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**killer_instinct** · 01-22-2011, 04:04 PM

Thanks Haroon Bhai.

Been waiting for this one for sometime and its been a joy to read.

The best part is.. theres more to come.

**Haroon** · 01-22-2011, 06:40 PM

Day -2 Hassan-Kasaragod

Although I was given a longer route with ‘relatively better’ roads from Hassan thru Belur, Charmadi Ghats, Dharmastala, Balthangadi-Mglore, at the last moment our guest house keeper mentioned he had recently been thru there are the roads in many parts were bad, so I opted for the ‘conventional & dreaded’ sakleshpur Shiridi ghats route. Well, starting from Hassan, the roads were full of potholes, but once out of the city the roads got better and there was plenty of greenery on either side. Somewhere in between we stopped for refueling as well.

Loading up our bike in Hassan

South Indian ride-BMW R1200GS. Loading up the bike

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adO1uNZqwS4

Loading the SHAD side & topcase on our R1200GS from Hassan during our south indian peninsula ride.

We stop in sakleshpur at Surabhi’s Restaurant for breakfast. A yummy plate of hot idli-vada and we head straight for the shiridi ghats.

As we got into the Shiridi Ghats, well I would better put it as roads just did not exist and it looked like tarmac was probably laid there once upon a time during the Hoysala empire!! The ghats ride of 20-30kms was a harrowing bone cracking, bike dismantling ride. But my GS was not complaining and it was handling it effortlessly. I was just cautious not to dent my alloy wheels as we still had more than 2000kms to go on the trip. The GS behaved like an obedient boy!

Glimpse of the lousy road in Shiridi ghats
YouTube - Bike dismantling road in Sakleshpur Ghats

With just soil & loose stones, riding the 400 plus kgs of bike, pillion, luggage etc was no easy task esp while overtaking the large tanker trucks & buses just barely few feet away was a scary affair as I had to balance the sliding bike carefully. Some of the unavoidable troughs in this never ending road were so deep, I was constantly scarping my center stand into it inspite the tall ground clearance of the GS. With a fast flowing stream running in the valley along this treacherous road, there are some wonderful scenic spots on the way, but I have to fully concentrate on the road to keep the rubberside down! Finally, intermittent stretches of tarmac were getting visible and we knew the ghats were coming to an end. At the foothill we stop for another tender coconut break. One of the mallu shopkeepers there enquires the price of the bike and when I tell him its about 18 lakhs in India, he gives me a tough look and asks me ‘how do you have the heart to ride such an expensive bike on such a lousy road’. Well, I think somethings just can’t be explained… We then head thru unending long & enjoyable curves passing Nelliyadi, Uppinangadi and then the beautifully laid stretch from BC Road that finally lands straight into Mangalore. In mangalore a close relative is expecting us for lunch at their beautiful home which is located on the edge of a cliff that overlooks mangalore city. The view from their living room is simply breathtaking.

With Zubaida Kunil Aunty

From Bavaria to Mangalore- both have had a long journey….

Now, wouldn’t you call that ‘a living room with a view’…

After enjoying great hospitality & a sumptuous lunch, we say goodbye and head for Kasaragod in Kerala. The road from mangalore to kasaragod has heavy traffic and is generally known to be a fairly accident prone stretch with all the crazy private buses racing each other to pick passengers first between these two cities. We cross the Nethravati river and arrive at the main junction in kasaragod where a few relatives are waiting for us as that’s where my wife’s family hails from.

Kerala- here we come. Thank god the board doesn’t say- No riding with wife!!

Thanks for waiting Shakeel & hope you made it to your train on time.

We were pleasantly surprised to receive a formal welcome bouquet from my wife’s cousin. Thanks Rehana.

We then head to historic Bekal Fort. I leave the bike in the safe hands of the parking attendant, but as soon as I am heading out of the parking lot, there are people all around the bike touching, feeling & talking pics. As for the Bekal Fort, taking up a space of 40acres, this is the largest fort in the state of Kerala. The place has a steady flow of tourists and is located about 16kms from Kasaragod city. The sea view from the citadel is an absolute treat.

After the fort visit, we head to the Thalangara fishing harbour for the sunset. Its one of the locations where the bollywood movie Bombay was shot.

Wife’s cousins Ashiq & Ijju are our guides/man-friday in Kasaragod

Red Ruby posing for some pics at sunset time.

Riding out from Talangara Harbour on the GS.
At the last part watch how a pillion alights/climbs on big touring bikes.
YouTube - Riding out of Talangara Harbour-Kasaragod

We are staying close by at my wife’s uncle’s place and are treated to some lip-smacking Malabar cuisine & hospitality, lots of chatting and then time to retire to bed.

**srisetty** · 01-23-2011, 02:53 PM

Belur is also one of my favorite place. I have been there so many times, but still think that I have not seen it properly. Lovely pics in the fort area. The video on the ghat section indicates that you were sailing and not riding :-)

**Haroon** · 01-23-2011, 04:19 PM

Originally posted by roshan3440 View Post

Yes Belur-Haleebidu has probably one of the best stone work down south, the intricacy can be seen in things like , Musical instruments such as Veena has its individual strings done in the same single stone, which is truly unbelievable

... Sad part is, tourists have been touching it and the stone strings have started to worn out and some are damaged

Fully agree. Also there was a dancer whose bangle moves around her wrist sculpted from one stone. Even that has been vandalized a long time back.

Originally posted by killer_instinct View Post

Thanks Haroon Bhai.

Been waiting for this one for sometime and its been a joy to read.

The best part is.. theres more to come.

Sure Azim, there is more to come.

Originally posted by srisetty View Post

Belur is also one of my favorite place. I have been there so many times, but still think that I have not seen it properly. Lovely pics in the fort area. The video on the ghat section indicates that you were sailing and not riding :-)

Yeah sri, the ride on the ghats was trecherous, but my bike's Tele-lever/para-lever suspension together with the wide handlebar definitely made it a lot easier.

**Haroon** · 01-23-2011, 04:42 PM

Day-3 Kasaragod to Calicut

After a heavy breakfast, we gear up, test the intercom etc & start out at 8:00am.

Me & wife always enjoy Ice creams in God Own Country, be it Sharjah Shake, Gadbad, Falooda etc and hence we had a brief stop for that at Payyannur.

Being a lil warm day, it was a nice break and we continue on. We pass Payyannur, Talliparamba and with some congestions at railway crossings and few road work stretches we make it for lunch at Kannur.

Indiavision TV

We soon wash up & climb up the 10 floors of the apartment complex to get some stunning views of the calicut beach & city.

YouTube - KALEIDOSCOPE-INDIAVISION

**roshan3440** · 01-23-2011, 05:58 PM

@Haroon - Though no subtitles, could get some meaning by hearing just the nouns, numbers in english

, thats how we do get directions when in kerala , just by hearing - left , straight, right, board etc etc

The video was good, but did notice one thing,at the end of the video Mrs Haroon was not even looking at the cam with the helmet on

, why so ?

Had been to the drive-in beach few months back , but unfortunately it was raining and the couldn't access the beach , will be going there once more on by bike

for sure

**Haroon** · 01-23-2011, 06:10 PM

Originally posted by roshan3440 View Post

The video was good, but did notice one thing,at the end of the video Mrs Haroon was not even looking at the cam with the helmet on

, why so ?

Ha, ha.. I also asked her when I saw the program. Actually, her malayalam is a little rusty and hence she was worried just in case the interviewer asks her a question....so hiding behind me

. Besides, on this trip she has been behind the camera and this is the first time she was facing it...

**tourer_kashif** · 01-24-2011, 12:56 AM

Touring on GS must have attracted lots of attention.
I read your Europe trip log too.
You are living your life,full throttle

Cheers to your wife too.

**tarunkuril** · 01-24-2011, 05:17 PM

Haroon Bhai

awesome log!!!! May god bless you with many more such rides!!!

**Haroon** · 01-24-2011, 07:52 PM

@ Kashif: Thanks for the wishes. Indeed, the GS attracted lots of attention mainly due to its monstrous size. Felt like a celebrity

but it was too overwhelming. As for full throttle, with 2 big bike trips in 2010, now my fuel tank is empty (bank)! so I have to shut off the engine for atleast 2011 or do I still.....

@ tarunkuril: Thanks buddy.

**Haroon** · 01-24-2011, 08:01 PM

Day-4 Calicut to Kochi

we head out from beach road to Wyanad road and take a right at Malaparambh junction to the NH17 Bypass, which is a really nice & smooth stretch of tarmac albeit with some traffic as the calicut airport is also in the same route.

Till the stretch to the airport I spot a few premium cars like a Cayenne, Land Cruiser, Q7 and quite a few BMWs..well calicut sure has its share of exotic car lovers! We then cross the Chaliyar river and the Kadavu Resort

Continuing straight from Ramanatukara junction (airport exit)

and heading towards Kottakal, which is the headquarters of arguably one of the finest Ayurvedic treatment centers in the world-

the Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala. From here we continue to Vallancherry, Edapal, Chavakkad and stop for lunch at Kodungallur at K.R.Bakes.

Parking at K.R.Bakes(bakery & restaurant) for our lunch break

When you are hungry, everything looks exciting!

Here in Kodungallur we also passed in front of the historic Cheraman Mosque (which is the first mosque built in India in the year 629 AD).

After Kodungallur we encounter a nice stretch of road for bikers with smooth tarmac, sparse traffic and lots of twists & turns. The tall GS was having a great time on this stretch cruising for long distances at about 90-110kph.

A golden colored Amby..

They stay right at the bank of the Periyar river and after a small photo session, we are back on the road heading towards Kochi.

In the meanwhile I remembered that in Jeddah I had lowered my handlebar height a little, but on this trip it was hindering with my tankbag. So on the way we take a small detour onto NH47 Bypass Road that passes thru the BMW dealer in Cochin- Platino Classic, to adjust my handlebar height with their torque wrench. Alex the chief engineer who I am told has previously worked on BMW bikes in Bahrain although not a tall person, he comfortably rode my fully loaded GS into their workshop floor and did the work in a jiffy. He told me the BMW specified torque value for that bolt was 30nm.

Ashiq the dealership owner is a wonderful guy and stood with us all the while and being a friend of my brother - well the work is complimentary- Thanks Ashiq.

After all the chat there, it is already dark and I have to chug thru peak hour Kochi traffic towards MG Road.

With Christmas round the corner, many of the churches are all brightly lit and there is a festive atmosphere all around. Meanwhile, my brother has arranged our room reservation at the Woodlands Hotel, which has a nice basement parking at its adjacent building for my GS.

My brother was in Kochi on work and special thanks to him for the wonderful dinner he invited us to. We called it a day at 11:00pm.

**aargee** · 01-24-2011, 08:09 PM

Nice to see the roads of Calicut still in good condition; they're the same as I visited during 2006

. Awaiting for more pics from Kochi & most importantly...you know

**Haroon** · 01-24-2011, 08:34 PM

Originally posted by aargee View Post

Awaiting for more pics from Kochi & most importantly...you know

Aargee- Dont keep your expectations too high

OK, there are some pics and a 2.3 min HD video clip on that stretch..but all said riding there was biking Nirvana

**harikeshpk** · 01-24-2011, 09:08 PM

loved the write up and pictures. taken the route many times esp from /chavakkad/kunnamkulam till trivandrum but in my car. waiting for the rest.

**srisetty** · 01-25-2011, 02:03 AM

Originally posted by Haroon View Post

Funny party symbol. Anyone having bike as a symbol...

Looks like your trip was well informed in advance and you had warm welcome everywhere. Good strategy

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South Indian Peninsula trip 2-up on a BMW R1200GS

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