Jul 17, 2009 04:51 AM
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I used to review at this site - my previous ID was jma5417. But it is a long time since I used it, so the password was forgotten!! So I had to re-create a new ID and a new password. Anyway, I got a chance to review the RX100.
Interest in the golden oldies came to me only after I came to Bangalore. Prior ro my 2 Yams, I had a Splendor. But that is registered in Tamilnadu, hence couldn't use it for long at Bang. Gave it to my uncle for safekeeping.
Then I had a RX135, and after 6 months, I ditched for the one, the RX100.
The day I sold the RX135, I began thinking whether it was a good decision. Because the beast that I bought seemed like a wrong decision. He sounded nasty (atleast compared to 135), he needed a bad paint-job, he also smelled bad (exhaust), Both his tyres were gone, wheels were bent etc.
The first visit to the mechanic set me back by 5, 000 rs. While 135 gave a decent mileage of 51 (with Extra-Premium only) this fellow gave 40 (with Extra-Premium only). But 135 reached Chennai (from Bang) in 4 and a half hours, which I don't think I can do on this fellow. Anyway I decided to name him StreetHawk (since he was black).
It took a month for me to get used to StreetHawk. No self-cancelling indicators. Lights - not too bright. Horn - unreliable. But his brakes were better than the 135's, and so was the road-grip.
After I used SH for one year, I happened to try a different mechanic in Koramanagala. How I ended up there - The mechanic to whom I used to go was overbooked for the servicing. So I took it to the other fellow in the very next street. When taking him back came the incident that made me change the mechanic completely!! For there in his garage there was a guy, with a chrome-plated Yezdi. He had done the chrome a year before, and it was still going on as good as new. I had a word with the other rider, and he told me about the entire episode. I initially thought of painting it. But when he had a look at it, he said that the chassis had so many problems. Also the engine was so weak (by the way I was the 4th owner), it needed to have a complete overhaul.
I thought he was giving me a royal "goli" so I dismissed the entire thing as crap.
After some days, I actually saw another chrome-plated RX135. After I changed jobs, I felt I could afford the entire job.
FROM THE BEGINNING
Before the entire thing started, the doc had one good look at StreetHawk, and asked me whether I really wanted to keep it, for atleast 5 years, or whether I had a plan for an upgrade. I decided to hold on to it. The chassis, like I said earlier, was rusted as well as broken. It had to be welded and painted. The engine block was another big repair - entire block had to be changed. Almost all the hardware and the software were either changed, or plated.
One important thing:
For a repair of this you need two important ingredients:
1) Another backup vehicle.
2) Lots of patience.
I had the first, but lost the other. It took 45 days for the entire set of repairs to be over. The first picture shows the bike after the first set of repairs, with the older fuel tank. Later, I managed to get a-hold of the proper fuel tank, and then he was as good as new.
One drawback of "doing-up" an RX is that you don't get spare parts always. I had to get my straight-crash-guard from Chennai, since good-looking ones weren't available over here at Bang. Also most parts are taken from the 135, since those parts are available. I was shocked to see the "YEIS" sticker on the sides near the footrests, and I made him remove them at once.
The total charge - chassis + painting + chroming + engine-block came to 15, 000 rs.
The fuel tank and the side-shields (after a month) came to 3, 500 rs.
Then, when I got him after the repairs, I picked up a race with some RTR 160, and ruined my piston on day one!! That race was similar to the one in the movie "The Fast and the Furious". An old black chrome-plated vehicle squaring up to a "modern-kid" red vehicle. The light changes to green, and blackie races forward with a wheelie, and just keeps pulling off, but reddie draws level, and then something that never happened in the movie happens - blackie gets a krrrrrrrkkkk sound, and after that he doesn't start for 5 mins!!
That crazy-stunt costed 3, 000 rs. Overall, with a lot of other costs here and there, the total bill came somewhere around Rs 24, 000. Think hard if you really want to do it!! But it is worth it. An aquaintance has offered my Rs. 60, 000 for it, but I told him no!!
The mileage now is only 25 kmpl, but I am capable of doing 2nd gear wheelies.
I'll be glad to answer any questions.
Ride safe,
Bye.
