I'm up and ready at 5 in the morning waiting at my shack for Bertie to land up, who is late as usual and so we leave at 6am. Experience of touring since I was a kid has taught me the benefits of starting early and jumping the stream of traffic that sets in later on in the day. I opt for the keys to the Lightning to start off the journey. Having ridden the bike for the better part of two months, we have come to be good friends and there is a strange telepathic bond developing between us. And so for the start; choke up, decompress, bring piston to TDC, let go the decompressor, kick hard and the bike roars into life. The next five minutes are spent warming up the bike, adjusting idling speed, checking for any abnormal noises, checking all cables and adjusting jacket, helmet and gloves. And then we are off.
  

Two of the most visually stunning bikes on our roads. For detailing and styling accents, the Eliminator has no equal. The chopped off sliencer, sissy bar and well turned out tail lamp present a super looking pair of heels to lesser bikes. The Lightning rear, lifted off the RD350 is a big let down. What the Lightning posses is presence with a capital P, something that the low slung Eliminator simply can't match. The instrument pod of the Lightning looks positively hideous, fit for a tractor when compared to the classy and superbly finished Eliminator instrument pod. Chrome chunk on the fuel tank is positively gorgeous.

For a novice Bullet rider, the first thing that strikes is the amount of noise or N-O-I-S-E if you please. At low speeds, low rpm it is purely mechanical noise, an irritant that wasn't there on earlier Bullets. But then wind the throttle open and oh my God, the exhaust note is orgasmic to say the least. That's what sets this bike apart from run-of-the-mill machines, that glorious thump thump thump that can be heard a mile away, and that's no exaggeration. That's also what sets dogs on my tail all the way out of Pune.

Right at the start, the ride quality of the Bullet comes in for some criticism. Even with the rear at the softest setting, the ride is hard, unbearably hard to some, further compounded by the terrible seat design. As speed builds, it becomes acceptable but it makes me slow down more that necessary for even minor potholes and tiny speedbreakers. No point in murdering my back now with over 300 kilometres still to go. As we exit Pune and hit the national highway, the roads smoothen and widen out, and the Lightning comes into her own. To hell with ride quality, its time to whip those horses into a mad frenzy.