Ride to Pokhara on Honda CBR250R '12 -- Dec 13th-15th, 2012

Ride to the Unknown.

That’s how Honda CBR250R got launched themselves.

With having difficulty in day to day riding on a 600RR, I thought I would definitely love to get a smaller capacity commuter bike. With wide range of options available in the market of Nepal, I finally narrowed down to Duke200, Pulsar NS200, CBR250R, Hyosung GT250N, R15v2.0 and even Hero Karizma. It was choices that were definitely going to spoil me.

Then came the hardest part of choosing and test driving the bikes. I was pretty sure that except for Duke200 and NS200, I wasn't opting for a brand new bike for obvious reason, the dough. Luckily both Duke200 and NS200 came into the second hand market with Odometer reading of 0 KMs with mouth watering price.

Duke 200. I went to check out the Duke first. It wasn't even out of the showroom which was even better for me. I had it test-ridden once before. The initial acceleration is mind boggling and I was pretty much happy with the bike. But then, it was the advice from fellow RiderzNepal G-MOD, i-Uze, which left me thinking. I was not only planning to do commuting but touring as well. With the small rear seat and the huge amount of heat it throws on the leg, it was definitely going to be PITA. Duke200 left out with heavy heart.

Pulsar 200NS. The only brand I haven’t ridden yet the whole of my life. I was reluctant to even try. But positive feedback all over the Internet and our own fellow member, Shashwat, I thought of giving it a try. Once again in HamroBazaar.com, there was an AD with fresh bike on sale. I gave him a call. But unfortunately or rather fortunately (which I will describe later) he didn't receive the call. I thought aah what the hell; I am not going to call him again for his bike. Later I found out that the price he quoted NRs. 250,000/- was rather exaggerated price. He got discount of NRs. 20,000/- and with the market price of NRs. 264,000/-, I would have been duped.

R15v2.0. I love Yamaha, no doubt about it. My first bike with my own income was v1.0. My first superbike was Yamaha XJ650. I love how they think outside the box and put the best technological input on their bike. But sitting on the bike, I left it out of my options without second thought purely due to its ergonomic reasons.

Hyosung GT250N. This was the bike I was long gunning for. As most of the fellow members know, I have test ridden this bike more than a couple of times. Each time though, I came to fault some parts of the bike. Initially it was tires which offered virtually no grip at all. Second time, it was the inadequate headlight and the seating position. This also again came up in the local AD bazaar and I immediately called him. To my dismay, the seller wanted a huge price for a used bike and I in turn had to disagree on the price and leave it too.

Hero Karizma. This was the perfect bike for my choice of daily commuting and occasional touring. Spares were also readily available. It has been years it has been serving many of the ZMA faithful and there were nothing but positive feedbacks. I was definitely going to get it and all the decisions were made on the head till this happened.

Honda CBR250R STD 2012. So, I was going to buy the ZMA and was preparing myself with the updates on my bank account status. As a habit, I checked the AD site once more and popped up a brand new Honda CBR250R STD 2012 with very few KMs done. The owner was willing to part it at the earliest and was eager to get a Kawasaki Ninja instead. I have personally seen the baby CBR on its launch day and the test drive with fellow RiderzNepal members on Chobhar was itself very informative. Though I wasn’t quite sure then about the VFRish looks of the bike (some of the RN members might remember I detested this bike). I called up the guy and test rode the bike. It was as easy as Honda Twister for me. The bike was light and maneuverable in the tightest of the traffics. I have been reading that CBR250R has gone touring on the hardest of the area where previously only dedicated tourers have gone. The decision was made. I immediately told him that I was taking the bike. Then came the pleasant surprise. I came to know that I would be the first person to get my photo attached on the BlueBook as the bike was previously on a company’s name. Thanking my luck stars, I took the bike home with the widest grin on my face. Riding 600RR, 250R seemed like riding a scooter with gear. It was that easy.

Along came the testing. So, getting the bike, 2^nd servicing done, I had been quietly thinking of doing some long distance travelling on it. On last Thursday afternoon, feed up with the workstation, I sent a text to my brother if he was willing to do a tour then. The reply was position. So, preparing myself, I picked up him and tanked up the bike. The tour to Pokhara was ON.

Comfort. The bike is pretty comfortable. The padding is good, the riding position spot on. Only thing I didn’t like is the grips of the bike. They seemed to be cheap and are quite hard. After spending few hours, it starts to hurt in and around your right hand thumb.

Performance. This is what I liked. The bike can lazily cruise around the highway at the speed of 80-100 KMPH in 5500-7500 RPM in 6^th gear. There are plenty of RPMs left incase you need to overtake. There was no lagging. But riding on short gears on bad roads was different case. With the roads in Thankot in the sorry state, the bike gave us a hard time. In 1^st gear it was okay but as soon as the gear was raised, with low RPMs the bike started to lag.

Mileage. The bike gave the mileage of 29.50 KMPL when visiting Pokhara. The ride consisted of spirited riding all along the highway and some very slow riding after darkness fell. While returning, maintaining constant speed of 85 KMPH at 6500 RPM, the bike returned the mileage of 32.03 KMPL. Had the roads been better in the Thankot area and outside Pokhara Valley, I am sure the mileage figures would be much bigger.

Things I liked most.

• ·         Mileage – after riding a 600RR, the mileage of anything above 20 seems great. LOL
• ·         Aerodynamics – no wind buffering in and around the chest area. The ugly and huge windscreen does it work effectively.
• ·         Comfort – No pain in the ass. The padding is just okay but I think it will need to be re-done if doing anything longer than 200 KMs.
• ·         Performance- The engine was outstanding. Even being single cylinder, it was refined. No noise once on 6^th gear and speed above 60 KMPH.

Things I hated most.

• ·         Light – Previous owner has put up the white bulb with 35/35w ratings. The alignment was also wrong. Just before reaching Pokhara, it got dark. I had to slow down to speed o f around 20KMPH to safely drive.
• ·         Horn – The less said the better. It was pathetic. Even scooters today have larger horns. One truck driver even suggested me to horn before overtaking, while in my case, I have been pressing the horn for I don’t know how long.
• ·         Tires – It took forever to warm. Riding it on cold tires is very difficult. Very similar to GT250N, it offers virtually no grip at all and slips around. Feels like Ken Bates with all those drifting. ;-)
• ·         Front tire fender – It is there for the purpose of just fulfilling the void. It offers no protection against the water splashes and all the little gravels go crashing on the radiator. It is the gravest mistake Honda made. Already thinking of either extending the front fender or putting up with the radiator guard. Replacing radiator is expensive job and Honda should have thought of it.

SSome Pictures of the tour.

Look so little chicken strip left

Kawasaki Ninja 250R - The Green Hornet

Taking a well deserved rest at Galchi, Dhadhing

Thankot ko Ukalo...worst road ever :(

Superbikes Spotted in Nepal -- Definitely Picture Heavy

Superbikes Spotted in Nepal -- Definitely Picture Heavy

Owning a Superbike -- You are the focal point

INTRODUCTION

Back in ’98 while preparing for our Iron Gate exam of SLC, we had to wake up early and go to the school so that we can have group discussions on various subject matters. Pokhara as you know need no introduction. I was born and brought up there. With the numbers of Lahures in there and the increasing trends of showing-off within themselves, it was just a matter of time for everything to happen in there, be it in a positive or negative ways. Our school was about a kilometer or so far and all we do were walk along. Then out of nowhere, we always used to hear this strange whirling noise in far distant and before being able to recognize and understand it, the bike used to disappear in the smoke and dust. The only thing we discuss within our friends is “तैले त्यो बाईक देखिस्!!! कस्तो दामी/खतरा बाईक”. That bike left a very lasting impression on my young mind that was to change the course of my life forever.

Fast forward 14 years, and here I am owning a Supersports and longing for another, I will attempt to express the feeling of riding a Supersports motorcycle that we all passionately know as SUPERBIKE. This article will try to include feeling of the orgasmic pleasures of riding such bike and the various dangers/problems we encounter after owning one.

BACK THEN

About 2 years back in '09, I bought the then fresh R15 and instantly felt in love with it. So much so that within 6 days I did a 600 km trip in a single day with a sore back for about a week after that. :D That's a story for another day. Back then while returning, I saw 2 CBRs doing a very fast overtaking manouvers in Malekhu. It was so hyptonising seeing those superbikes then and there. I tried to keep up but fell miserably. So, came the thought of owning one of such bike. It was all about saving for the deary winters then but the lure of owning such one was too hard to resist.

FAST FORWARD

August 2011, I was already enquiring on many blogs and forum including our RyderzSyndicate about the superbikes available in Nepal. The topic "Honda Wings Showroom opened in Teku" was an eye-opener. The topic included pictures of most the bikes available at there. I was in awe with the Blue Hornet pictured there. Gathering all the information required beforehand owning a Superbike, I posted an AD on a local Buy/Sell site. It was quite a task waiting for someone to call. After a few days, I got a call that they have a R1 on SALE. It was not what I was expecting. I had done a test ride on R1 from Kantipath and I must admit it scared the shit out of me then. I politely refused and asked him if there were any CBRs. To my surprise, he did say that there is one but the price was quoted on higher side that my alloted budget. It was agreed that we meet on Durbar Marga to see the bike. There was no intention of buying the bike then. It was just "let's see how the bike was". I asked my friend to pick me up and off we went to Durbar Marga. Just when we reached there, I again heard those familiar sound of the I4s. Then there was the CBR looking absolutely stunning. Never mind what I thought before, I was definitely going to buy this one.

After nearly 14 years of dreaming, scrutizing each and every blogs/forums/sites, the CeeBeeRRR was going to be mine. My brother also came by and I asked their opinions. They were quite positive on the bike. It was a dream come true situation for me. I asked for a test ride. Having already ridden CBR and R1, I was quite familiar with the posture. I inserted the key and heard this very familiar whizzing sound from the Fuel Pump. The consoles lit up. I looked at all the figures appearing bold from orange backlit screens. There was no neutral. So, I just depressed the Clutch and pressed on the self-start. The bike did not start at all. I did one or two tries and Worry lines started to appear. I was already nervous and this was making me buckle under my knee. The owner also came around and tried to fire her up but she promptly refused. Then after a few tries, we noticed that the side-stand was down. That was such a funny and nervous break down to both of us. :) I again pressed on the Self-Starter button and the engine comes to life. If ever the hardcore bikers love the music, it was the sound coming from his or her bike. This was it for the biker in me. The CeeBeeRRR was ready to rock and roll my life.

My Honda CBR600RR 07

Again depressing the clutch, I engaged the 1st gear. With a loud thud of the gear, I gently released the clutch and easing the bike on the road. My friend who was with me there was quite suspectible of me being able to ride a Superbike. He was quite glad that I did it okay first time. Knowing the powers that were in mercy of my Right wrist, I gently wrung the accelerator. It was such a joy ride that I decided that this was going to be mine. After the ride, the owner had asked me "How do you feel ??" The reply I think he was not expecting that, "How do you yourself feel while riding this bike?" He knew what I meant. There were no words on the whole world to describe how it feels. The financial deals were settled. I was a proud owner of the bike on the day Sept 13th, 2011. While returning from Yatayat, Rain God did shower his blessings on me. ;)

World Cup watching experience

Have been in very pissed off mode right now so starting to get out all my frustration here. It is a tense evening with England needing nothing less than a win to qualify for next round. I have had the Subisu Cable installed just to watch the World Cup and what I found out today was they switched off the channel S3 from where the match was supposed to come live. And to add insult to injury what they do is they ask users to view the Match in that Crap Channel Avenues with that Signal which I am sure is copied from somewhere. They can't even show their own logo clearly how they are suppose to broadcast that game clearly.

Have anyone been experiencing the same problem Let's unite and raise our voice against so called autocracy in Cable Television by the Cable TV Associations. We have got our own right to choose which channel we want to view the World Cup.

Aaba Yestai ho bhane ta bholi parsi aaune D2H Service PRovider haru le ni world cup herna na dina sakcha....As for me, I am already thinking of taking an Indian Setup box...tyo f**king Nepali NEWS channel haru baru herdina.

Living like in Hell

The last couple of days have been completely disgusting for my liking. With the Load Shedding in Kathmandu showing no signs of getting reduced, all of us have been heavily dependent on UPS and Inverters. Besides that, the frequent high voltage that NEA sends(What the Hell they think that we need high voltages when there is electricity) is killing all my electrical appliances.

The Redundant Power Supply(RPS) of my HG4000 got blown when the lights came. It's still a miracle that my laptop, the Router and the UPS is still intact. Though even the UPS gave me a scare when it showed Overload and NO BATTERY CONNECTED signal. Now thanks to NEA, I have to order the RPS from Israel and it costs over USD400.

Tried all the possible ways to repair the blown RPS but it still seems that despite all the claims these Electrical engineers make, they are still lagging much behind with the world. Thank goodness, I didn't opt for Electrical Engineering. Think what would I have done, if I couldn't even do my own electronics.

I have to thank UTM and Ofir for their cordial help in ordering the RPS from Israel that soon. Hopefully, everything will be back and God willing, I will be back soon.

Facts about Rajanikant

You want to know who is Rajanikanth….here are the facts

Rajanikanth makes onions cry

Rajanikanth can delete the Recycle Bin.

Ghosts are actually caused by Rajanikanth killing people faster than Death can process them.

Rajanikanth can build a snowman….. out of rain.

Rajanikanth can strangle you with a cordless phone.

Rajanikanth can drown a fish.

When Rajanikanth enters a room, he doesn’t turn the lights on,……… …. he turns the dark off.

When Rajanikanth looks in a mirror the mirror shatters, because not even glass is stupid enough to get in between Rajanikanth and Rajanikanth.

Brett Favre can throw a football over 50 yards.

Rajanikanth can throw Brett Favre even further.

The last digit of pi is Rajanikanth. He is the end of all things.

Rajanikanth does not know where you live, but he knows where you will die.

Bullets dodge Rajanikanth.

A Handicap parking sign does not signify that this spot is for handicapped people. It is actually in fact a warning, that the spot belongs to Rajanikanth and that you will be handicapped if you park there.

Rajanikanth’ calendar goes straight from March 31st to April 2nd, no one fools Rajanikanth.

If you spell Rajanikanth wrong on Google it doesn’t say, “Did you mean Rajanikanth?” It simply replies, “Run while you still have the chance.”

Rajanikanth can do a wheelie on a unicycle.

Once a cobra bit Rajanikanth’ leg. After five days of excruciating pain, the cobra died.

When Rajanikanth gives you the finger, he’s telling you how many seconds you have left to live.

Rajanikanth can kill two stones with one bird.

Rajanikanth was once on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and was the first to spin. The next 29 minutes of the show consisted of everyone standing around awkwardly, waiting for the wheel to stop.

Leading hand sanitizers claim they can kill 99.9 percent of germs. Rajanikanth can kill 100 percent of whatever he wants.

There is no such thing as global warming. Rajanikanth was cold, so he turned the sun up.

Rajanikanth can set ants on fire with a magnifying glass. At night.

Rajanikanth has a deep and abiding respect for human life… unless it gets in his way.

It takes Rajanikanth 20 minutes to watch 60 Minutes.

Rajanikanth once shot down a German fighter plane with his finger, by yelling, “Bang!”

In an average living room there are 1,242 objects Rajanikanth could use to kill you, including the room itself.

Behind every successful man, there is a woman. Behind every dead man, there is Rajanikanth.

Rajanikanth destroyed the periodic table, because Rajanikanth only recognizes the element of surprise.

Rajanikanth got his drivers license at the age of 16 Seconds.

With the rising cost of gasoline, Rajanikanth is beginning to worry about his drinking habit.

The square root of Rajanikanth is pain. Do not try to square Rajanikanth, the result is death.

When you say “no one’s perfect”, Rajanikanth takes this as a personal insult.