Royal Enfield and Bike Shed Motorcycle Club have announced a 10-day guided tour across India, culminating at Royal Enfield’s Motoverse festival in Goa.
This year’s tour runs from November 20-29, covering around 780 miles from Chennai on India’s eastern coast to Goa on its western edge, with a more accessible route than last year’s Himalayan adventure .
“We were keen to offer something totally different this year, and also more accessible,” said Bike Shed Global Brand Director, Gareth Charlton. “Obviously the Himalayan adventure involved at times complex terrain, whereas the Motoverse Tour will be entirely on tarmac… Although the opportunity to pursue a few trails will certainly present itself to those interested!”
The idea for the collaboration came up at Bike Shed’s annual Moto Show at Tobacco Dock, London. “Whilst enjoying a beer and admiring the remarkable machinery on display, talk inevitably turned to getting out for a ride… and the scope of that ride quickly took off!” he added.
Riders will be mounted on a mix of Royal Enfield’s 650cc twin-cylinder models, specifically the Bear , Classic and Continental GT .
A full motorcycle licence is required to take part, though the tour isn’t restricted to solo riders. “Pillions are also very welcome, a few have already signed up,” Charlton confirmed.
The route heads into the Eastern Ghats to Yercaud, before dropping into the forests around Masinagudi, passing through recognised elephant corridors within the Nilgiri Biosphere.
It then climbs into the highlands of Madikeri, taking in Coorg’s coffee-growing plantation roads, before descending to Karnataka’s coastline near Maravanthe – a stretch of road where the Arabian Sea runs along one side of the highway and the Souparnika River and its backwaters along the other. The final leg follows the coast north into Goa.
“Two of the real highlights of this trip are at the beginning and the end,” Charlton explained. “In Chennai, riders will have the opportunity to visit the Royal Enfield factory and see first hand how the machines they are to ride are built – this is an incredible level of access that can only be achieved by working directly with the team at Royal Enfield.
“Then lying in wait at the end of the trip, the one-off festival that is Motoverse… what better way to end a bucket-list adventure than with an almighty party?”
The tour is priced at £2800, including single-occupancy accommodation, a motorcycle with fuel for the duration of the trip, three meals a day, back-up support (with any spares consumed charged separately), a luggage vehicle, and three days’ access to Motoverse Goa. Flights are not included, and the tour is excluded from any discounts or promotions.
What an incredible opportunity to tour India without having to plan your route or arrange your own motorcycle to ride. Add to that Factory access and a finish at Motoverse, and this would truly be the trip of a lifetime. Whether you’re a fan of Enfield or not, it’s worth thinking about.
Ben Clarke began riding (legally) at 21-years-old when he passed his direct access one month before shipping his Yamaha XT660 R to Miami and embarking on a 13,500-mile tour of the USA and Central America. He's worked at MCN for the last six years, riding everything from super nakeds and superbikes to small-capacity electrics and scooters across several continents. In more recent years, he's worked closely with the bike kit team to bring you all the latest news and reviews abou…