To cut a long story short, we rode 200 kms to eat :
Sunday @ 6AM Come on Godzilla!! Stop Zzzing. It's time to wake up and go for a ride.
The RX100 seems to be saying "Being 100cc, I don't have to worry about early mornings" The Street also was fast asleep too.
My friend who purchased the Street Twin has not completed his running period and wanted to take the bike for a long ride and chew up his miles. So we decided last evening to take the most favorite destination - Lonavala.
Finally after waking up, both the bikes had to warm up.
The worst part about starting a superbike (especially ones fitted with an aftermarket exhaust) early morning is waking up your neighbours. Thankfully the HP Corse is not very loud and at idle it's as much loud as the stock exhaust ... Well a bit louder than the stock exhaust.
The Street Twin was wearing stock exhausts so no worries starting her up too. And then before our breakfast, it was already breakfast time for the bikes. They were all charged up and ready to hit the roads.
My bike was already tanked up last week but since my friend was talking up - I too decided to do the same. A full tank gives you a better reading on the mileage too. Trip was resetted to 0.
Google Talk - Please tell me which way to Lonavala. Even though we have been to Lonavala a zillion times, we keep forgetting the way.
God please keep us safe! The very famous Shingroba Mandir on Khandala ghat. As kids we were told by our parents that everyone who passed Khandala Ghat would throw money into the temple and pray for a safe ride. Those who did not met with bad fate. Anyways we just stopped there for a small photo shoot and left off.
Finally we reached "our" destination - Kamats.
Well it was not only ours, it was every weekenders destination. There were more than a dozen superbikes and equal number of KTM's. Most ofnthe riders were in full riding gear.
Met an old friend to whom I was introduced at the ACI Performance show way back in 2006 or 2007 through a Team BHPian. Was good to meet up with him and felt equally happy to see that he too had purchased the Z800.
Met a friend from Motorbeam.com as well.
Also met 2 of our popular Team Bhpians - Karan and Akshay. Thanks to your videos Karan - I wouldn't have recognised you. Was good to meet up with you guys. Here is their German lineup.
Had a light breakfast and rode back home. It was a good 200 kms ride and Godzilla gave a good mileage of 22kmpl.
Ok so did the bike fare?
This was my first long ride after fitting the HP exhaust. The sound was perfect - not too loud. This time though I mustered up some courage and confidence and kept riding between 4-6k rpm and the exhaust not was not very much audible to me. Maybe someone riding behind me would be able to hear it very clearly. But definitely the exhaust sound wasn't buzzing in my ears. That's the best part about the HP Corse - its not ear piercing loud. I won't be able to say much about the performance since my riding is very sedate. There was some popping sound during deceleration but it was barely audible and only happened around 3-4 times.
As I mentioned , I did try to muster up courage and this time I was averaging around 80-100 kmph. I did manage to touch 100+ on an empty stretch and it felt so good. And the very next moment - the feeling went away as soon as it came. A Ducati Diavel just cruised past me
I don't find the Z to be comfortable on long rides. The seat is a bit hard and I had to take a break every 50kms. Maybe it's something to do with the Z's seat....or maybe it's just that I have grown old....or maybe its just the weather. For short city rides, the Z is so much fun. But on long rides, i find it quite uncomfortable. I think I maybe the only person who probably enjoys riding the Z in the city than outside it. Having said that, I am so much tempted to sell the Z and go for a used Tiger or the Versys 650 - but it's too early to do that. I might probably wait for a year to see what bikes will be launched and accordingly decide. Or maybe I will just keep it ...only time will tell
What would you chose?
It's a difficult question. The Street Twin and the Z800 are priced very close to each other. The only comparison that can be done between the 2 bikes is price and price alone. Both bikes are meant to cater to 2 different riders, 2 different riding style etc. They both are good in their own ways. The Z has the super smooth and torquey 4 cylinder motor where's the Street Twin is a feature packed 900cc Street motorcycle. It's just like choosing between the Classic 500 and the KTM Duke 390. To each his own
In some cases, the Z is ahead of the Speed Twin
In some cases, the Street is ahead of the Z
But they are as different as a restaurant and bar.