[abhimanyu_singh]

Becoming a HOG in three simple phases spread across 20 years

Origins- The term "Harley" was introduced to me.



Sometime during mid 90s when I was a kid, I came across my first "Harley Davidson" (on-screen of course), where T101 (Arnie) rode it like a boss in T2-judgement day. Back then with no internet or similar info sources I guess the only source for me was my dad and his fellow officers in the Army. They were the ones who introduced the term "Harley" to me, something which was very distant for all back then. All I could see in the flesh were Yezdis and Rajdoots. Didn't see many RE's back then, except for DR(Dispatch Riders) motorcycles in the Army. Soon other movies followed introducing me to choppers and like. And with the internet boom everything was there at my desktop soon enough. I knew I'll be riding my HD someday, like all those other childhood dreams. So I guess that's how it began.

Phase 1- Harley Davidson decides to enter India - 2010/11

HDs were usually imported by people and used to cost a bomb. So it actually began (started to feel real) when Harley Davidson decided to officially set foot in India, back in 2010. I was barely out of college and was more than excited to get my hands on one of those. I had been riding Pulsar 180 < Karizma/Bullet 500 (intermittently) for the past 7 years and was excited about the transition. I was never the man of speed but a man of comfortable cruise, who always fancied a chopper. Upgrading to a classic Harley has been my childhood dream and I finally shortlisted Superlow over Iron for its comfort, cruising stance and $$$ for the ultimate upgrade. With its soft suspension, maneuverability and chrome finish, it came closest to my chopper dream machine (in the making). The year was 2011 and I got really close to getting my Harley and something else happened - I got engaged (to be married really soon). So i got into the grind, got a new job, in a new location, and ended up buying a new Honda City SMT instead, the "logical" choice for the new "phase" of life. Not that I regret buying my City - its a fine piece of Japanese machinery, but something was left unfinished.

Phase 2 - The announcement of HD Street 750 - the Indian urban brawler – 2013/14

The rumour of sub 800cc bike by HD made for emerging nations started floating early on but was only later confirmed in 2013 when the Street 750 and 500 were revealed in Milan. This made my gears churning and the wheels were back in motion. The bike looked promising in pictures, and the specs also looked good. Instead of the classic chrome look it had the dark custom look, which during that time equally appealed me. A sub 5L Harley with such good specifications looked very promising. So once again I was all set, booked the test rides when it landed in the showrooms and was not at all disappointed. The motor was responsive, oodles of torque and I didn’t really mind most of the quality niggles pointed out by many during that time. This seemed the "one" until I went for another test ride, and this time with my pillion of seven years and countless miles (Manipal oh Manipal!) – my college girlfriend then and my wife now.

Phase 3 – The love for the Sportster rekindles – the SUPERLOW: All American Chrome Classic - 2014

I’m close to 6 feet (5’11”) and on the heavier side. Riding Street solo didn’t really trouble me, but it was when we both test rode it for a lengthy stretch. It wasn’t the performance but the comfort that was lacking for both of us. We knew that this might not work and we need to look outside the street zone. This is when my old flame Superlow came back into the picture. During all of this, all the sales guys, be it Banjara Harley or Capital Harley, tried to push Iron down my throat and nobody suggested superlow citing the GC issue. So after hours of reading inspiring threads by Dheeraj Sir, Dhushyant, Josepeter, posting numerous posts and messages bugging fellow bhpians, especially Shubz, it was quite evident that SUPERLOW had to be my first HARLEY DAVIDSON. But before any of that, it was the test riding season!!

Ride Experiences
I went to dealerships here in Hyderabad and Delhi as well, rode all 3 models, sometimes back to back.






My take on the three HDs:

HD Street 750
Likes

• Sleek design with a dark custom look
• Oodles of power and torque - feels turbocharged compared to other two {only initially though }
• Responsive motor, liquid cooled and ample of GC
• Easy handling - really meant for the street and city traffic

Dislikes

• Braking issues (esp at higher speeds)
• Design looks small for someone close or above 6'
• Not suitable for 2 up riding {at-least for us}

HD Superlow 883
Likes

• Ergonomically best amongst the three with a comfortable seating and apish handlebar
• Lot of chrome adding to the classic look
• Typical HD character, the thump and a powerful motor
• Comfortable maneuverability, low slung machine with higher stability at higher speeds
• Perfect candidate for a bobber or a chopper project

Dislikes

• Ground clearance - will hit almost every speed bump
• Not meant for a zippy / city traffic

HD Iron 883
Likes

• The meanest of them all, the blacked out bruiser
• Similar to Superlow - Typical HD character, the thump and a powerful motor
• Dark custom options to make it meaner [1]
• Better GC and a big bike character compared to other two

Dislikes

• Riding stance is a bit rigid for my back [i have a back condition]
• Harsher ride compared to the other two

So I finally took the plunge and booked the Superlow in June this year with a promised delivery time of 6-8 months (sigh!)
Booking amount - Rs 50,000 (booked at Rs 5,85,000 ex showroom Gurgaon)

After 119 days and 3 hours, the BLACK SCORPION arrived...

Ex Showroom Gurgaon (with the 2015 model price increase) - Rs 6,10,000
Insurance , RTO etc. - Rs 69,000
Accessories (engine guard, derby cover & labor) - Rs 23,000
Total cost OTR - Rs 7,02,000


One step closer to freedom...


Scorpion at the runway, ready to sting!


Cut the chains and fly away


The Sales consultant, my buddy for the purchase, and my namesake - Abhimanyu


With Amit Chugh, Business Head, Capital Harley-Davidson


...followed by HOMECOMING!!!





Attachment 1312449
Attachment 1312450

Attachment 1312452


Attachment 1312455

The "V-twin"


the skull derby cover


On the Noida Expressway

Attachment 1312495

Celebratory Dinner - had to be Downtown Pub, Sec 29, Gurgaon



...contd

[abhimanyu_singh]

...contd

Putting the Scorpion to the test - ownership review
I had only 3 days with the scorpion before I was shipped back to Hyderabad. During this while I rode it day and night, 450 kms all across NCR and luckily had my first HOG ride as well (updates later).

My all American beauty, the classic Harley-Davidson




Performance

I think many people don’t really associate a Harley with performance and more with the styling and history associated with the brand, something similar to what RE means in India, which is not entirely true - the Scorpion does pack a punch with its 70 NM belt driven torque machine, the classic 883 V-twin engine.

If you try to compare it with the likes of Ninja 650 it’s a completely different story. Having said that I don't think any Harley owner buys a Harley for the top speed or the bhp/weight ratio etc. it’s all about comfortable and reasonably fast cruising. Being a low slung cruiser I found it really stable and comfortable in triple digit speeds.
One press of a button and you can hear the sweat rumble and you are ready to go. Scorpion picks up pretty fast and the gear shifts are pretty smooth as well, however you can’t escape the loud band of shifting to the first gear from neutral the very first time. Riding with heavy traffic can be a pain with respect to constant shifting but the motor is still quite responsive even on higher gears and low rpm (which can be the case sometimes in the traffic). With respect to cruising on the highway, the beast can take you to triple digits in no time. Had to careful at times not to cross 100 much as the service is still due. Overall I think Scorpion is a balanced package of stability and power.

Handling & Comfort

Superlow with its low seat and mini apish handlebar gives a great stance for the rider, ergonomically. In my case, the seating, mid mounted controls and the handlebar seemed to fit in perfectly. With the addition of moustache engine guard (which has an inbuilt highway peg) it makes it much easier to stretch your legs while in transit. The solo seat is quite comfortable, however I’ll be upgrading soon to a low reach seat with back support.

Scorpion packs wide Michelin scorcher 120/70 ZR -18 in the front and 150/60 ZR -17 in the rear, making it really stable and easy to maneuverer even at very low speeds. Scorpion weighs somewhere around 260-270kgs and in my opinion it is really very easy to handle compared to other bulky rides. The tyres are wide and have really good grip, adding to the excellent braking capabilities of the bike, as informed by the HD folks, I use the 70/30 (F/B) principle for braking. The new brakes require a bit of breaking in initially but are smooth later on. ABS is missed here though.
The ride is a bit softer compared to other siblings however there is a constant fear of scraping the bottom due to potholes or speed breakers. However one gets used to riding it carefully around bad roads and speed breakers. Still, raising the GC is on top of my list now, one of my friend got his 48 raised to 140 from 100 in Karol Bagh, I plan to do the same.

2015 model updates

2015 Superlow had a couple of updated features when it comes to the previous model. Apart from the new and improved paint job, Hazard light switch and trip meter has been added to the handle bar controls, which makes so much sense as its so easy to toggle display while riding compared to previous Superlows. For me the gear rpm indicator is really really useful as i'm not really used to the gears and rpm of the ride.

Street Presence
I’ll be honest; I didn’t expect the looks and attention that I got on the road with the scorpion. I was under the notion that Superlow can easily be mistaken for a very well modified bullet but I never encountered such thing. On the contrary, I saw excited people clicking pics, slowing down to drive with me, giving me thumbs up, talking to me at times (while driving). One fellow even came up to me at a signal and asked if he can click a pic with me. Maybe the full riding gear and skull attachment to the helmet (which I wore sometimes) added to it.
The Skull helmet


The typical & irritating questions that I had to answer at signals were – “kitne ki hai? (How much does it cost?) and “kitna mileage deti hai?” (What’s the mileage?). I also got a few Pulsars and Zma riders those would come close to me and provoke me to race, but I resisted the urge to do so. Comfortable cruising is what I needed.


Overall Comments

What I loved-
• Classic chrome HD cruiser, the rumble and the character
• Perfect mix of stability and power
• Riding comfort, ergonomics and maneuverability
• Fits very well for my future chopper project

What I didn’t –
• Missing basics for a high end bike – fuel gauge indicator, backlit console buttons, ABS, immobiliser (asking for a bit more I guess)
• Super expensive parts and accessories
• Not for the very slow moving traffic, heavy clutch and the amount of heat engine decipates
• Very low ground clearance

[abhimanyu_singh]

Riding Gear

The day before the d-day (delivery day), i went to Karob bagh (Chopra Automobiles, one of the trusted places) to be ready for the delivery with respect to protective gear. Before going there I asked a couple of friends for their advise and everyone including Shubz suggested me to buy the HD jacket, which made sense, until i compared those with others. None of the HD jackets (textile) had protective features, of course except the leather ones which costed over 23K. So i'd to give it a pass. I'd bought almost everything except the riding pants, which I don't think I will need as I think leg guards are more than enough. With respect to the helmet, it is still pending as I'm yet to zero in on one. So in the meanwhile I bought a basic pillion one. Everything put together it burned a big hole in my pocket, around 30k. So far I've been a real follower of Aditya's signature line - A.T.G.A.T.T.

Following are the details:


Alpinestars Viper Air Jacket: Black
Amazing piece of jacket, completely breathable with inner waterproofing lining (detachable) for those rainy days. Outer and Inner pockets (for those documents and mobiles). Adjustable at sides and sleeves. Full CE approved body Armour - elbows, shoulders, spine and chest pads(basic ones). A little expensive, but completely worth it in my opinion. MRP - 15k, got it for 13.5k from Chopra Auto.




Alpinestars S-MX 1.1 Boots: Black Red
Light weight, super comfortable (biking and otherwise), ankle protection and waterproof. Costed me around 11k.





Cramster TRG2 - Racing Gloves - Full Gauntlet
Nice and comfy with complete knuckles and wrist protection. Wraps up really well with the jacket. Got em for 2.5k



Studds Downtown open face (to become pillion helmet as soon as i get mine-TBD)
Decent pilot type of a helmet, steady and has multiple visors. It'll be the secondary or pillion helmet as I'll be getting a full face helmet pretty soon. I think mostly it'll be the same one as Dheeraj Sir's MT Axxiss.



Pending gear:

Helmet - most likely MT Axxiss mat black (value for money), others on the list are KBC and Shark(unlikely though).


..to be continued..

[Samurai]

Taking out... thanks for sharing.

[neil.jericho]

Congratulations buddy! I've been waiting for you to put up your ownership thread ever since your FB pictures came up. 450 kms in 3 days is quite some riding I must say. In 3 months, I havent even hit 2K on the odometer. Looking forward to updates from your HOG ride and helmet purchase.

You know I'm waiting for you to put up pictures of your bike with the pillion seat and for others to then come saying "Buddy please remove the pillion seat cause it spoils the look of the bike!" It's happened to me so many times Ive lost track. Wish you guys many miles of happy riding!

[man_of_steel]

Congrats on the Super Low man! It looking properly beautiful.

Is the ground clearance issue too much to live with?

[batterylow]

Congrats on your new ride.

Really happy to see riders giving importance to the complete riding gear also.

and oh, that skull helmet attachment looks deadly.

I would not want to be the one to pull up next to you in the night at a deserted signal and be scared witless at the ghost rider look !

[abhimanyu_singh]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Congratulations buddy! I've been waiting for you to put up your ownership thread ever since your FB pictures came up. 450 kms in 3 days is quite some riding I must say. In 3 months, I havent even hit 2K on the odometer. Looking forward to updates from your HOG ride and helmet purchase.

You know I'm waiting for you to put up pictures of your bike with the pillion seat and for others to then come saying "Buddy please remove the pillion seat cause it spoils the look of the bike!" It's happened to me so many times Ive lost track. Wish you guys many miles of happy riding!

Thanks man! I'm sure the pillion seat does that, thats why i'll be getting the detachable one, 5 mins and this beast becomes the solo brawler again!

Originally Posted by man_of_steel

Congrats on the Super Low man! It looking properly beautiful.

Is the ground clearance issue too much to live with?

Thanks buddy, it is too much in the beginning when you dont know what you are dealing with, later by the third day i was completely accustomed to it. My only concern is that it would be a real issue when i'll be riding 2 up.

Originally Posted by batterylow

Congrats on your new ride.
oh, that skull helmet attachment looks deadly.

Haha thanks, that was just one time thing, will still keep it for fun!

[Shubz]

Wow! Thats one hell of a writing Abhi! Congratulations on the beautiful machine! Wish you tonnes of miles. I see you have taken care of all the safety measures!

You owe me a ride to Bangalore! Remember?

[Dust_Harl]

Good review Abhimanyu. You have one amazing bike and 2015 Superlow tank design looks awesome. Many Congratulations and looking forward to ride with you soon in the near future either at Bangalore or IBW Goa.

#LLB

[udainxs]

Originally Posted by abhimanyu_singh

Thanks man! I'm sure the pillion seat does that, thats why i'll be getting the detachable one

Congratulations Mate! Lovely bike you got there.
Questions question, does your bike have the steel braided brake lines that are on the 2015 bikes?

[abhimanyu_singh]

Originally Posted by Shubz

Wow! Thats one hell of a writing Abhi! Congratulations on the beautiful machine! Wish you tonnes of miles. I see you have taken care of all the safety measures!

You owe me a ride to Bangalore! Remember?

Thanks buddy, and yes sir I do, I'm hoping it'll happen shortly

Originally Posted by Dust_Harl

Good review Abhimanyu. You have one amazing bike and 2015 Superlow tank design looks awesome. Many Congratulations and looking forward to ride with you soon in the near future either at Bangalore or IBW Goa.

#LLB

Thanks buddy, we'll definitely meet in Bangalore soon.

Originally Posted by udainxs

Congratulations Mate! Lovely bike you got there.
Questions question, does your bike have the steel braided brake lines that are on the 2015 bikes?

Thanks bro, nah man I don't think the Indian bikes got those, not completely sure about that though.

[rev_rohit]

Good review dear!!

Hartiest congratulations on your beautiful Superlow!!

I like this bike for its super stable feel. It keeps itself in a straight line no matter how hard you try to zigzag (not to be tried), but this stability comes at the cost of ground clearance. It just needs to be handled carefully over bumps.

May be it's only a perception of mine, chrome looks much better on black Superlows and makes it look much bigger than its red siblings.

Congratulations again!!

Wish you millions of happy miles ahead!

[Darth_Vader]

Awesome! Congratulations on the buy. Do you have any other upgrades/add-ons planned for the near future?

Do share the pics of the helmet once you have picked one up.

OT: Really want to know what that Skull Mask is and where did you pick it up from?

Happy Cruising! and burn that rubber for many many miles to come!

[Raulspace999]

Congatulations! The Harley is a different breed altogether. Although Cars were never their cup of tea, the Americans sure make some awesome bikes.