[hazchem]

Originally Posted by zadoom

thanks so much for this tip. It indeed is this type of towbar though these ones seem to be without the electrical connections. I will look these up on boodmo.

Thanks a ton.

Cheers,

Also, it's not just enough to get the hitch. Check if safari has a hitch receiver. From what I understand safari in India does not come with one.

[Shekhar Rao]

[quote=hazchem;5196273].

Alternatively, I am using a simple rack from decathlon mounted over the spare tyre and strapped onto the door edges. If you are worried about protrusion then removing both the wheels would do the trick. That would save you the trouble of removing one of the seats.]

True, but the idea is to have the bicycle in as ready a condition as possible and when you find a road you would love to ride on , just take it off and ride and put it back on again A road like in the picture !

And Zadoom , to reply to your query, the simple bolt on ball hook could not be installed as there was no sturdy horizontal chassis member right behind the bumper due to the spare wheel Hence the hitch with ball and 2 arms which bolt on the chassis ends was prescribed as designed for the vehicle. I suppose such an elaborate arrangement is needed for trailer towing perhaps and for a lightweight bicycle maybe it is not needed
I asked the person who installed it for me here if there was a Mumbai contact for this He suggested Mineel 9833313366 Maybe you can check

NEMO is ready at the dealership but tomorrow is a RTO holiday and it is raining continuously in Bangalore The dealership called me to say they will try to give it on Sunday! Recently I saw a Tempo Traveller where a few rear seats had been removed to accommodate several standing full bicycles on a tour so comfortably Maybe I will still experiment with one rear seat removed To do it at the time of delivery or at first service is the question!

[Manuuj]

Originally Posted by shashi792

The paint job on the wheel looks very good. I always thought (like other Bhipans) that Ghurka should get their interiors right. Possibly draw inspiration from car dashboards and less towards utilitarian.

Given the waiting period of Thar, only if Ghurka would have had a model for folks with an urban-offroading mindset, they would have had captured some market share of Thar.

I have only seen Ghurka on road, never driven it so my experience is mostly from YouTube/TeamBhp reviews.

Thank you for the compliment on the paint job. It was an almost 3 day affair and a lot of care was taken to produce a good, even and durable finish. I will post properly about the process in my Ownership review of Asterix.

The new interiors are very easy to live with and am hoping will remain creak free for a long time just like with the previous Gurkha.
It is a huge step up from the previous model.

In some ways the Gurkha has already captured some market share of the Thar has it not? Technically speaking the Thar had no competition at all in the segment it operates in before the New Gurkha landed up.

Its a matter of personal choice at the end of the day. The Thar never excited me while the Gurkha always made me "rubber necked" when one drove by.

The new one is quieter and more refined than the previous one. Its very capable offroad. Its comfortable to drive onroad especially in traffic (personal experience) the well damped suspension and gearing ensure it.

The tall seating position and large glasshouse give an unrestricted panoramic view of the road and surrounding traffic making it a breeze to thread through traffic.

One will never feel claustrophobic in Gurkha. The cabin is very spacious and airy and lets in a lot of light. It is a pleasant place to be in. Trust me.

For the Urban Offroader this should be a no brainer.

That is if one can set aside a few preconceived notions based on an earlier version of this vehicle, with which this All New Gukha only shares a legendary name, silhouette and engine with and nothing else at all.

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

If Force can bring the 2.2L engine back on the Gurkha...
Honestly, I am satisfied with the Interiors of the Gurkha, its as simple as it gets with no fancy electronics, the rear seating is way comfortable than the Thar which feels very cramped. Moreover, the Gurkha doesn’t need AdBlue for DPF.

We all wish it had come with that 2.2 and G38 gearbox. I am sure the enthusiasts at Force Motors may have even pushed for it.

But passion and enthusiasm aside it is still a business with shareholders that need answering to. They had already invested a few hundred crores in all new tooling for the body and chassis, brand new interior package, development of those LED headlights etc etc.

The 2.2 liter engine only came in the Gurkha Extreme as you know. To have it modified to meet BS6 standards may have been too prohibitive a cost considering the low numbers of 2.2 liter engines required to fit only the Gurkha lineup. The 2.6 liter engine is spread over almost their whole product range and therfore naturally was the one to be modified.

Thus Economics trumped Enthusiasm. But the legend was reborn!

That said the 2.6 is a tried and tested motor. Its no rocket ship for sure but not as bad as is being made out. It does the job.

Adblue dosing issues are cropping up in the Thar especially at high altitude. I too am glad that Force went with a Lean Nox Trap system and no Adblue is required for the DPF.

In about 90-120 days we will have a clearer picture about if the Gurkha emissions control system remains trouble free or not.

Yours truly shall report everything here for everyone to see.

Originally Posted by iceman7

SWEEEEET!!! They look absolutely fab Manuuj. Top notch paint job.

If I were you, I would have bought 6 alloys; 5 would go on the Gurkha, and 1 would be installed on a wall in my living room or bedroom as an artefact

Great idea! Do tell my girlfriend. She will wrap it around my neck and evict me.

Jokes aside..the Paint Job has really been a good experience. Infact the person who owns the establishment where it was carried out (Retro Rraps) is a fellow Bhpian. His name is Ricky. Not sure what his handle is here.

Thanks for the compliment brother!

Originally Posted by HTC

Can't wait to see them on your new green Gurkha. Paint finishing is top notch. Alloy design makes it easy to keep them clean. Not too many cuts and creases. One wipe is enough to clean majority area.

Golden alloys doesnt look good on many cars. I have loved them only on BMWs and old Honda Civics. This can be an exception

I think the overly Golden hue in the outdoor photo was due to the direct evening sun around Golden Hour as they say.
In reality the color is more towards Bronze. And being a satin matte finish it is quite subtle as well.

Glad you liked the finish of the paint job. Thank you for the compliment!

I got lucky with the Alloy design being easy to clean for sure. This was one of only a handful of designs available with the correct 160×5 PCD and 16" size.

Thus when it came time to choose out of the 3 or 4 designs i could get, these were an easy choice.

Fortunately even the Center Bore eventually matched with the OE Alloy Rims.

The Dark green of the Gurkha and the Bronze of the Alloys with the Black outer lip should go very well together indeed. Even i cannot wait to have my first look at them mounted to Asterix.

Not long now.

[ThatBalenoGuy]

Just got a call from Force Motors regarding Test Drive Enquiry I had made after launch.

Apparently there's a Gurkha Off-road Drive organized in the Mira Road showroom in Mumbai.

Going there tomorrow at 09:00 am

[rakesh_r]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

Just wanted to share that Asterix has left for Mandi from Indore and should be there by Friday.
The next time you see them it will be with them on Asterix.

So, were you able to bring Asterix home?

[Manuuj]

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

So, were you able to bring Asterix home?

Asterix reached Mandi on 19th of November and the registration process has been initiated. Here is its first look as it was parked upon reaching the Mandi Showroom.


The odometer is at 1414 kms after the journey from the factory to Mandi showroom.


Only when the Registration is complete will I take the overnight Volvo to Mandi so that i can bring Asterix home.

Only 10 minutes ago Mr. Manoj Palta who is my sales person made a video call to me so I could see the PDI being carried out personally.

What a lovely thought and gesture!

For now the company alloys and tyres have been fitted to it. They will keep it locked and parked in the showroom with the stock rims and tyres till i go there for delivery. Only once i am there will my Plati Alloys and Radar tyres be mounted to Asterix.

I have requested him to have the Engine oil, Fuel filters and Oil filters changed for which i shall make the payment when I go to take delivery. I like to have this carried out on a new vehicle after it has run a 1000 kilometers.

A few more pics of Asterix on day 1 at the showroom.

[rakesh_r]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

Asterix reached Mandi on 19th of November and the registration process has been initiated. Here is its first look as it was parked upon reaching the Mandi Showroom.

Let me be the first to congratulate you, he looks smashing and pretty sure its going to look even better with the upgraded alloys and tyres.

[hazchem]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

Asterix reached Mandi on 19th of November and the registration process has been initiated.

Congratulations! Manuuj. I look forward to seeing Astrikes with alloy on!

PS: if you are not a fan of plastic wrapping, ask the dealership to remove it for you. If is a pain to remove it otherwise.

[2himanshu]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

…Only when the Registration is complete will I take the overnight Volvo to Mandi so that i can bring Asterix home…

Congratulations mate! Now eagerly awaiting your ownership experiences

[Manuuj]

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

Let me be the first to congratulate you, he looks smashing and pretty sure its going to look even better with the upgraded alloys and tyres.

Thank you for your kind wishes!! With the Alloys and specially the Radar 245/75 tyres the stance and look of Asterix will be hugely improved. Also the Rear ladder and front windshield guard will give it that extra rugged look.

I am still on the fence about the Company fitted Roof Carrier since am not very clear on how Delhi, Himachal and Punjab traffic police view its legality on private vehicles.

I feel that if I produce a valid Force Motors company bill for the same they will have to let me go since it isn't an aftermarket modification but a company fitted accessory upon Delivery.

Originally Posted by hazchem

Congratulations! Manuuj. I look forward to seeing Astrikes with alloy on!

PS: if you are not a fan of plastic wrapping, ask the dealership to remove it for you. If is a pain to remove it otherwise.

Great idea! I shall have the protective plastic wrapping removed when i am there during final fitting and before delivery. Its a real eyesore and quite uncomfortable too.
Its usually removed just after the Puja on all our cars.

How has your experience with Shrek been so far?

* Full and final payments for Asterix made from my end. (Except for the mini service that i requested today. Will pay for this before taking delivery.)

* Bank has disbursed funds to the dealer.

* Insurance has been paid for and cover note received.

* Small fee for a particular Registration number has been paid and recipt for the same taken.

* All documents pertaining to vehicle Registration have been uploaded to the Vaahan site by the dealer and Registration fee for the same has also been paid. Receipt for same has also been taken.

Now for the next couple of days I will twiddle my thumbs and check my phone every 45 seconds for that all important confirmation message from VAAHAN.

Then I can finally book my seat on the overnight Volvo to Mandi so a long cherished dream is finally realised.

[rakesh_r]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

T
I feel that if I produce a valid Force Motors company bill for the same they will have to let me go since it isn't an aftermarket modification but a company fitted accessory upon Delivery.

Very much, you can show them the receipts to prove these are genuine accessories as provided by the company themselves and not by the dealer. Apart from that you can just open the Force motors website and show it to them, even the website has the pic of a fully loaded Gurkha.

[hazchem]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

I am still on the fence about the Company fitted Roof Carrier since am not very clear on how Delhi, Himachal and Punjab traffic police view its legality on private vehicles.

Pass on the company fitted carrier. It is one annoying bit that I don't like. The cage on the Jerry can holder makes it just a tad bit too tall to fit in most underground parking lots

Twice, I've had situations where I had to find open-air parking because Shrek would not fit.

Given that in all parts of India you will never be more than 250 km from a gas station. This means Jerry can carry extra fuel is not needed, given Gurkhas 600+ km range.

When I get time, I am going to have it removed with a blow torch as it has been welded onto the carrier.

[T2luvroads]

Heartiest congratulations Manuuj. I'm still waiting for a high way test drive before I plung into the decision. Though words from hazchem are motivating still I wanna try it out myself. Though a small spin within the city was quite enjoyable.

[Shekhar Rao]

Hearty congratulations Manuuj and looking forward to your Volvo ride to take delivery of Asterix
I will be getting Nemo tomorrow! I have asked for the standard OEM accessories including windshield guard, alloy wheels,ladder and roof rack I think that it looks nice with the roof rack rather than the rails and it should be useful on occasion although I wonder whether I will climb up there A ladder that starts lower down would perhaps be more usable
Maybe we could fix an extension to match
I have a set of IPF lights which will be nice to fit but unlike in the old Thar there is no access to a metal rod inside the grill Don't want to cut the mesh either
Looking forward to sharing ownership experiences and may be meeting up for a Gurkha parade with all owners!

[Trojan]

Originally Posted by Manuuj

Asterix reached Mandi on 19th of November and the registration process has been initiated. Here is its first look as it was parked upon reaching the Mandi Showroom.

Oh man, this colors a looker, understated and brutal simultaneously - and my favorite too!

Congratulations and best wishes buddy! Looking forward to see you at the camp!


Cheers!