Having owned a few motor cycles starting with my uncle's 1985 Ind Suzuki in 1999, graduating to I gen pulsar 150, Apache 150 and Fazer 150, my swift ZDI purchase in 2012 ensured that my bike was hardly used but wife wanted to gift me a thunderbird for our 10th anniversary. We went to the showroom but got floored by the ride quality of the Himalayan, bought it in a pure race of the heart decision. While I had planned to do some touring, work pressure ensured that it was used as a commuter bike with occasional weekend drives of less than 100kms. The tall gearing, engine heat during city commutes, heaviness of the bike and a fracture on my left foot (unrelated to the bike) ensured that I sold it after a year. My wife was livid and was vetoing any bike buying decision. When I sold my xuv300 due to a sentimental reason, I had planned to replace it with a IGNIS and Highness but since I was down with Covid delta, decision to buy highness was put on cold storage.
Since my wife has started using the IGNIS frequently, the need for another vehicle resurfaced but I don't have parking space for 2 cars at our home. Hence a second bike came back into reckoning. Was evaluating Yezdi, Dominar 250, Xpulse 200 4v and Apache 200. Was not happy with the engine refinement of Yezdi. There were no TD vehicles available for Dominar, xpulse and Apache 200 in the dealership near the neck of my woods.
Test drove the meteor and was impressed with the ride quality, gearing, much improved engine refinement, height and the nimbleness of the vehicle. Then test drove the highness in the afternoon and I was floored with the refinement of the engine, clutch, gearbox and the ride quality but the taller gearing was a bit of a downer. Since I was used to the taller gearing of the Himalayan and it not affecting the fuel efficiency of the vehicle, it did not become a show stopper. But for the relatively better engine refinement, my not so lucky endeavor with Enfield and most importantly with so many meteors on the road, I would have picked it over the highness.
Finally booked Pearl Star Black with Grey Highness 350 DLX on 16th April, registered on 6th May and delivered on 7th May with the number plates
Took delivery of my with the following accessories from JSP Bigwing Mogapair
1) Fork Boot
2) Saddle stays (Called support pipe)
3) Crash Guard upper and lower
4) Tank pad
5) Splash Gaurds (Mud Guards)
6) OE Windscreen
7) Number plate frames
Filled petrol at the BP bunk opposite to the showroom and drove back from Mogapair to my home via the Chennai bypass road. Pretty decent experience at the dealership. A few from my 120 kms of riding so far.
Likes
1) Exhaust note
2) Engine smoothness, slickness of the gearbox
3) Decent horn
4) Ride quality - Rear is a bit firm but infer will settle down. With a pillion it is pretty good even now
5) Handling - Weight is felt only while parking
6) Looks - I always wanted a bullet with a honda engine and honda had obliged.
7) Professional experience at the showroom
8) Torquey engine and great pick up
9) Smoothest slipper clutch
10) Decent breaks
11) Simple & elegant instrument console with blue tooth
12) Decent Mileage - 37KMPL with 70% highway and 30% city riding
13) Engine heat is not felt at all
Dislikes
1) Tall gearing
2) Headlights (especially high beam)
3) Seat comfort. Planning to replace with split seats but the driver seat may require extra padding.
4) No sliders on the stock crashguard and no splash guard for the engine
5) Reversed positions of the horn and the indicator. Takes a bit of getting used to
6) There is no option to swith the lights off. Atleast could have enabled an option to switch them off when the engine kill switch is in off position
7) Plastic bar ends and very slim handles
8) While the dealership was professional, it was not special that is expected out of exclusive high end showrooms
9) Rear View mirrors
Accessories planned
1) Carbon Racing handle bar raisers
2) Carbon racing aluminium bar ends
3) Crash guard Sliders and Handle grips from hyperriders
4) Replacement for my thh helmets
5) Split seats
6) Bike covers
7) Bajaj Avengers street rear view mirrors
Thanks to the various owners feedback on this forum especially @Sebering
which helped me with the buying decision.
Here are some photos