Image source - Freepik
India's favorite protein, superfood, ultimate meal saver, binder, the birthplace of the chicken, the original prank toy, and so much more.
Eggs. We eat them, drink them, bake with them, throw them at crass Bollywood renditions of Indian epics, and even use them as shampoo.
But if you look a little closer, this little white semi-hemispherical food item can teach you so much about motorcycling. Here's my take:
Gotta break a few to make cake
What is experience but a spectacular collection of mistakes? And what use is it if not passed on to newbies?
Just like you need to break a few eggs to make an omelette, falling off your motorcycle should be viewed with the same philosophical lens.
Mistakes happen. Learn from them. But make new ones each time.
Image source - Link
The Grip
What happens if you squeeze an egg in the palm of your hand really hard? It cracks, right? Now that you've cracked one, pick up another, hold it, and squeeze just enough to lock it in place. That is how hard you grip the handlebar. It should be firm enough to hold on, but loose enough to allow for quick direction changes. It's a handlebar, not a pull-up bar. No need to engage those lats and biceps.
Go With The Flow
There are over 100 registered egg preparations, and another several dozen egg-based drinks. What does that tell you? The egg doesn't differentiate. It just goes with the flow. On a ride, you have to adapt. Your very survival depends on that.
Image source - Link
Wear a helmet
Let's go back to holding an egg in the palm of your hand. This time, rope in a friend and throw it at them. If they're a good friend, stay. If not, run.
Once you've cleaned up the broken egg situation, sit and meditate on why we just wasted another egg. A head without a helmet has the structural integrity of a... well, of an egg!
Might as well be, considering the severity of most accidental impacts. When it impacts a hard surface like tarmac, it will shatter like... well, again, just like an egg.
Did you know that the egg basket as we know it was invented in the 1600s, while motorcycle helmets weren't a thing until 1914? So, wear a helmet at all times, ESPECIALLY while riding a motorcycle.
Keep it cool
Where do we store eggs? In the refrigerator. Eggs spoil in extreme heat, and that's bad. In life, too, always keep an imaginary ice pack on your head while on the road. Idiots exist. We just need to find our way around them. Getting riled up in a road-rage situation will only make things worse for you.
If you're still wondering why I compared motorcycling to the world of eggs, it's because I love eggs too. It might seem like a stretch, but the more we understand about eggs, the clearer our motorcycling perspective becomes.
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About the author
Hi, I am Adreesh Ghoshal. I love Manna Dey, Mutton Keema, and Motorcycles equally. Sometimes, it's hard to choose.
A curious analogy