Evolution of Head Units

If u were to ask an audiophile the importance of a Head Unit, you would probably get answer that it is the BRAIN of any Car Entertainment System. It is a single point interface between you and your system and the head unit makes up for almost 50-70% of the total cost of a car entertainment system. This important part has undergone an evolution since its introduction.

The term head unit did not exist before 1990's as all the cars on the road had a tape or a radio fitted by the car manufacturer, but in 1991 Alpine introduced the first after-market DAT (Digital Audio Tape) head unit. Since then there was seen a rise in the demand for after-market head units as the were more affordable and available as per choice (something we still do today). For today's car buyers the total experience of a car is not just limited to its driveability only. we look at many more aspects one of which is the in-built car entertainment system.

There is no specific generation mapping of the head units but we have gone ahead and tried to do so.

GEN 1

The 1st Gen head unit was a 1 DIN head unit which had capability of playing the Audio Tapes and Radio tuning.

 

GEN 2

The 2nd Gen was of 1 DIN head units with CD player along with better audio tuning ability and to play Audio Tapes and have an arrangement of attaching a CD changer. A small device CD to cassette converter provided way for playing through disc-man but it always had a problem of high distortion.

 

GEN 3

The 3rd Gen head units had the ability to play MP3 CD's along with the radio tuning and more advanced sound system could be attached to give a complete audio experience. By this time the use Audio Tapes had lost out on its reach to people. There was introduction of AUX support.

GEN 4

The 4th Gen head units had VCD,DVD playback capability and also there was an introduction of 2DIN head units for MP3 playback. VCD and DVD required a separate monitor for display. This era saw the front Aux and USB support.

GEN 5

The 5th Gen got over the faults of 4th gen and there was in integration of DVD, USB, AUX and card reader ability along with the display in the 2DIN head unit itself. There was little change in comparison to 4th gen but this era was the headline for the next gen as there was for first time a 2DIN system with video display capability.

Today we are in 6th Gen in which we no longer call it a head unit but a new term is born "Car Multimedia Receiver". Its kinda complex but if you are to have a look at all the features it offers then it is quite apt. There is more emphasis on enhancing the entire experience by providing better UI (User Interface) and Superior Display and loadsa other features. Like

- Ipod/ Iphone connectivity

- USB/ Card reader

- Touch UI

- OLED Display

- Bluetooth

- Navigation and much more

When it comes to buying a new car we all face a similar problem, many a times the head units offered by the manufacturer are too basic and at times spoil the look of the center console. Like in the case when i was buying a Toyota Innova the top variant had a head unit which was utterly disgustiing for a car worth 12 lacs. The only way out was something which was being done since early 1990's and go for after-market Car Multimedia System.

Here are some of the best Car Multimedia Systems available in the market.

1. Pioneer  AVH-6350BT

Pioneer  AVH-6350BT

2. JVC  KW-AVX836

JVC  KW-AVX836

3. Kenwood  DNX-7380BT

Kenwood  DNX-7380BT

4. Sony  XAV-72BT

Sony  XAV-72BT

5. Clarion  NX-501A

Clarion  NX-501A

6. Alpine   IVA-W910R

Alpine   IVA-W910R

We have advance units form many other companies like

- Soundstream

- Lighting Audio

- Polk Ford

- Rockford Fosgate

- Blaupunkt &more

This was our view on the BRAIN of Car Music System.

- Nitesh Bansal

  TGM Blog

PS: If u wanna know more check out

In-Car Entertainment Part 1

In Car Entertainment Part 2

In Car Entertainment Part 3

Formula 1, what’s the fuss all about!

The F1 logo...the 'F' and '1' also make a one in the spacing between them! 

   Formula 1 for those who don’t follow it, is so-called ‘sport’ where they make weird looking cars go round and round, some guys crash and some go in a separate lane and get theirs tyres changed super-fast...and the one who is at the foremost of the pack wins and does some showboating by spraying champagne on people around him. And well if now you are thinking ‘holy cow, this guy reads my mind! Isn’t this all what F1 is ?!’ then my naive friend you absolutely need to have a through look at this article!

   F1 is the final word when it comes to technology, team spirit, physical fitness levels and big money along with lavish lifestyles! This entire saga began in 1951 when the first official F1 championship was held...well it wasn't a very big commercial avenue like today. It was more of manufactures like Mercedes, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Maserati and even some private players coming together pitting their machines against one and other with a pack of very gutsy drivers to help them achieve glory. As the rules kept changing the cars began evolving along with the sport and today we have around 800bhp monsters which can reach speeds of up to 340 kmph, accelerate from standstill to a 100 kmph in 1.7 secs and 200 in 3.8 secs and touch 300 in around 9 seconds! And can pull almost 5 G of force and just weigh around 650-700 kgs.

A 2011 Red Bull Racing F1 car and a 1956 Maserati F1 car

   All this is possible only by continuous development, heavy investments and a passion to strive for the best. These factors are solely responsible for the sport to be at the pinnacle of technology and these innovations eventually trickle down to passenger cars making them faster, more fun and safer to drive. Most of the automotive technologies that we are used to have come from F1...from ABS to active suspension the credit goes to Formula 1. Currently F1 uses a KERS system; it stands for Kinetic Energy Recovery System...all this jargon means that the kinetic energy of the moving vehicle which is wasted in the form of heat while braking is converted into electric energy and is stored. This energy can be used by the driver as boost of 60-90 bhp for duration of 6 seconds. A couple of decades down the line, when your son will be insisting on a sexy looking electric saloon, I am pretty sure that today’s KERS inspired tech will be the backbone of that car!

Here's an amazing animated video, explaining the KERS system and also the DRS (Drag Reduction System) in detail..

  And well, to be able to handle and make all this technology work in perfect harmony the driver acts as the pivot...and despite all this even today the most advanced F1 car is nothing without a deserving driver. But we will have more on that later, a small paragraph wouldn’t do justice to this different breed of humans...they deserve an entire article! What makes a race interesting and much more than 24 cars going round and round, are multitude of factors ,some controllable and some not. This year the new Pirelli tyres have shaken things up considerably with their short life span...this has resulted in more pit-stops and thus race strategy becomes more prominent. Many places have been lost and gained just because of botched pit-spot strategy and has won drivers races where it seemed to be impossible to overtake on the track.  And this is just the tip of the iceberg, weather conditions, car setups, mechanical and electrical gremlins and many more factors are able to maintain the air of uncertainty until the chequered flag is waved and the driver crosses the finishing line.

The driver's one has the names of all the previous champions engraved in a spiral starting from the bottom; the contructors champs have their badges stuck on in strategic positions - look closely and you can see the Ferrari, Lotus and Cooper emblems.

   As of now almost half of the 2011 season is over, last year’s constructors’ champion Red Bull Racing is still dominating and Sebastian Vettel is still leading the current championship table. Today the race is held at Nurburgring in Germany, it’s the 10^th race of the season out of the total 19 races. An interesting fact to note is that this time ‘round, 25% of the drivers on the grid are German! So the pressure to perform in front of the home crowd would be immense, but drivers say that it acts more as a motivation to them. And another thing that is out of the ordinary is that, the turns 8 and 9 in the Nurburgring track had been christened as the ‘Schumacher S’ after Michael Schumacher retired in 2006...he made a heroic comeback to F1 last year, and I think it’s the first time a driver would race on corners named after him...what pride! After yesterdays qualifying,  Mark Webber has taken the pole and Lewis Hamilton is 2nd on the grid with Vettel 3rd and the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa not far behind.  The earlier half of the season was largely dominated by Red Bull and the closest contenders Mc'Laren Mercedes and Ferrari were lagging behind a lot. But of-late they have caught up and have brought the fight to the defending champions.With all 3 top performing teams pretty closely tied, it sure makes for a very tantalizing race ahead with rain forecasts, victory could be anybody's bet!    

   So now what are you waiting for! Sunday 5:30 pm do switch over to Star Sports or ESPN HD (if you are the few lucky ones to receive that channel, unfortunately I am not) and enjoy the broadcast of the German Grand Prix live. If speed, technology, super-human driving skills, sportsmanship, ‘clockwork precision’ team work gratify you like cocktail waitresses gratify Tiger Woods...join the band-wagon and dive head first into the realm of Formula 1...

-Gaurav Singh

VW Vento

VW the name that associates German engineering standards with automobiles has marked its presence in Indian market with their creation that is hailed to be a unison of engineering brilliance and comfort. It is called the Vento.

This C segment sedan has created waves in the Indian auto market by giving a run for the money to its competitors.

Looks

German cars have always been not so aesthetically appealing like the Italians or Japs and this is evident with the vento. The first look of the car gives you the feeling of looking at something different which is away from the recent trend of a flowing body design with smooth curves and edges.

The designers at VW which gives this car its identity, the lines are kept sharp with sharp edges around the front bumper, headlamps, and windows. The grills are relatively small but the chrome lines around the grills and fog lamps give it a complete look. The shape of the side mirrors are very appealing and provide good visibility, the semi clear tail lamps give out a signature style which can be spotted from a distance, this feature is usually seen in high end cars like your BMW's and Audi's. One thing which was seen was the use of chrome but in places where it would best suit the look of the car.

Interior

This is the place where the reagrd for German quality is evident,  the quality of material is superb and the use of high grade plastics and fibre does not give out the feeling of getting underpaid. Matt finished chrome is provided on the door lever, ac vents and the dashboard adds a touch of class to the overall soothing interior. We selected the top diesel variant (high-line) but were surprised with certain aspects like the lack of USB and aux support in the music system, no steering mounted controls.

SpaceMax Arrangement for maximum leg space at rear

The rear end of the car was spacious, with the vento VW has done much more than adding a boot to the polo, they have increased the rear track which provides better seating space and legroom. 

A unique feature here is the presence of a lever behind the front passenger seat which can be used to move the seat forward by the rear passenger. The only area for improvement here is the rear head rest which is not at a comfortable position and the relatively large hump in the rear foot space.










Power Train
VW Vento is equipped with 1.6L DOHC(Double Overhead Cam) 4 cylinder petrol as well as diesel engine. Although the power output for both the engines is same at 105 PS we personally liked the diesel variant for its higher efficiency and torque. The diesel plant packs a 250Nm torque @1500-2500rpm.The heart of the car is kept pretty powerful which is evident from the fact that even if you have five passengers and luggage the car would just tackle those ghats and uphills like a normal road.
The transmission provided is 5 Speed manual with front disc brake s and rear drum brakes. The engine compartment is very well placed which the center of gravity of the vehicle at the right level and position. The power to weight ratio is 0.9 PS/Kg.

Handling

Right from the word go, the car has a well engineered engine and transmission system. The engine is complained to be a bit earsplitting at cold start but for us its like music for our ears. The engine does pack a punch  for those overtaking maneuvers on the highway as well as for high speed drives.

15" alloys provide good comfort and stability

The diesel manual variant did have the turbo lag and the turbo kicks in only after 1900rpm, though the interesting part being the red line is at 5000rpm which is not usually seen for diesel power plants. The road grip is good with the 15" wheels and the steering is very nimble and smooth with a finger slot which in-turn makes it easier to use.

One interesting feature here is the presence of adaptive cruise, when the driver driving in 4th or 5th gear at speeds around 50kmph leaves the accelerator pedal the car will continue to cruise between 40 - 50 kmph. The cruising speed isn't high but its worth for those night drives with loved one(s). The only place were problem was faced was in the working of the clutch, the car is a bit jerky one the clutch is released while driving at lower gears.

Running Cost

VW is offering its Vento in both petrol and diesel variants but due to high petrol costs its is providing lower interest rates for its petrol variants. The mileage of the car was relatively good with 21kmpl on the highway and overall around 17kmpl. The service interval is provided at 15000km / 1yr which is great as no one likes to visit the service station too frequently. The diesel variant gave us a running cost of Rs 7.5-8/ km (incl of depreciation cost)

Final Verdict

VW Vento is a good buy but in case you are looking for more aesthetic features and a petrol car the Honda City or the new Hyundai Verna Fluidic. For diesel buyers it is worth the money but some dealers in big cities are providing a long waiting periods but we were able to get the delivery within 15 days from booking.

- Nitesh Bansal

   TGM Blog

The Other End of the Scale

   Hatchbacks, the first thing that pops up in one’s mind after uttering this harmless word is cheap, economical, simple...and what not. But if your pockets are deep enough and you’ve got a Beamer or a Merc just lying around and another one to drop ‘Baba and Baby’ to school, I doubt that the run-of-the mill Hyundais and Marutis will satisfy your bootless dreams. The Ritz wouldn’t be ritzy enough and the i20 wouldn’t be ‘Ubѐr Cool’ at all. Do not worry my prosperous friends; consumerism and capitalism have the answers to your hitch.   

  Welcome to the world of imports. The concept remains the same; you purchase a car that has been completely built abroad and imported to India by the manufacturer along with a 100% + import duty. This leads to a normal 6-7 lakh hatchback to be sold at 16-17 lakhs. The Europeans have been smart enough to tap this market and Fiat and Volkswagen have their own offerings to cater to this demand. The Japanese could have also done this, they too have brilliant hatches but none of those brands hold the prestige the Europeans brands have. So let’s meet the contenders...

  Both were born as the ‘Tata Nano’ of their era and country, a people’s car for a post-world war nation. Both were cheap and sold in astonishing numbers. One had simple Italian design yet oozing panache, the other had intuitive German engineering designed by the automotive legend Dr. Ferdinand Porsche summoned by Hitler himself! So if you haven’t guessed it by now, I am talking about the Fiat 500 and the VW Beetle.

Fiat 500 

The original Fiat 500

  Launched internationally in 2007, the Fiat 500 is the remake of the original 1950’s Fiat 500. Fiat has tried very hard to retain the original design cues and maintain similar overall appeal. The new 500 is actually based on the Fiat Panda. This car has won a plethora of awards and is highly regarded internationally. Though this car is sold as a basic hatch in UK and other markets, in India it costs almost Rs. 18 lakh. It comes fully loaded with all the creature comforts one desires and to be honest it does look a class apart.

The Fiat 500

  Despite having a huge range of engines abroad, Fiat has decided to get the same 75bhp 1.3L Multijet diesel engine that powers the Punto, for the 500 in India. I believe that if you are wondering of actually purchasing this car, you could be one of those I-care-for-the-environment-and-I-brag-about-every-small-thing-I-do types...so go ahead and boast all you want ‘coz diesel does burn better and is green. The downside to this car could be that Fiat doesn’t have all that snob value.

Volkswagen Beetle

Original VW Beetle

  The Beetle is one of the most iconic cars of the 20^th century, instantly recognizable anywhere in the world. Launched in 1998, the new Beetle has managed to keep some of the aura of the original Beetle. The car is based on the VW Golf, but apparently is not very engrossing to drive. I doubt that this would be a deal breaker in this segment in India though. The car has people hooked to its looks and also has a small vase in the dashboard! No wonder every daddy’s girl wants this as her 18^th birthday gift...

Current VW Beetle

 This cute little mechanical wonder will set you back by almost Rs. 27 lakhs, no much for your little princess...eh, Mr Rich? VW has got the 2.0 L petrol engine that boasts of a power output of 114 bhp, kind of low for this capacity though. The even newer Beetle is slated for a 2012 launch; with this one they have addressed the main issue...feminine looks. The rear half of it actually does look very similar to the original one. But if you are stuck on the cutie-cutie looks no ones to blame you.

2012 VW Beetle

  But if you actually are an enthusiast, you will be smart enough to not fall these two gimmicky cars, and rather import some other hatch. There are many other well established hatchbacks like the Ford Focus, Renault Megane and Clio, Alfa Romeos, and a few hot-hatches that will set you back by almost the same amount and let you enjoy the freedom of a small car but with a grin on your face that stretches from ear-to-ear.

Written by

Gaurav Singh
(The Grease Monkey Blog)

Maruti Gypsy-The vagabond

   It was warm summer time in march 2003, when i was busy enjoying my vacations with what a teenager would normally do ;), until when my dad surprised me  with a 1000 cc beast, THE MARUTI SUZUKI GYPSY. Even though a  2nd hand, but was sparingly used with just 10,000 km driven since December 2001 as it was used by a retired colonel  who drove it not very often to his farmhouse.(he knew what was it built for). But now she was ours, a new member in our fleet of a 1990 maruti Suzuki 800 & a Mahindra 540 jeep.

   

   The beauty of this beast was that it actually caused my teenage puberty hormones to burst into those of an ADULT.In easy words it was the reason for my transformation into a much matured BOY. SHINY TOUNGE RED, fitted with stock accessories ; fitments, an inborn killer look to die for. Being an underage driver i took the control of the steering 1st when i was in the 7th grade without anyone's knowledge. But the gypsy didn’t allow anymore secrets of mine to be kept with myself. Being a 9th grade student i didn’t have much technical Knowledge about anything related to a ride. The only expression that i had while & after driving it was AWESOME. Over the years due to my technical knowledge i not only understood the ride well but could also better my skills of handling an actual S.U.V.

   

 The gypsy was 1st launched in 1986 by Suzuki under its collaboration with MARUTI. Gypsy is Manufactured in India by Maruti Suzuki, & was 1st introduced in the Indian market in December 1985 with the 970 cc F10A Suzuki engine and while sales was never very high it became very popular with law enforcement. It was launched as MG410, which stood for "Maruti Gypsy 4 cylinder 1.0 litre engine". Initially, it was only available as a soft-top, but a bolt on hardtop was later introduced to the public after the after-market hardtops became popular. It instantly replaced Premier Padmini as the NEW FACE of the  Indian rally car due to its performance, reliability, tun-ability and the go-anywhere capability. The carbureted F10A engine makes a  45 bhp (34 kW; 46 PS) and was meshed to a 4 speed gearbox. The 4WD transfer case had 2 speeds. 4 HIGH for higher torque in slush & 4 LOW for lower torque in gravel.

   It has a freewheeling mechanism on the front axles that unlocked the front axles from the hub when 4WD is not used; It reduces rolling resistance, thereby improving fuel efficiency. However, many owners of the Gypsy who constantly complain about the poor fuel consumption do not know about this novel feature. 

   The two major complaints of the vehicle in the civilian market are poor fuel consumption and poor ride quality especially in the rear seats. The suspension is indeed harsh with live axles and leaf springs all around. If it wouldn’t had been so then it would had never been the most popular vehicle in the INDIAN ARMY as it is one of those few vehicles that are able to take the recoil velocity of a Rocket Launcher Mounted on its chassis, without much difficulty. It features almost no creature comforts, like power-windows and power-assisted steering, hence enabling the driver to develop their forearms.

  

Wide Track 1.3L engine

In June 1996, Maruti added the engine from the Esteem. The new engine was the all-aluminum 8-valve G13BA engine displacing 1.3L and made a respectable 65 bhp (48 kW; 66 PS). This engine was carbureted unlike the US market G13BA engine.

It was meshed to a new 5-speed gearbox. It was codenamed MG413W and called the Gypsy King. The F10A-engined regular Gypsy continued in production until 2001. The visual differences of the Gypsy King compared to the MG410W are the pronounced bulge on the hood and a completely different grille design with horizontal slats.

    
In India, it is widely used by the police and defense forces. In fact, the MG413W model is now the mainstay of the Indian Army. In civilian use, the Gypsy is a popular choice as a low-cost SUV and is a common sight at rally and the toughest of all RAID DE HIMALAYAS & the DESERT STORM RALLY.

   As quoted by Autocar India, "There is nothing that can touch a Gypsy off the road, except perhaps an Arjun battle tank. The trouble is that everything else does better on the road - the ride from the archaic leaf springs all round is horribly bumpy and the interiors are utilitarian as well. Gypsy in a loaded condition (200 kg load) is more comfortable. And available with only two doors, it’s inconvenient too."

     As a 4x4 at this price point, it’s only Indian competitors are sold by Mahindra and Force Motors. The petrol engine in the Gypsy is also much more refined than the diesel mills used in the cars from the two above mentioned companies. As of 2011, the Gypsy is only available against an order with an advance payment and a waiting period of over 3 months. This has led to the creation of a strong market for used Maruti Gypsys.

 
      No doubt the gypsy’s a masterpiece that’s traded for exorbitantly high prices depending upon the vehicle condition & the goodies fitted in & on it. But if you are lucky enough to come over across the Government auctions. Preferably the gypsy’s belonging to the railways & civil services are well maintained & better kept than those of the Police vehicles, which are not worth a buy. These vehicles cost anywhere between 15,000 to 40,000 Indian Rupees.

 FILE PICTURE OF THE AUCTION QUOTATION IN THE TIMES

- Vikas Bhatia 
  (The Grease Monkey Blog)

Rims...

15" ALLOYS FOR TOYOTA INNOVA

  BORED with the Monotonous look of the Chiseled SHEET METAL in your garage?? Wanna try something new..then follow the BABY STEPS & uplift the look of your ride..

 Good Question.. Where to start from??

  You can judge a person by the shoes he wears..BUT..don’t worry  in case of rides ..YES YOU CAN..ALLOYS/MAGNESIUM WHEELS (MAG Wheels) is the answer..Replacing your standard Steel Disc wheels with Swanky new Alloys is not only a Step towards the Makeover of your ride,but also is an Performance upgrades too..Alloy wheels are  made up of Alloys Of ALLUMINIUM or MAGNESIM, or both..the alloys come in a variety of patterns like ODD/EVEN number-spoke, Multi Spoke, Spinners, Low profiles etc..

  The idea behind the discovery of alloys is simple..CHANGE with respect to design looks & performance..the look of the conventional discs is very basic and standard..also due to excessive overheating the braking also gets affected & as a result certain times the vehicle can not be maneuvered effectively..more over alloy wheels are llighter in weight and as a result it reduces the UPSPRUNG MASS & the stability of the vehicle increases too..the heat dissipation in case of alloys is more & as a result the effectiveness of braking in tricky situation increases..

  Alloys come in a variety of styling..name it you have it..black chrome, chrome, powder coated, metal finish etc..all wat suits ur vehicle is very important..for instance innova is a grand vehicle..any attempt to make the vehicle sporty would spoil the look..the following pattern of the rims make the vehicle look elegant..

OZ GT ST 20-21"

  There are many manufacturers from india, japan,taiwan,indonesia & CHINA as well..the problem with the Chinese rims is that they look too good but the quality starts to deteorate..companies like road master, champion, DZ, Sterling, NEO etc..there are many other branded rims like the OZ’s G.M.P Italia KOEINGG etc..these rims are specially casted alloys..extreme light weight and performance oriented..

FIT IT TO FEEL IT...


-Vikas Bhatia
 TGM Blog Team

Royal Enfield

The world’s population ,according to me,is divided into two categories-people who know me,and people who don’t.People who know me,have,invariably,at some point of my life commented upon/laughed at/looked with disgust at,my ride. People who don’t know me,well,some of them atleast,have seen a rickety old motor-cycle being driven by some random guy,and have commented upon/laughed at/looked with disgust at,his ride.It didn’t take much for my mathematically challenged brain to put two and two together and infer that the whole world hated my poor Victor.

So,like any other 20-yr old under peer pressure,the pressure to get a girl-friend, and the pressure of disgusted faces every time I passed those faces on my bike,I decided to change my ride.I usually aim high, so I thought of getting a Royal Enfield. An Enfield,unlike some cell phones,costs something in the range of 1-2 lakhs,and I didn’t have that kind of cash on me.So,daddy dearest had to be convinced.

Now, convincing my father to get me a new bike wasn’t going to be easy.Conversations,especially those which involved the flow of dough from his hands to mine,were like a chess game.I needed to play my moves correctly if I had any chance of conquering that royal stash of cash. Fortunately,I had convinced my mother that I needed a new bike by confusing her with my technical wizardry.Mum was convinced,I had the queen playing for me. I played my pawn with some confidence.

“What do you need a new bike for?”Asked my dad as he read about India’s loss to South Africa.India had lost the game.Dhoni,unknowingly,had made my father grumpy,and by extension,had jeopardized my chances.That fu*ker.

“The Victor’s gear box,clutch plate and camshaft are in a bad shape.The repairs will amount to about five grand.”

“I don’t mind,take the money from my wallet and send the damn thing for repairs”.Little width offered,and Soham’s dad hits it for a four.I felt stupid.I looked for help.

Mum went,”The neighboring kid had a bad accident on his motorcycle. Maybe we should go visit him”

“Yeah.Idiotic guy,must be riding his bike too fast to handle.”he said as he peered over the paper.Good,we had him falling.

“I suppose,but he wasn’t at much high a speed,around 60ks an hour”I said.

“Is it? Then how did he end up hurting himself?”

“His brakes failed,baba.2002 model Passion.Old bike,rickety parts,happens all the time.”



 “He should have got them repaired ”A good ball,but defended well by the batsman.I felt dejected as Ricky Ponting stared at me from the back of the page. I wondered why dad never read Bombay Times. Rejection, laced with a look at Scarlett Johansson’s cleavage, was any day better than rejection laced with Ricky’s frown.





 
I looked helplessly at mum.She tried again “These old bikes are getting risky. Maybe we should get him a car.”A fast in swinging yorker,and the batsman was shaken.Mum had appealed to the analytical CA’s mind.”As it is ,the bike consumes about the same petrol as car does,we might as well get him a safer ride.”Both,me and dad knew this was a bit over the top,I mean,my bike wasn’t the slickest of all machines,but it did give an average of 35.But mum looked serious, none of us dared to point that out to her.

Now,I had his full attention,it wasn’t shared with Dhoni’s abysmal captaincy. Pointing’s face was flat against the table;Preity Zinta popped out from some page, proclaiming she’d come first if she played cricket.Or something like that.I knew there was a dirty joke that I was missing there.I didn’t bother,I wanted to get rid of the dirty bike.

The CA asked(for those of you who haven’t got it by now,my dad is a CA,I didn’t want to insult others’ intelligence by mentioning it earlier)-“Okay,the rides getting risky?”

“Yes baba,it is getting risky”A vigorously bobbing head said.

“And you reckon the bike consumes petrol like you drink Frooti?”

(He had absolutely no business teasing my distaste for aerated drinks there,I was bubbling inside,but a shiny bike’s vision burst the bubbles)

“Yes.It is getting quite expensive to drive it. Perhaps we should get a new bike, the cost will be recovered in the petrol”

A hint of a smile.I thought he was proud that I had used economic considerations to convince him-showed him I had gained respect for money after all.

“Alright.I have a solution that offers far less risk(he looked at mum) and decreased cost(and here,at me)since you have begun thinking about money so much”

His tone was cocky,mocking.I had heard myself using that tone many times. And I never said anything good in that tone.I hated it.

“Travel by bus”. And Pointing stared at me once more.I thought he was smiling a bit.That bastard.









Royal Enfield zoomed away from my imagination leaving me screwed. Royally screwed.

 - Soham Sabale.
   (Guest Writer)
The Grease Monkey Blog