A Bikers Experience With My Partner Royal Enfield Delhi To Leh Ladakh

Trip Planning and Preparation

This has been one of the most adventurous journeys in my life. It all started at a coffee shop when a friend challenged me if I could do this amazing adventure. First I did not take it seriously but looking back at my life I realized that I had to accomplish this challenge. For me the challenge was to move from the regular 150 cc bikes to the 350 cc Royal Enfield which is often just called as Bullet in India.

To make this dream challenge a reality there had to be a lot of planning and preparation. I had first work on sharpening my skills to do makeshift repairs in case my bike broke down in the journey. I decided to do a crash course with a local mechanic who trained me from basic like repairing the chain, changing the break and accelerator wire to handling the puncture. I also picked you extra spares which could be required during repairs, a foot pump and made arrangements for carrying extra petrol. Once I was confident with my skills I also took a few trips on my new bike to the rural areas where I could practice driving on the rough terrain. I also picked up the basic maps, travel gear, tent and other bare essentials for the trip. A must on such a trip is to water proof all the material that you are carrying and also make sure that your gear is water proof. In the Himalayas you are bound to get shower and also one might have to travel through water puddles and other obstructions. On my previous trips I had see the entire road being wiped out by landslides and at times by small streams that are a result of non-seasonal rainfall. I also had to look at other essentials including packaged food, medicines and water purifying tablets that might be required during the trip.

I also had to plan my trip on the various halts and the post Manali route where I had to camp in the open. I also collected information on various on-route amenities and facilities. When one is going in for such a trip you are prone to accidents and obstacles.

Last not the least, the timing of my trip was well planed. I decided to do the trip in end September which is a time of the year where one is expected to get descent weather and the rest let it depends on the nature gods.