Once again guys lost my entire riding story here in on this website...some sort of trojan has wiped my riding history! AND dropped from my long history of 5 stars to a measly 2 stars...Oh the pain of it all !! Not to worry...WOW, July 2010 back to 5 stars! You beaudy mate...!
I begin again by saying i have lived in India for nearly 13 years and love riding this extraordinary country...have completed more than 1 lakh klms (August 2010 107,000 klms) in India, Nepal and Bhutan...have owned 5 Royal Enfields (1 Standard, 1 Electra and 3 T Birds) and have enjoyed riding a great deal of the sub-continent. Have done mostly long haul trips from the North East to the Punjab and the Wagah border and up through Jammu Kashmir...To Delhi via Bihar and U.P and Madhya Pradesh...Himachal and UK...all of the North Eastern states including Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal...south to Orissa and Andhra, Kanarkata, Tamil Nadu and Kerala...Sikkim, Darjeeling and Calcutta we love as well...learn't to ride at the age of 6 in Oz...2010 my 41st year of riding motorcyles now!
We travel many countries in the region as well; albiet not always by motorcycle, like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tibet, Myanmar and many others in South East Asia and East Africa...My Indian wife and Indian born daughter support me in my adventures as does my current wife who is a Nepali passport holder and she joins me on many rides the last couple of years...my record in one day is 657 klms...my longest single ride was 7570 klms...The ride we are on at present (July 2010) we have surpassed that record and are sitting on 8500 klms so far on this journey...We ride with saddle bags and tanky pack from Cramster...a day pack and a laptop bag...we use Google maps on the smart phone with GPS as required and a Protrek solar powered watch that gives read on altitude, temperature, barometric pressure and an electronic compass. This just about covers us in most situations!
UPDATE May 2010...
Currently on a TBTS with my wife doing Kathmandu to Kanyakumari via Shillong and Calcutta...we got cool weather gear, wet weather gear and damn hot weather gear packed in tight...This bike needs a lot of work after only 17,000 klms on the clock...will wait for this cyclone to pass and then we will continue from Puri to Vizag to see a decent RE dealer for some real workshop time! The longevity of these new bikes is questionable no doubt; all my peers know i take the best of care of my bikes and still major parts, over just a few thousand klms, are giving problems and are having to be replaced. R@D and quality control at the factory still not up to scratch. God i wish they would listen to us, the purchasers, the riders, the future! Sixteen months old this bike and this pitstop will cost a further RS 10,000 or the like!
I love India and will continue to ride, learn and marvel at all her wonder...hopefully the webmaster that operates this site can stabilise her so my long riding history can be enjoyed by many others in the future...God bless for now...more in good time, Mark Robert currently in Puri with cyclone Laila on the front doorstep!
UPDATE June 2010...Ok all good now...bike repaired in Bhubs at the fabulous Royal Motors and thanks to RE for looking after me...starter roller bearing (sprag clutch) shot and some heavy metal around it replaced...a battery check and once again riding beautifully...then we rode 460 clicks down to Vizag...an 18,000 klm service at the company showroom and some new rear shocks to boot; these people also fantastic at what they do...then we rode 415 klms down to Vijayawada and the very efficient dealer here looked at a couple of electrical issues on the bike; also very happy with this service department...filled her up and ready for Chennai and our factory visit...Boy have i got some images and stories for those guys...!! Ok ride em nice guys...We are heading deep south! Mark and Nanu
Chennai...June 2010...met with the 'suits' from RE collectively in a private meeting...We discussed bike issues and marketing, club issues and research and development, quality control and reliability...also long rides in South Asia as well as students and NRI's longing to come on home and own an Enfield! The banter was candid and from my point of view very direct...my laptop displayed images of failed parts and flawed manufacturing but also some of the wonderful parts of India i have been lucky enough to ride and enjoy...the response was somewhat laid back but i hope something good will come from this face off...Covered 4900 klms this trip since riding out of Kathmandu...monsoon arrived today (Sunday the 6th)...leaving for Pondy this week for some R&R...stay upright, Mark in the old Madras
Righto chaps...We have arrived in Pondicherry after a paltry 5100 clicks...we will enjoy seafood and wine, French and Italian bistro gastronomics, designer wear shopping and very little riding that damn T Bird for at least a week!!! Gotta rest my weary ass...and let the engine cool a little huh! Mark and the Nanu beachside and balmy...
Later June 2010...Did Trichy and Madurai alright...great towns that have grown in leaps and bounds the last 20 odd years...the temples a big hit and now the wife xtra happy with all that...Kanyakumari just 250 clicks away...a bit of late night football to digest and then riding baby...Mark and Nanu all good
25 June 2010...Kathmandu to Kanyakumari complete...vis Shillong, Bhutan, Cal, and Chennai...6130 klms...great ride...Kerala soon for more ride time...Mark and Nanu at Cape Comorin...NOTE>>>Had to visit the Nagarcoil dealer, Chandra Motors, for some more work on the bike...would you beleive the sprag clutch gone already after replacing it entirely in Bhubaneshwar; just 3000 klms later. Note that use of the self starter i use only about half of all starts...this problem effects both the electric and the kick starters...all good once again!
July 2010...Varkala beach now and all wonderful...bike doing great...got the beach villa with a view of the surf...no boards around for this old dog though! Kerala really is a beautiful state...more riding to come...Mark and Nanu at Helipad, Varkala
7750 klms since riding out of Kathmandu valley and now later on in July...rode to Fort Kochi (Visited St Mary's Motors in Ernakulam; great people there and topped up my oil and a couple of other things...also fitted a new rear tyre as well) and then upto Munnar in the hills of Kerala...at present we are in Kodaikanal in TN and a real nice ride up here...the thin air and the eucalypt trees doing it for us for a bit...missing all my riding buds though...more later Thumpers, Mark and Nanu
8150 clicks later since Nepal...all good and now in the hill station of Vercaud in Tamil Nadu...TBTS running great...cool climate and a little rain is nice...Cheating bastards at the hotel though; had to get the cops in! Nanu and I doing great...Back to Pondy soon
8400 clicks now complete on this ride...arrived in Pondy once again today (July 29th 2010)..now i rest my weary right butt cheek, my lower back and my left knee...and i rest my wife also! Italian and French food and fine wine...the fat bastard (after 1 month here I may get a tadd overweight!!!) will continue on in September...The bike running SO good at 80kmph today on the good parts of the highway...over 22,000 on the clock now...very less vibration and loads of poke! The TBTS a horn biter guys...! The Authorised Service Point here in Pondy is ace as well...Mr Felix at Agnes Auto knows it all and gives good service; knowledgable on new and old bikes...keep that in mind when visiting this lovely Union Territory...Mark and Nanu in Puducherry
NEXT month sadly have to leave the bike in India again and fly to Sri Lanka this time for yet another international visa run...have to be out for at least 2 months before applying for another Indian visa in Colombo...new laws covering ALL foreigners disrupting my riding in this awesome country...That's life; still lucky i can spend so much time here and ride all her wonders...God bless, Mark
Hey there is a new dealership in Pondicherry along the Cuddalore Road, on the left, about 10 clicks from the French Qtr....a first class franchise air-con showroom with one of the best organised workshops I've seen in India...Check out Gandhi the dealer principal and Vijay the sales manager to order a new bike or buys some parts or get a bit of mechanical work done...These boutique dealerships popping up all over India with excellent corporate I.D. really putting Royal Enfield on the map, AND on the shopping list! Mark and Nanu chillin' in Pondy