Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   Introduce yourself (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/introduce-yourself/)

-   -   New, but frayed around the edges (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/introduce-yourself/189630-new-but-frayed-around-edges.html)

Instagram describes me well.

Grammateur. Tourer & wannabe overlander. Overworked parent. Free thinker. Quack anthropologist. Genealogy nut.

Let me dispense with the formalities first.
36, male, accidental hotelier for the last 15 years.

At the risk of joining the unwashed masses, I've been lurking in the dark corners of Team-BHP since 2005.
Having reached higher up Maslowe's hierarchy in my life roles, I now feel sufficiently elevated (frustrated?) to turn to writing.

Be warned, I'm suddenly as prolific a writer; as Ekta Kapoor, a director.
Yes, indeed. Do rats breed during the monsoon??
(I live in the city formerly known as Bombay).

My vehicular journey

Bajaj Chetak - rich dad, poor college kid. No Chetan Bhagat, you can't have the title for your next 'book'.
Bajaj Caliber - it ain't no Kawasaki. Ever climbed up to Mahabaleshwar from Poladpur, soaking wet, trailing an ST bus for its' warm exhaust? Horsepower isn't everything, you know...
Enfield Thunderbird (AVL) - the story of a love affair, between my first bonus and HDFC Bank. Sorry again, Chetan.
Fiat Uno - purloined from Dad, felt like 10 lakh rupees when at the wheel.
Fiat Palio - my first car! Lost a part of my heart when I sold her.
Ford Figo - red as a baboon's bum. I chose the car, my wife chose the colour.
Chevy Cruze LTZ - sex on wheels. No, just me and the car. Ok, that's just yuck. But you know what I mean!
Isuzu V-Cross - I call her Emma, short for Mid Life Crisis (MLC).

Yes, I still have the Thunderbird. No, I don't think it's a 'real' Enfield.
If you didn't ask the question, you're asking the wrong questions.

Cheers,

Vivek Braganza

PS: I'm allowed 2 smileys, so I chose these.
:uncontrol:Frustrati

Fun one, that intro!
And that's a fantastic antidote for an MLC!! And please dont deride Ekta Kapoor's capabilities or you'll showered with Baa's and K's. :)
Welcome on board, and look forward to reading your threads, genuinely.

PS: Why is the Thunderbird not a real Enfield? Not an aficionado, so unaware.

Thanks Mayank, for the welcome, and the feedback!

Ekta Kapoor inspires.
Vivek admires.

IMHO the definition of a Royal Enfield is the original package, later built using the tooling shared with their Indian subsidiary (subsequent inheritor of the brand). Everything post this phase I believe carries the legacy but not the actual product.

Consider me an extremist.stupid:

Long time since someone wrote an intro so well, short and sweet - with no 'brag' in the 'answer'. :D

Welcome to the forum, Vivek. Not planning to change from the Cruze after Chevrolet's exit from India?

Thank you SS, can't help but brag sometimes, with a last name to match hehehe.

I sold the Cruze 2 weeks before the news broke. Not that I was worried, just timing rather than wisdom. Completed 1 lakh kms and I didn't feel as secure from mechanical faults on my trips.

Now Emma keeps me company on the open road.
She's a special lady, large hearted and loves a challenge :)

Welcome on board, although it took you 15+ years to finally make the effort to get in! Nice and interesting intro and I look forward to reading your posts, esp on the big bad Isuzu!

Cheers buddy.

Wonderful intro VivOverland and hope you have an exciting journey on this forum. I too owned a Palio at one point of time, we are of the same age, love to go overlanding and I dream of owning the v-cross! But I think the similarities end there. I am a lazy laggard who is still struggling in life and drive a rattling old Mahindra! I sincerely wish I could write as well as you and suddenly realised that I have not been able to put up an intro on this forum after being here for 12 years. Can't wait to see lovely threads from you on the ownership of your vehicles and overlanding trips.

Really nice intro!

Could you please elaborate why MLC:D

Welcome to the forum. Your play with words is very well sir. :)

If it is Madras motors you are talking about, then my close relative used to own the company as a family business. There were 8 brothers and he was one of them. Used to be in charge of manufacturing Carbs for the bike I believe.

I am a huge Enfield fan too! Do compose an ownership report on it. Your writing style has already given me high hopes.

Hi Amit, my recommended read for every petrol (or diesel) head... Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

It is light book, but a heavy read.

Like Phaedrus, I too search for Quality.
That makes me different. Also, a bit crazy.

Hence, the crisis.:Frustrati

BlackPearl, it was your offroad post last year, that started me on my journey to the V-Cross!

Just now I feel like an amateur who's just touched Everest Base Camp, and Edmund Hilary drops by to wish him godspeed :Shockked:

Thank you thank you thank you!

Haha Great intro, welcome to the forum Vivek :)
If i may rephrase that, TB is not considered a true "Enfield Bullet" by Bullet purists. For those not aware, only Cast Iron (no Aluminium or AVL engines) & non self start, brake on left RE bikes(350 cc) are considered a true Bullet by RE Bullet purists :)

Absolutely hilarious intro VivOverland! :D

This part in particular had be in splits.

Great to have you on board.

Since your handle mentions 'Overland', have you seen this thread? >>

Mitsubishi Pajero SFX - Project Overland Conversion

Cheers,
R

Thank you very much Rehaan.
Bookmarking the Pajero thread, really appreciate this.

My car gets plenty of Vitamin D from sunlight, for now.
I'm working hard on Vitamin M, for later.

Welcome onboard Vivek, lovely style of writing, chanced upon your ownership thread and then a quick search for more such nuggets got me here!! Keep writing and thrilling the masses, very few of your ilk around I must say.
Cheers
Uday

Dear Vivek,

You have a beautiful word play going on there and this has already set the expectations' bar very high for your future posts! Looking forward to reading your posts.

Welcome to the forum and enjoy your stay! :)