World Kiss Day 2020: The Best Kiss?

World Kissing Day. That’s right, everyday should be… yeah yeah, moving on. Point is, we are celebrating it. No, we are not blowing kisses your way. But we do think you should indulge, with your car or bike. Yeah! Zigwheels, bruh, we love our machines and we like to help you out. There are kisses that you wish you had, and some you wish you didn’t. So, here are all the kisses that every automotive enthusiast should know, dream or steer clear of. 

Sweet Kisses: 

These are the ones you dream of, long for and savour. They may be fleeting, but they will be memorable.  

1. Kissing the... : Imagine a world with only straight lines or right angles. Now imagine driving or riding in such a world. Horrible, right? What would life be without curves? Staring intently, your senses heightened. You tell yourself to be smooth, but confident. As you make your move, a small flutter of excitement encourages you as the wheels end up aimed exactly where you wanted them. Persuasive but patient, the throttle hand (or foot) waits for just the right moment. Wait, it has to be just right! And then, as you kiss the apex, the surge of power and excitement and the sense of sheer poetry envelopes the moment.  

2. A brush of the..: As a motorcyclist there are few things that feel as special as the first fleeting brush of the kneeslider against the tarmac. That perfectly murmured “khrrrraaa” speaks volumes about the tarmac’s smoothness, the restraint and dexterity of the rider and the willingness of the motorcycle. Similarly, a “kharrr-kh-khrr-khaarrrr” is grumbling elicited by broken and bumpy tarmac, a hasty and inept rider, or a motorcycle that’s just out of sync.  

3. A peck on the... 

There’s nothing wrong about a peck on the seat. Or steering. And if you are trying to say that you have never kissed your bike or car, shame on you. Fix that today. The seat is a perfectly acceptable place. It isn’t cold or steely and you won’t scuff anything either while showering some affection. Following it up with a hug is like icing on the cake. 

Kiss Miss: Not every kiss is worth chasing. Here are some that you should stay away from. Motorcyclists, take extra caution.  

1. The Accidental Kiss: This kiss is heartstopping -- but it can be heartbreaking too. That awful moment when acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (nee ABS, nee plastic) smooshes into plastic (pray, it isn’t metal) at the traffic light or the crossing can make your heart race, and not in a good way. The unlooked-for kiss from the of-fender can be apologetic, uncouth or laughable. Either way, it’s better you don’t find it out first hand.  

2. The Fender Kiss: It’s exactly what the name says it is. Now picture doing it while riding the motorcycle. Would require some dexterity, right? Or utter rotten luck. The uncovering of these superb contortion abilities in a rider are usually brought about by an unassuming rock or inclination. A side effect of kissing the fender is a pain in the neck. And face. Possibly shoulders and groin too. So, not worth it.

3. Kissing the Tarmac: This is the kiss that no rider can escape. No matter how good, how young, how old, how or what you ride -- every rider kisses the tarmac at some point. This is a bittersweet kiss that keeps reminding riders that they are not as infallible or mighty as they might imagine themselves to be. But this humility forges a connection that binds all riders together. 

How many kisses have you tasted yet? If you are recently crazed by the passion for bikes or cars, we have done our bit to make this journey a sweet one. But which is the best kiss? You could let us know in the comments. In my very humble opinion, it is the one I get at home.