[Hells_Fury]

Great pictures there Aditya. Which knee guards are those? And could you also add where you got them from?

[n_aditya]

Originally Posted by Hells_Fury

Great pictures there Aditya. Which knee guards are those? And could you also add where you got them from?

Thanks mate. These are Axo replica knee guards. I wouldn't recommend them though since they are not as robust as the alpinestar's which i was using earlier. These are available at Thirumala pit stop, double road-richmond road junction. I would suggest you to rather buy a pair of riding pants as it offers a LOT more protection and is more comfy.

I gave off my A*'s as i was buying riding pants but am now looking for a nice 2 piece leather suit. These cheap replica's are just a stop gap solution till i get the suit i'm looking for. Something is better than nothing, so using them for now. :(

[Arch-Angel]

its time for me to start breaking those piggy-banks, lol. kwacker smitten, finance-issues ridden Indian who shall stand in line for getting his mean machine :P. Well, if i do plan on getting this, i'll really need to set stuff in order. Too many kids in my residential colony as well. I shudder when i think about kiddos trying to fiddle with my machine :(.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by n_aditya

I gave off my A*'s as i was buying riding pants but am now looking for a nice 2 piece leather suit. These cheap replica's are just a stop gap solution till i get the suit i'm looking for. Something is better than nothing, so using them for now. :(

Try our friendly neighbours next door (pakistan - specifically, sialkot). A friend of mine got his two piece suit from there and is very very happy - with the quality and price.

[Hells_Fury]

Originally Posted by n_aditya

Thanks mate. These are Axo replica knee guards. I wouldn't recommend them though since they are not as robust as the alpinestar's which i was using earlier. These are available at Thirumala pit stop, double road-richmond road junction. I would suggest you to rather buy a pair of riding pants as it offers a LOT more protection and is more comfy.

I gave off my A*'s as i was buying riding pants but am now looking for a nice 2 piece leather suit. These cheap replica's are just a stop gap solution till i get the suit i'm looking for. Something is better than nothing, so using them for now. :(

Thanks for the info. I am currently using the fake Fox Racing knee guards (same philosophy as yours - something is better than nothing) and was contemplating between getting better knee guards or getting riding pants. As of now still undecided between the two.

[ebonho]

Even with riding pants, external knee guards with hard protectors are always useful, when riding in a situation where a fall is a greater possibility (e.g. track, dirt).

The riding pants have soft dual density foam protetors, and while they are great all round protection, I always prefer also strapping on my Fox guards over them.

[Porschefire]

Originally Posted by n_aditya

I gave off my A*'s as i was buying riding pants but am now looking for a nice 2 piece leather suit. These cheap replica's are just a stop gap solution till i get the suit i'm looking for. Something is better than nothing, so using them for now. :(

Hi Adi.There is no possibility that you can source a decent 2 piece leather suit in Bangalore,is there?I personally haven't come across any outlet that sells them.Kindly update the details when you get your suit as to where you've sourced it from,price etc.

[n_aditya]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Try our friendly neighbours next door (pakistan - specifically, sialkot). A friend of mine got his two piece suit from there and is very very happy - with the quality and price.

Thanks Doc. Could you PM me the details? I am only concerned about the fit and sizing and prefer to try and buy.

Originally Posted by Hells_Fury

.... contemplating between getting better knee guards or getting riding pants. As of now still undecided between the two.

Better get the riding pants. Knee guards only offer knee and shin protection while pants have padding at the hip and seat areas as well making it a lot more protective. Plus the material used in riding pants is a lot more abrasive resistant and covers more skin than the knee guard.

Originally Posted by ebonho

The riding pants have soft dual density foam protetors, and while they are great all round protection, I always prefer also strapping on my Fox guards over them.

+1. I don't think textile riding pants have knee sliders on them. This maybe due to the stress factor which sliders undergo, making it impossible to integrate them onto the textile material.

Originally Posted by Porschefire

Hi Adi.There is no possibility that you can source a decent 2 piece leather suit in Bangalore,is there?I personally haven't come across any outlet that sells them.Kindly update the details when you get your suit as to where you've sourced it from,price etc.

I only know of Cramster that sells 2 piece leather suits (IIRC for around 26k) but i seriously prefer a better brand and of course quality.

Bachoo Motors sells the RJays leather suit (1 piece) for around 35k and PRS has the AGV Sport and Joe Rockets which start from 35k and go all the way up to 55k.

If i could only try on an A* suit, then i could buy one from an online store through a closeout deal.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by n_aditya

Thanks Doc. Could you PM me the details? I am only concerned about the fit and sizing and prefer to try and buy.

You are most welcome bro. I am PM'ing you my friend's email and mobile number. He will help you with the details.

[VLOCT]

Aditya,

Fantastic to see some real track time by the folks. Should do wonders to the body and head postures. The trick is for the body to be completely loose, arms not locked in at the elbows, and the balls of the feet to be on the pegs, to prevent any body motions to be transferred to the bike and upset it.

Great going.

[n_aditya]

Made a trip to Kodaikanal and Munnar last weekend, thanks to the long weekend owing to Ugadi holiday on Thursday and a leave thrown in on Friday.

I rode from Blore with a buddy of mine who was on a Honda CBR 250R and spent the long weekend with 8 others from Chennai who were on various bikes such as the Duke 200, Pulsars, R15's, Ninja 650 and a Yamaha FZ-1 too.

Here are some pics. Regret the inferior quality of pics, these were all shot from my 5MP phone camera.

Thursday, 11th April 2013.

Waiting for my riding companion in front of the Jaguar-LandRover showroom on Hosur Road, early in the AM:



Butt break on kodai hills:





Friday, 12th April 2013.

All set to ride to Munnar, from Kodaikanal:



En route to Munnar:



















Sunset captured just before our entry into Munnar:













Saturday, 13th April 2013.

Early morning ride to Top Station, Munnar:













Breakfast stop on the way back to our hotel from Top Station:



Sunday, 14th April. Leaving from Munnar to Bangalore.

Sunrise:









Covered a little over 1200 kms over the 3 days and the baby ninjette, as usual, delivered an average FE that hovered between 25kmpl and 29.5 kmpl.

The clock now reads 27,xxx kms and the stock IRC tire on the front is due for a replacement.

I bought the Pirelli Sport Demon (PSD) a few months back and kept it at home as sourcing these tires is a pain, thanks to the ISI rule that is in force. The rear tire was changed to PSD at 17,xxx kms and it still is going strong with ample grip and tread life. It has squared off a bit on the center, due to the highway rides. A few track days will even it out though

I rode my friend's FZ-1 for a few kms on the open highway and was completely blown away with the monstrous power and torque it belts out.

The acceleration is mind blowing and i gingerly accelerated on one open stretch of tarmac in III gear to 130kmph (6k RPM IIRC) and the power delivery is scary. The bike though is extremely easy to ride and i was pottering around in 6th gear without any knocking at double digit speeds.

This was my first time on a liter class and i was shockingly surprised as to how easy it is to ride and handle a monster of this bike at low speeds. The turn in is easy and the bike feels light and nimble, contrary to my perception of a liter class machine. One has to be careful with the throttle though as a slight crack of the accelerator makes the bike lunge forward.

Loved the ride but honestly, the amount of power it has on tap calls for a lot of concentration, focus and respect for the machine itself.

[dreamseller]

Couple of pics were really well composed. Would've been great if you were carrying a cam.

Originally Posted by n_aditya

This was my first time on a liter class and i was shockingly surprised as to how easy it is to ride and handle a monster of this bike at low speeds. The turn in is easy and the bike feels light and nimble, contrary to my perception of a liter class machine. One has to be careful with the throttle though as a slight crack of the accelerator makes the bike lunge forward.

Loved the ride but honestly, the amount of power it has on tap calls for a lot of concentration, focus and respect for the machine itself.

You spoke my mind. The other day I rode a friend's R1 on the highway and they seriously have more than sufficient power on tap irrespective of the gear. Guess that is where one gets to know the difference between an I4 600 and liter class.

[n_aditya]

For almost 6-8 months now, I have been thinking of upgrading my ride.

I wanted a faster bike.

The 250R is a brilliant machine and the mere thought of selling it was painful. So i was thinking of ways and means to keep the bike and force the thoughts of upgrading out of my head. I was thinking of a slip-on, tail tidy kit, etc.

Last week, while chatting with a close buddy of mine, i learned of a superbly well maintained 2011 Kawasaki Ninja 650R (yes, a Kawasaki this time around too ) in my friends circle.

Immediately headed out to the owners place and took a look at the bike. It was gleaming and asking me to hop on. Took a short ride inside the huge parking lot and although i couldn't get off the first gear, I was hugely impressed with the super comfy ergonomics. The brakes were upgraded and the bike was shod with frame sliders as well. The bike felt so easy to ride. It felt like a normal bike with a huge engine. The low end grunt is awesome and the bike pulls nicely. I've been thinking of a Blore - Mumbai ride, maybe it will happen when i pick this one up.

But keeping the 250 and the 650 is not viable for me, financially as well as utility-wise.

I rarely ride in the city and only ride on weekends (now its once a month due to hectic work schedules). So keeping both is not doing justice to the bikes.

Last week i put up the 250 for sale. The thought of her going away brought back so many nice memories - the countless trips, the innumerable friends i have made, the vast learnings and un-learnings from riding this beautiful machine.

Sigh !!!

Here are the pics i clicked when the was delivered to me, 3 years back:

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by n_aditya

For almost 6-8 months now, I have been thinking of upgrading my ride.

I wanted a faster bike.

The 250R is a brilliant machine and the mere thought of selling it was painful. So i was thinking of ways and means to keep the bike and force the thoughts of upgrading out of my head. I was thinking of a slip-on, tail tidy kit, etc.

Last week, while chatting with a close buddy of mine, i learned of a superbly well maintained 2011 Kawasaki Ninja 650R (yes, a Kawasaki this time around too ) in my friends circle.

Immediately headed out to the owners place and took a look at the bike. It was gleaming and asking me to hop on. Took a short ride inside the huge parking lot and although i couldn't get off the first gear, I was hugely impressed with the super comfy ergonomics. The brakes were upgraded and the bike was shod with frame sliders as well. The bike felt so easy to ride. It felt like a normal bike with a huge engine. The low end grunt is awesome and the bike pulls nicely. I've been thinking of a Blore - Mumbai ride, maybe it will happen when i pick this one up.

But keeping the 250 and the 650 is not viable for me, financially as well as utility-wise.

So it happening eh? You ad to one day anyway but I guess the TD made the process faster.

Why not the 2013 one? Just curious.

[n_aditya]

Originally Posted by jkdas

Why not the 2013 one? Just curious.

Well for 2 reasons:

1. I want the one with the single flowing seat like in the "normal" commuter bikes. This allows more space for the rider and this seat is pillion friendly too.

The 250R with the split seat is very uncomfortable for the pillion and the new 650's have the split seat as well, which i don't want.

2. Can't afford to spend 6 lacs on a brand new bike right now.