Bangalore - Kochi : Route Queries

jkdas · 21st December 2006, 11:56

updates pls..............

abhilashvk · 21st December 2006, 12:37

Guys,

You can try a faster route :
Bangalore - Mysore - Gundalpet - Bandipur forest - Guddallur - Nilambur - Trichur - Kochi. the whole drive takes 9 hrs. Distance is 450-460 Kms. This is the shortest route to Kochi. Except for the Bandipur forest to Nilambur, the roads are pretty good and fast.

menonrajesh · 21st December 2006, 13:42

For a smooth, but fast drive, take Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Thoppur - Mettur - Bhavani - Covai - Palghat - TCR - EKm route..

For a liesurely but occassionaly bumpy drive, take Mysore - Gudallur - Bandipur national park - Nilambur - Trichur - EKM route.

Both these routes are good at present, compared to any other routes to EKM fom Bangalore and you save a good distance also.

Happy driving!

speedzak · 21st December 2006, 15:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by abhilashvk

Guys,

You can try a faster route :
Bangalore - Mysore - Gundalpet - Bandipur forest - Guddallur - Nilambur - Trichur - Kochi. the whole drive takes 9 hrs. Distance is 450-460 Kms. This is the shortest route to Kochi. Except for the Bandipur forest to Nilambur, the roads are pretty good and fast.

Riding in an Avenger thru the Jungles will be good fun. But don't get stuck and it shouldn't rain.

The safest route will be:
Bangalore - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Thoppur - Salem/Mettur - Bhavani - Avinashi - Coimbatore - Walayar - Palakkad - Trichur - Cochin - Alleppey - Trivandrum.

You can frequently stop to cool off and refresh somewhere to make this ride interesting.

jkdas · 22nd December 2006, 23:46

thanks guys!

i took Bangalore - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Thoppur - Salem/Mettur - Bhavani - Avinashi - Coimbatore - Walayar - Palakkad - Trichur - Cochin - Alleppey - Kollam-Varkala.

695kms. 10 stops. 5 tea, one black coffee. A lunch. A litre of water. 900rs worth of petrol ( think 2 lit plus still in bike).

same for Sankar; but add 10 cigarettes to teh list.

There were many KA reg cars. Till Thoppur ( you have one or 2 serious pothole, thats all) then small bit good road till Mettur. Many villages in btw.
Those with family, do visit Mettur damn. I will post pix later. We didnt speed much just 80-100. Best FE was 44kmpl when I had to ride at 40-50kmph from Palghat to Cochin!

maxbhp · 23rd December 2006, 00:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steeroid

I wouldnt wonder - read Speedzak's signature.

Nice route, but the going gets really bad after Sultan's Battery because of high density traffic once you reach Kerala. WHenever you drive into Kerala, take the LAST possible point of entry. The roads in the state are good, but the traffic is heavy and the bus drivers are Yamrajs.

Exactly and they are really Yamaraj's , KSRTC is okay , but private buses are real bad *** Yamaraj's, Sadly I drive every two days to Walayar. It s tough battling out with these Yamaraj's , am hoping to blind them with my forthcoming addition of two Hello 5,00,000 in the front

Sankar · 23rd December 2006, 10:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkdas

thanks guys!

i took Bangalore - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Thoppur - Salem/Mettur - Bhavani - Avinashi - Coimbatore - Walayar - Palakkad - Trichur - Cochin - Alleppey - Kollam-Varkala.

695kms. 10 stops. 5 tea, one black coffee. A lunch. A litre of water. 900rs worth of petrol ( think 2 lit plus still in bike).

same for Sankar; but add 10 cigarettes to teh list.

There were many KA reg cars. Till Thoppur ( you have one or 2 serious pothole, thats all) then small bit good road till Mettur. Many villages in btw.
Those with family, do visit Mettur damn. I will post pix later. We didnt speed much just 80-100. Best FE was 44kmpl when I had to ride at 40-50kmph from Palghat to Cochin!

We reached ernakulam at around 5.30pm, the traffic from trichur bye-pass till the end of ernakulam bye pass was horrible. The trip was uneventful save for one incident near chalakudy. The worst fuel efficiency was 32.6. While taking the Mettur road you have to take a left before reaching the dam, but it's worth it to go half a kilometer ahead and see the dam.

For me it was 10 stops, ten ciggies (that's how the stops were counted

), 5 teas, one black coffee and one double duck egg omlette.

jkdas · 24th December 2006, 13:46

@ Thoppur; the bike and the helmets

@ thoppur; thats Sankar. Frm here you take a right to Mettur ; bypasses Salem.

@ Mettur dam. head this way or take a left jsut before damn towards Erode route. You pass by the Thermal power plant if you take left before the dam.

A whirlpool / vortex !!!

Check the turbojet scorp!

Varkala!

rjstyles69 · 25th December 2006, 00:00

hey JK , the whirlpool shot is simply amazing dude. Hats off to you..

WhiteKnight · 26th December 2006, 11:57

@JK, Thankx for the pictures. I am planning to try that route next time.

Would you please give us a bit more detail of Thoppur-Mettur-Bhavani-Avinasi? Distance and turns which we need to take-a la tulip chart like?

kph · 26th December 2006, 13:05

@JK, amazing trip.
Btw, you both went in one bike?

jkdas · 26th December 2006, 15:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteKnight

@JK, Thankx for the pictures. I am planning to try that route next time.

Would you please give us a bit more detail of Thoppur-Mettur-Bhavani-Avinasi? Distance and turns which we need to take-a la tulip chart like?

kph; yah one bike

I drove till Mettur and from there to Kovai, Sankar rode. And from Kovai (bypass) to Varkala I rode.

WhiteKnight; the roads good. You have bad patch after Mettur but nothing serious. Very less traffic too.

I would be riding back on 2nd and hence would post back in details on 3rd or so.

ramkya1 · 28th December 2006, 12:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by giri

Thanks everyone for your advice.

I think we should make some of these route maps as stickies, and have them updated whenever members have latest expereinces to post.

Are there any updated, reliable driving maps available?

Hai,

You'd find TTK maps OK to check out distances. There are maps available at Paico, Ernakulam or any decent bookstall which will give you district wise-map of Kerala, TN and Karnataka, you would be able to calculate the road distances also relatively accurately. I have found them useful in all my road trips.

Happy Driving,

--Ramky

-------------------

Sankar · 28th December 2006, 20:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkdas

kph; yah one bike

I drove till Mettur and from there to Kovai, Sankar rode. And from Kovai (bypass) to Varkala I rode.

Grrr....i rode from Mettur to Palghat, forgot having our lunch from the hotel in palghat? Not coz i got tired coz, JK got tired sittin behind lol. Well sitting behind is a more of a task than riding it, rider's seat is the best. get the seat cushioned dude.

jkdas · 3rd January 2007, 18:09

did 1701kms within a week
(Bangy-Mettur-Cochin-Kollam-Varkala-Kollam-Changanacherry-Kottayam- Kollam-Varkala-Kollam-Cochin-Mettur-Bangy).

Will post pix and details of route taken on my way back to Bangy from
Varkala later

21st December 2006, 11:56	#16
jkdas Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Thiruvananthapu Posts: 9,687 Thanked: 1,496 Times View My Garage	updates pls..............
	() Thanks

21st December 2006, 12:37	#17
abhilashvk BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Bangalore/Calic Posts: 367 Thanked: 32 Times View My Garage	Guys, You can try a faster route : Bangalore - Mysore - Gundalpet - Bandipur forest - Guddallur - Nilambur - Trichur - Kochi. the whole drive takes 9 hrs. Distance is 450-460 Kms. This is the shortest route to Kochi. Except for the Bandipur forest to Nilambur, the roads are pretty good and fast.
	() Thanks

21st December 2006, 13:42	#18
menonrajesh BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 213 Thanked: 2 Times View My Garage	For a smooth, but fast drive, take Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Thoppur - Mettur - Bhavani - Covai - Palghat - TCR - EKm route.. For a liesurely but occassionaly bumpy drive, take Mysore - Gudallur - Bandipur national park - Nilambur - Trichur - EKM route. Both these routes are good at present, compared to any other routes to EKM fom Bangalore and you save a good distance also. Happy driving!
	() Thanks

22nd December 2006, 23:46	#20
jkdas Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Thiruvananthapu Posts: 9,687 Thanked: 1,496 Times View My Garage	thanks guys! i took Bangalore - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Thoppur - Salem/Mettur - Bhavani - Avinashi - Coimbatore - Walayar - Palakkad - Trichur - Cochin - Alleppey - Kollam-Varkala. 695kms. 10 stops. 5 tea, one black coffee. A lunch. A litre of water. 900rs worth of petrol ( think 2 lit plus still in bike). same for Sankar; but add 10 cigarettes to teh list. There were many KA reg cars. Till Thoppur ( you have one or 2 serious pothole, thats all) then small bit good road till Mettur. Many villages in btw. Those with family, do visit Mettur damn. I will post pix later. We didnt speed much just 80-100. Best FE was 44kmpl when I had to ride at 40-50kmph from Palghat to Cochin!
	() Thanks

24th December 2006, 13:46	#23
jkdas Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Thiruvananthapu Posts: 9,687 Thanked: 1,496 Times View My Garage	@ Thoppur; the bike and the helmets @ thoppur; thats Sankar. Frm here you take a right to Mettur ; bypasses Salem. @ Mettur dam. head this way or take a left jsut before damn towards Erode route. You pass by the Thermal power plant if you take left before the dam. A whirlpool / vortex !!! Check the turbojet scorp! Varkala! Last edited by jkdas : 24th December 2006 at 13:51.
	() Thanks

25th December 2006, 00:00	#24
rjstyles69 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bengalooru.. Posts: 4,344 Thanked: 845 Times View My Garage	hey JK , the whirlpool shot is simply amazing dude. Hats off to you..
	() Thanks

26th December 2006, 11:57	#25
WhiteKnight Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,006 Thanked: 701 Times View My Garage	@JK, Thankx for the pictures. I am planning to try that route next time. Would you please give us a bit more detail of Thoppur-Mettur-Bhavani-Avinasi? Distance and turns which we need to take-a la tulip chart like?
	() Thanks

26th December 2006, 13:05	#26
kph BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Manali Posts: 156 Thanked: 13 Times	@JK, amazing trip. Btw, you both went in one bike?
	() Thanks

3rd January 2007, 18:09	#30
jkdas Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Thiruvananthapu Posts: 9,687 Thanked: 1,496 Times View My Garage	did 1701kms within a week (Bangy-Mettur-Cochin-Kollam-Varkala-Kollam-Changanacherry-Kottayam- Kollam-Varkala-Kollam-Cochin-Mettur-Bangy). Will post pix and details of route taken on my way back to Bangy from Varkala later Last edited by jkdas : 3rd January 2007 at 18:10.
	() Thanks