Me, Myself & Christine....

I still have faint memories of the day even now. One pleasant summer afternoon in the late 1970's, as i was home enjoying my summer vacations break from kindergarten that i heard her roar into my street. There she was all gleaming in wine red metal and sparkling chrome rolling slowly into our gate. I was awestruck, gazing at her, jaw open and a glint of curiosity in my eyes.I saw a familiar face on her, Dad. Oho..So this is his bike, i mean OUR bike. What a beauty. Probably Dad must have noticed the spark in my eyes about this motorcycle that day itself, cos he always felt that some day when it came to inheritance i would ask him for the motorcycle.

With each passing day we went on more and more rides. Shopping trips back and forth from the Sunday market, going to school on Sundays for extra classes and coming back. Countless outings and picnics all on that gleaming beast, all four of us. With each passing day the bond between me and the graceful beauty was growing stronger and stronger.

One day as i found my milk teeth were giving way to what we term permanent teeth and i was growing taller, i asked dad - "When can i have the motorcycle?" He was obviously taken aback but then hid his amazement and alarm behind those glasses and almost expressionless eyes. "Well Son. You can have her when your feet touch the ground when you are sitting on it..OK?"

That triggered off a ritual of me sitting on the motorcycle every birthday and stretching my feet towards the ground trying to see if i could touch the ground to plant my feet while sitting on the bike. With each passing year, Dad was constantly observing the determination with which i was just kept trying this act again and again.

Somewhere as i entered teenage other things started taking precedence. College life and hanging out with friends. Taking turn riding their modern bikes and scooters i was enjoying life to it fullest extent. To take care of my transportation problems Dad had got me a Moped which used to give me company to and fro from all places i ventured.Somehow my attention was getting diverted from the Motorcycle which kept shining in our parking lot and kept fluttering around other species of attractive 2 wheelers and other attractions of teenage!

It was during these days that one eventful evening happened. The motorcycle got punctured and Dad had to leave it back at my Grandma's place and Dad n Mom returned home by public transport. He instructed me to go there the next day , push the bike to the closest tyre shop, and get the puncture repaired and he would then take the bike back on his way from office. I like an obedient son - rarely that i am - went and got the bike repaired and parked it back at Grandma's courtyard. She just handed me the keys and said take it home. Now i was kinda taken aback. I had never ridden this motorcycle. I was hardly 17 and though I had some idea of how to change gears but then that was all. I mustered enough courage to wheel the bike out of the gate and then kick-start it. Watching her roar into life was a great feeling. I then took her off the stand and sat on it, BOTH feet reaching the ground. Yes ! I was capable of riding the motorcycle. Slowly i slipped the bike into 1st gear and released the clutch. A slight jerk and there she was zooming away. I rode non stop straight from there all the way to my home as i didn't know how i would react to a drop in speed and sudden increase in traffic. It was afternoon and hence the ride was smooth with no one on the roads to make me panicky.

Mom was surprised, Dad was happy but shocked as now i had mastered the beast and i would want to 'have' the motorcycle. That night he suggested i should start taking the motorcycle out everyday morning just to kinda try my riding skills on it. That triggered off the sequence of the early morning rides with my friend Atish. During these trial runs i often ended up crashing in errant milkmen on their heavily loaded bicycles and rolling this 150 kg iron monster over them. But in this ordeal i did always stayed planted firmly on the bike as it gobbled up tarmac, dirt, stones and sometimes a few people in its stride. After having mastered the art of managing to stay on board the bike, after the customary falls, skids and rollovers i asked Dad if i could take his bike to college one day. his reply was - "No You aren't taking my bike..... - a pause - ..You are taking "YOUR" bike." Saying this he flung the Registration book of the motorcycle towards me. I picked it up and glanced through the pages. The motorcycle had been transfer ed in my name. It was the inevitable truth that she would be mine eventually and here it was. The beautiful gleaming beast was finally mine. Once and for all MINE.



Since that day she has been an integral part of my life, inseparable from me, a part of my life, my existence, my joys, my sorrows, my successes and my failures. She has been with me in my slim days and my slimy days.Through multiple accident, near misses, fractures and bruises. She has stuck on when i won hearts, broke hearts and got heartbroken repeatedly.

From Me Myself & C...

She has been there When i had a stubble, a beard, a moustache and what not. It has seen me through my days of employment and unemployment. Its been some long 16 - 17 years since she has been an integral and inseparable part of my life.

From Me Myself & C...

She has seen me through my marriages and my divorces. OK That was a Lil overboard !!!!!!!!.

She was the sole reason why i got many "Biker" friends and started the Yezdi & Jawa Club of India along with 6 others . We rode these magnificient machines and enjoyed the spirit of motorcycling. Chris and i got featured in Newspapers as the CLub celebrated anniversary after anniversary and marked it with rides far and wide.

From Me Myself & C...

After a major accident which shattered my left palm and wrist Chris and i were off the road for over 8 weeks. Post this accident i decided to give her a complete makeover and make her stand out as distinct as she could. Days of Internet research and design studies showed me the way to modify her shape a little more. I decided to give her a More graceful form and took the Indian Chief as a role model. I have modified her look over these years that she has been with me and has been mine.

From Me Myself & C...

From Me Myself & C...

Basically her name came post this gorgeous makeover. I named her Christine taking a cue from the Stephen King movie "Christine" where a Car comes into a young boy's life and metamorphoses him into a cool dude. The car also ends up being crazily possessive and protective about him. Well Christine has been like that for me all these years. has changed the way i have seen life and has changed the way i have always felt about relationships, about people about myself. The man that i am today i obviously contribute a significant part of it to Chris.

From Me Myself & C...

Beautiful and Gorgeous that she is and has been, she had to get noticed. Bike India March 2006 issue featured an article on Christine and myself. That was some recognition for my hard work and her ageless beauty and grace.

From Me Myself & C...

Even today whenever i go out on a ride with her i always find bystanders giving me the look. Bikers overtake and sometimes circle around her just to get a better glance and often smile back giving me the legendary "Thumbs Up" sign telling me what a gorgeous babe i possess. Well i just have one thing to say about Chris... I guess she is here to stay and continue making a mark in the motorcycling world.

From Me Myself & C...

To add some spice and a dash of creativity to the her name and her existence i ended up naming her "Kristine" in 2007 for obvious reasons. She is going to be with me for many more years to come and maybe i could hand her down to my son or daughter.just as i inherited her from my dad, the man who introduced me to this beautiful babe and to this world of Motorcycling.

From Me Myself & C...

For the complete album of Me Myself and Christine -

Watch this space: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/yezdiclub/MeMyselfChristine