Fort Point (Mahim,Mumbai) service : Pathetic

Hardly 500 mtrs from my office in Mahim is Fort Point’s service center for Hero Honda two-wheelers. Showing faith in them, I dropped off my 4yr old Karizma for a routine service (yesterday, 25th june), swing-arm bushes replacement and a couple of other small things. But one thing I really wanted to be looked into was this:
The front Michelin had developed a weird pattern, and above 50km/h, it made sound like a fully laden truck tyre makes. I was told by some experts it could be due to differences in the amount of oil in the forks. The sound is very evident above 50km/h, and above 80km/h, other people on the road even turn around to see you, such is the level of noise! Delhi guys would remember, on a meet some weeks back, when I would overtake the gang at 100km/h, many members would notice the noise.

Anyways, when I came back to pick the Bike in the evening at 6, nothing had been done to rectify it. The guy who made the job-card , Dinesh, said there was no problem at all. Then another guy came and acted smart. These two, no matter how much I explained, or showed the tyre’s new weird pattern, thought I was a fool and said there was nothing wrong. Finally, when I told them to come with me for a ride, one of them did. The sound was evident but he said it’s the chain’s sound and its normal. Ok, thanks a lot!

In the end, I was a disappointed customer. Fingers of my left were oily, thanks to excessive oiling of the clutch yoke, my jean’s pocked became oily, thanks to excessive oiling of the key hole. Why couldn’t they wipe the excessive oil? The seat had a dried up bird-poo. The Bike wasn’t totally cleaned up with visible marks of oily dirty hands. I left the Bike in ‘ON’ (fuel) position but when I came back, it was in ‘reserve’. Going by rules, if they are charging 175 bucks for servicing charges, they shouldn’t be taking out petrol for cleaning parts, right?

My question is: When a Karizma owner cant be treated well, what happens to other HeroHonda motorcycle owners? And what is the kind of training that they are giving to the mechanics? Or has HH taken its customers for granted? I have no option but to go to some other workshop, like Zubin’s etc.
I shall be mailing copies of these to the regional head as well to the Delhi head office, plus sending fax copies too. Its really irritating to see an old faithful customer (I am a HH customer since 2001) being treated like this by HeroHonda’s authorized service center’s staff, knowledge-less staff.

PS : google for "hero honda service center fort point mumbai" and see what comes out. The battle has began...
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updated on 26th june
updates : i rode to office from home. i had mentioned the guy (dinesh) to rectify the idling prob. the rpm keeps fluctuating between 1500 and 2000 at idling. the prob has not been rectified. im frustated beyond words

updated with inputs from another biker, member id wraith at xbhp.com
^^Happens to me everytime i get the Bike serived at Fortpoint Mahim...


welcome to the world of hopeless service of FortPoint Mahim or infact FortPoint Mahalaxmi....

i've gettin my CBZ serviced at Mahim since quite sometime now...and to say the service is hopeless is an understatement...i half the things i tell them to check or do arent done...and Bike is always greasy when i get it back have to go home n was it everytime i get it serviced at Fortpoint...

And none of the problems i tell them are sorted at the first go...always have to keep goin back after a service to get small things done....like they forget to change the bulb etc....last week i gave my Bike for serivicing in the morning by evening the battery was discharged when i went to get the bike...

i have never been satisfied with their service....last time i a problem with my cbz wobbling above 70-80 kmph FortPoint was unable to fix it!!(there is a theard on it too..) 3 serivies n change of the front tyre n few other things and still the problem didnt go...

And the worst part FortPoint is the only option i can choose cause i stay at Dadar and FortPoint is the closest....i cant go to Andheri or Chembur(this one isnt good either) coz they are too far....


My Bike is frm Nasik..where i used to get it serviced at Jitendra Auto....its really good dealership n service centre never had a problem with them even once in abt 4 yrs....and i keep wondering a big city like Mumbai doesnt have a half decent service centre....which can service the Bike at first go....

when my CBZ was under warranty....the Bike was shuttling between nasik n bombay...once there was a strange noise frm the engine while i was in bbay and took the Bike to Fortpoint Mahim....there was told there was a problem with the camshaft or soemthing...i wasnt worried coz i thought since the Bike was under warranty FortPoint would take care of it....They asked me for the service booklet and checked if the free services n all were done or not...i had always got my Bike serviced from Jitendra Auto Nasik (bought the Bike frm them) both free n paid...
But it so happened on one service coupon they had not put the stamp all other details were there...but FortPoint refused to change the parts under warranty insisting that i handnt followed the proper procedure....
They said get the booklet stamped or get bills for that particular service to claim warranty!!
I tried telling them this is ridiculous one missing stamp couldnt void my warranty!! but they didnt budge for days...i really comtemplated taking the Bike to Nasik to get the problem fixed but since the engine was involved i didnt want to take a chance...then a phone call n email to HH...and some strong talking with the FortPoint Manager got me the parts under warranty ( wat also helped was while i was waiting for my turn to yell at the manager ...he was being yelled at by another unsatisfied customer who was cursing the place standing on the road outside the main gate!!)

rmdesai from xbhp adds
It seems, it is more or less same with every service station. At TVS cervice center, Bandra I have experienced similar things. The job card is mere formality. It is made only for the purpose of documentation and claiming reimbursement from the company. The mechanics just go by their routine habits. They will change the oil (to most mechanics changing the oil mean servicing), adjust the clutch setting and rear break setting, oil the chain, adjust the mirrors and wash the bike, thats it, servicing is thrugh. What is there in the job card is immaterial. (I don't want to redicule any one, but I doubt whether the mechs can read and understand the job card written in Enghlish)In India customer is only important till the point of sale. Customer support is only for advertising purpose. Let alone bikes, It's true about every product.

aparajith from xbhp adds
Cool job.....Way to go.....Without a good service backup I wonder what would be the status of more advanced bikes like a Karizma - Fi and the lots in the hands of these morons.....Have heard and experienced first hand of such things with BAJAJ service stations but now am hearing a lot about HH like this...One another instance....My friend has a 2 year old Passion Plus which he normally services at a showroom at Mount Road. Last month he serviced it at a showroom in Adambakkam and guess what, the Bike is a mess since then. He replaced a few parts like the clutch, tightened the timing chain and some other stuff. Worst of all the Bike has done onle 12789 kms as on date, that too only city driving.....Now It makes all kinds of noises beyond 60kmph, which am sure a Passion can maintain. The mileage has dropped to 45 kmpl, too much wobbling from the front forks. I could go on and on about this....He is not so auto - savvy but could sense something was wrong. I took it for a ride to my mechanic and that was it. He was listing problems.....Looks like those guys messed up whatever was possible from a good vehicle...Even shouting at the manager did not help....He took it to my mechanic and serviced it finally.......

Royal Enfield on a roll...

Recently Royal Enfield launched a new 500cc variant, called the 500LB. It comes with more power, a left-side gear-shifter and a lot more goodies. Ofcourse its priced high, around 1,10,000 OTR, but then owning a Bullet isnt that easy, or is it!

Anyways, moving on, the company now has plans to come with an all new refreshing model, which it disclosed recently to the press. The all new design model will first be introduced in UK, and later on in India. Why? An Indian company acting like this? Hmmmm.. secrets of the trade?

Ravichandran, CEO of the company did confirm the news by adding the fact that there will be style changes for the Asian markets, specially India. The company is also looking at upgrading the engine, with a Fuel injected 500cc mill for this year. If they can bump up the power also from the current 24bhp (for the 500LB) to around 28bhp or so, I will be one of their new customers most probably...

Tata's one lac rupee car, no more, but then...

Yes, Tata's one lac rupee car was always overhyped. What is the big deal? If tomorrow, Bajaj adds one more wheel to its 3-wheelers, we will very well have a cheap 4wheeler, good for four adults. Ok, even that wont cost 1 lac, but may be 1.2-1.3 for sure.
Tata's much hyped car for the masses will no doubt cross the 1 lac rupee mark by a huge margain. But yes, Im very much interested in the car. Im eyeing the A/c version, which if priced at say 1.8 to 1.9 lac OTR will be the car to have. Why? I will tell you why..
I just shifted to Mumbai, where, from June to September, the monsoon's fury means you land up in the your office, or back home fully drenched. Then from Feb to May are the hot months, wherein, one lands up in the office half drenched in sweat. And from May to June, the humid months. So basically, i do need a cheap 'car', with the comfort of an A/c. The cheapest thing that comes close is a A/c M-800, but even that costs 2.4 OTR in Mumbai. Saving 50-60K on the TATA car is a lot for more, add in 20-25% better fuel economy, and the fact that 90% of times i will be travelling alone in the car, so space isnt an issue for me.
Loans have made our lives so easy, havent they. I wish to pay a downpayment of 20%, say around 40k, and the rest on 5yr installments (ok, i will pay back the whole amount after 3 yrs when i have a good fat pay-check!), and all this means i will be paying just 3400 per month, plus around 3200 for fuel, for office commuting as well market ones. Great. It will also stack up all my gear for the himalayan rides and still be cheap on the pocket with a fuel efficiency of 22-25kmpl. GREAT. TATA, I m all game for your car

PS: smaller the car, smaller the system required. Savings on the music part too? :D
PPS : a second hand one yr old Alto, to me, doesnt make sense. I dont get free services, warranty period is less and it will guzzle 25-30% more fuel.

Rains and fog : Amby Valley ride

The rains are here, and so is the fog.
Western Ghats may be devoid of snow, and the realisation that they are a few hundred kilometers in area, but when it rains, they turn magical. The color changes from brown to green, and foggy roads are a constant companion.

Im off to Amby Valley tomorrow, with around 50+ bikers from Mumbai and Pune. I know its going to rain heavily and there will be dense fog from Lonaval to Amby Valley, but hey, Im going for fun. Im not complainin at all, more the fog, better it will be

Technorati!

Technorati Profile

Yamaha to bring in a 14bhp 150cc?

As if the news of the R1 and MT-01 wasnt enough, Yamaha Motors India (YMI) finally
let out more on its future plans for the masses yesterday. It is planning to bring a 14bhp 150cc motorcycle next year. But wait on, they are looking to price it at around Rs 80,000!

You got to be kidding YMI untill unless it looks like the 150cc displayed at the 2006 expo, and has goddies like USDs, under-seat exhausts, front and rear disc brakes, light weight body (to keep weight under 125kgs), top notch digital instrumentation, sticky rubber, alloys and other goddies to prove its worth.

Do manufacturers brain-wash us during model launches?

The other day I was going through Superbike Magazine's older issues and came across Kenny's (the editor) lines on how motorcycle manufacturers sometimes brain-wash a journo during a press launch of a model.

I very much second him on the fact that during almost every launch, be it a car or a motorcycle, there is always a small briefing about the vehicle in picture. We are told about the engine pumping out 5% more power, the swingarm being 10mm longer resulting in a better feel at high speeds and the likes and how we will be able to feel all this when we ride/drive the vehicle. Yeah, sure, as if we are computer machines registering every bit of information in our mind while riding/driving the new vehicle.

What in actual happens is that when we do get to ride/drive the machine, every thing mentioned during the briefing keeps running through our mind. We remember being told about the extra power while we accelerate the vehicle, we remember being told about the new suspension while taking corners or riding over rough patches and so on. My point is, the new changes made to a vehicle may not always make their presence felt in a positive manner, but just because we were briefed about all these things, it becomes a natural thing for us to think that yes, "I can feel the change and it’s for the good"!

Why can’t we have an older model, which the new model is replacing, for a ride/drive too, so that we can ourselves feel the differences? Why can’t we be asked about what all we felt after we rode/drove both the versions and then be given the briefing? Why cant a manufacturer follow this trend of seeing if we actually felt the changes without been told about the same? This will actually be better and will make a manufacturer realize if they have been able to make the changes effective or not.


And one more thing which manufacturers do to make sure good stuff goes into print/goes online about their model: they pamper you like anything on a launch. Take you to exotic locations, put you up in lavish 5-star hotels and if you have good contacts, will even give you extra services! This, I think is enough to make half of the people write good things automatically. Where did true journalism go? I, have still not been a party to all this, never gone for such a launch, but have heard a lot of stories from people in this industry. A launch becomes like a vacation for many but then again, there are a few of those, who treat a launch like a launch, and do their job effectively and it shows...

Waiting to go for a 5-star launch soon, may be this year, and see what actually happens. Will I be able to feel those 10mm wider tyres gripping the tarmac more than the previous model's tyres without actually riding/driving both the models back to back with V-box strapped in to see the effective G-forces and the line I took in both the model? Well well well...

Comments please....

Yamaha to launch YZF R1 and MT-01 in India

Yep, the cat is outta the box.
Tomotaka Ishikawa, CEO and MD of Yamaha Motors India has confirmed that the company is launching the YZF R1 superbike and the MT-01 muscle naked bike in India. The bikes have already passed the Indian homologation and as soon as the first shipment arrives, the bikes will go on sale here in India.

Yamaha has also shut all those who though the company has no good plans for India, including me. We all knew they are looking at bringing in big bikes, but when was the big question. Better late than never, I am excited to see the first batch rolling off the showrooms.

The YZF-R1, also known as the R1, is a very popular bike all over the world. Powered by a 998cc pumping out a max power of 162bhp at 12000 rpm, the power is enough to make it reach a top speed of a true 270km/h or around 295km/h on the speedometer.
The best thing about YMI's plans is that the bike will be available here for around 9-10lac rupees, which is more or less the same as what unofficial importers ask for. But by purchasing a bike from YMI, you get service backup, warranty, spares, insurance, loan and a big piece of mind!

The MT-01 on the other hand, is a pure muscle bike. Powered by a 1670cc Vtwin engine, it pumps out 90Bhp. It may not seem high, but what matters here is 150Nm of torque, which is almost 15times that of the Yamaha Gladiator. This is the bike to have for city riding, looks mean and has tons of torque at tap. I estimate the bike to sell for around 12lacs here in India.

For more info on roadtest links to R1, see http://bikeroadtests.blogspot.com/2007/05/yamaha-road-test-links.html

Honda Hornet 1000 for 2008?

We loved the restyled Hornet 600 but there is much more to come from Honda.
More than one source in Europe indicates that Honda will be ready with a 1000cc naked for the 2008 model year, and the bike will feature the latest generation engine found in the CBR1000RR (tuned differently, however). Even if they retune (detune) it for more low end torque, it should still be pumping out around 120-125 horses, more than enough to rival the likes of the Fazer 1000 and Kawasaki Z1000.

Like the Hornet 600 introduced to Europe last year, this bike might be called the Hornet 1000 and feature an aluminum frame and other high-end components. If the bike materializes, it will likely be introduced this Fall at a European motorcycle show. It is impossible to speculate whether the bike will be available on the U.S. market.

Ducati gets its wish granted, finally!

Effective for the 2008 series, WSB rules will permit twins displacing up to 1,200 cc. Twins will start out with a six kilo weight handicap (168 kg vs. 162 kg for the four-cylinder machines). The twins will also run air restrictors.

Otherwise, twins may be tuned to the same extent as other machines in 2008, with the sole exception being connecting rods. Twins must use stock connecting rods. For more info on this, see http://www.worldsbk.com/details.php?newsid=1793&lang=eng

TATA's other massive plans for India

Apart from the different versions of the ACE, TATA is also revamping its utility models, the Sumo and the 207DI.
I first saw the new 207 (it may be the new Telcoline as well) undergoing testing on the Mumbai-Pune highway way back in November 2006, while i was on the GIR (www.thegreatindianroadtrip.com).
I was on the Kinetic Italiano Jupiter and spotted this massive jeep under test. With my camera in the left hand and throttle in the right, I managed to take quite a few pictues.






It looks much better than the current offering. Sometime back, TATA had launching a lifestyle model, the Telcoline, but due to overpricing and avg looks, it didnt do well. This new one seems much more muscular and handsome and should no doubt be the choice for the urban Yuppy. Engine options will be the turbo charged 3.0L engine (doing duty on the new Sumo spacio Gold) as well as the new 2.2L CRDi being developed by TATA.
Body wise, there will be an option for a 2door as well 4door version.


The other model one can see quite commonly is the new Sumo.


Again, bigger and much better looking than the current one, it will have engine options same as above. The Sumo was launched more than a decade ago in 1994 and this will be the first major upgrade it will get.

Tata's rival to the M-800?

I have been following Tata's development for some time now and have seen many different versions of the TATA ACE being tested around Pune. Recently, I came across this version, which clearly shows Tata's intentions.
You can very well see the new door on the left side of the vehicle. Hints of a rural transport vehicle with a soft top instead of a hard roof? I have also seen other test variants which hinted at a hard top passenger version and if TATA does launch such a vehicle, it would sell at a price lower than the M-800, but with a 700cc diesel engine, endowing it with low running costs.

Shall keep this post updated with more pictures, which shall be reaching me very soon.

I have also taken spy pics of Piaggio and Mahindra working on small four-wheeled cargo vehicles to compete with the TATA ACE. while, i couldnt take pics of the Mahindra vehicle, i have in possession pics of Piaggio's upcoming small cargo vehicle. Seen between Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar, there were two prototypes, undergoing serious testing with passengers as well load in the rear cargo bay.





I had also taken spy pics of the new telcoline being tested by TATA. This was way back in Nov 2006 and i presume now the world knows about it too. Here are some pictures :

Happy birthday :)

Happy birthday to you...
Happy birthday to you...
Happy birthday dear karizma...Happy birthday to you... :)

She turns 4 year old today.
I had put up a topic last yr when she turned 3 - http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/showthread.php?t=8161

continuing with the last yrs topic, in the last 12 months, i left her in delhi after hx3 and was back with her in Sep, but for a few days as i had to go for GIR.

after i was back from the GIR, i took her to the hills in dec 2006 http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/showthread.php?t=10411

and then for the hx-4 in jan 2007 http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/showthread.php?t=10489 , http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/showthread.php?t=10953.

last month, i got her to Mumbai and just rode to pune and back.
The clock reads 47500kms but in actual is around 49000kms (the speedo wasnt workin for a month some yrs back)

her 5th yr with me has started, intend to put some serious miles this yr (mumbai-davangere-mumbai, 1450kms and mumbai-delhi-himalayas-mumbai 4000kms are the major rides i wish to do)

the bike is now showing signs of old age (4 yrs old he he ), the top end is around 130, she returned 40kmpl for this latest mumbai-pune-punecity-mumbai ride but generally is giving around 36kmpl. while riding, u do come to know she is almost 50k old but i dont wish to sell her atleast for the next 2yrs or so.

also, she is the oldest karizma at xbhp (rash got his on the 11th june 2003, but the bike got crashed some months back and he no more uses it)

Urban Incursion : The Busa!

Urban Industries, Inc. is taking the West Coast custom sportbike scene like a storm powered by global warming race gas. This ’Busa with number plates and minimal chrome represents the growing tide of raceresque customizations — it isn’t your ordinary bling machine.



You will definately notice the lack of chrome on this bike, but the attention to detail and the kind of art work that has gone into making the bike a beauty is amazing.

The bike has Mobsta wheels, Avon 330mm rear tyre, a Micron header system, modified R6 GP-style exhaust, a single-sided swingarm and most importantly its got the LOOKS.

For more - http://www.2wtmag.com/mag/full_article.php?article_id=258&article=Urban

Cars!

For us, bikers, cars suck. Yeah do, and most of the times those steering wheel hugging worms think the same too.
But, there are instances where the reverse is applicable, and i will tell you why.
Mumbai is known for the monsoons and the kind of problems it brings along everytime. Add to it, the humid weather conditions. Now, who wouldnt want to be in the comfort of an A/C in a cage..err.. a car than being out in hot and humid conditions, or getting wet to the bone for 4 months in an year?

I m a biker, yes I am. But i am equally fascinated about cars, jeeps, buses and all. I love ripping the hell out of cars back home, the Zen Mpi, the Ikon 1.6 and Wagon R. Sometime back, when i was with BIKE/CAR mags, i used to jump when we had a big vehicle for a test/drive report. I do love those big UVs India has and wont forget my stint with the Bolero Turbo. What fun it was, slides, jumps, crossing water logged roads and what not...

Dream car? Hmmmm.. never thought about it. But dream bike - as of now the ZX-14/ZZR1400. Ok, im inclined towards bikes, but have equal respect for the four-wheel counterparts too. Cars suck, bikes suck too, but cars do it better (the sucking :D ) ... signing off

CBR 600RR : The advert!

Need i say more?
Honda isnt known for making the best of adverts, but this one stands out completely. I loved the colorful, yet, solid approach to the ad. See the other bikes following the CBR? Makes sense.

When will we get to see these kind of in India? And when will we get to see these bikes being sold officially in India.. i hope before my hair turn white....

I survived Mumbai :D

Yo,
Saturday saw me leaving late for my office. But at Vashi, the speedometer went bust! Keeping around 4500 on the tacho (roughly 72-73 km/h), I rode on till Chembur without much trouble when the traffic started building up. The sun was out too, and it eventually took me around 45-50mins to get to the office. I even rode to Fort from Mahim and back to Nerul in the evening, which was better, got wet to the bone, but the cramster laptop bag made sure my lappy was safe.
Today, monday, i rode again, leavin the house at 8:05 and reachin office by 8:43am, had fixed the speedo yesterday and the distance came out to 23.8kms. I was almost cruising all the way to chembur at 75kmph and that helped matters a lot.

I must say, i was simply "over-worried" of Mumbai's traffic. it aint that bad! Having explored Mumbai's traffic, it time now for the hills then :D

Mumbai, Here I am...

Mumbai, here I am!

Mumbai: a city of dreams, a city of hopes, a city that never sleeps. I always had a negative notion for this city. This largely was due to me experiencing the rains of July 2005 first hand, plus the humidity. And not to forget masses of humanity, which are everywhere during peak office hours!
I never wanted to come to Mumbai, but fate had different things for me in store. I left my job as a correspondent for BIKE INDIA and CAR INDIA magazines in Pune and went for the Great Indian Road Trip (www.thegreatindianroadtrip.com). After that came a period of planning and thinking, during which I did go for a couple of rides up north to the hills but nothing prepared me for my marriage! Not that I didn’t want it to happen, it just happened so fast. We had like a week to organize everything, but its been worth it.
Anyways, once married, I had responsibilities to shoulder. But I was jobless and after three honeymoons (another long story), I finally got a break when Sameer Kumar helped me out with a job at the same company, but at their Mumbai office this time. I had no choice, the proverb “beggars aren’t choosers” kept running through my mind. I wanted to join the company, but the idea of being in Mumbai kept bothering me. Things worked out and I tried all my best to reconcile my mind for Mumbai.
And here I am then… sitting in my office at Mahim, my first day at job. Thinking, thinking and thinking. How will I adjust? How will I cope up with the traffic, the masses of humanity, the rains, the humidity… Fortunately, god had something good in mind for me. I immediately got a house in the place I was looking at, Nerul, in Navi Mumbai. See, I don’t have a salary fat enough to live in Mumbai, and the only drawback I see of staying in Nerul will be the commuting part. But I am a biker right? And riding a round trip of 55odd kms everyday wont be asking much, right?
Grrr..This is Mumbai meri jaan. To make sure I ride around 25kms in 40mins or so, I have leave my house by like 7:45am for sure. A bit late and I will be a tiny speck in the traffic infested roads of this city. It will be is worse in the evenings: 45mins to one hour for the 25odd km ride back home. Add to it, the monsoons are round the corner. God!
No, those of you who are about to tell me about the local trains, NO. I cant stand for 90mins in the morning and another 90 in the evening. Today I was fortunate to come to the office in the cool cab with my boss but from tomorrow on, the real test begins. A test of patience, stamina, control and timing. Will I win or will Mumbai have another victim in its grab? Tomorrow…