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Here comes the full log!

When the hills call... you gotta answer that call... and this time it was the breathtaking lake district of India in the Kumaon hills that were calling to us. So, one early friday morning... we decided to take the Suzuki Bandit and head to Naukuchiatal. In just 320 kms from Delhi and barely 26 kms from Nainital, you will find yourself in what at first glance can only be called 'a piece of heaven'!

Day 1 : Delhi - Moradabad - Kaladungi - Haldwani - Kathgodam - Naukuchiatal

The day started at 5am & by 5:15 we were on our way on the NH24 with the Bandit stacked up with a backpack and Cramster saddle bags. My wife, my regular companion in full safety gear.

We found very little or no traffic crossing the much touted Commonwealth Games Village en-route and then heading out of Ghaziabad. The road from Ghaziabad to Hapur is heaven but soon after Hapur its back to reality as there are lots of fly-overs under construction. We were moving very briskly and crossed Moradabad by around 8:30am. That was around 180 kms with just one stop as the road around Garhmukteshwar is in really bad shape.

Sumtous parathas and an omlette later we decided to take a the same route we had taken on a xBhp ride to Binsar and took a U turn towards the Corbett road taking us through a small state highway road that runs through Tanda-Darhiyal-Bazpur- Kaladungi. And frankly I would not recommend this road as it was 70 kms of potholes due to the heavy monsoons this season. So we reached Kaladunghi around 11:30am and then asked for directions. We were told to take the Haldwani-Kathgodam route and the trip meter was already hitting 300 when we reached Kathgodam and we were wondering how will we be in Naukuchiatal at 320kms. And so it was after around 20 kms of Hill riding from Kathgodam we suddenly hit a lake - Bhimtal.

5kms later, we arrived at 'The Lake Village' - the only eco resort in Uttarakhand. Naukuchiatal, located at an altitude of 1,220 metres is essentially a lake with nine corners... a single view of which is said to bestow nirvana upon the onlooker... but folklore evaded us as no one we spoke to had heard anything about discovering where a single view could be seen from!!! But regardless of that, nothing could take away from the sheer beauty and regality of the lake with trees dipping into the waters towards the shores and quaint little boats tied to the pier.

Day 2 : Naukuchiatal - Bhimtal - Sattal
Day 2 began with a luxurious breakfast and next on the agenda was a trip to Sattal - an interconnected group of seven freshwater lakes... about 19 kms from Naukuchiatal and 21 kms from Nainital. And if we thought Naukuchiatal was a piece of heaven... surely Sattal was the whole deal!! Set amongst dense forests of oak and pine trees, our first view of the lake assured us that this is where the best part of our day would be spent.

After nearly 4 hours by the lakes, it was time to head back. On route, we stopped at Bhimtal. The remarkable part about Bhimtal is that there is no sign of the lake till even about twenty feet short of it... and then you turn the corner and voila!... there it is - the largest lake in the district. This lake is named after 'Bhima' - one of the Pandava brothers from the Mahabharata.

For years, these lake towns have been neglected and given almost step motherly treatment because of their proximity to the more popular Nainital. Because our destinations were off the beaten track... we enjoyed one of the most scenic weekends in the recent past.

And then, it was time to head back.

Day 3 : Naukuchiatal - Kathgodam - Rampur - Moradabad - Delhi
This time we were a little lazy and only started the return journey by 6:30am. But we had decided to take a different route on the way back. So we took the NH87 straight from Kathgodam to Rampur. The road was AMAZING and lifted our expectations to a very very high level. And the moment we crossed Rampur and turned right on NH24 towards Moradabad it all came shattering down. Have you ever seen trucks stacked up for 15 kms at a stretch. With potholes atleast 10-14" deep every 2 feet. It took us almost an hour and a back breaking effort to pull it off.

The Bandit is a great bike but at slow speed and being top heavy with a pillion it does take a lot of effort keeping it upright. It dives into a ditch as if it has to will to come out of it but the precise throttle helps you get out of that situation. My shoulders were now beginning to hurt and Sumaira's back had given up. Not to mention the dust and the pollution from the trucks the entire experience just goes down the drain.

Anyways we marched on and landed at the same moradabad Apni Haveli for breakfast at 10am. Leaving that place and heading back on the NH24 till Delhi and reaching our destination at 2:30pm with a lot of traffic before Hapur and Garhmukteshwar.

I wish for these highways to come up soon because not only is it safer but it really helps boost trade and travel to some not so remote areas.

But remembering the beauty of the hills all the pain is worth the effort. I envy all of you who live in or near the hills and have to just ride a small distance to reach the beauty of nature.

At the end of the trip, you'll almost wish this beauty could be packed and taken back home.

Till the next ride...

The slideshow!

Thats a nice ride. The place is an absolute stunner.
+1 for putting the superbike to its actual use. Great going.

Nice place and well shot albeit the first few pics are the best.

But I have a q - in that little a distance, did the Bandit even warm upto operating temperature?

320 is hardly anything for the beast, no??

thanks haroon! yes it does feel great to have all that power at your disposal!

yes the Bandit heated up just 50kms on! But 320 is a lot of distance considering the fact that 90 odd kms was full of potholes.

may be you could have used a little less photoshop on the pictures

maybe!! But i like it this way

Nice stuff and pics there! The Bandit does seem to be a very capable bike for Indian conditions (there isnt anything left to say after it completed the epic Khardung-La ride!)

@Praveer-nice log..glad to see the Bandit is where it actually belongs(on the highways)..

a brief on the bandit for all of us ? as of now it remains my dream bike.