Re: Ownership Review | 2022 Yamaha Aerox 155 | Racing Blue Last weekend went for a ride for around 345 kms on the Aerox. Started from home around 8AM, filled 3.83 litres petrol from the nearby HP dealer at Byrathi cross and took the Bangalore ORR towards Hosur aiming for breakfast at Shri Krishna Inn, Shooligiri. Reached Shooligiri at 10AM and had the regular masala dosa - Vada combo along with a cup of hot tea. Checked the fuel level and there were 3 bars left on the display assuming that there would be fuel stations along the way. Left the place after a good thirty minutes and rode towards Ambur.
What i noticed is that, till you get the left turn towards Ambur - Chennai road, you could see regular fuel stations on the highway, however after taking the turn, the number of fuel stations reduce drastically. I don't know if I overlooked few ones but after riding for sometime saw the fuel level had dropped to two bars and that is when I started to watch out for a fuel station. Finally found one near Bargur and topped it with 3.23 litres and left.
Roads till Ambur was good after which started getting bit of traffic and road construction. The clock was showing 1PM and it was getting hot. While riding, I did not feel the intensity of the heat because of the wind blowing through the mesh holes of the riding jacket, but in traffic, it got so bad that i was desperately looking for a good restaurant with AC to cool down. Found Zaitoon on the other side of the road. Went ahead and took a U-turn and got into the restaurant. They have a small area for two wheelers and it had trees nearby so a good shaded area for the Aerox. Took off the riding jacket, gloves and full face helmet and dumped it into the boot. Amazed to see the boot took all of them with ease and still there was space for my 1 ltr water bottle and few other things as well.
Went inside the restaurant and was greeted by the staff. Took a table and sat there for a moment to enjoy the AC. Ordered a chicken fried rice along with some starters which were good.
Left this place after an hour or so. I know that there is a way from Ambur to Bangalore via Kolar however have never been on this route before, hence took help of G-Maps. Big mistake!. It took me through some narrow broken village roads and markets. After some time with a lot of rerouting, picked up the actual Mangalore - Villupuram road towards Kolar. It takes you through a reserve forest with some winding roads and hairpin bends.
After some twists and turns, again got lost. There was no mobile reception in this area and so the maps were not getting refreshed. I was looking at the sign boards and was could see it being written in Telugu. Immediately knew I had missed the turn towards Karnataka and was in Andhra Pradesh. Went back around 3 kms and found a right turn which goes towards KA. Took that and reached Ethurahalli which is on the KA borders. At this point, the ODO showed 1000 kms completed and immediately the check oil sign started to blink. I believe this is the default setup as the first service has to be done at 1k kms. Assuming that i still have enough oil left for the journey, moved ahead. From there reached Mulbagal, filled 3 litres petrol as it showed only two bars on the gauge and continued my journey towards Kolar.
On the outskirts of Kolar, took a pitstop at a restaurant to have a cup of tea and stretch my legs and back. The journey from Ambur till Mulbagal was, let's say not a highway riding experience. The stiff rear suspension was not a joyful experience, however it helped in the cornering in the forest area where they have potholes on the hairpins.
After the short break, resumed my journey from Kolar to Hoskote and then took the road towards Aavalahalli and then to Byrathi Hennur road. Reached home by 5PM. Aerox still had 4 bars left of fuel. Checked the mileage on the display and it was showing 44.1 kmpl which is not bad keeping in mind that on open roads I was maintaining a 60-70 kmph limit.
The ride was not disappointing throughout the journey, apart from some worries while depending on GMaps. Need to figure out how to stick to good and wide roads while selecting the route in GMaps.
I was always looking for a two wheeler which feels like a motorcycle but got the features of a scooter and I am happy that I selected the Aerox. The handling and power available at the twist of the right hand is amazing. The good part is that I don't need to think about gear changes and just enjoy the journey. Yes, there are some minor concerns. Planning to replace the rear shocks soon. It would be also good to have a slightly larger petrol tank for such trips. I am also looking to have a rear luggage rack installed for carrying additional baggage for longer trips. Apart from these, I feel that Aerox and myself do gel well and would be definitely taking her for more adventurous rides in the future. |