2. First motorcycle in 14 years

Greetings Everyone I am Shikhar once again and today I am going to talk about my motorcycle. I am going to tell you what it is, why I purchased it, what all I do with it and hopefully by the end of This article you will also feel motivated to get something for yourself and get on with the riding.

What is it:

What I currently own and ride right now is a 2015 TVS Apache RTR 160 that I purchased almost at the end of 2022. It's white in colour and had close to 25000 Kilometers on it. Back then the motorcycle was by no means perfect as it hadn't been ridden throughout the pandemic and was in a pretty rough shape since the front Brake pads required replacement, chain and sprocket were gone too and front Tire was barely existing. Now it has done more than 42000 Kilometers and after 2 crashes I won't say it's perfect even now but it just works for me.

Why I purchased it:

The easy answer would be that I got bored of riding our old Hero Maestro but that will be an incomplete answer. You see there are some good scooters in the market but I wanted something more engaging to ride as it has gears to change. Since I learnt riding on the geared scooters that Bajaj used to make and to top everything my first motorcycle was a 1980s Made In Japan TVS-SUZUKI AX-100R. I think the best reason is that it ALLOWS ME TO BE FREE. Astonishingly this is the same thing I have been told by everyone who drives their own car or rides their own motorcycle and that includes the people who are not even enthusiasts. Just like most of you, the majority of my riding over the past 2 years was commuting. And before corporate guys who get the office shuttle for work say I don't even commute, please know I am out of station for minimum 25 days in a month and since my company doesn't allow for the use of own vehicle for work related traveling but I am always looking forward forward to riding My motorcycle because it keeps me clear minded after 25 days of nothing but work. And after those 25 days I spend the remaining days preparing reports and documenting my travel. Make no mistake, I love my job but it's still work at the end of the day as there are deadlines and the travel plan can change at any point of time. THE SIMPLEST AND YET THE MOST IMPORTANT THING MY APACHE GIVES ME IS THE SENSE OF FREEDOM AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCONNECT MYSELF FROM THE USUAL LIFE.

What all I do with it:

Mostly commuting like home to office and office to home in 2025 but in the past 2 years I have done a round trip from Ajmer to Greater Noida in 2023 to watch MotoGP. Round trips from Ajmer to Jaipur a few times and now that I live in Bikaner I have done round trips from Bikaner to Ajmer twice. For 2025 I have plans to ride more with a group rather than Solo so I am looking for a group that I can be a part of. Now one might say that why don't I create my own group! As good as that idea is, I haven't been in  Bikaner long enough to make friends yet so a riding group is a bit far ahead.

Since I hadn't owned a motorcycle for more than a decade, there were a lot of things I am re-learning like maintenance and how to save money for it.

I worked at a Triumph motorcycles showroom in 2019 where my job Involved riding everyday which not only polished my riding as they are powerful motorcycles but also gave me loads of confidence which I think is the best take away for me. 

I honestly feel like I have become a better rider in 2 years on this Apache compared to how I was when I left the motorcycle showroom due to following reasons:

No electric riding aids like ABS and Traction Control.

Things happen slowly allowing me to observe and improve upon my riding mistakes.

It allows me to try new riding techniques and work on them if I am unable to use them properly.

It is not too expensive which allows me to maintain it to its best which makes me happy.

Most importantly it has become a tool for my personal expression which not only allows me to not only to think creatively but also allows me to plan my rides and ways. 

I can cruise comfortably at 60-80 KMPH which makes it the perfect getaway motorcycle. 

Has a comfortable rear seat which means I can persuade my wife for a ride even though she does not like it.

I did some out of station rides on it starting with something small, same-day return of 135 KM distance to build the patience and endurance before I went out on a solo ride. You will read about it in the upcoming articles. Thanks for reading.