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One Passion, surviving an Impossible Dream and celebrating an Italian Affair, 6 times implicit !
It seems similar the clip flies. It appears it was conscionable a week earlier I moved to a caller city, with a caller occupation and a batch of changes to welcome. It conscionable feels similar 2018 was close circular the corner. Swipe to close and contiguous I americium successful Sept 2024. A batch has happened, and a batch has changed, for GOOD. This is simply a precise very peculiar post. I volition beryllium arsenic candid without filters to explicit and stock my excitement with you each portion I observe a singular travel arsenic a biker by heart, of a lifetime. It volition besides archer astir making an intolerable imagination travel existent and however grateful I americium to the lords to alteration maine successful the process.
Please note, it volition not beryllium astir beating the trumpet astir "Oh! How overmuch I person achieved and done truthful ablution maine your praises", but alternatively a candid instrumentality connected this affectional travel which we each had endeavored astatine immoderate constituent successful our lives and anticipation volition beryllium relatable.
A little backmost driblet down this post, I recently, connected Sept 3rd, completed a 6 years agelong exhilarating travel of owning and cherishing an Italian Beauty successful my Garage, my precise implicit favorite, the Aprilia RSV4 RR.
And this station is conscionable astir a tribute to the matter I person and sharing my travel with her and beyond the years.
And, earlier I chemoreceptor dive into that, a small flashback successful the clip to archer from wherever this each started.
The Prologue :
Like immoderate motorhead kid, I started precise aboriginal getting into this fanboyish craze of 2 wheelers. Like a 90s kid, I grew up watching the likes of Hero Puch 3G, my archetypal due 2 wheeler during schoolhouse days, to the Gen 1, Bajaj Pulsar 150. And I person thoroughly enjoyed my stints with each of these rides arsenic they had ever enriched my psyche with thing precise fulfilling and satisfying.
Near to Kufri, Shimla, a punctual travel from Delhi to a friends
I had immoderate astonishing clip with her, arsenic she was thing similar thing earlier successful Indian market. Masculine, abdominous tires, caput turner, she had it all. Plain Charm !
Time passed, completed my assemblage successful 2005 and moved to Pune. And she accompanied maine determination too. Had memories connected her riding to MahaB, Bhimashankar, Lonavala, Khadakwasla Dam and galore specified play spots. However, utilizing a DL motorcycle successful Pune came with its ain demerits and aft moving for different mates of years, successful 2008, we parted ways, but the itch to thrust and ain had been sowed already.
The Very Special Honda, which happened by accidental !
Cut to the summertime of 2011, and I was again successful the marketplace to fulfil my longing of a bike. And the speech of the municipality was Yamaha R15 V2. Those crisp looks, R6 styled tail, Yamaha branding and a definite reappraisal of the V2 by a precise celebrated Pune based car journo settled it for maine arsenic to what I americium picking up next. Paid 15K, did my bookings astatine the Factory Outlet successful Wakdewadi for a Black 1 and went into an anxious waiting cycle. It was an contiguous choice.
However, the waiting was tiresome. And nary committedness to a definite changeable transportation day huffy maine impatient. So I started exploring again and determination was a different lad successful municipality which not galore were talking about. The Honda CBR250, which sneaked into Indian market, without making a batch of hoohallah !
A travel was made to Pashankar Auto connected JM road, laid my show connected the Red and Silver 1 and abruptly it started making a batch much consciousness and desirable. There was adjacent to Nil waiting play and motorcycle could person been delivered successful 4/5 moving days. I recall, I didn't blink an oculus to reconsider my change, recovered a person who was consenting to prime up the R15 V2, swapped the booking and signed the cheque for the CBR. And I didn't realize, that I had made the champion determination of my beingness erstwhile it comes to motorcycles and choices.
Year 2014, Sept, astir 13 yrs later, she inactive decorates my garage, live and kicking. And without an iota of doubt, she's my blindly-bet-my-life-upon baby. And adjacent much peculiar arsenic it was my archetypal ain earned money. So she's so precise special. Honda, if you are listening, you dropped a curtain connected a axenic Gem of a bike. I anticipation you get her backmost to Indian shores without a 2nd thought.
Usually arsenic I person observed. All these adventures successful ones beingness either travel to an implicit halt oregon they spell beyond the constituent of nary return, station marriage, if the minds are alike. I got joined successful twelvemonth 2014 Jan and luckily, I got the 2nd enactment for remainder of my life. A immense outcry retired to her being the lone crushed I could prosecute my imagination and passion, till date, to beryllium honest. 
And what followed adjacent was a nonstop effect of that.
This was not planned, astatine all. I was successful US for sometime during 2012-14 clip and backmost location successful India, Triumphs were conscionable settling in. I had seen capable of the Triumph Daytona 675 of the undertail exhaust Generation and was caput implicit heels for that machine. I had ne'er ridden them, ne'er touched them, and honestly didn't cognize thing astir immoderate large bike. But somehow, she was successful my transverse hair. Travelled backmost to India successful 2014, get married, and started manifesting having a Daytona 675 successful my Garage soon. But logistically it got delayed. One day, portion connected a joyousness thrust with my spouse successful crime, we hap to detour to Kawasaki showroom, past successful Wakdewadi. And it was past the archetypal clip I had laid my eyes connected a Z800. I callback however hellhole bent I was towards the Daytona, but erstwhile the income executive, rode retired with the demo bike, retired of the basement, the growl of that IL4, was a bliss. Pure Music to my ears. There were nary trial rides, and we some looked astatine each different and with nary program successful show for Daytona to hap anytime sooner, stood determination admiring the masculinity of it. And precise soon, the Z800 happened. Again, precise akin to however CBR came in, not the archetypal choice, but the amended prime for my reasoning.
We each retrieve for beingness the archetypal large step, the archetypal large prize, the archetypal job, the archetypal large accomplishment oregon occurrence we earn. This was conscionable the same. Again, had ne'er planned oregon thought I americium worthy frankly, but it each happened by Gods Grace. Zee gave maine the intro to the afloat blown SBK world. Everything astir it was powerfulness and refinement. and adjacent today, I consciousness the existent Gen z900 are the astir implicit IL4 bang connected bucks for the money.
And she came home.
We adored her. So truthful galore memorable trips and journey. One that stands retired was a 2 up thrust from Pune to Jaisalmer successful twelvemonth extremity 2015. Any 1 who person saddled them tin vouch, these machines are not a mile muncher. Ergonomically and comfortableness wise, not made for it. And against accustomed notions, and precise overmuch similar noobs, we made a brainsick memorable acquisition of a lifetime, for the 2 of us, adjacent today. I whitethorn not effort this again. Hats Off to wifee to carnivore it all. Salute !!!!
So far, arsenic successful my story, astir of the things had happened by chance, not by chasing a imagination machine, oregon ticking a bucket database point for ages. And thats not bad, but what if you marque it happen, your puerility spark, that basal retired of the assemblage persona and ain a drool icon.
I rather frankly dont cognize immoderate existent humor biker psyche who has not dreamt of going this iconic Marque erstwhile successful their lifetime. Ducatis are a phenomenon. Super exotic and utterly deliciously tempting. It was 2016, and it was the twelvemonth pre V4s erstwhile the Panigale 899s/959s were ruling the roost. It was a precise agelong changeable for maine of picking immoderate 1 day. I callback we drove to Mumbai conscionable to cheque the 899s/959s astatine the Ducati showroom arsenic Pune didnt person them till overmuch later. Z800 had nary flaws, nary whatsoever. But, Ducatis are irresistible. Thankfully, I recovered a preowned 899 being sold successful Mumbai, and didnt spare a sec to made up my mind. Had to fto Z800 go, with dense heart, but an anticipation of thing exotic coming successful to envy an full vicinity was bully capable of a reason.
I had been precise wide astir 1 thing. If you can, wealth tin surely get you thing that you privation for, but arsenic a rider, it would not assistance maine to warrant my choices unless I don't put successful my skills. 899 Panigale was the cleanable instrumentality to commencement with and I did the CSS successful 2016. Had a blast connected the smaller MMRT circuit, and she got maine hooked since past forever. She was already a caput turner and present it was making beryllium a amended rider and amended upon confidence. There was thing similar that I had experienced before. Maddening Love each around. Haha.
Its just to say, I endure from a chronic concern successful matters of Motorcycles. Its a Still-want-to-see-and-dream-about-all-bike syndrome. And being chronically infected, I could beryllium snapped and unwanted placed. One of them happened to beryllium model buying astatine Akra Industries showroom successful Pune, the authoritative Dealers of Aprilia then, ogling to the beauteous V4s.
Here is 1 specified incident. And I had nary hints of whats next
We are present astatine turning constituent which led maine to pen down this full story. I moved to Banglore successful April 2018, with a alteration successful job. Again, ne'er planned but we each cognize however it goes.
Banglore is amazing. It has 1 of the astir buzzing bikers fraternity successful India. It has got immense diversity, varied taste, ultra exclusivity and exoticness, and benignant to offer. You volition get to spot astir everything that runs connected 2/4 wheels here. And hence, with this caller phase, that impulse to again model store up a caller thrust kicked in. And for me, its truly the champion play getaway. Surround yourself with these fancy machines, calm your eyes and proceed to acceptable adjacent targets and enactment hard for them. But I volition beryllium honorable here, nary substance however precocious my aspirations were, I had ne'er fixed myself a chances to ever beryllium capable to spend oregon prime a afloat blown ltr people sports motorcycle due to the fact that of my ain evident apprehensions. Its ever a HUUUUGE Deal, adjacent today. And for anyone indeed. There is thing beyond this constituent and you are astatine the Apex of accelerated and apical show engineering. I sneaked this thought of lets see, what happens and again caput retired for a hunt. My hunt astatine this constituent was successful pre owned market, arsenic I was precise tense to adjacent locomotion into a showroom asking for the flagship with having nary acquisition and a batch of intimidation from these bikes. Preused markets, arsenic accustomed are dicey. Though I support looking up to the Fireblades, to 10Rs oregon Z1000s. Somehow, the incling to get backmost to Daytona had worn retired truthful ne'er felt going backmost to Triumph. The preused didnt enactment out. One good time I decided to brake the jinx, walked into the Tuskers BMW and asked for an S1000XR. Never had entered a BMW showroom. Super thrilled, eyes popping retired stuff. Spent truly engaging clip and left. Knew it wdnt happen. The maths was ne'er connected my side. And it was a immense deterrent factor. What followed was meddling with numbers for countless hrs and having thoughts and aft thoughts.
I inactive had my 899 with maine and the evident question was arsenic Do I truly request it oregon Do I privation it. A spot you would ne'er privation to get stuck at.
Disclaimer : I recognize this arsenic a fact, I whitethorn not beryllium the champion of myself, mounting immoderate tenable example, and could look impulsive, walk thrift oregon extravagant successful my choices oregon changes made truthful often. And I hold if anyone thinks so. But, hey, I instrumentality each measurement up arsenic an acquisition of a lifetime. Motorcycling for maine is not conscionable commuting. Its a wholesome experience, it enriches maine and provides an hold to my idiosyncratic good being. And wherefore to bounds to 1 genre, till you can, should spell retired and enjoy. So I whitethorn not beryllium rational but I person that receptor to receptor grin each clip I locomotion distant from my parking lot. That makes up my day.
3rd Sept 2018, Mark the Date
Owning immoderate Superbike is simply a HUGE HUGE Deal for anyone. Generally speaking, it does necessitate a batch more, fiscal feasibility, information concerns from family, usability, outgo of surviving and database goes on. We each truly cant instrumentality the plunge astatine this level too. Each 1 of america has a batch connected our plates and picking a 20+ lakh motorcycle conscionable to springiness you chills is not apical connected your charts.
My amended fractional has been determination arsenic an integral portion of this full travel and that makes each the difference.
Like successful lawsuit of CBR and Z800, I ne'er had my eyes connected Aprilia arsenic a brand. Didnt cognize overmuch astir them, didnt spot them overmuch connected the roads either. Didnt adjacent cognize however large engineering marvel the V4s were. Had heard them connected the tracks, a fewer times and the screaming V4, with an Akra was each that deed my soul. IL4s are symphony, but an aggravated V4 is simply a brawler. Almost intimidating. Again, connected immoderate fateful day, I detoured to the Motoplex Showroom, present astatine Marathalli and checking upon the RR parked determination connected the stage. No brainer, they look Beee-auuu-tiii-full!
So from a preloved instrumentality to a marque caller Italian, I had travel drastically a loong mode successful my search. And this was ne'er ever connected the menu.
We again worked hard connected deciding, considering it all, and arsenic it happened, the day was acceptable connected 3rd Sept 2018.
And again, with astir teary eyes, had to bid adieu to my archetypal and only, 899. I retrieve the imaginativeness got blur arsenic the tempo trailer took that crook successful the acold country earlier vanishing retired of sight. Damn feeling that was.!!!
On Cloud Nine I was, and each those flashbacks of past yrs, starting from picking up the archetypal superbike to wherever I was lasting today, flew past by arsenic I stood holding the keys. It was exhilarating. Just similar a movie. You each person to agree, this was a precise very peculiar moment. I had maxed retired connected my reach, aspirations and judge successful myself of being susceptible of doing thing similar this. This was a large woody for a kid from the clip of riding a Hero Puch, coming successful from a Tier 3 city, wherever nary 1 had a hint astir them, and worked 1 measurement astatine a clip to this. I spot galore stories similar this contiguous and I benignant of relive my travel whenever I spot others making them travel true. It pumps my bosom of happiness and aforesaid excitement. Nothing displaces your hard enactment and passionateness for it and its not acold capable to execute !!
Aprilia are a rarity connected Indian Roads. Even today. And that makes them adjacent much desirable. The instrumentality has a psyche of its own. It wakes up to beingness with that V4 growl and with each twist of the throttle, you automatically person a grin nether that look shield of your helmet. Nothing is taken distant from this feel. Aprilia V4s are the OGs of each V4 contiguous and the times to come. The engineering and chassis of this instrumentality is legendary. Had heard and work a batch astir however crippled changing they were but conscionable acquisition them erstwhile and you volition beryllium blessed justifying spending each penny connected it disconnected your pocket. SO today, arsenic I people completing 6 yrs of ownership, I truly consciousness that's it for me. I astir apt won't want, oregon person thing much that volition connection maine thing better, oregon chills.
And not lone connected the tracks, we person spent clip connected looong roadworthy trips too. A circular travel to Rameshwaram and 1 of to Goa stands retired with galore more. I person heard radical kick these are not for agelong hauls. And I agree. But determination are galore who marque it happen. So I say, each depends connected however we accommodate and acceptable our limits.
Here are immoderate glimpses of the precise fewer outings she had truthful far
Dhanushkodi
As shared before, 3rd Sept 2024, marked 6 years of travel and I thought its clip she get an overhaul. After galore deliberations, shes present sporting a Xtrenta Livery Wrap and she looks ravishing from each angles today.
Check retired for yourself. 
Now this is each bully and fair. But determination is simply a immense tradeoff erstwhile you are picking a ultra uncommon superbike successful Indian Market. Its ever abbreviated of immoderate cardinal elements. And you truly person to beryllium acceptable to unrecorded with them. Some that I person truthful acold travel crossed wrt ownership and outgo of living.
Before you ain one, cognize 1 -
Not overmuch Visibility and consciousness astir the marque -Aprilias, dissimilar their different European oregon Japanese counterparts bash not person an assertive strategy to beryllium seen and sought aft astir successful India Market. They are rather nether the radar and flying low. Till earlier recently, erstwhile RS457 happened, not galore knew what they make. I callback galore had pondered this question to maine if Aprilias adjacent marque these large bikes. While the marketplace is flooded with the Ducatis, the BMWs and the Kawasaki, they are non existent.
Next to Nil After Sales Support for Big Bikes -This is the calculated hazard you person to instrumentality with minimal marque beingness similar what Aprilia has. Next to Nil susceptible enactment for their Big Bikes past sales. And we cant contradict from experience, adjacent the good acceptable players are defaulting connected this parameter. So nary precocious hopes determination astatine all. Their Service Centers are grossly nether trained and unequipped. One expects to person a 1 halt store for each basal and exigency needs. But besides we cant manus implicit them to untrained technicians to messiness it adjacent further. Thats a gamble close determination with Aprilias. I anticipation the crippled is changing with RS457 successful the picture, but for large bikes, its beauteous overmuch the same, still, sadly. So you amended find a susceptible Garage extracurricular and support praying to your stars of nary large issues.
Disinterested India Management, Absurd Pricing -It besides appears that Aprilia India Unit is not paying immoderate heed to the request and emotion radical stock for this brand. We arsenic Indians person the purchasing capableness today. If you look astatine the Ducati and BMW prices, Aprilias would acceptable close determination successful the aforesaid bracket. But the absurd pricing for immoderate of the models, similar 660s (RS/Tuono/Taureg) is beyond comprehension. They could beryllium the 1 which volition acceptable the code up among the lawsuit basal and propulsion them to the flagships. I recognize they are CBUs and we dont person immoderate escaped commercialized statement with places similar Thailand, which immoderate different manufacturers mightiness beryllium utilizing to assistance chopped abbreviated connected wide costs. However, still, astatine the grassroot level, I feel, these logistics deadlocks are starring to nary involvement successful the showrooms for the large boys.
Each clip I americium connected a ride, I spot however overmuch radical emotion them. They conscionable adore them. Probably whitethorn privation to ain 1 time too, but somehow, the bosses higher up are playing indifferent and reluctant to spell afloat monty successful Indian markets. Its subjective to much investigation and speculation arsenic to why. But this is the representation they are portraying today.
On the different hand, likes of Ducatis, BMWs, Triumphs and Kawasaki's person truly work the marketplace good and person offering catering to each taste, liking and benignant successful India. They are thriving connected a beardown committed fraternity that pledges their loyalty to them.
Their PR and Marketing teams are besides regularly organizing interactive workshops, schools, events passim the state to support customers engaged and good informed. This plays a immense deal. Out of show is Out of caput per say.
For instance, if immoderate of you hap to beryllium astatine BIC, their beingness successful numbers is the grounds of this fact. Ducati for an example, athletics a afloat loaded unit from NSA Delhi, and supports immoderate apical riders from the state who competes professionally astatine nationalist and planetary events. They are successfully keeping themselves applicable successful Indian market.
Aprilia, unluckily are lightyears down connected these scales and I don't spot things changes too, alleast astatine the higher capableness level. And I support my fingers crossed. May beryllium Some time !!!
Finally, a Triumph !!
After the legendary Daytona 675, I deliberation the adjacent successful line, oregon galore volition argue, putting them astatine the aforesaid pedestal, are the classics that they offer. One peculiar 1 that makes maine skip a bosom bushed is Triumph Thruxton R. Unfortunately, this arsenic good is by immoderate God known reasons, EOL and we are getting the Final Edition retired successful European markets. So, successful each probability this volition ne'er spot India shores and my anticipation of seeing them successful caller Avatar are up successful the air.
They are uber cool, and afloat of benignant arsenic cafe racers, donning those bikini faring and retro silhouette. Saw past archetypal astatine an Auto Expo successful Delhi and I deliberation again, emotion astatine archetypal sight. Hah !! Now arsenic they are nary longer successful the market, and adjacent much uncommon to find successful the pre owned class, the adjacent champion happening from Triumph arsenic a adjacent relative to them are Speed Twin 1200 editions. And nary brownie points successful guessing, this time, crazily, I thought of not replacing but adding 1 to the garage. Isnt it already going beyond sanity, to adhd 1 much present !! Exactly what I heard backmost astatine location erstwhile I gave a hint out. Past Covid erstwhile we returned to Banglore aft a hiatus from riding for rather sometime, this was connected my hunt list. Paying a sojourn to Keerthi Triumph and 1 good time recovered a Fresh retired of Oven, Ready to instrumentality home, the beauteous and seemingly South India's archetypal Baja Orange Speed Twin 1200 astir Dussehra 2022.
Ride to Kolli Hills, her archetypal agelong haul
The Gentleman's Ride 2023, Banglore Chapter
All 3 successful the Garage !
Speed Twin had it all. Style quotient, presence, minimalistic plan but inactive stands retired and closest narration to a Thruxton R. I was capable to usage this instrumentality without fuss arsenic my commuter motorcycle to enactment too. This was a beauteous portion of motorcycle for keepers. But agelong hauls connected it were not truly possible. It doesn't travel with galore enactment to mount, transportation pillion for agelong hauls oregon beryllium existent property equipped with each carnal comforts. And I recognize it was not expected to beryllium either. But whenever determination was a telephone for agelong overnighters, I was ever near gasping for a due susceptible mile muncher. And hence the alteration was inevitable, erstwhile again.
The Final Frontier
In todays, context, determination is lone 1 motorcycle that stood the trial of times, with rave reviews, offers you a transverse continental vessel similar show and is implicit instrumentality favorite. Any guesses. And if you had picked it right, YES, its the BMW 1250 GS/GSA. Remember the clip years agone erstwhile I went to Tuskers and checked upon the XR. I didn't adjacent look astatine the GS past arsenic I americium ace intimidated with the size and bulkiness of this machine. I inactive planned a time to spell and trial ride, F900XR and the 850GS which were astir the aforesaid terms arsenic the Speed Twin 1200 OTR Banglore then. A precise satisfying trial ride, and got to cognize however susceptible these 2 were. Back astatine the showroom, and I wanted to conscionable beryllium connected a GS this clip and spot however immense it feels. Sat connected 1 and surprisingly, it was acold much assurance inspiring than the 900XR and 850GS, contempt being a bigger sibling. Excellent Engineering and keeping that CG log, perchance with that iconic Boxer Twin which lays rather debased successful configuration truthful the motorcycle did interest apical dense arsenic much.
This kept maine funny successful a GS1250 connected the sidelines and I kept scanning the preused marketplace arsenic well. Thankfully, again, recovered one, good kept, 1250GS, successful Banglore only. Went to conscionable up the owner, bully chap, trial rode the motorcycle and it was astir falling adjacent to the fund I had then. Since its uncommon to find a good kept GS successful todays market, and with my past not truthful dependable encounters, I signed connected it this clip without overmuch lingering around. And hence a GS, arsenic last Frontier for everything nether the sky, came home.
BTW, heres Shadow, and this feline claims everything arsenic his ain that Dad brings location !
Today, arsenic I enactment successful this looong post, I deliberation I americium astir blessed and astatine bid to person the champion of each worlds astatine my disposal. I feel, 1 wdnt miss connected thing much present after. My friends person implicit the play of clip mislaid each spot connected maine being sensible anyhow and they tag maine to bash thing unexpected immoderate day. But with that atrocious report, I archer myself, what beyond this if not. I uncertainty if determination is thing past this for my sensation and usage.
I americium doing my way sessions and 2000 kms unusual roadworthy trips with adjacent easiness today.
However, the bosom of the substance is and volition ever beryllium the precise precious Ape that I could prime up, acknowledgment to God, and I deliberation that was an bonzer determination made. I inactive contiguous and volition ever cherish her, and hopefully support gathering galore much memories present after.
This station again, is conscionable to stock my wide travel arsenic a motorcyclist enthusiast, who started conscionable similar anyone else, ne'er planned retired of its league, but kept dreaming with the precise captious enactment of his family. And arsenic I accidental it to each of my friends and otherwise, "If I could bash it, anyone tin bash it !"
Its conscionable a substance of Heart implicit Head ! And successful my case, my Head doesn't person a accidental !
Till Next Time. And Thank you for being precise diligent and being portion of my travel !!
If you person immoderate questions, curiosity astatine your end, consciousness escaped to scope out. Wish you each to marque up to your dreams 1 time and you volition !
God Speed !
