Dreaming of vanlife while on a long beach drive within India

'Days together on a long beach drive within India and make my ride the ideal home for the entire duration' ..... That's the life I dream of.

I wonder if there are there more dreamers with the same desire in India?
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* vanlife
* Vanlife Stories Worldwide

Thick Populated Area???? Not acceptable!

Thick Populated Area????
Yuk!
What's that?
Just not acceptable.

What is the utility of communicating such terribly wrong messages and that too by the cops to drivers, riders and pedestrians?

P.S: Spotted at Beliaghata CIT More in Kolkata on 2018-02-16.

Indian Roadie Safety Tips for two-wheeler riding

Indian Roadie Safety Tips for two-wheeler riding.

1. Just because your bike can go 100 mph between two stoplights doesn't mean you should do it.

2. Slow down a little. That S curve is sharper than you think!

3. Maintenance is that un-fun thing you do to keep from walking home!

4. When in doubt, always take a jacket & gloves. When not in doubt, still take the jacket.

5. It always seems farther back home than it was to your destination. Don't ride so far that it stops being fun!

6. WAVE!! Even if the rider is on a scooter or a different brand. They just might be saving for their "Dream" motorcycle.

7. Stop for gas even if you don't need it. You may wish you had later.

8. Don't ride beyond your skill level trying to keep up with the rider in front of you.

9. Ride safe! No one wants to attend your funeral and talk about how much you loved bikes. They want to go riding with you and talk about what a great time you had.

10. Chrome wont get you laid, unless you're already good looking.

11. Keep your passenger feeling safe. They're riding with you because they trust you. Don't scare them & ruin motorcycling for them.

12. Buy quality rain gear. Being wet when it's warm is tolerable. Being wet when it's cold is miserable.

13. The larger the group, the longer it takes to get there.

14. Riding 500 miles a day on the interstate is doable. Riding 500 miles a day in the mountains is impossible. Allow yourself time to "see the sights".

15. The "ride" is about the journey, not the destination.
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Note: Received as a random forward on WhatsApp with lots of errors. Edited before reposting.

Litti with yummy Mutton is irresistible while on a drive or ride

You are on the road somewhere in Delhi, Bihar or UP. 
You spot a simple roadside eatery selling steaming hot 'litti' and yummy 'mutton curry'. 
Irrespective of whether you are there in your hometown or on a long drive/ ride, are you the one who can resist the temptation of ignoring what you spotted!
Honestly speaking, I just can't ignore the delicacies on the plate. Everything else can wait.
Photo credit: Priyanshu Kumar, an avid foodie.

History of Jawa and Yezdi motorcycles in India

History of Jawa and Yezdi motorcycles in India. 

Ideal Jawa (India) Ltd was an Indian motorcycle company based in Mysore which sold licensed Jawa motorcycles beginning in 1960 under the brand name Jawa and from 1973 as Yezdi. The catchphrase for the bikes sold by the firm was “Forever Bike Forever Value”. The company stopped production in 1996.

The Jawa motorcycle, which derived its name from the first two letters of the words Janacek, founder of the ‘Wanderer’ bike, was the darling of the motocross and rallying circuit in Europe.

Production was carried out directly in India by Ideal Jawa India Ltd based out of Mysore .The Yezdi factory was located along the railway line which heads to Mysore Junction. The factory was inaugurated by the then Governor of Mysore State, His Highness Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, Maharaja of Mysore in 1961.

During the mid 50’s, the Indian Government stopped the import of cars and bikes.  However, assembling foreign machines by domestic companies was allowed. That prompted Rustom Irani, the country agent of Jawa in Mumbai, to set up his production unit, with his brother, collaborating with the Czech company Jawa.  The Czech bikes had, meanwhile, also found their way into the heart of none other than the Mysore King Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, as the bikes had a fearsome reputation on international racing circuits.  As soon as he heard that the bikes were being imported from the Czech Republic, he insisted tha thtye start an engineering industry in Mysuru.  So, in 1961, the Maharaja himself inaugurated the Ideal Jawa India Ltd. factory and insisted that the company establish itself in Yadavgiri.  The Maharaja and the two siblings, Mr.Rustom Irani and Mr.Farrokh K Irani, set up the factory over 25 acres of land, in the Yadavgiri industrial area. The factory had an initial investment of Rs.51 lakh in 1961, and the Maharaja himself was one of the stakeholders.  Yezdi’s were preferred rally bikes in the 80s and 90s.

The Yezdi Roadking was produced at Mysore from 1978 to 1996. It was based on the CZ 250 motocross (type 980.5) ridden by Jaroslav Falta to the runner-up spot in the 1974 Motorcross World Championship. It was sold under the brand name Yezdi.. The bike won several Indian rallies and road races. The bike had a 250 cc engine with dual exhausts and a semi-automatic clutch and Jawa/CZ’s trademark integrated gear shifter/kick-starter. The collaboration between Jawa and Irani ended sometime around 1973 and 1974.

For Indians, the Jawa-Yezdi nostalgia largely centres around the Jawa 250, commonly referred to as the ‘A’ Type, which was offered under licence, Yezdi 250 ‘B’ Type, Yezdi Roadking, Yezdi 350 Twin and Yezdi Monarch.  The smaller Yezdi 175 and the Yezdi 60 Colt, a moped, also continue to have a lot of traction among classic vehicle enthusiasts and collectors.

There is even a club, called the Bengaluru Jawa Yezdi Club founded in 2007, that celebrates the second Sunday of July as Yezdi day.  The 4 founders – Lokesh, Amrit, Brian and Sam – are all hardcore Yezdi enthusiasts, whose sole aim is to bring back the fame and glory that the iconic motorcycle enjoyed through its golden years.

What drives people to ride and like a Yezdi?  Well, there can be no logical answer to that question.  It is a choice of pure love.  Whether it is the loud roar of the engine, the legendary twin silencers, or the cold solid metal body that warms the heart, everything about the Yezdi is pure nostalgia.

When the company was forced to shut down, it was producing the 175, Monarch, Deluxe, Road Kings and CL II. The main reason for the company’s collapse was labor trouble and increasing levels of pollution control norms which were making the two stroke bikes that the company produced obsolete. With the advent of Yamaha and Honda in India, these bikes lost their status as Yezdi’s were heavier and in some cases slower with lesser fuel efficiency. 

* Indian Roadie Recollections 

* Indian Roadie Recollections Of Old Automobiles 

* Jawa 

* Ideal Jawa 

* Yezdi 

Indian Roadie preferred hotel in Kohima, Nagaland

Hotel Orchid is supposed to be decent.

Aradura Inn is lovely, but tariffs might be a little steep.

Hotel Razhu Pru is also lovely, but again tariffs might be a bit steep.

Hotel Oriental de Grande is a good place to stay. But tariffs are a little on the higher side but really nice.

India is the 4th largest automotive market in the world

The Indian auto industry became the 4th largest in the world with sales increasing 9.5 per cent year-on-year to 4.02 million units (excluding two wheelers) in 2017. It was the 7th largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in 2017.

The Two Wheelers segment dominates the market in terms of volume owing to a growing middle class and a young population. Moreover, the growing interest of the companies in exploring the rural markets further aided the growth of the sector.

India is also a prominent auto exporter and has strong export growth expectations for the near future. Automobile exports grew 26.56 per cent during April-July 2018. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.05 per cent during 2016-2026. In addition, several initiatives by the Government of India and the major automobile players in the Indian market are expected to make India a leader in the two-wheeler and four wheeler market in the world by 2020.


Market Size

Domestic automobile production increased at 7.08 per cent CAGR between FY13-18 with 29.07 million vehicles manufactured in the country in FY18. During April-July 2018, automobile production increased 16.69 per cent year-on-year to reach 10.88 million vehicle units.

Overall domestic automobiles sales increased at 7.01 per cent CAGR between FY13-18 with 24.97 million vehicles getting sold in FY18. Auto sales in July 2018 witnessed a year-on-year growth rate of 7.9 per cent across segments, driven by 46.24 per cent growth in three-wheeler sales in terms of percentage.

Premium motorbike sales in India crossed one million units in FY18. Two leading luxury car manufacturers, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, recorded their best-ever half yearly sales in India during January-June 2018. Sales of BMW grew 13 per cent year-on-year to 5,171 units and sales of Mercedes-Benz grew 12.4 per cent year-on-year to 7,171 units.

Sales of electric two-wheelers are estimated to have crossed 55,000 vehicles in 2017-18.


Investments

In order to keep up with the growing demand, several auto makers have started investing heavily in various segments of the industry during the last few months. The industry has attracted Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) worth US$ 19.29 billion during the period April 2000 to June 2018, according to data released by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP).


Some of the recent/planned investments and developments in the automobile sector in India are as follows:

* Ashok Leyland has planned a capital expenditure of Rs 1,000 crore (US$ 155.20 million) to launch 20-25 new models across various commercial vehicle categories in 2018-19.
* Mahindra & Mahindra (M & M) is planning to make an additional investment of Rs 500 crore (US$ 77.23 million) for expanding the capacity for electric vehicles in its plant in Chakan.
* Hyundai is planning to invest US$ 1 billion in India by 2020. SAIC Motor has also announced to invest US$ 310 million in India.
* Mercedes Benz has increased the manufacturing capacity of its Chakan Plant to 20,000 units per year, highest for any luxury car manufacturing in India.


Government Initiatives

The Government of India encourages foreign investment in the automobile sector and allows 100 per cent FDI under the automatic route.

Some of the recent initiatives taken by the Government of India are -

* The government aims to develop India as a global manufacturing centre and an R&D hub.
* Under NATRiP, the Government of India is planning to set up R&D centres at a total cost of US$ 388.5 million to enable the industry to be on par with global standards.
* The Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India has shortlisted 11 cities in the country for introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) in their public transport systems under the FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) and Electric eVehicles in India) scheme. The government will also set up incubation centre for start-ups working in electric vehicles space.


Achievements

* Number of vehicles supported under FAME scheme increased from 5,197 in June 2015 to 192,451 in March 2018. During 2017-18, 47,912 two-wheelers, 2,202 three-wheelers, 185 four-wheelers and 10 light commercial vehicles were supported under FAME scheme..
* Under National Automotive Testing And R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRIP), following testing and research centres have been established in the country since 2015.
* International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT), Manesar.
* National Institute for Automotive Inspection, Maintenance & Training (NIAIMT), Silchar.
* National Automotive Testing Tracks (NATRAX), Indore.
* Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Pune.
* Global Automotive Research Centre (GARC), Chennai.
* SAMARTH Udyog – Industry 4.0 centres: ‘Demo cum experience’ centres are being set up in the country for promoting smart and advanced manufacturing helping SMEs to implement Industry 4.0 (automation and data exchange in manufacturing technology).


Road Ahead

The automobile industry is supported by various factors such as availability of skilled labour at low cost, robust R&D centres and low cost steel production. The industry also provides great opportunities for investment and direct and indirect employment to skilled and unskilled labour.

Indian automotive industry (including component manufacturing) is expected to reach Rs 16.16-18.18 trillion (US$ 251.4-282.8 billion) by 2026. Two-wheelers are expected to grow 9 per cent in 2018.


(Source: IBEF)
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* Indian Roadie Secondary Research

Road trip to Kodanad View Point, 47 kms from Ooty in June 2018

Kodanad View Point located 47 Km north-east of Ooty, and 19 Km north of Kotagiri, is breath-taking.

From the eastern edges of Nilgiri hills it provides amazing views of snaking river Moyar, gorges surrounding it, Thengumarahada village, picturesque Rangaswamy peak, Bhavani sagar dam, and evergreen forests and valleys.

A 4 Km detour from Kotagiri on the way takes us to John Sullivan memorial - the first house that Sullivan built in the year 1819 at Kannerimukku. John Sullivan is credited with being the first British officer who led the exploration to Nilgiris.

The drive to Kodanad is equally charming - abound with green vistas, tea fields, farmlands, forests, streams and hills.

Pictures do justice partially to what it actually is!

Photo & content courtesy: Narayanan PK who drove to Kodanad View Point in early June 2018.

Watch tower at 'Athash Mile Basti' village, Buxa Road, Alipurduar, West Bengal

At 'Athash Mile Basti' village, Buxa Road, Alipurduar, West Bengal these watch towers are in place to trace wild elephants.
Photo credit: Prof. Arunava Das (ace photographer).
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* Bengal trails

Vizag (AP) to Bhubaneswar (OD) to Siliguri (WB) - Indian Roadie Preferred Route

With effect from 2018-10-01  doing Kharagpur onwards to Siliguri has become extremely difficult.

The most preferred route should be:

Vizag (Andhra Pradesh) - Srikakulam - Belupada Toll Plaza - Ichchapuram - Brahmapur (OD) - Barkul - Khurda - Bhubaneswar (OD) - Cuttack - Bhadrak - Balasore - Jaleshwar (OD) - Kharagpur (WB), Exit NH16 and proceed on NH14 - Salboni - Chandrakona Road - Garbeta - Bishnupur - Bankura - Mejia - Bridge over Damodar River - Raniganj (Punjabi More/ NH19 crossing) - Asansol (IOC Jubilee Pump) (WB) - Exit NH19 & Turn right under flyover - Nala - Dumka (JH) - Bhagalpur - Vikramshila Setu (Bridge) over Ganga River - Naugachia - Purnea - Dalkhola - Kishangunj - Islampur - Bagdogra - Siliguri & onwards.

Note:
* NH14 (erstwhile, NH60) and NH16 (erstwhile, NH5) are common between Balasore - Kharagpur.
* NH16 continues straight to Kolkata or connects to NH19 (erstwhile, NH2) approx 110 kms further towards East.

The other options are:

(1) Vizag - Bhubaneswar - Cuttack - Bhadrak - Balasore - Jaleshwar - Kharagpur - Chandrakona Road -  Bishnupur - Bankura - Durgapur Barrage over Damodar River - Panagarh - Ilambazar - Dubrajpur - Suri - Tilpara Barrage - Seorakuri More - Turn left - Massanjore -  Dumka - Bhagalpur - Purnea - Dalkhola - Islampur - Bagdogra - Siliguri & onwards.

(2) Vizag - Bhubaneswar - Cuttack - Bhadrak - Balasore - Jaleshwar - Kharagpur - Chandrakona Road -  Bishnupur - Bankura - Durgapur Barrage over Damodar River - Panagarh - Ilambazar - Dubrajpur - Suri - Tilpara Barrage - Seorakuri More - Rampurhat - Nalhati - Moregram (crossing of NH34) - Farakka Barrage - Kaliachak - Malda - and then either (a) or (b)

a) Raiganj - Botolbari route - Islampur - Bagdogra - Siliguri & onwards.

Botolbari route (approx. 65 kms) is extremely narrow. Do not drive on this route after sundown. Facilities (including fuel filling stations) are non-existent.

b) Raiganj - Dalkhola - Kishanganj - Islampur - Bagdogra - Siliguri & onwards.

If one gets stuck up at the Dalkhola railway level crossing, the harrowing wait can even last for 3 - 4 hours.
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* Preferred Road Route