Gearing Up For the KTM

I have never been able to wear a full face helmet comfortably. They would always be very tight on the head. Wearing my glasses with a full face helmet on was next to impossible. Therefore I have never really owned one and have been rather apprehensive about them. But after the Duke I realised that an FF helmet is a must for fast long rides. 

First of all, the high speed wind at speeds above 60 kmph is very tiring when it continuously hits you on the face. Next, on the highway and in the city too you are often exposed to a lot of suspended particulate matter (SPM) that gets into your eyes. Anyone who has been caught behind a truck carrying sand - and there are lines of these trucks on  the highway at any point of time - will know this. Then there is the issue of rains. Since I wear glasses, it makes riding all the more difficult when it is raining. 

Having joined the "modern biking fraternity" rather late in life I started reading up on various subjects and soon realised that helmets come in various sizes. Honestly I never knew this. I knew there were helmets for children and for adults. I didn't know they came in sizes like all other wearable things do. The Wellington retailers (for non-Calcuttans Wellington is an area in Calcutta where lots of small traditional shops sell motorcycle parts and accessories) never told me about helmet size. 

After learning that helmets come in various sizes, I also learnt that modern helmets have a few other modern features like vents (both inlet and outlet) to circulate air inside, detachable and washable inner linings etc. Frankly I also learnt that there are safety ratings for really expensive international helmets. All this while, I knew helmets were hard shells that cover your head. 

The last trip to Wellington, after perhaps 15 years, to buy a motorcycle cover had left a very bitter taste in my mouth, particularly about their knowledge level. Funny that even a few years ago that was our only hope and pride. Most of them had not even heard the name of KTM. So I knew that is not where you should go for a modern helmet. I discovered a few brands were selling on Amazon and Flipkart. But I wouldn't buy a helmet without actually wearing it once.

There is another online store specialising in motorcycle accessories where you get AGVs and Arais of the world. These are the brands people use while vying for world championships like Moto GP etc. Those brands cost upward of Rs 1 lakh for a helmet !!! I think the one that Valentino Rossi uses, sells for close to Rs 2 lakh or something equally ridiculous.

I asked my online friend Sourav for suggestions. He said SOL and LS2 were the brands to go for. And the store to go to is Gear Up in South Calcutta. Turned out it is really close to our office on Rajendra Road (near Northern Park/Urhiya Parha). 

Last night I finally managed to visit the store and buy my first "modern" helmet. It's an LS2 FF 322. I liked the owner - Deep. This is something very important for me. I have to like the person I am dealing with. Deep has obviously turned his passion into a business. He is a biker, tourer and doing business on the ground floor of his own house. It seemed his wife is also involved in the business. In fact after the deal he told me they go out on regular weekend rides and invited me to join the gang. It's nice that he is building up a community of bikers. I am not sure if I want to join a group just yet.

At the store I saw a good collection of gloves from Rynox and Viaterra saddle bags. In fact yesterday only I was wanting to see the Duke-dedicated saddle bags that Viaterra has, called Velox. And by evening I got to see them in the store !!! There were jackets of various brands and Motuls and Leatherman etc. 

The store is very small but that also gives it a cosy feeling. The collection of helmet is not huge. Probably less than ten on display. They did not have XL sized helmets which I think is my size. 

I had originally planned to buy an SOL but turned out the L sized SOLs were just not for me. Even if I manage to wear them, I cannot wear the glasses as my ears were getting folded down !!! Finding space for the handles of the spects was impossible. 

After trying out quite a few SOLs finally this L sized LS2 fitted me somewhat and most importantly I could wear my glasses too. This is certainly a first for me. The orange and white colour combination somehow went with the bike's colour scheme, but that's purely by accident. I bought it without spending too much time on procastination. 

I went home. Took my time to examine the helmet at leisure on the sofa. Took a selfie and sent to Sourav and then went out for a ride. I rode for about 55 kms in two hours, going up City Center 2 and coming back. My first impressions are as follows. Before proceeding further I would remind the reader, I am a first time user of a proper full mask helmet. So I have no way of benchmarking this product against better or worse brands. And unless I have used something I never comment on those.

On with the review. The visor behaves like the door of a modern car. It can open at various positions and stay fixed there, if you want. Most cheap helmets have the visor rolling up or down freely. You cannot really choose to keep it open just a bit and ride fast. It would roll down. Not here with LS2. I tried keeping the visor up and rode at moderate speeds. It didn't matter really. With bad helmets that becomes an issue and it resists against the onrushing wind.

With the visor completely down if you are stationary, the visor fogs up quickly. But if you are in motion, internal fogging is not an issue at all. Here I must mention that I was riding with the vents open completely.

Initially the helmet was pressing hard against my jaws. In fact when I came back home I found the pressure had left an impression on the two cheeks on my face. I am hoping it will ease up a little. If it does not, I might have to give it to Monisha and go for a higher size. But I did not feel the pressure after some time. 

With the visor down the wind noise inside the helmet is annoying at high speeds. It makes a hoo hoo kind of sound - something that windshield less microphones pick up if exposed to high windy situations outdoors. Will I get used to it ? I don't know. I have to check if the wind noise goes down if I close the front vents. 

The helmet looks gorgeous when I see it. There is that particular sheen (though personally I would have preferred the matte finsish) that makes it look new. But in real life use I shall not be seeing it. I wonder what others might think when they see me in it ;-) But who cares?

My KTM

After selling off my Esteem, sometime in mid-April 2015 (which had served me well for almost ten years) and graduating to a Duster as my daily drive, I was toying with the idea of getting a motorcycle. A modern one. I already have an “old soldier” Bullet. But that is more of a vintage bike and not the ideal vehicle of choice if you are in a hurry to go somewhere quickly. The level of engagement with that bike is something different. It is more than a bike.

I wanted a bike for going to places where I wouldn’t want to take my Duster. I would also take it to the occasional medium distance day trips or weekend trips and perhaps a north Sikkim or Leh in the distant future. In short, a two-wheeled version of my Esteem.

My first stop was at the Bajaj showroom close to our office. They had launched a few variants of the Pulsar with names like AS and RS etc. The experience at OSL Bajaj showroom was so negative that I was really put off by the Bajaj brand. They were just not interested in me as a customer. Test ride seemed like such an impossibility that I didn’t even dare ask. The bikes were there but in a difficult to reach position. I could somehow manage to reach the bikes for a closer look. In fact no one even bothered to ask me what on earth I was doing, as I kept on loitering around in their showroom for close to ten minutes. There was no question of listening to the exhaust note etc.

Finally I caught hold of a sales guy and he said, very reluctantly, that he had no idea when the bikes would come and no commitment on deliveries. Personally, I am not in favour of rushing to buy the latest introduction into the market. I prefer to wait and watch how a particular brand does and then go for it. Since Pulsar is already an established name I wanted to take chance with its variant. But the attitude of the guys there didn’t instil any confidence in me.

In a couple of days I went, with Monisha on tow, to the Honda showroom near La Martinere to see the CBR 250 ABS. Here we had a slightly better experience. But I felt more disappointed here because after all it’s a Honda and the attitude to customer was so baniya. There was no question of turning the engine on. The person who had received my phone call had given me all sorts of ridiculously wrong replies. I came out quite disgusted. Incidentally, I had also written a complaint mail to Honda but nothing much came off it.

After a few days I went to the Honda showroom near Thakurpukur. At this point of time I was hell bent on getting a Honda. Here the reception was much warmer. The sales lady gave me a test ride on the bike. Monisha and I took a short ride and liked the look and feel of the bike. We almost made up our mind to book it. At this stage the sales lady chickened out a bit. When I asked her about the delivery schedule she seemed unsure. In short what she said is this, as per last information from Honda a few months ago, they had stopped manufacture of the ABS model. However, now the Calcutta Honda office has told her to accept the booking with Rs 5,000. If the bike does not come in another month or so, they would return the money.

Somehow, I got those vibes that Honda is perhaps going to withdraw this model in favour of its more potent brother the CBR 300. After some procrastination, I dropped the idea of buying the Honda. No one seemed to know anything about the future plans of Honda. I asked my sources in Delhi. They said the bike is not being withdrawn. And even if they do, parts supply wouldn’t be a problem.

Even if that is so, I doubt how much service support I would get from the local service centers. I am sure they don’t stock a lot of spares. Frankly, I have never seen a CBR 250 on Calcutta roads. Of course Malcom in our office had one. But he had sold it off long ago as it was causing wrist pain.

Next stop was KTM. First I went to the Chowringhee KTM in the ground floor of Chatterjee International. On a fine Saturday morning Monisha and I reached for a test ride. Chenku also came along with his son Atish. The idea was to ride and check the pillion seat of the Duke 390. The showroom, it turned out, did not have a proper test ride mule. They took out a bike that was booked in the name of someone else and gave it for me to ride.

But ride where? Not on the road but on the concrete driveway next to their building!!! It is a narrow stretch of about 20/30 meters or so. Grudgingly we took a ride. Monisha was more or less fine with the seat. I could barely ride the bike, because I am just not used to this posture and the 1 down 2,3,4 etc up gear shift system, that too on the other foot (I am used to a vintage Bullet where the brake and gear shift lever is just the opposite). But anyway, the bike passed our test. The showroom did not. It kept on pinching me in the heart that they let customers ride new, booked bikes. It is unethical, unprofessional.

Meanwhile Monisha worked out the maths of the loan. Two-wheeler loan was ruled out because a personal loan of the same amount worked out to be way cheaper for her. Also, as a staff she would be able to pay back any time she wanted. She applied for it.

I soon learnt that since early 2015, Duke 390 has started coming with a slipper clutch and a few other minor modifications. This clutch lets you downshift aggressively from a high speed without stalling the engine. I had to make sure that I was getting the right bike with all these upgrades. Somehow the credibility level of the showroom guy had vanished. I asked him how I would know that I was getting the new model. What he essentially said means I would have to trust him.

I did some net surfing on how to find out the month and year of manufacture of your bike but to no avail. Incidentally, now I know how it is done.

I had started feeling uncomfortable about dealing with KTM Chowringhee. So I dialled KTM Anwar Shah Road. They said I could come anytime for a proper on the road road test. I took the test on the next Saturday. I quite liked this guy in what they call KTM Prince. I decided to buy the bike from here. No more questions.

I made the payment through cheque and a little bit by cash. Last Friday May 29, 2015 the sale was officially logged. This is also the day when I first saw the individual bike that would be mine. I checked the tacho, It shows 7.8 km, which is reasonable. They gave me the engine number, chasis number, battery number and key number.

As of now I am waiting for the bike to be handed over to me after it is produced at the Motor Vehicles department for registration. The rule is, the bike will be first produced at the MV. After this they would issue the registration number, after this they will fit a high security registration plate on the bike. After that the smart card for registration in my name will be issued. There is a huge backlog for all the steps involved. And each step takes several days.

So the production of the bike will take some time. I shall be handed over the bike on that very day. But it wouldn’t have a number. So I’d have A/F (applied for) written on the number plate. Once the number is allotted I would write it with a permanent marker till the high security plate is issued. If you are not an Indian  all this may not make much sense :-)

Wednesday June 3, 2015

I was told today that they will be "producing" the bike tomorrow at the Motor Vehicles and it should be ready for delivery after that. I have this silly superstition against doing anything important on a Thursday, if it is avoidable. So I told Joyjit, the KTM Prince sales guy, that I would come on Friday for the delivery. Feeling excited :-) The helmet has been washed in soap water and fit for the first ride at least. I have to get a proper cover for the bike and a solution for carrying basic stuff on a day to day basis.

How To Make Sense of Your KTM Chassis Number

Last Friday they logged the actual sale of the vehicle to me. They gave me the chassis number, engine number, key number and battery number. On Sunday I got an invite on my phone to download the KTM app which I promptly did. Now, this app is nothing but a mobile version of the owner's manual (which I had earlier downloaded from their website). But it has an important chapter on making sense of the chassis number. It's also known as the VIN - vehicle identification number. From this number one can work out the company that manufactured the vehicle, the plant, the month and year of manufacture, the CC of the vehicle etc. I found that the vehicle was manufactured in January 2015. Of course the first two information is same for everyone in India. Like it's a KTM and it was made at the Chakan plant. But this becomes important to foreigners if they are buying these vehicles abroad.

If you are reading this and want to understand how it is done, just let me know.

Meanwhile, let me note here the various other things I learn about my bike. I learnt from the BBC TopGear magazine that the engine of the KTM is Nikasil coated. What on earth is that. Here is the explanation. Click

The Duke 390's OE tyres are two of the most expensive OE tyres fitted on any two wheeler in India. They are Metzelers . That's real luxury because in the after market they cost a whopping Rs 28,000 to replace. But apparently their cornering abilities even on wet road conditions is legendary. Let me see how good they are.

Friday 5th June, 2015

The Baby Comes Home At Last 

Today I brought the baby home from the KTM showroom on Anwar Shah Road. The first ride was a little uncomfortable. I took a while to get adjusted to the gear shifts and brakes etc. Filled 10 litres of petrol from Deshapriya Park. Took Mampu to the dance class. Went back to D'Park to fill in air. It was 25/28. I made it 25/32. After coming back home with her went out with Monisha for a spin. By now I am quite confident and have worked out the things with my feet. It's a lovely bike. Very sporty. Lots of torque. I am wondering how much smoother it will get once the first servicing is done and synthetic oil is put.

In the afternoon, I had gone to Wellington to get a plastic cover for the bike (Rs 200) and also a helmet (Rs 490). The same white Aron that we have.

Today when I took the bike, I guess the tacho had some 20 km or so. I don't remember clearly because the mode was on trip and I didn't know how to change it to total km. It is now 51 when I parked it for the night.

Absolute First Impressions

Very torquey. I love the power. But it is not a city commuting bike really. You are riding at 30 on 4th gear. If you come down to 20, you will have to bring it down to 3, if not 2. It's not a Hero Honda. I was using mostly 2nd and 3rd. Once in a while 4th. Fifth only when there is an absolute empty stretch - like on a flyover. I had some fun zooming past the strugglers on the Gariahat bridge with Monisha. I would love to take it on the highway soon.

By the time I was riding it with Monisha, I had already more or less adopted to the bike. It will take some more time but I shall get there.

The idle rev is very very high. As a Bulleteer it will take me some time to get adjusted to it. But I love the exhaust note, particularly when opening throttle on 2nd gear :-) I feel much younger.

Wednesday 10th June, 2015

Today the registration number got allotted to me. WB01AG3279. Road tax has been paid. Almost Rs 20,000 !!! Of course it is a lifetime tax and I need not bother about it ever again, but it just shows how pauper our state is right now. I have also been given the insurance papers. I will need to go to Kasba Motor Vehicles Department on Monday to get the high security registration plate fixed . At 3 pm in this heat. That's the only worry.

The bike, meanwhile, has done 164 km. Monisha and I often go out riding it aimlessly. Invariably we end up going to Red Road and HSBC Dalhousie though. I am not only breaking the engine and tyres in, I am also getting used to riding the bike.

The thermostat or the cooling fan kicks in rather frequently. Perhaps it will get better after the first service.

I have ordered for a pair of gloves off Amazon. An el cheapo brand called Probiker. Total cost is coming to Rs 400+. The Alpinestars cost Rs 6k !!!

Tuesday 16th June, 2015

An important part in the entire ownership registration process got completed yesterday. The high security registration plate was affixed to my bike at Kasba Motor Vehicles department. I was scheduled to reach there at 3 pm, which I did. It is right inside the state bus terminus near the Ruby roundabout.

Lined up the bike alongwith the others. There were some 30/40 bikes in all. They came and took the slip from me which was given by the dealership. One by one the HSRP registration plates were fixed. The place is strewn with these chopped off nails. I don't know how they don't puncture the tyres. Anyway, the process was over in about half an hour. I paid a tip of Rs 30 to the guy who was doing the job. They gave me a receipt that says the thing has been done.

Now the next step that remains is getting the registration document, also known as the "smart card". Earlier we used to call it the blue book, because it indeed was a blue coloured book !!

Meanwhile, I think I should add that the bike's front shocks should have been a little softer. I don't know if they will get softer with time but right now they are very stiff. One has to hold the handle lightly on rough patches. I wonder how people ride it on the way to Leh/Ladakh. I will try with reducing the tyre pressure by two points.

Review After 500 km, Monday 22nd June, 2015

Last week I couldn't ride the bike too much. The odo was standing still at 300+ for a few days. Friday evening I dropped Mampu off at her dance class near Golpark and went for a short spin on Southern Avenue. A joker on a Thunderbird tried to race with me. Normally I don't fall for such traps. But somehow something happened and I just blasted the bugger off with a sudden burst of speed. He caught up with me near the CRC crossing where there was a lot of traffic. There I deliberately let him overtake me once, so that the insult could be rubbed in more vigorously. He turned towards the Lake Gardens flyover. Again I blasted the shit out of him on the bridge :-) A child like glee overtook me. After beating him comprehensively I turned around and came back to Golpark.

Somehow, I just cannot stand the Thunderbird. It does not have the heritage of a Bullet. It does not have the sophistication of a modern bike. I think it has a bhp of 19 while mine has 44. In terms of weight it is perhaps double mine.

On Saturday I went for two long rides down the Eastern Bypass and Salt Lake etc. The odo went up to 440. On Sunday I went on a circuitous route. Went up via 2nd Bridge and came back via Bally Bridge > Belghoria Expressway > Airport > Rajarhat etc. A total of 75 kms.

It was a very pleasant ride in light rains. Water thrown up by the other cars' wheels made me more wet than the rains. I didn't have any water proof on. Got quite wet. Worse, the glasses got wet with muddy water. I didn't have anything to wipe them clean. But I immensely enjoyed this "back to the roots" ride. This is how I used to ride my Hero Honda.

As the odo moves on, I find the bike is getting smoother by the day. The front shocks have also got softer. I don't know if I am getting more used to them or they are indeed getting softer.

Yesterday I also discovered a more relaxed and laid back posture for riding. Coming from a Bullet background, I was trying to sit with the back straight. But now I have realised that sitting back a little and resting the bottom of the back (just above coccyx) on the notch between the back and front seat makes it very comfortable. Almost like driving a car. However, I also realised that I am sliding a little forward after a few kms and have to readjust the posture. Will have to work out a way around this. Probably I have to do something with the legs.

The maximum speed I took the bike upto was 70+. We are told in the manual not to take the bike above 7500 rpm. I don't think I have crossed 4500 yet.

It's a very very powerful bike. Climbing a bridge at 50, I suddenly decide to shoot out. I can do it and zip past the crowd. Have to control these urges and use the power sensibly.

Review After 1000 km, Sunday 12th July, 2015

I went for the first service at 909 km. This was after a month or so of purchase. The guys at the workshop are pretty nice to talk to. Bengali. Educated. Except for the location of the workshop and its payment system (you cannot pay by credit card though they claim you can), the mechanics are nice guys and you can discuss things with them.

Among the things that they do is change the oil into Motul synthetic. After the first service I did only one meaningful long ride yesterday. The bike is now a lot smoother than it used to be. The gear change does not have to be so frequent. You can afford to go down a little on your speed before downshifting. The pick up is just as strong and fast but a lot smoother now.

Before the first service, I had once taken it up to 95 kmph for a few seconds. That was to test the bike against a Yamaha. After the sevice, I took it up to 105 kmph yesterday. It was a little windy and I didn't like it at that speed. You can understand that you are riding at a very high speed. When that happens I feel very uncomfortable. At 90 you really don't feel the speed. If I went on a long highway ride, I guess my highest speed would be 90/95 kmph. Possibly this is because I am not used to this kind of speeds on a motorcycle. I might get used to it. But as of now, I am not feeling comfortable. Not scared really. Just uneasy.

Thursday, 13th August, 2015

Today I got the smart card registration document. The entire process took about two minutes. Unbelievable that anything official could get done in such a short time and so smoothly in Calcutta. Amazing.