Blog: Post-lockdown coasting on the Royal Enfield Himalayan

It has been a while since I did a long road trip on a motorcycle. Yes, there were several weekend trips to nearby cities, but they didn’t provide much solace from the long lockdown and the absence of well-stretched motorcycle rides. With the Royal Enfield Himalayan in the garage and several unutilised paid leaves in the account, I decided to take a three-day break from the routine life in the urban jungle to visit the coastal town of Ganpatipule, along with Ratnagiri and Kolhapur.

The Himalayan was recently serviced (you can read all about it here) and thus didn’t need much work before the road trip. It did, however, stand in the garage for too long as I tested the Kawasaki Ninja 650, Hero Passion Pro, and the BMW F 900 XR for detailed reviews. This caused the battery to lose some charge, thus rendering the self-starter useless. A helping hand (or leg in this situation) from a friend aided in pushing the motorcycle to a start. Things soon got back to normal and all that the Himalayan now needed was some fuel, air in the tyres, and a well-lubed chain.

The road trip was divided into three legs. Day one included Mumbai-Ganpatipule run via the Old Goa Highway for a bit of adventure. The second day comprised a relatively short 150km ride from Ganpatipule to Kolhapur where I’d spend time exploring the Shahu Maharaj Palace and the local delicacies. In the last leg, I’d take the well-laid tarmac road from Kolhapur to Mumbai.

The Royal Enfield Himalayan is a true workhorse. Point it in any direction and it'll go there without breaking a sweat. Day one started at 6:30 AM with the challenging surface of the Old Goa Highway awaiting the Himalayan and me. While much of the road was bearable, there were times when the surface was nearly non-existent. But the Himalayan was designed for such challenges, and it did not disappoint. Just stand on the footpegs, and believe in the motorcycle - it will get you to the other side!

The 150km ride from Ganpatipule to Kolhapur on day two was adventurous, to say the least, and during this leg, I stumbled upon a picturesque valley view in Amba ghat. It looked something straight out of a Jurassic Park film. However, I could not wait there for too long as I had an itinerary to follow and bad roads to tackle. The suspension setup and ergonomics ensured a comfortable ride over the broken tarmac and made my life easy. The second day was used to visit the Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Palace for some history lessons. Kolhapuri Misal and Tambdaa-Pandhraa Rassaa (a local delicacy) were also on the schedule but other plans got in the way, and thus the now modified itinerary didn’t allow enough time to indulge in these mouthwatering dishes.

Day three mostly comprised of riding on the well-laid tarmac between Kolhapur to Mumbai, and the Himalayan proved its mettle as a tourer. It may not be the most powerful adv-tourer in the country but the overall package helped it stay consistent and travel for long distances with few breaks.

During the road trip, the fuel breaks were few, thanks to the 15-litre tank. They would've been even fewer, but I didn't let the tank go below 1/4th of its capacity, mostly refueling near the half-tank mark. Shell Petrol Pumps made life easier too, as the café and the convenience store helped save quite some time.

The Rynox tank bag handled the luggage storage duties, and despite the bad roads, it didn't lose its position (with belt or magnet mounts). There's sufficient space for three-days-worth of clothes, a pair of shoes, a small pouch with electronics (power bank, charger, etc.), snacks, a rain cover, and an extra bungee cord. The nifty phone pocket is useful for navigation purposes. It does, however, feel a little too large for the fuel tank when fully loaded, and it comes in the way when standing on the footpegs.

The ride lasted for 950km and three days and took the Royal Enfield Himalayan and me on a variety of terrains. A few things were missed due to the shortage of time, but that's another reason to go out for more such rides.