I love riding, the idea of it, the whole feel and experience of it all. I enjoy riding solo as well as riding along with another rider, or few. The solo riding experience is all about yourself, either just living the moment, or using it to clear the mental fog clogging up the head. Riding with someone else, on the other hand, is a whole different experience.

Tagging along with fellow riders means variety in bikes and riding styles. There are smiles all-around more often than not and you get to improve your craft just by observing everyone. I’ve been fortunate enough to dance on both sides of the solo/fellow-rider experience. Among the more recent ones, is in the clip you see…

The chance to ride with Abeer has been brewing since some time now & when it finally happed, it was every bit of fun that it was supposed to be. Plus, the Tiger has been a dream. I have loved that addictive howl of the triple, the stance of it and the promise of an all-rounder that’ll keep you grinning on every ride. It’s been on my mind since some years now. But when the wallet & the riding skills are still a long way away from catching up, the next best thing is to ride alongside it.

The Himalayan is the cub of the ADV all-round tourers, while the Tiger is at the top of that food-chain (highly biased individual opinion – don’t hound me for it please). Add a beautiful set of twisties to the mix on a clear Sunday morning and you’ve got some two-wheeled symphony.

Chasing down Abeer on his Tiger was hugely entertaining. I loved the power in reserve on his bike, the eargasmic exhaust note and the sheer vision of it flowing through the twisties. Meanwhile, I was on the Himalayan having a not too bad a time either. The Himalayan soaks up the bumps and flows with the curves in a slightly staccato manner. Still, there is enough torque to keep pace given the road & traffic conditions and put a smile on the face. The power deficit does pinch on such occasions though.

Rolling up to the stop-point before the highway stretch, there was this feeling of happiness that I can’t explain. A quick thank you to the MotoGods for the opportunity was mumbled before the usual banter between the whole gang resumed.

A quick photo-op later, the gang was off, with the Tiger disappearing into the distance, leaving the addictive triple resonating in my ears…