World Motorcycle Day 2020: 5 Popular Motorcycle Road Trips In India

Someone rightly said, four wheels move the body, but two wheels, they move your soul. At some point we all would have made grand plans of a motorcycle road trip, with friends, colleagues and family. Maybe a few actually happened too. But this year, things are different. The dreaded Coronavirus pandemic has hit us hard and venturing out now would be a foolish thing to do. But, that doesn't stop us from dreaming about or planning the perfect motorcycle road trip. The perfect road trip happens when you fill up your motorcycle and head out on an open road. But to help you, we list out some of the popular bike road trips that one can do in India.

Manali - Leh Road Trip

World Motorcycle Day 2020 Royal Enfield bike

(Few sections on the Manali - Leh road look like this! A mountain road snaking through walls of snow. Salivating, isn't it?)

A definite must have on a motorcycle road trip bucket list! The route from Manali to Leh is not just picturesque, but it is food for your soul. Every turn of the road brings in a different scene, each prettier than the last. The route is about 490 km long. You start your journey from Manali in Himachal Pradesh and take the Manali-Leh road via Jispa, Sarchu and Upshi.

World Motorcycle Day 2020 Royal Enfield Bike

(Few things are more therapeutic than motorcycles and camping amidst nature )

A good idea would be to break your journey in Sarchu, get acclimatised to the altitude and temperature and then carry on to Leh. The highest point that you will cross is TagLang La, which is about 17,480 feet above mean sea level. Tall, broad, snow-capped peaks will keep accompany you throughout your journey and the entire road trip is a good mix of paved and kaccha roads. This is a pilgrimage that every motorcycle enthusiast should do at least once in his/her lifetime.

Mumbai - Goa Road Trip

World Motorcycle Day 2020 Royal Enfield Goa

(The Bombay - Goa route is is the perfect weekend road trip! Short, sweet and beautiful )

Yet another favourite! The Mumbai-Goa motorcycle ride is beautiful and the best time to do this is during monsoon and right after. It is short road trip, about 580-590 km and has two popular routes to choose from - NH4 and NH66. The NH4 route goes via Pune, Satara, Kolhapur, Belgaum and then to Goa. This is the more common route and one can spend some time at each stopover. Should you choose to take NH66, you will be making your way to Goa through the Western Ghats, which are lush green, especially in monsoon and make for a beautiful spectacle. The highway goes through the picturesque locales of Southern Maharashtra and along the coast. You will have towns like Panvel, Kolad, Chiplun, Sawantwadi and then finally through to Goa. The clean, pristine beaches of Southern Maharashtra will make you forget Goa. It is a lovely road trip and can be done over the weekend as well.

Jaipur - Jaisalmer via Jodhpur

mahindra mojo desert Rajasthan

(Almost all towns and cities in Rajasthan have at least fort from old times, making for an idyllic backdrop)

In case you are not in the mood for mountains or beaches, a Rajasthan road trip makes sense too, especially if you have cruiser motorcycles. Taking NH11, the highway will take you to Jaisalmer from Jaipur via Nagaur, Pokharan and covers a distance of about 600 km. You could also include Jodhpur in your itinerary if you have time on your hands. The road from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer is something else! It is arrow straight, fully paved and has sand dunes on either side. Plus, there are a tonne of places that you could see in each of cities too. We suggest you do this road trip in winter, when temperatures during the day will be manageable and not drain you completely. Travelling across Rajasthan on a motorcycle is yet another pilgrimage!

Guwahati to Cherrapunji

World Motorcycle Day 2020 Northeast

(Roads in the Northeast look something like this! If this doesn't make you want to ride, we are not sure what will)

The seven states of Northeast India offer so many routes that it is difficult to pick one. But in case you want to pick a classic road trip in the Northeast, we suggest you ride down from Guwahati in Assam to Cherrapunji and then onwards to Mawsynram in Meghalaya. Full of natural beauty, the road from Guwahati to Shillong itself is quite pretty, but once you leave NH 6 and head towards Cherrapunji, that's when nature decides to take your breath away, that's when magic happens. Lush green hills, gorgeous waterfalls, less traffic and mostly an overcast sky, with beautiful weather, will transport you to a different world.

World Motorcycle Day 2020 Yamaha RD 350

(The lush greenery of the Northeast will keep you cheery all throughout. And yes! The Yamaha RD350 makes for a lovely companion)

Be sure to carry waterproof/rain gear because this area is considered to be the wettest place on earth and in all probability, you will encounter rainfall. Guwahati has lovely tea estates and the Kaziranga National Park in close vicinity, while Shillong has a vibrant nightlife and beautiful bazaars. Cherrapunji also serves as a base for visiting nearly attractions like the Nohkalikai waterfalls, Living Root Bridges in Nongriat, the town of Mawsynram, which is the wettest place on earth and the Mawsmai caves.

Dehra Dun to Badrinath/Mana

World Motorcycle Day 2020 Uttarakhand Badrinath

(The NH58 starts from Ghaziabad in UP and ends in Mana, Uttarakhand. Some sections of this road are beyond stunning )

Yet another epic road trip up north! The route from Dehra Dun to Badrinath and Mana, the last village on the Indo-China border! It isn't as high altitude as Ladakh or Spiti but is as beautiful, if not more. If you have a religious bent of mind, this route takes you through multiple religious spots like Dev Prayag, Kedarnath, Hemkunt Sahib and of course Badrinath. If there is a motorcycle road trip to wash away your sins, this is perhaps it! Plus, if you like treks, you will enjoy places like Valley of Flowers as well. The route is dotted with idyllic villages, steep gorges and a variety of flora and fauna too. Plus, it is a motorcycle haven, with some patches of absolutely stunning tarmac which will make you fall in love with riding motorcycles all over again!

World Motorcycle Day 2020 Haridwar Rishikesh

(A motorcycle road trip with friends is one of the best possible ways to unwind and see new places)

So, where will you be headed once things truly get back to normal? Keep your motorcycle parked this World Motorcycle Day and save those kilometres for later. After all, the longer the wait, the sweeter will be the ride!

Photographs courtesy: Preetam Bora, Pawan Dagia



from CarandBike - Latest News

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Harley-Davidson Streetfighter Spotted In Flesh For The First Time

Image
Harley-Davidson unveiled a range of new motorcycles last year that included an adventure tourer, streetfighter and Custom range. This, along with the LiveWire electric motorcycle defines the new-age 21st century offerings from the manufacturer as it taps into newer markets and caters to an evolving customer base. Now, giving a glimpse of the new models out in the open, the new Harley-Davidson Streetfighter was spotted in the prototype version at what seems to be a trade show in the US, giving a good glimpse at motorcycle looks like in flesh. While board says 'Styling Prototype', the production-spec version of the Streetfighter is likely to stay identical to the model showcased here. In addition to the Streetfighter, the Pan America was also showcased at the same event. The production spec versions of both bikes could be unveiled at EICMA this year. Also Read: Harley-Davidson Livewire To Be Unveiled In India In August The Harley-Davidson Streetfighter is a completely new mot
Read more

Brixton 1200 To Rival Triumph Bonneville T120

Image
A 1200 cc modern classic with similar design lines as Triumph's iconic Bonneville series, has reportedly been cleared for production. The bike was showcased as a concept at last year's EICMA motorcycle show, and from the looks of it, this is a model developed in China with the Triumph Bonneville T120 in its sights. The Brixton brand though is part of Austria's KSR Group, which imports bikes from several Chinese manufacturers, including CF Moto. And while the new Bonneville rival will be manufactured in China, the design and engineering has been created at KSR's design centre in Krups, Austria. Also Read: Triumph Bonnville T120 First Ride Review The Brixton 1200 cc motorcycle has not been named yet, or a launch timeline announced So far, the company has not committed to a launch date yet, but says that it will eventually make it to production. And from the looks of it, that may well be sometime later this year, maybe even at the EICMA 2020 show in Milan, Italy, in
Read more

Zongshen Cyclone RX6 Based On Norton 650 Nearing Completion

Image
While there still doesn't seem to be a buyer for iconic British brand Norton Motorcycles which went into administration in January this year, the firm's 650 cc parallel-twin seems to be finding life in China. While Norton apparently sold off the engine rights of its 961 engine to China's Jinglang just before the brand went into administration, the deal for the 650 cc engine was finalized way back in 2017 with Chinese giant Zongshen. The 650 cc parallel-twin engine was due to be used in Norton's Atlas and Superlight models, but now it looks like that engine platform will make its debut in a Zongshen motorcycle, called the Cyclone R6. Also Read: How Much Is Norton Motorcycles Worth Now? One of the patent designs shows the Cyclone RX6 with full touring accessories and luggage Two prototypes fitted with the 650 cc parallel-twin engine were shown in China late last year, on the Zongshen Cyclone RX6 adventure bike and the RX6 sport tourer. Both bikes used Zongshen-made
Read more