It is the camera angle. I am too frightened a person to take risks on crowded roads. As I said before, I crane my head to look ahead which the camera cannot see!

He does he does!

Last part is not yet up. It will come.

Vivek is doing much better. But he still has pain.

That camera mount is present in a lot of my R1 pictures. You will see it in almost every picture save for the "Way of Life" thread. The camera is just a Sony DSC P&S. No big deal!

I am glad you liked the video.

while I had earlier not seen the video (always too tired after office, no bandwidth (damned yearlong use of 5Mbps connection in Japan and ruined habits) etc. etc.)

now after seeing the video, along with complementing manan for his skill in being one with his RTR, I also have to commend Ken Da for being such a cautious rider despite having a hundred and seventy odd horses at the disposal of the right wrist. not a single risky move in the entire video. RESPECT!!!!

(manan did take a few risks - overtaking cars on the outside at a few curves, almost blind turning not knowing what is coming around the corner in the opposite lane.).

@manan

a great congrats for ur performance with RTR 180..

One noobish question...
Are the roads you went on clean and gravel-free? If they are not then does the bike (the RTR) not slip on turns while leaning to such a high degree?

I went to a few trips in Karnataka...there was lots of gravel/broken tar granules on the roads. And I was scared to lean even a little. Still am.

Really nice video Ken..

Manan's got some good skills in handling that RTR..

Also, is that ghat/road section heavily crowded always like this..!!??

Whew! Not those are some corners worth conquering..
Thanks for the beautiful video, looked kinda scary though.. I guess its due to the narrow camera angle..

Just 2 things bothering my mind though:
1. I doubt the stock TVS tyres on the RTR would allow such superb cornering, so what tyres have been used here on the RTR?
2. There was obviously no need for you to upshift throught the entire stretch in the video, thanks to the low speeds.. Didn't you get bored remaining in 1st gear (& thinking that the gears are non-existant), or did you shift gears just for the heck of it?

Nice Video There Ken Da.
The Trip Log was also very exciting.

The road where you have shot this video is my best stretch of road.
My friend stays in Parwanoo. And we used to do these Parwanoo - Dharampur dashes. OH!! I still can feel the thrill.

Watching the video, all the while I was imagining myself riding the R1..

Would love to go there again with you all!!

Well these are the stock tyres of RTR 180.

RTR was running on stock and famous tvs tyres

Nahh....more like automatic R1!

RTR was on stock tyres!

Speeds on the clear stretches and around corners varied between 60 and 110 (on straights). I was hardly ever lower than 3rd gear.

Thanks. Would like to ride with you too. I would rather be behind you and Manan and watch the fun!

Not really! I just answered your question... look above.

If you read through the log and see the pictures, the NH22 is a wonderful piece of gripping tarmac for long stretches. At places it is bumpy and not all that good. But this road is mostly nice till Narkanda.

Thanks. No, not always, that Friday morning particularly so! All the way from Delhi till Parwanoo. It got progressively clear as we moved up.

@ken sir

waiting for the rest of the log

I din't read any of the text or the pictures in the thread (will do that soon! )....just saw Manan's one with the 180. Awesome riding there Manan!

Isn't the traffic a tad too high kill the joy of the twisties by a bit?

Coming up in a very short while!

At times quite true. But we enjoyed the ride a LOT. Last part coming up shortly... the return was something!

Woah! Now thats some skill man..
I can only imagine what the video of you leaning with better tyres will look like..

+1 on the 'famous' part..

Automatic R1! ROTFLMAO..

Cornering on those stock tyres! Now thats some skill..

Reg 3rd gear.. Come to think of it now, no wonder I couldn't get a glimpse of the rev needle throughout the vid..

Day IIKharapathar during one of the rain stoppages




The place is surrounded with weed! Smokers enjoy!


For Aryan


Aryan was right, the place is crawling with these things...


Day III

Day III was another affaire altogether. With all that talk of the Raid and Vivek telling us that the road from Theog to Kharapathar is a luxury section, it nearly broke my back and wrists and my motorcycle, the riders were pretty charged up to ride hard and fast! Not me however. I wanted to take it slow and easy initially. I was somewhat wary of the deteriorating condition of this 50km stretch till Theog after the incessant rains of the previous day.

The WagonR was being driven this time round by Dipanjali. She moved first, followed closely by Vivek. The three bikers, being on two wheels and fast, took our time and started nearly 5 minutes later. Those 5 minutes turned into such a precious handicap for the cagers that eventually we “fast” riders could NEVER catch up with the cagers in the hills save for Vivek at one point some 5 hours later!

What to say about the ride from Kharapathar to Theog. It was tough going for the Comet, the RTR and of course the R1 through half a foot of slush for kilometres at times going uphill at impossible inclines and handling the R1 throttle at such moments became an ordeal and a real test for my wrists. It was tension filled fun all the way and I was hoping and praying all along that I do not drop my Superbike in the slush. Coz if I did, it would take more than just three lads to pick her up from the slush!

During all this while, I led the way and kept my eyes on the RVM to look at Nitin and Manan on their bikes. Suddenly Manan disappeared. I figured he must have stopped for a leak. We kept moving ahead since we did not want to stop in the slush. Once we reached more civilized roads with some amount of tarmac, we decided to wait up for Manan while ordering tea and biscuits. Ten minutes later Manan joined us his trousers covered in slush. He had had a slight slip and was unable to stop his rear wheel going ahead of him. Which is when he took a slight fall. But it took a lot of time for him to pick up his bike from the muck. And hence the tell tale marks!

Manan catches up with us after his slipping sliding fall where his rear wheel overtook him!


Look at the state of the bike. There were places where the entire tyre and part of the alloys were submerged in slush!

But then began the tale of the twists and turns yet again. Good tarmac roads to Shimla and further on. Empty roads, good turns, gripping surface, bikes behaving well, guys warmed up, we were enjoying each turn and trying to outdo each other. We were not racing. We were just playful. Unfortunately there are no videos of this period. We crossed Shimla, tanked up and moved ahead looking for Vivek’s car which had stopped at a Restaurant to grab a bite.



RTR vs Comet vs RI begins againVivek and family, Shruti, who supported Vivek for this outing and the young Aryan; Nitin and family, Arti and the young Aryaman and the indomitable Dipanjali, I hope that her wish of becoming a rally driver comes true along with Arti's; Moon, for organizing a splendid B’day surprise and a cake at 2700 metres at the back of beyond where even electricity is scarce and always being by my side and supporting me in my endeavours; , my son, a rare gem of a son, the force that drives my spirit; and the two amazing bikers… Manan and NitinConcluded