[sasta_rider]

Originally Posted by Xtremecrd

For the tyre change, R15 V3 and R15V4 use same tyres. so you can also do the changes that I had done to my R15 v3. 110/70 R17 & 150/70 r 17 Pirelli Diablo rosso II. Don't know for sure about I or II as I have sold my bike. But these tyres were exceptional. Dry weather grip was phenomenal. Wet weather riding became so much confidence-inspiring. Bike became extremely flickable. Only problem with the R15 is its tyres. Change to a softer compound will make your bike truly magnificent in corners.

Thank you @Xtremecrd for the valuable suggestion. I had recently enquired about the Michelin Road 5 rubbers for R15 v4. Approximated estimate came around 20k, which I thought is not feasible at the moment due to various reasons. If I can arrange the same for around 16k, I can think about it. Will keep everyone updated on this rubber upgrade soon! Currently, planning to live with the stock MRFs which has 5 minor punctures and 1 major mushroom puncture on the rear tire.

Update regarding the rat bite and the events that had followed which I have addressed in the previous post:
04-Nov-2023:
I got a call from the SA saying that the new wiring kit that had the 'ABS' error fault previouly has now been replaced with the new one. If complete payment is made from my pocket, they can close the job card and start a new one to begin with the 5th service which will be my first paid service. I had paid the advance of 5000/- initially, and the remaining amount was paid so that 5th service can be taken by them. Meanwhile, the newly fixed wiring kit was inspected by the New India Insurance personnel and I am awaiting for the claim amount to be credited. Invoice of the wiring kit replacement is as below:

07-Nov-2023:
Late evening, I got call from the SA, saying that the 5th service is done and if possible I can collect the vehicle the same day after a long parting with R15 for the last 4.5 months! Previous day, SA had asked me whether to change the chain sprocket as it has accumulated a lot of rust, I agreed to change if they had the parts in stock. Later, realised that a good chain clean and lube would have fixed the rusting. Nevermind, my OCD won! Below are the invoice from the 5th (paid) service:

Invoice snap 1


Invoice snap 2

Now, coming to the few learnings and advise to fellow R15 (or any two-wheeler owners for that matter) owners through my experience:

• Never keep your two-wheeler (especially bikes) completely covered for longer duration. Otherwise, rats will have a good time inside!
• R15 v4 owners: if you had experienced your R15's battery getting drained when not used for more than 4 days, it is advised to disconnect the bluetooth transmittor located just below the pillion seat. My SA enlightened me saying this is the culprit that can drain the batteries! Unless you frequently use the Yamaha app, bluetooth can be disconnected.
• If the two-wheeler is stored for long term, make sure the battery terminals are disconnected. Let the bike be parked in a well lit area to avoid rat infestation.
• Finally, take good care of the bike, it will take good care of you!

After I got the bike from the ASC, I went on a night ride within Kasaragod city limits. Below are my observations:

• Engine felt more smooth than before. I assume this might be because I got to ride the R15 after 4.5 months.
• The tires lacked grip, as the R15 hardly clocked any kilometers in past few months. I assume the rubber might have got brittle/hard due to storage. It will be great if any expert can comment whether this is possible?
• The pickup remained the same as before, no changes whatsoever.

In the first half of December, I have planned a ride to Goa for the India Bike Week 2023 which will be held on 08-09 December 2023. This will be my first solo long ride on the Kasaragod-Mangaluru-Goa Highway altogether and will also be a criteria for my rubber selection: whether to replace the 'aged' stock MRF tires or not.

Will either post the IBW 2023 event updates in this thread or maybe as a new Travelogue thread. Until then...

Ride Safe!
Sud.

[sasta_rider]

Hello BHPians!

This post was totally unexpected, where I will pen down my experience with the tire change, that I was planning for sometime later as mentioned in the previous post!

So, on 09-Nov-2023 late evening, I had gone out for some work and while returning back, saw an authorized Apollo tire dealer. For a moment, I thought why not go and check the Alpha H1 tires for my R15. After all, money is not required for having a look, right?

I went inside, since it was late evening, the owner and employees looked tired (which is obvious). The conversation followed as below:
Me:
Hello! I wanted to know if you have Apollo Alpha H1 for R15? If yes, can I have a look?
Owner:
Sure! (called one of the employee who took me through their warehouse)
Employee:
*pulled out the rear tire* This is the rear tire, fresh stock.
Me:
What will be the final price if I buy front and rear tires? Any discount on exchange of stock tires? *I had a good feel of the rubber, but was not impressed with the buttons because my heart still wanted the Michelin Road 5*
Employee:
Together, it will cost 11000/-. Sorry sir, no exchange offer for this month, but previous month we had it.
Me:
OK, no worries. *I came out, took the visiting card and left the place after greeting*

While leaving the Apollo dealer, I still had no plans to get the tires replaced anytime soon. But, at times heart wins over brain. That is what followed later.

Since my work for the day was done, had a look at Apollo Tires, thought directly to head back home. On the way, there is another popular tire shop where I get the wheel alignment of my Innova and Dad's WR-V done. This shop has been there in Kasaragod since the time I was born and the owner has a good relationship with Dad. I took a diversion from the highway and ended up in their shop. Conversation goes as below:

Me:
Hello! I wanted to know what price do you sell the Apollo Alpha H1 for?
Employee:
It will cost around 11000/-, but since you are regular customer, final price will be 10500/-.
Me:
Hmm. But I always wanted to get the Michelin Road 5, due to tight budget I am not going for it at this moment. Can you replace the stock MRF with Apollo now? How long will it take?
Employee:
In that case, Road 5 is way better than Apollo. Why settle for less when you want something better? Come, let me show you the Road 5. *he showed me both front and rear tires, I just could not go away without it!*
Me:
OK then, Road 5 it is. Please change the tires!

*he and another employee began to work*

During this conversation, he noticed that the front tire had multiple bulges which I was not aware at all! He asked me whether the bike was idle for longer duration? I said yes, for around 4.5 months. Then I thought, why not change than take risk with uncertainty?

In the meantime, the owner came, I greeted him...
Me:
Do you accept credit card or the card payment is closed for the day?
Owner:
You can pay later as well, not an issue.
Me:
No, that is not fine with me. In that case, I will pay you 6000/- each month. Will that be OK? *Michelin Road 5 costed me 18000/- in total, but heart won. So, why not?*
Owner:
No worries, you can pay as and when you are comfortable.

During this time, the rear tire was replaced with Road 5 and it had started to drizzle. Even the front tire was replaced, filled both the tires with Nitrogen. Run-in period for the new set of rubbers was 100 km. So, by the time my Goa trip nears, the tire will all be warmed up!

Before I wind up, let the pictures speak the rest:

Rear Tire: 150/60 ZR 17 (Tubeless) 66W


'Road 5' clearly written on the side profile


Front Tire: 110/70 ZR 17 (Tubeless) 54W


Rear Tire Buttons: I have heard and known from multiple sources that the Road 5 tires are used in higher end sports bike mainly used for touring / highway rides. Reason being, these button patterns provide good wet grip as well as touring comfort. The design is made in such a way as to throw the water out, thus avoiding aquaplaning. Now, to experience how far this is true, I need to wait till Dec-2023!


Front Tire Buttons


Last but not the least, 'Tommy' just gave 'go ahead' for the Road 5!

Until next time, ride safe!
Sud.

[SaurAswale]

Originally Posted by sasta_rider

Rear Tire: 150/60 ZR 17 (Tubeless) 66W

Front Tire: 110/70 ZR 17 (Tubeless) 54W

Hello,
I am also thinking about tyres for my R15v3. Currently she is on stock MRFs. As you have upsized at both ends, I am curious how it affects the overall feel of the bike. Being very lightweight machine, I think there will be noticeable change. And are the Road 5s fit for stock rim?
Also, when you return from Goa trip, please update your experience and try to mention effects on FE and flickability of the bike.

Enjoy Your Trip!!!

Saurabh

[sasta_rider]

Originally Posted by SaurAswale

I am also thinking about tyres for my R15v3. Currently she is on stock MRFs. As you have upsized at both ends, I am curious how it affects the overall feel of the bike. Being very lightweight machine, I think there will be noticeable change. And are the Road 5s fit for stock rim?
Also, when you return from Goa trip, please update your experience and try to mention effects on FE and flickability of the bike.

Enjoy Your Trip!!!

@SaurAswale Yes, Road 5 can be used in R15 v3 and with the stock rim.

When I was returning after the installation, I felt some kind of force pushing me sideways when I turned my handlebars while riding on slow speeds. At first I thought the front tire pressure was less than what Yamaha suggests. Later, I realised that the Road 5 is a dual compound tire (refer image below): the tread area is made of hard compound and the sidewall is made of soft compound. Currently, I do not want to push the tires to its limit. For initial 100 km, I am planning to take things slowly!

The orange area (tread pattern) consist of hard compound while the blue area (side wall) has the soft compound

New tires are soft and requires break-in for certain kilometers to settle-in, this can vary from brand to brand. During the initial 10 km, I could feel some sideways movement (right side push when I turn handlebar towards left and vice-versa). Today, the above effect has almost become nill after I rode 10+ km. I took corners with low lean angle and felt the Road 5 firmly holds onto road than the stock MRFs!

Fuel efficiency: it can increase or decrease depending on the tire's tread pattern, overall weight of the bike and construction type.

Comfort: an increase in tire width (140 MRF --> 150 Road 5), the stability and comfort can improve, but it is too early for me to comment on this now.

I have already planned to test the tires, the comfort on long rides, flickability and fuel efficiency in few weeks time. Will bring a detailed post later point of time!

Ride safe!
Sud.

[vish_shiv99]

This is a great review of the R15, hope you continue to enjoy it! I happened to see that you had been diagnosed with PNS which is something that I too have been suffering with over the past two years. Would you be able to share your mail ID so we can have a quick discussion about it?

[Xtremecrd]

Originally Posted by sasta_rider

When I was returning after the installation, I felt some kind of force pushing me sideways when I turned my handlebars while riding on slow speeds.

This is characteristics of round profile tyre. You will feel r15 wants to drop to left or right without any input from the rider. You will get accustomed to this feeling. You have changed the tyre from 100/80 to 110 /70. This resulted in changes in tyre profile from squarish to round profile. You need to be careful while doing corners as the bike will be very quick leaning into corners. You need to to slow down your inputs at handlebar. Rest assured you will now enjoy the bike even more once mastering the change in handling.

[sasta_rider]

Originally Posted by Xtremecrd

This is characteristics of round profile tyre. You will feel r15 wants to drop to left or right without any input from the rider. You will get accustomed to this feeling. You have changed the tyre from 100/80 to 110 /70. This resulted in changes in tyre profile from squarish to round profile. You need to be careful while doing corners as the bike will be very quick leaning into corners. You need to to slow down your inputs at handlebar. Rest assured you will now enjoy the bike even more once mastering the change in handling.

@Xtremecrd True. You have hit the bulls eye!

400 km Update with the Michelin Road 5s:

I could hardly cover ~400 km after the tire change from stock MRFs to Road 5s in few weeks time, all thanks to busy work schedule. As mentioned in the previous post, during the initial few kilometers (~30 km if I can recall properly), I could feel the swaying of the bike to either left/right without any feedback to the handlebars. Post 30 km, this feeling disappeared providing me with more firm grip with the road.

To the readers who have not visited Kasaragod from last one year, let me tell you, the NHAI had started the highway widening work since more than an year. The construction work is being done at a very fast pace by the ULCCS Ltd (contractor): I have not seen/heard any highway work progressing this fast.

Highway widening means a lot of diversions, temporary road closures, lose gravel, wet dirt (during monsoon) and lot of heavy vehicles ferrying loads of mud. So, during the city commute, I have manoeuvred the bike in all possible ways and trust me, my confidence has increased than before. All thanks to the rear tire Road 5's profile!

Last weekend, I had to travel to Mangaluru (again through the busy highway works till Talapady - Kerala/Karnataka Border) for some personal work. Damn, I was never this happy with the ride comfort and confidence when leaning even a little! But, life is not always fair: where there is good, there is evil.

The evil side is not bothering me but I noticed that since the rear tire profile changed from 140/70 to 150/60, the surface in contact with the road increased causing a little more of resistance. For layman understanding, what I mean to say is, the bike feels a 'little' lagging when sudden throttle input is given: the sudden penetrating forward push which was present when on stock tires no longer exist. But, I am not at all disappointed with this, because nothing can defy the physics involved!

I had asked the tire dealer, how long is the run-in period? He said the real comfort and feel of the tires come into action when it runs at least 1000 km.

Like already mentioned previously, I have planned big to document the IBW-2023 solo ride (Kasaragod <-> Goa <-> Kasaragod) in detail with relevant pictures, how the bike feels on a new highway for me and technical aspects like how the new tires respond, fuel efficiency, travel time and the recently updated rinding gears! Until then...

Ride safe!
Sud.

[sasta_rider]

R15 gets the much required pamper:

After the India Bike Week 2023 ride back home on 10-Dec-2023, I hardly got time to take her out on rides greater than 20 km. All thanks to my work schedule and family functions. But, I used to take her on a 12 km circuit around my home once in two to three days. But, why? I do not wish to attract rats and rodents to make R15 their home like last time, so had to take these small spins to make engine warm and then park again.

Last time I washed her was before India Bike Week. So, it was almost 3 weeks since she got her last wash. More than the ride, the dirt was due to the nearby highway construction and bike being idle for most of the time made things even worse.

Once the scorching sun settled yesterday (25-Dec-2023), I plugged my washing kit, made R15 sit on the paddock (more on this later). Recently, I had to buy a 150 mL Motul Chain Clean as the Yamaha Chain Clean had got over. However, I still had almost half the lube as is. Along with the Motul Chain Clean, I had brought the 'Moto Max 50 mL bike polish' laong with the sponge to try how effective it is.

Ah, picture prefect!

I brought the paddock from an independant manufacturer who is also a biker from Bengaluru. The paddock along with two types of spools: 'L' shape spool and the 'C' shape spools, costed me ₹2200 and does the job well for an R15. Weighing around 3.850 kg with the spools in place, is convenient enough to single handedly place or remove.

After the wash, using a home vacuum cleaner, blowed the cockpit area and the fairings so that the water does not settle and give birth to rust. Rusting can take place quicker in coastal regions Mumbai, Chennai, Kasaragod, Kochi, etc) than non-coastal regions (Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi, etc). This was followed by one round of wiping using a microfiber cloth.

Moved the bike to a dry area, placed the bike on paddocks again and kept the engine running for few minutes so that the rest of water droplets where my hands cannot reach, could evaporate due to heat. Then, turned the engine off, sprayed the chain with Motul Chain Clean while rotating the rear wheel using my hands. Dirt, grease, dust and what not, started dripping to the ground: all thanks to gravity! After around 15 minutes, I cleaned the chain using a 'C' shaped brush, the chain sprocket using a cotton yarn and the wheel. After few minutes, I evenly sprayed the Yamaha Chain Lube and observed for any dripping. Once it was all fine, removed the bike from the paddocks, moved it to the parking area and watched her beauty for few minutes.

Took a small tea break, came back and read the instructions on the Moto Max Bike Polish, as this was my first time using the same. Using the sponge, I applied a thin layer of the polish on paint surface, fairings and the chassis area. Let it dry for few minutes. This was followed by wiping with a microfiber cloth in circular motion to give the final shine. Initially I felt my palms were irritated, I assume this was due to the polish. The itchiness faded after few minutes though.

Note: If anyone is planning to use 'Moto Max Bike Polish' for the first time, make sure you either wear a gloves or test a very small drop on your finger to check for any allergic reaction.

By the time I finished all these chores, it was already dark. I could not click any photos at the last as the parking area light was not working and did not want to get one with flash on due to mosquitos waiting to suck my blood!

But, it was totally worth the care. In few weeks time, I am planning to ride to Bengaluru for few days of WFO and personal work. Planning to post a travelogue in a separate thread.

Until then, ride safe!
Sud.

[sasta_rider]

Exploring the Woods:

First of all, Happy New Year to you all!

Since yesterday (31-Dec-2023) was the last day of the year, I thought of why not visit my cousin's place which is around 40 km from my home. Also, I had to take my brother's headphones which he had left at my home last week.

At 11:00 AM, I left my home on my R15. I was solo and as a luggage, I had worn the Decathlon Backpack which had my GoPro's extra batteries, charger and the headphones.

The route I chose was not the national highway, reasons being:

• National highway constructions mean I would be covered in dust.
• No good curves to hit on this route.
• A lot of traffic at this time of departure.
• Last day of the year, so I assumed it to be a little more congested than usual.

Meanwhile, I took the 'Kasaragod -> Seethangoli -> Sheni -> Perla -> Adyanadka' route which is the best one at the moment with roads being recently resurfaced with high quality asphalt/tar. Curves on these roads is another reason I opted this, another ride to test the Michelin Road 5s.

The first ~35 km, I am well aware of the route. I enjoyed the curves to my fullest this time, unlike during the India Bike Week Ride where it was 95% highway cruise. Let some pictures do the justice to my words:

Fully utilized the empty roads across 75% of these stretch!


I also got my eyes a treat: ~one year old Toyota Vellfire!

It has been almost 2+ years since I last visited his place. So, after the diversion from the main road near to Adyanadka, I had to take a left turn which I was well aware before. But, after this diversion, if I recall, the house entrance road was situated 3 km ahead from this left turn during my onward journey. The route involved an average surfaced road, mud road and small-to-medium gravel filled mild off-roads.

Somehow, I missed my route and took a left turn way before the actual left, and I ended up on road like this:

R15 handled these broken stones and small gravel with ease. All thanks to the humongous ground clearance of ~170 cm (compared to other bikes of this segment). I do not want any stone hitting the underbody, so kept my speed less than 20 kmph!

I realised I took a wrong turn. But, thought, why not explore a little ahead and then return back in search of the actual route? The road ahead brought me to this beautiful road surrounded by the rubber estates:

Immediately got down to capture this view!

I went ahead a few more meters only to end up being in front of a house which was completely old school. I inquired about my destination and they guided me the right route. While coming back from the above route to the actual route, I thought to turn off the traction control and test how R15 handles, but then realised it was near for the lunch time and brother would be waiting for me.

Had a good food: Veg Pulao, Raita, Side Dish, Boiled Brown Rice, Sambhar and Buttermilk with some lemon squeezed into it! "Could not get the image clicked due to hunger!"

After some chit-chat with relatives and a quick nap, got up in the evening to head back to my home. It was almost dark and I wanted to reach home before dinner.

I had the smoke visor on my MT Targo helmet, so no way I could ride with visors down. To add fuel to the fire, the forest route was completely filled with irritating flies who wanted to get inside view of my helmet. Lesson learned: always carry the clear visor when returning during the dark.

Can never get bored of such night view!

So, after a 83 km trip, I reached home safely at around 07:20 PM. While everything during the ride went well except for one: during this ride, I could feel the vibrations on my left hand. The bike used to not deliver the 'normal' power when throttled after changing from 3rd to 4th gear. I could feel some lag for few instant and this was not consistent. At times, I could feel the sudden delay in power delivery. I am expecting this might be due to the spark plugs having deposits over them or maybe due to the unclean fuel that might have enetered during the India Bike Week Ride. Planning to get the spark plugs checked and the issue addressed during the 6th (paid) service at Bengaluru. The Yamaha ASC at my hometown is not upto my expectations due to the delayed service experience I faced recently during the rat bite issue. More on this issue and its solution in a future post.

Until then, ride safe!
Sud.

[sasta_rider]

My R15 v4's 6th Service (Paid) Updates:

In the second week of Feb-2024, I had to go to Bengaluru for the relieving formalities with my last employer and that required me to stay there for around 10 days. It had been almost an year since I got my bike serviced from Vinayak Yamaha, Domlur.

In no way I am promoting their service here, but trust me, whenever I had my bike serviced from their place, I had 100% confidence that my bike would never give up on me. However, when I had serviced from Pioneer Yamaha, Kasaragod I was not satisfied with their service compared to that of Vinayak Yamaha's service.

Since I had brought the Vesrah Ceramic Brake Pads during the India Bike Week 2023, I had to get the stock brake pads replaced with the Made in Japan Brake Pads: only to test which one performs better. For this, I was waiting for an opportunity to visit Bengaluru to get this job done by the experts at Vinayak Yamaha. That is when I planned my 6th service here during this period.

On 13-Feb-2024, I dropped my blue beast at Vinayak Yamaha at around 08:30 am. Fellow Bengaluru Yamaha owners, please note, if you wish to give your vehicle for service here, make sure to arrive early morning around 07:45-08:00 am to avoid rush later. They service around 60 vehicles (all types of Yamaha 2W) per day on average. So, if you arrive late, you may get your vehicle a day later.

As soon as the SA approached me, I greeted him after so long. Then I started to explain the below issues that had been a little irritating for me since the previous service at ASC, Kasaragod which I was totally unsatisfied :

• One fine day while pampering my R15 at home, a rubber part had falled from the left hand fairing side. I was not sure where it belonged but knew that this piece is used to cancel out the fairing vibration (wild guess). Since then, I could feel slight vibration on my left hand which used to travel upto the left shoulder. Even on city rides, I used to get exhausted due to this!
• Vesrah Ceramic Brake Pads: Vinayak Yamaha SA happily took the aftermarket brake pads and also advised me that this brake pad material can eat up the brake disc. This was contradictory to what the Torque Block sales person had said me at IBW2023: "these brake pads will not eat your brake disc". But let me see who is right and who is wrong! To check this, I have noted down the disc thickness using Vernier Calipers at home. More light on this once the Vesrah brake pads are worn out.
• Tighten all the lose nuts or rattling sounds wherever required.
• My Y-Connect app is not working. The SA said that the first batch of bluetooth module used to drain the batteries in the R15 v4s. After this issue was reported across India, Yamaha decided to provide a replacement bluetooth module to fix the battery drain issue under warranty. SA has taken my bluetooth module's information and I am awaiting whether I will be eligible for the replacement. Surprising thing was, when I checked the same issue at ASC, Kasaragod, they hardly knew such recall has been made by Yamaha India. Seriously?

The same day, I got a call saying my vehicle was ready to be picked & I headed there happily to see how serviced my blue beast is! Oh boy, trust me. The way they washed, polished (chargeable) and made the bike all shining: big kudos to the entire team. Sadly, I could not click any pics due to my last day at my company, I was in a hurry!

The invoice came as follows, but I am totally fine with this expense unless the R15 is maintained well by the experts there:

Total, I had to pay ₹4052/- with a well serviced bike ready to clock miles and a happy owner who completely trusts the service and the bike!

The "Outside Repair" is for the rear disc brake nuts which had got stuck and they had to get the same removed from FNG as per what the SA had said. After the service, I could get the proper power delivery. Since last few months and even during the IBW2023 solo ride to Goa, I could feel some power drop when shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear. That was totally negligible after this amazing service.

I will comment more about the bluetooth module once I get the updates from the SA and on the brake pad/disc usage at the right time in near future. Since I am at home, I hardly get to take her out. But, few trips are planned, will see how things go!

Till then, ride safe!
Sud.

[R15M_Rider]

I guess this sort of proves Yamaha service has been a hit/miss mostly. Consistency is not there. I just did my 5th service recently at nearly 14k on the odo. Initially I tried getting it done at ASS itself, 2 times infact, but unfortunately, both times their service load was full meaning it will take at least 3 days or more to get it done. While by no means am I blaming anyone for the delay, I have grown too much to be attached with my bike that I really didn’t feel comfortable leaving it for more than a day, at most a weekend. If time wasn’t a reason I would’ve not opted for a good FNG which intact I was reluctant initially even if it was just 400-500 metres from my apartment. But it is what it is, sometimes I have mental age of a 9 year old and isn’t ready to wait or thinks too much about the bike! . In fact the only reason I consistently commute 45 km to and fro to office with least amount of WFH is because of it too. One more interesting thing is they mentioned if it was free service(1st 4), they would do it on the same day, but paid is lower priority apparently which I found surprising. Is this the general procedure followed elsewhere too?

So, in the end opted for the FNG and both with my interaction and reviews with the mechanic, he seemed genuine and the service was top notch. I did have one nagging feel which I would like to share, after the front disc was replaced, when I squeeze the brakes hard, really hard, I get some sort of “rubbing” feel. Brakes are working fine, just this weird rubbing sensation. I called the mechanic and asked, my assumption was brake pads were again shot, but he said it’s normal when a new front disc is added and told me not to worry. Since it didn’t affect the braking performance, I went by it, but is this something you have felt before?

One more thing I noticed was that, in the 4th service with 10k on the odo, it seems engine oil wasn’t topped/changed. The FNG mechanic mentioned it was dangerously low when I gave the bike for service. The oil was indeed extremely black and low which was surprising because this ASS usually did a good job in my 3 times I have serviced there. So yes, in my experience, a hit/miss. I hope you have better experience at the same service center more than once/twice .

Ride Safe!

[sasta_rider]

Originally Posted by R15M_Rider

Initially I tried getting it done at ASS itself, 2 times infact, but unfortunately, both times their service load was full meaning it will take at least 3 days or more to get it done. While by no means am I blaming anyone for the delay, I have grown too much to be attached with my bike that I really didn’t feel comfortable leaving it for more than a day, at most a weekend.

@R15M_Rider Yes, not all the dealers/service centers are bad. There are few, like the ASC at my hometown Kasaragod, who know technical aspect wise. But the way they work on the bike is not satisfactory. This can be understood by the way you get your bike after servicing. However, at Vinayaka Yamaha, Bangalore I used to feel that my bike has been reborn: I could feel the throttle response changed, the chain slackness was adjusted and every aspect of the bike was thoroughly inspected. Another ASC experience was at Sharief Bikes, Mangaluru. I had an issue with my bike's horn just before the IBW2023 ride. So, I had to get a replacement horn. When I checked with ASC Kasaragod, they said the part will require one month to arrive if they book today. Really? One small part requires 1 odd month to arrive from the day of placing order? Pathetic! I went to ASC Mangaluru, they had the part readily available. They fit the horn wihout any jobcard: they got their business and I got my OCD sorted. It costed me ₹210/- for that horn, which was supposed to be covered under warranty at ASC Kasaragod. But why should I wait for a month by compromising for the defective horn during my ride?!

Originally Posted by R15M_Rider

One more interesting thing is they mentioned if it was free service(1st 4), they would do it on the same day, but paid is lower priority apparently which I found surprising. Is this the general procedure followed elsewhere too?

I am not sure about this aspect and this can depend on the service center totally. I did not even listen any customer being said this when I was in queue to get my bike serviced at Vinayak Yamaha. Maybe, any employee working at Yamaha can comment better on this.

Originally Posted by R15M_Rider

So, in the end opted for the FNG and both with my interaction and reviews with the mechanic, he seemed genuine and the service was top notch. I did have one nagging feel which I would like to share, after the front disc was replaced, when I squeeze the brakes hard, really hard, I get some sort of “rubbing” feel. Brakes are working fine, just this weird rubbing sensation. I called the mechanic and asked, my assumption was brake pads were again shot, but he said it’s normal when a new front disc is added and told me not to worry. Since it didn’t affect the braking performance, I went by it, but is this something you have felt before?

Yes. I experienced this recently when my stock brake pads were replaced with Vesrah Ceramic brake pads. When I went to take delivery of bike after 6th service, as usual, the SA said me to do a test ride before I bid them bye for that day. I felt both the braking feedback (front and back) spongy and I could hardly stop than usual. Still, I just made sure with the SA is it due to the new brake pads in place. His reply was "yes sir, be careful for first few kilometers. Go gentle and do not overspeed. It will be al fine with some intital break-in". And guess what? By the time I reached Silk Board Junction from Domlur, I could feel the brakes pads doing their job well. I also gave a close attention to one kind of sound (which is normal) coming from the front brake while braking. I believe it is the ABS electronic that makes this sound from the front and is totally normal.

Like you said, the "rubbing" feel is also true when the brake pads are replaced with new ones. This is totally normal.

[hikozaru]

Originally Posted by R15M_Rider

One more interesting thing is they mentioned if it was free service(1st 4), they would do it on the same day, but paid is lower priority apparently which I found surprising. Is this the general procedure followed elsewhere too?

This is the same with RE too. A mechanic works on about 10 bikes a day, I assume they have to hit those quotas and find it easier to do so with the routine free service.

Originally Posted by sasta_rider

So, I had to get a replacement horn. When I checked with ASC Kasaragod, they said the part will require one month to arrive if they book today. Really? One small part requires 1 odd month to arrive from the day of placing order? Pathetic! I went to ASC Mangaluru, they had the part readily available.

Same story man. I am waiting for a master cylinder replacement for my bike and I was told it would take about a week for that. I find it ridiculous that these guys sell over 10k bikes a month but won't stock spares to account for the ever growing number of bikes on road.

[sasta_rider]

Hello Readers!

After quite long time, I could manage to find some time to post a small part of my R15 v4's ownership experience.

I will be covering the following topics in this post:

• Self Maintenance (Chain Clean and Lube)
• Vesrah Ceramic Brake Pads (2011 km experience)
• Modification of my tail bag mount straps.

Self Maintenance:
I have been doing the regular chain cleaning and chain lube either at the ASC or when time permits, at my home itself using the paddock stand, Yamalube Chain Clean and Lube along with the 'C' shaped brush. However, recently, I got this curiosity whether the ASC cleans the front chain sprocket (closed one) or not during the service. Why I got this doubt? I used to feel a little hardness while shifting gears. Whether the muc and grease accumulation in the front sprocket effects gear shift and power transmission? I don't know exactly.

So, on 03-Apr-2024, I had some time at home and also my Bengaluru ride was planned for 04-Apr-2024 since I recently changed my company and execting to join in-office at Bengaluru.

I decided to loosen the front left fairing partially, using the allen key provided in the toolkit. Along with a T spanner, I removed the front sprocket cover. It was all ease. No rocket science as such. I removed the cover only to see the front sprocket suffocating with muc, new asphalt remains and grease. Recently, my first set of Yamalube Chain Clean was replaced with Motul C1 Chain Cleaner 400 mL). I thoroughly sprayed this liquid every corner possible to remove the foreign objects. It took 40 mins from my day to make the area look fresh and clean before I began washing my bike.

This is how I could view from the side!


I took this pic after clearing a little hard deposits, but still the amount of dirt is clearly visible!

I use Amway Car Wash concentrated liquid for washing the vehicles. In fact, this product has been in my home since my childhood. All thanks to my Dad who has the right choice when it comes to chosing the best products. I washed all the nook and corner of the bike possible where my hands reach. After the wash, using an air blower which I brought from the local market for ₹900/-, I removed the water accumulation from the cockpit, fuel lid and the fairings. All thanks to my OCD.

Then I let the bike to dry in natural sunlight for some time. After a good home made tea, I came back to lube the chain, this time with the Motul C2 Chain Lube (400mL). Evenly sprayed the lube over the chain. And yes, I do not keep the engine running while lubing/cleaning. All fingers are precious for me! I prefer to rotate the rear wheels manually while the other hand lubes the chain.

I can keep looking at this view all day long!

Vesrah Ceramic Brake Pads:

During the 6th service (paid), I had asked Vinayak Yamaha, Domlur to replace the stock brake pads with the Vesrah Ceramic brake pads which I had brought at India Bike Week 2023, Goa from Torque Block.

As per Torque Block sales person, he informed that these brake pads will not eat my brake plate. I was surprised for once, but since I did not have any past experience, I thought it might be true. Who knows, let me try out!?

Using ceramic brake pads over the stock ones has its own pros and cons. This is my initial observation, long term life I cannot comment fully at this moment. The major advantage is that the brake bite is crisp on both the wheels. I can feel the bike's stopping power has improved than before. The confidence that I get now to accelerate even in the smallest of the gaps to open highways has increased. During long rides (100+ km), the rear brake's feedback used to be a little spongy when on stock brake pads, with the ceramic ones, this sponginess during long rides is negligible.

Every coin has two sides. What I did not like is that, the pattern (impression) this brake pad leaves on the disc plate is not what I saw it before when the stock brake pads were in place. Now, I can confirm that ceramic brake pads eats the disc plate comparatively faster, but for me, this is totally fine. So, to track how fast it eats the disc plates, I have noted down the thickness of both the disc rotors. After the 6th service, I have clocked around 20XX km with the Vesrah brake pads and I am happy with the product but with a compromise on the disc plate life.

Few days back before writing this post, I had noted down the thickness of the disc plates using a Vernier caliper.

The front disc plate is 3.91 mm thick while the minimum thickness (3.5 mm) can be seen embossed which is when the plate needs to be replaced.


The rear disc plate is 4.12 mm thick while the minimum thickness is 4 mm.

Let me track, if possible, how quick the disc plates are eaten up. Will try to record the thickness on regular intervals as and when my job allows me to breath!

Modification of my tail bag mount straps:

Since the first long ride with my R15 back in Jun-2022, I have been using the Carbonado Modpac tail bag. It does the job pretty awesome without giving me any kind of fear of my luggage rolling over and creating a bad experience. I used to strap the Modpac using the 4 straps that comes with the bag via under the pillion seat: 2 straps were tied firmly to the chassis (near to the driver's back) and the other 2 was firmly tied to the rear chassis area (away from the driver's back). However, the 2 straps near to my back was causing the Modpac to hit me when I used to brake while encountering speedbreakers which was annoying.

Last week, I thought, why not find an alternate way to ensure these straps are permanently fixed below the pillion seats? I had the relevant tools for this which included cable ties, M8 2.5 inch nut and bolt along with the required size 'T' spanner.

There were two holes through which I could pass these bolt nuts and tighten them. After attaching all the fasteners of the chassis, I passed the straps and checked if I can close the seats with ease. Voila, it worked!


Earlier, the left side two straps were a little towards the right, due to which the Modpacs were hitting me from the back while braking. This is now fixed. I recently came to Bengaluru with this setup. Works better than before but the incline of the pillion seat does push the Modpac a little towards me while braking.


This is how the 4 straps look after placing the pillion seat. OCD is also taken care well!

By mid-April, my (baby) R15 will turn two years. And, I never regret the investment done on this machine. I have had a lot of memories with this machine all these days while clocking miles, had a lot of close calls (due to my mistake as well as fellow commuters), enjoyed the symphony while cruising at triple digit speeds at 9000 RPM and more importantly, this machine can be tamed in whichever way you wish to!

Looking forward to munch more miles in the coming days.

Ride safe!
Sud.

[R15M_Rider]

Originally Posted by sasta_rider

Self Maintenance:
I have been doing the regular chain cleaning and chain lube either at the ASC or when time permits, at my home itself using the paddock stand, Yamalube Chain Clean and Lube along with the 'C' shaped brush. However, recently, I got this curiosity whether the ASC cleans the front chain sprocket (closed one) or not during the service. Why I got this doubt? I used to feel a little hardness while shifting gears. Whether the muc and grease accumulation in the front sprocket effects gear shift and power transmission? I don't know exactly.

Your timing is perfect. I am actually leaning towards getting my hands dirty too at least for the chain cleaning and lube part. I am gaining, I guess for lack of the better word, "mechanical sympathy". I do wash the bike every 2 weeks myself, and I bet, something personally satisfying of doing things on your own rather than leaving it for someone else to do it, I guess only petrol-heads would know why it matters a lot to get up and close with the machine!

Due to some reason, during my MMRT track day, I bought a chain cleaner without the chain lube apart from the RS4GP engine oil without knowing that time, both need to be used together for lubrication. Total noob error for sure.

I tried enquiring today at few showrooms for getting Yamalube Chain Lube, one of them mentioned no stock while the other two, were doubtful whether chain lube can be provided as spare directly without them doing it. Did you get yours online or from showroom when you used the Yamalube one?

Originally Posted by sasta_rider

I can keep looking at this view all day long!

Now I want a paddock lock too! Proper Race Bike Vibe.

Originally Posted by sasta_rider

By mid-April, my (baby) R15 will turn two years. And, I never regret the investment done on this machine. I have had a lot of memories with this machine all these days while clocking miles, had a lot of close calls (due to my mistake as well as fellow commuters), enjoyed the symphony while cruising at triple digit speeds at 9000 RPM and more importantly, this machine can be tamed in whichever way you wish to!

Advanced Birthday wishes to yours from mine! Mine will turn two this Oct too. I totally resonate your thoughts and feel of the machine. I hope you get a chance to experience it on track too. I am sure you will fall in love even more!