Scram 440 for Meghalaya: Shillong, Cherrapunji and Dawki on a Royal Enfield (Is It the Right Bike?)

You don't need a Scram 440 for Meghalaya. But for the right trip, it's the best bike we have.

Short answer: for a quick 2-day run to Shillong, take the Yamaha FZ-S FI V2 or a scooter. For the full 4-day loop to Dawki and the waterfalls, take the Royal Enfield Scram 440.

When the Scram is worth it

Meghalaya has good highways. The problem is the last few kilometres to a waterfall or a root bridge, which are often broken, rocky and steep.

That's where the Scram earns its rent. It has the suspension travel and ground clearance to take those stretches. The Scram eats potholes. A scooter bottoms out on the worst of them.

If you're on a tight budget, or just riding to Shillong and back, you don't need it. The FZ is ₹999 a day against ₹1,999 for the Scram. Take the cheaper bike and spend the difference on a decent homestay.

Wet roads and fog

Sohra is wet, and the dual-channel ABS is a real help there. It stops the wheels locking up on slick, mossy tarmac. The block-pattern tyres grip well in the wet too.

My advice for wet corners is always the same: do all your braking in a straight line before the corner, never in the middle of it.

In fog, keep your lights on low beam. High beam in Sohra fog just makes a blinding white wall. Slow down and focus on the white line.

Shillong and Sohra

The Scram is a heavy bike, close to 195 kg. Backing it out of a tight Shillong parking spot, especially on a slope, takes leg strength. Once it's moving, the 19-inch front wheel makes it surprisingly agile in city traffic.

On the steep Tyrna road, the weight isn't a problem. The strong engine braking does the work for you on the way down. (More on that in the root bridge guide.)

The long ride back from Dawki

The run from Dawki to Guwahati is 180+ km, and it's where the Scram earns its money. The upright seat means your lower back isn't destroyed by the time you get home. It cruises comfortably at 80 to 90 kmph on the highway without straining the engine.

Two-up and luggage

It's very good two-up. The single-piece seat is much kinder to a pillion than a split sports seat. Ask us for bungee cords at pickup, we provide them, and strap a rucksack on the back.

Because of the low-end torque, even with a pillion and luggage you won't be constantly shifting gears to get up the Meghalaya hills. Meghalaya isn't Tawang. The altitude is lower, so two-up on the Scram works here in a way it doesn't on the way to Sela (see Scram 440 or Himalayan 450 for Tawang).

Fuel and range

You get about 25 to 30 kmpl in the hills. With the tank it has, you can go well over 350 km.

Fill up in Guwahati, and top off completely in Shillong. If you leave Shillong with a full tank, you don't need to worry about fuel in Sohra or Dawki.

Scram or Himalayan for Meghalaya?

For Meghalaya, the Scram is arguably the better bike. The Himalayan 450 shines in rugged, high Tawang country. Meghalaya is mostly paved twisties and tight city traffic. The Scram is lighter, lower and easier to flick through the Sohra ridge roads.

If you're doing both trips, our adventure bikes page has the whole range.