SCRATCHES, BRUISES AND AN OLD MOTORBIKE!

What I had in my youth was a burning passion for bikes, and what mechanics latched onto those days were people like me who knew nothing about these mean machines, except being dazzled by the external spit and polish. And so, one day there I was saddled with an old Jawa that couldn’t run, and which I walked alongside and pushed home.

- ROBERT CLEMENTS

I soon found it was indeed beyond repair and I was dejected knowing a dream of riding a bike was gone, since I’d put my savings into it. Till an old Anglo-Indian gentleman said he could get it running.

“But just running Bob!” he said, “nothing more!”

He got it “just running”. Eager to see how fast it would go, I started it, got my brother to sit pillion in case I needed to have it pushed later, and ever so slowly was off, making a racket that woke up the sleepy neighbourhood I lived in.