2 from Kolkata to Delhi, the image portrays the essence of riding long and into the sunset!

Photo data: Camera body - Nikon D80, Lens - AF 24mm F 2.8. Mode - Aperture priority. Aperture set at 16. Metering mode - Centre weighted. Focus mode - AF Single Servo. I held the centre area to get the metering off the setting sun after focusing on it. Then, I used the Auto Exposure Lock and the Auto Focus Lock together, reframed the shot and released the shutter for this effect!