[al90]

Originally Posted by aston_martyr

never thought of it that way. Just got my first service done yesterday and i experienced the first stalling instance in 2nd gear. I use engine braking more, so i will probably grow out of it.

So I just tried it out sometime back, holding the ignition didn't seem to do it... To restart a stalled engine it takes atleast 2 -3 cranks ..I definitely need to give a bit of throttle to start the bike... Am worried if it's something big.. Would you recommend going to the service center now or holding off until the first service.

[aston_martyr]

Originally Posted by al90

So I just tried it out sometime back, holding the ignition didn't seem to do it... To restart a stalled engine it takes atleast 2 -3 cranks ..I definitely need to give a bit of throttle to start the bike... Am worried if it's something big.. Would you recommend going to the service center now or holding off until the first service.

Okay, sad to hear that. But this is not the case for me atleast. But if its really a hindrance then you can take it to the service center. Otherwise address it during the first service. How far are you from taking it in for the service?

[al90]

Originally Posted by aston_martyr

Okay, sad to hear that. But this is not the case for me atleast. But if its really a hindrance then you can take it to the service center. Otherwise address it during the first service. How far are you from taking it in for the service?

Pretty far I would say, I took delivery on 6th and have only 90 kms on the odo yet. Mid Feb is when the first service is due.

It's not much of a hindrance am starting to get the bike figured out, it can pull from the 3rd or 4th but doesn't like it when you do try, so am making it a habit to go down the gears when I slow down. The amount of torque and power the bike has is messing with my head on when to go down the gears so the issue of stalling is quite possibly me having to get used to the bike.

[aston_martyr]

Originally Posted by al90

Pretty far I would say, I took delivery on 6th and have only 90 kms on the odo yet. Mid Feb is when the first service is due.

It's not much of a hindrance am starting to get the bike figured out, it can pull from the 3rd or 4th but doesn't like it when you do try, so am making it a habit to go down the gears when I slow down. The amount of torque and power the bike has is messing with my head on when to go down the gears so the issue of stalling is quite possibly me having to get used to the bike.

I'd say that its just a matter of getting used to it then. 90kms is far too less. Ride it for 1000km maybe you'll adapt to it. For me stalling happened right after first service once and after that nothing since i mostly rely on engine braking and tend to downshift appropriately. Took me a while to figure out downshifts so you will get there. Keep at it.

[aston_martyr]

Service Update – 1000KM First Service

Completed 1000KM in a little less than 3 weeks.
Customary pic for the first 1000.


Called in for an appointment on the 3rd of Jan and booked a slot for 10th Jan. The person shared the location on whatsapp and asked to be there by 9.30 AM.
Reached the service center on time. Was asked to wait for a few mins and the SA came in after 10- 15mins

Service center itself is in a small service road right in between Honda and Suzuki showrooms on either side.


Issues that I reported:

• DTE and fuel level indicator not reliable

• Indicator fogging up/ rear left

• Engine ticking noise [Unsure if it is concering as there is no drop in performance nor is the sound annoying me as it is barely audible post4k rpm]

• Gear lever to be adjusted for the new riding boots.

• Clutch hardness – Lubrication was required and clutch play was waaaaay over the limit like atleast over a centimeter. So much so that the SA said it felt like half clutch.

• Puncture check

• Left hand side handguard is loose no matter how many times I tighten it

• RPM lock – Since I had passed 1000km I check before arriving at the service center and the RPM lock was gone so no action required here.

• Brakes were too squishy for my liking

• S/w updates if any

• Enquire on Speed 400 brake pads

Post Service Report :

• Engine oil change - Pro lube 10W50 2L

• Oil filter

• Air filter clean

• Brake pads clean – now this was a big improvement for me, the brakes felt way better, ofcourse it is still progressive but I am liking it now. The technician mentioned that he cleaned the brakes, so probably some regular cleaning at 3k km intervals would help? Should observe this.

• Clutch lever adjustment

• Coolant level check – No top up done, coolant levels were normal.

• Gear lever adjustment – Can accommodate the riding boots now and can also use my other shoes without issues. I do not need to keep my ankle at an excessive decline angle now.

• Chain clean and lubrication – Nothing much to say here, was advised to clean and lubricate whenever it gets dirty and not wait for 500km mark. Ordered some Glosil chain lube for now, will post updates on it after using it.

• Software update – Update was done to correct the DTE issue and also another update to remove the “service icon” on the console. ABS updates are to be expected in 3 months is what they said.

• Accessories – None, Zero, Zilch. Nothing is coming. Gotta check the other service centers.

• Spares- asked for speed 400 brake pads, was quoted 3k. But not in stock.

• Warranty claim on the rear left indicator, was replaced in no time.

• Finally wash and polish.

Reporting back after a test ride and service completion.


Total Bill

Ride 3 – To Yelagiri and back

Since the first service was completed had decided to take the bike for a spin. It was 3 days since the service was completed and i had ridden around to office along with few other places in the city and made sure no issues were creeping up post service. All seemed good so sat down on a friday night and planned for a short ride.
This time I had no plans but to complete a ride that’s over 300 km in a day and wanted to let her rip.

Option 1 – Bangalore- Kanakpura - Anchetty - Rocky ridge café - Panchapalli dam and then back. 260+km . Majority being 2 lane SH roads. Could not find any recent logs on TBHP so thought I’ll do this circuit and will get to have some fun on the B roads, hoping they are decent.

Option 2 – Remembered that I’ve got the not so new full length riding boots which are yet to be broken in and thought a highway run might be good to get these in order. Gives me some leeway to stop anywhere on a highway and adjust things if needed. Chose to look for something towards Krishnagiri, “BIG MISTAKE.” Last time I went towards TN was in december 2022. So I was unaware of the latest on the route and assumed TN highways are always too good.
Anyways chose to do Yelagiri and back, has a good highway stretch and some twisties for beginners like me. With new boots on my mind I thought this would be a good option. And I went to sleep on that thought and woke up to an alarm by 6AM, rudimentary snooze the first time for 10 mins powernap and woke up properly at 6:10. Freshened up.

• Helmet – check

• Spare visor – check

• New Riding jacket - check

• Essentials and water bottle in the tailbag – check

• Fuel filled up last night - check

• Tyre pressure – moved to 28F & 35R this time

• Riding boots – check

• Gloves - check

• Sat on the bike and realized I forgot something - check

With all the rituals completed I was off by 6:55 AM. Started from Bangalore west and moved towards E-City flyover assuming there would not be much crowd. E-City flyover toll was backed up for about 500 metres. Not so bad I thought to myself and moved on. Attibele was worse, I mean like traffic was bumper to bumper due to re laying work going on in the NH. Thank god for the biker lane, i just stuck to the left shoulder and moved as quickly as possible with cars blocking the way ever so often. It was similar for multiple stretches until Krishna Inn.
Just horrible, I was contemplating taking a diversion towards KGF or V.Kota while taking a water break at Krishna Inn. It was almost 9 and I thought to soldier on which was the right decision cuz after that the roads were great till Krishnagiri and once after taking the diversion towards Vaniyambadi the roads were empty 6 lanes.
It was pretty much smooth sailing from there on. Had to go through the Natrampalli diversion towards Jolarpet which is a small 2 lane road. Also empty but with a lot of speed breakers. After joining the Jolarpet the roads were super good.

Just before i started the climb, it was still a bit hazy and the weather was excellent. Also found a couple of riders from bangalore and they joined me for the climb up.


Hills from the start till the end had excellent tarmac. No place to stop anywhere and a lot of monkeys around, use caution if you are planning a ride up the hills. Spent some time around the park and lake as the weather was excellent. Had lunch at Nigrees restaurant and started the return journey by 2PM, reached home by 6:15 PM.
Again hosur till E-city flyover had dense traffic, bumper to bumper for kilometres at a stretch. Had to put the scrambler name to good use, went over foot paths, broken shoulders, non existent shoulder lanes for atleast a few kms. The suspending is just top notch, it feels like the bike just knows to dampen the jolts and not let the rider feel anything overtly intrusive. I liked this versatility quite a bit, and really liked the way bike gives you confidence. I might have to enroll with BigRock Dirtpark soon. Avoided the E-city flyover and decided to take the NICE road, best decision for today and i was home in 40 mins.

Observations post the first service.

• Clutch play was adjusted during first service and it was set perfectly right. Although a bit hard for city riding out on the highway it was perfect. Might have to into Pro Spec Easy clutch just to make life easier for the city rides.

• Gear shifts have become a lot smoother. Felt this on the city rides as well it is much better in comparison to when I got the bike new.

• Brake pads were cleaned during first service, somehow this feels better. I do not know how, I just remember thinking the bike being so muddy during delivery that they might have left it out there in an open ground which got them dusty and it had rained a day prior to when the vehicles arrived at the showroom. Anyways brakes do feel better, before first service I used to use 70-30 front and rear brake. Now 99% of the time I am on front brakes.
  I have enquired about the Speed 400 sintered brakes, weirdly they quoted the price before even checking if it was in stock for purchase. It was not in stock and the cost was around 3200 for a pair.

• Tyre pressure – This has been nagging me on the city rides and the last highway ride. For Yelagiri ride I changed the pressure and increased it by 2 PSI front and rear. Feels much better now. Lot more confidence inspiring for me. Overall this is something I would stick with 28F and 35R. Maybe go 1 PSI down during the summer.

• Comfort –

• Seats - I am bit undecided on the seats, well maybe its not the seats per se but my jeans. But my rear just does not like that seat on a jeans. Gotta upgrade to some riding pants or something without back pockets for sure.

• Riding position - Once again I had no issues with. Had adjusted the gear level position during first service. Moved the lever about half an inch upwards to accommodate the riding boots, which worked out pretty well. The handlebar position is perfect nothing to complain about here. Although at triple digit speeds the brake& clutch lever are buzzy. No vibes on the handlebar but just the levers. Probably normal and you would not feel it if you were wearing some riding gloves.

• Performance – After completing the first service/1000 KM the rpm restriction is removed. I don’t feel much difference in performance except for now I can feel how the bike behaves at higher revs. I would say that 4-7k rpm is the sweet spot. Beyond that its just too much vibes on the footpegs. Handlebars are still fine at 8k rpm, vibes only creep in after that. It’s the footpegs that feels vibey at higher speeds. I’d say the range of 4-7k rpm offers comfort and good speed even for overtakes.

• Speedo error – Still exists at 10%, nothings changed here even after the software update. Anybody else observed how the speedo needle vibrates post 80 kmph?

• DTE – This is still buggy. On the way back the console was showing 240 km DTE when the low fuel indicator popped up. At the refill station the bike took in about 9.4 L of fuel. So……..

• Mirrors- Somehow I am just not getting that sweet spot either in the city nor on the highways. Vibrations creep in post 80 so visibility is minimal / not so useful at higher speeds. Might need to look into other options.

ODO – 1491 KM.
Mileage for the ride – 31.6.
Considering the traffic I had to endure & the speeds I was doing on open roads. I am very happy with it.

[rishi.roger]

Congratulations! Good review
I was in the same boat and went with Himalayan 450 as pillion comfort and ease of service was one of the deciding factors.

Ps, My father said the exact same words when he saw the bike. I think these might be more common words than we think

[aston_martyr]

Originally Posted by rishi.roger

Congratulations! Good review
I was in the same boat and went with Himalayan 450 as pillion comfort and ease of service was one of the deciding factors.

Ps, My father said the exact same words when he saw the bike. I think these might be more common words than we think

Thank you and congrats on your purchase. H450 is a very good choice.
My father too loved the vehicle, at 5ft 4 i thought he would struggle, but nope he enjoyed the small ride that we took last month.

[aston_martyr]

Update – City Commutes, Weekend rides, Clutch operation, Software updates and some recall parts.

First service was completed on the 10th of Jan and since then it was city commutes to office and back for 2 weeks straight. Mileage was kinda as expected. 21-24 kmpl depending on the time of day you ride. I ride in peak traffic conditions to and fro on ORR in bangalore so people here can relate.
Clutch operation was something that was annoying me the most since I have to commute anywhere between an hour to 90 mins one way in B2B traffic and it gets tiring. Like I literally look forward to a traffic stop just so that I can let my left arm rest for a bit. The clutch is by no means very hard, I fele like its fatigue on my part that’s causing the inconvenience.

I had read through some posts on the forum about the ProSpec easy clutch. Checked their website, they had nothing specifically listed for new Triumph twins, this was after a tiring day late night browsing through some stuff and eventually i tried their customer support on chat and thought that I would leave a message, gotta say even at 11pm at night I got a response like in less than 2 mins. I was guided to a specific model EC 220 initially which was a generic model for all vehicles below 650cc.
https://prospec.co.in/products/easy-...pr_seq=uniform


Slept on it and a week passed by, I had sometime on my hands on Jan 19th so I called them up to check if I can drop by and pick up the device. They asked me to drop by the next day in the morning and they could even assist with the installation.
Saturday morning I call back and confirm that I will be dropping by. Initially I thought I’ll just pickup the device and figure it out. However upon reaching there saw that there was work going on a Yezdi adventure for the prospec plus. I just glanced at it and went upstairs, the office is in the fourth floor of the building. I was invited in and directed towards a one Mr. Madan who was very welcoming and we had a good chat about the vehicle and current happenings. After consuming some beverages, we headed down to check on the vehicle and figure out if the device fits.

So there are 2 models one can consider, the earlier mentioned EC220 which is name Pro-Spec Easy Clutch Pro and then there is EC240 which is named Pro-Spec Easy Clutch Pro-Plus. The difference is in how okay are you with the device placement. The EC220 does not come with the extended clutch cable so the device will be visible from the cockpit somewhere at the handlebar etc. Now with EC240 you get the clutch cable split in two and the device is somewhat hidden near the engine/radiator away from prying eyes.
https://prospec.co.in/products/easy-...pr_seq=uniform


We tried both the models and I preferred the EC240 as the fulcrum device is hidden away from my line of sight. There were some modifications required to fit in the device and cable length adjustment as well.
Not going into details of the full installation here as I am still using the prototype model and I would have to go back to them once they put this into production specifically for 400X.
So far it has been a breeze to use, clutch effort has significantly reduced. Especially in city commutes I no longer have the fatigue so to speak even after 90 mins of riding in peak traffic. I will be posting an update once the new clutch cable is installed.

Some pictures on how it looks:
Note the stock clutch routing was not taken due to the clutch cable length not being enough from Prospec, so this will be updated and once it is the routing will be as shown through the blue arrow.


The fulcrum enclosure rests of the engine, absolutely no issues with the temperature or vibe noise etc. It is enclosed in a silicone type sleeve not sure if you can make it out on this dusty pic. Also note that the rear part of the clutch cable is not fastened at the cable guide/clamp. This will again be solved with the longer spec that is going into production soon for the triumph twins.


While I was there they did need to take measurements for the ProSpec easy cruz and easy brakes. So I obliged and these were fitted in and I should say the easy cruz might come in handy during longer hours on the highway.
Might come back for this later.

Ride 4: Highways, B roads and some scrambling.

Last ride was majorly a highway run with some twisties at the end. This time I wanted to explore some B roads, the idea being that one expects roads to be decent, good views, and if it is not one gets to test their vehicle capabilities.
Went through a few threads on the forum and consulted fellow members and decided to do this circuit.
Bangalore- Hoskote – Malur- Tekal- Bangarpet- Kolar- Chinthamani- Devanahalli – Bangalore (230km)

Set the alarm for 5:30 and shut my eyes. 5:30 alarm, as usual hit the snooze button. I don’t know about others but that 10 min snooze is the best sleep I’ll ever have.
Woke up properly at 5:45, completed morning rituals. Geared up and double checked everything before setting off for some breakfast for the bike at the nearest IOCL. Filled the tank upto the brim and set the trip meter to zero.
Note: I do not use XP95, have been using the normal petrol all this while. Stalling issue reported by other owners on the forum happens on higher octane fuel as well. Although my personal instances of stalling has been maybe 5-6 times in the entirety of 2000km and its not too bothersome in my personal opinion.

The clock was at 6:40 and I started my journey towards Hoskote first. KR puram market traffic was the worst as usual. And it took about almost an hour to cross the junction and join the highway toll road. Roads until Hoskote are good nothing new to report apart from 1 diversion.

After reaching the hoskote junction you take a right towards the Hoskote-Malur road right after the taluk hospital.
The roads until you reach the malur town is pretty bad, i mean like literally craters on the road, dug up roads, gravel roads. Although this was no problem for the scrambler, i was a bit slow but who cares this is what one expects to navigate on the B roads.

Somewhere just before reaching malur town the roads starting to get better and the sun comes out to play.



Just before you reach tekal there is a railway crossing that took forever and all the folks on bikes were lined up at the front of both lanes on both sides and i was imagining myself having a good old mexican standoff . Did not take a picture here. Something that's going to be in my memory forever now.
Malur to Tekal roads were splendid nothing to worry about, just enjoy the views and breathe in some fresh air.

Again some beautiful roads and some doggos photo bombing my scrambler.


Tekal to Bangarpet was even better with some huge rocky hillocks all around, some lakes and quarries to try out your hand at offroading.

Ventured into a nearby lake, spot the quarry if you can


Bangarpet to Kolar was uneventful , stopped by at Aaradhya grand for some breakfast. Decent place, good parking, clean restrooms and pricey.

Post breakfast headed towards Chintamani, the roads here are good but the time was almost 11 AM and there are trees on either side of the SH which casts shadows on exactly the speedbreakers with no markers on them. I missed a couple of them, thankfully i was not at mach speed and was slow at 60 and enjoying the views. Other than this nothing much to complain about, just watch the road for unmarked speedbreakers.

Just a delight to ride through.


Roads from chinthamani to devanahalli are very good. Not many scenic places to gaze your eyes on to be honest. By 12 PM i was at Devanahalli, took a small break and watched some superbikes zip past at a traffic stop.
I was back home within the next hour. Overall a good ride and away from the monotonous highways.


ODO pic, just because.......

ECU Update and brake lever replacement

25th Jan received a message stating that there is a campaign service for Speed 400 and 400X. I called up the service center in Kanakpura and enquired if it was for the new software update. The executive on the phone confirmed, checked for a slot immediately and they said 29th Jan Monday. I requested if it can be done on Saturday Jan 27th since it’s only a software flash it would not take much time. The kind executive acknowledged and asked me to come in early by 9.30AM.
I left home bright and early since the service center is a good 20km away from home. Reached there about 9.25AM.
To my surprise there were 3 other speed 400’s waiting and all the staff were present and waiting outside. The service center was not open. In about a minute or so the senior personnel arrived and opened the service center and bam its 9.30 my bike is the first one in. Went through a lot of emotions in those 5 mins.

Software being flashed. It’s a 10 min job.



While the software update was running, I spoke to SA who was doing the update job and he was unaware of the details of it. I did not push for the information and let it slide. He showed me the confirmation that it was done and when I was about to ask him if I can take it out for a spin, the SA mentioned that there is a recall for the brake lever and would like to replace it since stocks have arrived recently. Agreed, and the brake lever was replaced in no time. One thing to note is that the newer models from 2024 will have these brake levers from factory.

New brake lever. Feels beefier than what came in stock.


All in all it was a quick 1-2 update and the job was completed in less than 30 mins and by 9:55 I was out of the service center. Kudos to the Service center folks.
Observations post the update if anything significant will be made in the next post. Although i feel that engine braking is a bit more tame now, not sure how to explain this. I have ridden just about 30km post the update so too early to say anything.
Brake levers though feels chunky and i like it this way.

ODO: 2141

[Chillout]

The easy clutch is something that even i would be interested. Would this affect the warranty and for 3200 odd rupees, i would say this could be the best addon for the bike. Looking for further updates on this and then will decide on the purchase

[aston_martyr]

Originally Posted by Chillout

The easy clutch is something that even i would be interested. Would this affect the warranty and for 3200 odd rupees, i would say this could be the best addon for the bike. Looking for further updates on this and then will decide on the purchase

It's been a boon for city commutes for me since it ride 50km everyday in peak bangalore traffic.
The one i am using right now is the prototype Easy clutch pro plus and they should be able to get me the production version by a month or so.
If you are willing to use the Easy clutch Pro, which is compatible with all bikes, you can just pick it up right now and start using it.
The folks at Prospec are also very supportive and help with the install or can guide remotely.

[Akkiben]

Easy clutch, seriously...???

[Nilesh5417]

Originally Posted by aston_martyr

It's been a boon for city commutes for me since it ride 50km everyday in peak bangalore traffic.
The one i am using right now is the prototype Easy clutch pro plus and they should be able to get me the production version by a month or so.
If you are willing to use the Easy clutch Pro, which is compatible with all bikes, you can just pick it up right now and start using it.
The folks at Prospec are also very supportive and help with the install or can guide remotely.

So what exactly does this device do? Is it like a quick shifter or it makes the clutch lever lighter to operate?

Just curious if the pro-plus you are trying out will be specific to 400X or can work even for H450?

[aston_martyr]

Originally Posted by Akkiben

Easy clutch, seriously...???

Yes, its a personal choice. Riding 50 kms in Bangalore traffic everyday does take a toll on my hand.

Originally Posted by Nilesh5417

So what exactly does this device do? Is it like a quick shifter or it makes the clutch lever lighter to operate?

Just curious if the pro-plus you are trying out will be specific to 400X or can work even for H450?

You are right it does lighten the clutch action by about 40% maybe.
Yes the one i am using will be made for the triumph twins and there will be one out for H450 as well because Madan who runs the company owns the new H450 in Hanle Black. I think the pro plus is still in pre production for H450, but you can check out the Easy clutch pro if that suits your needs.
Personally i would wait for the longer cable version which might be out in a couple of months.

[aston_martyr]

Update: More accessories, summer rides and some luggage modifications

Since the last update the running has been a bit low. However I have added a few more accessories since.

• Luggage rack

• Bullet indicators

• Mud splash kit

• High mudguard

The installation was split on two different occasions due to availability.
Feb 5th – I had randomly called in on a Monday morning to check on accessories availability and was told that the luggage rack and the bullet indicators were available. Did not have any prior appointments, the service center personnel asked me to drop by 2PM to get them fitted. It took a couple of hours to actually get to my bike as it was delivery time for those who had dropped their vehicles for service in the morning and I was informed of the delay beforehand.

1) Luggage rack was something that I added in preparation for longer rides later this year. Feels sturdy and no issues so far.


2) Bullet indicators are something that looked very good and suited the vehicle much better that the stock one’s which had already gone through a warranty replacement due to fogging up issues.
Evidently this job was assigned to a rookie in the service center, and it went wrong as everyone expected.
I took a test ride after the installation and found the below.

• The front indicator wiring/relay was swapped I assume, so when I pressed left the right indicator would light up and vice versa. The rear indicators had no such problem.

• The headlight alignment was way off, both low and high beams were pointing to the sky.

A senior technician came in immediately and fixed the relay issue and aligned the headlight throw as well. Took about 20 mins more but job was completed.

Note to others: Make sure to check the indicators light up the right way and also the headlight alignment once this job is done.
The indicators do really amp up the classic looks of the motorcycle now.


After this the bike was at a standstill for 2 weeks at home. I came back worried about any battery draining issues. The engine immobilizer indicator light was not blinking anymore. I assumed the worst.
However when I turned the key in and switched on the bike it came alive immediately. No harm done I suppose. But one thing to note is that the immobilizer blinking light is not observed if the vehicle is not used for awhile. Need to take note of this next time. Not sure if its just battery optimization or something else. If anyone has any thoughts on this feel free to comment.

Called up the service center on Thursday March 7th in the morning, checked on accessories availability. I was interested in the lower engine guard. But was told that the mud splash kit and the high mudguard was available. Requested an appointment, since the next day March 8th was a holiday the service center is closed so I was asked to come by on March 9th.
Saturday morning I left early and reached the service center by 9:30 and to my surprise I was not the first to arrive. I always make it a point to take the first slot for the day and arrive 5 mins ahead. I ventured in only to find a sweet looking street triple and 2016 manufactured bike run just for about 8k kms. Had a good chat with the owner while the staff were getting their stations ready.This time since I had taken the appointment ahead of time, the installation was done on priority and the whole job took about 30 mins.
The high mudguard makes it bike look like a proper scrambler now. Might have to wait and see how it fares in bangalore monsoons.
The mud splash kit comes in a pair, front and rear. The rear splash kit was installed and the one for the front is specific for the stock mudguard so it was not installed. Carried the old parts and the spare splash guard for the front home with me.

Total cost



Not many rides due to work commitments. But here are a couple.

Ride 5 : DD hills , Madugiri, and back.

Did a short ride to DD hills early Feb. Nothing much to write about here, roads were great.
Started early morning at 6 AM, onwards to DD hills. After the climb I took the back roads to Koratagere and then onwards to Madugiri (did not do the trek). Join back to the NH via Sira and back to Bangalore.
It was a short ride and had a good chance to open the throttle from Sira till I reached bangalore.
Some pictures as is customary from DD hills.



After this ride i had the chance to purchase some more gear. I am slowly adding to the collection. Procured the Viaterra Fly magnetic tank bag, Camelbak hydration pack and grip puppies.

• Viaterra fly magnetic tank bag

- I bought this for a specific reason that it can be used as a magnetic tank bag without the hassle of the straps and if I did not like it I could just mount it as a tailbag.
- I tried to use it as a tankbag, but somehow it felt cramped. This was on a short city ride, and the rear magnetic flaps kinda foul with the thigh pads on the tank. Gotta adjust it everytime you take it on and off. But the bag itself is good and the magnets have no issues holding onto the tank whatsoever.
- On the next ride out to VVS I tried to use it as a tailbag, viaterra provides straps for tail mounting with the purchase at no extra cost. It was alright, although I felt it could be better. Then I came across their fly universal tank bag which had buckle straps, which looks very convenient to get on and off the bike. Checked with them and explained the situation. The person understood what i needed and provided the spare straps with buckles that are meant for the fly universal and it was a good decision. Now mounting and unmounting the bag off the bike and roaming around is easier than before. The additional set of straps cost me 459 rupees.
- Overall I would say it’s a good multipurpose bag which can be used as a tailbag, can be converted to a backpack while moving away from the motorcycle and if I feel too lazy I could just put it on my tank and call it a day.

• Camelbak hydration pack

– I got the stoaway hydration bag, because it comes in an insulated bag of its own and an insulated sleeve. Originally according to them this was intended to keep the water warm when hiking in colder places however it works the opposite way as well. This keeps water cool even after riding for about 4 hours in mid day heat. I do not use a backpack for the hydration pack so this goes in the tailbag which I find convenient to use and no extra weight on my back.
https://bumsonthesaddle.com/products...eservoir-black

• Grip puppies

– This was a no brainer, got the regular ones from Big Bad Bikes bangalore. Had to slice off about ¾ of an inch to fit perfectly. Installed it myself and it was money well spent.



After this had to make some time to test out the additions made to the vehicle.

Ride 6: Short ride to Vani Vilasapura Dam

Came across this place from a rider group the week prior. The ride itself is 340 kms+ to and fro, there were two places of interest as pointed out by fellow riders. One the dam itself which is perennial so there would be some water which coming from bangalore city would be a sight to behold with all the water scarcity going on.
Secondly there is a trail that goes up to a temple on a hillock alongside the windmills at a distance of about 8kms is what I have seen on the maps. This was more enticing and I planned to test the scrambler out on the trail this time. However as luck would have things always don’t go to plan.
Started from home at 5:30 AM filled up some fuel and was at the Goraguntepalya by 5:45 AM. Took the NH4 all the way to Hiriyur. Nothing to complain about the NH here apart from 3 diversions for ongoing roadworks which were very short. Took a diversion at the marikanive gate and onwards to the destination which was about 20kms away.
Arrived at the destination at about 8:30 AM. Went straight to the starting point of the trail, but was stopped there and was told by a guard there that they do not allow vehicles. Did not get a proper reason as well. Dejected I went towards the dam entrance which was at the top. Spent a few mins there, as it was early morning I had the place to myself and the view was a sight for sore eyes to say the least. Water everywhere. Had a quick snack and moved towards the backwaters point which is a good 7 kms away as there is no direct path to it. Spent some time there and spoke to some locals going about their morning business, washing clothes etc… Apart from the trail ride denial, it was a calm morning. I packed up to leave before the Sun marks his territory as the temperatures have been soaring off late in the south.Started the return journey, no changes to the route. Stopped at Paakshala, had some brunch and reached home in 2 hours with a couple of hydration stops and a fuel stop.
The tailbag conversion was a success, mounting and unmounting was a breeze thanks to the buckle straps. Grip puppies were a great addition, i feel no stress in my palms nor do the vibes above 6k rpm pose that much of an issue. Had to get used to the thicker handgrip now, might take a few more days for this.

ODO: 3578 km

The view from the top after parking.


Shot of the motorcycle along with the tail mounted Viaterra, note the buckle straps comes as two attachments and can be removed as well in case one wants to convert it to a magnetic tankbag. Very convenient.

[anilp]

Originally Posted by aston_martyr

[h3]

After this the bike was at a standstill for 2 weeks at home. I came back worried about any battery draining issues. The engine immobilizer indicator light was not blinking anymore. I assumed the worst.
However when I turned the key in and switched on the bike it came alive immediately. No harm done I suppose. But one thing to note is that the immobilizer blinking light is not observed if the vehicle is not used for awhile. Need to take note of this next time. Not sure if its just battery optimization or something else. If anyone has any thoughts on this feel free to comment.

It's normal and mentioned in the manual. The immobilizer light switching off after a certain timeframe is mentioned in instruction manual from what I remember reading it. Please check once