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Surat-Chennai on FZ16.
It all began on 4th the day I resigned from my first job in Surat...! I had some time to join the next job so kind off had time in life for some adventure after really long. So I geared up to the adventure by doing the usual stuff for my FZ-16 which had clocked just over 6800kms by then. Started the prep by first changing the Engine oil from the normal mineral oil of Yamaha lub to Synthetic that is used in R-15, filled the tiers with Nitrogen Air after checking for punctures(As you never get to find slow punctures on these Tubeless tyres im sure FZ owners will sure agree), the only road block I hit was no Chain Lub spray with Yamaha work shop(pathetic!!! ) but since I had just sprayed them a week back I thot it would be ok But wait for the surprise the second day of ride....!
With the new LUB the FZ was giving me the rite vibes and a great feel. Shook her up started off from Surat visited a friend in Vapi hoping to get Chain spray but in vain by around 3.00PM. spent my night there just lazing around so by 6.00 I was up and ready and down to the bike had to carry two bags so tied to the back seat kind of took more than 25mins...!
Off I was by 7.00AM on 7th July for a trip I will never forget. As I moved out from Vapi I just hit the magic no's on the Odo 7000kms...
Now the trip really heated up on the Highway it was magic on the air as the border of Maharashtra welcomed me with tall hills and clouds crawling all over them a sight to watch and relish. As I moved on hitting the entry of Mumbai towards Pune, roads are delight around here. As I started the mountain section started the Rain it was fun to actually find the Bike handling as crisp as I zipped past the spares traffic. You have a FZ guys try the mountains on the rain as the rear skids (especially a bag carrying a lot of stuffs), then came the place my ride was stopped as I hit a road block with the cops. Well wana guess what? I don know how I did it but I got into the Express Way(Mumbai-Pune) this dreaded moment was just before Kandala made a mistake by getting on it cause I did not see the sign board right had to pay a fine, the INDIAN way (hope you don want me to explain). Out of there I was cruising as the roads where just perfect as I hit the Pune By-pass say around 11.00AM that was fast considering my road block of 20mins. Sat down for a cup of tea. Now I was flying on the highway 110kms/hr cruising though.
Sat down for Lunch say around 13:40 just before Satara by this time I knew I will reach Hubballi. Oh yes I will have to take this moment to thank a great friend of mind "RITU" She was the one Responsible for such a long morning blast as her Break fast was great and sumptuous, to add to the trouble I just told her to find me a place to stay in Hubballi 45mins before I reached there and as prompt as she is she found me a place by the time I got there... thank you RITZ.
Stayed in a nice hotel in Hubballi was great as the food was great and slept well.
Day-2 of riding this was the tough day as the first day for over 780kms covered it was a real breeze. I get up in the morning say around 5.30ish to check the oil and the rest. Well I need to thank god I fond that the Chain was real loose man as loose as it gets. Well figured out the culprit was the Chain Lub spray....! the chain was probably eating into the sprocket well had to hold my horses as I know Yamaha Has no service stations on the High way(Yamaha U need to improve ) so stayed back till 10:00AM in a service station where they gave me a can of Chain cleaner and chain lub Spray. Off i was out of Hubballi by 11:00AM well beyond 5hrs of my schedule. Now came the next scare leaving Hubballi I had more than Half a tank of Fuel I hit the highway and by the time the fuel reached 3Ltrs mark I start looking for a petrol Pump to my astonishment as the previous day I found one every 50kms. Karnataka welcomed me with no Petrol pumps for over a 100kms stretch and by the time I went on reserve I asked a person on the road who claimed it was more than 80kms off so reduced the speed to 60kms/Hr and I knew my FZ never gave me more than 40Kms/Ltr of petrol it was scary as there where no towns what so ever on the horizon. Alas as my bike ran out of fuel I found a HP petrol pump Hurrah I at that moment thot I was gonna walk for a min of 30kms with the bike....!
Now comes the chapter of bad roads, a I tank up and headed for Chitradurga I reached Ranibennur from here to chitradurga for get roads as it was raining and it was dirt biking to the fore as you find your self skidding and sliding of the bike. Some where 250kms off Bangalore I ate as I was tiered with all the bad roads. Then the roads become great but so did the rain it was heavy and I had no time to loose. The bike is amazing 100kms/hr on the rain and you are rest assured with the grip I was getting off those 140mm rear tyres. As I powered through got a lot of these KRSTC busses annoyingly running on the right lane. Any ways reached the Exteriors of Bangalore at 16:00hrs.
Now came the problem of me not being Prepared, The GPS on my phone was showing a by-pass off Bangalore but the locals asked me to go through the NH4 itself got stuck in this place as you need to go through the city and well I got out of Bangalore only at 18:00hrs then the Darkness got on and coupled with the rain this road was horrible so bad that I was travelling at 30kms/hr and cars where doing no better. This was raining at its best. Well it was no different till 20:00 hrs. After which I got this Ford Fiesta who was driving real sensibly got behind him and he guided me well beyond half way mark to Chennai. Then it was quiet, dark and cruising along to HOME SWEET HOME by 00:00hrs. I need to thank my DAD for his patience and being a biker himself he understood and helped me push Thanks dad.....!
Thanks for sharing. How did the FZ perform during this 1500 kms. ride? Also, do post more pictures if you can.
.... well after seeing the clouds crawling on the mountains i flipped my bag to click when i realised no Camera... managed a few pics on my mobile but useless to do the same with scenery...!
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