This week we've been staying with an Australian family (Jeremy, Leisa, Jack and Sophia), one of whom works at the embassy, in their huge house in Vasant Vihar, Delhi! It's very comfortable here, we've even attempted to leave once and failed. The family have moved out instead. In the meantime though Delhi was less about sight seeing and more about trying to find parts for my bike... What an effort.
Kaulson Racing
They had rear brake pads that fit my bike, they were left over stock and they don't normally keep them though. I've found the local Suzuki Pulsar bike has a front brake pad that will fit my bike, just. They also had spark plugs and a few other miscellaneous items I needed, but no oil filter or air filter, and only a rear tyre that would fit my bike. So if you're looking for parts they may be able to help. They did add the massive foreigner tax to everything though ($20 for rear pads, the fronts were $6).
But....
The rear tyre they had was a Michilin Anakee and it's a long lasting touring tyre that would get me to Europe. However they had no front tyres that would fit. Before I even got there they had sent off an an order for one! Excellent! But then I learnt that the front they ordered was a Bridgestone Trailwing, which doesn't last nearly as long as the Anakee... I haven't given them money, and I reserve my right to until I know what actually arrives, and when, and how much.
Also but....
Drew had dropped off his Vespa there to get repaired. We both went to see what they were doing and Leisa had let us use their driver to get out there. The driver came into the workshop with us but after about a minute there was a lot of hindi being spoken between the mechanics and the driver, and the owners. And the driver spoke up and said that they wanted him to leave the workshop... And the owners confrimed it. Very very dodgy to do that right in front of us. Sure use your native/second language to discuss things with staff, but if you're going to discuss ripping us off do it later and don't ask the native speaker to leave. Because of that I'm less inclined to buy the tyres from them even though they might be the only people that can get them.
High Note Performance
I randomly stumbled on this place when I was searching for full leather summer gloves in Delhi. My old ones are quite manky and torn in places and they were also chewed by a dog.
I happened to randomly search for Rev'it (the brand of the old gloves) and Delhi and found a link to their facebook page. They had an address on their page but because there aren't really street numbers here they just mentioned which road they were on, and it was a 10 km road. I send them a facebook message and a response came back fairly quickly with GPS coordinates to the shop!
They've only been open since Feburary but they have a lot of Rev'it items, TCX boots (also what I use), and helmets and various other riding gear. They don't deal in parts yet, but if you need some sort of protection from Indian traffic they should have something. They try to price everything the same as what you could get it for in the US and Europe (TAKE NOTE AUSTRALIA), but this eats into their profits.
This was the only option to replace gear that I've found that will fit massive westerners. And a bigger selection that other places.
Karol Barg
Karol Barg is a suburb just west of the centre of Delhi which has hundreds of Motorbike shops. If you get yourself here you'll find a street and side streets filled with various motorbike shops. There are lots more around the area too. Lots of car audio shops on the walk from the metro station.
However, no parts for my bike. I asked in lots of places, they kept directing me to other stores which may have what I want. One store directed us to street 29, which is lined with shops specializing in one thing each. There was a cam and valve shop, a sprocket shop, handlebar handgrip shop, etc etc etc. It went on for ages. Every side street is like this.
I was looking for an oil filter but no one stocks the K&N or Hiflo or Mann part that would fit my bike. Even if they did have it I'm not sure how they would find stock. They all wanted to see the filter to find something that would fit but I didn't want to drain the oil to get the filter just to be told there's nothing that would fit. It's dusty here but hopefully it will last till Dubai where I can import anything duty free.
Khan Market Car Market
Khan Market is one of the most expensive retail real estates in the world. But it's nothing special, same crap different more expensive place. Out the back of it however is the "Car Market" which is a section of shops much like Karol Barg but devoted to car parts and servicing, but on a much much smaller scale. You can get various oils and sprays there, however I didn't get anything important.
Random guy in Vasant Enclave
Somewhere here is a random guy that the families driver took us to to ask about parts. He couldn't do much without seeing what I wanted replaced (usual story). He did have a selection of cars and bikes he was restoring.
There was also an old BSA waiting to get restored, and a 1949 48cc Lambretta too.
The only other motorbike shop we found was the Harley Davidson shop in Vasant Kunj Mall (DLF Prominade) which had gloves and other overpriced items, but nothing in massive westerner sizes.
And that's it. That's all we found in the way of motorbike shops in Delhi. I didn't get to replace my oil or air filters, or tyres (yet). To Dubai!
 |
| See, it's in partial bits. Found mud all through the carby and air filter. |
Kaulson Racing
They had rear brake pads that fit my bike, they were left over stock and they don't normally keep them though. I've found the local Suzuki Pulsar bike has a front brake pad that will fit my bike, just. They also had spark plugs and a few other miscellaneous items I needed, but no oil filter or air filter, and only a rear tyre that would fit my bike. So if you're looking for parts they may be able to help. They did add the massive foreigner tax to everything though ($20 for rear pads, the fronts were $6).
But....
The rear tyre they had was a Michilin Anakee and it's a long lasting touring tyre that would get me to Europe. However they had no front tyres that would fit. Before I even got there they had sent off an an order for one! Excellent! But then I learnt that the front they ordered was a Bridgestone Trailwing, which doesn't last nearly as long as the Anakee... I haven't given them money, and I reserve my right to until I know what actually arrives, and when, and how much.
Also but....
Drew had dropped off his Vespa there to get repaired. We both went to see what they were doing and Leisa had let us use their driver to get out there. The driver came into the workshop with us but after about a minute there was a lot of hindi being spoken between the mechanics and the driver, and the owners. And the driver spoke up and said that they wanted him to leave the workshop... And the owners confrimed it. Very very dodgy to do that right in front of us. Sure use your native/second language to discuss things with staff, but if you're going to discuss ripping us off do it later and don't ask the native speaker to leave. Because of that I'm less inclined to buy the tyres from them even though they might be the only people that can get them.
High Note Performance
I randomly stumbled on this place when I was searching for full leather summer gloves in Delhi. My old ones are quite manky and torn in places and they were also chewed by a dog.
I happened to randomly search for Rev'it (the brand of the old gloves) and Delhi and found a link to their facebook page. They had an address on their page but because there aren't really street numbers here they just mentioned which road they were on, and it was a 10 km road. I send them a facebook message and a response came back fairly quickly with GPS coordinates to the shop!
They've only been open since Feburary but they have a lot of Rev'it items, TCX boots (also what I use), and helmets and various other riding gear. They don't deal in parts yet, but if you need some sort of protection from Indian traffic they should have something. They try to price everything the same as what you could get it for in the US and Europe (TAKE NOTE AUSTRALIA), but this eats into their profits.
This was the only option to replace gear that I've found that will fit massive westerners. And a bigger selection that other places.
Karol Barg
Karol Barg is a suburb just west of the centre of Delhi which has hundreds of Motorbike shops. If you get yourself here you'll find a street and side streets filled with various motorbike shops. There are lots more around the area too. Lots of car audio shops on the walk from the metro station.
However, no parts for my bike. I asked in lots of places, they kept directing me to other stores which may have what I want. One store directed us to street 29, which is lined with shops specializing in one thing each. There was a cam and valve shop, a sprocket shop, handlebar handgrip shop, etc etc etc. It went on for ages. Every side street is like this.
 |
| Street 29. One shop one part! |
 |
| The main bike street. |
I was looking for an oil filter but no one stocks the K&N or Hiflo or Mann part that would fit my bike. Even if they did have it I'm not sure how they would find stock. They all wanted to see the filter to find something that would fit but I didn't want to drain the oil to get the filter just to be told there's nothing that would fit. It's dusty here but hopefully it will last till Dubai where I can import anything duty free.
Khan Market Car Market
Khan Market is one of the most expensive retail real estates in the world. But it's nothing special, same crap different more expensive place. Out the back of it however is the "Car Market" which is a section of shops much like Karol Barg but devoted to car parts and servicing, but on a much much smaller scale. You can get various oils and sprays there, however I didn't get anything important.
 |
| EXCEPT THIS! A tiny can of WD40! |
Random guy in Vasant Enclave
Somewhere here is a random guy that the families driver took us to to ask about parts. He couldn't do much without seeing what I wanted replaced (usual story). He did have a selection of cars and bikes he was restoring.
 |
| A 2001 Honda VFR. I want one! But in Black. And in Europe, not here. |
 |
| A Fiat 514 he was restoring. |
 |
| See, says 514 right there. |
There was also an old BSA waiting to get restored, and a 1949 48cc Lambretta too.
The only other motorbike shop we found was the Harley Davidson shop in Vasant Kunj Mall (DLF Prominade) which had gloves and other overpriced items, but nothing in massive westerner sizes.
And that's it. That's all we found in the way of motorbike shops in Delhi. I didn't get to replace my oil or air filters, or tyres (yet). To Dubai!
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