Biker for God gears up for monument of love!

Who said motorcycles are not suited for long distances?

A good motorcycle is capable of covering huge stretches with comfort all the way. Car is a vehicle to take you from point A to B, from office to work, from home to holiday destination BUT motorcycle...

Motorcycle riding is a therapy! It is the most enjoyable way to ride from A to B... B to C... and C to D... All you need is good physical and mental condition to enjoy the wind-in-the-face experience. May be I was a born to be a biker.

I decided to visit Taj Mahal over the weekend. Yamuna Expressway - described as one of the best roads in north India with international standards, why not test it out on my motorcycle Bullet Classic 500cc Desert Storm?

Expressway toll charges from Greater Noida to Agra is Rs 240 (with return on same day). The six-lane expressway covers 165 kms. There are total of three toll gates on the way.

Yamuna Expressway reduces the travel time between New Delhi and Agra by nearly two/three hours. Some key points of the expressway are: (1) It is claimed to be India's longest access-controlled concrete expressway (2) It has excellent support system of Medical facilities like vans, stretchers, bed and medicines on call (3) Speed limit is 100 Kilometres per hour for cars. (4) Not much waiting time on toll booths.

It took me around 3 hours from Delhi to Taj Mahal. Expressway is convenient and stress free which made my visit to Taj Mahal lot more pleasurable and less tiring too. Roads of better standards are good sign that India is changing.

Is Yamuna Expressway better than the old highway? Yes, Considering the traffic bottlenecks and road conditions... I would prefer the new road of Expressway; just for the pleasure of riding!

Important - There are no petrol pumps, so you will have to start with your tank full.

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If you also plan to take your motorcycle on a similar journey, I suggest few tips:

(1) Do not drive very fast, you will miss the beauty of natural scenery around as well as the wind-in-the air feel, the real joy of motorcycling.

(2) Safe motorcycling is an art form, maintain a good sense of traffic situation, especially when some cars are over-speeding the limit.

(3) Road conditions are favorable or unfavorable, road safety should be your top goal. Always wear a helmet. Wear good comfortable clothes. And do not take a big journey if you do not have experience of driving 4/5 hours in a day.

(4) Smaller engine bikes will find it difficult to manage with high speed traffic. If possible drive in a group of motorcycle. Also, keep pillion protected and safe.

(5) Keep yourself hydrated, take short breaks so that you dont get fatigued and dont lose the momentum. Start early to avoid driving in night. It would be a good idea to carry a GPS enabled mobile phone.

More later...