If you’ve been following the blog, you’ll know I’ve been having numerous problems with the bike and was considering switching to other means of transport. I was also undecided where to go next from Shimla: further into the hills (Kullu or Dharamsala), risking more wet weather, or back down to the plain.

This morning I got up early and decided to head for Kullu. I set off at about 0730, successfully navigated onto the right road, and was feeling confident.

About 5km out of Shimla, I was coming down a slight incline and curve in the road. I braked, wobbled, slid on the slippery surface and toppled over. It was at slow speed, and no other vehicles were involved.

I’m absolutely fine: apart from a tiny graze on my elbow, totally unscathed. I’m not even feeling shaken at all, just a bit embarrassed.

The bike, however, isn’t in such a good state. Aside from some superficial scrapes, and a broken headlight and mirror, the entire front wheel is twisted out of alignment. I managed to get it back to Shimla, slowly, steering off to compensate, where I contacted Tony Bullet Centre in Delhi. I’m about to go off and find their recommended haulage company to arrange for it to be transported back to them.

In the meantime, I’ve got about a week and a half left before I need to be back in Delhi myself. I’m intending to go back to Chandigarh and on to Amritsar, by public transport, before returning. Then I’ll have to rethink my transport arrangements for the rest of the trip. I suppose there’s a chance that the bike will be fixed up again in a few weeks, but I’ve had enough issues with it now, both self-caused and not. It’s either an SUV, if I can find an affordable option, or public transport, from now on.