[krishnaprasadgg]

Pointless post Alert!

The current mood set during the lockdown period defined, apart from the age . Image Source: Random Whastapp forward


Not to mention this also seems very possible now. Image Source: Random Whastapp forward


On the bright side, I have spent more days at home in a stretch than the last 7 years straight.

The bikes are getting a lot more TLC now that more time is at my disposal. The lockdown bike maintenance rituals are being followed religiously, Bikes have been washed in detail, chain cleaned and lubed, and the bike gets switched on and warmed up every 3-4 days(best part of the days arguably) and rolled around the compound a few times to make sure that the tyres don't form a flat spot by staying in the same place for an extended period of time.

How they spend most of their time now.


After some much deserved TLC

Fun Fact: Both the CBR and the R1 were registered within 6 days of each other, the CBR being older by 6 days. Both bikes have aged very well.


Took a few videos of the cold start-ups of the bikes. I do apologize for committing the cardinal sin of shooting in vertical screen orientation, I had not recorded it intending to post it here.

R1 Cold Start up - LV Slip on(With DB Killer )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvdhq1fLk4E

R1 Pops and crackles with the LC Slipon on a warm engine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kliT44wJbg

Triumph Tiger with the Arrow slip on

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFaJWqkDk5s

I hope you guys enjoy this.

Stay Safe Guys.
Cheers
Krishna

[alphadog]

Krishna, that is an enviable collection of bikes you have there. You seem to be doing the right thing in starting the bikes every few days and rolling them to prevent tyre flat spots.

I would suggest you invest in a good paddock stand for the R1 and maybe a centre stand for the Tiger, if you do not have one already. It makes it very easy for chain clean, lubing, oil level checks and other minor repairs and also, at times like this it helps to hold the rear wheel off the ground for a protracted not-riding period. Better still would be to get a front paddock as well in addition. By the way, are you a member of a certain superbikers club in Kerala yet?.

Cheerio!

[krishnaprasadgg]

Originally Posted by alphadog

Krishna, that is an enviable collection of bikes you have there. You seem to be doing the right thing in starting the bikes every few days and rolling them to prevent tyre flat spots.

Thanks mate. I hope to keep them for a really long time in the family. Maybe add a few more too , you know how it goes, more is never enough.

I would suggest you invest in a good paddock stand for the R1 and maybe a centre stand for the Tiger, if you do not have one already. It makes it very easy for chain clean, lubing, oil level checks and other minor repairs and also, at times like this it helps to hold the rear wheel off the ground for a protracted not-riding period. Better still would be to get a front paddock as well in addition. By the way, are you a member of a certain superbikers club in Kerala yet?.

Cheerio!

I have the paddock stand with me which we use for both the Tiger and R1 but it's in Bangalore, I missed bringing it home when I came. While I do have a paddock stand for the CBR which I am using for the R1 and the Tiger as well, but it's not the spool compatible type, it just hoists the rear by grabbing onto the swingarm.

While it fits just fine for the tiger, it's very sketch for the R1, I almost had an incident a few weeks back when I was cleaning the chain(bike is always kept off during this) and my brother just put a bit of weight on the rear seat and the bike jumped off the stand, luckily he had the other hand on the handlebar, so I escaped by a whisker.

No, not a member of any groups yet.

Cheers
Krishna

[VijayAnand1]

Krishna, that start up with earphones gave me an attack of sort. it was like a very angry dog suddenly miffed by a silently watching bystander. Beautiful, and great to see the line up receiving some TLC. J E A L O U S!

Cheers!
VJ

[krishnaprasadgg]

So looks like I am that person who came out of the lockdown not being able to fit into my gears.
Yup, all that sitting around and stuffing food into my mouth and now I have paid the price. My riding pants barely fit me anymore

Now about the bike. It kind of sucks to have a bike like the R1 in the garage and not being able to take it out. Just starting her up once every 4-5 days and revving it a bit(after the engine is warm ofcourse) and then covering her up got old very fast.
But being a responsible person in this trying times just meant sucking it up and doing just that.
Since unlockdown has started I took the bike for around 2kms round trip instead of revving it. While it felt good that itch is still there.

Today after almost 3-4 months took the bike out on the road for about 20kms out. That too just after a spell of rain. The exhaust note just gave me the chills again, Oh how I have missed it.
Riding in the wet is not the same at all(obviously) the bike gets nervous very fast and mud on the road does not help one bit.

But I never was a person to shy away from riding in the rain and that is exactly what I intend to do in the coming days. Hopefully in a week or two might do some longer distance rides, if the situation permits it of course.

Well, nothing more to add. I'll just leave it with a pic I took after today's short spin.



Cheers
Krishna

[VijayAnand1]

Originally Posted by krishnaprasadgg

But I never was a person to shy away from riding in the rain and that is exactly what I intend to do in the coming days. Hopefully in a week or two might do some longer distance rides, if the situation permits it of course.

Well, nothing more to add. I'll just leave it with a pic I took after today's short spin.

Cheers
Krishna

The feeling is mutual, although the pain of not riding a big bike is a different blues altogether. Riding in rains though feels good, the important thing is make sure your tire PSI is lower by TWO TO THREE PSI as this helps in widening that crucial contact patch stick the road.

When riding in rains, or wetter roads, going down the PSI by two or three psi really helps is the tire getting a wide patch and helps heat up the tire fast due to increased friction, and heat on tire means better grip.

Ride safe!

Cheers!
VJ

[krishnaprasadgg]

After what feels like an eternity finally took the bike out for a very short ride.

Did around 60kms or so. I know not so great but at least it beats just warming up the bike and not taking it anywhere.

Reset the Trip meter after about 5kms or so of riding.


Well, to sum it up it wasn't easy. Riding a bike as committed as the R1 after about 6 months of not riding it more than 3-4kms makes things so much more complicated, not being in shape during this quarantine period also did not help.



My shoulders and legs are pretty sore now after the quick ride.





Recap of today's ride:

• I am not ever again starting a ride post 9-10 AM, the heat and traffic were not fun at all, unlucky for me to get into some wide decent highway roads require me to ride some 20kms or so out of the town limits for me.
  
• The engine braking and choppy throttle response also doesn't help
  
• Once the speed gets's going the bike is so much fun to ride that I had forgotten about how good it felt.
  
• Hot weather and high engine temp mean pops and crackles for days, even with the DB killer.

Oh almost forgot,
So I met my non-petrolhead childhood friend after almost 9 months, that was the reason for the ride, to meet him.
Why the "non-petrol head" comment you ask? Well, as soon as he sees me he asks, oh when did you change your bike from the CBR to r15.



Moments after the R15 comment was delivered




Some pleasant explicit compliments were exchanged and we agreed to move on.





Enjoy the pics.

Cheers
Krishna

[deepfreak15]

Originally Posted by krishnaprasadgg

After what feels like an eternity finally took the bike out for a very short ride.

Well, to sum it up it wasn't easy. Riding a bike as committed as the R1 after about 6 months of not riding it more than 3-4kms makes things so much more complicated....

Unfortunately that holds true for most of us. Irrespective of the motorcycle class, category or riding style. The first time after a hiatus is awkward and feels unco-ordinated. But once the revs climb you can't but help smile in your helmet and relish the moment and remember what it was all about. Wishing you many more kms of happy riding. I did a couple of short trips to ease my self in and now everything feels normal again.

Originally Posted by krishnaprasadgg

Well, as soon as he sees me he asks, oh when did you change your bike from the CBR to r15.

Hilarious indeed! Best revenge would have been to make him ride pillion and redline it in a couple of gears .

[krishnaprasadgg]

Originally Posted by deepfreak15

The first time after a hiatus is awkward and feels unco-ordinated. But once the revs climb you can't but help smile in your helmet and relish the moment and remember what it was all about.

This is so true. Once I got a bit of open uncluttered road the smile that got plastered across my face was insane. And something I forgot to mention was I did not even hit 6th gear the entire time. I topped out at 5th and did not go beyond 85-90KMPH.
The reasons being I did not want to as it was the first ride after such a long time and also because the roads where I live even though it's an NH are just not wide or safe enough. But boy was it an enjoyable one after some time.

Originally Posted by deepfreak15

Hilarious indeed! Best revenge would have been to make him ride pillion and redline it in a couple of gears .

Oh, that would have been a perfect comeback for that.
But then again like I said above no roads and also he had come in his car so he was not dressed for the occasion. Had to just let him hear the symphony of that beast of an engine and be content with the coolest sounding R15.

Cheers
Krishna

[bigron]

Originally Posted by krishnaprasadgg

Why the "non-petrol head" comment you ask? Well, as soon as he sees me he asks, oh when did you change your bike from the CBR to r15.

You ll get used to it.

During the initial years of my GSX1300 ownership, at petrol bunks I have had boys come up to me and ask where did I get the body kit installed on my Karizma.

[Entsurgeon]

Originally Posted by bigron

You ll get used to it.

During the initial years of my GSX1300 ownership, at petrol bunks I have had boys come up to me and ask where did I get the body kit installed on my Karizma.

Get a ducati and they might ask if it has a tractor's engine.
Only hearsay, never experuenced this.
We can not expect every person to even know the word superbike so better get used to it.

[VijayAnand1]

Lovely one though. I wonder what your friend would have said if he'd seen the old R6 series. I am pretty much sure, he wouldn't have taken your word for the R1 and come to the conclusion that it's a modified R15

Ride safe! Try to ride to here sometime after the dust settles mate.

Cheers!
VJ

[krishnaprasadgg]

Originally Posted by VijayAnand1

I am pretty much sure, he wouldn't have taken your word for the R1 and come to the conclusion that it's a modified R15

Ride safe! Try to ride to here sometime after the dust settles mate.

Cheers!
VJ

Sitting on the bike changed his mind, the startup was cherry on cake too.

Ah Man...I am just hoping that the state border restrictions gets lifted up soon. KL and TN borders are still having the Epass system right.

Cheers
Krishna

[greenhorn]

Originally Posted by krishnaprasadgg

Why the "non-petrol head" comment you ask? Well, as soon as he sees me he asks, oh when did you change your bike from the CBR to r15.

This bike comes with that curse attached. I can confirm it plagued the first owner as well. He actually felt it was a feature because if you know him, he likes to keep a low profile!

[krishnaprasadgg]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

This bike comes with that curse attached. I can confirm it plagued the first owner as well. He actually felt it was a feature because if you know him, he likes to keep a low profile!

Yeah, he liked to keep a low profile.

Actually, I am totally fine with it. I just portrayed it in a fun way so that the otherwise boring post update had some humor in it.

I too prefer the bike go unnoticed in public, which saves me a lot of headaches. It is usually not a problem while you are riding it, people are often still searching for the source of the exhaust note by looking past the bike, which amuses me a lot. But when parked it's a tough one to miss with the size of the bike.

Cheers
Krishna