[dkaile]

The open road is our soul's highway...



Another Sunday another Ride





A new friend joined in. My BILs Audi Q3


Some nice action shots






Crossed the highest speeds I have travelled so far as I was wearing a full face helmet today, and some nice curves. That's me in white today.


The message on this T that I was wearing today sums up our state of mind


Shot some videos with the new HD cam I got which was mounted on the bike. Will publish it soon.

Cheers...

[dustom_99]

Its good to see Hog enjoying weekends! Lovely pics.
This side ( doon hogs) also covered some lovely miles today! 14 bikers left for breakfast some 20km away , and ended up reaching shivpuri and tehri . some 250km journey just to find a good spot for a dip in Ganga!

[dkaile]

Our today's ride video -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG6i8...ature=youtu.be

[dkaile]

Ordered Spartan Pro Gear's Helios All weather Riding Jacket from Snapdeal @6120/-. Can be used in extreme hot as well as rainy and cold conditions. Hope the claimed XXL size (44-46 inches) is of proper size to fit me properly. Surprisingly they are not giving any discounts on their website's featured price of 6,800/- plus they are charging 350/- as postage also, whereas Snapdeal is giving such a better offer. This is not meant as a promotion of the product under any circumstances.

Features (from their website)

- Abrasion resistant AeroMID® mesh fabric for maximum ventilation.
- Heavy Duty Cordura® and Dynatec™ fabric chassis at impact areas.
- Easily removable rain liner which can serve as a stand-alone garment.SPG Exclusive
- C.E. rated EN 1621-1 KNOX FlexiForm armor for elbows and shoulders.SPG Exclusive
- Dual density armor for back with option to upgrade upto Level 2 armor.
- All armors removable for easy washing of the jacket.
- 3M Scotchlite™ reflective material for maximum visibility.
- Secure-Fit™ strap retention system at elbows and waist for snug fit.
- Internal waterproof pocket for mobile, IPod, wallet with waterproof zipper.SPG Exclusive
- Internal micro-fibre lined pocket for sun-glasses.SPG Exclusive
- Audio- Ready™ silicone port for ear-phones.
- Internal key-clip for secure key storage.SPG Exclusive
- External clip for securing gloves.
- Removable, washable microfibre collar liner for everyday use.



Will post a short review on receipt.

[dkaile]

No news of the Spartan Riding Jacket till now from Snapdeal. They have extended shipping time to 28th May which is pretty disappointing.


In the meanwhile I had ordered Safety Riding Boots from Armstrong Products, Mumbai after seeing them on Facebook. Came to know on interacting that their owner Varun Vijay Bakshi is also a Bhpian (VVB8530) and my interaction with him was very cordial. He shipped me this just launched Boots @3K net including shipping by Bluedart to Meerut. These shoes are not to be confused with normal Industrial Safety Shoes as these are specifically designed for Riding especially Cruising long distances. So I received them today. This short review is not meant as an advertisement for any product, just my personal views on this product -

Pure leather used with mesh in parts for breathability. Proper STEEL TOED protection.




Acid, alkali and oil resistant sole. According to the owner - these soles are TPU soles, that too double density which are puncture proof. They can go through any kind of rugged use. Also these are injection molded to the leather and NOT stitched or stuck. So they should not split apart.


Solid leather at most places which is water resistant. Also the design ensures water does not seep in. But pure leather can never be waterproof. They supposedly treat it with a chemical coating to make it water resistant. If they get wet, they just need to wiped dry with a cloth after a whole days riding and according to the owner there is no need to polish either due to the chemical treatment. Just needs to be cleaned with a cloth even after using whole day in water.




Pretty solid built and very nicely padded, hence very comfortable to wear. Rest proper feedback after using them for riding for a while.

Cheers...

[Shubz]

Originally Posted by dkaile

In the meanwhile I had ordered Safety Riding Boots from Armstrong Products, Mumbai after seeing them on Facebook. .

Dhiraj sir, You should put this up in the Motocycle gear section as well. it would help many folks who would be looking for riding boots.

[abhimanyu_singh]

Noob question here: Does Iron or Superlow come with ABS? If yes, then are they optional or standard?

[srishiva]

[quote=dkaile;3436325]Our today's ride video -

I was hoping to listen to the bike's sound

[Shubz]

Originally Posted by abhimanyu_singh

Noob question here: Does Iron or Superlow come with ABS? If yes, then are they optional or standard?

The shortest answer is NO

The 2014 US models do come with ABS though. but not even as an option here in India!

[abhimanyu_singh]

Originally Posted by Shubz

The shortest answer is NO

The 2014 US models do come with ABS though. but not even as an option here in India!

Thanks Shubz! One of the my friends is hardcore biker and has 3 harleys, ranging from iron to street bob. He is after me to get Superlow instead of the street citing that its an Indian bike and HOGs dont treat it well. Also that its a smaller bike and not a real Harley. I was already in a dilemma due to the braking and other quality issues, now i'm an even deeper one. Shelling out 1.5L extra is difficult but still doable if its worth it. I would like you to please shed some light. It would be really great if other fellow brothers could help me out.

[Shubz]

Originally Posted by abhimanyu_singh

Thanks Shubz! One of the my friends is hardcore biker and has 3 harleys, ranging from iron to street bob. He is after me to get Superlow instead of the street citing that its an Indian bike and HOGs dont treat it well. Also that its a smaller bike and not a real Harley. I was already in a dilemma due to the braking and other quality issues, now i'm an even deeper one. Shelling out 1.5L extra is difficult but still doable if its worth it. I would like you to please shed some light. It would be really great if other fellow brothers could help me out.

I agree and disagree.

Street is an India made bike. There is no difference in the way Street owners are treated vis-a-vis other HD owners.
It is a smaller bike indeed. And it is a REAL Harley too. Made entirely out of a Harley plant.
Braking on the Street may be a little suspect. But you won't regret one moment on buying Superlow - despite paying 1.5L extra. Worth every penny!

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by abhimanyu_singh

Noob question here: Does Iron or Superlow come with ABS? If yes, then are they optional or standard?

They were available as an option in the US. But not offered here. Just to set the record straight, the braking of the 883s is EXCELLENT. I have used it in many emergency situations too. Never felt it lacked ABS and never felt the need for the same till date. Though if they include it, at least as a paid option, can't do it any harm.

Originally Posted by abhimanyu_singh

One of the my friends is hardcore biker and has 3 harleys, ranging from iron to street bob. He is after me to get Superlow.

Shelling out that extra 1.5L may be the best decision you might take as you might miss out on the true Harley lineage with the Street. Though I personally do not believe in that discrimination thing though I have heard some clubs putting in a clause of taking in HOGs of only over 800cc into their fold. That however should be a immaterial point if you are a hardcore biker at heart. Superlow is the most comfortable of the Sportsters and 48 is the most 'beautiful' if I can call them so...lolz. Iron has a strong following as a compromise between the beauty and comfort levels. You won't go wrong with the Superlow especially if you are old school like me and love CHROME. Otherwise the blacked out bikes may be the preferred choice for youngsters. Superlow also has a huge customisation potential and you can make it look like whatever you like provided, once again, that you like chrome. It oozes quality unlike, sadly, the Street.

2 'beautiful' versions of the XL883L. The new and the old, the Superlow and the Low -

[abhimanyu_singh]

Originally Posted by dkaile

Shelling out that extra 1.5L may be the best decision you might take as you might miss out on the true Harley lineage with the Street. Though I personally do not believe in that discrimination thing though I have heard some clubs putting in a clause of taking in HOGs of only over 800cc into their fold. That however should be a immaterial point if you are a hardcore biker at heart. Superlow is the most comfortable of the Sportsters and 48 is the most 'beautiful' if I can call them so...lolz. Iron has a strong following as a compromise between the beauty and comfort levels. You won't go wrong with the Superlow especially if you are old school like me and love CHROME. Otherwise the blacked out bikes may be the preferred choice for youngsters. Superlow also has a huge customisation potential and you can make it look like whatever you like provided, once again, that you like chrome. It oozes quality unlike, sadly, the Street.

2 'beautiful' versions of the XL883L. The new and the old, the Superlow and the Low -

I think you have a good point there sir, btw your bike looks quite nice, I would probably go for something like that myself, but with more mods.

Yes sir, i sure love the CHROME and the BLING!! Another thing in my case is that it has to be a long time love affair, my another concern wrt to street is that I might again be tempted to move up in couple of years. When it comes to automobiles I buy something I would keep as long as i can.

So superlow fits in that regards, I myself am not much in favor of the Iron as you rightly mentioned, the comfort. The point now is that if I need to get this, I'll probably have to wait a little longer to get the dough.

I know its quite comfortable and easy on highways, how does it fair in city driving, with potholes and speedbreakers, given the 100mm ground clearance.

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by abhimanyu_singh

I would probably go for something like that myself, but with more mods.

When it comes to automobiles I buy something I would keep as long as i can.

So superlow fits in that regards, I myself am not much in favor of the Iron as you rightly mentioned, the comfort.

I know its quite comfortable and easy on highways, how does it fair in city driving, with potholes and speedbreakers, given the 100mm ground clearance.

I haven't actually done any mods at all by Harley standards to my bike. Just the Screamin Eagles slip-ons and some small tit bits. BTW I have heard that the Screamin Eagles have been muted down in the 2014 models, so you should better check those out before putting your hard earned money in.

With a Harley, its impossible to not be bitten by the upgrade bug, sooner or later. I am tempted quite often to move to my first love, the Fat Boy and the Fat Bob, but after seeing the livability, performance and maneuverability of my bike I always revert back to my practical choice.

Don't get me wrong, Iron is a very good bike. It looks better to some (not to me) but to shell out 1 lac extra for basically the same engine/hardware was not my cup of tea. And I did not want BLACKed out looks. And the Superlow is more maneuverable and comfortable than the Iron for sure and also amongst other Harleys.

First thing you need to do is to set the rear shockers to their stiffest setting immediately on purchase. It comes from the factory at the softest. That changes the dynamics of the bike to suit Indian conditions to a great extent. 100mm GC is perfectly liveable though initially for a few days you might feel the harsh ride compared to the Indian bikes that you might have been riding (like I was riding a Karizma) because Harley's have a harsher ride in general. But once through the break-in period you will feel the benefits of that harsher suspension. Big speed-breakers and big potholes need to be handled with care especially if you ride with a pillion, which I don't. These Sportsters are basically designed to be ridden solo. But these issues are nothing which can't be handled. If you will go through my thread, I have taken the bike to places where roads don't even exist and even onto farm roads. And it has tackled all. Also suspension upgrades are available for fanatics as a paid extra to suit whatever condition you require. On paved highways, the ride is just bliss...

[abhimanyu_singh]

Originally Posted by dkaile

I haven't actually done any mods at all by Harley standards to my bike. Just the Screamin Eagles slip-ons and some small tit bits. BTW I have heard that the Screamin Eagles have been muted down in the 2014 models, so you should better check those out before putting your hard earned money in.

First thing you need to do is to set the rear shockers to their stiffest setting immediately on purchase. It comes from the factory at the softest. That changes the dynamics of the bike to suit Indian conditions to a great extent. 100mm GC is perfectly liveable though initially for a few days you might feel the harsh ride compared to the Indian bikes that you might have been riding (like I was riding a Karizma) because Harley's have a harsher ride in general. But once through the break-in period you will feel the benefits of that harsher suspension. Big speed-breakers and big potholes need to be handled with care especially if you ride with a pillion, which I don't. These Sportsters are basically designed to be ridden solo. But these issues are nothing which can't be handled. If you will go through my thread, I have taken the bike to places where roads don't even exist and even onto farm roads. And it has tackled all. Also suspension upgrades are available for fanatics as a paid extra to suit whatever condition you require. On paved highways, the ride is just bliss...

Sir, by completely going through your thread I surely have started to fall in love with the superlow, as a matter of fact I liked the earlier superlow even better with the peanut gas tank.

According to HD India website, the new sportsters (2014) are coming with engine immobilizers along with Tach and Gear Indicator Readout. Another niceties added IMO.

Anyway I think i'll try out some other avenues to save some money - like buying it from my hometown of Delhi and getting it here in Hyderabad, as the price differential is more than 50k. Would there be any issues in that, apart from the RTO thing, which I can handle. I'm guessing I still can get membership of the Hyd Chapter of HOGs after purchasing from Delhi.