[sachinnair]

How it all began:

Please read this thread ( https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...-weekends.html (Which motorcycle? Commuter on weekdays, Cruiser on weekends) ) from the start to understand how and why I shortlisted this bike. To put it simply, I wanted a bike that was a practical commuter and adequate performer on long highway rides.
I had zeroed in on the Gixxer since it seemed to tick all the blocks in terms of comfort, reliability, mileage etc, and there was a dealer just walking distance away, so servicing would not be a problem. The 155 series bikes have been on the road for some time now, and I even thought about buying one secondhand. But then, I decided to buy a new bike, and go for the 250cc version. I reasoned that I'm past my peak fitness, peak endurance and peak reflexes. I might as well have a hoot while I can, rather than become an old man with backaches and arthritis and whatnot and never have the chance to ride a good, powerful machine. YOLO, as the kids say these days.

So I waited for quite a while since the official launch for the bike to be available for a test ride. But every time I visited the friendly neighbourhood Suzuki showroom (Maya Motors, Adyar), the dudes most nonchalantly told me the bikes would take about a month more since TN RTO had to give clearance. (It is a thing. The State Transport Authority has to clear every single model of vehicle for sale in that state. Sometimes it takes time to get the needed clearances).

The test rides

Finally, I looked at their website online, and it listed Jain TVS Pallavaram as a dealer who would have the bike. I phoned ahead for a TR, and they replied in the affirmative. I reached the showroom, and the sales guys took me to the yard to try the 250 SF- the faired version. I specifically did not want the faired version, since fairings are unnecessary and prone to hits and scratches in the city. A pain to park in tight spots. But that’s what they had. So, I rode it for a short distance. I felt the seating was too committed, and stood by my decision to not buy a faired bike. They had the Gixxer 155 naked, and I rode that just to see how the seating position feels, since they said the 250 is a very close copy anyway.

The seating was a bit to rearset and handlebars a bit to forward from the commuter position I am used to. The gear shift felt a bit hard, and I missed a heel shifter. And I felt my legs were locked in that position, and there was no wiggle room on the seat to slide back or forth…all the things I can take for granted on any commuter. But then, this was something I could adjust to; so many other riders were riding such bikes after all. I told them to call me when the bike arrives and left.

A month later I walked into Maya once again to ask, and this time the Manager (or MD or CEO or something…a big shot in the dealership) was also there, and said if I wanted a TD, they would get the bike from Sholinganallur. And he gave me the whole story as to how 90% of their dealership is scooters since that’s the customer profile in the surrounding area- many families looking to purchase scooters, too few bachelors wanting bikes. I reminded him that Bajaj and KTM had their dealerships half a kilometer away selling Dukes and Pulsars, but that was that. If I wanted, they would tell the Sholinganallur dealer and he would arrange a bike.

Sure enough, the other dealer called, and I went on a Saturday evening to ride the bike. I specified I wanted the naked only, and not the SF, and he confirmed they did, indeed, have the naked version. And they did have it. The test ride was along the maze of side roads around the dealership. It was a longish test ride, as test rides go. The salesman was sitting pillion, and did struggle for a moment to sit properly. I was also carrying a nearly empty backpack on my shoulders. I felt cramped on the seat, with no space to go backwards, my crotch very close to the tank, and my knees feeling too cramped, folded as they were into an acute angle. I was also apprehensive about how the power flow would be, and whether it would jump forward. But the bike was a nice, calm, responsive animal to handle. The pocket roads had turns about every 150 meters away, and the bike turned easily. Gear ratios felt okay for this kind of use, as the bike could handle almost any speed in third gear. I felt I could handle the bike, but I had my apprehensions.
Anyway, the bike was available in just two colours, Black and Silver. I wanted a silver one, since dark colours are best avoided for vehicles. But they had only black and said they would call if they got a silver one. I left it at that, since that gave me time to think things over.

A week later, the Jain TVS guy called to say they had the Gixxer and offered a test ride. I went, welcoming a chance for a second opinion. This time, I made sure to sit as far back as possible before the pillion got on. After he struggled to clamber aboard, I took the bike on the road. This time, it was a straight half kilometre on the highway before making a U turn and turning around. The bike was eager to go forward, yet felt in control. Power flow was linear, and the bike responded well to gear changes. Gear shifts were relatively smooth, except the selector preferred to go from 1 to 2, instead of Neutral , and it was easier to get to N from 2 than from 1. This time my legs didn’t feel as cramped as last time, and I figured it was about finding the right position.

Finished the ride, went upstairs, and they explained the cost etc. Offered me a corporate discount and all, and some accessories worth a grand. (the other guys hadn’t said anything about a discount). And they had one silver bike on display too! I said I want only silver, and they agreed to block the display bike for me. And so, the next day, on Diwali Sunday, I handed over the cheque, and other documents and booked the bike.

Ownership review

A week later, they called to say the bike was ready, registration and insurance etc done, PDI completed, HSRP plates had also come and only needed fixing. So, I went to take possession the next day, a Saturday.
Now let me list out some of the niggling shortcomings I had noticed during the TRs and the walkthrough:

1. No practical solution to secure your helmet. The rear handrail is not a closed one, which makes for a simple cycle lock to keep the helmet locked and placed on the seat when not needed. This was not possible here. The salesman demonstrated how the rear seat is detachable, with space for tools, first aid kit and papers, and a helmet can be secured by getting the buckle on one strap to tangle onto a hook inside the seat, and when locked, the helmet hangs on the side. This is impractical, since the helmet is sure to get damaged in most parking spaces. And my helmet strap was too short to tangle and reach far enough to let the seat get back in position. I asked them about the handle that is fixed on the side- ladies handle, they called it- and they said it was not available for these models yet. The older 155s had a different seat configuration, so the handle for those bikes would not fit these bikes.

It’s funny, how the law states that both rider and pillion should have helmets, but bike makers have not put the effort into being able to keep the helmets safe with the bikes. I definitely don’t want to be lugging along a helmet everywhere I go. The helmet can very well stay with the bike when I am not riding it.

2. No leg guard in the front. This should not make a difference in daily riding, but Indian traffic and roads being what they are, one must expect a bike to fall. Sadly, there is no protection for bike or rider in case this happens.

3. No center stand. Bike will have to stand sideways. Takes up more space in parking lots.

4. No kick start. Now, if the battery dies on me, I have no way to start the bike.

5. I noticed this after bringing the bike home, but the handlebar has a very small angle of turn from front to dead left or dead right. I think it is so to accommodate the radiator. Getting the bike in and out of tight spaces involve going back and forth a bit.

I had to wait a bit while they fixed the number plates and all. The bike had been washed, with a cute yellow ribbon bow on the number plate. It had 68 km on the odo, which they said was the distance to the RTO and back. It was a bit on the higher side, but still, I let it pass. They handed over the keys, owner’s manual, insurance papers and booking receipt. The RC smartcard would take a while and be mailed home.



My first pic astride the bike, just after delivery

[sachinnair]

With that, I got the bike and rode it home. I was a bit apprehensive, conscious of the fact that the bike had more power than I was used to, and the feeling slowly sinking it that the bike was mine. Second costliest purchase I had ever made (the costliest being my Figo). The petrol gauge was blinking, indicating that fuel was very low. The nearest Shell pump was a kilometre away, and I filled the tank with premium petrol, hoping a good start will keep the injectors and lines clean. The tank took in 11 litres. The pump guy asked about the bike and the engine capacity etc., and it felt good to have people ask about it.

The ride home was along the GST road, a mix of crawling traffic and fast sections at various places. The owner’s manual advises keeping the engine below 5000 rpm for the first 1000 km or the first service (in 30 days). I took care not to go too fast, and be gentle with the throttle. I took care to always start the bike in Neutral. But getting into neutral is a bit tricky. Ideally, the gears should change from 2 to 1, and from 1 to N. But often, downshifting from 2 goes to N, and then a strong jab of the lever engages 1. When upshifting, the bike prefers to go from 1 to 2 instead of N. The gear indicator on the instrument console is thus very helpful, telling me in which gear the bike really is. Sometimes, there is a limbo, as the gears move from 2 to nothingness- no gear engaged, nothing on the display. One more downshift and then, like being awakened from a daydream, N engages.

The bike idles at about 1500 rpm. In first gear, the pickup is quick, and the bike carries on forward into the 20s before I got it into 2nd. The acceleration drops a bit, but the bike can go into the 40s in this gear. All this, at rpms below 5000. The third gear seems to be the one that the bike will be riding in the longest. I shift into this one I the high 20s or low 30s. this gear keeps the bike moving with the least amount of bother, in the range of speeds that cover most city rides.



View from the right

The power delivery is very controlled, very linear. Overall, the bike has a very polite personality; a good amount of power and torque, but being modest about it. I expected a 250 cc bike to be loud, but this one is as silent as any 100-150 cc bike. After all, the only aural references I can compare it to are the KTMs, Pulsars and REs; all of which are noisy. But speaking of REs, the Interceptor twins, though having 650 cc engines, sound uncharacteristically quiet. Guess the days of bikes with an aural presence are behind us. Even the horn on this one is disappointingly soft. I ride in India and need a horn that screams and bulldozes a path for me; my bike’s horn puts in a very polite request to others to make some space. Truly Japanese, this one.


One quirk the bike has, is a buzzy vibration in the tank panels right next to the thighs. It feels like a phone vibrating in your pocket. It starts at the 4000 rpm mark, and is present upto 4500 rpm. It is strong, but goes off after the 4500 rpm range.



Left side view

So how do I like the looks of the bike? Well, I'm ambivalent. There is nothing polarising about the bike, and nothing strikes the eye, specifically. Out of a lineup of Yamahas, RTRs, Gixxers and Pulsars, picking out one from the other is a bit of a task if the branding is all removed. Step into a Suzuki showroom, and the task is all the more difficult.

But having said that, the bike is well put together. One thing that feels a bit odd is the one big huge swathe of silver that stretches from the front panels all the way to mid seat. When the rider is on the bike, his legs fit nicely into the recess and the front fairing panels (well, what exactly are they called?) seem proportionate enough. The smaller panels on the 155 were better looking though.

The front of the bike seems a bit unfinished, though, what with the headlamp drooping down, the numberplate an aftertought and the display console just sitting completely exposed. A bit of cowl around the headlight would have probably gelled everything together. The bronzed engine and mid panels add a bit of colour and differentiation, though.

The rear portion is a more proportionate though. Everything fits together, and the tyre hugger rounds off everything just right. What seems a bit out of place are the two small orange reflectors, which look like another last minute bolt-on.

I do wish there were more colour options available. For a premium bike to be available in only black and silver is a bit of a shame. At least the blue that the 155s and the SFs have would have added to the palate. Personally, I would have looked at options in tomato red or deep maroon.



With the Headlight on. This is the all LED headlight that is also the DRL.

Whereas there were complaints about the previous Gixxer having weak headlights. So far, I have felt the headlight to be adequate, both in high and low beams. Maybe they fixed the problem with this edition



Rear view.

Double barrel exhaust, though this time it has a square finish

[sachinnair]

Two weeks in

After about two weeks of commuting on the bike to office, man and machine are getting used to each other. The power flow is quite linear, which makes crawling in traffic in first and second gear quite easy. The bike does not feel heavy. Something I was afraid of. I am of average height and can plant both feet on the ground when seated; but I guess someone shorter than 5’5” may struggle a bit. Pickup is fast, and it feels nice to know you have enough power on tap to go around other slow bikes and cars. The brakes are good and feel confident. There was one time I was in 6th gear, in speeds north of 50, and had to brake hard because the SUV in front of me did so, and his tail lights were out. But while I was scared for a fraction of a second, the bike did stop in good time.

One thing I need to get adjusted is the suspension. I can feel Every.Single.Bump, pothole, speedbraker, undulation, manhole and expansion joint. The rear monoshock is due for adjustment during the first service, but I’m wondering if they can do something about the front also. I thought the ride was getting a wee bit softer progressively, but it turns out it was just the tyres losing pressure. The front had lost about 6 PSI and the rear about 10 psi in three weeks of riding (of which the last one week the bike was just idle since I was out of station).

I thought taking turns with such little handlebar articulation would be a bit of a problem. It isn’t as bad as I imagined, but taking turns needs a bit of margin on the inside. I have to take a U Turn on my way to office, and this one cuts a larger circle than my previous bike.

First long ride




I took the bike for its first longish ride two weeks after getting it-just a breakfast ride to Mahabalipuram and back. It was still during the run-in period, so I did not push the bike beyond 5500 on the tacho. But the bike shoots forward with an eagerness on the open road. Planted, focussed on going forward. The tyres do a good job of gripping the road. Flicking the bike through between slower vehicles happens easily; the bike and the tyres co-operate without breaking a sweat. In 6th gear, without straining the engine I was touching 70 plus speeds. On a downslope, I came close to 80. Seems like 100 kmph will be easy riding. But even at these speeds, the bike is very silent. Wind noise from the helmet literally drowns out the sound of the engine.

I have ridden Enfields, my V15 and my XCD on the same road earlier, and also handled a few other bikes on hour long highway runs. Every single time, my hands would be taking a lot of vibration and the buzzed feeling would continue for many minutes after getting off the bike.

Not this time. This time, it felt no different from an easy ride round town.

Gladly, the seating position did not feel cramped like I feared it would. There is a bit of wiggle room on the seat, and I did shuffle about a bit whenever I felt I would be cramping. It helps, but my legs, especially my knees, are locked in in whatever angle they are.



Close up of the radiator.

One of my worries remains as to how this is going to remain clean.

Mileage

Based on the first tankful, including the 100km highway ride, the mileage came upto 40 kmpl. But the next many km of city commute seem to clock about 35kmpl. I’m hoping this improves after the first service.

[sachinnair]

After the first service

One month later, I had about 550 km on the odo, and gave the bike for its first service.

Rs900 for the cost of the oil, which they claim is fully synthetic. Now the bike feels a lot smoother. The SA says the suspension was adjusted, but there is no difference in the ride softness- which is to say, the ride is still a bit harsh. Every single bump and rut travels up.
After the service, the bike revvs a bit more freely. I am throttling harder, and loving it. I have only done city commuting (office and a few weekend mall hops) but the bike is egging me to go faster. Now that I don’t have to watch the tachometer so carefully, I am racing the engine to beyond 5000 rpm, but the occasions to really race the engine are few. Gear changes are a bit smoother, and except for starting from standstill, gears 3,4 and 5 are doing most of the duty. Gear 2 is where I shift from N, and gear 1 is for very rare occasions, mostly when speeds go slow I downshift from 2 also; when I want N, but the selector decides otherwise.

On the straight open stretches ( parts of OMR, Adyar bridge, Anna Salai after 9 p.m), the bike shoots off from red lights quite fast. I’m too busy enjoying the moment to look at the speedo or a clock to measure 0-60 times, but its fast enough to stoke the egos of Duke, R15 and assorted Yamaha and Pulsar riders. They chase, sometimes I chase, and so far there have been an almost equal number of draws. It’s me holding back the bike; a more skilled racer or a more reckless squid can easily make the bike go faster.

The console requires much appreciation

The console is brilliant and requires a standing ovation. (Get off the bike first, unless you are a trained stuntman)

First, and most importantly, it is brightly lit and readable under any and every circumstance. I rode the bike in bright noonday sun, cloudy skies, the light of dusk and dawn, and at night. Every single moment, the console was very clear and very readable. One glance and you get the RPM, the speed and the fuel in one single glance.


On gunning the ignition, the telltale lights for engine check, temperature, ABS turn on. The ABS light stays on till 5 kmph, for that is when the ABS activates. It then spells out GO, and goes to the next display.

If the engine stop switch is switched off, the odometer reading helpfully spells out CHEC. Once it is switched on, it displays the odometer. The odometer has one standard odo and two trip meters. Very useful for keeping track of fuel runs to calculate mileage.



Also available are a clock and fuel guage. the fuel tank has a 13L capacity, and the pump sign on top begins to flash at the last 3 liters. Down to 1.2L, and the last bar of the fuel gauge also starts to flash.

The lightning symbol indicates that if the RPM crosses a preset limit (7000 in my case) the LED at the top of the console lights up. Serves as a fair alert to engine speeds.



Turn the engine switch on, and the odometer selected comes on. Start the engine, and the tachometer display comes to life and the lighted bars indicate the RPM.
The gear indicator is a useful feature, and quite necessary when trying to find neutral.

Breakfast ride to Auroville- about 150 km one way

This was the first significant highway ride on the bike. A friend said he and a bunch of other friends were doing a breakfast ride to Auroville on 29th December, and asked if I wanted to join them. Of course I did, and we started off from Thiruvanmiyur by 6: 30 a.m- a Pulsar (220, IIRC), an Interceptor, a Duke RC 390, and yours truly. The morning was comfortably chilly, no humidity or breeze, and exellent visibility. There were the usual traffic, half asleep drivers, police barricades, cows and all that for the first ten km or so of the ECR. After that, the road was mostly empty. Bikers, cyclists and runners of all hues were the bulk of the road users. There were individual riders on bikes of all kinds, a group of Yamaha R15 riders all heading in the same direction.

On the open two-lane sections to Mahabalipuram, the bike was effortlessly touching 100 by 6500 or so RPM, and I took the bike to 120 at certain stretches, pushing the engine to 7000 RPM. I was not too confident of being able to handle more than that, and didn't push beyond that, though it left me lagging behind the others. When it comes to overtaking, there is loads of power available, and the bike goes forward eagerly to finish the overtake without a sweat. I am slowly gaining more confidence with the overtakes as my confidence in the machine's abilities grow.

At any speed, the bike feels solid, planted, and goes where it is pointed. The tyres do a good job of keeping a grip on the road and don't skid or waver. At one point, some half asleep dude on a Splendor took a U turn and I had to brake hard to avoid him. The bike stopped in good time- the brakes and the tyres did a good job. No fishtailing, no skidding..just stopped in a straight line.

We rode for about 100 km nonstop, right upto Muthukad boat house, which is a convenient coffee stop on the way to Pondy. It was a mini India Bike Week over there with a group of Jawas, the Yamaha riders, many other Triumphs, REs, and a lot of half liter and liter class bikes all there. Plus there was a Ferrari California also in the parking lot. We had coffee, ogled at all the machines, and went our way.

The rest of the ECR is single laned, and we had to fall in line behind buses and trucks at quite a few stretches. Not much fun, really. But when it comes to gunning the throttle, I could zoom past and overetake all other vehicles easily.

We reached Auroville by 9:30 or so, and tucked in to heavy breakfasts. After 150 km, I did not feel fatigue or saddle soreness or buzzy hands. Inspite of the engine not having fins for cooling, the heat from the engine was just at regular levels, and not a problem. All along, the bike was never noisy, and I couldn't hear the bike above the windblast.

We started our return journey by about 11:00. This time around, the traffic was a bit thicker, and the headwinds were a bit stronger. Whereas on the first leg of the journey 7000 rpm took me to 120 kmph, this time, thanks to the headwinds, I was doing just above a 100. I hunkered down in order to go faster, and it did help a little bit. But holding that position for too long was not nice. There had to be a bit of weaving between vehicles and I preferred to sit upright.

We stopped just after Muthukad this time, and after I stopped I felt the buzzy hand for a short while. But this was much better than what I had experienced on my other bikes and on REs. The rest of the journey was much tamer. with traffic and lesser chances to speed up. For the last 10 km I had a pillion. Riding through traffic with a pillion was not too difficult, and the bike did not alter its behaviour in any way. At the end of the 20 minutes or so it took, my pillion passenger said it was quite comfortable, and the high seat was not too much of an inconvenience. So I guess short pillion rides on the bike are quite okay.

Speaking of pillions, my colleague sat pillion twice on our way back from office. I asked him how the ride was, and he said it was not bad. The position was obviously sub optimal, and tall lanky fellow that he is, swinging his leg over the seat was not a problem.
I did not find it difficult ridinng in traffic with a pillion on board either.

Mileage:

Before the Pondy ride, I had filled the tank with Shell's regular petrol. The bike returned after the nearly 300 km ride with fuel to spare. I rode to office etc and noted the reading when it hit reserve. I calculate the kmpl from reserve to reserve, and it clocks 39.8 kmpl -acceptably close to my target figure of 40 kmpl.

I have filled the tank with IOC's premium petrol this time. It has been mostly office commutes so far and no long rides planned. Let's see how this tankful turns out

[sachinnair]

Overall satisfaction at 1400 km

Overall, 1400 km and counting, and I am happy with the bike. On the road, the bike performs well, and my intended use as a daily commuter and weekend long rider are being met. I have to get a proper gauge of pure city FE, but I guess that will happen soon. Highway FE is close to 40 kmpl by my reckoning.

If the bike is really lacking something, it is a center stand. I wanted to clean and lube the chain the other day and had to keep wheeling the bike forward and backward to do so.

Also, I wish the mirrors were a bit bigger, or atleast were more square. As in, they should have left the top and bottom outer corners intact instead of cutting them off when shaping the mirror. It is probably for something to do with aerodynamics and wind noise, but a larger mirror is always better.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Motorcycle Section. Thanks for sharing!

Your bike will be going to our homepage tomorrow morning .

[iamahunter]

Originally Posted by sachinnair

Two weeks in

One of my worries remains as to how this is going to remain clean.
.

Try THIS. Its simple mudguard extension.



I had a similar one on my Benelli and now on my CBR250R. Its a boon for bikes with radiator.
The Benelli had it for over 2 years and never was the radiator damaged/dirty with mud.

Its a simple DIY.

[shobhit.shri]

Originally Posted by sachinnair

How it all began:

I reasoned that I'm past my peak fitness, peak endurance and peak reflexes. I might as well have a hoot while I can, rather than become an old man with backaches and arthritis and whatnot and never have the chance to ride a good, powerful machine. YOLO, as the kids say these days.

This hit too close for comfort . Congratulation on the bike!

[hiren.mistry]

Nicely compiled review @sachinnair, thanks for sharing and congratulations on the bike.
It seems like a perfect do it all run about. I ride a 200NS which is used primarily for commute and Gixxer 250 seems like a good candidate.
I will keep my eyes peeled for your updates.

Wishing you loads of happy miles on the bike.

[pugram]

Congratulation on the bike !!

Both the bike and review are neat and sweet.

Just a question thought, if you had ridden the CBR250R slow speed driving is an issue with constant half clutch and engine knocking. Most of the times you need to wring the neck at lower gears for a smooth drive. I found that the Dominar also has the same trait and needs to be in higher RPM at lower gear to manage city driving.

Does the Gixxer 250 also have this trait ? and if you don't mind please share the cost of bike.

[VijayAnand1]

Nice review. Where the Gixxer truly shines is practicality of a naked and the mileage of a 150. It's super impressive to see that mileage figure and right on, this 250 has been praised for its frugality. Compared to CBR, this thing is cheaper, has the oomph and twisting force and reliability to keep the owner engaged for a long time.

Cheers!
VJ

[swiftnfurious]

Good one Sachin. I have ridden my friend's gixxer 155 and its an enjoyable bike. Good position, refined engine and neat gear shifts. I have seen my colleague giving me a hard time till 100 kmph on his Gixxer 155 while am on my CBR250. If that's to go by, the 250 should be a hoot too.

Enjoy your bike and wish you miles of happy motoring.

[sachinnair]

Originally Posted by iamahunter

Its simple mudguard extension.

Its a simple DIY.

Thanks for the suggestion. But do I need to drill the bike's mudguard to fix this?

If yes? Is it possible without a drill? How did you get it done?

[sachinnair]

Originally Posted by pugram

Congratulation on the bike !!

Both the bike and review are neat and sweet.

Just a question thought, if you had ridden the CBR250R slow speed driving is an issue with constant half clutch and engine knocking. Most of the times you need to wring the neck at lower gears for a smooth drive. I found that the Dominar also has the same trait and needs to be in higher RPM at lower gear to manage city driving.

Does the Gixxer 250 also have this trait ? and if you don't mind please share the cost of bike.

Thanks for the feedback.

Regarding the bike, I have not ridden the CBR or the Dominar, and hence I can't really offer a comparison.
But this bike does not really have such issues. In traffic, in gears 1 and 2 the bike is quite easy to handle. Power for is linear. Yes, the clutch had to get brought into use, bhut I didn't find it too different from managing a 100 or 150cc bike.
However, the gear changes tend to get a bit notchy. A short of slight reluctance to shift. But that's not there at higher speeds

[iamahunter]

Originally Posted by sachinnair

Thanks for the suggestion. But do I need to drill the bike's mudguard to fix this?

If yes? Is it possible without a drill? How did you get it done?

You do need to have hole in the stock mudguard; which I believe is plastic/fibre.

Heat the tip of the pin till its red and push it thru the mudguard, and move it in circular way to expand the size of the hole.
You might need to heat the pin a couple of times through the process. Only do it till you get a hole big enough of the screw to pass through.

That's how I did it.


You can use anything pointy and metal to make the hole.