WAR WORDS WORLDS

Indians might not have played a deciding role in the previous world wars but now, our participation is much more evident

- ANANT PANDEY

There's a war brewing in our own backyard. A different kind of war which doesn't mortify humanity but the one in which we, Indian motorcyclists are winning. A war of worlds, ignited by the forces harkening back to the tumultuous World War years. During the World Wars, the USA and Great Britain might have been allies but in this particular war, they're each other's arch nemesis. They are at each other's neck, holding their respective weapons. On one hand, there's the beautifully sculpted sword called the Triumph Speed 400 and on the other hand, there's the heavier but still lethal Harley-Davidson X440. Indians might not have played a deciding role in the previous world wars but now, our participation is much more evident. Royal Enfield has taken up arms against these iconic forces and has put forth the new Guerrilla as its weapon of choice. Does it have what it takes to take on its rivals head-on or will it resort to the warfare technique it's named after?

At the cost of sounding a little diplomatic, not just us but humans in general are obsessed with skin. So much so that more often than not we find ourselves blinded by this obsession and in the process, there are victims to this mindset. Take the Harley-Davidson X440 for instance. Although I haven't spent much time with the X440 but that being said, our numbered dates have been pretty nice. Yeah, nice is the word. I certainly don’t lack the conviction to find a better word for it because this is it. Apart from the first one where the X440 took my expectations, added a few aspects itself in the list, went on and delivered on most of them. But, some of you were eager enough to jump to the conclusion that it is a bad motorcycle because it looks… bad? That’s where the X440’s gaping hole in the armor lies, in its rear end. Not a pretty sight, eh?