A Surprising Opportunity to See the High Himalayas of India   

After my December 2023 Brazil Trip, I was contemplating future excursions.  I had thought of visiting Northern Japan.  Also, a solo bike ride in Western France.  Mostly I dithered.  At this particular stage in my life I was tired of solo bicycle and road trips but not quite ready for your typical group excursion.

In Early April I happened to receive a broadcast email from "Blazing Trails", a British-based company, for an Adventure Motorcycle Trip in the Himalayas of India.  This caught my imagination! 

Frankly, I am not much of a motorcyclist.  When I was 17 in the late 1960s I had wanted to buy a small Honda 360CB Motorcycle but my father said absolutely not! He knew that a teenager on a motorcycle was a bad combination.    So I set that idea aside (and instead was soon hitchhiking across the USA!).  For the next 40 years I honored my father's skepticism regarding motorcycle.  I gradually came to realize how the human body is so vulnerable and unprotected on a motorcycle. Like sitting on the hood of a car!  

But at age 60 I did finally turned back to the subject and bought the nearly the same Honda model I had hankered after back in the late 1960 and this I learned to ride.  After a previous visit to India, I'd seen the utility of a motorcycle for exploration.    For the following  decade I have periodically taken conservative rides on that original bike as well as a subsequent, smaller Honda.

1976 Honda 360cc

On these Hondas I would go out on quiet backcountry roads in Western Wisconsin.   This has been a pleasant and 'low risk' alternative that I've mixed with my bicycling activities.   With a 'Milk Crate' on the back of the motorcycle I've periodically driven up to New Richmond Wisconsin to pick up some groceries.   In warm afternoons it has been pleasant to ride and feel the breeze in my face as I travel over the gentle Wisconsin rural landscape.

2006 Honda Rebel 250cc

I had never thought of taking overnight rides on the motorcycle.  I've done plenty of that sort of traveling via my many bicycle tours (both in North America and overseas) and the motorcycle just didn't inspire me to a multiday trip.   

But when I visualized the possibility of seeing the Himalayas from the seat of a motorcycle.....THAT caught my imagination.  

I got on SKYPE and called the lead guide and owner of the firm in England and we had a good conversation.  I explained to Damen that my motorcycling experience was fairly light.  I added that I'd  taken a Solo Bicycle Tour in Western India in 2013 and also had a background  in mountaineering and so I was usually game for anything.  However, I wasn't sure if I would be able to handle the technical challenges of motorcycling in varied terrain in India, especially with dealing with the chaotic traffic of India..  Also, I was 72 and while fit for my age, I was old!

Solo Bike Tour, Western India 2013, Age 60

Damen said he was 61 himself. He assured me that based on my background he was confident that I would be able to handle this project and if at some point I did encounter problems, I could catch a ride in the support vehicle and the staff mechanic could ride the motorcycle thru the more difficult sections of the ride.  With the knowledge of that option, I decided to go forward and wire the money to Britain.  I was committed!   I would be flying to India on June 7th and the trip would begin in Chandigarh, Northern India on the morning of June 11th.  

Preparations:

Once I was confident that the commitment had been made and that the money had been transferred, I went ahead and booked the flights to the Chandigarh in Punjab, Northern India.  I decided that I would need a full-face helmet to protect my face and lower jaw and purchased that as well as   ankle-high motorcycle boots and protective pants.  I already had a 'summer weight' yellow jacket that had mesh panels to allow plenty of air flow.  Since I knew it was going to be important to stay hydrated I bought a small pack with a 2 liter water bladder with a hose to suck on.

After these purchases, I started riding my little Honda motorcycle 4-5 times a week, trying to accumulate more hours.  The Honda Rebel 250 cc is a small 'Cruiser'.  In addition, I ventured into the Minneapolis-St.Paul metro area in order to get used to riding in an urban environment.  Also, I stopped at the only nearby Royal-Enfield dealer in Minneapolis and straddled a Himalayan cycle.  This felt entirely different in geometry from my Honda.  

Royal Enfield Himalayan 411 cc

I was glad to spend a bit of time sitting on this still machine.  It gave me an opportunity to imagine and viscerally place this new, unfamiliar posture in the back of my mind.  I figured that I would be spending nearly two weeks in this different configuration and so wanted to imagine it.

Honda Rebel 250cc

Specifically, the Himalayan's seat is 31.5 inches high.  This compares to 26.5 inch seat height for the Honda Rebel.  The Adventure dual-sport motorcycle needs to have more ground clearance to deal with rough road surfaces.  So the rider must sit higher on the bike but still be able to get his feet down on the ground when coming to a stop.  My inseam is 31 inches and so I was just able to put my foot down on ground when pausing in traffic. Obviously, this is not a problem on my lower Honda. 

So, this would be a big adjustment.  More to come!