The year 2012 was very lucky for me when it comes to riding on my enfield. I was really excited on every trip I did… be it Nashik/Shirdi, Lonavala, Boisar etc….. but the one which I was awaiting was Bombay to Banglore on NH4. I had travelled the route by car 3~4 times since Nov2011, when I first went to Bangalore for Metallica concert. I loved everything about the trip, the roads, the roadside joints, the views, the city, the city pubs and ofcourse Metallica. I was so in love with the Bombay –Bangalore( or rather Mumbai-Bengaluroo) road trip that I anyhow wanted to cover this trip riding.
I had pre-plans of visiting Bangalore with family, so got my tickets booked for 18th Nov in Puducherry express. But it was a Blackout day in Bombay in respect to Bal Thakre’s demise. The central suburbs of city esp Dadar was jam packed with supporters and I had to catch my train from Dadar. If I would have been alone, then anyhow I would have reached my train easily, but with family around I hardly take any chances, so I cancelled the train tickets and at that moment I decided its gonna be a bike ride upto Bangalore as 10days leaves were in my hand and there could be no better time to do this.
PC was also interested in joining me on his R15, but he was conditional that this could be done only after 26th and I tried but could not moved my leaves ahead. So decided to go on alone on my bull. AD was last minute addition as pillion and we were all set to leave early morning by 5 AM. But as usual we overslept and I got up @ 6.30. Called AD immediately and asked him to get ready in half an hour. I reached his place by 7:15 and we left at 7:45 from Malad. I knew we were late as our target was reaching Bangalore within 24 hours. All 3 times we went by car earlier we reached within 18 hours. So I thought 24 hours on bike will be good enough. By 9 we were crossing Panvel, got some fuel in the bike and moved on. I was feeling hungry but AD was insisting to keep moving as far as we can go so we went on. By 10 AM we crossed Lonavala and came to a halt at 10:30 at Kamshet, at a place called TONI DA DHABA. The place was really good with Ostrich and EMU’s and lot of birds inhouse. We had solid Aloo Paratha and egg bhurji in reakfast followed by excellent tea served in big beer glasses. I love the tea only when it served in such big glasses. They were also offering EMU egg omlette costing 1800 bucks which was way beyond our budget. BY 11.30 we left from there and I became the pillion then. Pune city was nearby and we sort of got lost in the city hush-bush. Everyone kept us telling keep on moving till the time you reached Dange Chowk and from their you have to divert for Satara Highway(NH4). The 15 kms ride took more than 40 mins and then we came back on loving roads of Pune-Satara highway. The scenic journey begins from there, and so is the main journey.AD was razing the bull at its max. Considering we left at 8 AM, our target was to reach Satara by 2 PM, but at 2 PM were still 100 kms behind the target. By 4 we reached Satara, and I was continuously getting calls from office as 1 task was pending from my side and the deadline was the same day. Those 4~5 hours were most bad part of the journey. I was carrying my laptop and i-net dongle, but I was not getting internet network at most of the highway points. In all this complexity we slowed down a lot. We even halted at many places to check if we get network here. Half hour of our journey was so that i was riding pillion with my device ON and resting on my lap. We were behaving like Telecom Testers checking for signal strength across the road. Finally i gave up and sped our way to wards Kolhapur/Belgaum. Next 125 kms we covered in 2 hours and it went dark. No sign of sun means no much of riding left for the day. I personally do not favour riding in the dark. But as AD supressed we kept moving but at a slower rate this time. By 10.30 we reached Hubli/Dharwad belt, and were full of hunger. Bad thing was everything was closed and we were finding it difficult to get a piece of bread. It was like the same scene happening when you are low on petrol and no sign of a pump anywhere. Even if you see one its always on other side of the road. NH4 has still to develop its signboard/signalling methodology for the drivers/riders. You will mostly realize there is a petrol pump down the elevated road you are on and there is no possbility of U. We after running for 10 kms stoping and asking every roadside villager possible, for any late night food show, finally found one newly opened Bar(named as '???' Resort and Club) at 11:00. The place was cozy and full of southee drunkards. Food was cheap and OK.
1mutton +1chkn fried rice with 1 OldMonk +1Aquafina = 275 rupees. :)
We enquired with them if they provide any rooms, but sadly they showed us the way ahead.
Again we kept moving for 10kms asking any passerby(hardly there were any left now) and came at a TOLL plaza. Asked Toll wala + auto wala but no one guided us properly as it was late in the night. It was past 1 AM. Finally we approached a CHAi wala at the same TOLL for some information. He said for anything to get we have to off track in the HUbli town and 'TRY' over there OR he showed us some of his iron benches on the backside of his stall and gave us option to rest there till early dawn. AD liked the idea and we 'rolled' on the benches. The benches were like just imported from Antartica. Tiredness took its Toll on me and i went into sleep in next 10 mins. AD parked the bull next to my bench and tried adjusting on it. I opened my eyes and it was 4:45 AM. Chilling breeze was blowing over us and it was difficult to keep your self stretched, so i got up and tried to contract myself as far as possible. AD was also trying the same. This was the most freezing moment of the journey. Again the chai wala came to rescue with our favourite black tea. At that moment we were having 2 roads to choose from - Pune-Bangalore hway OR via Mangalore.
We decided to keep moving on the Hway. The journey for 2 hours was quite grilling due to no proper sleep, freezing early morning winds, heavy tummy etc.
We kept moving in the search of a good restaurant/Hotel where we can freshen up if do not get a chance to bath, have good breakfast and then leave for onward journey. We hardly get anything..... we stopped at a highway side 'janta' restaurant, did our daily routine and loaded some Dosa+cofee.
At this stage AD was half dead and i was wondering what to do next. Due to improper sleep, we were having a good morning. Somehow after 2-3 hours we decided to move on. And we kept moving(with hardly any breaks) till we reach Bangalore by 5pm. On seeing Bangalore (50kms) we were like so happy that we simply ignored the difficulties we faced in past 1and half day. The dream ride of riding more than 1000kms came true and it was so exciting for me i cant even explain here. It was the feeling for which we had planned this whole trip. Reaching Bengaluru from Bombay wasn't a difficult task...there are so many options: Fly, Train, Bus, Car........ but on a Enfield..... that too your first long ride! I can t explain what i have got here. It was one of the most sweet feeling i have through my rides.
BY 5.30 PM we entered Bangalore, but were only able to reach BTM by 9.30PM...thanks to welcome rain(2 hours non-stop) and evening traffic of Bangalore city.
OUr friends in Bangalore were more happy than us for this milestone(somewhat) and they expected us to sleep for unlimited hours but...we were unstoppable....as soon as we all gathered, we started the party and it went till 5 in the morning. I donno if it was the happiness of the ride and/or meeting old pals....all our tiredness/illness vanished and we partied whole night.
1 week the same routine was followed of partying here and there in Bangalore.
I finished my pending work, in the week and decided to move back to bombay on the same bull.
AD left for Mangalore as he has some imp work there and AB who was on business tour in Coimbatore, joined me in Bangalore as even he wanted to have fun of this bike ride.
We did the same routine of leaving early morning(6AM) but could only leave city after 7.30 as Bangalore roads are bit confusing for me and early morning you wont find many people(for directions) on road like Bombay. We had good journey although your seats become more painful this time, so its advisable to have good-soft-cushioned seats on long rides.
First day we reached Kolhapur by 7pm and decided to take a halt as we knew not much distance left for next day. This time we stopped at the first lodge we spotted on the highway (just opposite to McDonalds on the Kolhapur Hway). One of our friend who has transport business and is frequent on Bombay-Kochi (NH17) hway met us at midninght at our hotel, we had good smoke session there but Hotel guy destroyed it saying the main gate cannot be opened after dark as it no city hotel but a hway one and there are many hway dacoits here. Next day we over-slept and by the time we left hotel it was 11AM. We were short of time and for reasons our bike was not performing well like it was on the Bombay-Bangalore journey. I doubt that it needed 1 service or oil change in Bangalore but we didn't go for it. We just topped up engine oil(that too we used 15 50W rating oil which i later found was not advisable for Enfield(Electra). 20 50W would have been best, but the store guy in Bangalore convinced us to use 15 50W. @#*&^$^*%$&^ to the shopkeeper.
By 4.30 we crossed Pune and reached Lonavala. We were struck by the awesome evening climate of Lonavala and we halted there for almost 2 hours. We left Lonavala by 6.30 and there was this moment we had a thought - "yeh journey kab khatam hogi?" By 8.30pm we reached our home and there were many friends waiting(with Beers in hand) for our welcome. I quickly had 2 cans and left for home as i was missing home a lot. Rested whole night, had a good sleep...thanks to those 2 quick cans. Next day i got up and felt like no problem physically but mentally i was high........... iss bike ride ka nasha hi kuch aur hai!
Bombay to Hubli -590 kms in 14 hrs
Hubli to Bangalore - 425 kms in 12 hrs(longer due to Bangalore rains and traffic)
Fuel consumed = 2200 INR
Bangalore to Kolhapur - 605 kms in 14 hrs
Kolhapur to Bombay - 405 kms in 10 hrs
Fuel consumed = 2700 INR (due to wrong engine oil)
So Always use oil which is mentioned in user Manual
for photos, people roads.....CHeck out this video :-
We decided to keep moving on the Hway. The journey for 2 hours was quite grilling due to no proper sleep, freezing early morning winds, heavy tummy etc.
We kept moving in the search of a good restaurant/Hotel where we can freshen up if do not get a chance to bath, have good breakfast and then leave for onward journey. We hardly get anything..... we stopped at a highway side 'janta' restaurant, did our daily routine and loaded some Dosa+cofee.
At this stage AD was half dead and i was wondering what to do next. Due to improper sleep, we were having a good morning. Somehow after 2-3 hours we decided to move on. And we kept moving(with hardly any breaks) till we reach Bangalore by 5pm. On seeing Bangalore (50kms) we were like so happy that we simply ignored the difficulties we faced in past 1and half day. The dream ride of riding more than 1000kms came true and it was so exciting for me i cant even explain here. It was the feeling for which we had planned this whole trip. Reaching Bengaluru from Bombay wasn't a difficult task...there are so many options: Fly, Train, Bus, Car........ but on a Enfield..... that too your first long ride! I can t explain what i have got here. It was one of the most sweet feeling i have through my rides.
BY 5.30 PM we entered Bangalore, but were only able to reach BTM by 9.30PM...thanks to welcome rain(2 hours non-stop) and evening traffic of Bangalore city.
OUr friends in Bangalore were more happy than us for this milestone(somewhat) and they expected us to sleep for unlimited hours but...we were unstoppable....as soon as we all gathered, we started the party and it went till 5 in the morning. I donno if it was the happiness of the ride and/or meeting old pals....all our tiredness/illness vanished and we partied whole night.
1 week the same routine was followed of partying here and there in Bangalore.
I finished my pending work, in the week and decided to move back to bombay on the same bull.
AD left for Mangalore as he has some imp work there and AB who was on business tour in Coimbatore, joined me in Bangalore as even he wanted to have fun of this bike ride.
We did the same routine of leaving early morning(6AM) but could only leave city after 7.30 as Bangalore roads are bit confusing for me and early morning you wont find many people(for directions) on road like Bombay. We had good journey although your seats become more painful this time, so its advisable to have good-soft-cushioned seats on long rides.
First day we reached Kolhapur by 7pm and decided to take a halt as we knew not much distance left for next day. This time we stopped at the first lodge we spotted on the highway (just opposite to McDonalds on the Kolhapur Hway). One of our friend who has transport business and is frequent on Bombay-Kochi (NH17) hway met us at midninght at our hotel, we had good smoke session there but Hotel guy destroyed it saying the main gate cannot be opened after dark as it no city hotel but a hway one and there are many hway dacoits here. Next day we over-slept and by the time we left hotel it was 11AM. We were short of time and for reasons our bike was not performing well like it was on the Bombay-Bangalore journey. I doubt that it needed 1 service or oil change in Bangalore but we didn't go for it. We just topped up engine oil(that too we used 15 50W rating oil which i later found was not advisable for Enfield(Electra). 20 50W would have been best, but the store guy in Bangalore convinced us to use 15 50W. @#*&^$^*%$&^ to the shopkeeper.
By 4.30 we crossed Pune and reached Lonavala. We were struck by the awesome evening climate of Lonavala and we halted there for almost 2 hours. We left Lonavala by 6.30 and there was this moment we had a thought - "yeh journey kab khatam hogi?" By 8.30pm we reached our home and there were many friends waiting(with Beers in hand) for our welcome. I quickly had 2 cans and left for home as i was missing home a lot. Rested whole night, had a good sleep...thanks to those 2 quick cans. Next day i got up and felt like no problem physically but mentally i was high........... iss bike ride ka nasha hi kuch aur hai!
Bombay to Hubli -590 kms in 14 hrs
Hubli to Bangalore - 425 kms in 12 hrs(longer due to Bangalore rains and traffic)
Fuel consumed = 2200 INR
Bangalore to Kolhapur - 605 kms in 14 hrs
Kolhapur to Bombay - 405 kms in 10 hrs
Fuel consumed = 2700 INR (due to wrong engine oil)
So Always use oil which is mentioned in user Manual
for photos, people roads.....CHeck out this video :-
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