Apr 04, 2009 12:11 AM
10499 Views
(Updated Jan 20, 2010 11:05 PM)
As many of you guys are desperate to have long term reviews, here's mine after 18050 kms on the Shine.
The Shine is a lemon if ever there was one. My experience with it has been good and bad, and sometimes downright ugly!
At the outset, the steering head was too tight, and I was loosing control on turns, that was rectified when I complained to the service guys.
The 'special' thin chain broke after just 500 kms on a fast ride. Lucky I didn't have an accident. Service guy 'pushed' me along from his bike from behind for a 20 km hair raising ride in fast traffic to get to service centre.
The chain causes lot of noise whether tight or loose , oiled or dry.
Very rough engine most of the time, if on rare occasions engine is smooth, I bless my stars.
Tried to change the front sprocket with Unicorn's as suggested by Overdrive mag. to lower engine speed but the blessed thin chain wouldn't fit.
Extremely fast upto 60 km/hr, outruns bikes double the price with riders half my age(I am not old!), after that engine screams for mercy. Good for masochists and sadists.
Engine runs smoother between 40-50 km than at 20-40.
Mileage is consistently 52-54km/ltr even with abusive driving. Never given to Honda after first service. I change engine oil every 2000 kms at home.
Sounds like a sissy sewing machine. Experimented with drilling holes in Silencer, no use, it sounded like a Sumeet Mixie, sealed holes again.
Hard suspension till about 10, 000 kms. Softer with age.(Arent we all).
I changed the tyre to a '100' to improve the ride at the back. Looks a bit macho too. I put the thicker (relatively)2.75 rear tyre in front. Slightly heavy with gyroscopic effect and tends to precess sometimes! (heard of that before?)
At 15, 000 kms bike would start wobbling suddenly on hitting a bump. Heard it was due to puncture proof fluid getting spread unevenly after a bump. Threw out both tuf up tubes and replaced with ordinary ones. Better ride now.
Fairing and front stock also jerk when hitting a bump at 50 km/hr.
Cut the seat short like the CBZ's design to have plant feet better on ground. (I am not short)
Bike still looks new after three years abuse in Chennai and Tuticorin.
Waiting to sell it at 20, 000 kms. Ready for the next lemon. Eterno/Flame/Flyte anybody? All the manufacturers in India know that a sucker is born every minute.
You meet the nicest people on a Honda.
Ride on, mates. Regards from Twincam.This is my update at 25, 400 kms, still not sold the bike, as I am afraid that the next lemon might give me more trouble. All said and done, I do find that my bike gives me less trouble than my wife, kids and dogs, hence it must be OK I guess. The bike is getting a bit smoother with age. I tried a reverse experiment and replaced the rear 41 teeth sprocket with the 43 teeth sprocket of the honda stunner and found that the bike rockets even faster to 50 kph now. It is a direct fit and needs no other change. My bikers friends may keep in mind that my rear tyre is a bigger 100/90 size, and you may not have the same positive effects. The bike sounds much faster and screams its gut out, however, strangely the mileage seems to only have improved to about 55km/ltr, much to my horror! High mileage commuter. eeeks!
