[godfather1981]

Hello All,

Greetings from Bangalore, India! I am a new member of the group as I have recently booked by CBR around here and am expecting delivery in another couple of weeks. My decision to go with the AWESOME bike was clearly based on the reviews and research I have done on the net for over a period of 2 months and pretty happy to be a part of such a global community.

It was clearly love at first sight when I saw the CBR in one of the showrooms around here and couldnt stop myself from admiring and dreaming about it the night. Had to make sure I got the test drive next day and to buy it was 99% confirmed then. Just that I had to work out the money part over the next few weeks, make sure it is a decision well thought over before jumping into it and went ahead and booked the Red Beauty.

For me personally, I have been driving bikes and cars for over 15 years and have local Indian brands in my stable all the while. The list of vehicles owned by me so far are as follows:-

Maruti Suzuki Swift ZXI
Renault Logan 1.5 L
Yamaha Lebero
Yamaha R15(for small time only)
Bullet 350 Machismo(loved it !!)
Booked the CBR 250r with C-ABS and eagerly waiting for it.

Just that everything else seems worthless now considering the reviews I have read about CBR!!!

I hope this has been a decent introduction so far and I look forward to chat, discuss and gain knowledge with interactions done on the forum.

Last but not the least, I would still want to ask the following questions to understand if my decisions were right :-

1> C-ABS - considering Indian roads and terrain - I hope it is a good decision to opt for it( just looking at some people to reinforce that it is a GREAT decision on my part )
2> Color - I clearly understand that it is individual choice, but since Ihave booked red, couple of close friends tell me it is a "sissy" color for a guy who is built like me (6 ft, 100kg) and I should have bought Black. By concern with Black is safety only - night driving in Bangalore is clearly insane and risky. Do you think it is a intelligent decision where I have compromised on better looks?
3> for first service - I read that the options for engine oil are 10w30 and 10w40 - with difference being climate conditions expected in area where you live. Bangalore, known for pleasent weather and some heat during summers, what is the suggestion here?

Suggestions, thoughts, ideas will be highly appreciated

Best Regards

 

[Ibex250R]

Welcome!

Color: get the color you want, as far as visibility, car drivers seldom notice us to begin even during daylight. Ride defensively and safe!

 

[Luke]

Welcome!

Color: get the color you want, as far as visibility, car drivers seldom notice us to begin even during daylight. Ride defensively and safe!

I agree! Especially from the front, you can see very little of the color of the bike. You'd be a whole lot better off to wear a brightly colored jacket to increase visibility if that's a concern.

There's nothing "sissy" about the Red - it's a good-looking machine.

ABS is a personal preference, but if you ride a lot on dirt or gravel you may not like it's performance (which is why you can switch it off on all BMW Enduro bikes). I'll defer to those who ride on your terrain for that one.

Welcome to the group! Hope you enjoy your CBR!

 

[godfather1981]

Thank you guys, appreciate the reply. Anyways Red is pretty much decided and going ahead with that.

Regarding ABS, Though the terrain around here is a bit of gravel, I still would think that it makes sense cause it rains very heavily in bangalore around the year. Hence, considering bikes tend to skid a lot in wet surface, I decided to go ahead with ABS.

Anyways, my brother will be also sharing this beauty sometimes and I am very concerned the way he drives ( ABS might not be a solution but a sureshot luxury to have).

Just a sad part here is that CBR doesnt allow you to switch of ABS as BMW gives a option for it.

 

[Mickz]

Hi godfather1981,

You seem to be having a lot of experience with bikes n cars. Just need your inputs on this. I had booked my CBR 250 non-ABS (Red+Silver) last month at Sapphire Honda, Bangalore last month. I just got a call from them asking me to make the entire payment today, and I'll get the delivery on Saturday. They say it would take 2 days for Registration purposes. Was it the same for everybody or you guys made the payment only after delivery ?

Kindly advise.

 

[godfather1981]

Hi Mickz,

This is a standard law in India. You should be making the payments (complete) before delivery. Once payments are done, only then they will send the bike for registeration under your name. Also, just a piece of advice - take the delivery only after the registeration is done - the number should be given to you before delivery. However the rest of the documents like RC book will take 40 days approx. Hence they should give you some documentation stating that RC book is in process (incase some cop catches you, you can then show that doc and it should be ok).

Also, before taking delivery - make sure you do a complete check of the bike - My suggestions are as follows:-
SL No Action
1 Ensure the chain is lubed well
2 "No visible scratches on the fairings, esp when it comes to the bottom part of the fairings"
3 Mirrors aren't very tight but bolted tight
4 Check for instrumentation panel & surrounding for scratches
5 Check if the instrumentation is working as per the buttons
6 Make sure you have more than 4 liters of fuel
7 Do look for abnormal gaps in the fairings
8 Check the engine undercowl's front beak; some display/test bikes have had it split open
9 Ask for topped up coolant
10 Ensure vehicle can be locked properly
11 Ensure all the engine kill, light switches & brake lights are working. Check atleast 2-3 times
12 Check for rusts anywhere on the metal parts (Frame, forks, brake pedal)
13 Check for first aid kit
14 Check for tool kit & number of pieces 9 pieces
15 Ensure that the alloy wheels are balanced (there should be weights on the alloy wheels) or ask those guys
16 Saree guard is available as standard with the bike while the number plates are not. But the plate holders are available with the bike
17 Invoice copy
18 Insurance copy
19 Pollution under control sticker
20 Ensure that RC book & tax token will be delivered in specific number of days

I would say basically look for the following things.
1. Scratches
2. Abnormal gapes in the fairing, if there ask them to remove and put it again.
3. Coolant level, brake fluid level, chain lubrication.
4. Radiator fins (Check if there are any damaged fins)
5. Any rusts

Buy New Oil Filter (Extra)
Oil should be 10w40 – for cooler and warm climates
I am going to buy DuPont Chain Saver which is priced at around 1k for a spray bottle but works wonders.


Cheers and Happy Riding!!!

 

[wum]

1> C-ABS - considering Indian roads and terrain - I hope it is a good decision to opt for it( just looking at some people to reinforce that it is a GREAT decision on my part )
2> Color - I clearly understand that it is individual choice, but since Ihave booked red, couple of close friends tell me it is a "sissy" color for a guy who is built like me (6 ft, 100kg) and I should have bought Black. By concern with Black is safety only - night driving in Bangalore is clearly insane and risky. Do you think it is a intelligent decision where I have compromised on better looks?
3> for first service - I read that the options for engine oil are 10w30 and 10w40 - with difference being climate conditions expected in area where you live. Bangalore, known for pleasent weather and some heat during summers, what is the suggestion here?

Suggestions, thoughts, ideas will be highly appreciated

Best Regards[/QUOTE]

hey godfather. i know this is a late reply but i just joined as a member. ne ways. i booked my cbr250r silver std yesterday from saphire honda [jayanagar] and it broke my heart when i saw the EDD to be on 30/11/11. its long but i will live . well im not a rash rider myself, safety is of the utmost importance to me. i havnt owned a bike before. but i did have a royal enfield 350 '90 and she was a beauty, it was my uncle's and all my elder cuz brothers have rode it before me. well im tellin you this because as we all know it that old enfields do have very unreliable breaks. and even with them i havnt met with an accident ever (touch wood) ;D. opting for c-abs is entirely your decision, it depends on how you ride your bike. remember c-abs is just one precautionary system, it dosnt mean you are safe. specially in india. although "precaution is better than cure" applies. as far as the color of YOUR bike is concerned. buy what you want. cbr will be a cbr with any other color on it. i went for silver b'coz it has been my choice of color. RED IS NOT SISSY. and for your oil issue. please follow this link. More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Motor Oil

 

[godfather1981]

Hey Wum,

Thanks for your update. I have just gone through a lot of info aroudn ABS vs non ABS and it has left me quizzing. COlor - yes it has been decided Red (my wife prefers that and you know you can never argue with them )...

Suggestion for you - try DREAM Honda in whitefield. I spoke to saphire and Haiku and both said that 6 month waiting whereas dream honda said 2-3 months only..I would suggest taht you give those guys a call and confirm -

i havent recieved my bike yet, however expected delivery is end aug, first week of sept. Waiting eagerly for it.

 

[Neel]

i booked my cbr250r silver std yesterday from saphire honda [jayanagar] and it broke my heart when i saw the EDD to be on 30/11/11.

Don't worry wum

SILVER is an exclusive/rare color and almost demand is NIL here (India), Most of the Indian customer looking for RED, In Eastern part of India RED STD delivered 4-5 weeks where mine (SILVER) took nearly 3 months. So it seems HMSI only assembling RED and RED color to keep up with Huge demand.

When u get the bike it feels rewarding, SILVER got it's own road presence.

 

[wum]

Hey Wum,

Thanks for your update. I have just gone through a lot of info aroudn ABS vs non ABS and it has left me quizzing. COlor - yes it has been decided Red (my wife prefers that and you know you can never argue with them )...

Suggestion for you - try DREAM Honda in whitefield. I spoke to saphire and Haiku and both said that 6 month waiting whereas dream honda said 2-3 months only..I would suggest taht you give those guys a call and confirm -

i havent recieved my bike yet, however expected delivery is end aug, first week of sept. Waiting eagerly for it.

Don't worry wum

SILVER is an exclusive/rare color and almost demand is NIL here (India), Most of the Indian customer looking for RED, In Eastern part of India RED STD delivered 4-5 weeks where mine (SILVER) took nearly 3 months. So it seems HMSI only assembling RED and RED color to keep up with Huge demand.

When u get the bike it feels rewarding, SILVER got it's own road presence.

thanks godfather for the info ill call em tomorrow, and neel, YES, i agree with you, silver is awesome. for me atleast. and im happy to wait for it. but i had asked the sales guy in saphire honda about the edd. he said its just a number to them. and they write down the longest time period possible [to avoid angry customers and late delivery]. he also added that it all depends on availability. so if they have a silver lying around in the factory they will dispatch it asap. so the actual edd is about 30 to 45 days. he even advised me to keep the money ready because their are chances that the bike may be delivered within a week. ill make sure to do an extensive pdi if it arrives any earlier [even a test ride on it]. . and to be frank 3 months is not that long a waiting period compared to some of the bikes i was interested in. Royal enfield told me its 4 months minimum for an electra or thunderbird, and a whopping 6 - 8 months for classic 350 / 500.

 

[godfather1981]

Nice Wum,

Silver is a good choice as well... update from me, Dream honda called me yesterday and said that red will take more delivery time however they are getting a Black ABS shortly. Hence, I agreed for it and now getting Black delivered on 24-26 Aug. My waiting days are nearly over and yes, will share initial riding experience soon

 

[Neel]

Congrats godfather1981, for you and your black beauty, I want to add some more points about PDI

1. Most bike came to dealer scratched/out of shape exhaust muffler.
2. Make sure ODO meter reading not more than 1KM...0.9km actually ideal.

 

[Aufitt]

Goodness!

 

[wum]

congrats godfather. onli 2 more weeks to go.. man i wish i had booked it earlier so that i could get it by this month's end.. my b'day... . ne ways.. black sounds good too... how did you convince the mrs??? . i would rather go for the black they r selling outside india.. all black.. looks pure evil.. but i guess we will have to make do with black n silver. well, to me, cbr is a cbr with ne color on it.. . i called up my sales guy today and asked him to inform me if anyone skips on their delivery.. and also. godfather. when did u book your bike?

 

[godfather1981]

I booked the bike on 18 July. convincing wifey was easy - either black or another 20 days wait ...
Even I like the All black one but sad that it is not available in India. and yeah - Cbr is a Cbr - color is still way to less imp.

Also dude - regarding the ODO - it will read more cause they will take it out to the RTO for registeration for a day. So it will still be anything betweek 10-30 km (depending on how far is the RTO)

 

[Aargee]

Nice to see my PDI checklist being circulated all over

 

[wum]

hey godfather i c ur wife is also eager to get the bike. ok. so i got THE call... can u believe it.. in a week.... for the payment. ill go there next week coz i cant withdraw more than 40 K in a day frm the atm. hopefully i will get the bike on wednesday... omg a perfect birthday gift on my birthday... ... omg A WEEK!!!!

 

[godfather1981]

Wum - Jealous of you man .. But however congrats!!

@Argee - Yes I did pick up the PDI list from you and thank you for sharing this. I have to compliment that this is pretty exhaustive

 

[wum]

hey thanks man.... ... hope u get yours soon too...

 

[wum]

one more thing... is it advisable to pay by cash/cheque/demand draft??? in india that is...