To the hill top and back

When the weekend approaches, my mind goes into this phase where at random times during the day I’ll start day dreaming of where I’ll go for a ride next. Then comes the question of which motorcycle I’ll ride. This thought process normally starts on a Wednesday and goes on through till Friday. Somehow this week my luck changed and I got to go for a ride during the week. Albeit for a short distance but it was to a hill station. A good break from the Mumbai heat. 

It all started early in the morning. That’s the best time to leave for a ride, according to me at least. I swung my leg over the toweringly tall Kawasaki Versys 1000 at around 5am and started up the engine of this mammoth of a motorcycle. The sound that the 4cylinder engine makes is enough to wake anyone out their sleep and put you into kilometre munching mood.

It’s so peaceful early morning with only a few vehicles on the road and hardly any pedestrians trying sprinting manoeuvres and when you’re riding a litre class motorcycle, that’s the way you want it to be. Enough room on the road where you can cruise peacefully or even whack the throttle fully open if space provides.

The air was still and the temperature was just right for a morning ride. I had just gotten the oil changed in the motorcycle the night before and was trying out a new Shell Advance engine oil. I’m not sure what the oil did but as I started moving along in the morning, I noticed that the engine sounded a lot quieter. I wasn’t complaining because this Shell Advance is supposed to just that and more. 

My destination today was Lonavla. A short distance from Mumbai I know but the road to Lonavla has a good mix of sweeping corners, jumps (speed breakers) and a nice twisty section too. This new Shell Advance engine oil was working its magic throughout my ride. Gear shifting was smoother, you could feel the ease in throttle response improve and the vibrations were a lot less. I’m guessing the engine was happy because the motorcycle was performing like a pro. 

Once I reached Lonavla, it was time to take the motorcycle for a little off roading fun up the mountain. Round and round the mountain, cutting across a few paths and reaching a waterfall all in a few minutes. It was an exhilarating experience. But soon it was time to head back home to the hustle and bustle of city traffic. The ride back is never that much fun because you’ve already been to your pre-planned destination and all that’s left to do is go home. But if you’re riding a litre class motorcycle, the fun never ends.

Although I went out only for a short ride, the motorcycle was a lot of fun to ride both on and off the road. It handled well in the twisties and powered smoothly through the straights. The new Shell Advance engine oil also worked well with the motorcycle and two are now happily working in harmony to give me a better ride quality.