Triumph of the bike!

I have a friend who rides a 500cc Royal Enfield Bullet on our periodic rides around Sydney. It is British racing green in colour and precisely the bike I would have bought had I been a more hands-on biker.

He lusts after a Triumph Bonneville- one of the classic British road bikes that started life in the 50's (production stopped 1983). It's made a comeback and is a very desirable bike among riders of a certain vintage.

The Jethro Tull song: Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll- Too Young to Die! goes:

He once owned a Harley Davidson and a Triumph Bonneville.
Counted his friends in burned out spark plugs
And prays that he always will.
But he's the last of the blue blood greaser boys
All of his mates are doing time
Married with three kids up by the ring road
Sold their souls straight down the line

Other bikes once made by Triumph are also making a comeback. Here is the new Scrambler:


More here.

Personally, I like their cruisers, especially the Speedmaster.

On the road... to a rider licence

Well, I completed the first step to my motorcycle rider learner licence this week.

I have finished the 7 hours (over 2 days) training course and obtained my certificate of competency.

The course dealt with the theory and practice of riding with an emphasis on safe riding. I had to re-learn how to ride after un-learning some of what I had learnt from my riding days in India in my 20's. It's interesting to learn a 'system' after my seat-of-the-pants earlier experience.

They provide the bikes (Honda 250 cc's) and the gear- helmet and gloves.

The course was made more interesting by the typically laconic Aussie bloke we had as our instructor. Though Lachlan (call me Lochie or 'Hey You') looked a boyish 30 with his spiky blonde hair and earrings, he was probably closer to 40. He had the standard-issue laid back self deprecating humour that made some of the boring, pedantic parts of the instruction a little easier to bear.

Next step, to take the computer-based Driver Knowledge Test...stay tuned.

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Motorbikes, more on

I always wanted a motorbike when I was growing up in India- just like most urban teenagers. It seemed to be the ultimate in coolth and of course, essential if you wanted to attract the chicks....

Never did get one in college but I did end up buying one in Bombay where I was working for a year or so before moving off to Bangkok. What I really wanted then was a Royal Enfield Bullet 350cc but I think a) it was more expensive and b) there was a longish wait to get one.

So I bought a Yezdi (though I'd have preferred a Jawa). It was great! It reduced my commute from Andheri to Chembur by 30 minutes each way and, I believe, did get me the chick (singular, my first real girlfriend). We used to scoot around town having a drink here and a meal there and generally having fun.


When I moved off to Bangkok in 1981, I presented the bike to my brother. He still has it with him in the tea gardens of Assam where he is based and it still has the MMI 801 number plate (how, I do not know).

As I start on the path to get a motorcycle riders licence here in Sydney, I was surprised to find that Royal Enfield bikes are being imported here and sold here to enthusiasts. There even is a Royal Enfield Club for owners and enthusiasts.

I'm signing up. Maybe I will finally get the Bullet that I lusted for all those years ago!

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Back to the future!

After years of dilly-dallying, I've finally signed up to start the process to get a motorcycle rider licence here. It's a long process involving a compulsory initial 7 hour training course that gets you a learner licence. As a learner you can only ride specific approved bikes, or as they say,

moderately powered motorcycles with an engine capacity up to and
including 660ml and which do not exceed a power to weight ratio of 150
kilowatts per tonne

There seems to be a profusion of tests, including the Driver Qualification Test, the Hazard Perception Test and the Motorcycle Operator Skill Test (MOST).

It seems that you need to hold the 'P' licence for at least 12 months before you can get a full licence. And in this period you are not allowed to ride after drinking (zero blood alcohol) and cannot carry a pillion passenger!

On the bright side, there seem to be some shortcuts for mature-age (over 30!) people who have held a car driving licence for at least 5 years.

My first training course is booked in for January 8 9....

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