Rear Shocks

Today I got two Armstrong shock absorbers for the rear from Ghai Motors. They charged Rs 980 for the two. The sticker price for each is Rs 550. Gave the bike and the shocks to Dilip. Will be going to Haldia tomorrow so he can fit them.

June 1, 2012 - Odo 24430 km

It's 9.40 pm now. Came back from Haldia at around 7 pm. Just rode the Bullet back home from Dilip's with the new shocks. They are superb. It's a tremendous improvement over what I had for so many years. Dilip said those old shocks were really dead long time ago. I wonder how much more comfortable ride the Endurance gas filled ones make.

Dilip made a few other changes too. The yoke of the left hand clutch lever has been replaced with a new one (bought yesterday from Ghai for Rs 40). A new round rear view mirror has been fitted (bought from Ghai at Rs 40 - it's very shoddy quality though. Good ones aren't available). Till the other day, the left hand mirror was a Bajaj Pulsar type - slightly oval shaped. So I bought the new round one from Ghai. Trying to take out the old mirror the yoke broke !!!

I got the third class side stand thrown away too. I always had a good side stand. Got Dilip to fit it today.  Dilip feels it's not good enough either. But for me it serves the purpose. 

Dilip also rearranged the clutch wire properly. It was touching the hot engine and the plastic casing was melting away slowly. Now it's falling in a proper way with adequate clearing between the wire and the engine.

For safety's sake will have to get a set of clutch and accelerator wires and keep them in the tool box. Will also get a spare tube and keep it somewhere for longer rides.

Tomorrow I intend to change the rear tyre. Once I cross 1000 km I shall change the engine oil and Dilip has said he will get the clanking sound killed. 

One point worth mentioning here. The Armstrong shocks are now being manufactured and marketed by Tenneco in India. Not Gabriel anymore. I wonder why it is so. They own the brand globally. I wonder why Gabriel owned the brand in India so far. Will have to probe these angles.