MY TRYST WITH MOTORCYCLING

Motorcycling can be a hobby… It had never happened to me until recently. I have had a deep fascination for machines, especially motorcycles from a very young age. As we all know a motorcycle is a motorized cycle that is either powered by an ICE (internal combustion engine) or electric motor. It helps the rider to cover the distance with less effort. It is a tool to slice through the city traffic. Here I would stick only to the ICE powered motorcycles. These machines burn fuel once the engine is fired up. The mechanical sensation from the ICE engine, the exhaust note, the pull of the levers, and the wind blast as one rides, all come together and bring to the rider a sense of freedom and thrill. That's why motorcycling is meditative for the rider.

Initial attraction:

My fancy for motorcycles goes back to the time when my father got his first ride, a pre-owned Kinetic Luna. Thereafter he owned a K-Bajaj Boxer, then a Bajaj Wind 125, and finally his current ride a TVS Wego in a row. Riding Luna was a breeze, but it was the Boxer which was challenging as it had 4-speed gear box. I took some time to learn to operate the clutch and gear levers and ride a motorcycle in my early twenties. Thereafter, I got my driving license just before I began my career as a public servant.

REBEL: My first machine

My first ride was a 350cc Bullet Electra (REBEL) which I got from Bhubaneswar during April, 2011. It was a looker – retro styling with chrome bits everywhere. I remember clocking more than 12,000 km on odo during my first year of ownership and more than 40,000 km within 4 years of my ownership and when I handed over the key to my brother. My REBEL had its share of niggles and quality issues. Anyways, I loved keeping my REBEL in a spanking condition. When I got my first car in 2015, my motorcycling life paused for a while.

RHINO: The Dark Knight

During 2019, I was again bitten by the bug to get a new machine. This time I chose performance, reliability and modern technology over classic elements, retro design, and old technology. I zeroed in on the Yamaha R15 V3.0 (RHINO). It was meant for solo office commutes and weekend rides. I am riding the same machine till now and it impresses me with its superb handling, sorted power-weight ratio, mileage, and low maintenance cost. I haven’t incurred any major expenses in owning my RHINO so far. This one is a track tool to satiate a rider’s craving for corners.

Urge to up skill

Living with RHINO, I got to realize that my riding skill has plateaued and I lacked the skill to tame what my machine had to offer. At that point I decided to go to a riding school. I learnt about the TWO (Throttle Wide Open) Track Riding Programme of INDIMOTARD. They organize track days at Madras International Circuit (MIC), Chennai and the Kari Motor Speedway Race Track, Coimbatore. I enrolled for a 2-day Level-1 Riding Program starting on 10th of March 2023 at the MIC. I chose to hire a motorcycle locally in Chennai through Rentrip, instead of having to get my RHINO transported there. I picked a Hero Xpulse 200.

TWO Riding School

On 10th March, I reached the racetrack at 8:15 AM on the rented Xpulse. And like that I found myself at the pit lane of a race track for the first time in my life. That feeling was ecstatic. Then, the track instructors Anand Dharmaraj and Shubhabrata Marmar aka Shumi along with crew of Indimotard arrived at the pit lane. Shumi is the guy whom I have been following for the last 5 years. He is the one who has always advised to invest in honing riding skills and buying quality riding gears rather than upgrading the machines and buying unnecessary accessories. I’m a fan of his way of motorcycle testing and reviews.

The Classroom & Track Sessions

After the usual registration and indemnity, we were summoned to the classroom where we had a round of introduction. Anand and Shumi then discussed the basics of motorcycle and its parts – two wheels, an engine, throttle, a set of brakes and suspensions, rake angle, trail of front wheel. Act, not react is the basic principle of motorcycling.

During the first riding session, we were allowed to ride our machines on the race track freely and develop a sense of the track. I could complete around 3 laps. After the first track riding session, Shumi pointed that my throttle input was abrupt and my vision was fixated on things around the track. I wasn’t looking up properly on the track. That feedback was spot on. We were asked to draw the layout of the track based on our riding session. I was totally lost. I couldn’t figure out the track layout. However, some students drew the track and discussed at length about the corners and bends.

There are basically three types of corners. The type-1 corner leads to a straight road, type-2 leads to another corner, and all other variations are type-3 corners. We had classroom discussions followed by track riding for around 7 sessions all through the day till 6 in the evening with lunch break of around 1 hour in the afternoon. The classroom discussions were followed by track riding sessions with application of the techniques. The riders were divided into two groups based on the power of the motorcycles they were riding on the track. I was in the group riding the less powerful machines. Second day was also packed with classroom discussions followed by track sessions. Following are some of the motorcycling wisdoms that I could manage to pick up during two-days of riding programme.

My takeaways from the riding programme:

Sitting properly on a motorcycle: The rider doesn't need to grab the steering/ handlebar tightly. Hands just need to hold the motorcycle and give steering inputs to maneuver the machine. Lower body down below the waist should be used to grip the machine. Thighs and the ankles (riding boots) should be used to press on both sides of the motorcycle. Rider should put the balls of the feet on the foot-pegs. One's body postures would vary depending on the type of machine one rides. Sports bikes demands committed riding, while street bikes have relaxed riding ergos.

Vision: Motorcycle goes wherever the rider looks. So we need to look up and look far ahead. Our vision should be moving at the speed proportionate to the speed of the machine. We should never fixate on things on the road, like stones, potholes, dogs, and other such distractions. Fitness of body and mind matters in motorcycling. We are required to decide on the next move/ maneuver as an action, not reaction. Nervous and physical fitness delays fatigue and helps the rider to see and evaluate things properly in advance.

Throttle control: Throttle control is a critical aspect of riding. We were asked to ride our machines in lower gears with smooth opening and closing of throttle without applying any brake whatsoever. As a drill we saw how our body moves backward and forward as we open or close the throttle of our machines. I could immediately sense how effectively I was riding the machine and how my speed improved. It was a revelation. After the track session, Shumi complemented me on my riding speed. That meant a big deal to me.

Cornering is the most fun part of motorcycling. Every corner has an Entry, Apex and Exit along the riding line.

Exit strategy: Every action of braking, blipping (shifting down), and body position happens before the corner. At the corner exit the bike straightens, which is the appropriate time to carry max speed with throttle input. This is called exit strategy. This was followed by another track riding session with all the techniques combined i.e., looking up + lower gear + no brakes + max speed at the exit points.

Late apex: Riders use reference points (RPs) as markers along the track to determine entry, apex, and exit of the riding line. In a corner, every line we follow has an entry, apex and exit for leaning the bike. When we lean our bikes, the speed is reduced and bike is unstable. It means if we lean the bike early, the bike remains slow and unstable for a longer period of time.  In this case, late entry and apex help to lean the bike max for min period of time, thereby carrying better speed and keeping the bike unstable for least possible time. We should figure out RPs along the track to facilitate late apex. This improves the riding experience to a great extent. This was again followed by a track riding session of around 4 laps.

Brakes: Manufacturers make machines which have brakes much more powerful than the engines. Thus, we need to learn gentle and precise application of brakes to have a stable and safe ride. Pressure on the brake lever (only front) should be built progressively (not abruptly). This was followed by a drill on applying brakes gently. This was followed by further track riding sessions, where riders were required to apply brakes (not to stop the machine, rather to control speed), change gears, and open the throttle (progressively).

Two step riding: On the second day, the second class room session was on 2-step riding. It means in every corner apex of one riding line could be entry for another riding line. This is also called double apex. Eyes (proper vision) of the rider help to ride the machine in the proper direction. Rider then discovers entry and exit points in every corner.

Counter steering: Counter-steering is done by right input from the hand. A slight push destabilizes the motorcycle, which then help to lean the machine. If we push the steering (horizontally) with the right hand, the bike leans to right and helps in cornering and swerving around an object on the road. Steering input shouldn’t be jerky, rather it needs to be smooth. Better riding comes from your mind. So to ride well, one needs to be both physically and mentally fit.

Riding essentials: Things a riders should consider for a better riding experience are:

1. 
   Dog tags (mentioning name and emergency contact),
2. Quality riding gears,
3. Ear plugs (to help avoid hearing impairment); and
4. Consumables (like – batteries, tyres, air & oil filters, and fork / brake fluids).

In the closing session we got to interact with Chennai-based veteran Indian Grand Prix champion, Shubhash Chandra Bose aka Mr. Bullet Bose. His story on heydays of motorcycle racing was a fascinating one. We were then distributed L-1 Certificates.

Final thoughts

I have fascination for motorcycles of all kinds – right from 100 cc commuters to litre-class superbikes. I take out time to ride my RHINO very often. My weekly routine includes cleaning my machine, checking tyre pressures, chain slackness, and operation of all levers and switches. This weekly routine is very satisfying. A decade has now passed since I first owned a motorcycle. I have now come to realize the importance of the right riding techniques, their application, regular riding drills, and wearing the riding gears. Riding a motorcycle is meditative for me. As I ride along, I and my machine become one entity. Lately, I have started pursuing motorcycling as a hobby. And my life's journey as a motorcyclist has just begun.