BvHHS: MOTORCYCLE INDIA/RAJASTHAN JOURNEY 2011 no.1

Honda Unicorn 150 cc. /2005

MC.India/Rajsathan 2011 / 2.800 km / 10 Driving Days /

Delhi/Narnaul/Sikar/Bikaner/Jaisalmer/Jodhpur/

Udaipur/Bundi/Jaipur/Agra/

24 jan. - 25 feb. 2011

Motorcycle journey B.v.H.H.S.

Delhi

Airfly to Delhi Finn air with a stop in Helsinki was quite seamlessly. Early morning at. 7:00 there was no traffic problems to get to the hotel I stayed at in 2008 in Old Delhi area. I felt completely at home again when I know the local area from the last visit.

That same morning I went to the area where I had rented an MC. Royal Endfield 500 cc. my MC.IndienJourney to the northern provinces Himacal Pradech, the sun was nice and warm now. The weather was like a good hot spring day in Denmark.

You who followed my MC.IndienJourney 2008 can probably remember how many technical problems I had with this heavy heavy Indian motorcycle Royal Endfield which they call the Bullet a mini version of a Harley. This time, I look for a solid reliable Japanese model. On my MC.IndonesienJourney 2009 I drove a Honda Tiger 200 cc. It was strong enough and a lighter model. The I had almost no technical problems throughout this journy.

Click on the photos and make them big.

I went from one to the other MC.dealer and looked at their different range of MC. I chose a dealer who had a MC. I like. Unfortunately, most of Honda models, was no larger than 100 cc. I needed someone who was somewhat larger, so I could easily run at least 100 km. in a hours. They had a Honda Unicorn 150 cc. The 2005 It seemed in OK condition and so visually OK out. It had the right height and size. The engine sound was not really music to my ears.

The price for a month rent was 200$ and the dealer seemed genuine and trusting. So we agreed that all technical on the motorcycle would be checked through and subordinate. There would also be attached safety stirrups, luggage eaves, 2 side mirrors and a new horn, which is incredibly important here in India.

MC. for sale or for rent

I decide Honda Unicorn is OK.

I contacted him by. tel next morning, confirming our agreed. I had gotan Indian telephone subscriber for approx. 50 million and put 5 dollars to speek on this. I only have to used to call locally here in India. Important to have to call for help.

It would be ready by 1:00 pm. First at 15:00 I could finally test whether everything was in order. The handbrake still squealed and the luggage system had to be attached. Waiting times I used to buy a helmet and a safety jacket / vest I could had under my leather jacket. Protecting the spine is the most important bearer of life besides your full sense that sits in the head.

With this safety vest I look like a person who has stepped out of a starwars movie.

Indians love breaks and Thai

First at. 7:00 pm. was a luggage rack finally found, adapted and excited. Throughout the process they told me that it would be ready in half an hour, I just had to sit down and relax and enjoy another cup of Thai. The good thing about the waitingtime was that suddenly I got the insurance approved assurance covering if I do harm to another person. Earlier in the day, they had said no to cover since I was not a In. Insurance schemes need a passport photo which they also did for my sim card.

First at 7: 00 pm. it was OK, I thought.

Indian holy day, a traffic below

Next day it was an official public holiday throughout India. I had nevertheless decided to stay in Delhi, to ensure that everything was OK with the motorcycle. The Mc.Dealer would like everything else be closed. This time I'd take it a little more calmly and do not rush out of town, as I did last and then already after 60 km. there was a lot wrong with the Royal Endfield I had rented.

Next morning when I drove the MC. it was incredibly still, as an ordinary Sunday in Copenhagen Absolutely incredible to move around without any special traffic in a 13 mil. City. I try to find a restaurant where I could enjoy a hearty breakfast. There was only one decent restaurant in my neighborhood I like, but it was also a little too stiff and fine, otherwise there was only very simple local eateries. Due to hygiene, I'm not crazy about using them right here in the beginning, when tables and tin plates are wiped with rags that look like they have been used for car washing. My body will gradually get accustomed to the new bacterial flora.

In the newer part of Delhi you drive around on roads outside the major stores. They are mostly in enclosed shopping areas. So I had to drive very fare without I managed to find a restaurant that was open, due to holy days.

During this approx. 30 km. morning drive, I drove into one roadblocks after another, which was guarded by police and soldiers. It seemed that there were very prominent people visiting the city. The hotels in the area I should not had to use the internet the evening before and on the holy day. I was told that it was because of the possible. terror. But the various small internet cafes were open, however.

I was constantly directed in different directions. When I reached one of the major roads it was blocked by police vehicles and armed soldiers and police. After a very long time it was again open to traffic. Then all the black cars had passed and driven into the Presidential Palace, which I think it was.

The Honda's were gone completely dead. No power. It could not cope with the long hold. Throughout my driving it had gone out on a lot of times where I could not start on electric, but had to use the kick starter. So there I stood in front of the entrance to the presidential palace and tried to kick start it and all others had driven past.

Police waved to me that I should continue to run for safety reasons. They did slow my problem and also tried to kick start it but in vain. The heavy Police chief sat on the Honda and asked a few policemen to push him going. After a few attempts we managed to get the MC. started and I could drive on. There was dripping oil from theMC. also I discover.

The evening before, when I also drove far to find a place to eat, I had found problems with the starter and that the handbrake still shrieking, foot brake was not very effective and when I was up at 3 or 4 gears, there came a very high rattling sound . So I had been in telephone contact with the dealer, who asked me to do the MC. the day after the holy days at 9: 30 am then they would quickly fix it.

Great again to feel the wind against your skin

It was otherwise great again to drive on a MC. It always takes a little time before you are back in the driving rhythm and especially here in Old Delhi in the narrow alleys where everyone is pushing and will speed of walking, cycling taxis, sacred cows, tuktukker and a few cars that ventured into the alleys. All the twists in a rhythmic momentum in fluid motion only with a few centimeters distance between each other in an inferno of various noisy horns. On the high-traffic streets where everyone fights on their right to appear, one can occasionally see older indian or a sacred ox, which slowly moves through this inferno only focused on reaching across to the other side, noisy vehicles drive very close past them.

Inferno of life

Even at night this inferno of human voices and miscellaneous noises give up. Early in the morning, it's not people who are fighting for territory, but the dogs are noisy increases to assert themselves. Although I am on these MC.journey have gotten used to sleep with earplugs I still wake up a few times because of this new sound that breaks through my earplugs to me.

It's really cold at night. Now that I've switched to a hotel there is a lot cheaper, but then it was without radiator. So it was with double blanket, sweater and socks and cold nose.

A liberating rare faithfully day in Delhi

This holiday is perfect to move around in this poor district, Sadar Bazaar as I should be in, right on the border of Old Delhi. I took photos of more casual Indian, who seemed to enjoy this holiday.

This holiday I eat at a local very simpel restaurants. I enjoyed this density and the lovely feeling of being in new territory. I enjoyed a good meal and it is probably the cheapest I've ever had. It cost me only 1/2 $.

I have slowly come to terms that everything takes ½ hour

9: 30 am MC.workshop is closed. The others in the alley said that they first open at. 10:00 am.

First, 10:45 am. they were ready to start checking my MC. They had first to move all MC. out of the alley. I told them what they had to do on the MC. They found out that the brake discs both front and rear had to be replaced. Regarding the oil leak they did not really addressed. I had to repeat it more than 10 times to find out of the problem with the oil. They found out that the oil filter was completely clogged.

I had to sit and look at them because I had previously learned that when I turned the back to they was not more working on my MC. Now was it was 1:00 pm. and they were still not finished and yet they began work on a second MC. Since I had again to call the boss and use big words to make clear that his mechanic had to do my MC. now.

When the Boss finally showed up at 2:00 pm, he was glad that I had pushed them to check this problem because the motor actually could burned down. He was the only one who could speak proper English. A new battery, I also had to forced to get. I also tried to ask what was modest for a violent rattling sound when I was speeding. But it was hard for them to understand my English.

I had to call the hotel and reserve my room one night more. I could see that it would be too late to start on my MC. Journey. But since it is not the first time I'm out for this kind of MC. problems I take it easy.

It was probably not the best choice of motorcycles. Next time I'll choose one that is almost unprecedented. One does not need new parts and choose one where they had some more experienced mechanics to fix their MC.

The best was enough to rent it and let them do what they now have mechanical abilities to do. Then take it to an authorized Honda service center and have it completely checked. I'm trying to be a little afterthought to get rid of a lot of repetitions together in the future.

Well now I'm on the road and can already feel the wind penetrate 'my soul'.

AUM

the universal mantra