The stats:
Ride Duration: 3 days, 21st March 2008 Friday - 23rd March 2008 Sunday
Riders and Bikes:
Santoosh - Pulsar 180
Prasanna - Pulsar 180
Sunil Dhummi - Pulsar150
Gaurav - Avenger
Vaibhav - Avenger
Kartik Ayyar - Thunderbird
Praveen T - Unicorn
Vasanth - Zma
Sachin Koppikar - Pulsar150.
*#%^*!
Here the story takes a twist!
Well I was supposed to join this ride but my bike starte to spew out smoke form the exhaust like a dirty 2-stroker!
So i dropped out! :(
Then on Saturday night I get a call from Vasant. Jalao jalao i thought to myself and received the call. What i heard next realy shocked me!
Vaas had a CRASH!
Oh My GOD what would have happened that caused Vaas to crash?
I mean we've been riding together since the last 2 years and not even once had he made any mistakes and always rode in a defensive manner!
Then he narrated how he had missed a huge pothole umm i am sorry CRATER on the road at night! Well well thats tells it all.
Then Vaas sheepishly asked " Sachin I am in no position to ride back...umm Santoosh was suggesting if you could come here by bus we can take the bike back". Well my wingrider is down and I dont need much encouragement to ride a ZMA back form Chikmagalur via Belur!
I will now redirect you to Vaas' blog for the rest of the story
Friday, April 25, 2008
My Biking Gear
I you ask your average Joe how he perceives a biker he'd say this:
Someone wearing a pair of torn jeans, a bandana, a kanji shirt/T-shirt with a joint rolled and packed on the left ear!
Someone who is rebellious and cares 2 hoots about the law!
Someone whoz ready for a brawl at the drop of a hat!
But today I'd say some bikers will proudly stand out from this stereotype and assert to be different! I am one of this pack :)
Well to me this is biking!
And continuing with this I proclaim to differ to the fact about the clothing that average Joe's perceives about me.
I am a guy who is responsible and cares about himself and others around him!
I hate it but I don’t like to take what the circumstances have to deal to me!
So I ride with some passive protection which I like to call my Gear and with the description of each of them I wish to educate the reader [Or at least make him think] about them and how these can someday save their lives maybe. I'll go about this in a descending manner of priority i feel. That means the I’ll list the gear in the precedence of priority.
HELMET: A well developed brain is something that distinctly distinguishes the man from other animals that dwell the earth! And it also happens to be in the head and controls all the other functions of the body. Well then it gets first precedence. Check this link for the pros and cons of Helmet. But I prefer to always ride with my lid on. Herez more guidance for choosing a lid.
GLOVES: Your hands are the ones that control the accelerator, clutch and brakes.
well as they are prone to a lot of wind and might be some debris if you are off-roading you need a good pair. Also if you have a bad fall then you tend to land on your palms and so they need protection. In city traffic especially in Bengalooru it is very common that vehicles pass very close to you and your hands being placed at the extremities of the handle bars are prone to being hit so again a pair of gloves with knuckle protection is a must.
JACKET:A jacket is some thing that saves you from small bruises and scratches and stuff. An ordinary textile or synthetic jacket will not be sufficient if you plan on going on long rides at high speeds. During such adventures it is advisable if you don a riding jacket. A riding jacket is made either of leather or textile and contain armor in different vulnerable parts like back, shoulders and arms and chest.
These armors will minimize to a certain extent the chances of any bone fractures. Also a textile jacket of Cordura or any other synthetic fibers also minimize the risk of penetration by sharp objects. The best bet is Kevlar jackets.
SHOES:A good set of shoes that cover up at least till your ankle are good for riding and also in case of crash. The only concern is that the shoes should not slip when they are positioned on the foot pegs.
Other qualities to look for are waterproofing, ankle and shin protectors.
RIDING PANTS: Riding pants incorporate the protection for knee as well as the hip. Arse protection is an added plus point.
If you tend to be more modular or challenged by body weight[means that you are FAT like me and don’t get riding pants your size] then you can go in for Knee protectors.
All in all if you have a bad accident these help in at least minimizing the extent of damage.
People usually start driving in cars and feel they are safe! TO some extent this argument is good but I say if you have the right riding gear and "ROAD SENSE" then you are as safe on a bike.
Someone wearing a pair of torn jeans, a bandana, a kanji shirt/T-shirt with a joint rolled and packed on the left ear!
Someone who is rebellious and cares 2 hoots about the law!
Someone whoz ready for a brawl at the drop of a hat!
But today I'd say some bikers will proudly stand out from this stereotype and assert to be different! I am one of this pack :)
Well to me this is biking!
And continuing with this I proclaim to differ to the fact about the clothing that average Joe's perceives about me.
I am a guy who is responsible and cares about himself and others around him!
I hate it but I don’t like to take what the circumstances have to deal to me!
So I ride with some passive protection which I like to call my Gear and with the description of each of them I wish to educate the reader [Or at least make him think] about them and how these can someday save their lives maybe. I'll go about this in a descending manner of priority i feel. That means the I’ll list the gear in the precedence of priority.
HELMET: A well developed brain is something that distinctly distinguishes the man from other animals that dwell the earth! And it also happens to be in the head and controls all the other functions of the body. Well then it gets first precedence. Check this link for the pros and cons of Helmet. But I prefer to always ride with my lid on. Herez more guidance for choosing a lid.
GLOVES: Your hands are the ones that control the accelerator, clutch and brakes.
well as they are prone to a lot of wind and might be some debris if you are off-roading you need a good pair. Also if you have a bad fall then you tend to land on your palms and so they need protection. In city traffic especially in Bengalooru it is very common that vehicles pass very close to you and your hands being placed at the extremities of the handle bars are prone to being hit so again a pair of gloves with knuckle protection is a must.
JACKET:A jacket is some thing that saves you from small bruises and scratches and stuff. An ordinary textile or synthetic jacket will not be sufficient if you plan on going on long rides at high speeds. During such adventures it is advisable if you don a riding jacket. A riding jacket is made either of leather or textile and contain armor in different vulnerable parts like back, shoulders and arms and chest.
These armors will minimize to a certain extent the chances of any bone fractures. Also a textile jacket of Cordura or any other synthetic fibers also minimize the risk of penetration by sharp objects. The best bet is Kevlar jackets.
SHOES:A good set of shoes that cover up at least till your ankle are good for riding and also in case of crash. The only concern is that the shoes should not slip when they are positioned on the foot pegs.
Other qualities to look for are waterproofing, ankle and shin protectors.
RIDING PANTS: Riding pants incorporate the protection for knee as well as the hip. Arse protection is an added plus point.
If you tend to be more modular or challenged by body weight[means that you are FAT like me and don’t get riding pants your size] then you can go in for Knee protectors.
All in all if you have a bad accident these help in at least minimizing the extent of damage.
People usually start driving in cars and feel they are safe! TO some extent this argument is good but I say if you have the right riding gear and "ROAD SENSE" then you are as safe on a bike.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
The untold ride and the unsung heroes of Kannur
This is one ride i never talked about! Many people dont even know i had done this ride.
The Stats
Ride Duration : 4 days 22nd December 2007-25th December 2007
Riders and Bikes :
Sunil Dhummi- P150
Me- P150
Professor Nanjundappa- Unicorn
Praveen T- Unicorn
Venkatesh, Chalapati(pillion)- Discover
Total Kms covered : 1020kms
Route Taken:
Day 1:Bangalore-->Mysore-->Bylakuppe-->Madikeri
Day 2:Madikere-->Virajpet-->Irutti-->Kannur
Day 3:Kannur-->Calicut
Day 4:Calicut-->Kalpetta-->Mysore-->Bangalore
Well the ride started out with some of the guys coming late and catching up late. I thought ok as this is a big group these things are bound to happen.
We started off at around 6:45am form the Rajarajeshwari Arch towards Mysore. Gurinder Ratra a bull rider joined us later.
As we were approaching the turn to the bypass on Hunsur road i spotted excessive smoke coming out of Gurinder's bull. This is where the troubles started!
As i had been to Bylakuppe I accompanied Gurinder to Mysore to his bike fixed, the others continued towards the chosen destination. With some difficulty we found the mechanic and got the bike fixed meanwhile i got to see some bad attitude doled out by Gurinder. I thought it to be a passing phase.
Then me and Gurinder caught up with the rest of the group at Bylakuppe visited some of the monasteries and had lunch.
The next leg was towards Madikere and this was done eventlessly, thank God.
At Madikere we were again in for some surprise as we did not get the desired homestay in a coffee estate and only a small house on a hill top. Anyways we made do with it and had some booze sessions and took the much needed rest.
The next day everything started on a normal note and we made out way to Virajpete and had breakfast there. From Virajpete to Irutti was when we took the most beating as the road was unpaved and had huge boulders sticking out on a gradient. This really pissed us all! Anyways after we crossed this stretch we reached Irutti and were very frustrated and started ripping once we got good Kerala roads.
This is where the major tragedy happened! One of our fellow riders Professor Nanjundappa Nisarga was left behind in this ripping and met with an accident [A head on collision with a Maruti 800 driven by drunken drivers!].
This changed the whole course of our ride and me and my friends [Venkatesh and Chalapathi] learnt a very valuable lesson in life, more of which i will narrate later!
After this happened the guilty guys managed to take the professor to a Hospital where he was checked and X-Ray taken which showed no broken bones. In the meantime apprehending that this will become a police case i called up my PL in Bangalore who hailed from Kannur. Thanks to him we found his friend an auto driver who turned out to be of great help! He met us at the hospital and we discussed that we would agree for a settlement and not book a case. This guy who barely knew us negotiated a settlement for us, but the bike had somehow landed up at the police station. So we had to go there and talk to the police who refused to speak in any other language than Malayalam! They were trying to put the whole blame on us and asking us to pay the compensation for the car damage as well. At this moment the auto driver "Sanjaya" showed his true strength, he called up the local DYSP who was his acquaintance and upon his arrival the whole scenario changed and the police started threatening the cagers and they agreed for a written agreement to pay for all the repairs and spares for Professor's bike.
This accomplished we being apprehensive about professor suffering any internal injuries got him to another hospital and got him checked up thoroughly. Thank God the doctors there spoke Kannada and were very helpful. That day we rejoiced for our professor was saved from any kind of fatal injuries and was safe [ We had this party in a 3-star hotel!].
The next day the same guy Sanjaya came with us to the Honda service center and got the culprit cagers to agree for the estimate that the service center guys had given and then we headed towards Calicut and then to Bangalore via Kalpetta.
We made sure that the pillion rider Chalapati accompanied Professor on a night bus from Calicut to Bangalore.
The next day the remaining riders headed back to Bangalore from Calicut.
Thus the terrible ride ended.
Now to let out the cats from the bag.
Lessons we learnt
1) Some riders are indifferent to the trouble the group is going through and enjoy their time in their own way! I am sure if they read this they'll be ashamed of themselves.
2) Taking responsibility for a fallen rider is the upmost priority, but do not expect any kind of gratitude from the fallen rider.
The Stats
Ride Duration : 4 days 22nd December 2007-25th December 2007
Riders and Bikes :
Sunil Dhummi- P150
Me- P150
Professor Nanjundappa- Unicorn
Praveen T- Unicorn
Venkatesh, Chalapati(pillion)- Discover
Total Kms covered : 1020kms
Route Taken:
Day 1:Bangalore-->Mysore-->Bylakuppe-->Madikeri
Day 2:Madikere-->Virajpet-->Irutti-->Kannur
Day 3:Kannur-->Calicut
Day 4:Calicut-->Kalpetta-->Mysore-->Bangalore
Well the ride started out with some of the guys coming late and catching up late. I thought ok as this is a big group these things are bound to happen.
We started off at around 6:45am form the Rajarajeshwari Arch towards Mysore. Gurinder Ratra a bull rider joined us later.
As we were approaching the turn to the bypass on Hunsur road i spotted excessive smoke coming out of Gurinder's bull. This is where the troubles started!
As i had been to Bylakuppe I accompanied Gurinder to Mysore to his bike fixed, the others continued towards the chosen destination. With some difficulty we found the mechanic and got the bike fixed meanwhile i got to see some bad attitude doled out by Gurinder. I thought it to be a passing phase.
Then me and Gurinder caught up with the rest of the group at Bylakuppe visited some of the monasteries and had lunch.
The next leg was towards Madikere and this was done eventlessly, thank God.
At Madikere we were again in for some surprise as we did not get the desired homestay in a coffee estate and only a small house on a hill top. Anyways we made do with it and had some booze sessions and took the much needed rest.
The next day everything started on a normal note and we made out way to Virajpete and had breakfast there. From Virajpete to Irutti was when we took the most beating as the road was unpaved and had huge boulders sticking out on a gradient. This really pissed us all! Anyways after we crossed this stretch we reached Irutti and were very frustrated and started ripping once we got good Kerala roads.
This is where the major tragedy happened! One of our fellow riders Professor Nanjundappa Nisarga was left behind in this ripping and met with an accident [A head on collision with a Maruti 800 driven by drunken drivers!].
This changed the whole course of our ride and me and my friends [Venkatesh and Chalapathi] learnt a very valuable lesson in life, more of which i will narrate later!
After this happened the guilty guys managed to take the professor to a Hospital where he was checked and X-Ray taken which showed no broken bones. In the meantime apprehending that this will become a police case i called up my PL in Bangalore who hailed from Kannur. Thanks to him we found his friend an auto driver who turned out to be of great help! He met us at the hospital and we discussed that we would agree for a settlement and not book a case. This guy who barely knew us negotiated a settlement for us, but the bike had somehow landed up at the police station. So we had to go there and talk to the police who refused to speak in any other language than Malayalam! They were trying to put the whole blame on us and asking us to pay the compensation for the car damage as well. At this moment the auto driver "Sanjaya" showed his true strength, he called up the local DYSP who was his acquaintance and upon his arrival the whole scenario changed and the police started threatening the cagers and they agreed for a written agreement to pay for all the repairs and spares for Professor's bike.
This accomplished we being apprehensive about professor suffering any internal injuries got him to another hospital and got him checked up thoroughly. Thank God the doctors there spoke Kannada and were very helpful. That day we rejoiced for our professor was saved from any kind of fatal injuries and was safe [ We had this party in a 3-star hotel!].
The next day the same guy Sanjaya came with us to the Honda service center and got the culprit cagers to agree for the estimate that the service center guys had given and then we headed towards Calicut and then to Bangalore via Kalpetta.
We made sure that the pillion rider Chalapati accompanied Professor on a night bus from Calicut to Bangalore.
The next day the remaining riders headed back to Bangalore from Calicut.
Thus the terrible ride ended.
Now to let out the cats from the bag.
Lessons we learnt
1) Some riders are indifferent to the trouble the group is going through and enjoy their time in their own way! I am sure if they read this they'll be ashamed of themselves.
2) Taking responsibility for a fallen rider is the upmost priority, but do not expect any kind of gratitude from the fallen rider.
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