This is going to be one long post,so please buckle up & enjoy the ride!
It all started off in the '90s. Born & brought up in Bangalore,I had the opportunity to see a variety of bikes,be it Indian & imported. Back in the days,when the RD350 was a bike everyone wanted, or the Enfield Fury that had a great thumping exhaust note. As a kid,I'd always dream of being on one of those big burly bikes & I ended up having huge posters of the Gixxers & the Ninjas. Lying in bed,I'd get to see over 10-15 bike posters covering every inch of my room. The only experience I had was on my Kinetic Honda,6 years of it.
Someday.. someday!
I moved to the US in 2002,and after graduating with a Masters in Cancer Biology,I hopped onto the job in Houston. From wonderful winters,to the sultry muggy days in Texas. Quite a jump! Got my car,and things were sedate for the most part. My wife,who's been my strength & guiding star, knew that I harbored the dream of owning a bike.
Any amount of gratitude won't suffice. If it hadn't been for her support & her persistence,I'd probably have stayed riding a bike in my dreams. I'm not sure,but I do believe that she's the first person in the world to push her spouse to becoming a biker. I had a rough year 2007,with numerous health issues, and 2 surgeries to fix a broken finger [thanks to my weekend cricket league].She'd seen me suffer quite a bit,and said that we'll make 2008 a much better year. She actually got me going and made sure I enrolled into the MSF (Motorcycle safety foundation course). I got my motorcycle license,and was all set to lookout for good bikes.
Here's were fellow BHPians jump in,and do what they do best! My sincere thanks to Bhupi ( highwayblaze), Prasad (prasadee), Ananth (ananthkamath) and Saravana (tsxei) for every bit of help & guidance they have provided. Truely,it was a tough task for them to provide much help sitting in their respective cities. But,they did every bit that they could,and it took me a long way in understanding what to look for in a bike & how to deal with the whole process.
Now..coming to what all of you have been waiting for.. the bike!
I had looked at a few bikes. One was a 2000 Honda CBR, another a 2005 Suzuki Katana 750F. I liked the latter,though it needed some work on the brake calipers. Had to wait! Two weeks ago,after getting back home after my weekend cricket practice,I found a listing on craigslists for a 2004 Suzuki SV650S,located less than 4 miles from my house. I was eager to go look at it,and went over. Rode the bike,checked out the gear that came with it,and overall I was happy. Gave the owner a token advance,promising to work out the financing option through my credit union. Everything went on well,and I was able to bring the bike home 2 days after I saw it. I had to change the battery,and a bit of running around ( + quite a bit of help from the BHPians),I was able to fix the bike & take her for a few spins around the neighborhood.
The specs:
Engine:645 cc, four-stroke, liquid cooled, 90° V-twin, DOHC, 8-valves, TSCBore Stroke:81.0 x 62.6 mmCompression Ratio:11.5:1Fuel System:Fuel InjectionLubrication:Wet SumpIgnition
igital/TransistorizedTransmission:6-speedFinal Drive:#525 chainOverall Length:2080 mm (81.9 in.)Overall Width:730 mm (28.7 in.)Overall Height:1170 mm (46.1 in.)Seat Height:800 mm (31.5 in.)Ground Clearance:155 mm (6.1 in.)Wheelbase:1430 mm (56.3 in.)Dry Weight:169 kg (372 lbs.)Suspension Front:Telescopic, coil spring, oil damped, fully adjustable preloadSuspension Rear:Link-type, 7-way adjustable spring preload Brakes Front
ual hydraulic discBrakes Rear:Single hydraulic discTires Front:120/60-ZR17 Tires Rear:160/60-ZR17Fuel Tank Capacity:17 liter (4.5 gal.)
Its been just 10 days since I got the bike,but I must say that (touch wood) I have been quite comfortable riding the bike. I got a real heavy Nitro riding jacket, Joe Rocket riding gloves, bike stands to yank the bike up, a KBC helmet (with some fancy graffiti), a chain cleaning brush with kerosene,a pillion seat replacement if I'd want to change it.
I hope to be able to ride a lot this summer. Work being 9 miles from home,I'll be using the bike to commute as far as possible.
Well..there's really so much that I could go & on with. I'll hold it off for now..
Enjoy!