Different Helmet Certification Agencies and my views

The recent, furore in the Indian Helmet market brought me to write this - a liberal selection of sources from around the Internet, and websites of various agencies involved in the helmet certification business. The blog should have been written months ago- but then its never too late.

The specs of the ISI helmet requirement is nothing but a sham copy-paste job of the DOT regulations which are put into place the by the US Department of Transportation and enforced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Now, the NHTSA expects that every manufacturer of helmets or seller of helmets, at the minimum to self-certify that the product they are selling, meets or exceeds the DOT FMVSS 218 requirements.
The penalty is rather severe, of USD 5000 PER helmet manufactured- of the model/version that gets picked up for testing and if it fails. Being the good 'ol USofA, one can safely assume that the DOT sticker is worth its value. Along similar lines is the ECE 22.05 regulation followed by about 50 nations in Europe. SHARP in UK, and CRASH in Australia, and of course the ISI in India, are a few others.

* A few of the DOT Helmet Tests*
Helmet is dropped onto a spherical anvil from a height of 1.83m
Helmet is dropped onto a flat anvil from a height of 1.83m
Pointed striker is dropped onto helmet
Weight is applied to retention system (up to 300 pounds of force for 120 seconds)

However, ECE testing is the most rigorous and most up-to-date. It is in many ways a combination of elements of both DOT and Snell procedures, with a few extras added in. ECE testing involves:
 Impact absorption by dropping helmet onto a flat anvil
Testing chin strap buckle for slippage
Chin strap material is tested for tension failure at over 670 lbs. of force
Testing for abrasion resistance
Shell is tested for deformation under weight of nearly 150 lbs.
Visor is tested as an integral part of the helmet

While DOT is done on the honor system and Snell is optional allowing many helmets to fall through the testing cracks, the ECE standard requires that helmets be tested before the model can hit the market.

* A Note on SNELL* 
Snell Memorial Foundation is dedicated as a non-profit organisation into preparing basic guidelines for helmets ranging from Equestrian, snowboarding, mopeds, motorcycles, auto car racing and even kids cycling helmets. In the U.S., Snell is held to be the superior helmet certification. Snell helmets are tested to a more rigorous standard, as the standard itself is derived from motorcycle racing, where impacts tend to be more severe. A number of differences exist between Snell and DOT, in both the organizations themselves, and in how the tests are administered.
A few of the significant differences are:
The Snell Memorial Foundation is a private non-profit organization;
NHTSA is a federal government agency while Snell certification is voluntary for the manufacturers;
DOT certification is mandatory, Snells standards are more rigorous than DOT standards
Snell does testing of prototypes to aid manufacturers in the production process;
DOT applies only to production models Snell issues a new certification standard every 5 years.

The current standard is SNELL M2015, which is a significant change over the previous M2010. Snells' helmet testing is similar to DOT testing, but with additional requirements. They are:
Snell uses 5 different shaped anvils instead of two Helmets are dropped from multiple heights (all of which are higher than DOTs)
Snell tests the chinbar along with the dome of the helmet
The visor is also tested, by shooting it with three lead pellets from an air rifle
The killer test being - the hardest Snell test for a motorcycle helmet to meet—is a two-strike test onto a hemispherical chunk of stainless steel about the size of an orange. The first hit is at an energy of 150 joules, which translates to dropping a 5-kilo weight about 10 feet—an extremely high-energy impact. The next hit, on the The helmets are mounted on a 5-kilo (11 pound) magnesium headform and then dropped from a controlled height onto a variety of test anvils to simulate crash impacts on various surfaces and shapes.
This test criteria comes from the fact that in the real world, your helmet actually hits flat pavement more than 85 percent of the time.

*Coming to back to ECE* 
To gain ECE certification, a manufacturer must send a batch of 50 production versions of the helmet for independent testing. The testing is done in a third party lab with witnesses from both the manufacturer and the ECE in order to grant certification.

If I was to be asked, for personal choice- its very strange, that SNELL does not approve or even entertain modular or helmets with inbuilt visors, due to moving parts and secondly due to the cavity in the forehead region due to the visor retractability. When I met with an accident, I was thrown over the handlebar, head first into a rock wall, the impact was directly on the spot for which the helmet was not given the Snell rating- the area over the retractable helmet.

So I wear a ECE+DOT MT Blade helmet in the city and I use a Shark Spartan which also is a ECE+DOT approved helmet.  I am of the belief that the slight ‘give’ the non-Snell SHOEI GT Air absorbed the shock and saved me from what could have been a severe concussion or a diffuse brain injury due to the extreme rigidity demanded of SNELL helmet bodies.

I would probably lean toward an ECE helmet over the DOT+SNELL ones at this point.

Having said that, the FIRST rule, is buy a helmet that fits your face- certification comes next. It has to be snug, and prevent you from chewing gum when you wear it. It shouldn’t give you hotspots on the temples, cheeks, top of the head at the back and should give you enough space to pout your lips and spit any bug that may enter your helmet at speeds thru and open or partly open visor.

I have an interesting anecdote- acknowledgement-  from http://www.mcrider.com

“The European Union recently released an extensive helmet study called COST 327, which involved close study of 253 recent motorcycle accidents in Germany, Finland and the U.K. This is how they summarized the state of the helmet art after analyzing the accidents and the damage done to the helmets and the people: “Current designs are too stiff and too resilient, and energy is absorbed efficiently only at values of HIC [Head Injury Criteria: a measure of G force over time] well above those which are survivable.” As we said, it’s a lively debate.”

Detailed Review of the Carberry Motorcycles- Vibration Reduction Plate

Detailed Feedback

After a long discussion on the theoretical benefits of the Carberry VRPlate with my close biking community, I decided to spend the 3000-odd on the plate and put it down to some money spent in the belief that someone could engineer a good quality add-on to a UCE engine. Both for the 350 as well as the 500.

Vinod, my go-to mechanic at Kalina, helped install it in under an hour on my TB350, and the first start up and idle- itself had me nodding- 'this sounds nice.'
Here is the review after riding about 55Km around the city.

The first start- idle, itself was steady and you realise that the key ring that usually sits and jitters while idling was steady and just sat there while the bike idled. The engine sound was muted and gone was the shake at every thump. My first reaction was as if some Japanese guys worked on the engine and made it super smooth. Yes. The handle bar ends and mirrors vibrate if left free- telling you that the pipe used for the handle must be some really cheap thin pipe thickness- that the rest of the bike sits there still- worth watching.
Getting out of the Kalina area and then the SCLR traffic, I was just loving the easy engine and have never been so content riding between 40 and 60KmpH and the engine so smooth at about a sahde over 2500rpm.

Once on the Eastern Express Highway, I was remembering- bike is smooth between 60 and 90--- must see what that is about. So at the first signal, I let it fly and the honest opinion is I missed the cues--- the engine ran to 4000 in first, and then touched 5000rpm in 2, 3 and 4th- by the time I was approaching the next signal, I was praying for a red light. In disbelief, I again gunned the bike, something that sounds so awful on a stock UCE- and noted the rpm- that the vibrations were felt (almost as a rev limiter) at the 4000 and 5000 levels. The bike was at an easy 100kmph- at under 4000- possibly more like between 3500-3750 and very easy.
At low speeds the bike engine is what a delight to ride.
At higher rpms, if you like that, then you have yourself a whole new bike.

As far as a recommendation goes, i can only ask you to get the following done- oil + oil filter change at the same time- if under 10K with company stock, and if above 10k then semi- or fully synthetic oil- and BUY the plate. You will love the engine all over again.
A few things that were different from the video- the magnet did not come off as easy as they showed, and needed some force and (err- lever force) to prise it off the shaft. The Shaft had a small 'chavi' or key, that easily fell into the oil, and will make a mess of things if you dont put it back on. If the chavi position on the shaft is facing downwards, then put the kick back on the open bike, and gently push the kick down to rotate the shaft till you see the key slot on the shaft.
After that its pretty much idiot proof, and follow the instructions- removing the dowels (two of them) and then placing the 4 parts in the sequence given on the paper in the box.
Please wash the front sprocket area and lubricate your chain while at it. Please use a new gasket for sealing the case when you are done. IF changing oil, then fill after putting the case cover back. If not changing oil, then check oil level, the oil lost is minimal and you many not even need to top up- but please check the window.

Ride well- and my closing thought was - had I kept my Classic 500- oh Boy! how it would have run.
#royalenfield #carberrymotocycles#vibrationreductionplate #thunderbird350

How to run in your Royal Enfield Himalayan

After many years of riding many kinds of bikes, I finally bought a Himalayan and that was delivered on the 14th.
From my experience I wanted to write about a few basic things a new Himalayan owner should know- some stuff i could not find on the net when I picked up my bike.

1. Tire Pressure
Roads, and hard ground
SOLO- 25F 32R
PILLION- 27F 34 R
Sand and very soft mud- this is very subjective and best learnt with a lot of riding experience.
20-22F and 26-28R
Remember that bikers you see on trails in africa or the US or Europe, are often ridng with slightly low air pressure but with 4mm thick butyl tubes, which enhance the integrity of the tires and make sure that the side walls act as cushions to prevent rim damage.

2. Running in- very important
The idea behind running in is to allow the piston and the cylinder liner to get mated and the pitons rings to get pushed back and out and allow them to be 'bedded' properly.
RE recommends a top speed of 60Kmph, which runs the engine at about 3000RPM. Using this as a benchmark, the idea will be as follows-
Start the engine before you wear your helmet and gloves so that it has time to start circulating the oil that would be cold and pooled at the bottom of the crankcase.
Change gears between 2200-3000rpm and keep the bike moving.... while lowering gears every time you have a drop in momentum, or you feel the gradient has changed.
When in 5th gear, you can maintain 3000rpm, but keep varying the throttle position, and load on the engine, say by cutting the throttle to zero while coming down a bridge
Keep varying the gears and speeds while avoiding static throttle- so what would be an ideal run? If you know Mumbai city- a weekday ride from Thane to VT- would give you decent straights and a dozen flyovers and a lot of miserable bumper-to-bumper traffic so that in a distance of 60-odd Km you could not hold a steady throttle for too long, and mess up you liner.
Riding from Pune to Lonavala or Mumbai to Dhule is NOT the right way to do this- flat roads and hardly any variation in the throttle position.
This messing up happens when some larger metal particle gets caught in the cylinder space and cannot get dislodged- and causes a groove in the liner. The recommended change of oils, I have asked for one additional- and you should try this- take a fine muslin cloth and drain that oil at 200Km, and if possible spin a magnet in it for a few mins, and you will be surprised at the kind of fine metallic dust you will see. And if you dont, you can only thank yourself for checking. Total cost will be about 800-900 bucks, which with the 2L Rupee bike, is nothing for 'engine insurance.'
Now the oils- the idea of the running in is to allow the piston and the piston rings to be properly worn in. If you use synthetic oil or some really nice oil, you would be interfereing with this, and therefore its a request to stick to company oil, till atleast the 2000km run-in is complete.
Riders using Google will find alternate methods of running-in like riding full tilt, and absolutely hammering the engine- like it happens in the case of race bikes. Please remember we are not having race bikes nor does RE have metallurgists who are designing these kinds of bikes.

3. Oil Change + filter change at all three times
@200Km just to wash out any crap that may be there in the engine- this is the burrs that come off the gears and all other parts that mesh and which accumulate at the bottom due to gravity overnight.
@500Km at first service
@2000Km at second service
Use factory Liquid Gun till this 2K service. After this till 5000 you can use MOTUL that comes recommended by many across various forums, and then after 10,000 you can use fully synthetic, or whatever you want thereon.
For some reason, the first oil change is 2.3L, whereas subsequent oil changes are 'about 2L' and this is something I will figure out soon or maybe i have read something wrong.
While changing oil, always try and let the oil drain for a good 10-15 minutes after opening all drain holes and removing the air filter too. Just have patience and leave it alone.
I will look at putting in my feedback on the ride experience and as and how the bike gets treated at Service time. I invite owners to send in their comments on what we new guys/gals can watch out for.

#REH #Himalayan #RoyalEnfield #HimalayanSleet

PS- repeat there are others who talk about nikasil-coated cylinders and advanced metallurgy- apparently none of this applies to RE  as they advise the slow run-in in their owners manual. As always other view points are welcome.

Royal Enfield to which Bike- KTM 390? Dominar?

This topic started out with a few RE owning brothers, who shared the RE Himalayan Odyssey with me in 2014. #REHO2014. Few of them wanted to opt out for reasons of reliability and some wanted to tour quicker and faster and were exploring bikes in the sub-3L INR category. Here is a part of that conversation.

The KTM 390 is fantastic touring bike in the sub-400 category. The international terminology for off road is like the road on Morey Plains or Gata Loops and the long U turn after that via Whiskey nalla.... Off roading in Indian terms is what scramblers or dirt bikes do. AND There is not a single dirt bike manufactured in India. So for all practical purposes if you take a 390 and start bashing it around then you will damage your sump, and your radiator and you will blow your front shock seals. No one will tell you that if you come off a jump thats about 4' off the ground and land poorly without throttle on, then you could blow your rear shock too. Which no one will tell you costs about half that of a used 390.

Having owned a CI for the last decade or the Classic series, you probably dont know what off road riding is. Trust me. You have owned and diligently maintained your bike, and this habit will ensure that you will maintain your KTM in the same way too. I mean this with complete humility and not trying to imply that you cannot ride on that stretch to the lake ( was it Tso Kar?)where we stayed for one night off the Sarchu area, if you are asked to.

KTM 390-  the plus points of the bike- fantastic tires, fantastic cornering (see my blog on leaning and cornering), brakes- you will discover the meaning of brakes. Reliability- is very good and you will learn to lube the sprocket and chain far more religiously than you did on your RE. There have been niggling issues with the heat, and you will soon learn the traffic patterns that tend to disrupt your ride. Besides, I think that this particular issue has been well resolved in the 2016 and now he 2017 model.

Anyone reading this and contemplating a switch to the 390, this is what you will do- mentally first. Take that KTM and run it around gently till the first service. and from the service center take it for a GQ ride. 6000KM. in 12 riding days and 4 days for a service and general bike check up and maybe some local sight seeing.

Can any RE do this? NONE.

Buy the bike if you are a gentle rider and someone who wont use the 170 top speed, wont crash- and wont go jumping sand dunes. Ignore the blown front shock seals as you can carry a dozen of them or get them any where in the country. I agree the seals are prone to giving way under abuse- BUT trust me thats like saying the Scorpio can overturn if you take corners fast. Why the hell would you drive it like that- be it the KTM or the Scorpio.

On date the most spirited ride is the KTM 390. And with its increased  capacity fuel tank- it makes a quick ride to anywhere. Adjustable rear shock- amazing. really nothing you can ask for.

That brings me to the Dominar.

The gearing is relaxed- probably the state of ECU tune? Maybe the gearing ratios are easier- so this bike touches 120 in a breeze and stays there for hours. It needs a push to go toward the 140 mark. and higher I could not take it, road and time ran low.

This results in few things, an engine with a lower compression ratio and therefore a cooler engine, a more relaxed run, and then a better mileage. It had issues of cutting out (strangely like earlier versions of the 390 - 2013?) which to the best of my knowledge have been fixed with a recent ECU software upgrade on the Dominar
.
Where it suffers is as follows: Brand value, a Harley or a Superbiker would buy the KTM as s second bike, but would seriously NOT look at a Dominar. I know as I am caught in that conundrum. I dont need speed at my age and for my kind of riding, but then the Dominar- would be like wearing a fake Rolex and travelling by autorickshaw. (Somehow I expect you to make sense out out that analogy.)

Going forward what?
1. The Dominar strangely I hear is coming out with an ADV version, that should be something worth looking out for.
2. The KTM modified version for tougher roads- but not an ADV bike is expected soon
3. My opinion will be-  the Suzuki VStrom 650- if you can afford it by Diwali is the launch and later delivery-- possibly Jan 2018- This is a long term buy with many financial strings from buying to ownership costs. Thats another topic.

Precautions to be taken for riding in Ladakh.

Everyone of you reading this has probably taken a lot of effort to make the time and the money of course to literally make this trip happen.

A few points that are to be emphasized to even the hardiest of us low altitude dwellers to make sure that the trip stays successful and also a very enjoyable one- and with fond memories.You will see the extremes as depicted in both images below.

1. Dress in full sleeves jackets, tee-shirts, shirts. All day long. The reason for this is that at altitudes of over 10K, the UV radiation is severe and you will burn your skin- Typical places of sun burn will be forearms and your face- lips, nose, cheeks and chin as the sun shines down on you when you ride all thru the day.

Combating the cold is rather simple- multiple layers of tee-shirts under your riding jackets- ideally atleast 2 if not 3  when leaving the hotels in the morning. At subsequent stops you may remove the inner most ones, as the day and heat gets on.

Carry a box of surgical gloves, one box for the whole team and give every rider 4 or 5 every morning. This can be worn under cheap woolen gloves- 50-75/- a pair kinds as all you need is the layer and that they can get in your regular riding gloves. It is imperative that you try what I am saying so that you are able to make preparations for extreme cold at altitudes, where while riding you could easily have temperatures of about -10C. Do NOT buy insulated or spend on cold weather gloves as that is a waste and will be useless for half the day anyway.

Long johns or full length thermals under riding pants usually suffices and the engine heat ensures that the lower half of the body stays warm.

Layers for Clothes and surgical gloves and cheap woolens under the riding gloves for hands. Thats the picture.

2. A very strange phenomenon that affects riders in the hills is the glare and the strong sunlight. Please make sure you buy a very good quality pair of goggles, like Ray Bans or Oakleys and the like and make sure that it fits in your helmet with ease and does not cause your ears any discomfort. Take your helmet to the store when you are buying the glares.
The glare from the sun is very tiring and you will realize this especially on your way to Deskit from North Pollu and also on your way back from Pangong to Karu, as these stretches are typically in the afternoon. UV radiation is also harmful to the eyes and this simple but necessary advice will save you a lot of high altitude grief and headache.

3. Other than riding, please avoid all kind of physical strain, running, brisk walking, hiking- lifting baggage. You will be at an average of 11000' above mean sea level and it will take atleast two days for our body to even acclimatize to that altitude. So what can you do to ensure you don't get into trouble. Relax and drink water. Drink like 200ml every hour and do not visit the local market for the first 24-36 hours of your arrival in Leh. Stay in your hotel and relax. IF you doubt this please visit Norbu Hospital in Leh and see what the condition of the non-believers is. Please remember that if HAPO or HAPE hits, then the only solution is to get to an oxygen tank and the next flight to Mumbai. Once the 'episode' begins there is no relief. You will spoil your trip and that of every one with you and you will fly to Mumbai and spend about 15000 on getting your bike to the plains. There is a store that specializes in bike return- i kid you not, next to the RE showroom at the fuel Pump in Leh.
Rest compulsory and drink lots of water. Avoid smoking and alcohol. No one has to get critical due to HA issues, and the idea is not to panic but to calmly remember the last army post and hospital, and take the concerned person there and get him on a Oxygen tank and stabilize him. move him to Norbu and then put him or her on the next flight home.

4. Refuel your bikes at every opportunity. All the fuel comes from Ambala and the whole area is dependent on this life line. So refuel at Leh and then 50Km later, on the way to Pangong or Tanglang la, refuel at Karo again,  albeit 2 or 4 litres.
At this time I feel there are 4 roads in India that can really make you feel that you accomplished something in the adventure segment.

Sonmarg- Manali via Zoji La to Leh and then over Tanglang la, Jispa, Keylong and Rohtang- a portion of this may not be possible for political reasons- sad but no loss.
Chandigarh to Manali- via Lahaul- Spiti (via Reckong Peo and Kaza) and back via Rohtang.
Siliguri to Gurudongmar Lake in Sikkim
Guwahati to Tawang/Bum La and Sangestar Lake via the OK-SRT route in the NE

Do well on this one so that you are eager as hell to do the other three as well.
@thereallyslimkd

Motorcycle Trips around Mumbai

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/99060-7-one-day-routes-mumbai.html

Working with a real estate firm in Mumbai, I had the opportunity to extensively travel around the Mumbai region. I am putting up seven maps for your reference, mostly all doable on Saturday (0600 to 2030Hrs)- so you relax at home on Sunday. These are the ones I did.

I have another set of maps for two day rides, but I would need more time to assemble and post that.

All these roads are good (no off raoading, unless you want to) and safe to travel on, and all should be really scenic come June15th.

1. Powai- Kolad- Tamhini- Lonavala- Powai (345Km)

Powai, Maharashtra to Powai, Maharashtra - Google Maps 

2. Powai- Kon Gaon- Kalyan- Malsej Ghat- Karjat- Chowk- Powai (359 Km)

Powai, Maharashtra to Powai, Maharashtra - Google Maps 


3. Powai- Nagothane- Murud-Janjira- Alibag-Vadkhal- Powai (306 Km)

Powai, Maharashtra to Powai, Maharashtra - Google Maps


4. Powai- Kolad- Tamhini- Paud- Lonavala- Khopoli- Pen- Panvel- Powai (376 Km)

Powai, Maharashtra to Powai, Maharashtra - Google Maps

5. Powai- Mahad- Shirwal- Lonavala- Powai (453Km)
Powai, Maharashtra to Powai, Maharashtra - Google Maps 

6. Powai- Kalyan- Malsej Ghat- Otur-Bhandardara Dam- Asangaon_Powai (352 Km)
Powai, Maharashtra to Powai, Maharashtra - Google Maps

7. Powai- Mahad- Mahabaleshwar- Panchgani- Pune(Chandni Chwk)- Tamhini- Kolad- Powai (2 days- 563Km)

Powai, Maharashtra to Powai, Maharashtra - Google Maps

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...hi-temple.html (Quick Rainy Day Getaway - Hadshi Temple)

How Fly-by-wire throttle systems work!

This is an attempt to simplify the new tech that was earlier seen only in bigger and more expensive bikes and with the launch of the new KTM 390, we would seeing this electronic throttle mechanism too.

We were discussing the change from cable driven throttle to the newer optical sensor /fly by wire systems which were noticed en masse on the Triumph Tiger and now we find that the KTM 390 too will have it. A completely new segment of riders will be shortly introduced to this technology, probably just one of many new things to come to India soon.

Indian riders born and brought up with the constant fear of substandard cables and the like, always had questions and even figured out which Yamaha or Pulsar cables for their Harleys.
Now with the advent of the Optical Sensor (or throttle position sensor) driven throttles, the fear of dust, rain and physical damage continue in the mind of the riders.
I have tried to explain how the new system is built with a certain 'vision' and thought and how this works.

The signal from the throttle control actuates a transponder which generates electrical impulses. This is almost similar to the volume button on an older amplifier that can be found in almost any house. Depending on the twist, the the signal that goes to Electronic Control Unit (ECU) of your bike is varied. The ECU calculates th demand and the urgency (rate of change as seen by the OS/TPS and therefore commands the throttle butterflies to open at a given computed rate.
This involvement of the ECU then permits a few things to be managed very well- cruise control, variable power  requirements like rain, of road, track etc. Any yank on the throttle when in off road-situation would instantly result in a more relaxed command to the thrttle body than what its cable driven counter part would- possibly resulting in an unwanted jerk, which could result in wheel spin and therefore a crash too.
This is the good of the 'fly by wire' till such time that the desi mentality of 'what if..' creeps in? What if dust enters the optical sensor or the resistor (depending on the bike) which is generating the throttle position reading, and the unthinkable happens. 500Km from home and possibly 700 from the nearest service center!
Let me try and explain how the system is integrated in the Triumph Tiger and how redundancy is built in.
The optical sensor (OS) that works with the throttle, has a secondary sensor with it. In the failure of the first sensor and when the ECU detects the lack of a signal from OS1, the OS2 takes over and the motorcycle can carry on till its destination and then service center for repairs.
The cynical rider came up almost immediately with plausible events on Indian roads- fall- unintentional in a parking lot, crash, or an errant stone from under the tire of another vehicle- ten different scenarios. We agree to one scenario- and proceed. So the motorcycle has a fall or is physically damaged and in the unlikely event of both OS'es getting damaged, then what?

Should the ECU detect failure of both the OS it sends an emergency override signal to the engine, and will lock the throttle at 3000 RPM constant. This enables the bike to get itself home in a 'limp home' mode and the 3000 RPM is enough for the bike to maintain a steady and relatively safe 60kmph in 6th gear- enabling it to ride on almost any highway in the world.

IF one puts logic to it, then it suddenly seems very simple. It would be interesting to learn from others on topics that are new to our sub-continent- also where my knowledge or writing may be incomplete, please do feel free to pen in your comments.

A conversation in caution- the Z900- not for newbies.

Kawasaki just yesterday launched a few bikes and what the Indian biker community at large saw was a spectacular Liter-class Z900 at an almost affordable price of 9L ex-showroom. Affordable and that word worried me.

So last weekend, two super bikers on a ride outside Mumbai met with accidents, bad enough for their injuries to qualify as life-threatening, and now along comes this Z900, that has a a price tag thats really tempting and THAT provokes me to write this experience on a Z1000- which has been phased out, but not before passing on its 'Sugomi' DNA to this smaller sibling. 

Suddenly this has woken up riders who always wanted a 'big' bike but were worried about the cost, so I find my mail box flooded with queries on this Z900. This is my opinion on the Z.

(The Japanese word 'sugomi,' describes the intense aura or energy given off by a person or object of greatness felt by the viewer. Someone, or something, possessing Sugomi inspires awe, leaves an indelible impression, is imposing in stature or ability, and commands respect.)

Almost now a full 6 months ago- probably just after the 2016 monsoons, I rode the Z1000 on a stretch from Dahanu towards Vapi. It had to account for being the most blistering of rides I have ever done, and I do not think I look forward to out doing that thrill again. Here goes that story and in it lies a big lecture on a part of the superbike culture, if I can call it that. It started with a conversation with a friend- and hence the format-

DJ: What are your thoughts on Z900?                        

                     

KD: About the Z series? Well, one needs to graduate to those bikes                        

Give me some time and listen-wait.. let me type you a song.

in my opinion, a sportsbike rider should start off spending about bout 6 or 8 months minimum in a 600-650 environment  before one tries a Z800/1000 or now  the 1000. The 1000 has a speed range from 60 to 270 in 6th gear and for once it had torque that made sure even on Indian roads you did not have to shift out of gear to pull up to a faster friend, or for overtaking- you always have the torque on tap.                      

A newbie will get seriously hurt in this machine. Very quickly

Day 1 or day 2  at the outer would be my guess.                     

The 'sugomi' inspires layout is extreme and you literally feel like you are leaning over the front wheel which actually in real life looks/feels as if it is under the fuel tank!                     

The last think you see in front is the upper edge of the speedometer. It has astounding torque numbers from the word Go- unlike other superbikes that have a nice high revving start... that give you some kind of warning- that things are going to get quicker with the rising rpm needle.

These Z-bikes are get up and run from the min you touch the throttle. So what happens for a new rider is - as if the bike has an evil soul that screams "Surprise motherfucker" when you even stare at the throttle. Reading specifications on bikes takes a whole new meaning as then you realize that the bike dumps its 123PS power at a 'Low' 6000 rpm and would mean a almost logarithmic power curve from 1000/1300 rpm to 6000- most/many other inline engine bikes that can freely rev and have a more linear response compared to this. Others will have stratospheric rev limiters and the peak power would come in a shade before that. Not so with the Z1000, and I suspect the same with the Z900.

                       

So the point here is-

Unless you know what stunning acceleration is

Unless you know what big bikes mean by throttle response
You need to start low and slow and work your way up to this bike.

I can almost see newbie riders and even those with a smidgen of 650 experience smirking that they can handle the throttle and their wrist was lighter than most Surgeons... and they would tame the right-and-tight curve in, and not wheelie in 3rd gear (oh yes! this Z1000 could probably do that too.) It is a very stable bike with and incredibly good balance, and an engine that is unobtrusive and super smooth- the exhaust very subdued and unlike a Akrapovic that would talk to you when gunned. The bike is uncomplaining at any rpm and delivers a false sense of security at any if not all speeds. Everything till now lulls a new rider who relates his security to the 'vibes' from the machine, which are super nice, to put it mildly.

Bad Joss will happen. I found that it took hardly about 100Km of easy riding to think that you had conquered the bike, or if that's too strong, you feel you have been on this bike for atleast 6 months, when it hasnt probably been even 60 minutes. This is when the fun starts. and you start dropping a gear for sweeping bends and then most often loose count to whether you are in 5th or 4th... or that you never shifted out of 6th. Its that brilliant an engine. This is when you become complacent with the engine and its acceleration.
If you have not been sufficiently overwhelmed by the acceleration then comes the Brakes.

The brakes, if you just touch the brake levers you may come off over the handle bars, its that superbly engineered- to put it bluntly.

I kid you not. So at say 160 or 170 which is actually pedestrian and piddling for the Z1000, if you grab the brakes- you will have no way of knowing what will happen next                   

It's not a newbie bike- bottom line                        

So stunning is the acceleration and absolutely blistering the brakes. Amazing aggression. Fabulous bike. One will have to ride a super bike category vehicle to figure out the sharp rake and how it steers, how the bike leans in bends and how to power thru the bends to be able to ride the Z900 and enjoy it.                        

If one buys it off the shelf and starts off to ride then two things can happen.

1. Hurt

2. You will never figure out how to tame the bike (which I don't think is possible anyways) and enjoy the machine.                        

Personally

I have ridden the Z1000 and beyond 185... I don't think I had any control on what was going on- inside my mind. I was overwhelmed and I think there is no shame in saying- I was more scared on two wheels than I have every been on any other machine.

I down shifted to 4th from 6th for fun at 160... And fun ended. The engine growled like s street fighter and the rpm climbed up to some stratospheric level and the bike threatened to wheelie..... and I could sense the front end leave the road- while throttle was down to ZERO.

I did not ride the bike again.

*Alert*                                              

The fair way to lead your biking life - philosophy here- is to always experience new bikes and search for what the other bikes did new... What are they better at.

Starting small- the KTM 390- gear box and its 'click' gear changes for something sold in India. Going back in time, the RD350 close-ratio best gear box, globally acknowledged as possibly the best gearbox ever. Triumph Tiger- throttle cable redundancy (you must ask me about this). Harley-Davidson and the money and time spent on exhaust note tuning and the HD low low end torque engineering. The Hayabusa, for being generations ahead of its time- for its ability to hold stage even a decade after its launch. The guts of Suzuki to keep the V-Strom unaltered for close to about 5-odd years- saying 'this is a good bike.'

The list is endless but be practical and remember what's good for what kind of road, what kind of trip and finally what kind of bike for what kind of terrain are questions only you can answer.

Choose well, and ride safe my friend.

(Pic Courtesy- Team-BHP)

A Superbike article for newbies- 
http://beagoodrider.blogspot.in/2015/09/learn-to-lean-your-motorcycle-part-1.html

Motorcycle Riding Gear- other than helmets

RIDING GEAR

After the note put up on the Helmet, friends like @RajeevS and a few asked for pointers on safety wear for the rest of the body- here is my attempt at listing my thoughts on the same. These notes are focused on cruising and not for sportbikers, who face far more wind resistance, and need special clothing like full body suits to protect them against the elements. Their bike shoes dont fit on bikes like the Bullet nor suit most of the Harleys- bikes who's background I come from- so its by no means comprehensive- just my thoughts.

NECK- Go to any army supply store and purchase a round-neck warmer for about 80-180 bucks depending on quality, the kind that extends on the chest and over the upper back. The Army trusts it from uniform to ambush... you should too.

GLOVES- Leather palm lined, full finger, with mesh for air intake on the top side, knuckles made of hardened plastic or kevlar, so that if you run into a bush or -ugh- a wall, with your fist clenched once the front brake- you avoid smashing your knuckle. The leather lined palm- more than any accident, is to prevent leaving your skin on the ground, in case of an accidental fall or tip over in your building compound or at a signal when a foolish motorist tanks you from behind.

UPPER TORSO- Wear two or three light T shirts then go and try- Zeus, Rynox, Cramster from the Indian stables (5-7000) to AlpineStars, RJays, Joe Rocket, Rev'it, Harley (8-28000) from the overseas types. There should be lined pockets for armour- on the shoulders and the elbows, as well as a pad for the back. The jackets should come with a detachable rain cover inner, which can be removed and carried alongside to be worn when it rains. The slightly loose fit permits layered clothing in mild winters. The jacket should have adequate mesh and/or zippered openings to control entry of air to keep body cool in the 9 months that India has summer.

INNER WEAR- there are many companies like Icon Stryker and Thor Sentinel (about $110-140), that make products that provide 'hard' protection for the upper torso. There are various Indian companies that make variants, and a quick visit to stores that retail the jackets etc would help you see the range available in India. The strange effect is that this guard fits you like a cosset, and eliminated fatigue from wind and fluttering jackets and give your a nice and comfortable feel by holding your girth in place. Once you get used to this, no way you like riding without the inner guard.

LOWER BODY- My personal preference is to wear riding pants- the kind made again in India like Zeus (which is one of the pants I use) along with a Rev'it which I find more comfortable when riding for anything over 3-days. The pants come with rain-inners, but the main points are- padding for the waist, the rear, and thighs, not to forget integrated knee pads as well. The pants sit snug and secure and in case of an impact they resist tearing for those few crucial seconds more than your plain jeans. The Zeus cost between 5-6000 while the Rev'it came in for about twice as much. For those tasking about local riding- Wrangler came out with 2x and 4x jeans that seemed a reasonably good investment for the ride to office, or the local breakfast ride. Dainese D6, or Alpinestars Hellcat- my current favorite being the Draggin Kevlar Jeans. Price ranges from $130-200. Given the restricted use that could be foreseen- you should invest in riding pants and what follows below- 

KNEES- Knee Guards- are a must if you don't have riding pants or riding jeans- Indian ones are available- dime a dozen, however stolen dies for the popular Alpinestars model have got the market flooded with cheap chinese imitations that you cannot tell- except when they shatter in a put-down. Funny, to recommend but here, again Thor Force or Icon Strykers that really don't cost much when you compare it to skinning your knees. Price ranges from 1400-4000 for most products.
SHOES- Any ankle high boot- starting from Caterpillar or Timberland to your Woodlands and Army 'type' boots anything to prevent small stones at high speed hitting your feet, and to prevent- as far as possible the skinning of ankle in a fall. Price range would be from 1500-7000.

Basics for Motorcyclists Who Upgrade

This article was initially written in 2014 addressed to a particular group of riders., most of whom were new to the genre of 'Big Bikes' with ample torque and horsepower are their disposal and then with brakes which did nto really suit the habits of the riders or were just not able to compensate for the riders 'newness' - and lastly but not dismissed are the allegations that the brakes were just useless. No matter how that argument proceeds, I felt that the new riders- from Shine to Pulsar, CB100 to KTM390, from RE Bullets to Harleys- I think this article provides some points from my perspective. Please send in your comments- I would love to add them to my article update.

___________________________________________________

Over the past two months, along with Raghav, we have been watching a disproportionate number of incidents involving Street 750s- and in particular their rims.

We have had quite a few bent/broken rims and this post is meant from that perspective for all riders, not just the 750s- as disproportionate the numbers may be, the incidents are not restricted to them alone.

I will list a set of issues first and address the possible corrective measures in a bit

1. A lot of new riders have graduated from smaller bikes, engine capacity as well as performance envelope- wise and the one thing that riders need to keep an absolute control on is the acceleration that their bikes have, as compared to what they were riding earlier. Coming off corners, dropping gears on completing overtaking and turning on the power- etc. This is being coupled with not adjusting your stance and eyesight focus for the new motorcycle is a set up for disasters.

2. Deceleration on seeing an obstacle, be it a goat, truck, pothole, speed breaker- due to the acceleration being of a few degrees higher- more often than not, the riders are 'entering' these conditions faster than they are used to, faster than their bikes can handle and resultant- they either collide with the obstacle, or 'hit' it with force- that it results in deformation of rims and/or other vehicle body parts. Stance and focus again are to be worked on

3. Traditionally tires for Indian motorcycles are of larger profile, due to their experience on Indian roads. As it seems to many, the rubber of the bikes we ride seems to be of softer compound, not to mention of a lower aspect ratio- much needed to ensure safe acceleration and braking, as opposed to having harder compound tires which would result in a disastrous skid in either condition.

Many riders got good exposure with the group rides to Igatpuri just befor the monsoons, and especially on the way down the 8-10Km downhill from Manas to Latifwadi. Gear control, less use of brakes and the proper head position while entering curves, and while riding fast on straights. ( All locations are on the Mumbai-Nashik Highway, providing an elevational increase of about 1000-1200Meters in about 12km of super tarmac)

I will try and elaborate on a few procedures that we feel would make an impact on your quality of riding Let me begin with the smallest but oft ignored technicality first.

1. Check your tire pressure every week or two weeks at the least. This ensures proper aspect ratio of the tire and therefore the best possible protection on impact, optimum tread while riding- meaning safer acceleration and maximum contact while braking.

Most basic air compressors do not remove water vapour and that results in minor heating issues on tires- Nitrogen based air compressors/tanks are usually better maintained, and scrub water vapour better therefore resulting in lesser heating of tires. The difference is marginal and I will be free to argue about this offline. Make sure you have the correct tire pressure saved for your bike on your phone. 

2. While riding- please start making it a habit to use your front brakes more while braking. Most riders we see, use the rear brakes and you simply have to start front-biased braking. Begin to use this at lower speeds, and work your control upwards. For bikes without ABS- learn to pulse the brakes, to prevent seizing the front wheel under heavy braking. Learn to work the front suspension and dramatically lessen your braking distance. While shifting bias forward- ensure that you use the rear to maintain rear wheel directional control and prevent the bike from coming out under your seat.

3. The single biggest issue for new bike riders has been the issue of braking- this being handled in the above point- should be practiced every time you leave your building, and on every ride you do, as only practice will change the way we have been using bikes, with mostly non-existent front brakes till now... 

4. Eyesight- stop looking down in front of your wheel- its too late to do anything about it, except brace for impact if its in front of you. Chin. Chin. Chin.
Its not a song or chant- lift your chin, force yourself to look up- start looking 50-100 meters ahead of you... The faster your go, practice looking at the horizon. further away from the bike. For many that use their bikes in the city, this is a  notoriously difficult exercise- but you have no option, like the front braking issue- similarly this chin-up riding.

The best road to practice this is that Igatpuri-Latifwadi stretch, where all the time, you will be on the throttle, with the power on the rear wheel all the time, and with your eyes looking as far ahead as possible, into the next turn to check for your line and for any aberrations in the road surface.

This note is by no means comprehensive nor is it a accident-proof-your-bike essay. Practice your new bikes, air pressure, front brakes, chin-up.... make a better rider out of yourself. We are looking at a wonderful riding season from now till April-end atleast.

Help make the group riding experience a better one.

How to introduce your child to the world of motorcycling

How do you introduce an 18-year old to riding.

In all my writing about safety, I have met quite a few peers with sons and daughters approaching 18, including my own son- many of whom had this worry on how to introduce their kids to the world of motorcycle riding.

The topic broke up into three view points, all equally important. View points arranged upfront looked like this

From the Parents:- A single paramount worry seems to be the increased ‘rashness’ of riders on the road these days, and the growing indiscipline seen.

From the 3^rd party:- Kids who ride rashly, and break rules, get into accidents and bring grief to their parents

From the Kids:- the need for freedom to travel, the ability to be untraceable for those few stolen moments- the increased ‘Area of Operations’ with the wheels under them.

I do believe I have been a reasonable influence on a few riders through my blog and my interactions on group rides over the past 4/5 years that I have taken this ‘Promote Road Safety’ campaign that I run in my brain.

In my minds eyes, motorcycle discipline is always a part of the upbringing- the safety, the road discipline that children imbibe from their parents first and then their riding partners. So what they watch, writes half their riding DNA, and then thats severely challenged by their peers.

I find that if the parent/elder friend/family member- decides to take the youngster under his/her wing, then group rides are usually the best way to start. Group riding usually enforces a decent speed discipline, and eliminates the rush of wanting to reach some place fast and then wait for the others.  The group offers riding safety, covering the front and the rear of the new rider and that makes for a very good starting environment. I would assume that the guardian knows what kind of a group to align with for starters. There are reckless Pulsar Riders and very safe Z1000 riders, so I find that there is no point in talking about bike categories in regards to this topic.

On group rides, the simple things that fellow riders do- be on time, greet fellow riders, gear up properly, all of this gets imbibed and that slowly becomes becomes habit. Gloves, jeans with knee guards or riding pants, boots, and most important- the full face helmet, all get automatically enforced and the benefits of that will be evident- no strainto eyes, less wind fatigue, less noise in ears, protection from the sun and most important, protection from the tarmac.

A long time ago, on a wall of store selling safety gear, I read the sign-' There are two kinds of riders, those who have fallen and those who will.' I strongly believe this. Nothing I say prevents a fall. What it does is it prevents injury. Preoperly worn gear dramatically reduces the extent of the hurt, and therefore the dismay at home, the fear quotient of family members- and also the fact that you get back in the saddle sooner.

Helmets prevent other than grievous hurt to the head region- the dust and other particles from entering the eyes and distracting the rider. Evening riders are plagued by the problem of bugs as also trucks that carry debris or sand/mud and cause havoc for the ill protected riders in their wake.

Gloves- the best example I use is the fall in the parking lot, or the fall at 2kmph at a traffic signal because there is scree or oil or some other substance on the road- that causes a fall at a minimal speed- and then the lack of good gloves results in a skinned palm.

I don’t like to present high speed accident stories and then have teenagers tune out half way through the narrative. I prefer these sand-in-eyes and skinned-palm-a@2kmph stories that they find palatable, relatable- and more importantly avoidable. 

The one thing that did not work, was negative pressure- the threats of 'don’t ride, else…' 'If you ride I/we will...' from parents. That funnily had a poor response, where the kids then borrowed bikes and then in an effort to maximize the pleasure, rode fast/furious and obviously had no proper fitting gear to protect them and minimize collateral damage when the spills ended the thrills. I would think it is better to give them the leeway and monitor that rather than blanket ban activities. Parents have no idea how their kids travel by train, or board running buses. Parents have no idea how kids climb into other kids houses using drainage pipes and neighbours balconies. All this happens, like it or not. These activities are far more dangerous than letting our child have a bike and then taught the responsibility that goes with it.

Talking to kids- they see bikes from two very important points- one is the absolute freedom from the limitation of public transport, and the vagaries of the taxi/auto drivers. The ‘instantness’ of the ability to travel is what propels most of them into riding- and possibly %’age wise a greater ‘driver’ of the need to ride. Imagine at 8PM to want to meet a friend 3km away- you could just be there ina flip of a switch and click of a gear or two. 

The second being the 'cool' factor- the smart wheels where a Duke wins over a Pulsar and Ninja wins over Duke - something like that, without getting offensive to any brand. I have been asked about what bike for a starter- that article comes up next.

Fine, I say, but then two things that make a better rider, is the removal of the word ‘urgency’ from the riding and then the small but religious habit of wearing safety gear- helmet and gloves for sitting on a bike, immaterial of distance, cause or immediacy.

How does one tackle this? Various means worked for various folks- and a few methods did not work. So there is no perfect rule or set of rules that will teach your ward to be dressed for the crash.

In 1987, my father refused to let me accept delivery of the then prized Hero Honda CD100, after a wait of 6+ months because I dilly-dallied on buying a helmet.  Day One was with helmet, and I never rode without a helmet after that. In 2013, a full 26 years later, I was flung over my handle bars on the picturesque Kaas Plateau, in broad daylight, in clear weather, in an ‘single-vehicle-accident’- into a laterite rock wall at about 45Kmph. A very poor imitation of Superman, if you can imagine, the entire point of contact with the rock face was my temple and the helmet saved my life. Thanks Dad.

Kids from colleges that we met at a recently concluded Castrol-initiative meet, told us how ‘skinned’ colleagues often went home and hid their injuries from their parents. Lucky they were to get away without requiring hospitalization- else imagine the horror of the parents.

To sum this- I feel that a healthy exposure to good riding habits is primary, and the parents/elders can and must play a significant role in taking the lead in arranging rides with groups of riders who have reasonably good safety beliefs and records.

A healthy respect for the law goes a long way in making a good citizen and a good rider too.  Early knowledge of what is good and what is not-riding habits goes a long way from staying away from trouble.

Eventually, your child will meet riders who are either gifted, or foolish, or both or neither. It is at that time, that your efforts in inculcating these habits of proper riding, and safety gear will stand by them and tell them what is not to be done.

Bungee jumping, horse riding, paratrooping, trail running are just as exhilarating- and as you treat them- with healthy dose of respect, so should you treat motorcycling

Other safety related article are available at--
http://beagoodrider.blogspot.in/2015/09/learn-to-lean-your-motorcycle-part-1.html