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A joyride in the desert

April 29, May 5, 2009
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It wasn't a movie where a violin breaks the silence, the trees sway in slow motion and finally the vision focuses on the protagonist.

But it sure felt like that when I drove into the road towards the office and my glance fell on this bright red, two-wheeler Vespa standing under the shade of a tree that was indeed swaying in the wind.

It is hard to explain such feelings exist but I could feel the thrill seep in and I bounced towards the bike with a huge (and no doubt silly) grin on my face like a child spotting the ice cream van.

I was going to test drive the Italian Vespa, 125cc two-wheeler scooter which Wheels of Arabia, a subsidy of Khalid Almoayed and Sons, so kindly allowed me to borrow.

My joy knew no bounds.

This was like asking Jughead if he liked burgers or asking Betty if she would like a date with Archie!

I pounced on the opportunity and couldn't thank my lucky stars enough when I sat on it, strapped the helmet firmly on my head and took to the road for a short spin.

The wind came rushing onto my face with the same strength I remembered when riding back in India.

As a college student living in the Western Indian city of Pune, I owned, thanks to the generosity, but great displeasure, of my father, a Honda Activa scooter.

It was a 100cc, four-stroke scooter in pitch black.

Recalling learning to ride the bike (I couldn't stand calling it a scooter for some reason) always brings back hilarious memories.

Unlike my friends, who all rode bicycles from a very early age, I was a complete amateur.

I would stare at bikers on the road and wonder when would I be able to ride the same way, manoeuvre through the busy streets of Pune.

Even my dreams were filled with me confidently zooming on a Kinetic Honda, my favourite one that time, with the wind flying through my hair making me smile like a child.

My dreams came true and in just a few months I finally mustered the courage, added with determination and a will to succeed, to ride a two-wheeler all on my own.

The Activa wasn't my first bike though. As soon as I had my licence, a kind uncle allowed me to use his daughter's rusty vehicle.

It wasn't automatic and I only understood the importance of that feature when one day I was on the bike with a friend, waiting at a traffic light that was on a slight slope.

It was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life when the bike didn't budge on the lights going green due to our combined weight.

And the cherry on top was two young guys on a brilliant red bike, also at the same traffic light, who zoomed past us as we tried to push the bike up using our feet! She has still not forgiven me for that.

My first accident was also on this one when I was riding through the dark lanes rushing to a wedding reception. It was pitch dark and the lights on the bike only shone bright when I accelerated. So I kept racing to keeping the lights going only to bump into a tree, the next thing I knew I was staring at a huge trunk and wondering what I was doing on the floor.

I didn't keep that scooter for very long. I had a couple more in between until I finally convinced my parents to buy me a scooter of my own - and a brand new one this time! Riding a scooter is so much more fun than a car because you don't have to be stuck too long in traffic and it makes you feel like you are almost flying.

The Vespa is an extremely smooth vehicle. All you need to have is balance, control over the vehicle and, of course, a two-wheeler licence.

It is something you can use for short distances and, with the traffic ever worsening on the island, it will do wonders in getting you to your destination on time.

The 2009 Vespa GTS 125 that I test drove boasts a single-cylinder Piaggio, four-stroke, four-valve, electronic injection engine and a fuel tank capacity of 9.5 litres.

It has a racing feel to it with its brilliant red colour, the front shield with chrome trimmed grille and the round headlight in keeping with Vespa tradition are given a more aggressive personality thanks to a black trim that creates quite a mean look.

Vespa offers a comprehensive and up to the minute range of models, from the traditional PX with manual gear change to the new LX models in 50, 125 and 250cc versions, the 125 and 200cc Granturismo and the potent new GTS.

If you are interested in this little red wonder, it will cost BD2,200. Rates for all the models range between BD1,500 to 2,700. For details contact 17574333.







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