How does a GPX Demon GR 165R hold up on a cross-country tour?

There's a common myth that non-Japanese automobiles can never stand up to the reliability of Japanese vehicles. Japanese bikes are believed to last longer than say a GPX from Thailand. 

To put an end to this myth, Musdaque Chowdhury, adventure motorcyclist and ambassador of GPX Generic Bangladesh, set out on a quest to ride through all of India in three months, covering around 26,000 KMs on his GPX Demon GR 165R.

The GPX Demon is regarded as one of the best value for money sports bikes currently available in Bangladesh. Priced at only Tk 3,20,000, the Demon is a popular alternative to the Japanese bikes that dominate the sports bike market in Bangladesh because of its  comparatively cheaper price. 

Previously, Musdaque set out with his bike to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah. He, however, had to abandon his trip due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Nearly three years of a pandemic and a prolonged travel ban later, as countries began easing travel restrictions, Musdaque set out to ride through all 28 states of the seventh-largest nation in the world – India.

The first time Musdaque travelled through India was when he was on his way to Saudi Arabia in 2019. 

"During my journey to Saudi Arabia, I travelled through India; however, I did not get the chance to explore its famous landmarks."  Musdaque said during the interview with The Business Standard. "I knew I had to explore the country some day."

He started preparing for the tour in August, 2022. Back then his Demon 165R had a mileage of 15,000 KMs in Bangladesh. The bike is powered by a liquid cooled 2-valve fuel injected 165cc engine. Paired to a 6-speed transmission, it makes a power output of 17.8 bhp and 16.0 Nm of torque. 

"After testing the Demon on all sorts of terrains and road conditions, the bike proved to be quite capable," he said. 

Musdaque believes that sports bikes are the best option for long tours. This is also why he chose the Suzuki GSX-R150 during his trip to Saudi Arabia.

"Adventure and touring motorcycles available in Bangladesh lack power – I would not be able to exceed 120 km/h even on full throttle due to wind resistance," he said. "Riding such motorbikes with speed limitations on India's expressways and highways, coupled with luggage weight, can make roads feel never-ending. But with the GPX Demon, I could comfortably cruise at 130 km/h even with my luggage, and still have room for more power." 

Sports bikes, like the GPX Demon, tend to sacrifice comfort for better handling. They usually have a very stiff suspension. 

However, according to Musdaque, this isn't much of a concern when riding across countries; the majority of the terrain he covered consisted of highways and expressways. These roads are smooth, and sports bikes get good traction on them. You won't have to sacrifice comfort. 

Musdaque believes that the extra power of a sports bike helped him complete his tour more efficiently. However, crossing borders with a personal vehicle isn't as easy. As he explained,  "When I was entering India through Benapole, the customs authority was unaware of the fact that Bangladesh's Carnet De Passage – passport for automotive vehicles – was accepted in India after the long travel ban due to Covid-19. I had to wait at the immigration for five hours before I got the customs authority's clearance. The entire process was quite stressful."

 He also faced a language barrier in different parts of India. Finding hotels and places where payments are accepted with international cards, especially in fuel stations and corner stores, was a hassle as well.

Musdaque also realised that when the weather is hot, riding with high RPMs can affect fuel economy. 

"I miscalculated my bike's average fuel economy, and it once left me stranded on a highway in South India," he said,  "Luckily, while asking for help or a lift by the highway, I came across a fellow motorcyclist who pushed my bike to the nearest fuel station."

"On my way to Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, I also got into a small accident. I crashed with another bike. My collar bone was fractured, and I had to take a break. I returned to Bangladesh for two months to recover," he added.

 Being continuously ridden for so long, the bike nearly gave up during some parts of the trip. 

"It once happened due to the Diablo Rosso III tires. Being made from a soft compound, it had over 20 punctures, and I had to replace it even before the first half of the trip was barely complete," he said. 

Musdaque suggests using hard compound tires for all trips. 

Another time, the bike's spark plug – a plug he had bought from India which had a heat capacity lower than the recommended range for the bike – burnt away. 

He also had issues with spare parts. Oil seals, air filters, throttle cables, ball racers, etc, were not available in India. Musdaque had to carry these with him throughout the tour. 

All in all, Musdaque believes all the mechanical issues occurred because of the abuse the bike went through. 

In total, Musdaque covered 20 states of India including 6 union territories. His rides included Kashmir to Kanyakumari (locally known as K2K), The Golden Quadrilateral or GQ and Umlingla Pass - The Highest Motorable Pass in the World.

"Despite the Demon being a sports bike, it had been put under extreme stress, and carried loads higher than it was meant for.  However, the GPX still proved to be quite capable and served me well throughout the trip," he said. "However, I had to rebuild the engine as soon as I returned to Bangladesh."