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After lots of glitches and delays my BMW R1200GS is on a ship sailing to India, and it now seems my ride may finally take place in mid-September. I am planning to ride my bike (on temporary carnet) on a solo peninsula trip covering Karnataka, Kerala & Tamil Nadu with the following route:
Bangalore-Hassan-Mangalore-Kasaragod-Calicut-Kodungalur-Alwaye-Munnar-Cochin- Trivandrum-Kanyakumari-Madurai-Pondichery-Chennai-Bangalore.
I am boldly undertaking this trip coz I can depend on a lot of you on xbhp for valuable advice on the routes, road conditions, precautions etc. Therefore, thru this thread I am asking my fellow xbhp members for your valuable inputs:
1) I want to carry the old fashioned road map for clear directions & distances. Which map do you suggest has good details for these 3 states and where do I buy it?
3) From Calicut onwards until Kanyakumari I prefer a decent road closer to the coast with less of the bulldozing kerala bus traffic (if at all there is a route like that) if not I settle for a good nice highway. Also the best route from Aluva to Munnar and then directly back to Kochi. Also after Tvm, want to see Peechipara Dam, Thripparappu waterfalls & Padnabhapuram Palace near Kanyakumari- If it is really worth visiting. So suggestions from Kerala xbhpians welcome on the stretch from calicut to Kanyakumari.
4) From Kanyakumari to Madurai and then Pondi and then Chennai. Suggestions from TN xbhpians sincerely invited on what roads/route should I take.
5) For that time of the year in KA, KL & TN, I am ready for rain, but otherwise what are the general temperatures I may encounter? Do I carry my airflow jacket/pants or the heavier touring jacket/pants?
Although I will be on a tight schedule, with all gratitude, I would be glad to meet up with as many xbhpians enroute as time permits. Ofcourse, I would be glad to meet up with the Blr xbhp group before the trip starts.
Many thanks in advance.
Haroon
Bangalore-Hassan-Mangalore-Kasaragod-Calicut-Kodungalur-Alwaye-Munnar-Cochin- Trivandrum-Kanyakumari-Madurai-Pondichery-Chennai-Bangalore.
I am boldly undertaking this trip coz I can depend on a lot of you on xbhp for valuable advice on the routes, road conditions, precautions etc. Therefore, thru this thread I am asking my fellow xbhp members for your valuable inputs:
1) I want to carry the old fashioned road map for clear directions & distances. Which map do you suggest has good details for these 3 states and where do I buy it?
3) From Calicut onwards until Kanyakumari I prefer a decent road closer to the coast with less of the bulldozing kerala bus traffic (if at all there is a route like that) if not I settle for a good nice highway. Also the best route from Aluva to Munnar and then directly back to Kochi. Also after Tvm, want to see Peechipara Dam, Thripparappu waterfalls & Padnabhapuram Palace near Kanyakumari- If it is really worth visiting. So suggestions from Kerala xbhpians welcome on the stretch from calicut to Kanyakumari.
4) From Kanyakumari to Madurai and then Pondi and then Chennai. Suggestions from TN xbhpians sincerely invited on what roads/route should I take.
5) For that time of the year in KA, KL & TN, I am ready for rain, but otherwise what are the general temperatures I may encounter? Do I carry my airflow jacket/pants or the heavier touring jacket/pants?
Although I will be on a tight schedule, with all gratitude, I would be glad to meet up with as many xbhpians enroute as time permits. Ofcourse, I would be glad to meet up with the Blr xbhp group before the trip starts.
Many thanks in advance.
Haroon
I so wish and hope that this trip goes just the way you plan t. All the best and I also hope that a lucky few amongst us get to actually meet you too. 
...(remember these roads are only good in the daylight, at night its a big probs. because at some places the road works are going on and during my every trip i can see many cars run out of roads, if one don't know where the road twist and turns it will be a real problem, i suggest you to cross TCR-EKM during day time...) if you are interested you can take a left turn in between TCR-EKM to reach Athirappilli which is ~30-40 kms from the highway, beautiful scenery and beautiful twisty roads which you easily knee down on these roads not exceeding 70-80 kmph(coz these are slow winding roads, its a must seen place, hope you had gone there)...
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