HONDA SBK in india - a Total NO!

I have 2 reasons for writing this, to thank all the fellow riders from GODS who were most helpful and all those who may be facing trouble with a Blade (or will the minute you buy one). To every one who got told by honda that they were prompt in solving customer issues!  Its a blatant untruth! 

I had serious trouble with  my new Honda 1000 RR 2010 C-ABS model. The Honda India team made me go around in circles learning on my time (wasting my time) as it turns out giving incomplete information and skirting the real issue. 8 months of harrowing time and Unfortunately the Honda Service team was  unable to pinpoint the fault, let alone fix it. Every time I complained they changed something on the bike, BUT still dint identify the trouble area. Complete nightmare despite changing 3 batteries, rectifier, magnet, starter motor checking the wiring every possible check that could be done it continued to give trouble starting. Until I scanned the forums and called HONDA in other countries!! And found out that they were lying through their teeth. There was a fault in the ECU of the bike. This fault is world over in the 2009 – 2011 model, whats more Honda India knew this as well as the solution but still for some reason dint address the problem but continued to waste customers time!  They infact changed the ECU in december for a Blade in Mumbai yet they kept avoiding the solution for a full 2 months changing every part they could think of eventually under pretense of ignorance telling me that the "JAPS DINT TELL US" rather than letting them know "I know you are lying" I decided to just get my ECU and move on with life. 

Problem: There is a fault with the ECU on the C-ABS models that causes battery drain intermittently. This is caused by the ABS servos remaining on with low speed maneuvers (ABS is not correctly calibrated below 6mph and when tight turns are made under 6mph this causes the ABS servos to 'activate). When you turn the ignition off the servos can remain on and this is what causes the battery drain (less than 1 hour to fully flat battery). 
Solution: Since then, Honda Japan have developed a new ECU (as the existing one cannot be re-programmed to fix this) THE NEW ECU FIXES THE FLAT BATTERY ISSUES! This ECU is ready with Honda and Honda has started providing it to customers replacing the old one in the UK. 
I confirmed with the customer care in UK post being informed of the solution via the forums in UK. Honda UK Motorcycle (@01753 590510) customer care and they confirmed that a replacement is on and the Honda dealer will be able to arrange one for me. Sadly India Honda SEEMED uninformed or was withholding information which could have fixed the issue. On contacting HMSI India and detailing out the issue they readily provided me with a speedy ABSECU replacement, a unit which is meant to tackle this issue. 2 months down the line as on date no starting issues as yet, thank heavens. I havent been stranded with a dead bike for a whole 2 months in the early morning I actually feel lucky! 

Now a new problem has started the bike makes a whirring sound! And instead of sending me a mechanic they sent me a lecturer!! Who's advise to fix the problem is "aap apna attitude badlo machine hai problem toh ayee gi" pathetic. I might as well have bought an ambassador for all the time it spends in the shop!. If it were not for the warranty I would never ever approach the official Honda shop for anything!  

While all my bike issues are sorted (no thanks to the honda shop) any my machine is behaving perfectly. I still love the Honda But never will I recommend a HONDA SBK in India till things change with them! So here are my 10 reasons why not. (will certainly not buy one myself).

1. If you want to buy a Honda SBK then you have to go to Manesar for the test ride, to Naraiana for the purchase & delivery & to lajpat nagar for the registration :-S. no one single location the purchase process itself is a mess. (PS: they have no provision of a choose your number etc, any which way by the time u have the bike you will not want the number but just want the process to end) 
2. There is just one workshop – Naraiana. Whats more there is just one mechanic (all india) so be sure to book 20 days in advance as he is always traveling 
3. If there is any trouble with the bike – be sure to be prepared for them to pull out a fat book and begin flipping through the pages – not very reassuring. 
4. The service costs a BOMB ! Be prepared to shell out 5 grand just for the labor, on a good day the service bill looks like 10 – 14 K at least (that too if you carry your own oil). Considering the warranty is 30,000 KMS that is almost the downpayment on a new bike. 
5. The Shop knows ZILCH! And what they know they wont tell. They have no definite solutions to any issues you may face. All that needs to be done by the rider. 
6. If you get your bike serviced or a part changed they wont give you the invoice (looks like even their invoice machines never work) I think they don’t want you to have any documentation to prove their mistakes if so needed – so I had to chase them for a month to get invoices. 
7. Most of us can change basic parts but Honda India wont retail. So if you ever need an extra set of levers be sure to shell out to have them installed. (ps remember at this time the labor charge)
8. Standard excuse! The japs dint tell us
9. Standard operating procedure - don’t tell the customer the truth or the solution create a diversion to keep them occupied! 
10. Standard answer – we don’t think there is a problem at all. 

Well this is for every one who would like to be well warned before making their choice! Also because just cause in India we cannot sue such incompetence does not mean we can be taken for a ride. (no pun intended).  

The Wind In My hair

In a country where grown men are at times not allowed by their parents to buy a two wheeler I have chosen the strangest of passions! Super bikes! These 1000 CC Machines of the “dangerous kind” are certainly not for women! I have heard that more than once accompanied by shocked and at times disapproving expressions. It’s amusing to say the least however this is the lighter fun side to my not so common hobby. I come from a family where “you can’t” was not a term my parents used, fauji kids we traveled the country climbed every mountain and swam every river celebrated every fall and got on bikes before our feet touched the ground before landing up in the sea of humanity in Delhi. Delhi came as a culture shock and I guess I came as a culture shock to Delhi.
It’s from here really that the fun began and it’s been a series of shocked amazed faces and more over some very upset guys! I have yet to come across a guy who will not be extremely uncomfortable being the pillion with a woman rider. In fact the hint of the suggestion to do so gets hurt indignant looks accompanied with a quick step backward. The strangest looks and reactions are however the ones I get when I’m on the road and that’s quite often with rides every weekend and outside of the city within a 500 Kms radius every chance I get. Not only do I get almost every guy on the road rearing to race but it’s the fellow travelers who suddenly see the kajal mascara lined eyes behind a helmet on a mean bike which is my gallery of Kodak moments. Guys nudge each other, women at times give the thumbs up sign and kids just wave happily.
Once in the middle of getting back from Jaipur I stopped at a roadside stall to get a cold drink and in seconds the bike was surrounded by people mostly men who were interested in knowing mileage, weight and top speed of the bike strangely asking each other not me, while there was this one old woman who was interested in knowing how my mother allowed me to ride a motorcycle! Then there is this nice neighbor who asked me if I was preparing for a competition why else would I be out on a winter Sunday morning at 6 AM? The fellow riders I ride with have now got used to my eccentricities but still never let go of a chance to pull my leg about the big hoop earrings under the Shoei helmet or pink socks under the reinforced riding boots.
The eccentricities aside I sometimes wonder at the stereo types we create for ourselves and for others around us, everything we do is typecast not because it’s a written rule but cause “aise hi hota hai” wonder of wonders for riding a bike I get asked if I’m competing with the boys, or if I’m a feminist, the questions surprise me cause this is not about competing with any one or being to any school of thought it’s just about going ahead and doing what I love to do without the excess baggage of socio political jargons. I have always believed that we are limited only by ourselves we can’t do most things because we think we can’t and thus never even try. So I am a superbiker I ride a 1000 CC bike and on any good day flying at 275KMPH is part of the deal, but that does not keep me away from my French manicures and perms. Just like the reinforced riding boots on weekends don’t keep me away from the dainty heels for the rest of the week. I don’t believe it’s a contradiction it’s just me being me. (Femina June 2010)