Making a statement. That is what a cruiser does. In senses-stirring style. An enterprise that involves oodles of moolah. The wallet-friendly Enticer though is an exception that could give the Eliminator a run for its money. Will more prove a better bet, or will economies of scale evoke louder hurrah?

Fifteen months may not seem like a very long time in the greater scheme of things. But it seems like positively ages since I last wound my way round these roads. Back then most of the route comprised glorious stretches a biker's dreams are made of, apart from a few sections under construction, or which were being widened. These days the tarmac is smoother, potholes are fewer, trees are greener, even the air is cooler. The road I'm alluding to is the biking avenue that originates in Pune and winds up and away to the twin hill stations of Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar via the designed-for- peg-scraping ghats, plunging down the Western Ghats to Poladpur on the Mumbai-Goa highway and then veering right at Mahad to zoom up mountainous heights, leading to Pune past the scenic Mulshi reservoir.

This time around we have conjured up a plan with a difference, heading first to Mulshi and aiming to arrive in Mahabaleshwar by early evening and in Pune by nightfall. The approximately 35Okm distance features highway sections conducive for racing with the wind, where one can keep throttle nailed down for what seems like ages, a labyrinth of fast, medium, slow, off-camber, on-camber, tightening and widening twisties, and more. Not to forget the suspension (and rider) testing roads from Mahabaleshwar to Poladpur and the zippy and zingy, coiling and traffic-free route to Mulshi from Mahad. To raise the hackles and curl one's toes inside one's biking boots, you have the coronary inducing traffic-snarl infested zone at 20k radius outside Pune.

The last time we thundered down these roads, was to zero in on the best cruiser money can buy. The Kawasaki Bajaj Eliminator had just been launched and the Royal Enfield lightning 350 was about to be unveiled, we were told. The cruiser phenomenon was about to happen or happening already, and every biker worth his/her salt, was eager to discover life beyond the venerable Bullet. The entire focus then was on the ride, scything through hills, thundering across highways, muscling past lesser steeds. Bertie and 1 sure had a ball.

Though different this time, one factor remains constant: the Eliminator, which managed to whisker ahead at the end. Replacing the thundering Bullet is the Yamaha Enticer, the latest wannabe cruiser on the Indian biking scene. And this time the ride over these fabulous roads is not the be-all and end-all. Rather it is the opening leg of an extensive test to assess the Enticer's virtues (or lack) vis-à-vis the Eliminator, on the highway, over country roads, in city by-lanes and most importantly at the pub parking Jot. Which brings us to the beginning.

Chilling with true-blue mates at a pub (ideal backdrop), talk veered around to the biking scene in the country. The obvious dilemma clogging informed minds (informed mind = OVERDRIVE reader) centred on choosing between Eliminator, Bullet and Enticer. It is futile enticing a Bullet-head away from his/her thumper so it was really the Eliminator-or-Enticer jigsaw that needed to be resolved... but alas was not, not with any conviction.