Test rode the BSA Goldstar 650: Here are the pros & cons I observed

The power delivery was right from get go. The gearing is tall and suitable for highways more.

BHPian DieselWanderer recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

My test ride experience was rather disappointing or sad to say! I called up the Jawa Showroom in Chennai & they were kind enough to get bike ready for test drive. I always visit the showroom for test drives to get an idea of how good the dealer is since they will be my point of contact till time the warranty is active. I reached on time and the was Bike being clean & ready on to go.

Being in sales myself; I always believe first impression is important and Jawa needs to work on this. The showroom looked tired; unorganised and had poor lighting with bikes just parked like the old cycle rental shops.

I met the sales executive & he was quick to take my details and we then went to the 650 which was parked on the platform outside. He brought it to the road and my ride begins

The good bits:

• Started the engine and waited for 45 secs for it to settle. The exhaust note was nice with minimum vibes overall.
• Slot the gear & the 650 pulls so clean, open throttle and wow! The power delivery was right from get go. The gearing is tall and suitable for highways more. I think for city we need to settle in 2nd or 3rd. Addictive low & mid range.
• Went for a 20 minute test drive and could feel the heat of the 650, not uncomfortable but was evident on my shin area.
• The seat was low but overall the ergonomics felt good and comfy.

The sad ones:

• The speedo was disconnected, this led to me not knowing what actual speeds I was doing. Had to rely on my gut feeling and this led to me adjusting gear changes for the first 3-4 minutes.
• The rear brake felt disconnected or rather not working; On gentle taps it felt like no brake and on giving it more pressure the rear brake felt like “i am present sir”
• My test bike had false neutrals in 2-3 occasions and stalled while coming to a slow stop.
• The fuel was so low that the bike started jerking when I tried to open the throttle on an open stretch. I stopped called the sales ex and he was clueless, luckily this was close to the showroom and I had to just return back riding slowly on the left most lane, we opened the tank and could barely see any fuel.
• The digital screen should have been a positive LCD at least. Useless while riding.

Overall I rate the bike 7/10 and would try in a different showroom to see if they have a better vehicle.

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