The thing about adventure motorcycles is that they're practical and possess the ability of standing up to almost any hurdle you throw at them. Speaking of standing up, they're nice to stand on too that gives the rider a feeling that he/she is the king/queen of the road (just doing my part to ensure gender equality there).
Our country's known for erm Taj Mahal and a lot of heat that can actually lit up everything but common sense, according to my college economics text book. If I had to mention another point, it would be the miserable state of our roads. And that's when an adventure motorcycle comes to my mind.
I've experienced this real hand when my KTM Duke 390 was a street motorcycle. And now that it isn't, since the suspension has been thrashed around on trails and of course in the Ladakh region while it beared the weight of my aluminium panniers.
As a result, it is now very similar to an adventure motorcycle. Since I'm short, the seating posture is upright, I've gotten used to the hard seat so it's pretty comfortable, the rear suspension is now so soft that it needs to be replaced and vibrations from the engine have reduced significantly which I think could be related to the fact that it's crossed the 50000 kms mark.
I commute to office on my scooter which is a Honda Dio. Crashing into potholes on it feels like the front suspension doesn't exist and the ride itself gets quite uncomfortable if you remain on the saddle for more than an hour two.
Surprisingly, my 390 Duke, which is considered a 'non- city' motorcycle seems much more comfortable in the city, apart from the heat being emitted by that mad engine! And that brings me to the conclusion of my analysis, that adventure motorcycles are so practical for a playground like ours.
A long travel suspension setup and large front wheel would make those huge craters seem like minor bumps on the road, an upright position would ensure you're comfortable and focussed enough to react quickly to jaywalkers and selfie obsessed people. Large tank capacities ensure you don't have to stand in queues at bunks to fill up often. It's easy to manoeuvre most adventure motorcycles quickly through traffic in case you got late to office.
The overall look and feel of these motorcycles too is robust and rugged, making them up for any game the cities throw at you, be it the flooded streets of Mumbai in July or the aftermath of a hailstorm in Bangalore that covers the roads with branches, tree trunks and a few broken cars occasionally.
The pillion too would remain relaxed, especially when it comes to half their butt not being exposed to the audience behind, like on a faired motorcycle. Best part- you could make last minute plans to head out to the nearest trail after you've called in sick at the office! ;)
Adventure motorcycles sort of, bring two polarities of the 21st century quite close. They've got to be practicality and fun and that's quite a rare combination! isn't it??
By: Ssaajan Manoj Jogia
Our country's known for erm Taj Mahal and a lot of heat that can actually lit up everything but common sense, according to my college economics text book. If I had to mention another point, it would be the miserable state of our roads. And that's when an adventure motorcycle comes to my mind.
I've experienced this real hand when my KTM Duke 390 was a street motorcycle. And now that it isn't, since the suspension has been thrashed around on trails and of course in the Ladakh region while it beared the weight of my aluminium panniers.
As a result, it is now very similar to an adventure motorcycle. Since I'm short, the seating posture is upright, I've gotten used to the hard seat so it's pretty comfortable, the rear suspension is now so soft that it needs to be replaced and vibrations from the engine have reduced significantly which I think could be related to the fact that it's crossed the 50000 kms mark.I commute to office on my scooter which is a Honda Dio. Crashing into potholes on it feels like the front suspension doesn't exist and the ride itself gets quite uncomfortable if you remain on the saddle for more than an hour two.
Surprisingly, my 390 Duke, which is considered a 'non- city' motorcycle seems much more comfortable in the city, apart from the heat being emitted by that mad engine! And that brings me to the conclusion of my analysis, that adventure motorcycles are so practical for a playground like ours.
A long travel suspension setup and large front wheel would make those huge craters seem like minor bumps on the road, an upright position would ensure you're comfortable and focussed enough to react quickly to jaywalkers and selfie obsessed people. Large tank capacities ensure you don't have to stand in queues at bunks to fill up often. It's easy to manoeuvre most adventure motorcycles quickly through traffic in case you got late to office. The overall look and feel of these motorcycles too is robust and rugged, making them up for any game the cities throw at you, be it the flooded streets of Mumbai in July or the aftermath of a hailstorm in Bangalore that covers the roads with branches, tree trunks and a few broken cars occasionally.
The pillion too would remain relaxed, especially when it comes to half their butt not being exposed to the audience behind, like on a faired motorcycle. Best part- you could make last minute plans to head out to the nearest trail after you've called in sick at the office! ;) Adventure motorcycles sort of, bring two polarities of the 21st century quite close. They've got to be practicality and fun and that's quite a rare combination! isn't it??
By: Ssaajan Manoj Jogia