My Excalibur (The legendary Sword). Review on Kawasaki Caliber

If Excalibur is the famed sword of legendary king Arthur of England, Caliber is the unknown war horse of the Indian Roads.

Caliber is my first two wheeler my transition from bicycle to motor, transition to adulthood.

Caliber the sword that gave me my freedom. Freedom from the drudgery of the travels by buses, rickshaws, and even trains.

Freedom from limitation of time, freedom to enjoy every moment of my younger days.

Freedom to travel as far as I could with no thought and worry.. And keep on travelling...

But she is still with me after long 12 years. 12 years of passionate riding which even my WagonR of 4 years could not take away from me.

She is no looker, just an average machine of 110 CC. I chose her also because she was not thirsty like the 150 CC bikes of the year 2000. Hey, she came to me with a fancy single digit registration number 6 (six).

My friends also owned Calibers for more than 1 year before I bought her. It was thier recommendations that was a deciding factor, they being guys who loved going far from bangalore to the forests of Coorg and many other places.

Actually years later one of them rode down all way from Bangalore to Cochin on his Caliber when he got a job change.

Look on his face showed that he has thoroughly enjoyed the ride. The bike still stood solid even after the long ride of about 1000 kms, only the chains needed tightening after the ride through the rough roads of the western ghats through Mysore, Coorg and Wynad.

I have to confess that I learned driving a two wheeler on her and only subsequently got my driving licence.

Well we taurean guys are expected to be steady and loyal and demand the same. So was she, steady and loyal, from the time I bought her till this moment. She has seen all my phases, my good times and troubled times. In hard moments she consoled me when she and me rode long distances alone.

She saw me get married, she took me and wife around. Later she also carried my little son.

She watched as I got a car, a WagonR.

Only time she would have felt a little worried was when I quit long travels after my marriage on wife's insistence. Previously I had travelled the entire Kerala with her, her alone. Inter state travels was one I could not do with her. But we still have our secret and long rendezvous. Old habits don't really die. When I bought my car, I ignored her for some time. Finally I realised, she is still the one for me.I had missed the thumping of her engine, which had raised my adrenaline levels. Even with an average suspension definitely no gas shocks, she still rode solid giving me no discomfort. Maybe it was her well balanced built and higher weight for the engine capacity.

Most people are surprised that I have rode her for 12 years for over a lakh km and still have a good back.

Many tried convincing me about selling her for a better vehicle, even a scooter as I was not anymore that young and still didnt want to drive around in car in the heavy traffic of Cochin City. Couple of times I almost given in. I test rode many bikes, found none to my liking. I hate very thirsty bikes however powerful they are, as I intend to ride long and hard and dont want her to be a drag on my hard earned resources.

I even paid booking amount for an Suzuki Access scooter. Only to lose it, because I could not bring myself to give my beloved away.

Only difference from our early days, is that she is more thirsty and needs more care. Which I do give her, taking her to service every third month at the authorised dealer. A year back, I overhauled her engine with a new piston and cylinder. After this she is less thirsty but more energetic as the early years of our relationship.

Now I no longer get an insurance on her and it was advisable not to take her around and risk police verifications. However I still dare to take her with me everywhere I go. Even when I finally decide to buy another bike, I swear I will not give her away. She will still stay will me and we would still ride together.

Well...Am still not sure, I will be able to carry on with anyone else when she is with me.

You cant have everything but can anyone guide me if its possible to have front disc brakes and gas suspension on my Caliber.

Any good place in Cochin and some place in Kerala where it can be done ?

Luv,

Rajat