India Guide
Getting around
By motorbike
Riding a motorbike around India has become increasingly popular but is not without its hazards. Beside the appalling road conditions and the ensuing fatigue, renting a bike, unless you are well versed in maintenance, can be a bit of a nightmare, with breakdowns often in the most inconvenient places. If you do break down in the middle of nowhere, you may need to flag down an empty truck to transport the bike to the nearest town for repairs. Motorbike rental is available in some tourist towns and useful for local use, but the quality of the bikes is never assured. You could bring your own, but then you'll need to consider spares. Helmets are best brought from home.
Buying a motorbike in India is a much more reasonable proposition, and again, if it's an old British classic you're after, the Enfield Bullet (350 model), sold cheapest in Puducherry, on the Tamil Nadu coast, leads the field (check one of several motoring magazines for details and reviews). If low price and practicality are your priorities, however, a smaller model, perhaps even a moped or a scooter, might better fit the bill. Many Japanese bikes are now made in India, as are Vespas and Lambrettas, and various types of motorcycles can easily be bought new or secondhand. Garages and repair shops are a good place to start; Delhi's Karol Bagh area is renowned for its motorcycle shops. Obviously, you'll have to haggle over the price, but you can expect to pay half to two-thirds the original price for a bike in reasonable condition. Given the right bargaining skills, you can sell it again later for a similar price – perhaps to another foreign traveller – by advertising it in hotels and restaurants. A certain amount of bureau-cracy is involved in transferring vehicle ownership, but a garage should be able to put you on to a broker ("auto consultant") who, for a modest commission (around Rs500), will help you find a seller or a buyer, and do the necessary paperwork. A motorbike can be taken in the luggage car of a train for the same price as a second-class passenger fare (get a form and pay a small fee at the station luggage office).
Some knowledge of mechanics is necessary to ensure that you're not being sold a pup, so if you aren't too savvy yourself, make sure you take someone who is able to give the once-over to important parts like the engine, forks, brakes and suspension. Experienced overlanders often claim that making sure the seat is comfy is the crucial element to an enjoyable trip.
If you are unsure of negotiating your own bike or travelling around on your own you may consider joining one of several motorbike tours offered by the following companies:
1 Blazing Trails Blazing Trails UK 
01293/533338 
www.blazingtrailstours.com
2 Classic Bike Adventure India Goa 0832/226 8467 www.classic-bike-india.de
3 Ferris Wheels Motorcycle Safaris Australia 02/9970 6370 www.ferriswheels.com.au
4 H-C Travel UK 01256/770775 www.hctravel.com
5 Himalayan Roadrunners US 802/738 6500 www.ridehigh.com