Motorcycling Was Meant to Disconnect, Then What Happened

Riding a motorcycle is one of the purest feelings of joy... which is exactly why it is hard to explain.

Getting into motorcycling is one of the best things I have done in my life. It truly is. And it’s not easy for me to explain why. I think it’s because it was natural.

It is such a simple feeling of happiness but unlike anything else could give. It is unique. It is special. I think it’s all to do with the joy of defying physics when you handle a motorcycle. Leaning into a corner and then straightening back up, for example, is just one of the purest thrills a man can experience in his life.

And it all starts very early, from the moment you give up training wheels on your bicycle, from the moment you learn to balance and realise how much fun that is. It only gets better as it finally comes naturally to you. If you think riding a bicycle is fun, wait till you ride a motorcycle!

Riding a motorcycle is like doing a solo act. Probably it’s a reason why you feel a level of disconnection from the regularity of life, because it’s involving, focused, and unexplainably fun. It rushes your adrenaline and brings you peace at the same time… Riding will make your day better, regardless of how it is otherwise. And the fun part is, it really doesn’t matter what bike you’re on as long as it’s the one you want.

So motorcycling is an escape, at times literally, but figuratively, all the time. It’s a disconnection from routine. It refreshes and rewires your brain and creates moments of solitude even among the chaos. It is an individual adventure. It is really why we ride.

Part of fun of riding is that it has been analog. At least it used to be, but it’s slowly changing and I’m yet to become a complete fan of this ongoing transition. And it is much more than merely pointing at a modern TFT console and making a casual observation about it. It is much deeper than that because that thing may not have changed how we ride, but it sure has changed the way we interact with our motorcycles.

A modern motorcycle TFT displays a plethora of information whether you need it or not. Navigating through the entire UI could even overwhelm you or, more likely, frustrate you.

There’s so much stuff going on today that you’re going to need a learning curve to understand how some modern TFTs work. Everything has become software-dependent. Everything is digital. Motorcycles shouldn’t have to be like this, at least I don’t think so. But, here were are, at the cusp of technology.

I don’t know when did it become cool for motorcycle consoles to mimic cars’. I understand the benefits of modern TFTs but I’m not fond of everything that’s been done to make them worthwhile. I mean, they even receive software updates now! Some of the TFTs on big bikes almost look like an iPad. Motorcycles have become a new platform for digital connectivity!

You can connect and sync your phone to bike TFTs now and handle various phone functions from that screen itself. When and why did it come to this? Doesn’t it defeat the whole original idea of motorcycling? To be alone, to experience solitude in one of the most unique ways? And no, this is not about being alone in a sad way and escaping life in desperation. It is simply about enjoying motorcycling. This is why cars and motorcycles are so different from each other, not just literally but the way they impact us and our personalities. My car’s TFT today does all these things and I’m perfectly ok with that because cars are different, they are more utilitarian and you can have 4-5 people in it like in a room. It’s different and my mind is comfortable with having its controls digitalised.

But my mind works differently when I’m on a motorcycle.

I mean, sure, you do not have to use all the TFT functions and you may also choose to not connect your phone with it ever. But it is still there and if you own a modern motorcycle, you will feel compelled to at least try out such features once in your life. Whether you do it or not, the fact that it’s there still defeats the purpose of riding.

Moreover, you’re not devoid of connectivity. You already have your phone with you and then there are also those bluetooth communication devices that attach to your helmets. You are never not connected as long as your phone’s awake. And I think as far as motorcycling is concerned, that is enough. And really, why would I want to listen to songs while riding a motorcycle? I know that this is not new, the likes of Harley Davidson have had this feature long before TFTs were a thing. But now, it’s even more exaggerated in a bike’s marketing brochure as a TFT feature. What nonsense.

I want to make it clear that I don’t entirely despise the digitalisation in motorcycles. There are some very useful implementations of the TFTs, such as the Google maps integration (the first of its kind I experienced on the latest Royal Enfield Himalayan) among some other things. But I guess I miss the old-school analog dials; watching those tacho and speedo needles constantly moving back and forth is something. They were a perfect reflection of your changing adrenaline.

TFTs just do not have that feel. Actually, TFTs are gadgets that look better serving specific purposes in specific scenarios, like on-track action. Today’s TFTs don’t just relay information, they’re small computers designed for you to operate your motorcycle with and its various functions.

You may say that while I don’t hate the TFTs, I just don’t care about them much. I think the best consoles are the ones that have a mix of analog and digital displays. Those were or are the best. Coloured TFTs seem to demand my attention and I don’t like that feeling.

I love Hayabusa's console - things that look best in analog are shown in analog. And if you're a fan of more data, there's a TFT too in the middle. My research also reveals that there's no option to wirelessly connect your phone with the TFT and I just love that! To me, riding the Hayabusa wouldn't feel the same if there was just a full (dull) big TFT instead. This console retains Hayabusa's soul.

I guess the traditional analog dials have a greater impact on how we feel while riding than them merely functioning. They clearly do more than just allowing us to feel disconnected.

Problem is, if you want to enjoy motorcycles in the old-school way, the choices are shrinking. At least as far as sports bikes (including streetfighters) are concerned, the analog tech has ended. Also, electric bikes are further playing a critical role in modernising the man and machine interaction. Thankfully, some motorcycle genres gel better with analog consoles and hopefully, they'll continue to be like that.

Actually think about it, a motorcycle as a whole is what impacts how much you feel connected with riding. A good, desirable, motorcycle alone can make you forget about the digitalness of technology. If your motorcycle has character, or if you believe that it is an extension of your own personality, riding it would still make you forget the world around you. Analog consoles may help elevate that character, and even if they don't, they at least do not mess with it. Which is why character in motorcycles is such a big deal for us. It transcends technology.

But I think how we feel about motorcycles is also generational; you get comfortable with the tech you see around you from your childhood. You sort of accept it naturally because you’re living with it and growing up with it. And it is likely that future generations will think differently about how a motorcycle should look and feel like, thanks to the ever-evolving technology. People who are going to be born and brought up specially with electric bikes in their homes will have a totally different idea of motorcycles I reckon. And I guess this life experience has already begun in some families because electric vehicles are already here.

Technology will continuously affect our interaction with motorcycles, but the thrill of balancing two wheels will ensure that we will never stop enjoying riding motorcycles.

I don’t think there is a right or wrong opinion here. I don’t think it is about that. I strongly feel it’s a matter of preference in the end. I know people who embrace all the latest tech and gizmos, are unaffected by how things are changing, and remain sentimental about riding. I think the fact that we can't do anything about the way motorcycles are being built today is making us naturally adapt to the advancing technology. And that's what matters in the end.

If you don’t forget the essence of riding a motorcycle, I don’t think it would matter in the end whether you find seeing a call notification on your bike’s TFT useful or pointless. I just happen to be someone who feels all this is becoming a bit complicated.

Riding a motorcycle has always been and will always be special, no matter how technology affects their development and how it changes our interaction with them. It is how motorcycles are naturally - the fun of balancing two wheels with the power to make us feel like we’re defying physics will never stop making us drop our jaws in awe.