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Old 7th July 2014, 12:44   #241
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Re: Beastie winks at Snow White & Red Riding Hood. My Tata Safari Storme EX

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Originally Posted by garyag79 View Post
3) leaving no space by virtually standing next to the divider on a signal or traffic jam
Perfect. Like in any war, it is difficult to protect two flanks. Best to take one out of the equation.

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4) If a two wheeler tries to squeeze in, I just honk once and move my truck a bit to block his way, 99% of the time they have not made another attempt
I do the same. Game of block-block, thou shalt NOT pass! Along with horn, I also roll down window and start a conversation with squeezy macchar showing due concern for his pressing urgencies in life and being adequately apologetic for blocking his way ...... not. But I guess its easier to do in Pune than Delhi.

In really heavy crawling traffic sometimes I even roll down the co-driver window, unbuckle my seat belt, put up my seat armrest and lean all the way over to the other side to fold in the mirror (you realise just how wide the Safari really is when you need to do something like this .....).

In addition to protecting your back bumper, you also have to protect your front one (the corners) from squeezy macchars trying to cut across the front of you if they see even the hint of a gap. Moral of the story is to not leave a gap. Beware of cyclists too. They are as bad offenders on this one.

Speaking of ego, I learned a lesson the other day while being frustrated behind a black smoke belching black Scorpio for quite some distance not being able to overtake. Finall while approaching a roundabout, Black Scorpio failed to cover left side adequately, and seeing the gap I went for it. The SOB saw me coming too late and tried to close the door (belatedly - I was almost through). I got squeezed to the left where there were those hanging roots of a banyan tree. Which had been trimmed, but were stil long enough to give the top of Beastie a whack. I was scared of scratches so immediately on reaching home climbed on the foot board and checked the entire left top of the vehicle. Hapily the roots had hit the top roof rack and not the roof per se.Big sigh of relief, lesson in humility and patience learned!
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Old 7th July 2014, 13:28   #242
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Very important to leave your ego out of the picture in a city. I too stick to the extreme right lane in stop-go traffic, so as to get one flank covered. The problem is, machchars still try to squeeze in, with the inherent risk of the edge of their handlebars scratching / denting you. Despite the cladding (which is effective against cars), the bikers can still hurt you on the metal. And let me tell you, the metal is very easily prone to dents.
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Old 9th July 2014, 09:56   #243
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Re: Beastie winks at Snow White & Red Riding Hood. My Tata Safari Storme EX

Last night on the way back home from office Beastie completed the first 10,000 kms of what I'm hoping will be a very long life together with me and my family! And needless to mention, she's purring beautifully now. Better than ever. Soft and punchy is how I would describe her ride and engine pull feel.

Yeah, I know that at 15 months this would probably rate as a very slow 10,000 kms, but then ALL my vehicles, bikes as well as cars, are relatively low miles per years of age. My January 2005 Baleno who is now into her 10th year for instance is only just now about to hit 60,000 kms.

The only high miler was my KB100 RTZ (which I had for 10 years), but that was when I was a college student and then a struggling intern and young doctor, with no other mode or means of transport but her - Simone.

I've had Doppie, my Std 500, also for exactly 10 years now, but I've not racked up near as many miles on her in comparison.

Last edited by ebonho : 9th July 2014 at 10:02.
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Old 9th July 2014, 19:35   #244
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Re: Beastie winks at Snow White & Red Riding Hood. My Tata Safari Storme EX

Congrats doc on crossing this milestone. Interestingly, it almost coincides with me completing 5000 kms on my storme today.
I'm even slower driver in terms of miles per year (can't cay about mph) as I have a 2004 Santro with 45k & 2010 ZMR with 5k on odo. But yes.. my college time Hero Puch was pushed beyond 25000k in just 4 years - and the poor 65 cc usually carried three merciless human-beings called friends.
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Old 10th July 2014, 13:42   #245
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Re: Beastie winks at Snow White & Red Riding Hood. My Tata Safari Storme EX

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Originally Posted by YGarg View Post
Congrats doc on crossing this milestone. Interestingly, it almost coincides with me completing 5000 kms on my storme today.
I'm even slower driver in terms of miles per year (can't cay about mph) as I have a 2004 Santro with 45k & 2010 ZMR with 5k on odo. But yes.. my college time Hero Puch was pushed beyond 25000k in just 4 years - and the poor 65 cc usually carried three merciless human-beings called friends.
Thanks bro. My new year resolution is at least 20K kms by the end of Year 2 - which means 10K kms in the next 9 months. Doable.

LOL Look at it this way - well kept genuine low mile vehicles from motorheads like us get great resale value above the norm when and if we ever put them on the market.
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Old 16th August 2023, 14:51   #246
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Re: Beastie winks at Snow White & Red Riding Hood. My Tata Safari Storme EX

Beastie has been with me for over 10 years now. Still going strong. A bit battered and bruised and faded in parts, but always a joy to get into and drive. I love her and will keep spending on her and keep her. Like my 2005 Baleno.
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Old 16th August 2023, 15:44   #247
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Re: Beastie winks at Snow White & Red Riding Hood. My Tata Safari Storme EX

Beastie winks at Snow White & Red Riding Hood. My Tata Safari Storme EX-img_20230815_093558.jpg

Beastie winks at Snow White & Red Riding Hood. My Tata Safari Storme EX-img_20230815_093546.jpg

A couple of shots of her from yesterday, fresh from a service and some work on driver side door not closing properly, tailgate latch not opening from outside off and on (new latch replaced a year ago), fuel lid cover remote switch not releasing the lid off and on (forcing me to get out and release it with the cable release inside the last compartment panel on the left), TVD suddenly grenaded while driving and whole car started juddering (so that was replaced along with the center propeller shaft bearing), front wiper assembly work (repeated, as the last repair was very noisy), bulbs replaced, fluids topped up, side bumper cladding panel near fuel lid replaced (an errant auto encounter months ago), rear bumper plastic rivets replaced and bumper aligned (pending since my emergency repair prior to driving to Aurangabad for my State championships nearly a year ago), air filter hose had developed a crack so that was replaced too, tailgate inside handle outer panel covering clips had broken and it used to fall off when I hit a bump or pothole, so that was glued on permanently in place. Such odds and ends. Bill around 11,000 bucks.

Big ticket spends pending:

1) AC Compressor repair (it gives up the ghost intermittently on very hot mornings in summer, and suddenly the air flow ceases to be cold - does not happen in cooler evenings, or now in the monsoons) - new Compressor is 26,000 bucks.

2) Rear Wiper Motor repair - motor is jammed, and in trying to unjam the stuck arm in the center of the rear windshield, I broke that off too - new rear wiper motor assembly is 17,000 bucks.

3) Front Suspension work (right shocker leaking, both side inner/outer ball joints, both side link rods) - 32,000 bucks.

4) Timing Belt kit, Water Pump, Alt/AC/Power Belts, Both Covers - 25,000 bucks.

5) Tyres (4) - 36,000 bucks.

But when a friend told me that she's planning to buy a cute little Kia Sonnet, and then I hear that the cute little Kia Sonnet now costs as much as what I bought my Storme (Baby Haathi) for 10+ years ago, I'm seriously thinking I might as well spend these amounts and keep her running smooth and long, because honestly, I do not see myself moving into anything smaller or less solid or less fun to drive or less relaxing or less imposing anytime soon.

Current Km: 66,735

Cheers, Doc

Last edited by ebonho : 16th August 2023 at 16:04.
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Old 16th August 2023, 16:28   #248
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Re: Beastie winks at Snow White & Red Riding Hood. My Tata Safari Storme EX

My typical issues, complaints, wishlist t9 rhe workshop, and their estimate, including additional stuff they find on a thorough full body examination, and then the back and forth and planning and prioritizing that takes place typically.

All old school. Pen and paper, and physically under the car, raised on the hoist, with the lead technician and the service advisor.

Beastie winks at Snow White & Red Riding Hood. My Tata Safari Storme EX-img_20230810_152316.jpg

Beastie winks at Snow White & Red Riding Hood. My Tata Safari Storme EX-img_20230810_152322.jpg

Beastie winks at Snow White & Red Riding Hood. My Tata Safari Storme EX-img_20230810_163826.jpg

Cheers, Doc
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Old 16th August 2023, 19:11   #249
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Re: Beastie winks at Snow White & Red Riding Hood. My Tata Safari Storme EX

My Storme has grown on me like Doppie, my cast iron Bullet Std 500. Same vibes both of them have. Solid metal. Unhurried (but can move). Relaxed. Thumping. Big. Comfortable. Imposing. Completely unpretentious and proudly agrarian. Makes you cry at times. Oftentimes too often for comfort. But you realise that nothing else can or will offer the same. Ever. Especially now with the EV de-volution. Keeps you and your family safe. Commanding presence just standing quiet. Without trying. Never mind too hard. Tactile and analog. Buttons to be pressed. Levers to be moved or pulled or lifted. Even the chairs move mechanically. With satisfying audible and tactile ratcheting clicks. Doors thud. Proper. Deeply satisfying at a primal level. You take perverse pleasure in telling delicate humans to put some muscle into it. Twice. Thrice if needed. She has been the maintenance and racing chariot for my cycles all these years. In her cavernous 2nd and 3rd row floor space. And my wife and girls have spent multiple hours all sleeping together on the middle row bench on long drives through the night, while my elder son gives me company in front. You have deep eyeball to eyeball communion with truckers and bus drivers at lights. Everything starts and stops with a deep beginning of time big bang judder. No fear of missing if the engine has started or not. The clutch makes up for leg day at the gym. The armrests and gear knob and steering leather are greatly polished and now frayed with use. You are on your 3rd set of rubber mats. Each of them holed first in one direction. Then flipped over to get another year or two out of them (where there is still rubber and not deep dark space), before the hole widens to grand canyon dimensions. Then the holed mats go below (for extra padding) and the new one take pride of place on top. The circle of life. Mufasa and Simba. Hakuna matata.

Last edited by ebonho : 16th August 2023 at 19:41.
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Old 29th August 2023, 11:57   #250
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Re: Beastie winks at Snow White & Red Riding Hood. My Tata Safari Storme EX

Beastie posing with Blue Flame. Both my current daily rides.

Beastie winks at Snow White & Red Riding Hood. My Tata Safari Storme EX-img_20230829_074907.jpg
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