[abhi182]

Driveability wise, the best road (dunno bout the Mumbai -Pune expresswaythough, never been on that) is the Delhi-Ambala stretch...It's smooth, properly 4 laned with all markers...Has all the required signs and warning messages, Dividers are either tree lined, or there is a height diffrential between both sides of the road to reduce the high beam problem, and best of all the truckers/buswallahs are a lot more considerate, at least a whole lot more than the TN truckers.....

Scenic beauty wise, I doubt if more than 1-2 of you would have been on that road...But the BRO maintained Thangu- Gurudongmar state road in Sikkim is the most amazing road experiences in the world that one can get....

Some pics here: http://superczar.htmlplanet.com/skm_1.html

[adya33]

Originally Posted by Revvhead

The most Fun & the best road i have driven in India in the Khambatkhi Ghat.
(Its on the Pune-Mahabaleshwar route)
Its a toll road, 10 bucks (I could go up and down all day)
The original ghat road has been made one way uphill, resurfaced brilliantly and is dead smooth with challenging curves and corners

The Downhill section is a thing of amazing beauty, Its a Thru the ghat F1 track. Its Brand new WIDE, one way and along the mountain along with a few tunnels thrown in.
Its got the 90deg curves and great corners where the road widens

But be warned: It fools you into driving faster than you should esp along the turns, coz they are so beautifully banked and widened. I got a warning from my Tyres and car after i took one of the curves at 90 , and then i backed of a wee bit, as i reaslised that i had been lulled into taking a right angled turn at 90.

This road is not about Top speed, its all about tackling it the fastest you can ( I was doin 110 in my matiz, bless her handling) , You wanna go and stretch the sppedo, Do the expressway, But that just boring. You wanna see how well you can drive , do the downhill on the Khambatki, Believe me i'd race anything from a palio - lancer range and the cars will be equal, but will the drivers???????

yup Khambatkhi Ghat is a nice peice of road (haven't been there recently but it has been good for a long time)

also your comment is valid about driving pleasure
but some people preffer pushing pedal to the metal while some prefer to take on drivers road

you did 110 on matiz? how did it felt? cause i felt pretty uncomfortable at 90kmph on road leading to expressway from pune

Nashik road is also very good after Narayangaon though it is single lane but there is not much traffic on that road but a real good road

[Revvhead]

I'm pretty surprised, coz i used to do 130 on the expressway, with absolutely no problems at all. She was just glued to the ground. My normal drive was to do a flat 120 down the straight sections and exactly the same speed at through the curves (Except the ghats obviously) coz she handled so brilliantly.
I have touched 160 there as well (Just for a wee bit & then backed off to 145) after i stuck in a K&N, and absolutely fine there as well.

The road leading to the expressway is just so much better than the expessway itself, but the dangers of crazy mobikes/tractory cutting across & going the wrong way down are too much. that strip needs sticter policing. I take it a little easier on that strech, though the road is lovely.

[kooldude]

mumbai pune expressway is a good one and the mumbai to ahmedabad road is awesome its a three or four laned road

[speedsatya]

belgaum-kolhapur nh4





NH63 gadag-hubli





dharwad-hubli bypass NH4]






khambtaki ghat on nh4]





belgaum-kolhapur ,nh4




agumbe ghat on mangalore-shimoga road .this ghat has about 16 hair pin bends .only small vehicles and mini buses are allowed on this ghat.
the above pic is of the last hair pin

[adya33]

nice pics speedsatya
that last one looks really great

[Abhay]

The Mum-Pune Expressway was amazing when it opened and was/is one of the the best in India.....but I am bored by it now (except the Ghats and some parts or the scenic stuff) after driving on it so many times (that too in a M800 mostly which is toooo boring !) and being a passenger of a Volvo for about 2 years.
As for roads I really enjoy(ed) driving on :

Tamhini Ghat (a small state highway linking Pune to Konkan) - did it recently...no traffic at all and you can do 70-80 on the ghat sections while climbing..superb

NH17 of course and the road from Kolhapur to Gaganbawda - superb road to drive fast (bumpy!) ..again not much traffic and greeeeeeen everywhere with trees on both sides for miles ..tough Ghat to go down to Konkan.

Khambatki Ghat as the guys said above..

[adya33]

Originally Posted by Abhay

Tamhini Ghat (a small state highway linking Pune to Konkan) - did it recently...no traffic at all and you can do 70-80 on the ghat sections while climbing..superb

i had gon to tamhini ghat last year somewhere in august
though nature is really great the road was very very bad
also people stop anywhere in ghat section making it even dangerous.

[paharino1]

Hey Guys..
what about the Manali - Leh Road - which would be opening up for 3-4 months starting June ? Has anyone done it ?
Also had a query reg the road..Is this route do-able only on 4WDs or even normal 2WDs are fine..
I have heard of Sumo's, Qualis, Scorpio's, Mahindra's on this route..

But can a Maruti Alto do it ? Also, what about the drive ? Will normal driving skills be fine ? ( i have done around 1500kms in the Garhwal - Kumaon Region before)..Or are there some special precautions/modifications needed to the cars ?

Any experienced traveller to this route ?? Tips most welcome..

[Technocrat]

Sorry for goin OT but the best patch of road after yesterday's meet would be the Lonavla - Amby Valley road

[normally_crazy]

The express way has really gone to the dogs now....no fun driving there anymore. roads aint smooth anymore..they werent in the 1st place and have degraded more......

now pune trips only via old bbay-pune road with a detour to the amby valley road included !!

cheers

[adya33]

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

The express way has really gone to the dogs now....no fun driving there anymore. roads aint smooth anymore..they werent in the 1st place and have degraded more......

now pune trips only via old bbay-pune road with a detour to the amby valley road included !!

cheers

ha ha ha
now I think everyone will use that excuse when travelling bet. pune - mumbai

[ArmourOfGod]

well I havn't done a much of travelling so according to me I guess tha Mumbai - Pune road is any time better.

[EVO6]

Even better than PNQ-BOM expressway is the new highway between Kolhapur and Belgaum..
Its so well designed and banked and has utilities every 10 km.. Like toilets and has 3 Reliance fuel pumps on it...
you guyz shud try it out ..
would luv driving on that road..

EVO6

[speedsatya]

Originally Posted by EVO6

Even better than PNQ-BOM expressway is the new highway between Kolhapur and Belgaum..
Its so well designed and banked and has utilities every 10 km.. Like toilets and has 3 Reliance fuel pumps on it...
you guyz shud try it out ..
would luv driving on that road..

EVO6

here are some pics of the belgaum-kolhapur GQ NH4