{"id":269484,"date":"2010-02-03T04:57:26","date_gmt":"2010-02-03T09:57:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.team-bhp.com\/forum\/travelogues\/74814-rm-x-bad-boy-report-ride.html"},"modified":"2010-02-03T04:57:26","modified_gmt":"2010-02-03T09:57:26","slug":"rm-x-bad-boy-report-on-the-ride","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/269484","title":{"rendered":"RM X: Bad Boy Report on the ride"},"content":{"rendered":"
It is the time of the year every Royal Enfield rider looks forward to.
\nA long ride, open roads and meeting friends.
\nWhen spending 4 days on a bike to spend 2 days with friends makes sense.<\/p>\n

Rider Mania X, was hosted by Inddiethumpers at Vikramgad.
\nThe registrations started in December and I promptly signed up on the last day for the initial low price.<\/p>\n

My first hitch occurred a week later.
\n My bike’s tank sprung a leak and the smell of petrol would permeate as soon as the bike was left alone.
\nThe bike went in for repairs and the tank was welded shut.<\/p>\n

A trial highway run showed the repair job as inadequate.
\nI fixed Sudhir\u0092s old tank on my bike.
\nMy tank went in for more repairs and its storage upgraded 18L.<\/p>\n

I needed to get my seat fixed as well. 6.5 years of usage had rendered it hard.
\nBut decided to put off till my tank is ready and I can undertake any modification to the plate.
\nBig mistake as it later turned out.<\/p>\n

\nSudhir, Vasant and The BlackJack took off for Vikramgad on Thursday.
\nKashyap and I left Friday morning.<\/p>\n

My ride story starts from Friday morning<\/p>\n

\nFriday<\/b><\/p>\n

Swaroop had told me that although he would not be able to make it to RM; He would like to attend the take off.
\nSo at 5:40 AM, I meet up with Swaroop and we ride towards Kothaguda.
\nKashyap joins us there and we have some tea. The weather feels really nice and by 6:00 AM we ride into the highway.<\/p>\n

IT\u0092S COLD.
\nNo cold is something I can tolerate. This is freezing. I give up overtaking some trucks as it\u0092s too painful to move my fingers and pull back the clutch.
\nOur initial plan was to stop somewhere around Zaheerabad and have tea. But with this cold weather, I signal a stop opposite the MRF factory.
\nWe warm ourselves by the fire and get some hot tea. It\u0092s the first tea for the shop guy and hence it\u0092s quite nice. Fresh tea powder.
\nBut looks like our plan of stopping at Zaheerabad was heard by someone else as well. And afraid that we might not stop, providence sent a Hero Honda in front of Kashyap’s LB500.
\nAn idiot was taking a U-Turn from the wrong side of the road and facing the other way.
\nHis front tire met Kashyap’s foot rest.
\nLuckily Kashyap’s experience and alertness saved his foot. He moved it just in time. The foot rest however bent at an awkward 90 degree angle.
\nMaking it parallel to the bike.
\nThe Hero Honda lost its entire front. The fork and tire got twisted. The mud guard, headlight console broke.
\nWe later stopped by at Humnabad. A puncture shop guy used a long steel pipe to wring the footrest back into place.<\/p>\n

Hungry! We stopped at a small restaurant after Solapur. The time was around 11 AM. The restaurant actually surprised me.
\nThe daal+roti were simply too good and the aloo parathas spectacular.<\/p>\n

A leisurely lunch break later we rode into some nasty traffic.
\nThe traffic jams spanning kilometer after kilometer.
\nSome idiots decided to break the line and accelerate like crazy into us.
\nWearing a helmet puts a check on your vocabulary. There is no point cursing when the only one who can hear it is you.<\/p>\n

We finally left the cursed jams behind at Tembhurni. Our next destination was Ahmednagar.
\nIt\u0092s a lovely state highway road. There is traffic but not a lot of it. We entered Ahmednagar and stopped at a sweets shop.
\nI love food and like to try everything.<\/p>\n

We had some nice samosas, kachoris and sweets.
\nThe roads had begun changing by now.
\nIt was a lot of curves and riding was getting fun.
\nThe temperature started dropping.
\nWe reached Otur and as we stopped for dinner at about 8PM, got a message from Sudhir.
\nHe warned us to not ride in the night. Sudhir would never warn against riding unless the conditions were really bad.
\nSo we called it a night and checked into New Monica hotel.
\nThe name was a little sleazy sounding but the place was excellent.
\nThe room tariff was 700 for a night.
\nTried watching TV but sleep overcame us really fast.<\/p>\n

\nSATURDAY<\/b>
\nI must have changed my seat before I left. A nasty ache in my back and every bump was getting magnified. Quite confused on how I will handle the ride ahead.
\nBut God takes care of children and bikers.<\/p>\n

We woke up late and continuing with our eco friendly mode, decided to not waste any water for mundane things like bathing.
\nA freak accident in the parking lot had my bike drenched in water. Maybe fate itself was trying to make a point.<\/p>\n

We stopped at a nearby restaurant for breakfast. The Maharashtrian cuisine is so different from what I am used to.
\nWe had a Vada Pav, Misail and some sweets. I am loving it!<\/p>\n

The ride took us past a beautiful lake. This is the Malsej ghat. I found a lovely resort on the bank of that lake. Su Shant Resort.
\nI have no idea how the place is, but its location is very good.
\nThe ghats are nice and roads fairly good.
\nFeel like a bird flying the sky. <\/p>\n

\nWe keep on riding thru some narrow roads. This is supposed to be a shortcut of some sort. But we are getting tired. Our attire is more suited to cooler winds. My bike seat is really being a big pain now.
\nCan barely wait to get off as everything that can hurt; hurts.<\/p>\n

We finally reach the venue at about 1PM.
\nKashyap needs to complete his registration. We finally get to our rooms. The bathroom is clean but there is no hot water.
\nI wash my face and decide to suspend all personal hygiene stuff for the next few days.<\/p>\n

As I mentioned earlier God does look after bikers. Among the stalls put up at the venue is my namesake. Imran.
\nHe sells custom seats for bikes. I get a new split seat for my tb. It\u0092s so soft and comfortable.
\nI inspect my old seat. The foam inside has actually gone so hard that it turns to powder.
\n Anyways my return trip will be more comfortable and it was.<\/p>\n

The food at the venue is basic fare but it\u0092s very good. I load up on the meat and deserts.<\/p>\n

Apart from riding, I love reading. I care two hoots for music. But give me a book and I am glued to it.
\nSo as my friends watch the rock show, I am lost in my book. The rooms have hammocks on the trees outside them. I make myself comfortable and read till almost 3 AM.<\/p>\n

Then the cold starts getting to me.
\nEnded up sleeping with almost as much stuff as I would while riding.<\/p>\n

SUNDAY<\/b>
\nI wake up shivering with cold. The thin blanket was useless. There is hot water available. But it needs to be fetched from outside.
\nThe bucket we have is too small. So I continue with the wash face and base and forget it routine.<\/p>\n

Not feeling hungry, my breakfast is pav roti dipped in tea.
\nIn the background a lot of events are going on. But I am not really interested in them. In fact I am horrified at the high revving sounds.
\nDecide to visit the workshop instead.
\nFound that a chain link in my bike had broken. Got that replaced. Made a couple of nice friends while getting my bike fixed.<\/p>\n

More events going on in the background but I try not to let them disturb me.
\nEveryone is having so much fun.<\/p>\n

Met Amip and her husband in the afternoon. Met throttleking later in the day.<\/p>\n

Since we have a long trip coming up, decide to retire early.
\nBut that is not going to happen.<\/p>\n

Some bad news, Kashyap lost his wallet. Most of his money and all his cards are lost.
\nWe suspect it was lost in the dirt track trail. Walk up and down that trail but we are unable to find it.<\/p>\n

MONDAY<\/b>
\nThe entire luggage is packed, goodbyes said and we are set to leave.
\nA rider from roadshakers has a flat tire. They did not bring the entire kit as the distance for Pune guys is too short. Anyways, my tire removal kit comes in handy.
\nThe tube is replaced in no time by Baljeet. Now we finally roll out at about 10 AM.
\nSudhir and the two others would leave a little later. They would then break up into two groups. Sudhir and DJ rode non-stop and reached Hyderabad at 4 AM on Tuesday.
\nVasant the sensible guy stayed over at Solapur for the night and rode alone into Hyderabad.<\/p>\n

Kashyap and I have planned to check out Mumbai. It\u0092s my first visit to this city. The last time was during the night for a connecting flight and I was too young to remember anything.
\nMumbai sets an example on how traffic must move. The people extremely friendly and more than once we were helped out with directions.
\nThe difference in Hyderabad traffic and Mumbai is simple. Here everyone tries to prevent the other from overtaking them. In Mumbai they help others overtake them.<\/p>\n

I meet up with GTO, Rehaan, Stratos and Ported head. Free lunch at Not Just Jazz by the Bay. \ud83d\ude42
\nDiscussions on cars, bikes and food. Was very nice meeting you guys.<\/p>\n

Visit Gateway of India, The Taj Mahal hotel. The view is spectacular.
\nWe ride past the Leopold cafe and the CST.<\/p>\n

My mind brings back images of the carnage the terrorists brought here. I remember the feeling of impotent rage against them as they attacked my country.
\nThe anger I felt against them when the bombs exploded in Hyderabad. Inside the Mecca masjid, in gokul chat and in the park.<\/p>\n

My prayer to God is simple. If I have ever done a single good thing in my life, may you take account of it and destroy those who split innocent blood.
\nMay their souls always burn in the hottest part of hell.<\/p>\n

We meet up with Kashyap’s classmate. Our free food streak is still on. Get some ice-cream inside in preparation of the long ride ahead.<\/p>\n

Ride on till we reach Lonavala. Stop to pick up some of the famous chiki. It turns out that no matter how much you pick it will always be less than what will satisfy you.
\nAt Pune we stop at a restaurant that served the worst soup ever. Lousy service and not so great good. Luckily the company was great. Again free food courtesy Kashyap’s friends.<\/p>\n

It\u0092s about mid night by the time we hit the road. The sky is clear but we are ready for calling it a night.
\nBut there is no place to stay. We reach Lone. No hotels anywhere. Puttering on we finally reach a hotel in Indapur. The time is almost 3 AM.
\n300 bucks and a bed that I guess sees a lot of action.
\nWe did not even remove our jackets and riding gear except the helmet.<\/p>\n

\nTUESDAY<\/b>
\nWoke up fresh. Stopped from some breakfast. Stale pav and sad misail later we were on our way. Riding on we reached Solapur. As I need to get lost, so I did. Ended up going about 2 kms on a wrong highway before asking for directions and returning.
\nWe stopped for some decent lunch. Mutton and roti. The day was warming up and we were riding on comfortably.<\/p>\n

Kashyap owned a tb before he sold it and got the 500 lb. He and I are almost equally matched in riding skills. He is a little more aggressive and generally takes the lead. But with the 500 lb under him, it was very difficult to keep up with him.<\/p>\n

Around Humnabad, I find a crowd forming up by the side of the road. After our earlier incident in Zaheerabad, I have my heart in my mouth.
\nIt\u0092s someone else. A biker who was riding without wearing a helmet. The helmet had rolled far away and was safe. He however broke his head.
\nI found him lying down, trembling and shivering. Leaking blood from his cracked skull. I don’t think he survived the crash. The ambulance was called and I think the local people there knew him.
\nHe had tried to avoid a bicycle. Skidded out of control and smashed head down on the road.
\n500 people die of motorcycle head injuries in Hyderabad. At least half of them would have survived if they wear a helmet.
\nBut…<\/p>\n

As I ride on, my speeds are drastically reduced. The biker who died was less than a kilometer in front of me when he smashed. He was about my age. Its a little unnerving.
\nBut I keep reminding myself that I have not skidded of my bike in ages. That I practice high speed braking. My helmet is very good and I ride a lot more than most others.<\/p>\n

I enter Hyderabad. A lot of road shows are going on. There are demands for a separate state.
\nThe entire civil life has been turned upside down.
\nPeople kill themselves in support of a cause.
\nPeople kill others in support of their cause.
\nBut they don’t wear a helmet and hence die for no cause.<\/p>\n

I reach home at 8 PM.
\nThank god for a good ride.
\nLife goes on.<\/p>\n

\nPics will follow. I did not take my camera along. So am waiting for other to upload the pic, which I will post here.
\nAttachment 280413<\/a><\/p>\n

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It is the time of the year every Royal Enfield rider looks forward to. A long ride, open roads and meeting friends. When spending 4 days on a bike to spend 2 days with friends makes sense. Rider Mania X, was hosted by Inddiethumpers at Vikramgad. The registrations started in December and I promptly signed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-269484","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269484","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=269484"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269484\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=269484"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=269484"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=269484"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}