[Red Liner]

Tyres got changed at about 14k kms on the odo. The stock Dunlops were slippery as hell, to the point that I thought I had forgotten to ride. Put on Michelin Pilot Street Radials - 110 front and 150 rear.



Feedback: I do not recommend PSR for the front. Very hard compound, the bike starts teetering after about 6k kms. You need the stickiest rubber possible for the front in order to steer.

The rear has now crossed 18,000 kms and I will continue to run it through summer before switching to a new one. I think the Michelin PSR 150 rear is a very good tyre for the price for highway touring (under 5k). I might eventually return to it after a tryst with the Pirelli Angel GT and maybe a Metzeler RR - experimenting with these road biased tyres just to understand what I may be missing out on.

Had a fabulous ride from Bangalore to Trivandrum and back. Visited a close friend who had his own property on the backwaters.



It rained in Trivandrum, and the idiot that I am, I had left the bike uncovered out by the porch over night. By the next morning, the damage was done and I was left with an extremely rusted out chain. WD40 helped cure superficial rust, however, the damage was deep. I was at about 19,000 kms on the ODO now.



More rust on the insides, the rubber O rings inside each link had opened, factory oil probably out, and the entire chain had kinked. A new X ring chain and sprocket set was installed therefore (imported via Amazon.com).

I had moved to Mysore for a short 2 month project. Sped off one week-end to Kotagiri to meet two other Versys owners from Coimbatore.











Installed Saddle Bag stays.







Installed an after market Gear Indicator at home. I was always hunting for the goddamn 7th gear on the highway.



Short solo overnighter to Wayanad from Mysore.

Originally Posted by mobike008

Nice gear Kat

On a lighter note, I never saw anymore more enamored with riding gear than you. Looks like you want to give that pretty girl around the corner a run for her money (pretty girls love shopping, don't they?...and that expression on your face in one of the picture says it all)

Btw, I need to change my gear too as it's been 4+ years that I got myself anything new. A touring jacket is on top of my list and perhaps another pair of riding shoes that are only ankle length

Please do keep me posted of gear sales whenever it happens and I may just take a plunge...

Well, I got most of my riding gear sorted for the price of an Akrapovic full system exhaust (70k?). OR very expensive hard panniers + top box (1 lakh?). I know many folks who have swung the way of accessories. Its just a matter of priorities I guess. I plan to stick with soft saddle bags, soft tail bag, and my whole top box kit cost me under 10k including the luggage rack.

I also intend to keep all this gear for life. So if you divide gear cost/day, it works out to be very reasonable for what you get. Or let's say you tour 20,000 kms a year. Your ROI is through right there.

One more thing I would like to get is a neck brace.

The other day, I rode out for a short test ride of the T Scrambler with Nasir Kaka, and I was sporting the Dainese street jacket. Felt extremely under dressed and unprotected. Something about these big touring jackets just make you feel safer.

For a good jacket, I just dont have enough good things to say about Klim. You will love their Induction mesh jacket. Highly recommended inspite of the huge upfront investment.

Gear sales - you really need to keep on top of Revzilla.

I have stopped visiting them now, I've run out of stuff to buy

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Well, I got most of my riding gear sorted for the price of an Akrapovic full system exhaust (70k?). OR very expensive hard panniers + top box (1 lakh?). I know many folks who have swung the way of accessories. Its just a matter of priorities I guess. I plan to stick with soft saddle bags, soft tail bag, and my whole top box kit cost me under 10k including the luggage rack.

Same pinch. I dont buy accessories just for the heck of it.

Double heck, I dont even have a crash guard on my bike

I spent a total of ~ 32-35 grand on my accessories and costliest ones were the barkbusters (9k), puig windscreen(11K) and top box (7K)

Does my bike qualify to be called "bare-bones" considering how folks deck up theirs?

Originally Posted by Red Liner

The other day, I rode out for a short test ride of the T Scrambler with Nasir Kaka, and I was sporting the Dainese street jacket. Felt extremely under dressed and unprotected. Something about these big touring jackets just make you feel safer.

I love touring jackets, they look so stylish and also have more protection too. However, I'm wary that it may not be a jacket for Indian conditions as it's always warm out here so never bought one

Originally Posted by Red Liner

For a good jacket, I just dont have enough good things to say about Klim. You will love their Induction mesh jacket. Highly recommended inspite of the huge upfront investment.

Try me with a number?

Originally Posted by Red Liner

I have stopped visiting them now, I've run out of stuff to buy

Additional Note : Btw, When you change tyres stick to the 120" front instead of downsizing it to 110" but, a better version of Michelin like the PR4/5 and you can continue with the downsized rear of 150".....I like this combo and darn reasonable too and not to mention I do higher speeds on trails with more confidence than stock tyres

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Does my bike qualify to be called "bare-bones" considering how folks deck up theirs?

Your bike is a naked sire...its not even a touring bike

Originally Posted by mobike008

Try me with a number?

350 USD.

Cant afford to spend 14k on the PR4 just for the front. Way too much for me. I have the Metz RR on the front now, and will continue to use the stickiest Metz at the front. The other thing you have to remember is, if the tyre goes bust because of too big a nail that can't be fixed - that's 14k straight down the drain. I like to spread the money around a bit.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Double heck, I dont even have a crash guard on my bike

I spent a total of ~ 32-35 grand on my accessories and costliest ones were the barkbusters (9k), puig windscreen(11K) and top box (7K)

Does my bike qualify to be called "bare-bones" considering how folks deck up theirs?

Checking mine.

Crash Guard. Yes.
Barkbusters. Yes. But both are just for safety.

Aux lights. No. No shifu lights nor the ones you both have.
Puig Windsceeen. No. Just stock one.
Top box. No.
Tank bag. No.

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Your bike is a naked sire...its not even a touring bike

Thats my bike now. Officially.

[Red Liner]

Quick solo ride to preethi canteen in Birur.

[mobike008]

How did you miss on the basics? How far was the ride and when was it done? Hope not 2 years ago

Please do also share your review of the Benne Dosa (Guessing it is one) if it was nice?

Crossed 30,000kms?

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by mobike008

How did you miss on the basics? How far was the ride and when was it done? Hope not 2 years ago

Please do also share your review of the Benne Dosa (Guessing it is one) if it was nice?

Crossed 30,000kms?

Bugger you are.

Ride was 500 kms+ both ways done solo.

Done on 31st March 2018.

Benne dosa was awesome. This is one of those historic restaurants that everyone visits, and hasn't changed in 50 years.

Crossed 33k kms.

Does it make sense to ride to Hyderabad? Is it too hot. Wanted to spend exactly one weekend there and maybe meet you guys. Worried about the heat.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Does it make sense to ride to Hyderabad? Is it too hot. Wanted to spend exactly one weekend there and maybe meet you guys. Worried about the heat.

Does it make sense for us to join? May be like the Kodachadri ride?

But yes - the heat would be the worst enemy at this time. Should be doable as long as the bikes are running and not stuck somewhere in traffic.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Does it make sense for us to join? May be like the Kodachadri ride?

But yes - the heat would be the worst enemy at this time. Should be doable as long as the bikes are running and not stuck somewhere in traffic.

Come, lets go. We can book a room for just Saturday night and return early next morning. Leave by 3.00 am.

Have never ridden the Hyderabad highway, so just want to experience it. Also wanted to experience the much talked about nawabi hospitality extended by our versys friends in Hyderabad.

Shall we also do our tb sync there lol. Its just 1k i think. Its a bloody 3k retarded charge in bangalore!

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Bugger you are

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Crossed 33k kms

Are you sleeping on the bike or what???

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Does it make sense to ride to Hyderabad? Is it too hot. Wanted to spend exactly one weekend there and maybe meet you guys. Worried about the heat.

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Does it make sense for us to join? May be like the Kodachadri ride?

But yes - the heat would be the worst enemy at this time. Should be doable as long as the bikes are running and not stuck somewhere in traffic.

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Come, lets go. We can book a room for just Saturday night and return early next morning. Leave by 3.00 am.

Have never ridden the Hyderabad highway, so just want to experience it. Also wanted to experience the much talked about nawabi hospitality extended by our versys friends in Hyderabad.

Shall we also do our tb sync there lol. Its just 1k i think. Its a bloody 3k retarded charge in bangalore!

As discussed, you guys plan and we can meet you mid-way at Food Pyramid and ride back to Hyderabad for the last 150kms

Ideal Plan Below

Saturday
Start from Bangalore : 4:00am
Reach Food Pyramid (450kms away from Bangalore) : 9-9:30am
Hyderabad Guys will be waiting for you at FP
Finish Breakfast by 11:00am and ride to Hyderabad together
Reach Hyderabad at 1:00pm
Go to Kawasaki Showroom for TB Sync (Optional)
Rest in hotel room until 8:00pm
Meet to check out the hops and biryani from 8:00pm-Midnight

Sunday

I can request Kawa showroom to open on Sunday if the bikes are more so you can get it done and leave Hyderabad around 5:00pm so you can reach Bangalore by midnight. Riding during night to Bangalore is super safe due to 4-lane road end-to-end for entire 600-kms

Heat will be little bothersome and should ride as much during early morning or late evening as possible. Also, you should make it a point to stop every 100kms and drink plenty of water, butter milk etc...should be absolutely fine...I have done rides in nearly 50C temperatures and always make sure to carry cold water bottles, buttermilk and trust me, it really cools your body and keeps you safe from the heat.

Hyderabad-Bangalore highway is one boring highway having done it plenty of times on a motorcycle and car

Bangalore to Anantapur is usually empty and the traffic really picks up from Kurnool to Hyderabad.

One weird thing is there is not a single tree shade across this entire 600kms 4-lane highway which is a terrible thing about this highway.

Also, this highway is pretty much like a straight line with hardly any twisties which makes it even more boring. However, the only plus side is you can really open up your throttle on this highway

Alrighty, plan and keep me posted. Lets meet up soon in the city of Nawabs(actual meaning is lazy lumps)

[Red Liner]

Some more pictures from a Group ride 2 weeks back to Yercaud taken by a fellow friend from VBR.

[Red Liner]

Here is the bill for the 18k service. I elected not to change engine oil.

Both my front brake pads were shot, so I had to get new ones. I have still kept the old ones...for posterity. Actually, they had a teeny weeny bit of life left, so I just kept them for back up. No other major work other than that.

This would be the last we would see of KTM.



24k service also came up pretty soon. However, this time, I just bought the Oil filter + Air Filter and got the service done at IndiMotard. Just the basics were covered: Engine oil change, Air filter change, and Coolant change. I was honestly not too happy with the work they did - they were good, not great - and considering Anand was absent, not surprised either. But I will probably go back to them for bigger work - ONLY if Anand looks into my motorcycle personally.



For the 32,000 KM service - which also came about pretty soon I decided to do the whole thing at home.

This is the list of work I covered over 2 or 3 weekends:

1. Engine Oil change + Oil Filter
   - I have now tried Motul 7100 and Shell Fully Synth - both 10w40. Both Motul and Shell do not probably do well over 6,000 kms. I have moved to Amsoil now since 32k, and will stick to a 8,000 km service interval.
   
2. Air filter replacement
3. Clutch cable flush + lube + readjustment
4. Front brake lever clean up
5. Front disc bobbins clean up
6. Front brake caliper assy clean up + brake pad switch (I switched the pads left to right, because one pad assigned to the piston side was wearing off unevenly, so I wanted to switch the piston pads to be the sleeper pads) + lube all brake caliper bolts/slider pins
7. Gear shift lever flush + grease + readjustment
8. Replaced all rivet screws with new ones
9. Throttle Position Sensor adjustment (on going)
10. Coolant top up (due)
11. Rear brake caliper clean up/pads review (due)
12. Throttle body clean up + Vacuum Sync (due)
13. Spark plug analysis (due)
14. Radiator coil clean (due)

I hope to complete all the due items in the next 2 or 3 weekends. My next service will now be due at 40,000.

I am sorry I do not have any pictures of the work done - I usually work alone, and even if not (oil/air filter change was done with 2 friends), my hands are not mobile phone friendly when covered with copper anti seize or WD40.

I am now seeing a big need for a work table next to my bike. An enclosed garage space would be even nicer. The work table will be coming through in a week.

The bike is now 2 years old in May next month and has completed 33,000 kms as I write this. It has been love all throughout.



Can the Mods please now bring my thread up to date on the title with the following: 32,000 kms Service completed.

[Red Liner]

Did a quick ride to udupi and back this long weekend. Took charmadi up and kudremukh on the way back. I will take kudremukh every single time from hereon.















Met a guy on his ninja 650 as well as a common friend on his tiger 800 on my way back. Great riding day.

I also completed these three jobs last week.
Throttle Position Sensor adjustment. This has been now set for great throttle response.

Rear brake caliper clean up/pads review. The pads look brand new and will go another 25,000 kms (changed at 12,000.kms. They have now run 23,000 kms. Lubed all the holding bolts, brake pad touch points, and caliper pin with generous copper grease.

Lastly, adjusted and tightened the accelerator cable from down near the frame as opposed to the lazy fiddling at the lever. The side fairing had to come off, but a good job done. There is just one thread peeking out of the lever side after adjustment, and the throttle has zero play, just how i like it.

Also did another oil change job for a friend on his versys 650, just so i get some hands on practice. Working on machines is more about repetition, until things become muscle memory. Will also replace his coolant and top mine up together next week.

Also added this baby to my collection.



The bike also completes 35,000 kms on this ride. If i had to use just one word to describe this motorcycle, the versys 650, it would be this: Effortless.

[Red Liner]

A quick ride up towards ooty, manjoor, mulli, geddai power station, and then down towards pudur, avinashi, salem, and Bangalore. A round trip that brought up 36k on the odo.





Was raining all through. I got stuck for 2 hours of blistering mountain rains just outside lawrence school and a massive traffic jam caused by irresponsible parents parking their uber expensive cars on the single narrow carriageway.

The klim goretex jacket and pants worked to keep me fully dry.

The next 80 kms were duly dispatched quickly so i could get through the multiple forest checkposts before the evening. Plenty of offroading characterized this trip. The more you offroad with this bike, the more confident you are going to be.

I will never visit ooty or coonoor again. Manjoor is that good.

[Red Liner]

Another weekend and another ride. This time to Rameshwaram. Onward we took trichy and karaikudi. I did not really enjoy this route. The roads were not great. We took 10 hours. The return was via madurai and contrary to popular opinion was an absolute breeze. We took 12 hours.













This also brings up 37,000 on the odo. Some DIY is due this coming weekend.