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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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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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Cruising in Pulsar NS160

Today, i did a short ride with NS160 – around 80 km round trip. I cruised between 55 to 65 km/hr speed in highway, mostly above 60km/hr. Bike went steadily even in crosswind at these speed range. For quick overtake, i ride upto 70 + km/hr speed, then settled down. Bike inspired confidence while cruising, and overtakes.  I maintained around 5000 RPM to cruise around 60km/hr  speed. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride today. My 5 years of highway quest is satisfied. I am planning for 120 km round trip post monsoon. Probably mid or end of December, i will do this trip.

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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.