Ride to Tamarind Valley Collective
I wanted to visit TVC to monitor the construction of the house and help Kiran set up the fiber backbone for internet connectivity. TVC is roughly 90 kms from MG Road. It’s a good distance with a variety of road conditions to test my Yamaha and see how it performs over a long distance. If it can do 200+ Kms in a day, it can probably do 350 Kms. That’s the limit. And I don’t think I can ride more than that, on this motorcycle in a day. This ride was a bit longer than the previous ride and also not flat. It was also smoother than the last ride.
I left early at 6:20 AM and took a break in Anekal for breakfast at Raghavendra Bhawan. Then I took a photo break near Jawalagiri. And took some pictures. As usual, I forgot to put the side stand properly (it’s happened to me before), and while I was taking a picture, the vehicle fell. I went on to take pictures because it was a flat surface, not a ditch (thankfully). A while later, people gathered and picked up the bike. They thought I was injured and asked me about it, which was very nice of them.
Since it was lying down for a bit, the carburetor was rich, so I had to wait and give it some kicks. But nothing much. It started like a charm. There were no damages or scratches. But later I saw there was some damage to the turning lights. I fixed it with QuickFix at home.
With all the breaks, I reached TVC at 1030AM. I must say there wasn’t much traffic on the road. I rode around 50KMPH at most places. In some stretches, 60 to 70KMPH. Return was hectic. I rode non stop but there was too much traffic and also it rained a bit which made it worse.
Yamu rides well at 70 km/h, is quite stable, and the drum brakes give enough confidence. It can easily reach 80 km/h. It vibrates a bit, but it can be on highways with less wind. I wouldn’t try beyond that unless I am overtaking or for a very short burst. You can easily cruise at 70 km/h. So for most Indians, it has enough speed. On this ride, my average speed was 30 km/h. Given the traffic on Hosur Road, crowded Anekal Road, the rains with traffic while returning, etc. I think it was good speed. I didn’t push either. Overall, it was a good ride. I feel comfortable and confident in the vehicle.
At TVC, the construction of the house is in the final stages. It should be completed by the end of August (at least according to the builder). I might have to visit it often during these final stages. So more drives or trips are coming.
I helped a bit with laying the OFC at TVC. By the time I left, they had gotten internet at the kitchen camp. There is more work to be done, along with some citizen science projects. I am looking forward to it.
