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Price Lists and other Superbike queries
Hi guys, I recently caught the superbike bug and I unknowingly let it grow big by lurking around these forums and reading all your posts, you know the usual stuff - constantly pressing f5 to see if there are new posts and ogling at all pics being posted. Anyways, more on the back story later. Cutting right to the chase - I visited the The Great Hyderabad Auto Expo 2017 and got to see some supercars and superbikes. Any other day I would go gaga all over the supercars courtesy NFS and FF series but, this day it was different, I was on a mission, to decide upon my next bike, specifically a superbike.
Now, for the past two years I tried staying away from bikes as much as possible (as in not looking for an upgrade) cause I didn't enjoy riding in the polluted airs, insane roads conditions, I experienced street dogs running onto my moving bike, buffaloes nonchalantly wiggling their tails and smacking the riders, crazed bulls trying to get on with cows in the middle of the roads and then there is the other kind of animal - humans, 10th class kids and uncles, auto walas oblivious to traffic rules (no offence to the serious riders). All of it is a disaster waiting to happen, so it is logical to want to move on to a car. But, all this changed due to youtube, those suggestive, alluring vlogs! Biker vlogs lead to forums and reviews and thats it - you are hooked!
Bikes are freedom. Period.
Now, an auto show is a best place to look at these superbikes up close without needing to visit all the stores and I was pressed for time and it would be a while before I can visit any city again. I went in expecting very little, It wasn't a big event but, I was surprised to see what I was looking for though. There they were, the Harleys, The Triumphs, The Kawasakis, The Suzukis, one Indian cruiser and two Ducatis (pre worshipped and sold by Mahavir Auto), KTMs (their stand was right next to Kawasakis) and the Benellis. No BMWs or Yamahas though. Now, this was my very first time seeing these bikes up close and touching them and it was awesome! I have caught a full on fever now.
I had my eyes set on one bike for a while, the Triumph Street Scrambler - it was love at first sight, at this point I pretty much obsess over it, I try to find everything and anything about it as much as possible, it's almost a full on stalkish kinda thing at this point. Two other bikes which I like are The Triumph Street Triple RS and the 2017 Yamaha MT-09 - way different from the scrambler, I know, cause I have been religiously reading all your posts in the forums and I am really thankful for your insights on all kinds of superbikes. All thats left is test rides and writing the cheque. No Kawasaki's for me (god I love the sound of them) there simply is no connection there, Suzuki's, BMW's and Honda's are super expensive at this point.
Now, a couple questions before I take the plunge (sometime early next year),
Triumph and Kawasaki guys were handing out the on-road price lists for their bikes which I am sharing down below.
Rebel Motorcycles Hyderbad,
Hyderabad Kawasaki
Noob questions first - which part of these prices are reducible if go with alternatives if there are any? Like insurance etc.
The guys at the Triumph Display were an unenthusiastic bunch, trying to engage them is like talking to mannequins! To call it a let down is an understatement. Does this apathy follow into other places too? I hope the experience is different at the actual Hyd showroom at least. How is the after sales service? I called the showroom after this heart warming display of showmanship/salesmanship. The guy who picked up was nice but, apparently there was only one Scrambler with them, the same one that was being displayed at the show. No test rides for Scrambler either but, he suggested I try Street Twin instead. Now, this threw up two more questions - How big of a difference will there be between Street twin and the Scrambler? And if I buy it, Will I get a brand new bike instead of the one in display? Is it the standard practice or should I be cautious and insist on it? Triumph had a no climbing onto the machine policy at the expo, which I entirely respect, up close both RS and Scrambler are withing my size requirements. So, thats a small yay!
Coming to Yamaha, there aren't many threads about it anywhere here in the forums. Why no love for Yamaha? Does anyone have any idea how Yamaha fares on Indian roads and how their service and related costs are. The new 2017 Yamaha MT-09 isn't available in Hyderabad yet and any info about it will be really helpful. Thank you.
The serious questions -
Riding gear -
Helmets - I have decided not to skimp out here, I have zero faith in Indian drivers, cows, dogs (goats are nice-ish) and I wish to live long. It's either Shoei or Arai but, where can I find legit ones in India? What are the next best options which are readily available in India? AGV? What about in countries nearest to ours (yup, my first overseas trip will likely be for buying a helmet).
Dainese for everything else. Not sure if it is an overkill but, I do not know much about any other reputed brands (yet), please point me in the right direction here.
PS. This post/thread is a very much a work in progress. Between test riding and ordering to delivery it will take months, hopefully sometime in Feb 2018 will be the day.
PPS. The history - I will be going from my 220 to pretty much a 700cc or 900cc bike, I will test ride to make sure everything falls in place nicely though, definitely no impulse buys for me.
Now, for the past two years I tried staying away from bikes as much as possible (as in not looking for an upgrade) cause I didn't enjoy riding in the polluted airs, insane roads conditions, I experienced street dogs running onto my moving bike, buffaloes nonchalantly wiggling their tails and smacking the riders, crazed bulls trying to get on with cows in the middle of the roads and then there is the other kind of animal - humans, 10th class kids and uncles, auto walas oblivious to traffic rules (no offence to the serious riders). All of it is a disaster waiting to happen, so it is logical to want to move on to a car. But, all this changed due to youtube, those suggestive, alluring vlogs! Biker vlogs lead to forums and reviews and thats it - you are hooked!
Bikes are freedom. Period.
Now, an auto show is a best place to look at these superbikes up close without needing to visit all the stores and I was pressed for time and it would be a while before I can visit any city again. I went in expecting very little, It wasn't a big event but, I was surprised to see what I was looking for though. There they were, the Harleys, The Triumphs, The Kawasakis, The Suzukis, one Indian cruiser and two Ducatis (pre worshipped and sold by Mahavir Auto), KTMs (their stand was right next to Kawasakis) and the Benellis. No BMWs or Yamahas though. Now, this was my very first time seeing these bikes up close and touching them and it was awesome! I have caught a full on fever now.
I had my eyes set on one bike for a while, the Triumph Street Scrambler - it was love at first sight, at this point I pretty much obsess over it, I try to find everything and anything about it as much as possible, it's almost a full on stalkish kinda thing at this point. Two other bikes which I like are The Triumph Street Triple RS and the 2017 Yamaha MT-09 - way different from the scrambler, I know, cause I have been religiously reading all your posts in the forums and I am really thankful for your insights on all kinds of superbikes. All thats left is test rides and writing the cheque. No Kawasaki's for me (god I love the sound of them) there simply is no connection there, Suzuki's, BMW's and Honda's are super expensive at this point.
Now, a couple questions before I take the plunge (sometime early next year),
Triumph and Kawasaki guys were handing out the on-road price lists for their bikes which I am sharing down below.
Rebel Motorcycles Hyderbad,
Hyderabad Kawasaki
Noob questions first - which part of these prices are reducible if go with alternatives if there are any? Like insurance etc.
The guys at the Triumph Display were an unenthusiastic bunch, trying to engage them is like talking to mannequins! To call it a let down is an understatement. Does this apathy follow into other places too? I hope the experience is different at the actual Hyd showroom at least. How is the after sales service? I called the showroom after this heart warming display of showmanship/salesmanship. The guy who picked up was nice but, apparently there was only one Scrambler with them, the same one that was being displayed at the show. No test rides for Scrambler either but, he suggested I try Street Twin instead. Now, this threw up two more questions - How big of a difference will there be between Street twin and the Scrambler? And if I buy it, Will I get a brand new bike instead of the one in display? Is it the standard practice or should I be cautious and insist on it? Triumph had a no climbing onto the machine policy at the expo, which I entirely respect, up close both RS and Scrambler are withing my size requirements. So, thats a small yay!
Coming to Yamaha, there aren't many threads about it anywhere here in the forums. Why no love for Yamaha? Does anyone have any idea how Yamaha fares on Indian roads and how their service and related costs are. The new 2017 Yamaha MT-09 isn't available in Hyderabad yet and any info about it will be really helpful. Thank you.
The serious questions -
Riding gear -
Helmets - I have decided not to skimp out here, I have zero faith in Indian drivers, cows, dogs (goats are nice-ish) and I wish to live long. It's either Shoei or Arai but, where can I find legit ones in India? What are the next best options which are readily available in India? AGV? What about in countries nearest to ours (yup, my first overseas trip will likely be for buying a helmet).
Dainese for everything else. Not sure if it is an overkill but, I do not know much about any other reputed brands (yet), please point me in the right direction here.
PS. This post/thread is a very much a work in progress. Between test riding and ordering to delivery it will take months, hopefully sometime in Feb 2018 will be the day.
PPS. The history - I will be going from my 220 to pretty much a 700cc or 900cc bike, I will test ride to make sure everything falls in place nicely though, definitely no impulse buys for me.
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