A lot of people do a lot of different things to find joy in their life. The daily grind of modern life can take a toll on one, and it is important to unwind occasionally. For me, that activity is riding my motorcycle. I feel rejuvenated whenever I take my trusty Royal Enfield Himalayan out to explore new places. It is my idea of therapy and if you are reading this, you are a motorcyclist and can relate to it.
Enough philosophy for this one. Let me get straight to it. xBhp has been my go-to for everything motorcycles and it has been that way for a while now. So when I stumbled upon the CEAT xPlorer initiative on xBhp, I jumped on the opportunity to get on board. I specified my ride plan and it was time to go riding as soon as I got the approval.
I got my Himalayan serviced for this adventure and shod it with the CEAT Gripp XL Plus tyres. Before this, I had heard a lot of good things about these tyres and after the conclusion of this ride, I figured out why but more on that later. So, now it is time to reveal the destination which was Dholpur. I had been looking to visit this place for quite some time and finally, I got the opportunity. So, without further ado, let us dive into this fun little adventure!
Day 1
As with every ride, I was eager to get going and the day was finally here. As soon as the sun came up, I left the busy roads of Gurgaon behind. An early start also helps to beat the morning rush. Because of that, my ride was off to a peaceful and brisk start. The highway was beautiful. Surrounded by lush fields all the way, I was enjoying every kilometre.
The experience was further augmented by the fantastic set of tyres I got. I have to say that the CEAT Gripp XL Plus tyres are simply amazing. I had awesome grip through and through. With a stiff carcass, highway stability is commendable and the tyres were very good in the corners as well though there weren’t many. Even then, throughout this jaunt, the tyres impressed me and I am going to stick with these tyres for my future rides as well.
As I rode further into Rajasthan, the landscape changed and it was even more beautiful. There is a certain way in which Rajasthan portrays its rustic beauty and simply put, there is no other place quite like it. New roads, new places, new stops, and new people; it all excited me even more for what was to come.
I reached Dholpur the same day. Dholpur is a quaint little village and the first thing you are going to notice is the peace you feel. It is situated on the banks of the Chambal river and you can easily spend hours just admiring the view around the bank. But since I had covered a fair few kilometres, I did not want to tire myself out too much. So I looked for a hotel, found one, had dinner, and retired for the day.
Day 2
The next morning, I was ready to put on my explorer shoes and got out right after breakfast. It was an early start to the day and that means I had a fair bit of time to explore as much of Dholpur as I could. The first destination was Hazrat Sarf Abdal Shah (Rahmatullah Alaih), a famous wali in Dholpur. The shrine is situated atop a 300-foot-high hill. He is also known as Pahad Wale Baba. Moreover, from the top of the hill, the whole of Dholpur is visible and it is a sight to die for.
After that, I visited an old temple called Machkund Temple. It is not too far away from Pahad Wale Baba. I found the temple to be quite peaceful and a good place to spend some quiet moments. There is a caveat though; you are not allowed to take pictures or videos as permission from the Archeology Department is required for the same. Also, it was starting to get really hot so I decided to take a little break from riding and shooting so the temple served the purpose just right.
After that, I went to visit another village called Beehadh. True to its name, the road to it was fairly rough. A lot of bumps and breaks on the tarmac meant that I had to be extra careful. But then again, with the confidence-inspiring Gripp XL Plus tyres, it was not as difficult as I thought. Even when the surface is loose, the tyres ensure that your motorcycle never loses its composure. The front gives a lot of feedback while the rear tyre, even under throttle, is very easy to manage. So I was able to navigate the challenging terrain without a lot of difficulty and my ride went smoothly.
After that little adventure though, the sun was starting to beat down really hard and I was starting to feel dehydrated. So I decided to go to the hotel to get some rest and rehydrate myself. After that, I went out again around 4 PM to explore some more. I had the most fun around the Chambal River area. It presented a lot of opportunities for some off-roading and I enjoyed it to the fullest.
With the predictable grip offered by the CEAT Gripp XL Plus tyres, I was able to make the most of my Himalayan’s capabilities. After having some more fun, I decided to get some photography done as well. I took a lot of photos including some stunning drone shots of the Beehadh, a bridge I found, and a mesmerizing sunset. After a day well spent exploring, I went back to the hotel for a scrumptious dinner followed by some much-needed rest.
Day 3
Just like that, my little adventure was coming to a close. I woke up the next morning with mixed emotions. I felt happy about having ticked Dholpur off my list and having explored some amazing places. But I was feeling sad as well as it was time to bid the serene little village goodbye. But everything has an end, good or bad, and I could rest easy that this was one of the good ones.
My ride to Gurgaon was quick and enjoyable. I enjoyed the highways to the fullest and as I entered Gurgaon, the familiarity was there to greet me. With tons of memories in my bag, I made my way home. Again, riding motorcycles and exploring new places is my idea of therapy. Did I feel rejuvenated? Of course. More than that, it has just increased my hunger to explore new places even more.
I am more confident than ever about just picking up my motorcycle and going for it, riding my way to new experiences and enriching my memory bank even further. But till I get the opportunity to do so again, this is it. I would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to xBhp and CEAT tyres for giving me this opportunity. Till next time…
Tyre Review: CEAT Gripp XL Plus
Now, I said I will tell you more about my experience with the tyres, so here it is. In a word, CEAT Gripp XL Plus is one of the best pairs of tyres for the Royal Enfield Himalayan, if not the best! Geared towards a mixed-use, these tyres work as well on the tarmac as they do without it. On the highways, the stability and grip on offer are absolute. The grip under braking is fantastic and the same goes for the grip under acceleration. While they may not look it, CEAT Gripp XL Plus tyres are very good in the corners as well with the edge grip that aids you in saturating the abilities of the chassis. Then, when the tarmac is scarce, the tyres surprise you again with grip even where it should not be abundant. The blocks in the tread, especially the rear tyre given its width and profile, grip the loose surface well. Knowing what your front tyre is doing and with the massive support from the rear tyre, you get a lot of confidence. This kind of grip on varying terrain is exactly what you need for an impromptu adventure and so, I would like to say it again; if you have a Royal Enfield Himalayan along with a habit of going off on a whim, Gripp XL Plus is the pair of tyres for you.
