[GowthamDonz]

Goa!!
Well, we all know and have either heard about it or dreamt / fantasized about it (at least I have) with its pristine beaches and party atmosphere. And I’m sure that a lot of people wanted to ride to Goa on two wheels. This is a short description of sorts of how my solo journey on two wheels went about.

After failing to make the trip to Goa due to several appalling reasons last year, I wasn’t going to let it slip out this year. The rain or the sun of one of the hottest Indian summers yet, nothing was going to hinder my resolve. However, the build up to the day of the ride wasn’t smooth and was littered with dilemmas. It was constantly changing between a series of decisions, from yes to no to maybes. So I had to ask, how do motorcycle riders ride solo for several days?. The sheer mental strength required to keep forging ahead bearing the pain from the hard seat radiating to the hind regions, to the dwindling wallet resources. In any case it did teach a good lesson on patience and endurance for the better I suppose. So the night before the day of the off came and I hadn’t put any thoughts into the accommodation or the ride itself and decided to do all that after getting there. However, the plan was to make it a two day ride from Chennai to Shimoga halting for the night there. Then from Shimoga all the way to Goa Via, Gokarna and Karwar. As ever, this would change as it mostly never goes according to a plan.

On day of the ride with the usual long-distance-ride mood cloud hung over me which is always a good thing, I started from Tambaram, Chennai at exactly 05:20 Am and headed towards Shimoga via Vellore - Bangalore – NICE ring road – Tumakuru. Reached the entrance of NICE ring road around 10:00 am and proceeded towards Tumakuru and the route options displayed in the GPS were between Kunigal – Arsikere - Shimoga or Tumakuru – Tiptur – shimoga and the third option which was 30 kilometers longer than the first two options : Tumakuru – Chitradurga – Channagiri – Shimoga. I, being as daft as ever, took the long route because it was the quickest as shown in the map. Not sure if I would’ve reached sooner had I taken the other routes but after meandering around the rocky hills of Chitradurga and Channagiri, reached the hotel where I had booked my stay at 16:20 pm. Channagiri deserves a special mention with myself being unfamiliar with the midlands of Karnataka, found it to be a small village with a touch of 'Sholay'-ish feel to it which to me personally, was stunning. As soon as one enters the town, you are hit with a spectacular image of a small town around a hill fort. And so, the mileage for the day was 628.6 kms on the trip meter. After checking in at the hotel I had booked, rested for a while, planned for the next day, fueled myself up and retired to the comforts of the cozy bed.

Roads
The roads from Tumakuru to Chitradurga are smooth and excellent. From Chitradurga to Channagiri the roads are village highways which are good but not the best. From Channagiri to Shimoga, the roads are a mix between smooth stretches and broken stretches dotted with pot holes. Fuel stations are present plentiful along the way.

Day 2
The next, courtesy of the hard seat and the pain, had to reconsider the route that I had planned earlier and changed it to Shimoga – Hubli – Panaji which is a more straight forward approach. Started from the hotel at 06:20 Am and headed towards Devangere - hubli. The roads have tolls (for cars) but are very uneven at several stretches past Devangere and Haveri. It poses a serious threat and could make any vehicle to lose control and veer off. Hope the council responsible for the roads take a look at it soon and make it better. After passing through Hubli and Mollem, reached Panaji around 13:30 Pm and retired to the hotel at 14:30 Pm.

One thing that needs a shout is the presence of small speed breakers on the highway at junctions between Devangere and Hubli. Sure, they're there for good measure but would be a jolt in the nerves for the uninitiated. Stay alert on the roads people, even on wide empty stretches.

Roads
Shimoga to Devangere is a state highway and is in fine condition. Devangere to Hubli is four to six laned and is in good condition as of May 2017. As I stated earlier few stretches between Haveri and Hubli are uneven. Hubli to Dharwad to Panaji is a beautiful piece of tarmac, gorgeously knitted amidst forests and villages, though would advice anyone who plans on doing this bit to fuel up before Mugad as there aren't any Petrol stations for around 100 kilometers.


Fuel stops: (Towards Goa)
1st stop : Krishnagiri, TN
2nd stop : Channagiri, KA
3rd stop : Devangere, KA
4th stop : Dharwad, KA
5th stop : Baga, Goa
6th Stop : Hubli, KA
7th Stop : Devangere, KA
8th Stop : Electronic city, Bangalore, KA
9th Stop : Ranipet, TN

Route info :
Chennai - Bangalore : Smooth six lane highway with Toll fee for four wheels and up.
Food and Petrol stations available.
Bangalore to Chitradurga via NICE ring road : Good six lane highway with Toll fee for two wheels and up (only on the NICE road bit).
Food and Petrol stations available.
Chitradurga to Channagiri : Small narrow village roads, some parts under construction though motorable and some smooth bits passing through small villages and fields.
Road side dhabas and Petrol stations available.
Channagiri to Shimoga : Roads are a mix between small broken village roads to smooth four lane parts.
No toll fee, Petrol stations available.
Availability of food is a question.
Shimoga to Devangere :
A ribbon of state highways across villages and picturesque fields dotted with fuel stations and restaurants.
Devangere to Hubli :
Six lane highway with tolls, Fuel and food stops are plentiful.
Hubli to Dharwad :
Two lane highway, though smooth is a risky piece. Be alert for oncoming cars and trucks as they tend to use the opposite lane while overtaking.
Dharwad to Panjim :
Smooth well maintained two lane road is a gem through small villages and forests/ghat sections. Availability of restaurants, Fuel stations and amenities are scarce till Mollem.

Mileage:
Tambaram, Chennai to Royal Orchid Central, Shimoga : 628.6 Kilometers
Start time : 05:15 hrs
Reached at : 16:20 hrs
Royal Orchid central, Shimoga to Nazri Resorts, Goa : 376.3 kilometers
Start time : 06:20 hrs
Reached at : 14:30 hrs
Nazri Resorts, Goa to Cotton County club resorts, Hubli : 192.1 Kilometers
Started at : 09:30 hrs
Reached at : 13:30 hrs
Cotton County Club resorts, Hubli to Tambaram, Chennai : 723.5 Kilometers
Started at : 05:56 hrs
Reached at : 18:45 hrs

Day 3 and Day 4 :
Rode around Goa in the wee hours of the day and started for home. Planned to reach Hubli by evening and call it a day and do Hubli to Chennai the next day via Devangere - Tumakuru - Hosur.

About the bike:

Kawasaki Z250
A couple of weeks before the ride, had the bike serviced by JMB Hyosung, Kilpauk, Chennai and they did a good job of it as well.(They were taking the reins from Bajaj and setting up shop for the brand new Kawasaki dealership(JMB Kawasaki, Chennai) in Chennai. The shop was in construction at that time) It was just a standard service to check the coolant levels, to change the engine oil and check the battery as well. Everything on the bike is bog standard and it did a fine job all through the way. Efficiency was good and the large 17 litre fuel tank helped cover longer distances between fuel stops.
On the down side, the Kawasaki does have a hard seat which is a pain. Really!

And would love for you guys to help me with a few things:
1) How do people ride for longer distances on a hard seat. Is there any way to reduce the pain? does Ride-on Air do any good? or are there any other alternatives?
2) I usually ride at speeds between 90 - 105 Kmph on the highways. Does riding at such speeds for longer durations, increase the chances of fatigue and pain in the limbs? What would be a good cruising speed?

Thanks and with that I'll end my narration and post a few pictures taken while on my travel.

Somewhere near Hosur with my bright lime green MT. The dealer said the pattern reflects light at night. Pity I wont be able to see that.

NICE ring road. Nice BA, Nice!!

Onwards to Tumakuru and Sira.


At Shimoga



Somewhere near Channagiri

Stumbled upon this in Shimoga. All I could picture was Ammunation from the GTA series.

At devangere




Anjuna Beach, Goa



Baga, Goa


Just sit and watch time fly by

[GowthamDonz]

Mugad - Mollem
On the Ghat sections.

Surprised to see a Boat being hauled on this curvy road. Skills required for performing this herculean task is over 9000!


The business end of the baby Z.


Baga, Goa. Mahalo!






Beautiful silhouette of the trees.



Always. Always ride with gear even if its uncomfortable! Better to sweat than to bleed





A Chapel on the Calangute - Arpora - Anjuna road built mostly of Laterite which gives it a reddish tone. The soil along the Konkan coast has high contents of ferric oxide giving it a bright red hue.


Reached Bangalore in the evening and the hail shower was just a treat at the end of it all.

[GowthamDonz]

The gorgeous Malnad roads while leaving Shimoga near Honnali, KA. These put highways in most places to shame.


On the Mugad - Mollem road. It sheds a surreal tone making the journey special.










Vagator - IBW country.
On the cliff face over looking the Arabian Sea/ Vagator Beach. Goa at dawn is almost void of human presence courtesy of the nightlife I suppose. Fortunately this means more freedom to ride for the rest of us.

Rocks on the Beach

The left side view of the beach from the cliff.

The right side view of the beach from the cliff





Over looking the Arabian Sea. This would've been quit a sight when the Portuguese arrived with the Galleons.







Sunset at Baga, Goa

Surf catcher rests over looking the mighty Arabian.

[GowthamDonz]

Reached a milestone on the trip while returning. This was somewhere between Sira and Tumakuru.

Rain Clouds loomed large over Baga adding to the beauty of the land. Still, it didn't rain though.

Beautiful ain't it ? This is how it was for like over 90 kilometers.

The evening at the beach. If there is any other pastime more laid back than this.. if only... And i'm pretty sure I asked for 'Orange' juice only to be presented with this.

Now that's a familiar sight on the road isn't it? Buses leaving too little space for the rest of the road users to pass through.

Kawasaki deep inside the shrub forests of Mugad adding a bit more greenery to the scene. I'm sure the road and the forest would look way more better in the wet season.

[dreamseller]

Congrats on an amazing trip. The Z250 looks beautiful in the pictures.

Originally Posted by GowthamDonz

And would love for you guys to help me with a few things:
1) How do people ride for longer distances on a hard seat. Is there any way to reduce the pain? does Ride-on Air do any good? or are there any other alternatives?
2) I usually ride at speeds between 90 - 105 Kmph on the highways. Does riding at such speeds for longer durations, increase the chances of fatigue and pain in the limbs? What would be a good cruising speed?

I'll try and answer from my experiences.

1) Take enough breaks in between to keep yourself hydrated. Even a 5 min drink/pee break after about 150 odd kms (or whatever distance you feel works for you) of riding is good for the body. Stretch your limbs during these breaks. Also, while riding, keep shifting your posterior on the seat instead of sitting in the same position for long. You can even make it a habit to stretch your legs (one at a time) while riding (if it is an empty stretch you're cruising on).
With regards to the seat, I'm not sure how hard the Z250 seat is, but an overtly soft seat turns out to be more painful over long distances. I have put in a layer of PU foam over the stock seat and that works for me.

I'm assuming you sit with your lower body holding the motorcycle and keep your upper body slack.

2) I normally cruise at similar speeds, but a naked bike by dint of its design is supposed to tire you more due to the body enduring continued wind blast. (Maybe a wind screen can help? I'd suggest checking with Z250/Duke owners for a solution.)

[justwheels]

Nothing beats a solo ride on two wheels to a destination as beautiful as goa. Thanks for sharing with us the travelogue and your experiences. The pics are just brilliant and the Z looks menacing in them.
I am sure you would have loved every bit of the ride. I did notice that you split your ride between a very long one (700 kms) and a much smaller one. Any reason? Equal splits would have taken lesser toll on you I believe, but to each his own.
On the Z, how did it hold up on the ride. I am sure it would not have sweated a bit, but how plush is the ride on long distances?
On the seat issue, I have heard people have added gel seats to cushion the seating. Can't vouch for it but would be good to explore.
Happy miles crunching on the Z.

[Rudra Sen]

Mod note: Thread moved to Travelogues section.

[swami69]

Wonderful Travelogue with great photos. The route, the destination and the details are simply fantastic.

Swami

[GowthamDonz]

Originally Posted by dreamseller

Congrats on an amazing trip. The Z250 looks beautiful in the pictures.



1) Take enough breaks in between to keep yourself hydrated. Even a 5 min drink/pee break after about 150 odd kms (or whatever distance you feel works for you) of riding is good for the body. Stretch your limbs during these breaks. Also, while riding, keep shifting your posterior on the seat instead of sitting in the same position for long. You can even make it a habit to stretch your legs (one at a time) while riding (if it is an empty stretch you're cruising on).

With regards to the seat, I'm not sure how hard the Z250 seat is, but an overtly soft seat turns out to be more painful over long distances. I have put in a layer of PU foam over the stock seat and that works for me.

I'm assuming you sit with your lower body holding the motorcycle and keep your upper body slack.

2) I normally cruise at similar speeds, but a naked bike by dint of its design is supposed to tire you more due to the body enduring continued wind blast. (Maybe a wind screen can help? I'd suggest checking with Z250/Duke owners for a solution.)

Thank you and thanks for the response. Will have to try with the foam next time around. And I do rest at intervals while on the move, but the main epicenter of the pain is from the seat. And I don't suppose wind blast is a worry because I don't feel any unease on my upper body. However, I think I should try with the change in posture while riding longer distances.

Originally Posted by swami69

Wonderful Travelogue with great photos. The route, the destination and the details are simply fantastic.

Swami

Thank you. I tried to include as much details as possible.

Originally Posted by justwheels

I did notice that you split your ride between a very long one (700 kms) and a much smaller one. Any reason? Equal splits would have taken lesser toll on you I believe, but to each his own.
On the Z, how did it hold up on the ride. I am sure it would not have sweated a bit, but how plush is the ride on long distances?
On the seat issue, I have heard people have added gel seats to cushion the seating. Can't vouch for it but would be good to explore.
Happy miles crunching on the Z.

Thank you.
The ride from Baga to Hubli is a short one but it takes 4.5 hrs to do a mere 200 odd kilometers. And the sun was shining high and mighty making it a really hot and humid day. Fatigue made its presence and I had to shorten the day as a result. Thus the odd way of splitting the journey.

The bike took the toll without a niggle. Really smooth and it felt really planted at around 90 -120 kmph above which wind blast compromises the stability a little. Ride is absolutely velvety, thanks to the parallel twin mill, reducing the sensitivity to the speed which is scary if you're not paying attention.

And yes, will have to try gel cushioning or foam for padding I suppose. Will post how it goes for me when I try it.

Mod Note : Please use the EDIT or MULTI-QUOTE buttons instead of typing one post after another on the SAME THREAD!

To know how to multi-quote, click here.

We advise you to read the Forum Rules before proceeding any further.

[hothatchaway]

Hi

Your TL brought back memories of my solo ride to Goa from Bangalore last July on my R15 S. Shortly after, I did something crazy; I rode solo all the way to Spiti valley in Himachal from Bangalore - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ti-valley.html

You will start appreciating the comfort the Z250 offers after touring on the R15. The seat is a bench and the suspension so hard that it makes your teeth chatter! I am not so sure that a 'hard' seat is bad for long hours, IMO, its good for your lower back in the long run. On an impulse, I got a seatwallah in Rajajinagar to slap on an inch of foam with another seat cover on top. It has lent some softness to the seat. I didnt want to tinker much with added material as it increases the ride height which it turn will affect the riding dynamics. Ask around and see what works best but always err on the side of running stock. I take frequent breaks (every hour or so) which helps keep fatigue at bay and keeps me focussed on the ride.

I maintain 95 - 105 on 4 lanes and am usually around the 80 mark on 2 lane highways. Your ride with a bigger 250cc twin pot engine can easily chug along at early triple digit speeds. You would be able to determine what is the sweet spot for both your bike and more importantly, you. The rider is always the weak link in the chain as these jap machines will keep going without a break. Ensure you are comfortable with what speeds you are keeping instead of trying to get there fast.

Ride safe

[naveenroy]

Nice travelogue with great pictures! Solo rides kick ass always. Ride safe!

[ampere]

Great stuff Gowtham. There is only one hero in the story. No that's not you but the bike! Nice captures.

Originally Posted by naveenroy

Nice travelogue with great pictures!

And there you come back after a long time. Have not seen you around. Now I know what brings you back to the forum!

[aabhimanyu04]

Originally Posted by GowthamDonz

Attachment 1652060

1) How do people ride for longer distances on a hard seat. Is there any way to reduce the pain? does Ride-on Air do any good? or are there any other alternatives?
2) I usually ride at speeds between 90 - 105 Kmph on the highways. Does riding at such speeds for longer durations, increase the chances of fatigue and pain in the limbs? What would be a good cruising speed?

First of all Congrats for safely covering such a distance to visit THE place in India.
I am a big fan of the Z250, and the ninja 250 for their engine that time. I hope they improve on their sales and service in the coming days.

Answer to your first question is difficult to explain, for simple reasons such as body type, long ride experience etc. When I started my long rides on the D200 I had some serious problems with my backside after every 100th km. I decided to add a Towel on the saddle and that helped a bit.

It took some time to get used to the hard saddle on Duke 200, once I got used to it, towels were no longer needed

Left is my Duke200 on BLR-BELGAUM run, and the 390 on BLR-GOA ride.

[WD-42]

Originally Posted by GowthamDonz

1) How do people ride for longer distances on a hard seat. Is there any way to reduce the pain? does Ride-on Air do any good? or are there any other alternatives?

The reason for the literal pain in the arse is because the glutes and other muscles move around on each other rubbing and causing inflamation, the vibrations from the road (not helped by hard suspension on sport bikes) just adds to the woes.

You need to

1. Stop the muscles from moving around on top of each other.
2. Absorb the (micro) vibrations.

I did ~21 days in the Himalayas on a CBR250R. The solution that really helped me was:

1. Wearing compression tights (the one cyclists wear), under my riding pants. This keeps the muscles in place where they are supposed to be and stops them from flabbing/moving around (esp on top of each other). This by itself helps cut down the pain by ~40-50% IMHO.
2. Gel seat insert; this one. Got my seat modified by a local seat upholsterer, with the aforementioned gel insert and some extra foam.
3. On top of the seat (with the gel cushion) I used this air cushion seat-pad.

I've previously had issues even doing 2-3 day rides on reasonably good roads on my old Pulsar 220 (that thing vibrated horribly), anything longer was just a pain in the butt and I just couldn't. But with these three steps, I was able to do 21 days in the Himalayas relatively pain-free.

The Ride On Air seems to be a bigger air pad compared to the one I mentioned. With that you might not need the gel insert I reckon.

[throttleking]

Absolutely stunning pictures, really loved it.

For the seat, I am yet to try but planning to get a Gel seat done by sofa rider, not the strap on option, but the stock seat will be modified. Will share the feedback.