[100Kmphormore]

excellent review KarthikK! I stumbled onto this thread a couple of weeks ago and finished it now

One thing i can say about choosing a superbike/any motorcycle is always see who will be your companion on these rides and then decide. For married folks, it will be their wife or kid, or for single folks like me probably a brother or parents. Me and my brother are of same height (5'8) but differ vastly in build, me at 97 kg and him at 65. Only he could get on the RR310 pillion while my taller brother (6', 100 kg) and parents swore never to talk to me again! hence considering the Duke 390 as it is more powerful and comfortable. Give and take has to be there for a comfortable ride. Yes, father/brother is a die hard masale dose fan and is a regular at the Maddur tiffanys or Vasu hotel, Kanakapura hence the consideration.

[KarthikK]

Daytrip Ride to Yercaud (June end):

Not that this is a major update or anything, but it is a good practice to document even the smaller rides just as pieces of memories stored together in one place (on this thread) .

This was just a short daytrip ride to Yercaud, hardly 230 km one way. We were 4 bikes in total and left in the early morning around 5 AM, and returned home by 1.30 PM. I was joined by bhpian and fellow rider ebmrajesh, my childhood friend on his Honda CB500X (very identical to my own 500X) and bhpian csentil on his RE Meteor 350.

Early morning catchup at Krishnagiri toll plaza





Starting off towards Salem



Polishing off some delicious food at Salem GRT Grand Estancia's breakfast buffet counters



Post breakfast we left for the Yercaud ascent. The line-up approaching the top of the Shevaroy mountains













The black beauty



We entered the Yercaud loop road and stopped en route to Cauvery peak cafe



Solo snaps of the bikes:
csentil's RE Meteor 350



ebmrajesh's well travelled Interceptor 650



My non-bhpian friend's Honda CB500X



Yours truly and the black beauty entering its 5th year of ownership, still looks and feels like Day 1.







Cauvery peak cafe was its usual self on a Saturday morning. We just stopped for a quick break, savouring some Brownie and Cold Coffee before resuming our journey again





Completing the rest of the loop road stretch atop Yercaud and enjoying the narrow twisties that the section had, to offer us







We did stop again to have Yercaud's famous Mirchi/Chilly Bajjis near the lake. This is a must-try whenever we come to this place





Post this, we descended towards Salem and stopped for a refuel break at the LOA bunk opposite Radisson Blu, Salem before hitting the road again.





The return journey was swift and uneventful, barring one interesting thing that bhpian CrAzY_dRiVeR joined us from Thoppur to Bangalore while he rode his Versys one last time on the way here. More on that here (One bike to tame them all! 'Black Panther' - My Kawasaki Versys 650. Edit: Now sold!)

Meeting up with CrAzY_dRiVeR at Sai Sangeet,Thoppur



That was all about this short and crisp ride. Thanks for reading!

[KarthikK]

Fifth Service / 46 months Update (~17,000 km up)

As we hit the month of August, it was time for the annual service visit to Rideventur Kawasaki. I didn't have any complaints whatsoever in the past ~6000km of service interval, so this was just another routine service visit.

I usually visit the service centre early in the morning so as to get Kawasaki service Guru Unni to look at the bike. He really is a wizard and even adjusts and calibrates the nitty gritties of the bike, paying close attention to detail to check for issues and fix anything untoward. He usually reaches the service centre very early and gets them to open it before the listed timings, it is indeed a delight to visit the Kawasaki service centre now under his leadership. One more thing is the Kawasaki service folks don't mind us customers standing next to the bike the whole day and asking pesky doubts .

Luckily I could get Unni to service the bike himself since he was free



The bike goes on the anvil



This time, the bike needed a new air filter and on account of exceeding 3 years, Unni suggested I get the coolant replaced completely. The bike was still ready by 2PM as promised.



Attaching the service bill copies. Normally the oil change services cost around 7000 INR. This time the total bill came to 11,000 INR on account of air filter replacement and coolant replacement.





After the fifth service update, the overall maintenance timeline looks like this



Slowly, as Covid paranoia has been receding, the better half and I have resumed our late night dessert indulgences on weekends, when most of the roads are empty and parking spaces are safe. The Ninja is also fun to ride in the night for these midnight jaunts for some quick snacks.

The Ninja is enjoyable even for weekend midnight boredom-beating dessert runs



Enjoying these Maki rolls and Japanese cheesecake and watching the traffic go by





Or this heavenly pineapple pastry at Theobroma



Or this Triple Chocolate Pancake at Hole in the wall cafe on weekend early mornings. No matter what the destination or time of day is, the Ninja is enjoyable even in the city, provided there is not much traffic, lol!



Post service, I did one breakfast ride to Yelagiri just to ensure everything was fine. Nothing much to write about, so I'll just dump some random snaps clicked during the journey.



ebmrajesh's Ninja 1000 and shaikhmimran's new Vstrom 650





My Ninja



Trying out a new lid and some riding gear refresh (more on that in a separate post)



Other miscellaneous group shots









After July's Tanjore update we hadn't done any overnight trip as such, barring one to Strelitzia Villas, a luxury homestay we had visited on the Ninja in September 2021 (I had posted about that last year in this thread). The owners were opening a new Villa in the same property and invited us to try the new villa. It was in the peak of monsoons, raining cats and dogs the whole time and we couldn't really do much outdoors there after riding to the place. We just enjoyed some amazing food, enjoyed the villa, made good use of the Jacuzzi and got back home. Posting some snaps of Strelitzia's new villa here, didn't even take the camera along this time and didn't click too many pictures either.

The property is massive and overkill for a single couple. We appreciate the attention to detail, the wonderful craftsmanship and the premium elements added in every nook and corner of the property though.







The courtyard with the lounge recliner



Nice way to sip some coffee and stare at the rain, eh?



The rooms were amazing too



One of the best things to enjoy on a cold and rainy day -a hot tub and Jacuzzi!



Stepping out into the leech infested, misty hillocks within break periods of hard-hitting monsoon rain.



We called it a day early in the night, and returned home the next day, rain pouring all the way and raincoats on all the time



Meanwhile the Ninja's garage sibling, the Honda CB 500X has been racking up some miles and stealing a few overnight trips too.



That's all for now!

There were a couple of trips planned on the Ninja for September first and second weeks, but we had to call them off due to the horrible weather and flooding reports. Those should happen in October and November to some lovely offbeat destinations, so some more trip updates lined up for the days to come! Thanks for reading!

[100Kmphormore]

Nice updates! I would like to join you guys on a ride if possible, im based in Bengaluru too. One question though based on your Himalayan ownership experience, does the CB500X heat as much as the Himalayan? Mine goes to almost 35 degrees celsius within 5 km of riding. i have done 6700 km in 8.5 months now

[VijayAnand1]

Originally Posted by 100Kmphormore

Nice updates! I would like to join you guys on a ride if possible, im based in Bengaluru too. One question though based on your Himalayan ownership experience, does the CB500X heat as much as the Himalayan? Mine goes to almost 35 degrees celsius within 5 km of riding. i have done 6700 km in 8.5 months now

35 DegC is absolutely normal for Himalayan, especially when ridden for short city jaunts and snaking around town. I have had mine hit 39+ in Ooty, riding inside city while the ambient mercury hovered around 23 DegC. In some instances it's even gotten to 42, which is perhaps a one time which I vaguely remember when the bike was new. All good till I parted ways with it.

Cheers!
VJ

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by 100Kmphormore

One question though based on your Himalayan ownership experience, does the CB500X heat as much as the Himalayan? Mine goes to almost 35 degrees celsius within 5 km of riding. i have done 6700 km in 8.5 months now

I guess you are referring to the temperature on the console. I believe that is supposed to be the ambient temperature. They have put the sensor so close to the engine area that it ends up showing the temperature of that surrounding area instead, which is always incorrect and shows a higher temperature than actual outside air temperature . I wouldn't bother too much about these numbers, like VijayAnand1 says.

I can relate to the Himalayan running a bit warm in traffic, on high loads and at lower speeds, nothing alarming but definitely noticeable heat levels.

The CB500X runs very cool in comparison. For all practical purposes the engine heat on the CB is non-existent even in long traffic jams, the absence of heat makes it feel almost like some 150cc commuter bike.

[100Kmphormore]

Yeah, was wondering when did Bengaluru get so hot. Mine has gone up to 42 while doing a Banashankari to whitefield trip 2 up.
I generally use it for nearby grocery runs while wearing shorts etc. that time it certainly is noticeable and gets uncomfortable. I believe your observations are with pants, it adds up. If you are wearing riding boots it doesn’t feel that way at all.The fear of touching the hot silencer by mistake while getting off or easing it into a parking space is real though.

[ManneAtWheelz]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

There were a couple of trips planned on the Ninja for September first and second weeks, but we had to call them off due to the horrible weather and flooding reports. Those should happen in October and November to some lovely offbeat destinations, so some more trip updates lined up for the days to come! Thanks for reading!

Did I miss the latest updates which you might have posted elsewhere? And did you start a ownership thread on 500X ? If yes, please point me there!

[Senotrius]

Originally Posted by ManneAtWheelz

Did I miss the latest updates which you might have posted elsewhere? And did you start a ownership thread on 500X ? If yes, please point me there!

Second that, an ownership thread for the cb500x.

[Sebring]

That CB 500X is a stunner. How long do we wait for the review? Are those panniers from GIVI?

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Meanwhile the Ninja's garage sibling, the Honda CB 500X has been racking up some miles and stealing a few overnight trips too

[100Kmphormore]

Still waiting for the CB500X review saar

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

+1 = 5 requests for CB500X review.

Would be a good time to review now since I know for a fact that the bike is closing in on 10k kms, having done an epic road trip already.

[KarthikK]

Ride to Waterfall estates, Valparai (November 2022)

This is a long overdue update on an old overnight ride done with team-bhpian friends to Indraprastha bungalow, inside Waterfall estates, Valparai around the first week of November. This place is an old Victorian era bungalow set inside a private tea estate, restored to modern standards and let out for guests to stay in and enjoy the lovely greenery around.

We were 6 totally (all stags), 5 on their bikes and 1 BHPian who decided to join by car due to some family commitments. For a surprise last minute wild card entry, CrAzY_dRiVeR decided to join with another friend's Duke 390. Since there was a car accompanying, we decided to dump the luggage in the car and I didn't carry my panniers this time

We departed quite early around 5AM from Silk board junction. There was intermittent early morning rain until Krishnagiri. Here are some snaps of some heavy fog between Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri.





The black Ninja amidst the foggy fields in the background



Stopping for refuel break and waiting for BHPian Shaikhmimran to catch up on his Vstrom 650



Another break before ascending Valparai, to rehydrate ourselves with these orange king coconuts



Stopping alongside Aliyar dam before ascending Valparai





Most of us were permanently in raincoat attire owing to the sudden bursts of rains in the mountains. Yours truly in gaudy rain gear



These sights greeted us en route to waterfall estate



We reached Waterfall estate (Indraprastha bungalow is one among three there) a little over 1 PM, just in time or some delicious lunch. Since this place has a butler available full time, we had to pre-order and could customize the food for our group. Needless to say, we were the only ones staying there that weekend and the place was entirely ours.

Indraprastha bungalow, Waterfall estate, Valparai



The lawn outside the bungalow for timepass



The living room, where we spent the evening and night chit-chatting over cars, bikes, current affairs and everything else under the sun





The dining area complete with antique furniture



The rooms were large, airy, clean and stocked with the necessary amenities although a bit basic



The full bike gang in the bungalow porch converted to parking area



Some timepass flower macros in the garden during the foggy evening





In the evening we stepped out for a short ride/drive on the lovely twisties. Here is a shot of veteran biker guru neil.jericho trying out shaikhmimran's Vstrom 650.



A solo shot of CrAzY_dRiVeR on a Duke 390



After an uneventful night and some heavy tummies owing to the delicious food, we retired early. The next morning, some of us set out for a short walk around the tea estate region, walking amidst the tea plantation zones until we reached a small stream flowing through the valley. Here are some snaps from that tiny outing.









Soon it was time for breakfast, followed by the time to pack up and depart after spending a lovely weekend. Not before a departing shot of the bikes though. The light angle wasn't conducive for a good shot, but this is all I could manage with the phone



My Ninja with Indraprastha bungalow in the background. It marked my third visit on the Ninja here, with different friends' circles.



View of Aliyar dam from the top of Valparai



The return journey had a lot of heavy rain until Salem zone, so it was rain gear on all the way upto the halfway point of the return journey. The bike was completely bathed in muck, especially the lower portion near the swingarm



One great solo shot of yours truly, courtesy CrAzY_dRiVeR



The last part of the return leg was uneventful and we all bid goodbye to each other on a clear Sunday night (here in Bangalore). A wash later, the bike was ready for the next ride as usual. This trip clocked another ~900 km and some nice memories as always.



Many more trip updates to come, thanks for reading!

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by ManneAtWheelz

Did I miss the latest updates which you might have posted elsewhere? And did you start a ownership thread on 500X ? If yes, please point me there!

I haven't been very active lately on the forum. I have been travelling a lot though, almost every weekend on some or other vehicle, but been very lazy in posting updates. I'll try and be more active to complete uploading the backlog , apologies.

Originally Posted by Senotrius

Second that, an ownership thread for the cb500x.

Originally Posted by Sebring

That CB 500X is a stunner. How long do we wait for the review? Are those panniers from GIVI?

Originally Posted by 100Kmphormore

Still waiting for the CB500X review saar

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

+1 = 5 requests for CB500X review.

Would be a good time to review now since I know for a fact that the bike is closing in on 10k kms, having done an epic road trip already.

Thanks for all the kind words guys. I am yet to compose a thread on the CB 500X. The bike is performing flawlessly and I even did a ~4500 km 2-up roadtrip to the western part of India during December on it. I'll try and post a thread some time when I am able to gather all the details and compile them together

[KarthikK]

50 months / 4+ years update (18,000+ km up)

On the maintenance front, there are some minor updates that I must pen down here for the sake of completeness in logging all the maintenance activities carried out. The bike has now completed 50 months (4 years and 2 months) and still performs as flawlessly as it did on Day 1 .

There was no service pending around this time of the year, so this isn't about routine service. The last annual service was done in August 2022 and the next service will be either 6000 km later or in this year August.

Owing to the fact that my better half and I usually travel on the Ninja at least 1-2 weekends in a month, one thing that was playing on my mind was the clutch cable life. It had already served 4.5 years and 18,000 km and showed no signs of wearing out early, but Kawasaki's clutch cable changing interval was 20,000 km according to the owner's manual. I somehow didn't want to risk the end-of-life clutch cable snapping / giving way in the middle of some jungle and leaving us stranded and/or ruining a trip.

I spoke to Rideventur service chief Unni and he too recommended changing the clutch cable preventively due to the life it has already served, so that I can travel in peace with all other bases covered. Just before a trip in February first week, I dropped in at the Kawasaki service centre in late January and they changed the clutch cable for me as requested.

Work starting for clutch cable change



The fairing side covers had to be taken out to dismantle the old clutch cable and reinstall the new clutch cable



The clutch cable is imported and manufactured in Japan. No wonder the quality and longevity were quite good.



In 40 minutes, the work was completed and the bike was ready to roll again.



I requested for adding a can of Kawasaki's fuel system cleaner into a tankful of petrol, and that has made a lot of difference to the refinement as I checked during last weekend's ride to Wayanad, Kerala.

The invoice for the work done totally came to around 5.5k, out of which the clutch cable part cost was around 3820 INR. Not cheap by any means, but the quality speaks for itself - rated for 20,000 km without issues.



With that update out of the way, the service timeline is now updated to look like this. All of just 8 total visits (out of which 3 were wear and tear related) to the service centre in ~5 years shows just how bulletproof Kawasaki makes these bikes



On a different note - a small mention on this wonderful product which is very very efficient in cleaning all parts of my helmets - Putoline helmet sanitizer. It removes bug stains in a jiffy, leaves no trails on wiping and smells nice as well. Only mistake I made was I bought a bigger 500ml size can which is okay for using at home, but not handy to carry for trips. I should buy their smaller 75ml spray can to use for trips next time though!



Since I have entered the fifth year of ownership, I thought I should also add a small table denoting the Insurance costs over the years, from Day 1 to today. All these years, I have been sticking to a zero depreciation cover for the bike.



In my last and final update, we decided to update our riding gear since the first set was ageing at year 5 for both my better half and me. I went for a textile set AND a mesh set of riding gear (which I plan to switch between depending on the weather), while my wife went for a single set with semi-mesh-textile jacket and pants. The helmets obviously had to be imported through friends and relatives, due to the ban on imported helmet sales in the country. This time almost every piece of riding gear is from Revit. Thanks to BHPian neil.jericho for the countless discussions on the riding gear suggestions before I finalized my set.



We just did a few trips with the new Revit gear and I must say both my better half and me are very happy with the new sets of riding gear for the Ninja. Definitely something to inject some freshness into the next few years of ownership and roadtrips with this special machine. That's it for now, thanks for reading!