[deetee]

" For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else. "
- Ralph Waldo Emerson.

It is precisely the thought that plays in my mind whenever I weigh my decisions or to judge the outcomes of them. To someone wondering what this prologue has to do with an ownership experience of a bike, I have to rewind the storyline back a few months.


Scene 1: Flashback
With , and with rapid increase in traffic on daily commute route, I had thought:
I can't take public transport nor can I plan car pooling as my office location and timings are a little offset from normal. Then it occurred to me that I have a bike at home ,hibernating for months. It is a humble 110cc which never said no to me even with all that neglect I showered upon it. Washed it and nursed it with new blood (engine oil) and it roared ( err! purred) to life at the first kick.

Scene 2: Back On Track

A few weeks passed and I noticed my bike is showing signs of its aging. Its heart has gotten weak from all the stress I put on it. Out of all the attachment to it , instead of junking it and going for new one, I wanted to get its heart(engine) transplanted. That didn't happen immediately as my attention was pulled to other immediate responsibilities. A few more weeks pass, me still riding daily on my dying steed.

Scene 3: The Decision

Being back on to motorbiking woke up the biker in me. As plans are underway to rejuvenate the bike, I explored the options of modifications like bigger engine,5 speed transmission etc.,. Then I realized I can't devote so much time for such modifications which later also will be demanding attention frequently. So, I decided to go for a new and bigger bike and keep this one restored to stock.And the big brother is none other than the trusted and revered bull. I went and booked a Classic 350 maroon right away.


Scene 4: The Wait Begins

The decision of going for bull was all out of the want for bigger engine and power. I didn't think much about it then, it was rather impulsive. I neither had any prior experience of owning nor even riding it. Booked it even without a test drive. Crush, if any, I had for it stemmed back in my college days when I saw ads of red Thunderbird and I used to say that it is the bike I wish to buy someday.However after seeing the CL350, I was sold on it. Still among all RE's I hold some soft corner for thunderbird. That internal debate razed in me for a few days. Do I want to or . Added to this, all those passing new bulls I used to see outside and on forum made the wait appear excruciatingly long. I decided to go for a used thunderbird both as a stop gap means and to evaluate my requirements for cruising vs commuting.

Scene 5: The Quest

I used to regularly watch the ads of RE bikes on various sites and classifieds. Did inspect a handful of them which I shortlisted (thanks to Imran for the tips) but sadly didn't find them good to my liking. One or two of them , which I thought I can use for a short time, changed hands by the time I made up my mind. There I was without any successful hunt and drooling over the ownership threads in the forum, all the while still lugging my old steed.

To be continued...

[deetee]

Scene 6: The Introspection

With no luck in hunting for thunderbird and the crazy waiting period playing tricks on my mind, I slowly settled down with my normal routine. Then I began evaluating my decision for new bike based on the quote I always remember, what I am gaining out of my new bike and what am I losing for it. Am I going to loose anything that I really enjoy for getting that I may not need so much? Such thoughts struck out the option of thunderbird as I know from my owning of 4 different types of vehicles that I never liked to stay away from family for long. I am not a tourer. I am not a speed freak either. All I want is a comfortable and relaxed 60 and a quick way to reach and stay there. I am more of an explorer and than a tourer. So, It is CL350 winning over TBTS. Atleast thats what I thought till I ran into this machine.

Scene 7: A Triangle Love Story

I slowly came to terms with the waiting period and going about my routines normally. All was well untill I saw this machine. Where and when I saw it for the first time, I can't remember, all I can feel and remember was the strong tug at my heartstrings. I scoured all the information available about it and the more I learned about it the more I felt it is apt for me. Along came slowly the deciding moment- both the machines are incomparable and I have to end up with one of them only. It was a tough decision. The price factor never interfered. It is all about with which am going to be happy for a long time. I evaluated myself once again only to realize and awake the explorer in me. As I looked back the track I rode my bike, I can see it , I am not yet ready for a bull. I am just not matured enough to handle it- its not about buying it and owning it. A bull brings a totally new life along with it. On the other hand this machine perfectly suits me in whatever way of life I ride now. Its nimble, its peppy enough, its comfortable, its forgiving and its cool.

Scene 8: The Conclusion

It was not easy to convince my soul that am not ready for bull yet. On the other hand during each test ride of the other one, I could feel 'this is it'. One evening at the end of the office hours, though not fully convinced, but to put an end to the ordeal my heart was undergoing, I called up the dealer and said am coming. Sealed the decision.

After 300 kms of riding it, I can say it is one of the bold and best decisions I made ; I am enjoying it.

The Terrain Tamer: My new 'grassland green' Impulse



Will follow up with a detailed report.

[deepfusion]

Congratulations on your new bike, DEE TEE.

More details on the bike, please.

[deetee]

The bike:

The bike is well built despite those weld marks apppearing visible. Being a dual sport, the saddle hieght is on the taller side. Roughly 6-7 inches more than many road bikes. I am 5'10" and myself finds getting on and off the bike to be done very consciously . Manytimes I end up hitting the grab rail or turn indicator stalks ( thankfully they are flexible). But once seated, suspension settles firmly with a smooth and firm damping action. The front forks does the job well too, provided very good damping in the small jumps I did during short off roading trips.
The 19" front and 17" rear tyre combo is a boon as it becomes easy to climb over obstacles like big dunes, rough road edges etc.,.

A few more pics of the bike:

Removed the saree gaurd as I mostly would be riding single.



The indicators are placed quite high on rear tail, so no problem of other bikers damaging them in traffic.

[mobius 1]

The Terrain Tamer: My new 'grassland green' Impulse

A highly awaited first hand review of the Impulse . . finally
Please keep it coming
Green looks stunning, by the way what are the other colours available ?

[DeKay]

Woah! The Impulse looks amazing man! Congratulations. The Impulse would be attracting a lot of attention, no?

And any particular reason for choosing the Green color?

[am1m]

Nice writeup! I've been following news of the Impulse with great interest, since it was launched; so please keep the review going, thanks.

And since you considered a Bullet before buying the Impulse, you might be interested to hear that I'm considering switching from an '07 Thunderbird to an Impulse now. The 'bird is a great bike, I've taken her on several long rides to some pretty extreme places, over the past 5 years, and she behaved great. But I've always felt that a lighter bike would be less cumbersome on such journeys.

Of course I'm still waiting to hear if the Impulse is ok on the highway part of the journey, to get to such places.

[deetee]

Review continued:

The handle reminds me that of the one on yamaha FZ16; its wide and low rise type. But the handle position w.r.t to saddle height is high enough and comfortable enough . Neither the wrist nor does the should hurt. The foot pegs are more like commuter type and gear shift is toe type shifter. Before my first ride I thought the foot pegs are small for my feet size but I was wrong.They are comfortable and sturdy.Kick road is present and doesn't have any rubber at the kicker end. More like naked street bike. Anyway , I didn't need to use it except on one occasion in early morning. The rear brake lever is all metal forged and feels good.

The console is small but fully functional. It is full digital type with analog tacho and lcd display shows speed,time, odo/tripA/tripB, fuel guage. The time display also has a service due reminder feature ( didn't get to see it till now though). Back light is orange and stays lit all the time (while ignition is on).

Switch gear feels good,head lamp throws a bright wide beam. There is a head lamp adjustment screw just beneath the head lamp cowl.



Thanks deepfusion,DeKay and am1m.

Impulse comes in Red,Orange,Blue,Black and Green shades. Previously I had Red,Blue and Black two wheelers. Besides that, Orange and Green are the shades which look best on Impulse. Between two, I preferred green ,impulsive you know .

Got to ride the bike for about a 150 km trip of which 120km was on highway, the bike gripped well and road manners were good. The mono shock and large front wheel helps to maintain straight line stability despite those regular undulations that one comes across on the tarmac. About 30km was through unpaved and rough roads . Here too bike handled excellently. However my helmet is motocross type which posed problem if I crouched at higher speeds, so didn't go beyond 70kmph.
But this bike cannot replace a cruiser on comfort terms. I preferred this to bullet only because I am basically more of rough/off road guy even in the city. I frequently take narrow streets or bad roads to avoid traffic, so I choose this despite my liking and love for the revered bull.

[roy_libran]

Congrats on your purchase. just one question, that has been bugging me about this bike. What is your opinion about it's tiny heart? I would have expected such a bike to at least have a 250 cc heart, with better torque, for Off-Road use.

Also, how are the stock tyres for the road?

[deetee]

Originally Posted by roy_libran

Congrats on your purchase. just one question, that has been bugging me about this bike. What is your opinion about it's tiny heart? I would have expected such a bike to at least have a 250 cc heart, with better torque, for Off-Road use.

Also, how are the stock tyres for the road?

The bike itself is carbon copy of Honda's NXR 150. I speculate that this is one of the parting gifts to Hero from Honda. So, the best hero did is to mimic the design of the original Honda to every minute detail and come out with the best quality they are capable of.
So, the answer to why only 150 on this machine is because the NXR too has 150 .
On a serious note, adding bigger engine on this machine will call for design changes like bigger drum brakes at rear (rear discs are generally avoided in offroad bikes), better front forks, fuel system modifications etc.,. Chassis is strong enough to hold a bigger mill but the rest every thing may have to be redesigned.And I think Hero wanted to play safe with their first branded bike and hence the copy cat design.

Excuse me for the split reviews, I will draft one single detailed one and post soon.
Today replaced engine oil with same grade (10w30 SJ) at 300km. Mileage yet to be observed.

[ebonho]

Congrats on a very nice looking bike bro!

I seem to have missed it but what is the ground clearance of this bike? Looks really impressive.

P.S. Just Googled it - 245 mm - that's HUGE!

[deetjohn]

Thanks for a great review thread deetee.

And congrats on your Bros. Keep the pictures coming.

How tall is the seat? I haven't seen the Impulse in person yet.

[deetee]

Am consolidating a few of my previous posts also here so as to keep this review comprehensive.
Also, I am going to keep the buying experience separate as that is nothing to write much about but some personal rants.

My review of the bike:

My first impression, honestly, is that bike looks spectacular from all angles except that huge gap between fender and front tyre.
But then, what is a dirt bike without an unobstructed front fender. However I still like and wish there is a provision to reduce that gap for road use.
The bike itself is well built. But I did not like the glaringly visible weld marks and powder coating. It needs improvement.
Being a dual sport with exposed frame, I accept the bike and design for what they are.
Pictures doesn't do justice to dimensions of this bike. Seeing it in metal was an experience, atleast for me.
It is taller than any other Indian bike, sleek but not slim; sculpted to be precise.Design credits go to Honda though.
Standing adjacent to it,it looked like a well bred horse (figurative) ready to gallop, that's my personal picture of it though.

Me and my steed:


Its dry weight is put at some 134 kg. Some say it is heavy to be a dirt bike and some say it is lighter to be highway machine.
But that is what it is, something of both worlds. I am not going to participate in motocross trails nor am I going to race on highways.
Also, I don't understand how weight of bike matters for its highway capabilities. It is tough to reduce weight of a bike but how difficult is it to add weight to it.
What matters, to me is , how well that weight is distributed and how that distribution behaves.
From my initial experiences this handles well, period.
The bike comes in 5 shades, orange and green are my personal choices. To me green looked pleasing and orange looked delicious.
Since I can have only of them, I preferred green, can't really think of any reason.

Chassis:

Chassis, as I read somewhere, is built of high tensile steel. I don't know if I should believe it.
It is black powder coated and appears to have some unique construction. On close observation though, I can appreciate all that complexity and it falls nicely into place for intended purpose of the bike.
Chassis starts as a single down tube starting from steering mount and then splits into a double cradle where the engine starts.It continues all the way till the end of the engine base and here both rails of
the cradle are reinforced with a horizontal support tube.This setup nicely cradles the engine and also offers a flat bottom.
The ground clearance is huge and it is not without drawbacks.The bike doesn't feature a center stand for two reasons( other than whatever Honda engineers thought):1.Adding a center stand lowers the ground clearance. 2.Even if one tries to weld a center stand, a long enough stand for the bike is going to mess with swing arm and may be even with the tyre.

Notice the ground clearance and how close the side stand itself is to the rear tyre. The black strip on swing arm is chain wear indicator.


Don't ask me how am going to manage any tyre punctures off-road. I couldn't figure out how to hold the bike if I need to remove any of the tyres.However for all other normal use the side stand is fine.
The side stand doesn't lean the bike much but it lacks any protrusion to easily extend it from astride position on the bike.Its a kind of feel and fumble exercise until I got hang of it.

Suspension:

Take the bike off the side stand and one can observe suspension to settle down slightly under the bikes own weight.
Once astride the suspension further lowers smoothly under the rider's weight. But this need not raise any suspicions on it capabilities.
I am <> 100 kg and it didn't bottom out in any of my short off-road encounters.The rear swing arm appears solid and well made. Don't know if its alloy or steel
but it does the job well. The rear mono shock is hidden into the frame and only the lower portion is barely visible.Unlike Unicorn or FZ16, this is not adjustable.

The weld joints are an eyesore everywhere.That red plug is to collect dirt from air filter.


I think owing to its height and sponginess it may not need to be adjusted. Specs say it is nitrox damped.

Fuel tank:

Fuel tank appeared small but it can hold a minimum of 11.6 liters with 2.6 liters of usable reserve. 2.6 liters of usable reserve translates to atleast 110km of distance to empty after getting into reserve. The tank lid is not hinged type but comes off completely when unlocked. Two air scoops on either side of the tank try to give the bike a sizable picture. I am not sure if they serve their functional purpose. I hope they do, trusting the original design.Fuel tap is small ( compared to my older bikes). It points up for normal operation, down for reserve mode.

Saddle( Seat ):

The saddle height can be a deterrent for short riders. I am 5'10" and I can plant my feet firmly on the ground. So, for taller people,its a piece of cake.This riding height gives a unique feeling while driving- its like am driving a SUV that moves on two wheels.The saddle begins on side of the fuel tank and gets wider as it meets the grab rails.
It is soft and saddle cover is of better texture and quality than factory fitted covers on other bikes.To change my riding position during longer rides I can either move back or move nearer to tank.
Either way the handle is still reachable and posture is upright and comfortable. On my older bike I give a joyride to my kid every morning. He used to sit on the tank . His comfort during such rides was also an evaluating parameter for this bike during my purchase. I was happy that while I am saddled comfortablly there is still enough space on the seat ,between me and the tank, for him to be seated comfortably.I guess he is happy,because he is demanding a ride twice daily now.
There is a flat carrying space ,with screws, after the seat.A luggage rack can be mounted - for purposes I can't imagine.The label there reads max 7kg.
The grab rails, made of plastic, are solid ,handy and strong enough to lift/move the bike.
The saddle is held firmly to the frame(chassis) and doesn't move about.

The foot pegs are of good quality and are spring loaded to fold upwards in case of impact and return back.


Handle, Console and RVM:

The handle is a metal pipe which is wide, low rise type.The position of handle w.r.t to saddle is such that the riding posture is relaxed, without loading any key joints.
One can vary the posture by varying the seating position.The switch gear is Hero standard setup, with the usual absence of engine kill switch.
The console is all digital with analog display for RPM and LCD showing speed, fuel, Odo/Trip A/Trip B and time. It can display service due reminder just below the time.



LCD is orange backlit and Tacho is white backlit. Tacho back-light didn't work in my case( more on it later). The ignition switch is slight offset from center to towards right side.
The front disc brake fluid line runs across the console and above the handle bar. It is done so, I believe, to keep the brake lines as straight as possible in all conditions.
The mirrors are wide and high having good coverage. I can't explain, but they have quite a good range of rear view coverage, does vibrate at speeds but not so much to blur the view.

Lighting department:

There is a position lamp in head light which is supposed to operate from battery ( which doesn't happen in my case). The head light throws a bright wide beam which can be adjusted by turning the screw just below it ( in between cowl and fender) towards the front.


Head light cowl is held by two screws and two rubber holders. So, replacing bulbs shouldn't be difficult.

Battery:

This is located inside left hand side cover,which is held in place by two philips head screws.Battery is 12V 4Ah Exide maintenance free battery firmly clamped to chassis. I think I don't need to remove it except to replace it.There are two 10A fuses near the battery, purpose of which I didn't bother yet.
There is a replacement 10A fuse too along side them, that is all I learned.There is another fuse for ignition coil,which I didn't open to see.

Tyres:

They look gorgeous and are equally functional too. The grip they offer in loose soil is awesome. On road too, wheels never locked and cornering was confident( how much of leaning into corner can I do on such a high bike though).
The 19" wheel at front helps to easily cross even 3-4" high obstacles at moderate speeds, without hint of loosing control. It is designed for such a purpose after all.Also, I think owing to larger front wheel, at cruising speeds( 60-70 kmph) undulations on tar roads didn't unsettle the direction of motion, I can't explain it better.
The 17" wide button at rear does the job very well.Skids a bit when taking off on gravel in first gear, but that is due to torque I think. Other wise, in up to 2" deep loose soil I could manage to ride through in second gear.

Engine compartment:

The Engine:

Engine is the standard 150 cc mill doing duty on many variants of HH and Honda bikes.


Initial pickup is a little higher than CBZ but that is due to different gearing, I think.
I couldn't identify any other differences. Even the recommended engine oil is standard across the various models.
I am happy with this mill, but felt the bike can do better with bigger one. But again, this is not a new design but a re badged product.
So can't expect anything different from original design.

Carb:

Same as that of CBZ, including idle adjustment screw.

Exhaust:

Another crowd puller.


Looks aside, I can hear it closer to me due to its placement and it gives a kind of kick; honestly I can't stop my self from racing the throttle just to hear it loud and near.
However the sound is very silenced. Imagine what if a bullet has this setup of exhaust ! I can feel my heart will skip a beat.
I think people will be replacing the stock exhaust with some after market mufflers to get a louder beat.

Transmission:

Slick and precise are the words. No false neutrals, same toe type shifter as on CBZ. Gearing , in my opinion is tall. Good torque in 1 st gear but didn't feel same in 2nd.
Did 65kmph at 5000 rpm in 5th gear. Good enough for my kind of riding.

Chain:

Chain is O-ring type with plastic chain wear indicators on the swing arm. Am using spray type TVS chain lube.

Brakes:

Front is a 240 mm disc and rear is a 110mm drum. I thought rear brake is too small for its purpose. Then I remembered how my older bike with 130mm rear drum would quickly lockup its tyre under hard braking.
The consequent fish tailing was scary. Since, most the braking power comes from front disc, this combination is providing good and right amount of stopping power.


Will follow up with ownership review.

The Terrain Tamer along with my Torquey Xeta:

[RIC.BURNS]

congrats deetee on the tamer. i loved the looks and the quality when i saw the bike in flush for the first time. How is the low speed handling in traffic? also how is the ride comfort?

[deetee]

Initial Ownership experience:

I wanted to buy the bike on 26th Jan to commemorate the Republic day of the Nation. Called up the dealer on 25th evening only to know that they are closed on 26th. So, immediately headed to the dealership after confirming that they have green color Impulse in stock.
It was about 6:15pm by the time I reached dealership. And all those horror stories of dealers doing mistakes in haste for late evening deliveries replayed in my mind. So, I decided to closely check my ride to do my own inspection before taking its delivery.

But things didn't go as planned and it was indeed a hasty delivery. Nothing to write much about the buying experience at the dealership, I personally didn't like that showroom and staff. Same dealer has got a much bigger branch inside the city which is better. However I didn't have time to go there that evening.
The bike here was in just the same state as the one in which it is shipped from factory. All the plastics were wrapped and battery terminals were hanging out of the left side cover. I thanked my stars that my steed was not (yet) spoiled by some over eager mechs. Because the bike is a new model, I have seen some dealerships offering testrides on brand new bikes which are supposed to be delivered to customers. So,I was quite happy and excited to find the bike 'untouched'. As I completed the payment formalities, dealer got the bike washed. I made sure no one at the dealership rides the bike before I do, as I want to gently wean my steed.
It was 8 pm before I am astride the bike and after taking a few snaps of the odometer at zero, I started home bidding goodbye to the salesmanager and other staff.Not even a few meters down the road, I felt something was wrong. A few more meters and it struck me. My tacho backlight is not lit even while headlight is on !! I was puzzled and immediately turned back to dealership and confronted the sales manager who was about to leave home. He said since all mechs left for the day and next day being holiday, he will get it fixed on friday. He assured me its only a minor problem and he can sort it out.

So, left without an option, I started back home without letting that glitch spoiling my mood. However I paced the bike slowly and gently I began observe that tacho light does come on but only when either brake levers are pressed. It puzzled me. I wondered how it was possible. The 15km ride to home was uneventful and smooth.

I couldn't sleep properly that night worrying about the wiring issue. However on other hand I assured my self that there are no other problems with the bike and I should be happy about it. Decided to open the headlight cowl to check out the wiring , first thing next morning.
Next day morning I did open the headlamp cowl, RHS switchgear and battery compartment but didn't find anything unusual. No loose wires or connectors. So, it has to be a factory mistake, I thought. Then I happened to notice that even the position lamp and tail light come up only when brake lever is held. So, it should be a problem with RHS switch gear, but couldn't identify the root cause. Since it didn't pose any problem I thought of leaving it to dealership to sort out.

That day, I took the bike to highway to complete the run in . Gently varied and raised rpms in various gears. Didn't cross the peak torque rpm which in this case is 5000. It was a total of 75km one way ride with nearly 60 km on highway. The other 15 km was mostly offroad. On highway, the bike was at ease , with just a quarter turn of throttle it quickly touched 60 kmph in fifth gear. The bike never failed to turn heads of passers by and sometimes guys riding faster would used to cross me and then slowed down only to have better look at the 'new sports bike'. At times there were 2 to 3 bikes stalking me from side and behind. It was a mixed feeling. Am not used to such stares and following so felt a little uncomfortable. The bike itself was composed and planted on the road. However, the feeling of speed appeared magnified, maybe due to high CG. Even when crossing trucks or buses, the bike didn't experience any side drafts. I feared the fender may obstruct airflow and consequently will limit speeds. But it was solid and never did it interfere in the ride dynamics. My helmet was a different story though, I shouldn't have done such speeds with a motocross type head gear. And I promised myself to carry a mini hand pump for any outing outside the city.

Next day, took the bike to office. I feared that the color and high stance of the bike may easily attract curious folks who may play with the controls and bike. So, I parked it in between other bikes and at such a place where security personnel always stand guard. It helped. In the afternoon, while I was showing the bike to my immediate colleagues, many other lesser known colleagues quickly gathered around and started pouring questions. Some even ventured to ask me the keys and tried to start the bike. I gently refused citing that bike is still being run in.
On Saturday, 28th, I called up the dealer to let him know that I will come to get the wiring issue sorted out . Apart from that my form 22 and accessories were also due from them. It so happened that only a single mechanic is called for training on Impulse by Hero. So, other mechs opened up the side covers, removed the seat and then declared that the problem is still deeper and only the trained mechanic can get to it. And that guy is absent for next few days. So, rather than giving them an earful, I thanked them for not messing up with my bike and decided to sort it out myself. After all, if I can't fix a simple electrical bug how am I going to live with this offroad. So, started back to home and again all the way, as I waited at each signal, same stares and same questions. 'Kitna hai? Kitna deta hai?'.
I am not used to such stares and poking. Last time I had experienced any such thing was some 7 years ago when I rode my bug eyed black Yamaha Libero. But this is different and I tried to ignore but couldn't avoid a proud smile inside my tinted motocross shell.

The handling in traffic is nimble and is pretty much a point and shoot affair. Good low end torque helps the bike to quickly stay ahead of other 150 segment machines at traffic signal starts. And in tight traffic, body balancing helps to quickly tame the bike thanks to the high ground clearance and CG. Since day one, I almost never slowed down at any speed breaker, unless there is a vehicle ahead. Just I stand slightly transferring my weight to foot pegs and front forks and the rest is taken care by the suspension. And bad roads adds spice to driving.
Apart from minor electrical glitches, the bike was awesome and experience is one of a kind. Hmm...I am enjoying it.

But honestly, I pray that more and more people will buy Impulse, so that the bike will be a common sight and I can park my bike anywhere without worrying too much about it being mishandled by curious folks.