[akshayhonda]

Originally Posted by HYPERTOURER

Congratulations Akshay. Hope to meet soon. That end can is loud. Be sure u remove it before entering Karnataka as cops here are impounding anything loud. Ride safe bro.

Haha lets try and plan a ride that we don't meet the cops on our way to Kolhapur and back somehow. But looking forward to riding with you. Hope Chorla condition improves soon.

[Venku2015]

Hey Akshay congratulations for acquiring a well maintained beast. I have a lot of memories with your Raven as the owner is a very good buddy of mine and we have rode thousands of kms together.

Here is our gang posing with our bikes, btw I am with my Africatwin

[VijayAnand1]

A clean, bottom of the heart review Akshay. Well done, and congratulations on your lovely steed. A practical superbike at that, comfortable, reliable, and blends well without too much attraction. Do give it some TLC as black is best, but is also a bane. Ride safe!

Cheers!
VJ

[abhisheksircar]

Congrats Champ. I saw the pics on your Whatsapp status and was wondering it to be one of the zillion Superbikes you have been riding and then I see it here parked in your garage !! Well deserved.

Ride safe !

[Added_flavor]

Congratulations Akshay! I've known the bike through the owner's group and it's indeed well taken care of! Lovely bike, great deal and a well written report! Wishing you many more happy and safe miles!

PS: Regarding the buzz, I believe it becomes more noticeable only on part-throttle or when decelerating. A pair of grip puppies will surely help and some more kms will ensure you get used to it enough to not notice it anymore!

[akshayhonda]

Originally Posted by Venku2015

Hey Akshay congratulations for acquiring a well maintained beast. I have a lot of memories with your Raven as the owner is a very good buddy of mine and we have rode thousands of kms together.

Here is our gang posing with our bikes, btw I am with my Africatwin

Thank you mate. AT, that's one lovely motorcycle you have there.

Originally Posted by VijayAnand1

A clean, bottom of the heart review Akshay. Well done, and congratulations on your lovely steed. A practical superbike at that, comfortable, reliable, and blends well without too much attraction. Do give it some TLC as black is best, but is also a bane. Ride safe!

Cheers!
VJ

Thanks Vijay. Just spoke my heart out. And probably there are quite many like me who will relate and be at peace that its not the end. Its okay to feel that things aren't rolling right and one fine day all things fall in place as it was meant to be as it was written somewhere.

Originally Posted by Added_flavor

Congratulations Akshay! I've known the bike through the owner's group and it's indeed well taken care of! Lovely bike, great deal and a well written report! Wishing you many more happy and safe miles!

PS: Regarding the buzz, I believe it becomes more noticeable only on part-throttle or when decelerating. A pair of grip puppies will surely help and some more kms will ensure you get used to it enough to not notice it anymore!

Thank you. I somehow dont like grip puppies. They 'look' cheap IMO. I have just got Spider Peak Road Grip from BayCity Speed Shop which I will be installing today evening along with a few other stuff. Will be posting about it soon. Say by Monday morning or so.

[Mafia]

Congrats Akshay!

I am on the long hunt for a motorcycle! and your post has made me jealous!

Damn fine option. Ride Safe!

[akshayhonda]

So 19th Dec is a public holiday in Goa as it is our Liberation Day. Hence rather than waking up early on a Sunday decided to ride a day before and take Sunday a little lazy. So headed out to Ankola for breakfast and back 225kms of bliss. But the ride almost turned a bit sour for me as during the return trip (probably due to gravel from roadwork) Raven's rear tyre started leaking air and flattened out. Thankfully all this happened only a few meters away from a tyre repair shop. It was getting hot and the place where it got a flat had narrow roads and heavy traffic thanks to heavy influx of tourists and lorries in Goa.

Got the tyre plugged and reached home safe only to realize later in the night the one of the plugs is slowly leaking air and then stays stable at 27-28PSI. Now that new tyres are in super short supply will get the tyre mushroom plugged and hope it gets sustained till I find a new pair or rear tyre. Im never going back to Pirelli. No doubt tyres are great. But are always more prone to punctures IMO and experience.

While all this the bike returned 20.8 KMPL of FE and quite good IMO. Here are couple of pics from the ride.





Kitna deti hai?



The unfortunate rear tyre. Still has 5000-6000kms of life left!



Added Mods to the Bike

Evening before the ride a couple of parts were fitted onto Raven as follows:

Spider Peak Road Grips - Sourced from BayCity Speed Shop, Mumbai these have improved the grip with gloves and naked hands. The comfort while placing the arms on the bars top have been improved. The vibes felt with previous OEM grips at 5-6K RPM range is almost non existent for me. SO worth investment of 2100INR

Purchase Link - https://www.bikenbiker.com/products/...ips-peak-black



After installation



Extenda Fenda from Pyramid Plastics - Front fender extension added to save the radiator from muck and debris. very easy installation with plastic rivets and strengthening done with dual sided tape.


Purchase Link - https://www.customelements.in/produc...honda-cbr650f/

[tushar9960]

Congratulations and welcome to the family! It's a lovely bike with a fuss free nature.

[akshayhonda]

Nothing much happening off late apart from the fact that the rear tyre puncture and air leak issue is now sorted with use of mushroom plugs and I have somehow managed to source of Michelin Road 4 tyres (Road 5 unavailable) as a backup ahead considering tyre import situation wont improve by even say May'2021

Have completed 1000kms on the bike. Have been too cautious and taking easy and learning the way the bike behaves and etc. I will take my time until I start doing madness (in my own way). Also as this being year end and almost entire India is flocking to Goa I avoid riding till about 1st week of Jan is done. So the last ride was during the last weekend to Anmod Ghat till GA-KA border and back. Quick early morning spin. And thanks to the amazing team at GEARS Goa got a sort of shoot done to get some decent pics of Raven. Posting them below. Enjoy

[viXit]

Amazing thread!!!
and Hats off to the photographer!

So damn stunning!

[akshayhonda]

Originally Posted by tushar9960

Congratulations and welcome to the family! It's a lovely bike with a fuss free nature.

Thanks Tushar

Originally Posted by viXit

Amazing thread!!!
and Hats off to the photographer!

So damn stunning!

Thank you

[abhi_tjet]

Lovely thread Akshay with beautiful clicks. That front mudguard extender is a nifty touch which will redeem itself in monsoon.
Here's wishing happy and safe miles to you on CBR 650F.
You just can't go wrong with a Honda!

[akshayhonda]

Michelin Pilot Road 4 tyres are here as a backup and replacement to the Angel GT currently shod on to Raven.

As I had mentioned that during its first ever weekend ride the rear tyre got two punctures and the job was leaking air overnight. I later got it fixed with mushroom plugs and on of the puncture is a slit along the thread where it dips and Im having doubts about it giving up. hence has been restricting myself to travel longer during the weekends but tyre isnt leaking air (Phew!!!)

But decided I will get a new rear tyre. But while doing so the F & R would be different hence decided lets get a set. Having heard praises about Road 4 and Road 5 wanted to go ahead with the Road 5 as its the improved version of the later. But thanks to the import restriction tyre availability was slim. ones available are Pirelli/metzeler and I dont want them as they are prone to frequent punctures.

While scouting for tyres came across Road 4 with Surya Traders on Amazon. Set was costing 25K now around 27K with 180 rear. So googled their number and spoke to the owner he was very clear in his communication that the rear is 2017 and front is 2015 and tyres have been stored in basement and away from sunlight very well. I did some research of my own and came to a conclusion that its safe to go ahead with the offer considering that I will use them up in a year to year and half max. Surya traders agreed to send them across to Goa for 24K including shipping.

So here are the tyres in flesh. Feels great to hold and touch. Apart from the fact they are dusty. Nothing seems to be wrong with them IMO. Tyres are made in Spain. No restamping of mfg dates done. Neat stuff. No cracks or blemishes either.

Will be scrubbing them with dishwash soap and scotch brite before installing them as to avoid unexpected moments during the run in cycle.

Got two sets. Another one for my friend.

[akshayhonda]

Hello all,

Its been 3000+KMS done with Raven since 11th Dec 2020. With the bike coming alive purely and religiously every Saturday evening and hibernating back on Sunday night since it came home. Thought I have a few things to speak about during this course of time about my experience with the bike.

It took me almost 2000KMS of riding to gain a bit of confidence to push the bike fast and bit hard on twisties and and flick and whack to make way in traffic situation. Now I feel way confident about myself and have now trusted the braking setup and engine response of Raven. Its so darn manageable as even a daily rider.

FE so far has been a consistent 20KPL. As I haven't got a chance to hit the highways I cannot comment much on highway FE yet. Still bike can manage a tank range of easy peasy 330-340KMS.

As I had also updated that the rear tyre had gotten two punctures and had got them repaired with mushroom plugs. The tyre didn't have any issues since then. But it has been a teething concern for me ever since. Hence used to be very very cautious during these 3000KMS that I clocked on the Raven. Never did it give up on me. And now that the TWI and the tyre groves leveled up. Almost (1.2mm thread left) I decided to go ahead with the tyre replacement. And keep these tyres as a backup as times still are very uncertain. In any other case I would have a very smoky tyre change ritual done.



Now tyre switched to Michelin Pilot Road 4 that I managed to source and they being 2017 mfg and well stored ones I was convinced on the same as a replacement as well. It cost me 24K a set.



Have been very easy since the tyre change till the 500kms are done as the tyre is new and needs a through running-in done. So far the tyre needs getting used to. A few friends had told me. Road 4 tyre needs getting used to and once done it feel very confident. I'm feeling the same as the the KMS build up. Once tyre is warmed up it grips brilliantly on a clean patch of road but on a dusty patch as the center grip is hard compound it spins the wheel at the back if you are hard on gas, Nothing unnerving IMO on the 650F.

Also switched back to stock levers from the aliexpress sourced ones currently on the bike. OEM ones give really great feel and feedback. Especially on the braking lever.

Below are some random shots from the weekend rides with my buddies. Cheers