[venuraja]

Originally Posted by gurramvimal

Hope you had an amazing experience..Nice share Raja

Did u face any problems like..clutch wire or brake pads worn out..etc,..

And the tyre's are tubeless right?

Tyres are tubeless. Whenever I stoped at Dhabas I checked the tyres to see for any puncture because for tubeless, it will take at least an hour for the tyre to deflate.
On the day 2, at Srikakulam after my lunch , I checked and found that there was a nail in the tyre. Puncture shop just adjacent, so there was no problem.

But I had actually carried a foot pump,tubless tyre puncture kit in my luggage.

I did not face any problems of clutch wire or brake pads etc., Since the brake shoes were brand new , they were very sharp. On wet roads Ninja stock tyres were skidding even with slight braking.

[Parth46]

Extremely inspiring sir, and humbling for people like me. I've been on the fence regarding the Ninja 300, and even though can go for it the high sticker price is putting a dampener. Would love to follow in your footsteps though and do a proper road trip soon, it's been ages

[venuraja]

Originally Posted by Parth46

Extremely inspiring sir, and humbling for people like me. I've been on the fence regarding the Ninja 300, and even though can go for it the high sticker price is putting a dampener. Would love to follow in your footsteps though and do a proper road trip soon, it's been ages

Ninja 300 is a bit overpriced but it has its own glamour.

KTM Duke 390 is VFM and that is for sure.

A soon to be launched Pulsar 390 or 400 may be a good buy, considering a very reliable pulsar 220 and Bajaj's ever improving engineering after its majority stake in KTM.

[Urban_Nomad]

Wonderful log. Congratulations on completing the journey to the "biker's mecca".

Agree with you who heartedly on the exercise / fitness regimen. 10 - 20 kms a day? That again is quite a feat. I do 4.5 kms a day (4 days a week) and feel like I conquered a small country (and I am 32 years old). You have inspired me to push myself further.

And about the tyre slippage in wet road conditions - I believe the Ninja comes shod with IRC's? Not very encouraging feedback have I heard on these tyres from multiple sources. I would suggest a tyre change and get something grippier. Member / Mod Balenopower / N_Aditya will happily guide you.

Take care!

[venuraja]

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

Wonderful log. Congratulations on completing the journey to the "biker's mecca".

Agree with you who heartedly on the exercise / fitness regimen. 10 - 20 kms a day? That again is quite a feat. I do 4.5 kms a day (4 days a week) and feel like I conquered a small country (and I am 32 years old). You have inspired me to push myself further.

And about the tyre slippage in wet road conditions - I believe the Ninja comes shod with IRC's? Not very encouraging feedback have I heard on these tyres from multiple sources. I would suggest a tyre change and get something grippier. Member / Mod Balenopower / N_Aditya will happily guide you.

Take care!

Thanks a lot.

The one aspect of this Ninja 250 that had terribly dissappointed me was the skidding of this bike for a slight braking even at slow speeds.
I want to sell the bike ( see classifieds of team-bhp ) but if at all I keep it, I would like to change the tyres for good. I think MRF would be better.
I am eagerly awaiting arrival of a pulsar 400cc bike.

[TorquePeedo]

I agree with all in this thread about your ride being an inspiration to all. Congratulations on achieving this!

I too own a 2010 Ninja and might be taking it to Leh maybe next year and I had a couple of questions which are more focussed on the ninja as I have been to the delhi-manali-leh-srinagar-delhi circuit on my pulsar 180 in 2005.

1. How did the ninja perform on Gatta loops, Tanglangla and Lachulungla while travelling to Leh?
2. How did the ninja perform on ChangLa while enroute to Pangong?
3. Did you face any FI issues?
4. What spares did you carry?
5. How much fuel economy did the ninja give on the mountains?
6. How comfortable was the seat?
7. What did you have as saddle luggage? Which make or brand?

[venuraja]

Originally Posted by TorquePeedo

I agree with all in this thread about your ride being an inspiration to all. Congratulations on achieving this!

I too own a 2010 Ninja and might be taking it to Leh maybe next year and I had a couple of questions which are more focussed on the ninja as I have been to the delhi-manali-leh-srinagar-delhi circuit on my pulsar 180 in 2005.

1. How did the ninja perform on Gatta loops, Tanglangla and Lachulungla while travelling to Leh?
2. How did the ninja perform on ChangLa while enroute to Pangong?
3. Did you face any FI issues?
4. What spares did you carry?
5. How much fuel economy did the ninja give on the mountains?
6. How comfortable was the seat?
7. What did you have as saddle luggage? Which make or brand?

I did not carry any spares and that was a cause of worry for me , though nothing happened.

I failed to notice Ghata loops in a special way. Though each time of bend and ascending , Ninja was going slowest even in the first gear.
Tanglang la was not a big deal, though I was panting a lot by the time I reached the peak.

It is very surprising to observe that mileage is more on the hills. It was a little more than 22 or 23 kmpl on the hills. But a bulleteer also told me that on the hills , his Enfield 500 was also giving more mileage.

I did not face any FI issues but I was more worried about this because I was not filling any premium petrol anywhere.

One thing I did was that I did not strain or stress the engine ,instead I allowed the engine to pick up by itself and I had just allowed the Ninja to go whatever speed it could go instead of stressing it by changing the gears too many times or wringing the throttle just too much to pick up more speed..

One magnetic tank bag and travelling backpack, and one big back pack , that would look like a gunny bag.

That gunny bag type of one , I had tied it up on the back seat , length wise and not horizontally. Magnetic bag did not need any belts to hold on to petrol tank, and back pack which I carried had documents , emergency cash, one extra bank ATM card , a few biscuits and water bottle.
Magnetic bag was "GIVVY" brand an Italian one. And saddle bag , the big one was purchased by me in Kuwait. It had its own , plastic cover with elastic belts and this became of great use while riding through rains.

My full length boots were made in UK , purchased in Kuwait along with knee guards also made in UK. Gloves were made in Australia.

[ByDesign]

Though I have never been a rider, I am completely awe struck at the massive journey, both mental and physical, that you have successfully undertaken. The idea of traveling alone for me extends only to my drive to office and back (approx 25 kms one way). What you have done Sir, is amazing.

There is definitely strong spiritual energy at these ancient sites of worship and I have no doubt in my mind that they confer the power of protection and well being on people who ask for it with a true heart.

It means a lot to me when you said traveling alone makes a man humble and makes one respect all other forms of life, and how small we really are compared to the forces around us, like nature. This seems to be the great philosophical side to driving an automobile, and that's fantastic. Very very deep insight indeed.

Congratulations on completing this journey and I really enjoyed going through the entire writeup. Do you feel more positive in your daily life after this trip?

[venuraja]

Originally Posted by ByDesign

Though I have never been a rider, I am completely awe struck at the massive journey, both mental and physical, that you have successfully undertaken. The idea of traveling alone for me extends only to my drive to office and back (approx 25 kms one way). What you have done Sir, is amazing.

There is definitely strong spiritual energy at these ancient sites of worship and I have no doubt in my mind that they confer the power of protection and well being on people who ask for it with a true heart.

It means a lot to me when you said traveling alone makes a man humble and makes one respect all other forms of life, and how small we really are compared to the forces around us, like nature. This seems to be the great philosophical side to driving an automobile, and that's fantastic. Very very deep insight indeed.

Congratulations on completing this journey and I really enjoyed going through the entire writeup. Do you feel more positive in your daily life after this trip?

I am sorry to answer a little bit late.
Yes, the journey made me very humble.
I also clearly experienced that getting tired is very much psychological than physical.
Goethe famously said that "if you have an ambition , know that you have necessary energy to do it , otherwise you will not have any such ambition"

And yes, I became very positive in attitude perticularly towards long journeys.

[goandude]

Amazing simply amazing, the length of the drive, the terrain, the road conditions, and you did it alone. At age 55. Hats off to you sir. A great travelogue which will inspire members of this forum.

[JoseVijay]

Sir, When I first read the title, I thought that this ride must have been done by a youngster below 30years. But when I saw your age, I just couldn't belive my eyes. I though there must have been typo error. But later had to believe that it was true. Amazing sir, my respects to you.

[venuraja]

Originally Posted by goandude

Amazing simply amazing, the length of the drive, the terrain, the road conditions, and you did it alone. At age 55. Hats off to you sir. A great travelogue which will inspire members of this forum.

Thank you very much.

Actually now I am running 56 years of age. 55 years completed.

Originally Posted by JoseVijay

Sir, When I first read the title, I thought that this ride must have been done by a youngster below 30years. But when I saw your age, I just couldn't belive my eyes. I though there must have been typo error. But later had to believe that it was true. Amazing sir, my respects to you.

Thanks a lot.

Times of India news daily, in its "Hyderabad Times" special four page pull out
covered the news of my Hyderabad to Leh tour on 10th Sept 2013.

Mod Note: Please use the EDIT or MULTI-QUOTE buttons instead of typing one post after another on the SAME THREAD!

To know how to multi-quote, click here.

[raguprasad]

Venu Sir,
Hyd To Leh Ninja, all alone... I was expecting someone within 25 yrs of Age, when i saw you are 55 , you are the inspiration for most of the youths around. Hats off to you sir.
Definitely the good way to live life with the good health to achieve things when most of Indians think they have already retired in their 45...
Looking forward for more such threads.

[TorquePeedo]

venu sir I am asking another question though a bit late, how did you manage with the fairings on the mountains? Any damages? Did they hit anywhere anytime?

I always considered myself a light traveler on the bike but I noticed you carried a very sparing luggage for a 31 day trip. If you don't mind telling what was the list of your essentials?

[venuraja]

Originally Posted by TorquePeedo

venu sir I am asking another question though a bit late, how did you manage with the fairings on the mountains? Any damages? Did they hit anywhere anytime?

I always considered myself a light traveler on the bike but I noticed you carried a very sparing luggage for a 31 day trip. If you don't mind telling what was the list of your essentials?

I am sorry for coming in with reply little bit late.

I do not understand why fairings of the bike should be a hindrance. There was never such a problem.

As for the luggage I carried here is the brief list :
1) about half-a-dozen under wears , three trousers and t-shirts,full shirts,one sweater,two shawls,towels (2) etc., I had given for washing when I stayed in hotels.
2) torch light
3) one big match box
4) one button knife which I purchased in Kuwait.
5) one flask
6) one 11 feet long tarpaulin (rexin type a thick one)
7) two bank ATM cards
8) colour xerox copy of AAdhar card, original driving licence,original RC book and pollution check certificate,original insurance papers, even original invoice of the bike from show room , Rs.10,000/= cash of which I put six thousand separately as emergency cash in secret layer of my tank bag 9) emergency medicines like anti-inflammatory and anti-biotic capsules, one bottle of iodine and two small bundles of cotton and one small bundle of bandage cloth , a pair of small scissors and normal shaving kit. 10)
and An (AIR-PUMP) pedal or foot pump. 11) Tubeless tire puncture kit.

Out of these flask I rarely used and knife and torch,foot pump,or puncture kit I never used. Surprisingly emergency cash of 6 K saved me in the night to fill petrol ,where there was no ATM and I forgot to draw cash where they were available.
My natural way of talking,frankness, very little cash in the purse, inquiring with locals whenever in doubt, eating hot food in dhabas, drinking only bottled mineral water only thorough out journey,stopping after every one hour or one and half-hour helped me in the long run. Here and there I have avoided unnecessary arguments when a shop keeper made a comment that I was sure mad to undertake such a long journey. I smiled and left.

Danger was travelling in the night when roads were washed out by rain and you do not know that. In states like MP there were no road signs to indicate a large well right on the road side !! Avoid travelling in the night. Ride the bike from 5 am to 7 pm , travel only 500km and stay for the night was my formula but I violated my own rules two or three times , luckily I escaped without much danger to me.
When you go out on the bike in a city
( for sightseeing from your hotel ) which you had never seen before what happens is you would lose your way for sure.And if you had forgotten the name of hotel in which you were staying , it would be very difficult to get back.