Those two letters say it all! In so many cases! True enthusiasts will get goosebumps hearing certain combinations of a letter and a number like R1. Try this - M5, Z4, H1, A8, C5... Too much already? Okay...
Well, here's the in your face truth! Superbikes are here! Whether you believe it or not, whether you believe the time isn't right, or the roads aren't good enuf, or the people aren't educated enuf, or if 99% ppl can't afford them... Yeah, yeah.. ALL TRUE! But still... they're here... (YES!) And it feels so good!
The reason this post is called R1 is simply because I worship it. The Yamaha YZF-R1 is, has been and probably always will be my favorite motorcycle (or should I say superbike?). I respect it firstly, because it was the first to break the 1000bhp/ton barrier (more horsepower than weight)... How's 174BHP and 172kg sound? Good right? That was 2004... This is 2007, well almost 2008 and the R1 now bears numbers of 189bhp and 172kg! Insanity personified!
The R1 will be in showrooms as (or even before) you read this, with a Diwali 07 launch planned. It will be followed by other heavyweights like the TDM900, XJR1300, FJR1300 and even the 1670cc MT-01! The YZF-R6 will be launched a little later because of the stupid "Only-800cc+-Euro III-compliant-bikes-can-be-sold" rule! Also expect the XVS1300A and the huge, gorgeous XV1900 Stratoliner. The catch: All the bikes will have Rs. 9 lakh+ price tags, for the "small" 900 - the R1 will be available for about 11.5 lakhs :(
Stay tuned. Cos it's only gonna get better. The GSX 1000R and GSX 1300R Hayabusa will appear in Suzuki showrooms in March 2008. Also expect the Bandit 1250S because it has a bottom-end of 108Nm (@3700rpm) that very few larger bikes (Big V-Twins exempt ;]) can match, which is more than ideal for the situation in our country. Good idea that...
Honda too will launch their big baddies the Hornet 900, CBR 1000RR FireBlade and the GL1800 GoldWing. Rune anyone?!
Bajaj has just purchased stake in KTM! Can't be happier! (What, should have been 49%?)
Anyway, RC, Adventure, Duke and SuperDuke better come soon... 250s seem a little too piddly now... But hey, they're most welcome.. The more, the merrier, rite?! And hey, Kawasaki?!
Lots of em coming... And the prospect of custom bikes seems more devilishly near than ever before!! Haha!!!!!
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
The Big Mach :) M500LB
It's here! The new Bullet Machismo 500 (AVL Lean Burn)... With 23.66bhp (@5600rpm) and 40.85Nm (@3000rpm) on tap, it's one hell of a ride! I was in love after the test ride and I so wish that that engine is a part of all Bulls, as an option of course!
The Ride:
A lazy afternoon, I cruise by my dealership and catch a glimpse of chrome, a lot of it (even on the battery box!) There it was, the one I had been waiting for, for so long! Keys in hand, off I went, down Market Yard road, the usual test route.
Acceleration was nothing short of breath-taking, and it leaves you with the feeling that there's so much more on offer, if you ever needed it! The U turn was taken in 4th gear, a near idle thump happening, so much was the torque. The bottom-end is unbelievable! The M500 can coast at 80-100kph all day and never get tired or leave you feeling like something was lacking.
Overall build quality too has improved a lot - less vibrations, cleaner shifts (and a muted thump) make you wanna believe you're not on a Bullet, which in a way is true. No more right shift, CB point, grandfather carb, 500cc this one is... For the afficionadoes, yeah, it's different, but hey, times change, and if retro suits your taste, the 350 Classic's always on the menu!
Moreover, at about 1.1 lakh on road Pune (without all the accessories) she's a good deal (no kiddin!) A bike everyone who likes bikes should definitely saddle up on. But head fast, cos only 500 bikes will be sold throughout the country every calendar year!
The Ride:
A lazy afternoon, I cruise by my dealership and catch a glimpse of chrome, a lot of it (even on the battery box!) There it was, the one I had been waiting for, for so long! Keys in hand, off I went, down Market Yard road, the usual test route.
Acceleration was nothing short of breath-taking, and it leaves you with the feeling that there's so much more on offer, if you ever needed it! The U turn was taken in 4th gear, a near idle thump happening, so much was the torque. The bottom-end is unbelievable! The M500 can coast at 80-100kph all day and never get tired or leave you feeling like something was lacking.
Overall build quality too has improved a lot - less vibrations, cleaner shifts (and a muted thump) make you wanna believe you're not on a Bullet, which in a way is true. No more right shift, CB point, grandfather carb, 500cc this one is... For the afficionadoes, yeah, it's different, but hey, times change, and if retro suits your taste, the 350 Classic's always on the menu!
Moreover, at about 1.1 lakh on road Pune (without all the accessories) she's a good deal (no kiddin!) A bike everyone who likes bikes should definitely saddle up on. But head fast, cos only 500 bikes will be sold throughout the country every calendar year!
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Apache
The Apache. A bike I have always admired and felt was the best looker this country ever produced. A gorgeous, sculpted piece of art - every line in place, maintaining a flow so outstanding, you have to trace it with your own hands to truly appreciate it. Handling, power and refinement too are top notch and the bike is immense fun to ride. Of course, I'm talking about the 150; the RTR160 takes everything I mentioned up one level! Now, time for a test ride! This is where I either love or hate a bike permanently.
The place: Century TVS. The test track: Wakdewadi road. Distance: 1.4 kms approx.
Looking at the Apache RTR160 head on, you see the magnificent flow and the attention to detail. Even the rubber mounts and covers on the gearshift and rear brake levers have the theme carried on, so to the foot pegs and the rear mud flap. The racing stripe makes it's way across the centre of the bike, and is also present on the tachometer in the console. The hand levers have a nice alloy finish. The split grab rail is comfortable and practical. Overall looks are outstanding, and attention to detail gets 10/10.
Getting on the bike was easy, effortless and exciting. The bike exudes a feel characteristic of a powerful, yet docile beast. It's comfortable, and you kinda fall into place, hands land on the exotic handlebar grips, knees inside the tank's recesses nicely, feet set back on the rear-set foot-pegs. Posture is forward-biased, as it should be, ample arm room to pilot the machine in the direction I wanted it to go (not that I would need it, details follow...) I roll the bike off the pavement and onto the road. The 270mm petal disc feels a lil too bitey at first, and will take some getting used to, but I'll have that covered after a few instances of braking. I thumb the starter and the 159.7cc 15.2bhp 13.1Nm 136kg Apache RTR160 thrums to life. It sounds good, real good; but can it go like it looks and sounds..?
Acceleration is quick, too quick even, the initial jumps are pronounced and you tend to feel like you're going to lose it big time, if you're not careful. Good. Cos now I'll be careful! This is one bike, you should not rip open the throttle on - RTR - Rapid Throttle Response, now I know... Evolution is apparent, from Fiero to F2/FX, from the 5-speed 150cc Apache and now, the 160cc, which has an even better feel to the gearbox.
On the road, the bike feels very powerful, very agile and the response is outstanding. Handling is nothing short of telepathic! It is definitely the best handling bike on offer. Turn in and steering is precise, even the minutest reflex action is immediately translated into deviation from the line you're on, to the line you wish you were, just like that, involuntary movements are picked up quick and the bike handles like a dream. I had a bit of trouble accelerating out of a U-turn from standstill, and a fast approaching Volvo B7R driven by one of our beloved municipality drivers doesn't help matters in any way. But I'm off, comfortably, 6500 revs in 1st and I'm far ahead, then 2nd. Some of the shifts left a ? on my mind, you don't realise that the shift happened from lack of audible feedback, at times, from the box. But I don't mind at all. It's smooth and effective, that's what matters. And I'm on my way back to drop off this fabulous machine.
The bike I rode was red. Awesome. But the yellow just brings out so much more. The black/yellow contrast is too well known and I would rather prefer something I would think of as a Benson & Hedges Jordan TVS Racing machine... The bike certainly handles like it was meant for the track. And from what I hear, TVS will introduce tuning kits for the RTR160 which should drop kerb weight and improve acceleration, if not add a few more horses to the peak power. That would be nice!
My Ratings:
Power: 8/10
Could've been so much more, top end grunt feels a little disappointing
Response: 9/10
Amazing throttle response, but has powerband limitations
Transmission: 8/10
Smooth, but has some feedback issues
Handling: 10/10
"Telepathic" is truly the most apt word
Ride Quality: 9/10
Gas-damped monoshock anyone?
Fuel Economy: 8/10
The more or less standard figure is unknown at this time, expect 40-52kpl depending on riding style
Value For Money: 9/10
Rs.63400 on road, slots perfectly between the Pulsar 150 (62700) and 180 (64300).Also, all the add-on kits, whenever available, will increase the price by a good 10-12K!
The place: Century TVS. The test track: Wakdewadi road. Distance: 1.4 kms approx.
Looking at the Apache RTR160 head on, you see the magnificent flow and the attention to detail. Even the rubber mounts and covers on the gearshift and rear brake levers have the theme carried on, so to the foot pegs and the rear mud flap. The racing stripe makes it's way across the centre of the bike, and is also present on the tachometer in the console. The hand levers have a nice alloy finish. The split grab rail is comfortable and practical. Overall looks are outstanding, and attention to detail gets 10/10.
Getting on the bike was easy, effortless and exciting. The bike exudes a feel characteristic of a powerful, yet docile beast. It's comfortable, and you kinda fall into place, hands land on the exotic handlebar grips, knees inside the tank's recesses nicely, feet set back on the rear-set foot-pegs. Posture is forward-biased, as it should be, ample arm room to pilot the machine in the direction I wanted it to go (not that I would need it, details follow...) I roll the bike off the pavement and onto the road. The 270mm petal disc feels a lil too bitey at first, and will take some getting used to, but I'll have that covered after a few instances of braking. I thumb the starter and the 159.7cc 15.2bhp 13.1Nm 136kg Apache RTR160 thrums to life. It sounds good, real good; but can it go like it looks and sounds..?
Acceleration is quick, too quick even, the initial jumps are pronounced and you tend to feel like you're going to lose it big time, if you're not careful. Good. Cos now I'll be careful! This is one bike, you should not rip open the throttle on - RTR - Rapid Throttle Response, now I know... Evolution is apparent, from Fiero to F2/FX, from the 5-speed 150cc Apache and now, the 160cc, which has an even better feel to the gearbox.
On the road, the bike feels very powerful, very agile and the response is outstanding. Handling is nothing short of telepathic! It is definitely the best handling bike on offer. Turn in and steering is precise, even the minutest reflex action is immediately translated into deviation from the line you're on, to the line you wish you were, just like that, involuntary movements are picked up quick and the bike handles like a dream. I had a bit of trouble accelerating out of a U-turn from standstill, and a fast approaching Volvo B7R driven by one of our beloved municipality drivers doesn't help matters in any way. But I'm off, comfortably, 6500 revs in 1st and I'm far ahead, then 2nd. Some of the shifts left a ? on my mind, you don't realise that the shift happened from lack of audible feedback, at times, from the box. But I don't mind at all. It's smooth and effective, that's what matters. And I'm on my way back to drop off this fabulous machine.
The bike I rode was red. Awesome. But the yellow just brings out so much more. The black/yellow contrast is too well known and I would rather prefer something I would think of as a Benson & Hedges Jordan TVS Racing machine... The bike certainly handles like it was meant for the track. And from what I hear, TVS will introduce tuning kits for the RTR160 which should drop kerb weight and improve acceleration, if not add a few more horses to the peak power. That would be nice!
My Ratings:
Power: 8/10
Could've been so much more, top end grunt feels a little disappointing
Response: 9/10
Amazing throttle response, but has powerband limitations
Transmission: 8/10
Smooth, but has some feedback issues
Handling: 10/10
"Telepathic" is truly the most apt word
Ride Quality: 9/10
Gas-damped monoshock anyone?
Fuel Economy: 8/10
The more or less standard figure is unknown at this time, expect 40-52kpl depending on riding style
Value For Money: 9/10
Rs.63400 on road, slots perfectly between the Pulsar 150 (62700) and 180 (64300).Also, all the add-on kits, whenever available, will increase the price by a good 10-12K!
Monday, September 3, 2007
India and bikes.
What can I say... They just didn't seem to go together. The first 2 "performance" bikes we had were 50% more capacity than what the entire population wanted. So, a meek little 150 called the Fiero was launched to take on the likes of the only proper fun "sports" bike which was also launched, the HH CBZ... It had the potential, and was a hit too, but it had a lot missing. The Eliminator came by, but was way outta reach for many a biker, though it left a lot of the latter drooling in their wake, me included. Sure, the Bullets were there, but the 5-speed unit was still a long time away then.
Then came the most important motorcycle, or should I say motorcycles, India had ever seen. Bajaj launched their home grown Pulsar twins in 150 and 180cc guise. Their importance was not really the "thing" then, but it made other manufacturers shiver with the volumes that started happening with the launch of those two true-blue performance bikes. Sure, they looked sporty and had the power and the oomph as well. HH long had a block that went from 133 right upto 223cc. The Ambition is not of any concern here, but the top end of that block is, the Karizma. Yes, the Karizma was the fastest 4-stroke bike India had ever produced. (The Yamaha RD350 was, and is to date, the fastest Indian made bike. All hail!!) It had quality, performance, handling, refinement; but it wasn't frugal and didn't produce the power expected from a 200+ machine. I didn't like it then, and I still don't like it now.
Then Bajaj did what every major manufacturer in the world did on on a regular basis - upgrade! In came 2 new "DTS-i" versions of the Pulsar twins, with loads of new tech on offer, plus, the 180 now made 16bhp; enough to demolish the larger-engined Karizma in the top speed stakes. The 223cc 16.76bhp 150kg Karizma hit 125.6kph, while the 178.6cc 16.01bhp 139kg Pulsar 180 DTS-i hit 128.9kph! But Bajaj didn't stop there, they worked on a new model, something that would take the country by storm. Something that took a long, long time to actually bring from paper to tarmac.
The big break up of TVS with Suzuki only made things worse. Enter the Fiero F2. New package, same engine as the Fiero, and lo, behold and be cursed, the ol' 4-speed gearbox. A chromier FX didn't make things any better. A few years down the line, axe.
Kinetic had a good bike in the GF170 Laser, but lack of quality and practicality made sure they didn't stay on. But that was a good thing, for with their new forger alliance with Korean major Hyosung, the 250cc V-twin cruiser, the Aquila, hit our shores! It was brilliant. 27bhp, 24Nm, big, fat and effective brakes, good top whack and handling, but it still was a bulky cruiser... Limited edition it was, and it went, fast! Now came the trump. The Comet GT250. With a mill borrowed from the Aquila, tuned to produce 30bhp (@10500rpm), it was the first real sportsbike that we've had in a while, and the fact that it aped a certain Italian marque model was only a good thing!
Years go by, the Fiero FX is gone, the old Pulsars have gone and Bajaj has major upgrades again, while HH does another ol' sticker job on every one of their models. Not much happens, save for a few good Bullet launches, the Thunderbird and a new electric starter equipped 500. Auto Expo 2004 happens, Kawasaki showcase their ZZR250, Eliminator V250 and of course, their then new litre-bike the Ninja ZX-10R all over the country. I had the privilege to see, touch and straddle the orange ZX at a local auto show. Questions about price and mileage (the usual) were shadowed by someone's question from the crowd - "What is the power?" The reply was "180bhp". The response to the reply from someone in the crowd was "180bhp or 180cc?!" Nice. The answer "1000cc, 180bhp" was followed by gasps and gulps as disbelief swept the faces of everyone present there. Ah! Enlightenment...
It's 2006 and Bajaj has finally readied a production ready version of their Pulsar - a mean, more powerful and more technology and gadget packed bike than most people could only imagine here in India. Little was know till the middle of the year and by the end, a handful of prototypes were released for sale. Karizma owners to this day refuse to believe that a bike can better their "pride and joy", if only the ignorant morons opened their eyes to what was below their tank.
Spec sheets got tears flowing in the eyes of some - 220cc, 20bhp, fuel-injection, rear disc brake, digital console, ECU engine, tubeless tyres, stacked projector/parabolic headlamps, oil cooler, split seats, split grab rail, LED tail lamps, tank pad, self-cancelling indicators on flexible mounts... the list went on and on... Yes. It was easily the best bike on offer. The new Karizma "R" was just a dab of black paint, apart from an engine cowl and big R stickers, that only added more weight to the already underpowered and overweight bike.
Cutting to the chase. 2007! The year of expectation. We have 2 Apaches - a sculpted E150, and an excellent handling RTR160. We have 4 Pulsars - 150, 180, 200 DTS-i and a 220 DTS-Fi. The 180 will bid us adieu very soon. A 300cc single, and a twin cylinder 400 are expected in mid-2008 and end-2009 respectively. . But more importantly, the government has finally applied Euro III emission norms to bikes of 800cc and above, meaning the Yamaha R6 will not happen so soon, but a whole lot of others are on the way! My dream bike, the 185bhp 172kg YZF-R1 will be in showroom by the end of the year and will be followed by many of it's larger engined brethren, including the massive 1670cc MT-01. Can't wait... Saving up from right now will certainly help a few years down the line...
Then came the most important motorcycle, or should I say motorcycles, India had ever seen. Bajaj launched their home grown Pulsar twins in 150 and 180cc guise. Their importance was not really the "thing" then, but it made other manufacturers shiver with the volumes that started happening with the launch of those two true-blue performance bikes. Sure, they looked sporty and had the power and the oomph as well. HH long had a block that went from 133 right upto 223cc. The Ambition is not of any concern here, but the top end of that block is, the Karizma. Yes, the Karizma was the fastest 4-stroke bike India had ever produced. (The Yamaha RD350 was, and is to date, the fastest Indian made bike. All hail!!) It had quality, performance, handling, refinement; but it wasn't frugal and didn't produce the power expected from a 200+ machine. I didn't like it then, and I still don't like it now.
Then Bajaj did what every major manufacturer in the world did on on a regular basis - upgrade! In came 2 new "DTS-i" versions of the Pulsar twins, with loads of new tech on offer, plus, the 180 now made 16bhp; enough to demolish the larger-engined Karizma in the top speed stakes. The 223cc 16.76bhp 150kg Karizma hit 125.6kph, while the 178.6cc 16.01bhp 139kg Pulsar 180 DTS-i hit 128.9kph! But Bajaj didn't stop there, they worked on a new model, something that would take the country by storm. Something that took a long, long time to actually bring from paper to tarmac.
The big break up of TVS with Suzuki only made things worse. Enter the Fiero F2. New package, same engine as the Fiero, and lo, behold and be cursed, the ol' 4-speed gearbox. A chromier FX didn't make things any better. A few years down the line, axe.
Kinetic had a good bike in the GF170 Laser, but lack of quality and practicality made sure they didn't stay on. But that was a good thing, for with their new forger alliance with Korean major Hyosung, the 250cc V-twin cruiser, the Aquila, hit our shores! It was brilliant. 27bhp, 24Nm, big, fat and effective brakes, good top whack and handling, but it still was a bulky cruiser... Limited edition it was, and it went, fast! Now came the trump. The Comet GT250. With a mill borrowed from the Aquila, tuned to produce 30bhp (@10500rpm), it was the first real sportsbike that we've had in a while, and the fact that it aped a certain Italian marque model was only a good thing!
Years go by, the Fiero FX is gone, the old Pulsars have gone and Bajaj has major upgrades again, while HH does another ol' sticker job on every one of their models. Not much happens, save for a few good Bullet launches, the Thunderbird and a new electric starter equipped 500. Auto Expo 2004 happens, Kawasaki showcase their ZZR250, Eliminator V250 and of course, their then new litre-bike the Ninja ZX-10R all over the country. I had the privilege to see, touch and straddle the orange ZX at a local auto show. Questions about price and mileage (the usual) were shadowed by someone's question from the crowd - "What is the power?" The reply was "180bhp". The response to the reply from someone in the crowd was "180bhp or 180cc?!" Nice. The answer "1000cc, 180bhp" was followed by gasps and gulps as disbelief swept the faces of everyone present there. Ah! Enlightenment...
It's 2006 and Bajaj has finally readied a production ready version of their Pulsar - a mean, more powerful and more technology and gadget packed bike than most people could only imagine here in India. Little was know till the middle of the year and by the end, a handful of prototypes were released for sale. Karizma owners to this day refuse to believe that a bike can better their "pride and joy", if only the ignorant morons opened their eyes to what was below their tank.
Spec sheets got tears flowing in the eyes of some - 220cc, 20bhp, fuel-injection, rear disc brake, digital console, ECU engine, tubeless tyres, stacked projector/parabolic headlamps, oil cooler, split seats, split grab rail, LED tail lamps, tank pad, self-cancelling indicators on flexible mounts... the list went on and on... Yes. It was easily the best bike on offer. The new Karizma "R" was just a dab of black paint, apart from an engine cowl and big R stickers, that only added more weight to the already underpowered and overweight bike.
Cutting to the chase. 2007! The year of expectation. We have 2 Apaches - a sculpted E150, and an excellent handling RTR160. We have 4 Pulsars - 150, 180, 200 DTS-i and a 220 DTS-Fi. The 180 will bid us adieu very soon. A 300cc single, and a twin cylinder 400 are expected in mid-2008 and end-2009 respectively. . But more importantly, the government has finally applied Euro III emission norms to bikes of 800cc and above, meaning the Yamaha R6 will not happen so soon, but a whole lot of others are on the way! My dream bike, the 185bhp 172kg YZF-R1 will be in showroom by the end of the year and will be followed by many of it's larger engined brethren, including the massive 1670cc MT-01. Can't wait... Saving up from right now will certainly help a few years down the line...
Sylvia
Sylvia, that's her name. She personifies elegance, character and poise. The comfort and "feel good" factor made me single out what I wanted to be with. A bike I had the pleasure to swing a leg over at launch, exactly 3 years before I claimed her as my own. My mind was pretty made up right then. The problem was it's acquisition. Ah, motivation. The motivation to work!
2 years of midnight suffering was all it took, and I stand today the proud owner of the finest cruiser I can imagine, apart from her elder, now discontinued sister, the Lightning 535. Hmmm... She was one fine creation she was!
350cc, 18bhp and 27Nm don't add up to good fuel economy, but she delivers, and how! 35kpl overall is perfectly ok with me. Every ride I take, every destination reached and every road trundled give me immense satisfaction, more so because I feel one with the machine. I know there are a lot more rides to come, and many more roads to experience the joy of journeying. I look forward to them all.
Right then... Life isn't just about cruising. There's speeding and peg-scraping to do too, apart from a myriad of stunts that get the adrenaline rushing. From what I rode, the Apache RTR160 and the 2 big Pulsars (200 & 220) were excellent rides, that offer amazing handling and feel. (Oh yes, the Apache was telepathic!). That's all good then, but now comes the difficult part - choose ONE!
2 years of midnight suffering was all it took, and I stand today the proud owner of the finest cruiser I can imagine, apart from her elder, now discontinued sister, the Lightning 535. Hmmm... She was one fine creation she was!
350cc, 18bhp and 27Nm don't add up to good fuel economy, but she delivers, and how! 35kpl overall is perfectly ok with me. Every ride I take, every destination reached and every road trundled give me immense satisfaction, more so because I feel one with the machine. I know there are a lot more rides to come, and many more roads to experience the joy of journeying. I look forward to them all.
Right then... Life isn't just about cruising. There's speeding and peg-scraping to do too, apart from a myriad of stunts that get the adrenaline rushing. From what I rode, the Apache RTR160 and the 2 big Pulsars (200 & 220) were excellent rides, that offer amazing handling and feel. (Oh yes, the Apache was telepathic!). That's all good then, but now comes the difficult part - choose ONE!
Bikes and... more bikes!
My first blog! Hmmm.. Have to make sumthin meaninful of it... Let's see... Road tests, rides and personal reviews seem to be a good start...! But before I get to the details, a lil about me... A simple lil guy from a bustling small town, ridden everything on 2 wheels this country has to offer... A passion for music, engines and computers has fuelled me all my life. Been goin solo for a couple of dozen years now :) That's why this blog is "The Diary Of Insanity.. eh, Insaanity! Yeah, the insane insaan, wot else can I say... Anyway, enuf abt me, let's get started...
What do I look for? The overall package has to appeal to me more than anything. The engine forms a major part of this package, mind you. I would NOT want to be the guy stuck with a Karizma cos "it looks good". (Yeah, rite! Looks are subjective, The Apache, now that's sculpted beauty in my eyes!) The Yamaha YZF-R1 will always be the most beautiful machine ever conceptualised...
Power and response come second. I would not mind trading a decent amount of fuel economy for power! A Triumph Rocket III or an R1? Hmmm... tough choice... Though a choice between a Karizma or Pulsar 200 is a no-brainer, the Pulsar get's my vote! (220, nah, that's just to make fun of the Zma!!) Apache RTR160 or Pulsar 200? Now that's a dilemma!
My ride is a June 2005 edition Royal Enfield Thunderbird A350. A Karizma was never an option, the P180 Black wasn't there then, nor was the Avenger, THANK GOD! (I was eagerly awaiting the "Eliminator DTS-i", which I kept asking the dealers about. Turns out the original moniker had a lot to do with how I felt about the bike. Now, Avenger is like something plain ordinary... Yes, Birdman and Avenger makes more sense than ever now, for those who know the old cartoon superhero and his feathered sidekick! I do not regret my decision whatsoever...
This was just the ruffling of feathers. The good stuff is yet to come!!
What do I look for? The overall package has to appeal to me more than anything. The engine forms a major part of this package, mind you. I would NOT want to be the guy stuck with a Karizma cos "it looks good". (Yeah, rite! Looks are subjective, The Apache, now that's sculpted beauty in my eyes!) The Yamaha YZF-R1 will always be the most beautiful machine ever conceptualised...
Power and response come second. I would not mind trading a decent amount of fuel economy for power! A Triumph Rocket III or an R1? Hmmm... tough choice... Though a choice between a Karizma or Pulsar 200 is a no-brainer, the Pulsar get's my vote! (220, nah, that's just to make fun of the Zma!!) Apache RTR160 or Pulsar 200? Now that's a dilemma!
My ride is a June 2005 edition Royal Enfield Thunderbird A350. A Karizma was never an option, the P180 Black wasn't there then, nor was the Avenger, THANK GOD! (I was eagerly awaiting the "Eliminator DTS-i", which I kept asking the dealers about. Turns out the original moniker had a lot to do with how I felt about the bike. Now, Avenger is like something plain ordinary... Yes, Birdman and Avenger makes more sense than ever now, for those who know the old cartoon superhero and his feathered sidekick! I do not regret my decision whatsoever...
This was just the ruffling of feathers. The good stuff is yet to come!!
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