[navpreet318]

Originally Posted by gthang

Just out of curiosity, exactly how many kms of HD riding in India have you had to give such expert comments?

Just so you know, I have clocked over 8000 on my Nightster, and haven't yet had to have my pillion (When I have one) to dismount for anything.

But then again, some level of riding skill might be essential to pull it off, other than internet blogging.

Mr.Gthang please mind your comments and make adequate gathering of information before just typing anything on a public forum.I have ridden these harleys enough to make my comments.On one of my trips to mussoorie the nightrod scrapped all of the speed breakers.And scrapped off badly.Then on the way back the roadking scrapped most of the speed breakers.

Now i have been told that the sportsters have and even lesser GC.So i suppose my judgement is correct.

So Mr.GTHANG 8000 kms of babying a bike on good roads and a 1000 kms of proper riding on real indian have a difference.I do not think about road conditions before going on a trip unlike most of the posers with HDs.

[gthang]

Originally Posted by navpreet318

Mr.Gthang please mind your comments and make adequate gathering of information before just typing anything on a public forum.I have ridden these harleys enough to make my comments.On one of my trips to mussoorie the nightrod scrapped all of the speed breakers.And scrapped off badly.Then on the way back the roadking scrapped most of the speed breakers.

My question was, "Just out of curiosity, exactly how many kms of HD riding in India have you had to give such expert comments?"

A simple reply of 1000 kms would have sufficed.

Originally Posted by navpreet318

Now i have been told that the sportsters have and even lesser GC.So i suppose my judgement is correct.

I fail to see the logic in this statement. You scraped the bottom on your rides, therefore all HD's are bound to scrape it's bottom?

Originally Posted by navpreet318

So Mr.GTHANG 8000 kms of babying a bike on good roads and a 1000 kms of proper riding on real indian have a difference.I do not think about road conditions before going on a trip unlike most of the posers with HDs.

Does this not warrant a similar reply to yours? Any idea which roads I have taken my Harley on? How did you come to the conclusion that I am a poser on a HD?

Like you rightly mentioned, this is a public forum where people read others views and impressions, and just because you scraped the bottom on your ride, is it fair to put a blanket statement that all HD's will be the same?

By the way, did the bottom scraping cause any damage to the bike?

[navpreet318]

My reply was warranted by your previous comment.How did you come to the conclusion that my comment came from internet blogging or whatever.


Yes it did damage the bike's underbelly quite a bit.Infact a small dent on the chassis members going below.Infact later on i had to make my pillion get off and stand up in order for the bike to cross big speed breakers.Another funny incident.Even after getting off the bike at one big speed breaker, the bike simply perched itself up on the speedbreaker and refused to move at all.It had to be pushed off.I agree I was not exactly taking any special moves to get it over the speed breaker.I just rode it the way i ride my other bike.This was partly the reason of my not buying a harley just yet.

They harley i have been most comfortable on and which has not given any issues till now has been the StreetBob.
But the price of that bike is such that to me it doesn't look like a wise investment.

[gthang]

Originally Posted by navpreet318

My reply was warranted by your previous comment.How did you come to the conclusion that my comment came from internet blogging or whatever.

I apologize if my comment on internet blogging was offensive. But lately I am reading a lot of posts by people with no real world experience making uninformed statements that are just inflammatory.

Not a personal attack at you in any way. Peace.

Originally Posted by navpreet318

I agree I was not exactly taking any special moves to get it over the speed breaker.I just rode it the way i ride my other bike.This was partly the reason of my not buying a harley just yet.

Riding a Harley or any other superbike in Indian road conditions does take some extra care. But that does not mean that the bikes itself are at fault, but our riding style is not correct.

I have posted myself about the bottom scraping potential problem with the HD, but know from personal experience that a little extra care on speedbreakers, like coming to a complete stop, and rolling over them slowly should pose no issues at all. Any speed, and you are bound to scrape.

Hope this discourse does not put off any potential buyers, posers or otherwise

[navpreet318]

Haha.Nothing will put off any potential buyers.Just that i have been put off because of this as has a friend who intended to buy 7 of these bikes for his touring company.Basically i ride in the hills with bad roads to no roads.For that purpose these bikes are not in a shape to tackle those roads.

About the riding bit well i rode it the way i ride my ZX12R but it never scrapes.I bet your CB1000R does not scrap either.

Initially i was very very much interested in buying one.Very much.But then these real world issues took me back.I am looking for a bike which i can ride out anywhere without thinking at all.Basically a replacement for the Royal Enfield LB500.

Infact we were so much interested in the bikes that me and a few friends have been thinking of some modification to the suspension to increase the GC.But it remains that anything we get built in india would have a doubtful reliability.

We need the Triumph Boneville here now.I think its time the indian market will accept the triumph

Peace with you too and hope to have further pleasant interactions with you.

[gthang]

Originally Posted by navpreet318

Haha.Nothing will put off any potential buyers.Just that i have been put off because of this as has a friend who intended to buy 7 of these bikes for his touring company.Basically i ride in the hills with bad roads to no roads.For that purpose these bikes are not in a shape to tackle those roads.

Did you try out the XR1200X? It looks it might be OK for your kind of roads. Even though the styling looks a little bit of confused jap/euro mix, and hints of the old XR750 thrown in.

There is a possibility of HD coming out with an Indian specific bike in the near future as well.

[Prithvi]

Originally Posted by navpreet318

Mr.Gthang please mind your comments and make adequate gathering of information before just typing anything on a public forum.I have ridden these harleys enough to make my comments.On one of my trips to mussoorie the nightrod scrapped all of the speed breakers.And scrapped off badly.Then on the way back the roadking scrapped most of the speed breakers.

Now i have been told that the sportsters have and even lesser GC.So i suppose my judgement is correct.

So Mr.GTHANG 8000 kms of babying a bike on good roads and a 1000 kms of proper riding on real indian have a difference.I do not think about road conditions before going on a trip unlike most of the posers with HDs.

HD INDIA should do something about the GC on their bikes, especially for or wonderful Indian Roads

[navpreet318]

Gthang: yes i did try the XR1200X as well.But then when one is buying a harley its supposed to be a nice cruiser.Not a sportbike.hehe.For that much money i could check out the CB1000R or the Bandit or the FZ1 and spruce them up too.The XR1200X is a no brainer to me.Its like a harley with lost identity.

I think for my second Big bike i'll have to settle for the Bandit/FZ1/CB1000R or maybe i'll just go mad and buy a VMAX.whichever way it maybe, its going to happen by year end.

Though if the news of Triumph coming to india is true then i'll just gobble up the boneville in no time at all.

[navpreet318]

Gthang: Check this thread.


http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...y-tune-up.html

Look at the 2nd picture onwards.Is that the stock rear shock? I mean its looking very raised from the back.This would be the trick to increase the GC.So is this an aftermarket fitment?Is it the same on your bike?

[gthang]

Originally Posted by navpreet318

Gthang: yes i did try the XR1200X as well.But then when one is buying a harley its supposed to be a nice cruiser.Not a sportbike.hehe.For that much money i could check out the CB1000R or the Bandit or the FZ1 and spruce them up too.The XR1200X is a no brainer to me.Its like a harley with lost identity.

I think for my second Big bike i'll have to settle for the Bandit/FZ1/CB1000R or maybe i'll just go mad and buy a VMAX.whichever way it maybe, its going to happen by year end.

Though if the news of Triumph coming to india is true then i'll just gobble up the boneville in no time at all.

Yeah, I hear you man. The XR is one confused bike.

I want to go mad and buy the VMax as well. It has been on my wishlist for as long as I can remember, but unfortunately Yamaha went madder than me, and priced it way out of reality.

Hopefully Triumph will enter the market soon, and you get your Bonneville.

Sorry, didnt see the prior post.

You can get Progressive shocks which are slightly longer, and having removed his rear number plate and fender extension, it looks like there is more clearance. But this will not increase GC. It will only give you more suspension travel, but the low bits will stay low. I am using stock shocks, on the firmest setting.
The first pic in his thread is US spec, but what we get is International spec with slightly longer shocks anyways, so it might be stock.

[freakrz]

Originally Posted by navpreet318

Gthang: Check this thread.


http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorb...y-tune-up.html

Look at the 2nd picture onwards.Is that the stock rear shock? I mean its looking very raised from the back.This would be the trick to increase the GC.So is this an aftermarket fitment?Is it the same on your bike?

I am currently running on stock shocks and I am very happy with the ride at least around hyderabad. I never had any problems at the speed bumps ,I usually take it very slow.I had a pillion couple of times but never had any issues in the hyderabad roads.most people have a misconception about the harleys and their ride quality but I am sure once you start riding you will never like anything.In fact the harleys that are said to be lower and prone to scraping are the XL 883 Low & Vrod (Quoting First Hand info from the Dealer)

Frk

[bradhey]

Originally Posted by navpreet318

Haha.Nothing will put off any potential buyers.Just that i have been put off because of this as has a friend who intended to buy 7 of these bikes for his touring company.Basically i ride in the hills with bad roads to no roads.For that purpose these bikes are not in a shape to tackle those roads.

About the riding bit well i rode it the way i ride my ZX12R but it never scrapes.I bet your CB1000R does not scrap either.

Initially i was very very much interested in buying one.Very much.But then these real world issues took me back.I am looking for a bike which i can ride out anywhere without thinking at all.Basically a replacement for the Royal Enfield LB500.

Infact we were so much interested in the bikes that me and a few friends have been thinking of some modification to the suspension to increase the GC.But it remains that anything we get built in india would have a doubtful reliability.

We need the Triumph Boneville here now.I think its time the indian market will accept the triumph

Peace with you too and hope to have further pleasant interactions with you.

Hey Nav, I think the fat tyres introduced on the Sporster 48 may address this problem. Besides the Bonneville the Kawasaki W800 would also be a great choice for the likes of us.

[Warhound]

I dont want to start a seperate thread for this since this information is posted many places no matter how conflicting.

The duty on CKD unit is 60%, and CBU is close to 105% correct ?

Then why does this article Harley to assemble motorcycles in India | The Business Journal

have bob klein, harley spokesperson say that CKD is 10% and CBU 60%? or is he misquoted ?

Thanks

[bradhey]

Originally Posted by Warhound

I dont want to start a seperate thread for this since this information is posted many places no matter how conflicting.

The duty on CKD unit is 60%, and CBU is close to 105% correct ?

Then why does this article Harley to assemble motorcycles in India | The Business Journal

have bob klein, harley spokesperson say that CKD is 10% and CBU 60%? or is he misquoted ?

Thanks

The CKD Harleys are cheaper by 20-23% than the CBU Harleys. Hence it can be safely presumed there is error in the report. But apart from import taxes there are about 30-35% local taxes which are added to cost of the moto before it reaches the showroom. Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong anywhere.

[Warhound]

sorry to be persistent, but am i correct to assume that CBU duty is 105%?. Does this include the local taxes or are they added on top of that?

How do you come up with the figure for CKD to be about 20-23% cheaper ?

The reason I ask is, with the dollar weakening, there should be major price corrections coming up.