[SamtheLeo]

Well Yes, we started & ended it as well. Not exactly as planned but not at all with less fun. Will answer all your questions and querries as I keep writing the details of journey.

However to start, we planned everything from the help of Team BHP & few experienced friends. Now the question is wether that much preperation would be enough to have this journey without hiccups, only time will tell.

Day -1, (Night) :

All set, Bikes ready, Planned Pasta for Breakfast, Planned to get Up at 2:30 am so that we can leave by 3:30 & reach Jammu same day. Very Very ambitious (but have done before). Slept at 11 pm.

Day 1 (02:30 am)

Woke up, left at 4am from Gurgaon, not a bad start at all. Were all set. Left delhi at 5am.

6:30 am Panipat toll plaza total distance covered 130 kms.

Lightning starts giving problems. Smoke & Oil. Indeed bad sign. Halted, near toll plaza.

[SamtheLeo]

As it was very early in the morning we planned to troubleshoot the problem by our self. As the bike would not start any more, we gave it some time to cool off then we

1. Checked current
2. Checked plug
3. Checked Petrol

No Luck, called our mechanic, he asked us to do some normal procedures

Remove the plug & clean it
Remove the plug clean the head where plug is inserted
Use a different Plug
Put some petrol from plug opening, use kicks to clean it & then try starting

No Luck, it was now around 8:30 am.

Totally frustrated & dissappointed we 3 are now thinking what to do.

Should we go back & take this bike to Delhi.
Should we find a mechanic & get it repaired, on what cost
What is the gurantee it will not happen again, what if in remote area?

All these questions were now telling us why this bike trip is one of the toughest in India.

[SamtheLeo]

Finally, We decided to not go back at any cost.

We took out a rope & towed the lightning to nearest town Karnal, found a mechanic who was not so knowledgeable about Bullets. He tried in vain & then called some senior person who towed this bike to their shop.

These two people were oldies of Bullet factory & have now setup their own shop on Karnal, they opened the whole thing.

Below pics show what exactly came out, do i need to tell what was wrong

[SamtheLeo]

Our worst nightmares have come true within the first day (few hours) in to the trip. It was the worst possible start indeed however we can take one positive out of it that it happened where we had resources what if it happned in the hills? By this thought we gave solace to our selves & thought what to do.

Mechanics opened the head & told it is indeed a piston cease.

Now we were given two option

1. They call a guy who is expert in Kharad works & see what can be done as new kit for 535 is not available anywhere except Delhi
2. We load this bike to Delhi & return with it.

You know what we chose.


So the guy was called & took a deep inspection & said will tell you the result in 30 - 40 mins & went away

An hour went buy of anxiety, he came back in 80 mins, said can be done but only by 5pm & it will cost 5 K. He will change the sleeve & change the rings. We agreed!!!! We would have agreed on any condition which could make it work.

Feeling heavy headed due to lack of sleep we had food at local dhabha cum restaurant & headed towards a temple to rest. Sanatan Dharam Mandir as it was called was big & had carpet laid near the temple room, we just said and a very kind Pujari switched on the cooler facing us. Wow what else could we want at this moment, we just fell but life is not that good. The moment we tried to sleep a Pravachan / Keertan started on a loudspeaker & now we were in a situation that niether we can sleep nor get up.

[SamtheLeo]

At 4 pm we returned to the mechanic shop still heavy headed, so that if we can get our bike by 7 pm we will atleast be able to reach Ambala which was a modest 200 kms from Delhi by nightfall.

The Kharad guy came back at 7:30 after numerous reminder phonecalls/ reminder visits by the mechanic.

What he brought was a treat to eyes (Pics Below)

The repaired kit was fitted in to the bike & we thought thats it. Testing started by the Mechanics. at 9 pm

First 20 kms round by senior mechanic, he felt chain is a bit too tight & that why bike is taking load.
Chain Loosened.
Another 20 kms round & some oil smells

Bobby (Senior Mechanic ) lets it cool

Another 20 kms round that those 3 people discuss something with each other

At 10:30 pm we are told that enginer is heating a bit more then normal & hence can give trouble. The piston will have to be worked upon again tomorrow morning & they will free us by 12 noon.

We did not know what to do , to say thanks or to feel sad but had no option. It was discussed that inspite of being Sunday they will come exactly at 8 & finish everything by 12 noon. we had our own doubts seeing todays timing.

Left with no option we did a room (Could have done in the day & relaxed) went off to much needed sleep.

Total Distance travelled :170 kms on day 1

Hope tomorrow is a Better day!!!

[tanwaramit]

awaiting the next ? I am sure you went ahead with your trips and this only delayed the trip and didnt push you back.

[sachinj12]

Originally Posted by tanwaramit

awaiting the next ? I am sure you went ahead with your trips and this only delayed the trip and didnt push you back.

Of course it went well, read the first sentence

@ Leo.
Post quick, waiting eagerly.

[SamtheLeo]

Ahead we went for sure, because turning backwould be end of the trip as we had limited vacations.

DAY 2

Woke up lazily as nothing was supposed to happen before 12 noon & even that dead line we were not very confident.

Had Breakfast & reached to Bobby’s shop at 10. To our surprise work was already in progress & we were told it is about to finish!!! Voila!!! What else could we could have asked more for, is this the end of our perils. Is this the bad omen which we have overcome? Time will tell.

We got the bike ready by 12, tested & all seemed ok except for some knocking of the piston, which as per Bobby was there to because they left some play in the piston as that will help not over heating in the intense heat of North. It will also help us do the Run In phase easily.

Total expenditure Rs 5500/-

Being excited, we moved ahead at 12:30 & planned to reach Jalandhar, which is around 240 kms by evening. We had to do the run in & also cover distance as we had limited number of days, a lethal combination.

After moving from Karnal we had lunch at a Dhabha after Ambala & with taking frequent drink breaks on the way we reached Jalandhar by 7:45pm.
Taking a final break at a petrol pump we found that the engine oil in lightning is getting low & bought engine oil & reached a motel.
The motel at Jalandhar was named “Highway Inn” & is located on the main highway 3-4 kms before main city. I would recommend it to all as it was good & the food was very very homely
The day was far better than yesterday & it seemed that we are in our way except for losing some time, however in back of mind we also had the thought why the oil is lessening & will this “Jugaad” work last in the intense test of machine under the severe conditions of our trip.
We left it for time to tell & had a sound sleep.

[sanjaykaul]

Congratulations for completing this epic journey. I have been waiting for the travel updated of this thread since quite a few days. Now that you guys have come back from trip, start sharing details ASAP.

[harishnayak]

Wow , just bumped into this thread and i guess on the right time since the action just started. I'm going to be glued to this one.

[SamtheLeo]

Had a Sound sleep in the night as it much necessary for kind of days we were spending, had a cool Aloo prantha breakfast as well as the hotel.

Day 3

It is time to introduce the riders

They are

Me - Ashish - Wearing Blue
My Brother - Amit - Wearing Cream
Our Friend - Surendra - Wearing White.

We started a bit late today then normal, dont know why???

We were able to start by 11 am with a target of Patintop which 300kms, which was easy as well as diffcuilt considering our bike situation.

We moved around 20 kms ahead of Jalandhar city & saw a lot of oil at the rim of back wheel. Another day another issue

Stopped, had a look , found no reasonable explanation, took it to nearest village & the mechanic there tol that the Clutch oul seal has gone. He also said Crank is having some noise.

Got the oil seal changed, called Bobby (Karnal) and he confirmed rthere is no crank noise, Move ahead.

We moved ahead, had some Burger breaks at McD, chach break at Punjab dhabhas.

Another important development which happened that we were approached by a lone rider (named Sidhant) that he wants to accompany us. what problem we could have we said Yes. How it became a life saver will come in to picture later,

We all reached Jammu at 8 pm where Sidhant had to stay at cousins place & we moved ahead to Patnitop.

We had food at 11:30 & reach Patnitop at 1 am (last pic), with out any further issue except that oil was still coming on rear rim & my bike was eating oil at 300 / 400 gms a day.

Two better days have past but at the back of the mind we have the Jaladhar mechanic saying there is a Crank issue, which will spell doom to the trip.

[deky]

Wow, two days and two problems!!! I hope they are the last ones that you faced ahead. You have me hooked

Thanks

[SamtheLeo]

Today we have entered the Hilly Region & the real beauty starts now.

Day 4

We started on Saturday & today is already 4th Day i.e Tuesday when as per original plan we should have been reaching Leh, however with current situation we are still quite far.

We started at 12 noon as we slept late
Today was the first day when none of the bnike had any issues except engine oil top up in Lightning & clutch tighening in 350 CI.

We planned to reach Sonamarg by day end & reached Srinagar around 6:00 pm, got our bikes checked from a mechanic near BB Cantt & moved for Sonamarg at 7. Reached there at 10 pm. Today was first day when we needed our woollens.

[SamtheLeo]

Day 5

Day started at normal timing in Sonamarg, we started for our first pass Zozila, however things were not supposed to be easy for us. Today was going to be easily one of the most eventful day for us

First there was beauty of Sonamarg & then a broken clutch wire of 535 on way to Zozila.

[SamtheLeo]

Approach to Zozila was full of bad roads, slush & Mud.

First there was traffic Jam due to snow clearing at the peaks, then there were coloms of ice to cross, then there were knee deep water bodies to cross with lot of stones in them, then came the the Mystical ZOZILA pass. Once that was crosses, TBTS throttlee way cable gave away which was then changed.