My Journey to Leh

[Khagesh]

Stumbling is not always a bad thing...

Especially when one stumbles upon a gem of a travelogue like this! This is a truly timeless recount of your astounding journey of grit and determination.



Khagesh ji.. all I can say is.. the legacy continues...

Thank you.

The inspiration is something we receive and pass it on to someone else for the light must shine all the time, my intention of writing the travelogues was just that.

Comin gto grit and determination, frankly tell you what... Its not just me, I think anyone would have done the same in given circumstances.

In fact, my mettle was tested to limits in my Nepal journey where oxygen level fell down to 65 (now people with 90 panic and rush to hospitals).

Shackleton returned just 90 miles off his destination, the South Pole and when his wife asked how he could do that for which he answers, my wife would prefer a live rat than a dead lion. Truly here is one's grit put at test. So tempting, yet not fall prey to it. The temptations are so strong, having endured so much, destination within sight, yet, one must be brave not to fall for it.

Thank you once again.

 

[sayshh]

So tempting, yet not fall prey to it. The temptations are so strong, having endured so much, destination within sight, yet, one must be brave not to fall for it.

This is so true. Not to succumb to the temptation is the real test of one's maturity. To turn back from a point that's stone's throw away (relatively) from destination requires a lot of determination.

One of my favourite supporting quotes for this during treks used to be:

"Getting to the top is optional, getting down is mandatory" (~ Ed Viesturs)

The other quotes from your travelogue that resonate with me:

“There are bold pilots, there are old pilots, but there are no old bold pilots.”

Better be a live rat at home than a dead lion on Pongang Tso.

 

[Khagesh]

"Getting to the top is optional, getting down is mandatory" (~ Ed Viesturs)

So true. Resisting a temptation requires a lot of maturity as you said.

 

[Rohit Allavali]

Dear Khagesh Sir,

1. Modesty thy name is Khagesh (Khokhar?)

2. Read 'em all but nothing like yours. Satinderpedia seems offline now-a-days.

3. That lovely lady in Pang is named Tashi Dolma. Muaaah.

View attachment 792128

4. Aviator. Farmer. Sculptor. Teacher. Traveller. Philosopher. Khagesh.

5. That's called Pench Tiger Reserve. And its got a MP Tourism resort called Kipling's Court. What of the hunting, hunter bold? Brother, the watch was long and cold.........

6. By the way, the engine in your Platina 100cc is a Kawasaki motor. Originally came in Bajaj 4S Champion in the late 1990s and then (like a true Bajaj) found its way in Caliber, Discover, Platina, Boxer, CT 100....AARRRGHHH!!!!!

Its a legend. And so are you, dear Sir.

Smooch!

Dear Rohit,

With many topics rolled over here, this doesn't seem to be a mere travelogue anymore; may be an insight memoir?

Though I saw your reply yesterday, I knew its something that can not be answered in a hurry and I was whacked out yesterday.

To begin with I feel little awkward when being addressed Sir even by my students. You know the story I presume; I am never knighted nor I wish either for we all know who were given knighthood.

1. My name is Khagesh and Khokar is the family name. Its not common in the place where I live; a tiny hamlet in the district of Mahabubnagar of Telangana. Khokar; my father was Punjab and mother, native of Telangana. Hence the surname Khokar.

2. Satinderpedia! Well said Rohit. Thich shows that you too read extensively on this website.

3. When I saw this photograph, trust me, my heart missed a beat. Thank you so much. This lady, so kind, so motherly. I remember she kept on feeding me this and that on that night till I retired to my tent. Tashi Dolma, how cruel of me not knowing or remembering her name atleast. I still remember vividly, she was arguing with someone outside the tent that she can not allow them inside my tiny tent where me and my bike were resting. Thank you so much for the photograph. Are you too there in the Picture Rohit? You know what, when I stopped for my late lunch, she said either I can stay there in that tent or a few feet away there is on more too, run by her daughter. I took a look, that was bit more organised with few cots and so on. But somehow, I felt more homely with Tashi and stayed there.

4. Naa, told you, just jack of all... that is all. I have a Desi cow which I call her Ammu. I dont know why, but just wanted to mention it to you.

5. So nice, that you love poetry. Me too. But not an avid reader, at least these days.

6. Ah, you have good knowledge of engines. My knowledge is limited to one that we dealt with microlights. At the early stages we used to have Yezdi 250 to a single seater engine which performed very well. Then Yamaha 350 for two seaters but always had problems with cooling system, the pistons used to freeze. Fedup of modifications, ignition, timings and all that we simply switched to Rotax 512 and then on wards no single seaters produced. Then came Simoneni for single seater aircrafts with a different aviation company.

Well, thats it. Take care.

Khagesh
[/QUOTE]


Dear Khagesh Sir,

Time flies, but Covid doesn't (won't?)

My apologies for the late reply. Hope all is well at your end. How is Ammu?

Yezdi engine was indeed good, with only 3 moving parts, what could go wrong as long as it was well fed with oil. But one could not apply the same logic to the Yamdoot 350 2 stroke engine which seized so often that it was called the Yamaha 350 'Epilepsy" engine. And when it siezes and you crash and the soul leaves your body, you too become 'microlight'. If only the Japanese had made this engine during the 1940s, it may have prevented the Pearl Harbour attack - as the saying goes, in order to fight a war, first you have to get there.

Does Simonini have a long history of making aviation engines? I thought they were known more for their motorcycle engines.

I'd love to go on Leh trip on my Yezdi Roadking with you. What say Sir?

Cheers

 

[Khagesh]

Dear Rohit,

With many topics rolled over here, this doesn't seem to be a mere travelogue anymore; may be an insight memoir?

Though I saw your reply yesterday, I knew its something that can not be answered in a hurry and I was whacked out yesterday.

To begin with I feel little awkward when being addressed Sir even by my students. You know the story I presume; I am never knighted nor I wish either for we all know who were given knighthood.

1. My name is Khagesh and Khokar is the family name. Its not common in the place where I live; a tiny hamlet in the district of Mahabubnagar of Telangana. Khokar; my father was Punjab and mother, native of Telangana. Hence the surname Khokar.

2. Satinderpedia! Well said Rohit. Thich shows that you too read extensively on this website.

3. When I saw this photograph, trust me, my heart missed a beat. Thank you so much. This lady, so kind, so motherly. I remember she kept on feeding me this and that on that night till I retired to my tent. Tashi Dolma, how cruel of me not knowing or remembering her name atleast. I still remember vividly, she was arguing with someone outside the tent that she can not allow them inside my tiny tent where me and my bike were resting. Thank you so much for the photograph. Are you too there in the Picture Rohit? You know what, when I stopped for my late lunch, she said either I can stay there in that tent or a few feet away there is on more too, run by her daughter. I took a look, that was bit more organised with few cots and so on. But somehow, I felt more homely with Tashi and stayed there.

4. Naa, told you, just jack of all... that is all. I have a Desi cow which I call her Ammu. I dont know why, but just wanted to mention it to you.

5. So nice, that you love poetry. Me too. But not an avid reader, at least these days.

6. Ah, you have good knowledge of engines. My knowledge is limited to one that we dealt with microlights. At the early stages we used to have Yezdi 250 to a single seater engine which performed very well. Then Yamaha 350 for two seaters but always had problems with cooling system, the pistons used to freeze. Fedup of modifications, ignition, timings and all that we simply switched to Rotax 512 and then on wards no single seaters produced. Then came Simoneni for single seater aircrafts with a different aviation company.

Well, thats it. Take care.

Khagesh

Dear Khagesh Sir,

Time flies, but Covid doesn't (won't?)

My apologies for the late reply. Hope all is well at your end. How is Ammu?

Yezdi engine was indeed good, with only 3 moving parts, what could go wrong as long as it was well fed with oil. But one could not apply the same logic to the Yamdoot 350 2 stroke engine which seized so often that it was called the Yamaha 350 'Epilepsy" engine. And when it siezes and you crash and the soul leaves your body, you too become 'microlight'. If only the Japanese had made this engine during the 1940s, it may have prevented the Pearl Harbour attack - as the saying goes, in order to fight a war, first you have to get there.

Does Simonini have a long history of making aviation engines? I thought they were known more for their motorcycle engines.

I'd love to go on Leh trip on my Yezdi Roadking with you. What say Sir?

Cheers
[/QUOTE]

Dear Rohit,

Yes this Covid did not spare me either, not exactly me, but my wife was tested positive and now she is fine, negative. But in between.... one can imagine the trauma... thus my late reply too. All is well at the end by the grace of God.

Yes, Yezdi engines are very simple and easy to maintain. So you have Roadking! This was the once dream bike but with the advent of 100 cc era, took a back seat and finally led to the closure of Ideal Jawa factory. Well it restarted its production now. Do you have the recent Roadking?

By virtue of flying field with maximum usage of local resources I am exposed to these engines. Yamaha 350 we used to use for two seaters. But since its twin cylinder one, the rear cylinder used to heat up and seize many times. Imagine the seizure of engine when you are flying low especially during take off. Well, I did not come across with any fatality though. Tried cooling duct but overall, the Yezdi 250 for single seaters was a gem by itself.

But Yamaha engine and Pearl Harbour, how they are connected? Love to know. The story of Pearl Harbour, as we know it, is biased I suppose. Do you know why exactly Japan had to attack Pearl Harbour? US was conducting underwater nuclear test not very far from it. I dont know how many know this part. Not just the movie Tora Tora Tora... much more to it. Our history books are written by distorians not by historians.

Yes, Simonini is famous for racing engines but it does produce uncertified aircraft engines too. Prior to that, we used to use Rotax engines. We started Rotax since Yamaha 350 was giving us problems, not just cooling, but Escorts stopped the production of 350.

How does the Roadking behave on long rides? I noticed the shock absorbers aren 't that great. On my Jawa a short trip from Coimbatore to Mysore and back itself was tiresome those days.

Yes, I too love a long trip with you; looks like we make a good company. May be a long trek too. Tomorrow is a mystery, let it unfold.

Take care and most of all... be SAFE.

Bye,
Khagesh

 

[Rohit Allavali]

Dear Khagesh Sir,

Time flies, but Covid doesn't (won't?)

My apologies for the late reply. Hope all is well at your end. How is Ammu?

Yezdi engine was indeed good, with only 3 moving parts, what could go wrong as long as it was well fed with oil. But one could not apply the same logic to the Yamdoot 350 2 stroke engine which seized so often that it was called the Yamaha 350 'Epilepsy" engine. And when it siezes and you crash and the soul leaves your body, you too become 'microlight'. If only the Japanese had made this engine during the 1940s, it may have prevented the Pearl Harbour attack - as the saying goes, in order to fight a war, first you have to get there.

Does Simonini have a long history of making aviation engines? I thought they were known more for their motorcycle engines.

I'd love to go on Leh trip on my Yezdi Roadking with you. What say Sir?

Cheers

Dear Rohit,

Yes this Covid did not spare me either, not exactly me, but my wife was tested positive and now she is fine, negative. But in between.... one can imagine the trauma... thus my late reply too. All is well at the end by the grace of God.

Yes, Yezdi engines are very simple and easy to maintain. So you have Roadking! This was the once dream bike but with the advent of 100 cc era, took a back seat and finally led to the closure of Ideal Jawa factory. Well it restarted its production now. Do you have the recent Roadking?

By virtue of flying field with maximum usage of local resources I am exposed to these engines. Yamaha 350 we used to use for two seaters. But since its twin cylinder one, the rear cylinder used to heat up and seize many times. Imagine the seizure of engine when you are flying low especially during take off. Well, I did not come across with any fatality though. Tried cooling duct but overall, the Yezdi 250 for single seaters was a gem by itself.

But Yamaha engine and Pearl Harbour, how they are connected? Love to know. The story of Pearl Harbour, as we know it, is biased I suppose. Do you know why exactly Japan had to attack Pearl Harbour? US was conducting underwater nuclear test not very far from it. I dont know how many know this part. Not just the movie Tora Tora Tora... much more to it. Our history books are written by distorians not by historians.

Yes, Simonini is famous for racing engines but it does produce uncertified aircraft engines too. Prior to that, we used to use Rotax engines. We started Rotax since Yamaha 350 was giving us problems, not just cooling, but Escorts stopped the production of 350.

How does the Roadking behave on long rides? I noticed the shock absorbers aren 't that great. On my Jawa a short trip from Coimbatore to Mysore and back itself was tiresome those days.

Yes, I too love a long trip with you; looks like we make a good company. May be a long trek too. Tomorrow is a mystery, let it unfold.

Take care and most of all... be SAFE.

Bye,
Khagesh
[/QUOTE]
Dear Khagesh Sir,

Thanks for your reply. Hope ma'am is good by now.
And Ammu?

I have 1994 Roadking with CDI ignition. Old gold 250cc 16bhp 2 stroke with 2 smoking barrels. What they are making now is called a Jawa, comes with a 4 stroke 300cc 28ps Chinese Loncin engine with 2 exhausts (out of which only one is real, the other is a fake). Sales are poor, though the motorcycle looks good.

Whoa I an imagine a cylinder siezing at take off, a proper butt clenching experience. You guys had some gall to attempt a Yamdoot 350 twin in a micro light, as the World War II pilots sang...on a wing and a prayer....

Yamaha at Pearl Harbour = sized engines = planes do not reach pearl Harbour = joke.

Roadking is lovely on long trips. Oh that sound is good enough to forget the sadist suspension. Just keep rolling the throttle back at 60kmph and it's coitus interruptis (sorry, mods).

You had a Jawa sir, wow. Why'd you sell it? Any pics?

Let covid pass through Sir, and I will kidnap you from Andhra and then we will ride and trek. Thanks for your blessings.

Take care sir.
R

 

[Khagesh]

Dear Rohit,

Yes this Covid did not spare me either, not exactly me, but my wife was tested positive and now she is fine, negative. But in between.... one can imagine the trauma... thus my late reply too. All is well at the end by the grace of God.

Yes, Yezdi engines are very simple and easy to maintain. So you have Roadking! This was the once dream bike but with the advent of 100 cc era, took a back seat and finally led to the closure of Ideal Jawa factory. Well it restarted its production now. Do you have the recent Roadking?

By virtue of flying field with maximum usage of local resources I am exposed to these engines. Yamaha 350 we used to use for two seaters. But since its twin cylinder one, the rear cylinder used to heat up and seize many times. Imagine the seizure of engine when you are flying low especially during take off. Well, I did not come across with any fatality though. Tried cooling duct but overall, the Yezdi 250 for single seaters was a gem by itself.

But Yamaha engine and Pearl Harbour, how they are connected? Love to know. The story of Pearl Harbour, as we know it, is biased I suppose. Do you know why exactly Japan had to attack Pearl Harbour? US was conducting underwater nuclear test not very far from it. I dont know how many know this part. Not just the movie Tora Tora Tora... much more to it. Our history books are written by distorians not by historians.

Yes, Simonini is famous for racing engines but it does produce uncertified aircraft engines too. Prior to that, we used to use Rotax engines. We started Rotax since Yamaha 350 was giving us problems, not just cooling, but Escorts stopped the production of 350.

How does the Roadking behave on long rides? I noticed the shock absorbers aren 't that great. On my Jawa a short trip from Coimbatore to Mysore and back itself was tiresome those days.

Yes, I too love a long trip with you; looks like we make a good company. May be a long trek too. Tomorrow is a mystery, let it unfold.

Take care and most of all... be SAFE.

Bye,
Khagesh

Dear Khagesh Sir,

Thanks for your reply. Hope ma'am is good by now.
And Ammu?

I have 1994 Roadking with CDI ignition. Old gold 250cc 16bhp 2 stroke with 2 smoking barrels. What they are making now is called a Jawa, comes with a 4 stroke 300cc 28ps Chinese Loncin engine with 2 exhausts (out of which only one is real, the other is a fake). Sales are poor, though the motorcycle looks good.

Whoa I an imagine a cylinder siezing at take off, a proper butt clenching experience. You guys had some gall to attempt a Yamdoot 350 twin in a micro light, as the World War II pilots sang...on a wing and a prayer....

Yamaha at Pearl Harbour = sized engines = planes do not reach pearl Harbour = joke.

Roadking is lovely on long trips. Oh that sound is good enough to forget the sadist suspension. Just keep rolling the throttle back at 60kmph and it's coitus interruptis (sorry, mods).

You had a Jawa sir, wow. Why'd you sell it? Any pics?

Let covid pass through Sir, and I will kidnap you from Andhra and then we will ride and trek. Thanks for your blessings.

Take care sir.
R
[/QUOTE]

Dear Rohit,

Thank you for your touching and amusing reply.

By the grace of God she is recovered fully excepting to weakness which is will remain for sometime I suppose.

Ammu? she is fine but tell you taking care of a cow is a full time job. Gow Seva, but very very tiring , especially when one is not a full time farmer. . Never in my life I imagined I would milk a cow.

Ah CDI ignition, really a blessing. We started off using these engines on our single seaters before the advent of CDI. Frequent adjustment of the points, adjusting the BTDC. In our company we had a Yezdi 350cc, even that did not had a CDI! But tell you, the power and the weight of the bike, yet sleek were impressive. Roadking, is really a king of the road, the explanation on suspension... lol...

But tell you what Rohit, with these jets carburetors, at high altitudes, may need tuning in your Leh trip for high altitude performance. We used a bigger jet (dont remember the size) and proper airscrew adjustment on our single seaters. I ready many a times in the travelogues they fiddle something to compensate less oxygen in air their in Ladakh region.

For my Platina, I never touched anything excepting brake adjustments now and then. First time, I felt the importance of the front brake on those steep and tight bends in the road.

Yes, I used to own a Jawa with round cylinder head, 250cc. Being in Mysore those flying days, I knew this Jawa factory and Rian Irani who also was a flying enthusiast. Pictures of my Jawa? Sorry, no; you can imagine the era of film roll cameras. I did not sell it, I just gave it to one of my uncles mainly because it was with TN registration and me being in AP. As I type this, I realize even my present Platina is also TN registered one!

I just had a joy ride or just to load the aircraft I had rides on Yamaha 350 two seaters but never at controls. By the time I went for a proper training Rotax 350 replaced this Yamaha 350 engines. Interesting enough, never had any fatality even though with many engine seizure cases which mainly was due to cooling duct failure.

Kidnap? lol.. thanks. As I mentioned earlier, tomorrow is a mystery and thats what makes tomorrow exciting.

Take care Rohit. Bye now.
Khagesh

 

[Rohit Allavali]

Dear Khagesh Sir,

Thanks for your reply. Hope ma'am is good by now.
And Ammu?

I have 1994 Roadking with CDI ignition. Old gold 250cc 16bhp 2 stroke with 2 smoking barrels. What they are making now is called a Jawa, comes with a 4 stroke 300cc 28ps Chinese Loncin engine with 2 exhausts (out of which only one is real, the other is a fake). Sales are poor, though the motorcycle looks good.

Whoa I an imagine a cylinder siezing at take off, a proper butt clenching experience. You guys had some gall to attempt a Yamdoot 350 twin in a micro light, as the World War II pilots sang...on a wing and a prayer....

Yamaha at Pearl Harbour = sized engines = planes do not reach pearl Harbour = joke.

Roadking is lovely on long trips. Oh that sound is good enough to forget the sadist suspension. Just keep rolling the throttle back at 60kmph and it's coitus interruptis (sorry, mods).

You had a Jawa sir, wow. Why'd you sell it? Any pics?

Let covid pass through Sir, and I will kidnap you from Andhra and then we will ride and trek. Thanks for your blessings.

Take care sir.
R

Dear Rohit,

Thank you for your touching and amusing reply.

By the grace of God she is recovered fully excepting to weakness which is will remain for sometime I suppose.

Ammu? she is fine but tell you taking care of a cow is a full time job. Gow Seva, but very very tiring , especially when one is not a full time farmer. . Never in my life I imagined I would milk a cow.

Ah CDI ignition, really a blessing. We started off using these engines on our single seaters before the advent of CDI. Frequent adjustment of the points, adjusting the BTDC. In our company we had a Yezdi 350cc, even that did not had a CDI! But tell you, the power and the weight of the bike, yet sleek were impressive. Roadking, is really a king of the road, the explanation on suspension... lol...

But tell you what Rohit, with these jets carburetors, at high altitudes, may need tuning in your Leh trip for high altitude performance. We used a bigger jet (dont remember the size) and proper airscrew adjustment on our single seaters. I ready many a times in the travelogues they fiddle something to compensate less oxygen in air their in Ladakh region.

For my Platina, I never touched anything excepting brake adjustments now and then. First time, I felt the importance of the front brake on those steep and tight bends in the road.

Yes, I used to own a Jawa with round cylinder head, 250cc. Being in Mysore those flying days, I knew this Jawa factory and Rian Irani who also was a flying enthusiast. Pictures of my Jawa? Sorry, no; you can imagine the era of film roll cameras. I did not sell it, I just gave it to one of my uncles mainly because it was with TN registration and me being in AP. As I type this, I realize even my present Platina is also TN registered one!

I just had a joy ride or just to load the aircraft I had rides on Yamaha 350 two seaters but never at controls. By the time I went for a proper training Rotax 350 replaced this Yamaha 350 engines. Interesting enough, never had any fatality even though with many engine seizure cases which mainly was due to cooling duct failure.

Kidnap? lol.. thanks. As I mentioned earlier, tomorrow is a mystery and thats what makes tomorrow exciting.

Take care Rohit. Bye now.
Khagesh
[/QUOTE]
Dear Khagesh Sir,

Thanks for your kind words.

About the cow, you're lucky that you at least get to drink pure milk unlike us urbanites who probably drink (Chinese?) diluted urea paste. So drinking pure milk gives you the power to reach Leh on a 100cc putterette.

I know the pain of adjusting CB points since I have a '98 model Bullet. But adjusting TDC/BDC/BTDC on a single seater microlight engine just makes you dread the word 'Dead'. Top or bottom, once you are dead, it doesn't matter, especially on a seized Yamdoot 350cc engine. There I go again (unlike the Yamdoot engine).

Yeah Sir, the main jet pilot jet blah (oh the quest for the right orifice, at all altitudes....men will be men). On a more serious note, it's easier to play with jets on a carb than scratching your head when the ECU blows off. Technology is a necessary evil, like me.

Your Platina worked flawlessly because of 2 major points:

1. Its got a tried and tested Kawasaki engine.
2. You're a good man, God loves you.

Yeah the Iranis, sometimes I think all good automotive things in Hindustan involve the Parsis. By the way Sir, do you know, they've razed down the Ideal Jawa factory in Mysore and there's a big mall there now in its place? Sob sob...

Do check out this link Sir, you'll like it: Royal Enfield 1975 Bullet 350 road trip to Chennai: Story Of My Life

Is your uncle still around, if yes, please ask when what he did to your Jawa - would make for interesting reading.

Having read your thread multiple times, I must ask now: WHY? Why did you travel to Leh on a Platina?

Take care Sir.

Regards,
Rohit

 

[Khagesh]

Dear Rohit,

Thank you for your touching and amusing reply.

By the grace of God she is recovered fully excepting to weakness which is will remain for sometime I suppose.

Ammu? she is fine but tell you taking care of a cow is a full time job. Gow Seva, but very very tiring , especially when one is not a full time farmer. . Never in my life I imagined I would milk a cow.

Ah CDI ignition, really a blessing. We started off using these engines on our single seaters before the advent of CDI. Frequent adjustment of the points, adjusting the BTDC. In our company we had a Yezdi 350cc, even that did not had a CDI! But tell you, the power and the weight of the bike, yet sleek were impressive. Roadking, is really a king of the road, the explanation on suspension... lol...

But tell you what Rohit, with these jets carburetors, at high altitudes, may need tuning in your Leh trip for high altitude performance. We used a bigger jet (dont remember the size) and proper airscrew adjustment on our single seaters. I ready many a times in the travelogues they fiddle something to compensate less oxygen in air their in Ladakh region.

For my Platina, I never touched anything excepting brake adjustments now and then. First time, I felt the importance of the front brake on those steep and tight bends in the road.

Yes, I used to own a Jawa with round cylinder head, 250cc. Being in Mysore those flying days, I knew this Jawa factory and Rian Irani who also was a flying enthusiast. Pictures of my Jawa? Sorry, no; you can imagine the era of film roll cameras. I did not sell it, I just gave it to one of my uncles mainly because it was with TN registration and me being in AP. As I type this, I realize even my present Platina is also TN registered one!

I just had a joy ride or just to load the aircraft I had rides on Yamaha 350 two seaters but never at controls. By the time I went for a proper training Rotax 350 replaced this Yamaha 350 engines. Interesting enough, never had any fatality even though with many engine seizure cases which mainly was due to cooling duct failure.

Kidnap? lol.. thanks. As I mentioned earlier, tomorrow is a mystery and thats what makes tomorrow exciting.

Take care Rohit. Bye now.
Khagesh

Dear Khagesh Sir,

Thanks for your kind words.

About the cow, you're lucky that you at least get to drink pure milk unlike us urbanites who probably drink (Chinese?) diluted urea paste. So drinking pure milk gives you the power to reach Leh on a 100cc putterette.

I know the pain of adjusting CB points since I have a '98 model Bullet. But adjusting TDC/BDC/BTDC on a single seater microlight engine just makes you dread the word 'Dead'. Top or bottom, once you are dead, it doesn't matter, especially on a seized Yamdoot 350cc engine. There I go again (unlike the Yamdoot engine).

Yeah Sir, the main jet pilot jet blah (oh the quest for the right orifice, at all altitudes....men will be men). On a more serious note, it's easier to play with jets on a carb than scratching your head when the ECU blows off. Technology is a necessary evil, like me.

Your Platina worked flawlessly because of 2 major points:

1. Its got a tried and tested Kawasaki engine.
2. You're a good man, God loves you.

Yeah the Iranis, sometimes I think all good automotive things in Hindustan involve the Parsis. By the way Sir, do you know, they've razed down the Ideal Jawa factory in Mysore and there's a big mall there now in its place? Sob sob...

Do check out this link Sir, you'll like it: Royal Enfield 1975 Bullet 350 road trip to Chennai: Story Of My Life

Is your uncle still around, if yes, please ask when what he did to your Jawa - would make for interesting reading.

Having read your thread multiple times, I must ask now: WHY? Why did you travel to Leh on a Platina?

Take care Sir.

Regards,
Rohit
[/QUOTE]

Dear Rohit,

Thanking for my kind 'words'? My words are far far behind your eloquent 'Story of My Life'. Quite interesting; I have gone through every word of it. Subject, hardly matters but how one narrates skillfully is totally a different art which you are very good at. While reading the saga of your ride believe me you were giving me impression that I was watching that good old Mel Gibson's Mad Max movie especially while reading that Rider Mania part at Goa. The story is simply gripping (at least from an intellectual perspective).

Whatever the little exposure with engines mainly comes by virtue of my association with microlight flying field at its infancy in India. Yezdi, Yamaha, ah, no one has either time or interest when easy options of importing Rotax, Simonini are near tailor made for the job, is available. Remember even the Gypsy engine had to be run-in when bought new? These days, bikers wouldnt even know what a running in, they need not, blame it on the technology. Just out of the show room, full throttle and zoom. The running in makes me recall an incident when we were in Coimbatore. The engine was running in with half throttle open and after half an hour or so into it, suddenly we hear a shattering sound when we rush to the scene, the propeller flew off the building of nearly hundred feet! Luckily no one around.

So, what I learnt was by experience not by any qualification. If something went wrong with the engine, it is most likely with either the fuel or the ignition. Rarely mechanical problems. So when I was reading that chocked fuel filter, the spluttering sound part of your story, instantly I knew, its a typical problem. Well, with four strokes its bit complicated I suppose; taped settings and all that, which I have not much exposure.

Na, BTDC etc is not that difficult, any layman can do it with a vernier caliper; just remove your spark plug, poke the caliper in, measure and tighten the contact points.

Yeah, Platina performed flawlessly, even on my Mustang, KTM Nepal trip. Did not even had a single puncture either. nor skipped a heart beat. Just adjusting the breaks now and then especially while in those scary inclinations of Hitauda road; even in first gear, clutch fully released, the bike was galloping at crazy speeds on those steep inclinations with all those tight hair pin bends. Its simple Rohit, the bike may be all nuts and bolts, but one should 'feel' the machine if she is happy or straining. I think this plays a major role apart from the blessing of the God always. I felt he was riding and I was just a pillion rider as I mentioned somehwere.

Ammu? Well, its a desi cow. Lucky? well, one wouldnt know the amount of time and energy both physically and mentally it consumes, especially for who is not a full time farmer.. My delay in replying you is also due to this.

Why I journeyed to Leh? To be frank, why people do such crazy things? Only thing that I understand is that; may be they want to find a vent for the energies accumulated. Some are made that way I suppose. I was planning this trip long long ago when there was no internet; absolutely no idea. I got a copy of atlast CDs made printouts, pasted them on some cloth to preserve. Wanted to do this trip on a bicycle to begin with. Those days of excitement finding the route, itinerary, luggage bag designing on the bicycle and what not. Bicycle always excites me , made a quite number of long trips on bicycle including Hyd Tirupathi, Cbe Ooty (nearly), Cbe Guruvayur and so on. These are called Human Powered Vehicles. So, nice, no? May be a sail fixed to it? ... may be a romantic fool that I am, especially at this age. Why Leh? Well, I wish I just could get lost in Himalayas forever. Only those who either made a solo trip or solo trek can understand this mystique Himalayas, the call of the mountains. Wanted to do Damodar Kunda on my Nepal trip, wanted solo to Mt Kailash which these xenophobic Chinese wouldnt allow a lone biker. Heard of Tsaparang Rohit? Now, sure, you would think that I am nuts.

Now, why Platina? ; well, by default. That is the only bike that I had; mind you, not owned, you can see the number plate TN reg. Not even the helmet that I was wearing. I borrowed it from a friend for the trip. Made the trip as simple as possible, not by chance but I had to make use every resource.

And, finally, is my travelogue hijacked by tennis of our mails? lol....

Take care,
Best regards,
Khagesh

 

[Rohit Allavali]

Dear Khagesh Sir,

Thank you once again for your words of encouragement, they mean a lot to me coming from a wise man like you.

Mad Max is actually a person having the balls to fly a microlight with a Yamdoot 350 engine (oh no, not again).

You are correct sir, new motorcycles do not need the 'classical' running in, unless they are Enfields heh heh heh.

I miss the old two stroke engines, just 3 moving parts, so statistically less prone to breakdowns. Four strokes are more complex, but nothing's more complex than human beings. Guess that's why people like you and I want to go to the mountains. Solo. Always.

Last year I was planning to buy Bajaj CT100, just like that, since it is essentially the same motorcycle as your Platina. Do you know the ex-showroom price? Just Rs. 32000. I love Bajaj auto for this. Too bad they discontinued it in the move to BS6.

So true sir, as Newton baba said, energy got to be transferred from one form to the other. Perhaps that's why all creative (=high energy) people have at least one kink. Van Gough, Da Vinci, Michaelangelo, you name it....

By the way, I don't think you're nuts at all, but I do think your, ahem, nuts are made of titanium...to attempt such a trip at that age, alone, on a unserviced Platina, with a broken helmet and a screwdriver+ tube. Did I miss anything?

Sir, have you heard of Shinji Kazama? The only man who has made it to both poles, Mt Everest, Mt. Kilimanjaro, and Mt. Fuji. On a motorcycle. Yes, on a motorcycle. I think he might be your long lost twin. When asked where does he want to ride his motorcycle next, he is known to have replied "to the moon". I think he might be your long lost cousin. Did you ever go to kumbh ka mela as a child?

The Remarkable Resilience Of Shinji Kazama

This 71-year-old seems unstoppable like the physical, concentrated force that compels all of us to ride. If he could, he wants to ride a motorcycle on the moon.

www.motorcyclistonline.com

How did ma'am allow you to leave on the Leh trip? And don't tell me she didn't allow and you just left ha ha.

By the way, sir, do you own any motorcycle now? Why not? And where's the Platina? Can we see a latest picture of you and/or Platina?

About hijacking your Travelogue, I would say that the pearls of wisdom in your replies to my inane posts have added even more charm to your trip.

Bye for now Sir. Take care.

Rohit