Two Wheels, Tough Choices: How I Skipped the Big Bike and Found My Road Abroad

I’m S—mid-40s, decent gig, wife, two kids, and a bike that’s been my getaway since my 20s. Riding’s my thing—weekends blasting down NH44, dodging trucks, or winding through the Western Ghats. My old Royal Enfield Classic 350 was a champ, then I leveled up to a Triumph Bonneville T120—sweet ride—but lately, I’ve been craving more: long hauls, wind protection, luggage strapped on, that proper touring life. I started eyeing a second bike—something meaty like a Triumph Tiger 900 or BMW GS 1250. Big, shiny, badass. But every time I’d scroll BikeWale or drool after a test ride, this nagging vibe hit: Indian roads are a shitshow—worth dropping a fortune on a premium tourer here? Or was there a smarter way to feed that touring itch? Spoiler: I ditched the bike plan, went for international tours instead—and damn, it’s been the best call I’ve made.

The Bike Dream—and the Doubt

It kicked off last year. I’d racked up 20,000 km on my Triumph—short spins, a few overnighters to Coorg and Goa. Loved it, but I wanted real touring—geared up, miles piling up. The Tiger 900 (₹20 lakh on-road) or GS 1250 (₹27 lakh) kept popping up—beasts for highways, gravel, whatever. I’d picture myself tearing down NH44 or hitting Spiti—proper rider shit. My wife, let’s call her Wifey, wasn’t stoked—“Another bike? What’s wrong with your Triumph?” Fair call, but this was passion, man.

Then reality slapped me. Indian roads—potholes, stray dogs, trucks parked mid-lane—ain’t touring heaven. Sure, NHs are smoother now, but try UP backroads or Rajasthan—pure chaos. Safety’s a joke too—crashes everywhere, no lane rules. Dug into some numbers: India’s got 1% of the world’s vehicles but 11% of its road deaths—over 1.5 lakh in 2022, says MoRTH. A ₹20 lakh bike felt like a shiny target in that mess. Maintenance? Triumph’s not cheap—₹15,000-20,000 a year, plus parts. Insurance, fuel, gear—another ₹50,000-60,000 yearly. Was I gonna ride enough to make it worth it?

The Numbers Game: Bike vs. Tours

I grabbed a calculator—middle-class habit. Say I snag the Tiger 900—₹20 lakh upfront. Add ₹1 lakh for gear—helmet, jacket, pants, boots, decent stuff. First year: ₹21 lakh. Yearly costs—maintenance (₹20,000), insurance (₹25,000), fuel (₹20,000 for 5,000 km at 20 km/l, ₹80/l)—that’s ₹65,000. Over five years, no crashes or resale, it’s ₹21 lakh + (₹65,000 x 5) = ₹24.25 lakh. Breaks down to ₹4.85 lakh a year. For what? Weekend runs, maybe a Leh trip if traffic and roads play nice.

Flipped it—what if I skip the bike and tour abroad? Checked Global Moto Tours—seven days, eight riders, killer routes: Thailand, Vietnam, Balkans. Cost: ₹2.5 lakh per tour—bike rental, stays, food in. Flights from Bangalore—₹50,000 round-trip, give or take. Gear’s a one-time ₹1 lakh hit—needed either way. First year, one tour: ₹2.5 lakh + ₹50,000 + ₹1 lakh = ₹4 lakh. Next year, two tours, no gear cost: (₹2.5 lakh x 2) + (₹50,000 x 2) = ₹6 lakh. Five years, two tours a year: ₹4 lakh (year 1) + (₹6 lakh x 4) = ₹28 lakh. Yearly average: ₹5.6 lakh—less than a lakh more than the bike. Catch is, I’d max 5,000 km a year here; abroad, it’s 1,000-1,500 km per tour—double that with epic roads, new vibes, no potholes. Starting to think, hell yeah, this beats it.

Mental Math: Cash vs. Mind

Cash aside, my head was screaming too. India’s grind—work stress, kids’ school drama, WhatsApp groups I can’t ditch—was wearing me down. Riding here’s a buzz but tense—always dodging some moron swerving in. A Tiger’d be dope, but I’d still be stuck in that chaos—no real mental break. Tours abroad? Fresh roads, new scenes, no bullshit. Thailand’s curves, Vietnam’s war trails, Balkans’ mountains—sounded like a reset, not just a ride. Good vibes, peace of mind—can’t slap a price on that, but it was tugging me hard.

Ran it by Wifey: “₹20 lakh on a bike I’d ride twice a month—or ₹5 lakh a year to ride the world?” She smirked, “You’ll just bang it up here.” Point made. My buddy with a GS loves it but barely hits 3,000 km a year—traffic, safety, no time. Tours were winning—less cash upfront, more kick, and my brain’d thank me.

Decision Time: Tours It Is

Early 2023, I said screw it—no bike, booked Thailand with Global Moto Tours. Seven days, Chiang Mai loops, 1,250 km. Kept my Triumph for local spins—₹2.5 lakh for the trip, ₹35,000 flights, ₹35,000 on shopping and beer, no gear cost—₹3.2 lakh total. Less than a fifth of the Tiger’s price. Plan: one tour that year, two the next if it clicked. Wifey was chill—kids thought I’d lost it but loved bragging about it. I was pumped—new roads, new crew, no potholes. Time to see if it paid off.

Tour 1: Thailand—Mind Blown

Landed in Chiang Mai—seven of us, bikes ready, jungle calling. Day one to Mae Salong—150 km, tea hills, quiet roads—India’s noise just fell off me. Pai’s 762 curves? Nuts—pushed me hard, but damn, I felt alive. Spicy Thai grub, local beer—peace hit different. Came back lighter—work didn’t piss me off as much, kids got a dad who wasn’t a grouch. Cost: ₹3.2 lakh. Tiger’d be sitting in my garage, collecting dust.

Tour 2: Vietnam—Guts and Soul

January 2024, Vietnam—Da Nang to Hanoi, 1,250 km. Ho Chi Minh Trail—misty, war scars—gave me goosebumps. Phong Nha caves—huge, dark—felt small but jacked up. Khe Sanh hit deep—life’s short, man. Crew got tight—pho nights, real chats. Back home, I wasn’t snapping as much—Wifey’s like, “You’re not yelling at the kids now.” Two tours that year—₹5.9 lakh total (₹2.5 lakh x 2 + ₹45,000 x 2). Under the Tiger’s five-year cost, and I’d clocked 2,500 km abroad—way more than I’d do here.

Tour 3: Balkans—Legend Vibes

September 2024, Balkans—10 countries, 3,000 km. Fjord roads to Kotor—wild bends, sea shining—felt like a king. Mostar’s bridge, Sarajevo’s scars—history under my tires. Nine days, crashed out in Dubrovnik—swam the Adriatic, rakija in hand. Back home, biker mates were like, “You rode where?” Cost: ₹2.7 lakh (longer tour) + ₹60,000 flight = ₹3.3 lakh. Three tours, ₹12.4 lakh total—still less than the Tiger’s ₹24.25 lakh over five years, and I’d smashed 5,750 km abroad vs. maybe 15,000 km here.

The Payoff: Better Me, Better Life

Three tours in, I’m hooked. Money-wise, ₹12.4 lakh—₹4.13 lakh a year—beats the Tiger’s ₹4.85 lakh yearly hit plus that ₹21 lakh upfront. Could’ve financed it—₹5 lakh down, ₹35,000 EMI—but I’d be sweating payments, stressing dents in India’s mess. Tours? Cash as I go, no debt, no garage trophy.

Family’s good too. Wifey says I’m calmer—less cranky after these rides. Kids love the tales—Vietnam caves, Balkans cliffs—they’re proud, not mad I’m gone a week or two. My head’s solid—Thailand’s chill, Vietnam’s grit, Balkans’ buzz—keeps me sane, not just hanging on. Indian roads? Triumph’s fine for short spins—no regrets.

Closing the Loop

I wanted that Tiger—still eyeball it sometimes. But India’s chaos—safety, roads—didn’t justify the cash. Tours? ₹4-6 lakh a year gets me 2,500+ km on killer routes, new cultures, mates who get it—shit I’d never touch here. Prestige too—biker boys call me “the global guy” now. Mental lift? Priceless. Three rides—Thailand, Vietnam, Balkans—proved it: I’m richer in vibe, not broke in pocket. Family’s happy, I’m good—way better than a bike gathering dust. Next tour’s up—guess I’m rolling again.