My Solace...

I recently parted with someone who had become a very important part of my life....someone who i cared deeply for...someone who i was seeing my future with....its not easy for me to lose all these things in one go....ofcourse i have my family and friends to support me and help me get out of this low in my life....but i have another solace....some one who makes me feel like a king everytime i am with her....who is by my side all the time through thick and thin......who never fails me...who else..but my ever dependable sweetheart...my Redhead!..;o)...

(pictured here in the awesome forests of Mulshi..near Amby Valley - 22-12-2005)

Happy Birthday Redhead!

Flashback 365 days: I was in the Sai Service showroom with drool all over my lips...looking at my gleaming flame red Pulsar 150 DTSi v2 getting teflon coated....itching to snatch those keys and be on my way...I was in LOOOVEEEE!..on the 14th of Feb... coincidence??..Destiny?...Maybe both....

Its been exactly one year since my redhead came into my life.... and MAN!..what a year its been...a year and 6831 Kms....of sheer bliss!...The effortless cruises through the city.....the blazing bursts through my neighbourhood bylanes.... the traffic light Gran Prixs...Simply Awesome!

Some great rides come to mind....Lets call em Highlights of the year!...

First and foremost...The first ride...From the Sai Service showroom to my house....getting used to that massive front disk brake...the better engine braking...those flat handlebars...the amazing riding position...it was a revealation in itself!

Another one i remember well is my ride from The Royal Connaught Boat Club to my house at 12:30 am....MAN!...what a ride..i reached home in 7 mins flat!!....Full throttle all the way....the cool night air whooshing against my face....the engine making sweet music at 7000 rpm.....the speedo howvering at arounfd 100 km/hr all the way.....ooohhh....simply terrific!

Then my ride to Amby Valley...200 kms in one day...first flat out on the Pune-Mumbai highway....touching 110 km/hr en route....then slaloming along the winding jungle roads upto Amby Valley...the 17" alloy wheels making easy work of the handling department..and the wide 100/90 section MRF Zappers making sure i kept hugging the road....it was an absolute orgasmic ride....I was beaming ear to ear by the time i got back home....

and countless more...........

Its been one whole year since i bought this incredible Valentines day gift for my myself....and my redhead has been with me always through this entire year..not a single breakdown...not a single niggle....single crank start even on cold mornings....no cranky electricals in the rains....no slippery moments...and i hope this wonderful association continues from year to year...

Happy Birthday Redhead!!!

"Air" - apparent?

This tapered cylinder u see above has drilled a major hole in my not so fat pocket!A hole worth 1800 bucks!So what is this little cylinder that I, Mr. Kanjus as my best friend calls me (shes got it wrong though, iam "careful" with my money,*chuckles*), have spent this small fortune on?Ladies and gentleman, may i introduce, my latest aquissition and the latest addition to my bike, a K&N Free flow Air filter model R-1060!

What does a K&N do?Well, to put it simply, it allows more air to enter the cylinder. Reulting in higher air density. Resulting in higher performance. And efficiency!Plus its a one time investment!I never need to change the air filter on my bike ever again!

K&N are renowned the world over for their expertise in air-filters and air intake systems designed to improve the performance and efficicncy of engines.They have a various range of filters for cars,bikes,trucks even lawn movers!The buck stops here as far as air filters are concerened!

So, now lets look at what the R-1060 has done for my redhead. Firstly, the air-induction noise at higher throttle openings has me hooked!Mmmmm..Sheer music to the ears!Now for the performance. This being a bare basic base model, the increase in performance is not gut wrenching, but perceptible. Its subtle, but its there.

Me being a mechanical engineer, i have to give specs right?Iam bound by the law!:o)...Here are the specs..
Product Style: Round Tapered Universal Air Filter
Base Outside Diameter: 3 in (76 mm)
Flange Inside Diameter: 1.688 in (43 mm)
Flange Length: 0.625 in (16 mm)
Flange Type: Centered
Height: 2.75 in (70 mm)
Top Outside Diameter: 2 in (51 mm)
Top Style: RubberTop
Material/Finish: None
Flanges: 1
Inner Wire: No
Weight: 0.5 lb (0.2 kg)
Product Box Length: 4.5 in (114 mm)
Product Box Width: 4.5 in (114 mm)
Product Box Height: 4.25 in (108 mm)

To sum up, my bike just got a "nose job".And its made her hotter than hell!To many more happy miles on my redhead!Vroooomm.....

My Ravishing Readhead!

One look at her and i was smitten!Bitten by the crush bug!Head over heels!Or should i say...handle over wheels!Iam talking about that gorgeous female in my life. My flame red Pulsar 150 DTSi v2!:o)

Just run your eyes over those gorgeous 17'', 6 spoke alloy wheels, that sexy tire tread,100/90 section rear rubber. that hot disc brake, those low slung handlebars, those Messerschmit gun style pilot lamps and that hot racy sports bike stance that she exhibits!...Man iam drooling all over!

Enough of that!Lets get down to the brass tax!I bought my bike in Feb 2005 and havent felt better ever since!Shes a dream to ride!...the new gas filled shockers really improve the ride quality.The new 17'' wheels coupled to the low slung handlebar(even on the 150) have really made the handling razor sharp.Shes become a really nimble and surefooted traffic carver.A boon in Pune's MAD traffic!Acceleration has improved a lot over the older version thanks to the ultra short gearing employed due to the adoption of the smaller wheels. Also addition of the ExhausTec has pushed the roll ons through the roof!I can easily pull thte bike from as low as 40 kmph in 5th gear without the engine groaning! And the paint fifnish is simply great!..My flame red colour is HOT.

Now on the negetives. Gearbox is still a major concern. Lots of false neutrals. Espcially if you are into late downshifts. The bike will simply not change gears if stationary!Also, the gas charged dampers tend to bounce a bit with a pillion on board. Can get a bit hairy if you are trying to take that corner Rossi style with a poor soul perched behind you! Ground clearance has gone down a bit thanks to the smaller wheels! Have hit the ExhausTec Box on a few rocks once or twice! Top speed has gone down significantly over the previous model. The best i could manage with about 1400 kms on the odo was 105 kmh. But now with more kms logged on and the engine freeing up, i might be able to do better.

All in all i can say that shes a great bike, for the city and the great outdoors!Great power coupled with killer efficiency and head turning looks!..Well what more could i ask for in a bike!..And at 57 grand that too!..Three cheers for my "ravishing redhead"........


(P.S.: Iam planning to buy a K& N filter for my bike soon. Ill publish the performance details about that as soon as i carry it out!)