[Joxster]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Actually, it's Tipeshwar which is 400kms one way and is on same route of Kawal which is also on the "to-do" list. Need to find out where the sighting and facilities are better and may hit that place first

Looks like you ride too and based in Hyderabad. If interested, do join us for our fortnightly saturday rides

Thanks for the invite!

I've been a close and silent follower of all your ownership threads, and really admire your commitment towards riding as often as you can. The truth is, I hardly ride my bike. I've clocked 15k kilometers in 4 years of owning my bike, mostly owing to the luxury factor of using my car instead.

That being said, I'm planning my first long ride with some friends at the beginning of February, and if that stirs up my apetite to do it more often, then I might just take you up on your invitation lol.

I'm not sure I'd be able to keep up with you guys on my Duke 200 though

Cheers

[mobike008]

Alright guys, I did a quick test of the lights this evening and here is the feedback of the new auxiliary lights fitted on Dark Knight

I did a quick test of checking these lights outside my home which is not entirely dark but, has some street lights and also did a quick check in the basement where it was relatively darker

Aux Lights



These pictures will show you the difference when tested outside in low beam, via. High Beam Puig Screen and High Beam Outside of Puig Screen







These pictures will show you the difference when tested in a basement with lights off, low beam, High Beam via. Puig Screen and HIgh Beam Outside of Puig Screen









Hope this gives you some idea about the new auxiliary lights !!!

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by nkrishnap

I have done well over the 210 on the rbp's 650, so the machine is quite capable.

Versys has slightly shorter gearing as compared to the N650, in top gear. ~ 200 seems to be the max achievable speed as per various (lightweight) riders.

Originally Posted by mobike008

Thanks! Got it for INR 1500/- from the store I purchase a lot of my biking accessories.

I believe the same retails for 4000/- a pair in Bangalore. Good price and the lighting seems better than earlier.

Nevertheless, I liked Shifu.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

I believe the same retails for 4000/- a pair in Bangalore. Good price and the lighting seems better than earlier.

Not surprising! Bangalore is unnecessarily more expensive than other cities for everything. Need to get paid twice to have 3 square meals if I ever move there, God forbid

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Nevertheless, I liked Shifu

He is a cute character for sure

Day before my car went through a detailing routine for the first time it came out of the showroom. While it was happening I struck a deal with them to get the DK also done when they finish with car. Idea was to get a simple external detailing job done

As it was unplanned and an after-thought, it was done pretty late at night (after 8:00pm) with not much light available for such activity which was actually a mistake as these things needs to be always done in broad daylight

But, barring the deep internals of DK, most of the bike has been nicely covered and was VFM considering the amount that I paid. They used only 3M products. Washed bike and applied 3M wax all over and also used 3M tyre shiner for polishing the tyre

Overall, a nice job for the princely sum of INR 250/-

[mobike008]

Not much riding for me off-late due to work and official travel, squeezing in some short rides (200kms tops) now and then

Having trouble sourcing the front tyre so for Feb'17 it will be mostly short rides till I get the new tyre as dont want to risk any long rides on stock/old tyres even though they are not bad and can be used for another ~ 2000kms

Current tyres feel safe as long as I don't lean too much into corners and take the wet/gravel roads gingerly.

Last weekend, it was an even playground with 2 Versys, 2 Duke 390's and 2 Bonnie's with only fly in the ointment being the Z800 (LOL...Kidding DP) and we did a breakfast ride to Vikarabad Forest which is roughly 200kms to and fro...

Since most of our riders (including me) never use any action camera so there is absolutely zilch footage of our rides. But, when my friend Ashish (V rider from Hyderabad) joined us for the first time and that too with a GoPro, we were excited to see ourselves on the camera

Here is a short video he shared with us and you can subscribe to his channel if you wish as he is a hard-core rider (Recently rode to Rajasthan on his Versys and has a video on same) and has an active YouTube Channel

Watch till the end...Raw footage also captured...LOL!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awfREHOYeNk

[mobike008]

The thing that really surprises me or, I should say that it hardly surprises me anymore that the increment in 1000's happen so quickly with the Versys is that by the time you blink and focus on the odometer-next 1000kms are already up and this is with hardly any serious riding

It feels just like yesterday when I got the "Dark Knight" and it has already completed 11,000kms over the weekend and it was fun on roads and even more fun there are no-roads. It just seems to have got into a nice stride with respect to how it runs





I have decided to stick to my stock tyres for another 1000kms (12,000kms) in total when the bike is due for service and at that time it makes sense to change the new tyres (front tyre still hasn't arrived as sourcing it is becoming a problem). I have realized that the stock rear tyre had a very minor puncture (2 of them) and air was leaking through that minor puncture as the air pressure would drop 4-5 psi over same number of day and that' issue is fixed and now the tyre seems to hold on better and I get little more confidence of pushing it in corners and overall seems to hold it's own on all tarmac as experienced yesterday where we did plenty of 2-lane highway riding, 4 lane and some off-roading too

I did the Medak route plenty of times in the past even with my Bullet but, never realized there is a treasure trove very close-by. Infact, a friend these days comes up with some unique locations for our rides (he is now our official ride researcher) as we want to take the route not taken and he comes up with lovely suggestions which I never knew about

Based on his suggestion, we did this route yesterday along with BHPian IDPsharma on his Z800. Incidentally this friend was heavily influenced in buying the Bonnie after reading my Bonnie thread...LOL!

It was a lovely ride of total 300+ kms spanning over 5 hours as we spent a lot of time at the dam which had lot of water (almost till the top-level) and over breakfast at Adigas on the Nagpur 4-lane highway where we enjoyed an amazing dosa for breakfast followed by filter coffee as is the tradition down-south

Here are some pictures of the ride yesterday taken from my iPhone and I tried some filters from a new app called "Snapseed" Hence, the dramatic look

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Increment in 1000's happen so quickly with the Versys

Has already completed 11,000kms

Better to take it slow for the next 1000 kms, till the new Kawasaki service network is in place.

As of now there is a shortage of spares, but the good news for us in Bangalore is that the new center is almost ready.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Better to take it slow for the next 1000 kms, till the new Kawasaki service network is in place

I'm already at 11,500kms so hopefully by end of this month should be ready for the service (12,000kms)

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

As of now there is a shortage of spares, but the good news for us in Bangalore is that the new center is almost ready.

I have no worries with respect to spares as I plan to buy the oil on Amazon, Oil Filter is same as in Ninja 650 which is always available in plenty. Apart from this I would need an air-filter (thought replacement is recommended at 15,000kms) which I plan to replace at 12K interval which is already kept ready based on my request

Finally both new tyres are at my disposal. Waiting for the 12K service to be completed or might get it installed along with that service

[mobike008]

Well, I was under the impression that the Kawasaki and Bajaj/KTM split is not going to effect me personally but, based on a conversation with KTM dealership head this situation is taken a slightly ugly turn

Kawasaki is asking KTM folks to resign and join them permanently which the KTM folks are unwilling to do so they have resigned from Kawasaki and joining KTM and Kawasaki is coming up with a brand new showroom on Road # 12, Banjara Hills which is a premium area (many luxury brands have their showrooms on this road) and should be up and running by April 2017

However, coming back to my 12,000kms service the KTM/Bajaj dealership head was cordial to confirm they will be servicing my Versys however, there is an issue with sourcing parts (if required) other than normal service components

I'm about 500kms shy from my service and I was thinking of changing the following :

1. Engine Oil (Available at ASC and also available on Amazon)

2. Oil Filter (Available at ASC as it's same as Ninja 650)

3. Air Filter (Not available at ASC and they confirmed cannot be sourced)

As per manual, Air Filter to be changed at 15,000kms but, I was thinking of changing it at 12,000kms but, now i reckon will have to just clean it and replace it back

Any recommendations on how you clean a normal paper air filter? Any special techniques for better results?

4. Spark Plugs cleaning ( I assume V comes with iridium spark plugs and a replacement is not necessary at this stage)

Other regular stuff like fixing the chain slack, lubing etc as per manual

In a way, I'm happy that I am getting the service for 12K interval and by the time, I hit 18,000kms on odometer Kawasaki ASC should have opened and have settled down with their outlet

[Red Liner]

Spark plugs have to be changed as per the service manual. You will also need to do a vacuum synchronizing of your valves. Refer to your service manual.

Just use a compressed air hose to blow the dust out from a distance on the air filter. Don't apply too much pressure.

[techfreak]

Spark plug, Engine Oil n Oil Filter are mandatory changes at 12000 km service.
However during my service have seen my plugs, it is just not required, electrode thickness was hardly any different than the new plug plus check on international forums people have taken their plugs to use 50k km n more :-)

As far as Air Filter is concerned you can go for DNA filter available with some online bike portals in India, costly ay 6.5k but just was, clean n reuse tpe so would pay back over a period of time.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Spark plugs have to be changed as per the service manual. You will also need to do a vacuum synchronizing of your valves. Refer to your service manual.

This is contradictory to what Sambit is saying below? Isn't spark plug change at 12K kms interval too premature? I mean aren't they supposed to last a lot more considering they might be iridium plugs?

And, god forbid if I have to change, where do i source 'em from?

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Just use a compressed air hose to blow the dust out from a distance on the air filter. Don't apply too much pressure.

I will call you before going in for service so I can take this feedback live as I might not remember these points then...Hope you are fine with that?

Btw, can you please share a post of what you changed in 12,000kms service and 18,000 kms service? I will take a print of same and frame it in my living room

Originally Posted by techfreak

Spark plug, Engine Oil n Oil Filter are mandatory changes at 12000 km service.However during my service have seen my plugs, it is just not required, electrode thickness was hardly any different than the new plug plus check on international forums people have taken their plugs to use 50k km n more

Thanks Sambit! I dont see Air Filter as a mandatory change for 12K kms? Any reason why?

That's good news about spark plugs. I will remove inspect, clean and put it back on

Originally Posted by techfreak

As far as Air Filter is concerned you can go for DNA filter available with some online bike portals in India, costly ay 6.5k but just was, clean n reuse tpe so would pay back over a period of time.

Woah! 6.5K for air filter is too darn steep. I will be recovering the cost after nearly 45,000kms

Stock Air Filter : INR 1,800 (12,000kms)
DNA Air Filter : INR 6,500 ( ~45,000kms)

If you keep the price apart, what is the intervals of cleaning the DNA air filter because I see these after market filters get clogged faster than stock ones

Any feedback on any improvements from DNA Air Filter? Feedback would be appreciated by users. Thanks!

[Red Liner]

If you dont change the plugs your warranty is void. Its as simple as that. I have retained the older plugs for future use.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

If you dont change the plugs your warranty is void. Its as simple as that. I have retained the older plugs for future use.

Perhaps he could get it noted from the KTM center that parts were not in stock, hence the plugs were checked and retained? And get it changed later once the Kawasaki centers are open.

Should be fine given the situation, and also I don't see them being 100% paranoid about warranty clauses anyways.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Perhaps he could get it noted from the KTM center that parts were not in stock, hence the plugs were checked and retained? And get it changed later once the Kawasaki centers are open.

Should be fine given the situation, and also I don't see them being 100% paranoid about warranty clauses anyways.

That should be okay, though the plugs should be around.