Re: Day Rides

This set of pictures is from a ride last Saturday to Lonavala which for me was the first time after five months where we tucked into some delicious South Indian snacks and chai. Fortunately, the ride was a dry one as Lonavala during the monsoon is known to be inundated with heavy rain. As we returned back to Pune around 10am and were in the mood to indulge in a little more riding and bike related fun we proceeded to visit Motoplex at Nagar road.

Constance D'Souza, the store manager of Motoplex was kind to organize a test ride of the Aprilia Tuono for me on the spur of the moment. The bike is scary to ride especially in the city as it is very powerful with the power delivery kicking in very early. I got stuck in a traffic jam whilst returning from the test ride to the store and found that my left hand was aching with the almost continuous need to use the clutch (heavier side) in traffic though I am sure that this bike would be a delight to ride on an open highway. After checking out the motorcycles of Aprilia and Moto Guzzi including the newly launched Aprilia SR150 scooter we decided to drop in at Open Roads to meet with JP.

After a warm welcome by JP who fixed us some coffee we lounged around in the store catching up on various stuff and checked out his impressive list of merchandise. Gurpratap bought another Rossi t-shirt and I ordered some mounts for my camera. I bid adieu to JP around lunch time and headed back home.

The next day, Sunday, we attempted another ride to Lonavala this time with my daughter as pillion, but as we could see heavy rain in the distance we decided to turn back 20km short of our destination and headed back to Pune for a scrumptious breakfast at Vohuman cafe.

Re: Day Rides

This set of pictures is from a ride Saturday Aug 27 to Smile Stone which is approx 100km from Pune. This time around we were joined by Kedar (Bonneville Street Twin) and Tony (RE 500 Thunderbird). We began our ride from Vimanagar at 6.45am and proceeded to quickly clear some light traffic in the city and the first few small towns that continually dot this highway till Ranjangaon.

Enroute we stopped at a tea stall just before Ranjangaon for some chai and I also got an opportunity to fix my camera for the ride ahead. It was a perfect day to ride with an overcast sky and sprawling green fields on both sides which were surrounded by hills in the distance.

When we reached Smile Stone restaurant for breakfast, we were soon surrounded by people wanting to check out the bikes, take pictures and perhaps also pay a little attention to the riders. After satisfying their curiosity they quickly dispersed and we walked up to tuck into a scrumptious south Indian breakfast. Smile Stone is picturesque in its own way as it has outdoor seating which offers a beautiful setting to enjoy a meal. It also offers clean bathrooms and ample parking space.

On the return leg, we rode back to Pune without stopping and may I mention here that Tony on his RE 500 did a remarkable job of keeping up with us. Well done Tony! After negotiating traffic which begins around 20kms short of Vimanagar, we regrouped at 10.45am to say our goodbyes.

Gurpratap and I then went to visit Anji for a few minutes and met Nobby there as well.

Re: Day Rides

You can check out the video of our ride to Smile Stone. Hope you enjoy it.

Re: Day Rides

This set of pictures is from Gurpratap and my ride to Lavasa last Saturday. This was my first ride to Lavasa since my crash in Feb this year. The morning air was cool with a slight wintery nip when we set out for the ride. Surprisingly, the tapri outside the Lavasa entrance gate was full of bikers which is unusual for a Saturday. We met up with old friends and made new ones during our breakfast of maggi noodles and egg bhurji. It is heartening to see a few ladies taking to this sport and who were out in full looking uber cool. We returned back to Pune by 10am and first stopped over at the Triumph showroom before making tracks for home. The road before the dam is now beginning to show signs of wear and tear though the twisties after the dam are still in good shape and good fun to ride. Someone crashed on a RC390 that morning. He apparently took a tank slap whilst hitting an unmarked speed breaker that litters the road from Pirangut onwards. Hope he is alright!

Re: Day Rides

This set of pictures is from a ride on NH65 which originates from Pune. We left Sunday morning at 7.30am after a previous night of celebrating Gurpratap's birthday.

JP joined us on a Royal Enfield Himalayan which was with him for a few days and which he was itching to ride on the highway. His verdict (having worked with RE in the past) at the end of the ride was that it was more suited to a road bike rather than off-road. The higher end of the rev band was smoother with less vibrations than the standard 500 and that the riding stance is comfortable making long rides a breeze.

Enroute we stopped at a dhabba and had some awesome vada pao and eventually turned back after crossing the Bhima river which is about 100 km before Sholapur. We returned home at around 12.15pm after having done a 300 km round trip.

Re: Day Rides

Great going Akshay!

Re: Day Rides

You can catch the video of the ride to river Bheem by clicking on the link below. The video is shaky in parts as this was the first time I used a rear setup on my bike. On reflection this was not a good idea after speeds of 130 kmph.

[URL][ https://youtu.be/JC5sLtJH8gwURL]

Re: Day Rides

Think the video link posted was messed up. So here goes

Re: Day Rides

This set of pictures is from an overnight ride to the Union Territory of Daman last weekend. Gurpratap and I set off at 6.20am after catching up with George and gang who were setting out for Lavasa on their Hayabusa, MultiStrada etc. Enroute we stopped at Dehu road bypass to meet Kedar who was also joining us for this ride. The morning air was unusually humid till Lonavala and got progressively worse as we got into Thane. We made a brief halt at Panvel for some vada pao and chai and after taking the JNPT bypass we headed towards Thane which we wanted to cross by 10am. We lost some time at Fountain Hotel turnoff as traffic piled up due to road repair work going on at the bridge. Things brightened up once we were about 20km past the bridge and the awesome roads beckoned. Our plan was to stop at Ahura for a short break and then take the Silvassa Daman road but for some reason I didnt spot Ahura and took off ahead with Kedar close on my heels. We stopped a short while further as we couldnt see Gurpratap and after realizing our error we back tracked to Ahura. After a scrumptious meal of kheema pao and cutlets we headed for the Silvassa Daman turnoff but after seeing the crowd waiting at the railway crossing we ditched the plan and decided to enter the city via Vapi.

Daman city is congested with traffic and plagued by roadside Rossi's off which many tailed us on our way to the hotel. We reached Saffron Hotel at 13.20 and proceeded to our separate rooms to freshen up and then regroup an hour later for lunch. Our hosts Vineeta and her husband Sunil fed us a super meal of fish and prawns. Our tummies full, we headed for some R&R.

We left for Jampore beach from the hotel at around 7pm and I must mention here that the ride was lovely especially via the Secretariat and beyond where houses reminded one of old Goa. We parked ourselves at one of the very few shacks on the beach, one off which was open and enjoyed the evening chatting and soaking in the sound of the waves and sand beneath our feet. We left from the beach at 9.30pm as the shacks shut down early and went back to the hotel. Our hosts were gracious in letting us park our bikes in the hotel lobby where they were safe and away from the prying locals. After a quick dinner and a game of carom we called it a night.

We left Daman at 6.30am after refueling (63/L) and rode nonstop till the bridge before Fountain Hotel which was once again piled up with traffic. Enroute we rode amidst 40km of dense fog and mist which was situated where the river Narmada crosses the highway. We stopped for a snack of medu wada and tea in Thane and then rode to Ramakrishna at Lonavala for another tea break before reaching home at 12.15pm.

I noticed after a 660km round trip that my arm and elbow were not unduly stressed or sore as this was my first longest ride since my crash and me getting back on the bike about a month or so back. This in a way was a dry run for the big ride we have planned towards the end of the month. So far, so good. I shall post a video of this ride shortly.

Re: Day Rides

You can check out the video from our ride to Daman. Look forward to you subscribing to my channel.

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Nikki, Gurpratap, my wife and I rode for breakfast to Lavasa. Nicky joined us after a three year hiatus. Nicky was the founding member from the first lot of KTMs and the MC "Dukes of Pune" back in the day. Good riding with you buddy!

The biker tapri saw a good turnout even though it was a Saturday. The approach road before the dam is breaking down and becoming terrible to ride on. Heard this Kawasaki Z800 with an SC Project exhaust which was superb. We stopped at the Triumph showroom for a short while before returning home.

Re: Day Rides

This is the link for a fantastic ride that Gurpratap and I pulled to Kanyakumari, Kodaikanal and some other places down South.

Re: Day Rides

This set of pictures is from a ride to Lavasa. Today morning the cold weather lifted amidst an overcast sky as we reached the tapri at around 8.15 am. Gurpratap tried out Maggi Noodles with egg which to my surprise was being devoured by quite a few people around me. We made friends with two new bikers namely Gopal and Chelian, both of whom work with the Bajaj Auto design studio in Pune. Both are sensible and experienced riders and we quickly found common interests. Gopal rides a Kawasaki Versys and Chelian was riding Gopal's Ninja 250 though he his awaiting delivery of his Ducati Hypomotard at the end of the month. We look forward to catching up with them both for another ride soon.

Re: Day Rides

Here are a few updates from different places. As I am down with the flu I wasn't able to join in for a ride last weekend. So Gurpratap went for a ride with an assorted group of riders to Malshej ghat.


Separately, my friend Eva from Poland sent me these lovely pictures from her visit to Prague, Czech Republic of bikers out for a Christmas ride. The pictures set up the spirit for this wonderful time of the year and I wish everyone a Happy Christmas and a super year ahead.