Motorcycle lessons, fun with speed...

I grew up in a home where we owned 2 motorcycles all the time; one for my brother, one for my dad. Naturally all the travelling took place with me behind my dad or bro, with my always-short hair flying freely and my eyes fluctuating from right to left, taking in the scenery changing every second. I did not know the confinement and safety of a car for a long time, nor did i like it much when i did. My love for speed stems partly from this, and partly from my experiences behind my brother as he drove at dangerously high speeds with alarming ease. I made up my mind to learn from him and my dad, this awesome trait of flying on wheels, as soon as i could.

I started the lessons about a year ago, with my dad trying to teach me, first, the ignition, then the clutch and shifting the gear, and third, releasing the clutch. i remember how the beast used to jerk under me when i released the clutch too quickly(it still does, sometimes!) and when i finally mastered it, i used to ride the bike in my colony area, whenever dad returned home, or on Sundays. I slowly graduated to riding on the road at 11 in the night with my brother behind me, shouting instructions over the wind, sometimes rain. Then i could take it out to a little crowded area behind my home. Slowly, i could ride the motorcycle on the way from my swimming classes, again in the vicinity of my colony. My dad/ bro, always behind me, sometimes shouting urgent instructions to turn or brake, sometimes telling me to master the minutest details such as when to brake, when to keep your hold on the clutch, when to honk, how to judge the motorcycle coming from the opposite direction, sometimes scolding me over my silly lax of safety; but always in a way, boosting my confidence. And today, in fact i just returned from it, i was permitted to ride on the highway.

Of course there were too many flaws, like there are always, but the excitement couldn't die even after i returned home. The speed, as i learned through all the lessons throughout the year, is not just alarming, it is exhilarating. The feeling of accelerator turning in your palm, and the clutch changing the gear from 1-2-3-4-5; as you fly through the roads is simply superb. But i know that however self-asserting the accelerator might be, there are always the brakes reminding me to come back down to earth! I would never risk mine or anyone else's life for my fun with speed, 'cause it is not worth that high a price!

Every time i take the bike out is a whole new experience for me; sometimes learning to park, sometimes learning to use the kick-start, sometimes learning to put the double-stand on... every lesson teaches me something new; learning from my mistakes, i survive every lesson. And i really love and appreciate me dad and my brother for everything! I just hope this continues till i'm finally confident, mentally and legally, to hit the road! So far, so great:)