Two of us are trying to plan a 14 day tour (not part of an organised group) in North India (Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir)
We would like to take trains from Dehli to Shimla to avoid the grind north of Dehli.

First question
Can anyone tell me whether we can rent motorcycles (Royal Enfields) in Shimla and if so advise me contact details, e-mail address, etc.?
If not Shimla can anyone advise motorcycle rental places in either Kalka or Chandigarh?

Second question
In these regions where we plan to tour, is it better to take tents, etc or is there sufficient places to find basic accomodation and food each night.

Third question.
Is petrol easily available in the villages of the region or do we need to plan on carrying spare fuel containers?

Thanks for any help you can give

Petrol is available everywhere in India.

I haven't seen any places to camp in India, but I've heard there's spots. There's "guest houses" in every city. There's plenty of "hotels" where it's just a restaurant and they've pointed me to a guest house.

I left my tent and sleeping bag in Delhi a few months ago and haven't wanted either since. I enjoy camping but there's someone every 5 feet in India.

If you stop in a village and say (or actually pantomime) that you want food and a place to sleep, someone will provide.

I don't know about places to rent bikes. You can rent one in the Karol Bagh district of New Delhi and put it on a train.

It's a neat country. I'll be leaving 18 Nov but if you're here before then, let me know.

-Dave

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You will struggle in Shimla to rent a bike i expect. Although there are the usual Indian Enfield garages...the fact shimla is largely pedestrianised means that the focus on tourisms is away from motorbike hire etc.

When i was there i struggled to find secure bike parking there and also to find somewhere to stay where i could park the bike which was near enough the old colonial town. I settled on a place nearer the railway station, slightly below the town (i forget the name) which looks expensife but isn't.

Most people without bikes end up staying at the ymca as its clean and one of the cheapest places in town.

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Thanks
Joe

Most people I saw had rented Enfields from Manali. It should be possible to free camp in the mountains, at least I did but not very often as like people say, you can find accommodation everywhere.

Joe- I met you in that wee cafe in Kalpa I think a few months back, hope the rest of your trip went well!

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Mike


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Dave thanks for the thought of renting in Delhi and putting it on the train. Is that really possible, bike on train, to say Chandigarh?

Joe your information on renting in Shimla is most helpful as it stops me wasting my time looking for something that is not there. I had wondered as all my research drew a blank.

Mike most helpful. Manali would be very suitable – do you know how we could reach Manali from say Delhi. For example does the train service go to Manali? Also do you happen to know a name, e-mail, etc of a motorcycle rental company in Manali to see if I can track it down?

Once again a big thanks to you guys and for any other info. you might think helpful.

Duncan

Yes, Shimla is a days 2-train journey from Delhi. Take the "Himalaya Queen" (6am'ish) to Kalka then transfer at Kalka (i think!) onto a narrow-guage which winds its way into the hills, getting to Shimla 8-9pm'ish. By Indian standards a (relative) doddle - once you've actually got the ticket, that is... ahhh the joys of the Foreigners ticket office!

we actually thought of transporting our Vstrom on a train from Agra to Mumbai last December. Were so fully fed up with Indian traffic at that point!

The problem was, that except the departure and arrival stations, the trains only make very short stops, so we were adviced we should assist lifting the bike into the train on one day (there should be a compartment for cargo), then follow the same route the next day, then go to the main parcel office in Mumbai to pick it up....................... all this got us a little doubtful, whether it would work as promised, and what would we do then, if the bike isnt to be found there. In the end, we didnt do it.

But going from Delhi to some smaller destination might work just fine (but the bike changing the train, I dont know). And its quite cheap, too. Trains are a fun way to travel in India (riding the national highway is NOT!!!) But I´d still try to go on the very same train as the bike, not a nice idea that someone´s keeping it somewhere overnight. Maybe that is negotiable at the station.

The traffic in south India is much easier than north India. Night and day. It seems almost normal. Although if I started in the south, I'd probably think it was insane at first.

In the south, the roads are paved! Mostly good pavement. India is pulling itself up by the bootstraps and there's tons of work going on here. Drivers mostly stick to the left side. Not as many people and animals crowding the roads.

I trained my Enfield from Delhi to Cochi. They lost it for a couple days, bent a foot peg and spilled some glue on the front fender. You're supposed to ship them with no fuel, and they try to take any fuel you have, but the Enfield I have has a locking fuel gauge, so fuel wasn't taken. They tried and I had to reconnect the lines.

I like riding (although the trains here are great), but I was in a hurry to meet a friend and I had to get out of Delhi before my brain exploded. The traffic there can't be appreciated until you've ridden through holiday rush hour.

Locals have been setting fire to trains lately -- after the passengers are kicked off. I don't know if they're burning luggage cars.

Leaving your bike at a station overnight is fine. There's a charge after a set amount of time, but I wasn't charged after they lost my bike.

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Not Ted Simon since 1970!
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