"What a stupid question!" That is what the general reaction I get whenever I question any of my mumbaikar friends/batchmates if they own any bike. "Who would be idiotic enough to ride a bike in, leave alone own one!"
But why indeed I ask. And what better way than by checking it out myself. :-)
And thanks to an old friend (who is either smart enough or stupid enough to keep his pune-registered bike in Mumbai) I assign myself a beautiful 2004 150cc black model, a beauty covered in a thick layer of dust, with a broken side-indicator and a battery that's completely charged out.
First stop - The mechanic. After a few hours of tinkering around, finally the bike's all washed up and in running mode. A few kicks, and it purrs (ahem... make that roars... after all, we are talkin about a pulsar, the men's bike! ;-)) to life.
I really can't figure out what's the fuss all about. My bike travel for the weekend was something of this sort
Thursday night I pick up the bike from my friend's house in Worli --> Andheri (E)
Friday : Powai --> Bandra --> Chowpatty --> CST --> Eastern Express Highway --> Thane, Ghorbandar Road --> Andheri (E)
Saturday : Andheri (E) --> Haji Ali --> Mumbai Central --> Eastern Express --> Powai --> Andheri (E)
Sunday : Andheri (E) --> NITIE --> Kandivili --> Santa Cruz --> Worli
And seriously, leaving apart the daily jam at Santa Cruz junction on the Western Express Highway, traffic is no big thing at Mumbai. Although, for a 4 wheeler it's hell :-)
And I got this bike for the entire month ahead!
Yay!
