HOW TO PREPARE FOR LONG BIKE RIDE IN INDIA - POINTERS

With my Royal Enfield Classic 500 customized and me enjoying riding to the hilt, I decided to ride along with fellow riders to Rider Mania 2014 and represent our club Cruising Godz, Enfield Riders Club of Nashik.

But, before I could depart on the longest and most adventurous ride of my life, I needed to make sure that I was prepared.

Long distance bike riding is unique in many aspects and needs careful planning.

Top Tip: Some important aspects to consider are:

Safety – You need to be in full safety gear. Don’t, under any circumstances, compromise on your safety gear. Also make sure you have tyre with enough rubber and proper brakes. 

Space – Space is at a premium as you can maximum carry a saddlebag and another smaller bag strapped on the back seat. So plan what is essential and what can be skipped or arranged for during the ride.

Spares – You need all the important spares, which you may need during the ride. Remember, you will find plenty of mechanics in every village in India, but spares are hard to come by and no mechanic can help you without the correct spares.

My riding preparation began almost a month in advance. I had to plan for many things and take into account worst-case scenarios. 

   Top Tip: List of things you need to carry include:

Safety Gear –

• Helmet (With a spare visor)

My Helmet - HJC IS-17

• Safety jacket
• Gloves (2 pairs, in case you misplace or damage one set)

• Kneepads and
• Riding boots
• Personally I also prefer wearing a cotton quality baraclava under my helmet. It keeps the helmet clean and also reduces the wind noise. Woolen quality baraclava for winter riding are also commonly available. Remember to carry 2-3 nos. of these for long rides.

Spares – The list of spares is long. But the most important ones are:

• Tyre tube for both front and rear tyre as per tyre size.
• Fuses of all voltage. Check your fuse box for the different fuses needed.
• Spark plugs (2 nos. minimum)
• Spare bulbs for headlight, brake light and turn indicators
• Bike duplicate key
• Spare bungee cords
• Complete tool kit
• Chain cleaning and lubricant spray
• Cutting tool like blade or knife
• Spare electrical wire
• Flashlight

Food – Make sure to carry some chocolates in case you need a quick sugar intake. Also carry easy to eat things like biscuits, noodle packets, dry fruits etc. in case of non-availability of food, especially in remote areas.

Clothes – Keep the clothes to a minimum, as this is the easiest way to save on space. Be prepared to wash your clothes on non-riding days. Also, carry quick drying / disposable clothes wherever possible. Remember, rolled clothes take much lesser space than folded clothes.

Medicines – Cary all the necessary medicines, for every eventuality you can think of. Keep the common medicines like Band-Aid, sanitizer, stomach and cold medicines in your pouch for easy access. But make sure to keep medicines for stomach pains, muscle relaxers, headache medicines etc. in your luggage.

Sleeping Bag – I carry my sleeping bag for long rides. It helps in sleeping outdoors or even indoors, as many hotels on highways in India really don’t have clean enough beds to sleep in. The sleeping bag acts as a great bed sheet.

Cash – Carry limited amount of cash. ATMs are around everywhere and most fuel stations, hotels and restaurants accept credit cards.

Documents – Make sure all documents required by law such as Registration, Insurance, License, PUC etc. are present in the bike. I also keep a copy of all documents in my pouch for easy reach.

Some miscellaneous pointers to be kept in mind- 

• It is recommended to keep expensive things to a minimum to avoid unnecessary attention and chances of theft. For example, your mobile phone can be used for calling, music and GPS. So there is no need to carry 3 gadgets. Also, wear an inexpensive watch and remove any jewelry such as rings, chains etc.
• Keep some additional space as clothes always expand after using and you may want to get some souvenirs during the ride.
• Always carry drinking water on you, as drinking water on Indian highways can be extremely unhygienic.
• Remember to cover your saddlebags by thick plastic in case you are riding in the rain or even in fog. The last thing you want is for all your contents to get damp.

SAFETY GEAR FOR BIKE RIDING IN INDIA

The booking of my RE was done a month back. As the anticipation built-up, the call finally came. My Royal Enfield Classic 500 Desert Storm was ready for delivery.

Paper work complete, I took delivery of the bike and rode-out with butterflies in my stomach. My previous experience of riding this beast was for a short test-ride and my emotions during the first ride were anxiety about my decision to buy the RE and elation of owning my most powerful bike.

The sand colour Desert Storm was newly launched and turned quite a few heads on my way back from the dealership.

RE Desert Storm 500 in it's natural avatar

Since I was already in-touch with the local Royal Enfield riders group, I was quick to join in and started learning a lot about the bike and about riding. Never having ridden long distance before, I started with short rides within 20-50 kms range.

One of the first things I learnt by associating with experienced riders is to ride in full safety gear. My safety gear included helmet, safety jacket, riding gloves, kneepads and riding boots. The safety gear really inspires confidence while riding, as well as make the ride more involving and enjoyable.

Top Tip: There is a range of safety gears available in India. I recommend the following:

• Helmets – Choose ISI certified helmets only. Full-face helmets are always better than Open-Face or Hybrid helmets as they have more rigidity and strength. I personally use HJC for long rides (It is quality certified as per US and Europe norms) and Aaron for my local use. Other high-end helmets available in India are Airoh and LS2 (Medium price range). Many local brands including Vega, Studds, Steelbird etc. are also good.
• Safety Jackets – Always try safety jackets and choose the most comfortable. Good brands for these include DSG, Rynox or Cramster. You can get cloth, leather or mix material jackets. Choose depending on your price range and riding condition. Leather can get very warm in Indian conditions.
• Kneepads – Choose kneepads or riding pants, which have the kneepads in-built. I personally prefer riding pants from DSG or Royal Enfield itself as they are simpler and less troublesome to use.
• Gloves – You will need a couple of pairs of gloves, although there is no need to buy them all together. Safety gloves from Cramster or DSG are very good. You can choose from various models, as per your personal preference. You may also need a pair of water-proof gloves for rain / foggy weather riding.
• Riding boots – There are plenty of boots available from Rs. 500 upwards. However, I recommend getting boots with a steel tip as these can protect feet better during an unfortunate incident. The riding boots from Royal Enfield are also of very good quality.
• Camel Bag – I always use a camel bag i.e. a water bag, which can be worn like a backpack, and has a tube through which you can drink easily, even with the helmet on. There are plenty of options from 1L onwards. Remember that the larger water bags are much heavier.

Note of Caution: I recently purchased a set of water-proof riding gloves. But they didn't really perform well as water easily entered the gloves. When I went back to the dealership, I was told that they carry only 1 month warranty. So be sure to check the warranty before purchasing any product.

I now feel amazed when I see people riding two-wheelers on the Indian highways without any safety gear. The joy of riding with the proper gear can only be known after trying it. Personally, I never hit the highways without full safety gear.

Keep reading my next post, which gives details of the customization of my Royal Enfield.

ME AND MY WHEELS

I am what you can call an auto buff.

Growing up in Nasik, a small town in India, my initial passion for wheels was limited to TV programs and the cars that we owned. My earliest memories relating to wheels is our first family car, an off-white colour Premier Padmini. This was one of the only two cars commonly available in India in the 80’s and early 90’s, the other being the Hindustan Ambassador, which was the first car to be made in India, and was modelled after the British Morris Oxford.

The Premier Padmini was manufactured by Premier Automobiles India, under license from FIAT. Some of it’s unique features, which are synonymous with the car were it’s column-mounted shifter, on the left-hand side of the steering column and it’s single long front seat, which could accommodate 3 people with ease. 

Premier Padmini

The Premier Padmini had been a family member for a long time. Its build quality and reliability were top-notch. I can vouch for this, because in 1985, while relocating from Bhopal to Nasik, our family actually drove this distance of nearly 700 Kms. in this car. These were the days before express highways were invented and the car got us to our destination in 3 days.

Another fond memory relating to wheels dates back to the time I was 8. It was summer holidays, and on a sunny and warm afternoon, my father took me to an office and I was delighted to learn that he was going to surprise our family with a new car. WOW!! We were upgrading to a spanking new Maruti Suzuki 800 (It was the beginning of the Japanese imports era and this was the first car made in India by Suzuki, Japan in collaboration with Maruti, India).

                                                            

Maruti Suzuki 800

I feel that there was a reason that my father decided to take me to the finance companies’ office instead of my elder brother. Maybe he saw the passion for wheels in me even before I did.

I am now the official gear-head in the family. Right from selecting the options to be considered, to test-driving each car, to negotiating the deal and taking delivery of the new car (One of the best feelings ever!!), is all my responsibility, and one which I am happy to perform at regular intervals.

Since then, my family has gone through many cars. My favourite has to be the Maruti Suzuki Zen. It’s stylish looks and the spunky yet simplistic drive (Which made it fun and safe at the same time for a novice driver like me) were it’s unique features and I drove this car for well over 150,000 Kms. before changing it.

Maruti Suzuki Zen

Ford Ikon 1.6 Nxt

Other notable mentions have to be the Ford Escort, Ford Ikon, Mahindra Scorpio and my current car, the Toyota Innova. The Ford Ikon 1.6L (Pictured above) is the best driving car I have had the pleasure to own, whereas the Mahindra Scorpio and Toyota Innova have given me the pleasure and comfort of large SUVs.

Although many cars have been changed over the years, the feeling of that day when my dad bought the new Maruti Suzuki 800 still remains the same. I feel it every time I buy a new car or bike. The excitement, the butterflies in my stomach, the new car smell, the puja at the time of delivery (a normal custom for every Indian) and many more feelings that I can’t describe.

My experience with bikes has been equally long, although not as engaging since the beginning.

I have been riding two-wheelers since the age of 16, which is the minimum age mandated by Indian law. But the use was always limited to practicality and convenience, as is the case in every small town in India. College, tuition classes, friends and general commuting required transportation.

I started with a TVS Scooty (Non-geared and below 60 CC, which allowed me to start using it at age of 16). AT the time, TVS Scooty and Bajaj Sunny were the only two vehicles available in India which one could ride at the age of 16.

TVS Scooty

Bajaj Sunny

The TVS Scooty was a hand-me-down from my elder brother, but I am glad that he decided to select the better looking Scooty over the uglier looking Sunny :). In fact, our red scooty was the first vehicle to be delivered by the dealer in Nasik.

At the age of 18, I upgraded to a Kinetic Honda, which has probably been the most successful ungeared vehicle to be sold in India. This was quickly followed by my first bike, a red colour Hero Honda CBZ at age of 19.

Hero Honda CBZ

At the time, this bike was the best looking bike in India by far, with the styling of the bike being a scaled version of the famous Honda CB series. It was love at first sight. I didn’t even take a test-ride and booked it purely based on looks. Luckily the bike was no slouch in performance either and I remember many mini-drag races at traffic signals with it’s nemesis, the Suzuki Shogun. The added safety of front disk brakes (Again, one of the first bikes in India to offer this as a standard) also helped.

Fast-forward 13 years, and I still owned the CBZ at the age of 31, albeit haven ridden it only 11,000 odd kms. in 13 years. Somehow I got it into my head that I needed a new bike. Was it an early mid-life crisis? Whatever it was, I thank God for making it happen, because this decision to change my bike has completely transformed my life.

I looked at the regular options available at the time, and zeroed in on the new Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS, which had just been launched. But life has it’s own ways to making things happen, and a rude sales lady at the Bajaj showroom who refused to provide me a test-ride or even sit on the display bike (“There are so many Pulsars out there on Indian roads. Why do you want a test-ride?” was her reply), which made me walk out in disgust. After leaving, I just happened to pass by the Royal Enfield showroom. I must have passed by this showroom hundreds of times, but had never paid any attention to it. Today though, I stopped and paid a visit to the dealer. I was given a Classic 350 for trial and I was hooked within half a kilometer of riding the bike.

I had never felt anything like this on a motorcycle. The power, the thump, the stability; everything screamed attitude and I was convinced. The respect that it got on the road and the looks of admiration didn’t hurt either. Back in the showroom, I loved the new Desert Storm 500 on display. A quick trip to the ATM and the booking amount was paid.

RE Desert Storm 500

Being in high demand means that Royal Enfield bikes have a long waiting period. I was given an estimated delivery date after 6 months waiting period. I used the time to make contacts with the local Nasik Enfield Riders club, ‘Cruising Godz’. Thanks to their help, I got the bike delivered in 4 weeks instead of the waiting period of 6 months confirmed at the time of booking.

Thus began my life-transforming journey with the Royal Enfield Classic Desert Storm 500 (Quite a mouthful, huh?) . Of course, this journey now continues with the Triumph Bonneville T100. But I can’t include everything in this blog and thus keep reading my next blog, which covers my experience with the RE!!