[snaronikar]

Hi,

This is the travelogue in the Ford Ikon. My first long distance drive in an Ikon. Earlier, I had driven in WagonR (my earlier car) and Alto (my friend's car).

Thanks to fellow T-BHPians for guiding me in which route to take. The travel experience with Ikon goes like this.

Members in Ford Ikon: Me, my Wife, one kid & baby, and my b-inlaws (2 people). Total 4 adults with one kid and one baby.

Luggage: 5 airbags with one suitcase.

Fuel: HP normal which was tanked up the previous day (45 ltrs) while going to Gulbarga and HP normal while returning to Bangalore.

Tyre pressure: 36 psi (front) and 41 psi (rear). This is recommended by Ford if there were 3 persons + luggage in the car.

Comfort: Good while travelling to Gulbarga and OK while coming back to Bangalore - Travelled with 95% AC on.

Maps followed: Lonely Planet (too good) & Maps of India.

Photographs: Not taken as it was a country side drive and most of the drive was barren land, cows passing on road,

31.10.07: Bangalore to Gulbarga.

Route taken: Bangalore-Tumkur-Sira-Hiriyur-Chellakare-Bellary-Lingsur-Sindhnur-Shorapur-Shahpur-Jewargi-Gulbarga.

Left Bangalore at 6.30 am in morning. There was slight drizzling. Caught up NH4 through chord road. Got struck up in Peenya (jalahalli cross) about 20 mins in traffic jam. After this was cleared, proceeded towards Tumkur (29 kms). Reached there within half hour. My first target was Hiriyur (158 kms) to reach before 9.30 am. Upto Hiriyur (NH4). Reached there by 9.45am. Had b/fast in a hotel. Spent about 1 hr. Had to take a deviation from NH4 to reach Bellary which is SH. First thought that the roads might be bad. But was surprised that the SH maintained so well.

Then my next target was reaching Bellary within 12.30 pm. Reached Bellary (88 kms) at about 12.45pm. Originally thought of having lunch. But because of shortage of time (wanted tor each destination within daylight), skipped lunch. Then gave the wheel to my b-inlaw. He was not able to drive the vehicle. He drove around 20 kms. Then took back the steering.

My next target was reaching Lingsur (131 kms). Reached there by 3.30 pm. Was very hungry. Had some fruits and ice cream as the hotels in northern part of karnataka is not good and not hygenic. Felt refreshed after eating this. Stopped about 1/2 hour for this.

My next target was reaching Shahpur (126 kms). Reached there by 5.30 pm. Was very hungry. Had some fruits and ice cream as the hotels in northern part of karnataka is not good and not hygenic. Felt refreshed after eating this. Stopped about 1/2 hour for this.

From Shahpur to Gulbarga the roads were very good (just like GQ) by a typical SH, 2-lane.

Finally, reached the destination at 7.10 pm.

The total kms travelled : 623.
Ac: 95%.
Mileage: 15.47 kmpl.
Driven by: Me.
Highest Speed done: 120 kmph. Though the vehicle was begging to further on power, I did not intend to do as I was travelling with family.
Fuel left in tank after journey: Around 6~8 ltrs (10-15%).
Journey: Pleasent.
Condition of Roads: From Chellekare to Gulbarga: Typical SH, 2-lane. The roads up to Bellary was very good. After that threre were some bad stretches otherwise the roads were good.
Problems: Each and every village passed had put up rumble humps (around 6~8 of them). There were no signages about humps. Had to slow down the vehicle based on the guessing. Also the problem with the people and cows/buffalows and sheperds roaming their goats/sheeps on the roads. These people will come suddenly of out nowhere.

Stayed there for about a couple of days.

Now coming back, I took a wrong decision on route.

Started: 04.11.07 at 7.00 am.

Route taken: Changed the route as I thought that after reaching NH13, I can drive down easily as it was a NH and thought of covering lot of distance within short time. Me and my big thinking :-(

Route taken from Gulbarga to Bangalore: Gulbarga-Jewargi-Shahpur-Lingsur-Hunugund-Hospet-Chirtradurga-Hiriyur-Sira-Tumkur-Bangalore.

Upto Lingsur: The route was same as above.

From Lingsur-Mudgal-Hungund: The road is good (SH). Double lane-Single road. I touched the NH13 in Hungund. From Hungund-Kushtagi-Hospet (87 kms)...The NH13 is very bad. Pot hole ridden roads and too much truck traffic. Never allowed me to shift to 5th gear. Max speed attained on this road was 70kmph.

From Hospet to Kudligi to Jagalur - Road condition very very bad. Did 54 kms in 4 hours. They call this as NH13. Totally unbelivable. Only trucks were passing on this road. Only couple of cars and KSRTC busses. Ultimately reached C'durga. at 4.00pm. The max speed was 25~30kmph.

From C'durga gave the wheel to my b-inlaw. I was sitting next to him guiding how to drive. It was OK. The road is too good - NH4 double road. One NHC who over took us on this road and ended up in the gutter. Fortunately, nobody was injured. Covered the distance of 200 kms within 2 1/2 hours. Reached Nelamangala at 6.00 pm. From here the big problme started. Too much of traffic. It took 2 1/4 hours to reach Basaveshwaranagar from Nelamangala.

The total kms travelled : 666.
Ac: 95%.
Mileage: 14.90 kmpl (Due to very bad stretches)
Driven by: Me/My b-inlaw.
Journey: OK :-(

Summary: If anybody wants to travel to North Karnataka, Pls take the route mentioned above i.e, via Bellary even though there are humps/sheperds coming on road, the drive is decent managble than the pot hole ridden roads. The road condition of state highways (SH) are better than the NH.

The Ikon gave a good service as there were not hiccups on the journey (both too and fro). Not single chance of problem encountered.

P.S: The vehicle travelled around 1400+ kms. Do you guys suggest me to give it for servicing ?? The vehicleis still runnning in good condition. Or should I wait for my normal servicing which is due in Dec/Jan.

[ravibhat]

Thats good report and wonderfull experience, Blre to Bellary road is very good except for unexpetced humps created by village people.

I do agree your point any north karnataka travel from bangalore bellary route is ideal.

Good that you enjoyed the trip.

Regards,

Ravi.

[snaronikar]

Hi, Ravi,

Thanks. Do you people suggest me to give the vehicle to servicing. It is running good.

[akroy]

Nice Account, this was a nice description of that part of the road from Chitradurgawhere in general many people donot take...

Originally Posted by snaronikar

P.S: The vehicle travelled around 1400+ kms. Do you guys suggest me to give it for servicing ?? The vehicleis still runnning in good condition. Or should I wait for my normal servicing which is due in Dec/Jan.

No not required, you general go for a checkup if you had experienced some problems otherwise not required....Do it at regular intervals...only make the interval a little less than mentioned in the bochure...

Like for my Alto, the service intervals in 10K kms, but I do it in 5K intervals because in any case I have to go to the service station to do the Wheel rotation-balancing-alignment done and hence I do the servicing also...

Hence, I donot think about the car while making a trip because it is always ready for highways anytime...

Abhi

[pugram]

Originally Posted by snaronikar

From Hospet to Kudligi to Jagalur - Road condition very very bad. Did 54 kms in 4 hours. They call this as NH13. Totally unbelivable. Only trucks were passing on this road. Only couple of cars and KSRTC busses. Ultimately reached C'durga. at 4.00pm. The max speed was 25~30kmph.

Good narration of your road experience. Glad to know you did not have any problems with the car, that too with family and kids on tow.

Is this the same route that you take to Bangalore from Kolhapur? I remember passing this stretch upto Chitradurga and that too in the middle of the night. Roads were just rubble and one had to make a guess work as to which direction to head for the next diversion. I had a great time with an Indigo on this stretch and at one point of time thought this road was endless.

[condor]

@snaronikar, The route you took when going is the route taken by BLR-Gulbarga long distance buses. The roads around Hospet have been so for a long time.

Each and every village passed had put up rumble humps (around 6~8 of them). There were no signages about humps.

Classic Karnataka roads. Rule of thumb when driving in KA is to slow down at every village to look out for these hidden bumps. Actually, there is one speedbreaker on a fly-over at one of the towns on the NH-4 between Hiriyur & Sira / Tumkur !!

Originally Posted by snaronikar

Maps followed: Lonely Planet (too good) & Maps of India

Can you pls give the link / source for the Lonely Planet maps ? Didnt find much in Maps of India - have been using their web version, & have the CD too. But

Originally Posted by pugram

Is this the same route that you take to Bangalore from Kolhapur?

@pugram, He is talking about Gulbarga. For Kolhapur, you would take the NH-4 through out. For Gulbarga, you would take the NH-4 upto Hiriyur, or max upto Chitradurga.

[govigov]

Inttresting, did they do the BM road, last when we travelled that route, there was no road at all. Regarding the servicing, i think it can wait till dec/jan.

The only issue we had when we did a similar thing was the Power steering in the ikon felt a bit drunk after long stretches.

[snaronikar]

@govigov: Actually, I did not have any issue with the vehicle even with p/s & others. The vehicle was responding very well.

@condor: Regarding the Lonely Planet map-It was my friend's (Tiger). It is a hard bound book wherein you get the roads, inroads etc etc in that book and astonishing thing is the distance is also mentioned in these maps wherein you can judge what would be the kms to destination and plan your driving speed. And as far as Maps of India is concerned, I downloaded it from internet (mapsofindia.com).

My advice to people If at all whoever is planning to take NH13 from Chitradurga is do not go on this route. The condition of road is nasty. You will simply screw up your vehicle and will waste time. I donot know how the stretch is from Hungund to Bijapur. Hope with my experience, it will be same as Hungund to Hospet.

@pugram: NH4 is good through out except for a few stretches wherein the NHAI has not yet completed the work even after 3~4 years after the previous government.

[ravibhat]

About servicing your Ikon as of now general check up is enough thats what I do every time I am back with long drive with Petrol Innova because of our road condition I do general check up and wash once in 4000km and also wheel alignment/balancing/rotation.

Once in 8000km routine service I do.

Regards,

Ravi.

[vns]

I'm planning a road trip from Bangalore - Yadgir (<600km) by car.
Has anyone traveled to the north karnataka side recently, so that they can give the update on road condition.

I've two routes planned so far
Bangalore - Chikkaballapur-Ananthpur (NH7) - Bellary (NH63) - Sindhnur -Lingsur-Surpur-Yadgir (all SH)

the other one is

Bangalore - Tumkur - Hiriyur (NH4) - Challakere -Bellary-Lingsur-Sindhnur-Surpur - Yadgir

Please suggest the route and also the road condition if you've been there.

[snaronikar]

Your 2nd option is better. The road conditions are OK. But you have to gear up for sudden humps which appear from nowhere (near villages). All the best for your journey & drive safe..

[akroy]

Originally Posted by vns

Bangalore - Tumkur - Hiriyur (NH4) - Challakere -Bellary-Lingsur-Sindhnur-Surpur - Yadgir

Please suggest the route and also the road condition if you've been there.

This is better route. nice 2 laned marked road with lesser traffic but there are a few bumpers as well.
TBHPian Zenx did this often

Abhi

[rm_arjuna]

hi vns ,

check out Maymyindia.com for roadmaps & direction.

Suggest you can also look at bangalore-hindupur-anantapur-gooty-adoni-raichur-yadgir. upto gooty it is NH7 roads are good .

[condor]

@vns : your second option is better & is also a bus route (for VRL & the like).

[mobike008]

No Photos of this trip? Btw, did you visit the dargah in Gulbarga. It's nice!