TESTING TIMES!!!

TESTING TIMES!!!

It started off as any other Saturday - Lazy and slow till I got a confirmation from some friends of mine, Shami n Kavita, who were out testing some bikes for themselves. We managed to get up and ride down to the TVS showroom on Bhandarkar Road in Pune, and saw the TVS Apache 160 RTR in metal n rubber. Sorry - NO chrome on this one !! As I laid my eyes on the black menacing monster I noticed this was not a gigantic bear it was in fact a smallish sleekish jaguar, rather a Black Panther with a low stance but still having presence owing to its large handlebars and menacing looks. The first impression that I had of the bike was that I liked its menacing looks and the “oh so prominent” petalled disc brake. I threw my legs astride the saddle and lifted the left foot and placed it on the footrest. This one was an authentic rear-set and the toe went and fitted snugly under the single lever gear shifter. One press of the electric starter and the engine roared into life. The engine growl is very impressive and there is a complete absence of any whine or any metal abrasion sounds. One tap on the gear shifter and the gear got engaged with a re-assuring CLUNK. No khataak khutook as in other bikes. A slight release of the clutch and the bike leapt forward. Three taps later I was in 4th gear still cruising at 45 kmph. First impressions of the bike were as follows:

1. First impression – Bike is a deadly looker. I would have preferred the Yellow one anytime.
2. Seating is way too stylish. You feel as if you are all set to give Rossi a run for his money.
3. Engine has a good throaty roar. Idling at 1300 rpm. Sounds fantastic in mid range. Best at 5500 rpm.
4. The gearbox is slick. Changing gears is the same like fiddling with the buttons of a good SONY walkman. No play, no slippages, no extra sounds and complete ease!!.
5. The bike is a dream handler. Small flicks to the handlebar makes the bike cut through traffic like a fighter jet with surgical precision.
6. The handlebar is an ergonomic disaster. I cannot engage the clutch, and blow the horn at the same time. Not because they are interconnected but because I need LARGER hands. I tried an emergency maneuver – Day-Flash – Horn – Clutch – all at the same time and I guess I dislocated my thumb and my index finger due to extreme stretching.
7. Acceleration is Amazing. Bike pulls up even in 3rd/4th gear
8. Speedometer didn’t work. Dealer says some issues with digit meters in new bikes. Will be working in the one which will be delivered.


I couldn’t go into 5th because there was too much traffic. And before I could even acclimatize and open the throttle I was already back at the dealership. I got off the bike and looked at the monster. It has amazing potential. The dealer’s guy understood what I was thinking and said I could come back on Sunday when there was lesser traffic to test the bike again !!
I clicked a photograph with the bike and walked inside the dealership to get some more details. The details I got were as follows:

1. Bike is available in Pune with an OTR price of about 64K
2. There is a 2 month waiting period for the Yellow Bike
3. I was not allowed to click pictures inside the dealership.

This was the first one and just after this Shami decided to move to the Honda showroom to ride the Unicorn. Since the Unicorn and CBZ extreme are basically the same platform/engine combination I expected the Unicorn to be quite similar to the Extreme. The first thing that caught my attention was the special edition unicorn on display. This was a twin headlight fully faired monster but from what I had heard it was completely sold out. I rode a red unicorn and it was an even shorter ride. Riding impressions from the new unicorn are as following:

1. Sitting stance is relaxed. Feet touch ground aaram se.
2. Pillion rider also has ample padding on the seat and doesn’t fall on you.
3. Clutch is again smooth but there is no sound at all from the gearbox. Bike knocks at low revs so you end up revving harder to maintain movement and engine from dying out.
4. Bike definitely is an average looker. The first decals were actually good. Additional stickering ruined it and now the chrome and cheap paint thingy has made a complete mess of the same.

I didn’t have time to go ahead and test more bikes. Had already tested the Extreme some weeks back and found it good. Only bikes remaining to be tested are the new pulsars. I guess since I am going in for a 180 DTSi in some time I wouldn’t want to test ride one.

Now came the turning point. At lunch, my better half smilingly looks at me and told me that since she had been patient with me all through the first half of the day it was time for me to be patient now and give her an opportunity for a test ride. I obliged and there we were at the Hero Honda showroom with her trying out the new “Pleasure”. The Just 4 her showroom has lady executives helping female riders getting to know the bike better. They also had a “Lady Rider” club which gives a unique experience to women riders. Pleasure at 41 K is definitely a good deal.

Post Pleasure we moved to the Kinetic showroom next door to check out the Nova and the 4S. Here something caught her attention and it was a Dude. It was the Italiano Blaze. She immediately asked for a test ride and the over obliging attendant handed her the keys. This was a nuclear warhead in her hands. For someone whose largest bike has been the Honda Dio, the Blaze was a SUKHOI. She rode it like crazy, took couple of pictures alongside the mean machine and even decided to take at least a quotation for the same. Man this was one helluva Expensive Bike. Costing nearly 61K on road it was as expensive as any other motorcycle. The 12 BHP engine definitely does justice to the huge bulk of the scooter making it one mean machine.

After this adventure we returned back and decided to plan out a few more test rides the subsequent weekend. I may try to coax her into picking up a Scooty or the Bajaj Kristal but as of now it looks like she is all set to pick up the Blaze and join me and my biker friends in our cross-country rides.


Test ride Pics here