We've also been playing with the idea of going 2-up from Norway down to iran and eventually India, India being our 'main' destination.

For those who may have been to Cairo and have experienced riding there and India, how does the 2 compare?

I would like to think I'm a good/capable/alert rider - I did a fair bit of dispatch riding in London (I know its completely different) during by younger years.

I definitely agree with an earlier post about the blinkers...you only care/worry about what is in front of you...nothing else really matters. You have to ride they way they do!

I've ridden in India and driven but only driven in Cairo - but both many times. I'd say India is the worst.

just arrived back home for a short rest.
After 10 years on the road (always 6 mnth ride, two mnth at home) with bicycle, bike and car and covered roughly 20.000km in India with an Enfield (500 and 350)two up from Darjeeling to Kanyakumari and about everything in between I can just say: Act as the romans in Rome and you stay alive. Off course we had our moments but the roads between Rotterdam and Amsterdam in rush hour are way more dangerous.
So I say, when you ride in India, take it easy and you will stay alive.
Have fun

Can´t agree with that. Risks are of course everywhere, and more or less everything is very different in Asia, so probably should not be compared... but generally it´s quite safe in Europe, and in my view doesn´t even get close to India.

Just my 0,02.

Try this for six months, eight hours a day.

YouTube - India Driving

The day we rode out of India into Pakistan was like having a massive weight lifted from our shoulders and we couldn't wait to leave.
But now having been back for ten months I'd go straight back tomorrow rather than sitting here, 7000 miles over a six month period was too much for us in one hit and that was with two months spent chillin in Goa.

Cheers
Pete

IMO backpacking in India is uncomfortable and more dangerous than riding

What is required is
1. Ride alone - looking for your mates all the time is dangerous ( if you do have a mate then agree to meet at a town and carry a local phone card, they work quite well and are cheap)
2. Big mirrors they may look dickie ,but trust me
3. Big smile India will break your heart, but mend it twice if you have one
4. disconnect your indicators hehe, I know I'll be flamed for this, but, Indians don't- signal/read signals -well. So it its best to learn to go with the flow.
Anyone with a modicum of riding experience can ride in India. the true test is to walk through the streets of any major city until you have the feel and confidence of the traffic and its "rules"
Then true Mother India awaits:funmeteryes:

Hello!

Twobob, that sounds like some sage advice! :)

I guess I am surprised at what the majority say. I know India is meant to be one of, if not the worst place to ride in the world but I'm surprised to hear people wouldn't go back on a bike.

I guess cities and such are the maddest. Watching that video posted by mcgiggle, I watched with amazement, amusement and curiosity at the way that despite a few times where they bunch up, the traffic seems to flow...albeit very randomly! If that was a junction in the UK and the same system was in place, there'd have been a few crunched bumpers and a few cases of road rage.

A mate and I are planning a ride to India later this year and this thread has made me think a bit more about what to expect. Which can't be a bad thing! I am thinking that we will be OK as my mate spent some of his childhood living in India and has driven in many countries but he's not got his bike test yet. I've been riding on and off road for 26 years, was a motorcycle courier in Bristol for a while and have done a bit of riding in Sri Lanka.

Like Touring Ted, I'd also like to hear about cost/day, etc for a trip to India :)

just wrote you a huge reply but i lost connection as we are in thailand. Its about 90p to £1 a litre and your going to want to filtre it before it goes in your tank in most places, then you can get by on about £5 a day after that if you want to but to live well and in hotels £15 makes you a king.

India is the most dangerous place i have ever ridden, i got to a point where i really was just wanting to get out without it costing me my life and i race a fireblade in England and have ridden in London traffic for 8 years.

It's horrific, do a first aid course and a good one before you go, as the Austrian i was talking to today said "you will dies 5 times a day":funmeterno:

Your mate in my opinion could be in real danger you will be forced off the road and i mean forced with a seconds notice and you will be headed for deep sand, mud or gravel and there may be a sheer cliff drop the other side and hes going to need to be able to keep the bike up.

I will never go there again, not on a motorbike. I have now ridden in 40 countries and india is the most scary bar non!!!! Unless you have to go there i really would not bother!!

If you decided to go be well prepared, take into consideration if you come off your on your own for over an hour so bring a good medical bag and ALWAYS carry some US dollars. It was the craziest experince of my life but i fell like i acciedentally wondered into a hungry lions den and managed to walk out!!

If you want any more info then let me know, we had some good times but its just not worth it, it will make a big difference what bike you are on, i want to tell you to have a go but if you do just know how dangerous it is!!

Good luck!!!

Hi Rixxy,

Thanks for your advice.

I was chatting to my mate today and I asked him if he'd ridden when he was in india and he said he's ridden a bullet 350 and a moped, so he's well aware of the risks and the 'rules' of the road. I know he's capable of handling a bike. Also, as we plan to ride through europe, Iran, etc, it will give him a good chance to get to grips with a loaded bike. Also thinking of taking him off-roading a few times to get him more comfortable with handling the bike in that environment.

We are thinking of taking 500 or 650cc bikes - not too bulky, good cruise speed and enough power to shift, should it be needed.

Your suggestion of taking first aid courses is great and I shall be looking into this.

Yes, we could go elsewhere but we've chosen India because his mum runs a charity near Bangalore, and the plan is that we'll be raising money for her charity and riding to the village where she lives.

Backpacking implies veeeery tiring buses rides (as a passanger!) and/or a Master's Degree in train tickets booking from Central New Dehli Station University. Magic word, whenever possible: tourist quota!

Plan B: leave India behind and enjoy beautiful Nepal: rent a cheap Bajaj Pulsar and hit the Siddartha Highway. After India it'll be even more heaven on Earth.

Esteban

PS: Costs in India? It depends... Conditions of Lali Singh's Enfield rentals:

If the third party is not so seriously injured then it will be better to compensate at the spot without involving the police and the court.

For any slight injury the compensation can be Rs.500 to 1000
For any broken bones compensation can be Rs.5000 to 25000

Add: in case of serious injury/death, flee (to the Police Station) to save your life.

Stick to Nepal...the people are much nicer and dont try and kill you!

Sounding your Horn makes absolutly no difference, that Moron in the white Mahindra 4WD will still drive at you full speed and wont even blink as he runs you off the road, a lot of bus companies are owned by state governers so the drivers mostly get off if they kill someone...worst accident rate in the world, I will never go back to this country especially on a bike...it is the worst riding experince I have had in over 45 countries, its really not enjoyable at all, this experience is very hard to put into words unless you have experienced it and yes I would like to put people off as it sucked!!....Nepal is fantastic....save your money and life for there!

With the accident rate, you need to also think about the country´s population and amount of traffic. Often the roads are so bad and congested in India, that it´s just plain impossible to go very fast.

But yeah, India was probably the worst place I´ve ever ridden in, followed closely by Pakistan and Indonesia. In fact the rest of Asia is quite bad, too - haven´t been to China but I hear it could match India. But on the other hand, all these countries have a lot to offer, and if you do stupid things yourself, or run out of luck, you can easily be killed in traffic in any one of them. If I wanted to go to India, I wouldn´t skip it because of traffic.

Just learn to prepare for anything and everything, know how to brake efficiently and make quick evasive moves with your bike WHILE you are aware of other vehicles right next to you or behind you, only ride in daylight, use your horn aplenty, have breaks often, make sure you´re well fed and drink enough water, use proper riding gear...

And most importantly: learn how to BE ALERT every second that you´re on the bike. That really helps, because dangerous situations come and go all the time, and sooner you´re able to see them coming, the better you can handle them. (That same thing actually works everywhere, you just don´t need to use it so often, unless you´re in a place like India). When you let your concentration go, that´s when bad things happen. For me, 50kms was enough in India, and then a small break and move on, just so that I could remain concentrated to that traffic. Only 200kms could feel like a very long day sometimes.

Nepal is also dangerous but a much more calculated risk in my opinion, India was an amazing exerience i cannot deny that, but if i go back there it won't be on a bike, it just does not make sense.

Nepal is a fantastic place to travel, do as much of it as you can, the people, the roads and the scenary are amazing.

Any advice i offer here i have only offered in order to try prepare you, i recieved very simliar warnings and still thought i could handle 3 months but only ended up doing 1.

Some of the State highways are great, no traffic beautiful and just small villages for 100's of km. We had some good days but it was very very very dangerous.

hmmm, I'm just back from a riding trip to Sri Lanka and can't say that I enjoyed it that much, or at least most parts. Could anyone who as been to both countries compare the riding experience in Sri Lanka vs India?

I have a question too..

You rent a Royal Enfield 350cc or 500cc or a Baja?I ask because im a rider and not a mechanist. I know the basics but i cant go deeper. And with a hired bike in India you can cross the border to Nepal? We talk about two passenger in the bike.