4 motorcycling freedom related phrases you never knew existed: Independence Day Special

We have heard about phrases relating to freedom. Freedom of speech and freedom of expression come to mind. But, since there weren’t any relating to motorcycles, freedom and how the two come together, we made up some; actually, we made up four because Google likes that sort of thing.

Welcome then to 4 motorcycling freedom related phrases you never knew existed, because they didn’t, until now!

Freedom to Travel

I know what you are picturing in your head – a group of overloaded Royal Enfields, struggling up a dusty climb, with snow-capped mountains in the foreground. Yes, that’s how clichéd motorcycle travel has become these days.

But, there’s more to motorcycling related ‘freedom to travel’. And I indulge in it everyday! Imagine not worrying about sweaty armpits or smelly hair, which is your local train or bus. Or, not having to be at your politest best – sometimes even going down on your knees – just so that the autorickshaw guy agrees to take you on.

Now that’s freedom. And that's something a motorcycle gives you every day when you ride to work. It doesn’t matter what you ride or how you ride, till the time there’s a motorcycle in your garage, some fuel in it, and air in the tyres, you are the king of the world!

Freedom to Bonhomie

According to my son’s dictionary – yes, I don’t own one because I have Word and Google and a copy-editor who doesn’t mind being troubled on Whatsapp – bonhomie is defined as such: /b?n?,me; ?b?n?'me/ n. cheerful friendliness; geniality. And believe it or not, you don’t need to buy a Harley-Davidson or a Hyosung or an Indian or even a bullet to be able to join a club to enjoy this ‘cheerful friendliness’.

And I say this from experience; if you like motorcycles, and riding, and motorsport, and care for more than just hearing your voice all the time, well, freedom to bonhomie is easier to find than you think. You can find it at your work place, at a garage, on a ride and even on Instagram; and it is one of the simplest but most enriching rights in the world.

Freedom to Wrench

Wrenching. It sounds so exotic. It doesn’t even involve creating something new or different or outlandish. And you don’t even need a degree in anything; just a tool kit would suffice.

Everything from tightening the mirror to adjusting your chain slack to changing your tyre is wrenching. And you can do it any time of the day. If that’s not freedom, I don’t know what it is.

I do it all the time. Sure, some of the my more ambitious endeavours have left me with greasy hands, some small cuts, and a whole lot of nuts and bolts and washers and pins I didn’t know how to put back during the reassembly. But it was always fun!

Plus, there’s that sense of satisfaction of having ‘done’ something that wrenching brings which is otherwise difficult to find. Not if you aren’t lazy, of course. And, if you have given your machine a name, well that’s the least you can do for your ‘Geet’. Yes, I love Jab We Met.

Freedom to Learn

Finally, motorcycles can teach you so much. They can teach you to stay alive by just being the right way up. Or they can teach you to be attentive and gentle and efficient by being low on gas in the middle of nowhere. So wives everywhere, now you know a man is capable of such feat.

But, motorcycles can also teach you new skills. Skills that if you get right, can be as satisfying as threading a needle; another acquired skill if you please. Now, which other machine can give you the satisfaction of getting your kneedown or pulling wheelies, or even jumping mounds or power sliding out of corners, while constantly threatening to kill you? Imagine the excitement!

The best part is if you are willing to learn, and fall, and hurt yourself, motorcycles can be mastered. Eventually. So what if it takes nearly two decades and you still can’t pull wheelies…