#5 ROYAL ENFIELD

‘Zen and the art of motor cycle maintenance’ has been one of my favourite books for over 20 years. Robert Pirsig also wrote ‘LILA’ the sequel to ‘Zen…’ and the book that most explained my being and nature… I resonated with it. But in typical me fashion, I had read them in the wrong order. Essentially I read the answers and then discovered the questions. The motorcycle in ‘Zen..’ and the house/river boat in LILA were a metaphor for the mechanism of his journey and it got me fascinated in motor bikes and mobile homes (be them floating or road bound).

My Royal Enfield has been more than a device that has simply kept me sane in Sydney – where the traffic can test the best of us – it is the epitome of learning to enjoy the journey.

There is a considered ritual each time I sit on the bike: helmet adjust, gloves, boots, warm the engine etc. It all brings me back to the present moment.

I also really love the single cylinder tapping away … I describe it as an old bi-plane; seemingly close to conking out but without fail, its engine keeps at it.  Riding; which was meant to be an occasional thing, is now anything but. And the major perk, I can park just about anywhere I want… the simple pleasures.