[skviknaraj]

Originally Posted by samee_arian

I have heard stories of Mojo owners swearing by their bikes but I wonder what went wrong with such a lovely product, especially after a fairly good effort been put by Mahindra.

The nature of the engine and refinement. Hard to find a replacement for the Mojo in its price range. As to what went wrong, I would say it was hard to get the bike serviced unless if you were in Bangalore / Kerala. The service and dealer network did not expand as required. It rather shrunk.

Originally Posted by samee_arian

I thought they should have endured a bit before deciding to shut their two wheelers business all of a sudden. In future if they were to get any good bikes, I am not sure many like me would trust them.....

Mahindra has not shut their two wheeler business. Mojo is still available for sale in its latest avatar.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by Boringrider

There is nothing like this in the market and it has its own character. After all, it's a Yezdi. You can take it inter-city touring/or to Ladakh/Himachal right from the showroom if you have the essential accessories (and if you can bear the first 1000 kms with the engine). I don't see many other bikes actually capable of this.

Boringrider, now that you have spent considerable time with your Yezdi Adventure, I am curious to hear your feedback on the BS6 Himalayan. By any chance, do any of your friends own a BS6 Himalayan? If you could ride them back to back, and share your thoughts, that would be invaluable.

Most experts agree that the Yezdi Adventure was built based on the blueprint / success of the Royal Enfield Himalayan.

[Boringrider]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

By any chance, do any of your friends own a BS6 Himalayan?

Most experts agree that the Yezdi Adventure was built based on the blueprint / success of the Royal Enfield Himalayan.

Riding the Himalayan is on my list as well but I don't have many "biker friends" or friends in general. However, you can check few youtubers giving their opinions who have experienced both machines.

All the weaknesses of the Himalayan have been built upon and one-upped on this bike. Guess this is what RE should have done. Brakes are super sharp and perform well even under hard braking situations. The bike stops confidently without losing stability.

Chassis feels solid and nothing feels like it's going to fall off. Absolutely no rattling anywhere from the front windshield, console or anywhere. Mirrors are stable even at high speeds, no blurriness. No electrical issues reported by me or other owners. The bike actually has a top-end and won't feel out of place on a highway.

The only thing in my opinion and guess, is that the RE's exhaust sounds a bit more sweeter and refined so going by that, I am expecting the refinement to be a little bit on the smoother side on the Himalayan. However, at the end of the day, it is also a single cylinder engine so there's only so far you can up the refinement levels.

Low end torque although overhyped wasn't that big of a deal with me. Because when you buy a bike like this meant for touring and "good times", city riding comfort practically matters little to me because that's not what I bought it for. Also, it's not like, engines like these are a horrible unridable mess. They require a different set of riding style and behaviours. Trying to compare both and deciding one as better than the other is mostly pointless.

I'll still try riding it once just to get it out of my system Other bikes on my "want to experience" list at the moment are - Classic Jawa/Yezdi models - the OG cult icons, Himalayan, the bigger TRK and the upcoming Zontes, Moto Morini.

This list doesn't include high end bikes otherwise the list would be practically endless.

PS - Stock lighting is also way better on the Yezdi than the Himalayan. You can literally take any aspect and chances are the Himalayan is behind.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by Boringrider

Riding the Himalayan is on my list as well but I don't have many "biker friends" or friends in general. However, you can check few Youtubers giving their opinions who have experienced both machines.

All the weaknesses of the Himalayan have been built upon and one-upped on this bike.

Boringrider, sadly most of the Indian motorcycling based Youtube channels (not talking about the media ones), fall under one of two categories
- the bigger names who are not in a position to really criticize any major shortcomings of new bikes, because they stand the risk of getting uninvited to future events, blacklisted etc.
- the Johnny Come Latelys, who will dig deep into their dictionary to find innovative ways of praising even the most ordinary of motorcycles, without knowing what they are really talking about.

So, there is very little useful knowledge to be gained from most Indian Youtubers who have "reviewed" motorcycles, in this case both the Himalayan and the Adventure.

Balanced, thorough and informative channels like the Art of Unwinding, are the exception rather than the norm.

This is why TBHP reviews are invaluable. There is nothing like hearing about a motorcycle from someone who has spent his hard earned money on a product and is able to provide an unbiased perspective. Your feedback on the Adventure is certainly eye opening. Its flies in the face of what the overall motorcycle community perceives the Adventure to be. Honestly, almost everyone, including me, thinks that the Yezdi Adventure started off, on paper, as the Himalayan beater but ended up being the Himalayan-lite motorcycle.

[Boringrider]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Honestly, almost everyone, including me, thinks that the Yezdi Adventure started off, on paper, as the Himalayan beater but ended up being the Himalayan-lite motorcycle.

I don't get it. I just explained how it is better than the Himalayan in almost everything and still you say it's not a Himalayan beater but a Himalayan -lite? Fine, everyone is free to park their money with whoever they want to.

Honestly, I'm seeing this attitude almost everywhere and it's getting tiring now. I am done trying to convince people about this brand. It's a decently made product which is right up there with some of the other alternatives and even better at it. I don't understand why people have so much disdain for Jawa/Yezdi. Like what, do you expect a practically 100% issue-free bike? No bike can promise that, not even your costly SBK's but it seems like people even see a tiny thing on these bikes and want to blow it out of proportion and maintain a negative atmosphere around these products.

The double standard is even more amusing when I read what people put up with on first gen makes of some of the other mainstream popular manufacturers. People literally will go through nightmares and back but still swear by it because it's a mainstream brand? I don't get it.

I'm not gonna talk about or try to show anyone anymore. Will just post my pictures, document my experiences, try to keep it as unbiased as possible and have a great time with my ride.

People - *complain that there is a severe lack of good niche products and everything is the same generic stuff across all major brands. Brands don't take the Indian market seriously etc.*

Then comes out a brand which actually does something different and provides choices which aren't usually available. People still complain and if there is so much a single scratch or line off the mark, the brand should be written off. While at the same time, will keep happily accepting more severe issues, less competent products simply because of retro or brotherhood or legacy or brand image or public opinion or whatever it is which I won't get.

And if you think I'm talking simply because I own one, I have seen people legit doing Ladakh rides on a Jawa classic, the one which was the initial disaster. How do I know? Because I'm part of the owners group so it's genuine, not some made up review.

[JatinKishore]

Congratulations on the new Bike. Thanks for the detailed review on the bike and I hope you have great adventures with it

Like you I was also looking for my first bike a few months ago and dominar perfectly fit my checklist. Unlike you however I had quite good experience with bajaj, enough that it pushed me to extend my budget and get the D250. The showroom people were quite enthusiastic as I went to check out and test ride the new pulsar 250s and the dominar. Test bikes were readily available and me and my brother were able to test ride to our hearts content. Even the delivery was quick with no waiting period, it was me who delayed the purchase by a month. Even the after sales was good as some initial issues with rattling and vibrations were fixed quickly.

That said, I bought the bike from a city 200km away from mine and still prefer to go there for the service (And it gives me a reason for a long solo ride). My experience with them may have been different from what most others. The ones in my own city are quite uninterested in giving proper information on anything or even seriously doing the service themselves . I had low coolant in my radiator and the guy in the local bajaj service asked me to get anything filled from outside as it "doesn't matter" and they don't keep coolant in stock.

Anyway, thanks again for the review. Hope you will follow up after some time with your experience.

[Boringrider]

Originally Posted by JatinKishore

I had low coolant in my radiator and the guy in the local bajaj service asked me to get anything filled from outside as it "doesn't matter" and they don't keep coolant in stock.

Hope you will follow up after some time with your experience.

Congratulations on your Dominar and wish you a wonderful experience owning it. Thanks for the kind words, I'm having a ton of fun with the Yezdi. Will post some more pictures and experiences shortly as have planned some more rides.

No offense to you or anyone, but that attitude of Bajaj is exactly why I didn't go ahead with it though it might be a premium product. Glad to know I made the right decision of avoiding Bajaj.

[Boringrider]

I'm back again with some updates on this otherwise relatively dead thread. I was expecting a lot of activity considering the rarity of this bike but I guess, the owners are too busy enjoying their rides than choosing to comment on an online auto geek forum! We went for small weekend morning rides on the ECR and as usual, we took a detour from the highway on some lone paths to experience the off-road prowess of this mammoth. Pictures ahead:

"Hello, yes, I have reached the location. - Destination? Sri Lanka?"


With another Adventure owner from the owner's group



That gold paintwork shining when the sunlight hits it on the beach is pure art. It's something which sounds exaggerated, but it has to be seen to experience the beauty


A special milestone


The engine and the entire mechanical package are loaded with character up to the neck. I got to experience the engine capabilities as the first service was done and now, I was free to go max wrist. I used to read about people on this forum commenting that a speed of 100-110 kmph itself is the most for our country's roads and I used to read it with disbelief. Why would you restrict yourself even if you had good roads?

Now I understand. Even with long flowing quality roads as far as your eye can see, driving in India is bound to give you trauma and PTSD. I'm not even joking when I make that statement. You would think on a well-built highway, there would be minimal to no intrusions but that's where I was proven wrong. There were random people/vehicles crossing at junctions, animals running across the road out of nowhere. Pass lights have no effect on these creatures. You can spare the animals. It's mental when actual humans have no concept of road manners or common sense. I literally had to come to almost complete halts or drastic speed reductions due to these random crossers when they could have easily waited a second and let me pass even when there was nobody behind me. So much so, that every time I saw even a small cutout/junction in the divider, I instantly went off the throttle in nervousness, just to be safe. Luckily, no accidents happened, and I made it back home in one piece.

Small rant aside, it was beautiful riding in the "main lane/fast lane" on the highway knowing I always had enough grunt to keep up and actually be in that lane. Used to the Aviator, I was riding on the side/slow lanes until I suddenly realized, "Wait a minute, I actually have power now." Will take some time to get used to a lot of these subconscious riding behaviors like dodging potholes and riding on the slow lane. Although, dodging potholes can be a life-saving skill I will argue no matter which bike you are on.

The bike has enough grunt to reach up to 120kmph with not much strain. I was not feeling safe to test it out at higher speeds than those due to the above-mentioned rant. Rock solid composure, no wobble of any kind, no weird noises, confidence inspiring braking. This bike is practically begging you to take it on long tours and the ultimate Indian ride (Leh).

Coming to the city riding, this is where I want to highlight why I said this bike has so much character. The engine is communicating with you every single second that it is turned on. It doesn't like it when you take it into long traffic jams and it will let you know without any hesitation. But the moment you get an empty stretch, you get a breather both mentally and physically from the engine. The heat dies down and it is raring to sprint until the next jam, a few metres ahead. I also now understand the meaning when big bike owners say, "You can't daily it". Whenever I used to read statements like these, the only thought I had was why not? Now I know!

So, what are you gonna do? Obviously, take it out at odd hours of the day or night and then you see a different side of the bike. Start riding and you'll find yourself in 5th gear within less than 5 minutes of riding on an open stretch. On mid-day rides when you're just getting from point A to B, start riding and you see some speed breaker in your way, kick down a gear or even two, get off the throttle, let the obstacle pass which is a minor annoyance at most and then you're back on the throttle, shifting up blasting your way across. This experience was the most satisfying and engaging for me. This is exactly how I imagined bikes would be like growing up and it is. Tell me, you don't feel like a pro racer at this point? Although don't ride aggressively in the city for obvious reasons. Another plus point is it masks speeds up effectively. There are times when you'll look down at the speedo and be surprised.

The engine wants to be in the right gear at all times. Be in too high or low a gear and you'll be instantly reminded why you should not. This may sound like a negative if you prefer more lazy engines but trust me, it's not. I'm getting used to the nature and I genuinely don't feel it as a negative. Rider engagement levels are off the charts. The suspension is top class. I can only imagine the look of bewilderment on other people's faces when I not only not slow down on bad roads next to them but I can actually overtake them Can you imagine a bad road being an actual overtaking opportunity?

I will update the exact fuel efficiency numbers a bit later as I rode the bike till the tank emptied. It didn't exactly empty all the way down though. It died on me while waiting at a signal and wasn't starting up so I took it as a sign that it had emptied, moved to the side and started pushing the bike till the next fuel station. After pushing for a good half a kilometre or so, I tried firing up the engine once more just to confirm if it was really empty. Magically, it came alive and I was able to ride slowly till the fuel stop for another half a km or so. I noted down the numbers as I didn't want to take any more chances and it took in only 13.6 litres when the advertised capacity is 15.5 litres. Will have to wait till it gets empty again.

The Dark Side
You should have a fair idea by now about what I'm going to type ahead. Let's get straight to the point by stating the paint quality on this product is sub-standard at best. And the resulting cancer which spreads across the body, the RUST. Words can't express how painful it is seeing rusted parts on your brand-new machine, which was a long-awaited childhood dream for me.
What explanation does Mahindra have for the following images? If someone is reading this, please enlighten me sincerely. I want to see how creative you can get.



This is on one side of the rear suspension linkage but it is like this on both the sides. Went to the dealer today for a solution and they instantly agreed to first wash up the bike thoroughly and then repaint the affected areas. Upon closer inspection today, I could also spot rust on the exhaust pipe, right where the exhaust pipe starts from the engine head. Some spots on the swingarm, paint chipping, paint fading away. By no means is this a budget bike. This is a flagship model from the brand and this is what they chose to go with? Just to save a few thousand rupees in the overall manufacturing? Ridiculous and unacceptable. I don't mind saying had I known this was bound to happen, I wouldn't have gone ahead with this. Yes, I know I took a risk with the brand but this is just skimping out to me.

Full points to the dealership though because they didn't hesitate in a resolution and moreover, this isn't a dealer's responsibility. This is shoddy manufacturing to cut costs and gain what exactly? A few extra rupees at the cost of your brand image. I just typed in the word "rust" on this site and the top results were Mahindra XUV 500 and some Tata owners. Guess it runs in the family, huh Mahindra? Feels like black spray paint cans is a consumable I need to "invest" in because you did not.

Apart from this, they upgraded the throttle position sensor, free of cost as there was a known issue in some bikes. A proper recall would have been better as they're trying to silently cover it up. Nonetheless, a good step despite the approach.

I would like to start an informal poll at this point - Should I sell off the bike now as I will surely get a decent price and there will be losses but relatively easier to bear or should I hold on to it by being proactive with the paint and grease coatings. After all, the Boleros and Scorpios are alive and kicking. Also, some bhpians were of the opinion that this is just surface rust and not too worrying on some of the milder cases in the car threads. I don't feel anything wrong or uncomfortable with the bike mechanically.

Anyway, no shame in hijacking this thread with some lovely pictures of a Japanese scoot to end this post.
Analog just hits different!

Look at those curves, truly timeless Japanees-u design!

Impressed with my mobile's camera

Because only in India, will you find a poor animal being made to pull humans on the fast lane of the highway. That cop pictured there just sped up to them, gave them a shouting and left. I expected him to show some sense and make them continue in the slow lane but then that would be me expecting too much. Also, the cow was stopping every few metres due to the exhaustion. You can imagine the safety nightmare that this poses.


Final Note - I do want to do some more touring but have not been able to due to work and health issues. I don't even use it to commute daily hence I just take it out at nights randomly or on weekends to keep it running but I want to ride more for sure!

[drt_rdr]

Originally Posted by Boringrider

I would like to start an informal poll at this point - Should I sell off the bike now as I will surely get a decent price and there will be losses but relatively easier to bear or should I hold on to it by being proactive with the paint and grease coatings. After all, the Boleros and Scorpios are alive and kicking. Also, some bhpians were of the opinion that this is just surface rust and not too worrying on some of the milder cases in the car threads. I don't feel anything wrong or uncomfortable with the bike mechanically.

If it's just surface rust, ask yourself if you'd consider the fun of riding the bike worth the trouble of getting some minor paint touch ups done now and then.

I've got a hero impulse that developed rusting issues in the first year. It's been with me for 10 years now and I still don't feel like letting go of it despite the exhaust head pipe looking it'll develop a hole from rusting any day now. It's an amazing bike despite its shortcomings. If you feel the same way about your bike, keep it. If the issues are a small enough hassle that gets overshadowed by the positives of the bike, keep it.

[Kosfactor]

After you drive any vehicle on beach sand/sea water , please return it to its owner

Take good care of it, it is such a nice looking motorcycle.

[Boringrider]

Originally Posted by drt_rdr

If it's just surface rust, ask yourself if you'd consider the fun of riding the bike worth the trouble of getting some minor paint touch ups done now and then.

How can I identify if it's surface rust or something more malicious?

It's becoming a question of heart vs brain. I want to keep the bike as it is such a joy to ride but my brain is trying to be rational and protect me should I encounter worse things later.

[drt_rdr]

You can get surface rust off with some sandpaper and paint over it. But if there's pitting and chipping of the metal, the corrosion is more serious.

Whether the issue is serious or not also depends on which parts are rusting. Is it just some nuts, bolts, screws? Replace them with SS. Problem solved.

Is it on the chassis, exhaust, brake discs, axles, wheels, inside the fuel tank etc? That's not to be taken lightly. Do a thorough check to see if there's rusting on moving parts and areas that are prone to stress.

From your pictures, I gather the rusting is only on the suspension linkage. In case you see a repeat of this, you can either complain to the company again or get a thorough job done outside on your own buck. Don't hesitate to give your opinion to the company either way.

The TD bike I rode had a couple rusting screws and fading paint on the stand, pegs etc. Though I doubt Classic Legends would do a shoddy enough job to let critical parts be prone to corrosion.

In any case, read\watch other ownership reports of Jawa\Yezdi bikes, see if other users are facing rusting issues elsewhere, and if there's any common factors. That should help you proactively avoid problems or have some reassurance.... or come to a conclusion as to keep or part with your bike.

Keep in mind, though, you live at the coast. The salty air and rust are thick friends.

[The_Medic]

Congratulations on the new machine. I test rode the two yezdis (scrambler and adventure) and absolutely loved them.
I thought of adding my two cents from my own experience on what you said.
1. Duke 390 is not a touring machine. I'll have to disagree with this. It is one of the most versatile tourers. I have gone long distance at ballistic speeds with unexpected comfort with just soft luggage (via Terra veloce and rynox optimus bags). No other mods. And i think my rc390 is even more fun for long distances with the tank range being the only (major) annoyance.
2. Proper Adv for off road. Now this is an open secret but ADVs are outrageously excellent commuters. Take an example of hero xpulse 200 4v. If the budget allows, there is absolutely no reason why someone should go for a Honda unicorn or the likes. The xpulse slays any commute with the plushest of rides on broken roads and highways alike. Not to mention the crazy mounting options for luggage. Did I mention road presence? You tower over everything else.

So yes, the yezdi adventure is a good fit for you. Have many many happy miles on the bike.

P. S. I have , with experience, realised that soft luggage is usually better for touring unless you go for top of the line mounts. So in case you decide, go for soft luggage systems.

[subincb]

Originally Posted by Boringrider

How can I identify if it's surface rust or something more malicious?

It's becoming a question of heart vs brain. I want to keep the bike as it is such a joy to ride but my brain is trying to be rational and protect me should I encounter worse things later.

It's a new bike so for sure it is surface rust. Guessing you were in coastal area and some areas have salty mist in air and those places no matter what you do bikes will rust irrespective of their make. Toyota had done a case study in a city I was, on why vehicles are rusting excessively there. Best way to protect is clean it well after every ride and apply wd40 on parts which are prone to rust and cover the bike. If rust is deep sometimes use kerosene mixed with coconut oil to remove rust.

[Boringrider]

5000 km update!

It's been just 10 months and I have already crossed 5000 kms on the Yezdi which is surprising because on my scooter I average an yearly usage of around 3.5k kms over the last 7-8 years. I am in a much more better position to comment on things now that the bike feels settled completely and I too feel much more comfortable, gel with it pretty nicely!

Starting off straight with the important areas:
The Engine & Riding Nature - Will pull you back and shoot forward with no hesitation when you open up the throttle. What a sensational machine! Punchy acceleration throughout all the gears. The engine never feels lazy, it always is wanting you to rev it and take it to the next gear and go on. It does need a high level of self-restraint when driving inside the city. I have to actively remind myself and exercise control over the right hand in city traffic.

It's a joy to push through the gears. The clutch is hard and requires you to pull it all the way in. But once you get accustomed to its nature, it makes each gear shift feel blazing fast since the gears are slick. On the stiffer side, but the satisfying sounds you get when slotting gears is sweet. It is a bit notchy sometimes when going from 1-2 and sometimes feels vague with no feedback when shifting down multiple gears continuously but apart from that, it is delightful. Makes that satisfying loud chunk sound when you put it in 1st. The power delivery at the top of the rev range is monstrous. I still don't know where the rev limiter is because it keeps revving even after 8k rpm and the meter is marked upto 12k rpm. I tried it only once and scared myself enough with that. At 6-6.5k rpm, you do experience that peak pull of the torque and after that it does keep going on but at this point the engine becomes noisy to the point where it overpowers even the exhaust note. However, you won't find yourself doing these extremely focused performance runs unless you're on a race track.

Coming to real world usage, it is a fairly smooth and reliable engine with enough punch to keep you entertained. I did a Chennai to Bangalore trip at sustained triple digit speeds and never once did the bike feel stressed or out of its element. After taking a break, I thought the engine would be a bit stressed out as I was on constant 100-110 kmph speeds for more than an hour or two but it never felt that way and kept going smoothly and happily.

Heating is a non-issue when on open roads. However, it does hit you particularly on the right leg in slow-moving traffic. The riding nature in bumper-to-bumper traffic does get annoying at times as the hot air flow to your right leg feels like a never-ending affair. It does get better when you get moving a bit but if your primary riding is in high-traffic routes, you might be better off on another bike. The bike will not stall and die or become grumpy in slow speeds, it's just the inherent rev-happy nature of the engine will make you feel more comfortable on lesser-densely packed roads or highways. It will make its way in traffic and get you to your destination but honestly if you understand engines, love your machines and treat them like a friend/person (which you do anyway otherwise you wouldn't be on this forum), you wouldn't want to subject it to the heat and the long periods of idling anyway. Moreover, it's the traffic more than the engine which can get to me easily, unsettling the mental composure and spoiling the mood.

I have adapted my riding style of upshifting very early, riding inside the city to keep things smooth and free-flowing without much aggression. For context, I am riding in 3rd gear when doing 30kmph when the same engine will easily do at least 2-2.5x that speed in the same 3rd gear when pushed outright. I like these numbers because it gives me the feeling of taming a large monster which can go ballistic when needed. Shifting up in the 4-5k rpm range helps in the smooth refinement levels and the engine is also happy with the early upshifts. In fact, there are times where you can sense that it feels better in the higher gears.

Overall - Manages city usage decently well, prefer to have minimal to moderate level traffic routes. Excellent on highways, overtaking grunt is fierce due to the tall rev range. Can maintain its own pace for hours without stress. High-traffic roads are a pain and best avoided for you and your bike's comfort, unless you have no other choice.

The Handling - Surprisingly nimble for a bike this size. The wide handlebars and the leverage they give you is a boon. Can do a U-turn without going into the other lane! However, due to the wide nature of the handles, you cannot take certain gaps in traffic which you otherwise would be able to in other bikes.

With that being said, it is easy to throw around wide open spaces and make your way past. As I said earlier, I am not much of corner-carver but this will surely do it with ease should you want it to do just that. Even with the 21-inch front wheels, it feels well connected to your inputs even though you can't see the front tyre. One-time I had a puncture in the front-tyre and after fixing it, the guy had overinflated the tyre after which it started feeling a bit disconnected and braking felt vague. However, it has slowly started back to feeling more responsive as the tyre pressure wears down to a more optimal level.

The Braking - 340mm front disc is massive and confidence-inspiring. Braking performance is flawless and stops without a fuss even in high-speed braking scenarios. The brake-dive does require some getting used to especially if you're not used to ADV's. It did scare me the initial few times but even in those moments, it never went out of control and maintained its line. It has saved me on many occasions. Rear brake is also top class and is pretty usable. In fact, in city rides you can get by just using the rear brake alone with minimal front brake input.

However, one thing I feel missing is the sharpness and responsive in both the brakes. It was there when it was new. Even a little tap would respond so well and that has spoiled me. It does work well even now but that ultra-sensitive sharpness is gone as the brakes have settled/bedded in. Now it feels like you have to squeeze it a lot more to get the same effect. This seems to be a common issue with modern ABS-equipped brakes, going by what I read on tbhp posts from other members. It can be mitigated to some extent by tightening the brakes while servicing but that sensitivity cannot be regained fully. In fact, on some of my recent commutes in the city, there were moments where I realized the brakes never kicked in to the extent I wanted even though mentally I knew I was engaging the levers in. One possible factor could be accumulated dust as I have not had the bike washed from a fairly long time and I will get that done soon.

Overall - Top notch braking performance, keeps the bike steady even under panic braking situations. ABS is a life-saver, as usual! Hail Bybre.

The Comfort - Highly competent weapon of choice for touring long distances. You can easily sit for hours without taking a break. Seats are firm but not too firm, Yezdi has really nailed this right out of the gate. I never felt the need for any seat mods. Another noteworthy and unexpected point I noticed is it masks speeds well on the move. I have found myself doing unintended speeds and then one look at the speedo gives you a mildly pleasant surprise. I am 6'3 and at my height, windblast doesn't feel disturbing at highway speeds, provided you have a proper helmet. It does get slightly noisy and unstable when using my normal city usage helmet (which is also a full-face one anyway) but with the SMK helmet, it doesn't bother it at all!

The suspension is a marvel of engineering. It just gobbles up bad roads for snacks and then some more. Reviews kept mentioning it's on the stiffer side but trust me it translates that into the stability you need on high speed runs. Even with city usage, it doesn't feel too stiff to me. No it will not transmit every minor undulation, roughness on the road to your back. Not at all! Quite the opposite, when everyone else will be slowing down you'll be gliding ahead. Bad roads/patches are overtaking opportunities for me with this and I am not even joking with this sentence.

I did some off-roading too and once you start saddling, you will realise this is a proper ADV. It just eats up whatever you throw at it without breaking a sweat. Thoroughly impressed. Don't ask me for the off-road trail location though. It's a relatively unknown one here in Chennai and I would love to keep it away from the public eye otherwise it will end up as another trashed-up mainstream destination. If you know, you know!

Other Points

• Fuel Efficiency - If you're the type of person who is obsessed with "kitna deti hai?", you will be disappointed with the numbers. It returns around 25-27kmpl depending on your riding style which is low for a 334 cc engine but it has the bhp to counter that point. Anyway, I have felt other people not being happy with this answer but I am not one of them so it doesn't bother me. I am not some affluent kid, it's just that my usage is less so it doesn't affect me to that extent. I use it only for long tours or weekend fun. I have a scooter for my daily commutes (which thankfully doesn't heat up like this does) which strikes the perfect balance of commuting and fun!
• Refinement - Smooth in the lower and mid-range rpms, does get vibey at top end, being a high-revving single cylinder format. Overall, pretty good for a first-gen product! Will definitely need improvements in their further iterations if they want to do well as a brand otherwise this will also die down as another failed brand effort by Mahindra.
  
  If you would remember from my initial review post, the engine felt unrefined/unsettled. Safe to say, that has improved by leaps and bounds and heating is also well controlled, only appears in dense situations. It took approx 2.5-3k kms for the engine to completely open up and feel at ease.
• Lighting - Perfect at the moment for me. No aux lights installed
• Pillion Comfort - Excellent, not a single complaint.
• Service Experience - Wherever you stay, please research the Google reviews of the dealer before going ahead. I say this because in Chennai there are multiple dealerships but I went with the one with good reviews even though it's quite far from my area. Right now, I have no major issues with the experience as it has been largely positive. Service costs and spare part costs also are affordable and will not drain your account.
  
  For some reason, it does not like revving/showing-off to bystanders when you try to do it. I tried doing that out of excitement and the engine cut off on it own and after that, the check-engine light came on which was immediately anxiety-inducing but upon visiting the service centre, they cleared it off with the scanner within a minute and said that there was nothing wrong. The sensor has some issue when given too much throttle input at standstill.
  
  The first time I did it, the engine cut off and the bike was unable to start up for 2-3 minutes after that but no warning light came on. After the second time, I just gave up and no more show-off, rev-battling for me here on
  
• Low-speed riding without frequent gear shifts - It is possible to do it once you get used to the characteristics and the nature. You need to keep the revs past the 2-2.5k rpm to pull it off. I learnt doing it on my own and it is useful in low-speed traffic situations, speedbreakers etc but sometimes it does feel a bit lazy taking off after that. Again, that might be due to the fact that I don't rev it too high but it is manageable if you just want to get by. I have also started from standstill in 2nd gear at times but I don't want to make it a habit so I don't do it frequently. 90% of the time I will shift down and immediately shift back up when we're moving. Also, it feels more comfortable and eager to go starting from 1st.
• Fit & Finish - This is where it takes a hit. Everything can't be hunky-dory everywhere all the time, sadly. Lots of surface rusting in places where you wouldn't like it to be, even some on the brake discs. Paint and metal quality used seems to be the weak link. Thankfully, nothing has fallen off or crumbled to pieces yet and it needs care with cleaning and repainting bits each time it goes for a service. This seems to be a common issue with the bikes as reported from other owners in the group.
  
  Contrastingly, the bike feels solid and well-put together with no squeaking, rattling from anywhere. Everything is either metal or hard-plastic and gives that well-built feeling but the rusting is inescapable.

Mods/Accessories Planned -
1. Centre Stand from madoverbikes.com but worried about it affecting the ground clearance so still undecided on that.
2. Magnetic tank bag/soft luggage options

I think I have covered all the relevant points. Let me know if I have missed something.

This brand seems to have a lot of potential for growth and a considerable alternative to the other mainstream products. After reading the complaints about these bikes on tbhp/online reviews/sentiments in general, most of them feel silly and uninformed to me. Whatever their motives, I won't react to it. I must admit initially it did get to me and I too felt bad about my choice however I understand my own mind better now and I am in love with my machine. I bought a bike which suits me well given my physical dimensions and keeps me happy. However, I should start riding more and invest more on riding gear. Have some good stuff planned in mind, will need to work on my mental health a bit more before I can do that.

The feeling I get when I look at my own silhouette riding this beast in the shadow, on the highway is just unmatchable. I made it, this is the stuff I dreamt of as a kid and now I've turned it into reality. Maybe the SBK dreams will also come true in a similar sense! Anyway, riding off into the long open highway till then.

Some pictures to follow:
In the Depths of the Darkness




Notice the yezdi text on the grip as well

The simplest hack to make your bike sound 2x sweeter. Just remove 3 bolts using a hex key and you're set


Casual evening ride to N4 Beach




From the off-roading trail, this is not the actual location


Long-exposure photography on a night ride


Vidhana Soudha, Bangalore




The 5k milestone