Pre purchase decision and analysis - Commuting to college by local train and bus took long though I do not dislike it.
My Dad had always wanted me to buy me a bike when I would turn 18. He had promised me since childhood and persuaded me though I did not really want one as being a student I am still on pocket money and did not want to waste much .
I kept delaying it until he scolded me for always rushing to college in a hurry. So I narrowed down to searching used bikes by Hero Honda and Honda. He has had a tough time facing engine issues with a Bajaj Caliber, though it served well for 8 years, after which he again had a harrowing experience for the 3 years with a Royal Enfield Bullet Electra. Thereafter he has been happy with a Hero Honda Glamour since 5 years. Bajaj, TVS etc were a complete no. I found a Yamaha RX 100 but it was poorly maintained and had pathetic modifications. We saw a CD 100 SS and dad literally scolded me to stop searching these cheap selling bikes that were having more than three - four owners and were at the end of their life cycle.
Note that I did not know how to ride a bike until then. I was only familiar with a scooty. However Dad refused to purchase an Activa / Dio as according to him, 'Scooties are for girls and bikes are for boys.' Period.
Also I am on the shorter side at 5'4" and of a lean built, being new to all ths it was not possible to even hold the HH Glamor. I was struggling to use the stand and move it around. It was too heavy for me and I had difficulty reaching the ground.
Budget was not a constraint but height was.
My criteria thus was narrowed to:
A fuel efficient, Jap, light weight commuter bike that looked decent enough for a collegian.
1) So my heart was set on a Honda CB TWISTER. More so after reading fellow BHPian JKDas's review. But a visit to Om Sai Honda, Malad, Mumbai and I was appalled. They did not have a Twister at the time. I had to check the seat height of a parked bike in the compound which was not even theirs!
It was a tad tall for me so balancing had become difficult. Sadly I had to let it go.
2) I had to choose between a HH Splendor and HH CD deluxe. The latter looked definitely better and was 6000/- cheaper at on road price. It had alloys and electric start and I had read good reviews about it. My heart was set on the Twister but had to settle for this.
I had read fellow BHPian Gansan's review on his Splendor which affirmed my decision to go for Hero Honda for its low maintenance costs and reliability. However it was too bland for my taste with its boxy though neat styling. Not that CD Deluxe is a head turner but looks a notch better with more cuts and a modern fascia though understated in comparison to the Twister which is slightly overdone I feel.
Purchasing experience
I was not happy with Fortpoint, Mahim though they were better than Ishna Motors, Andheri where I got a complete cold treatment. They had not even stocked the bike citing its out of production. Both were persuading to purchase the Passion Pro which I did not want. Most customers were also flocking to see the Impulse which was newly launched. For reasons unknown, perhaps due to lesser demand in Mumbai, the bike was delivered more than 2 weeks after full payment. I was only given 2 colour options out of 6.
So settled for black with purple graphics. They forced us to purchase some cheap after market fittings for additional 1800/- that included pathetic low grade handle covers, a cheap seat cover, and an option of choosing between a Studds helmet or Studds Luggage side box. I chose the side box owing to its practicality - it also enhances the puny looks to an extent.
The bike has 4 variants - alloy and non alloy version with electric and kick start versions. The on road cost for the top variant was 53, 000/-
