What drives a biker

THERE ARE people who would rather live in the company of Mother Nature instead of being seen in the city lights. Sanal Nair is one of them. Whether it’s riding in hilly areas with a punctured tyre for 100 km or traveling from Delhi to the mighty snow-clad peaks of Leh and Ladakh, he is one guy who has certainly been there and done that.

“Help comes from unknown places and strangers you will never again meet. The feeling that there is always help waiting somewhere if you have the heart to do something drives me to unknown terrains. I’ m sure bikers all over the world fell the same. Riding gives us a sense of freedom,” says Sanal, an engineer with a bike manufacturer.

When sanal was in class IX, his brother gave him a bike for the motocross race. He says. ”I  used a duplicate driving license for it. As  time passed my craze for speed and the thrill to explore new places kept increasing and the passion turned into a profession.”

As quoted in the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, “When you drive a car, you look at the world through a frame. When you are a riding a bike, you become the frame. “Every biker has fascinating story to tell . Ameya Inamdar remembers a horrific experience for five days braving the chilly winds at Keylong as he waited for the bridge at Khokar, at the base of Rohtang, to get repaired.

   When Ameya was finally allowed to cross, He recalls. “I went ahead, with the hope that I would have a cup of garam chai and Maggi noodles at Tohatnag. However, Rohtang was like a graveyard. The chilly wind numbed my fingers and the fog blinded me. When a couple of trucks passed. I couldn’t utter a word for help. Finally, a Sumo driver realized my state, he followed me till Marhi, throwing his car light for support,”

“There is a famous saying among biker---- there are riders who have fallen and others who will fall. Accidents tend to happen but we can take precautions. Most importantly, if you are going on higher attitudes, you need a good pair of socks to protect you from the cold.”

According to psychiatrist , every passion has a limit and after some years, these bikers can get exhausted, their physical health doesn’t remain what it used to be or they get involved in family life” There are reasons risky terrains in higher altitudes. Some are adventurous and love to face challenges. Others want to test their limits and toughness while many want to do something new and different.”

“The thrill and adventure brings out the best in a person and he becomes more confident, responsible and daring in real life.”

Where there’s a will, there’s a bike!