India 2010, first tour, advice/comments needed
 

Hi all,

Planning on heading out to Asia Jan 2010. Going to spend a few months relaxing visiting friends in Thailand and Indonesia before getting to India in March 2010.

The plan is to get 2 motorcycles locally for myself and my girlfriend and to tour india region (prob including nepal) for about a year or so.

Background - both of us have extensive experience in asia having overlanded (not by bike - public transport) throughout singapore malaysia, indonesia, thailand, laos, camboida, china several times previously. (although extensive periods have been spent fishing, camping and errr, not doing a lot, on remote islands!). and we have traveled round australia for a month in a camper including crossing the nullabor which was pretty cool.

This will be out first experience motorcycle touring and we currently do not have a huge amount of biking experience although i have ridden some basic off road bits in Thailand and the south pacific islands.

So, background over, questions.

We figured a year was probably a reasonable amount of prep time, what I would like, if anyone would be kind enough to reply, is some input - suggestions, things to do in advance, any comments etc.

I have spent two weeks reading online, i have some idea of out options regarding bikes and the various pros and cons. I am currently thinking Bullets, probably new ones from a dealer. Although i don't have a great deal of mechanical know how, I am an engineer and learn fast. I am also considering if it is worth purchasing a Bullet over here and getting to now it before going. Also I am looking to learn the basics, and maybe not so basics, on troubleshooting/maintaining it myself. Suggestions on how to go about this would also be welcome.

for reference i am based in South London near clapham (before anyone suggests a great enfield garage the other side of the world etc!)

Fortunately for us the financial side of things will not be a major issue as we have pretty good earning power and not a lot of expenses.

Thanks to everyone here for making this such a great site, such a trove of information, I feel far more confident just knowing i can ask stupid questions here and get informative answers!

Cheers

Dan
:stupid:

The only Bullets I saw in India were in a poor state and from everything I've read, I'd given Bullets a wide berth. Certainly many Indians prefer smaller capacity Japanese models which are more reliable, more economical and more powerful.

Have a look at this report for one idea: Ladakh, Heaven on Earth, YogeshSarkar.com

Tim

Do some courses
1) rider training .. specifically 'off road touring' if you can ... I know bm do one .. buit there must be some (cheaper?) others? Note not a MX course!
2) first aid - preferably 'remote area' ... say more than 2 days at teh course .. that should give you enough information on how to deal with anything that may happen..

Motorcycle maintance courses used to be run over there .. you'll need a local comment on this..

Attend a HU meeting .. you 'll get lots of help/ideas there..

Don't worry too much pal. Although i would like to agree with the previous comment about doing a course but there is just NO course in this world that can prepare you to ride in india. (Except of course riding in india)

About the Enfields...
These bikes are considered Big in India. I myself ride a 500 and wouldnt ride anything else at all. Its got balls of steel. Well, ok, one ball of steel but it can take you and your luggage cross the highest of the passes. Its torquey. Its not really fast but has good enough top end. Given the traffic conditions here, you will enjoy slow riding and bullets are just what you need. You can find mechs for bullets everywhere.

Otherwise,
You can get something like a Hero Honda Karizma, which would be cheaper than a Bullet but will be much more reliable. They will take all abuse, ride fast, give better fuel economy and will run flawless.

But if in india, ride a bullet.

Thanks for the comments guys,

Tim,

I'm defiantly considering the local jap alternatives to an Enfield but, its a pro's and con's thing it seems. More reliable and faster (although faster is really not a big deal as im in no need of racing round india) verses higher availability of servicing for enfields and more low end power.

I have to admit there is also considerably more attraction in riding the enfield than the alternatives, it is more ascetically pleasing after all.

Im a big guy, 6'4" and 105kg, and little plastic jap bikes do not feel good at my size. I also wonder how a 125-180 bike will cope with me and luggage going up a steep mountain pass, also wondering how to attach that luggage to a Bajaj or Hero or similar in the first place!

The again, my girlfriend is 55kg and about 5'10, although physically very able (we are both 30) and not adverse to hard work or roughing it (god knows cambodia can be hard work and rough!)

Its almost like two different bikes would be more suitable but i have read plenty of people saying NEVER take two different bikes touring, it makes it harder. That and I doubt she would settle for a more girly bike if i got the enfield, im pretty sure she would demand one as well! :) (and who can blame her eh?)

Thanks for the link, i am working my way through quite a few blogs/traveloges/threads types right now to get some background.

In case anyone else is interested or reading this thread later with similar plans, then as well as Tim's link;

onwalkabout.com -- Sometimes you have to go onwalkabout!

IndiaMotorcycle - India on an Enfield A Woman's Motorcycle AdventureÂ*

http://www.BCMtouring.com

On the Edge: A Woman's Solo Motorcycle Odyssey Through India

Drunken Monkey Motorcycle - very amusing, like Hunter S Thompson round India at times! (meant as a compliment of course!)

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ing-past-37371

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-enfield-35975

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/gregfrazier/news/2000-12-22.shtml - Greg's always good to read.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...189#post106744

might be of interest/use and it saves someone else linking them all in again.

On a side note if anyone else has a link to any reading material they recommend online or offline then thanks in advance.

Frank,

Thanks for the tips, I have seen some links and reviews of the BM course in Germany and it seems pretty good and challenging so i will look to do that unless an equivalent more local option turns up.

The med course is an excellent idea, i haven't done a first aid/trauma course in about 8 years now so its well worth finding one. I know indian hospitals leave a lot to be desired and, touch wood, we wont need one if we are prepared and trained and fortunate!

I know that you can arrange informal maintenance courses over there but i would like to do as much here as i can before i go, in know once im there i wont be wanting to hang around in Delhi (or similar city depending where we start but prob Delhi) for a few weeks. Also with a year before departure it is good to have things to take my mind of the slog of working in London which give me a sense of achievement and gaining practical skills is always good.

Hope to make the UK June HU meet but need to sort my diary and make sure i am in country (work takes me to Africa and elsewhere quite a bit) before committing.

chanderjeet,

Thanks for the 'no worry' tip! I know it will be a considerable shock adjusting to Indian traffic but i am hoping my experiences in places like Cambodia will help me make a swift adjustment.

Good to hear some positive Bullet comments! As you mention its the low down power not the top end that is important when lugging me and my gear around the mountains!

The Karizma is an option although i dont know how i would add luggage to it. Also im not a big fan of the looks. The adverts for it on its website are quite amusing though!

Karizma - Always Game


lol. I understand. I hear a lot of this reasoning. A lot of "it was bad, it was annoying, it was unreliable, bits keep falling off, don't buy one" then i ask if they went back what they would get and they say "well, a bullet of course!"


Thanks again for all the input.

India is not the place to learn to ride!
 

Do take some courses and do a lot of practice rides in busy traffic...
Yes, once in India you have to re-learn all over again and adapt to the 'peculiar' way to drive and use the road.
I posted some considerations to riding there. I don't know if others agree with me but, take a look at the entries of this post:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...in-dehli-39228

Well, having just come back from riding in india with a broken arm and broken jaw I must say it's a pretty hairy place to ride.

In some ways getting the hang of riding there is quite fun, and you do learn a hell of a lot (eg; getting sideswiped by a car and not falling off!)
However it's not a place to kid yourself about how dangerous it is.

Although the weather is insane, I would stick VERY firmly to ATGATT and despite what the locals do, 4 up with no helmets is a REALLY bad idea.

For an example of the oddity of the driving style, if for example you encounter a truck on the road, it's indicating right, you may assume this means it's turning right.
Well, it MAY be, but equally likely it's suggesting that you overtake it.
Oh and riding a bike with a headlight wired on permanently, gets a bit irritating after the hundredth guy that day tells you 'your light is on!'.

My biggest tip for driving in a foreign country would be... Do what they expect you to do as much as it's not suicidal, as I reckon it's a safe bet that most problems occur when one motorists does something another motorist aint expecting...

Enfield!
 

You may want to check out this site. 60kph.com
They are a great bunch of guys with a lot of good info on touring India on an Enfield.
My wife and I road around NW Inida and Nepal two-up on a newer 350 Bullet and had no major problems. Granted, no high speeds but it took us everywhere we wanted to go. Just bring some spare parts if you are going to a remote area.

Dodgydago,

cheers for the link, useful first hand info - just what im after!

great advice. as we are planning a year or so there is no intention or need to go fast or rush.

Toukakoukan,

Ouch on the arm and jaw! what happened? :eek3:

ATGATT is essential in asia i find, although i tend to be a bit lax when using 50cc-125cc on islands in SEasia but im going slow and usually on sand or dirt and in no rush. Otherwise, and certainly in any asian city or major road, basically anywhere where i have to deal with other road users i totally agree.

ear plugs are a good tip too thanks.

belz,

cheers for the link, good site, i have Gaurav's first DVD on order and looking forward to their new one soon too.

what year was your bullet and how long did you ride? I get the impression the recent ones are a different beast from the older ones as far as reliability goes.

Cheers again all for the info.

I spent 4 months in India and a couple weeks in Nepal and my only accident was sideswipping a bicycle rickshaw at a super low clutch-burning speed. Nothing major.

Dodgydago says good stuff in the link he posted. I really wish I had goggles. I tried to find them but no luck.

I met up with the 60kph Club. Great bunch of folks. I went on a weekend ride with them before I had my bike. I learned a lot from riding pillion.

We were there in the fall of 06 and road about 7,000 km in 7 weeks on a 2004 bullet. We started in Delhi and rode all mountain roads through Himachal and Uttaranchal to Nepal and sold it to an Israeli couple in Pokhara. It had around 1,500 Km on it when we got it. I don't really know how well it held up compared to an older model. But during our tour, mechanically we broke a throttle cable and had the front brake cleaned. It was a bit hard to start at times. I had a hard time getting used to the decompression kick start thing. Other than an oil change and new rear tire to the bike, that was about it. We are thinking of going back to India this spring to do a tour in the NE on another Enfield.
Happy Planning

Dave Smith,

Thanks for the info.

Just watched Gaurav's movie - riding solo to the top of the world - so meeting up with some of the 60kph guys would be cool. looking forward to their next dvd.
I'll probably drop them an email.

belz,

cheers for the info, good to put comments in context of bike/duration.

--

interesting and useful read for anyone one interested in this subject.

How to buy a used or Second hand Enfied

I rode around southern India on a Bullet last year. Can't really add the the advice given above except with respect to the Bullet and traffic. The Bullet is an Indian classic. But it has all the "classic" flaws of the 1950's Brit bikes--oil leaks, crappy electrics, even worse brakes (no, wait, that's "even worse brake"--the front is useless). The Bullet also has the shift lever and rear brake pedals reversed--and the shift pattern is upside down--MotoGP style:mchappy: It's a kickstart and carbureted with regular points for timing. If you're mechnically experienced, it's a nonevent. And every mechanioc in India can work on it, although you're best off with someone who works on them regularly. It's a good-sized thumper with plenty of torque. Not much speed, but Indian roads don't lend themselves to high speed.

Indian traffic is everything you've heard. Chaotic does not fully describe the mayhem. But you'll find there is a rhythm and flow. Use your horn liberally--drivers expect it. They want you to let them know you're there. Often as not a truck or bus driver will respond by leaning out the window and waving you on to pass. Get out of the city and into the countryside as soon as possible and you'll have a safer and more enjoyable time perfecting your Indian driving skills.

It's a beautiful country with wonderful, friendly people and I can't wait to get back.:clap:

Whilst I agree with much of your post, you have to accept the above statement is really apoint of view or perspective.
For me having a left hand shift right hand brake is wrong. I learned when they were the way you described and my instincts do not take kindly to havig them the wrong way round. I also rode bikes on which I could reach the ground, many modern bikes require you to have a 36" inside leg and wear high heels to accomplish this. I dont have either.
The reason I am bothering to write this is I have been told I should learn to get used to havingthe pedals reversed, yet many here have complaine d when THEY have had to make the switch in reverse. Hopefully soon I will part company with my 1985 bmw r80rt which has beena good bike, but I simply dont get on with it. My next bike will be either an old Triumph, or new (pre EFI) Enfield.

AS an aside, the old Enfields are built in India using 1950's tooling which was worn out long ago. The new Enfields are built with some of the most modern machinery in use in teh world. The much vaunted 'JAP' bike for sale in India are mostly built there. I do not know the age of the tooling

ok, take some of this as a bit tongue in cheek :)

Driving in India
 

Just back from India, still shaking and drinking neat whisky at 5 in the morning. Seriously, just take it easy, there is a system (as described, but white SUV's are very high on the list), but it really feels like someone gave real cars to kindergarden kids. At railway-crossings people line up on both sides of the road, barrier lifts, result - traffic jam. Pathetic.
Several times other drivers tried to ease me off the road from the side, only remedy is to lash out and thump car, they seem genuinely suprised, but back off. Overtaking is outrageous, just don't get involved, there is nothing you can say or do which will make the slightest difference.
In six weeks I saw several fatal accidents, every one was 'avoidable', caused by ridiculous driving or overloading, whether you stop or not is up to you, there is no tradition of helping, but other travellers stop to gawk, and block the road.
A major problem with bikes is people fiddling with them, stealing anything they can loosen, just fiddling until bits get broken. I had a bike cover, really effective, but it was eventually stolen You will get used to crowds just looking at you, imagine if you came to Europe with a camel, you'd get a crowd here too.
Good luck,
Peter, in Oslo

You waited at rail crossings? I just went underneath the barriers same as the locals. The best was the guy in front of me not moving so my bike was still on the track as the train slowly approached. He moved, but he made me sweat it out.

The only thing stolen from me was an Ultraman and Ultragirl I had ziptied to the crash guards. 1980.html

The brakes on my Enfield were good and I rode it like I stole it. Lots of standing on pegs letting the bike bounce around. The gear shift was on the right side which is what I'm used to. I kept trying to put it into 5th. I'd ride knowing it was in top gear but after a while I'd convince myself that maybe it wasn't.

My biggest problem on the road was the green jeeps with 4 to 6 people on top. Everyone else swerved to miss a pothole so that made sense, but those guys just liked playing chicken I think. I have no idea why I didn't seen one roll. Lucky for me.

-Dave

india-enfields
 

bar none, the best bike for the trip in india. i dont know where tim was looking at bikes but my enfield is in great condition! it only takes care and effort.
yes buy your bikes here. you might find it easier to buy used ones though due to govt red tape.
then you take it to the best mechanic referred to you. get it all done up from the start.
then, go wherever you want. any other bike will not take the beatings, carry your luggage or yourselves any better than a bullet. i suggest the 350 as it is considered a better bike than the 500. no offense chaterjeet!
and, every mechanic in india can repair it.
if you start out with it in best condition, your chances of anything more than a puncture are small.
i am currently in northeast india on my kolkata friend's 1986 350. i have a 72 in the usa from my last trip here. i fell in love with it and didnt want to leave it here!!
if you think you might feel the same, check out your country's import policy. it had to be older than 30 years to get into the usa without an import license of $50,000!
at least get a bike at home just to get used to driving a bike. then, in all the other countries you can rent bikes as long as you want to stay sharp.
yes, the only way to prepare for driving in india is to drive in india! thats all i will say on that!!
later

Sorry, but that's simply not true any more. It may have been ten years ago, when the competition had 100 and 125cc, but not now, at all. There are a lot of other bikes that will take a lot more by way of abuse and demand no more than the regular oil change and chain tightening.

Great big ugly panniers can be attached to any bike by any half decent fabricator, and make any bike wide enough to lose it's ability to split traffic. If the idea is to carry vast amounts of luggage around with you, without the ability to split lanes/thread through dense traffic, I think a cheap car is a far better (sensible?) option. More torque too, unquestionably.

Pretty much anything you really need can be strapped on with bungees, a couple of saddlebags, and a tankbag. Heavy tools etc can be strapped to the saree guard. All Indian bikes have this, on the side of the chain (cretinous homologation requirement, even the R1 sold in India has this fence kind of thing at the rear).

A weird Pavlovian reflex exists among quite a few Western tourists (India on bike = Enfield), without even considering the options. Bigger (read heavier) is not always better. And for something made with supposedly modern tooling many of them still leak. Besides, for the average small town dealership, parts for the 500 only make occasional guest appearances.

Certainly, bullets will give very little to complain about if you pretend you are on a 100cc bike and ride at similar speeds, but the moment you get onto a fast road and find that you have to push hard to keep up with the car and MUV traffic at 80-90 kph, you'll realize why speed and top end matters as well. You do not need anything more than a 100cc bike if you plan to do 200 and 300 km days only. Not that a bullet can't do a lot more, but the "girly" bikes can do it a lot better with less fuss. Of course, they dont have "image":rolleyes2: , and I guess one has to decide how important that is.

Enfield!!??
 

I swopped bikes with a Hussain in Jodhpur. He had a very new Enfield, with disc brakes, and improved suspension. I have a well worn BMW 800 cc Basic, and we went for a ride. In town the bike was loud enough to clear traffic, and cause spontaneous abortions, and on the open road it just wobbled along, long curves wern't too bad, but sharp turns were a challenge. You have to wrestle the machine most of the time, and there are some numbing vibrations at the most useful speeds. Puny brakes. Quick steering changes are also risky.
I don't think this is a machine for long hauls, if your average mileage is 100-150 k per day then this is not such a problem, and this is probably a suitable max for India. Gives you time for other things, and to recover. Start early.
Reliability, fuel efficiency, electrics I don't know. the whole machine is a time warp, which is probably it's main (only) selling point. Charisma in buckets, but it feels like it was put together by the less gifted mechanics on the planet, and they were having a bad hair day.
Personally, I would buy/rent one, just for the "Indian Enfield Experience", but it is still a very old fashioned bike, so drive accordingly.
Good luck, and safe journey.
Peter, in Oslo

Fully agreed. I like the Enfields a lot, and I once took part on a tour in Kerala & Tamil Nadu with one, but they´re certainly no match for a more modern big bike regards long-distance touring.

Plenty of character, yes, and fine for short rides, when not carrying a lot of load. Anything beyond that, and the only real reason to do it would be, that they´re the biggest bikes easily available in India.

Some people said, that Enfield would be the only ´right way´ to do India. I wouldnt argue with them, but I still think the Vstrom, as a bike, was generally a million times better for Indian roads & traffic, especially for carrying both of us, and our considerable luggage. In fact, in my view, it fit the riding environment quite perfectly in many ways.

I heard they are now opening some showrooms in Delhi & Mumbai, where rich kids can go buy Hayabusas & R1´s, and then go smash their fancy wheels and bottom plastics (and if they run out of luck, probably themselves as well!) into tiny pieces... wonder why no-ones selling a bike like the DL650 in India? It´s got everything you need for that country - 70 hp, even when riding 2-up, was just overkill most of the time. Actually I think I know, where it comes from. The taxes&duties on imported big bikes are so high over there, that you can only sell them to the filthy rich, and they´ll want the fastest, flashiest ego-rockets available.

bike for india
 

well yes indeed. if making time is important then another bike will be better. i guess the type of trip comes in to play when choosing the bike.
i wouldnt want to ship a bike from the usa because of the expenses involved. for a short 6-8 months in india why spend over $1000 to ship it? for that money i can buy a used one here and travel on it for 2 months!
also, my only bike is an enfield so why ship it to india anyway?! coal to newcastle, no?!
my last trip here i hadnt even heard of enfield b4 i found myself buying and prepping one up for the trip in kolkata.
and even when fully packed, i can manage to split traffic in towns pretty well.
i could imagine using a hero honda 150 here if it was summer weather and less gear. but with the camping gear and all i cant imagine a better bike for the trip than the enfield.
and, along my travels i have met more than a few people broken down in less than beautiful places waiting for parts for their bikes to come from europe or elsewhere. that wont happen in india with an enfield!
a1arn, other than the enfield 500 i dont know of any bike bigger than the bajaj pulsar 180 available here. at least, i've never seen one. and torque...whats that?! lol and i dont wanna go 80-90 mph on the roads here!
thats all i'm saying. not that enfield is the best bike in the world, just the best one you can get in india for a trip in india.

Perspective: LONG POST, BEWARE!
 

Touring is not about covering enormous distances fast, that's iron butt territory, and I'm not unfamiliar with that either. However, there is a reason for having a bike that will go fast if required, and that is to spend more time exploring the destination of your choice, perhaps covering only 100km around it over the entire day, sightseeing, rather than crawling slowly along and wasting an extra day on a very boring highway with little scenic value.

We bike it because "it's fun" as opposed to caging it/taking the train. It's not so much fun when you have to get off the gas while climbing the twisties because you are scared the piston might seize. And it certainly is no fun when you have to crawl down the mountains on the other side because you are not sure whether your brakes are planning a short holiday of their own. It ceases to be fun when you have to put up at a god forsaken place for three days eating up your very precious vacation time because something major broke down unexpectedly, or being forced to move at 60 kph on the open highway because you can sense your engine overheating for no particular reason.

This is where a faster, more refined bike scores.

They put the fun into touring on two wheels.

So what are the options to the Enfield.

Assuming a fair degree of luggage and NO heavy camping gear (cheap hotels are all over the place except in the metros), bigger bikes suitable for touring first. This excludes the RD 350 (reliability, spares), the Hyosung 250 (Almost NO service at all),

Karizma, 223 cc. 16.9bhp
Pros: You can run all day and night at 100kph, just stop to tighten the chain every 1000km or so. Refined fast cruising, intuitive handling, smooth ride, DC electricals so upgrading the bulb to 100/90 halogen is easy. Easy to fit tubeless rubber
Cons: Horrid seat (easily modified), plastics expensive and designed to break without much reason . Few good bungee attachment points (again, easily fabricated), limited service outside the metros, ridiculously expensive very poor quality spares sold by authorized dealers BUY A NEW BIKE ONLY!

Pulsar 220: 20bhp
Pros: Super brakes, lovely INSTANT pickup at almost any engine speed. Only bike in India with projector headlamps, tubeless rubber as standard. Grin Factor like no other, apart from the now defunct RD 350. Fuel injected, so runs at altitude without a hiccup where other bikes are gasping. Oil cooler. DC electricals
Cons: Unsorted electricals, temperamental meters. Poor service, even more limited service facilities than the Karizma. Engine rougher at high rpm, noisy. Few proper attachment points for bungees. Completely useless rear view mirrors. Not so great seat

Pulsar 200: 17 bhp
Pros: Tubeless rubber as standard, oil cooler. Reasonable grunt (equal to the Karizma), good brakes. Cheap parts.
Cons: Roughness at high rpm, noisy. No FI. AC electricals. Attachments for bungee hooks. not so great seat

Bajaj Avenger 200/180, 16/17 bhp
Pros: Cruiser looks, relaxed running on flat straights, fat rear tyre gives stability on broken surfaces, very comfortable seat
Cons: Cruiser geometry, does not really like curves, low loading on front wheel bad for the back on bad roads. pros and cons of the pulsar engine.

Pulsar 180:16bhp
Pros: Tubeless rubber can be easily fitted (alloy wheels). Cheap parts, much wider service network. Kick starter (+electric, unlike the 200/220) so dead battery is not an issue. Good brakes, reasonable pickup as well
Cons: AC electricals, poor component quality, rough at high rpm. Not so great seat

Then, of course are the 150 cc bikes. These have a MUCH, MUCH wider service network, very cheap spares, and dazzling fuel economy, but do lack some grunt (there is one that actually turns out 17 bhp, but as it a track bike, I cannot really consider the R15 a tourer - very cramped, designed to a different brief). Not that you can't tour on them, somebody I know just completed a 1000 mile saddlesore run on a 150cc pulsar two days ago, that too a bike that has done 138000km with only one engine rebuild.
Experiences on Two Wheels: SaddleSore Success at first attempt

Why aren't there bigger bikes here?

Simply put, because they have no status value for the political class. Hayabusas do, that's why they are coming in, so do R1s priced in Valkyrie Rune territory.

The import duty for bikes is 156%, as opposed to 36% for yachts and aircraft (and NO duty at all if it can be shown that they will be used on a commercial basis), and the paperwork for bike imports is so hugely convoluted that NO end user will be able to produce the necessary documentation.

Also, to protect our "fledgling" bike industry, who, after 25 years of production still apparently need protection after braying long and loud that they are "no1" and "no2" manufacturer in the world, based on volume, not quality. It's also the reason why Enfields are still produced in India.

all are valid points and not so long of a post!
 

and you DO know your stuff about the bikes!!
i like the term 'caging' too. never heard that one before.
will look at those options on the next trip if i go to the south of the country and the western ghats. (plan B for this trip if the northeast didnt work out)
i can relate to all of your f'rinstances here. i guess having never owned or driven a modern bike for any appreciable distance i cant compare, but...i can relate!
thanx for that

Every word Arn said is correct. The newer bikes are fast, reliable and what not but they are not Enfields and never will be. Thats a class apart. Enfields have been doing this kinda stuff even before the Adventure touring was born. A comparison cannot be drawn.

Its kinda like going to safari on jeeps and on elephants. Which is more fun is purely a question of choice. Sometimes, minds rules, sometimes the heart.

Enfield is not a bike, its an experience.

Arn has a very good point.
 

What do you go to India for should be what dictates your choice of motorbike / transport. I'll be in India in four days to go riding around, starting in Bangalore. Will I consider other bike than an Enfield? Maybe although I doubt I'll take something else. Part of what attracts me to riding in India is the Enfield itself. It adds something to the atmosphere, it's probably just a romantic thing. I rode there on my bike two years ago. It's not the best country for a ride but it is a great place to visit with great people and plenty to keep you amazed all the time. I hated it in the cities and headed for the countryside. Once you find a bit of 'room' for yourself it's paradise.
I read something on this post that it’s great advice if you take your own bike to India: take a cover with you. I remember people approaching me while stopped in traffic to ask questions (engine off). What bothered me is that many will reach and flick the dashboard switches WHILE YOU'RE STILL ON THE BIKE!! Park the bike, dismount and before you've taken your helmet off there are two guys on the bike and a third taking pictures on his mobile. They don't think they are doing anything wrong. Every morning I found the engine switch on cut-off, heated grips on, abs disengaged, driving lights switched, emergency lights switched on, and the bike in gear... One of the rearview mirror's self tighteniong nut was loose, probably damaged, and the mirror swung a bit. I saw a guy swinging it back and forth from the distance; by the time I got there the bolt had broken and the mirror fell on the floor. For how long had he been swinging the blasted thing..? What did the guy do? Go away? Nope, he started flicking the switches...
I don't mean to portray anyone in a bad light. Indians are very hospitable and considered, probably the best of reasons to travel to India.

Anyone in Bangalore or surroundings next week on for a spin a and a beer?

that's reassuring! :)
 

chanderjeet, that is the enfield spirit!
i did however see the honda 220 the other day. looked nice but the light changed and i couldnt check it out in depth.
now in meghalaya and it is quite beautiful for riding. blue skies, a bit chilly and lots of hills.
the 86 350 has some gear problems in the steep uphills when i'm loaded(with gear!) but it is so sweet!!
dd, if you're coming up this way, let me know.

Enfield in Ladakh
 

Hi,

I went from Delhi to Manali by bus and rented a 500cc Enfield in Old Manali. The bike was in a very good condition except the rear tire. Take care that in small cities spare parts are difficult to get - even there are mostly bullets on the road. If you travel alone maybe the 350cc Bullet will make your journey easyer because there are more spare parts. On my trip from Manali - Leh - Kargil - Padum - Kargil - Srinagar - Dharamsala - Manali I could not get a new rear tire or even a proper gas cable!! Take some adjustable adapter and your Leatherman for fixing small issues on your bike (half of my bike felt apart due to really challenging road conditions).

I went there alone without any preparation - nothing happened to me except a dog bite - so I got rabies at the end of my trip ... grrrr :)

The price for the bike in Manali was about 160€ for 30 days including insurance and perfect paperwork.

New bikes have regular brake/gear levers, older bikes have them reversed ... you´ll get used to it very quickly - even when my clutch lever broke and I changed the clutch cable to the front brake lever, I could still ride it without problems - the left hand is then free to cover your eyes in difficult situations :).

If you have time - go from Kargil to Padum (btw - take the old road from Leh to Kagil - it´s amazing and takes you maye just two more hours of riding). If you want check some pics about this trip:

INDIA

And - don´t be afraid, just go! Only try to watch the road - that is the most difficult part, because the landscape will blow you away - promised!

ENJOY ...
V*

You didnt really get rabies did you? I thought that was extremely serious.

I know I kept away from dogs there........