Unlike the more popular beaches near Bangkok, Chaosamran beach is on the eastern coast of Thailand, just short of Cha Am and Hua Hin.
I left on a monday morning, so getting out of Bangkok was painful, with many traffic hot spots. Once out of the metropolitan area, I found the highway quite similar to Pattaya and Ayutthaya. Not very pleasant to ride a motorcycle on.
Having already crossed the running-in period, I opened the throttle a few times and touched 120 kmph at a few spots.
Thankfully, the weather has cooled down by some amount, so the ride was comfortable.
Highway 35 to Phetchaburi ProvinceBang Chak station, Samut Songhkhram
Once in Phetchaburi province, off the main highway, the roads were surrounded by lush green fields and I enjoyed the ride more at a sedate 80 kmph.
Lush fields at Phetchaburi Rural Road
The beach, itself was almost empty of both tourists and vendors. It was quite peaceful to sit on the sea wall with my legs hanging over the ledge (Reminded me of our Futala lake jaunts).
Meteor 350 at Chaosamran beachMeteor 350 at Chaosamran beach
However, the sun was still quite strong, so my skin started burning soon, so I left for a nice coffee and snacks at this cafe.
Chicken & Mushroom Pie, Espresso Frappuccino
Soon, leaving the comfort of the air conditioning, I started my trip back home. I did most of the return trip between 110-120 kmph and reached home under 2 hours.
Continuing my series, this is my latest road trip, to Prachinburi province.
Since I installed the CarPlay unit on my motorcycle, I had been eager to test it out on a day trip. The opportunity presented itself last Monday, when I just couldn’t bring myself to go to work. I took the day off and headed out on the highway towards Prachinburi province.
I left around 7:30 in the morning and immediately got caught up in morning rush hour traffic. Excruciatingly made my way out of Bangkok and was rewarded with beautiful tree-lined 2 lane roads similar to Nakhon Nayok.
Highway 3481 from Bangkok to Prachinburi
The route follows the Bang Pakong river for much of the way and is dotted with ponds and lakes on both sides.
Next to a lake on highway 3481
Khao Ito Waterfall
The approach road to the waterfall turns into a hilly forest-like area and is eerily quiet.
Approach road to Khao I To waterfall
The waterfall itself is not touristy at all and has absolutely no facilities. On the brighter side, there are no entrance fees or parking fees.
At Khao I To waterfall
There was a lone man at the waterfall, washing his clothes. And a few friendly dogs.
Man washing clothes at Khao I To waterfall
I spent around 30 minutes enjoying the peace and quiet and the washing of clothes) before I headed back.
Khao I To waterfall, Prachinburi
I had a nice coffee here and then headed back home. Also, on the way back, my motorcycle crossed 2000km and officially finished its running in period, so I opened the throttle. I kept my speed between 90 kmph and 110 kmph and reached before the expected time.
Since this was the first day trip with the new CarPlay unit, I present an addendum to this post on how it performed.
The POI data on Apple Maps has improved vastly over the last few years. Still, I found myself double checking with Google Maps before leaving.
Apple Maps/Google maps with “Toll Roads” and “Motorways” turned off provide almost the same directions in Thailand as Google Maps motorcycle navigation.
With navigation, Wireless CarPlay, musicstreaming & location sharing, the battery drained (while connected to the motorcycle USB port) from
94% to 81% over 2.5 hours on the way to Prachinburi
71% to 58% over 2 hours on the way back
Approx 5% battery drain per hour – Not ideal, but not too bad.
When I reached my destination, the phone had an overheating message, but I didn’t notice anything different on the CarPlay unit
iPhone overheated
Apple Maps is much more beautiful to look at, with 3D structures on the map. Also, I really liked how the app switches to 2D and zooms in just before a turn. Also, I found the colours & graphics better than Google Maps.
Apple Maps with 3D buildings on CarPlay
You have to make a conscious effort to not look at the display too long and focus on the road instead. Also, it is incredibly distracting using the touch screen while riding; I suggest stopping before using it.
While connected to CarPay, Apple Music sends the audio to the CarPlay unit, not the AirPods. It can be overridden from the phone, but not from the unit itself. This means you can start music only from the phone, but can control it from the CarPlay unit later.
An easy workaround to this is to connect your bluetooth headset to the CarPlay unit, not to the phone.
There was an instance while coming back when the phone refused to connect to the CarPlay unit. I restarted the CarPlay unit, which didn’t do anything. Then I restarted the phone and it connected fine. I have seen this before with cars, too, so I blame the phone.
Apple CarPlay Error
With festivals coming up, there may not be too many solo trips for the next few weeks.
As you know, I have been going on road trips infrequently & relying on Royal Enfield’s tripper navigation system for directions. Although, initially I was impressed by the simple nature of the tripper, eventually I found it a bit too simplistic for road trips. I took wrong turns one too many times and got lost. Overall, I must have spent many hours re-tracing my steps. Also, it was not compatible with my polarised sunglasses (Had to tilt my head to see).
Before my next trip, I decided to upgrade the navigation system on my Meteor 350. I initially considered dedicated units from Garmin and TomTom, but found them too expensive and the ongoing subscription fees too cumbersome.
Eventually, I found out that they make Apple CarPlay systems for motorcycles and decided on getting one.
Meteor 350 console
I did some research and found out that there are no “reputable” companies that make Apple CarPlay systems for motorcycles. However, there are many Chinese brands, all cheap as dirt. I decided to get one with the highest ratings on Lazada. It was so cheap, I had almost no expectations from it.
CarPlay unitCarPlay unit with power cables and mount
It came in a simplistic box with power cables and a mount.
My aims from this project were:
Use the same power supply/cable as the tripper – Partial success
Fit it in the same space as the tripper – Partial success
Bye Bye Tripper
The first step was getting rid of the Tripper. To give myself more space, I needed to remove the windshield first, which can be done using an Allen Key.
Removing the tripper from the Meteor 350 involves unscrewing 2 bolts, one of them the main handlebar bolt.
Unscrewing and screwing back the main handlebar bolt requires epic strength and I had to do it twice because the first time I forgot the washer.
Meteor 350 tripper removed
Power supply
I really-really wanted to re-use the existing connector of the tripper to connect the new CarPlay unit, but the holes were too small to fit the cables in them. Also, I couldn’t find a matching male connector for the other side, seems proprietary.
Meteor 350 Tripper Power connector
It pained me to no extent to take a blade and chop off the connector; on a brand-new bike, possibly voiding the warranty.
Here. I also discovered that the Tripper supply had 3 wires, red, black and white. After different combinations, I realised
Red-to-Red & Black-to-Black – Always ON : Not good
White-to-Red & Black-to-Black – Power ON with ignition : What I wanted
CarPlay wiring connected to tripper power supplyTripper power used for CarPlay unit
I taped up the electrical carnage the best I could, but it felt dirty and a “jugaad“. So I went to an electrical store and purchased a cheap terminal block and connected the wires to that. Then I used copious amounts of acrylic sealant to waterproof it the best I could.
Terminal block to connect the powerTerminal block sealed with SiliconeTerminal block sealed off using weatherproof tape
For good measure, I also wrapped it up with weatherproofing tape.
Mounting the unit
For me, the ideal situation would be if I could fit the unit in the same location as the Tripper, recessed inside. However, even with a 5″ display, the unit is a bit too big and must hover above the handlebars.
Also, it clashes with the classic/old-school aesthetics of the motorcycle.
Apple CarPlay unit on Meteor 350
Final result, from front
The Unit
The unit itself seems to be incredible value for money. Apple CarPlay works as expected.
Apple CarPlay Home ScreenGoogle Maps navigation on Apple CarPlay
The display is relatively low-res which may be a good thing because I am concerned about battery drain on the phone.
The display is bright enough to be seen in full sunlight through sunglasses. Additionally, the brightness can be increased above the default.
CarPlay unit display settingsCarPlay unit software version
The unit boots up within 5 seconds of Power ON and the phone automatically connects via Apple CarPlay within a few more seconds.
One strange thing is, the aspect ratio of the physical display and the aspect ratio of the beamed display are not exactly same; consequently, the Apple CarPlay UI seems a bit squished from the sides. It is barely noticeable and certainly not bothersome.
The worst thing to come out of this project is that Google Maps doesn’t seem to support motorcycle routes on Apple CarPlay (Or on Android Auto, it turns out).
Google Maps doesn’t support motorcycle directions on Apple CarPlay
This means Google Maps and Apple Maps are now on equal footing for me. The workaround with both is to disable Toll Roads and Motorways and use car navigation.
Ongoing concerns
Some things I am concerned about, which only time will tell
I am concerned whether the USB port that charges the phone (Nothing to do with this unit) can provide enough juice to keep the phone topped off during operation. Worst case, I am expecting wireless Apple CarPlay to consume more power than the charger can provide and the phone to eventually discharge over a trip.
Only time will tell how rugged the unit is – Concerns are temperature, vibrations and water resistance. Even if it lasts 1 year, it would be worth the monies.
I am not at all confident about how good a job I did with the waterproofing the terminal block. Of course, I may have void the warranty on the motorcycle already by snipping the wires.
Overall, excited to test this out during my next trip!
Continuing my series, this is my latest road trip, to River Khwae Bridge, in Kanchanaburi province.
The Bridge Over the River Kwai
The Bridge over the River Kwai is part of the infamous Death Railway that was constructed during World War II.
The bridge was built by the Japanese to support their military campaigns. Over 60,000 Allied prisoners of war and 200,000 Asian laborers were forced into backbreaking labor under brutal conditions to build this railway. The construction resulted in an enormous loss of life, earning the railway its grim nickname.
The bridge itself became an iconic part of this story, tragically immortalized in the 1957 film “The Bridge on the River Kwai” which brought international attention to the horrifying conditions endured by the workers.
This trp was not planned in advance. However, I couldn’t sleep well the night before and after wasting many hours doing nothing, I decided to make a day trip out of it.
I left at 7 in the morning and didn’t encounter much traffic leaving Bangkok. The highway 338 to Kanchanaburi wasn’t as intimidating as Pattaya or Ayuthaya. In fact, it felt like most Indian highways.
Meteor 350 on Highway 338 from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi
Things got better through the trip, the roads within Kanchanaburi criss-crossing small villages with ponds around them.
Meteor 350 near a village pond
I stopped only once on my way there and it took me 2.5 hours to cover the 170km distance.
At the bridge itself, there were not too many tourists, just one Japanese group.
River Khwae Bridge, Kanchanaburi
River Khwae from the bridge, Kanchanaburi
After pending some time at the bridge, I went to the Starbucks at TMK Park, Kanchanaburi for a snack and a coffee.
A funny train at Kanchanaburi
Espresso Frappuccino & Chicken and Mushroom PieMeteor 350 at TMK Park, Kanchanaburi
Fun Return Trip
The return trip was much more adventurous. First I did what I always do and accidentally entered a motorway; requiring me to back-track for many kilometres. When I did get on the right route, it started raining heavily, and I had to stop. I started again when the rain stopped, but it started raining again and I had to stop for the second time.
First Rain Stop at KanchanaburiSecond Rain Stop at Kanchanaburi
After waiting for a while, I realised that if I keep stopping like this, I won’t get home, so I powered through the rain. It was exhilarating riding at 80 kmph on a 2 lane road during heavy rain.
Soon, the rain stopped and the sun came out in full force, burning my skin because the rain had washed away the sun block. I went through 2 such cycles of wet-dry, but my shoes and socks remained wet throughout.
Eventually, I reached Bangkok via Chinatown, completely filthy and was glad to take a shower.
This was one of the best road trip I ever had and I look forward to doing it again in the future.
Continuing my series, this is a recent road trip, to Ayuthaya. I did this trip because Wanderlust suddenly struck me, but it was too late in the day to go any further.
Ayuthaya: A Glimpse into History
Founded in 1350, it served as the second Siamese capital after Sukhothai. The city flourished as a major trading post and diplomatic hub, connecting the East and West through maritime routes. Its strategic location along the Chao Phraya River made it an essential nexus for international commerce. By the end of the 17th century, Ayuthaya had become one of the world’s largest urban areas and cosmopolitan centers.
Ayuthaya is famous for its impressive ruins of temples, monasteries, and statues of immense historical and cultural value. The cityscape is dotted with towering prangs (reliquary towers) and stupas that are quintessential to Thai architecture.
I had been here before, but I wanted to make the short trip on motorcycle.
I left after a heavy lunch, around noon. The initial route within the city was same as Nakhon Nayok, once out of the city, it was similar to the highway to Pattaya. I was always a bit stressed that I would unknowingly stray on to the motorway where motorcycles are not allowed.
Meteor 350 on the highway from Bangkok to Ayuthaya
The highway was dotted with big factories each giving off a different smell, some really pungent. All concrete, no greenery to speak of.
One thing I noticed during this trip that the Sump Guard which I had installed recently is reflecting more engine noise towards me. I am not exactly sure whether I would keep it or get rid of it.
Sump Guard on Royal Enfield Meteor 350
I did the entire trip in one go. At Ayuthaya, I just drove around the city aimlessly without stopping.
Meteor 350 near a Stupa at Ayuthaya
On the way back, I ran into some drizzle, so stopped at a Gas station for a few minutes. Luckily it was over soon and I returned home on time.
Continuing my series, this is my latest road trip, to some scenic places in Nakhon Nayok province. The province of Nakhon Nayok is dotted with beautiful places, with more than 10 waterfalls. Covering all of them will take multiple trips, so I decided to do 2 places in this first trip:
This time, I used the lessons learnt from my previous road trip and did not have to stop many times.
It had rained the entire day and night before my trip, so I was a bit apprehensive about getting stuck in rain. Once again, I stated my journey on rain-soaked streets with BBC World Service in my ears.
Unlike Pattaya, heading out of Bangkok was a breeze. There was hardly any traffic and within 30 minutes, I was on the 6-lane highway 305 to Nakhon Nayok.
Highway 305 to Nakhon Nayok
Unlike the motorway to Pattaya, highway 305 is much more biker friendly and much less scary. In fact, after 50kms or so, it turns into a 4-line winding road running parallel to a Khlong. The entire route smelled of rain-soaked vegetation which I loved. Reminded me of early morning bicycle rides in Durgapur.
Highway 305 to Nakhon Nayok Adjacent to a Khlong
There are quaint little bridges all over the Khlong for people to cross.
On a bridge over Baan Khlong Malong
My motorcycle is on its second phase of running in, so I rode at a base speed of 70kmph with bursts up to 80kmph.
Wang Ta Krai National Park
First stop was Wang Ta Krai National park with a waterfall of the same name. You can ride your motorcycle a bit into the park.
Premises of Wang Ta Krai national park
I was surprised to see that cars, on the other hand, could go all the way in. Perhaps it is because of the horrible noise that Thai scooters make.
The waterfall is not very impressive; is a series of small falls over a long distance. Next to the gentle stream, you can see people picnicking.
Stream in Wang Ta Krai national ParkWang Ta Krai national parkStream in Wang Ta Krai national ParkPeople wading in the waters of Wang Ta Krai waterfallWang Ta Krai national Park
I spent an hour there and then moved on to my next stop.
Khun Dan Prakarn Chon Dam
The dam is only a short distance away and the last few kms are winding hilly roads which I loved to navigate. The dam itself is quite imposing.
Khun Dan Prakarn Chon Dam
I was happy to see some fauna there.
A pet dog at Khun Dan Prakarn Chon DamSoi dogs at Khun Dan Prakarn Chon Dam
After the dam, I went for a coffee to Nong Coffee, a modern cafe nearby.
Iced Espresso at Nong CafeNong Cafe
The trip back was as fun; I stopped only once for a bio-break. Also, unlike the last trip (where I couldn’t wait to get back, this time I was a bit sad as the distance to home wound down to zero.
As you can see from my last post, I bought a new motorcycle. Since then, I had been bitten by the wanderlust bug. My hands had been continuously itching to take the motorcycle on the highway. So, the soonest I could, I decided to drive from Bangkok to Pattaya Beach.
I have done this trip before, but that motorcycle was not suitable for highway riding and I wanted to do it again, the right way.
Bangkok to Pattaya
On the morning of the ride, I woke up to find the city soaked in rain overnight, so I left with caution. The way out of the city was painful with morning traffic, but outside, I opened up the throttle a bit.
Since the motorcycle is new, I had to follow running-in restrictions. I drove at a steady 60kmph with occasional 10-20 second bursts up to 70kmph. At this speed, I could not keep up with traffic on the motorway, so had to drive on the frontage road.
Frontage road at Bang Phli
The motorway from Bangkok to Pattaya is highly developed, with 22 lanes (8 lanes on the upper level, 8 lanes in the lower level and 6 lanes frontage) in most places. There are restrictions on where motorcycles can be driven, so need to pay close attention to Google Maps, which is mostly correct as long as you select the motorcycle option.
On a bridge over Khlong near Bang PakongNear a lake at Bang PakongAt a PTT station
Stopped to take breaks many times to give the engine a break (and also sneak in some photos). Was quite impressed with the low-end performance of the engine. Gear shifts were mostly not required, as the bike can thump its way up in 5th gear from as low as 35kmph.
In Si Racha district, the view is quite nice as the road passes in between various hills.
Near a hill at Si Racha
Pattaya Beach
Because I stopped so many times, it almost took me 3 hours to get there. Once there, I spent some time chilling at Pattaya beach.
At Pattaya beachIn front of Pattaya BeachAt Pattaya Beach
After getting my feet wet, I went to a cafe to drink some coffee and have a snack. It was typical below-average tourist fare.
Coffee at a cafe at Pattaya beachBruschetta at a cafe at Pattaya beachView of Pattaya beach from a cafe
Pattaya to Bangkok
On the way back, I focused on making good time and only stopped at one place to take the below photo of the Bang Pakong river.
At a bridge over Bang Pakong river
On the way back, it only took me 2 hours to get back home.
Tripper
The Tripper proved its worth, as it provided very clear directions and I didn’t have to stop and look at my phone (which was nested safely away in my saddle bag) even once. On the 3 hour ride to Pattaya, my phone lost 23% charge, with tripper navigation as well as audio streaming (And the occasional photo).
Also, found a weird bug in that the tripper’s display and my polarised sunglasses seem to have the same polarisation plane when I am seated normally, which completely blanks out the tripper. If I move my head 10 degrees to the left or right or rotate my head 10 degrees clockwise or counter-clockwise, the display comes back.
This happens only with polarised glasses, regular sunglasses work fine.
Lessons Learnt
Learnt the below lessons which I plan to apply to my next trip(s).
Need to buy thick handlebar grips, as the factory default is too thin and cramps up my hands.
Always wear AirPods even if I don’t want to listen to anything. Active (and worst case Passive) Noise Cancellation is worth it to protect ears from traffic and wind noise.
Always wear sunglasses during the day time, even if it is not too bright, to protect eyes from the wind (I cannot, for the life of me, see through any helmet visor And keep it lifted up).
The USB charger is quite slow. So rather than wait for battery to drain and then charge the phone (Phone gained only 11% on the 3 hour trip back on charge, with navigation and audio), it is better to keep it connected from the beginning.
This trip also pushed my motorcycle over the first stage of running in, next trip should be faster.
I did have my eyes set on this one, but after a test ride, I didn’t find its riding stance suitable for long highway rides. Coming from a long history with the RE Thunderbird, the natural progression would have been to buy an RE Meteor 350, but at first, I didn’t like the Meteor 350 I saw on Royal Enfield’s website (I found it too modern, especially the allow wheels and the powered coated engine) and I found the Super Meteor 650 too busy, so initially decided to buy the Classic 350.
2022 Royal Enfield Meteor 3502022 Royal Enfield Super Meter 650
Royal Enfield Classic 350
However, when I went to the showroom, I saw the new Aurora Blue variant of the Meteor 350 and fell in love immediately and decided to buy that one.
Royal Enfield Meteor 350 in Aurora Blue
Anyways, these are my views after 10 days/200km, specifically, comparing it to my previous motorcycles.
The Good
The engine is so refined, I can hardly believe it is a Royal Enfield engine. There’re hardly any vibrations and absolutely no clanking. I am so glad they removed the pushrods and replaced them with a chain and overhead cam system. Even with a reduced stroke, the bike pulls quite well at low RPMs.
There’s still the trademark thumping. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the exhaust actually sounds good/better than the completely muted Thunderbird Twinspark. The exhaust-to-engine noise ratio is vastly improved. When cruising at constant speed, you can hardly hear the engine, only the soft, bass-rich exhaust.
I really like the dual-tone design, the chrome parts and the overall retro look compared to the regular Meteor 350. I love the spoke wheels, although that does mean giving up on having tubeless tyres.
The new rider seat is quite comfortable with a subtle but useful back-rest.
The LED headlamp is quite nice and illuminating at night.
The Tripper is useful, but a bit limited. I will dedicate a separate section for the Tripper.
Overall switchgear feels refined and comfortable to use.
The USB port for charging is very useful.
I didn’t like how the windshield looks, but I found it immensely helpful at moderate-high speeds. Allows me to keep my helmet visor open.
The Neutral
I am not entirely sure I prefer the new digital cluster as compared to analog dials. I don’t really like or hate it.
I don’t care for the ECO indicator or the gear indicator.
Because of the refinement, the engine feels the same every time I ride, which is different from the carburettor Thunderbirds I was used to, which felt different based on temperature, humidity etc.
This is my first motorcycle with a rear disc brake. The Dual-channel ABS is nice to have. The brakes do feel a bit mushy compared to what I am used to, though.
The Bad
I really-really miss the tachometer. I won’t forgive Royal Enfield for removing it.
They removed the kick starter to simplify the engine design. This means if the battery dies, you are screwed.
The engine does get hot during start-stop traffic in the city and could have benefitted from liquid cooling. However, unlike the carburettor motorcycles, it does not cause the Idle RPM to runaway or cause knocking during acceleration, thanks to the ECU.
The fuel level indication is wonky.
Meteor 350 at Bangchak Bang Na
The Tripper
Tripper on the Royal Enfield Meteor 350
The Tripper is a pseudo-navigation system developed by Royal Enfield. Here are my thoughts on it:
The tripper connects to the Royal Enfield app on your phone and receives instructions from your phone, hence is dependant on it. However, unlike doing navigation directly on the phone, using the tripper uses much less battery on the phone itself (I measured 6-7% drain per hour on my phone, all inclusive).
It uses Google maps data, so navigation is quite accurate. Supports live re-routing and previewing multiple routes before starting the trip. Has the regular Google Maps options to exclude things like tolls, ferries, highways etc.
At first, I struggled to understand tripper’s instructions and found myself stopping and reaching for my phone. However, once you make an effort to understand the symbols, it feels quite useful. I am now forcing myself not to look at my phone.
This has also increased my directional awareness of and I find myself paying more attention to the road and signs instead of my phone.
Meteor 350 at a pit-stop at Nonthaburi
Technical comparison with Previous Motorcycles
Here’s a comparison of specifications of different motorcycles I have had over the years (All single cylinder):
When I was young, I was somewhat of an early adopter. Especially for new technologies and products. However, being an early adopter comes with some glaring disadvantages. In this post, I will write about how I got burnt many times throughout my life.
Early Adopters
1. Nickel Cadmium rechargeable batteries
When I was growing up, I had many toys. Lots of them. Most of these toys were electronic and it was a pain asking parents to buy me batteries when they ran out. So when rechargeable Ni-Cd batteries were introduced, I was all over them. I convinced my parents to buy me some batteries and a charger. However, there were some major disadvantages.
The batteries got extremely hot while charging – I had a few melt down over the years
They produced only 1.2V instead of the 1.5V of regular batteries and some gadgets didn’t like that.
Eventually, they never caught on and I had to go back to regular batteries.
2. Hero Ranger Bicycle with shock absorbers
When we moved to Chandigarh, I was confronted with kids showing off everywhere. The cool kids rode fancy bicycles and the legendary kids already rode scooters and motorcycles at age 14. I started feeling real inadequate about my regular bicycle and asked my parents for a newer one. They asked me to chose between a bicycle with shock absorbers and a bicycle with gear shift (Hero Swing, which had both was out of the question). I (foolishly) chose the bicycle with shock absorbers.
For one, the bicycle had shock absorbers only in the front. Each speed bump still felt like a hammer to the tail bone. Secondly, the bicycle was heavy as fuck. It too much more effort to ride it compared to my last one. Also, within a few months, the shock absorbers started squeaking and sagging. There were no mechanics near my place who could fix it. Eventually, within a couple of years, the shock absorbers bottomed out completely. What a waste!
3. Royal Enfield Thunderbird (First edition)
This was my first bike and the only bike I loved. I bought it when it was just released. One highlight was that it came with an all new aluminium AVL engine. It was supposed to be lighter and more efficient (it was both). However, the engine was terribly unrefined compared to the traditional Royal Enfield engines. The main problem was that its tappets made a lot of noise and the pushrods needed constant adjustment. This continued to bother me till the time the bike got stolen. The bike also leaked engine oil like a sieve.
Subsequent versions came with self-adjusting pushrods and much better oil seals.
4. Nokia Lumia 900
Nokia Lumia 900, not mine
I remember when I first saw the keynote for Windows Phone 7. I was blown away by how beautiful the OS looked and how smooth everything worked. As soon as I could, I bought a Lumia 900. However, the OS was still in its infancy and although polished, lacked a good app ecosystem. Even worse, the Lumia 900 got no major OS upgrades and the phone was obsolete within a year.
5. Reliance Infocomm CDMA phone
Reliance LG RD2030, not mine
I was a super early adopter of Reliance’s CDMA phones. Like I got one within a few weeks of their network launching. My first CDMA phone was also my first phone ever, the LG RD2030. Only 1 other person I knew had a CDMA phone. We felt like pioneers. However, the experience was shitty.
The phone became very hot when making calls or accessing the internet.
The battery life was abysmal.
The charger was a dock-type and it was impossible to use the phone while charging.
The display was grayscale with a blue backlight.
Your number changed every time you roamed into a new state.
When the CDMA network launched, it was marketed as a “Wireless Land Line” and all CDMA phones had a landline-like number with an STD code. In a couple of years, the government made that illegal and everyone had to deal with a number change without warning.
Reliance solved most of these issues after a few years, but CDMA never caught on and died a painful death.
6. Surface Pro 3
Microsoft Surface Pro 3, not mine
It is a testament to Microsoft’s shitty product quality that even a 3rd generation product provided an early adopter experience. The Surface Pro 3 was a gift from a fiend. It was a top of the line model but was the epitome of unrefinement
The chassis got very hot and led to CPU throttling. The CPU couldn’t burst for more than a few seconds at a time.
The fan whirred all the time and was very loud.
The fan still didn’t provide sufficient cooling and I had to carry around an external fan to cool it.
It didn’t go to sleep every time the lid was closed and led to it discharging in the bag.
The pen randomly stopped working without warning.
I am sure if I were still in India, I would have been tempted to get an EV and consequently suffered again.
I frequently dream about my college days in Nagpur. Although most of those dreams are actually nightmares with a recurring theme, some are actually pleasant. Last night I dreamt that my daughter took admission in some Nagpur college & me and my wife also moved there to be closer to her. There, I was roaming around on my motorcycle and made acquaintance of some college students.
Although I have been to Nagpur many times since I graduated, it is not the same going back as an adult.
