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Ownership Reviews are Important

I am a motorcycle enthusiastic. I owned multiple motorcycles with a desire to ride in highway and long distance touring. Without knowledge about bikes, I used commuter and sports bike to tour in highway, but they did not match highway requirement. I tried this and that. Later I gained knowledge about different motorcycles and their purpose made for. Then I bought a touring bike, which is very comfortable, confident inspiring and fatigue free, able to cruise long hours in highway. I tried different bikes, spending money, spending time, spending energy to understand about motorcycles/bikes.

I bought a small, light weight, low powered city car, but drive it mostly in highway. There is a difference between what we need and what we want. Moreover, we have to choose our vehicle based on what is available in the market and what is affordable. The affordable, available do not match with our want. What matches with our want/need is different from what is available, affordable, and popular or highly selling. First we should have clarity on what we need and what we want. Then we have to choose a vehicle which matches with our want/need. This require knowledge and guidance. You need know about vehicle and it’s purpose made for. This is where ownership reviews after certain years of usage, helps you a lot.

A rev friendly, light weight, agile, powerful sports bike is good in city roads and streets. But it will not be a best fit in highway or long distance touring. For highway and long distance touring, a heavy weight bike, with surplus torque will match. But it may not be fit in city roads and streets. I bought a sport bike and worried why it was shaky or wobbling in highway. I bought a heavy weight cruiser and worried why it was not easy to ride it in city roads and streets. Lack of awareness about what we want/need and lack of knowledge about what vehicles matches with our want/need is leading to confusion, frustration, waste of money, waste of time, waste of energy.

Cost of maintenance vary from segment to segment – commuter, premium commuter, sports bike, street fighter, cruiser, super bikes differ in their maintenance cost. Don’t regret at maintenance expense after owning a vehicle either new or used.

Either new or old, purchasing a motorcycle or vehicle is very easy nowadays as you will get loan sanctioned. But the challenge is awaiting at servicing or maintaining it. Authorised Service Centers or Local mechanics…which bike is easy to get serviced will keep you cool. Maintenance and Servicing, spare parts availability will make lot of difference in ownership experience. You may ready to spend, but no guarantee that, your vehicle will be serviced properly. You have to rely on “belief, faith, reputation, luck” in this section.

You can tour on any bike. This is a popular, but wrong statement. This is a false notion and not adhering with safety. You should tour on proper bike made for touring, not any bike.

So I thought ownership reviews dedicated to spread/share knowledge about bikes, cars, bicycles, automobiles, will help the buyers to understand what they want, and what matches their want.

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Had Crush with Apache RR310 – RR150

Recently, I had Crush with TVS Apache RR310. I started watching videos and reading contents about this bike. I liked the full faired look and feel of the bike.

Then, realised that, I am not going to ride 120 km/hr speed. After riding Pulsar NS 160 in different speeds, I realised my comfort zone in speed.

I am most comfortable in 50 to 60 km/hr speed, for me it is fun to ride around 70 km/hr speed. So, by and large, I cruise between 50 to 70 km/hr. That’s it.

Buying RR310, and riding it 65 km/hr speed in highway is waste of money, fuel.

So I stopped the crush with RR310.

But, if TVS produces RR150 with same hardware but with a 150CC engine, with reduced price, definitely I will consider buying it.

Internet is flooded with touring, long ride, high speed cruising, higher CC bikes. Youngsters and biking enthusiastic are wrongly motivated as speed is fun, thrill.

To be honest, everybody is unique. One philosophy cannot be applied to all. What speed is enjoyable is different from person to person.

We should not allow market, media, trend to hypnotise ourself to believe something, in which we are uncomfortable. Right now, we are forced to believe what is happy to us.

We are forced to believe what is happy to us and pursuing it.

Not everybody is a tourer, but everybody likes to buy a touring machine.

I enjoy 3 to 4 hours of sprint, not touring, not long ride.

What is happy to you is unique to you, you have to find it, rather believe or assume something and pursue it.

Try to know, what is your Sudhama in riding and speed and buy a bike according to it, don’t be hypnotized by the market and trend.

Right now, only faired 150CC bike with upright sitting posture in india is Gixxer SF, but I don’t like the look and feel.

If Bajaj produces RS150 or RS125, I will consider buying them, but RR150 is my crush.

I don’t like the lean forward sitting posture of R15 or KTM RCs. I like the full faired bike with sitting posture of Pulsar NS with moderate power and better mileage.

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End of Highway Cruising – Weekend Sprints

I have decided not to do weekend sprints, highway cruising for the sake of riding. I will ride in highway if there is real need to ride. No more week end sprint.

I experienced how it is to be cruising at highway at 80+ km/hr speed with stability. My bike is rock solid in tail winds and cruise comfortably.

I enjoyed enough.

Now what to do with my bike – Pulsar NS160. Keep it or sell it. If i ride this bike like 100CC bike – say within 4000 rpm or within 50km/hr speed, it will give mileage around 50 to 55 km/ltr.

Can i purchase a 100CC bike and sell NS 160? Problem with 100CC bike is it will become useless if riding passion catch me again, it can not cope up. There is no guarantee that i will not get riding spirit in the future. Right now the riding spirit is subsidised. It is enough buying and selling bikes in succession.

I will keep this bike and ride it like 100CC bike for better mileage. If i have riding spirit again, then i will open the throttle.

Thank God for protecting me in my highway cruising and weekend sprints.

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Can we tour on Pulsar NS160?

We can tour on any bike. We can tour on scooty or TVS 50 too. They don’t complain, but it is Not what they meant to be.

NS160 is a powerful, sporty city commuter with adraneline surge pick up and suitable for 3 to 4 hours of weekend sprints.

Tourer – Ride the bike for more than a day, cover 400+ kms per day, sleep at night, ride at day time. Ride for a week or days or more than a day.

Long ride – Ride 200 to 400 km in a day and stop. Single day event.

Sprint – Ride for 75 to 150 kms round trip and stop. This is done within 3 to 5 hours with or without breaks.

NS160 most suitable for weekend sprints with a decent highway speed, though it can be pushed for long ride and touring like any other machine, but it is not what it meant to be.

If you intend to ride NS160 for touring in highway, you can cruise between 80 to 90 km/hr all day without heating issue. In strong wind blast or cross wind, you can cruise around 70 km/hr. Till 90 km/hr speed, you can do overtakes at ease. NS160 is most suitable if your crusing speed is around 80 to 90 km/hr. If you intend to cruise above 100 or 120km/hr speed, you need higher CC bike. I guess, it is illegal to ride motorcycle above 80 km/hr in our country.

In my experience 150/160 CC bikes are not Tourer. For touring, bike needs to have more weight, power, torque, stability in cross or head winds and more comfort and less fatigue.

What type of rider are you? Tourer or Long rider or Sprinter. Most of the weekend rides are Sprint – start in the morning, finish before noon, cover 100+ kms with or without breaks.

If you are a sprinter, 150/160 CC bikes are perfect or An Electric Sport bike with 150 to 200+ km/charge range is sufficient.

I am a Sprinter in motorcycle riding, i enjoy it, i am not a Tourer or long rider, seldom i do long ride, but i prefer sprints and enjoy it.

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Realisation continued with Pulsar NS160 – Matured Cruising speed

Nowadays, i don’t push/compel myself ride fast, i dont control myself to ride slow. I let the speed flow naturally, automatically. I don’t keep on watching Speedo meter or RPM meter to know at what speed i am riding. I ride at the speed which is possible to the situation.

In six lane road, i cruise around 75+ km/hr. In four lane road, i cruise around 55 to 65 km/hr. In two lane or single lane road, i cruise around 35 to 45 km/hr. All these, i ride naturally – not watching speedometer. Speed is reduced or increased depending upon the road and traffic automatically without awareness. I ride with road sense and traffic sense. Just casually i ride my bike. At the same time i dont follow these strictly. Speed i ride is flexible depending upon the conditions.

I don’t control myself to ride around 50 km/hr speed in open stretch. In open stretch, l let the speed flow. I don’t push myself to ride at high speed in small or congested road.

How much speed is speed is relative. On Sunday morning, in less trafficking six lane road, 80+ km/hr does not feel as high speed. On Monday morning, in high trafficking four lane road, 60+ km/hr speed looks risky. Cruising speed varies for same biker and bike depending on road, traffic, wind blast, mood and energy level of rider, power and stability of the bike.

Surprisingly my ability, confidence has increased to cruise at 80+ km/hr speed. I am relaxed both physically and mentally at those speed. This bike dragged me out of my comfort zone and expanded my comfort zone in speed.

I should have purchased Pulsar AS150 instead of Discover 150F 5 years back. Atleast, should have purchased any proper 150 CC bike – say Yamaha FZ or Gixxer or Hornet or Apache. My highway thirst should have been quenched 5 years back itself. I would have relieved from biking obsession 3 or 4 years back. Buying Discover 150F was wrong decision if aim is to tour or cruising. Or sprinting.

For 72 thousand rupees, i purchased Discover 150F. For 72 thousand rupees, i purchased Honda shine. Now for one lakh and thirty thousand rupees, i purchased Pulsar NS160. Totally i spent around 2 lakhs and 70 thousands rupees for biking passion and for highway cruising. I sold my previous bikes for 60 thousands rupees. If i deduct this amount, then my expense is 2 lakhs for biking. If i purchased a proper 150CC sport bike 5 years back, i could have saved 1 lakh rupees.

I am not able to compromise, untill i am completely satisfied. I kept trying/changing till i am satisfied.

My biking quest is satisfied now thoroughly. I am very comfortable at the cruising speed of 150/160 CC bike both in highway and city.

A sedate rider is transformed to sporty or aggressive rider by Pulsar. I don’t say Pulsar NS 160 changed me, but any 150CC sport bike could have changed my riding style. To me it happened through Pulsar NS 160.

For free flow or sporty riding style, i get the mileage around 46 km/ltr.

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Realisation with Pulsar NS160 continued – More Speed

Nowadays, I am able to cruise at 75 km/hr speed comfortably in tail wind. In head or cross wind, i am able to cruise at 65 km/hr comfortably. Both body and mind is relaxed, no fear. My confidence is building up slowly to cruise at high speed.

Earlier, i thought that i could not ride beyond 55 km/hr. Now, i realised that I am able to ride at 70+ km/hr speed comfortably.

Get familiar with the bike, learn how to control the bike, learn the limits of the bike – dos and don’ts with the bike, slowly gain confidence and slowly increase the cruising speed day by day. Find a sweet spot both to me and the bike and settle there. This is the strategy.

Now, my cruising speed is increased from 55 to 75 km/hr.

Cruising speed is decided by many factors. Traffic, road conditions, tail wind, cross wind, head wind, weight of the bike, power of the bike, stability of the bike, breaking confidence of the bike, riding confidence provided by the bike, mood and energy level of rider, and confidence of rider – all influence the cruising speed of the ride. There is no fixed cruising speed for a person or bike.

My confidence is increasing day by day slowly. I will settle in the sweet spot of bike if all the other factors favouring.

Earlier, i thought to sell this bike because it is over powerful to me. That notion is changed now. For the same price – one lakh thirty thousand – I could have purchased old Dominar 400 with dual channel ABS, after gaining confidence, now thinking. ,🤔

Anyway, let me learn to cruise in high speed with the maximum limit of Pulsar NS 160. This is the bike for next 3 years or till loan emi closure.

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Realisation after riding Pulsar NS160

After spending one lakh and thirty thousand rupees for purchasing brand new Pulsar NS160, i realised my comfort zone in riding motorcycles.

My comfortable speed in highway cruising on motorcycles is around 50 km/hr. Both my body and mind is relaxed at such speed. Beyond that wind blast starts which make me uncomfortable while riding.

I rode CT100, Discover 100, Discover 150F, Honda Shine in past. For many years, i was riding around 40 km/hr speed. When bike touring culture obsessed me, i decided to increase my speed. CT100 and Discover 100 did not meet my rising biking spirit. So i purchased Discover 150F.

I was able to cruise between 50 to 60 km/hr speed in highways in Discover 150F. It gave me mileage of 70 km/ltr in highway and 50 km/ltr in city. The problems with this bike were No stability and not inspiring confidence beyond 60 km/hr speed.  Its engine has power to reach 70, 80 km/hr speed easily, but bike lacks stability and not confidence inspiring at such speed.   So this bike did not meet my expectation to cruise above 60 km/hr.  Due to back pain caused by this bike, I sold it and purchased Honda Shine – four gears variant.

Back pain was relieved in Honda Shine.  I was able to cruise at 50 km/hr in Shine.  Beyond that, engine was not smooth and bike was not stable.  So I could not ride above 60 km/hr with Honda Shine.  But Honda shine is the best bike among the bike I ride for city commuting.  Practicality and Handling is beyond comparison in city rides with Honda Shine, If you compromise to ride around 50 km/hr in highway, then Honda shine is best bike for both city and highway.  But my highway quest was not satisfied with Honda shine.  So after riding honda shine for three and half years, I sold it. Then I purchased Pulsar NS160.

For a long time or till I ride Pulsar NS160, I do not know how it is to be cruise at 80 km/hr.

Pulsar NS160 meets my expectation, it could cruise around 80 km/hr( I ride at 70 km/hr), the bike is stable in highways and inspiring confidence to ride.

Now the problem is with me, My body get tensed and mind develops fear while riding at high speed. I get tired soon if I cruise beyond 60 km/hr. Wind blast is more and disturbing beyond 60 km/hr. Physically and Psychologically I am comfortable at speed between 50 to 60 km/hr. Discover 150F kept me cool at its comfort speed. Without any fatigue and tiredness, I was able to ride discover 150F for hours and hours between 50 to 60 km/hr speed. More speed require more attention and conscious. For many years, i was longing to ride a motorcycle at 80 km/hr speed at highway. Now I have the motorcycle with such capability – NS160. Now I know how it is to be cruise at 80 km/hr. But to me the enjoyable speed is 50 to 60 km/hr. I realized this after riding at 80 km/hr. Many sleepless nights with youtube watching about bikes, sold the best bike for my city riding – Honda Shine, sold the best engine i ever ride with power and mileage – Discover 150F (Bajaj should be proud for making this Discover 150F engine) which suits my riding style and comfort speed perfectly.

Now , i have a machine – Pulsar NS160 – which meets my dream in highway cruising but excels my physical and mental speed limit. There is a conflict between dream and reality. Conflict between expectation and practicality. My dream was to ride at high speed, but practically I enjoy slow speed. Until I experience how it is to be cruise at 80 km/hr, I did not realize my comfort speed is between 50 to 60 km/hr.

I spent 1 lakh an 30 thousand to know my comfortable speed, which was satisfied by Discover 150F.

We desire for something without knowing that which will not suit us. We put lot of effort, spend time and money to attain our dream, possess what we desire. After attaining it, we realize, it does not suit us. We can not reverse now.

Luckily, I did not buy 200CC, 250CC, 300CC, 390CC+ motorbikes. They are like over killing , over dose to my riding style. I might be suffering from – Compulsive Speeding urge – if I bought higher CC bikes. I notice many guys speeding their higher capacity bikes in small or narrow streets for the sake of speed.

NS160 is more than sufficient to my riding style. 150/160CC bike is more than enough to me.

Money spent can be earned. But time, time spent is spent, which can not be earned again, the time I spent for watching youtube videos about bikes, the time I spent for reading bike content in internet are lost, and can not be recovered. This hurts me.

If I have not purchased Pulsar NS160, if have not experienced ridding the bike in 80 km/hr, I will be still living with my Riding Illusions, wasting time with youtube and internet.

I stopped watching YouTube videos about bikes, i stopped reading about bikes in internet. I am not passionate about higher CC bikes now, i know my speed now. I am satisfied with the power of 160CC bike which meet and excel my expectation in both city and highway.

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What to buy – NS 160 or Hornet 2.0

What to buy NS 160 or Hornet 2.0 ? I was obsessed with NS 160 for long time. But, i am afraid to ride Bajaj bikes after having bad experience with Discover 150F. But my passion for NS 160 is not stopped until Hornet 2.0 launched.

Launching of Hornet 2.0 by Honda, shakes my obsession with NS160. Hornet 2.0 is a 180cc bile. It has better torque than NS160. It has broader rear tyre than NS 160. It has upside down forks. It has gear position indicator. But Hornet 2.0 is approximately 20000 rupees more than NS 160

NS 160 has almost same horse power as Hornet 2.0. It has perimeter frame. It has lessor torque than Hornet 2.0. It has less high speed stability compared to Hornet 2.0. It has four valve engine. It has oil cooled engine. It is approximately 20000 rupees cheaper than Hornet 2.0. It has better mileage than Hornet 2.0.

If i purchase NS 160, then i will retain my Honda shine for a while untill I settle down with NS 160 both physically and mentally.

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Nothing wrong with the bike

Nothing wrong with Bajaj Discover 150F bike.  I had severe back pain when I was riding that bike.  I tried this and that to resolve the back pain.  But nothing worked.  Without having any clue as why that bike gave me back pain, I sold that bike for cheap price.

Then I purchased Honda Shine.  No back pain with honda shine.  I am riding Honda shine for the last three years.  Everything went well.

Last six months, I am riding Shine for 50 kms up and down per day for commuting.  Saligramam to Okkiyam Duraibakkam.  I started having back pain nowdays.  I am not blaming Honda Shine for back pain.  The same bike I used ride for three years without any problem.

50 KMS ride – 5 days a week, irregular sitting posture in office, restless weekend, latenight or till midnight mobile addiction, job stress – all causing back pain.  Nothing to do with Honda Shine.

In the same way, something wrong with me, my life style, triggered back pain, when riding Discover 150F.  But, I mistaken as bike was the problem.  It was a good bike with strong bottom and midrange speed, gave 70+ km/ltr mileage in highway if ridden around 60+ km/hr speed.  I was using the bike in both city and highway. Only problem I noticed was, bike was not stable and not confidence inspiring beyond 60 km/hr speed.  I sold Discover 150F without knowing why I had back pain.

Honda shine is a good city bike, but it struggles in highway, engine feel stressed above 50 km/hr speed.  We should not push honda shine beyond 50 km/hr speed.

Now, I am looking for second bike to ride in highway.  When I searched Discover 150F in quikr, olx, I hardly see it.  Even listed but overpriced.

Today I saw an ad for Discover 150F in OLX for 18500 rupees – six year old bike. Suddenly I noticed another ad for pulsar 220F for the same price – 18500 rupees.  It is a 10 year old bike.

Pulsar 220F is a far better bike than Discover 150F.  I oscillate.  My quench for riding a bike in highway is not satisfied yet.  The crush for highway machine is still burning.  My speed is not 100 or above 100 km/hr.  My speed is around 60 to 70 km/hr.  But I want a stable machine in highway against cross or head winds.  Engine should not stressed.  It should be relaxed at those speeds.

Discover 150 F engine is not stressed at 70 km/hr speed, but not stable and confidence inspiring at those speed.

I could push Honda Shine for 70+ km/hr speed, but engine is stressed, bike is not stable and shaky in winds.

Since, I already ridden Discover 150F, I know it was stable in 60+ speeds, engine relaxed.  It matches my speed and expectation.  But, it is hardly sold in used bike market,  that too not in affordable price.  15000 to 20000 is my budget, 50 to 10 years old, spare parts should be available. Any mechanic can maintain it.  I prefer the highway machine with kick starter.

Discover 150F, pulsar 220F, pulsar 180 are my choices now.  Budget less than 20000 rupees.  I will keep my honda shine for city usage, agile, nimble, and light weight bike.