After dark Bengaluru 2020

March 07- March 08

Exam time for kids but the Royal Enfield After dark ride was calling. Called my bestie to check if she would ride as a pillion. So S and R both agreed. It was meant to be tented accomodation, some excitement. A was down with bad health and Shy had family commitments. So it was just the 3 of us to ride from here.

 The start of the ride was from Royal Enfield showroom in Jayanagar. Total of 28 ladies accompanied by the RE team headed towards We Flock @ Ground Zero hub on nandi hills road. 

This was a women only Motorcycle ride to spread awareness about women safety and security after dark. 

Some first time riders, some real good experienced riders and some like us..ride speed averaged at 60kmph. By the time we reached the venue it was 10pm.

Food was already waiting for us.. But then we had some good inspirational speakers waiting to address us. 

We had Archana Thimmaraju- first hearing impaired rider speaking about her experiences and inspiring us about her achievements. 

Then we had Pooja Bajaj talking about the journeys she's covered and her struggle through the crash she had undergone last year and her fight to recovery. 

Pink Jam(priyanka) hosted the evening for us along with RJ Jane Jeyakumar. RJ Jane got all the ladies to speak up with the #sorrybutnotsorry.

We also had some biker models, Tiktok celebrities' joining us on the ride. Got to hear some inspiring stories from  long time riders while at dinner.

Sleep time, the three of us stuck to ourselves..snug into one tent. Was fun chitchatting and hearing the conversation happening outside in other tents :D

Morning was quiet, woke up to the sounds of peacock cries and misty cool weather. As we dispersed, ride back was a quick one without too many stops.

Turns out it was the last ride of the year 2020. And boy am glad I got to go for this one.

Covid took over :(

DIY session with RE team & the Bikernis

I had been pestering VJ to help me understand the bike better. When I used to be riding a Kinetic I knew exactly where the problem was if there was one. My learning is mostly practicals, which meant I wanted to see what had to be done rather than hearing it in theory. The Bikernis team provided that opportunity to us ladies by organizing for a basic DIY session and thanks to Teknik motors team who patiently answered all our questions.

So what are the key points before you start off on a long bike ride...here you go:

• When choosing a bike, make sure both your feet touch the ground. :) this is advice is not necessarily for the experienced riders.
• Make sure your bike is serviced and all the identified issues are fixed before you leave for your ride.
• Check for Throttle cable, clutch cable, break pads, oil levels, filters/ strainers, tyres.
• Carry spare fuse, tubes, clutch cables
• Keep the surrounding of your fuel tank clean. 
• When checking oil level in your bike, take the bike off stand and make sure its on leveled floor. Start your bike and then do a check on oil level
• Break fuel will be visible only when it goes low (hydraulic breaks only)
• Air filter: If the vehicle does not have pick-up, you need to get your air filter checked. If riding on water terrain make sure your carry a spare air filter. Clean air filter also helps save fuel. Will cost your approx Rs.150-160. If at some point in time you do not have a spare air filter, you could try removing the air filter giving it a hit to clean and put it back on (preferably get it done through a mechanic :) )
• Fork point: to be checked atleast once a year. Make sure while cleaning water is not sprayed under the handle area as there are chances of rusting.
• Check for handle movement. If it moves smoothly from left to right and vice versa then all's good, else it would need service.
• If you get into a situation where your bike refuses to start and needs to be pushed, then get your bike into 2nd gear and push. Pushing gets easier on 2nd gear.
• When your bike is not in use you could save the life of your battery by making sure that a mat or a wooden board is kept under your center stand. Or disconnect the wires from the battery.
• If you plan to use the bike for charging your mobile then use the wiring from the ignition area and not straight from battery. Using battery area for charging will bring down the battery life.
• If your bike has a kill switch, then the right way to switch off your bike would be to bring your bike to a stop, use the kill switch to switch-off and then use the key to completely switch-off.

Hope some of the above points will help others too..

The 2hr session took place in the premises of Teknik motors, Indiranagar, Bangalore. 2hrs well spent with the team learning the importance & ABC of bike maintenance.

Glam girl ride with CKC Jewellers

Thanks to my school time friend, also a rider now, that I got an opportunity to join a girl gang for a glamorous ride.

CKC one of the leading jewellers planned a special event on the occasion of the Sesquicentennial 150th Anniversary of C. Krishniah Chetty Group of Jewellers celebrating "Women Bikers Day" - A Pre-Independence Day Celebrations! While we rode we also got to adorn & showcase their best jewelery collection.

So here we were 15 of us decked with saffron turban, dhoti styled sarees on our respective bikes all set to model for CKC Jewellers with help from designer Amit Pandya. A fun experience for us  while we got to ride through busy commercial Street fully decked and with a slight drizzle of rain, not to forget safety provided by the cops.

One of a kind experience for me to remember

Breakfast Ride:: Kolar Highway

With RE Himalayan

Saturday morning up by 5.00AM. Out of home by 6.00AM. Met the bikers at 6.45AM. Fun time!! It was a larger gang this time.

Breakfast joint chosen was Vasudev Adigas on Kolar Highway next to Polar bear ice cream parlour. Ride was beautiful. Its so green throughout. Mostly floriculture on either side of the road. Don't think the bikers noticed any of that. Weather was perfect, not too hot or cold.

When we got there, the place was full, the only option we had was AC hall and AC was full-on I think..I was literally shivering. E decided we should just sit outside instead of freezing :) We were lucky to get a corner with 2 joint tables. Some update on R's Bhutan trip and some leg pulling for A for his engagement was next day and some gupshup along with breakfast.

Most of us took Combo breakfast which had Small masala dosa, mini idly sambar, Khara bhaat and kesari bhaat, small ada and coffee. Hot and tasty all of us enjoyed it. Those who had taken just idly vada initially, ended up ordering Combo breakfast after seeing our plates :) Combo breakfast is a must try if you are Adigas.
Note: They also have clean toilets.

And to give it some competition Maiyya's have opened up bang opposite with a large parking space.



Near Gate,Venakatapura, Bangalore-Tirupati Hwy, Vadagur, Karnataka 563101

Breakfast Ride:: Asian Highway 43

Excited again to ride with ThROTLS team...on a breakfast ride.

V asked me yesterday if I wanted to join the ride..I was glad he asked, coz I wanted to experience and also know what they really did during these breakfast rides :-P.

Since there was another ride on saturday, it was only 3 from ThROTLS who went for this ride. So it was decided that we meet up near Hebbal flyover and then move together. Surprisingly at 6.00AM Bangalore was not that cold, I managed with a balaclava, helmet (pillion helmet rule being followed), Warm jacket, woolen gloves. Until Hebbal we had empty Bangalore roads and then is when I realized how many people are crazy about biking in the outskirts of Bangalore.

Got to see some IDIOTS who think biking means speeding (some without helmets too). But our team as usual..steady & safe drivers, enjoying the ride without speeding. I like it :)

Weather after Hebbal flyover was cold...cold enough to have my hands shivering and not allowing me to have my coffee & breakfast. The boys were well covered in their leather jackets and gloves and I guess after so many rides that they have been to...coldest being Leh-Ladakh, this cold would mean nothing to them. 

The choice for breakfast was between IPC (Paranthas) or Idly Vada..chose Idly over Paranthas this time and the ride was longer. 

On our way to the joint, got to see the Hot air balloon in air at Jakkur. Beautiful colors of the sun during Sunrise. If only I had my camera...

The Stop for breakfast was at Kamath which is on AH43, just before Chikkabellapura along with a large HP Petrol bunk.

So what did I learn?? Got to know that the boys make use of these breakfast rides to catch up with each other...which usually is difficult on a working day in Bangalore, considering the work timing, distance & the TRAFFIC.

With the riders

Veg Chinese Restaurant!!

Lou Han- A Veg Chinese Restaurant in HSR Layout 1st Sector
January 04, 2008
A veg chinese restaurant hadn't heard of that one. Got curious and checked with the guy who was taking our order. Turned out that he owned the place. He explained that the concept was new here and in China. A lot of people were turning veggie there, he informed. A chinese born and brought up in India he came across as a really nice guy. It did not take too long for the Manchow and Sweet corn soup to be served. One question remained. What is the meaning of Lou Han. The joke was "lets go to the loo haan ?". He explained - it has two meanings, 1. one of the 18 disciples of Buddha and 2. a dish in China made of 18 vegetables.

Overall, the food was tasty, nice soft Chinese music playing in the background...and to put a even bigger smile on our face, the charges were highly reasonable. For some of my friends who love less crowded place and good chinese food, this would be just the right spot.
Note: Everything these was priced between Rs.50-80. Interesting right :-)

Here is the stuff picked up on the net - Lohans are well-known for their great wisdom, courage and supernatural power. Due to their abilities to ward off the evil, Lohans have became guardian angels of the Buddhist temple and there in the main hall standing guard are the ever-present, indomitable-looking 18 Lohan figures, sometimes accompanied by 500 or more lesser Lohans.
According to tradition, there were originally only 16 lohans. Two were added on the list by the Chinese in the Tang Dynasty.
Legend has it that the first portraits of the 18 Lohans were painted by a Buddhist monk Guan Xiu, in 891 A.D. Guan Xiu lived in Chengdu, the capital of a small kingdom, the Former Shu, formed at the decline of the Tang Dynasty in what is today's Sichuan Province. He was adept at the scholarly pursuits of painting, calligraphy and poetry.