Motorbike Tours

twelve_monkeys

Hi there. I am a newbie to this site. so hello to y'all.

I am coming over to India on 12th September for 14 weeks to undertake a motorbike tour. Starting in Delhi i plan to go to Himachal Pradesh, down through Rajastahn, Mumbai, Goa, Kerela, Bangalore, Pondicherri, and back up to Delhi to leave on 20th December.

I will be buying an Enfield 500cc bike from Inder Motors in Delhi - highly recommended to me - and setting off on the 16th September. I am a fairly inexperienced rider and not particularly mechanically minded, so I would appreciate any tips anyone has. Is anyone doing anything similar?

Thanks a bunch!

iwanttogoback

twelve monkeys

there are quite a few threads here about motorbike trips, a number of members are keen bikers and have posted some amazing stories. if you try the search function something is bound to show up, and, no doubt, the experts will be along later to answer all the questions you have, and many that you hadn't thought yet.

in the meantime, welcome to indiamike, and all the best for a great trip.

crvlvr

India is about the worst place to hone your motorcycling skills. Here is a great thread - Motorcyling Manual Motorcycle touring: Manual to Ride in Himalayas

crimsonriver

The india experience can be tough and outright risky if u are a novice.. But again the fact remains that many foreigners have their first real bikin experience in India... No worries though... You will find mechs everywhere apart form real remote routes like Leh-Manali..

go thru my trip logs for an idea of bikin in the mountains...

__________________
Look around and chose your own ground
For long you live and high you fly
And smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry
And all you touch and all you see
Is all your life will ever be...

Last ride : Bhutan, Arunachal, Sikkim.. (Where do I ride next?)
My Travel Journal...
http://the-never-ending-road.blogspot.com

tiger

twelve_monkeys If you are inexperienced and don’t know about motorcycles much, then I would recommend you not to use Bullet 500! Bullet has the gear shifter on the right hand side and if you are buying a second hand bike it will not come with a disk break and it will have a kick start that you need to work with!

In case you are getting a new one then make sure you get one with disk break and self start, it will save you from a lot of problems since bullet’s drum breaks don’t do justice to the weight and speed of the bike. Also in case of a new bullet you would have to finish “running in” and that will be for 3000kms. Don’t even think of ripping a brand new bullet, else you will be waiting in the middle of nowhere waiting for the new piston kit to arrive!

I know I should recommend you a bike like karizma or pulsar 180, but you will be going for a long tour hence will have a lot of luggage and bullet has the best for load carrying capacity.

Better familiarize your self with your bullet and only then hit the highway. Ask the mechanic on how to perfrom basic repairs like changing the clutch/accelerator wire and repairing a puncture because with a bullet you will have a broke clutch wire.

__________________
Bike, Car and Motorcycle Touring Forum

usha

Hi,
Some tips... Always carry 1. Omini cold patch
2. Spare tube..
3. An air pumb
4. Soap

Did few solo trips ...(not as long as 14 weeks though... just short trips i did )...these four along with tools i always carry.
(only once i had a flat tyre in the middle of nowhere and had to use these ..still i reccommend to carry these..)
Is urs also a solo? ...it can be at times monotonus being all alone...
All the best..
Wen u reach Trivandrum let us know. We IM membrs from TVM can have a getogether.

__________________
Life is a beautiful journey so keep travelling with a SMILE

MeCasa

I've never owned a bullet but I am an old Norton hand and i've been reading about bullets for a couple of weeks now. Learn how to dissasemble, clean, and reasemble the carburators. Learn how to set the points. Bring extra cables, small can of fix a flat, extra spark plugs and gas filter, extra bulbs and enough tools to do all the above.. You don't need a full toolchest, while is is improper to use tools like a small crescent wrench of channellocks in the shop, it is considered OK when your on the side of the road. Those four bladed screwdrivers come in handy too.

I always bring a couple extra bungees, small amount of tie wire, small amount of epoxy and a small amount duct tape

PS: I sobered up an moved back to japanese bikes 15 years ago and never looked back although everytime I see a commando my heart breaks

Motorcycl_Adventurer

Hi,

Just plan to start slow and cover less distance each day. As you grow more 'mature' and learn to recognise patterns in indian traffic, plan for longer rides.

I advise you to start riding with a bike group from Delhi, preferable dealing with bullets [assuming you will buy Roy-enfield 500] and you will get into a groove.

Wear proper biking gear [as applicable in india]...helmets, jacket, gloves, good shoes and more than anything else...keep your 'proactive eye' open.

Have a great ride and post your log.

Just go through my blog for some info.

__________________
****************************** ****
http://bikeking.blogspot.com
http://justaboutmyself.blogspot.com
****************************** ****

MeCasa

Nice blogs guys, I don't do blogs but I do enjoy reading them

PS Crimson, I never thought about it but I'd love to make ski run

himalayas_beckon

@twelve_monkeys : get in touch with sunny@xbhp.com or tiger@xbhp.com
xbhp is the biggest biking group in india (www.xbhp.com)
we will be more than happy to help you out and you can always ride with us and learn biking,the indian way

also,some of our members are always out on long rides. u could tag along with them

twelve_monkeys

Great stuff. Thanks loads for the info guys!

twelve_monkeys

Just a quick question though. As I am a little bit of a novice now with bikes, ive not been riding for over 5yrs so what is the best bike for me?
I have heard good and bad things about the Bullitt 500cc but what other choice is available and at what cost? Ill be in Delhi from 12th Sept till the 16th sorting out a bike.

Thanks!

himalayas_beckon

go for the 350cc thunderbird or the elecra version. the new electra has gears on the left (so does the thunderbird)
both come with disc brake and electric start options.
new would be something like 85000 on the road...

some bike rental dealers may have the thunderbird with them.

the t'bird is much more sensible option over the 500cc, coz it has gears on the left..

Lovemax

@ twelve monkeys: well, i must say its gonna be a wonderful start with nothing but tons of memories to pile on.
Biking in india will bring you to meet the nicest, weirdest and craziest people on planet India. choosing a bike, I would say bullet would do perfectly gud and if its new nothing like that. But again, just a prior know how of indian bikes would help you in a big way.
Choosing a bike between 500\350CC theres not much of a difference in two bikes. But I will try to help you if you can let me know about your plans when you are in delhi.

just PM for any help in delhi.
Happy Exploring India
FreeBirD

mountaingirl

Hi!

I have 2 bikes (01 - 500 and 1-350) for sale - if interested, you can look it up while in delhi.