Deep dreamy bliss

Mat Zo's Near the End still holds a prominent place in my playlist for it's uplifting tone and extra heavy bassline.

I just stumbled across another gem... the underrated Subaquatic Dream

As a youtube comment rightly puts it, the breakdown at 2:30 is out of the world. If you have a taste for this kind of music that is.

Atir bhai, you should try this.

Unplugged

The dream comes home: Honda CBR150R

It took me 6 years to buy a bike. In school I was content with my Dad's IND Suzuki. We then moved to a Max 100 which was essentially a step back. Engineering went by in a blur... my cries for a motorcycle were laughed away.

Out trusty old TVS Max 100. Drinks more petrol than my new CBR 

2 years later and I couldn't take it anymore. After a whole lot of persuading and ehh. threats, I finally laid my hands on my first bike - Honda CBR 150R!

Why performance bike? Well, would you settle for anything less after waiting this long?

As to why I chose CBR, it met my requirements perfectly. Within budget, perfect for my personality and more importantly for the...wait for it...pillion seat!

I'd gone as far as taking two test rides and was about to book the proven Yamaha R15 V2 when I got a call from a sales guy at Honda. Rashid Khan isn't the run-of-the mill sales exec... he's proven that not only does he have it in him to sell, you can also trust him to actually go the length and make sure everyone else involved - from the finance guy to the mechanics do their job in time  .

Rashid bhai promised the bike was on it's way and that I could take a look on the next Monday. I went straight from office with a colleague and there it stood on the center mount!

I could see no apparent physical difference from it's bigger sibling 250R apart from the paint job.

What struck me was the significantly light body and the lower seat height...godsends for my lanky body. The pillion seat looked much lower than that of R15 and was definitely comfortable too.

Checking out the R15. When asked about the pillion seat, the salesguy quipped it was for girlfriends only!

In essence, Yamaha was in serious trouble and I told Daddy he had to come check it out. I went in for the test drive a week later and Rashid bhai let me drive it almost 20 kilometers. I not only got a feel of the engine performance on Necklace road, the several u turns I had to take in traffic at Khairatabad and Panjagutta affirmed me of it's handling in tight traffic as well.

This showroom(Fortune Honda at Ranigunj) has a god awful reputation for bad service (and I was not aware of this until a week ago) but thanks to god almighty, I was blessed with the awesome services of Rashid bhai who made sure I got my bike in one week of booking. So if you ever go to Fortune Honda at Ranigunj, Secunderabad, Ask for him and no one else. My word.

What can I say. Being a noob, my observations or views can't be considered solid word on the bike's performance but I'll suffice to say this...even a hardcore biker should appreciate the way this thing can accelerate. I hit 100kmph in no time and there was barely any vibration. The engine grunt at 10,000 RPM was a treat to the ears. And oh, that was with a pillion on board.

And the best part? Mom can actually sit on the pillion seat...which in my books is total paisa vasool for the premium I paid over R15!

I've also come to realize that the bike feels much more stable with a passenger on the back. More reason for me to start eating and hit the gym...

And now some pics!

That's my brother, Razzaq zooming past at the newly built Inorbit bypass

Skinniness....runs in the family

Half helmets, I think, provide the best view to keep a lookout for crazy drivers in Hyderabad

The instrument panel is actually quite cheap. I like the speedometer though(love the glow at night even more)

Riding position is a bit more comfortable than competitor but my wrists do hurt after long drives

The front fairing is the best looking part of the whole bike. And the most vulnerable to damage!

The wheels are better than R15's. Solid but not so great for cornering I heard.

Single headlamp with a couple of low watt city lamps

Rear wheel is a beauty

The rear seat and grab rails make for a comfy and safe pillion ride

I'll let the pic do the talking here!

Tail lamp could have used LEDs...still looks good

The dead giveaway...

Contoured pillion seat with underseat storage...good for some papers and a toolkit

Mono suspension. the mudguards are not that great for rains... 

Sari guard is a huge help. Can be removed easily too