Travelling long distances on a Motorcycle

jingaboysr · 25th June 2010, 14:55

You are one true free spirit tourer, hats off to you man. Keep thumping.

Quote:

Originally Posted by n.devdath

Though I regularly do BLR-DEL non stop in around 2 nights and 1 day around twice a year.

Have you ever thought about getting a saddlesore certification from IBA ? It needs you to cover around 1600 kms in 1 day.

madhkris · 25th June 2010, 14:59

Wow! Blr-Del in 2 nights! You must be a really disciplined, strong, agile and strong minded to do this. I really appreciate your riding and hope to do it someday too. For a person like me even 500Km seems a herculean task! Kudos for being a true blue bulleteer. please post your travelogue in detail with some photos too. My Mach 500 gives around 28-30 Kmpl. It is relatively new and done only 1600Km.

PatienceWins · 25th June 2010, 15:02

Dev,

That's truly inspirational. I have been thinking of getting a touring bike and do some solo rides.

It would be great if you can post some short travelogues or pictures. Atleast a list of trips you have done and the places to stay/ recommendations.

n.devdath · 25th June 2010, 15:09

Thank You everyone, since I ride solo and focus myself solely on the road, I seldom take pictures and make travelouges. Moreover, I usually ride to meet someone or for some work or to go a temple so I do not, though I feel I should stop along the way, enjoy the scenery and do stuff like that. If I travel with someone, then the average distances covered come down to some extent.

But yes, if you have any questions to ask about riding, roads,stay, food, weather, or any other relevant topic, please feel free to ask me. I will share whatever little I know through experience.
Also, I would probably doing a small BLR-SHIRDI-BLR sometime this month, so in case anybody is interested to accompany me, you are most welcome, though it would again be a dash to Shirdi and back.

I am not aware of the process of acquiring such a certification. In fact, I was on the IBA website just now but I guess they do not have any office in India. Doing 1600kms in 24 hours is certainly possible on most of our roads.

bradhey · 26th June 2010, 16:03

All I would say Devdath, I would really like to ride with you some time. I live in North of India, a place near Agra. Keep me in mind if you are visiting this part of our country.. 3 cheers to you.

(Alok) · 26th June 2010, 18:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by KA18

This clutch wire thing, is it having problem only on the TB or the other RE Bikes too?

Not only clutch wire but accelerator is an earlier problem. As older REs (I am not confirm about UCEs) having starting problem many times, accelerator wire breakage happened more often.
When we are on highways, we can ride without clutch but it is painful without accelerator wire.

n.devdath · 26th June 2010, 19:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradhey

All I would say Devdath, I would really like to ride with you some time. I live in North of India, a place near Agra. Keep me in mind if you are visiting this part of our country.. 3 cheers to you.

Sure Bradhey, will make it a point to catch up with you soon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by (Alok)

Not only clutch wire but accelerator is an earlier problem. As older REs (I am not confirm about UCEs) having starting problem many times, accelerator wire breakage happened more often.
When we are on highways, we can ride without clutch but it is painful without accelerator wire.

One way of riding with a broken accl cable if the cable is broken at the handlebar end(the most common point of breakage) is to tie a piece of thick cloth around your fingers and pull the cable as much as you want accleration after removing it from the twist grip. In case such a cloth is not available, one can tie a piece of rubber (easily found on the roadside) as well.

KA18 · 26th June 2010, 19:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by n.devdath

I consistently travel 800kms plus in a day...

Quote:

Originally Posted by n.devdath

...this is what I usually do if my trip exceeds 1k kms........... I ride for around 15 hours(on the saddle) in a 24 hour stretch if I have no time constraints which gives me around 1000kms per day.

Though I regularly do BLR-DEL non stop in around 2 nights and 1 day around twice a year.

800-1000 Kms/Day?

Just Curious Devdath, what is the nature of your work that you have to travel so much?

What about your physical condition, is your body able to tolerate that much abuse everyday?

n.devdath · 26th June 2010, 20:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by KA18

800-1000 Kms/Day?

Just Curious Devdath, what is the nature of your work that you have to travel so much?

What about your physical condition, is your body able to tolerate that much abuse everyday?

No no, let me clarify, I dont travel that much everyday but when only when I m out on a ride/journey to reach some place. Hope this makes it clear.

I m pretty sure that there are very few people who can endure such travel on a daily basis, even if the nature of their work demands it.

thimappa · 14th January 2011, 12:34

Post deleted by the Team-BHP Support : Please do NOT post one-liners that add little or no informational value to the thread. We need your co-operation to maintain the overall quality of this forum.

Please read our rules before proceeding any further.

chanu · 14th January 2011, 16:33

I have a question to all the RE users do find the gear shift to be very manual on this bike. I mean the change of gears are not as smooth as in any other bike any suggestions please pour in.

I thank all the members who have contributed to this thread and I am extremely sorry for being absent here but the fire to travell long distance is till burning, meanwhile I am sourcing likeminded people and have been successful in finding few. I am getting a lot of inspiration from here and the friends I find and they are equally enthusiastic to begin the tour, hopefully I will start off a group from Hyderabad either to Chennai or even it could be to Leh.

Anand3553 · 29th May 2014, 13:48

There are so many amazing travelogues in the forum to the beautiful North East of India. Many of them are on 2 wheels. Nothing gives more pleasure than driving around in those places on 2 wheels taking in all the fresh air and vistas. It is indeed tempting, so tempting that you feel your life is wasted if you do not do it atleast once in your lifetime. It is unfair to think that this is meant for the guys only. We could not deny the ladies such a great experience.

I have a few questions listed below considering that we have very poor network coverage in those areas. The experienced folks in this forum will find these questions dumb for sure but is quite a concern for a guy like me who is not very experienced in traveling long distances in remote areas. All questions considering that the guy is the only rider and the lady is pillion.

• What if the bike breaks down and you cannot figure out how to fix it?

• How safe is it to travel with your better half on only one bike?

• I do not remember anyone mentioning any bad experience from people in those areas which I find too good to be true. Are the people in those areas actually so good?

• Are there areas known for criminal activities in those places? (I understand there could be places under military tension but otherwise?)

• What if the rider becomes seriously injured somehow?

• If the bike is not able to go forward with 2 people on it on a steep incline and you do not know when 2 people can start traveling again together. Considering that going back is not an option due to time/weather restraints.

I am not even sure if these questions are relevant but just came to my mind while reading all those travelogues. Looking forward to the answers from the experts.

Iksvaku · 29th May 2014, 15:19

Anand, I am fascinated by your intention. Are you going to ride from South India to the North East? I have done this trip the other way a couple of times, in a Contessa.

The North East is a spectrum of cultures, with widely varying population densities and road infrastructure. If you have any idea of where you intend to go, I could answer the questions you have posed.

SmartCat · 29th May 2014, 16:52

1) Not a very good idea for. See if you can get 2 or 3 more couples (on different bikes) willing to join you on your trip. This will be helpful in case of accidents or bike breakdowns.

2) It's very rare for modern bikes to break down just like that. What you need to prepare for is punctures. Most bikers carry extra tubes with them when they go on adventures like this.

3) Plan your trip in such a way that you reach a hotel by 6:00 PM. Avoid driving after dark. Get up early and leave by 6:00 AM.

Karthik Gullu · 29th May 2014, 18:10

Hi Anand,

It is always better to have minimum 2 bikes during a long roadtrips if in case 1 bike broke down,other bike can find the alternative but nowadays modernistic bikes are high end with cutting edge-technology and less chances of bike breakdowns if vehicle is serviced and maintained well on time.

Basic things that needs to be carried to suffice few of your points

Important Tools of your bike.
Tyre Puncture Kit and tyre tube.
Spark plugs.
Clutch cables.
Front brake cable (if drum) otherwise break shoes(if disc).
Accelator cable.
Head light and tail light bulb.
Brake lever,clutch lever and york (if bike fell down).
1 litre Engine oil.
Jerry canes for extra fuel.

With all these measures,to an extent we can manage most common breakdowns and have safe journey.

Keep reviving

as they alway say !!

25th June 2010, 14:59	#47
madhkris BHPian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bengalur Posts: 292 Thanked: 83 Times View My Garage	Wow! Blr-Del in 2 nights! You must be a really disciplined, strong, agile and strong minded to do this. I really appreciate your riding and hope to do it someday too. For a person like me even 500Km seems a herculean task! Kudos for being a true blue bulleteer. please post your travelogue in detail with some photos too. My Mach 500 gives around 28-30 Kmpl. It is relatively new and done only 1600Km.
	() Thanks

25th June 2010, 15:02	#48
PatienceWins Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,439 Thanked: 873 Times View My Garage	Dev, That's truly inspirational. I have been thinking of getting a touring bike and do some solo rides. It would be great if you can post some short travelogues or pictures. Atleast a list of trips you have done and the places to stay/ recommendations.
	() Thanks

25th June 2010, 15:09	#49
n.devdath BANNED Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 4,287 Thanked: 2,814 Times	Thank You everyone, since I ride solo and focus myself solely on the road, I seldom take pictures and make travelouges. Moreover, I usually ride to meet someone or for some work or to go a temple so I do not, though I feel I should stop along the way, enjoy the scenery and do stuff like that. If I travel with someone, then the average distances covered come down to some extent. But yes, if you have any questions to ask about riding, roads,stay, food, weather, or any other relevant topic, please feel free to ask me. I will share whatever little I know through experience. Also, I would probably doing a small BLR-SHIRDI-BLR sometime this month, so in case anybody is interested to accompany me, you are most welcome, though it would again be a dash to Shirdi and back. I am not aware of the process of acquiring such a certification. In fact, I was on the IBA website just now but I guess they do not have any office in India. Doing 1600kms in 24 hours is certainly possible on most of our roads. Last edited by n.devdath : 25th June 2010 at 15:16.
	() Thanks

26th June 2010, 16:03	#50
bradhey BHPian Join Date: May 2010 Location: Agra Posts: 288 Thanked: 34 Times	All I would say Devdath, I would really like to ride with you some time. I live in North of India, a place near Agra. Keep me in mind if you are visiting this part of our country.. 3 cheers to you.
	() Thanks

14th January 2011, 12:34	#55
thimappa Newbie Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 9 Thanked: 0 Times	re: Travelling long distances on a Motorcycle Post deleted by the Team-BHP Support : Please do NOT post one-liners that add little or no informational value to the thread. We need your co-operation to maintain the overall quality of this forum. Please read our rules before proceeding any further. Last edited by GTO : 14th January 2011 at 15:36.
	() Thanks $Received Infraction$

14th January 2011, 16:33	#56
chanu Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: APX to AP 29 Posts: 1,483 Thanked: 150 Times View My Garage	re: Travelling long distances on a Motorcycle I have a question to all the RE users do find the gear shift to be very manual on this bike. I mean the change of gears are not as smooth as in any other bike any suggestions please pour in. I thank all the members who have contributed to this thread and I am extremely sorry for being absent here but the fire to travell long distance is till burning, meanwhile I am sourcing likeminded people and have been successful in finding few. I am getting a lot of inspiration from here and the friends I find and they are equally enthusiastic to begin the tour, hopefully I will start off a group from Hyderabad either to Chennai or even it could be to Leh.
	() Thanks

29th May 2014, 13:48	#57
Anand3553 BHPian Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 80 Thanked: 67 Times	Travelling in the remote North East India There are so many amazing travelogues in the forum to the beautiful North East of India. Many of them are on 2 wheels. Nothing gives more pleasure than driving around in those places on 2 wheels taking in all the fresh air and vistas. It is indeed tempting, so tempting that you feel your life is wasted if you do not do it atleast once in your lifetime. It is unfair to think that this is meant for the guys only. We could not deny the ladies such a great experience. I have a few questions listed below considering that we have very poor network coverage in those areas. The experienced folks in this forum will find these questions dumb for sure but is quite a concern for a guy like me who is not very experienced in traveling long distances in remote areas. All questions considering that the guy is the only rider and the lady is pillion. • What if the bike breaks down and you cannot figure out how to fix it? • How safe is it to travel with your better half on only one bike? • I do not remember anyone mentioning any bad experience from people in those areas which I find too good to be true. Are the people in those areas actually so good? • Are there areas known for criminal activities in those places? (I understand there could be places under military tension but otherwise?) • What if the rider becomes seriously injured somehow? • If the bike is not able to go forward with 2 people on it on a steep incline and you do not know when 2 people can start traveling again together. Considering that going back is not an option due to time/weather restraints. I am not even sure if these questions are relevant but just came to my mind while reading all those travelogues. Looking forward to the answers from the experts.
	(2) Thanks

29th May 2014, 15:19	#58
Iksvaku BHPian Join Date: May 2014 Location: Bangalore Posts: 34 Thanked: 104 Times	Re: Travelling in the remote North East India Anand, I am fascinated by your intention. Are you going to ride from South India to the North East? I have done this trip the other way a couple of times, in a Contessa. The North East is a spectrum of cultures, with widely varying population densities and road infrastructure. If you have any idea of where you intend to go, I could answer the questions you have posed.
	(1) Thanks

29th May 2014, 16:52	#59
SmartCat Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 6,959 Thanked: 49,534 Times View My Garage	Re: Travelling in the remote North East India 1) Not a very good idea for. See if you can get 2 or 3 more couples (on different bikes) willing to join you on your trip. This will be helpful in case of accidents or bike breakdowns. 2) It's very rare for modern bikes to break down just like that. What you need to prepare for is punctures. Most bikers carry extra tubes with them when they go on adventures like this. 3) Plan your trip in such a way that you reach a hotel by 6:00 PM. Avoid driving after dark. Get up early and leave by 6:00 AM.
	(3) Thanks

29th May 2014, 18:10	#60
Karthik Gullu BHPian Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Bangalore Posts: 34 Thanked: 50 Times	Re: Travelling in the remote North East India Hi Anand, It is always better to have minimum 2 bikes during a long roadtrips if in case 1 bike broke down,other bike can find the alternative but nowadays modernistic bikes are high end with cutting edge-technology and less chances of bike breakdowns if vehicle is serviced and maintained well on time. Basic things that needs to be carried to suffice few of your points Important Tools of your bike. Tyre Puncture Kit and tyre tube. Spark plugs. Clutch cables. Front brake cable (if drum) otherwise break shoes(if disc). Accelator cable. Head light and tail light bulb. Brake lever,clutch lever and york (if bike fell down). 1 litre Engine oil. Jerry canes for extra fuel. With all these measures,to an extent we can manage most common breakdowns and have safe journey. Keep reviving as they alway say !!
	(4) Thanks