About the Contest

As part of OCD’s objective of highlighting niche communities on the Hive Blockchain, this week, the focus is on the Hive Motors Community. The community is all about motors and motorheads out there. It is not about vehicles alone but all motors that make any equipment work within your house or workplace.

Also, @hive-motors here is the follow-up article as promised.

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Follow Up

Yesterday, I had posted about my bike, a Pulsar 200F, and how it was acting up. For a quick recap, the bike was working fine, but it wouldn’t accelerate well. I mean, it would accelerate fine if the acceleration was gradual. But if I tried to yank it, it just wouldn’t respond. There would be a lot of noise, though. 😊

*Note: That’s my actual bike. Yesterday, I had posted the model from the OEM site.

That was the issue for which I had to seek local help instead of my regular service center. Why? Because of COVID, the regular center was not open for regular working hours. Only three-five hours were working over five days. Which meant it would be over a month for me to get an appointment for my bike.

You can read the full article here: OCD Showcase | Hive Motors Community || My 220 cc Bike

Also, I was supposed to get my bike by Monday, but for some luck. My mechanic got the clutch plate yesterday afternoon, and he finished fixing it by evening inside his garage. He could not keep the garage open as the lockdown rules prohibit working after 12 p.m. So, he repaired it by keeping the garage closed. The testing, though, had to wait.

So, come morning, my fellow got the testing done, and when it was to his satisfaction, he called me. I, of course, was excited to have my work-horse back. I got the delivery two days in advance. Nothing is more exciting than getting something early. I am sure many would understand.

Now, let’s get to know my bike’s story post repairs.

Pulsar 220F | Up And Running

Since I did not have my bike yesterday, I had to do with showroom pictures from the OEM. Today I will post the original ones. Of course, you already saw one of them in the previous sections. Let’s see more.

For the sake of first-time readers, for my bike’s acceleration problem, there could have been three reasons. It could be all or one of them. The three possible reasons were - the accelerator wire, the spark plug, or the clutch plate. I have explained why for each in my previous post. You can have a look at the same.

But let’s look at each of those parts here:

Accelerator (Throttle) Wire

I had mentioned that the accelerator wire was not an issue as per my mechanic and a closer look confirms that.

That’s the accelerator wire on the engine side of business. It is quite fine. In case you couldn’t see it well, here is me pointing at it.

See the wire there? That’s the one. The other end of this wire would be on the right-hand side handlebar. It was fine, which I could confirm even by a visual inspection. So, that takes out the accelerator wire out of the equation.

Spark Plug

I had mentioned that the spark plug could be an issue for acceleration if the plug required change. I doubted that. But a ride test by my mechanic confirmed that the spark plug was not part of the issue.

Here you can see the spark plug casing.

The proof that it was untouched is the fact that it is still full of grime and oil. ☹ If the mechanic had changed it, he would have wiped the surroundings too. That said, the bike is due for a thorough washing too.

That confirms that the spark plug, too, was fine. Now, the real culprit.

Clutch Plate and Clutch Wire Oiling and Greasing

Yesterday I had mentioned that the clutch plate was the issue, and that is what got replaced. Now, as a precautionary, my man had the clutch wire removed and checked too.

Here is where the clutch wire connects with the clutch casing.

The clutch wire did not have an issue, so he just oiled, greased, and put it back. Now, we look at the clutch casing.

Well, I got to admit that I couldn’t get the pictures of the actual work done. That would have shown the clutch plate better. Anyway, a final look at the clutch wire and clutch casing together.

That’s it. That’s what got replaced, and the bike seemed to have got a new lease of life. At least it does not squeal when I crank the accelerator. 😊 So, that’s good news.

Repair Update | Works Like A Charm

The proof of the pudding is a test drive, and that is what I did. I took the bike on the highway, and with the lockdown in place, there were hardly any vehicles. That was my cue to crank up. The throttle response was awesome, almost as good as new. But that was not enough. I still had to test the top speed.

Before the test, I realized that the clutch plate created another issue. Since the plate is not doing its job properly, I mentioned yesterday that there is power loss at the point of connection of the engine and the transmission (cause that’s where the clutch plate sits). What this means is wastage of fuel and an increase in pollution. Power comes from the burning of fuel, so wastage of power is also a waste of fuel. So, a good clutch plate is also necessary for efficient transfer of power and hence decreased losses, not to mention a greener outcome.

Coming back to my test, I rode the bike to the right lane and gave it all. My 220 was happy to respond. It kept climbing until I ran out of road. I hit a speed of 120 kmph, which translates roughly to 75 mph. I wanted to test how far it went, but the lockdown bothered me.

You see, if the authorities want you to stay off the road, then I should comply instead of testing them by flying around in my bike. I, therefore, returned with quite a big smile on my face. It was apparent, I guess, as my mechanic smiled, looking at me. He got it that he did a good job! 😊

The total cost was not too much. It came to around INR 1750, which is about USD 24. Now, that’s what I call a good job done!

Cleaning Left

Now, the pictures told the story, didn’t they? The bike needs washing and cleaning. If I had been at my usual service center, the washing and cleaning would have happened hand-in-hand. However, local mechanics focus only on the problem and not the aesthetics. So, cleaning is my business and not his.

In a couple of days, I will take the bike to a local washing center and get it cleaned. But otherwise, I am quite happy with how it works.

That’s It

Well, that’s my story, and I am happy with the work getting done despite the lockdown. I understand that some of the restrictions will be lifted from Monday, which should give me some breathing space to take the bike for cleaning.

I hope you enjoyed reading my bike saga. So, Namaste until next time! 😊