![]() | #1621 | |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: May 2005 Location: Vasco-Goa
Posts: 378
Thanked: 381 Times
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First is I feel it is the Ego ( all of us have it ). Some people's ego is hurt tremendously when overtaken. I have seen here in Goa, some Taxi drivers driving Innova, Wagon R etc do not even bother about 2 wheeler riders. they just whizz past and when I overtake them, they feel insulted. I have incidents when Innova, Wagon R, Indica, why even Omni drivers upping the ante and driving faster / recklessly to overtake me. I have even seen some drivers switching ON the headlight and making a dash of it. I believe it is the EGO and best thing is politely give way to them and he is happy. Second is some people naturally ride fast ( whether they ride a Splendor or a Activa or a Pulsar) Today I was riding from Mayem Lake to Panjim and there was this guy on a splendor pro riding really fast. He zipped past me and did some splendid maneuvers in those very narrow twisty roads ( apparently it is his home run as he must reside some where close by and knows the road like the back of his hand). But one thing got me was that this guy is a fast rider and not racing per-se. I just paced behind him and let him be. These type don't race but they are naturally fast. Third is inferiority complex. Some people feel inferior / threatened when challenged ( in this case just an over take) These are dangerous guys as they take extreme risks (even the egoistical riders) to prove a point or two. I have seen some riders like that. Fourth are racers. They want to race. period. These guys race with anything they ride on even Activa or a Splendor or modded 100 cc bikes. Many of the guys owning bikes such as D200 or P220 are of this category. I know a couple of guys here who just race. Can't help it. they are young and that's how they are. They love speed. So there are lots of different type of riders / drivers out there. we got to keep our senses right, take all possible precautions and ride safe. | |
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![]() | #1622 |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: BLR
Posts: 426
Thanked: 506 Times
| ![]() The bike has definitely knocked 5 years off my mental age. Specially in NCR, i absolutely relish overtaking the car junta which generally treats two wheeled kind as children of a lesser and poorer God. I always try to be faster than the traffic and specially the Audi kinds and their rash manners. These guys have no qualms about rear-ending two wheelers (happened once in traffic - intentionally when I was on my220 and to my friend on a scooter) and i don't intend to become a statistic ![]() The redeeming factor is that the bike can handle speeds, emergency braking and maneuvering with ease. I have no intention of slowing down. |
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![]() | #1623 | |
Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Calcutta
Posts: 4,667
Thanked: 6,150 Times
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Observations (unscientific) As long as the engine rpm for the current roadspeed/ gear combination is <4000, gears just click into place. Above that rpm, click turns to clunk. Selecting first takes slightly more effort, slightly longer (have to hold force at resistance point before gear will click in. Too much force, gear will clunk, or horror of horrors, thunk in. Too gentle, and you are in no mans land.) Initially used the tach to work out how much to rev the engine before letting the clutch out. Holding the clutch at the friction point for a moment and feeding the throttle (like one is above to move off) works also in preventing locking the rear wheel. Don't have time for all these niceties in real world situations. 6 -> 1 feels very unnatural. Experiment over, will not be repeated! Kept note of what I was doing when slowing down in city riding. Mostly 5 -> 3, 4 -> 2, sometimes 5 -> 2. 1 normally from 2 or 3. Experts comments welcome. Regards Sutripta | |
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![]() | #1624 | |||
Senior - BHPian ![]() Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Pune
Posts: 4,391
Thanked: 5,155 Times
| ![]() Very nicely put Ashok! Quote:
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He lives traffic light to traffic light, and will often abandon his normal route and keep racing a willing fellow racer just so that the race does not end till a proper verdict is mutually decided in the unspoken way most racers have. The ones who are not good, or the insecure/ego-driven kinds you mentioned earlier, will jump you by ambush, just get ahead where it least matters and everyone is crawling anyways, and then very perceptibly ease off to make you believe he's done what he wanted to and is now letting you go. Not realising that most seasoned racers have already gauged them and their level of skll/speed/machine, and know that he cannot sustain that lead beyond the next 100 meters ..... ![]() Last edited by ebonho : 23rd December 2013 at 12:11. | |||
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![]() | #1625 | |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: May 2005 Location: Vasco-Goa
Posts: 378
Thanked: 381 Times
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![]() But what troubles me is the amount of risk some riders take to overtake. Yesterday I was riding from Panjim to Vasco, the traffic was pretty heavy ( due to Christmas n NY) and in a clear stretch I was doing about 70-80 and overtook a MH registered P220 (not intentional but in course of ride). The guy was in a Bermuda / colorful T shirt and slippers ( apparently a tourist and presumably not much aware of the road conditions at Goa). And at a very heavy traffic point at the blind left curve with a downward gradient, he over took me and a couple of other cars in front and nearly rammed into a Omni coming from opposite and I could see from my position, he sliding past the narrow 2 feet gap between our lane vehicles and opposite vehicles. It was almost like his handle could touch other vehicles. What surprised me was that I know these roads like the back of my hand, I know where the danger lurks, where the unseen crossings are there and where bikes and pedestrians cross the road suddenly and unexpectedly, where there is a sudden hump or a blind curve or where the road becomes so narrow that even 2 heavy vehicles cannot pass easily and so I was naturally careful and very alert. But a guy without any idea of the dangers lurking and riding recklessly was scary. My principle is if I am in an unknown territory, I would naturally be extremely careful and in an unknown heavy traffic road, I am better off riding defensively. | |
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![]() | #1626 | |
Senior - BHPian ![]() | ![]() Quote:
If you see a gap in the traffic and think you have to be there, Lo! The engine ensures you are there already. And if you think that you have to brake suddenly, The brakes-Metz combo ensures that it will stop 'where you wish'. And I have gained a whole new level of confidence due to this. And I have taken a personal vouch to reserve the red-lining for weekends. Although it is addictive, there is no need of that in the city and a bit dangerous too (It is not so on a 200!). In highways, I just love the look of the car drivers when they see such a small and 'wierd' looking bike out accelerates them, and the sound it makes while charging to the redline! Completed a 800kms ride this weekend. I found the bike very comfortable except a mandatory butt-break after 200 kms(Used to be 300 kms on RE). But it is not a problem as you will definitely have to stop for fuel afer this. But all in all, I found I was less fatigued than my Royal Enfield after the ride. The bottom line. I have accepted the shortcomings of the bike and has learned to with it. But the grin that the bike puts on my face is Priceless! | |
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![]() | #1627 | |
Senior - BHPian ![]() Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bangalore
Posts: 1,174
Thanked: 1,948 Times
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Somewhere along the line, i managed to buy a 350 AVL machismo. toured extensively on that, but always found it lacking in terms of power. Jumped on to C5 when it was launched, again disappointed with power. Now this 390. coming back to your point, i have always wanted reserve power, not necessarily to display, but just to possess. i think i have been an opportunistic (defensive?) rider. I had a crash once on my 350, when i was riding to ooty from bangalore along with my wife, partially cos of not so strong brakes for the momentum the bike generates with all the weight. That incident is made me a cautious rider. After having a baby, i think i have become more defensive, and try and ride as safe as possible, avoiding sticky situations. After getting hold the 390, although i try and ride sedate, but at times, the bike pushed me to break my own mould, and jump out. I think the handling, brakes, tyres, support that well. What i mean to say is, on a similar given situation, on my C5, i will decide not to go ahead with a particular maneuver, while on the 390, i may go ahead. So yes, the bike is changed me as a rider, i am yet to decide whether that change is for good or otherwise. In the meanwhile, i have started wearing my padded riding jacket and golves in city as well, which i use to avoid on the bull. | |
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![]() | #1628 |
Senior - BHPian ![]() | ![]() A couple of small issues popped up during this weekend ride. I was quite aggressive on the bike on the highways. And while stopping for a break I noticed 2 things 1. The coolant has spilled from the reservoir cap and has splashed onto the tank. Only by a small quantity. I cleaned the spilled coolant, tightened the cap and again upon reaching the destination, there was a bit more coolant spilled. I opened the cap, cleaned it and put it back again and didnt have any further spill on the return leg (Not completely sure as the bike is full of dirt now). The coolant level when the engine is hot was in the MAX mark. Can this be the reason for the spill? 2. This is a bit worrying. There are traces of oil from on the cylinder housing. The place of the oil stain/leak is just behind the region of the bend pipe where it is slightly dented for routing through the trellis. I noticed it after having a couple of hours of hard riding on the highway. Although oil is not dripping and level has not come down, it bothers me. In my opinion, no other bikes apart from REs are qualified to have these oil stain marks on their engines! I will try to take a pic and post it in the evening. And I can take the bike to SVC only next week as I will be out of town for the weekend. Any body had experienced these niggles? Especially the second one? Last edited by man_of_steel : 23rd December 2013 at 14:15. |
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![]() | #1629 | |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Mumbai
Posts: 100
Thanked: 68 Times
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![]() | #1630 | |||
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Hyderabad
Posts: 161
Thanked: 165 Times
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If you see coolant spilling onto the tank, then it can mean only 1 of two things: 1.> The coolant level is too much owing to it spilling out when it expands as the engine gets really hot. Make sure it's mid way between Min and Max. 2.> Your engine is overheating or you are riding it too hard and the coolant is expanding more than expected levels leading to the spill. If you are not being too hard, then engine is overheating. Get it checked. Quote:
Get it checked ASAP. A picture will help understand this better. Last edited by Cyrus_the_virus : 23rd December 2013 at 15:35. | |||
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![]() | #1631 | ||
Senior - BHPian ![]() | ![]() Quote:
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![]() | #1632 |
Senior - BHPian ![]() Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Pune
Posts: 4,391
Thanked: 5,155 Times
| ![]() Metzeler price for a set is 18K for India as per the guys at the service center. Ouch! |
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![]() | #1633 | |
Senior - BHPian ![]() | ![]() Quote:
These are my thoughts Best Regards & Ride Safe Ram | |
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![]() | #1634 |
Senior - BHPian ![]() Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: electricity
Posts: 2,591
Thanked: 2,166 Times
| ![]() @Doc You also mentioned sometime back the MRF was not really a good alternative. The METZ seems to handle the torque better than the MRF? Except wet tracks the MRF should hold good if not better. |
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![]() | #1635 | ||
Senior - BHPian ![]() Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Pune
Posts: 4,391
Thanked: 5,155 Times
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The 390 ate up the MRF within a little over just 3-4000 kms. And even during such time, never gave anywhere close to the degree of grip and confidence of the Metzelers. | ||
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