Conception to Inception

The title really derives from the Leonardo De Caprio starrer INCEPTION, making waves in cine halls these days. Having said that, it bears resemblance to my dream - the dream called Harley Davidson. 

When it got created, I really would not have a clue but the nearest trail that I can pick up would go to last year. It was Dusehra time and I had gone to Shimla along with sisters family. I had long been without a ride, so picked it up on the Bullet. All said and done, it was a beautiful chhutti, nice weather, awesome stay, delicious food; very relaxing. One of those evening conversations it was, and I came to know that Harley Davidson was venturing into India and....... nothing; that was it. The bug had been activated. I came back,  googled around, came across their India website, validated the facts and further found that they were in the process of looking up dealers. I had to associate with H-D, and what followed was an amazing learning experience, but that would digress from the subject and fly on a tangent. Cut short, I was on their tail.

I was a regular on the H-D India website, as regular as every 2 days, and so witness to their changing pages. They have a pretty active IT team, I must say. Each change would instill in me the faith that these guys were on right path and make me admire the way they were conducting the whole show. The best part was, I was not looking for it or that is how it seemed to me. All I could do was the least effort, and things were coming to me. In the first week of January, I came to know through a friend as to who H-D had shortlisted for the dealership and when the papers were signed and all that. Anyhow, they launched the 2010 models and I was on the website, that very same day, again. The ceremony of pressing STAKE YOUR CLAIM button on the FATBOY page, was held the very same day with me and my laptop in complete attendance. The money was big, but what the hell, I wasn't shelling a dime for pressing the button. 

The pages kept on changing and time went by rolling. A few friends who were there, knew that I wanted it and believed that I would get it, but I had no clue as to how. The intent was strong as ever. Then one fine day in March, I received an email with the title; YOUR SOFTAIL FATBOY JUST GOT CLOSER. It felt good to be treated that way, with the knowledge that it might not happen. Things were now moving in real essence confirming which was the email from H-D India in early April, announcing its 5 dealers across India. I mean these guys have style; the content of the email was in bold capital letters stating: IF HARLEY-DAVIDSON IS A RELIGION, MEET THE HIGH PRIESTS and below carried the dealer details. Good show, I was impressed. A few days later I received call from the H-D team, informing me that they are going to hold test rides in Chandigarh on 23rd and 24th of April and since I had staked claim on the bike, I would be on the preference list and stuff. The date and timing for test ride were set as 24th April, 1530 hrs, Golf Club Chandigarh. A friend accompanied me to the event and being siesta time of the day, in the city of the retired, we had a bunch of hours. The parked bikes presented with a grandeur that was so not seen in our country. It was a fantastic sight but enough of the style, and of the looks; I now wanted to feel it between my legs. My mark was set....... FATBOY and FATBOY only. Somehow, when it comes to picking mechanical transports I am suddenly very clear, I'm a Bodhi. Then my sights are like those of a horse with blinkers. I picked up the ride.......... and I came to know what a MOTORCYCLE is. I came to know how a MOTORCYCLE feels like. I came to know what a MOTORCYCLE ride is all about, as did in-numerable other revelations. It is safe to say that I was in a state of shock, and in this very state when I disembarked from the bike, I said "Lets book it." Sadly......... the H-D India guys were around.

Festival over, I was back........... less 50K. A leap of faith (as people say), had been taken. 

I didn't have a clue to how the money would come, and then thought I should sell my SUV; but that was to be Plan B. Plan A was to make the money, how to make it was something that required head scratching since I was not keen on armed robberies and I wasn't Charles Sobhraj either. One of those days, I received an SMS from a friend about a workshop on this thing called as Wishful Thinking being held in the city. For me, the workshop was done in that SMS only. It stated that if you direct your thought process to something specific you want, you can deliberately manifest that. OK....... it sounded fairly simple to hear, but I wasn't paying 2000 rupees to hear someone babble about it. Now, neither did I meditate over it nor did I repeat the mantra "I want the FATBOY" a hundred times before going to bed; I just kept it in mind. Somehow things started falling in place with every passing day, and the possibility of having it, started its crawl towards reality. The journey was long, but then, the time was there. With the new financial year, a string of new policies were announced at Daikin, and suddenly selling the product was sweeeeet. The numbers were increasing, and so was the effort; which I was so willing to put in. I woke up every day with a renewed faith that it would be possible, and it just kept building on me. 

I was returning from Delhi on Shatabadi Express on 2nd or 3rd of July, when I received call from the dealership guys. They told me that the bikes are coming in, and that the inauguration date has been fixed for 13th of July following which, the deliveries would commence. He further asked me, if I could be present on the afternoon of 13th as they wanted to deliver bike keys to a few owners who were not media shy. I was game. The excitement had been building up all these days, and every postponement only increased its vigor. But with this call the target date had been fixed, and hence, my journey back to Chandigarh was a total bliss.

For me it was history in making, and I wanted it to be as elaborate as possible. I hooked up with the dealership guys, and asked them to take me to their warehouse where my HOG was lying packed, waiting for PDI and other detailing prior to delivery. I was mighty impressed with what I saw. I had to make the video, which now lies on my Facebook profile for people at large, to draw their own inferences. 13th came and I was at the center of the show. The H-D India MD, Anoop Prakash handed me the keys in front of the gathered media, flashes were all over, and I had a ball. Interviews were held, flashed in the evening news the same day, and I was in the newspapers the next day. Termed as the first customer of Chandigarh, I ensured on next day, that I actually was one factually speaking. The gala lasted the entire week, and I tried to live every bit of it. It was fun.

All said and done, the FATBOY is a tribute to all the people who believed that I could pull it off, who coaxed me to live up to my heart's call, who nurtured me to believe in my dreams, who tested my resolve to the last stand.

This one is for Y'ALL.