VROOM!! Is there a teenager who hasn’t at some point nursed a dream of owning a really cool bike? Parvez Damania and Jimmy Mistry have made collecting bikes a hobby! Reagan Gavin Rasquinha joins them in the fast lane PARVEZ DAMANIA As a teenager, did you dream about bikes?
I jumped on one every single opportunity I got. I drove bikes all over town, and out of town, long drives, solo, just the deep power of the bike and the road... it was heaven.
How would you modify bikes as a teenager?
I was the biggest modification my dad and mum were afraid of. My brother kidded me that I was one big accelerator. My dad used to say: ‘There is a brake on the other bar, Parvez, remember that.’
What was the first bike you owned?
A 250 cc Yezdi. This is a sacred thing among Parsis... You cannot marry outside the community (it’s bound to be a screwed up marriage!) and your first bike MUST be a Yezdi.
When did you get a Harley?
At the first available opportunity, 5 years ago. I got all the accessories, the shirts, the boots. I skipped on the hair and the beard. And I kept me and the bike clean.
How many bikes do you own in total?
Two. Both Harleys.
What's the most powerful bike you have?
The Harley Davidson NightRod.
Describe the satisfying feeling that riding a bike gives you...
Solo against the wind. Power at the flick of a wrist. Aggression at your command, but in your control. One flick of a wrist short of out-of-control, but that one flick of wrist will never happen.
You have the kind of bikes that teenagers dream of owning. What kind of reactions do you get when you whiz past on one of these?
Teenagers don't grow up, my friend, when it comes to bikes. These Harleys are the kind of bikes that every teenager aspires to, because they are Harleys and because they are the epitome of bikes. Bikes are two-wheeled versions of what life feels when you are a teenager. The entire machine is an extension of your body, and your body is just beginning to find out what a beautiful machine a body is. I have another reason why I think I must still be a teenager when I am on a bike, because I enjoy their envy, and I love they way they call out and whistle at the bike.
Is it true that riding these bikes makes you feel like a carefree teenager again?
True. It does. And its not just the ‘teenager’ bit, its the part where you can actually sense that all of life is you against the elements.
What’s the maintenance process for your bikes like?
Very very meticulous. Very fastidious. I follow the companyprescribed regimen to the T. And my bikes are always immaculately maintained, you’ve heard of the adage where a Parsi-maintained vehicle is as good as new. A Parsi-maintained Harley? Ditto!
JIMMY MISTRY What was the first bike you owned?
I got my first bike when I was in school and had just hit my teens. Before that, I used to drive my father’s old Vespa and was a moped. It was a small one that could crank out about 50cc! I started doing stunts on that moped. The first motorbike I bought myself was a Yamaha. It was as a struggle to get it, but I paid for it with the money I got by doing small bike-modifying jobs.
How do you approach bike modification?
You need to modify with an intent as that is very important. I would firstly look at why I would intend to modify a bike, based on aesthetics, functionality, speed or power. For a person who wants to do motorcross, aesthetics is not important. When I modified my Harley, I put in braided brake lines. For the Rocket 3, I installed K9 filters and changed the entire body and put in a tribal kit which has got flames on top which gives a very retro tribal look to it.
When did you first get a Harley? When I went for the first race to Pune in 1989, I first saw interneational bikes. The 250cc Yamaha YZ was one that made an impression on me. I got a Harley in 2002, the V-Rod. Before that, I had a Hayabusa.
How many bikes do you own in total?
A couple of them! Or maybe more... The Ducati 1100cc is my next target
What’s the most powerful bike you have?
The Rocket 3
Describe the satisfying feeling that riding a bike gives you...
It’s sex on wheels! I can’t think of a better adjective for it. For me, the attachment I have for a bike is as much as the attachment I have for a woman. I have a very modern outlook about this. I’m not one of those old generation bawas who’d keep a bike for 50 years. I like technology and speed.
Is it true that riding these bikes makes you feel like a carefree teenager again? What's the feeling like? Well, not exactly like a teenager but it keeps me in touch with the younger generation. As teenagers grow up, for some of them, the passion for such things the passion dissipates. For me, it never has. Sitting on a bike, I’m still in touch with reality, the things like the reality of traffic jam — the dust, heat and grit. If you’re in a Merc or BMW, you’re cossetted from the world. The grit, the reality is something I love. Besides, you cannot just expect to ride on an open expressway all the time with no one around you. I am comfortable riding in any environment.
What’s the maintenance process for your bikes like?
I have experienced people handling my bikes. And unless someone is close to me, I don’t allow anyone who doesn’t understand bikes. They take a lot of maintenance. But there’s one very important thing I’d like to add. These machines can kill in a few seconds. They’re beautiful to look at but can knock you out. Once you have crossed 190, it feels like you don’t have any brakes. It might look amazing, but extreme care must be taken when riding these bikes.
Source - Todays BT