March 10th, 2013
4 days back I fulfilled a childhood dream. I bought me a liter class super bike. A “Crotch Rocket” if you may.
I still remember Sept 17th, 2011 when I pulled up in a brand new CBR 250R at a signal in Hyderabad. I was stuck in traffic between a rust bucket and a dented autorickshaw. At that point, had someone even touched my beautiful red machine, I probably would have redefined road rage for all eternity.
The light came green… I slotted 1st and the next 17 kms were just a blur. That first ride painted a grin on my face that lasted 5 days. As cliché’d as it may sound, I understood the true meaning of the word “Freedom”.
Exactly 534 days later I am sitting on a machine that makes 156 hp. Built 3 generations ago(read 2002), the CBR 954RR weighed in at a mere 421 pounds fully laden. Barely 55 pounds more than the CBR 250, but 6 times more powerful. With a power to weight ratio, exceeding 770hp per ton I could smoke any Porsche or Ferrari that would have pulled up next to me to the next stop light.
But I had this feeling that I just bought a dragon as a pet. Yes its cool to have a pet dragon, but it can turn you into a pile of charcoal with a single breath.
After Michael (The old german guy who I bought it from) bid a teary farewell to his beauty, I pulled up at the first stop line gingerly. I noticed the tacho didn’t cross 1500 rpm and felt like a complete coward. “Have I made a mistake?”
This bike can pull upto 12,000 rpm and with gear ratios so close that you would think Honda didn’t bother putting different cogs in the box. Now it idles at 1000 rpm and I am at only 1500 rpm, using a mere 15 hp, I wonder what 156 hp would feel like?
I roll the bike in 1st and I open the throttle and bike seems like its going to stall. I give it a little more and still.. no reaction.. a little more.. nope.. nothing.. zilch..
And suddenly… Wham …. wham wham… clink.. Engine explodes…. tacho reads 2400 rpm.. .. my brain screams.. CUT THE CLUTCH .. CUT THE CLUTCH.. TOO MUCH POWER.. and I do exactly that… and in the overrun, the Akrapovic exhaust sounded like a kalashnikov going full auto
BREATHE
BREATHE…
I dunno about the bike doing 170mph, but my heart was definitely racing at 170 now..
To give you some perspective, at 2400 rpm on my 107 hp VFR 800, feels like a playful fluffy dog.
I had barely made 500 yards and this bike had already tested the size of my man parts. I am pretty sure it even had a bit of a laugh for being such a #!@$#!.
Right!! Enough is Enough!! Time to grow a bigger pair and take the bull by the horns.
- Shut your brain
- Tighten your core – (Note to self - Need to do a few more sit ups)
- Check mirror
- Say a prayer
Pulled the clutch slotted 1st and let all hell break loose. 1st gear 4000 rpm 60 mph. Clutch….. clink.. 2nd.. 6000 rpm 100 mph.. WOAAHHH!!!!! YEAH BABY!! That's what I am talking about.
The smell of burning gasoline, the racket from the exhaust and the blur was so intoxicating. Call it bragging or whatever, I let the engine go on “over run” once or twice, just to hear that exhaust pop a few shots. Who needs rock music when you have a sound track like this.
The next 20 miles were hypnotic. Its only when the gas light came on, was the spell broken. While watching the bike down the gas, on one side I saw decades of technological achievement manifested as a machine and on the other, I saw a beast tearing apart of huge chunks of meat and chewing them slowly.
After burning through almost a tank of gas I pulled into my garage that night and stared at the 3 machines parked side by side. I knew I had achieved a milestone. By no means have I tamed them all, but I definitely have them in a leash now.
I slowly close the shutter and walk back tired…. famished …… but…. with a grin as wide as the one I had 534 days back. ;)
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