Take your bike off the map

Motorcycles allow you to chart a path of your own

Travel writer Rishad SaamMehta lives to travel and tellthe tale. But one moonlessnight in Kargil in 2003, nothing,not even the fear of death,could keep him from riding out at11.30 pm. He had to escape two Pashtunmen who were determined to buy his350 cc Bullet motorcycle.

"The rocky road lit by the beam ofmy headlight was my world. I could notsee anything else. But I had to get awayfrom those unsmiling men besottedwith my bike," recalls Mehta of his solotrip from Kargil to Sonamarg via Dras.

Then he remembers a vantage pointen route: The spectacular view of theKashmir valley that lay 1,000 ft belowmade the trip worthwhile, "My heartwanted to burst with joy. I wanted toshare the moment with the world. Iactually ended up talking to my bike."

Tall tales
The world of motorcycle adventurersis full of such tales. Like Bangalorebasedsoftware engineer Praveen KM's175-day long, 25,508 km odyssey alongalmost the entire perimeter of the countrythat ended August last year.Praveen, 31, had a rough idea of theroute but no fixed schedule. "The trick,"says Praveen, "is to take a day at a time.And preferably do it solo because thenyou can move at your own pace."

Five years ago, Preethi Jayapadhi,28, bought a motorcycle on an impulse."For two days I stared at the instructionmanual. On the third day I tried toride the bike and fell down," says thewriter, who lives in Mumbai. A veteranof many adventure rides, Jayapadhisays that the varied terrain of southIndia makes it a biker's delight. A1,000-km ride from Bangalore in TamilNadu to Valparai in Kerala a few yearsago, took her through sloping hills,rivers, beaches and daunting denseforests.

Talking of which, few can match theaptly-named One Crazy Ride thatGaurav Jani and his four friends,Nicolitta Pereira, Vinod Panicker,Sanjeev Sharma, Gursaurabh SinghToor, made through Arunachal Pradeshin 2006. For most of the journey, theywere riding through rivers or whatpassed for a dirt track between imposingcliffs and steep drops.

A journey of discovery
For the more enterprising ones andthere is a growing tribe of them thereare any number of unbeaten tracks tobe discovered, says Santosh Kumar, 34,of www.getoffurass.com, a portal thattempts "executives in swivel chairs" toexperience the outdoors. Availability ofgood bikes, riding gear and networkingsites has fuelled the passion for bikeadventure, says Kumar.

People like Vir Nakai, 30, art directorwith an advertising agency inMumbai, need the smallest excuse totake off, often solo, on his 500 cc Enfieldbike. "It is very peaceful, calming andin a way liberating to ride alone." For asafe ride, he invests in good riding gearthat is now available in India.

Contrary to the impression thatadventure biking is a macho thing todo, most bikers will tell you that it is ajourney of personal discovery. AsPraveen KM says, "You never knowwhat you are capable of until you pushyourself. For me, the ride was a journeyof self discovery." So, what did hefind out? "I am more at peace with theuncertainties of life," is his answer.

All you need to know

Machine Mechanics
Learn enough about the bike to be ableto fix a problem if there is no mechanic.Oil major bolts. Some bikers put adhesiveon the threads to delay loosening.Change the acceleration, clutch andbrake cables. Carry extra cables, fuse,bulbs, spark plug, a tube and a tool kit.Keep luggage to a minimum anddistribute it evenly on the bike.
Power dressing
Wear loose cargos of heavy cotton thatcan withstand the wear-and-tear.Layered clothes keep the body warmwhile riding uphill.You will definitely need warm clothingand a sturdy windcheater.Invest in an armoured biking jacket, apair of gloves, riding boots, driving glasses,and a quality helmet.
Healthy riding
Start early and drive during daylight.Eat light. Stay hydrated. Drink coconutwater when you can find it.Carry energy bars and dry fruits thatpack in a lot of energy.Carry fruits like apples and oranges thatwon't get squashed in the bag.At high altitudes, take a Disprin or chewon garlic cloves to keep the blood thin.

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