Author’s Note: This article was sanitized to redact French language of Wayfarer (moi) which is worse when he is stuck in an office chair
So India Time 4 am of Saturday 14-December me and a group of Musafirs will leave Mumbai and head to the meeting point at Rajasthan. Musafirs is a motorcycle group and I got patched in the previous ride in November 2024 after having first been on their trips back in 2022.
There are a grand total of 5 riders from Mumbai. Sad, because it is such a beautiful destination at a great temperature of 10 degree Celsius with magnificent culture, food, vistas and history and people who are now accustomed to treating guests from India and abroad for over 1000 years.
All fanboys in India and maybe elsewhere want to ride Ladakh and the typical Himalayan route—which is barren, nothing to see, nothing to do, nothing worth eating, no one to talk to, etc. Most boring and bland place glorified as Biker Heaven. What is there to drink? Tea with Yak milk…. see photo of a yak—-its milk smells like animal piss it seems.
I love animals, I love milk, I ain’t ever drinking that.
North East is another great destination to ride—very diverse in culture, flora, fauna, incredible wildlife, tribals protected with constitutional rights by Government of India, mountains, valleys, waterfalls, rhinos, bordering Burma, Bangladesh and Nepal……. and that other entity we all call China.
I can understand the hypnotism of Himalayan adventure….ever since summit of Mt Everest was reached……and probably recorded as reached first by non-local whwhereas the locals may have had people going up there for centuries…..but that’s up for a controversial, speculative debate. Myth and legend—as with all mountains.
An example: people tell me I am seduced and duped into Royal Enfield motorcycles due to the imagery and conditioning from society. Might be true. I was a young first time rider and reading Biker Fiction on Bikernet.com back in 2002 onward….so all I could call a big bike was an Enfield Bullet cast iron engine designed in 1955 and still sold at the time by India’s surviving Enfield company.
The movies in India also show the macho heroes riding the Enfield, whether the super-cop or the anti-hero, the gangster-turned-savior of the small town or any misfits in society, etc.
So, maybe it’s okay to admire barren land with thousands of locations having road infrastructure related digging and construction going on ? Yeah, the Border Security Force wing of Indian military has to constantly repair or create these access roads for various purposes and needs of locals or immediate strategic needs.
Might as well ride through any abandoned mining towns of North or South. LOLz.
Okay, too much conversation and too less action….
“All this aggravation ain’t satisfactioning me,
A little more bite a little less bark,
A little less fight and a little more spark,
Close your mouth and open up your heart and baby satisfy me,” — Elvis Presley
I will let my photographs speak for itself when I get to Rajasthan and imagery of adventures throughout the way there. I am thinking of not carrying my new latest Hero GoPro 13 Black because I see no utility in this expensive toy or rather I can’t figure out how to use it for any particular photo or video. Bloody useless compared to a modern Android mobile phone camera. Seriously! At least for me….or I am getting old in my enthusiasm for electrical gizmos.
I wanna be able to carry my Nikon DSLR but on my dirt bike there is too less space and too much loaded luggage and me still weighing at 76 KG after managing to lose some of myself from an “August” weight of 83 KG. That’s good healthy weight loss in four months. Now I hope to only click photos of the many delicacies instead of eating through Rajasthan’s famous royal reception by the locals. Lend me a loaf and I will take a pound of cheese. So caveat emptor!
I will photograph the luggage too. Lot of crap to be carried. Sharing a list from the boss of the riding team. Well, I can’t fit these on my motorcycle so I am gonna pack half of this and pray full-time. I am riding the XPulse dirt bike with only one tail-bag and one tank-bag and if it fits, then one tiny duffel-bag strapped somewhere as well.
I wish I had the multipurpose Bandit’s Bedroll sold on 5-BallGarage.com or rather his new Commander Bedroll available exclusively through Bandit’s Emporium.
I need to buy thermals as I have never needed them. I can sweat no matter what the month or location. I will need better bungees and some other cords. Let’s see. Packing this lot is one thing….but then to strap it on the motorcycle and untie it again during each night’s stay is a headache. Maybe I will get used to it and it will become fast, stress-free and easy.
Why worry, when friends are here. And I have a genuine handicap. I busted my right leg ligament in the knee playing cricket of all things. Next time, I will stick to playing with words.
Things to carry list — with courtesy of https://themusafirs.com/
- Clothes:
a. 4-5 Tees
b. 2-3 jeans
c. Undergarments as per requirement - Winter clothing:
a. 1 or 2 pair of thermals(as per your requirement)
b. 2 pair of gloves(one riding and other to protect from cold) but prefer the one that gives you both.
c. Balaclava to cover face and neck (fleece preferable)
d. 4 pair of socks
e. Wind cheater to protect from wind
f. Thick jacket and fleas jacket or pull overs/hoodies(when not riding) - Safety wear: a. Helmet full face (preferred branded and certified) b. Knee/elbow guards or armour suit or Riding jacket and pants(with thermal liner for cold protection) if available d. Riding shoes or safety shoes (No Canvas or sports shoes) e. Riding gloves in addition to your winter gloves f. Riding/safety Goggles g. Hydra pack for carrying water
- Toiletries:
a. Toothbrush & toothpaste
b. Soap, shampoo(satchels) and face wash
c. Vaseline, moisturizer & lip balm
d. Tissue paper and hand sanitizer
e. Mosquito repellent - Utilities:
a. Small torch light
b. Match box or lighter and pocket knife (Buy only after u reach Assembly as not allowed in flights)
c. A whistle
d. Spare key of you bike and bike documents in original/soft copies if physical documents not available.
e. Plastic bags and zip ties
f. Cello tape, needle and thread - Tools
a. Always carry the basic tool kit that comes with your bike.
b. If you have any odd size nut especially the axel but of Royal Enfield bikes please carry the specific size spanner to open it.
c. Always carry the bike service manual when travelling on long rides or atleast download a soft copy.
Please DO NOT overload yourself with too many things.
The above list is just a basic list of things that one needs on a ride.
Please carry all those things that you might need on the ride for your own convenience.
The above list should be used only as a guideline to help you with your preparations for the ride.
Thank you and see you with some adventure stories and photos soon….
Your friendly neighbourhood Associate Editor
–Wayfarer
Author’s Note: Some images from Unspalash.com
Some images from TheMusafirs.com
Ugly mug of Wayfarer suppressed for viewer sensibilities
White Hero Xpulse motorcycle captured idling somewhere sometime last month by Wayfarer
