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Looks like everyone on xBhp is speculating on bikes they can't afford. Anyways, here goes...

Some more...

Nice trails there buddy .

few from My side

Nandi hills







Forest trail in Aagumbe



Path to ARRS,Aagumbe



Somewhere near Yellapur


Kodachadri

off roading

These locations are about 100 kms outside Pune city- sheer bliss.

@phanikar: Thanks for sharing. Never knew Nandi hills had this road as well!! Also, check out the road to Hebbal Falls if you like hard trails. I loved and hated it at the same time when I went there early last year. Sorry don't have the pictures to share though.

@prashant: Lovely ride, you got the 650 custom painted, right? The Indian colors were hideous as far as I know.

Yeah have done it If you are straight road freak, This is the last place you wanna stay alive

diffuser : what makes u think impulse is inadequate for trail riding?

The forks are not beefy enough for one. I would risk my spine and my life with that bike. Not sure about the rear sprocket size, that matters a lot in rough terrains.
Bike frame looks pretty similar to the existing models, how well does that hold up on rough terrain?
Tyres I would give a thumbs-up though for a dual-purpose bike. Not knobby enough for a pure offroader.

The bike does have good features for an off-roader. I would save my money though till I can import a serious off-roader, or one's available in India.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a brand-basher! I believe that if you doing it, do it right.

@phanikar: I had my bloody RE Electra rest on top of me in the climb, it will scare you away for a week .

for serious off roading it is definitely not the bike , but for the trails , i think it cud do the job all right

True, but there are trails which are more challenging as well. I would love to ride them as I am entering that phase now. Touring = done (for now), SBK experience = check, stunting = had my bit, too late now.

OT: BTW, congrats for your FZ1, have been away from the forum for a long time now

paint

@diffuser
Regards your query on the F 650 - no, I did not get it painted. I simply ordered the panels from a BMW UK dealer and hand carried them as cabin baggage . These are originals as I believe that a factory finish is the finest . The old panels were red- whenever the whim overtakes me, I change the panel set . This takes about 90 minutes in all . One of these days I am planning to chrome these ....
Some more pics of hard core off roading ..

Pictured is the model of bike I bashed my way through the woods on as a young lad (mine was orange, though). Note the skinny forks, dual-shock rear suspension, complete lack of disc brakes, heavy tube-steel frame etc. The Impulse, while maybe not in the same league as the modern motocross bikes, is still light-years beyond what I had available for off-roading. I never bent the fork, or a rim, or anything else, despite riding as only a 12-year-old boy can. In fact, one day while riding, I encountered some guys out on older Husqvarnas, which were notoriously tall, and they admired the way my bike was so much easier to control out in the woods. As long as you don't plan on any major jumping, the Impulse should be quite adequate to the task of trail-riding.

I agree with you on that. No local job would match the beauty of a factory part for these bikes. That third pic is sick! All these are around Pune? Would love to visit once for an off-road ride with you guys.

That's a good point you've raised Mountain, but have you considered the difference in quality of construction and part between your Kawasaki and Impulse? No one would want to caught unawares with a new bike in the market. I truly envy you though, having access to a bike and commendable trails at that age. They are very hard to find around Bhubaneshwar. BTW, I will be visiting BBSR in December mid, PM me your number if you would have time for a chat.

I am considering a project with the ZMA engine, already proven well over years. The CRF 230F, from which the engine was chosen, would serve for the frame, swingarm, suspension setup and the rest. I have yet to determine if the engine mounts for both bikes is similar, so that a cheap mod wouldn't be required to patch things. I am looking around for used and undamaged parts in Bahrain to cut down some costs. This is the secondary option though; I'm also in touch with importers to get the price for a legit import. If that works out, all the more better!