Jump to 2024 and I was finally more confident in my bike and my handling skills on it. I finally applied for 1 week of leave and started to plan for a solo ride in Nov of 2024.
BHPian HDx440Life recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
I usually save leaves for the end of the year and have always dreamt of going on a coastal bike ride. I bought the Harley Davidson X440 end of 2023 and felt too scared of the unknown to go on a ride that year. Jump to 2024 and I was finally more confident in my bike and my handling skills on it. I finally applied for 1 week of leave and started to plan for a solo ride in Nov of 2024.
I had to then decide on which route to take and finalized Bangalore – Chikmangaluru – Gokarna – Goa – Davanagere – Bangalore. I intentionally kept the first day short since it’s been a long time since I went on a long ride. I wanted my body to get used to it. Below is the route I planned:
Next came the stage of planning my stay during the bike ride. I wanted this ride to be an experience I will never forget, so I went ahead and booked an Airbnb in Chikmangaluru and a hostel in Gokarna! I’ve never stayed in a hostel and so was looking forward to the experience, especially since it was a mixed dorm with capacity to sleep 8 people! The plan was to spend 1 night in Chikmangaluru, Gokarna and 4 nights in Goa plus 1 night in Davanagere on my way back.
All set and I went about the task of buying the required gear. Got a GUARDIANGEARS Wolverine Magnetic Tank Pouch with Rain Cover, GUARDIANGEARS Rhino Mini 50L Tail Bag with Rain Cover, and some bamboo socks since I hate smelly feet. I already had the following: clan riding boots, Fly Butane Pants, Fly Terra Trek II Jacket and cramster waterproof gloves. I noticed all the armour had dry rot just like my old Alpinestar shoes and so bought knox elbow and shoulder ce level 2 armours (set of 4) plus royal enfield ergo pro-tech shoulder protector—yellow. They fit my riding gear well and I have to say their quality is very good.
Finally the night before my ride came, and I packed my stuff. Got up the next day and had the task of attaching my tailbag on the bike and then getting into my riding gear. Below is a pic of the bike all ready for the ride:
The first part of the ride was pretty uneventful as the roads were good, and I rode at a steady pace (70km – 80km speeds) and reached the Airbnb in Chikmangaluru. The place was lovely and just as described on the listing. Had light lunch and took out my DJI drone for a video and taking pictures. See pic of the loaction below:
Drone shot of my stay:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eLnFzMkmRU
I got up early the next day and started my ride around 7 am. The roads were wonderful, and I reached Gokarna by 1 pm. I really had fun riding on the winding roads in the mountain and was looking forward to my hostel stay. The room was lovely and much better than I expected. Attached is a pic below.
An Insta 360 X3 video of my ride through the jungle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAlkG7iZo6M
My hostel room, which I ended up sharing with another guy and 3 girls:
I had fun in Gokarna would be an understatement. I went to the main beach, Paradise Beach, and Om Beach. Loved the vibe and made a short video compilation of my drone videos there:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ9k9QelXEQ
My roommates (the girls) woke up early the next day (I guess around 4 am) and so I too woke up at that time. Was busy till 5:30 and left for Om Beach to see the sunrise. It’s a sight to behold. You should try seeing the sunrise there if you ever visit Gokarna.
Next I returned to my hotel by 7am and got ready and left for Goa by 8am. I have to say the roads are smooth as butter and on the way I had the sea to my left and a river on the right. Attaching my drone shoot of the place below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtI5br3ENIE
I kept riding and eventually reached the end of the road- both figuratively and literally. Just see for yourself in the pic below:
Google took me to a narrow road (with no option to turn my bike midway), and the road ended in the sea! I was shocked and started wondering what to do next . Fortunately, someone local came on a bicycle and, upon checking, informed me we need to take a boat across the sea! See pic below of the route and my bike going on a boat ride:
I finally reached Goa, checked in to a boutique hotel I booked, and went to the airport. Did I forget to mention my wife wanted to go to Goa so I booked a flight for her and my 5 years old. Here are two pics from Goa as I am sure everyone is bored of looking at photos from Goa:
With all the fun over in Goa, my family flew back, and I left for Davanagere. An interesting thing happened on the way. Google took me off the highway and into a reserved forest. The road was in good shape for the most part, but not one vehicle was on it, except my bike. I stopped my bike at a point and took a photo in the middle of the jungle without a worry in the world. See pic below:
Started my bike, and then I came across a sign asking not to stop since there are cheetahs in the jungle!. Well, anyways, I continued to ride and stayed in a decent hotel that night. The ride back to Bangalore was smooth the next day and I was happy to have finally completed a ride I will remember for the rest of my life! Looking forward to the next adventure ride this year.
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