IF YOU REALLY WANT SOMETHING IN LIFE
YOU CAN DO IT!
A
fully loaded Triumph Tiger
800 XCx is parked on the
main street of Laxman Jhula,
Rishikesh, India. Bikers our-
selves, albeit on foot, we had
stop to check it out.
“It’s come all the way from Italy!”,
my partner exclaims.
We scan the street and spot a girl
in full riding gear. She leans against a
low wall, peaceful, relaxed. We start
to chat. Yes, her boyfriend, and her-
self as pillion, have ridden to India all
the way from Italy.
Viola has traces of road dirt on her
face and hands, her hair in a long
plait tucked under the riding jacket.
Her green eyes have that special look,
as if she is still seeing the road un-
furling in front of her.
“Yes, it was a hard and amazing
ride”, she says.
They entered India from Pakistan,
at the Waga Border. The plan is to
continue all the way to Australia
(shipping the motorcycle as cargo).
TRAVERSE 105
At this point Massimo, her boyfriend
of 11 years, appears after satisfactori-
ly securing a room at a guesthouse.
Massimo is tall with a powerful
bearing. I have always noticed how
the very few couples we have encoun-
tered riding solo and unsupported
have a special connection. It's a sub-
tle, understated physical and mental
link. They move together as in a
well-choreographed dance.
Massimo summarises their epic
ride till this point. They started from
their small village, 60 kilometres
from Florence, Italy; crossed 17
countries in 7 months and are now in
India exploring from north to south.
Later will come Thailand, Myanmar,
Malaysia and finally Australia.
Massimo says the bike is awe-
some off-road and on the highways.
The limitations, he says, are in the
rider’s mind. With its 19 litre tank
which, gives a 400 kilometre average
range, the three cylinders providing
95 horsepower and the 17 inch rear