Two back-to-back climbs later, I was grinning ear to ear.
BHPian czar6502 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
Bangalore-Penukonda on My Husqvarna Black arrow
I recently went on a ride to Penukonda. I had been wanting to visit the little hill and ride those twisty roads ever since I once saw it on social media a year ago. I knew then that one day, I’d have to ride there.
On the evening of April 25th, as I was riding back home from work, I made up my mind. Tomorrow was the day.. I messaged my friends to see if they were interested, but they all had something scheduled and hence could not join me. Still, I had already made mine. I was going, solo or not.
When I got home, I told my mother. She was excited for me. I asked her if she would like to join, and she almost agreed. But she paused and then hesitated, citing her arthritis and how she would find it hard to remain seated for that long on the bike. We agreed that we would go on a shorter ride another time to compensate for this. My dad was asleep when I got home, so he was not aware of my plan.
I could not contain my excitement that night! This was going to be my first proper long ride on my Vitpilen. I had been waiting for this ever since I bought the bike. I found it difficult to sleep, It felt like the night before a school excursion. I managed about 5 hours of sleep before my alarm rang at 4:45 am. At first, I was going to switch it off and sleep. but then I saw the time, remembered the plan, and sat up. Switched the alarm off, got ready, suited up, grabbed my tank bag, and headed downstairs.
I was greeted by my father, who threw at me a barrage of questions about why I felt the strong need to endanger myself by being on the highway during summer on a two-wheeler without company. To which I provided answers that made no sense to him. But hey, I could not help it if we had different ideas of fun. After the usual pleasantries were exchanged, we agreed to disagree. I was going.
I set up my phone holder and tank bag on the bike, and was ready to leave. by 5:55 am. The air was chilly, the sun just rising, and traffic was light on my way to Hebbal. I took a right from Hebbal and set off on the Hyderabad route. Settled into a steady cruise between 85–100 kmph. The roads were in pristine condition except for a few deviations. The bike had no problem keeping a steady 100 kmph throughout.
I managed to reach Penukonda by 8:30 am. Google Maps led me to a temple instead of the hill. The locals there were nice enough to redirect me. The actual hill is very close to the highway and does not need entry into the town. For anyone heading there, set your maps to “Penukonda Sunrise View Point”.
I rode slowly while ascending the hill for the first time. The roads reminded me of Assetto Corsa’s Scottish Highlands map, minus the weather. They were smooth, flowing, and the Vitpilen was a hot knife through butter. I enjoyed every hairpin bend. During the ascent, I encountered around 20 XUV700s on the right lane, parked in a line around a hairpin bend for a photo op. It looked cool, sure, but parking on a hairpin during active traffic? Not the smartest move.
Anyway, I managed to reach the summit and noticed many other bikes and cars parked at the end of the road. The road ended on top, but you are free to carry on by vehicle or foot to explore the nearby stone structures and temple. I parked my bike and took a stroll. I observed the entire hill from the last hairpin on top, andthe road coiled like a resting python. Each curve felt like it was sculpted with intent and care. This place was built for riders. I was in paradise and the Vitpilen would be in its element.
After reaching the summit
View
I video-called my parents to show them the view, They didn’t quite get it. “Why are you showing us the road?” they asked. They thought I came all the way for a monument or a temple. I tried to explain, but I think they’re still confused.
Snaking roads
After sitting there for a while, I decided to do one more ascent. but in a slightly spirited manner. But first, I pulled over in a quiet spot, pulled out my earphones, and played some Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. This road was my Stairway to Heaven, after all. While I sat there, I enjoyed watching and listening to a Z900 climbing the hill. In no time, he returned down the hill. Its growl echoing through the hills gave me jitters. I wished someone was there to capture a clip of me doing my run.
Once I got my auditory fix, I started my descent. Reached the bottom to notice the Z900 and its rider parked there with one of his friends on a Duke 390. I took a U-turn and twisted the throttle to hear my Vitpilen scream and gather speed in 2nd gear. I was thoroughly impressed with how well the Vitpilen handled the corners. I felt butterflies in my stomach. The grunt in 2nd and 3rd gear was more than enough to conquer this little hill. Every hairpin bend I passed made me giggle. I even timed myself using the lap timer that my bike had. I reached the summit once again, took a U-turn, and repeated the whole process while resetting the timer.
Man! Two back-to-back climbs later, I was grinning ear to ear. It felt like this machine was built for this road. Every rupee I’d spent on it felt worth it. It was also my first time taking corners properly, and the Vitpilen could not be a more perfect tool for this. Once I reached the bottom, I stopped and took some pictures of this machine that I was now really proud of.
Post descent
I then set off for home. The ride back was uneventful. Came across a couple of riders, again crossed paths with the XUV700 convoy, some of them really pushed that 200 bhp, switching lanes and overtaking. It was crazy to see a car as big as that switch lanes with surprising agility. Saw some skilled drivers and some less skilled drivers. Stayed out of both their ways.
I did not stop until I reached the McDonald’s on the service road after the airport. Finished my breakfast there, boy, was I hungry. The ride was a little exhausting, to say the least, and it was showing. So, I decided to sit there a little longer and relax. Eventually, I left from there and reached home by 12:30 pm. Took a hot shower, ate a hearty lunch, and knocked out for a few hours.
Surprise company at Mc Donald’s
Was woken up by my cousin around 3 pm. He is in the process of buying a bike and is fixated on the Triumph Scrambler 400X. We later went and test-rode the Scrambler at Keerthi Triumph, HBR Layout.
It was a wholesome day and one of the best days I have had lately.
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