Sunday, May 10, 2009

My New E-Bike -- The Yo Byke

I am really very much glad to inform you all my readers out there that I have now bought a E-bike. It's Yo Speed. Now this is not a review or any publicity of the company, which I would like to tell you initially. These are just my thoughts about the bike which might be useful for the about-to-be-buyers...
Now it has been about more than a month since I have bought the bike. I purchased it on 29th March 2009, with my family. The day was especially selected by Aajoba, my grandfather, through Panchang which is the book which contains the dates and times for certain special occasions. The time recommended was between 9.00 - 11.30 am.

To tell from the first, we first had a try on the e-bikes of the Yo company at Kolhapur about 3 years ago and were planning to buy the then top model, Yo Smart. But later due to some FORTUNE TELLING (you can understand, what else can LOVING mothers do?) by my SWEET Aai, the plan was cancelled as everybody agreed on the fact that I was too young to ride a bike (even though it didn't require a license or RTO passing).

Then it was about 4 months before my SSC exams, in December that a Yo World (showroom of Yo Bykes) was started about 50 metres away, both from my school and house. In spite of being in 10th it was a matter of great attraction for me and my so-called-eco-friendly-like-minded friends, especially in a place like Kudal. (You know the craze, don't you?) We would organise some INQUIRY TRIPS to the showroom and would collect lot of brochures, pamphlets, etc. Later we understood that the manager was getting irritated by our unsubjected irrelevant questions relevant to occasions when she one day asked me for my surname, father's phone number and whether I really intended to buy a bike with an expression which I suppose would be common to be seen on the face of Sherlock Holmes...!!

Then one day I spoke to my father about buying the bike when he looked up to me from his reclining chair as if I was Bakasura the myth demon who rapidly devoured on any type of food, even men (in this case I thought that I was a Bakasura rapidly devouring on his money). But my Baba, as he was, he was too intelligent for me. As usual again I had to win a challenge to get anything. For those who don't know me, I never get any luxury free of cost, I have to earn it. I had to secure MTS scholarship for getting my first mobile phone, another scholarship for a simple 512 mb MP3 player, State level scholarship in Elocution for getting iPod classic and so on. This was the habit that my father had developed in me since I was a small child in Senior Kindergarten. I had to secure first rank in the class or win certain competition even for getting a small car or a batman toy. Some people would find this habit as harassment but for me, it developed a sense of Competition and an urge to win, the will to fight.

That day he asked me to secure more than 95% in the SSC board exam which was in fact a tough shot (which he thought or might not have thought, I don't know, impossible for me). I first argued with him that he was being unfair to me by raising the bar above my capabilities. But later I accepted because it was fair enough for the Rs. 40,000 top Yo model, Yo Speed.

And then with the vigour to EARN the bike I started studying hard. Seeing my study time before and even during exams, when I studied late up to 3.00 am and woke up at 5.00 am, one day Baba himself came up to me and told me that he and Aai had decided to give me the bike just after the exams and this in fact added up to my courage of studying as a form of a RETURN to my parents.

And after the exams on the eve of 20th March (the day when exams ended) Baba himself called Aajoba and asked for the auspicious day... It was 29th!!!

It was a Sunday. I, Baba and a crew of compounders from our hospital Palav Kaka, Kadam Kaka, Jambhale Kaka, Amit Dada and Prasad Dada all of us (!!!!!!!) went to the showroom and scrutinized the bike (as you can say it). We selected the colour of the bike, Baba made payments, Amit Dada and Prasad Dada spoke about the technical details with the mechanics while all the Kaka's wondered if we were going to throw a party for the new bike in the BAR which was besides the showroom. We then did all the Puja after bringing the bike home by cracking the coconut, putting garlands and worshipping by a Garhana by Palav Kaka, a type of prayer wishing well being of the bike and the family members in our native language Malvani. Then each of us went out for a ride on the new bike after savaging the party ice-cream.

Now you might hear many rumours about the e-bikes, as did I, regarding their efficiency and capacity but for my model of bike they aren't true. The carrying capacity of YO SPEED is 135 kg which means that it can seat 2 persons easily. It takes about 5-6 hours for full charging after being completely discharged and then it runs about 55-60 kms easily. Charging the bike for one hour comsumes about one unit which costs around Rs. 4.5 or so. Thus it is quiet economical. It's speed is zippy, which is enough for a busy street, which is 45-50 kms/hr. It requires RTO registeration and license but the advantage is that most traffic police here don't know about this part of YO SPEED. This is because it's power is 750W.
Uptil now I have not experienced any problem regarding the bike except a minor problem in the horn piece (the outer switch) which I got repaired in 2 minutes under guarantee. I had my bike serviced once, few days ago. Now, my take on Yo Speed... It is really a great bike for school goers or even for daily works. Best single seated as it does become quiet slow when seating two. Over all.... WOW!!!!



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