1. Honda CB900F
2. Kinetic / Hyosung Aquila
3. Bajaj Avenger
4. Bajaj Pulsar 180 DTSi
5. Hero Honda Karizma
6. Hero Honda CBZ
7. Honda Unicorn
Engine: 132 cc 2-stroke single cylinder air-cooled with CD Ignition
Transmission: 5-speed manual with 2nd to 5th gear sequential shift
Clutch: Multi-plate wet type
Wheels: 2.5 x 18 Front, 2.75 x 18 Rear
Brakes: Disc Front, Drum Rear
Dry Weight: 115 kg (After mods, approx. 105 kg)
Fuel tank cap.: 10.5 Lit.
Max. Power: 14 bhp @ 7500 rpm (After mods, currently approx. 15.5 bhp as per my rough calculations)
Max. Torque: 12 Nm @ 6500 rpm (After mods, the max torque value should be pretty much the same, but now at a lower RPM. Also a improved low end torque)
0-60 kmph: 6 s (5s after mods)
0-100 kmph: 15 s (13.5 after mods)
Max Speed: 120 kmph (123 kmph after mods)
Over the years I have done a few mods...
November 2002: I can't believe I waited this long for this mod coz' the Yamaha were almost notorious for the tire choice. Anyway, I installed a 3.5 x 18 tire at the rear wheel and retained the spec tire at the front. Since then the rear grip and overall stability has been top notch. Having a narrower front tire has helped to get a stunning handling and manevouring in city traffic is a piece of cake. And the most important change was to the stance. With a pronounced nose down, the weight transfer to front wheels while braking was better. I have never sked since. (The only time I ever skid was on old Mumbai-Pune highway, courtsey an oil tanker leaving a nice oil trail)
December 2002: This mod was on the cards as it should idealy go with the tire change when one shifts to a tire of different radius. The correction of the changed ratio was done in the chain sprocket pair and my speedo and tacho were back to the production synchro... I gained my pickup back which I had lost after fitting a bigger tire. I put a standard Yamaha RX100 pair 36 / 15 was it?... I might be wrong! I will confirm.
May 2003: Now here's an interesting story. I was riding with my then room-mate Sanju on Pashan road in Pune at around 10.45 pm when I saw a approaching headlight in my rear view mirror. My first guess was a Pulsar 180, so I revved up. But the light kept approaching at an incredible pace. I was pretty sure I had the fastest production bike in India, but this bike was shaking my confidence. Thankfully (and to my delight) it turned out to be Honda CBR 1000 when it raced past me as if I was peddling a cycle. I glanced at my speedo... 105 kmph!
But soon we were approaching the Pashan Circle where we both would turn right. Here was a chance. Though totally outclassed in straightline speed, I was having a lighter, more manevourable and fast braking bike. I tried outbraking him and almost succeeded. Suddenly my engine coughed and threatened to die. Dman it... I had forgot to turn my fuel cock to reserve (which I usually do while racing to avoid exactly this situation) I had no choice but to watch the red tail-light dissappear in the distance.
The point of this narration was my long pending mod of changing exhaust got a instant boost. Earlier I had done a few rough calculations with the help of my colleague in Engine Design at Tata Motors which showed considerable increase in performance if I fitted a RX100 silencer with a minor mod in the bend pipe. I got it done the next weekend!
Jan 2004: A wider and more griping rear tire drags the bike with it along the curves. But the body over the suspensions resists this if rear suspension is soft. This was happening to me time and again and I had much less confidence attacking a curve. I fixed this problem by getting a set of stiffer springs. I am really grateful to my mechanic to get them coz' I had absolutely no idea where I had to look for them. Now I ride almost on my side walls on fast corners (Especially on Inner ring road stretch between Kormangala and Domlur in Bangalore)