What I need to know about riding a few thousand km in india?

You said it good sir, freedom is the word. Legalities is a pain and I will probably be in trouble at some point when crossing the state borders as I hear there are check posts. Will try to sneak in on the dirt roads. India's bureaucracy is much too much even after living in China for a few years. To go fully legal one would have to have a local address proof and the registration process can take up to 10 days. I paid 30k rps and signed the paper with the shop that upon return the of the bike they will give me back 23k. 700rmb for 20 days ain't bad. They gave me the original documents in someones name, Ive got insurance and pollution test but dont have the NOC paper which is needed to cross the borders of states as you pay road tax in the state you live and to drive across India I would need NOC. Thats how I understand it. But word of mouth is that a thousand rps can go a long way if needed.

I found a guy who agreed to rent me his Enfield 350, 600rmb for 20 days, but its just too heavy and too laud of the bike for what Im doing which is essentially going from village to village taking pictures.

As for the full gear.. My bike can do 85km/h when going down a steep hill with the positive wind, so 60kmh is the average, and this being India and the roads I choose to go its more like 50, so really no need. That being said, the sun burns on my knees are getting bad..

Just food alone is worth coming for, had 2 mango laasi's after dinner today and asked the waiter to refuse me the 3rd one if I beg. Some more phone pics.
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If you are using facebook, I try to update my ride daily, something to do while digesting those heavy awesome dinners. The pictures there might be slightly bigger as this app is somehow limited picture wise. Tune in facebook.com/bakaspictures for some Punjabi MC!

I don't know how much it costs these days but in 1996 or so it was an open 20 rupees to get a bike from Goa into Karnataka. You can sneak in behind a bus or truck. Legalities suck in India but there is a 'backsheesh' culture.

Will try and play the sneaking game as much as possible.

Meanwhile in Kolhapur I discover a DIESEL Royal Enfield. Amazed to bits.Attachment 14786Attachment 14787

Dear Bakas,

That Enfield is gorgeous, especially the color of the tank and the logo! Great find!

Anyone in MyChinaMoto who is not following Bakas' India ride on his Facebook page is really missing out. OK, this can be challenging from inside Great Firewall of China but if you haven't got a veepeeyen or other grannybuster by now, you're living with your head in the China Dream sands.

The Indian wrestlers are a special treat! Keep it coming!

euphonius

Those picture are indeed better viewed on facebook. Great stuff, keep it coming!

By the way 50km/h is plenty fast enough to take basically all your skin off on tarmac. And road rash fucking blows dude. At least wear jeans and some form of sleeves!

So here folks, after riding nearly 3000km from Pune to Guruvayoor on 100cc Bajaj Discover and Pune - Shrivardan - Pune on a 350 Bullet Im back in China in one piece. Amazing voyage. Surviving India's roads at night made me love the traffic in Shanghai and make me want to hug the smooth road surfaces. You have to go, its so easy to do and easily be the best ride ever. Go!