The Beat April 2011

8/4/2019 The Beat April 2011

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Tour ofRof Kutch

www.oyfd.com

t h e e n f i e l d f a m i l y g e a r c h e c k k e e p r i d i n g d i y

april - june 2011

+ One Ride! One lOve!

+ GUlF BiKe eXPO

+ ROyal way aROUnd

HmOss 2011

m a r k e t i n g n e w s l e t


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kick start

Hi Friends,

After a great 5 year stint here at the Royal Eneld, it gives me

immense pleasure in writing to fellow bulleteers who adore

this brand in much the same way as India adores Sachin

Tendulkar or Chennai worships our own Superstar

Rajnikanth. Over the years weve seen the brand evolve, grow, redene

itself and appeal to people with a vigour that keeps getting stronger by

the day.

Being a part of the rst ever Royal Eneld One Ride, I rode with

a sizeable group of Royal Eneld riders recently to Mahabalipuram

and back to Chennai. I came away with a feeling that is frankly

beyond description. This got me thinking on what makes this brand

stay relevant to so many people from different walks of life. More

importantly, I dwelt on the factors that are instrumental in delivering

such a dream bike to thousands of Bulletteers across the world.

In these eventful years, we have seen so many positive developments

at Royal Eneld - a consistent growth in volume and nancial stability,

increased focus on quality, creation of company run Brand Stores in

10 locations, the smooth and successful transition to a new engine

platform, fresh new talents joining our family as employees, suppliers

and dealers, the blazing performance of the new Classics across the

world, dealers presenting themselves to the market with renewed

josh and the list goes on and on.

Here I come back to my question

as to what has made this success

possible. Our success is mainly driven

by individual departments and their

functions integrated together which

has given us the momentum to keep

moving forward all the time. In otherwords, progress has been driven by 2

locomotives - people and processes.

For someone whos been around the

block in the automobile industry, the

situation at Royal Eneld was quite

a revelation. On one hand you get to

see veterans of 25 years of experience

and more, who could probably work

blindfolded with ease and still creates

the masterpiece. On the other hand,

you see energetic youngsters raring

to be as procient as the veterans.

Visit any department or just walkthrough the vehicle assembly, engine

assembly, plating shop or the painting

shops and you would feel the unique

power of new and old co-existing

to nurture the legend that is Royal

Eneld. As we grow in volumes and

spread, we will grow better, share

more and learn more of this, I am

very condent.

With great growth comes the great

responsibility of improving on our

processes to keep the wheels moving

smoothly towards the ambitiousgoals we have set for ourselves.

We have to constantly keep our systems and processes abreast of

requirements in all areas, be it design & development, scheduling

& procurement, manufacturing & assembly or sales & service. The

disciplined SAP usage and constant improvement of the processes

have been instrumental in seamlessly absorbing a huge volume

increase across the board in all functions. To give a ready example the

RTGS implementation across all dealers has made the entire order

and payment cycle faster, reliable and more dynamic. Our dealers

would surely appreciate the speed of response on fronts like warranty

settlement and periodic reconciliation of accounts etc.

We will continuously keep updating our systems for future

requirements also - the rst step being up-gradation of the current

SAP platform to the ECC 6.0 interfacing with a robust Dealer

Management System. Consequently most of our business processes

are being reviewed and reformed to suit our future needs.

I sign off for now with the pride of having been a part of a glorious

phase in Royal Enelds history and the excitement to face an equally

bright future ahead. Being a born again biker, I am sure Ill catch up

with some of you on rides soon. Till then, all the best and keep the beat

going

K Ramesh,

Vice President Finance & Business Process

If you would lik to contribut to The BeAT mail us at [email protected] editorialteamShaji Koshy, Sachin Chavan, Praveen P Sathaye


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upcoming rides

Its back! - The biggest,

toughest, highest and

the most fun-lledride above sea level,

now in its eighth edition is

back again to give all Royal

Eneld riders a chance to

have the trip of a lifetime

riding to the top of the

world. Keeping in line with

the tradition of promoting

leisure and adventure

motorcycling culture across

the country, Royal Eneld

brings the Himalayan

Odyssey 2011, a trip of

adventure riding across the

rugged and treacherous

landscapes of the Himalayas

including a ride to the

legendary Khardung La pass.

Ladakh literally means

the Land of the Passes. This

Holy Grail of motorcycling

roads famed world-wide

will take you through three

mountain ranges and many

passes to a dizzying 18,380

feet high at Khardung La

and a 40-km off-road ride

through a high altitudedesert at the Mor Plains.

Rich in natural beauty, the

landscape in its silence,

emptiness and unbelievable

vastness is breathtaking.

As it enters its 8th edition

of successful running, the

annual tradition of the Royal

Eneld Himalayan Odyssey

today has proved itself

to be revered as a ritual

of ultimate adventurous

motorcycling.

This ride has always been

considered as an exalting

pilgrimage to the Mecca of

endurance motorcycling, the

mighty Himalayas, Ladakh

region in particular. It is thisride from Delhi to Ladakh

and back that Royal Eneld

Riders undertake every year

which is often considered

as an achievement by many

a motorcyclist. The bikers

who choose to embark on

this adventure trip are not

just guided to understand

the perils of rough weather,

rugged terrain laden with

gravel and boulders but

also taught how to make

use of their understanding

and negotiate and tame this

difcult and treacherous

route.

It is this ability that the

riders develop during thecourse of the ride that

makes these able bodied

men (and women) ride on

together, Covering each

sector of this extraordinary

adventure with panache and

condence.

The adventure run begins

from 25th June 2011 and

goes on till 10th July 2011

Details of the same could

be had on our website at the

following link: http://www.

royaleneld.com/company/

events/himalayan-odyssey-

2011/himalayan-odyssey-

2011_.aspx

You can read about

last years adventure

on the following link:

http://www.royaleneld.

com/company/events/

himalayanodyssey/2010/

hostory.aspx

Take the High-Way!

The

iT ineraryJ u n e 2 5 - J u L Y 1 0 2 0 1 1 ,

1 6 d a Y s

deLhi Chandigarh ManaLi

KeYLong sarChu Leh

nubra saKthi debring

KeYLong Kaza KaLpa

narKanda parwanoo

deLhi


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4

Royal Eneld takes

a memorable trip

down the legendary

Mumbai-

Goa highway, the NH 17,

a road which has been a

scenic backdrop for many

a Bollywood blockbuster.

However, this trip is with a

slight twist as we explore the

area surrounding the NH 17

riding along yet-unknown

beaches while trying out

delicious coastal cuisine, to

taking a walk in the clouds

in the Western Ghats and

riding through mist. Also get

a chance to ride through the

legendary Valley of Flowers

of Maharashtra before nally

ending up in tranquil Goa. We

shall have the rain gods for

company which makes this

ride not only more challenging

but much more enjoyable as

you romance the rains. We

encourage you to enjoy the

romantic and adventurous side

of this ride as a couple and gear

up to have an experience of a

lifetime. While the main theme

is an exhilarating experience,

the underlying emphasis is also

on safety in every aspect of the

ride. Royal Eneld provides

service and medical back up to

provide condence not just to

the rst time part icipants but

also to their friends and family.

The Tour of NH 17 has expert

and experienced pilots to guide

the group in various areas of

bike riding and coping with the

weather and terrain.

The Adventure run begins

from 14th August 2011 and

goes on till 20th August 2011

Details of the same could

be had on our website at the

following link:


com/company/events/

tourofnh17/tourofnh17.aspx

You can read about last

years adventure on the

following link:


com/company/events/

tourofnh17/tour-of-nh-17.aspx

Romance the Rains

The

iT inerarya u g 1 4 a u g 2 0 , 2 0 1 1 ,

7 d a Y s

MuMbai srivardhan

panChgani guhagar

panhaLa MaLwan

aMboLi vagator

one ride


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5

neWs

Jay Leno popular star o TheTonight Show and Jay Lenos

Garage picked out a brand new

Fuel Injected Black Royal Eneld

Bullet Electra Deluxe to add to

his collection. Mr.. Lenos new

motorcycle was delivered by Mike

Francovich representing Royal

Eneld in Los Angeles. Mr. Leno

and Mikes ather were riends and

shared the car collecting hobby. A

whole segment about the Royal

Eneld or Jay Lenos garage was

shot on Saturday April 30, 2011. The

episode highlighted the three bikes

during the show. Mr. Lenos Black

Bullet Electra Deluxe, a Black Bullet

Electra with a Cozy sidecar at-

tached (also make in India) and the

ever popular Teal Green Classic 500.

Mr. Leno talked about the history

o Royal Eneld and then pointed

out the eature o the new UCE/EFI

bikes. He was very well inormed

about Royal Eneld and the UCE/EFI

bikes when he came to the studio.

He observed the eatures and ben-

ets o each model and sat in the

sidecar and spoke a bit about it.

Jay Leno is the most popular

night time TV host in America. His

show is The Tonight Show. He is

an Actor who rose to become the

host o this very popular show. He

is a avid automobile and motorcycle

collector. He is adamant that he

does not collect vehicles as museum

pieces but rather as part o a collec-

tion to be used. He drives and rides

all o his vehicles and is o ten times

seen on the streets o Southern

Caliornia driving one o his collec-

tion. he is an eclectic collector and

has everything rom early 1900s

steam and electric powered cars to

turbine cars and motorcycles. He

also had a widely popular internet

show called Jay Lenos Garage. It

is this show that we will be eatured

on. We should be on in about two

weeks. One nice thing is that the

show stays on line indenitely.

Classic Chrome & Bullet 500 LaunchedRoyal Enfelds ne CEO Dr Venki Padmanabam unveiled 2 ne models or 2011 at te Ne York MotorcycleSo eld during 20 - 22 January 2011. Tese to models are as ollos:

Jay Leno rides a Royal Eneld

Royal Enfeld Classic Crome: The Royal Eneld Classic Chrome isbased on the Classic 500 with a rather generous dose o chrome on it. Likethe Classic 500, the new Classic Chrome retains the quintessential classicBritish styling o the 1950s: simple, harmonious, well proportioned. TheChrome sports a seat with a leather nish and adds to the visual appealo the motorcycle.. Built o old-ashioned metal, in clean elegant lines oChrome combined with Royal Maroon the design o the Royal Eneld Clas-sic Chrome is a tribute to the retro look o post war British motorcycles.

Royal Enfeld Bullet 500: The Bullet 500 is the culmination o over 8decades o legacy, o the longest running model in continuous production.Since 1932 the Bullet has mesmerized thousands all over the world with itsunique styling and one o its kind eel o ride eel. The Bullet 500 is a seam-less pairing o the majestic Bullet styling, perormance and reliability withthe new technology elements like the Electronic Fuel Injection synergizedseamlessly with the period styling. The Bullet 500 is all about romancingwith history on todays terms.


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one ride

One Thought;One Feeling;

One love for theRoyal Eneld.Starting 2011 the FIRST Sunday o April came to be celebrated asthe ONE RIDE day where Royal Eneld owners all over the worldwere encouraged to take their motorcycles out and ride. This year theONE RIDE took place on the 3rd o April and was celebrated acrossthe world. This celebration is in line with Royal Enelds philosophyo promoting the adventure and leisure riding under its 'keep riding'initiative.Although each rider could have his or her own individual 'One Ride'

Royal Eneld encouraged them to either start the ride rom any otheir Brand Stores/Dealership/Distributor or Service stations or end

at them or an easy count. Special ONE RIDE commemorative stickersand cloth patches were distributed amongst the riders who proudlyadorned their bikes, helmets and jackets with these memorabilia.Even i the riders were not able to join any o the ONE RIDE celebra-tions they were inspired to still take out their beloved Royal Eneldon this day and show the chrome and the polished tank some sunlightand ride.

This was a ride or camaraderie and unity where the roads camealive with the distinct thump o Royal Eneld machines. The eventbecame big with the support o all riders and enthusiasts who cameorward and joined in the celebrations.

Perhaps one o the largest celebrations o the ONE RIDE was onhome ground in Chennai. Over 140 bikers assembled at the Besant

Nagar beach to celebrate the ONE RIDE.This ride was to start rom Besant Nagar

to Mahabalipuram and then to The Farma resort on the OMR where riders weretreated to some good o-roading un. Ascrumptious breakast and loads o chitchat session later all the riders dispersedor home. Live tweets were done during

the ride rom our ocial channel as well as some enthusiasts who werethere on the ride. The CEO o Royal Eneld Dr Venki Padmanabham wasone o the prominent riders in the group.

Conrmed reports o the ONE RIDE rom many other locationsacross the country started pouring in throughout the day and keptcoming till the next ew days. Major rides happened at places likeAmbala, Gurgaon, Delhi, Jaipur, Bikaner, Udaipur, Chandigarh, Agra,Lucknow, Muzzaarpur, Patna, Allahabad, Deoria, Kolkata, Hyderabad,Ranchi, Vizag, Bangalore, Mangalore, Mysore, Madikeri, Cochin, Kot-

tayam, Nasik, Indore, Bhopal, Kolhapur and Goa.Mumbai Pune witnessed one o the largest gatherings o people

as 150 odd riders ride rom Mumbai, Nerul and Pune to meet up atLonavla or a brunch session at a motoring theme Cae. Live tweetswere done rom the ride be an enthusiast who went along.

Internationally te ONE RIDE as also celebrated and ridersrode out at olloing locations. Potograps and live teetsere sent in rom some o tese locations also Australia,Korea, Japan, Nepal, Dubai, Luxembourg, Spain, UK,Argentina and USA. At last count te total number o riderso celebrated tis day across te orld could easily runinto 4000 plus.

One Rden Korea

One Rde n UAE

One Rde n Chenna

One Rde n Chenna


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one ride

One Rde n Japan

One Rde n Argenna One Rde n Argenna

One Rde n Aaa One Rde n Goa

One Rde n Nepa

One Rde n Deh

One Rde n Argenna

One Rde n SpanOne Rde n Ahrapay


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neWs

InternationalParkour ExpertsAndy Day and Thomas Couetdic the two International Parkour Expertswho had come down on a tour o India came to Chennai as part o theirendeavour to spread the culture o Parkour visited us during their stay in

Chennai. They thentoured all over India on2 Royal Eneld Classic500 motorcycles whichwere loaned to themby Royal Eneld asa good will gesture.Their journey took themaround Karnataka, TamilNadu, Maharashtra,Gujarat, Rajasthan andall the way till Rishikeshand Varanasi where thejourney ended and theyhanded over the bikes

to us. It was a greatplease or us also bepart o their adventureacross India promotingand educating peopleon adventure sports andparkour in particular.Here are a ew glimpsesrom their epic journeys.

RM EastRideIn January the Kolkata basedRoyal Eneld Club, Eastern Bullsorganised an event called theRM East. A lot o Royal Eneldclubs and riders came or thisevent. Royal Eneld staers alsoattended this event by ridingdown rom Chennai to Kolkata.


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neWs

Awards for Royal EneldBEST BRAND: Royal Eneld was awarded the Best Brand 2011 in 2wheelers by Auto India. Incidentally this award has been given to us or a3rd time in a row. Additionally Royal Eneld also climbed 7 places rom lastyears 9th position to this years 2nd position in terms o Best Styling in 2wheelers. Kudos to our styling team or their work on the Royal Eneld Clas-sic motorcycles which has signicantly contributed to this achievement

POwER BRAND:Royal Eneld was bestowed with the honour o beinga Power Brand by Planman Consulting or the year 2010 2011. Thislisting has been based on a perception based survey conducted by ICMRalong with the IIPM think tank.The parameters are based on thehigh recall value, brand aware-

ness, brand image/perception,brand perormance andbrand association. 1500

brands were selectedrom amongst 40,000across the world andthe surveywas conducted

amongst 10,000respondents based on the parameters o brandawareness and brand preerence acrossseveral cities in India. The additional 9 ac-tors which contributed to the selection as aPower brand were trust, sustainability, im-age, awareness, eectiveness, perception,aspiration, loyalty and positioning.

TOP 10Dealers

Dhone AutomobilesPun

H.S.R.ServicesBngo

Soniya Motors Pvt. LimitedMumbi

Royal Motorsamb

Manmohan Auto StoresChndigh

Teknik MotorsBngo

Jaycee Motors Corporationamit

Ess Aar MotorsNw Dhi

Amar AutoNw Dhi

South Delhi MotorcyclesNw Dhi

JaN'11-Mar'11

Royal EnfiEld's nEwEst facilitiEsNew ealer were recentl

ae t te eer grwng Ral

Enfel netwr.

1 GAUtAm mOtORS,

Maarr: Bar

2 NEwASKAR AUtOmObilES,Amenagar: Maaratra

3 S R mOtORS,Tane: Maaratra

2 3

1


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motor shoW

Gulf Bike Expo

2011 was part

of the Gulf Bike

Week and is the

Middle Easts only dedicated

Bike Festival that showcases

the very latest in bikes, off

road and all terrain vehicles,

apparel, accessories, custom-

designed bikes and motorcycle-

related products as well major

international lifestyle brands

from Europe, the USA and

Asia.

The Gulf Bike Expo held

in Dubai in February 2011,

attracted over 30,000

enthusiasts plus 1000 people

from the Media. This was

the largest Bike and Off

Road Festival anywhere in

the Middle East. The show

had prominent Motorcycle

manufacturers and other

accessory exhibitors displaying

their products. Royal Eneld

Participated in the Bike Expo

for the second consecutive

year backed by the purchase

potential in Dubai.

Royal Eneld

ofcially launched

the Classic Chrome

and the Bullet 500

models for this

region in the Expo with the

media snapping every moment

of the launch.

Royal Eneld had one

open stall and a semi-closed

stall which showcased the

Classic range of motorcycles

apart from the Caf-racer

customised version by the

Dubai Distributor Classic

Motorcycle LLC. The Open

booth also featured

a prominent

sidecar combo on a 500cc

Royal Eneld along with

the Customised motorcycle

models from the distributor.

Royal Eneld rider group

of Dubai participated in the

rally and drew the attention

of the visitors for the unique

looks and sound compared to

the other prominent brands.

The visitors were amazed to

see the unique combination

of our motorcycles with the

Classic Retro appeal and style

combined with the modern

technology. Royal Eneld

also Stole the limelight by

winning the rst and the

second trophies for the

Best Customised European

Category. The award winning

customised bikes impressed

everyone for their nuance looks

and the retro appeal.

GulfBikeExpo

bkes and merchandse on dspaybkes lned up a he moor Sho.

Dgnares ro he Araord adrng he kes Roya Enfed sdecar Coo on dspay

the 2 bkeshch on he

es cusosedEuropean

caegory rophy


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contest

Inked for LifeRoyal Eneld enthusiasts across Indiashowed o their tattoos as we looked

or some o the best Royal Eneldmarks through our Social media sites.We came across some interesting oneswhich deserved not just a mention butalso won their owners some goodiesrom Royal Eneld. Theses tattoosdenitely do make an impression andcarry a theme too. Some depicted theirliestyle on the Royal Eneld whilesome just depicted their machinesand their aliation to the Brand. Thenotable winners were Vaibhav Roy romGoa, Amit Jambotkar, Aarti Samant andSameer Saxena rom Mumbai

We are having more such contests on our social media platforms. Watch out for them. Participate and win cool Royal Eneld merchandise

phoTo By MAkARANd udAvANT

phoTo By Riddhi RAThiphoTo By shERMAN NAzARETh

Vahav Roy

Vahav Roy

Aar Saan A Jaokar

Saeer SaxenaA Jaokar

Republic Day RideIn the month o February on our Facebook an page wehad a contest or the best photograph o a Royal EnfeldRepublic Day ride. The three shutterbugs who wona T- Shirt each rom Royal Enfeld were Riddhi Rathirom Mumbai, Sherman Nazareth rom Mumbai andMakarand Udavant rom Nasik.


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one ride

Need I say more? Well,

Royal Eneld is and will

always be the dream

bike of every biker in

India, no matter which

bike he is currently riding, he would always

aspire and die to be a One Rider on a Royal

Eneld. I cant help but hum to the tune of

a very popular jingle which was one of the

classic advertisements for Royal Eneld,

Yeh Bullet meri jaan, Manzilon ka Nishaan

truly, with that heartening spirit all the Royal

Eneld Lovers from Mumbai, Navi Mumbai

got together for a journey to the destination

that would not only give them a feeling of joy

but all the people watching on the road a true

sense of cataclysmic awe. The One Ride was

a ride for camaraderie and unity where the

roads came alive with the distinct thump of

Royal Eneld machine. With over 155 Royal

Eneld Bikes at their helm, hitting the streets

together, one cant just sit back to watch

them take the roads. Im sure each and every

passerby must have been dying to be part of

the ride. Out of the 155 Royal Eneld Bikes 75

were from Navi Mumbai.

3rd April, 2011 was celebrated as Royal

Eneld One Ride day across the world

where people took their respective Roya

Enelds on the road and gave the onlookers

a sight of Royal Eneld love. Royal Eneld

has proclaimed that this year henceforth, the

rst Sunday of April shall be celebrated as the

One Ride day.

A lot of folks from Mumbai and Nav

Mumbai came together with the Royal Eneld

spirit and spent the day at the starting point

at Nerul Royal Eneld Showroom and ended

their sojourn at the Big Wheels Motoring

Caf near Pune. For those who already know

this place, this had to be the perfect spot to

end the One Ride; for those who dont, well

you can call this the heaven of bikers; one that

most of them would always love to check into.

Indeed, couldnt ask for a better destination

than this place to end the One Ride.

The One Ride event in Mumbai was

Initiated and organized by Mr. Nitin Chawla

One Ride! One lOve

ROyal enField!text & photographs: rutavimehta

Foo he leader!

to ecoe Oneon he ONE RiDE


13/32

13

one ride

the Navi Mumbai Royal Eneld Brand store

manager and S.S Ghisad, Regional Manager

for service support. Nitin along with the senior

riders from Navi Mumbai, like Suresh Nair

(celebrating his 356th ride),Manish Sharma,

Ajit Matre, Steven Miranda, Akash Agrawal

,Vikram, Ronak Wadhwani, and Manan

Patel made the Ride quite a comfortable

and good experience for all 155 Riders. They

also ensured providing clear instructions/

guidance to avoid any complications on roads

or breakdowns. To make each Royal Eneld

owner special, the event was photographed

by me.

One Ride was formally agged off from

Palm Beach road where the Bandra Riders

also joined in and rode along with the Navi

Mumbai riders till the nal destination,

showing off their chrome and the polished

tank in the bright sunlight. It was certainly a

day to cherish and from this year onwards, a

tradition had begun and all the riders looked

forward to celebrate this as a fest each and

every year.

2 eer han 1on he ONE RiDE

Fyng coours

lne Up ousdeNeru brand Sores

lne Up ousde bgwhees moorng

Hghay rders

O o lonava


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14

tour of rok

12th march 2011

Ahmedabad - The rid-

ers started pouring in

one by one as the bike

/riding gear scrutiny

started, and brieng happened. The rid-

ers got to know each other and exchanged

points and expectations from the ride.The Next day 13th March 2011 the twenty

six riders took off on their epic journey af-

ter they were agged off by Mr. Amitabh

Pathak, Commissioner of Police, Ahmeda-

bad, from Acropolis Mall, S.G. Highway

Ahmedabad. A large crowd had gathered

to cheer the riders as they embarked on this

adventure. Ahmedabad is reckoned as the

cultural capital of Gujarat and sets an ex-

ample to many other cities and towns this

side of the country, thus making it the obvi-

ous choice for the ag off. With this event

the culturally rich city known for the art

and craft and culinary delights woke up to

its adventurous side. The riders were given

an escort by the police vehicles till the out-

skirts of Ahmedabad and it denitely was

an impressive sight for the people around.

After the rst regroup they headed to-

wards Zainabad and reached later in the

afternoon. After a short nap the riders rode

through a sandy track, which also gave

some much needed practice to novice rid-

ers; to a nearby lake to watch the migra-

tory birds, . The next day 14th of March the

group rode out from Zainabad and hit the

little Rann of Kutch. After entering the vast

desolate landscape the riders couldnt hold

themselves back and enjoyed it to its fullest

extent running wide in the vastness. The

terrain was also quite harsh as was evident

by the 4 5 punctures they suffered by the

end of the day but it was all worth the expe-

rience. The day ended at Dholavira where

the team rested for the day and could see

the great vast white rann right in front of

their eyes. They prepared themselves for

tackling the great white rann the next day.

15th March was the day the Riders ven-

tured into the great white Rann. Riding

Ro e

Tour of R of Kutch

the Fag o ro Ahedaad

map o he Rann


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15

tour of rok

togeher e rde Crossng he tropc

Grea whe Rann


16/32

16


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17


18/32

18

tour of rok

over sandy and rocky trails the riders went

through the two border outposts at Machhi

and Karni which are areas quite secluded

from regular civilization. Reaching the

Greater Rann, the riders were in for a shock

as they realized that the Greater Rann was

still wet and ooded. The BSF comman-

dant conrmed that late rains in February

and a broken dam on the other side of the

border was the cause of it . However the ride

through the trails to Karni and Mucchi was

any off roaders dream and more than made

up for the disappointment. In the evening

they visited the 4000 year old Harappan

civilization near Dholavira before calling it

a day. 16th March was a long day and the

riders covered approximately 300+ kms out

from Dholavira to Hodka.

They stopped at the Bhuj dealership

where a traditional gala welcome was or-

ganized by the local team. The day ended

at the serene Shaam E Sarhad resort at

Hodka, after a night ride out into the White

Desert which fortunately was dry. 17th saw

the riders heading all the way to the India

Bridge and then further on to the BSF oper-

ated old sardar post. Located right on the

border the Old Sardar post is the site where

a memorable battle was fought by the CRPF

in 1965. To reach the post the bikers had to

go ride on surface which was more of an

off-road trail than tarmac roads. The tem-

perature in the Rann at this time of year

had started to rise already and as per the

riders it was very hot. Riding 300 kms on

this day was denitely exhausting but the

adventure made it seem exhilarating and a

test of endurance. On the return the riders

rode up to Kala dungar to have a magni-

cent view of the sunset over the rann. They

spotted some wild jackals on the horizon

as the wildlife of the rann started getting

alive with the fading twilight. After the

sunset they headed straight to the resort.

18th March was the penultimate day of the

tour and perhaps ended up being the long-

est day of the whole journey. The riders on

their Royal Eneld motorcycles left from

Hodka and since they did not get the nec-

essary permissions to cross the little Rannagain they had to take the highway all the

way back to Zainabad.

The weather was hot and the strong cross-

winds on the long 400 kms marked the end

of one of the most awesome adventures for

the year. After a small party for all the riders

where they shared stories of the individual

adventures they had during the ride and

how they bonded over the motorcycles they

called it a day. The next day on 19th March

the day started off with the riders slowly

getting to realise that this was perhaps

the last day of their adventure. No one re-

ally wanted to head back to civilization but

then they shook off the after-effects of the

nights party and geared up for the last 120

odd kilometre ride back from Zainabad to

Ahemedabad. The sleepy town of Ahemeda-

bad was woken up to the sound of over 2

dozen thumping royal eneld machines

as the riders rode into the city and headed

straight to their nish point. Getting off the

bike they were exhilarated and recollected

each and every moment of their adventur-

ous ride as they dusted their jackets and -

A border Oupos achesover he Rann

Rader o he ROK

is he JOSH ha couns

Caes or copany


19/32

Cng o he hghespon n he Rann

tour of rok

19


20/32

20

diY

Keep the motor-

cycle on the main

(centre) Stand and

place a fat piece o

stone/tile/wood under

the stand to ensure

the ront tyre is o the

ground. Rotate the tyre

and check tyre surace

or metal burrs, nails

or other objects

embedded which

may have caused the

puncture. be careul

while inspecting with

hand.

Disconnect the

speedo cable. Loosen

the Pinch Bolt on the

right side ork guide.

Remove the split pin

rom the ront axle us-

ing pliers and remove

the axle nut along with

the washer. Gently

tap the axle Push out

the ront spindle. Put

the nut back on the

spindle along with the

washer to avoid them

getting misplaced on

the ground.

Shake the wheel

loose and pull it

towards the let side.

Tilt the bike to the

right side and remove

the wheel along with

the speedo drive and

the Right side spacer.

take out the speedo

drive and the bush on

the right hand side.

Ater the puncture

is repaired and the

tyre set back on the

rim. Place the speedo

drive bush in position

and place the speeedo

drive on it.

Tilt the bike to the

right side again and

insert the ront wheel

back along with the

speedo drive and RH

spacer between the

ront ork ends. Ensure

the speedo drive is

placed properly such

that the cable can be

connected without

any diculty.Ensure

that the disc is placed

exactly between the

disc pads.

Caution: Dont

press the ront brake

lever at all during this

operation.

Insert and gently

tap the ront axle till

it ts snugly. Ret the

washer and tighten

the axle nut. Tighten

the pinch nut on the

ork gyide. replace

the split pin with a

new one. Rotate the

tyre to check or ree

movememt. Check

or any rubbing sound

o tyre or disc plate

rubbing.Connect the

speedo cable to the

speedo drive. Press

brake lever 3 - 4

times to check ront

brake working. Take a

short ride to check or

wobble.

One o the most common problems we ace while

riding out on the roads are punctures. And in such

a case dragging the bike with a defated tyre to

the closest puncture shop may not be the most

easible idea. Better would be to remove thewheel and take the same to the puncture repair

shop. Following are the instructions or removing

the rear and ront wheel o the bikes.diy


21/32

21

diY

Keep the vehicle on

main Stand and ensure

the rear tyre is o the

ground. Rotate the tyre

and check tyre surace

or metal burrs, nails

or other objects

embedded which

may have caused the

puncture. be careul

while inspecting with

hand.

Remove the split

pin rom the rear

axle using pliers and

remove rear spindle

nut. Push out the rear

spindle along and re-

move the rear spindle

along with cam

adjusters, distance

washer and spacer.

Put the nut back on

the spindle along with

these to avoid them

getting misplaced on

the ground.

Shake the wheel

loose and pull it to-

wards the let side. Tilt

the bike to the right

side and remove the

wheel assembly.

Ater the puncture

is repaired and the

tyre set back on the

rim. Tilt the bike to

the right side again

and t the rear wheel

back. Ensure that the

sprocket bush rubber

slots are positioned

into the sprocket drum

lugs.

Once wheel is

placed with the bush

rubber slots well

placed inside the drum

lugs. Place the collar

into the rear wheel

seal. Insert spacer and

the chain adjuster cam

along with the Axle/

spindle.

Adjust the two

chain adjuster cams to

have same number o

notches on both sides.

Tighten the spindle

nut and lock it with a

new split pin.Check

the chain or optimum

tightness/slack. Rotate

the wheel or ree

movement and check

rear brake or tight-

ness and locking. Once

done ride the bike or

a ew metres to check

i no wobble is there

in wheel. Now you are

ready to go.


22/32

22

keep riding

Fng rde ere rganed a er e cnry nder e Keep Rdng naeared by Rya Ened encrage cer rde n er rcyce

BIKANER

Ten riders under the guidance of Dhanna

Lal, rode out from Bikaner and traversed

across some rural patches and dirt roads

through the adjoining small hamlets, rode

through the desert landscape and around

evening time returned back to Bikaner.

During the ride they also had to spend

some time at the local mechanics getting

some motorcycles xed. The customers

on getting to work on the motorcycle real-

ised that this often creates a unique bond

and understanding of the machine as you

get to see it closely and spot the details

too while getting a hands on knowledge

transfer of the intricacies. Covering over

200 Kms this ride was denitely going to

be etched in the memories of the riders for

years to come.

AMBALA JAIPUR

The Royal Bikerz club from Ambala

Cantt following the route Ambala-Mohri-

Pipli-Panipat-Murthal-Delhi-Gurgaon-

Dharuhera-Behror-Jaipur for their

recent ride. Their ride started on a cold

chilly morning and headed towards Delhi

with more and more riders joining in

from Mohri and Pipli till Panipat, During

this ride they also met Mr. Vijay Singh

of Rajputana Custom Bikes. His Great

ancestral house was located opposite the

Chief Ministers house and a portion of

it had been converted into a workshop

for motorcycle customization. It is here

that he built custom Royal Eneld Bikes.

At Jaipur they also visited the acclaimed

Amer fort and spent time there. Spread

across 4 days they rode through chilly

nights as well as unseasonal rains but

enjoyed the ride thoroughly.


23/32

23

keep riding

RANTHAMBORE

As part of the Log Out programme Royal

Eneld riders and friends from Gurgaon

rode down to Ranthambore. A small group

of bikers, they called themselves the No-

mads and despite setting off early at 5:30

in the morning had to counter trafc en-

route. Stopping at roadside dhabas to try

out the local delicious parathas and meals,

the riders just took off their urban diet

conscious garb as they feasted on the local

delicacies. At Ranthambore besides watch-

ing the magnicent fort and its huge walls,

they also had their share of wildlife; not to

forget a tete-e-tete with the mighty Tiger.

Guided by Anil Goyal and Arpit Bansal,

the riders understood the real meaning of

the philosophy of leave home on this ride

and came back tired but extremely happy

and satised.

SAPUTARA

Saputara traditionally is known for its calm

and peaceful environment. People generally

go there to get their dosage of peace and

tranquility. And then one day, the sleepy

little hill station in Gujarat woke up to the

thump of 20 bullets. And life was never the

same again. It all started when 21 riderscame together at the Royal Riders show-

room at Ahmedabad on the cold wintery

morning of 21st January 2011. This was

their rst ride of 2011 and they all had gath-

ered with their riding gear, gloves, winter

clothing, etc in place and after a hot cup of

tea (or was it many cups) the thump began

to stir up the souls of sleeping Amdavadis.

Getting on the old national highway to

Vadodara, they made the 1st stop for break-

fast at Anand. Some took a rather light

breakfast while others decided to ll their

stomachs to their limits. Being a long ride,

some people also joined from Vadodara

and Bharuch. Once the whole group was

in place and about 200 kms already under

the belt, they stopped for lunch and deeplyappreciated the inventors of foam based

sofas. Bums rested stomachs and fuel tanks

relled and it was time to begin the 3rd sec-

tion of the ride. This section was the most

fun lled one with broken roads, winding

twisties and low visibility. Overall a great

experience this ride would be one which all

the riders would cherish for the entire year.

TUGHLAKHABAD

Three Riders from Murthal taking inspira-

tion from their Royal Eneld friends took

up this trip and started off from Murthal

one winter morning. They rode northwards

towards Ambala and maintained a moder-

ate pace crossing into Chandigarh, taking

fuel and food breaks enroute. After Roop-

nagar the climb started as they ascended

the hills till they reached Bilaspur. Calling

it a day at Bhuntar they woke up the next

day morning and rode to Kasol, exploring

the hilly regions around that place. After

visiting the famed Manikaran Sahib Gurd-

wara the next day they rode back towards

Chandigarh. The last day saw them start

late in the day, not wanting to get back into

city life but the riders eventually rolled

back home later in the day. The riders were

thankful to South Delhi Motorcylyes who

were instrumental in keeping the bikes

trouble free so that they could enjoy their

ride to the fullest.

TIKARPADA

Ten Machines and 17 riders including the

Royal Eneld service team rode to Tikar-

pada (Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Orissa).

The permission for riding inside to forest

was acquired after much efforts from the

Royal Eneld staff. The journey started at

5o clock from kolkata and covered 600 kmto the destination. The riders did nd some

difculty at the fag end of the trip as they

could not locate the place due to heavy fog

and had to rest in the middle of Jungle in

Tiger Reserve Core area till morning,


24/32

24

rider profile

W

e call ourselves the Eneld

family. We hail from the

UK but our association

with Royal Eneld beganright here in India. So how did this unique

relationship begin? It began almost twenty

years ago when my daughter Zoe was the

rst person to buy a 350 cc Bullet. We all

watched and admired her condence rid-

ing around Goa, we all followed on Scooters

and small 125 bikes until three years later I

thought to myself if my daughter could do it,

so could I. Thus, I purchased a second hand

350 cc Bullet and suddenly the whole of In-

dia was opened to us. My other daughter

Tanya was next a few years later and after

that we started touring together out of the

Goa.

In 2002 we saw advertisements in the

newspapers/magazines for the newly

launched Thunderbird. And so one ne

morning my daughter Tanya, her husband

Howard, me and my husband walked into

the main Royal Eneld dealer in Margao,

Goa and announced that we wanted FOUR

Thunderbirds all in different colours in a

weeks time. You can imagine the amaze-

ment and confusion this must have caused,

no one in the history of that showroom had

just walked in like this before and said give

me one of each colour, pointing out at anybike. However, one week later, as promised,

we all got on our brand new bikes and started

touring in earnest. Two years after that my

son Warren came to India for his rst holi-

day and was immediately hooked. He too

purchased a Thunderbird and toured with

us, loving it as much as we do. I guess we re-

ally owe it all to Zoe. If she had not bought

the rst Eneld we may still have been pot-

tering around Goa on scooters.

Our association with Royal Eneld went

beyond the bikes when we attended the

Royal Eneld Rider Mania in Goa in 2009November. We saw how much fun we could

have in the company of all Eneld lovers. We

again came to Rider Mania 2010 and met

more of the people behind these machines. It

was during this that we also thought of visit-

ing the Royal Eneld factory in Chennai.

We started off on our trans-India tour

this year somewhere around February had

decided to make a visit to the Royal Eneld

factory in Chennai during our trip, travel-

ling there from Goa on our bikes of course.

Sadly Zoe was not able to join us on this trip,

but we are sure she would denitely join us

the next time we undertake another such ad-

venture. On the way to Chennai we stopped

at Hampi, where we met up with friends

who run a restaurant in the middle of the

Bazaar, we have known them for many years

and they always make us welcome. Two

days later, riding about 350 kms a day, we

reached Chennai, found a comfortable ho-

tel in the middle of the city, relaxed for the

evening with good food and a few beers ea-

gerly discussing our forthcoming trip to the

Royal Eneld Factory.We arrived at the Factory in the morning

and were welcomed by the staff from the

Marketing group and were shown around

all the workshops and were able to watch the

bikes being spray painted, assembled and

lastly tested. We enjoyed every minute of it

and left even more determined to Keep on

Riding. We left Chennai with regret as we

all fell in love with the City and the friendly,

helpful people we met and want to do the

trip again but next time with Zoe.

On the way home we stopped off at Pon-

dicherry, Mysore and Kerala, meeting up

along the way with friends we had met on

previous trips. This tour was for 16 days but

we felt that it was over far too quick. We have

now started planning several trips in 2012

but have to travel home very soon to the

U.K. So all our bikes are serviced, greased

and locked in my apartment until next No-

vember my sitting room literally looks like

the local Eneld garage. So now in the UK I

shall spend a summer season working hard

in my Ice Cream Parlour and counting the

days for my return to India.

Th eFmtext & photographs: diannesreenivas

Enroue o Agra

Rdng n he ghas

marna beach

Soehere n Karnaaka

Fan cu

A he Facory


25/32

wtrCrossg

riding tip

A

ll the brave adventurers

who have dared to head

out to the Himalayas,

Ladakh region in par-

ticular on their trustedsteeds have often kept

in mind 3 major perils of the region name-

ly dropping temperatures, altitude sick-

ness and water crossings. Good clothing

and diamox can get you through the rst 2

but there is no aid you can call upon to get

over the water crossing part. Each one has

to ride his own bike.

A water crossing has the ability to

shrink the scenery to itself and they al-

ways seem to look better after you have

crossed them. When travelling in a group

they bring out cameras faster than any-

thing else on the road. Even experienced

and condent riders pay more attention to

this particular aspect of the terrain.

There are many different kinds of water

crossings some owing into your path

some away from you some perpendicular

and ever other unimaginable angle. There

are some that make a huge splash and a

lot of noise and some that ow silently

without drama. Sometimes you have no

idea what lurks underneath and some-

times its visible on the surface.

Its a very simple technique really get

in at a manageable speed in a low gear

and medium revs with the clutch let out.

Before getting into the water establish

a rm stance on the bike (either sittingor standing) and look where you want to

go. (not just 2 ahead of the tyre) take the

crossing with a bit of acceleration so your

front wheel is light. This will enable you

climb easier over obstacles and give you a

bit more clearance. Honestly its as easy as

that. Always stay calm and make sure that

your actions are from your thinking and

not from a panic reaction.

Some baSic ruleS to follow

Take your time to study the crossing

and dont be lazy

Keeping your shoes dry is not the ulti-

mate aim.

Its better to wait (dry) before the cross-

ing and watch other people cross than

to wait on the other side while you dry

yourself.

When in doubt choose the lower gear.

If you do get stuck try smarter not hard-

er. Take your time dont panic

Pay special attention not to allow the

engine to stall.

Point into the ow

Dont be afraid to get wet

Have a plan but be ready to improvise

If riding in a group go one at a time

avoid

Going in too fast

Taking your feet off the footrest

Stalling the engine/motion

Panic

Slipping the clutch

Too much rpm

Holding too hard on the handle bars

In case you dont get it right the rst time,

no problem. The worst thing is that you

fall and stall. Im sure each of us will g-

ure out how to handle a fall. In case the

bike stalls when the silencer or air lter

was below the water level or we suspect

that the engine has taken in water do not

attempt to restart the engine. Once on dry

ground remove the spark plug dry it and

give the engine a few good kicks till you no

longer see it throw out water. you can use

the electric start to crank the engine as

well. You are good to go now but remem-

ber to change your oil and clean your carb

at the next earliest opportunity

Ride safe

sachin chavan

25


26/32

26

flash Back

With the rise in fuel prices a lot of auto-

mobile manufacturers are turning towards

diesel as an alternative fuel. This is some-

thing we had touched years ago when we

made the motorcycle with the worlds low-

est running costs. Here is a look into these

oil burners of the era gone by:

ro ed t: The Taurus waslargely regarded as the diesel version of the

legendary Bullet. It saw light of day around

the end of the 1980s and was launched into

the market early 1990 as a workhorse. Pow-

ered by a 325 cc Greaves Lombardini diesel

engine producing a measly 6.5 BHP but a

good 15 NM of Torque at just 2500 RPM,

this bike was better known for its unique

range. Claiming a mileage of 70 KMPL and

a Fuel tank containing 14 Litres upwards, a

full tank would easily take you across 1000

kms without worrying about a fuel stop. It

did end up serving as an agricultural con-

traption in many places, including perhaps

doubling up as a water pump. One of the

rare diesel motorcycles manufactured the

world over this denitely was one rare piece

of machinery. Being a versatile motorcycle

it came with a range of attachments and

luggage carrying options. Having a split

seat option also this was often operated as a

single-seater with luggage taking up space

where the pillion would sit.

Rya Enfed Dee


27/32

27

ro ed rob: At almost thesame time in the UK, Ernie Dorsett, who

had done private conversions of Match-

less motorcycles to diesel, got in touch

with Redbreast (Blixworth, Northamp-

tonshire), the UK importer of the Japa-

nese Fuji Robin diesel engine. A deal was

reached with Redbreast to provide en-

gines and Banavar Products (at that time

the importer of Royal Enelds) to pro-

vide a rolling chassis. The Eneld Robin

D-R 400D was powered by an all-alloy

air-cooled Fuji Robin single cylinder en-

gine of 412cc of displacement. It put out

8.5hp@3600rpm. It had a kickstarter but

was also equipped an electric starter, al-

legedly being the rst "Production Royal

Eneld" to have electric start. The Rob-

in nally went for sale in 1993 at 4,500

pounds, almost double of what the Bullet

350 retailed for at the time in the UK.

High cost, lack of performance and the

unfamiliar look of the engine have been

cited by some as reasons for low sales for

the model. Several dealers in the UK, Ger-

many and other places undertook "private

conversions" of various scales, some doing

one-off bikes per request others attempt-

ing a more regular production.

With the cost of Petrol still rising and

diesel vehicles getting popular day by day,

who knows maybe Royal Eneld shal

again come out with another of its legen-

dary diesel engine contraptions combining

fuel efciency, solid torque and the rugged

built in one easy to operate package.


28/32

28

29th January 1971,Four young men working with the Tatas set

out on 2 Royal Eneld Bullet Motorcycles

from Jamshedpur with just about 100 dol-

lars in their pockets but tons of grit, and a

spirit of adventure; something they credit

their motorcycles to have cultivated in them.

These gentlemen were Mr Subhash Sharma,

Mr Ashok Kher, Mr Sampuran Singh and Mr

Manmohan Singh. Their journey took them

across 52 countries and 1,60,000 Kms. In the

course of this journey they got nancial as

well as other assistance from people whom

they kept meeting and thus managed the

nances for this adventure. Their trustwor-

thy motorcycles took them across Deserts,

the Savannah, Slushy tracks, across small

streams, and including some parts of the

Grand Canyon. The riders rode through hot

blistering summers and snowy chilly win-

ters as they traversed the continents on their

thumping juggernauts. At places where they

couldnt ride they transported their bikes by

Ship, or on off road trucks or boats but never

even once turned back.

The Journey took them from Jamshedpur

to Delhi and then Mumbai, crossing over

the Arabian Sea into Iran, Turkey, Syria,

Lebanon, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya,

Uganda, Congo, Cameron, Nigeria, Algeria,

Morocco, Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland,

Germany, England, Canada and nally the

United States. Enroute they visited legen-

dary cities, and monuments like the Giza

pyramids, Roman coliseum, Eiffel tower,Niagara Falls and the Grand Canyon. The

motorcycles had special racks welded on

the rear stays on which they piled up their

luggage and during certain legs of the run

even carried a spare tyre and tubes tied be-

hind the bike. Their epic journey ended on

the 11th of June 1972 after which they got

their motorcycles to Royal Eneld factory in

Chennai. As a good will gesture Royal En-

eld refurbished their motorcycle and gave

the bikes back to them back sparkling as new.

To mark the 40th anniversary of their epic

ride these gentlemen decided to get together;

unfortunately one of them is no more so the

3 got together and decided to come down to

the Royal Eneld factory to see how much

the birthplace of their epic motorcycles has

changed since they visited last. They met the

Management and Staff at the factory and

took a look at the modern machines being

made. They found the new Classic 500 to be

very familiar to the bikes they had ridden, not

having lost its traditional Royal Eneld style

and mark.

It is such men who set an example of ulti-

mate adventure spirit by undertaking such an

endeavour way back in the days when maps

and navigational aids were not as advanced as

they are today. Its no surprise that their trip

was called the World Odyssey, akin to Royal

Eneld tradition of naming the rides.

Ro w RouFour adventurous young men rom te steel city o Jamsedpur set out to go

round te orld in 1971 and successully completed te adventure. Tis year

tey relived te memories o tose days by getting back togeter to celebratete occasion at te Royal Enfeld Factory.

World tour

the Roya Heros

loadng ono a shp

Heavng hrough sush

Crossng he Equaor

we equpped rders

Ou o Arca

A he Facory


29/32

29

Yercaud in Tamil Nadu is perhaps

one of the perfect getaway des-tinations from Chennai as well

as from Bangalore. It is famous

for its peaceful surroundings, the big lake in

the center of the hamlet and the hills nearby

which also serve as perfect trekking desti-

nations. Besides the weather the other thing

Yercaud is famous for are orchids and there

is a dedicated Orchidarium run by the bo-

tanical society of India. As they say some-

times its the journey and not the destina-

tion that makes a trip worthwhile, getting

to Yercaud from Chennai or Bangalore is

also more or less same. The roads and the

scenic places with their individual speciali-

ties make this journey memorable. A mix of

national highways, state highways and me-

andering ghat roads full of twisties make

the route a perfect combination of different

driving scenarios. Riding on these roads

scores a point more than driving as there is

the added thrill of adventure.

Starting from Chennai the road towards

Yercaud goes out towards the western di-

rection on the Chennai Bangalore highway

or NH 4 towards Sriperumbudur, location

of the Madras Motorsports legendary Race

Track. After Sriperumbudur, the road wid-ens up and encourages one to check the

top speed of the motorcycle. However one

must be cautious of the fast moving Chen-

nai Bangalore buses and Big cars which

often try to exercise control on this patch.

The road then leads to the famous temple

town of Kanchipuram the bastion of Godess

Kamakshi. Cross Kanchi and the next big

place to slow down your ride is Ranipet,

once Royal Eneld had its manufacturing

plant here where it assembled/manufac-

tured the Eneld Fury, Explorer and Silver

Plus motorcycles. Once across Ranipet, the

road again beckons towards the yonder and

the journey becomes pleasant. Lined with

trees on both sides, and a medium boasting

of seasonal ora the road often is a sight to

reckon. Riding down this road one reaches

the famous town of Ambur known for itsNon-Veg Biryani and its leather industry.

Good chance of picking up a pair of decent

boots here and tank up with scrumptious

biryani and chicken dishes. Once you cross

Ambur you need to look out for a turn that

takes you off this highway into the country-

side. This place called Vaniyumbadi often

does get missed out. Many people prefer to

travel further down the highway to Salem

and then climb into Yercaud but we chose to

get off at Vaniyumbadi and move towards

Harur. The Route from Bangalore also

more or less joins here. It comes via Hosur,Krishnagiri and then into Vaniyumbadi.

Once you cross Harur the temperature

starts going down as you start seeing lush

green hills in the distance and feel the cool-

er mountain air refresh your soul. A shot

dash through some villages will take you

through a winding state highway to Kup-

panur. its here that the excitement begins

as you start ascending the ghats and since

there is hardly any trafc on this road one

wouldnt be startled by oncoming vehicles

but it always pays to be alert. Climbing into

the hills one can just take stops randomlyanytime a small clearing is spotted from

where the valley and the nearby hills make

up for an amazing sight. The forests on your

way up are also densely populated with

bamboo, which sometimes provide a great

sight contrasting with the other vegetation

growing around.

As you roll into Yercaud, the sight of

the vast lake with numerous paddle boats

bobbing up and down in the placid waters

greets you. Yercaud also literally translates

as A lake surrounded by Forests which it

indeed is. There are numerous inexpensive

places to stay around the lake which would

suit every persons budget. Alternatively

you could also camp out in the open at Yer-

caud and enjoy some treks in and around

the nearby mountains.

Know an exotic location which is just a

bike ride away from the hustle bustle of

the city and would be best enjoyed on your

faithful Royal Eneld motorcycle; write in

to [email protected] and let us

know of the exotic location and the ride.

motorcYcle roads

yrcu: escp fromBgor & ChA quick getaay rom te ustle bustle o city lie or Bangloreans and Cen-

nites is to take a trip to Yercaud, a ill station al a days ride aay


30/32

30

reVieWs

The XD 3 is a mix between a motocross and astreet helmet and it is a very unctional design as

I have discovered. I bought it primarily because

o its ability to be used with a goggle and a visor;

however I have been lazy and have used it primar-

ily with the visor only.

Part o buying an Arai is the education and

insight that you get into helmets. Ater getting

an Arai I realised that my other helmets are too

loose and ill tting. The Arai XD3 has the ability

to be snug and tting without being uncomort-

able. I also love the room around the ears and

the ease with which the helmet accepts

sunglasses/spectacles and speakers.

In this helmet the extra room in ront

o the mouth and chin makes it easier to have a

conversation without removing the helmet. The

Camelbak bite valve also passes easier rom under

the helmet. The XD3 has a chin spoiler that can be

pulled down to reduce noise but I havent noticed

any dierence. The extra room makes it more bear-

able in the summer but doesnt penalise you much

when its cold.

Peripheral vision is good and in spite o the

sharply raked design the visor is optically true.

You can either lock the visor shut or keep it slightly

open to reduce ogging. There is a pin lock visorand insert available and I would be trying that this

year during the Himalayan Odyssey.

The peak does a good job o taking the glare

away and there is no sun in your eyes unless its

really low on the horizon. Noise levels remain more

o less the same so its not too much o a concern.

I also ound it a bit more dicult to turn my head

at high speeds or strong winds and I suspect this

resulted rom the shape o the helmet.

The XD3 has an emergency cheek pad release

system which is basically two red tabs on the

cheek pads. When these are pulled the

pads come o making it much easier to

remove the helmet. However, it goes

without saying that only a trained paramedic

should take the call about whether to remove the

helmet or not. The Double D ring astening system

is great and I preer it over the usual buckle ar-

rangement because it's more secure, comortable

and adjustable. And yes its perectly OK to put

stickers and even repaint the helmet i you want.

Overall this is a great helmet and i you can a-

ord it then you should go or it. It is very practical

or touring in India and nothing else perhaps even

comes close. SAChIN ChAVAN

ARAi touR XD 3 / touR X hElmEt REviEw DiADoRABoulEvARD Boots:

A colleague had ordered a pair o Diadora

Boulevard boots or himsel, but they

turned out to be one size larger. I was

looking out or a pair o boots and itseemed like a good idea to try these on. I

usually wear a size 45 (Europe) and these

shoes (also size 45) did t me very well.

They were a bit o a squeeze or my wide

eet initially but a ew days o riding and

walking around with these boots sorted

this out. They do not slip o as easily as

kicking o a pair o sneakers, and require

me to gingerly take them o using my

hands. Once on they t snug and comort-

able too.

Diadora was a brand I had not heard o

earlier, but I am certainly impressed withthe levels o comort these boots oer.

I did have one niggle where I noticed a

small gap between the body o the shoes

and the sole. A spot o glue was used in

time to arrest any urther separation. I

have not had the op-

portunity to test them

in rain, but the boots

have a waterproo lining which should

hopeully keep water seeping inside.

They also have a zipper and a double

Velcro fap which should ensure that my

socks are dry during water crossings.The shoes have enough fex in them and

I have had absolutely no trouble shiting

gears, even using the toe shi ter or while

using the rear brake pedal. Having spent

a ull day riding with these boots, on

the highway, I eel these boots are very

comortable and do not induce atigue.

Denitely a good option or a buy i one

is looking out or comortable all weather

riding boots. These are available at

around $100 at most leading motorcycle

gear selling websites. Customs and

Shipping charges would also apply over

and above that including them this still is

quite a worthwhile piece o equipment.

D RAVI KIRAN


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WeB World

Royal Enelds presence on social media is augmented by its presence on twitter too.The ofcial twitter feed tweets about the upcoming rides along with various interest-ing trivia around this legendary marque. It also serves as a tool for most Royal Eneld

bikers out there to communicate with the company as well as with each other and seekhelp, guidance or just an opinion. Twitter also serves as a real-time live reporting tool as

was used during some of the rides and Rider Mania. Twitter stream can be found here:

..o/od

Royal Enelds presence on Facebook is through its ofcial fan page on which RoyalEneld shares interesting videos, images and other news information for Royal En-eld acionados all over the world. Contests are often held on Facebook with someinteresting Royal Eneld merchandise up for grabs for the winners. The Facebook fanpage can be found here:

.od.o/odf

Royal Eneld Blogs are basically cate-gorised into Life at Royal Eneld andRiding topics. The senior manage-ment at Royal Eneld (CEO and MD)have their own blogs through whichthey communicate their ideas and

visions with the world but giving it apersonal viewpoint and not throughofcial communication channels.These Blogs not only have been readabundantly but each comment pro-

vides valuable feedback to the writerand to the organization indirectly.The Royal Eneld Blogs are accessi-

ble at the following url:

p://.od.o/re_bo/dx.p


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The Beat April 2011

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