A motorcyclist finds it hard to stay idle. A traveller also finds it hard to stay idle. I am both and I find it hard to even exist if I have not been out for a ride in a while. That itch to ride is where this story begins. I had been planning to ride to Maredumilli Forest for a while. Fortunately, just when I was done with the planning, I heard about #xBhpJKSmartRider. Seeing it as an exciting endeavour, I filled out the form and got selected.
I shared my ride plan with xBhp and upon approval, I was given a set of Tyres from JK Tyre that I got installed. Maredumilli is nearly 500 km away from Hyderabad, where I stay. So the total mileage for this ride was going to be around 1,000 km. More than enough for me to scratch the itch to ride and test out the tyres.
Maredumilli is a village in Maredumilli Mandal in Alluri Sitharama Raju district in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. It is around 90 km from Rajahmundry. Maredumilli is known for its beautiful locale dotted with beautiful waterfalls and over the years, it has become a popular spot for tourists and movie and TV shoots. Now the best time to visit Maredumilli would be winter but it is very crowded so, I decided to head there during the summer. The sunrise at Gudisa was to be the icing on the cake.
After getting the tyres installed, I got my Royal Enfield Classic 350 all checked and ready for the ride. The next day, I started from Hyderabad at 5 AM to beat the city traffic and hit the highway. My first stop was near Suryapet, nearly 100 km from Hyderabad. I utilised the break to get breakfast and also, refill my hydration pack which is a godsend in the summer.
From Suryapet, I rode towards Bhadrachalam Temple. My motorcycle ran into a little niggle during this stretch but I got it fixed at Palwancha, Manikanta Mechanical Workshop. The workshop is famous for housing and fixing some of the oldest and rarest Royal Enfields around. After gawking at some amazing classic REs and after learning more about them, I resumed my ride to Bhadrachalam Temple.
The 4-lane highway in this stretch is amazing. Though there were some incidents like animals on the road or potholes, I had full faith in the tyres as they offered immense grip and superb control even in some hairy moments. After a fair bit of riding, I reached my destination and checked into the hotel. After freshening up, I got ready for my visit to the temple.
After visiting the temple, I decided to extend my break to get lunch before starting for Maredumilli. From here on, the real ride began. A single road with just two lanes and Ghats mean twisties! But I was also wary of the fact that it was already 4 PM and I had to reach my destination before dark.
During this bit of the ride, my faith in the tyres became even greater. They offered immense grip and though the Classic 350 is no corner carver, it sure felt like one with these tyres. With my increasing confidence, I picked up the pace but even then, it was dark and I was still around 40 or so km away from my destination. So I slowed down a bit but kept a consistent pace and reached my destination safe and sound. It was now time to grab some dinner.
The dinner also reminded me of one of the more profound reasons why I love motorcycling. I met five amazing people from Srikakulam while having dinner. Seein my riding attire, they came and joined me for some chit-chat and some discussion over motorcycling and motorcycles. The conversation ended up turning us into friends. I was already planning to stay with them in Gudisa.
Gudisa is around 42 km from Maredumilli. The single road is in great condition but more than anything, it was beautiful. Surrounded by trees and dotted with small streams along the road, this ride was turning into stuff dreams are made of. But as we closed in on Gudisa, the climb became steeper. No wonder so many people have damaged their clutches in this stretch. Anyway, if you are planning to visit Gudisa, make sure you get there by 4 to witness the sunset.
I restocked in one of the last shops as there is nothing on top. And you have to carry your food and water for that very reason. Also, another suggestion is to carry some firewood and request local guides to help you arrange everything for the night fire camp.
I’d also advise you to carry a blanket because at night and in the early morning, the temperature goes down significantly even in the summer. Anyway, I had immense fun riding with my friends and even more so, witnessing the sunrise. After spending some time there and capturing some memories, we returned to Maredumilli. I bid adieu to my new friends and started my journey back.
As it was mid-summer, riding was tough as the sun shone on me with all its might. If you ever ride this route at this time of the year, you’ll understand why a hydration pack can be your saviour. By the time I reached Bhadrachalam, it was almost 3 PM. So I decided to grab some lunch before continuing my journey to Warangal.
During this stretch, I encountered all kinds of roads; smooth blacktop to some broken patches. Regardless of the road condition though, the tyres were unfazed and there was never a moment when they were out of line. Even under emergency braking on less-than-ideal roads, the tyres have more than enough grip in store to keep your motorcycle’s shiny side up. After a fair few hours of riding, I reached Warangal at around 9 PM.
Warangal is famous for its architecture. Though not really a tourist spot, the ancient city has multitudes of experiences to offer by way of its beautiful temples, wildlife sanctuary, a grand fort and a serene lake to satisfy the thirst of travellers. The most famous spot is the star-shaped, 800-year-old Thousand Pillared Temple with its uniquely carved stone pillar.
The next day, after spending some time in Warangal, I left for Hyderabad and decided to visit some more popular places. Bhadrakali Temple was one of them. It is one of the oldest temples for Goddess Bhadrakali, situated on a hilltop between the two cities of Hanamkonda and Warangal. As mentioned earlier, I also visited the Thousand Pillar Temple which was built in the 12th Century by the Kakatiya King Rudra Deva. It is primarily dedicated to Lord Shiva and it is also known as Sri Rudreshwara Swamy Temple.
I also visited Yadagirigutta or Yadadri Temple, touted as Telangana’s own Tirupati. The temple is an abode for Lord Narasimha, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Finally, I also visited the Bhongir Fort which is a huge rock formation. It is over 700 feet high and sprawls over 40 acres of land. It is also known locally as the Eka Sila.
Covering some amazing places I mentioned, I reached home safely at around 3 PM. All in all, this was a great short ride and I got to visit and explore a lot of places that had been on my bucket list for a while, including some that should have been on my list to begin with. Till the next time when my itch for riding and travelling takes over, farewell and ride safe, everyone. Also, a big thanks to xBhp and JK Tyre for making me their latest Smart Rider.
Tyre Review
This ride was a fun one for me and one that came after a decent break. Naturally, I was really excited about it but more than that, I was excited to get the opportunity to review the Blaze RYDR A/T tyres. Starting with the tyres, I simply loved the experience. For a Classic 350, I feel like these are the best tyres you can get and there are some very good reasons behind that. First of all, the grip Blaze RYDR A/T tyres offer on the tarmac is simply mind-blowing. Always composed and never out of line, whether I was accelerating hard or braking hard; these tyres are going to leave you in awe. Even in some of the corners, you can tell that the motorcycle reaches its limits way earlier than the tyres. The tyres were even up for a few wet patches and a few broken patches as well. Along with the compound used, the tread pattern also gets some of the credit for the mind-blowing performance that these tyres offer. Not only is it efficient at keeping the water away from the contact patch, it also makes these tyres great at keeping traction on loose surfaces. All in all, an excellent set of tyres for the Classic 350 and one that you can trust in all kinds of riding conditions.
