[IntoTheStorm]

“685 kilometers on a 125cc scooter”I must be going absolutely mad, I said to myself the moment i thought about this idea! It sounded even absurd when I further thought about the planned location - Chennai to Kolli hills & back in one day - the land of 140 hairpin bends - the mecca of thrill and excitement for motorcycle riders

Why not? I said to myself again a few days later. “Burgman” is a world famous brand name used for a series of touring scooters produced by suzuki with engine capacity ranging from tiny 125 cc ( that is my orca) to impressive 650cc. It is used by people across the world to cover vast distances in immense comfort. So...so what? In the end I decided to go ahead with the plan because at the very least it sounded exciting and of course dangerous! yummy

So here we come to the previous day before the trip!. I took my orca to the suzuki dealership for the 4th free service and also asked them to help me fit the mobile stand come charger that I had bought a few days earlier ( i needed a mobile stand as i had to check the map quite often once I cross attur ( more about that later!)

on the morning of d day I woke up at 4:00 in the morning…. after finishing my morning routine and a cup of tea, I embarked on my journey at sharp 5:27 am

I started slowly as there was considerable amount of fog and also i wanted to give my orca and myself enough time to get into the rhythm.

As i gained confidence i increased the speed from a trifling 60ish to the confident 70ish - i kept the speed between 70-80 because as per rule of thump 80% of top speed of vehicle can be considered as good cruising speed without stressing the vehicle much..after some distance i stopped for a few minutes for a refreshing cup of tea!

1st Stop for a tea!


The ride was uneventful and smooth so far…. and i took my first main break after 150 kms at near ulundurpet for breakfast

Breakfast Time!


After breakfast, I continued for another 50 kms without much issue before the low fuel level indicator started to blink...I soldiered on for another 10 kms like a brave warrior before chickening out and stopping at a fuel station. After the fuel stop I continued for another 30 km and stopped before the crucial left turn to attur at a restaurant for a cup of tea and bio breakhis was the time for putting my mobile stand for proper use - i turned on the navigation and proceeded on the route towards rasipuram - unfortunately i missed a turn and had to take a very bad country road as suggested by google map before joining the main road - of course even though i blamed google, it was entirely my fault that i missed the turn.

The road towards rasipuram was well paved and i really enjoyed “orca’s” handling on this flowing state highway. I took a left turn at a junction…. 8 kms before rasipuram to enter a well paved country road that had some really good scenery..at the same time the headache that was mildly bothering me since morning started to get stronger, despite this I soldiered on

Enjoying the scenery en route












Next stop was at the bottom of the kolli hills...despite feeling headachy & excited at the same time, i decided to have lunch before starting the ascent as the time was close to 1 o clok.. I ve been to kolli 3 times before and everytime i had stopped exactly at this particular “Kanishka” restaurant for lunch or snacks before starting the ascent.

Lunch time!




After lunch I resumed my journey —-to conquer 70 hairpins and reach the top of kolli hills

At the bottom of the hill!




Regular photo shoot place!



Time for some typical scenery shots!









Monkey Business!


At last i have done it..i have reached the top of kolli hills! I. ..or to be frank i've reached the half way point..as i had my long journey back home was remaining

At the 70th Hairpin!

Time for a short break!

Curious doggy!


After spending a few minutes at the top and allowing my burgman to cooldown i decided to start my descend at the earliest as the sky was getting overcast and i had forgotten to bring a raincoat. I reckoned that if start immediately i will be able to make it back home by around 10:30 pm.Thus began my 340+ km long return journey

Long way ahead!

At the bottom of the hill..again!


After retracing my route back without any remarkable incidents i have reached the Salem - Chennai highway

Thanks for being with me!


I stopped for a few minutes on the salem - ulundurpet stretch to capture the sunset..it also meant that the rest of my ride need to be completed under the cover of darkness, with my orca’s bright LEDs providing reassuring illumination all the Way!

Sunset!


At ulundurpet i stopped for dinner and a bit of rest - my head was still pounding hard! After dinner I faced my final challenge - should i be stopping for the fuel or continue and see if I can reach home with the remaining fuel.

Eat more flies!


After one final fuel stop i gave it the beans and made it to my home! At least an hour earlier than I expected!

Back home! Phewww!


I believed it wouldnt be difficult and it wasn't. I have covered 685 kms and 140+ hairpin bends on a tiny 125cc scooter in 16 hours without a single issue! The remarkable machine —- my orca ...performed impeccably ...while returning 50+ kmpl mileage—-also i didn't face any issues such as back pain or body pain. In the end i have realized one thing “It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.

I have also uploaded this journey in the form of a video on my youtube channel “Reviewing Indian”
Just take a look if you are interested!

https://youtu.be/jq9f0Rth2eQ

[vb-saan]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Travelogues Section. Thank you for sharing

[neil.jericho]

It is really nice to see you undertake the journey on a Suzuki Burgman, one of the more underappreciated scooters around. I remember talking to a Suzuki sales guy here in Cochin and he was telling me that the Burgman is a supremely comfortable scooter and he knows of customers who have done Cochin - Bangalore (that is 550 kms) easily on it. I initially thought it had a hint of the usual salesman's exaggeration but seeing your thread, I do not doubt it now.

For an interstate ride last year, we had a TVS NTorq ride with the group from Madras to Yercaud, I was quite impressed! I remember one highway drive I was on where I saw TVS test scooters keeping up with the cars at highway speeds. It is good to see more and more riders explore the capabilities of these competent scooters away from their usual habitat of the urban jungle.

I look forward to more travelogues from you but that said, I must mention that a half face helmet is something that is not very safe in case of a fall and is hence, generally not recommended. Even if it is just for pottering around the city, you never know when some gravel cause you or me to skid and fall on the road. A full face helmet is always preferred for safety reasons.

To add to the risk factor, the way you have positioned your action camera on your helmet is supremely dangerous! In case of a fall, at best you will end up with an imprint of the camera holder or the camera on your forehead, and at worst, well that is better left unsaid. If you do choose to ride with a half face helmet, please do not have the action camera in that position, put it to the side to be safe. I do not mean to be a downer on this nice thread of your but the current setup is very very unsafe.

Ride safe!

[Researcher]

Seeing the title at first, I read "685 Kms" and thought it to be a normal trip wondering where you went. Then I read "140 hairpins", thought it to be a bit high and was curious which car you used. Next I read "Single Day Trip" and thought it to be doable if at all a bit tiring due to the hairpins. And then I read "on a Suzuki Burgman 125" and was like !
Thank you very much for sharing. I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful pictures. I just had one humble request. If possible, switch to a full-faced helmet as soon as you can for better safety. You will be saved from bugs as well.

[ard1955]

I took delivery of a Suzuki Access two weeks ago and I've done around 650kms till date. My longest ride was from Chennai to Mahabalipuram, Embarking on another one tomorrow. For this ride itself, everyone were so apprehensive and discouraged me from doing it on a "scooter". Thanks to your post, Now I have something to show to the naysayers! This is seriously amazing! You'll be my inspiration for my future rides like this!

I've also been looking for a nice stable mobile holder for my Access. Would you mind sharing the link of that?

Wishing you many more happy miles on your scooter! Ride safe!

[IntoTheStorm]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

It is really nice to see you undertake the journey on a Suzuki Burgman, one of the more underappreciated scooters around. I remember talking to a Suzuki sales guy here in Cochin and he was telling me that the Burgman is a supremely comfortable scooter and he knows of customers who have done Cochin - Bangalore (that is 550 kms) easily on it. I initially thought it had a hint of the usual salesman's exaggeration but seeing your thread, I do not doubt it now.



Ride safe!

Completely agree with you! I was really confused between Ntorq and Burgman... The highway comfort and storage space are the things that tilted the decision in favour of Burgman. Ntorq lacked cubby spaces as well as leg space (especially for long highway rides) and later I was surprised by Burgmans fuel efficiency as well (50+)

Coming to half face helmet and forehead mount - one day before the trip my go pro helmet mount broke and I didn't have much choice as I have decided to embark on the journey at any cost! I use a MT full face helmet usually for my rides!

Originally Posted by Researcher

Seeing the title at first, I read "685 Kms" and thought it to be a normal trip wondering where you went. Then I read "140 hairpins", thought it to be a bit high and was curious which car you used. Next I read "Single Day Trip" and thought it to be doable if at all a bit tiring due to the hairpins. And then I read "on a Suzuki Burgman 125" and was like !
Thank you very much for sharing. I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful pictures. I just had one humble request. If possible, switch to a full-faced helmet as soon as you can for better safety. You will be saved from bugs as well.

Thanks for the encouraging words man! Exactly one day before the trip my go pro helmet mount broke and I didn't have much choice as I have decided to embark on the journey at any cost! I use a MT full face helmet usually for my rides!

Originally Posted by ard1955

I took delivery of a Suzuki Access two weeks ago and I've done around 650kms till date. My longest ride was from Chennai to Mahabalipuram, Embarking on another one tomorrow. For this ride itself, everyone were so apprehensive and discouraged me from doing it on a "scooter". Thanks to your post, Now I have something to show to the naysayers! This is seriously amazing! You'll be my inspiration for my future rides like this!

I've also been looking for a nice stable mobile holder for my Access. Would you mind sharing the link of that?

Wishing you many more happy miles on your scooter! Ride safe!

Thanks man! Long journeys on a Burgman is a breeze as long as you take enough brakes and ride at a reasonable pace! Even I was entering into unchartered waters when I started this journey but it ended up being a piece of cake!
Here is the link for mobile holder ( it is of okayish quality and I didn't have any issues except some vibrations)
Mount it on the rear view mirror

ZAYKE X- Grip Mobile Phone Holder with USB Charger for Bike- with Mirror Mount https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0814KMC81/..._ET8rEbNNG0G63

Note from Support: Please DO NOT post back-to-back in the same thread, use multi-quote instead.

[vgsr]

I celebrate and congratulate your spirit of adventure. The critical aspect is doing it alone without a group of friends riding with you. Look forward to more such reports.

[lejhoom]

This is very interesting. To ride a scooter such a long distance just for the heck of it. Thanks for sharing.

What is that stuff you had for lunch?

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attac...30ccaaba8.jpeg

[Silver Knight]

Wow.

I have a Suzuki Swish since 2013. That 125cc motor is a gem of an engine and you can cruise comfortable in the 60 to 80 kmph range. Far better than the one powering the Honda Activa. Always loved to have a maxi scooter and waiting for the Aprilia SXR 160 to replace my Unicorn with it.

[tp_dominator]

This was a truly commendable ride. I too own the Burgman and your thread made me feel proud of owning this wonderful machine.

I haven't done any intercity rides and though it is comfortable for city use, your thread has motivated me to embark on one soon. One question though, did it feel strained at all while riding up the hill and did it have enough grunt while negotiating those hairpin bends?

[deepfreak15]

Truly amazing and a remarkable feat! Hats off to your tenacity and spirit! Looking forward to reading many more such travelogues from you, however kindly invest in some good riding gear.

[sunsetorange]

Originally Posted by lejhoom

What is that stuff you had for lunch?

That is Parotta with salna. Standard roadside fare everywhere in TN and Kerala.

[ashwinprakas]

Congratulations mate!

Fellow scooter enthusiast myself, used to ride a TVS Wego christened Daytona!

In fact I was the first person to ride an automatic interstate to attend the xBhp ISG2G event held at Ooty back in 2016.



Other than setting a trend that fellow enthusiasts keep alive to date by riding to the xBhp ISG2G on scooters, the following year's T-Shirt also included a scooter in the mix!



In just over a year I was able to clock 18k before unfortunately totalling her in an accident while on a run to Wayanad, I did enjoy her to bits and pieces which at this point seems literally when thinking about the wreck that resulted in her chassis cracking into two.

But then one thing I cannot stress enough is the importance of a full face helmet, the orange helmet you see in the picture had taken all the brunt and is the reason I'm still typing, so do contemplate shifting to a full face helmet at the earliest, preferably one that is ECE Rated at the least.

I am still scared poop-less when it comes to the thought of touring interstate on scooters after the incident with my Wego, but the heart pulled a few strings and as a result I'm currently restoring a manual scooter, if all goes well I hope we can one day meetup on our respective scoots!

Cheers,
A.P.

[PrasannaDhana]

685 km on a scooter! Wow!

That takes a lot of passion man. Congratulations on completing it. Kolli is the most favourite riding destination for me and my friends. I have ridden over the 140 hair pin bends , 6 times on 6 different bikes (Slow Bullet Electra 350 to crazy Yamaha FZ1)

But my journey was always simple - Trichy - Namakkal - Kolli, a matter of 250 km total distance. I can't imagine having to ride 600 km and then ride 80+ km on the hills














Another BHPian and friend VW2010 and myself were planning to do a ride on Kolli in March. Both of us ride a KTM RC390 and I can't find any other public road better than Kolli hills to put the superb dynamics to full use.

[IntoTheStorm]

Originally Posted by vgsr

I celebrate and congratulate your spirit of adventure. The critical aspect is doing it alone without a group of friends riding with you. Look forward to more such reports.

Thanks man! For the encouragement..next i am planning 1000 kms in a single day ( not on hills just highway) lets see how it will pan out

Originally Posted by lejhoom

This is very interesting. To ride a scooter such a long distance just for the heck of it. Thanks for sharing.

Porotta and spicy gravy! Hotel owner’s mom served me the food. She took 3 porottas and tore into small pieces before pouring gravy! It was delicious

Originally Posted by Silver Knight

I have a Suzuki Swish since 2013. That 125cc motor is a gem of an engine and you can cruise comfortable in the 60 to 80 kmph range. Far better than the one powering the Honda Activa. Always loved to have a maxi scooter and waiting for the Aprilia SXR 160 to replace my Unicorn with it.

Yeah! Best thing about burgman was that engine becomes much smoother at higher rpms and my “orca” didn't loose steam until it reaches around 95 indicated
SR160 is a really good choice! I dint go for the SR150 because of slightly stiffer suspension

Originally Posted by tp_dominator

This was a truly commendable ride. I too own the Burgman and your thread made me feel proud of owning this wonderful machine.

Thanks for the comments! It pulled easily during the climb despite the fact that i was gentle on the throttle! and engine never felt strained! You can definitely go for long trips as long as you take enough stops and keep the engine revving in the sweet spot ( 70-85 kmph)

Originally Posted by deepfreak15

Truly amazing and a remarkable feat! Hats off to your tenacity and spirit! Looking forward to reading many more such travelogues from you, however kindly invest in some good riding gear.

Thanks mate! I usually use an MT full face helmet but the go pro mount broke one day before the trip so i used this back up helmet!

Originally Posted by sunsetorange

That is Parotta with salna. Standard roadside fare everywhere in TN and Kerala.

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Fellow scooter enthusiast myself, used to ride a TVS Wego christened Daytona!

Wow man! You have done some amazing riding! We should definitely meet up and plan some long distance riding!
I usually use an MT full face helmet unfortunately a day before the trip the go pro mount broke and i had to use my back up helmet!

Even i had scary but not so serious accidents on my duke 200 and my old scooty zest 110
But i started riding immediately once the bike/scooter was ready because i knew It will be very difficult to restart serious riding once we stop riding after the accident. I was extra careful once i restated by ride for couple of hundreds of kilometres before gaining confidence reverting back to normal style! I’m sure you can do the same as well

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

685 km on a scooter! Wow!

That takes a lot of passion man. Congratulations on completing it. Kolli is the most favourite riding destination for me and my friends. I have ridden over the 140 hair pin bends , 6 times on 6 different bikes (Slow Bullet Electra 350 to crazy Yamaha FZ1)

Nice pics mate! I usually ride whenever i get a new bike.. I've been to kolli 3 times before this trip ( on my duke 200, dominar 400 & CBR 250r) Have a safe ride mate! Enjoy the orange hooligan, i am sure you will have plenty fun during the trip!