110cc bikes like Hero Passion & Honda Dream bash dunes like a BOSS, Royal Enfield, Bajaj Dominar get stuck

We have seen a lot of dune bashing done on big bad SUVs from places like UAE. Back in India, we have our own Thar desert which is becoming a magnet for dune bashing for the enthusiasts. Many enthusiasts have started taking their cars and SUVs to the Sam Dunes but India being a motorcycle-major country, many enthusiasts on two-wheelers have started enjoying the dune bashing too. Here is a video by Xtreme Moto Adventure’s Deepak Gupta, who is known for his trip around India on a Bajaj Dominar 400.

The video shows a new festival in Sam Dunes, Rajasthan where the local bikers can be seen enjoying the dunes to the fullest. Various motorcycles of different make and model can be spotted in the video. Out of all the motorcycles seen in the video, the small entry-level commuter bikes and premium commuter bikes like Honda CB Shine, Honda Hornet 160, Hero CBZ Xtreme, Hero Passion and more such bikes can be seen. There are even bigger performance bikes like the Honda CBR 250R in the video. Later, the video shows the Royal Enfield Classic 500, Royal Enfield Himalayan and the Bajaj Dominar 400 too.

Out of all the bikes, the small displacement commuter bikes seem to be having most of the fun. These small bikes can be seen going across the dunes without much of a problem. Almost all the small capacity bikes do not get stuck even once while most of the performance bikes including the Royal Enfield Himalayan, Royal Enfield Classic 500 and the Bajaj Dominar 400. Even the Honda CBR 250 can be seen falling down a few times while doing Dune bashing.

What is happening?

Riding on the Sand Dunes need special skills. It is much more difficult to ride on the sandy surface as the motorcycle struggles to find any kind of grip from the surface. As explained in the starting of the video, the rear tyre pressure of the bikes have to be reduced to increase the area of contact between the tyre and the road and in turn, increasing the traction between the surfaces. Other things like changing the direction suddenly or applying the brakes suddenly can cause the bike to lose balance and fall as seen multiple times in the video.

One of the primary reasons that commuter segment bikes are having more fun is the weight of the bikes. The lower weight ensures that the bikes do not easily get swamped down in the loose sand of the dunes. The second reason is the overall momentum. The heavier bikes have higher momentum due to which changing the direction becomes difficult on the slipper and loose surfaces. On the other hand, commuter bikes can be seen changing direction without much problem. Also, the locals must be practising the same now and then while for newbies, riding on sand expertly can be a difficult job.

That being said, riding on the sand can be extremely fun if done correctly. Even though a few people fell from their bikes, they quickly got up without much injury. However, everyone should wear a helmet while riding a two-wheeler. It is the most critical and most important thing one can do while riding a motorcycle.