The dictionary definition of Casual is “Occurring by Chance” how do I associate with this? I am a motorcycle enthusiast by chance.
To be very honest, I was not convinced 
about buying a bike, but my brother’s enthusiasm got the better of me and we went and bought the Bajaj Avenger. I did not even know how to ride a bike when we first got it; after a good week’s delay, I found some time to go and learn how to ride it. I was familiar with riding a bicycle and understood the way the clutch interacts with the gear and accelerator; this due to driving cars, so riding came easy to me. On the very first day, I managed to take the bike around the street where we live and back home without falling off it. From there, it has been about 2 months now and have been riding the bike on weekends; that is also if I wake up or am not lazing around. My brother, on the other hand, takes it for a spin every single day.
I consider myself a Casual Biker. I love owning a bike, but riding it is not the number one priority, not like I don’t like riding, I enjoy it as much as the next guy, but I ride only when I absolutely feel like it. I don’t claim to be a biker or out of the Hell’s Angels – my lifestyle hardly reflects that. But since owning a bike, a lot has changed. For one, my outlook to people who own bikes, I always use to be scared of people riding like maniacs. After riding the bike, I am even more scared – personally I ride at about 60 kms and it is pure bliss, open roads in the morning, no traffic and so on. I forgot to mention I only ride in the morning. I have started appreciating the Discovery Turbo channel much more and now appreciate the work people do while they customize these monsters. My lifelong aspiration to own a Ninja and a Harley has also increased dramatically.
I am sure there are a lot people like me out there. These are folks who want to own a Motorcycle and also enjoy the luxury of riding, not speed demons that keep going “I love the speed” (trust me on Indian roads if you love speed you will only reach your death faster). A 
couple of things you should know in case you are Casual Biker – first get a bike that you are comfortable with and is low maintenance, just because the guy next door has an Enfield or Harley does not mean you have to get one. Trust me, from all the stories I have heard those bikes are planets where maintenance is concerned. Find people who have similar interests – more casual riders; you will be able to relate to them and they will speak to you about their rides in a language you understand. Trust me, I have spoken to people who talk like they are engineers and assemble bikes for a living (Good for them I say, but I understand things a little simple). Visit the local Chop Shop, you will definitely find something you will like to add to your bike; minor customizations on the bike are awesome, low risk and give you another reason to ride. I don’t know why, but the day we get our bike modified, the urge to ride is much more. Finally, keep a good mechanic’s number stored on your phone; you never know when you may need to use it. Find a route that you are comfortable with and ride there, learn the turns and bumps, trust me it is very different from driving a car.
If you have never ridden a motorcycle, but have a casual mindset towards it, go ahead and rent a bike or buy one. It is definitely not a disappointing experience; as a Casual Biker, you will enjoy all the luxuries a hardcore biker would, but it will be more staggered and more by chance…
Badbikegang 