My whole point of riding is to enjoy myself and it doesnt sound like fun riding.. Just stress !

I think it could be better with a backpack from reading this

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

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.

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Mr and Mrs Rixxy - London to Australia 2011 - 2012
www.jamesandcat.com

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.