Cars are becoming more and more homogenised. No, I'm not saying that cars are becoming identical, but as more and more cars become electrified and more EVs come to market, they will tend to feel the same.

You see, consumers want cars that are quiet, spacious and convenient, and manufacturers are giving us just that. Some of us (not everyone looks at the list of standard safety features, sadly) want safer cars, too, so carmakers are bundling in more safety and driver assistance functions.

So, most modern cars today are easy to drive and have numerous amenities that cater to drivers and passengers. But if you love driving, you would have surely noticed that driving a modern car doesn't deliver the same engagement that driving say, an older manual car does.

Congestion, the enemy

Can you drive a manual sports car today? Yes, enthusiasts do. But not me, because it's not rewarding to drive a manual car when my daily commute to and from the office happens during peak hours.

The mere thought of repeatedly shifting from first to second and second to first, with some second to third thrown in from time to time, twice a day, is abhorrent. It is a chore.

One might ask, "Well, why not go for late-night drives then?" After 8-10 hours at work, which also involves a fair amount of driving (test cars), I need to rest. A fatigued driver is a dangerous one.

The writer gearing up for his first ride on his first bike

Swopping four wheels for two

So, how can a keen driver still feel engaged? Interestingly, one alternative is to ride a motorcycle.

If you've never ridden a motorcycle before, imagine this. In a car, with an automatic transmission, you can pretty much just look out for traffic and steer. Only your right foot needs to work, and you're insulated and physically protected.

On a motorcycle, you'll need all your wits and your senses (including whatever sixth sense or premonitions you can muster) to keep yourself safe. Looking out for other traffic is just beginning, because you need to even predict 'car and driver language' based on how a vehicle is being driven.

And we haven't even gotten to operating a bike with a manual gearbox.

An ignition that needs an actual key, analogue gauges, and yes, a 10,000rpm redline

For the uninitiated, the clutch is a lever on the left handlebar and the shifter is a peg below your left foot. The accelerator is on right handlebar, which you twist towards you to accelerate. In front of it is the lever for the front brake and below your foot is the pedal for the rear brake.

Your entire body is involved in riding a bike, and this is especially true when going around corners. And if sightlines in a car are important, they are everything when it comes to riding - where you look is where the bike will go.

On a bike, looking the wrong way could end with you becoming a part of the scenery or taking an unwanted dip in a longkang. That's more than enough to keep me alert.

Risky, but that's life in general

If you're a biker, you'd undoubtedly have heard all the questions about risk and danger, especially given how vulnerable one is on two wheels. Is driving safer? In a sense, yes. But how much safer, actually?

To me, riding a motorcycle is as risky as riding my bicycle on the road. So is crossing the road. Even walking on the pavement is dangerous, especially if there are cyclists are intent on zipping by you.

I could as easily trip while walking as I could bump my knee on a table leg (it just happened again today). If I were to analyse every action I intended to take and anticipate its danger potential, I'd literally be stuck at home, which by the way is where most accidents occur.

If you think most cars are becoming staid and uninteresting, I recommend taking a bike lesson (or two). Even if you're a die-hard manual sports car enthusiast, you may end up finding the experience to be an eye-opening, and perhaps addictive one.