[vinbex]

Hi all,
I have been a follower of this forum for a number of years now, though I post queries or opinions very rarely, but it's a page I open up almost daily to check what's going on with automobiles. It has helped me immensely in my journey of maturing and assessing my needs.
About myself, I am an architect with my own practice and I also teach at a private college full time based in Kerala. Slowly reaching the middle age category, happily married! Have been riding some form of two wheels since I was six starting from the Bajaj Sunny. I am not a hyper tourer, but have been using my bikes almost daily for my work.

Coming to my journey on two wheels, just like most other boys of our generation, I was waiting to get my license to get hold of a bike and start riding, though I used to ride scooters regularly before that. I have been lucky that my parents were more than supportive and got me a Pulsar 200 (black) in 2009. It was the DTSI version with the aluminum end can and drum brake at the rear. Absolutely loved it and learnt the nitty gritties of bike riding from this bike. A year later, I plonked the Pulsar 220 front fairing and projector setup on it and enjoyed it for another year before selling him.



One of the few images I have of him. Those days were without smartphones.


The big bike buck had bitten. The Ninja 250R was launched in 2009, though I hardly knew anything about it in 2009. But come, 2010, 11 I was smitten by it and I had read almost all the posts on online forums.



I wanted the Ninja in lime green. It was also the time the CBR250R was launched, but something in me wanted the Ninja badly. Got the Ninja in November 2011 and enjoyed a good 6 years with it. Got riding longer distances and enjoying it. But my profession did not entirely allow me to use it to its full potential. At a time when Kawasaki started jacking up their spares and service prices, I started to think it was time to change, but did not know what to get.



From our ride to Mahabalipuram from Chennai

I parted with him in 2018 and had almost decided to get the R3, but went with the RR310 which was newly launched in 2018. A decision I regret to this date. Going from a parallel twin to a single will never be appealing how much you try. Though both had almost the same power figures, the refinement and drivability were totally different. I never test rode the RR310 and went with the online reviews. The first batch of bikes had terrible vibrations and I could hardly feel my palms after a brief 20 min ride.



From our ride to Mudaliyarkuppam, Chennai. My riding buddy since Ninja days.

Also, my short experience of riding the R3 was always at the back of my mind. The butter smooth engine, vibe free nature and comfortable stance was something I had loved when I took the R3 for a short spin. It came back to bite me and I sold the RR310 in four months and got a pre-owned 2015 R3 as the new one was discontinued due to the BS4 norms back then and the new ones weren’t launched yet. Yes, selling a brand new vehicle and getting a three year old one…the cycle will repeat!




From our ride to Yelagiri

That began a journey knowing the bike inside out completely. I could completely strip down the bike fairings and put them back in less than half an hour. This was also the time I could afford to spend a lot of time with the bike on the weekends. I learnt a lot of things hands on. Previously with the Ninja, I was scared because if anything went wrong, it would burn a hole in my pocket. But with the R3, I knew what I was doing and parts were relatively much cheaper. My profession allowed me longer and more frequent rides and I enjoyed every mile.

Then COVID hit and like many others, finances took a beating. The bike was lying around unused for months. I would start him up and ride around my apartment, keep him covered. I missed riding. But as things opened up, life brightened up and I started teaching as well and he started running again. A car purchase put an end to my daily use of the bike. I started loving car drives a lot more and occasionally took my bike for work. Then the next lockdown hit us and that was when I had to really sell the bike to manage my finances and priorities. The decision was difficult, but practical. I was hardly using the bike, it was nearly 6 years old and 45000kms and I was hardly getting time on the weekends to tour. Sold him for a very good price and was without a bike for nearly 9 months. The longest I have been after getting the license! I thought my bike life was done, I would never get another bike in my life. I sold all my bike related stuff like the paddock, helmets, gloves etc. I even told my wife-to-be, I was no longer a biker. Innocent soul believed me only to be dismayed later!


From our ride to Munnar.

I got married in between by the way and my wife has been one of my biggest pillars of strength for such decisions. The ever increasing fuel prices led me to the next purchase.



The Aerox 155. My travel of around 45kms daily through decent roads required something which was easy to handle and without gear, but rode and felt like a bike. The Aerox ticked all the boxes. I test rode it with a pillion and felt comfortable on normal roads as well as highways. It was set. But a week after I started taking it for work, I started developing pain from my head to toe. Every bump on the road was felt. Every little imperfection. I am 6 ft tall, probably the height also played a bit. I kept quiet for a while thinking I would adjust to it. But three months down the line, I was in complete pain because of the poor suspension setup on the Aerox. It’s a beautiful scooter and I absolutely love it and would purchase it again if I could. But I realized whatever engine you put in, a scooter is a scooter and it will never do what a bike does and commuting 45kms daily on a scooter is going to ruin my health.

Decided to part ways with it in three months and get an MT15 as it had the similar engine and economy figures. Once you become a family man, economy is something you consider on a priority basis! Got a new one and rode without any fuss. Great bike, but hard suspension again, but much better than the Aerox. But then it’s a single cylinder engine with 19 Ps power and I wondered whenever I rode, why is it feeling different. I hadn’t ridden a single cylinder engine bike daily for nearly 11 years. I pacified myself saying, it's serving its purpose. It's taking me safely and back and giving incredible mileage compared to the R3.



Fresh after taking delivery



But one day, just as I was scrolling through Youtube, I came across a video of some random 300cc bike and kept watching as I was jobless. Then, all of a sudden, there was this scene wherein the R3 emerges from behind traffic with both headlights on and he says, there’s is nothing that beats this King in this segment. I still have that screenshot with me. The moment I realized what I was missing. That made me skip a beat. It made me think deeply. I missed the R3. I missed that parallel twin feel, the grunt, the comfort. I wanted it so badly.


The screenshot which changed my life..

Back then I also thought if I should get the R3 or get a used Ninja 650 instead. It would have more power and the absolute screamer of an engine was tempting. But the upkeep costs and budget constraints led me to the R3.



From Malampuzha ride with my wife

This was no easy job to convince my family. It was the third bike in less than 9 months and I am sure a lot of people would call me crazy. I told my wife; it was going to be my last bike as it’s the best in the segment and it’s a keeper. I picked up a pre-owned 2018 end R3 and sold the MT15. Yes, it repeats again! I followed my heart. A matte black monster. I removed all the red decals and made it absolutely stealth. Replaced all the fiber parts as it had become aged. I did all that I could to keep him in the best shape possible. Made him as good as new, well almost as I was without any thoughts of an upgrade. He was doing all well and I started doing trips with my wife as well and she enjoyed them too. It was a lifestyle change for us. I had test ridden the Triumph Trident and the Tiger 660 sometime back and realized their power is hardly usable in the city, but they were definitely addictive!


From Valparai ride


Completely black!

This was when I started thinking of planning an upgrade, well not immediately, but after a year. Initially, the plan was to get the USD forks on the R3. That was all I needed to make him perfect. But once the new R3 was launched and I started getting the spares prices, things started taking a turn. It would cost almost 70k for the system. My mind went like, “should you spend that amount on a six year old bike? Rather get a used 650cc bike by putting in a bit more.” This thought struck and I started looking at the options like Ninja 650, trident 660, tiger 660 etc. They all cost around 5-6 lakhs on the used markets. That’s when I got into the CBR650R category. It was going to be an upgrade. Why not go full monty?

After a lot of research and understanding the bikes and their maintenance, I figured out the Honda was the best choice as it offered an inline four, fairing, decent maintenance etc. The Ninja 650 was a parallel twin and I was worried if I would outgrow it very quickly. Had ridden the trident, though it felt great, I missed the fairing and inline four feel. Then there was the Z900, but Kawasaki’s expensive maintenance kept me away from it. But here was a catch, the CBR was a very rare bike, hardly found on the used market, and those that were there were extremely priced. But I was in no hurry as I had a year to make this plan work. Also, the CBR was the most practical choice in terms of useability, maintenance, touring etc. It could go like a missile, but also potter around town. The pillion was comfortable, spares were cheap and an average of nearly 25 kmpl was perfect.

I spoke to my wife about the plan, though apprehensive in the beginning, she realized how much it meant to me and supported me with conditions…We fixed a budget and split it into three. A part would be achieved by selling the R3, the next would be a loan and the third was something I had to make additionally by doing something other than my work. When we reached that amount, we would get the CBR. As I said earlier, I am an Architect and an Assistant Professor. I started working in the evenings in another firm to get that additional income as well as learn new stuff which I thought was the best I could do rather than starting a Youtube channel or something as it's completely not my field. (No offense to Youtube channel owners, I enjoy your content)

I added a lot of CBR owners on Instagram just to get connected and see their lives with the bikes. Spoke to a few of them. This was in December 2023. And then I also test rode the CB 650R, to get the feel and it just felt amazing. The pillion was also happy and that was a positive. I checked Olx and kept finding high priced less used one's way out of my budget. I had only seen one in my town, never ridden one. Saw one for sale and thought maybe I should at least try and sit on it, but it got sold before I could even see. There was another one on Olx which was within my budget, but after multiple attempts, I could not go and check the bike. Fate, I believe!


First taste of the 650 engine from Honda


The CBR I couldn't meet and missed - part 1


The CBR I couldn't meet and missed - part 2

By this time, I had realized that it was not going to take a year and my other family matters would not allow me this luxury at that point. Something my wife also agreed to. A CBR owner texted me on Insta stating his friend’s vehicle is up for sale, but it's priced high. I just asked him to send the details and I contacted the owner. We spoke and exchanged a number of texts, but I wasn’t sure if I would be able to get it. I also got the number of the CBR owner in my place and told him I was looking for one. He incidentally told me there’s this bike which a dealer has and he will settle the deal without the Akra exhaust for an amount which was close to my budget. I immediately asked him for details and Tada! It’s the same bike. Felt like things were falling into place. I was traveling to Bangalore the next week for work and the bike was also in Bangalore. The dealer also told me to confirm quickly as the CBR in the used market sells like hot cakes. But I did not hurry. I wanted to see the bike and ride it in person and then decide. If not this one, something else would come!


First glimpse of my bike to-be through pics

I traveled to Bangalore and the first impression was not great. The bike is a 2022 model but it was covered with dust and mud and had bug splatter all over. It did not look like a 2 year old bike. I rode the bike to see if that side was clean. And boy it was wonderful. The inline four pull and symphony. I quickly got adjusted to the riding posture. The weight was felt at turns and slow speeds, but otherwise, it felt absolutely smooth. I discussed it with my friends who had accompanied me and they suggested we don't go by looks alone. If the engine is good, we can always get the bike cleaned and polished. I too felt it was right and it was hard to ignore the other goodies as well. The quickshifter, MRA visor, frame sliders, spools, fork sliders, extended warranty, engine warranty, RSA etc all come within my budget. I thought really hard about it and after a good night’s sleep, paid the token and confirmed the deal. The CBR650R was going to be mine. I asked him for a couple of weeks to arrange for funds and sell my R3 which he was more than happy to accept.



The big day.. Saw him in person and it was decided.
The next two weeks were crazy! The R3 was not getting sold as I was already the third owner and it had done around 43000 kms. People wanted it for the price of an R15. That was creating pressure as I thought the R3 had great demand and it would get sold pretty quickly. Finally someone came with a decent offer and I felt it was good enough and we agreed to close the deal within two weeks as he also had to get the funds ready. The second week, I asked the owner to change the Akra to the stock exhaust and that was when another bullet hit me. The ignition sensor failure light pops up on the CBR. I had booked tickets for Thursday night and Thursday evening, and this news hit me. The owner tells me, the service centre needs time till next Wednesday to sort it out. Not sure what to do, I had no option but to wait for further info from the service centre. Meanwhile, I got my funds ready and set for transfer without hiccups.

On Friday afternoon he calls and confirms it was just some wiring issue and it has been rectified. Now the exhaust swap is only pending which would be done by Saturday morning. So, I booked tickets for Saturday night after confirming with him thrice. I did not want anything to go wrong again. The exhaust swap is done, the bike is back and rolling. I get a call only late evening confirming this… absolutely tensed up until then. Settle the deal with the dealer for the akra and sort the balance funds. Board the bus with butterflies in my stomach. I was going to ride a superbike for such a long distance for the first time in my life; around 450kms with no one for company. It was the first ride on the CBR for so long.

Catch some sleep in the bus to ensure I am not tired for the long ride the next day. Reach on time in Bangalore. Freshen up at my friend’s place, have breakfast and leave. My mind is at one place, body is at another.. The excitement, the joy, the fear, the tension everything just kept convoluting inside. Finally, reach the owner’s place and check the bike and ask my wife to transfer the funds confirming that the bike is perfect. It was dusty again and stuff, but I did not care. The fund transfer had one minor hiccup again, but my wife sorted it out and we were ready for the key handover. One of the biggest joys in my life had come true. I was the owner of an inline four beauty from Honda. Bid goodbye to the owner’s friend. The owner had gone to Mumbai to get his next superbike…


The official handover - I am the owner now.

Filled up the tank and headed to my friend’s place with him in his car as pilot. The roads were terrible, which gave me enough time to adjust to the slow speed capabilities of the CBR. Reached his home safe, packed up and got ready for the long haul. Bangalore to Thrissur. Glad his house is located in Electronic city, I could hit the highway within ten minutes. The first experience of opening the throttle made me smile ear to ear. It was pure joy. Took it easy for the first few kilometers before gaining speed. Soon, I was doing good speeds and covering good distances without any issues both to the bike as well as myself. The temperature was pretty high, but I was completely covered and the SUn was not in my face. Stopped every hour to let my wife and friends know I was okay and the current location and hydrated myself with water and fruits.


Starting from Bangalore


Somewhere enroute

Closer to the destination -Thrissur, Kerala


Kept going and at some point started feeling the rear tyre was losing grip. Stopped and checked but it had enough air. Thought it was my feeling. Finally I reached home after a 7 hour ride including breaks. The only time it felt difficult was when the Sun was on my face from 4pm to 6pm between Erode - COimbatore - Palakkad. Otherwise, it was perfectly smooth. I wasn't even tired to be honest nor had any sort of body ache. Took my wife for a short spin before showing my parents my prized possession.


For a few days, I had the best of the Japs - The CBR 650R, the R3 and the Baleno..

The next week was spent getting to know him better. Getting the Puja done at the temple after a good wash, swapping the tyres and then finally handing him over for a good detailing session. Done! He looked as good as new and my OCD was satisfied. He was ready to go. The following week, I took him for a short 110km ride along with my wife to Athirappilly falls near Thrissur, Kerala and back. Could not open him up much as the roads were all twisty and patchy, but the short stretch of highway was excellent. The next ride was with my close riding buddy to Travelounge, Walayar which is around a 150 kms ride. The roads were excellent but peppered with speed cameras. My plan is to take him for rides whenever possible on the weekends or holidays. I believe there’s no point in having a superbike in your garage and bragging about it. Looking forward to continuing this thread with updates about my bike and rides in the future. Hope you all like it



From the detailing session



From the Athirappilly ride



From the Walayar ride



The same ride buddy - back again with his Gen 1 CBR 250R

[Sheel]

Thread Approved!

Thanks for sharing.

[minzanurag]

Originally Posted by vinbex

Looking forward to continuing this thread with updates about my bike and rides in the future.

Congratulations on the CBR650R. Wishing you many more miles and trips on the lovely bike.

I recently got myself a 2016 CBR650F and although, it's bit old school when it comes to tech, it is more than enough for my use case and I saved a lot going the pre-owned way. I skipped the 2-cyl (Ninja) and 3-cyl (Triple) as I knew the heart would want a 4-cyl sooner or later.

Enjoy the bike and will look forward to your ownership reports.

[Sangwan]

Big congratulations man! This bike looks so good when seen in person and with some aftermarket accessories it only gets better.

It’s on my list, I recently got my motorcycles license in Canada and have started looking at motorcycles. Who knows may be another CBR650R ownership thread might pop up.

Keep on riding.

Cheers,
Sangwan

[Guru_Shikhar]

Many congratulations @vinbex on your dream purchase.
The red is the color for CBR650R if you ask me.

I am also dreaming about this particular bike to be with me one day but only afraid of the stance which I would like to know from your experience.
I am 5.10 and have a Himalayan 2018 model with me. Is the riding posture committed since it’s a superbike and I am used to Himalayan sitting and stance.

Also can you share the price of purchase if are ok with it.

Please keep posting and updating this thread.

Have thousands of miles with this beautiful machine.

Cheers

[vinbex]

Originally Posted by Guru_Shikhar

Many congratulations @vinbex on your dream purchase.
The red is the color for CBR650R if you ask me.

I am also dreaming about this particular bike to be with me one day but only afraid of the stance which I would like to know from your experience.
I am 5.10 and have a Himalayan 2018 model with me. Is the riding posture committed since it’s a superbike and I am used to Himalayan sitting and stance.

Also can you share the price of purchase if are ok with it.

Please keep posting and updating this thread.

Have thousands of miles with this beautiful machine.

Cheers

Hey Guru Shikhar,
Thank you.
Yes, in the beginning, I was confused with the colors and since I already had a matte black R3, it became pretty straightforward decision and I absolutely love it now. The red looks great!
The R3 has a tourer based position and is very comfortable. The CBR is more committed although not as committed as the Daytona or the litre class bikes. I find it comfortable on long rides, but not in stop and go traffic. You should definitely try and spend sometime with it and then decide because, coming from a Himalayan, it can feel a bit strange.
I got it for around 8 lakhs. It has the OEM quick-shifter, MRA visor, radiator guards, frame sliders, spools, fork sliders and BMC filter. Felt it was a decent deal for a 2022 bike.

[kkSolo]

Congrats on the bike!

Such a practical big bike!

I too loved this bike and after waiting for almost 2 years with a booking at Bigwing Cochin and no news of it coming even in 2024 I had given up on this one!

Totally agree with your logic of not keeping big bikes as garage queens and using it as its meant. Wishing you lots of great kms on this beauty!

[yatesh.92]

Hey @vinbex, first of all, many congratulations on your big bike purchase! That 650 inline 4 will be an absolute delight to own. Wishing you loads of amazing memories with the machine.

As a former Honda owner (Unicorn Dazzler -2011-19), I can surely vouch for the refinement. That's one aspect which will surely put a smile on your face every time you open the throttle. You were away from riding for just 9 months. I on the other hand made a comeback to riding after a gap of 4 years when I took the delivery of my Duke 390 gen 3 on 31st December . Although this machine has a character of it's own and the LC4C is a pretty smooth motor, it still doesn't match the refinement levels of a Honda.

[AKSO]

Congrats. The inline 4 cylinder is like a symphony played by the orchestra. Enjoy and ride safe.

[vinbex]

Hey all,

A little update as I have completed around 1500kms in close to two months time. Most of it has been on highways or ghat roads with some occasional city sprints.
A few things I noticed:

1. There are vibes at around 6k rpm on the pegs and seat, but nothing really bothersome. Absolutely smooth after that. It pulls effortlessly and keeps on going.
2. I hear a metallic clink while going over patchy surfaces. Its coming from left backside. I am unable to pinpoint. There's nothing loose visually though. Sounds like a loose nut somewhere. Will check with the service center.
3. The average is quite good, showing around 23km/ltr on the odo.
4. It gets really hot during city runs and coupled with the hot weather outside, it does not look like a good idea to ride it in the city for now. Takes a lot of time to cool down once parked as well. Around 3+ hrs. to actually cool down on the engine side.
5. Have installed TVS Euro Grip Road hound and they are quite good for the price actually. Enough grip of dry roads and sandy surfaces. haven't tested on wet roads yet.
6. Riding on patchy roads is a pain. The undulations area hard on the wrist.
7. My right palm gets numb after a while. Maybe I am holding the bars too tight. have ordered Traction grips.
8. Installed EBC Sintered Pads on the front and they are an absolute delight. Spot on and sharp braking and no sounds.

Sharing a few pics from the weekend ride with my long time companion on his CBR250R.
I have to admit, the engine on the 250 is an absolute gem. Even after 13yrs and 42000kms with not s much looking after, it rides like new. I rode it for around 50kms back to back with the 650 and was clearly surprised with how smooth it actually is. No vibes, great feel for a single cylinder. I do not think even Honda have managed to build such an engine after that. The riding position is quite relaxed, comfortable seats and can easily cruise at 110-120 all day. Still wonder why Honda killed such an great bike!

A 200km round trip to Nelliyampathy, Kerala. The weather was surprisingly pleasant there with mist and clouds. Though the roads are not great with patchwork throughout. The highways are beautiful though.
Enjoy the pics.

[vinbex]

A small update. Got some major work done on the CBR last week.
Wasn't sure about the fluids, hence decided to change everything except the engine oil and oil filter. Got it done with Sanjay at Fmotors, Cochin for peace of mind and ultimate precision. Would recommend Fmotors to anyone looking for good care of their bikes.
Following were the jobs done.
1. Cleaning Air filter. It runs a BMC filter, so it was soaked and cleaned and re-inserted.
2. Cleaning the throttle bodies. Did not look terrible, but always good to see golden butterfly valves. Syncing is not required as per Honda.
3. Coolant flush and change to Engine Ice. Now the bike takes a little bit more time to heat up.
4. Fork oil change. Seals were not replaced. Front end felt a bit stiff initially, but has settled down considerably now.
5. Both front and rear brakes were bled and fluids replaces with Liqui Moly RBF660.
6. Chain cleaned and lubed.

Though these changes made miniscule difference to the ride, it was important for peace of mind and keep him in good shape. Now at 38300kms, next service is due in 42000 kms which is basically just oil and oil filter change.

[Deeps]

Hey. Congrats on the bike and wishing you many happy miles on it.

If you don't mind disclosing, whats the price you paid for it? Will help others who may be in the market for this as well.

[vinbex]

Originally Posted by Deeps

Hey. Congrats on the bike and wishing you many happy miles on it.

If you don't mind disclosing, whats the price you paid for it? Will help others who may be in the market for this as well.

Hey,

No issues. The total service cost came up to around 9.5k.
Consumables like the Engine Ice is around Rs. 2160/- per liter
Fork oil Rs. 800/- per liter; Brake fluid Rs. 1500/- per liter

Rest labor, with fork oil and coolant change making up the major chunk.

By the way, also got the tank grips from One Design installed. Sourced from Speed Monks, Delhi. Costs around Rs. 4500/- Wouldn't recommend as it comes with the adhesive which needs to be cut to the grip shape before installing which is no easy job. Once stuck, it seems fine. Yet to test extensively.

Also purchased the seat cowl from Open Throttle Racers, Mumbai. Costs Rs. 4000/-. Their packing is not really great. But the cowl quality seems good. The colors do not match. The OEM color is a cherry red, but the cowl is pure scarlet red. Trying to figure out a way to match them.

Hope this helps.

[Deeps]

Originally Posted by vinbex

Hey,

No issues. The total service cost came up to around 9.5k.
Consumables like the Engine Ice is around Rs. 2160/- per liter
Fork oil Rs. 800/- per liter; Brake fluid Rs. 1500/- per liter

Rest labor, with fork oil and coolant change making up the major chunk.

By the way, also got the tank grips from One Design installed. Sourced from Speed Monks, Delhi. Costs around Rs. 4500/- Wouldn't recommend as it comes with the adhesive which needs to be cut to the grip shape before installing which is no easy job. Once stuck, it seems fine. Yet to test extensively.

Also purchased the seat cowl from Open Throttle Racers, Mumbai. Costs Rs. 4000/-. Their packing is not really great. But the cowl quality seems good. The colors do not match. The OEM color is a cherry red, but the cowl is pure scarlet red. Trying to figure out a way to match them.

Hope this helps.

This is helpful as well. But I was referring to the cost of acquiring the bike

[vinbex]

It has been a while since I made a trip with the CBR, though I had been doing some local runs, but the running was clearly low owing to the monsoons and extremely poor conditions of the roads here (Thrissur). Also, my ride partner was unavailable. Now that both have become available/ better, we headed off to Isha Yoga Centre, Coimbatore on Sunday. My partner in crime came in his trusted steed, CBR250R.

Started at around 6am and our plan was to reach by 9am with breakfast on the way. A total distance of 130km one way. The highways from Thrissur to Palakkad are excellent, but the speed cameras are quite frequent. Had breakfast at Saravana Bhavan, Kanjikode. But once, you turn into the Coimbatore stretch and then further into Perur side, the roads are terrible again.
Potholes and uneven patchwork all over with people, cows and dogs wandering freely and on top of that, rumble strips every now and then. The last bit made it tiring. But the weather was pleasant with slight drizzle and cool wind.


Figuring out the route

Once we reached the place, parking fee of Rs. 10/- and we had leave our bikes unattended. Was worrisome, but there was no other way. It was nice and windy there but crowded. Breathtaking views all around and the ambience was surreal. We did not have plans to see the place entirely, hence just visited the Shiva statue and started the return at 10.30am.
We took the same route back, which was pathetic coupled with the humid Sun made it a bit of an effort, but once we hit the highways, it was absolute fun.
Rode the CBR 250R for some distance just to see how it is and boy it rides so well even now. after almost 15 years. No wonder, he is very keen on keeping it. A total trip of around 260kms covered.

Some pictures from the ride










Had purchased a Shark Race R Pro G 06 helmet and this was also a good chance to test it out. I was skeptical about the size because it felt too tight when I first tried it on, but all reviewers had mentioned it is a race fit helmet and it feels tighter than most other helmets. I had been wearing it at home, just to get used to it before wearing it on the ride and it had gotten better. But this was the actual litmus test. It felt comfortable and the vents were working really well. I no longer had the feeling of tightness, but it is snug. The vision is clear and I have no issues with turning the head or anything. Wind noise is quite low and it feels like you are in a bubble. The only issue I felt was, since I wear spectacles, my ear started to hurt towards the end of the ride. Have to figure out how to manage that. Otherwise, the helmet has passed the test. The helmet comes in a nice carry bag and optional dark visor which is literally dark. it also some some race features like race flap, neck curtain etc.

Some pics of the new helmet.







It has been 6 months and 2500kms since the last service and I thought why not get it serviced, to avoid lapse in warranty. All the major work had already been carried out by Sanjay from Fmotors back in May ( My previous Post), hence this was just oil and oil filter change. I rode down to Kochi to get this done, a distance of 80kms on way. It was a smooth experience at Big Wing Topline Kochi, the only one in Kerala. The 42000km service has replacement of oil and filter and the rest are general checkup as per the manual. ASC quoted around 8.5k for this which I declined politely and asked them to carry out just the oil and filter change which came upto around 4.5k including chain clean and lube.
Had felt vibes creeping in at around 5500rpms on the tank and pegs during the ride which has eased out after the service. The ride back was smooth and now I have to wash the bike over the weekend as it has gotten dirty owing the drizzle and dirt from the rides. A total of around 450kms this month is a good running. Meanwhile a nail got stuck onto my rear tyre and I was heartbroken, its a brand new tyre, but luckily it was on the surface and the was no puncture
The aftermarket seat cowl has started rubbing against the tail panel and creating a mark. just thinking if I should switch back to the seat (makes the scratch visible) or let it be.

Some pics from the Kochi trip and random shots