[dreamseller]

Originally Posted by Motormania

We did actually mention each and every thing to be done.

The chain had started giving problems before the ride itself and it just worsened after he completed it. Right now he is riding back to Mumbai with the same set of chain-sprocket. Will be getting the replacement there only. Todi Honda,Calcutta can give the local fish markets a run for their money

And I thought Shiva Wheels Honda was as bad as things could get.

UPDATE for Kolkata people: There's another Honda showroom being opened on VIP Road. To be named Duggal Honda. Opening on 15th November. Or so I've been told.

@aargee: Did I tell you that the mech looked at my engine head and said the gasket needs replacement?

[Pattam1234]

A little advise on running in a new or re-bored engine.
The rpm indication is a guideline, it is important to vary the rpm up and down a few hundred and at times go for short higher rpm bursts. Do not let the engine lug in low gear or try to run at very low rpm in high gear and try and save gas. Never hold a steady rpm for long. The bore tends to glaze over and prevents the oil film from clinging to the liner causing wear through metal to metal contact
Also use of synthetic oil is questionable during run in as the extra lubricity that synthetics provide does not allow the engine to bed in properly even after the specified period. It is better to stick to a premium mineral oil during the first few thousand km and then change to synthetic.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by dreamseller

@aargee: Did I tell you that the mech looked at my engine head and said the gasket needs replacement?

My second engine's head is slightly dented & HMSI had sent a free head for replacement few months ago, but I was skeptical to open up the head & asked them to keep it. Let me see if I can get hold it for you by talking to local ASC, though you may need to be prepared to pay if required.

Finally some good news - I've initiated to drag HMSI to consumer court for all the drama they're playing. I should hear a satisfactory explanation in next 2 weeks, otherwise, I'm walking to court

PS - Last Monday several folks from HMSI called me up to convince saying that the spares were sent through Blue Dart & flight & the ASC promised to deliver the bike by Wednesday (09-Nov); and guess what? Its Thursday night & I haven't heard anything from them.

Anyway, I'm planning to get rid off the bike back to HMSI for all the troubles they're causing; I don't even feel like I bought the bike.

Edit - Oh!!! And an apology to all the folks who suggested me against going to consumer court!!!

[Leepower]

Originally Posted by aargee

My second engine's head is slightly dented & HMSI had sent a free head for replacement few months ago, but I was skeptical to open up the head & asked them to keep it. Let me see if I can get hold it for you by talking to local ASC, though you may need to be prepared to pay if required.

Finally some good news - I've initiated to drag HMSI to consumer court for all the drama they're playing. I should hear a satisfactory explanation in next 2 weeks, otherwise, I'm walking to court

PS - Last Monday several folks from HMSI called me up to convince saying that the spares were sent through Blue Dart & flight & the ASC promised to deliver the bike by Wednesday (09-Nov); and guess what? Its Thursday night & I haven't heard anything from them.

Anyway, I'm planning to get rid off the bike back to HMSI for all the troubles they're causing; I don't even feel like I bought the bike.

Edit - Oh!!! And an apology to all the folks who suggested me against going to consumer court!!!

Go for it man, sue them. How long can this farce last??? If they have no spares why did they bring out the bike??? In this time and age this kind of excuse can't be accepted. And that too for a bike which is being made in India and touted as a game changer??? If spares are in short supply for a Ducati or Harley, then I can understand. But for a Honda CBR 250r????
If this is how they treat the HMSI treats a buyer of its premium product, then god save the ones who bought a CB Twister and co.
We Indians have this nasty habbit of taking things quietly, this has to change.
Cheers,
Sam

[aargee]

After 3 weeks...whew!!! get hold of my C250R; what a relief!!! As usual, nothing great to mention, just that the ride is smooth; switched to 10W-30 HMSI FS oil & certainly there's a minor noticeable change in the engine. JSP did a good job & I'd recommend this place for a good service. Also got additional 1/2 liter engine oil for topping up purpose.

PS - Don't ask me the bill amount though

Originally Posted by Leepower

If they have no spares why did they bring out the bike???

Case will not hold water on these grounds though.

Originally Posted by aargee

Anyway, I'm planning to get rid off the bike back to HMSI for all the troubles they're causing; I don't even feel like I bought the bike.

Sorry to hear your sufferings, aargee. Shall I take it that you don't advise buying Honda CBR 250R? I am thinking of retiring my 2001-model Suzuki Fiero and buying a new bike [actually, it is for my son]. I like RE Desert Storm, but not its 8-month waiting period. I also like Honda CBR 250R because of its features. But, after going through your mental agony, I am in two minds. My son likes RE Electra and doesn't like Honda CBR 250R because of its less FE as compared to RE Electra. Any suggestions, aargee?

[aargee]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Shall I take it that you don't advise buying Honda CBR 250R?

I heard HMSI is trying to iron out these issues in the forth coming months. So there're both pros & cons I see in this...
Pros - HMSI will address these issues for C250R reason being that, they want to establish themselves in 250cc; with Katoom now & probably YMIS & BAL definitely entering into this segment, HMSI wouldn't like to loose their share; this is especially when, they want to see themselves climbing up the sales chart from present #4.

Cons - These guys will never realize!!! Still Activa's parts are in demand; that is for a vehicle that was launched more than a decade ago. If they can't do that, how're they going to do this? Needless to say spare parts are in demand for Shine & Unicorn. Last time the same JSP (but a different branch of ASC) screwed my Activa that has run 18K km in 7 years; right royally screwed!!!

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

I am thinking of retiring...Honda CBR 250R because of its features.

Good

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

But, after going through your mental agony, I am in two minds. My son likes RE Electra and doesn't like Honda CBR 250R because of its less FE as compared to RE Electra

Depends on what you want; no two bikes serves the same purpose, atleast in India; there're very rare circumstances such things happen. Even in the 90's Rx100, Ax100, KB100 weren't the same.

Agony is only with HMSI, the manufacturer who short sells the spares without anticipation that customers would require spares in short duration. For example, the initial lot of vehicles DID had coneset issue & for a few folks they were replaced under warranty. Now the disk pad seems to be wearing soon. I was devastated when my brake pads were to be changed at 10K kms as my Rx's brake pads lasted for more than 27-28K kms. I thought I was a bad rider .r.t C250R until my friends said the pads lasted for them only for 5-7K (one even had 4K). This is clearly a manufacturing defect.

And what I do not like about HMSI is, be it 250 or 100 Twister, they aren't taking customer's seriously here. Send an email to any top guys, be it in India or Japan, they NEVER reply to you. Check HMSI website they don't have phone or email ID for customer service. Worse thing is that you've customer service phone number for Asian paints to Top Ramen noodles!!!

Last but not the least, go by what you need & not by what's the best seller. Understand the dynamics of any vehicle & go for it. After all these issues, I still say C250R, as a product really rocks for quality (forget the initial batches), technology, FE, engineering & practicality. KTM 200 is coming up with the same specs, same power figure & better power to weight ratio. Not sure if the pricing would be any different or higher. If the prices are almost the same with better customer service, I'm sure people will flock to KTM; and in a short while one can see the Pulsar family launching a 250 & probably that would start declining the sales for C250R unless HMSI changes their ATTITUDE

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Any suggestions, aargee?

See, it depends on what one needs; the product is good for the money we pay. Except Pulsar or any other Indian manufacturer who gets into that segment can't beat that C250R's VFM for now. But again, if they enter, we'll have to see how the engineering, quality, technology & other things are. So overall, C250R is excellent for now. But its a question of how long one can wait. There's absolutely no comparison between any of the bikes you've mentioned. Reason? Each of them are to fill a specific gap. In India, atleast there isn't a true competition. A true competition is like comparing Triumph Bonneville & Kawasaki W650. But certainly not even between N250R & C250R as each of them are unique & has offers in their own segment.

Originally Posted by aargee

So overall, C250R is excellent for now.

Thanks a lot, aargee, for prompt and detailed response. Your concluding remarks might tilt the balance in favour of Honda CBR 250R.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Your concluding remarks might tilt the balance in favour of Honda CBR 250R.

Like I said before, the product, for now is excellent VFM. Did you want to hear another story?

While I kept waiting for sprocket to arrive from Sep 19 to Oct 21 (that too when half the sprockets had come from HMSI), I gave a call to ROLON India on 17th Oct to see if I can buy a sprocket kit independently.

By 24th Oct, ROLON's representatives had come down from Coimbatore personally to hand over the sprocket kit to me. So it only took one week for them to ship the part while HMSI took more than a month to ship half the part.

And you know what is more shameful? ROLON gave a new chain kit at free of cost while HMSI had nerves to not only delay supplying the parts, but also charge around 1.7K for the chain kit, when the bike is under warranty!!!

I know warranty doesn't cover the wear & tear; but 10K, sprocket changes, 5-6K disc pad changes are highly unacceptable. Those things could happen only if someone rides on race tracks!!!

[black12rr]

Originally Posted by aargee

Like I said before, the product, for now is excellent VFM. Did you want to hear another story?

While I kept waiting for sprocket to arrive from Sep 19 to Oct 21 (that too when half the sprockets had come from HMSI), I gave a call to ROLON India on 17th Oct to see if I can buy a sprocket kit independently.

By 24th Oct, ROLON's representatives had come down from Coimbatore personally to hand over the sprocket kit to me. So it only took one week for them to ship the part while HMSI took more than a month to ship half the part.

And you know what is more shameful? ROLON gave a new chain kit at free of cost while HMSI had nerves to not only delay supplying the parts, but also charge around 1.7K for the chain kit, when the bike is under warranty!!!

I know warranty doesn't cover the wear & tear; but 10K, sprocket changes, 5-6K disc pad changes are highly unacceptable. Those things could happen only if someone rides on race tracks!!!

That's really shameful. Customer service does not exists , what for should someone spend 2 lakhs for a bike ,to get such a treatment . .
I thinking honda is just dumping the bikes without even a pinch of Quality control ,thinking INDIAN customers will buy anything with HONDA tag ,even a donkey too.

PS :I went for Test ride of 250 R and he flatly refused for TR , I asked weather at-least I can sit on the bike to see the position ,he refused . He was acting he was doing a big favor to me .I just walked out without even thinking twice , morons .

[aargee]

@black12rr - Excellent point on customer service;

Guys, just noticed the bill for third free service; it says...

Rs 325 for labour on changing front, rear disc pads, replacing slider chain & changing final sprocket chain. Over the above it also says, Rs 0 against Free Service. Doesn't all these come under free service?

[aargee]

So finally, I get the acknowledgement copy from customer care HMSI Bangalore for the complaint I've sent last week. So this marks the first step towards my approach for consumer court.

[aargee]

Few more updates; HMSI had a organized Honda Wings club at Chennai at VGP Golden beach resort on 19-Nov & they'd invited about 200 C250R owners from Chennai, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur districts; they'd regional sales head & few other heads from HMSI + all showroom owners from Chennai (JSP, Didar, Kun, Soorya, Manasarovar...)

Function started about an hour late; we were given a flimsy C250R Tee; started with all owner's & HMSI officials inaugurating the Wings club; ice breakers; magic show (very nice one) & then lunch; I'd to move after lunch as I've work to attend. But the invitation contained programs like gymkhana, paint ball, DJ & dance & comedy show.

The club card offered discount coupons for Fitness one, Naturals & CCD & about 5-6 benefits (can't recall now) out of which 2 of them are quite beneficial, esp to me. One is priority servicing on prior calling for members & 5% discount on genuine HMSI spares. Not sure if its extended for other Honda products, if so, whoa!!! that's really great.

Some pics...
















Had a good chat with HMSI officials, though they weren't relevant people, but they assured that they would take our feedback sincerely & pass on to management.

Bike is in great shape & had tried to unleash its potential, but it only couldn't do beyond 92.5 without crouching.

PS - It was quite surprising to see that none of the showroom owners were TN origins. Most of them were Northies...hmm...

[aargee]

Had a minor incident last week; had rear ended a bus that resulted the bus intact but with broken front cowls & headlights; Thankfully, the bike didn't even tilt any side; current damage is estimated to be about 3K inclusive of labor. Have left the bike at ASC this evening & the indefinite waiting period for parts started about 5-6 hours ago.

Here're the pics of the damages...








When I'd taken from the last service, I felt the front disc were little spongy & was supposed to be at ASC on 19th (when Wings club was launched) & promptly I ditched the ASC for Wings club & this is what I got to pay now!!! The play on front brake lever is atleast 5+ cms & the front disc pads needs replacement in a span of less than 600 Kms. Here's how it looks...

[unni.ak]

Disc pads needing to be changed at 600kms is really bad. Shows the quality of parts being used by Honda. Can you not source them from outside? Or would that void warranty?

PS: Is the screw on the RVM holder rusted? Guess its just dust.