Originally Posted by ku69rd

Out of curiosity, why would you need 2 liters of fork oil? Is that the recommended amount for TB forks?

My bird's owner's manual says 430 plus or minus 3 ml per leg. Even today, the SA started recommending a petrol additive and engine oil flushing for which I put my foot down, specifically telling him to write it clearly on the job card.

Very very detailed capture of your service records. Fantastic chief.

Thanks for the appreciation.

[Vikvkv]

[quote=J.Ravi;4042351]Today, Blue Bird got its eighth servicing done at Sri Velavan Motors, Greams Road, Chennai, costing ₹ 2,109 inclusive of taxes. Gave the bike at 9 am, waited and got it back at 12 noon. Paid by credit card without any extra charges. One cracked rubber pipe going into the crank case, front brake pad set and engine oil with filter were replaced.


Sir the problem with frequent cracked breather pipe hasn't improved has it? I presume Royal enfield is still using the same vendor for sourcing sub standard parts for the bikes.

Originally Posted by Vikvkv

I presume Royal enfield is still using the same vendor for sourcing sub standard parts for the bikes.

My bird's owner's manual recommends replacement of all rubber hoses at every 12 k km. But in case of my bird, one breather tube was replaced at 12,367 km, fuel hose at 12,722 and now, another hose at 19,637 km - all beyond the recommended distance. Perhaps, the cracking occurs due to very high heat generated by the 500 cc engine. If so, why not metallic piping to withstand that heat?

[Full_Minchingu]

Hi Ravi Sir,

Wonderfully captured details. I have been following the same after reading/learning from yours. Thanks!

I have a small doubt, at the end you have mentioned cost per km, why have you not considered fuel consumption here? or shouldn't be captured is it? Because I am adding the fuel consumption as well in my tracker and for 6k odd kms I am hitting cost per km as Rs.2.7/-. However, without fuel I am getting Rs.0.66/-. TIA

Regards,
-Badri

Originally Posted by Full_Minchingu

Wonderfully captured details. I have been following the same after reading/learning from yours. Thanks!

Thanks for the appreciation, Badri.

why have you not considered fuel consumption here? or shouldn't be captured is it?

As I mentioned in that statement, it is the cost of servicing per km. It does not include the cost of the fuel as I haven't kept the record. However, it includes TVS chain lube!

for 6k odd kms I am hitting cost per km as Rs.2.7/-. However, without fuel I am getting Rs.0.66/-.

Well, in case of my bird, it is ₹ 0.33/km for 7,324 km ending 3 Mar 2014. As the km increases over time, the maintenance cost increases keeping company with inflation, escalation in wages/establishment, etc.

[The Great]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

the maintenance

One thing I noted that you are servicing your bike every 6 months. The recommended service interval is 3 months sir. Is there any theory you follow because we have the same models albeit mine is a classic 500 hence curious.

Originally Posted by The Great

One thing I noted that you are servicing your bike every 6 months. The recommended service interval is 3 months sir.

Why 6 months, sometimes, even 2 years! If you refer to the periodical maintenance schedule prescribed by Royal Enfield, both time [3 months] and distance [3 k km] - whichever is earlier - are specified for the free services. But for the paid service interval, only the distance - every 3 k km - is specified.

My bird is an exceptional one, which goes into hibernation the every other month as I shuttle between Bangalore and Chennai. Apart from the one or two highway runs in an year, the regular intra-city-commuting is very less. If you observe closely, the fifth service was done on 22 May 2014 at 10,066 km. The next one was on 23 Jan 2016 at 12,806 km - not counting the visits to the service centre for repairs - i.e., 2,740 km in almost 2 years!

Is there any theory you follow

My bird gets serviced before every mega highway ride or every 3 k km, without bothering the time elapsed.

Blue Bird has come to Bangalore today. Had a tankful at ₹ 59.65/litre at Chennai before the price hike, left Royapettah home at 1:45 am today and reached Bangalore Basaveswara Nagar home at 7:30 am with two breaks. Had another tankful at Hosur costing ₹ 63.76/litre after the price hike. The fuel efficiency recorded was 26.19 kmpl, thanks to climbing 3,000' altitude.

[accentgiri]

Dear Ravi Sir. I was closely following your Leh trip in Linea and now this motorcycle dairies. I am addicted and booked Thunderbird 500, 10 days before.
I am 49 years old, earlier working for an IT company at Chennai and now taking care of family business at Krishnagiri. Inspite of all negative comments/feedbacks from my family members that I will not be in a position to handle heavy bike, I have booked it after taking a test ride at the dealership in Krishnagiri. Let me update with photos of the bike once I take delivery. Planning to carry out all my individual long distance travels in the bike only.
Waiting eagerly for its delivery during this month.

Originally Posted by accentgiri

I was closely following your Leh trip in Linea and now this motorcycle dairies.

Thanks a lot, accentgiri.

I am addicted and booked Thunderbird 500, 10 days before.

Congratulations and best wishes.

Inspite of all negative comments/feedbacks from my family members that I will not be in a position to handle heavy bike, I have booked it

Even I faced similar comments not from my family, but from some known, well-known and unknown persons. But, I took all those statements with a pinch of salt. I enjoy solo-riding each and every mm and minute on my bird, much more than driving my XUV 500! My bird has not broken down or got stranded on a road so far.

Planning to carry out all my individual long distance travels in the bike only.

I am sure, you will also enjoy long rides on your bird.

Me and Blue Bird are in Nagpur now. Last evening, I left home by 4:45 pm and started my solo-ride to Nagpur. But, my friend wanted to see me off near Yeshwantpur circle. So, we spent some time together taking selfies, photos and I finally left the place at 5:30 pm. Drizzle accompanied me at many places upto Gutti. My dinner comprised piping hot idlies bought from the roadside vendor at Ananthapur, costing just ₹ 20 for 3! Enjoyed riding through Hyderabad between 2:30 am and 3:00 am, especially on the beautiful PV Narasimha Rao Expressway. After Hyderabad, I was the lone rider, giving company to the big brothers like truck and bus drivers! Adilabad-Hinganghat stretch has become worse than it was during March 2015. But, the good news is that works are in progress in many stretches, a coupla petrol pumps have sprung up, I rode on a new second flyover, which was not there last year. There were big queues on both the sides of Hinganghat level-crossing, but I managed to squeeze through thanks to my bird!

[hamster]

Sir,
Just read today in Vikatan that Actor Dhanush is directing a movie by name "Power Pandi".

http://www.vikatan.com/cinema/tamil-...owerpaandi.art

The first look of the movie just made a wish that we would see you somehow in the movie. My wild guess is that it might be remake of "Wild Hogs", but have to wait and see.

Anybody approched you on this regard ?

[hothatchaway]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Me and Blue Bird are in Nagpur now. Last evening, I left home by 4:45 pm and started my solo-ride to Nagpur. ]

Hats off sir to your energy and enthusiasm. Are you going farther than Nagpur?

Also, how did you bypass Hyderabad? Understand that ORR is out of bounds for 2 wheelers.

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by hothatchaway

Hats off sir to your energy and enthusiasm. Are you going farther than Nagpur?

Also, how did you bypass Hyderabad? Understand that ORR is out of bounds for 2 wheelers.

PV Narasimha Rao Expressway...that's the one I suppose he has used to by pass Hyderabad.

Ravi Sir,
Why Nagpur? is it see the junction of the railway tracks there?

[arulpeem]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Me and Blue Bird are in Nagpur now.

You never cease to amaze me. How I wish I could be riding like the way you do. I think it will only be a pipe dream for me. Have a safe ride sir.