DUCATI DIAVEL V4
You don’t go begging for forgiveness at the devil’s doorstep. Especially when the devil hails from Bologna. The firebreathing V4 heart burns every ounce of decency away while you sign your soul over to Satan. Or at least until the BMC roads allow you to. Johnny Blaze is better off staying in Texas or Torino, not Tardeo.
SHUTTER SPEED : 10 SEC
APERTURE : F/13
ISO : 50
APRILIA RS 457
Now, 6448 km separate Noale and Baramati. So, while information transfer took the better part of six years, the ambition at Aprilia of making its fi rst bike in India grew from a small-but-potent 150cc pocket rocket to a 400cc segment-defi ning weapon. In one fell swoop, the RS 457 made its competition look like a laughing stock, capable of running loops around them on a race track. And if we wait for a few months, its naked twin will give some strong names the shivers.
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/25 SEC
APERTURE: F/22
ISO: 100
DUCATI DESERTX & MAHINDRA THAR
Camel power has been the choice to conquer arid lands for ages. We thought of something better. A then-soon-to-be-married Manaal, nomadic Kurt and I landed up smack dab in the middle of the Thar desert with two glorious off-roaders: one paying homage to the land itself and the other honouring its ancestors’ glory in a gruelling motorsport event. And while much fun was had while sand blasting, we would have been better off without the chaotic traffic conditions on the Maharashtra-Gujarat highway. Then maybe, just maybe, the desert rose in our adventure was for a smoother passage home.
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/40 SEC
APERTURE: F/4.0
ISO: 1000
LAMBORGHINI HURACAN EVO SPYDER
A Lamborghini in a fiery red shade, blasphemous one might say. And dropping the top in Mumbai just calls for punishment. But you would happily suffer the pain as the V10 soundtrack is just too beautiful to hear it any other way. Sure, you would be happier thundering it down the main straight of the BIC than sticking to the speed limit on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, but you wouldn’t get that stunning skyline as a view now, would you?
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/40 SEC
APERTURE: F/11
ISO: 100
MG COMET VS BAJAJ RE CNG
Sighting a comet, while rare still, is something wondrous. A small tiny celestial spec is supposed to bring all your wishes to life. And if that is a world where all rickshaw-wallahs you meet are kind and observe traffic laws, then let this MG Comet be the very comet of superstition. However, I trust that a rickshaw-wallah that agrees to take me to my destination will definitely make it more entertaining than merely stargazing for some cotton ball in space.
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/2000 SEC
APERTURE: F/3.5
ISO: 16
ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN & BULLET 350
‘Adventure is a state of mind.’ It is such a clichéd and overused line. Because before ADVs there was the Bullet. A simple tool that made the journey an eventful affair (not counting the character-development challenges it threw up along the way, though.) Hence, while the Himalayan 450 has made the journey a lot easier, one can’t help but reach for the keys of Bullet more often for that slice of simplicity.
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/80 SEC
APERTURE: F/8.0
ISO: 100
KAWASAKI ZX-6R VS BMW S 1000 RR
Bringing a sniper to a drone attack? It certainly felt that way as these two weapons of mass satisfaction are as different as they come. And yet, these are two of the few inline-four track weapons that tell the naysayers that their time is up. Don’t believe us? A certain Turk’s antics on a Bavarian bike would force you to take notice. And as for the Kwacker, let us enjoy the air the Ninja breathes before carbon footprint alarmists make it sheath its sword.
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/25 SEC
APERTURE: F/13
ISO: 100
DUCATI MONSTER SP VS KAWASAKI Z900
Talk about changing characters. As Kawasaki adopted the trellis for its middleweight naked, Ducati thought it was enough for its creation. An animalistic Sugomi frown now meets the new-gen Monster’s SP-ecialness. And while the two still have their hearts set well within their brand ethos, you would get almost two Kawis for the price of one Ducati.
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/5000 SEC
APERTURE: F/3.2
ISO: 160
INDIAN SUPERCROSS RACING LEAGUE
Way before they became important to MotoGP riders, motocrossers already had their holeshot devices set up for the best launches. And while the race will not be won on the first corner, these mad men make sure not to lose it there, either. Hence, capturing these mud plugging fighters in their first sequence of attack was such a delight. Not one giving the other an inch, heck, a millimetre of space. And when the whole field funnels in, there are bound to be some that unfortunately bite the dust. Literally.
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/1000 SEC
APERTURE: F/4.5
ISO: 8000
1954 BSA GOLD STAR CB34
Now, it ain’t easy growing up being compared to your foreigner cousin on all occasions. You don’t have to flex your muscles like him, you don’t have to be grunge like him, you don’t have to be super techy like him, and, for certain, you don’t have to be so pricey like him. Enjoying your own space and Roxx-ing it will be far better than conning yourself into being a Rubi(con).
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/5000 SEC
APERTURE: F/5.0
ISO: 200
JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON & MAHINDRA THAR ROXX
Now, it ain’t easy growing up being compared to your foreigner cousin on all occasions. You don’t have to flex your muscles like him, you don’t have to be grunge like him, you don’t have to be super techy like him, and, for certain, you don’t have to be so pricey like him. Enjoying your own space and Roxx-ing it will be far better than conning yourself into being a Rubi(con).
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/5000 SEC
APERTURE: F/5.0
ISO: 200
BSA GOLD STAR 650
Did you ever receive a gold star in school? Was it because you did something special or the teachers at your time were handing them out like treats? Well, BSA earned the Gold Star the hard way in the 1950s and the 2020s creation is proudly adorning it. Where it earns its badge is being so simple that you can’t help but smile.
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/50 SEC
APERTURE: F/6.3
ISO: 100
ROYAL ENFIELD GUERRILLA 450
Gorilla antics on a Guerrilla needs one to have the capabilities of a Sherpa mixed with a bold dose of caffeinated energy drinks. Be wary. This type of warfare requires a certain level of mindfulness and so does doing this level of daredevilry on such a motorcycle. Luckily, we have good friends who don’t mind putting their sensibilities aside to be part of such monkey business.
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/2500 SEC
APERTURE: F/4.0
ISO: 250
JAWA 350
Change usually begins with accepting the fact that things need to change. After shooting itself in the foot numerous times, one does need to think that maybe putting the safety on or targeting something else might be a better way forward. Else self harm will rapidly decrease your time on earth.
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/320 SEC
APERTURE: F/4.0
ISO: 50
ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN
Practice makes perfect. Before one can take on the mighty river crossings of the Himalayas, one should at least get a small taste by perhaps trying to cross a small puddle, or in this case, a pond. And you just might understand the laws of buoyancy as you struggle to lift a 200-kg behemoth from under all that water.
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/5000 SEC
APERTURE: F/3.5
ISO: 320
