Friday, April 27, 2012

My TVS Fiero FX (2004)



Prologue

It’s the year 2004. I had graduated from college and my mom had decided that it was time I got a present for making it this far without being arrested or hooked on to drugs. I was to get… *hold your breath*… a motorcycle of my choice! Was I lucky? Were my parents spoiling me? Did I truly deserve this? You and I will never know the true answers to those questions. All that stands in the end are my TVS Fiero FX and me! As an afterthought, I would answer all those questions with one word – Fate! Little did my folks know that I had actually seen an ad for a TVS Fiero FX in the newspapers a few days ago. Little did they know the fact that I had cut out the advert and kept it safely in my drawer. Little do you know that I still have the ad with me. Honest! I will add the scan here to prove it.


The ad as it appeared in the Times of India
All I could blurt out as an answer to their generosity was “I would like a TVS Fiero FX.” The very same day, plans were made to source this dream machine. I eagerly called my best friend who owned a TVS Fiero F2 and tracked down the dealer. A visit was planned, inquiries were made and a phone booking was carried out. My motorcycle was to reach the store in two days and I was to come pick it up. In those couple of days, you can only imagine how less I slept and how much I spoke.

The 25th of May clocked in and I was on enroute to the store. As I got off the rickshaw to head to the store, I was greeted with the back of my machine. It was on centre stand and I was on its right side. So clear is my memory that I remember the steering was tilted to the left and all its amazing chrome was gleaming. It just blew my mind. The color was the one I had requested – Solid black! Just plain black! In all its infinite darkness! Needless to say, I took the keys and waited impatiently while my parents finished the paperwork. As soon as the deal was done, I keyed in the ignition, threw my leg over, kicked it alive and took off for home to park it a pre-determined spot. My parents followed in a rickshaw – a vehicle I would grow to despise, as I was now a motorcyclist.



Reality Check

I was handed the keys to my TVS Fiero FX on the 25th of May in 2004. It has been nearly eight years since this bike got me by the… um… bhp ? I have ridden it within the state I live in (MH) and hope to take it for extended visits to other parts of the country in the future. I hereby declare in sound mind and sound body that I am completely a student of “motorcycle” and hope to learn everything that there is to know about my Fiero.

My tryst with motorcycles started when I was approximately 10 years old. I have fond memories of riding with my Uncle on his Yezdi 250 Roadking and then learning to ride on my friend’s Suzuki Shaolin when I was 13. Needless to say, I was totally hooked on to the power, the sound, the look, the smell, everything… and not necessarily in that order. These separate incidents would go on to sow a 2-wheeled seed in my fertile mind and I would get dreams of owning my own machine one day. Sigh… I digress!



Moving On

What happened after the initial day I got my first bike is a blur. That first kick was followed by many more. The kms racked up incredibly fast as I took my bike to work, to play, to treks, to parties… In short, everywhere I went, I went with my bike.



Go Fiero Go!

I could go on about accomplishments like the fact that it has been mentioned in the Limca Book of Records because a few men astride Fiero FXs rode on 4 of the world’s highest motorable passes in just 24 hours. According to another ad, (whose scan I will add here too), it has covered a Bombay-Bangalore road trip in 12 hours flat. It is also a 4-time National Motocross Champion.


Another print ad
 Time For Tech Specs

A lot of Fieros are still being used on dirt tracks today even though production of this screamer has stopped sadly. The tech on this bike is mindblowing! Besides a superb engine with a great chassis, it has many parts manufactured by reputed automotive brands. Pricol makes few of the engine components as well as the instrument cluster and fuel tank float. The front disc brake kit is all thanks to TVS’ tie-up with Girling; it’s one of the few bikes in India to have a disc brake on the left. A Ucal Mikuni BS26 carburettor governs the air/fuel intake; it’s one of India’s first CV ones. Ucal Mikuni also manufactures the SAI (secondary air induction) on the motorcycle. Gabriel shock absorbers (oil damped) are on duty at the back. A Champion spark plug came fitted as stock. Headlamp illumination is provided all thanks to a Philips halogen bulb, which is safely enclosed in fixtures by Fiem. Horns are courtesy of Minda. The air box features a double polyurethane foam filter element that is encased in a wire mesh, just like the Husabergs. The inside of the tank has marine paint, which does not let the metal rust. And I got all this for under half a lakh Indian Rupees! That’s not a typo!

To give you a few figures:

  • The TVS Fiero FX has an air-cooled 4 stroke OHC engine.
  • The torque of 11.3nm kicks in @ 6000rpm.
  • The 147.5cc motor churns out 12bhp @ 7500rpm and rear wheel gets drive after passing an          (N-1-2-3-4) speed constant mesh gearbox combined with a wet multiplate clutch.
  • It is approx 126kg in weight, which translates to good power-to-weight-ratio. The chassis is a tubular double cradle.
  • The tank holds 13 litres with 2 in reserve.
  • Its ignition system is digital CDI – AC and the rest runs on a 12V 2.5Ah battery.

I could keep drilling your head with the tech specs and brand names, but the ride quality and “feel” is what really gets you. Well, at least it got me. And I’m stoked that I got one.



Handling

I believe a picture says a 1000 words. Thus, this video should speak for itself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z1vdHkRnuU




Care

All I do to maintain my TVS Fiero FX is that I wash it once a month, change the oil and oil filter once every 2 months (I use Castrol Power 1 and Motul 3000 4T plus sometimes) and… well, that’s about it. I keep an eye on the oil level and spark plug to determine engine health. I personally clean the air filter and spark plug prong. Get the piston decarbed occasionally and the bike feels like new. Set the valve travel and timing and you’re good to go. Tune and clean the carb and you’re sure to ride hassle-free. An occasional dose of engine oil additives will keep your block rev-happy. Coat the contacts of the battery with petroleum jelly to extend their life. I have changed the chain and sprocket set and battery just once in all of the bike’s life. Ditto for the clutch plates. I have gone through only 5 spark plugs. I have changed the tyres for better performance. If you notice, it’s not an expensive bike to maintain. I have managed to keep away from major expenses during the occasional fall because I have retained the crash guard. Most basic tinkering can be carried out with help of the complementary toolkit TVS provides.



Criticism

And now, for the cons! What did you think? This is the world’s most perfect motorcycle? As any true motorcyclist will know – each bike has its own temperament. One has to learn to work with his machine’s limitations. The TVS Fiero FX is notorious for not making much of a noise. That’s true. It’s exhaust note is very silent for a motorcycle, which can be frustrating to purists who believe in making a racket. The tyres… Damn! The lesser said the better. But you know what? I have to put it out there. The stock Fiero tyres suck! Big time! The pickup is all right. It will not let you win all red light drags. But it will not embarrass you either. The bike tends to lose power on elevated twisties, such as the roads of Lonavla. It’s top end is 100km/hr as per the manual. Me and other owners have repeatedly proved this incorrect. It can be taken faster; however, sudden braking may cause the rear to slide a bit. Moreover, newer bikes are more speed friendly because in the TVS Fiero FX the emphasis was on torque. The seat is strictly okay for quick rides but it is not made for long hauls. Of course, and since now that production has ceased, parts take longer to find than usual and service centers are few and far between.



Evolution Revolution

The evo of the Fiero engine can be put in this way - Suzuki Fiero > TVS Fiero F2 > TVS Fiero FX > TVS Apache 150 > TVS Apache 160 > TVS Apache 180. As you can tell, the block has evolved to a bigger cubic capacity over the years. However, I still think that a TVS Fiero FX still rocks my world as opposed to the other bikes around. Don’t get me wrong, the other bikes in the market are definitely good. But the robust performance and rideability of the bike harks of days gone by. The low weight, the flickability, the almost non-existent maintenance, etc all appeal to riders who owned 2-strokes, Bullets and Yezdis – in short, the bikes of yesteryears. The TVS Fiero FX is still respected by owners of current bikes for its simplicity and reliability. Sadly, the styling seems dated now.



Customization

And that’s the reason you’ll see mine being tricked out occasionally. Currently, my machine has slightly longer front fork travel. I have fitted on a lighter motocross mudguard; the fork gaiters help from keeping mud and rain off the exposed tubes. The rear shocks have been reconditioned and are stiffer, which make for an aggressive ride. A newer loud horn to warn pesky pedestrians has been added. An NGK PRG 7C plug has been added for performance. I am using a bigger front sprocket for better top end and lesser stress on the engine. It’s a simple mod anyone can do. By the way, my bike returned a mileage of ~60kmpl when it was new. The figure now stands at ~40kmpl. Not too bad… I think. The TVS Fiero FX has a formidable midrange due to its motocross lineage. In fact, the 3rd gear has one of the best ratios I have experienced. I opted for a MRF 3.00 × 18 Moto C upfront and a Ceat Secura Sport 3.00 × 18 Vertigo for the rear. They do kill the mileage a bit but that’s better than killing yourself. Plus, their button design helps me with occasional off-roading. I am currently using a wider handle bar with sturdier handgrips. The mirrors, turn indicators, skirt guard, exhaust heat shield and chain cover have been removed to make the kerb weight lesser. Also missing is the instrument cluster because I don’t care to be told how much fuel is left or how fast I am going or how many kms my engine has done and at what rpm I should change gears optimally. It’s all in the head, man! Do what you feel and feel what you do… That’s the reason I got a motorcycle. That is also the same reason why I got a TVS Fiero FX. To express myself…



Side angle



rage...


Anger seems to me to be the purest emotion. I mean, it’s the strongest from the rest in my opinion. It is so pure. It tends to lean towards fire if we are talking elements. There is nothing airy or earthy about it. And definitely nothing water or aqua about it. From the color spectrum, it can be associated with red for sure. It does not have a green or blue vibe. Maybe a little yellow; but it definitely goes with red.

It’s just too pure. I’m not an angry person and nor am I promoting violence. I’m just accepting the purity of rage. I mean, it comes with responsibility attached. People who are happy, sad, or in love can allow themselves to be irresponsible. But anger demands responsibility. Case in point – Dr. Bruce Banner aka the Hulk. Enough said. If anything at all, due to its power it leads to other emotions. A few of them have their roots in anger. Anger, on the other hand, is capable of being a standalone. It doesn’t need help.

There’s hate and despair and there’s happiness and sadness too. But truth be told, anger seems to rule the roost. I keep coming back to the word “pure.” Cuz it just seems like it is. It demands so much energy. And it is so potent by nature. In essence, it lets you know yourself. And truly, it has made people go beyond their limits. It has made them know themselves. It has different forms. It’s explosive. It simmers. It’s latent. It’s there. Always. Omnipresent. Hibernating. You can tap into it. Or you can let it consume you.

It can make you a powerhouse or it can break you. It allows you to know your true self and all your potential. If emotions were cars, then anger would have the best pick up. It can totally zoom. It can put things in orbit because of its raw power. It’s flashy. It gets attention. It can be loud. Or it can have a low rumble. If it was part of the weather, then it would be a twister. Building up with pressure. Coming in swiftly without warning to lay down a path of destruction. Bringing everything to a standstill. Accompanied with dark brooding clouds. And black skies.

People may lie when they are in love, or jealous, when they are sad or even when they are happy. But they will always tell the truth when they are angry. It just comes bursting forth in all its ugly brutality. Anger is honest. It’s true. It’s pure. Anger is a person’s base quality. It’s the first building block in the stack of emotions. The rest merely rely on it.