Scrambling into the unknown

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It’s been a fortnight since I went camping with my friends to a place I like to call ‘the weekend one’. I always rode to this water body which is in a forested area but never had the opportunity to spend a night below the stars. With the right set of people around, I managed to experience the peace that lies in the middle of the wildlife. That’s when I decided to take up camping as a hobby and I was planning the next one as soon as I possibly could. This time, with something that would make my plans more flexible– a motorcycle.

The biggest question was, which motorcycle? I had only three requirements from the bike – it needed to cruise comfortably at triple-digit speeds, had to be capable off-road and most importantly, it needed to be easy to manage both on and off-road. The Royal Enfield Himalayan didn’t make the cut because it isn’t vibe-free above 90kmph. The Triumph Tiger 800 XC almost made it to the list but managing a full-blown adventure bike isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. The Kawasaki Versys 650 made sense, but the lack of off-road tyres made me take it off the list. The only motorcycle that checked all three boxes was the Ducati Scrambler Icon. 

This was my first camping trip on a motorcycle. I wanted to experience the bliss of exploring a new place on a bike and setup my own stay for the night. I knew that I wanted to camp next to a water body and the best place to do this is in Bhandardara at Arthur Lake. This place is just 150km away from Mumbai, which makes it near enough to get to easily yet far enough for it to not be touched by the big-city vibe. Also, there was the small matter of camping being legal there, and the locals are very friendly – all important things for a first-time camper. 

There’s a little preparation required when you go camping with your motorcycle, and I managed to get through it all, from packing the Royal Enfield dufflebag to understanding how to use the Andy Strapz on the Scrambler (piece of cake). Once that got out of the way, I was cruising at triple digit speeds, enjoying the afternoon breeze and the sound of the L-Twin.

The best thing about taking the Mumbai-Nashik highway is the ability to stay in the highest gear for the maximum amount of time. Kasara Ghat is tempting enough to ride aggressively in the corners but the sudden appearance of vehicles coming the wrong way will cool you down. I still managed to enjoy the twisties, thanks to the high lean angle and the grippy tyres of the Scrambler Icon. For Bhandadara, one needs to head east for Ghoti on NH3 near the Ghoti toll plaza and ride for another 45 mins to reach Arthur Lake. 

Once at Bhandardara, the next thing was to find the right spot - you don’t want to camp right next to a road, right? I found the right spot after exploring the area for a good half hour but I wasn’t sure if the Scrambler would be able to take me there. There was only one way to find out! It’s always good to ride slowly in a new place and especially where there is grass that is three feet high.

The route to the camping spot was worse than I’d expected. Broken rocks, tall grass, a stone divider which was almost a foot tall and a lot of mud. All these were taken care of easily by the Scrambler’s good ground clearance, dual-sport tyres and the excellent weight distribution. In case you manage to lose your balance on the trail, the low seat height of 790 mm makes it easy to rest your feet on the ground. But the jerky throttle response made it difficult to stand and ride. I eventually found a solution: a gear higher than usual smoothened things out. After 10 minutes of off-road riding, I finally reached the spot. It felt as if I was on a tiny island. The view was spectacular. The sun was about to set and I was yet to pitch my tent.

Always pitch the tent little far from the water body if you want to wake up without wet clothes. I quickly removed the Royal Enfield duffle bag from the Scrambler and pitched my tent for the first time by myself. I was surprised that I did it in just a few minutes. Once my home for the night was ready, I parked myself between the tent and the Scrambler and enjoyed the best sunset of my life. This is why I love motorcycles like the Scrambler – the ability to visit unexplored places feels fantastic. While I was readying for the night, I discovered a great tool– the Mi light. Plug it into a power bank and you’ll have enough light to pass the night.

But like someone said,“stars can’t shine without darkness”; I switched off the light and there they were – millions of stars watching over me. These pictures are brilliant, but they won’t do justice to what I saw. I spent hours looking at these twinkling stars and I realised the importance of getting away from regular city life. There are very few moments when you get to do absolutely nothing. This was one of them for me. Just enjoy the place – no phone network coverage, no work tension. It was just me, the Scrambler and about a million stars.

The next day started at 6 am when the sun rose, giving me another outstanding view of the mountains and the lake. After finishing the morning activities, I sat on a camp chair and enjoyed a lovely book. After an hour of reading, it was time to go back to my regular life. I didn’t want to, that’s for sure. After clearing up the little mess I created from dinner, I dismantled the tent, packed the bag, mounted it on the Scrambler and started riding towards Mumbai.

On the return leg, I was more confident of riding the Italian on the trails faster and I did. This motorcycle makes so much sense for a buyer who wants a no-nonsense bike. The Scrambler can be your office commute bike. The long saddle makes the pillion rider comfortable too. And the Scrambler won’t disappoint you in the scramble to get away from the city life. 

I’m already planning my next motorcycling camping trip. I’ve understood that experiences like these are the ones we cherish the most, so why not make the most out of it? You get to unwind with nature, which helps you rediscover yourself. Leaving behind a stressful work life periodically is required – it isn’t just your cellphone or tablet whose batteries need recharging every so often. 

Photography by Kapil Angane