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Bangalore Coonoor on Royal Enfield

Route is indicated by green icons on the map. Return was on next day, indicated by red icons. Each marker was done when I had stopped for at least a 5 minute break. Click/hover on the marker to get info and odometer reading.

Open Google Route Map

Onward

Outside Ramanagaram at 6:30am. From here till Mysore, 2 hours non-stop ride!

• Early morning traffic was peaceful. Nobody on the roads to Mysore really. Very different when you are driving on weekends though.
• Route was Sony World - Hosur Road - NICE Road - Ramanagaram - Mysore City - Nanjangud - Gundlupet - Bandipur - Theppakkadu - Masinagudi - Ooty
• Overall about 330km. Took about 8 hours with about 1.25 hours break.
• I was apprehensive of climbing the Kallatti Ghat on a relatively new bike. Just pushed it - it climbed with no drama.
• Steady speed of 60kmph was followed mostly. Once in a while, went up to 70kmph for less than 1km, just to try the bike.
• The waterhole near Bandipur visitor’s center has all the trees burned down. Quite bad. This is the place where I had seen elephants, bisons and even a tiger across the road once before.

At Kallatti Ghats, hairpin bend 22 of 36

Yeah, 22 of 36 switchbacks!

Return

• Started at 7am. Didn’t want to come downhill via Kallatti. So took the long route via Gudalur.
• From Ooty till Gudalur, could not go above 40kmph. It was very cold - I had taken just one normal riding jacket. The road also had some broken sections. Much more scenic than Kallatti road.
• Had a long break for breakfast after Gudalur.
• Once into Bandipur, started seeing vacation crowd from Bangalore going uphill. Saw 2-3 other solo Enfield riders and two guys on a Triumph Bonneville.
• Stopped at Empire restaurant at Maddur for lunch. Great ambience, world’s most tasteless biriyani!
• After about 370km and 10 hours, reached home at just before 5pm. Overall took about 2 hours break this time.
• Ran into an elephant family at Bandipur national park. When their interest turned towards the bike, I stopped clicking and had to run :)

First some 3 elephants came out

Now it is getting crowded and scary!

Classic looks are great, but that seat is OK only for about 40 minutes. Unsuccessful attempt to make it easier!