Touring on a Supersport.

“This won’t be good for long rides”, they said. “It will break your back”, they said. Ever since I got her, people always questioned her touring capabilities (or mine, maybe). Yeah, she’s built for the track but that doesn’t mean she would be a pain for some long tours! I have had her for 2 and a half years now and had ridden around 250 km atmost in a day. I always wanted to take her beyond the state and Goa was the nearest scenic road. Yeah, Khardung-La is on the list too. Both these trips never took off.

This time things were different. I was not going to ride with my group. A solo ride from Mumbai to Hyderabad! There was no chance I was gonna let this go! After a little research, I found the roads were bad, really BAD. The estimated travel time was 14 hrs as per Google maps. I had 3 weeks to prep myself and my motorcycle for the ride.

With a 1300+km round trip with no/broken tarmac awaiting us, I had to get her serviced. With the service done, the next thing was a new rear tyre. So, now donning a Michelin Pilot Sport, she was ready for her first big adventure.

Not having any riding gears for touring, I hopped in racing leathers and a duffle bag strapped on the pillion seat, I set off at sunrise from Navi Mumbai. With no traffic on the route and some photo sessions en route, I managed to reach Pune (110 km) in 2 hours. After a 10 min break, I was back on my motorcycle. The next 20 odd kilometres were through the city. Equipped with a shitty phone that did not help me with the right route, it took me a harrowing hour and a half to cross the city. The puny 9.5 litre fuel tank meant I had to stop for refuelling every 250 km.

It was getting frustrating and finally, a hoarding welcoming us to the Pune-Solapur highway was visible! After a few kilometres on the highway, there was no traffic! Just us, on a long, beautiful tarmac stretch with the post-monsoon greenery in its full glory! To compensate for the lost time in the city, I opened up the throttle ‘a bit’. Within the next 2 hours, I was 350 km away from Hyderabad. I stopped to refuel and stretch my legs. After refuelling and adjusting the bag, I was about to hop on my motorcycle, when I realised, I was surrounded by a bunch of curious locals. With questions ranging from the top speed and price of the motorcycle to my riding gears. Upon realising I had a camera mounted on my helmet, they made sure their hair game was on point! After a 10 min Q and A session, I was back on the road. By afternoon, I had completed half my journey. I was gleaming with pride! I had reached Solapur an hour prior than the estimated time. Somewhere on the outskirts of the city, I stopped for lunch. Enquired about the route ahead. Just like the fuel station, the curious restaurant staff gathered to know more about the bike and the trip. After a 30 mins halt, I resumed the journey.

Things started getting a little tough from Solapur. Carpets of rubble and clouds of dust welcomed me! The Sun made sure I did not miss him. And to top it off, a truck broke down on a narrow slope, bringing the traffic to a complete halt. I decided to take a 15 min break as the engine heat began to roast my legs. After checking with the local bus drivers about the road conditions ahead, I resumed. It took me harrowing 3 hrs to complete the 100km stretch. Once I was past the Maharashtra border, things were getting better again.

It was 5:30 pm and my destination was just 140 km away. I was going at a good pace. The weather was pleasant and the long, smooth tarmac stretches were back! My friend in Hyderabad updated me regarding the downpour there. Luckily, I was prepared! I wore the raincoat over my leathers, switched from the gauntlets to mesh gloves and resumed.

Soon, it began to pour heavily! The heavens crackled! It was the craziest thunderstorm that I ever rode in! The repacking of the luggage and waterproofing myself had cost me close to an hour. With unfamiliar roads, no streetlights and heavy rains, my pace had dropped drastically. After 2 hours of getting lost in the unknown city and being stuck in waterlogged, choc-a-bloc traffic, I finally saw that lovely face for whom I had planned this ride and all the frustration vanished!

After 13 hours of being on the road with a supersport, slaying all kinds of ‘difficulties’, I can vouch for my motorcycle’s (and my :P) touring capabilities. So, next time anyone points you can’t tour with your supersport, get on the saddle and prove them wrong!