Stories from the road

Some of the best memories are made without a plan—and our early morning ride to Nandi Hills was exactly that. It was a crisp Sunday morning when I kickstarted my Royal Enfield Super Meteor around 6 AM from Sarjapur, while Sid rolled out from Marathahalli on his brand-new Honda NX 500. The excitement was mutual, but the real thrill began when we met outside Brigade Orion Mall on Old Madras Road.

We took a short 5–10 minute break there to sync up our new Sena 50S intercom devices using the Mesh mode. Once paired, the connection was flawless—it was as if we were on a call without ever touching our phones. Music, banter, and pure riding joy followed as we cruised towards Nandi Hills, our conversations flowing seamlessly over the wind and the thump of engines.

Midway through the ride, we swapped bikes out of curiosity. I was impressed with the finely tuned engine of the Honda NX 500—it’s smooth, refined, and responsive. Sid, on the other hand, relished the easy cruising nature of the Royal Enfield. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect, with a cool breeze brushing past us and an overcast sky adding to the charm.

We reached Nandi Hills around 9 AM, only to be greeted by a monstrous traffic jam. Cars were lined up for almost 2 to 3 kilometers. Thankfully, being on bikes gave us the edge, and we weaved our way through to the top with ease. Thousands of two-wheelers and four-wheelers were already parked, but we managed to find a spot, got our tickets, and safely stowed away our helmets in the cloakroom.

The walk to the summit was refreshing. At the top, the wind welcomed us with open arms. We sat, talked, laughed, clicked a few pictures, and took in the panoramic view of the city stretching beneath us—partly veiled in clouds, partly glowing in the morning light.

After about half an hour of soaking in the moment, we started our descent. On the way back, the smell of roasted corn drew us to a roadside vendor, and we couldn’t resist a quick stop for a hearty South Indian breakfast—hot idlis, crispy vadas, and piping puris.

By noon, we were back home—hearts full, spirits high, and a little sun-kissed. What started as a simple morning ride turned into a beautiful memory. That’s the magic of Nandi Hills—and riding with a good friend like Sid made it all the better.