BHPian low-key-wiz recently shared this with other enthusiasts: It was August and this year, Bangalore could not get over the romance of the monsoons. Every weekend there was yet another epic love saga between them and I could not wait to relish this with Zephyr. Even with the usual busy week, I made plans with some office folks to ride out to KGF on a day trip. As usual, the previous night preparation is something I really look forward to. Got out the riding gears from storage, charged my GoPros and my new Ricoh GRIIIx (in love with my first non-smartphone camera <3), packed the essentials and the water tank. Took Zephyr for the regular fuel and tire pressure refill. It was almost midnight when I finally crashed but still woke up 5 minutes before my 4 AM alarm. These rides really get me going! Nothing else can steal my 7-hour sleep from me, I have noticed. If you think this is a one-dimensional account of a guy and his lover then here is some foreshadowing - little did I know that this would be my last tryst with Zephyr."If you have 30 minutes to cut a tree, spend 20 minutes sharpening your axe."Since I take the time and effort to prep the night before, getting ready in the morning is a breeze. I wake up, meditate for 15-20 minutes, relish the cool morning air of Bangalore and let dawn intimidate me a bit. This is usually a cue to prepare some kick-ass coffee or liquid courage for me. After having coffee, I am reinvigorated with this warrior energy and suiting up for the ride after that is inviting. I was out of my place by 5:30 AM. The short ride to the rendezvous point was the only time I was solo. Blue was giving way to orange. The Ragiguda metro station was beautifully lit up in preparation for Independence Day. I let the throttle open up wide as both of us roared on the Silk Board double-decker. ORR seemed unrecognizable and almost not despicable then. I was the first to reach office, so decided to shoot some snaps. Soon my gang was there and we hit it off to KGF. Ragiguda Metro, Lit Up in Tricolor The Meeting Point We took the KR Puram route and I crossed another majestic flyover. We found some traffic while crossing the famous flower market. An overpowering whiff of florals reached me which stays etched in my memory. We trudged along and finally found some open roads. I opened my throttle freely here, and reached Hoskote. The next checkpoint was the Chennai Expressway junction. Flower market near KR Puram The Squad As we reached the entry lane to the expressway, I could already witness what the fuss was all about the grandeur of this engineering marvel. The cloudy canopy on top was the perfect backdrop to this steel grey serpent stretching as far as the eye can see. We made a pitstop there and took some drone footage, some snaps. There were other groups scattered along the road marveling like us, mostly in cars. An aerial marvel - floating through mist over the Chennai Expressway Cyclist on the Expressway From that point, what we had lying ahead was thirty minutes of pure exhilaration and thrill! I had this long unfulfilled urge to stretch Zephyr to the extreme and amidst all the plans of upgrading, the major hold back I had was this - I had never actually witnessed the peak. This road allowed me to do that consistently. This expressway was a day away from opening. It was ready to be ridden on, though. There were non-operational tolls all along and flat, straight swathes of concrete. Add that to the stunning skies of Bangalore and you will have a biker's heaven. I was so engrossed that I never bothered to stop and switch to my GoPro ND filters. And the settings were already set for ND filters. So all I got from that magical ride was over-saturated footage from both my GoPros. It did sting a bit when I was back home and looking at the footage, but sometimes it's much more about being in the present than safeguarding the future. And that's also why I am trying to ride Zephyr as many times as possible now. I am pretty sure that my 30s will be invested in this. Zephyr performed like its heyday all along. It responded well to the throttle, the twin engine bringing a smile to my face every time I revved it. Obviously, the top-end torque was nothing to admire but I could consistently sustain triple-digit highway speeds throughout without much issues. Vibrations were surely felt but well under tolerance. I was on cloud 9 with how the day had started when I arrived at Kolar. We reconvened and went for a quick breakfast before starting our exploration of Kolar. I opted for the efficient Chow-Chow Bath. I feel this is the best dish to have before a day outing. There is the upma half that forms the base of your meal and then there's the halwa to give you some sugar and that dopamine hit which will be well spent throughout the day. After the mandatory filter coffee dose, we were more ready than ever to conquer the rest of the day at KGF! Chow-Chow Bath on a banana leaf As I started towards the Hills, I could not help but realize how lucky this day has been. The route we were on had roads like a dream and I was on cloud 9, cruising at 70 km/hr and listening to some Queen when suddenly it happened. The engine did not respond to the twist of the throttle and went dead. I went pale in the face and blank in my head. Zephyr came to a stuttering stop and as I was leading the group, others finally caught up to me. It was common knowledge now among my riding buddies that Zephyr had a mood and had many a time been disloyal and disobedient. We all knew what was coming next. I had to dump Zephyr somewhere nearby and hitch with one of the others to continue the journey. I really hate this part but it needs to be done. I found a small clinic to park Zephyr. I then became a pillion on a Dominar with a sour mood. I had completely lost interest in the rest of the ride. I somehow managed to keep a straight face for the rest of the trip though. As we reached the Hills, I got busy clicking snaps of my buddies and the general environment. At the hills The hilltop shrine overlooking rolling hills and villages far below Along with that, I got in touch with Europa Assistance to get me a tow truck. Now they have this rule book to follow that says they need to send a mechanic first and then if the mechanic gives the go-ahead, they arrange for a tow truck. I somehow convinced them that this is a "been there done that" situation and we all will have a better day if they send the tow truck directly skipping the mechanic. Even though it was a success, it would take almost 2.5 hours for the tow truck to arrive from that point. We had our fill at the Hills and returned back to where Zephyr was parked. It started drizzling a bit, so we decided to make a pit stop at the clinic and just wait for the tow truck to arrive. It took its own sweet time and by then we were all exhausted and famished. I dragged Zephyr to the tow truck like I had done so many times before. As the hydraulics lifted her to the back of the truck, I felt defeated. I had been so patient, so hopeful with every patch-up, every fix, every trip. But time and again, she had left me stranded - not just physically, but emotionally. Fitting After we bid Zephyr goodbye (thankfully, it was being towed to the service center at Whitefield), we went to have lunch. But I was far from present at that table. Regret clouded every bite - regret about the trip, about the bike, about putting my friends through this again. Everyone in the group was ready to call it a day. There was a storm looming on the horizon anyway. So we had one final look at Kolar and headed home - me riding as pillion on a Himalayan this time. I was thankful for my buddies for supporting me both morally and logistically on such a hard day. The ride back could not be done via the Chennai Expressway. Surprisingly, there was some authority on guard near the entry ramp to the expressway and they returned us back saying the expressway was for 4-wheelers only. It seemed like we had our first and last chance at riding bikes on this expressway. No regrets. We took an alternate route back to Bangalore. It was drizzling throughout, but we had our rain gear and resolve in place. Still, the ride back was painful - not just physically, but emotionally. I had too much time to think. Should I keep believing Zephyr would one day change? That someday we'd ride without breakdowns, without uncertainty? After all, we had just touched her peak speed that very morning. But I knew this wasn't sustainable. I had reached the end of the road. That rainy ride back became a metaphor for letting go. I had decided. I was going to part ways with Zephyr. We both deserved better. She would now go to a colleague of mine - someone who loved her, who would take her on daily commutes and weekend rides, who would stretch her legs more often than I ever could. She wouldn't have to wait, and maybe that's all she needed. As for me? I was ready to start over. Something more powerful. Something more dependable. Something to build new memories on. Something that won't break down when you're just starting to fall in love. Something to go on real adventures with… Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
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