After endless trips to RTO and police station and the only solution seeming to take over the bike under my name, I decided to proceed with the same.

BHPian TheGodfather had shared this with other enthusiasts:

TLDR; Bike registered under my name but sold to another person while dealership was closing. RC is not getting generated since HSRP not available. How to proceed ?

Bike registered under my name while sold to another

Details:

Dear Team BHPians, Good afternoon

This is to make you aware about a problem that I'm facing and to get advice and suggestions from you for the best possible way ahead.

There are two bikes in discussion here. In 2019, I was in market to buy a bike. Initially I was allotted a bike bearing chassis no 'A' by a Yamaha Authorized dealer. But due to problem of oil leakage during PDI, I had to reject the delivery. With support from Yamaha India, I got a new bike allotted bearing chassis no 'B'. After PDI of the second bike, I took the delivery and have been using satisfactorily since the last 5 years.

Few months ago, I got to know that the first bike 'A' was sold internally to an employee working at he dealership when the dealership was closing in 2020. But the tax was paid under my name and thus the first bike was also registered under my name without my knowledge. The person with whom the bike is, called and told me that he’s trying to get the RC processed but it is unsuccessful since the HSRP was not provided by the dealership and asked me to connect to Yamaha or any other dealership for the HSRP since the original dealership is closed. He’s ready to get the RC transferred but it can only be done after the HSRP is cleared.

Right now, because of the misdealing of the now closed dealership without my knowledge, I’m stick in this problem with all the risk of any mishappening with me without any fault of my own. My only mistake was the unawareness that I need to do something to cancel the registration and insurance or something similar while rejecting the first delivery. I went to the RTO and they explicitly mentioned that until and unless the HSRP status is not made “Available/OK” on the Vahan portal, RC cannot be issued and the transfer cannot happen from my name to the other person. Even a duplicate RC cannot be issued without HSRP status cleared.

I got in touch with a few other dealerships but there was common response that they need a nod from Yamaha India for which I've written to customer care and regional sales lead but so far in vain.

I wanted to ask you all if there's any other way to order HSRP and get the HSRP status on Vahan portal updated. Also, what are the other options for me to safeguard me from any liabilities coming out of it ? Can I get he registration cancelled. The 3rd party insurance seems to be valid till end of May 2024 as per mParivahan. Thanks in advance.

He had the following final update to share on the matter:

TL;DR: The situation could be resolved only after taking over the bike under my name and transferring to the other person as second owner and making an agreement stating the entire situation.

After endless trips to RTO and police station and the only solution seeming to take over the bike under my name, I decided to proceed with the same.

Since the HSRP status was 'not available ' the first step was to connect with Yamaha corporate office in Pune since the dealership were not able to resolve the problem. The Yamaha guy was quite helpful and after providing proofs, directed one of the dealerships to order the HSRP and update the status on Vahan website.

Afterwards, it was a series of visits to RTO and only after meeting the Dy. RTO officer a couple of time, the RC was dispatched under my name.

After receiving the RC, I asked the other person to accompany me for a legal agreement drafted by a lawyer stating the entire situation and relieving me of any liability. I'm not sure if such an agreement has a standing in a court of law but it was more about having something signed by both of the parties rather than having nothing (I can share the agreement copy if the legal experts here can help to clarify it's legal standing).

Post the agreement, it was pretty straightforward and I got the bike transferred to the other person's name. I checked repeatedly for any challans but none was there. Also, I suppose before transferring a vehicle to another owner, RTO might be doing some checks over NCRB or pending legal actions. I'm hoping that if the transfer was successful without any hiccups then this topic has closed.

This was how the saga came to an end after endless visits to RTO. Police station and dealerships. Hoping all is well that has ended well.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I refuelled short of Lucknow, calculated that the distance to Agra was around 340 plus kms and set course.

BHPian aviator1101 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Narrating an interesting incident which happened to me yesterday.

I am traveling to Spiti with Bagheera on its first long trip. Yesterday the route was from Gorakhpur to Delhi. So, I took the Lucknow Agra Expressway and then the Yamuna Expressway till Delhi.

I refuelled short of Lucknow, calculated that the distance to Agra was around 340 plus kms and set course.

Enroute, I was shocked to see only two fuel pumps in the entire expressway till Agra, and those two also at an interval of approx 100 kms each. After crossing the second pump with fuel range on console showing 120 kms, I took a wrong decision and continued without refueling. Torrential rains after midway kept slowing me down.

I kept riding with yellow warning light coming on at 100 kms to empty and then the distance to empty kept further reducing.

At the exit toll booth towards Agra, the distance to empty was at 42 kms and the toll booth operator said it was another 30 kms to the next pump at Agra exit. Just kept my fingers crossed, cursed myself for the foolishness and rode on. Finally found the exit, descended, reached the pump with distance to empty remaining just 11 kms. Heaved a sigh of relief.

So, the good part is that the distance to empty figure displayed on the console is quite accurate. Though I won't suggest anyone to either experiment or replicate what I did.

With the reading showing almost empty, tank took in 15.3 litres to fill up to the brim.
So, practically unusable fuel would be around 1.7 to 2 litres.

PS : more details on the Spiti ride shortly in travelogue section.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The pull of this bike reminds me of the 2013 Duke 390 I used to own.

BHPian @shimda recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Received delivery yesterday and rode 100 km home that too with my wife. The test ride I had taken previously was short but felt good and the ride home just confirmed that feeling.

As most have mentioned the engine has a lot of grunt even with a pillion the bike pulled effortlessly. The pull of this bike reminds me of the 2013 Duke 390 I used to own. The brakes are good but the lever action is long, probably need time to adjust to it.

The bike I received only had 10km on it so I limited myself to 4000rpm.

In 5th gear 60kmph comes at 2100rpm, 80 is at 3000 and 100kmph will cost a shade over 4000rpm.

Gear box is slick, no problem slotting neutral, gears are spaced well, 6th gear not required.  Front suspension is great and the rear is ok, after reaching home, I rode solo and preferred the weight of the pillion, less bounce it seemed.

The dealer had given a full tank of fuel, which was normal 91RON. I did not experience any knocking or other effects. Bike runs fine.

The bike is very comfortable for rider and pillion. My wife being a little vertically challenged is happy she can mount and dismount without dislocating my shoulder and she reported that her knees felt fine due to the rear foot pegs being set lower. The wife loves it so I'm a happy man.

So far I'm satisfied with the purchase; time will tell if it stays that way.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

This is when Insta algo caught on and started bombarding me with Ads, one which caught my attention was the Leh riding tour. The prices quoted by some of the Indian vendors were actually too good to be true.

BHPian 2000rpm recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

We wanted to go SOMEWHERE at short notice!!

Options evaluated (we were all over the place and were evaluating options without any filters)

• Iceland Ring route – Missed the season for Visa and bookings
• Dubai – Too hot currently for anything outdoors
• Tarsar Marsar Trek – Permits denied
• Great Lakes Trek – Already done by me.
• Lahoul – Spiti – Landslide before Manali

Possible options left

North East, Vietnam Cambodia, Leh Ladakh, Masai Mara

This is when Insta algo caught on and started bombarding me with Ads, one which caught my attention was the Leh riding tour. The prices quoted by some of the Indian vendors were actually too good to be true.

Inclusions

• 8 Days Accommodation (3 Days in Leh, 2 Days in Hanle, 1 Day in Pangong, 2 Days in Nubra)
• 7 Days Bike Rental with FUEL!! (Himalayan 411)
• 8 Days Breakfast and Dinner
• Backup vehicle for emergencies
• Full time mechanic to address breakdowns
• 2 Tour leads. One who leads and one who sweeps (rides last, covering the slowest rider)

Some quotes were as low as 30k per person!!

My needs – I ride, while my wife can travel in a SUV behind me, she can move to the bike (with safety gear) whenever she wants. This requirement actually filtered out a lot of vendors as they didn’t have a comfortable vehicle to travel for non-riders.

I called up a few vendors and got pulled into this tour. I booked with Vendor 1 who featured on Shark tank!! My first preference was someone else though, but since their itinerary for the day was not meeting my needs, I booked with the Shark tank Vendor.

Two days prior to travel, my preferred vendor called me and said that they had a seat vacant in the traveler and they can meet my needs for the trip. I switched and lost my deposit with the Shark tank vendor.

My reason for the preferred vendor was

1. Twin accommodation at all places (other vendors had gender-wise dorms in Hanle)
2. Extra day to explore TurTuk
3. Comfortable travel for non-rider (traveller)

The itinerary which we were gonna follow is in Image 1, 2 and 3

We reached Leh one day prior to the start of the itinerary. This gave us ample time to acclimatize. Both our heart rates were in the mid to high 90s for the first couple of days. We went to Leh market and explored a lot of places.

Local Intelligence – Vodafone doesn’t seem to work at all in Ladakh. Get a local prepaid sim for the local journey. The shop keeper strongly recommended us JIO but Airtel is better as it works even in remote locations and Nubra. (wherever you get network spots, Airtel is available there)

Day 1 – Acclimatization

Difficulty - Zero, Total Distance - Zero

We were briefed about the journey. Did quick introductions and discussed Day 2 Itinerary. Majority of crowd in our group was from Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai. Only two of us were from Mumbai. 8 from MP and 4-6 from Delhi.

We were a convoy of 22 bikes, one bolero camper and one Tempo Traveller!!

We were given safety equipment on day 1 also. I had gotten my own Jacket (purchased for this trip) but finding the right size for my 5’1 wife was a challenge. The smallest size available with organizers was XL, but with warm jackets and thermals factored in, the XL would do.

Tomorrow, we get our bikes! Our Stallions for the war ahead.

Day 2 – Leh Exploration Day

I would call it bike acclimatization day or Practice session

Difficulty – Easy, Total Distance – 60 kms

Attractions – Hall of Fame, Sangam Spot of Zanskar and Indus River, Magnetic Hill, Gurudwara Patthar Sahib, Shanti Stupa.

This was basically a practice day with bikes with local sites. Most people were getting used to the Himalayan, the gear, the riding conditions.

We reached back hotel by 3.30 pm and were asked to report any problems with the bikes which they planned to repair by EOD. Everyone had one problem, the VIBRATIONS on the windscreen! To which, the mechanic mentioned that there was no solution for the same and it is a good indicator that you are crossing 80 kmph (like an alert in new age cars).

Some of the enthu people, took the time in the evening to rush to the Leh Palace and cover the same. Its a must visit if you have the time. Please note - this is a small trek.

We caught up on some nice food at places recommended by our tour guide, Shashank. The Tibetan Kitchen being one place which I would recommend. Schoko Monk for desserts also!

We had the briefing for the next day during dinner and we packed our bags.

Travel Tip – You can make a bag of excess luggage and deposit it in the hotel. This is typically the same hotel you will come back to at the end of the trip. You can collect it here. This way you don’t have to carry your whole luggage across the trip.

Tomorrow, the real trip begins. A 20s me, would have been very casual about a 1000 kms bike ride in the middle of nowhere, but after 15 years of a desk job and outside food, will I still be able to do it? Or was I being crazy when I booked this?

Day 3 – Leh to Hanle

Difficulty – Easy, Total Distance – 260 kms

This is not the typical route. The typical route is Leh – Nubra – Pangong – Hanle – Lalingla – Leh. We did this in reverse order as this itinerary would mean that we will be stuck with all the other tourists during the 15th August Extended weekend slot. This was not the most ideal path but our leader decided that this would provide us with a better experience, especially at locations where the tourist capacity was low, like Hanle.

This road was “Makkhan”, as iterated by our tour guide. My wife rode with me on this journey and enjoyed the views and the ride. My body was fresh and could complete the ride without any problems whatsoever. This is one of the top 5 road days I have had in my life!!

We reached Hanle around 5 pm, had tea and were given time to rest.

During the debriefing for the next day at dinner, the Tour guide told us about out trip to Umling La the next day. This route had a 60 kms off-road patch. Me and my wife decided that I ride solo on this day.

Tomorrow was going to be a completely new kinda terrain, and 19000+ ft journey. Very few have done the Umling La so far, I think I should be amongst the first few thousand people to do this!

Day 4 – Hanle to Umling La and back

Difficulty – Moderate, Total Distance – 170 kms

We started the day early with breakfast and start of ride. From broken Hanle local roads to more broken roads to the off-road patch! This was the best patch of riding I had ever done in my life. The Off-road patch (seen in multiple car and bike TVCs) feels like heaven!

This, by-far, is the best driving / riding experience I have had in my entire life.

This patch is followed by muddy ghat section and then a tarmac ghat section to Umling la.

As we gained height, our bikes started to struggle and choke due to lower oxygen levels. And then during the last few kms, it started to SNOW!! We swapped riding gloves with warm gloves to….er….keep our fingers. We reached Umling La amongst the snow and were super happy to reach there.

We reached and parked our bikes and while we were doing some photos our Traveler also arrived. We clicked some great photos there but I honestly didn’t understand the magnitude of our ride while I was there. Only in retrospect I realize. What a ride it was!!!

We were there for max 20 mins as people started to feel the altitude. We started our journey back and man, the drive down was with rains and gravel and downward incline on extreme turns. I was pushing myself but just couldn’t keep up with a lot of riders. They were extremely skilled (or extremely daring).

Special mention to two individuals from the auto industry (one Italian guy who works with Ducati and one Delhi guy who worked with Ducati), they made us look like Mario Bros in the world of PS5.

We reached back through the same route, and the offroad section felt wayyyy more bumpy on our way back. People who know rumbler strips, used extensively in Maharashtra. Imagine riding through an infinite sea of rumbler strips.

We reached back by 5 pm and were waiting for the Traveller (my room keys were with my wife and she was in the traveller). The Traveller was a BS6 Diesel and had gone into limp mode is what we understood. While I was waiting one of the rider couples were planning to roam locally and I was about to join them when then Traveller showed up. They had gone to see the Hanle Observatory, something we missed.

We freshened up and thought of trying star gazing which Hanle is famous for. We clearly didn’t know what it was about and came back after enjoying the open sky with stars from an Amateur perspective.

Tomorrow seems like a test of my abilities on the bike, especially amongst the water crossings. I am not worried, but water is a powerful force of nature.

Day 5 – Hanle to Pangong

Difficulty – Moderate, Total Distance – 180 kms

This was the day of river crossings. The Hanle to Pangong route has some river crossings. I was super excited for this day as I was looking forward to river crossings. We had a pair of gumboots which we strapped to our rear seats and started the journey to Pangong.

The first river crossing we encountered, we underestimated and crossed it without gum boots and I wet my shoes as a result. I had the Decathlon Waterproof, ankle high trekking shoes on. Waterproof shoes, don’t let water in. BUT they also don’t let water out!!! I got glacial water in my shows and my struggle with the right foot wear for water crossings begun there.

We stopped at Rezang la War memorial, and I managed to change my socks there. I also switched to m gum boots there. My overall attire there was, well…..fashion show worthy.

On this track we also encountered multiple gravel and sand patches. I loved the sand patches but hated the gravel patches as the bike is just never under complete control over the gravel.

During this travel I also realized how useless of an accessory is gum boots for riding. I didn’t feel safe in them and they caught water in them too. This made them extremely heavy until you stop and drain them.

We reached Pangong at around 6. The traveller had reached before us here, they were doing the photo ops when we reached. I found my wife and clicked some pics with her there. This was my second visit to Pangong but she was seeing this for the first time and honestly, wasn’t impressed. The excessive number of tourists were making it look like Juhu Beach.

We reached our cottages and that’s when my wife’s migraine played up. She was sitting on the sunny side of the traveller today and her day-night glasses just weren’t good enough to keep the UV out effectively. We checked her for O2 levels and heart rate which were decent given the altitude. We retired for the day hoping for a better day tomorrow.

During the dinner briefing, our leader told us that we will need to leave early tomorrow as the Shyok river gets more aggressive as the day progresses (because of more water from molten glaciers). One guy had been washed away with his bike today as he tried to cross the river around 2 pm. We were trying to cross all these patches by 11 am.

Tomorrow, could be the most dangerous part of our journey. While all of us have shown great riding composure, fear of water can make people do unpredictable things. Have seen this across water falls in Maharashtra. The wrath of water, is either overestimated or underestimated. Both bad scenarios.

Day 6 - Pangong to Nubra

Difficulty – Moderate to High, Total Distance – 170 kms

We woke up and my wife’s migraine wasn’t gone. She took a combiflam and we were hoping it would help. She took a middle seat in the traveller.

Before we left for the day, we hoisted the flag as today was Independence Day!!

The ride on this day was like riding on the banks of a river, where the river would encroach on some parts of the banks. We would ride through these parts of the bank. We encountered multiple water crossings, some easy and some difficult. I felt very comfortable with them. Identifying the line is the key to river crossings, if you do that well, it remains quite easy.

We finished all the tricky water crossings and had lunch at a café which was located on the banks of a glacial stream. I loved this location. We cleaned our shoes and gear from the mud from the river crossings. The Shyok river is a muddy river with Oreo Hot chocolate like water (gravel plus mud plus water).

We entered Nubra and our first stop was the Diskit Monestery where you find a 108 ft Buddha status towering over you. The site is very peaceful, if you manage to ignore the tourists. The last 15 kms patch before Diskit Monastery was the most painful part of my ride throughout the trip. It was a dusty patch of WIP highway. The amount of dust we inhaled in that patch would be enough to give most people an asthma attack!!

After the Diskit Monestary, we went to the Sand dunes where you find the double hump camels and you can ride ADVs on the sand dunes. The most touristy location in Nubra.

From here we went to the Nubra Camps. I was honestly, tired of basic accommodation and was thinking of booking a hotel nearby, just for the sake of some luxury. Most camps across Ladakh have electricity for 4 hrs from 7 pm to 11 pm and have hot water available only for 2 hours in the morning. I had been doing this since we left Ladakh and felt that we could use some amenities. Honestly the dusty patch had left me yearning for a shower, and not getting one after reaching the camp site really put me off!

We decided against getting a hotel, but if someone would like a recommendation, the KARMA INN looked really nice amongst all the options I had seen.

Our camp site was next to a local market which had such a nice, warm vibe to it. There were stalls with wooden oven pizzas, gourmet coffee, shopping stalls. These stalls had a common sitting place in the open with a stream running amongst the tables, a person playing live music and tastefully done lighting. Our experience was significantly enhanced because of the presence of this spot around our stay.

Tomorrow seems like a relaxed day and touristy experience. I was looking forward to the cultural immersion and the FOOD!!

Day 7 – Nubra to Turtuk and back

Difficulty – Easy, Total Distance – 170 kms

This was a pleasant ride and I had a pillion for this ride.

We reached Turtuk and were pleasantly surprised at the town!! The town a rich cultural experience and would strongly recommend everyone to try and visit this place.

We had lunch here at a café which served us Farm to plate salad. They literally plucked all the veggies from the plantations around us to make our salad!!! They also had some great teas. We bought some stuff like apricot kernels from their shop and walked through the town.

Some other attractions there were Winter storage facility (without electricity) and war bunkers.

While we were visiting these, it started to rain. And then it started to pour. With no one around, we had to go through aa treasure hunt through the village to get back to out spot, which was a fun adventure. We were supposed to leave Turtuk at 2:30 pm, We were able to leave Turtuk only by 4.30 pm. All of us felt that we should have had a one day stay in Turtuk. If we go to Leh again, we will ensure we have a stay at Turtuk atleast for a day!

Once back, we went to the local market and ate like animals on the local food. During the night briefing, our tour guide shared his experiences with adventure travel and how he got onto the profession. This was our last briefing and we would leave for Leh the next day. Once we reach Leh, the tour was officially over.

Tomorrow is our last day riding. We have been pretty good so far. Touch wood!!

Day 7 – Nubra to Leh via Khardungla

Difficulty – Moderate, Total Distance – 130 kms

Our Journey to Khardungla was very exciting with chilly winds at Khardungla. The winds were so strong that some of lost our helmets to the wind.

Khardungla was something our generation revered as the highest pass, its no longer the highest pass and I think with revised itineraries, doesn’t seem to share the same respect now. But I wonder how people in the 90s did this circuit with old bullets!! We are pretending to be daredevils, with a back-up van and a dedicated mechanic and guide. We are like the Vicky Kaushals and the Sunny Deols, people who did the Leh circuit in the 90s are the real war heroes. I feel like an imposter!

The weather at Khardungla was much harsher than at Umling La but we managed some amazing footage at this location.

We finished the Khardungla visit and slowly rode our way to Leh. Our slow pace was helped by road construction activities which halted traffic for 15-20 mins after regular intervals.

We rode slowly into the Leh Traffic. Everyone was tired I think, or were we trying to prolong our trip, a little bit more??

We reached our hotel. Collected our luggage and freshened up with hot showers. Something we didn’t get for 7 days!!

We explored the market with our new friends and did some last minute shopping and did the web-checkin to travel back. Deep down, we were wishing that our flights get cancelled or post poned by atleast a day.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I'm planning a KTM bike, but heard their engines need a rebuild after 40,000 km.

BHPian Zaaq recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I have been an avid reader of the forum for quite some time now and It's a great platform for newbies like me to get insights from experts and fellow enthusiasts.

I am looking to get my first motorcycle and I have been monitoring the market for a good motorcycle that suits my use case and my riding style. During the research, I came across some information online stating that KTM engines need a rebuild at 40k kms.

We know that KTM are high compression, short stroke engines and the durability factor also depends on the maintenance and the rider. I would like to know how true is this news about rebuild and also would like to initiate a conversation about the niggles and reliability factors of today's modern motorcycle engines.

Thanks in Advance to fellow BHPians for sharing your thoughts and enlightening me and other enthusiasts!!

Here's what BHPian Ratan Prabhu had to say on the matter:

Modern engines are reliable as long as you treat them like they are supposed to be treated. Meaning - Follow the owner manual strictly. Follow the run-in procedure as recommended by the manual. Do not unnecessarily redline or stunt. Service on time, use stock engine oil or at least the same grade oil.

Regarding engine rebuild, there is never a thumb rule to get it done at any specified kilometres for any motorcycle engine. It will always differ from one motorcycle to another. Of course, mechanics may suggest you go for a rebuild after a certain kms as it will get them a good labour charge. Even for KTM, it cannot be generalized that they need a rebuild in 40k kms. I've read some long-term ownership reviews where there hasn't been any rebuild and have seen rebuild videos with as low as 25k kms.

Having said that, the general consensus is that Japanese engines are more reliable than non-Japanese engines. But in 2024, I don't think the difference is that much.

Here's what BHPian Karthik1100 had to say on the matter:

Not only KTM, whichever bike is tuned for performance, doesn't last longer. KTM engines maximum can run for 50k kms. Two of my friends rebuilt their KTM engines after 40k+ kms. In order to increase power and performance companies use lightweight piston and engine components which are prone to quick wear and tear. Motorcycles which are designed for touring generally give longer life, again it depends upon how they ride and maintain it.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Nowadays it has become a sort of a fashion for 2 wheeler and 3 wheeler goondas to pick on private car drivers for no apparent rhyme or reason.

BHPian toroid recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Road rage in Bangalore seems to be escalating. A friend recently asked for dashcam recommendations after some bikers tried to vandalise his car. I had a similar experience today. A biker jumped in front of my car without looking into his mirrors (there weren't any). See the video and let me know if it was my mistake. He started punching window of my car right in front of a traffic cop. Shockingly, the cop didn’t take any action and instead accused me of rash driving. When I asked for proof, he just told me to "talk to the biker directly."

Here's what BHPian TaahirH had to say in this matter:

Not your mistake at all. Please upload this video on twitter and tag the Bangalore police handle. They will take appropriate action on both the motorist as well as this cop.

Meanwhile here's what BHPian Sridhar C E had to add:

Nowadays it has become a sort of a fashion for 2 wheeler and 3 wheeler goondas to pick on private car drivers for no apparent rhyme or reason. They perceive a slight real or imaginary and pick up a fight knowing well that the poor motorist will not risk a fight. More so if you can't speak Kannada. Even the traffic cops won't help.

This is very evident from the lack of action taken by BTP on the rampant violations that are occurring under their noses every day at every road. Traffic cops have become photographers today and the department just collects fines where they can show a photo for proof. They rarely assist a motorist who is harassed.

Here's BHPian SS-Traveller's thoughts on the matter:

Interesting situation that took me a few viewings in slow motion to figure out, and some language translation. The scooter rider was stopped in the middle of the road, and decided to move off to his left without checking behind, at exactly the same moment that you were passing by him - which obviously surprised & startled him, and he wanted to heal his bruised ego.

As to the behaviour of the cop, he doesn't want to deal with a car-bike confrontation, and vented his irritation at you because you are the bigger vehicle.

In addition, this could also be a case of hatred arising out of language rivalry.

I posted this video on X.com yesterday, tagging the ADGP Traffic & Road Safety, Karnataka.

How do we avoid a similar situation in the future? By leaving sufficient lateral crash avoidance space when passing other (especially stationary) vehicles - at least one door width or 1.5 metres - along with a short toot of the horn to alert the distracted rider/driver.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I highly think that the Exide battery I got is a lemon and simply refuses to hold charge

BHPian ramubwoyy recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

It turns out that my extra precaution turned out to become my downfall because my bike had no major issues up until I chose to change the battery to Exide at a local shop.

So, that day, the RSA mechanic arrived in the morning and quickly found out that this new battery had almost no voltage (5v, ideally should be above 12v) in it (he was unsure if there was something causing additional drain or if the battery could not hold a charge, more on that later). The service centre that I take is 30 km away from my home, so he took the battery to get it charged up.

He came back in the evening and used the now charged-up battery to start the bike and it came on without much of an issue. I rode to the service centre immediately, as I did not want to risk any chance of the battery failing again. The service manager took my bike in to examine the error code. He kept turning the bike on and off to double-check and on one such cycle, the error just disappeared! I was now able to move through the bike's menu and see the voltage of the battery, which was all fine. They seemed to think that the battery had maybe been on the shelf for some time and that was what caused it to die out. I had done a small 10 km ride post installing the battery, after which the bike was untouched for almost two days, which probably meant that it had little to no charge left.

The whole thing did seem a bit off to me (never opting for Exide battery again) but I decided to do my Dhanushkodi ride the next day. Stormy performed flawlessly over the long weekend ride where I covered 1200 km over 3 days. In fact, the battery issue was no longer on my mind. I came back and the bike was left in the garage for 3 days. On the 4th day, I had to do a bit of city commuting only to discover that the bike was not starting and it was giving me the same issue as before.

'FI' error on the screen with no cranking when trying to jumpstart. Thankfully, I have no big rides coming up, so I was not too worked up over this issue. Currently, waiting for RSA to come and charge the battery so I can take it to the service centre, so they can take a proper look at the problem.

I called up the service manager and told him about the problem, for which he seemed to think that there was a wiring issue and not at all a problem with the battery, stating that it was brand-new.

A few queries/doubts, which maybe you guys can share your thoughts on:

1. If there was an electrical issue, why did it not pop up on my bike during the ride? There were certainly some rough roads where I rode quite roughly, which should have brought to the surface any underlying issue.
2. I highly think that the Exide battery I got is a lemon and simply refuses to hold charge over long periods of time. Since I was riding continuously for over three days, the battery always kept getting charged and was hardly left idle. Even before, the bike rode fine right after getting the battery installed. But then died out as soon as I left it for a day and a half.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Both, the Yamaha Ray ZR 125 and TVS Apache 160 are returning a mileage less than their ARAI figures.

BHPian Akash5653 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello guys,

Starting my first thread on Team-BHP. I am a newbie here so moderators and members please excuse any grammatical errors. Also a request to mods, I could not find any threads related to the poor efficiency of bikes hence started this thread, kindly merge if any similar threads are already available.

So guys a quick introduction about me, I am currently doing my bachelor's degree in the field of commerce.

We have a bike and a scooter in our house. The scooter is a Yamaha Ray ZR 125, while the bike is a TVS Apache 160. Both of them are less than a year old.

Both the bikes return a very bad fuel economy and it bugs me that even the scooter cannot return a higher mileage figure. I drive sedately and do not cross 60 kmph. The scooter returns a mileage of 40 kmpl, but the ARAI claimed mileage is 60 kmpl. My bike returns a mileage of 35 kmpl, while the ARAI mileage is 45 kmpl.

What could possibly be the reason for such bad mileage? your opinions and advice would be very helpful. Thanks in advance.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

If the problem is with 1 vehicle, it could be the vehicle. If it is seen in 2 vehicles, then it's probably the rider.

It's either you or the fuel or the riding conditions.

Take a look at an old article of mine on getting the max FE. While it is focused on cars, a lot of the points apply to vehicles of all kinds - link.

Here's what BHPian Jaggu had to say on the matter:

How much has the vehicles run? When was the last time they were serviced?

If it was more than 5000 kms, you may want to go in for service and get the air filters checked.

Was the fuel economy always low or this is a new phenomenon?

Don't go by the ARAI figures published, they are under very ideal conditions. To achieve that you would need a very open road with minimal traffic even if you ride sedately.

Has the traffic on the routes increased?

I have seen a decent drop in the fuel efficiency figure with my vehicles over the last year with more and more people returning to work and associated traffic.

Here's what BHPian b16h22 had to say on the matter:

If your usage is pretty much inside the city, you are going to see a similar economy. 40kmpl is somewhat the norm for scooters inside the city. ARAI figures are highly unlikely to translate into real-world numbers and they are achieved under very unrealistic testing conditions. The top speed you achieve doesn't matter, what matters is the revs, number of gear changes, and traffic conditions. Often you get the best economy while cruising on the highway at moderate speeds.

You can try riding both in a more fluent fashion with minimal hard braking and acceleration scenarios. Always look & think ahead while riding. This will help you predict the flow of traffic and keep the bike in the right gear with less abrupt throttle changes and braking. Economy changes wildly based on the riding pattern.

Here's what BHPian Jeroen had to say on the matter:

Clogged air filters will affect fuel efficiency, but only in carburetted engines. On fuel-injected engines, the effect is negligible on fuel efficiency, but it can affect performance.

Even so, on a carbureted engine to really show significant fuel efficiency loss the filter needs to be completely clogged.

Irrespective of all of the above, it is always a good idea to keep an eye on your air filter. In many parts of India, it is likely to clog up long before the normal service is due.

It’s probably the reason so many of our members report smoother driving and better engine pick-up after a regular service. Not the new oil or the new oil filter, but a new air filter!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

It is called the Cannondale CAAD 5 9/11 commemorative edition and the paint job was reason enough for me to get it.

BHPian amol4184 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I often visit random garage sales after seeing posters stuck on light poles and at intersections. More often than not I find junk Wal-Mart or something like that big store bikes but rarely I find gems like this one - Cannondale CAAD 5 9/11 commemorative edition of which only 1100 examples were made back in 2002.

That paint job was reason enough for me. Fairly good condition but almost a decade of hanging on a wall jammed up every movable part on the bike including shifters. The bottom bracket is old Octalink style and was stuck so badly that it took about an hour's elbow grease. Disassembling bikes is my favorite thing to do so no complaints!

Anyway, once everything was off the bike the frameset cleaned up nicely without any major scratches except chain drop damage near the BB shell. Should not be a problem. The original 9-speed Shimano 105 is fine with really clicky shifts that surprised me. Some good engineering there. Rebuild will start later this month.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

While cutting the PPF film, they even managed to scratch the body paint at one place, which is unacceptable.

BHPian pragyaal recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I recently got PPF (Paint Protection Film) applied to my beloved Royal Enfield Limited Edition Shotgun 650 at PRO Detail - Car & Bike Detailing - Pune , and I must say, I am utterly disappointed with their craftsmanship. I feel it's my responsibility to share my experience so that others don't have to go through what I did.

I decided to preserve the custom paint job on my limited edition bike, and after some research, I chose Garware Paint Protection Film . ProDetail Studio Pune, who got in touch with me through Garware, unfortunately, did not live up to the expectations.

Here's why I'm sharing this:

• Third-Party Applicators: ProDetail Studio Pune doesn't have their own PPF applicators. They hire third-party applicators who claimed to have their own shop and informed that they could have done same job directly at a much lower rate.
• Uneven Cutting and Application: The PPF film they applied is unevenly cut and not consistently applied end to end, leaving the finish looking subpar.
• Paint Damage: While cutting the PPF film, they even managed to scratch the body paint at one place, which is unacceptable.
• Uneven Film Cuts: The film cuts are very uneven, compromising the overall look of the protection.
• Incomplete Wrapping: Some panels were not wrapped end to end, indicating either a lack of attention to detail or an attempt to save time and material.
• Rushed Job: They completed the PPF application in just a few hours. Reputable applicators usually recommend leaving the bike overnight for 7Air Bubbles: After the application, there were numerous air bubbles. Their attempt to fix this by poking holes with a syringe only made matters worse, leaving scratches and making it look unprofessional.

I have attached images for your reference, so you can see the poor quality of work done by them.

Moreover, I paid a hefty sum of ₹15,000 for this disappointing job. Shockingly, the third-party applicator informed me that he could have done the job at a much lower price. This leaves me questioning the value for money and quality of service at ProDetail Studio Pune.

To add to the frustration, I attempted to contact reputed applicators to inquire if these defects could be fixed or if the PPF could be safely removed. Sadly, I was informed that in removing this film, the decals and logos will get peeled off. According to Royal Enfield, these decals are not currently available, so I might have to endure this substandard job for a few months or possibly even a year.

My advice to fellow bike enthusiasts: Invest a bit more and choose reputed applicators. I've had a better experience with 3M on my Ecosport, and it's worth every penny. Let's ensure our prized possessions receive the care and precision they deserve!