india to europe
 

Planning to ride to Europe in 2011,

I ride the royal Enfield with the unit construction engine and i am happy with the machine having crunched 14000 kms in the past one year.

I was looking to buy a bigger machine, and the sv1000 is available with a friend and he is looking to sell it, he has done only 12000 kms on it.

I need some help on this, is this the right machine to travel to Europe, is it comfortable to ride.

all suggestion are welcome.

Regards

Kishor :scooter:

tigerranch.co.in

Why not using the Enfield? :mchappy:
Do you own the 350cc or 500cc? Twin spark or injection?

I have both the Thunderbird 350 with carburettor and the classic 500 fuel injected..Cheers

Hello Kishor,
I have the same question as Icarus...why not use your bullet. Which route are you planning, through Afghanistan and enter Europe from the east or through Istanbul?
If you go through afghanistan, you have the karokarum Highway which is supposed to be beautiful.
Have you seen through the documentation required in India for the carnets?...I have visited the SAAI in Chennai and got some details. I have mentioned it in one of my previous post.

Regards,
Pare.

bike
 

the SV is a great bike and very reliable , great also if you carry a lot of gear or a passenger. In Europe a fast bike is always fun for HWY ride even if the RE can do it all I will still take the SV anytime , my experience after 12000 miles on a RE in India was not that much impress by the bike.

good luck

An Electra with the new fuel injected 500cc EFI engine would be my choice but as far as I know they are not offered yet in India.

You probably rode one of the older models but I can tell you they can't be compared to the new EFI based machines.

bike
 

you were right it was an older model of RE , I never tried the new one and will be curious to see how it does on the europeen HWY

Hi.. We have the 500cc EFI.. and I own one, I have crunched a lot of miles in india on the RE, I was wanting to buy a good bike for international travelling.

We in india having a limited choice of good sports tourers, I have come across two bikes sparingly used.

1. SV1000 naked
2. ZX9R kawasaki.

Which won to take, I am 51 years young, height 5'7".

Should be comfortable to ride long distance

Cheers

But is it the classic not the Electra, right?
I believe the Electra (different frame and wheel size) makes a better bike for travelling than the Classic.

I rode an enfield round india, was a 350 electra. Great machine - for india. Outside of india when the roads open up a bit you'd appreciate the faster machine! Thats my 2 cents anyway. Just go with the bike you like the most :)

Can imagine the sv to have a more relaxed riding position than the zx. What ever you choose, enjoy! :)

By the way, clicked on your website, were a few of you guys in manali end of July. Think i bumped into you.

Hutch

I have been very interested in the UCE, EFI 500 classic but have been searching forums to try and find out there reliability, a few I have read about have covered around 5-6000 trouble free miles, although one needed a total rebuild at around 3500miles.
By the time you start your journey I will have made up my mind as to whether the Enfield is my chosen bike.
Keep us all posted, and good luck.
Just skimmed through the 'Bike' mag road test and I must say I never take much notice of mag reports that are usually done by testers more used to 'rice rockets'. Brit, Italian and early BMWs received bad reviews after testers were riding machines that were not 'run-in' properly, The advice I listen to are those from current/previous owners.

Whats wrong with the diesel option Dave? Seems like the very thing for distance. Have you gone off them?

Hi Cammy, I have not gone off the Diesels but am considering selling the 412 Fuji Robin and just keeping the 347 Hatz, for anything serious the Enfield fits the bill, alright. the Hatz would be fine but should spares be needed it becomes somewhat akin to using an old brit bike or even a foreign classic bike, the Hatz could still be used, and you are more than welcome to having a ride on it when I am in your 'neck' of the woods!
:thumbup1:

I have seen the Hatz in Germany and it looks the business. I understand the point if the other bike could need spares when on the road. It's the same for many bikes I suppose. But diesel seems to be a solution in these days of hellish fuel prices.

Dear Pare
I have been riding an Enfield for a long time now, I trust in the bike but was looking at a better option as the ride would be around 8000 kms. I was thinking of avoiding Pakistan and ship the bike to the south east port of Iran Chabar. From here I want to ride to Europe, but can I ride through Pakistan and Afghanistan is it save. please advice

Kishor.

The Electra is 350 cc UCE engine and the classic has both 350 and 500cc. The later being Fuel injected. The Electra has 19" tyres and the classic has 18".

cheers

Hi
I was in Manali in the month of June and met a bunch of riders on BMW 1200GS, awesome bikes, would like to own one some day.

lets catch up the next time you in India, we can ride together.

Regards

Hello Kishor,
I was thinking of overlanding some five years ago through pakistan-istanbul- europe route. I was waiting for the conflict between india and pakistan to settle down. But, one day i will ride this route, may be KKH too...
Since, i wanted to visit europe, i just thought up of shipping to capetown and riding north. Now i am just planning little by little...hopefull all will get in place and i will ride the road :)

As of afghansitan, i have no firsthand data. But i remember a indian travelling in this route in 1992. saw a documentary in nat geo adventure. I have known french friends of mine going on this route, but yet to find any Indian. I would take it, but i am planing for studies sometime soon and dont want to be conflict regions as getting study visas becomes a problem with some countries.
Let me k now what you think.
Pare.

Yamaha Fazer 600 is what I got.. It is a new machine ridden only 1500 kms.

Now planning the ride..cheers

Hi! Even I am planning a similar trip early next year. Can you please share your trip plan / itinerary.

How are you targeting the visa issue?

I dont think Indians are allowed to travel through pakistan on bike. In case, there is a change, would love to know that. Reduces lots of hassel.

I am planning to ride for a cause.. will keep you informed if i find a way..beerchug