[shancz]

Assuming this was intended as a reply to my post, please ignore otherwise.

Originally Posted by aargee

1. it's also our understanding that differs among each readers that changes perspective.
2. However, the fundamental truth is we all ADAPT, only caveat being, how far one can adapt is a question.
3. certainly I don't ride a Harapan wheel, but neither it's Michelin, somewhere in between, say 1960?

1. Bullseye and the perfect example is our differing views.
I ride the ~104kgs Access125 or the ~136kgs RTR180 in the city so my benchmarks are different than yours for a city commuter but since you've been used to the Volvo of bikes your benchmarks for suspension and how it performs on bad roads are pretty high while I found nothing wanting in the Interceptor's suspension, I actually liked it and how it handled potholes at speed.
Hence highlighting the need for the OP to take long test rides in their target environs to get a feel of things and most importantly what is preferred and what isn't.

2. Absolutely, and this depends on each one of us. A friend regularly switches between the Ninja 1000 and the Interceptor for his daily commutes in T1 traffic which I cannot imagine doing but probably if I owned both/any of those I just might. Adaptation is the key.

3. Hilarious example and the Interceptor comes shod with CEAT Zoom now, so you're about right

Originally Posted by aargee

- One immutable truth is, RE twins are 80%-90% reliable on major components (barring few lemons);
- (infact slightly superior to ICE scooters provided the commute is restricted to 100 Km)

- Agree and to me, it reminds me of the years gone by and that's by design. Personally this was the closest I could get to the RD350 in 2022.
- Ditto.

The intention was never to argue but put across points based on my short experience and since perspectives differ, an argument takes shape
Either way the conclusion of the discussion is for the OP to take long test rides in this area of operation to gauge how the bike feels to ride and most importantly how much he can adapt.

[hemant.sathe]

Originally Posted by nutcracker

Any inputs here would be appreciated.

I am waiting for reports on Meteor 650. One of the sexiest looking bike with correct combination of styling. I found most combinations of Meteor 350 missing one good feature or other even after so many customisation options.

[mad4nfs]

Originally Posted by nutcracker

The options I am considering are:

1. Suzuki Gixxer 250. Did a test ride. It felt really nimble and snappy. Plus its got glowing reviews over here. However, wasn't getting a comprehensive test ride on the highways so I'm unsure about its snappiness and willingness to overtake compared to the CB350. Also, I seek some aggressiveness in the open road, which the CB350 doesnt have. Inputs here would be really helpful.

2. Interceptor 650: Really loved the test ride. The engine is powerful. Somehow felt the ergonomics were not mature and comfortable enough. Then there's also the spoke wheels which give me puncture anxiety. Also, pillion comfort is unknown.

Any inputs here would be appreciated.

Being a most recent Gixxer 250 (naked) owner, I would say go for it. As compared to CB350, I am sure that you'd be surprised to feel "its snappiness and willingness to overtake on highways." Overall its a great vfm bike and it will suit all your needs.

[Ram35]

Hi

If you are not looking at a fast bike, more of a relaxed riding both in City and Higway, consider new RE350 which has long seat.
Classic come with split seat, it is little tiring for pillion. This bike can go anywhere, good roads, bad roads, cruising or little off roading.

If you need speed with performance and pocket friendly, go in for interceptor 650. Catch here is, get a good top box fixed, which has comfortable back rest for pillion.
Invest in riding suit for both on long rides. City rides will be tiring. Also bike is not suitable for stop and go.
Some solutions are there to fix punctures for spoke bikes. There is a liquid which can be added in the tube. This will take care of punctures.

If you are looking for sporty bikes try Yamaha 250 cc bikes. They are really good for both city and highway.


Have great riding.

[Dr. Ankush Pati]

Originally Posted by nutcracker

Any inputs here would be appreciated.

My 2 cents:

RE meteor 350 -
Pros: excellent bike for cruising (70-90kmph)
good low end torque, so no stalling at bumper to bumper traffic
Good seating comfort
Good fuel efficiency (~35-45kmph city/highway)
Tubeless tyres
Cons: Higher servicing costs as compared to other players(Suzuki/Honda/Bajaj)
The typical RE niggles, albeit much better than earlier bikes
Weight and longer wheelbase might be an issue if zipping between vehicles

RE interceptor 650
Pros: Good smooth engine
Nice twin cylinder rumble
Cons: Spoke wheels (believe me, even one puncture and you will be cursing not having a tubeless bike, while trying to push it to nearest tyre repair shop)
Weight, Poor riding posture for longer rides
Rigid seats, stiff suspension
Poor Fuel efficiency

Dominar 400
Pros: Very versatile engine, good smoothness and power delivery, sufficient for any touring needs
Good fuel efficiency - (28-40kmpl)
Good riding posture(unless you are above 5.8 in which case u might feel a bit cramped)
Lots of aftermarket customizations available
Nice exhaust sound
Dirt cheap to maintain
Cons: Weight, high turning radius
Low speed tractability (stalls at anything above 2nd gear if ur below 30kmph, like the ktms)

I would suggest that you test ride the Suzuki Vstrom 250.
Pros: Smooth engine, excellent low speed tractability as well as high speed touring (100-110kmph)
Excellent seating triangle and pillion comfort
Low bike weight( as compared to other bikes above)
Decent suspension
Good fuel efficiency
Low maintenance costs
Variety of luggage loading options as default
Cons: Seat height
Turning radius on the higher side though it is quite nimble once on the move
Price of the bike a bit on the higher side

To sum up, you need to first decide your priorities:
1. City zipping vs highway touring comfort
2. Running costs- fuel efficiency
3. Maintenance costs - Labour/spares/consumables
4. Hassle free ownership (tubeless tyres, reliability, access to service center)
5. Budget

Then narrow down the bikes and take test rides and decide on the one that appeals to you

[Waspune]

I would suggest get a 300 cc high revving bike, if you like that kind of an engine. Something like BMW G310R or G310GS ?

They are light, quite easy in the traffic, have a pretty good performance (usable low end, excellent mid range, decent top end but accompanied with vibes), the pillion seat is pretty good, suspension is very comfortable, riding triangle is also comfortable, seats are one of the best in the segment for short/long rides and they handle well as well. In short, both are great all rounders in their respective segments (Naked, ADV).

Else if you want a torquey bike (not high revving, requiring lesser gearshifts) then Interceptor is the only choice in the price bracket. Yes it weighs quite a lot, but there are lighter exhausts, better suspension available as an upgrade that can make it feel lighter. Pillion comfort isn’t great, but there are aftermarket pillion footrests available that are placed ahead and lower which should make the pillion more comfortable, of course depending on the pillion’s height. Also the riding triangle can easily be corrected with handlebar risers.

PS: I ride a BMW G310R and I am now gravitating towards a torquey bike as my next bike

[DeRive08]

Originally Posted by nutcracker

2. Acceleration in the 2nd and 3rd gear leaves much to be desired.
3. Revving the bike up is not a satisfactory experience.

I'm unable to understand, I have a CB350RS and it checks almost every box on the list of the cons you have except for the comfort bit, that can be a bit of an hassle but, in the long run those hard foam inside the seats don't deform unlike in other bikes.

Apart from that:

The exhaust note and engine roar, I think you're trying to give it a review in Neutral. I like to keep my throttle open and hit the revv limiter a lot and especially while in motion and as i have felt there is a major difference in both the scenarios. And to be honest people around me always look back , again and again to understand What bike is that and i personally love it. I'm not aware of your driving habits but i have got the gist for

2nd & 3rd gears both, I have found adequate power for my needs, even on highways and that says a lot.

Hope you find the perfect machine for your soul.

[Shur'tugal]

Hi all,

Had 3 questions I was hoping to get your views on.

1. Hunter 350 vs the CB350

Context: I started riding in June '22. Didn't know how to, but really wanted to. Bought a second hand Avenger, learnt on it, and since then have had a ton of fun, including some longer rides to Pune from Mumbai and back.

The bike, unfortunately, is giving quite a few issues now. I'm no longer confident in its ability to go longer distances, and tired with putting money into it every month to fix issues. Hence, looking for a new bike.

I want a bike that is a little more involved than the very laid-back avenger, that works well in the city, and can support me on some longer trips as well (500-600km). I am not a huge fan on the more 'sports' type bikes.

Hence, Hunter and CB350 (I did test ride other bikes as well).

The Hunter is more economical (30k lesser than the Honda), and is a really fun bike to ride.

However, when I rode the Honda, I was instantly in love. Literally laughing and smiling inside my helmet. I also think reliability will be better over the long run.

Any other points in favour of either? Can anyone help with an estimate of maintenance costs of one versus the other?


2. Should I insist on a bike manufactured in 2023? The Bigwing Showroom in Worli is insisting I should take one of the 2022 bikes, as they are readily available, and that 2023 will only come in March.


3. For Mumbai riders - any preference between the Worli and Andheri showrooms? Both are equidistant for me.


Thank you very much.

[rajeevsulu]

Hi
In the showroom here, only 2022 made bikes are available. Nothing less than 3rd week of March and above for 2023 bikes. This is what I was told

[KNL_Bandi]

I bought the Anniversary edition (Green) yesterday and fixed the Avenger's chrome mirrors based on the recommendation of one of the members in this forum.

The left mirror is fine, but the right one is aligned in such a way that I can only see the area about 3 feet from the ground level. Effectively, I can see the road surface or the front tyres/headlight of a bike in my rear view.
I am 6'2", so my height could also have played a part. But then, the same logic should apply to the left mirror but it is fine.

The mechanic at BigWing tried to play around with the fitting, but it didn't work.

I am planning to replace the Avenger mirrors with the stock ones.

I was hoping that anyone of you could help with any workaround.
Thanks

[rajeevsulu]

Hi, I fixed the RCB bar end mirrors on my highness. The stock mirrors were horrible. I am 6 4 and these mirrors are great. No drilling needed, just fix them. No vibrations either. They are a bit expensive at 4500-/.Attatching pictures for your benefit

[heinrici]

Originally Posted by KNL_Bandi

I bought the Anniversary edition (Green) yesterday and fixed the Avenger's chrome mirrors based on the recommendation of one of the members in this forum.

The left mirror is fine, but the right one is aligned in such a way that I can only see the area about 3 feet from the ground level. Effectively, I can see the road surface or the front tyres/headlight of a bike in my rear view.
I am 6'2", so my height could also have played a part. But then, the same logic should apply to the left mirror but it is fine.

The mechanic at BigWing tried to play around with the fitting, but it didn't work.

I am planning to replace the Avenger mirrors with the stock ones.

I was hoping that anyone of you could help with any workaround.
Thanks

I went through the same process a year back . All posts talk about avenger mirrors so went to Nana Peth to buy a pair. Installed it but the mirrors had very less movement angle - could not position them to my liking. And didn't want to put the stock mirrors back because their concave curvature is very bad - its useless for rear viewing. So after much research bought a mirrors for TVS apache: https://www.amazon.in/MINDA-RV-2009R...e%2C189&sr=1-7

Very low cost available on many online sites and fit very well. And the rear viewing angle is super - i can see so much more better than the stock mirrors. This makes driving on highways comfortable and safer. The left mirror fits as is into the socket, but for the right mirror need to remove the stock adapter.

[heinrici]

Anybody has feedback on main/auxiliary headlights for cb350? Research points to the below options (Vaishnu is a new brand).
Vaishnu will start shipping from Feb-2023 so won't have independent reviews yet. Maddog is a well known brand with lots of positive reviews.

Vaishnu
* https://vaishnu.com/headlight-for-ho...ess-cb-350-rs/
* This replaces the OEM main headlight (this is NOT an auxiliary light) (this is single unit)
* Lumens not mentioned
* Power: 24 watts (compared to OEM 17.1w low and 29.1 low+high - claimed on Vaishnu website)
* Current: 2A
* Color: Three color beams in one unit (Yellow, warm white, pure white)
* Life: 50k hrs
* Plug & Play Harness included
* Price INR 7,110

Maddog ScoutX
* https://www.maddog.co.in/product_details/SCX-1
* This is auxiliary light (comes in pair)
* Lumens: 4800 per pair
* Power: 20 watts per pair
* Current: 3.2A per pair
* Color: 5000K - 5700K - Warm white
* Life: 50k hrs
* Harness & switch sold separately
* Price harness: INR 999
* Price switch: INR 599
* Price INR 5750 (for lights only)

[rajeevsulu]

Hi
I got HJG auxiliary lights fixed on my Highness 350.They cost me Rs3800 a pair along with mounts. Adjustable mounts that let you fit the lights on the crashguard. Switch and fitment at my trusted mechanic cost me Rs. 300-/.The throw is good and you can adjust and lock the focus point at your will. Attatching a few pictures for your guidance

[heinrici]

Originally Posted by rajeevsulu

Hi
I got HJG auxiliary lights fixed on my Highness 350.

Could you send the buying link please. Thanks @rajeevsulu