Doppie has been feeling lonely in the garage ever since Baby Duke left (I spoke to her new owner just the other day - he has promised to bring her over soon). Doppie had grown used to having a KTM as her stablemate for company while the rider slept indoors, and had been missing having Baby Duke around.
So I went over to Kolhapur to pick up her new stablemate, got her checked out and a few adjustments/oiling/settings done, and then rode her back home in the evening, managing to touch down in 3 hours flat, in spite of not really pushing it (getting used to the new bike and all, giving her time to get used to her new rider too - though admittedly not all that much time - definitely less than the 200 odd kms Baby Duke got before her 100% belted 100% of the time existence started). As an example of me getting used to her, I found myself on more than one occasion belting along happily, only to suddenly look down and realise that I am still in 5th gear and there is actually one more (pretty tall)gear to go! And when I say happily, I "really" mean (non forum rule safe) happily .....
As luck would have it, when I reached the KTM workshop in Kolhapur, I found my old biker friend Varad sitting on the floorr his back to the wall (literally and figuratively) looking in part disgusted in part happy (the latter was for me - I hope) as his 390 in full touring rig trim stood on the shop floor, its insides out, coolant draining into a pan below.
He took a spin on my to-be bike, came back very impressed (with a few minor notations), and that was all I needed considering the guy I was hearing it from and my respect for him as a rider and a non-BS'er. All plans of having the bike thoroughly scrutinized on the hoist, diagnostics run, the lead technician giving her a once over and test ride naturally evaporated, which was great for time, as I wanted to get back before the light failed, because everyone who heard of my plan of riding back the same evening warned about a 40-60 km stretch of rain ravaged "road" with numerous diversions etc. all the way from Satara to Wai/Khambatki and beyond (some huge potholes unexpectedly bang in the center of NH4/not-so-Golden-anymore Quadrangle).
Turns out the guy did not get his hands on Form 28 for the NOC, and promised to send it over later by post. Obviously loathe to take that route, and armed with two complete sets of the forms myself carried from Pune, we set out in his Safari Storme to the owner's village some 30 kms out of Kolhapur. Luckily the owner by then had also taken his car and left so we did not have to go the full distance and met near halfway, did all the signing, checking, etc. and shook hands and left our respective ways.
Back to the showroom, tracings of chassis and engine number taken by the RTO agent I left the paperwork with, it was time to hand over the money, shake hands, get the keys (the duplicate with the bar code card is still to come to me - promised in my hands within a week), get my jacket, gloves, helmet out of the bag I had been lugging around (was wearing my riding boots), a quick wash and a cold drink, and I was on my way. First to tank up the near empty Duke, and then towards the highway. Varad had already left about 20 minutes earlier (luckily his bike was done and we had the opportunity of riding back together - and while I was gone for the paperwork, he had gotten my bike ready as well, with just the chain adjustment pending my return as I was happy to see they did it the traditional way - the rider siting on the bike, unlike the manual). He wanted to have the lead time to test if everything was working ok post the bike being put together again, so that if something was still not ok, he could return and have it looked at. Alternatively, if everything went fine, he was to meet me at the first toll some 20-30 kms out of Kolhapur. As it turned out, happily for us, it was the latter, and we soon synced up and started riding back together.
So friends, am back to the KTM fold I departed not so long ago. And the urge has never died, and in fact, participating on these threads has only proven to be a constant goad towards getting myself Duked again. In the intervening period, thank you for your consideration!
Here are a few fotos from my not so nice phone camera of my new 390 along with a couple of Varad's psychedelic 390!
Attachment 1306135
As special thanks I must acknowldge the contributions of my team BHPian rider buddies Ram (for his patience and wisdom, his confidence in me and his understanding of my needs), Niranjan (for his fantastic and near perfect seat of the pants rider-centric analysis of the Ninja 250 and the Duke 390 through a series of PMs, which helped me greatly in breaking the one-time dadlock and being able to finally decide - no one better than him to do it as well), Kapil and Arpan (for being my constant much suffering sounding boards on Gtalk, as well as professional used-bike surveyors based on emails with bike hotos, owner details, and negotiation specifics!), Kapil also for his inputs as a young aggressive rider who again owned a 200 and had also ridden a 250 for a significant distance, and is also chomping at the bit for a change up now(!), and to Anurag (Insearch) for showing me what an old fart(!) on a 390 could do on the road against bigger bikes and thumping the final nail into the too long open casket. And to all other 390 owners and riders here for contributing continuously to the fund of knowledge we have here on both the 200 and the 390, where each problem has been discussed and analysed, and myths dispelled.
Thank you all. Its great to be in the saddle again!
P.S. Incidentally, from full tank in Kolhapur, she came into reserve 5 kms from home in Pune (near City Pride chowk), which means she did about 245 kms to the tank. Not great but definitely much better than what I ever got on my test 390 (220 kms max).