Superbike upkeep:
Like any machine, superbikes too need their share of preventive maintenance. If you are buying new, you simply need to follow the guidelines given in the owners’ manual. Prices would be similar to that of an equally expensive car. Most modern bikes require only the most basic of care to ensure they will run well for years to come (Japanese reliability!).
The basic service would include:
![](https://www.team-bhp.com/sites/default/files/pictures/1_4_superbike%20chain.JPG)
- Oil change
- Oil Filter change
- Air filter cleaning/replacement
- Check brake pad thickness
- Check, adjust and lubricate the chain (this should be done on a weekly basis)
- Check accelerator cables (remember there are 2 cables, unlike the single one on Indian bikes).
Consumables for popular models are available at reasonable prices and off the shelf in cities like Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai. Oil filters sell for approximately Rs.400-500 while brake pads begin from Rs.1,500 onwards. As you see, it doesn’t break the bank to run one of these awesome machines.
Tyres:
The largest repeat expense that you will have are the tyres. High performance tyres are not made to last as long as the MRF Zappers! Sport rubber on the rear tyres for 600 + cc bikes have been known to last as little as 6000 km’s, or about a years riding on average. The cost of a new 180/55/17 tyre is approximately Rs.8,500/-. Now you know why burnouts are only for the seriously wealthy. Front tyres last a bit longer (about 10,000 – 12,000km) and cost about Rs.5500.
If your riding is mainly on city/highway roads and not race tracks, go for Sport Touring rubber. These will give you all the grip you need and will last longer than proper sport rubber. Dual compound tyres by Bridgestone and Michelin give you the best of both world’s i.e. harder compound on the centre and softer compound on the sides.
Fuel:
Almost all superbikes have a compression ratio exceeding 10:1; hence the need to use premium fuel is a necessity toward getting the best out of the motor. The latest breed of repli-racers runs best on a diet of 98 octane + boosters. On long rides where you will not find 98 octane, remember to carry a bottle or two of an octane booster. Many of the older bikes (pre-Y2K) run just fine on 91 octane as well. However, each bike has its own preference, so this is something you will have to figure out after living with your bike for some time.
Insurance:
Contrary to popular belief, you can comprehensively insure your superbike. You need to get your bike evaluated by the insurance company, and that figure is used to calculate the premium. However, most bikes will run with the basic third party insurance, as making any sort of claim from the insurance company (in the event of an accident) can prove to be a nightmare. This is due to the lack of an organised market for parts and most insurance agents do not have the required knowledge about these machines.
Next Page >
What bike? Cruiser vs sports vs touring:
What type of rider are you? That’s the first question you need to ask yourself before you go out bike shopping. Do you want to cruise sedately on a large comfortable bike? Do you love carving the mountain roads on Sunday mornings? Do you want to tour India on the path less traveled? Or do you want a bit of sportiness along with the ability to cover long distances in comfort? There is a motorcycle out there to meet every mood of the rider.
For the first category, you have cruisers like the Yamaha Vstar, Honda Shadow and a multitude of Harley’s. For cruising with a bit more oomph, you have the Harley VRod, Honda Valkyrie and the Triumph Rocket. The Honda Goldwing along with some BMWs are a different breed of tourers which give you all the bells and whistles found on cars (6 CD changer, GPS, reverse gear!).
For those who like a bit of adventure in their biking, the best choice would be a trailee like the BMW F650 (most expensive bike ever officially sold in India) or the massive BMW GS1200 (a favorite for those circumnavigating the globe). If you prefer Japanese, you have the Suzuki V-Storm or the Honda Africa Twin.
The most popular class of bikes imported in India are the sport-bikes. These range from engine sizes of 600cc to 1200cc and put out anywhere from a 100bhp to 160bhp with performance figures that shame supercars costing a 100 times more! However, the downside of owning these hyper performance bikes is that some of them have a riding position which makes a city commute feel like Chinese torture. They also heat up real fast in traffic. However, for that outright adrenalin rush, nothing comes close.
The all-rounder and a personal favorite is the Sports-Tourer category. A bike like the Honda VFR750/800 is the perfect example. These bikes take you and your luggage to the track and are almost as fast as the hardcore superbikes on the track. But the difference is that the sport-tourers are comfortable to ride every day all day, but with enough performance and ground clearance to enjoy the hills as well. Naked or Standard bikes also make excellent real world bikes with the added advantage of having no plastic to break/scratch in our tight city roads.
These are just the basic categories. As mentioned, there is a bike out there to suit anyone. If you are buying new, your choice is huge. If you are buying used from India, you have a limited choice which is mainly within the classes mentioned above.
Buying a 250 vs 400 vs 600 vs 1 liter plus:
In the nineties, a lot of 250 - 400cc bikes were brought into the country. These are mainly from Japan which has a huge demand for 400cc bikes due to licencing regulations. The most common of these are the Honda CBR250rr and 400rr. These bikes are tiny and great to learn on. They are extremely peaky though and revv to above 16,000rpm! You even have your 2 strokes that are extremely light and, if in a good state of tune, compete with the 600cc bikes. But be warned, a 2 stroke will usually need a lot more time and money on the maintenance front.
The 600cc class is again a popular class and there are loads of great used middleweights out there to choose from. These bikes give you almost the same acceleration as the 1000+ cc bikes, but are down on torque and lack the mid-range of their larger hearted brothers. If you like using a bike to its limits, this is the largest capacity sport bike you could buy to enjoy hitting the limiter in the higher gears.
Once you get on the 900cc + bikes, top gear becomes almost non-existent on our roads. Yes they are wildly impractical. Yes they can be (and have been) a quick way to cause serious bodily harm in the untrained hands. Yes we do not have the roads here to exploit that sort of power. But heck, a ride on one of them throws all the practicalities out of the window! You want to be practical, buy a Hero Honda Splendor. You want to experience the wildest acceleration and thrill of your life, just go ahead and get a modern day liter sport bike. Its that simple!
Soon to come: Official superbikes!
The time is getting close. At the time of writing this, Yamaha has all but confirmed that they will be selling the R1 and MT-01 in India by the end of 2007. This has been long awaited, and finally Indian's will have the opportunity to officially buy and own a world class superbike with complete factory warranty, the option of loans and the peace of mind of spare parts availability and service. Others are sure to follow soon, with Honda and Suzuki stating that their big bikes will be made available in 2008.
Start saving up, the good times are almost here!
Riding gear:
India being the crowded and tropical country that it is, most of us tend to do away with riding gear such as jackets, gloves and good riding boots. However, as far as possible, do try and get into the habit of wearing some basic protective gear. Cars have seatbelts, side impact beams and crumple zones to help you. On a bike, the only thing protecting you is the gear you choose to wear.
Helmets:
The most important bit of gear is a good quality helmet. If you are buying a bike worth a few lakhs, you can surely afford to purchase a good quality helmet that meets Snell/DOT/BS standards. You don’t have to break into your savings to buy a good helmet. There are many inexpensive brands that will sell you a helmet that meets the same standards as the expensive Arai’s and Shoei’s out there. Also, be smart, there are amazing deals to be found on the internet, so keep a lookout for closeout deals and end of season sales. Within India, the best helmets you can buy are AGV or Beiffe helmets which retail for Rs.1500 onwards.
Stay away from the South East Asian helmets that are invading the market. These carry no recognised safety certifications, and although they do look good, they may not be helpful when you really need it to be. Needless to say, but do not even consider buying anything from a guy selling helmets at the side of the highway!
Make sure you buy a full face helmet. If you ride in the city a lot, a flip up or modular helmet would be worth taking a look at. Leave the open face helmets and skull caps for the scooters.
Make sure the helmet is a good fit. Riding with a helmet that is two sizes too large for you is as good as not wearing one and could even be a danger in itself. It must fit snuggly over your head, and should not move when you try and turn it sideways. It will feel a bit tight in the beginning, but once it’s broken it, it will be perfect. Also try and get a helmet that had a double D ring strap and not the clip on type (though this is easier said than done.) the D rings allow for a more precise fit, and are also safer and less likely to come loose in the event of an accident.
Another pointer: If you are buying a helmet from abroad, be sure to pick up an extra visor, as you never know when you need one and you will not be able to find one in any shop here.
Riding boots:
On all suberbikes, and most of the newer Indian “power” bikes as well, you shift gears with your toe only, and not the heel/toe combination found on the economisers. Hence, do not underestimate the benefit of a good riding boot. You get a wide range of boots - hardcore racing boots that allow very limited movement but compliment this with supreme protection and touring boots that allow you to use them on and off the bike, and also don’t make you look like a starship trooper from Star Wars.
If you can’t get purpose made riding boots, I would suggest a good pair of ankle length, steel toed shoes like Dr.Martins or Cats. A member recently switched over from sneakers to these boots and found that he could change gears more positively and the false neutrals simply vanished.
Gloves:
A good set of gloves helps you grip the bars far better than bare palms and will literally save your skin in the event of a fall. You may need 3 pairs of gloves if you plan to ride in all weathers. Summer, winter and waterproof. The best for summer are gloves that have mesh on the upper surface and leather on the palm. Hard protection for the knuckles is beneficial and looks cool as well! If you ride in places that get cold, you will need a pair of good winter gloves. Usually leather outside with a lining inside. Look for the Goretex sign on gloves. These add weatherproof capabilities to your gloves and can be used in the rains as well.
Tip: If you ride in the monsoons, get yourself disposable surgeons gloves that you can wear under your summer gloves. This way your hands stay dry while you ride.
Jackets & suits:
You will only really need a full racing suit if you plan on hitting the tracks often, or are a serious Sunday morning canyon carver. Full leather suits are expensive. They range from around Rs.20,000 onwards. If you can afford it, the kind to go for are the Kangaroo leather suits. These provide the same protection as cow leather, but are much lighter. The safety provided by these suits is unmatched, but be warned, these will be unwearable in the summer months in most parts of the country.
If you do not want to invest in a full suit, the minimum you should get is a good, high quality jacket, with built in CE approved armour for the elbows, shoulders and spine. A mesh jacket with a liner makes for a great all season kit, as it ca be used in summer comfortably, and once you zip in the liner, you have a winter jacket as well.
A good jacket keeps the wind and sun from direct contact with your skin, and this makes a big difference on a long ride. You reach your destination far more relaxed as you are not buffeted around and pelted with small stones from trucks in front of you. Once you wear one, you will not want to ride without it.