True Colours of a Ninja

I dont really have many posts of my lil baby do I? Well heres another one.

A lot of people ask me why black when Kawasaki's Lime Green looks so darn smashing! Well, I really dont know, its not that I don't appreciate the eye-catching appeals of Lime Green Kwackers, its just that I prefer a Ninja to be bathed in BLACK. For starters, it would look mighty odd if erstwhile Ninjas were caught trying to slaughter Samurais whilst dressed in vivid shades of green! (though a purist may argue that green would serve as good camouflage for forest terrain, what with Ninjas specialising in Guerrilla warfare and all that) My retort to the purist would be plainly that a smarter Ninja would have preferred to leg it during the day and save all his guile to fight at NIGHT, for which of course, nothing suits the purpose more than BLACK.



Ive always loved Black, theres something about the nothingness within it that draws me closer and closer to the dark side. White's a pain, to wash, to keep clean, to look at during times of excessive lighting. Grey is just not me, Black somehow, fits the bill to the T, er B.

Cheers,

Max

ps - am not even gonna mention the other color options because they really arent "Ninja" for me. You see a bike's not just a bike, it stands for something, er I hope you get the drift, and I repeat, am not CRAZY.

Insanity? or Blind Love.

Ive known a lot of bike lovers in my time (and beyond my time), but every now and then, one reaches out and touches your heart like the Yamaha Ad of old (remember? "Touching your heart, theres a new day, summer sun rising... etc etc?).

What would you do if you had 5 Java/Yezdi machines in your arsenal and not enough place to park it?

Simple, dump them around (inside..) the house, better still, dismantle one and escort it right into your bedroom! Enjoy:







For those of you hitherto ignorant of the Java moniker, I urge you to go out and try one right away, as in NOW. (preferably the Twins..) I was fortunate enough to spend some quality time in Mysore which helped me get closer to the Java/Yezdi phenomenon, but then the factory shut down, like all good things coming to an end. The legend apparently lives on though, I routinely see some interestingly done up ones riding around town with the familiar missed beat gurgle of the mill churning beneath.

Cheers,

Max

ps - the pics are from my phone, so... oh and by the way, am going to do a feature on the ENTIRE collection soon, a couple of them move/sound/look better than most other bikes out on the road today.

Yamaha YZF-R15 Poll Update

I still havent had the time to test it, but the poll is going strong, thank you for your participation! Show it like it is!

44 Days left to Vote
5 Vote for the YZF-R15 bring a Rip off (My first impression on seeing the tech specs too)
7 Say the YZF-R15 is ALMOST True Value for Money (I would agree, but almost aint good enough for me)
4 Can't Say
11 Agree with the YZF-R15 being True Value for Money (really? Surprising.)
50 Give it what it truely deserves (IMHO, and my Vote too)/(hardly surprising.)

Its odd you know, the way the mind works, when I'd started out setting up this poll all I wanted to put in was a Yes and No, then I thought, wait a minute, what about those that cant make up their mind? (there are some who dont really have a mind of their own, rely a lot on others, and upon hearing both good and bad, end up being undecided, nothing wrong with that, that option takes care of the "Grey Area" usually found in most polls.



I decided to add another 2 options, what about those who felt the Yamaha YZF-R15 was ALMOST Value for Money? That it lacked, but lacked only little, and what about those that felt the machine was a complete Rip Off? (I was sure there would be some), so there you have it, 5 options ala CAT Questionnaire, but 5 very poignant, thought provoking options.

There are 44 days left to vote (I've timed it to coincide with the launches coming up around Diwali, after which most talk/polls/opinions about the R15 would be relegated to online forums and just that), so WATCHA WAITIN FOR?

2007 Honda CBR600RR

Why 2007, why not 2008? :-) the 2008 ones are pretty much lipsticked and puckered up 07s (cosmetic upgrades..), with little or no performance enhancements.

Hondas have always been on top of my favorites list ,and for almost a decade now, even with a virtually non existent Legal Market for Superbikes in India, they remain the most sought after, the most reliable, the most adored brand. Theres something about a CBR which endears you to it (even if its as horrendous an offering as the 954RR). My personal fave with the moniker has always been the Supersport version, the 600RR and its more friendly road-going sibling, the 600F/F4i. Regular readers might even recall a test I did a while back over HERE, and my general chit chat about CBRs over HERE.

Coming back to the 07 600RR though, the first thing that struck me about it was the RAM Air duct right on its nose, NAISH I thought, older Ceebers did lack a bit in top end grunt I felt, this one would obviously set that right. The second thing that struck me was how bloody good looking this baby is in real life. Its one thing to see a wallpaper on the interweb, a completely different to see, feel, touch one in real life, completely oblivious to the trouble it can get you in out on the road if you're not careful.



Most people complain about amounts spent for Racing R&D, but hey, isnt it good to have that tech transferred onto your road going machines? Apart from mere boast value it also offers cutting edge solutions to go fast, carefully. I wont delve deep into whats new on this or whats different on this compared to the other 3 Jap Supersports, (please use google, or motorcycle-usa.com to look for a shootout, and tech specs/jargons) suffice to say, the 2007 Honda CBR600RR can lap a race track faster than any other bike in the world. Yup, Mad Max said so. Its lighter, faster, better looking, smoother, easier to ride, than most other bikes I have sped on over the past decade or so, and it does so effortlessly. Go test one to find out why (the GSX-R600/ZX6R, might be faster, but they dont have the entire package wrapped up as nicely as the 07 Ceeber 600RR)



Its got the goodies - Unit Pro Link rear suspension, right off of the MotoGPs RC211V, PGM-DSFi (Dual Stage Fuel Injection System, as opposed to PGM-Fi of yore, for laymen), Honda Multi Action System inverted front forks (a thing of beauty is a joy forever, it feels nimble, no dives, steers like a dream), Honda Electronic Steering Damper, Fine Die Cast frame for even lighter weight and flickability, an LCD Panel display and believe me I could go on and on like a Duracell battery. All this though, is no big deal because even an R6/ZX6R/GSX-R600 would boast of similar race derived technology coupled with little things here and there for the road. Where Honda scores though, is in thought, an effort in which they have tasted considerable success. The people at Honda do give a fuck about who buys their machines, which is why they would give you storage options on a Sport Tourer, or a Centre-Stand on a 600F, little things which a buyer might appreciate. The 600RRs most endearing feature is the seating, its not old school (neck down, ass up in the air). The bars are raised (as I found out online), with no change in seat height/distance, which is probably why it was such a pleasure to ride out even in heavy city traffic.



Now the test, so much for its looks, its features and its antecedents. Whats it like to twist throttle?

A VERY, if I may add, VERY, sweet kid I know picked up an 07, and bravely gave me the keys for a test ride, with the words, "Please Dont Fuck it", added for good measure (my reputation is a bit, er, you know what I mean), if I remember correctly. At that point, me, the wife, and a couple of buddies were about to head into a Dhaba for a quick hot meal. As it were I got on it, turned the key, waited for the check, switched the kill switch and thumbed the starter, the machine purred to life, even without a Helmet it was almost impossible to hear a thing. I recalled my younger days when bikes used to be loud, heavy and fast. I can never cease to marvel at technology that allows a bike to go MUCH faster (present day Supersports are much faster/lighter than most of the erstwhile litres), without sounding, or feeling it.





I revved it a couple of times at higher rpms, still no howl, very typically Honda. Turned it around and started up the road, I could swear I heard the words "now its raped" being said to my lil bro (have to cross check on that one) while I was exiting the lane onto the main street. I didnt have much time to take in its striking looks, the wonderful graphics to go with a Pearly White skin on a moonlit night, the Under-seat exhaust and lamps split by the RAM duct adding to its handsome features, but passing the Dhaba entrance and seeing the dropped jaws reminded me that it looked bloody good too.

Up the road and turned right on an uphill towards Bangalore's Ulsoor Lake, the bike felt lighter than last years R6 (which is saying a lot!), and was steering like Harry Potters broomstick, on pure instinct. I was impressed already, any bike which was steered on instinct at 25kmph at a steep right hander, would do pretty much the same on a race track at 200kmph with considerable ease, with some skill thrown in of course. Not yet on open stretch, I had to wait a while before overtaking a few vehicles, the roads were wet, it had rained, the bike was new, didnt really want to push it more than required.



Low speed steering was not as much a strain as the litreclass/sport touring machines, and was certainly the best amongst all Supersports Ive tried thus far, (remember that part about higher bars?) the gearing though left something to be desired, like most Supersport machines, its nearly dead below 4000rpm, which can be a bad thing for a novice wanting to twist his way out of traffic finding the power less, because once past 8000 rpm (peak torque curve beginning around 6500) it shoots past everything like a dragon on steroids with a jet propeller fitted up its arse, a very small, light, dragon, if I may add.



I still recall being cosily ensconced behind the fairing in 3rd gear doing a paltry 60 kmph, twisting throttle slowly to see what the curve had in it, well for one it certainly wasnt flat (very unnecessary procedure to find that out, maybe something wrong with the programming on the Fi). Suffice to say if I hadnt instinctively dived behind the minimalistic wind screen, my neck would have been several kms away from the rest of me. I have rarely felt such drastic, exhilarating pull from a machine beyond 11000 all the way upto its claimed 15000rpm, with some grunt left in it. A Steep left hander had me shifting weight to position myself only to find the machine was one step ahead of me and already ready to attack the corner at 145 or so kmph (I didnt get a look in but it felt about that much), good sense prevailed and I braked hard leaning into the left hander (it was blind, wet roads, city traffic, didnt want to risk a brand new machine), feeling more and more impressed at this machines capabilities, progressive, and COMPREHENSIVE (theres one word you wont find in most motorcycle tests!!) are 2 words that come to mind to describe the smooth braking under heavy pressure on a wet road at good speed, the beauty of Tokicos.

A lil tip to future owners, dont let it dip too far below 8000 rpm because thats where the juice begins, you would need that to exit corners as fast as possible, and believe me, you can exit corners about as rapidly as you can on this little baby, its that good.

As much as I would have loved to ride and ride and ride and take it all in, stray drops of rain reminded me of my wife and buddies waiting patiently at the Dhaba for me to get back and eat (I was famished too in all honesty). I gave him back the keys, we took some pics (which explains the muck you see on the front and bit out rear too) and chatted on about what an exciting machine this was, and what havoc one could spread with an Akrapovic full system exhaust and a Dynojet Kit.... Thats right, more on that later.




All in all a very eventful dinner indeed, I couldnt stop raving about the bike, the wife was giving me looks as usual, but then I have to give a machine its due. The 2007 Honda CBR600RR, is simply, one of the BEST machines I have ever tested in my life. No 2 ways about it, it would have been the best save for one particular Hayabusa without the limiter. If Honda can actually translate this performance onto the 2009 1000RR, I'd be the first one queing up to get one for myself! (am not much of a SuperSport guy)

Kawasaki Ninja 250R

A Long time ago (well, sure seems like it) I had prophesied about a possible Ninja invasion in the land of Suzuki's Samurais (me and my puns, I know.), regular readers would probably recall this post right. However, the baby Ninja (as it is popularly referred to in reverence to its much bigger siblings) has drifted on and off coffee table chitchat for many years now. Bajaj had always planned a coup of sorts but things never seemed to fall into place. So the prophecy by itself, was nothing new, its actually rather poignant that its that time of the year again (ritual when we recall and revisit and re-hope the forthcoming, hypothetical launch).



There's a festive mood all round automotive circles, ignoramus' are still buying the R15 (the FZ16, is by FAR a much better VFM machine FTR...), the P220 came, saw, conquered, a Zma upgrade has always been on the cards, TVS Racing R&D is translating to superb road going machines (god bless them for trying), and its nearing Diwali. That time of the year when my fellow beloved countrymen indulge in frivolous, garish, almost sociopathic display of spending (and they call our country a developing economy...sheesh) to celebrate light over darkness. One such shining light, could well be the now iconic Kawasaki Ninja 250R.



I am a huge fan, air-conditioner, cooler, ice bath, of the Ninja moniker and most other Kawasaki bikes too. I have always felt them to be a maker for the Rider. Hondas are simply too nice, Yamaha's have very often flattered to deceive, and Suzukis lack that something (I dont know what, just something). Which is why I gave up an R1 and a very nice Gixxer600 for a ZX7R... a legend in itself (how many bikes do you know who could beat Ducati at a World Superbike Championship?). But can a 250R live up to the name made famous by much faster, bigger, fierce elder siblings? How about being the highest selling (in its class), most talked about, most VFM, and now best looking (arguably) 250 around? Impressive to say the least. The 250 category is one of radical importance for a manufacturer and buyer because a lot of License registrations for future Supersport riders begins at the 250cc cap, onto 400, and so forth. To rule that roost, takes some doing, and to rule it for so long like a shameless monopoly speaks of untamed pedigree (a paradox by itself). If bought for what it is, the Ninja 250R promises (and in most cases DOES) to deliver the goods.

The pricing (courtesy Bajaj willing to take the challenge of assembling it here once the bikes are in CKD and our economys FTA with the govt of Thailand), would stick around the 2L range, which is really not that much (if people are stupid enough to spend a lakh plus for an R15, rather than an Apache RTR 160Fi or the FZ16, then selling a 250R is childs play). I just hope Bajaj doesnt make a joke out of the whole deal by messing up the assembly/pre sales/after sales. I owned a P180 once, I know how much the quality at BAL can suck. Kudos for them for perennially trying though, takes heart.



This time last year I thought we were ready for this machine, but I was wrong, I am ready, and so are a lot of my performance oriented buddies, but is the general public? After the R15 launch, and seeing a few owners around, my heart sinks to be in the same group as someone wanting just a bike with a fairing and fat rear tyre. Sad but true. Maybe we need to wait a bit more, educate ourselves about bikes and WHY we BUY a PARTICULAR bike.



Some things never change, and for every performance oriented true to his heart biker out there, there will be a dickhead with a couple of lakhs to spare who wants a furniture to seat his weekend lay on. Pardon me if it sounds a bit rude, its after much study and experience that I generalise this way!

Forget the ranting though, we ought ta move onto more important matters for todays agenda. Performance Mods... Yup, what can you do to get the most out of your Ninja 250R (if and when it does launch!):

1. Yoshimura Slip-on: They have one which goes rather well with the 250R, can be imported from Singy, I wont be surprised if Bajaj does stock up the pro-biking outlets with similar performance upgrade parts too! Sounds nice, goes bit faster and looks yummy in true Yosh pedigree!

2. Kits: Yup, multi cylinder Sport bikes are very easy to modify thanks to their race-worthyness, and the easiest of them all (most bikes actually), are the trusted Jets, Filters, Exhausts, Chain Sprocket Kits, Braided Brake Line Kits. Much more GO for the show.

3. Lookers: from Huggers to Rear Seat Cowls to HID lamps to Stickering (as with most faired bikes) and graphics, one can do a lot with a 250R (that includes plonking a fatter rear wheel, which am sure a lot of dorks would do first thing, to make it look bigger than it it actually is)

4. Serious Mods: Not many know that a nicely done up 250 can keep up with many a Supersport machine... so if you are serious about your riding, if you can handle the power, and if you have some money, but not enough to buy a bigger machine than the 250, you could still go in for Custom forks/suspensions/frames/wheels forged for rigidity and lesser weight than stock, turbo-chargers, what not. I wouldnt recommend it though, save enough for a bigger bike I'd say.

Theres much more you can do, but we'll stop here for now.

The baby Ninja is not a very powerful machine (30 odd hp), but packs enough punch for a beginner to get his bearings right before moving on to a bigger capacity machine, Its light, compact, torquey, and handles reasonably well (the exact term a journo buddy who tested it used is - "Confidence Inspiring"), and thats around a race track. On a crowded city street, respect its power as well as its worth, crashes are painful, expensive affairs with bikes (especially Sporty ones).



I found the older Ninja 250 reasonably pleasant to look at, but it certainly wasnt a Supermodel! The newer one has clearly defined lines and curves to aid aesthetics as well as aerodynamics and overall stability. The package is pretty basic, but it delivers as much, and bit more than it promises. Besides, the twin between your legs will plant many a smile on your face before the looks start to date. The ergonomics, more importantly, seem just right. I would certainly test one of them and post a complete review once done, but most of the feedback I have got (from owners abroad, and a couple of really close/reliable journo buddies) has been positive. As long as one does not imagine oneself riding a litre, one will enjoy the 250 to the core.





I dont think we'll be getting US Spec machines so Red and Blue might be out, but theres always Kawasaki's lime-green and any Ninja looks best in BLACK. Lets not be greedy!

Country Roads... take me home

I've never been a huge country guy, but John Denver, is, well, John Denver.... although I cant really afford a Jet Plane to leave on yet, I did let the country roads take me home sometime back.

The feeling of fresh crop swept breeze kissing your face as you glide through an open highway is only about 2398734534098 times better than spending a Saturday night at an over-crowded disc surrounded by a dozen wannabes. Thats never been for 'me'. I still recall being surrounded by colours of myriad hues and shades brought to life by a fleeting sun hiding itself every now and then amongst the naughty clouds. If I sound a little eccentric here, its because the whole experience was somewhat ethereal, sublime as it were.

If you dont ride a bike, you're already amongst 89.71% (give or take .71839 here and there) of the worlds pop who are missing out something in life, of the rest, if you do ride a bike and do not explore the countryside with it, get the fuck out of this blog, get your fat wrinkled ass on your bike and go explore right now! Take some pics too, your grand-kids might not get to enjoy such scenic beauty after all. The highway I was on (Bangalore-Mysore), is one I have traversed rather frequently over the past 8 years, and to say that there is some degree of change on either side as you pass through everytime is a gross understatement. There are still some stretches of bliss to be found though, it all depends on whether you have the time, or inclination, to stop and take in the sights.

Enjoy:





Cheers,

Max

ps - the vadas at Maddur, and the cool, calm river at Srirangapatna are still a delight. You can find the rest of the pics at the Ninja label on the right! Oooh nostalgia can be a very painful thing at times... :-p

Riding Tip

Heh Heh Heh. Sorry, couldnt resist the punny title, er funny title.

**This one especially applicable to current Yamaha R15/Apache RTR 160 Fi riders, and to future Ninja 250R/other Supersport riders**

Sit comfortably and plush on the machine (Sport machines are known for discomfort, believe me you dont have to try too hard to get uncomfy, so its better to not push it by accentuating it ourselves with bad technique), bit close to the tank (unless you're on a track and need to crouch behind the screen every few seconds), free yourself, which means keep reminding yourself your ass is NOT stuck to the seat with Fevicol/Kwick and CAN move around as required (especially for corners and high speed braking). DONT CROUCH the back too much when riding normally, (Tigers crouch, Dragons Hide, Humans, er ride, and some make a fool of themselves trying to pretend they look cool crouching down riding at snails pace with a bike that has clip on bars). Hold the bars normally, dont lock the wrist, elbow, shoulder, ALL SHOULD BE FREE to move around as and when required, thats what separates a Rider from a perennial "trying to ride". Let the elbow act as a fulcrum at times, (a better way to put it, hold the bars at a VERY large angle V for the elbows, see the way Riding Jackets are designed at the elbows?)



Once you've done that to the point of doing it in your sleep without having to remind yourself, its time to turn the key and thumb the starter while waiting for the next lesson.... Soon.

V Twin JAWA (Yezdi?)

Original Post HERE Dont normally have more than 1 post for the same topic, but this effort right here is worthy of another, and another mention.... :-p

All are aware of the recent cosmetic upheavel (?) my baby Bird went through. While he was at it, the mech had this very interesting project being worked on.

A V-Twin Yezdi (JAWA?). The Colour, styling, looks, everything was fucking grotesque (to each his own I guess..) but the bike sounded, and apparently moved, like a Dream. Some minor chassis and other frame mods were indulged in, on the whole a very cumbersome time (money?) consuming affair, with an almost ecclectic result.

I dont have better pics, (oops) the phone was mad at me that day and kept shaking no matter what I did!







I still remember when the JAWA (Yezdi?) Factory closed down in Mysore (was there for a year), people were flocking to the factory and picking up spares, tyres, engines, cables, head lamps, any fucking thing they could lay their hands on! Smart move, hoarding has always had a bright future in our country, those spares now are worth their weight in gold, because there are Jawa enthusiasts, and some of them are willing to pay nifty sums to procure what would otherwise be a cheap rip off made in some bylane (Gujri, anyone.) The bikes by themselves were always a beauty, my personal fave being the 350 Twin (what sweet sound, I swear!)

Coming back to this particular twin, its an off-shoot for my own dream project, V-Twin what? You'll know when the time is right.