[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by VijayAnand1

Nonetheless, now that you've changed to PSRs, do keep your observations after 7k, that'd be an interesting read me thinks: Wink, wink.

Ride safe!

Cheers!
VJ

I guess you didn't read the posts where I have written my CBR ran 13k km on PSR and still remained pretty new when I sold it and my Duke 390 had PSR that lasted 32k km before replacement. Weight might just be a small factor. Well, most people ride with pillion most of the times and I am not heavier than two average males LOL.

And there is no chance of lesser air pressure because I check air pressure everytime I refuel. Every RC390 owner knows you have to refuel every two days if you ride regularly

From experience from all the 8 motorcycles I have owned, it's the Metz that has been so early to give up. I have always had a minimum tyre life of 20-25k km, on various tyres ranging from ceats to Pirelli Sports Demons to Michelin PSR even after riding the crap out of the bikes. It is more about the tyre than any other factor I guess. Also if weight influenced much on the tyre wear, isn't it the front tyre that has to wear out faster on a front heavy motorcycle with a good front leaning seating position?

[PrasannaDhana]

Day 5 since regular gym runs.

Odo: 7200 km

I need to confess, a very pleasurable sin of ripping the RC390 into cold early mornings. Makes me feel happier for having chosen the right bike
One needs to ride a 390 to understand the beautiful feeling of squeezing the mid range and top end in every bloody gear







Fuel efficiency is currently at 23 kmpl. Pretty high for my usual standards.

Well, KTM 790 or 500 twin, when art thou coming?

I wish they come up with a more powerful RC bike. Also planning to test ride the Continental GT 650. Most of my hardcore riding friends are impressed by the bike.

But anyways, I crave for more power, and lets put it that the next upgrade has to be atleast 80+ bhp, preferably with supersport ergonomics. Until then the RC sinning will continue.

[PrasannaDhana]

Nature has a great way of reminding you certain things that you have forgotten. It was just yesterday I was craving for more power.

So this morning, my uncle visited my home and he was about to join my dad to a trip to Vailankanni shrine in our Storme. He shoved the keys of his recently bought Electra 350 and told me "Take my bike today Prasanna".

I was already planning to take my RC to work. I decided why not we take the bullet since it has been a while I rode one.

It was nice until you shift to a gear and rev about a 1000rpm in that gear. Beyond that it's only the sound and vibration that keep ascending and not the movement.

As I have already mentioned, I like to ride above average paces. And to my disbelief this bike made me cruise at 60-70 kmph after the initial few minutes of cruising at 100-110 kmph. I just couldn't take the vibrations. And it is quite a scary experience to stay at 60-70 and see trucks and buses overtaking you.

It has just made me realise how fast and nimble the RC 390 actually is, wrt other mainstream motorcycles.

A few pictures of the bullet and a few pictures from the morning gym runs.

It does look lovely, doesn't it?



The mighty RC with the hefty retro bike



Sometimes the bullets look like an average sized bike lol







The orange tshirt was completely unintentional :P

[ksameer1234]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

Weight might just be a small factor. Well, most people ride with pillion most of the times and I am not heavier than two average males LOL.

I can confirm that weight has a significant impact on the rear tyre wear. I did about 13k kms exclusively solo on original Metz and then 4k kms with wife as pillion. The last 4k kms resulted in much faster tyre degradation. Please do not infer this as any indication for wife's weight.

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

Fuel efficiency is currently at 23 kmpl. Pretty high for my usual standards.

I don't think I can ever achieve this kind of fuel efficiency. My usual highway runs result in 34-36 kpl!

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by ksameer1234

I did about 13k kms exclusively solo on original Metz and then 4k kms with wife as pillion.


I don't think I can ever achieve this kind of fuel efficiency. My usual highway runs result in 34-36 kpl!

Wait what?! you took your wife as a pillion on the RC 390? I have never done that. She just doesn't want to climb up two storeys and sit.(She is 5kg shy of her ideal weight lol)
She loved being seated on my Duke 390 and CBR though.


Coming to fuel efficiency, what if I told you I usually get 16-18 kmpl on highway runs.

Here is an example from one of the many highway runs



To have a 115 kmph average speed for a 117km distance, you need to keep the RC in boil all the time, specially when there is traffic on the highway. I feel even 17 kmpl is pretty decent considering the speeds this lovely bike did that day.


36 kmpl means you are a pure gentleman on the throttle, doing 90-110 kmph consistently. I can never do that except for a couple of times that I forced myself to see how much I can extract from the bike, efficiency wise.

It is 23 kmpl because I was riding within the city and my average speed hovers around a very mediocre 56 kmph. But I am not even complaining a bit about the fuel efficiency. I have my ciaz diesel to compensate. It returns 20 kmpl no matter how hard you drive it. The enthusiast part of me is being satiated by the motorcycle I own. RC sure gives a good meal!

[PrasannaDhana]

Hello all,

A very Happy New Year 2019!

New Year day means a day off. Hence tried using the time on my vehicles. A small wash of the ciaz and Kwid. Then the RC390 deserved some attention.

A wash was required, and even though the chain was cleaned and lubed during tyre change (300 km ago), it did look dry and dirty. So cleaned it and lubed it to my satisfaction.

This is how it was



This is after lubing



By the way, a pic of the stock front tyre



I was somehow not satisfied with the wash as I was not able to clean the rear alloys and the bottom part of the tail clean. The lube from the previous time had sprayed all over the area (typical RC problem). I usually use WD40 or chain cleaner spray to clean. But this time chain cleaner got over after cleaning the chain. :( Applying pressure to rub it off doesn't work, I learnt it the hard way last time with my Duke 390 ownership. Apply pressure and rub, the orange rim paint would come off.

Anyhow, a wash for the new year! Sexy, ain't it?

[VijayAnand1]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

Also if weight influenced much on the tyre wear, isn't it the front tyre that has to wear out faster on a front heavy motorcycle with a good front leaning seating position?

Prassy, I did infer those points after going through your earlier post. Not really, the front tire. Though the front tire has to go through extreme loads on braking, due to weight transfer and what not, the power "IS transferred" through the rear wheels, so the rear wheel on average will wear faster. Also, a rider's weight is biased to the rear, and not front for the most part.

This coupled with aggressive riding style and rider weight can in fact cause a tire to wear faster, top it up with lesser than right tire pressure which would equate to even faster accelerated wear.

Come to Ooty, we can catch up perhaps!

Cheers!
VJ

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by VijayAnand1

Come to Ooty, we can catch up perhaps!

Cheers!
VJ

I am very sure about the bike never having incorrect tyre pressures, ever. Anyways let us see how the Michelin performs.


I would love to rip the RC in Ooty

There is another BHPian VW2010 (2017 RC390), Nitnija(2018 R3) and Rahulkool(soon to be interceptor owner but we are trying to convince him to buy a Duke lol). We all would love to do it. Kolli is pending and after that, Ooty, why not!

Lets do it!

[PrasannaDhana]

Too many pictures don't hurt, more so when you are absolutely bowled by the machine in contention.



I call it "Weapon of stress destruction". Awaiting an oil service soon.

Man + Motorcycle =



Two segment-best handling bikes! The R15 is quite a looker too.

[PrasannaDhana]

Test rode the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 twin.

Positives:
Fantastic looks
Refinement - no vibrations whatsoever
Nice power - Linear delivery
Very good brakes
Grippy tyres
ABS
Slick gearbox and light clutch
Above average handling for a big bike
Nice exhaust note
Superb pricing
Low end torque let's you ride as low as 1800 rpm without engine lugging

Negatives
Not exciting like the KTM 390s
Crankcase too wide - fouls with feet while braking
Large turning radius
Power range is short - limiter hits at 7500 rpm, quite a bummer for people who do T.W.O riding

[PrasannaDhana]

Update :

Odo: 7677 km



Only used for gym runs means city riding mostly, hence economical figure on FE. 22.3 kmpl! I am going through a weight loss phase, result being, that the RC 390 accelerates much sooner than before

What a beautiful motorcycle!!

[ashwinprakas]

Do hope you're not using the same helmet seen in the picture while doing those speeds.

Ride Safe,
A.P.

[VijayAnand1]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Do hope you're not using the same helmet seen in the picture while doing those speeds.

Ride Safe,
A.P.

I can feel every word of that sentence. When I test rode the Interceptor, this exact model helmet I have was completely behind my head, flying front up, holding on for its dear life with the chip strap. It's a cheap helmet that I own for daily rides, and yes it did save my head once from getting mince.

The padding is a pain point, not enough padding even with sizes offered. Size up the padding and we have a very good helmet. The padding is thin and the helmet droops down and we have to constantly adjust it, my personal observation of the same helmet.

Nevertheless an egg without a lid is worse than an egg with some lid.

Cheers!
VJ

[PrasannaDhana]

It is funny how ISI = Cheap = Unsafe argument turns around.

Ask me why I trust Vega and Studds. I have experienced crashes with them on, at speeds well over 110 kmph and got up without a single injury to my head/face(helmets took the brunt though). That was in 2008 & 2011. And honestly I don't subscribe to the notion that anything Indian is of poor quality.

Agreed the padding is a bit less, and it doesn't feel as snug as the imported helmets. But find the right size, it feels as safe as the other ECE helmets. And I thoroughly enjoy those speeds more on this than the other helmets

Now there might be quite a few who disagree, but that doesn't influence my decisions. In the land of solid thud loving German car buyers, I am a happy tincan aka Maruti buyer.

[PrasannaDhana]

An update after 6 months

Have been using ciaz for everything, even for gym runs. Hence RC 390 was left unused for 5 days a week.



Odo : 9120 km



Meanwhile, I also have another 2 wheeler now that I enjoy using





The last 6 months have been extremely hectic with my work. And literally, I am forcing myself to use RC for gym runs everyday.