Rhapsodic Views

The Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350, this was my ride in Gujarat for 7 days. I must say i was very skeptical about picking this bike as my ride, having the option between this and the Classic 500. Both being RE bikes i was scared that I'd get stranded in the middle of nowhere for sure. For those of you who don't know, RE's have a rep of breaking down on long rides.
Finally i went with the decision of picking the Thunderbird as my ride due to the fact that it was technologically a tad bit more advanced than the classic 500 and was a bit more comfortable.

On my 1st day out on the highway i was doing 350kms from Ahmedabad to Bhuj. That's when i first got to experience the bike. I was used to cruising at 110-120kmph on the highways but on this bike hitting 100kmph was a big task and once i did hit 100kmph i was exposed to all kinds of new vibrations. My hands and feet would go numb if kept going at 100 for a few minutes. Also stopping the bike took a considerably longer distance and time than i was used to before. On top of that i was constantly hoping that the accelerator or clutch cable doesn't break or i don't get a puncture.
My 7 days with this bike were a love hate relationship. I loved how this bike could chug along at slow speeds and how comfortable the seat was and how big is fuel tank was. But hated it for its vibrations and handling and how long it took me to cover distances. The experience of riding it for 2400 kilometres did teach me a lot and helped me become a better rider. .

"In medieval times, Mandvi in Gujarat’s Kutch district was a thriving port. Founded by Maharao Khengarji I in 1580, it was a gateway to West Asia and Africa, buzzing with trade, located as it was at the intersection of the spice route and the camel caravan route.

As maritime trade grew, traders—belonging to the seafaring Kharva community of both Hindus and Muslims—developed a new expertise: boat-making and repairing to add to their traditional navigational skills. They became adept at building their own ships, known as dhows, for use in their thriving cargo trade. Today, this almost 400-year-old tradition and craft still endures, but is clearly slowly on its way out."