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Old 14th November 2022, 20:28   #16
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Re: Hero Xpulse with Rally Kit is not a fun bike

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Originally Posted by RiderZone View Post
...I started playing another game for fun and distraction. That game is called Dark Souls III. I was frustrated before I started playing this game, I was raging and crying when the first boss killed me 20 times in a row.

Yes, Xpulse is the Dark Souls of motorcycles.
Somehow missed this part. Yeah, it's a fitting analogy in a general sense.

For someone new to the Dark Souls series, the game is harsh. But the thing is, with the right build and experience, you can roll through the game like it's on easy mode. As a beginner, and with the wrong build, you're in for a world of frustration.

Same goes for xpulse rally kit I suppose. For someone with unfavorable body stats, it's an unwieldy weapon, particularly if also coupled with a lack of offroad experience. So, to reiterate earlier posts in another way... Like finding a build that works for you in DS, finding the motorcycle\specs that's right for you and your intent is the way to go at the earlier, more casual stages.

The stock xpulse is like the shield+spear dexterity build. It's a safe, easy thing to use, suits most casuals, and you can get a LOT of mileage out of it. (Give DS3 another try with the "stock xpulse" build )

As you rack up experience, get comfortable with yourself and the mechanics, develop certain skills and reflexes in relative safety, you may even be able to venture out to complete the game with an unleveled deprived build running around in underwear and using a parrying shield and dagger. I mean, you may be able to revisit the xpulse with the rally kit and find it much easier to manage.

BTW, if you found DS3 difficult, you might want to stay away from Sekiro for now. That one is like riding the xpulse rally edition, but with 50 horses pulling you to disaster... (but possibly also overnight growth).
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Old 14th November 2022, 21:07   #17
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Re: Hero Xpulse with Rally Kit is not a fun bike

Love your witty, acerbic writing style and have read your blogs in the past. I tried looking for your blog/website but it seems to have been taken down. If your site still exists, do post a link.

It's heartening that you aren't willing to throw in the towel just yet!

I'd say you need to ride the Xpulse with the rally kit installed a whole lot more. Choose less challenging terrain during this period and keep at it on a regular basis and before too long, you could become comfortable, confident and capable. Do a lot of very low speed 'balancing' and make your turns planning ahead so you don't need to put your foot down. S turns around a set of cones for example.

You may want to practice Bret Tkacs' rolling mounts and dismounts while you're at it and get better at it.

The key is to get rid of the gnawing inside to begin with.



The last sentence in this video says it all. Good luck!
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Old 14th November 2022, 22:03   #18
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Re: Hero Xpulse with Rally Kit is not a fun bike

There's a simple solution to all your problems with the bike. Just switch back to stock Xpulse suspension & tyres. Most of the issues you face is due to height and I can totally relate as am as tall/short as you.

Stock Xpulse suits our height perfectly and can do most things that you are doing. Rally-kit is indeed meant for serious off-road enthusiasts. Switching back to stock setup will help contain your pride(you won't have to sell the bike) & help you enjoy the machine to full extent. All the best

Last edited by SoumenD : 14th November 2022 at 22:05.
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Old 15th November 2022, 11:09   #19
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Re: Hero Xpulse with Rally Kit is not a fun bike

Thats what i faced when i checked out the Triumph Tiger 1200. It looked like the Stallion in the Godfather compared to my Himalayan. After that, the Himalayan and VStrom 650 became a cutie, even in challenging off road terrain like Mandalpatti in Madikeri. The only time i feel I am 5 foot 8 and i could only tiptoe thanks to the 870 mm seat height. Any taller members who find the Xpulse Rally edition easier?
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Old 15th November 2022, 11:42   #20
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Re: Hero Xpulse with Rally Kit is not a fun bike

Hahahaha!

So many people so seriously ‘solutionising’ on what is simply a howlariously self-reflective post with hints of a review thrown in. Don’t think he was really asking for fixes in my opinion

@OP: Wonderful writing dude. Most enjoyable piece I’ve read here in years! Highly informative wrt a bike that almost nobody has reviewed objectively and even more entertaining on the subjectivity of its usage and one’s own aspirations. Rarely does one come across this level of true honesty. So much of it echoes my experiences of mountain biking with some fairly high end equipment which I can’t do justice to by a country mile. And yet, things which I can’t part with given my (pipe)dreams of what I’d like to be able to do given my skill (or lack thereof) and laziness and notwithstanding age, back trouble and dodgy knees. Well, as long as we can afford to keep both our dreams and our gear, we may as well hold on

Keep the writing coming.

Cheers,
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Old 15th November 2022, 12:57   #21
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Re: Hero Xpulse with Rally Kit is not a fun bike

Such a beautifully written post. I enjoyed reading every bit of it. The best part is that there was a life lesson in there which I find very relevant to the predicament I am facing now. Thank you so much for sharing your story especially since it has put things in perspective for me. I look forward to reading more of your content.
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Old 15th November 2022, 14:32   #22
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Re: Hero Xpulse with Rally Kit is not a fun bike

There really is no need for XPulse owners to feel slighted by this article and suggest title edits.

This is merely satire, an individual experience shared.

Enjoy the writing and ignore the misery, if the latter doesn't resonate with you.
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Old 15th November 2022, 14:48   #23
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Re: Hero Xpulse with Rally Kit is not a fun bike

Hilarious reading through this one. Tired and frustrated, get on a bike and reclaim life until the xpulse arrived and made you more tired. Btw, I too ride one and can relate to things you allude to. Am sure with your skills and awareness, you will easily master it and enjoy riding the bike. Lots of great suggestions too from experienced hands.
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Old 15th November 2022, 15:13   #24
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Re: Hero Xpulse with Rally Kit is not a fun bike

Loved the piece! Stick with the bike, you'll figure it out, and probably love it later on.
Its a fabulous looking bike.
The Rally edition is sold purely online and the booking is closed for some time now. Am waiting for it. Did a test ride for the normal 4V and what a hoot it is to drive!
Looking forward to your Xpulse stories!
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Old 15th November 2022, 16:53   #25
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Re: Hero Xpulse with Rally Kit is not a fun bike

I am still trying to figure out, how this is possible...

"I’m 5 foot 7, 5 foot 8 on a heavy breakfast."

Btw, I am not an expert in dirt bikes (except that I know Alaska for long time, ridden by Norally). All these falls are part and parcel of dirt bike riding right? And then, a proper dirt bike like CRF or equivalent from Kawasaki (not sure this is being sold in India anyway) should help your cause a bit better. What you have used like KTM Adv or the pseudo ADV of Hero (don't jump on this please, what I mean is that, a proper dirt bike from the ground up like CRF etc.) are not going to help much, I humbly think.
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Old 15th November 2022, 17:32   #26
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Re: Hero Xpulse with Rally Kit is not a fun bike

Quote:
Originally Posted by airfoil View Post
Love your witty, acerbic writing style and have read your blogs in the past. I tried looking for your blog/website but it seems to have been taken down. If your site still exists, do post a link.
Thanks! The website is long gone unfortunately, I got bored and deleted the whole thing.

Quote:
Originally Posted by RT13 View Post
So many people so seriously ‘solutionising’ on what is simply a howlariously self-reflective post with hints of a review thrown in. Don’t think he was really asking for fixes in my opinion
Quote:
Originally Posted by adwaith View Post
Such a beautifully written post. I enjoyed reading every bit of it. The best part is that there was a life lesson in there which I find very relevant to the predicament I am facing now. Thank you so much for sharing your story especially since it has put things in perspective for me. I look forward to reading more of your content.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoBlue View Post
There really is no need for XPulse owners to feel slighted by this article and suggest title edits.

This is merely satire, an individual experience shared.

Enjoy the writing and ignore the misery, if the latter doesn't resonate with you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by megazoid View Post
Hilarious reading through this one. Tired and frustrated, get on a bike and reclaim life until the xpulse arrived and made you more tired. Btw, I too ride one and can relate to things you allude to. Am sure with your skills and awareness, you will easily master it and enjoy riding the bike. Lots of great suggestions too from experienced hands.
Appreciate it! I haven't written in a while, so the overall tone of the post came out a bit more negative than I had originally intended, the reaction here is completely understandable.

I do have a love-hate relationship with the Xpulse right now. A couple of weeks back I was rather unsatisfied with the overall ownership experience, this time it was the 3 month service interval that had annoyed me. But then I took the Interceptor to a medium-level off-road trail near me, because as is already well established, I am an idiot, who thought putting some Ralco Speedblasters on the Inty made it perfect for dirt. On the Xpulse this trail is a piece of cake, after doing it on the Inty I couldn't sleep properly for the whole of next week due to acute back pain. Interceptor was obviously the wrong bike for the job, but it's moments like this you truly appreciate what the Xpulse is capable of.
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Old 15th November 2022, 17:34   #27
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Re: Hero Xpulse with Rally Kit is not a fun bike

Guess it's high time you start downloading Microsoft's MotoCross Madness... Ride, jump, die, re-spawn and ride along the woods your heart out screaming...hell yeah, hell yeah, each time you make a jump without falling. I mean what a saga yours is man

I've known many riders who've lost the knack of it, primarily owing to COVID home arrest. Most of them were lazy, many motorcycles started to build plaque due to lack of maintenance and all the gremlins came alive to haunt them once the world was slowly up and running.... and perhaps, most lost it somewhere down the line here.

It happens the best of us, you see someone riding hardcore, left, right and center and then all of a sudden, baam.. he's lost the ghost and is seen hunkering somewhere down the cul de sac of life.

I am pretty much sure you're astute enough to know what heals and what peals. These days there is a fine line to everything, from doing to overdoing. Do what makes you happy and not restless; if falling sincerely counts to your saves, keep at it. if not enjoy the mountains and streams, that's more soothing.

Quote:
Originally Posted by adwaith View Post
Such a beautifully written post. I enjoyed reading every bit of it. The best part is that there was a life lesson in there which I find very relevant to the predicament I am facing now. Thank you so much for sharing your story especially since it has put things in perspective for me. I look forward to reading more of your content.
The boy with the bike and there is a catch up pending isn't it.. You know there wouldn't be so much motorcycles in the world, if there isn't so much stress, don't you think.

Cheers!
VJ

Last edited by VijayAnand1 : 15th November 2022 at 17:36.
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Old 15th November 2022, 18:04   #28
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Re: Hero Xpulse with Rally Kit is not a fun bike

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Originally Posted by RiderZone View Post
But then I took the Interceptor to a medium-level off-road trail near me, because as is already well established, I am an idiot, who thought putting some Ralco Speedblasters on the Inty made it perfect for dirt. On the Xpulse this trail is a piece of cake, after doing it on the Inty I couldn't sleep properly for the whole of next week due to acute back pain. Interceptor was obviously the wrong bike for the job, but it's moments like this you truly appreciate what the Xpulse is capable of.
I'm really scared to take my Interceptor off-road because of the weight and ground clearance. The one time I did I ended up burning myself. I admit it was idiocy on my part to do something like that with gym shorts on but it was a bad day so my brother took me to this viewpoint to help me cool my mind. So at some level I guess you're an off roader especially since you take such a heavy, road biased bike off road.

Quote:
Originally Posted by VijayAnand1 View Post
The boy with the bike and there is a catch up pending isn't it.. You know there wouldn't be so much motorcycles in the world, if there isn't so much stress, don't you think.
A lot has happened in the last few months Sir and I had moved to Delhi as well. However, after some things that have transpired, I've decided to move back home. Once I'm there I'll come see you for sure Sir and tell you more about it. Sincere apologies for the delay Sir.

Also, without my bike with me stress levels are at an all time high Sir and therefore I concur.
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Old 15th November 2022, 21:02   #29
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Re: Hero Xpulse with Rally Kit is not a fun bike

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So many people so seriously ‘solutionising’ on what is simply a howlariously self-reflective post with hints of a review thrown in. Don’t think he was really asking for fixes in my opinion
OP may not have been explicitly asking for fixes and the writeup may be a humorous one, but it does come across as a long-winded and indirect call for help, a thread with "what to do?" undertones, whether he consciously intended it or not.

I mean, the original post ends with a problem (and a subjective one), not how he got over it. So, the man clearly wanted to enjoy his purchase but couldn't find a way. I don't see what's wrong in making suggestions to help OP make easy lemonade out of his personal lemons.
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Old 15th November 2022, 21:52   #30
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Re: Hero Xpulse with Rally Kit is not a fun bike

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Originally Posted by drt_rdr View Post
I mean, the original post ends with a problem (and a subjective one), not how he got over it. So, the man clearly wanted to enjoy his purchase but couldn't find a way. I don't see what's wrong in making suggestions to help OP make easy lemonade out of his personal lemons.
Well, I still don’t read the last paragraph like that. If anything he comes across as an articulate, intelligent and experienced rider who has tried everything possible and just can’t be a**ed to do any more. He literally ends with saying he’s too lazy to bother.

Having said which, as I mentioned clearly, this is merely my opinion. I read it as dark-ish humour but given that the spirit of this forum has always been to be helpful to everyone, of course by all means, do suggest whatever. No offence intended at all and kudos to anyone who can actually sort it for him.
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