I cheated on her, now it may be over

Disclaimer : this post is not about a human relationship. For that, please consult your daily sectional in the newspaper or tune in to the local trashy talk on morning shows between 7 and 10am. Clickbait much? 😆

Intro

I have a friend 😀  . Well, I have many, but I have one(Mr. M*) who 2 weeks ago, had a nasty accident while lane splitting that left his right leg broken but his bike intact and running. 2 to 3 weeks prior to this, I had been talking to him about maybe one day switching bikes for like a day or two just to experience power. He rides a Duke 390, the older version, not the new 2017 version.

2014 Duke 390. Maad torque! You guy my guy!

I have another friend 😀 . Well, I have many other friends, but I have one who has been my Pulsar buddy, then I recently met her in traffic. She lives awfully close, but on a certain day last week, I saw her familiar helmet, then the familiar KTM orange on the bike she was riding. A duke 390, the 2017 version to boot! In the coming days, I felt “nyongi”. Even me I want to upgrade. 😥

The Exchange

So in the midst of all this, on Monday, Mr. M calls me from hospital.

Mr. M: “George! How are you man?…………Are you free?……………………I need you to run an errand for me near Athi, to my house. Drop some keys for me………….It’s urgent……………You can switch bikes and take my Duke for the week once you are there………”

MOST. WORTH. IT. ERRAND. EVER! 😀 . I was besides myself with joy. Monday is work day, but an hour can be set aside for this. Off to Nairobi Hospital, off to his place, and I pick the bike.

Initial impressions on picking the Duke 390.

This engine is so harsh, not Pulsar smooth…………..The exhaust is loud, I like my quiet Pulsar……………….This bike is so light, just like my Pulsar, but double the capacity. ………………This clutch is much heavier. I have to get to the gym……………………..The seat height is actually better than the Pulsar, because of a thinner seat. Wauuuuuu!

Duke390 Left, My Bike Right

I get to the main road and pull the throttle. Dear Lord! That bike almost sped off of it’s own volition! The torque! Nothing to joke about! I’m off, heading home, with a boss attitude. And the bike isn’t even mine but look at me! Overtaking is but a thought!

Me Pulling the throttle the frist time

For the rest of the week, POWER is my friend, I overtake. 0-100 in 6 seconds is not a joke! At some point, heading home from rehearsal, I am on the bypass and some Fazer 600 fellow and I have a short quick run between Ngong Road and Langata road. To be able to follow someone and have a bike actually still have a lot of pull left at 130kph. Waaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuuu!  😯

The bike doesn’t sit to well at 150kph without a screen. Too much wind blast. Best use it for fast acceleration(kuenda kama umeendanga), not speed runs. It is not an born tourer. Found it sitting well at 110kph. The Pulsar and ZMR do well at 92kph. It is also a commuter, but not during grid lock hours. It does emit some heat, and that radiator is always on. But the turning radius is to die for.  It has ABS!!!

Caught by bae cheating

You have to understand that before this week, the Pulsar had been the only bae in my life! I had a ZMR before, but that felt like a very bad relationship with the wrong chic. Too heavy, 126 top speed compared to 140 on the Pulsar. 18hp compared to 24 on the Pulsar. No analog tachometer. ZMR was good while it lasted, but Pulsar was that pretty girl that you marry.

I personally feel the rank of bikes under 250cc is the Duke 200, the Pulsar RS200, then the NS200 and AS200 tied at third, then whatever other bikes can come and make a file after that, for all we care!

Today, a Sunday, I return the Duke 390, and pick my Pulsar. As I ride, and prepare to take off first, I tuck forwards in preparation for the torque to kick in as I am now accustomed to on the Duke. …..

…..

…..

Nothing. This bike engine is so smooth, but … nothing. Just nothing. It does nothing. I feel my heart break. A tear forms in my eye. How could bae and I be in such a spot!

My reaction to the NS200 compared to the Duke390

This bike isn’t as powerful. Heck, it’s only half as powerful. Even when the power kicks in fully at 8k rpm, it’s hardly noticeable. It’s all just MEEEH. The Duke has taken me to the sky and left me high and dryyyyy! 

I notice on the Pulsar: It is taller seating, just a bit……………It is sportier seating. The duke was the ultimate in upright seating…………….The head is closer though, funny enough.

For the rest of the ride back, I don’t even attempt to overtake anymore. 😦 😦 I just ride. I don’t attempt to overrev, or go past 100. 😦 The bike feels okay at 90, and that’s okay with me. No need to struggle over coins. If I want true power, I need a different bike. Period. Now I understand what a commuter is.

I should have never ridden the duke. I should have remained oblivious to the joys that exist out there with horsepower and torque increase. I should have continued in my most upheld belief that the Pulsar was made somewhere next to heaven.

Bae wash after getting home

But now I’ve had a very fierce fling, and that has sucked the life out of my Pulsar experience back.

Buuttttt….. Conclusion

Time is a healer. It took a week with the duke. I’ll give it 2 weeks with the Pulsar. I’m sure I’ll get back to loving it, that smoothness, that quietness.

The bars are thinner. Easier lane splitting………..It may not be powerful, but that bike looks like bae! It is newer after all………………………….And it has that metallic tail section that allows me to secure bags with my cargo net to it.

I’ll fall in love with it again. At least I hope so otherwise, OLX!

P.S

Dear beginner, don’t fall into the trap of imagining cc(Cubic Capacity/Engine size) equals power. The duke 390 with a 370cc engine is about the same power and a KLR 650, a 650cc engine.

Always check the horsepower and torque specs, and remember, a true test is an actual ride, not one done on keyboards.

Bike wishlist

1. Triumph Street triple
2. Ninja 650
3. Ninja 400
4. Duke 390