My first ride on my Duke 390.

I brought my D390 in March last week from Pondicherry and ride it to Chennai on the next day where I work in a software company. After using it for almost 10 days, I planned for weekend ride to Tirupattur, Vellore District one of my close friend living there. The actual plan to visit my friend in Tirupattur is on saturday via Vellore & Javadi Hills in that we were planned to ride to Kolli Hills from his home.

Thursday night I got bored, applied leave for Friday in office and called my fried to inform that I am coming tonight but unfortunately my friend went to Bengaluru.
So I called my another close friend actually my college junior in Salem who is currently studying final year engineering and discussed about the plan.

I went to my room and packed my things for ride and start ride at 10.45 PM, planned my first stop at Panaur toll plaza which is 20 away from my room.
My previous bike was RE Thunderbird 350 which wants me to take rest more frequently but this D390 is not like that It allows me to ride long distance without break, then I took small break in Thindivanam toll plaza for 5 mins and started riding, the next stop after Viluppuram in a kumbakonam coffee shop for ten minutes had a coffee and biscuits and then I stopped some where in Attur and finally I reached Salem at 3.20 AM.

I have checked the ODO it says 1015 KM so I decided to go for first service and went to KTM service center in salem, Service center guys asked me to get the at 4PM, so me and my friend went a movie and then some shopping and took the bike at 4.30PM then headed to my friend college hostel and decided to go temple on the way to Dharmapuri. I think its 30KM away from hostel.



we reached the temple at 5.30, I don't know which god temple. Its actually a small temple in the highway itself there is place around the temple, me and friend sat there for 30 mins and started return to hostel as we started to ride the rain started not a heavy rain, so I decided to check my bike tyre and ABS braking capabilities in rain. A car is heading before me and he is changing lane to left I have to brake at 100 Kmph, I braked like what I do in a normal dry condition and It worked well and I surely tell this cannot be done in TB 350 by me, first I can't cruise at 100 kmph even I do I cant brake easily at 100 kmph. Me and my friend discussed about the braking and tyre in a coffee shop in between the way to college hostel and reached hostel, thats it we have done today.

II day, Saturday we decided to go Kolli Hills, we woke up at early at 6 AM and started our ride at 6.30 AM from the salem and reached the kolli hills entry point at 8 am and started climbing hills, there is 70 hairpin bends which leads to most of the gear shifts and slowdown and which I dont like at all and there is no slight curvy roads at all after reached the hills we asked route for Aagaya gangai Falls which is 12 Km away.

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In Aagaya gangai falls we have to walk 1000 steps down to reach the falls and falls is amazing there is no control of water like dam in most places like that water comes to falls from dam, water falling from height of 12~15 floor building not a shot falls and high force, water hitting us like sharp needle and you have to reach falls walk in 5 feet water pond before falls, you can't easily walk in to the falls and enjoy before that there are big stone you have to pass those stone also Its difficult for Persons above 50 to enjoy the falls bcoz there are so much obstacles to reach falls and water force is high and happy to say that the day before we go there is rain in that area we enjoy water a lot from falls for almost 1hr there and started upstairs that 1000 steps and there is Shivan temple and had some food and started to boat house.

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Boat house in kolli hills absolute waste of time and its like a big size swimming pool and no flowers or gardening around there is a place for garden but they are not maintaining those things and we wasted the time in boat house, we had some coffee there and started our journey return to Salem.



On reaching the highway, I took the pillion seat and my friend is riding my D390. He owns a Plusar 150 in Theni and have good amount of riding experience but when he riding my D390, he has that fear to ride in highway, not going above 70 and making many mistakes and dont have confidence in riding and he also accepts this. So, I have shared my thought about changing lanes and overtaking big trucks and braking. I think he learned a lot from that and we had our dinner in Salem famous Selvi mess for Briyani its not a big restaurent but like small hotel, the taste and quality are good and we reached the Hostel.



III day, Sunday we planned to go Yercaud which 40km away from our hostel. We started riding at 8.30 and reached the Yercaud at 10 AM. So much happiess after climbing the hills because more curves, wide ghats road and less in coming traffic than expected. In between we stopped and took some photos in view points. We had our breakfast and visited the Anna park, its not maintained and has less not of flowers. Then we decided to go boating and its worth spending boating there a big lake which has awesome view and we spend 30 mins there, after went out of boating standing nearby my bike a old lady approached us for Hand Prints astrology and she is telling almost the truth what happening in my life and my character, for my friend too.



We started riding to Mount fort school in Yercaud one of the oldest residential school in TN, I think. and they are not allowing to see inside the gate. The gang of guys asked me permission for taking photos with my bike and they are happy about taking photos with my D390. We started ride to ladies seat, heightest view point in Yercaud and the view is amazing. we spent 30 Mins there and started to ride back to Salem at 2.30 PM.

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After reaching hostel we refreshed and planned to ride Mettur dam which located 40 KM from Hostel and started at 3.30 PM. The road is almost a straight throughout start to end but its two lane without divider and no in coming traffic we ridden at 100kmph to reach dam early and we reached there at 4.30 PM. I can say this is one of the best long straight roads without divider I have ridden so far.



We asked for water level in dam they said its low and they only people only in certain period in a year but there is very big park with mango trees. when we entered the park the left side and right side are almost equal size and the right side has most number of stuffs in the park and most no of people but we entered the left side and wasted most of the time there upon leaving the park we saw the right side have good design works and flowers and took some pics there. The small aquarium inside the parks is waste only small no of fishes there with ugly colored lights.



we leaved the park, there are lot of fish shops and decided to taste some fishes but fishes are not in good in taste and quality. We started riding back to hostel and reached the hostel at 8PM and I took rest for 3Hrs. Started my return ride at 12 AM, I managed to ride till 3.30 AM but I am getting sleepy after that and took some rest in toll plaza. Reached the Chennai room at 4.40 AM.


Thanks for reading up to last.
Correct me if anything need to be improved.