It has always been my dream to travel across India on my own motorbike—to feel the changing landscapes, the shifting air, and the kind of freedom that only the open road can offer. This wasn’t a sudden idea; it’s a dream that has lived with me for years, quietly growing stronger with time. Before this new beginning, I had already spent quite some time riding. I owned a Hero Honda Achiever 150 and a TVS Jupiter, and with them I explored parts of Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and even the UP–Madhya Pradesh border areas. Those journeys meant a lot to me—they were my first real taste of long-distance riding. The Achiever was dependable, but somewhere inside, I knew I needed something more powerful and more stable for the kind of journeys I had in mind.
My previous Hero Honda Achiever (sticker says CBZ but its actually Achiever:)
Most of those rides were with my friend Chintu. We weren’t just riding partners, we were dreamers together. Since 2018, we had been planning an all-India road trip. We talked about routes, destinations, food stops, and all the unknown adventures waiting for us. It felt like just a matter of time before we would make it happen. But somehow, 2018 and 2019 passed us by. Plans stayed plans. Then came 2020 and everything changed. While the world was grappling with COVID, I was fighting a battle of my own. From January 2020 to December 2021, I was severely ill. I spent most of that time away from home, undergoing liver transplant treatment at ILBS in Delhi. It was one of the most difficult phases of my life. There were days when I was simply trying to survive, moments when everything felt uncertain.
One of the days at the ILBS, New Delhi
And in the middle of all that, I lost Chintu. In October 2020, he passed away due to COVID. That loss hit me deeply. It wasn’t just about losing a friend, it felt like losing a part of that dream we had built together. The road trip we had imagined so many times suddenly felt incomplete. I often thought that if he were still here, things would have been different. It wouldn’t have taken this long. He would have pushed me, motivated me, and maybe we would have already been somewhere on the highways of India by now. Even during my illness, when I was battling for my life, that dream stayed alive in my mind. But after losing him, it carried a different weight, it became more personal.
Chintu and I during a trip to Rameshwaram, Tamilmadu
There were moments when I thought it might never happen. But after my transplant, when I finally came out of the ICU, something inside me lit up again. I started planning once more. Even in the hospital, I managed to save some money, holding on to a simple goal: buy a bike after discharge and start the journey. But reality was harsh. When the nurse explained the post-hospitalization care, it almost broke me. The first six months came with strict restrictions, so strict that even stepping out or socializing felt impossible, let alone traveling across the country. At the same time, India was facing the second and third waves of COVID.
Hunter 350
Still, I didn’t stop dreaming. I kept planning quietly, holding on to hope. But my health had other plans. In February and April 2022, I was hospitalized again. Then in September 2022, I developed kidney stones. It took multiple attempts before the surgery finally happened in February 2023. Just when I thought I was moving forward, I injured my back after the surgery while skipping rope affecting my L3, L4, and L5. Doctors advised me to avoid long bike rides. It felt like an endless cycle, one problem after another. Every time I got close to my dream, something pulled me back. During those days, I found comfort in watching motorcycle travel vlogs on YouTube. They kept me motivated. They reminded me that the dream was still alive, even if I couldn’t chase it just yet.
Looks amazing 🙂
Time passed, and slowly, I began to heal. Then, on the 29th of September, while sitting at home, I had a simple realization: maybe these problems are not going to end completely. Maybe I’ve been waiting too long for the “right time.” And if I keep waiting, I might never start. That day, I decided to take a step forward. From all my research and countless hours of watching videos, I had shortlisted two bikes: the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 and the Honda CB350. But as I looked deeper, I realized that Honda’s service network for their 350cc bikes was very limited across India. Since I wanted this bike for long-distance travel, I didn’t want to take that risk. So I chose Royal Enfield.
Front view of Hunter
It was Navratri, and getting a bike on the same day wasn’t easy. Still, I called multiple showrooms in Varanasi. After several attempts, the Royal Enfield Lahartara branch agreed to arrange one for me that very day. I still had back pain, but my excitement overshadowed everything else. I asked them to prepare a Meteor 350. But when I reached the showroom, something unexpected happened. A gentleman there mentioned that the Meteor is relatively heavy and can be difficult to push, especially in tight spaces. That made me think. At home, I park my bike in a narrow alley : about 5 feet wide and 50 meters long. Taking the bike in wouldn’t be a problem, but bringing it out daily could become a challenge.
My parking space
At the same time, I also thought that this is my first step into the 350cc segment. Maybe I should start with something simpler and more manageable, So I changed my decision. I chose the Royal Enfield Hunter 350. But in that moment, standing in the showroom, surrounded by new bikes and new beginnings, there was also a quiet emptiness. I missed Chintu the most right then. I kept thinking how different this day would have been if he were there with me, how we would have argued over colors, laughed at small things, and planned our first ride together right there on the spot.
It felt like he should have been standing next to me. I know that if he were alive, it wouldn’t have taken this long. We would have already been on the road, chasing the dream we once spoke about so often. Today, as I stand with this new machine, I feel a mix of emotions, excitement, gratitude, and a deep sense of purpose. This bike is not just something I bought; it represents survival, patience, loss, and hope. The journey hasn’t started yet, not fully. But something important has. I’ve finally taken the first step. And wherever this road leads me, a part of that journey will always belong to Chintu.
First ride to the Navdurga temple 🙂