First off man. Hats off!

Then, I've *heard* about the 500 cc ThunderBird arriving soon. Maybe others' might confirm that rumor. As for guides, you would need only Lonely Planet

Enfield is a reliable bike, and spares are available. Though, such long trips cannot be taken without learning how to set basic things right. That would mean, basic service, oil/air filter, tyre flat, chain, tuning. If you two DO have the money, buy TWO bikes, and ride in parallel. (xBHPians can help you get a good deal too!). That eliminates the need for a bigger bike. And personally, driving with a pillion over such distances, is a pain whichever way you look at it.

One bit of advice, knowing a bit of Hindi helps. (you have enough time) Also, we have xBHPians all over the country, who can volunteer to take care of your booking/hotel issues, and give you local insight. Personally, I can help you out in Gujarat, as I'm from Ahmedabad.

By the way, have you done a similar trip (for even a short duration)? I'd suggest you try a similar trip in Korea, to get used to driving that long. And do it on a un-refined bike. That would help you prepare mentally too

First off man. Hats off!

Then, I've *heard* about the 500 cc ThunderBird arriving soon. Maybe others' might confirm that rumor. As for guides, you would need only Lonely Planet

Enfield is a reliable bike, and spares are available. Though, such long trips cannot be taken without learning how to set basic things right. That would mean, basic service, oil/air filter, tyre flat, chain, tuning. If you two DO have the money, buy TWO bikes, and ride in parallel. (xBHPians can help you get a good deal too!). That eliminates the need for a bigger bike. And personally, driving with a pillion over such distances, is a pain whichever way you look at it.

One bit of advice, knowing a bit of Hindi helps. (you have enough time) Also, we have xBHPians all over the country, who can volunteer to take care of your booking/hotel issues, and give you local insight. Personally, I can help you out in Gujarat, as I'm from Ahmedabad.

By the way, have you done a similar trip (for even a short duration)? I'd suggest you try a similar trip in Korea, to get used to driving that long. And do it on a un-refined bike. That would help you prepare mentally too

Hey,


How Long?3 hrs of riding a day at moderate speeds will take u approx 150-200kms a day.
The entire trip will take abt 5-6 months

Which Bike?
Any of these 2
1. Royal Enfield Thunderbird
2. Hero Honda Karizma (Zma)

The Zma is more relaible & has better brakes than the Thunderbird.
The Thunderbird is more comfortable & aesthetically can carry more load than the Zma.
Spare parts & service is not a poblem for either of the two

I would suggest go for the Thunderbid (This is a personal like)


How Much for modification?

Not much, a couple of thousand i would say, because if u buy any of the two bikes we have suggested, then u would not need to put disc brakes after buying, because they come equipped with disc brakes.
(they are optional on the Thunderbird, std on the Zma).

Fuel cost?

from Rs. 37- to Rs. 45/- for a litre.

Are U Nuts?

Well ask urself, really, are u (and ur other half) Biker(s) at heart?
IF yes, go for it. If No, Plz dont.

Are u doing this for Adventure?
If Yes, Green Signal. If No, Red, Bright Red.

Its really upon u to decide, have u done long rides on bikes before? I mean real looooooooong, say 500-800km rides.

Guide?

Well i would advise against it. for the simple fact that u dont need one, just buy tourist guide books, maps & keep us informed abt ur wherebouts, we'll help ya & be ya guides.
But yes having a Payed guide will definetly provide a lot of help & Peace of Mind.

does this answer all ur queries? if not ask more, we can help u all u want.

Hey,


How Long?3 hrs of riding a day at moderate speeds will take u approx 150-200kms a day.
The entire trip will take abt 5-6 months

Which Bike?
Any of these 2
1. Royal Enfield Thunderbird
2. Hero Honda Karizma (Zma)

The Zma is more relaible & has better brakes than the Thunderbird.
The Thunderbird is more comfortable & aesthetically can carry more load than the Zma.
Spare parts & service is not a poblem for either of the two

I would suggest go for the Thunderbid (This is a personal like)


How Much for modification?

Not much, a couple of thousand i would say, because if u buy any of the two bikes we have suggested, then u would not need to put disc brakes after buying, because they come equipped with disc brakes.
(they are optional on the Thunderbird, std on the Zma).

Fuel cost?

from Rs. 37- to Rs. 45/- for a litre.

Are U Nuts?

Well ask urself, really, are u (and ur other half) Biker(s) at heart?
IF yes, go for it. If No, Plz dont.

Are u doing this for Adventure?
If Yes, Green Signal. If No, Red, Bright Red.

Its really upon u to decide, have u done long rides on bikes before? I mean real looooooooong, say 500-800km rides.

Guide?

Well i would advise against it. for the simple fact that u dont need one, just buy tourist guide books, maps & keep us informed abt ur wherebouts, we'll help ya & be ya guides.
But yes having a Payed guide will definetly provide a lot of help & Peace of Mind.

does this answer all ur queries? if not ask more, we can help u all u want.

hey bhatiaj,
a couple of thousand rupees or dollars?[:0]
and 5-6 months!!!
jee...that is too long. How many hours do I need to ride(in relaxing and safe speed) to finish the trip in 3 months(and staying a couple of days at major cities like Varanasi, Kolkata etc.)

thanks alot guys,
I hope to meet you guys when I am there.
more advices will be very appreciated

hey bhatiaj,
a couple of thousand rupees or dollars?[:0]
and 5-6 months!!!
jee...that is too long. How many hours do I need to ride(in relaxing and safe speed) to finish the trip in 3 months(and staying a couple of days at major cities like Varanasi, Kolkata etc.)

thanks alot guys,
I hope to meet you guys when I am there.
more advices will be very appreciated

A Couple of thousand Dollars would be better to say. Atleast a Thousand Dollars.
OOH : NOw thats a tough ask if you consider it within a 3 months. And that too on a bike with two some is a hard one to go but yea as Bunny and other hardcore biker agreed, If you got a biker spirit you can beat that distance in a month's time too.
Its just how you look at the chances of your stay and management of your Travel itineary.
No issue with the indian people to help you ..Once you hit indian roads you will find plenty of admirers some from XBHP and lot from the unknown areas.. Its a crazy country in terms of biking.

I will say to hire a 4X4 is the best option as you have decided to hot the Leh section too which is not only tough in terms of road but is also not good in case of breakdown of a vehicle.
Its a good idea to plan it on a 4 Wheels, althoug the budget in petrol would result into thrice the figure if journey is done on a car.

But Its one of dream of each true biker to go through the same strech.
If you are in two minds .. Get to one otherwise you will feel bad about your decision later on.
So plan wisely and not quickly.
Happy Riding.

A Couple of thousand Dollars would be better to say. Atleast a Thousand Dollars.
OOH : NOw thats a tough ask if you consider it within a 3 months. And that too on a bike with two some is a hard one to go but yea as Bunny and other hardcore biker agreed, If you got a biker spirit you can beat that distance in a month's time too.
Its just how you look at the chances of your stay and management of your Travel itineary.
No issue with the indian people to help you ..Once you hit indian roads you will find plenty of admirers some from XBHP and lot from the unknown areas.. Its a crazy country in terms of biking.

I will say to hire a 4X4 is the best option as you have decided to hot the Leh section too which is not only tough in terms of road but is also not good in case of breakdown of a vehicle.
Its a good idea to plan it on a 4 Wheels, althoug the budget in petrol would result into thrice the figure if journey is done on a car.

But Its one of dream of each true biker to go through the same strech.
If you are in two minds .. Get to one otherwise you will feel bad about your decision later on.
So plan wisely and not quickly.
Happy Riding.

I checked out Lonely Planet India, and
according to Lonely Planet,

Royal Enfield 500: Rs.84000 including disk brake(in New Delhi)
Larger Gas Tank: Rs. 1800
Steel Pannier, Louder horn, Engine Guard, backrest, Rear Mirror: Rs. 5000
Does this sound about right?

Question: How much is registration fee, handling and service charges for Royal Enfield 500 in New Delhi?

this is my calculation(not including the route up to Kashmir/Leh)

Delhi to Jaipur: 2 days (about 253km)
Jaipur: sightseeing, city tour for 2 days
Jaipur to Ahmedabad: 5 days (about 648km)
Ahmedabad to Mumbai(Bombay): 3 days (about 504km)
Mumbai: sightseeing, city tour for 3 days
Bombay to Panaji(Goa): 3 days (about 540km)
Goa: sightseeing for 3 days and getting baked!!!
Panaji to Bangalore: 4 days (about 576km)
Bangalore: sightseeing, city tour for 2 days
Bangalore to Kannur(Cannanore): 2 days (about 270km)
Kannur to Thiruvananthapuram: 3 days (about 365km)
Thiruvananthapuram to Kanyakumari(Cape Comorin):Kanyakumari(Cape Comorin): sightseeing, city tour for 2 days
Kanyakumari to Madurai: 1 day (about185 km)
Madurai to Chennai(Madras): 4 days (about 486 km)
Chennai(Madras): city tour, sightseeing for 3 days
Chennai to Calcutta: 13 days (about 1621km)
Calcutta : city tour, sightseeing, city tour for 2 days
Calcutta to Varanasi: 5 days (about 678km)
Varanasi: sightseeing, city tour for 3 days
Varanasi to Delhi: 6 days (about 813 km)

that is about +-72 days.
about 7000km

does this sound about right?

by the way, how bad is traffic on Grand Trunk Road?
I heard it is very dangerous.
anyone rode a motorcycle between Delhi to Varanasi?
or have pictures of Grand Trunk Road?

It will be great if I get to meet xBhp members help when I am in India.

I checked out Lonely Planet India, and
according to Lonely Planet,

Royal Enfield 500: Rs.84000 including disk brake(in New Delhi)
Larger Gas Tank: Rs. 1800
Steel Pannier, Louder horn, Engine Guard, backrest, Rear Mirror: Rs. 5000
Does this sound about right?

Question: How much is registration fee, handling and service charges for Royal Enfield 500 in New Delhi?

this is my calculation(not including the route up to Kashmir/Leh)

Delhi to Jaipur: 2 days (about 253km)
Jaipur: sightseeing, city tour for 2 days
Jaipur to Ahmedabad: 5 days (about 648km)
Ahmedabad to Mumbai(Bombay): 3 days (about 504km)
Mumbai: sightseeing, city tour for 3 days
Bombay to Panaji(Goa): 3 days (about 540km)
Goa: sightseeing for 3 days and getting baked!!!
Panaji to Bangalore: 4 days (about 576km)
Bangalore: sightseeing, city tour for 2 days
Bangalore to Kannur(Cannanore): 2 days (about 270km)
Kannur to Thiruvananthapuram: 3 days (about 365km)
Thiruvananthapuram to Kanyakumari(Cape Comorin):Kanyakumari(Cape Comorin): sightseeing, city tour for 2 days
Kanyakumari to Madurai: 1 day (about185 km)
Madurai to Chennai(Madras): 4 days (about 486 km)
Chennai(Madras): city tour, sightseeing for 3 days
Chennai to Calcutta: 13 days (about 1621km)
Calcutta : city tour, sightseeing, city tour for 2 days
Calcutta to Varanasi: 5 days (about 678km)
Varanasi: sightseeing, city tour for 3 days
Varanasi to Delhi: 6 days (about 813 km)

that is about +-72 days.
about 7000km

does this sound about right?

by the way, how bad is traffic on Grand Trunk Road?
I heard it is very dangerous.
anyone rode a motorcycle between Delhi to Varanasi?
or have pictures of Grand Trunk Road?

It will be great if I get to meet xBhp members help when I am in India.

Dude.. You got everything chalked out very nicely..

I think it is safe to say this trip would be the Dream of most ppl here..

The route you are takin shud mostly be thru the Golden Quadrilateral. The parts of the GQ that i have seen are very nice.. no need to worry abt roads at all there..
I have one question tho.. after methodically coverin each state/majorcity, why are you jumping from chennai to culcutta?>? there a lot of places in Andhra and well as Orissa.

Also ur allotment of days for the different segments seem a little arbitrary.. not uniform frm what i can see.

One thing tho.. believe me.. with leisure u can easily do 300kms a day.. ofcourse not with just three hours of riding.. but still u can do 300 with loads of time in ur hands and no back/butt pain.

Many ppl here do three hours of riding EVERY day including me.. and that too partly within city!!
It'll be very easy..

All of us will be more than glad to help you out.. It makes us glad tht u wanna embark on such an adventure.

Dude.. You got everything chalked out very nicely..

I think it is safe to say this trip would be the Dream of most ppl here..

The route you are takin shud mostly be thru the Golden Quadrilateral. The parts of the GQ that i have seen are very nice.. no need to worry abt roads at all there..
I have one question tho.. after methodically coverin each state/majorcity, why are you jumping from chennai to culcutta?>? there a lot of places in Andhra and well as Orissa.

Also ur allotment of days for the different segments seem a little arbitrary.. not uniform frm what i can see.

One thing tho.. believe me.. with leisure u can easily do 300kms a day.. ofcourse not with just three hours of riding.. but still u can do 300 with loads of time in ur hands and no back/butt pain.

Many ppl here do three hours of riding EVERY day including me.. and that too partly within city!!
It'll be very easy..

All of us will be more than glad to help you out.. It makes us glad tht u wanna embark on such an adventure.

A couple of thousand dollars is a little too much. Looks like u plan to start the trip from Delhi? excellent choice i must say. Why? The cheapest rates for all bike parts & accessories are avilable in Delhi. U get the point?
Keep around Rs. 80,000/- for the bike + 8000--10,000/- for the after market fitments+Disc brake(in case of Bullet)+insurance+etc+etc.
This amt is sufficient. Trust Me.

5-6 Months because u decide to ride around 3 hrs each day. now this is India remember? what i want to say is that u cant be sure of travelling the same distance every day in the same no of Hrs. U get my point. U may do 200kms in 3hrs one day & just abt manage a 100kms in 3 hrs the other.
You are going to travel the length & breadth of the country on the road. You will come accross diff kinds of roads, diff people, diff situations, basically a lot of unexpected diff things. Things will not always go the way they are planned. So my advice is dont plan the trip in the no of hrs u are gonna ride, plan it in the no of Kms u are gonna ride everyday. keep atleast a minimum of 4 months free for the ride u are planning. Serious.

A couple of thousand dollars is a little too much. Looks like u plan to start the trip from Delhi? excellent choice i must say. Why? The cheapest rates for all bike parts & accessories are avilable in Delhi. U get the point?
Keep around Rs. 80,000/- for the bike + 8000--10,000/- for the after market fitments+Disc brake(in case of Bullet)+insurance+etc+etc.
This amt is sufficient. Trust Me.

5-6 Months because u decide to ride around 3 hrs each day. now this is India remember? what i want to say is that u cant be sure of travelling the same distance every day in the same no of Hrs. U get my point. U may do 200kms in 3hrs one day & just abt manage a 100kms in 3 hrs the other.
You are going to travel the length & breadth of the country on the road. You will come accross diff kinds of roads, diff people, diff situations, basically a lot of unexpected diff things. Things will not always go the way they are planned. So my advice is dont plan the trip in the no of hrs u are gonna ride, plan it in the no of Kms u are gonna ride everyday. keep atleast a minimum of 4 months free for the ride u are planning. Serious.

Hey,
84000/- is the cost of the bike add another 10,000/- for Registration + Insurance + NOC + other paper work + another 5000/- to 8000/- for the accessories. The 500 for that amount inculdes a factory fitted disc brake. So that means the money calculation is about right. For a total of about Rs. 1,15,000/- your bike should be ready. that's if you are buying the Bullet 500.

Now for the No of days & no of Kms part. well where did u get the distances from? lonely planet site? they do sound correct but keep a buffer of '+' '-' 10% on those figures, just a room for errors.
Also your plan sounds nice & you should be able to manage those distances in the number of days u mentioned. But do keep some days in Buffer, atleast 10 days i would say for Unexpected situations.

Once again i would suggest keep atleast 4 months for that trip.

And one golden piece of advice is : Take help from Truck Drivers, If in trouble on the Highway. They are really helpfull, much more than city dwellers.
Also keep us posted, maybe we can have "chi_red" G2G's in each city that u cross & meet u and ride with u.