INDIAN MOTORCYCLES REVIES AND LATEST BIKE NEWS

Bajaj Auto launched the new look Pulsar range

2011-10-07T18:30:00.000-07:00

Bajaj Auto launched the new look Pulsar range range of its premium motorcycles – the Bajaj Pulsar. For the first time the erstwhile solid color Pulsar will now sport trendy graphics that give the bike more aggression and highlight its famous curves and muscular fuel tank.

The new graphics will be available on the Bajaj Pulsar 150, Bajaj Pulsar 180 and Bajaj Pulsar 220 and will replace the existing solid color bikes. The decals on the naked Bajaj Pulsar can be seen starting from the side cover (located at the base of the fuel tank) and running down the length of the bikes rear seat cowl. The faired Pulsar 220 has the two tone graphics extending smartly across its fairing.

The decals come in two options: red with black and blue with black. In addition to the decals, the handle bar and rear grab rails are also black. The engine and side step holder sport a new moonlight silver color giving them a road presence like none other. “The decals have added a new dimension to the look of the Pulsar, making it more aggressive and sporty. These decals along with the engine color scheme give the Pulsar a fresh and unique feel. The decals have been launched as a festival offering to Pulsar lovers” said Mr. R. Chandrasekar – GM - Marketing & Sales, Bajaj Auto Ltd.

BMW To Launch Sub 1000cc Bikes By January

2011-10-07T18:26:00.000-07:00

BMW Motorrad, the name that has recently became synonymous with high performance bikes all across the globe which entered the Indian market early this year has expressed plans to launch bikes in the sub 1000 cc category by January of next year.

In an interview to the PTI, Mr. Sharad Kachalia, Managing Director, Navnit Motors said, “We will launch bikes below 1,000 cc in the domestic market in January.”
BMW Motorrad, which is the two wheeler wing of Germany’s BMW is not involved into the business directly. The company has appointed two dealers with which these bikes are brought into the country.
The two dealer names which take care of the operations of BMW Motorrad are Deutsche Motoren in Delhi and Navnit Motors in Mumbai. These dealers import bikes as Completely Built Units (CBUs) from the company’s plant situated in Berlin, Germany.
According to Mr. Kachalia, BMW Motorrad targets to sell over 50 motorcycles by the end of this year. This proposed target seems to be pretty feasible taking into consideration its brand image worldwide. He said, “We have already sold 39 bikes so far and our target is to sell over 50 bikes by December.
The company has decided to launch this new bike in India owing to the growing business opportunity for the company. India in presently a market of great potential and that’s the reason why all major manufacturers are interested in marking their presence here. “The demand for superbikes is growing here and we want to tap the opportunity,” said.
BMW Motorrad presently sells six models in the country, all in the 1000 cc plus category. The six models are the R1200R, S1000RR, R1200GS, K1300, K1600GTL and the HP2. These models bear a price tag of INR 18 lakh onwards. Out of these 6 models, the S1000 RR, R1200 GS, the K1600GTL account for major sales for the company.
“All our models have a good demand, but our three models — the S1000 RR, R1200 GS, the K1600GTL— have better demand. Our all bikes are above 1,000 cc and in the price range Rs 18—25—lakh,” Mr. Kachalia said

Diesel scooter with a Fuel Efficiency of 110kmpl

2011-06-13T21:38:00.000-07:00

Four engineering students from Bangalore have developed a diesel Scooter that gives a mileage of 110km/liter – a challenging task accomplished by the innovative brains.

A magnificent idea that can be of a great help to the common man who struggles with the never-ending fuel price hikes, the young brains from the at the M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology took the challenge of developing a two wheeler diesel engine with automatic gear and automatic clutch and have successfully carried out the project.

Guided by their project guide Dr. S V Prakash, four mechanical engineering students namely Naveen V V, Tony Paul, Nadeem Anwar and Sanjay Bhushan decided develop a diesel-run two-wheeler as our final year project. Fitting a Bullet engine to Kinetic Blaze, they had to do a lot of alterations. While spending four months on the project with various workshops in Bangalore and Coimbatore, they reduced 325cc engine to 200cc, flywheel weight reduced to 7kg and power reduced to 3.5 hp from 6.5 hp apart from many other alteration works.
“We have spent almost 72 thousand on the production of this prototype and with mass production, the cost would be around 55 to 60 thousand,” said Nadeem Anwar, a member of the team.
The highlight of the innovative work is that it gives a mileage of 110km/liter and it reduces travel expense to a great degree as diesel engine runs at 40 paise per km and petrol engine runs at 1.70 per km. The vehicle offers a smooth ride with automatic gear and clutches and is less polluting compared with other diesel-engine vehicles. In addition, the life of a diesel engine is generally about twice as long as that of a petrol engine.
Dr. S V Prakash, the project guide who has been a great help to the young students to materialize their dream project, said India’s largest engineering and construction conglomerate ‘Kirloskar Group’ has shown interest in the technology and has offered to further assistance to the project.

Yamaha sales growth 37% in February

2011-03-03T21:48:00.000-08:00

New Delhi, March 1st, 2011: Riding on the success of its models in the premium segment, India Yamaha Motor posted a growth of 37% in its domestic sales during February 2011 vs. last year. The company registered sales of 23,384 units in February 2011 vs. 17,131 units in the same month last year in the domestic markets. The export figures stood at 9,662 units in February 2011 while 8,633 motorcycles were exported in February 2010. The overall sales recorded were 33,046 units in February 2011 vs. 25,764 units in February 2010, a growth of 28.3%.

“The company has displayed an upbeat spell in sales, on account of strong product portfolio and high customer confidence. We attribute this growth to our accolade models such as the YZF-R15, FZ, SZ and the YBR series. We are also planning to implement our Best 3S (Sales, Service & Spares) set up in tier-2 & tier-3 cities and increase sub-dealers in the rural areas as well,” said Mr. Hiroyuki Suzuki, CEO & MD, India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd.

Yamaha continues to reinforce its relationship with the customers with its focus on the ‘YES!YAMAHA’ campaign which endeavors to provide the Best 3S Experience so that the customer always appreciates Yamaha and accepts the brand like the word “YES”. The company is making steadfast efforts to enhance customer trust by conducting consumer centric marketing initiatives like the Yamaha R15 One-Make Race, Yamaha Safe Riding Science (YSRS) for college students & kids, to name a few.

Mahindra motorcycle Stallio's problems to be fixed by an Italian firm

2011-03-03T21:36:00.001-08:00

The utility major Mahindra & Mahindra’s two wheeler arm, Mahindra Two Wheelers has entered the segment with much hope to able emerge as one of the major player but its launch vehicle, a commuter segment bike Stallio itself has been stuck up in problems thereby stalling the company’s sales figures
According to a report in business daily The Economic Times, now Mahindra Two Wheelers has roped in Italian design services firm Engines Engineering to rectify the defects of Stallio. The bike, which sold only 46 units in February after the company curtailed production to repair faulty clutch and gear parts, will be modified and re-launched shortly. Engines Engineering is working closely with in-house R&D experts to modify the bike which marked the Mahindra group's entry into the motorcycle market dominated by rivals Hero Honda and the Bajaj group.

The report quoted Anoop Mathur, president, Mahindra Two Wheelers as saying "While it was a small aberration, we had to be mindful of the customer. We took a holistic view of the supply chain (vendors), technology managers, front-end and came up with a remedial solution. We had to minimise the variability by modifying certain components. Rather than flood the system, we decided to cut down on production of the bike. Engines Engineering and the internal R&D team helped rectify the issue." The company plans to re-engage with the customer to boost market share. "We have done trial runs on the Stallio after rectification and are also working on different modes of communication," Mathur said.

It was reported that since its launch, M&M has sold 5,181 Stallios with sales in January falling to 509 bikes. Scooters account for more than 90 percent of the company's two-wheelers business. It was also reported that with the overhaul exercise for Stallio underway, the company has postponed the launch of its 300 cc premium bike Mojo to the next festival season. Mojo was planned to be launched in the first quarter of this financial year. "We are making sure that all aspects of the bike are appropriately tested and will launch the bike towards the festive season," said Mathur.

Royal Enfield Plans Multi-Fuel Motorcycles

2011-01-28T22:31:00.000-08:00

In the recent held New York Motorcycle show, Dr. Venki Padmanabham (CEO, Royal Enfield) said that the company is planning a multi fuel motorcycle that could run on petrol, diesel and kerosene as well.

Well, if Royal Enfield does what it has said then this is going to redefine the motorcycle industry in India and other parts of the world. The bike maker is known for its innovation and this multi fuel motorcycle will be most prominent of lot.
Practically speaking, bikes running on kerosene as a fuel still need lot of research and development because not many motorcycles with such weird ideas have worked. Therefore, Royal Enfield should also try and improve their R&D before taking any further step on developing a multi fuel motorbike.

Interestingly, an American firm Hayes Diversified Technologies was also planning to launch a new 650cc multi level civilian motorcycle that could run on both Diesel and Aviation kerosene in the past. This attempt of Hayes Technologies somehow did not see the light of the day and was left in vain.
Any how, Royal Enfield has a better chance of succeeding and making a multi fuel motorcycle because they are reputed, have better facilities with better R&D base. Also, if this idea is a success then one can expect a lot more innovations from the company in future. Here is hoping that the bike manufacturer succeeds in its plans and rolls out a multi fuel motorbike soon.

HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY 2011

2011-01-26T05:22:00.000-08:00

HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY TO ALL OUR MEMBERS
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORTS..

TVS to introduce a refreshed Apache and Scooty Pep+ this year

2011-01-21T19:09:00.000-08:00

Chennai based two-wheeler major TVS Motor Company which has posted impressive third quarter results on Thursday is planning to revamp some of its current line-up in order to garner some more numbers.

It has been reported that TVS will introduce upgraded variants of its popular Apache and Scooty Pep+ models in the next few months. It was mentioned that TVS Scooty Pep+ is the flagship scooter of the two-wheeler manufacturer, while the TVS Apache motorcycle has won many awards since it was introduced in the above-150cc segment.

The report quoted TVS Motor Company Vice-President (Marketing) H Goindi as saying "We have planned to refresh two-wheelers. One will be the TVS Apache and the other the Scooty (segment).’’ He mentioned that the reason for launching the upgraded variants was the success of the existing models, which have been selling like hot cakes in the Indian market. "I can say they will be refreshing... For Apache, it will have the same name and the body," he said.

The two-wheeler sales have been impressive this quarter as TVS reported an over two-fold jump in profit after tax to Rs 55.75 crore for the quarter ended December 31, 2010. TVS Motor's profit after tax in the corresponding quarter of the previous year was Rs 23.54 crore and during the third quarter this fiscal, sales revenue grew by 51.23 per cent to Rs 1,647 crore from Rs 1,089 crore in the same period last fiscal.

It was mentioned that TVS Motor Company President and CEO K G Radhakrishnan said all the company's products are doing well and they aim to clock this "kind of growth" in coming quarters as well. It was also reported that he replied in the affirmative when asked whether prices might be revised, saying, "In addition to some marginal price increases, we are also looking to focus aggressively on cost reduction." TVS Motor Company Executive Vice-President (Finance) S G Murali said the company was effecting price revisions every quarter, based on commodity rate trends. "We are closely watching the position of the commodities. We feel (commodity) price will soften in the second half of next year," he said, according to the report.

Honda Motorcycle and Scooters India To Enter Into Pre-Owned Two Wheelers Business

2011-01-18T05:43:00.000-08:00

Our Countries largest scooter manufacturer Honda Motorcycle and Scooters India Ltd. is planning to Enter into pre owned two wheeler business to sell its new two wheelers. The company has started a trial study at selected dealership in four major cities Banglore, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Delhi where plenty of Honda two wheelers sold.
N K Rattan, Operating Head (Sales and Marketing) confirmed the plan but declined to give further details.
A person close to development said that the company has started an internal study where in the pre-owned dealerships have been setup separately from its existing dealerships through dealer margins to get closer to existing and prospective customers. The company seeks to take advantage of about six million Honda two-wheelers that already ply on Indian roads.

Honda Motor Scooters and India Ltd. has now become aggressive after its joint venture brake up with Hero Honda. It has started challenging rival Hero Honda in all the way. Hero Honda started pre owned two wheeler business with “SURE” name in the year 2005. Under this program anyone can exchange their two wheelers in return of new Hero Honda motorcycle. But there is difference in HMSI pre owned two wheelers business. HMSI will only buy used Honda two wheelers in exchange of New Honda two wheelers.

There are almost 50 million old two wheelers on the road in India. According to an estimate the pre owned two wheeler business size is almost double of newly sold two wheelers. Pre owned two wheelers business also helps company to enhance its brand image.

Ducati Diavel in India by April 2011

2011-01-18T05:37:00.000-08:00

Italian racing motorcycle manufacturer Ducati has said that it would be launching its latest Diavel model in India by April 2011. Ducati will also be launching two more models of its superbike series 848 Evo and 1198SP in India by January next year.

“The Diavel model would be available in the European and American markets by This month or February 2011. The same model would be launched in India by April This year, depending upon the time it takes to clear the necessary customs and other formalities,” Ducati CEO, Asia Pacific, Mirko Bordiga said.

The 1200 CC Diavel would be available in two variants, the base and Carbon S versions in India.

Bajaj to drop its name on its products from April

2011-01-18T05:24:00.000-08:00

The two-wheeler industry though is going strong on numbers count is undergoing some radical changes. While the recent big news making split of Hero and Honda would result in Hero going solo, its major competitor in the home market Bajaj is now reportedly decided to drop its name from its products.

According to a report in the business daily Business Standard, the move is initiated by the Managing director Rajiv Bajaj himself will see the family name from the group flagship company’s products, showrooms and service centers. It was mentioned that company would bank only on its two strong brands Pulsars and Discovers and the rebranding exercise will see the removal of the Bajaj name which has so far had a pride of place in all its products, showrooms and service centers for over five decades. The report stated that the company has decided to overhaul its distribution set-up and rename all its consumer touch points to just Pulsar or Discover, its two most successful bikes. Dealers are already on board on the idea. It was also reported that Fitch, an international retail design agency, will be in charge of the project. It was mentioned that in India, Fitch has worked with entities such as the Aditya Birla Group, Boeing, Reliance ADAG, Tata Group, Microsoft and Vodafone, to name a few.

It was mentioned in the report that the move would certainly be a first by an Indian automotive company, which otherwise relies heavily on family names to promote its vehicles like Tata, Mahindra and TVS. The report quoted Bajaj as saying ``actually I don’t want that name. We have already started the process so today on a Pulsar, the Bajaj name is seen only on the engine. The same is the case with Discover. Our three-wheeler has Bajaj in small font while the initial ‘RE’ is in much bigger font. One day, we will drop the Bajaj name from there also completely.”

The report mentioned that it was not the first time such strategy has been used in international markets. It was mentioned that Germany’s Volkswagen or Japan’s Toyota Motor Corporation which has multiple brands that are promoted heavily without the company’s name. In the same way, Bajaj’s premier motorcycle brand Pulsar (launched in 2001) will continue to strengthen its image as a sporty and performance-oriented affordable motorcycle without banking on the Bajaj name. The Pulsar's younger sibling Discover (launched in 2004) has been promoted as a high mileage, family bike. The report stated that according to the company both these brands are well established in the domestic market with loyal customers and no longer need the support of an umbrella brand like Bajaj Auto.

“Consumers know that the product is coming from Bajaj, just like I know my Audi is coming from Volkswagen. But there is no Volkswagen on the Audi product. This creates a perception that there is something more in the product” Bajaj said according to the report. It was mentioned that although the communication exercise through sales outlets to its prospective buyers will begin in three months, the company has already phased out the Bajaj branding from most of its products.

“I will make all efforts to make the bike a Pulsar and not a Bajaj. I will have Boxer, Discover and Pulsar and tomorrow KTM. There is no Bajaj name on any of them. People will still remember this comes from Bajaj, but this too will go away with time. After five to 10 years, customers will remember Pulsar and Discover and not Bajaj”, he was quoted as saying. The report mentioned that a model dealership-based new plan will be launched in some regions where existing dealers can experience the changes before they invest to employ a similar transformation. According to the report, the entire exercise will cost the 600-odd dealers and 1,100 service centres around Rs 21 crore collectively. The upgradation programme will also be extended to the next generation of motorcycles comprising KTM, Kawasaki and Bajaj models that would be launched this year.

Hero Considering Diesel Motorcycles

2011-01-13T01:42:00.000-08:00

Goodbye Honda, hello diesel?

Honda’s former Indian partner is reportedly in talks with a diesel engine supplier for future motorcycles.

The Hero Group is licensed to sell motorcycles with Honda technology until 2014 and the company is exploring alternatives as it tries to maintain its hold on India’s motorcycle market.
According to Indian news outlet NDTV, Hero Honda is in talks with an engine supplier from Chennai, India to supply diesel engines larger than 400cc. The supplier was not identified but NDTV reports it is an Indo-U.S. firm. The company’s engines are currently undergoing certification with the Automotive Research Association of India. NDTV reports a supply agreement likely won’t be reached until the first quarter of 2012 with the first models to launch later that year.

Yamaha registers growth of 69.7 per cent in December

2011-01-05T21:55:00.000-08:00

India Yamaha Motor rode at a brisk pace in 2010 backed by new product offerings and novel marketing initiatives. The company clocked sales of 350,264 motorcycles in 2010 as compared to 267,895 motorcycles in 2009, a growth of 30.7 percent over last year. The domestic market recorded sales of 258,987 units in 2010 vs. 218,625 units in 2009, a growth of 18.5 percent while in export markets, a phenomenal growth of 85 per cent was achieved with the sale of 91,277 motorcycles in 2010 vs. 49,270 units in 2009.

In December alone, the company sold 34,839 units this year vs. 20,529 units in December 2009, thereby registering a growth of 69.7 per cent. In domestic markets, the company almost doubled last year’s sales, with 26,567 units in December 2010 vs. 13,612 units in the same month last year. The export figures stood at 8,272 units in December 2010 while 6,917 motorcycles were exported in December 2009.

“We are pleased with our achievements this year, wherein we have been able to strengthen our brand image and cement our place in the hearts of our esteemed customers. Along with achieving several milestones, the year was marked by various new initiatives to enhance our relationship with our customers. All our product launches replicated Yamaha’s DNA of Performance, Innovation & Design and are in sync with consumers’ expectations. Our initiatives such as the Yamaha Safe Riding Science, R15 One Make race, Yamaha Fiesta, Yamaha Riding Clinic, Pan India SZ Tour Rally were organized to promote biking culture in India while practicing safe riding techniques. We are confident that we will build on our success of 2010 with a strong performance in 2011 as well.” said Hiroyuki Suzuki, CEO & Managing Director, India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd.

During the year, the company made a powerful impression in the new 150cc+ commuter segment with the launch of 153cc SZ series (SZ, SZ-X & SZ-R models) and also reiterated its position in the entry level segment with two important launches - YBR 110 and YBR 125. The company also strengthened its position in superbike segment by launching 1000cc FZ1 in December. Yamaha aims to further its global legacy of being a brand that is refining the motorcycling culture in India by providing bike enthusiasts with the combined thrill of technological superiority and artistic brilliance.

Honda Motorcycles records 20 per cent growth in December

2011-01-05T21:53:00.000-08:00

December has been good month for the automobile industry despite being the last month of the year, where usually sales stagger. This time most of the major automobile companies have witnessed double digit growth.

Now it has been reported that two-wheeler manufacturer Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) has reported 20 per cent growth in sales at 140,642 units in December 2010 over the same month previous year.

The reports have mentioned that in a statement, HMSI said the overall growth during the month stood at 20 per cent in December 2010 and the motorcycle segment contributed the most.

According to the reports, In the domestic market, the company sold 53,821 units of motorcycles, 76,263 units scooters. The exports contributed 10,558 units in December 2010, it added.

The company which is a subsidiary of Honda Japan, which recently announced the exit from its joint venture Hero Honda is focusing on establishing the presence in all the segments. The company has already announced a few launches including CBR 250R in April this year.

Bajaj Auto registers 10 per cent growth in December

2011-01-05T21:52:00.000-08:00

Two-wheeler sales are growing at a healthy clip even after several months of growth and now it has been reported that Indian’s second largest two-wheeler manufacturer Bajaj Auto backed by its popular brands Pulsar and Discover, has reported 10 per cent growth in its sales in December 2010.

According to agency reports, it has been reported that the company had sold 276,803 units during the month, up by 10 per cent as against 252,004 units during the same period of previous year. It has also been reported that this has been the best December sales for Bajaj.

The reports have also mentioned that on the motorcycles segment, the company had sold 243,675 units in December 2010 registering an increase of 11 per cent as against 219,920 units sold in the corresponding period of last year. On the commercial vehicle category, the company witnessed a marginal increase of five per cent. Bajaj Auto had sold 33,128 units in December 2010, as against 31,575 units in the same month of previous year, the report mentioned. It was also reported that the company witnessed a slight increase of 4 per cent on the exports segment. The company had sold 95,388 units in December 2010 as against 91,369 units sold in the same month of previous year in the overseas market.

Hero Honda registers 33 per cent growth in December

2011-01-05T21:51:00.000-08:00

The country's largest two-wheeler maker Hero Honda has reported a 33 per cent growth in sales at 501,111 units for December 2010 over the same month in the previous year.

The reports have mentioned that the company said it has recorded a sales growth of 16.4 per cent during the calendar year 2010 with cumulative sales of over 5 million units. "2010 has been an outstanding year for Hero Honda. For the coming year, we further intend to solidify our leadership by launching new products combined with customer-focused marketing programs," Hero Honda Motors Sr. VP (Marketing & Sales) Anil Dua said, the reports have mentioned.

The company said during the October-December quarter of 2010, the company has sold 1,428,030 units, registering a 29 per cent growth over the same period in 2009.

The company was recently in news after the Munjals of the Delhi based Hero group had announced that the joint venture of 26 years will come to an end with Honda and they will buy Honda’s stake in the world’s largest two-wheeler selling company.

Honda looking at tripling bike sales in next 5 years

2011-01-05T21:49:00.000-08:00

After the end of one of the world’s most successful joint-venture Hero Honda Motors Ltd., there had been lot of talk about how the Japanese company would move ahead with its plans in India. Now it has been reported that Honda though has lost the five million numbers it gained through the joint venture, it plans to reach that number in another five years.

According to a Reuters report which mentioned the Nikkei business daily from Japan stated that Honda Motor Co. plans to ramp up motorcycle production and triple sales in India to 5 million units annually in five years as its partnership with the Hero Group nears end.

It was reported that to offset the expected decline in its local market share, Honda plans to boost production at subsidiary Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt from the current 1.55 million units a year, according to the the business daily report.

The report mentioned that the unit's second factory is to begin operating in the state of Rajasthan in the second half of 2011 and lift Honda's production capacity in India to 2.2 million units by around 2012. Plans are also afoot to build a third plant in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The report also mentioned that

Honda's overall investment to increase production in India is estimated at Rs 10 billion, or roughly 18 billion yen. It was also mentioned in the report that Honda plans to begin production on a 250cc sports model in India in March. Honda also plans to open new sales locations in regional cities and rural districts.

Royal Enfield CEO Ravichandran moves to Eicher board

2011-01-05T21:46:00.001-08:00

The man tunred around the sagging fortunes of the iconic motorcycles company Royal Enfield in the past five years has now finally moved ahead from the saddle and has gone to join the Eicher board. It has been reported that R.L. Ravichandran wrapped up his last day as CEO of Royal Enfield on December 31.

In a talk with the business daily The Business Line, he said “It is really no big deal. The show goes on at Royal Enfield and I continue to be associated with the Eicher Group." He is now getting ready with his new assignment as Executive Director and Member of the Board. The report stated that what gets him excited, though, is the remarkable turnaround of Enfield from the time he took over as CEO in mid-2005.

In that period when he came on board, production numbers were little to write home about and though the Bullet brand still wove its magic, it was confined to a niche buyer category. It was reported that today, the same Royal Enfield has a waiting list of eight months for its Classic model which, incidentally, made its debut in California last month. The company has also zeroed in on a second plant in the South as its unit near Chennai is choked to capacity at nearly 5,000 units a month.

The report states that the most heartening development for Ravichandran is the brand is now well and truly aspirational. “This is a tremendous moment especially when we are a niche player and still manage to catch the fancy of a mass market,” he said, according to the report. It was mentioned that for someone who has been with TVS Motor and Bajaj Auto, both of which were in the big numbers game, the transition to Royal Enfield must have been difficult. “This was hardly an issue. I was fortunate enough to have worked with two big groups and had seen heady times. Enfield needed to get back on its feet and I was fortunate to have a good team for the turnaround effort. Siddhartha Lal, the Managing Director, also gave me a complete carte blanche,” said Ravichandran, according to the report.

The report states that though this seems like a fairytale ending to his tenure, the five years involved a lot of hard work. In the first place, this was a decades-old plant in not the most attractive location. Being close to the sea also meant equipment was vulnerable to corrosion. The report quoted him saying “The top priority was to get the house in order. We created new manufacturing systems and made things a lot more streamlined at the plant. All this had to be done on an airtight budget which meant there was no room for any wild experiments."

There were other challenges too. The report mentioned that for a niche bike maker, Royal Enfield could not afford any product goof-ups too. A lot of care was taken to ensure that new launches were keeping in line with emerging market trends and requirements. Simultaneously, efforts were taken at the retail end to keep the excitement going. The report said according to Ravichandran, one of the biggest achievements was in the engine transition exercise. It was not the easiest of tasks to get the new UCE (unit construction engine) fitted seamlessly across the 350cc and 500cc bikes. However, his team met the challenge head-on and pulled it off. He was quoted “Today, I am pleased that Royal Enfield stands tall when sceptics were ready to write us off. People wondered how we would survive the onslaught of stronger players as well as new entrants like Harley. I can proudly say that this company is now in a league of its own."

Triumph Unveils 7 New Models for 2011

2010-12-27T18:39:00.000-08:00

If you're a fan of Triumph Motorcycles, you'll be pleased to know that Triumph just unveiled 7 new models, the largest new product lineup in the company's 109-year history, at the International Motorcycle Show in Long Beach. Triumph also introduced their new CEO of the North American division, who has worked with both Harley-Davidson and Buell Motorcycles, Greg Heichelbech.

“Triumph is one of a couple motorcycle manufacturers that can boast both an incredible heritage and state-of-the-art engineering and design," said Heichelbech." But Triumph is the only motorcycle manufacturer that has this unique, iconic brand and also has successfully created a product line that caters to a very wide variety of customers.”

With the 7 new models in 2011, Triumph expands its product lineup from 16 models across 3 motorcycle families, to 23 models across 7 motorcycle families.
“Triumph offers by far the best selection of class-leading products, from sport bikes to cruisers to adventure bikes, while still maintaining a brand heritage that’s more than 100 years old," Heichelbech continued. "We have a very bright future at Triumph, and I’m looking forward to working with the factory, our North American team and our dealer network to bring these fantastic motorcycles to customers everywhere.”
Triumph sold its 100,000th motorcycle since entering the American market 15 years ago. Here are the 7 new models under the Triumph roof.

Adventure

Tiger 800XC: With its long-travel suspension, powerful engine and 21-inch front spoke wheel, the 800XC delivers true off-road capability. A full range of off-road protection parts further helps riders who prefer to travel off the beaten path.

Tiger 800: Designed for the city and the open road, the Tiger 800 features a smooth, broad powerband and adjustable seat height that can be as low as 31.9 inches to make it an adventure bike for the masses.

Roadster

Speed Triple: Triumph pioneered the ‘streetfighter’ production sport bike movement with the Speed Triple, a 1050cc powerhouse that is still renowned for its styling and performance. The new Speed Triple receives many improvements that include an all-new chassis, more useable horsepower and a modern restyling of its signature twin headlights.
Supersport
Daytona 675R: This higher race specification version of the class-leading Daytona 675 features a full Ohlins suspension like that used on the Triumph BE1 World Supersport factory racing bikes, Brembo mono bloc brakes, factory quickshifter and carbon fiber bodywork to make the ultimate track day and road bike

Cruiser
Thunderbird Storm: Triumph started with the award-winning Thunderbird then increased its horsepower with the factory 1700 cc big bore kit, added distinct dual headlamps, aggressive drag-style handle bars, and blacked out the chrome for a hard-edged look.
America: This 865cc parallel twin-powered cruiser features a lower seat height and improved ergonomics for a more empowering and satisfying feeling for riders of every experience level.

Speedmaster: This stripped down ‘hot rod’ style cruiser features a more aggressive appearance, better ergonomics with forward controls, a lower seat height and wider handle bars for a ride that is muscular and empowering.

Honda CBR 250R India Bookings Starts from March 2011

2010-12-27T18:33:00.000-08:00

All those who were waiting for Honda CBR 250R can now relax as the bookings will be officially starting from March 2011 coming year in the Indian market. It has been officially declared that the bookings open from March 2011. So hard core Honda fans can braise themselves up because Honda is about to give them what they wanted.
Cheerzzzzzzzz !!
Honda’s new baby CBR 250R will most likely be available with a price tag of 1.50 – 1.75 Lakhs (Ex-Showroom). The bike will be available in two variants ABS and Non ABS; both these versions will also be present for the people to book and try their hands on this amazingly powerful bike. The difference in price of both the versions of CBR 250R is speculated to be around 20,000.
News also has it that the bookings for the CBR 250R will be made against a cash payment of 15,000 INR.

Honda not obsessed about going after number one position

2010-12-27T18:28:00.000-08:00

Honda Motor Company, which is among the leaders in two-wheeler markets all over the world, has just split from the joint venture with Hero group which had gave a strong five million units to add to its numbers in the Asean region. But now the company’s subsidiary Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India (HMSI) has to start the lone march but the company insists it is not behind any numbers or top position yet.

According to a report in the business daily The Business Line, it was reported that HMSI expects to end this fiscal at around 1.6 million units, which is a modest number compared to Hero Honda's annual output of five million bikes and scooters. But the company is a leader in the scooters segment and has a strong base of customers. It is now looking at innovation and technology advancement in the motorcycles, it was reported. The report quoted an official saying “Even during the joint venture days, the Hero Group did most of the work on building a huge distribution network across the country. Honda's top priority was the product and the combination ensured a leadership slot for the joint venture.’’

The company is only looking at much bigger picture and not just attaining the numbers in Indian market but there is bigger Asean strategy in place, states the report. It was mentioned that Honda is the global leader in two-wheelers and has aggressive plans lined up in the Asean region. The key is that the company would rather take one thing at a time instead of planning an all-out product blitzkrieg. The report quoted an industry veteran saying “It is only in India where numbers become an obsession. Japanese companies like Honda are not up against any deadline to finish first. They typically draw up a long-term goalpost and take one thing at a time.’’

It was also reported that Honda would rather give priority to good, solid products which ensure greater brand recall. This is evident with HMSI's Activa, which is perceived as the best bet in gearless scooters and whose customers are willing to wait up to eight months for delivery. The report states that in contrast, the company's motorcycles have not quite created the same magic though it is quite willing to wait while sticking to its gameplan of premium, sporty bikes. It has already signalled its intent with the 250cc CBR, which will be launched in the coming months at less than Rs 1.5 lakh. Further, from Honda's perspective, India is part of an overall growth vision for Asia in the two-wheeler space. Thailand, where it has had its longest innings, is a key production hub. Indonesia, likewise, is an important market where it plans to achieve capacity of five million units by mid-2011. Vietnam is yet another key part of its growth plans in the Asean region, mentions the report.

According to the report, Honda is targeting two-wheeler capacities of 18 million units in Asia by end-2011. Without the Hero group, this number will reduce to 13 million units. Yet, it is substantial enough to leverage economies of scale in the Asean region and focus on aspects like sourcing and building a cost-competitive base. In Honda's view, this is the most important task on hand for emerging economies like India and China where it is up against tough local competition. Recognising that costs could be getting out of control in Japan, it could also source parts from India.

Bajaj to bring more Ninjas Variants

2010-12-13T03:55:00.000-08:00

Bajaj Probiking, the country’s second-largest motorcycle maker Bajaj Auto’s retail chain of premium motorcycles, is contemplating bringing more high-end variants of Kawasaki Ninja to the Indian market, including a 600-cc model. “Details are being worked out,” said its head (sales) Gaurav Rathore.
Bajaj Probiking currently retails about 5,000 high-performance bikes per month, including Ninja 250R, Pulsar 220-cc and Avenger 220-cc, from its 32 showrooms across the country.
“Within one year of launch, Ninja 250R recently crossed the sale of its 1,000th unit in the country, of which Andhra Pradesh accounted for 100 units including 70 from our authorised dealer Sri Vinayaka Bajaj in Hyderabad. We are looking at a similar sales target next year too,” Rathore told mediapersons here on Sunday.
The Indian market for super-sports bikes (prices ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 13 lakh) is currently pegged at 150 units per month. “We may bring the Rs 12-13 lakh range bikes in future,” Rathore said, while declining to comment further.

Yamaha launches 998cc FZ1 and 153cc SZ-R

2010-12-12T03:12:00.000-08:00

All set to give the year 2010 a spectacular finish, India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd has unveiled two new bikes- 998cc FZ1 and 153cc SZ-R.

Commenting on the occasion, Hiroyuki Suzuki, CEO & Managing Director, India Yamaha Motor said, “India is one of the key markets for Yamaha and we have been constantly shifting gears to transform the market from utility to pleasure & lifestyle. Yamaha offers innovative designs, sporty looks and premium features across models as part of its strategy to give consumers a new thrill in biking. After the successful launch of our superbikes and 150 cc bikes in the Indian market over the last 3 years, we are adding two new bikes to our portfolio corroborating Yamaha’s continued commitment to provide world-class products to its consumers”.

“While FZ1 is a naked sports bike with fuel-injected power and ‘Pure Torque’ for the ultimate riding experience, SZ-R gives the 150cc commuters segment a sporty edge apart from delivering Power, Comfort and Style. SZ series bikes launched in August 2010 and aggressive pricing of Rs 49,000/- have high demand and are gaining popularity across India. Customers have been demanding inclusion of the disc brake version which is now available in SZ-R. We are confident that our new bike models will once again capture the hearts of our customers and will further consolidate our position in the market”, he added.

The company claims that FZ1, a power packed sports bike comes with a compact design and 998cc DOHC 20-valve engine tuned for tremendous mid-range punch and massive top-end power. The cast aluminum bodywork and a comfortable handlebar position give the bike great looks while ensuring the comfort of the rider. The closed-deck cylinder block provides great strength while allowing a narrow engine in spite of big 77mm bores. The high silicon-content ceramic-composite cylinder lining reduces friction and maximizes heat dissipation for consistent power delivery. Also, the fuel injection with computer-controlled sub-throttle valves provides precise fuel/air mixture for outstanding power delivery through its broad rpm range while ensuring compliance of all emissions regulations.

According to the company, its race-inspired curved radiator with twin ring-style fans keeps everything cool under all conditions. The aggressive chassis geometry with supersport inspired 51 percent front wheel weight bias provides quick and nimble handling. The 320mm front discs aided by mono-block four-piston calipers up front and a single 245mm rear disc serve up strong and consistent stopping power.

Other high-tech prominent features of the bike include analog tachometer, digital speedometer, dual trip meter, odometer, water temperature and lights for neutral, high beam, low fuel and turn signals. The half-cowl fairing design gives aggressive eye-catching naked profile to the bike. The dual 12V 60/55 watt multi-reflector headlight features a sleek profile for superb aerodynamics and visibility.

Yamaha commitment to technologically advanced machines is accentuated by the bike’s cornering acceleration ability which delivers the maximum amount of drive force in the smoothest manner possible. FZ1 is available in 2 color options - Black and White at an ex-showroom price (Delhi) of Rs. 8,70,000/-.

Another launch the 153cc SZ-R is according to the company, a modern & sporty version of SZ-X which is a powerful, comfortable and stylish commuter. The muscular SZ-R is targeted at commuter customers with their sports-oriented interests and is designed to create the sensation of “High Speed”. The bike comes with front disc brake, tachometer and has tank protector added to the fuel tank to make it appear even larger.

Furthermore, the shroud of the standard SZ-X model is replaced by an aerodynamic spoiler that extends out boldly and is given the same silver coloring as the side covers. The bike also has clear lens flasher, colored handle grip end bar, painted muffler end caps along with special graphics. SZ-R is priced at Rs. 55,500/- (Ex-showroom price - Delhi) and will be available in 3 color options – Quality Black, Quality Red and Quality Blue.

Hero Group to use Honda brand till 2014 but on conditions

2010-12-06T03:40:00.000-08:00

The successful partnership of 25 years between Delhi based Hero group and the Japanese company Honda Motor will finally come to an end but there has been several speculations over the fate of Hero group now that it will have go to the market alone o its brand with the strong association of motorcycle brand with Honda.

Now it has been reported in the business daily Business Standard that Hero Group is believed to have won rights to use the Honda brand till 2014-end. The report mentions that as the final draft of separation between the Hero Group and Honda Motor Company gets readied, concerns are being raised on the Indian company's ability to promote and sell its indigenous products in the long term, while managing the added burden of royalty payouts to the Japanese company.

The report stated that the Munjals-promoted Hero Group is believed to have won rights to use the Honda brand, considered to be one of the most trusted automotive brands in the world, on its products till the end of the term of the technical agreement, in 2014. In return, say sources, Honda has asked Hero to refrain from any technical changes required for giving routine facelifts to the products, as they will not have been approved by the Japanese company.

There are many concerns over this development as it might curb the any attempts for releasing refresh products or any new models. The report states that Hero may even be restricted on introduction of new products during the next four years under the joint brand of Hero Honda, although a few new products had been agreed upon for launch under the joint brand. However, Hero could launch products under its own brand. The report quoted sources as saying "Now that Honda has a very strong brand following in the country, it does not want to disturb that loyalty. The focus will now shift to its subsidiary, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India. It will become imperative for Hero to avoid making changes to its bikes, as Honda will not take any responsibility.’’

According to the report, two of Hero Honda's biggest selling brands, Splendor and Passion, make up about 70 per cent of the company's sales. Marketing experts say the two brands are strong enough to maintain demand in the immediate future. However, Hero Honda, which is known to give timely face-lifts to these two products to maintain consumer interest, may be restricted on altering their design and specification after it signs the share purchase deed with Honda. Till October this year, Hero Honda and HMSI collectively held 57 per cent share of the domestic two-wheeler market, with Hero Honda leading in the bikes segment (60 per cent share) and Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India in the scooter segment (50 per cent share), according to Siam data.

It was also mentioned that while Hero Honda and HMSI had agreed to avoid cannibalisation by not launching products in the same segments, HMSI broke that pact in 2005 when it launched its 150cc bike, the Unicorn, pitted against Hero Honda's decade-old CBZ. Since then, HMSI has added five motorcycles, including the stylish 110cc CBF Twister to match the Splendor, launched early this year.

Hero and Honda to finally say good bye to each other and end the joint venture

2010-12-06T03:39:00.000-08:00

It had been one of the few joint venture success stories in Indian automobile market. Hero group and Honda which started in 1984, is now said to be the world’s largest two-wheeler seller. But there has been reports of JV being revoked from both the sides for some days now.

According to agency reports, it was mentioned that Japanese company Honda Motor Co plans to sell its stake in India's top-ranked motorcycle maker, Hero Honda Motors and instead focus on its wholly owned subsidiary in the country. According to the Japanese Nikkei business daily

It was reported that the Japanese automaker may earn some 100 billion yen (1.2 billion dollars) from the sale of its shares in Hero Honda, founded in 1984 with India's Hero Group.

Honda and the Hero Group reached a basic accord this week to dissolve their partnership, Nikkei said, adding that they will seek final approval from their respective boards of directors later this month for the breakup.

According to the business daily report, Honda will sell its entire stake in the motorcycle maker to the Hero Group's founding family and investment funds by as early as March, and will no longer provide technical support to Hero Honda. Hero Honda sold 4.5 million Honda-brand motorcycles in the previous fiscal year, grabbing 48 percent of the growing Indian motorcycle market, the world's second-largest behind China. Hero Honda contributes roughly one-third of Honda's worldwide sales, but Honda reckons that it needs to have full control over operations to respond quickly to market changes, Nikkei said.

The report also mentioned that in future, Honda will focus its resources on wholly owned subsidiary Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI), the fourth-biggest motorcycle maker in India, with sales of 1.2 million units. Honda plans to build a new factory in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh for HMSI, while speeding up its development of new sales outlets, Nikkei said.

Honda keeps mum on the issue of Hero group

2010-12-01T06:02:00.000-08:00

Japanese auto giant Honda which has a successful partnership with Hero group to script growth chart with Hero Honda in Indian market is now reportedly keeping mum on the rumored split in the Joint Venture. Honda holds 26 percent in the Hero Honda but Honda has now an independent two-wheeler arm in India competing directly with Hero Honda products.

According to agency reports, Honda had stated that meeting two-wheeler demand in India is the biggest challenge for the company. The report quoted Honda Motor Co President and CEO Takanobu Ito as saying "Two wheeler market in India is growing at a scorching pace of more than 30 per cent. Therefore, if the market keeps growing at this pace, I believe, the bigger worry is, for any company, no matter how quickly they expand, it will be difficult to keep pace with the growth of the market.’’

Ito answering a question on the future of their JV in India deflected the issue saying "It (meeting the demand) should be a greater worry than anything else. So other than that, I don't think there is any need to worry about any other issue regarding two-wheelers in India.’’ It was reported that he, however, declined to give any comment on reported differences and a possible split with its partner Hero Group.

It was reported that total two-wheeler sales in India achieved a record figure of 11,27,827 units in October, up 50.38 per cent from the same month last year. Similarly, motorcycle sales of 8,76,810 units in the month, up 43.31 per cent, was also a record.

Suzuki motorcycles register a healthy 77 percent sales rise

2010-12-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

Riding on the demand for its 125 cc motorcycle SlingShot, two-wheeler maker Suzuki Motorcycle India has reported a 77 per cent growth at 25,439 units sold in November compared to 14,393 units in the same month last year, according to agency reports.

"We have received very good response from the market to all our products...We are committed to continue this growth momentum in future," Suzuki Motorcycle India Vice President (Sales and Marketing) Atul Gupta said in a statement.

Suzuki Motorcycle India, a subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation of Japan attributed the growth to good response from recently launched bike series-SlingShot. The company also sells Access range of scooters and has four offerings in the premium bike segment including the most popular superbike Hayabusa in the Indian market as a brand enhancement initiative.

Mahindra two wheelers sales up at 125 percent in November

2010-12-01T05:58:00.001-08:00

Mahindra two wheelers sales up at 125 percent in NovemberMahindra & Mahindra’s two wheeler arm has reported a healthy growth for the month of November. The company’s two-wheeler sales jumped 125 per cent to 15,854 units in November from 7,020 units in the same month last year. The company had launched its entry level commuter bike `Stallio’ and also announced a premium motorcycle 300 `Mojo’ to be launched early next year.

According to the company statement, during November, the company sold 1,706 units of motorcycles. Total cumulative sales during April-November jumped 262 per cent to 1,07,888 units from 29,778 units in the same period last year.

“Consumers have reposed their trust in the Mahindra two-wheeler brand and this is borne out from the momentum that is reflected in our monthly sales figures. We are currently in the process of ramping up production to meet demand,” the company President (Two-Wheeler Sector), Anoop Mathur, said it was reported.

Mahindra which has global ambitions has already announced that it will participate in the next year’s MotoGP edition of 125 cc class thereby taking the Mahindra name global.

Bajaj Auto to expand network with 130 new dealer and 1,100 service centres by next year

2010-11-24T02:09:00.000-08:00

Bajaj Auto which is on an aggressive mode while leader Hero Honda is in jitters over its impending JV issue with Honda is now planning to go the bottom of the pyramid. The company has said that it is planning massive distribution network expansion to meet robust growth targets, adding 130 new dealerships and upgrading 1,100 service centres by next festive season.

The company which has its strategy clear with premium Kawasaki and KTM brands, it is planning to distribute two brands Pulsars and Discover to be the two major brands. The new dealers, largely in small towns, would take the total number to more than 600 dealerships across India.

According to S Sridhar, President - Motorcycle Business, Bajaj Auto, the company is well placed in terms of distribution as far as Pulsar - a premium brand, with an urban focus - is concerned. "On the other hand 'Discover' which is a mass commuter has huge potential in smaller towns. While Discover's growth in terms of volumes and market share has been outstanding, the next big boost will come from increasing the share in these towns and in rural India which accounts for more than 50 per cent sales of this category", he said.

According to him, these new dealerships will help the company to increase the share in this model in smaller towns which are today inadequately catered to by only the secondary network.

The company said it is also working with a reputed international retail design agency to enhance the experience at its dealerships. Around 1100 service centres are being upgraded at an investment of more than Rs 18 crore to enhance the service standards in these markets as well.

A typical Bajaj dealership in these towns requires 1800 sq ft. of showroom space, 2200 sq ft. of workshop space, and has the direct employment potential of approximately 50 people which can significantly boost the local economy, according to the company. This expansion in 130 towns would therefore create 7,000 new jobs in the country, it said.

Hero and Honda to shortly finalize termination of their 25-year old JV partnership

2010-11-24T02:07:00.000-08:00

Hero and Honda to shortly finalize termination of their 25-year old JV partnershipIt had been one of the major success stories in the automobile sector. Hero Motors and the Japanese giant Honda had came together in 1984 to build and sell motorbikes much before the door was opened to reforms in the country. The Hero Honda motorcycles had changed the two-wheeler market forever in the country and now suitably enjoy the largest two-wheeler manufacturer position.

But all this could change in a matter of few days now. It was in 2004, the Hero group and Honda extended their agreement for 10 years, under which the Japanese partner would continue to provide technology to the JV. The technology agreement is valid till 2014. But the dream run is all set to end with Honda itself is contending in the market with its own host of motorcycles competing directly against the Hero Honda stable. There has been various reports in the past few months about the impending end of the JV in which Honda has 26 percent stake.

According to business daily, The Economic Times report, representatives of Honda Motor Company of Japan and the Hero group are set to meet shortly to give shape to the break-up of their more than 25-year-old partnership at Hero Honda. For the past few months, the two partners have been discussing a change in the ownership structure of the company that would see the Hero group buy out Honda and acquire majority control over the bike maker.

The report mentions that the meeting, which will take place overseas, could also see the option of Honda making a counter-offer to the Hero group being discussed, as the Japanese company is unhappy about the extent of discount demanded by the Munjals, the Indian promoters.

According to the report which quoted a person with knowledge about the transaction, under the agreement between the two partners, if either of the two parties wants to exit, the other partner has the right to buy these shares at a 30-40 percent discount. But if this offer is not acceptable, the seller can turn buyer and offer to purchase the shares of the other partner at a premium, according to the agreement. As of Monday’s stock price, 26 percent of Hero Honda is worth Rs 10,000 crore. Both Honda and the Munjals enjoy right of first refusal over each other’s shares.

The offer from the Munjals to buy out Honda at around 40 percent discount, while compatible with their agreement, has not found favour with the Japanese company, the report quoted a source saying. In response, Honda has made a counter-offer that is being “studied” by the Munjal family. No decision has been taken by the Munjals, the source said quoted the report.

It is known that the disagreement between the two partners started after Honda asked Hero Honda to increase supply of components from HMSI. The company wants to increase its royalty from the sales of the joint venture, but has been unable to do so because bulk of the sales, about 60 percent, are contributed by relatively older bikes—Splendor and Passion. Besides, according to the terms of the current agreement, Hero Honda cannot export bikes to foreign markets, which are fast turning out to be a major source of revenue for its Indian rivals such as Bajaj Auto. Now Honda with its own motorcycles arm is in direct competition with Hero Honda in Indian market.

Hero Honda reported its highest monthly sales at 5.05 lakh units in October, registering a jump of 42.75 percent over the same month last year. The Hero group is planning to set up its own R&D centre in preparation for life after 2014 should it end up running the company on its own.

Yamaha FZ1 to be on Indian roads in December

2010-11-24T02:02:00.000-08:00

It is raining super bikes now in India and the motorcycle enthusiasts are spoilt for choice over which big bore machines they can choose. After the period of commuter bike segment literally ruling the roost, the global bike majors are now eyeing the small but niche premium motorcycle market. Already most of the global biggies like Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki, the iconic Harley Davidson are offering their top products while BMW and Korean maker Hyosung are entering in a few
months.

To grab their share of the small pie, each player offering premium motorcycles targeted at different segments. According to The Economic Times business daily report, Yamaha is now planning to match Honda and Suzuki challenge in the lower end of the superbike offering with their FZ1 scheduled to launch in December.
According to the report, it will be priced between Rs 8-9 lakh. It was mentioned that Yamaha FZ1, with its 1000cc and four cylinders, would compete with the recently launched Honda CB1000R. It is also pitted in the same category as the Suzuki Bandit and Kawasaki Z1000S in the international market. Japanese bike manufacturer is believed to have sent the FZ1 for humiliation.
The report quoted a source saying “The bike is priced cheaper than the Honda CB1000R, which is the cheapest imported superbike currently sold. The bike will be imported as CBU from Australia or Japan.’’ The bike is being brought through semi-knocked down (SKD) route to keep the costs down.
It was reported that Yamaha, which sells super bikes like R1, MT-01 and muscle cruiser V-Max in the range of Rs 14-24 lakh, plans to sell over 80-100 super bikes in India in 2010. “There will be fierce competition in coming time, so we are gearing up for that. the company is following top to bottom strategy to connect to the youth,” said a senior official from India Yamaha . Besides, the company is firming up plans to enhance capacity at its existing plant in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. “We have a order backlog of 10,000 every month and plans to de-bottle the manufacturing plant to cater to the growing demand ,” said the official. Currently it has the capacity to manufacture 3.5 lakh bikes, this can be ramped up to 8 lakhs.

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Royal Enfield planning to set up a plant to augment its production

2010-11-17T05:27:00.000-08:00

Royal Enfield, the iconic motorcycle brand has been one of the oldest playerin the two-wheeler segment in India. The motorcycle enthusiasts who were excited by the new offerings by the company like the Classic 500cc and 350cc and also the new Twinspark Thunderbird had to wait for months. That should end soon if the Royal Enfield’s parent company Eicher Motors has its way. Eicher Motors has stated that it plans to set up a new facility to augment production capacity to up to 10,000 motorcycles per month over the next few years, according to agency reports. The report quoted Eicher Motors managing director and CEO Sidhartha Lal saying "We will be continuously looking to ramp up the capacity, even up to 10,000 units to meet excess demand, for which we are looking at options of setting up a new manufacturing location."
According to him, the company produced 4,000 units on average every month last quarter, far lower than the design capacity of 5,000 units, due to internal constraints at its Chennai facility. "Very soon, we will be back to the 5,000 units per month mark and by next year, we will be reaching the 6,000 units per month mark," Lal said in the report. But the company is yet to zero-in on a location to set up the new facility nor the investment requirement of the project.

Honda Motorcycle to set up a plant in Andhra Pradesh

2010-11-17T05:25:00.000-08:00

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI), a subsidiary of Honda Motor Company, which is slowly evolving its two-wheeler business in India, is now going for a third plant after exces demand for its products. According to agency reports, the company will soon set up its third two-wheeler manufacturing facility in Andhra Pradesh with an investment of Rs 1,000 crore. The report quoted Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Managing Director B R Meena as saying "Honda wanted 100 acres of land for setting up the facility and we have shown them available land in Medak and Nalgonda districts close to Hyderabad. Honda officials said they would invest Rs 1,000 crore on the production facility in a phased manner of which Rs 500 crore will come in the first phase.’’
HMSI which has started with scooters in India while its JV with Hero motors has ben realy successfullm of late it has been concentrating on bringing more models. There have been talks of the impending exit of Honda from the JV. The company now has a two-wheeler manufacturing plant at Manesar in Haryana with an annual production capacity of 1.55 million units per annum while the second plant, with a production capacity of 6 lakh units, is coming up at Tapukara in Rajasthan.
The report said that the proposed manufacturing facility in Andhra Pradesh will be HMSI's first in South India. Honda officials have submitted their proposal for setting up the two-wheeler manufacturing facility two days ago. Initially, the unit would manufacture 2,000 two-wheelers per month and gradually increase the capacity. But they are yet to submit a detailed project report.
It has also been mentioned that two more global companies -- Italian industrial manufacturing firm Camozzi and Korean power equipment major Hyosung Corporation -- are planning to invest Rs 300 crore and Rs 450 crore, respectively in Andra Pradesh. The Camozzi Group has also come forward to set up its textile and other industrial equipment manufacturing units near Hyderabad. Hyosung has sought allocation of 25 acres of land at Mannavaram near Tirupati where the NTPC-BHEL joint venture power plant equipment manufacturing facility is coming up.

Kawasaki says Honda CBR250 is not a Threat

2010-11-08T21:33:00.000-08:00

All the jaws dropped in excitement when Kawasaki India’s MD Mr. Tangigawa, Kawasaki India’s MD said that they are in no sort of competition with Honda CBR250 because both the bikes are different as regards performance and looks. He further said that they do not foresee Honda CBR250, which was recently unveiled, as a threat.
Mr. Tangigawa said that there is no competition between Kawasaki Ninja 250R and Honda CBR 250 because they have different following. He elaborated the fact that Ninja 250R sports a parallel twin engine as opposed to single cylinder engine in Honda CBR250. He was of a opinion that customers who would prefer an entry level bike would go for Ninja 250 over CBR.
Kawasaki clearly stated that they do not have any competition with Honda because both bikes are different as regards look, power, efficiency and styling. Whatever he may say but we know for sure that with Honda coming up with CBR 250 the equation is going to change.
Though Ninja 250 has everything a biker may want in his bike, completion from Honda cannot be ruled out. Overall, one can just say that the fight has just begun and it will definitely go miles.

Royal Enfield Bullet Electra TwinSpark 350cc Review

2010-11-08T21:29:00.000-08:00

Royal Enfield Company was found in the year 1893, in Great Britain. The word “Royal” was added to company name in the year 1911, few years before First World War started.
By that time Royal Enfield was producing motorcycles with 225cc and 425cc V-twin engines.

The most memorable model from next 20-30 years was the Royal Enfield WD/RE (Flying Flea) – a lightweight 125cc motorcycle, created to support soldiers in Second World War. The Bike had an engine that churned out 4bhp and maximum speed of approximately 60km/h. Another great motorcycle was post-war Royal Enfield Model G 350 – it had new telescopic front fork and great power at one’s disposal, while price was quite modest the bike sold like hot cakes.

But of course most famous motorcycle of this company was Royal Enfield Bullet. It was introduced in 1931 for first time. Back then it was four-stroke, single cylinder motorcycle which had an optional engine size of either 350cc or 500cc. In 1949 several important changes were made to the bike, the engine became vertical with alloy head, compression ratio became higher. Frame also was significantly modified, while 4-speed Albion gearbox almost remained the same. This model was ordered by Indian army in 1949. In 1955 350cc Bullets was sent to India for assembly.
Finally, in 1955 Enfield Ltd. was created in India. It was independent factory which got license from Great Britain, and from that point Royal Enfield started manufacturing motorcycles in India, Since then Royal Enfield Bullet became a cult in India.
Now let’s hear about the newest version of the Royal Enfield Bullet – The Electra Twinspark.

Engine, Transmission & Performance

The heart of the Bullet Electra is 350 cc air cooled, OHV; four stroke, single cylinder, twinspark engine that generates a stunning 19.8bhp (or 14.76 kW) at 5250 rpm and peak torque reaches 28Nm at 4000 rpm. The Bullet Electra is equipped with TCI (Transistor Coil Ignition), which older, standard model Bullet didn’t have. The TCI system is far more reliable and easier to start the motorcycle than the conventional type and also needs less maintenance. One of the main points is that the older engine on Bullet Electra was heavier and suffered from power losses in transmission.

The New Bullet Electra TwinSpark doesn’t have those problems or they have minimized at least. Now engine is made from aluminum alloy, and weight of the motorcycle is only 180kg. Unfortunately, exhaust sound is not so powerful as its predecessor – the standard Bullet. It’s because Electra TwinSpark comes with the new glass wool filled silencer, which not only reduces noises and heat transmission, but also complies with Euro 3 reduced emission norms. But who cares about emissions, seriously? But if you badly need more thump, you can always choose several after market options for exhaust system. Compression ratio on the Bullet Electra Twinspark is 8.5:1 (same on Machismo 350) is pretty high.

The Engine feels very good and isn’t as lazy as it was on original Bullet. Now even first gear is pretty fast, and after reaching second gear real fun begins. Acceleration to 60km/h can be done in mere 6.6 to 6.8 seconds, which is much better. It was around 8 seconds for standard Bullet Electra. Power output is great, and more than enough to provide you with thrilling experience in the long straights. The reason for that is top speed, which is a bit more than 120km/h, and some exemplars reach even 125 km/h. Although it’s the speedeo indicated one, the true speed stands somewhere at around 110 km/h. One noticeable complaint is about torque which has been lowered by 4Nm and it reaches peak torque only in 4000rpm as compared to the standard Bullet Electra which reaches at 3000rpm itself.

Talking about the new Transmission, the bike is equipped with a Constant Mesh 5-speed. Upshifting/downshifting feels good and smooth, and the power range spreads out very evenly. With much shorter gear ratio it feels a bit like a sports bike. Now 5th gear is identical to 4th gear on previous model. Though there is a problem with this gearbox too, it is tricky to find neutral once the bike comes to a halt.
Overall, I would say that Electra TwinSpark has much better gearbox than old Electra, despite previously mentioned flaw. Also, I think that new engine is solid and enduring, it showed no excessive vibrations (there is moderate vibration, which disappears at around 80km/h) and any oil leakage surprisingly. Starting the bike is easy due to electric starter which comes with a soild built kick starter too.

Design & Build Quality

It is tough not to like the design of Bullet Electra. It has old-school, traditional look and simple clean lines. It is a classic motorcycle with gorgeous design. But let’s look at some details. Black finish is utterly amazing, quality is near to perfect and paint itself is very glossy. When you get very close than you can see that dust, and any fingerprints are quite visible on black finish, but from a distance it looks fantastic.

Also Royal Enfield Company logo looks quite spectacular. Chrome parts looks good and shining as well, definitely not cheap like on some other motorcycle brands. Engine stands out and has great effect on overall motorcycle looks, it has some sort of commanding presence. There were some very minor scratches on the paint and company logo, though.
Headlamp isn’t modified, but it’s still looks awesome. Turn lights in the front and rear carries clear lens now rather the boring yellow ones. Even minor details looks great, the speedometer color has been changed, seat looks flatter and have “Bullet” written on the back side. Also front disc brake and exhaust pipe looks great.

Build quality is improved greatly since standard Bullet model. All details are high quality, nothing looks cheap or like it will fall off any moment. So far no cables were cut, bulbs fused, and it doesn’t look like something will give-off either. Also headlight carries a 35W, 12v halogen lamp which illuminates quite well and beam wideness is excellent. The tail lights seems to have improved too.
We were very pleased with design & build quality of new Bullet Electra TwinSpark; Royal Enfield did very well with that.

Comfort & Handling

Well, I need to say that new stepped seat is better than earlier version, provides more comfort and has adequate room space for heavy or tall riders. After continuous & exhaustive driving hours, the seat still felt decent and not very tiresome, unlike on old Standard Bullet. Suspension set up is pretty good, with the gas charged canisters at the rear that provides smooth driving pleasure in all kinds of roads.

Bullet Electra TwinSpark is very stabile in straight lines, well it’s meant to ride it like that. The 19” rims and long 1370mm wheelbase ensures good balance and stability. Though cornering is another story. Bullet Electra feels lazy around corners, and while long sweeping corners are doable, sharp corners are definitely weakness of this machine. But that is the problem with most cruiser-type bikes, they are not crazy cornering machines, they need to be driven on the highway, not on the racing track. So it wasn’t disappointing I must say.
Overall, handling is not the greatest strength of this bike. But it is not a problem, maybe just mildly annoying fact. Comfort on the other hand is decent, can’t complain about that.

Brakes & Suspension

Brakes are powerful, thanks to the hydraulic 280mm front disc set-up, which is much better than old drum brake. Rear brakes remain the same with the 6” drum brake, but it works pretty well though. Now with these one can feel very safe in any situation, either in the middle of high traffic areas, or in the highway. These brakes perform decently well.

The Front suspension is hydraulically damped telescopic forks, stroke = 130mm. The rear suspension is swing arm with adjustable gas shock absorbers, stroke = 80mm. Suspension is fine and provides comfortable ride until you need to ride on the rough terrain, then it becomes a little jagged. But on the usual roads there are no problems with it though. Overall braking power on Electra TwinSpark is more than sufficient, and suspension is reliable and mild. Nice improvements have been made in this department.

Fuel Consumption & Pricing

Of-course mileage will vary depending on the motorcycle condition and one’s driving style, the average fuel consumption of Electra Twinspark is around 37-40 kmpl, though Royal Enfield claims it to be 51kmpl. With full fuel tank of 13.5 liters, Bullet Electra can be driven for almost 550km. Anyways Bullets aren’t made for mileage, many bikers are aware of that.

There are two different Electra TwinSpark models available – kickstart (KS) and electric start (ES). The bikes are available in three shades- red, silver and black. The Bike offered by Royal Enfield was a gorgeous Black with Chrome tints as you see. Ex-showroom prices of Delhi are Rs. 94.500 for KS and Rs. 98.500 for ES version accordingly. Ex-showroom prices of Chennai for the KS and ES versions are Rs. 89,846 and Rs. 93,846 respectively.

HotBike Verdict

Although we were very pleased with changes in this new Electra. The older problems like 4-speed gearbox, limited speed and not efficient drum brakes as well as several other minor problems were resolved this time.

Rating : 4/5

Suzuki records a sales jump of 61 percent in October

2010-11-02T09:42:00.000-07:00

Suzuki which is a clear leader in the four wheeler segment with Maruti is yet to get a definite ground in the two wheeler segment. But the company which now has a couple of products in the offing for the customers is registering impressive growth. Suzuki Motorcycle India has reported a 60.51 per cent growth in sales in October at 25,439 units compared with 15,849 units in the same month last year. The company has attributed its growth to the good response for its motorcycle GS150R, scooter Access125 and the recently launched bike SlingShot.
Suzuki has also brought in premium motorcycles in a hope to attract to niche segment. The company offers the globally revered superbike Hayabua along with a couple of other premium offerings in the selected cities.But this exercise is seen as a image enhancing process rather than adding to the numbers.
“We have received very good response from the market to all our products including the newly-launched, Suzuki SlingShot. We are committed to continue this growth momentum in future,” the Suzuki Motorcycle India Vice-President (Sales and Marketing), Atul Gupta, said in a statement.

Yamaha sales up by 19 percent in October

2010-11-02T09:39:00.000-07:00

The two wheeler segment has seen a slow growth in recent months but again October has turned out to be a good month for automobile companies. One of the major players in the two-wheeler segment, India Yamaha Motor has reported 19.21 per cent increase in its total sales in October at 37,251 units. The company had sold 31,247 units in the same month last year, India Yamaha Motor said in a statement. In the domestic market, the company’s sales stood at 31,791 units, as against 26,897 in the same month last year, up 18.20 per cent.
According to the company, exports of India Yamaha rose by 25 per cent to 5,460 units from 4,368 units in the year ago period.
India Yamaha Motor which had been lagging in the market a couple of years ago has now been on forefront with the launch of the two bikes R15 and FZ series which has changed the fortunes around for the company.
“We are overwhelmed with the encouraging response we have been receiving for our premium segment bikes such as YZF—R15 and FZ series including new limited edition FZ series bikes,” India Yamaha Motor Director (Sales and Marketing), Koji Arai said.

Harley-Davidson announces CKD assembly operations in India

2010-11-02T09:37:00.001-07:00

Harley-Davidson, the iconic American cruiser is moving forward with the launch of operations in India to assemble motorcycles for the Indian market from component kits supplied by its U.S. plants, the Company announced today. The Company expects the CKD (complete knock-down) assembly facility to be operational in the first half of 2011. The announcement comes as U S President Barack Obama prepares to travel to India on a state visit focused on strengthening ties between the two countries, including trade and economic opportunities.
“We are building a strong foundation for our business in India, first by establishing a world-class dealer network, and now by commencing CKD assembly operations. It is important for us to continue to invest in strategies that make our products and experiences accessible to an increasingly broader set of customers across India,” said Anoop Prakash, Managing Director for Harley-Davidson India.

“We are delighted to announce the Company’s plans to establish assembly operations in India,” said Harley-Davidson Motor Company President and Chief Operating Officer Matthew S. Levatich. “CKD assembly operations are a natural next step for Harley-Davidson as we increase our ability to meet the needs of India’s consumers.”
“This investment will allow Harley-Davidson to improve our market responsiveness and production flexibility while reducing the tariff burden, which we expect will drive growth over time by making our bikes more accessible to India’s consumers. Given the strong response we have received in the initial months of retail operations, we believe this is the right investment for this important market” Levatich said.
To date, Harley-Davidson India has been importing completely assembled motorcycles from the Company’s U.S. final assembly plants. Once the CKD assembly facility in Haryana is operational, Harley-Davidson India will import CKD kits for select models, consisting of components produced by Harley-Davidson’s U S plants in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Missouri and by the company’s suppliers. Employees at the Haryana facility will then assemble the components into finished motorcycles. Other models will continue to be imported as completely built motorcycles for now.
India will be the second country in which Harley-Davidson has CKD assembly operations outside the U S, after Brazil where the Company began assembly operations in 1999. “We are committed to global growth and growth in India for the long term,” said Levatich. “India’s rapidly growing economy, rising middle class and significant investment in construction of new roads and highways are paving the way for leisure motorcycle riding.”
Harley-Davidson India commenced operations in August 2009 and opened its first dealership in July 2010. The Company currently offers 12 models in its 2010 line-up in India, available through authorized dealerships in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Hyderabad

Kareena Kapoor zooms in on Mahindra Rodeo

2010-11-02T09:36:00.000-07:00

The svelte beauty of Bollywood Kareena Kapoor is all set to zoom in on the TVC from Mahindra Rodeo. The ad is being hoped to give fillip to the Mahindra two wheelers segment. Mahindra Two Wheelers entered the two-wheeler market in January 2009 with ‘Flyte’. This was followed by the launch of 2 new models, Rodeo and Duro, in September 2009. The company states that they are aware what they are trying to communicate. The scooter category is dominated by Activa followed by TVS Scooty range and Hero Honda Pleasure. If a new brand like Rodeo has to succeed, it must redefine expectations from a scooter and get people to see it in a new light. Even from a Portfolio perspective, Rodeo was targeted towards younger males, Duro towards older males and Flyte would be towards females. While Power and style have been played by for Rodeo however connect with the youth needs to improve. Currently there are 50 percent users higher age group users of Rodeo.
There is also a need for Unisex positioning of Rodeo so as to expand the TG base and also to have a stronger connect with its target audience by bringing fresher younger look to the brand and at the same time being feature. The company expect this new communication to give brand a younger & fun filled imagery. A brand which both the sexes would want to be associated it. Thus create a distinct imagery for the brand to differentiate it from other brands. Also continue with Power and style positioning and as there is a need to have a strong connect with its Youth audience and appeal to both the genders by talking their language.

The company is also clear about who their target audience are. The company claims that the voice of the TVC is of the Modern day Indian woman/ men who are independent, go-getter. According to the company, the target group is women/male aged 18 years and above, single and married, college students, fresh professionals. Since for them a scooter is seen as providing convenient mobility and independence from public transport. Company claims that existing scooter brands are either positioned as family scooters or as an instrument of easy transport. They do not address needs concerned with power or style. Research reveals that power is no longer only sought by men wanting a motorcycle. It is a motivator irrespective.

The scooter is targeting modern day Indian men/women. According to the company, more fun and funkier appeal and approach while communicating ownership experience of thrills and power, a cut above others and stylish ride is what Mahindra Rodeo is trying to give to consumers. It has convenient, innovative and latest smart features: Front Fuelling, telescopic suspension, 4 in 1 magnetic key (like central locking), digital display. Rodeo with its 125 cc power offers more power than its competitive set – Activa, Pleasure and the Scooty range. Other attractive features like largest storage space with illumination, impact resistant body, coloured mirrors, charging point etc

Honda to launch CBR250R in India

2010-10-31T02:37:00.000-07:00

onda has officially unveiled the new CBR250R in Thailand and stated in it's official press release that that it will sell the CBR250R in India too..!!

Wow..!! Its probably one of of the most significant launches for a bike enthusiast in India. More than what I expected from Honda. After getting a glimpse of the new CBR150R, I was hoping that Honda should launch the CBR 150R in India. But in fact Honda has surprised and launched a CBR250R instead..!!

And to top it off, the CBR250R will be manufactured in India. Which means that we can probably expect a competitive pricing.

From the official press release:

"The CBR250R is equipped with a newly-developed liquid-cooled 250cc 4-stroke 4-valve single-cylinder DOHC engine that is easy to handle. High environmental performance that meets Euro 3 emission standards and Thailand's sixth emission standards was realized by adopting an electronically controlled fuel injection system (PGM-FI*1) as well as an O2 sensor and taking advantage of the combined effect with a catalyzer fitted inside the exhaust pipe.

The full-cowl body presents a highly advanced design full of functional beauty. The light and compact frame, made of a highly-rigid diamond shape in a truss structure, offers agile handling and steady maneuverability as a sports model, while the cowl design enables optimal control of the wind toward the engine or the rider.

In the area of safety technology, the CBR250R's specifications incorporate Combined ABS, a world first*2 for a 250cc-class road sports model into a designated type. The Combined ABS makes vehicle movements more stable during braking by bringing together a Combined Brake System (CBS, a front- and rear-wheel interlocking braking system) and an Anti-lock Brake System (ABS, a braking system that prevents wheel lock during sudden braking or under unfavorable conditions)"

Launch Date in India

The launch of the Honda CBR250R in India will be in April 2011.

Price of the Honda CBR250R in india

There has been no official statements made for the price, but if Mahindra can price its "Mojo" at 1.75 lakhs (ex-showroom), then figure the price of the much much sexier CBR250R for yourself. To me the killer price would be Rs. 1.5 Lakhs on road..!!

But I am getting a feeling that Honda will probably charge a premium on this bike and the on road price will probably touch "2 lakhs", at least for the ABS version.

Official maximum power and torque figures are yet to be announced.

But considering its a liquid cooled, single cylinder engine, I am expecting peak power of around 26-27 Ps.

Honda CBR 250R, Technical Specifications

Engine

Capacity: 249cc
Cylinders: Single
Camshaft: DOHC
Compression Ratio: 10.7:1

Max Power [To Be Announced Officially], 26PS @ 8,500 rpm
Max Torque [To Be Announced Officially], 22.9 Nm @ 7,000 rpm

Bore x Stroke: 76mm x 55mm
Valves: 4-valves per cylinder
Fuel System: Programmable Electronic Fuel Injection (PGM-FI)

Transmission: 6 – speed
Final Drive: Chain
Cooling: Liquid
Starter: Electric

Wheels and Tyres

Front: 110/70-ZR17
Rear: 140/70-ZR17

Brakes
Front: Hydraulic Disc
Rear: Hydraulic Disc

Suspension

Front: Telescopic Forks
Rear: Unit Pro-link Mono-shock

Dimensions:

Length x Width x Height: 2,035mm x 720mm x 1,125mm
Wheelbase: 1,370mm
Seat Height: 780mm

Weight: 161 Kgs (Std.) / 165 Kgs (ABS)

Fuel Tank: 13 litres
Ground Clearance: 145mm

Long Stroke and Short Stroke Engines

2010-10-29T19:45:00.000-07:00

I have always been a fan of the various automotive magazines available in the country as they have always fulfilled my desire of quenching my thirst in the automotive industry during the times when the internet was still a novelty for many.

I remember buying a magazine every month to satisfy my urge of knowing more and more about automobiles and I also loved reading reviews about the latest bikes being launched.

There were always some or the other terms that were mentioned but I never understood what it actually meant. And one such term was over square engine and its similar terms like under square engine. I never knew what it really meant, but I assumed it must be something related to the engine.

So, here I am, trying to write down what exactly these terms mean and by what way it benefits the rider. The engine size or capacity is generally the amount of the space the combustion chamber displaces and is measured in cc’s as we all are familiar with 220cc, 150cc engines mounted in various bikes.

The engine capacity is measured as Bore x Stroke. Here, Bore is the diameter of the cylindrical block and Stroke is the depth of the cylindrical block, as shown in the image.

The ratio of Bore and Stroke categorizes the engine. There are three different types of configuration available depending on the ratio

Short Stroke/Over square Engine: As the name signifies the Stroke is shorter than the Bore. Due to the relatively shorter stroke, the engine revs fast and is more suitable where a quick build of power is important, more importantly where the bikes make power at higher rpms.

Some examples:

RTR 180 (62.5mm X 57.8 mm) Bore x Stroke
Pulsar 220 (67mm X 62.4 mm), 180(63.5mm X 56.4mm) Bore x Stroke

Long Stroke/ Under square Engine: As the name suggests the Stroke is longer than the Bore. Due to the longer stroke, the engine makes good torque at relatively low rpms. It is important where the bikes’ pulling more (torque) at relatively low rpms is more important than the top speed.

Some examples:

Royal Enfield Classic 500 (84mm X 90mm), Classic 350 (70mm X 90 mm)
Hero Honda Karizma (65.5mm X 68.2mm)

The one exception to the above rule is the pocket rocket Yamaha R15 (57mm X 58.7mm) which is strange as R15 is a track oriented bike.

Square Engine: As a square has both the sides equal, here also the Bore and Stroke are of almost same size. The engine tries to strike a balance between torque and top speed

Some Examples:

Yamaha FZ-16 (58mm X 57.9mm)
Honda Unicorn (57.3mm X 57.8mm)

All these engines have their own advantages and disadvantages and it depends on the rider to decide what kind of motorcycle he/she needs.

TVS Motor reports 123 percent rise in net profit

2010-10-24T23:07:00.000-07:00

TVS Motor Company, India's third largest two-wheeler maker, on Thursday has stated that its second-quarter net profit more than doubled on higher sales and lower costs. The company reported a 123 per cent rise in September quarter net profit at Rs 54.8 crore, compared to Rs 24.5 crore in the same period last year. Revenue grew to Rs 1,616 crore from Rs 1,130 crore. "The product mix was better and the fixed costs as a percentage was lower," said H S Goindi, president, marketing. Higher motorbike and three-wheeler volumes in the quarter drove sales and profits, he added.
Goindi also said TVS Motor had taken a price hike of up to 1.5 per cent on various models in September and would take a call on another price hike during the current quarter. Net sales rose to about 15.9 billion rupees from 11.15 billion rupees.
According to an analyst it was because of the higher volume the topline was expected to be that high who also added that an improved product mix also helped operating margins. It was mentioned that TVS' EBITDA margins came in at 6.7 per cent for the quarter compared with 5.5 per cent a year ago.
Total two-wheeler sales grew 32 per cent in the second quarter to 517,000 units. Motorcycle sales jumped over 35 per cent to 210,000 units. Two-wheeler exports rose 67 per cent to 59,000 units. Three-wheeler sales for the quarter rose to 9,826 units from 3,259 units a year ago, TVS Motor said in a statement.
TVS, along with larger peers Hero Honda and Bajaj Auto has seen rising sales this year as the rapidly expanding economy continued to pull buyers.
Two-wheeler sales have grown 25.86 per cent between April-Sept, data with industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) showed. TVS Motor shares ended up 1.55 per cent at 75.25 rupees in a firm Mumbai market.

New 150 cc Hero Honda Achiever "Soft" launched

2010-10-24T23:05:00.000-07:00

How many Hero Honda Achiever's have you seen so far? To answer that myself, I'll have to admit "hardly any". Although the bike has a decent engine for a 150 cc commuter, the reason behind its absence from our roads is not too difficult to fathom. Just ask yourself the question, "Why do I buy the Hero Honda Achiever? What is its U.S.P?"

Honestly, when the Achiever was launched in 2005, it had no U.S.P that could attract customers towards it. The Achiever looked very much similar to the unsuccessful 135 cc, Hero Honda Ambition. Its ad tag "Some Fly Higher" was equally fuzzy.

Hero Honda did try to refresh the Achiever in 2007 by putting black colored alloy wheels as standard and some "new stickers". But even then the Achiever remained an elusive model on the roads. By now with hardly any new Achiever's to be seen on our roads, I had started to think that the Achiever has been eventually discontinued.

But with recent developments like Bajaj Auto successfully creating a niche with its Discover 150 as a 150 cc Commuter, and the recent efforts of Yamaha with its 150 cc SZ and SZ-X, there might be some opportunity for Hero Honda as well.

Looks like Hero Honda, with its new Achiever is trying once again to win the hearts of commuters who are looking for some 150 cc power. The Hero Honda Achiever mini site has been very recently updated with details of the new Achiever.

So what's new on the Achiever this time?

New Graphics
Black colored engine covers and Alloy Side Sets for foot pegs

From the mini site, it looks like that's all that is new..!!

The front disc brakes were already there and so were the black alloys and the rear "tuff up" tube. Also the engine tech specs are still exactly same as the older model.

So according to me, the Achiever's still got no USP. The only bright spot could be its price tag. Which if priced as aggressively like the Discover 150 DTS-i, would give the Achiever an USP. At least the Achiever's got a front disc brake, unlike the Yamaha SZ/SZ-X.

Hero Honda Achiever, Price:

By the way, the current prices that are being displayed at the Achiever mini site is quite impossible (Rs. 85,000 on Road..!!). Lets give some more time for Hero Honda to update the prices correctly.

Oh.. by the way, the new Ad Tag Line of "Solid, like you" makes sense and easy to comprehend this time.

Best of luck Hero Honda Achiever.

Hero Honda Achiever, Colors:

Magnetic Blue
Candy Blazing Red
Force Metallic Silver
Black Purple
Black Blue

Hero Honda Achiever, Technical Specifications

Engine

Type: 4 Stroke, Single Cylinder,
Displacement: 149.1 cc
Max. Power: 13.4 BHP @ 8000
Max. Torque: 12.80 Nm @ 5000
Bore x Stroke: 57.3 x 57.8
Compression Ratio: 9.1:1

Ignition: AMI- Advanced Microprocessor Ignition
Carburetor: CV Type
Transmission: 5 Speed

Chassis: Tubular, Diamond Type
Front Brake: 240 mm Disc
Rear Brake: 130 mm Drum

Front Tyre: 2.75 x 18
Rear Tyre: 3.00 x 18 (Tuff Up)

Battery: 12 V - 2.5 Ah (Kick) / 7 Ah (Self)
Headlamp: 35/35 W Halogen
Starting: Kick / Self

Length x Breadth x Height: 2040 mm x 760 mm x 1120 mm
Wheelbase: 1290 mm
Ground Clearance: 160 mm
Fuel Tank: 12.5 (2.3 Lts Reserve)

Kerb Weight: 134 Kg (Kick), 138 Kg (Self)

Royal Enfield Rider Mania goes Goa this Year

2010-10-24T22:56:00.000-07:00

Good news for all the Bulleteer’s as Royal Enfield is pleased to announce its Annual Biker Fest happening in Goa in the Month of November 2010. Where all the Bull owner’s join together & participate in the activities organized by Royal Enfield. For three days starting November 19th 2010, hundreds of Royal Enfield Riders from all over the country will converge at The HillTop, Vagator in Goa for the Royal Enfield Rider Mania 2010. This is The Biker Fest representing a family reunion of Royal Enfield Riders who follow their heart and get together to celebrate “The Thump that Binds” them together.

The event in its eighth edition is the one where you meet passionate likeminded Royal Enfield fans (fanatics) and bond as a single unit, swap ride stories, discuss motorcycles, and pit against each other in competitive events like Dirt Track Racing, Trials, Slow Race, Arm Wrestling and the unique ‘Carry your Royal Enfield’ event.

After sundown the party begins with Rock bands and DJ’s belting out some cool music late. Other major attractions would be the access to rare Royal Enfield Literature and video footage from the archives and genuine Royal Enfield merchandise. There would be stalls selling Riding Gear, tattoo artists and lots more which would ensure that you carry back something more apart from just fond memories of the Royal Enfield Rider Mania 2010. The three day camp includes some exciting activities like slow racing, cleanest bike, dirt track racing, disassemble assemble semis, max on a bike and disassemble assemble finals. This is one event which neither you nor your Royal Enfield would want to miss out on. So pack your bags, check your bike and head out for Royal Enfield Rider Mania 2010 when all roads lead to Goa. Registrations for the same can be done here at Royal Enfield Rider Mania. Till then let pictures do the talks.

Yamaha SZ Bike Tour Comes From Four Corners of India To Kochi

2010-10-20T19:23:00.000-07:00

20 selected bikers riding Yamaha bikes from the four corners of India, riding across various places, covering more than 12,000 kms across 17 states and 67 cities in 32 days have reached Kochi to rock the huge funfare and festivals. Renowned singer Benny Dayal along with some other fun activities put together welcomed the riders and marked the culmination of the tour. All this is taking place as part of the Yamaha SZ Tour – the bike which is designed to tour long distances.

Ideal combination of Power, Comfort & Style, SZ has been designed with a strong focus on quality and performance. It has been designed and engineered down to the finest details for maximum comfort of the rider. Powering the new SZ is an all-new 4-Stroke air-cooled, SOHC single cylinder with 153cc engine that has been tuned for optimum performance i.e. Extra Power in the low to mid-speed range thereby ensuring a stress-free ride on Indian roads. There is a large capacity 14L fuel tank which gives the ability to go Extra Mile. The long cushioned seat ensures comfortable riding position enabling a straighter back and Extra Comfort while commuting long distances.

The Yamaha SZ Tour was flagged off on the 15^th of September from Yamaha’s plant at Surajpur, Uttar Pradesh. It was a month long expedition in which 20 riders (10 each from Team A and Team B) covered the length and breadth of the country across 67 cities in 17 states including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Yamaha dealers in all 67 cities had given a warm welcome to the riders of the tour.

The tour also promoted Yamaha’s safe riding education program – Yamaha Safe Riding Science (YSRS) for inculcating safe riding habits and raising traffic safety awareness among local communities. Yamaha has already conducted this program in 7 cities across India since its inception a year ago. Through Yamaha SZ Tour, Yamaha also aimed to promote safety riding among bikers with the slogan “Be Safe on Road – Wear helmets while riding”.

Commenting on “Yamaha SZ Tour”, Mr. Yutaka Terada, Director – Sales & Marketing, India Yamaha Motor said, “Through the YAMAHA SZ tour, we aimed to appeal & reach out to a wider section of urban and rural customers. We also wanted to demonstrate Styling and Comfortable riding of SZ models and we are pleased that Yamaha SZ has proved to be a powerful commuter that can be pushed to its extreme on the highway and within the city. The riders had a very comfortable riding experience over such a long distance on these bikes. The tour has been equally successful in creating excitement in the cities covered and in promoting safety riding among the youth.”

New Metallic Orange color (that changes shades in the sunlight) for the Pulsar 180 & 220

2010-10-20T19:09:00.000-07:00

Bajaj Auto has without doubt been the most conservative with the color options for its bikes. When other manufacturer's demand premium of around 2-3K's just for some color options, Bajaj has just provided 4 staple colors (Black, Blue, Red & Silver) for its Pulsar range for the last 4-5 years.

Bajaj has now decided to provide a new Dual Tone "Metallic Orange" color option for it's Pulsar 180 and Pulsar 220 range of models.
The "Metallic Orange" is not merely a Limited Edition color but will be available as one of the color options to choose from (apart from the earlier 4 colors). The engine and the technical specifications remain the same. There will be a additional Rs. 500 charged over the ex-showroom prices of these models for the "Metallic Orange" color.

The other notable changes on these Metallic Orange Pulsars that sets them apart from the regular Pulsar 180/220 are are:

Black Colored Air box and Battery covers
Black Colored front fender
Black Colored Clip on handlebars and Rear Grab Rail
Black colored alloy footrest side sets

Mumbai, October 18th 2010: Bajaj Auto Ltd. India’s premier two wheeler company has added more zing to its Pulsar range of bikes with a flamboyant new color – Metallic Orange. The new color is exclusively available on the larger Pulsar 180, 220 and 220F variants. The new two tone orange charmer of the roads is bound to cast its spell on peppy and young Pulsar lovers. The new color bike comes on the back of great sales performance of Pulsar and is a Diwali gift to all Pulsar lovers.

With a dominant 50% share of the sports motorcycle segment in Q2 2010-11, Pulsar has consistently outgrowing the segment thus making it the largest brand by far. Pulsar domestic volumes in Q2 2010-11 are at 67,468, up 56% over the same period last year. This growth is impressive considering the sports segment has grown only 32% and the total industry has grown by 21% in the same period.

Mr. S Sridhar, President Motorcycle Business, Bajaj Auto Ltd. said: “Pulsar has proven its performance both on the road and on the sales charts as well as. It is by far the leading sports machine in India with a consistent 50% market share beating its Indian and Japanese competitors by a wide margin. To add more zest to the Pulsar, we have introduced a new two tone orange color that is definitely going to make heads turn. The color is specifically for the young Pulsar lovers and shows a good spectrum from a fresh yellowish orange in the sunlight to a deep, reddish orange in the shade adds a fresh new perspective to the bike.”

~ATHUL4R~

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Bajaj Auto Net vrooms 69 percent on record motorcycle sales

2010-10-20T03:28:00.000-07:00

Bajaj Auto Ltd, one of the major two-wheeler players in the country has much reason to rejoice. On the back of its highest-ever quarterly motorcycle sales, Bajaj Auto has reported 69.32 per cent jump in its net profit at Rs 682.08 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, 2010. According to a company statement, the net profit stood at Rs 402.83 crore during the same period last fiscal.
Total income during the quarter under review stood at Rs 4,341.82 crore compared with Rs 2,887.51 crore in the corresponding period last fiscal, up 50.37 per cent.
During July-September quarter, the company had sold 10, 00,570 units against 6, 86,727 units in the corresponding period last fiscal, up 45.70 per cent.
In the motorcycle segment, the company recorded its highest ever sales at 8, 83,494 units compared with 5, 99,641 units, a growth of 47.33 per cent. “The quarter witnessed the highest-ever motorcycle sales,” the statement said.

Bajaj Auto to hike overall production capacity to 50 lakh

2010-10-20T03:27:00.000-07:00

One of the leading two-wheeler manufacturers which is also into three wheeler category, Bajaj Auto Ltd has said that it will increase its overall vehicle production capacity to 50 lakh units a year by the end of this fiscal. The company has three manufacturing plants at Waluj and Chakan in Maharashtra and Pantnagar in Uttarakhand and produces a total of 46 lakh units of two and three- wheelers annually. "Earlier this month, we have commissioned Plant II at our Pantnagar facility taking the capacity to 15 lakh units of motorcycles per year from 12 lakhs. By March 31 next year, total capacity at the plant will reach 18 lakh units per annum," Bajaj Auto Chief Financial Officer Kevin Dsa said. Besides, the company will be increasing production capacity of three-wheeler at its Waluj plant to 5 lakh units annually from the current 4.2 lakh units, he added.
The plant also produces bikes with a capacity of 15 lakh units per year. "Motorcycle capacity at Waluj will remain the same," Dsa said, adding there will not be any capacity hike at the Chakan plant, which has can produce 12 lakh units a year.
Asked about the investments, he said it is part of Rs 150 crore to Rs 200 capex slated for the ongoing fiscal. "This year we had earmarked between Rs 150 crore and Rs 200 crore for capex, including capacity expansion, research and development, modernisation, replacement and support systems," he said.
On the sales prospect of the company for the ongoing fiscal, Dsa said: "In the beginning of the year we had stated that we will be selling a total of four million two and three wheelers. We still maintain that."
The company today posted a net profit of Rs 682.08 crore, up 69.3 per cent from the same period a year ago on the back of its best ever quarterly sales. "We have been breaking sales record. The previous best was achieved in the preceding quarter of this fiscal," he said, adding the high profit were also mainly due to the company's good sales performance in high-end segment bikes, where the margins are high.
"Of our total bike sales, 86 per cent is from high end Pulsar and Discover motorcycles and that helps in profitability," he said.

Yamaha to Launch Scooters in Indian Market

2010-10-20T03:26:00.000-07:00

Yamaha is one of the coolest bike manufacturers of the country and now it is planning to enter the scooter market in India. After a deep thought, Yamahas officials said that in order to grab the market they are planning to grab the scooter market in India. It was in the Auto Expo 2010 that the company decided to enter the scooter market. The Expo was held in New Delhi and the company announced its willingness to recreate the magical phase of scooters in India

Yamaha has also have confirmed the fact that they are currently engaged in researching the Indian scooter market in order to gauge the expectations of people and the market mix. Yamahas officials say that they are currently engaged in studying market conditions and whether they can launch scooters in India from their existing portfolio i.e. product lineup. However the products to be launched in Indian market remain suspicious, Yamaha is set to raise the bar with launch of scooter in India.
Yamahas Business head Pankaj Dubey said that the company is deciding whether to introduce any model from their portfolio or develop a new model for Indian market. He further says that one may see the Launch of Yamaha scooters soon in India. As far as the speculations go Yamaha may launch its scooters line up ranging from 50cc to 135cc or even more. Overall, the picture looks cool and one can surely expect lot more powerful two wheelers from Yamaha in coming months.

TVS Apache RTR 180 Racing DNA

2010-10-18T08:19:00.000-07:00

Hi I am Ajinkya from Nagpur. I own a White TVS Apache RTR 180. It was 9 months back when I was going to buy a bike I got to know everything about bikes and did a lot of surveys.
Final verdict came out The Pulsar 220. But at the day of the purchase one of our neighbors son got an accident and a few more on pulsars then we changed our decision to buy the second option of the RTR180. Till now it has been a mixed reaction.

I took the delivery of my bike at night and the service men delivered it to my home as i didn’t have my driving license. The next day i found many problems in the bike. The handle clock was one sided and scratches on fuel tank and silencer. I complained about it and got a new one. Now starting with the bike.

Looks

Its a true head turner anywhere. I have seen people on other bikes noticing my bike on signals, cruising, parking everywhere. Its actually a rare bike in small cities there are very few one bought. You can see children talking about the bike and most of all the questions asked about are is it legal to have a white colored bike as it is only applicable for police.

It has radium on its rims which come with the bike factory fitted. Its shiny white color shine even without Teflon and doesn’t look dirty till days as compared to black color bikes. It also has a engine cowl which is not available in the pulsar.

Performance

The main point of a racing bike is its performance and the TVS Apache RTR 180 doesn’t disappoint you at it. It is the next bike after the R15 which can beat the Pulsar 220 and the Karizma in place of pick up and speed. It takes very short time for the Apache to get to 100kmph nearly 200m or more. considering it is only 137kg as compared to the R15 which is 131kg. If you manage to remove the leg guard, sari guard and the mirrors it will be more similar to the R15 power to weight ratio.

Considering the bikes 17.3ps of raw power and the over square engine it accelerates very quickly to 80kmph on the city roads which is difficult for other bikes as they lag the racing throttle response. The engine is rev happy as considered to other bikes which are limited to 9000rpm the RTR can be rev up to 12000rpm. I installed a K&N air filter considering my riding environment which is pretty polluted due to the undergoing construction so that i can protect my bikes engine.
After fitting the K&N I got more attention on the road as I drag my bike from the signal or while overtaking, the huge grunt of my bike takes the attention of other riders. If you felt that I am over stating my bike then try a fifth gear roll on from 60kmph to the top whack with the pulsar 180 or 200 you will notice the difference in performance. TVS claims the top speed is 124kmph but I think they meant by if you have just purchased the bike. After run in you can take the bike above 130 easily. I did 132kmph when my bike had done just 2000km on ODO. People have done more than 130kmph, some claim to do 138kmph. At last the fuel economy as we are indians we always consider the fuel economy first it gives 50kmpl+ if you ride it gently and 30kmpl to 40kmpl if you rip it hard.

Electricals

The TVS Apache RTR 180 has got the best speedometer I have seen on Indian bikes. It has a digital speedometer with blue back light and a white face tachometer.

The speedometer is a adrenaline pumper on the bike, it has a very good refresh rate as compared to the Pulsar and R15, the pulsar claims a top speed of 144 but it actually does about 135 max, the speedometer is over enthusiastic. The head light is 35w bright with multi reflector and is good for night riding. As compared to other bikes the Apache has a AC battery.

Handling

It is the drawback that the TVS Apache RTR 180 has got bad tyres and are more slippery in rain as compared to MRF tyres. The tyres bring down your confidence while riding the bike but you can lean the bike in the corners like the R15.

As in may case I got my fear about reading it in the reviews so cannot push my bike to the limits. It is easily flick-able because of its light weight and brakes are satisfactory on the bike. The rotary petal disc brakes are made more faster cooling than the regular discs which come stock with other Indian bikes.

Maintenance

Don’t trust the service station personnel blindly. You can get fooled for something that you don’t know or what is not done on your bike. On my second servicing I paid for Oil change and found out that they didn’t change the oil at all they just washed and handed my bike to me. Always go to the TVS service station for your bike not to the Sales and Service. If you want to lessen the vibrations of the bike use the oil of another manufacturer beside the TVS Tru4t oil.

Pros

The bike has got a tremendous power and grunt.
Awesome acceleration and racy feel.
Best bike in the price range within Rs.75000 and other competitors.
Great Speedometer console.
Rotary petal disc brakes.

Cons

Vibrations of the bike become intolerable when riding for more than one hour.
The rear mudguard starts vibrating and making sounds after some time.
Seat is uncomfortable.
Spares are expensive and not available many times. e.g the clutch cable costs Rs.120.

Final Verdict

As they say NO PAIN NO GAIN. If you want to own a head turner, a performer you must have to bear all the pain which comes with it. Overall the bike is really addictive both visually and performance wise once you get it going you cant stop it till you get satisfied. For Rs.75000 it is the best available option for performance and fuel economy. In other words TVS Apache RTR 180 Pain unleashed.

~Ajinkya~

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Honda Unicorn Ownership Review by Manish

2010-10-16T09:15:00.000-07:00

First of all I must tell all of my review readers that I am 46 yrs. young & my opinion about the bikes will be from the angle of a familyman which may be contrary to “youngsters”.
I bought this bike in March 2005 because it was then recently launched bike by Honda itself. I wanted to have mono-suspension experince. Seat of this bike was lengthier & slightly flatter than Pulsar & CBZ. In the first 5000 kms.I have run it 60000 kms.till now. Initially didn’t face any problem as I was running it at low speed of 40-50 kmph & without pillion riderduring running in period.

Later I came to realise that much hyped & advertised mono -suspension was a false & cheating story.Whenever I ride with someone behind me and cross the speed breakers, sound of THUK comes from the suspension & jurk felt by the pillion rider in his/her spine. I made complaint to the engineers of Honda they adjusted the tension of shocker’s spring hardest but in vain. I am still facing the same problem. This is the story of MONO-SUSPENSION.
Now I come to chasis/frame of the bike. Unicorn’s engine is not mounted on frame like Pulsar’s or Apache’s instead it is tightened between front downtube & rear frame leaving the engine unsafe at bottom. In case we cross some high speed breaker engine directly gets hit against the breaker.
I got skid twice on slippery road due to sudden front braking since rear brake becomes poorer with the time. All was well till then. After 42400 kms. my self start motor went out of order, I started using kick lever to start the bike. Sometime later I noticed oil seeping out from engine ‘s bottom where rider foot pegs are tighten.
My machenic told me that engine’s right side chember (not cluch cover) has cracked right from the place where foot pegs are directly mounted on the engine because when I skid the entire load of the bike fell on the foot-rest. Techometer Failed at 59000 kms.

I changed chain & sprockets at 43000 kms. rear tyre at 42000 kms. & front tyre at 55000 kms. Front suspension oil seals at 35000 kms., front disc pads at 22000 kms. & 43000 kms., rear brake shoes at 18000 kms & 35000 kms. Spark plug at 52000 kms. I use to change air filter at every 4000 kms. & engine oil at every 3000 kms.
Honda designers have concentrated on style of head lights not on the focuses. One can’t drive at night with lights on. If you drive with upper beam on you fail to judge the pot holes on the road & if driving on dipped beam you can’t see cycle or rickshaw pullers as they don’t have reflectors & back lights.
So far I have discussed the problems of the bike might be giving the imprssion that this is the worst bike but it is not so.
Now I come to engine for which Honda is famous. It is cool & butter smooth machine. If you are driving at 45-50 kmph passersby can’t notice the sound of the engine. At idling speed even rider sometimes gets confused whether engine is running or not because there are no vibrations in the handlebar.
I have set idling speed at 1000 rpm. So far I have not spent a single penny on the engine except replacement of spark plug & right side chember which got cracked due to Honda engineer’s folly who didn’t mount engine on dual cradle chasis. They are still making bikes with so called diamond frame.
I hope that my readers will able to take right decision & if some Honda engineer happens to read the review he might try to make necessary changes in the frame to protect the engine’s bottom & install driver foot rests on chasis like in Pulsars, Apache or at least like CBZ.

~MANISH~

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Bajaj Pulsar 180 DTSi UG4 Ownership Review by Aju

2010-10-15T07:14:00.000-07:00

Hello Riderz! I’m Aju from Panvel (Navi Mumbai). I am an IT graduate and currently working in an IT company. I am very passionate about bikes & would consider owning a bike instead of a car. I have a Pulsar 180 UG-4 which is completely owned by me.

Yes, I have bought this Bajaj Pulsar 180 on my own. I call her “rápido díablo”, which is Spanish for “Fastest Devil”. I bought it one year back on 17th Oct. 2009. Initially, I thought of giving my review as soon as I bought my Díablo but then I thought, it would be better if I perform a review after using it for a year. So that I can explain all the pros n cons of the bike.

To be really honest I am an avid fan of the Bajaj Pulsar. Not only because it is the best seller in the market but also because of its performance (P220 & Yamaha R15 not considered since it is a performance oriented sports bike). I used my old pulsar 150 for almost 6 yrs, with more than 60,000 km clocked on it without any major accident history or any huge servicing/maintenance bills. It actually depends on one’s riding skills & the way he maintains the bike.

Since I was stuck in the 150cc segment for all these years, I decided to go for a higher segment bike. Buying my first completely owned bike was not a tough decision for me. I had 3 bikes in my mind, P180, Apache 180/160 & Unicorn and my budget was Rs. 70,000/-. Before making my final decision I went through most of the reviews of these bikes. My priorities were performance, maintenance & economy with style being the top most priority.

I test rode all the 3 bikes. Since, style was my top most priority, the first one to go out of the list was the Honda Unicorn, though it comes closest to performance & economy. Though Apache 180/160 was the closest competitor for my “Diablo”, I had some problems with them (strictly personal). Somehow I can’t rely on TVS and also the spares & after sales service was on a higher side. The P180, in my opinion, is the best bike in its class. It offers the best performance and economy.

As far as my riding experience goes, I have an experience of 5 years (more than 1, 00,000 km) on four different bikes, viz. CT 100, Discover, Pulsar 150 and finally my Díablo, Pulsar 180. I believe in safe riding though I like to speed my Díablo a few time.but I make it a point that I don’t exceed my limits!!!! The fastest that I have ridden my bike is 131 kph, on the ODO though

I have been riding this Bajaj Pulsar 180 for the last 1 yr & have done 12000 km so far. I have done quite a few long trips and many short trips. The longest that I have ridden my Díablo is 550 km from Panvel to Goa (panjim) with the whole trip being a 1500 km adventure ride. The other trips would be, a 300 km trip to Pune and nearby places (back & forth), 250 km night out trip to Alibaug-Kashid-Murud & Janjira fort, 200 km night out ride in and around Mumbai (Bandra-Gateway of India-Juhu-Andheri etc).

The weirdest things that I have done on my Díablo are: riding at 131 kph @ 4’o clock in the morning, going to chor bazaar. The other thing is: changing riders, with me coming from the rear seat to the front seat with my brother on NH-17 @ 60 kph.
During all this things I always used a good helmet to be on the safer side. Also, using a helmet is compulsory in Mumbai and I have been caught on quite a few occasions without a helmet and things like that!

Handling

If you are a new user of a P180, then you’ll find the ride to be on the heavier side because of the add-ons. But as you get a hang of the bike, you’ll feel that it is the easiest bike to ride. Díablo is well equipped with Clip-on handle bars which actually help in better handling. Riding position is good & you don’t have to lean forward as in case of P200, Apache or Yamaha R15.
With its wider rear tire and increased wheelbase, it provides better grip on the road. This helps in cutting corners at ease on high speeds. Rear braking is good but not the best to be honest. But as far as the front Disc brake is considered, it is rock solid. It helps in avoiding to go those extra meters ahead. The new 37mm front suspension is a boon for the bike. It helps in providing stability to the bike and works fine. The rear suspension is also good though. I personally would like Bajaj to make better Seats as they are not soft enough and I do get a sore butt a few times.
Riding the Bajaj Pulsar 180 in city is not easy for new riders but personally, I don’t feel any problems coz I have got the hang of it and usually I zip through the traffic. The turning radius of the bike is bigger, but I guess, it’s ok as this bike comes under the “commuter cum performance bike” category. Also, this problem is there with the entire “commuter cum performance bike” category bikes. Riding my Díablo on highways is like “icing on the cake”. It just doesn’t lose the grip off the road and cutting the corners is a dream cum true for any rider, literally.
The latest that I got to know about Bajaj is that they have started installing “BREMBO” brakes on their bikes. “BREMBO” being the best manufacturer for brakes in the world, I think it is a good move by Bajaj. But sadly I’ll have to pay extra to get those installed on my Díablo.

Performance

Before going into the performance aspect of the bike I would like to tell u that, I really don’t want to go into the technicalities of the bike though I have a fair knowledge about bikes. It would be best on my part to leave it for the experts as they know much more than any one of us (riders).
The performance of my Díablo is absolutely flawless. It has never let me down as far as performance is concerned. I have even compared it with my friend’s P200 and the competition was neck to neck. Obviously the P200 won the competition in terms of power and pick up, as it had a power of 1 more horse at her disposal. But, when it comes to top-speed the P180 wins it hands down with a top whack of 131kph (personal best) as compared to my friend’s P200 (127kph).

It delivers a very good performance in its class.
As far as mileage is concerned, it gives me a mileage of 45 kmpl in city riding conditions. Highway & city combined average is between 45-48 kmpl. On long trips, it gives me a mileage of 50-53 kmpl. I would like to add one thing that, I have removed the sari guard off my bike coz it is used only by me and my brother. This has helped in reducing the bike’s weight by another 2-4 kg. This is another reason for the good mileage of my bike.
In my opinion, these figures are really good for a bike of this capacity.

Maintenance

This is the most important part for every biker and for every bike. In order for anyone to maintain his/her bike in good condition, proper maintenance is a must.
I love my Díablo, and hence maintain it properly time and again. These are the few things that I do to maintain my Díablo.

Adjusting the carburetor setting & cleaning it every 400-500 km.
Cleaning, lubricating & adjusting the tension of the chain every 400 km so as to avoid it from rusting.
Cleaning the air filter after every 1000 km.
Maintaining the tire pressure as mentioned by the manufacturer.
Replacing the engine oil after every 2500km (20W50 only).
Setting the Brakes (rear only) as I don’t know how to adjust a Disc brake.
Apart from cleaning the carburetor, all the other things I do it on my own.

Servicing

Here comes the worst part about any bike and its manufacturer. If you don’t have fair knowledge about bikes then the service center guys will fool you BIG TIME…!!!!
I would like to add one thing….Bajaj service centre sucks big time excluding a few though that are actually good. One good thing about Bajaj is that they have set up some good work stations in and around many cities as well as rural areas.
I service my Bajaj Pulsar 180 at one such service station (not the showroom) in Navi Mumbai which is 5 km away from my place. The mechanics are very friendly & most importantly knowledge oriented. They are willing to help me in every possible way.
These are the things that I do while servicing my Díablo.
I service her after every 2500 km and use only Castrol 20W50 oil. (I’m planning to switch on to Motul 5100 15W50 semi-synthetic oil.)
The other things that I keep a tab on while servicing my Díablo are…

Cleaning & lubricating the chain
Cleaning the air filter
Adjusting the spark plug gap
Carburetor settings etc.
Though all these things come under the servicing, I just keep a tab on the checklist.

Pros

Automatic indicator shut down.
Lots of new features like Clip-on handle, Wider tire, Sporty tank cowl etc.
Good performance & mileage.
Very low maintenance cost.
Value for money.

Cons

The main stand is located very low and touches the ground quite often while you maneuver speed breakers.
The bike is a bit heavy.
Gear box is good, but not exceptional like Yamaha.
Rear braking should have been better.

Conclusion

All in all Bajaj Pulsar 180 is a very good bike in its class. I would definitely recommend this bike to others. It has great power as well as good mileage. I would like to have some more features on this bike like Rear Disc & P220 silencer.
I’m planning some modifications for my Díablo but I would not like to tell it now as I don’t want anyone to copy it.
Also, I’m planning a trip to Goa this January. I will post the photos of that trip later on along with the modifications. Until then, keep riding & ride safely.
I would personally appreciate your suggestions or any queries regarding the same.
Thanks,

~AJU~

Thanks AJU for the news.

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Moto GP May Come to India!

2010-10-15T07:03:00.000-07:00

Ducati, one of the coolest manufacturers of sports bike, plans to bring Moto GP racing to India. Moto GP is an internationally recognized highest level of closed circuit racing and the Italian company i.e. Ducati wants to bring it to India.

Ducati has constantly involved in negotiations with Dorna in order to bring Moto GP to India. Dorna is a group that controls the organization of Moto GP. Ducati’s CEO Gabriele Del Torchio is currently involved in talks with Dorna’s CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta about brining this international event to India.
Ducati’s CEO is of an opinion that if the racing event can happen in Qatar, China, Malaysia and Australia, it can also happen in India. He further said that India have proved time and again that they have best infrastructural facilities. One thing is assured that if everything goes fine, India shall soon host big tournaments.
As a reaction to this, JP Associates have built a F1 Racing Circuit near greater Noida. The New track is all set for the races. Presently India has got only two racing circuits i.e. the Kari Motor Speedway, near Coimbatore, and the Sriperembudur track near Chennai. So hang on people till you see Moto GP coming to India.

Yamaha FZ Midnight Edition Launched ( 2 more pictures updated)

2010-10-15T04:42:00.000-07:00

2 more pictures updated today
Much to the thought of the people, Yamaha has launched its latest improved model of FZ/FZ-S called “Midnight”. Midnight is an improved version of the much popular versions viz. FZ and FZ-S and it is a limited edition model up for grabs. Last year Yamaha launched the special edition of the FZ series in white color and this time they came up with a spunky color pattern called “Midnight”.

It is a cool looking bike with its black color body and golden colored alloys. The model also sports golden stickers of FZ on the tank. Midnight also sports some use of cool graphics on the side panel of the bike and also a sticker which says “Midnight Special”, this adds a spunky life to the bike.
Yamaha has only altered the look and not the technicality of the special limited edition bike. Also, Midnight edition will only be available during the festive season.

Yamaha has launched this bike with a view to capture the market during the festive season. Although there are no alterations as regards engine performance, the new color scheme has made the bike look stylish and attractive. Now that the edition is finally available, we are sure to see many of these new FZ’s on road.

Bajaj hikes two-wheeler prices up by 2 percent

2010-10-15T04:41:00.000-07:00

The country's second-largest two-wheeler maker, Bajaj Auto has stated that it has hiked the prices of almost all of its models by up to 2 per cent with effect from October 1. "We have raised prices by up to 2 per cent for almost all two-wheeler models from October 1," said Bajaj Auto Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj.
Bajaj Auto's move to hike the prices of its scooters and bikes comes in the wake of similar steps by other companies, such as Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motores, to offset rising input costs. While Maruti had increased the prices of all its models, except the Alto, by up to Rs 7,500 in August, Tata Motors hiked the price of its passenger and commercial vehicle by up to Rs 40,000 at the beginning of this month.
Bajaj Auto had reported its highest ever motorcycle sales in a month of 3,14,515 units in September, a 26.24 per cent jump in comparison with its performance in the same month last year.
The previous record was achieved by the Pune-based company on the back of the robust performance of its premium bikes, Pulsar and Discover 100. Total vehicle sales of the company stood at 3,52,769 units in September, compared to 2,80,916 units in the same period a year ago, a growth of 25.58 per cent, the company had said.

TVS group companies report robust growth in net profits during 2009-10

2010-10-12T03:37:00.000-07:00

Three major closely-held companies of the TVS group, TV Sundaram Iyengar & Sons, Lucas-TVS and Sundaram Industries (SIL), have reported a big surge in net profit during 2009-10 riding on the robust recovery in the auto sector after the 2008-09 slowdown. TVS & Sons clocked a record 200 percent jump in net profit at Rs 116.10 crore in 2009-10 against Rs 38.70 crore in the previous year. On a paid-up capital of Rs 11.44 crore, its reserves and surplus improved to Rs 340.20 crore (Rs 266.91 crore). The company has business interests such as distribution of auto parts and vehicle dealership.

It is also the group holding company with investments held in leading group companies. Last year, the number of subsidiaries increased to 47. Following the exit of US partner Wabco from Sundaram Clayton , a host of companies like TVS Motor , TVS Capital , TVS Energy and TVS Investments have become subsidiaries of TVS & Sons.
Sundaram Industries reported a big jump in net profit at Rs 82.88 crore last year from Rs 12.79 crore in 2008-09. On a share capital of Rs 2.52 crore, it shored up reserves and surplus to Rs 113.97 crore (Rs 47.07 crore).
Lucas-TVS reported a 150 percent surge in net profit at Rs 54.23 crore in FY2010 against Rs 21.70 crore in the previous year. The company, a leading manufacturer of auto electricals, saw its net sales crossing the Rs 1000-crore mark. It went up by 27 percent to Rs 1068.91 crore (Rs 844.12 crore).
On a paid-up capital of Rs 11.88 crore, reserves and surplus improved to Rs 468.43 crore (Rs 431.86 crore). The company incurred an additional capex of Rs 54 crore towards new products introduction, capacity expansion and quality improvement.
The company has commenced developing products for Indian defence establishments. Its subsidiary, Lucas Indian Service reported a profit before tax of Rs 15 crore last year against Rs 10 crore in the previous year while turnover increased by 21 percent to Rs 221 crore.
India Japan Lighting, a joint venture, turned around with a profit of Rs 2.03 crore against a loss of Rs 15.3 crore while net sales and other income increased to Rs 220 crore (Rs 145.6 crore).

Bajaj Pulsar 180 UG4 Ownership Review by Piyush

2010-10-12T03:29:00.000-07:00

Hi! I am Piyush from Bangalore. I am college student doing engineering. I am a great passionate lover of bikes with 7 years driving experience. In this duration, I have used 3 bikes cd-dawn, pulsar 150 and finally pulsar 180UG4 on which I am going to write a review .I have been using this bike from last 15 months and I drove it for about 20,000 kilometers with a daily up-down of 40 kilometers and it includes many long drives with my friends.

Coming to pulsar 180 which is a real vengeance to others and which has brought a renaissance in Indian biking, also a complete “Value For Money” bike. The first thing which I and mostly ‘we’ see while buying a bike is our economy then usage and finally power and my bike fulfill all these 3 with great ease.
I would also like to say that this is the most suited bike for Indian roads from my experience. Starting from pricing, pulsar cost me Rs. 74k approximately Rs. 20,000 more than any 100-160cc bike. But what you get in this bike is really unmatchable. Listing it point wise-

Its wider MRF zapper tubeless tyres provide an excellent road grip.
Front disk brakes for proper braking without skidding even at high speeds.
Superb aerodynamic design and sporty headlight reduces air friction.
Unconquerable power and torque best till 180cc segment.i.e-power-17.02@8500rpm and torque-14.22n-m@6000 rpm.
Style factor with sporty tank with front cowls, 3D decals and tank scoops.
Thick alloy wheels provide stability.
Suspensions are simply superb with thicker front telescopic forks and twin shock absorbers rear suspension which provides jerk free riding even in long drives.
Clip on handlebars which provide great handling.
Split seats for eye-catching looks and comfort.
Silencer with muffler for proper cooling and safety.
Side stand indicator, self start and ignition off switch for safety, easy start and safety.

These were something which you may have to sacrifice in other 100-160cc bikes mostly. Not only it leads from 100-160cc bikes but also is best in its class. Let me tell you how?

Best power and torque.
Best design and looks with definitely male tag.
0-60kmph in about 5 seconds which is best till its class.
No engine heating problems.
First to launch digital odometer and many other features.
Many metallic parts with less fiber stucture.
Re-sprocket bike with 14/39 teeth -something unique.
Least or almost no vibration at high speeds up to 105km/hr while other bikes like Apache, Hunk and even FZ vibrates-tested personally.
Great mileage up to 45 km/l. I normally get 37-40.
Best top speed in its segment. 132kmph highest observed by me.
LED taillight makes it distinct and good looking.

These all specifications make this bike as the KING. And, I personally feel that there is absolutely no use of wasting another Rs. 30,000 for getting more capacity bikes and then drowning it to petrol pump frequently and also if you are looking for normal 100-150cc bikes then just pull up another Rs. 20,000r and get all these high features. After all you never know your usage or power requirement may increase or decrease.

Driving conditions:
To be very frank I love speed and thus I do drive my bike at an average speed of 70-80 kmph as I get free traffic lanes and also airport road is in my way to college. I always felt that the driving is very smooth in this bike.
Maintenance:

I love my bike and hence maintain it a lot. I never accelerate heavily unless I drive for at least 5 kilometers for oil regulation in the engine.
I get it serviced after each 3000-4000 kilometers only.
Gear shifting at proper speed is another issue for maintenance also don’t take the clutch and drive at slopes or even normally.
I normally change my bike engine oil after 2000-2500 kilometers only. The engine oil which I use is Shell Helix 20w50 or Castrol Active 4T Extra 20w50 which are the best for pulsars, try it. Also whenever I go for long drives, I get engine oil replaced after 1200-1700 kilometers only as in long drives oil gets heated fast and loses its viscosity and stickiness property. You can also change your engine oil if it gets black and opaque (new is semi-transparent and brown red). Also never let your engine oil to get less than 400-500 ml as engine has adverse affect. And if your engine oil gets over, your engine will get seized and then you have to spend a lot nearly Rs. 5000-8000
I always use unleaded petrol for my bike as it enhances engine life and mileage.
A small tip: Never experiment with your pulsar. Mine is a pulsar and I am proud to have it as company’s make only, so why destroy its status. Also you and your mechanic can’t be brainier than company’s engineers for, which they perform various tests on designs, performance and its looks. Common experimenting like change in re-sprocket, changing headlights, putting filters will affect your bike badly.

Servicing:

Greasing clutch wire and brake wire in each service.
Cleaning chain-not only in service but once in a week as open chain catches dirt easily which can cut the teethes of gears. Also apply grease or oil after cleaning.
Cleaning air filter and also replacing oil filters after 1 or 2 services.
Waxing or polishing the bike prevents it from rusting. Also keeps dirt away and adds shine.
Getting suspension oil change after 2-3 service before it gets leaked.
Checking spark plug functionality and removing carbon deposit.

Concluding it with some pros and cons:
PROS:

No large investment or major parts replacement required in my bike.
Very low maintenance cost.

CONS:

Handle could be made of stronger material as it bends or cracks if it falls accidentally.
I would like to have 2 changes for pulsar 180 i.e. putting pulsar 220 headlight in 180 and getting more colour configurations.

I hope you find my bike review useful and may it be useful for buying it. I would whole-heartedly like any queries, suggestions and advice. So bye guys and don’t forget to give your expert comments on my review.

~PIYUSH~

Thanks piyush for the reviews.

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Yamaha Gladiator SS125 Ownership Review

2010-10-10T21:31:00.000-07:00

After selling off my 1987 RX100, I was on the lookout for a good and appropriate motorcycle for my daily commute. I was looking for a bike that – was stylish, adequately powerful (for the occasional out-of-town rides), low maintenance, had good build quality and relatively cheap to buy. Fuel consumption was taken for granted, since most commuters sold in India are relatively frugal anyway.

I always liked the Gladiator and its predecessor, the Fazer, even with the bug eyes. It always received good reviews from testers in different magazines but never tasted the kind of sales success that its competitors experienced.
Now that I own one, I’m left asking why? Just why is Yamaha Gladiator SS125 not the best seller in the class? Is it production constraints? Is it ‘unawareness’ on the part of consumers? I really don’t know.

I began by reading all available materials on the net and magazines. I also asked around people (especially mechanics) for opinion and saw a few Fazer/Gladiators, some of which were four – five year olds, running perfectly fine. Even the paint looked good for the all those years. So I went straight to the showroom and booked one. After a wait of around 3 weeks, I finally took delivery of a fabulous red and black SS125 on the 22nd September, 2010. What a bike! It looks too good for the 52Ks I paid for.

Let me begin with the heart of the bike. Yamaha tells you to stop commuting and start sport biking. Let us see. The perfectly square engine (54X54 bore n stroke) is refined with a very steady and smooth power delivery. It is mostly silent but gives out a very pleasant grunt when the throttle is opened. It has all but 11PS of power and 10.4 Nm of torque. You’ll never feel it inadequate in town. I tried a few Traffic light GPs and won.

Power and torque is spread evenly across the rev-range, so riding is mostly enjoyable at any speed. I haven’t tried out the top speed since it’s still in the ‘running-in’ period but I got to 80 quite comfortably. Top speed is inconsequential for a commuter but I believe its somewhere around 108 kmph according to various testers, which is commendable. The gearbox, with a toe-shifter, was initially a little stiff but now with mileage it has eased and has become a joy to use. It is slick, like all Yamahas, and slots into each of the 5 gears with a reassuring click. The clutch action is also very light and perfectly complements the gearbox.

The build quality of Yamaha Gladiator SS125 is superb and the paint is terrific. There are very nice touches everywhere. The exhaust pipe has a nice finish called ‘Machine gun type muffler’ by the company. There are the bar-end weights and then there’s the racy engine cowl. The headlamp fairing is supposedly wind-tunnel tested with a horizontal slit. I personally don’t care but it looks good. The footrests are also made of aluminium, which is considered premium in any class. Disc brake and Electric start are standard equipments. So also is the tachometer. All these things add to the value of the bike. I couldn’t care less for digital displays and so the ‘all analog’ display of the SS125 works for me. In fact it looks very catchy at night.

It handles amazingly well (again, since it is a Yammie). I recently took my bike for a longish ride into the hills and came away smiling wide. This bike is made for the twisties. Directional changes happen at the speed of thought. It’s simply effortless. The tyres are MRF zappers and offer amazing grip. The bike is lighter than the outgoing model with a 125 kg kerbweight.

The brakes does the job well and stops the bikes surely and gradually. The suspension is conventional and offers just the right amount of suppleness. The seats are broad and very comfortable and even a couple of hours ride doesn’t result in any body aches. Even pillions felt comfortable as the seat is very accommodating.

Now, what’s a commuter bike review without a mileage test? I had mentioned earlier that it was not one of my considerations, but test I did and came away satisfied. I got around 55 kmpl with normal riding. This is not at all class leading figures but is right on the mark and works for me. Once the engine is properly broken in, mileage is bound to improve. With a lighter hand on the gas, I think 60-65 kmpl is not a huge ask.

So, are there any negatives on the bike after all, it too is built to a budget? I’m fully satisfied with it but there are weaknesses if you look hard enough. For example the headlamp spread and focus could’ve been better. It is still okay but a better and a more powerful full DC lamp would have been welcome. The fuel filler cap is old-fashioned and the horn, a little weak. But these miniscule compromises shouldn’t be deal breakers because the core values of the bike are rock-solid and it has proven itself admirably over the years. Yes, we can start sport biking!
The bottom-line: Yamaha Gladiator SS125 is the best (sporty) commuter bike money can buy in the country. Period.

~ANIL~

Thanks ANIL FOR THE NEWS.

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TVS upgrades its Apache RTR 160 as "HyperEdge"

2010-10-10T01:37:00.000-07:00

I had posted a couple of months back about TVS preparing to launch an upgraded Apache RTR codenamed as "HyperEdge". True to the original informatuion, an upgraded/refreshed Apache RTR 160 has been sighted in certain TVS showrooms.

Posted below are the photos of the new "TVS Apache RTR HyperEdge 160", Phew.. that's quite a mouthful..!!

Although confirmed official news is yet to arrive, but from whatever news that's available, mechanically and specification wise the bike is still the same as the earlier version. Also it's not confirmed if the RTR 180 gets the HyperEdge treatment as well.

What's the "HyperEdge" treatment?

Minor visual difference is in the "HyperEdge" sticker on the tank flaps. New design stripes on the tank, front fender and rear tail panel. Also the RTR Hyper Edge 160 gets the kind of detachable rear mud fender as available on the RTR 180.

Honestly I can't believe that this is an upgrade from a company like TVS Motor.

2010 CWG Limited Edition Passion Pro

2010-10-09T21:40:00.000-07:00

Hero Honda has recently launched a new Limited Edition Passion Pro model to commemorate the 2010, New Delhi - Commonwealth Games.
"The new bike has an all-white body with sporty looks, striking new dual-tone blue and green graphics inspired by the colours of the Games",

-- Anil Dua, Senior Vice President (Marketing and Sales Hero Honda) said.

The bike comes with the special XIX CWG 2010 insignia on its side cover.

The CWG 2010, Limited Edition Passion Pro costs around Rs.46,300 (ex-showroom Delhi). Which is just Rs. 1,000 over the regular, 'alloy wheel + self start' variant of the Passion Pro (Rs. 45,300).

H Suzuki: New Chief of Yamaha Motor India Pvt. Ltd

2010-10-09T21:01:00.000-07:00

Japanese two-wheeler giant Yamaha has appointed H Suzuki as the head of its Indian operations. The former Yukimine Tsuji, who is currently head of India Yamaha Motors Pvt. Ltd. (Yamaha’s wholly owned subsidiary), will be replaced by H Suzuki with effect from November 1.
“After spending three and a half years at India Yamaha Motor Pvt Ltd (IYM), it’s CEO and MD Yukimine Tsuji is moving back to YMC to take on a new set of challenges. He will be replaced by H Suzuki effective November 1, 2010,” the company said in a statement.
Speaking on the change, Mr. Yukimine Tsuji said, “I am very much satisfied with the efforts we have made to strengthen the company’s constitution, Brand Image and get back the trust of our customers. The task of rebuilding is complete & the company is ready to move into the growth phase under the leadership of Mr. Suzuki. I am confident that our business partners including dealers & parts suppliers will continue to make sustained efforts in the new paradigm.”
Tsuji was appointed as Chief Manufacturing officer of India Yamaha Motors Pvt Ltd. in May 2007. Subsequently he moved to CEO and MD position in December 2008. He has played an important role in commissioning the new Surjapur assembly facility and Fraidabad engine parts manufacturing plant. During his tenure, Yamaha India launched several products such as FZ, FZ-S, Fazer, YBR 110, YBR 125 and SZ motorcycle.

2011 KTM 125 Duke – Production Version Officially Unveiled!

2010-10-09T20:56:00.000-07:00

After almost, 10,000′s of teasers, videos and contest, KTM has finally decided to give it a break and has officially unveiled the production version of its highly anticipated roadster, the KTM 125 Duke at the 2010 Intermot Show in Cologne, where it stood in public for the first time.

Powered by a fuel- injected four stroke single cylinder engine, the KTM 125 Duke is the company’s first street legal bike, aimed at young and entry level riders. KTM has claimed a power output of 15.2hp at 10500 rpm and 12Nm of max torque at 8000rpm. Top speed is electronically limited to 80 km/h.

The suspension is supplied by 43mm upside down fork and rear monoshock from WP, both offering 6.3 inches of travel. Brakes are single disc units developed in conjunction with Brembo. With the fuel tank capacity of 11 litters, the wet weight claimed by the 125 Duke, stands at 112 kegs.

TVS Apache RTR 160 Review by Bhanu

2010-10-09T03:32:00.000-07:00

Hello every one! This is Bhanu (Bunny). At last I am here to write review report of mine – one and only TVS Apache RTR 160 (Black Beauty). Definitely it is now or never. I had bought my bike two and half years ago after careful examination and comparison between Pulsar 150 & 180, unicorn and Cbz xtreme. Today I am a proud owner of Apache RTR and I say it by beating my chest. I pity my friends who had taken a wrong step of choosing pulsar, because now they compare my bike with their pulsars keeps on complaining about the performance and sounds from their bike.

Coming to the details first of all I would like to talk about the Styling. Comparatively a little bit large and wide head lamp but negotiable comparing on all. For the first time in the Indian history to introduce the rotor petal disc brake for the front, this created sensation. Excellent sportive design and seating as well! I love it, and coming to the back a brilliant looking led tail lamps with a partition in the middle looks great.

Style and Design 4.5/5

Engine and performance: A beautiful and well muscled black engine looks awesome. It has159.7cc powerful engine which releases15.4bhp power. As the name itself indicates “racing throttle response” the bike dances according to our response to trottle. Trust me, I am shocked with its performance, the bike jumps forward on giving a little throttle justifying the term “RTR”. I came to know by some bike magazines that the Apache RTR had won in a drag circuit on competing with pulsar, unicorn and Cbz.

Coming to the complaints session, everybody says that engine gives a lot of vibrations. For all those who say the above line. First of all the bike’s idle speed is minimum 60kmph or above. You can go over 110kmph without any vibrations if you have guts, as I had experienced myself by going to a top speed of 114 kmph. Smoothly, riding below the optimum speeds with such a powerful bike normally gives a little bit vibrations and treating this as a problem is a nonsense.

Engine and Performance 4.4 / 5

Handling: Well balanced chassis and very sharp and powerful brakes, adjustable handle bars overall gives a dam good handling to the bike. It is very nimble in traffic and you can cut through any small passage you have on the road compare to the ride on broken (off) road. Ride quality is not the best on broken roads which is negotiable.

Handling 4.5 / 5

At last, I love my bike and I will perform periodic maintenance to my bike. In these two and half years with 30000 kilometers I had to change following things.

Engine oil filters (Thrice)
Front disc brake pads (Once)
Disc Brake fluid (Twice)

That’s it.
Now for all those who has doubts on buying a brand new Apache RTR, leave all the stupid doubts and go for it if at all you are looking for a 150 to 180cc bike.

~BHANU~

Thanks BHANU for the article.

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Bajaj Auto is Developing All New 100cc Entry Level Motorcycle

2010-10-09T03:24:00.000-07:00

India’s second largest two wheeler manufacturer Bajaj auto planning a new 100cc bike which could cost less than 40,000 Rs. Bajaj Auto which has seen great success of its 100cc bike discover wants to strengthen its position in 100cc segment by this new offering.

The news came when Bajaj auto informed its auto parts suppliers that they are developing a 100cc bike. Two of the auto parts suppliers of Bajaj auto who declined to be named to the Dow Jones wired recently said that the new motorcycle is being developed as part of Bajaj Auto’s plan to expand its offerings in the entry-level segment.
Bajaj Auto currently sells 10 motorcycle models, including two with 100cc engines–the Discover 100 and Platina. It also sells a 150cc motorcycle under the Discover brand and a Platina 125cc motorcycle.

Currently Hero Honda has lion’s share in 100cc segment with its leading brand Splendour and Passion. Hero Honda still commands 3/4th of the domestic 100cc market. Bajaj Auto had left 100cc segment in the year 2007 which made Hero Honda’s market share to historical high of 85% in domestic 100 cc segment. Bajaj Auto reentered 100cc segment with Discover 100 cc in the last year July and since then it has sold 1 million units of Discover 100cc till the date. Bajaj Auto does not want to stop here, it wants give tough competition not only Hero Honda but emerging rival Honda Motors Scooters India ltd. also.
Bajaj Auto Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj confirmed that the company is working on a new entry-level motorcycle, but declined to disclose its price or engine capacity.He said the company may introduce the new motorcycle next year. “We have only begun an evaluation, hopefully (the vehicle can be launched in) 2011,” he said.

Kareena Kapoor to be the Brand Ambassador for Mahindra’s Scooters

2010-10-09T03:23:00.000-07:00

After endorsing Aamir Khan as a brand ambassador for motorcycle, Mahindra Two Wheeler has appointed Kareena Kapoor as a brand ambassador for their power scooters.
The first multimedia campaign featuring Kareena Kapoor is of Mahindra Rodeo which will appear later this month. Mahindra’s power scooters portfolio includes Rodeo, Duro and Flyte. While Rodeo is positioned as a rugged family scoter, Duro is positioned as a stylish and innovative youth power scooter.

On the endorsement Kareena Kapoor said that her experience with Mahindra scooter dates back to two years ago, when she rode a Mahindra Power Scooter in 3 Idiots. She is delighted to be working with them. She also added that Rodeo is a youthful, fun and fresh brand. It has the right mix of style and power.
Anoop Mathur, President, Two wheeler, Mahindra two wheeler said that they are delighted to have Kareena Kapoor on-board as brand ambassador for their entire range of Power Scooters. Kareena has strong connect with the youth, who are inspired by her hard work, discipline and natural acting talent. Mahindra Two Wheeler is India’s fastest growing two wheeler company with growth of more than 340% on year on year basis.

Hero Honda to set up a unit in Himachal Pradesh

2010-10-08T04:11:00.000-07:00

Hero Honda, a major two-wheeler manufacturer has now plans to set up a fourth manufacturing unit in the Baddi-Barrotiwala-Nalagarh industrial belt of Himachal Pradesh, as it is projecting that it will exhaust its installed capacity in the current fiscal year. The world’s largest two-wheeler maker by volumes has sought the Himachal Pradesh government’s help in acquiring land for the project, which includes a mother plant and ancillary units. According to a senior official, the company has sought the state government’s help to acquire around 2,000 bighas of land.
The company is keen on the site in the Solan district, which is connected by road with major markets in north India. In the last few months, Hero Honda executives have been surveying some locations in Sirmaur and Solan districts of the hill state.
The company’s current 5.4 million units capacity is likely to be exhausted in the current fiscal year as the sector is booming on the back of robust economic growth in the country. Hero Honda sold over 4 million two-wheelers in the year to March 2010 and is looking to breach the 5-million mark in the current fiscal.

~ATHUL~

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A Passionate Review of Yamaha Fazer

2010-10-07T23:48:00.000-07:00

I have been a bike rider for over 8 years and this is my 3rd bike. I am a proud owner of a black Yamaha Fazer since 10 months. I have already clocked 6000+ kms and have done 4 long trips; twice Mumbai – Lonavala – Mumbai (almost 140 kms one way); once Mumbai – Pune – Mumbai (almost 190 kms one way) and once Mumbai – Dahanu – Mumbai (approx 140 kms one way).
The relationship of a true rider with his bike has always been like that of a girlfriend, be it with any bike. You have to treat her with respect and love. You feel proud and elated right since the moment you walk into the showroom to book the bike having decided upon all the other things like choosing the perfect bike from amongst the plethora of bikes available in the market, the financials etc.

However the process previous to booking the bike is the most crucial and tiresome and many times also confusing as, if you don’t settle for the perfect bike for you, you might regret later. Now days, as riders are more focused on performance biking and the aesthetics of the bike, buying a bike is no more just about commuting to and from work.
It’s more about the looks and the style of the bike, its performance and other extra features added to the bike which, though make the bike costlier but, accentuates the bike’s overall looks. Mileage and price takes a backseat as compared to these factors.

It’s been a long time since I have written a review about my bike. Thanks to BYKER (HotBike.in) this opportunity has come again. I won’t go too much into the technical details about the bike as that has been mentioned like a zillion times on other blogs and review websites. What I would tell you is specifically why I chose this bike over others and the thought process prior to the booking.

I was already riding a Karizma R before but since I went to UK for studies I had to sell it off. Hence I was sure I wouldn’t be going in for the smaller bikes (i.e. lesser than 150 cc). I had planned for at least 6-8 long trips over the year. Budget was not a big constraint for me. I was okay with having to spend about Rs. 85k for a bike.
Also keep in mind that the time is January 2010. I shortlisted 5 bikes – Hero Honda Karizma R, Yamaha Fazer, Suzuki GS 150, Honda Unicorn TVS Apache RTR 180, considering the prices, technical specifications, looks and overall ride and build quality of the respective bikes. I went to each of the showrooms; luckily where I live, all the showrooms: Honda, Yamaha, TVS and Suzuki are just like 15 mins away.

I was apprehensive about the Apache RTR 180 since the bike was new. It did not have much road presence at that time. Also, I had heard complaints about the gear box in the RTR 160 on many of the blogs and reviews websites and was told that RTR 180 uses pretty similar gearbox.
Though the bike looks sporty enough and has a rear disc, a good meter console providing all the necessary details, sport bike type detachable rear mudflap and other goodies which boosts the ‘feel good factor’ and the fact that the bike has been designed keeping in mind the racing spirit of TVS company, but the seat is quite small and not well cushioned.
For long drives this would tend to be a big problem. This also makes the bike look a tad smaller than what is expected from a 180 cc bike. Another problem was since the bike was new; there were not any bikes available for test rides at any of the showrooms in Mumbai. I didn’t like the idea of spending Rs. 75k without even a single test ride. Furthermore, resale value for a TVS bike would be way less than a Hero Honda/ Honda or even a Yamaha. So I crossed off Apache RTR 180 from my list.

When I visited the Suzuki showroom, the same thing happened. Even this bike was new, hardly any road presence that time and didn’t have any bike for test ride. Except for the meter console – which provides all the required details including the gear shift and also a power and economy mode and the thing that this bike has 6 gears; nothing else about the bike appealed to me much.
The build quality did not seem up to the mark, considering this bike is from the Suzuki stable I had better expectations from this bike. I was bit disappointed due to this. But I still thought of giving this bike another chance (well Hayabusa is one my favorite bikes and I didn’t want to be too harsh on one of the top 3 Japanese bike makers) and hence decided to keep this on hold till I checked out the other bikes.

I visited the Honda showroom and was surprised to find the Fireblade sitting in all its glory occupying the premium spot in the showroom – right in front of the entrance. A good marketing gimmick from the second of the top 3 Japanese bike manufacturer but it surely fulfilled its intent. I was easily drawn into the showroom like a moth to a flame. I checked out the Unicorn; though this model is almost 6 years old and very common on the roads, but recently they had upgraded their bike with a tachometer.
However the new meter console didn’t appeal much either, since it remained entirely analog; hence seemed too outdated compared to the digital consoles of the other bikes. The design looks way too much outdated. This was not at all expected of Honda which provided the technical knowhow to Hero Honda and considering CBZ/ Karizma which made ripples in performance biking in India has Honda technology.
Perhaps Honda decided to play safe with its own bikes in Indian conditions – a 150cc bike with decent traditional looks. But for me that didn’t appeal. Also after test riding the bike, it seemed too much short of power. Hence a Rs. 68k price tag seemed too much for this bike. Hence I had to cross this bike off my list.

I visited the Yamaha factory shop next. I was thrilled to see black and Yamaha blue R1s standing right in front of the entrance, welcoming you into the showroom. A VMax, a MT01 on the left and a FZ6 and a dirt bike (well they say these are for R&D purpose) as a treat to the eyes. Combined effect: they took my breath away!
Awed by these bikes, I asked for Fazer’s test ride and was immediately handed over the keys. The bike felt smooth, ride quality was excellent and up to the mark as expected from Yamaha, monoshock suspension made the potholes seem puny, firing sound was nice, larger tyres at the front and rear added to the road grip and above all this, the front fairing with the twin headlights and fairing mounted RVMs (Yamaha claims the front fairing design is developed using a wind-tunnel making it more aerodynamic) made the bike look different; overall the bike looked perfect enough for churning Rs. 80k. It is, in fact, the smaller sibling of the world renowned liter class FZ 1 Fazer.

didn’t feel the need to visit a Hero Honda showroom as I already was sure of what Karizma R is capable of. An excellent bike with a pure performance bred engine, comfortable riding conditions, analog-digital tripod meter console with amber illumination, twin beam stop lights, chrome plated muffler all adds to the ‘feel good factor’ and once on a Karizma you do feel like you own the road. But since I already rode a Karizma for like a year and a half and since now the time had come to purchase a bike, I decided to go in for a new model.
So I crossed GS 150 and Karizma R off my list. After arranging my finances and other formalities I finally booked a black Yamaha Fazer on 11th January 2010. My only condition being I wanted the bike to be delivered on 19th January. Since after selling off Karizma I was without a bike for almost two years, it became more and more difficult with each passing day to wait to get on my bike. Yamaha kept its promise and finally the day came when I could bring my bike home.
Since then having ridden 6000+ kms the bike has been as smooth as silk. I would now tell you more about the pros and cons of the bike.
Pros:

The overall build quality looks top notch as expected from Yamaha
Front disk brake does its job well even at speeds of 60 kmph without the bike slipping off (only thing don’t forget to apply the rear brakes simultaneously).
Rear monoshock makes the ride quality peaceful. You don’t even feel a thing on small potholes and bumps. Fronts forks are thicker compared to almost all other Indian bikes below 250 cc and prove very useful.
Front fairing is large and the tank is huge giving the bike a big muscular bike look.
The fairing is aerodynamically designed (as mentioned earlier). This actually helps to keep the windblasts on highways away from the rider due to the fairing design and riding position.
The fairing is two toned at the sides adding to the overall bike appeal. Decals on the fairing look decent enough.
Twin headlamps look stunning giving the bike a whole different look. Just two Indian bikes have this feature yet. The pilot lamp is well placed and proves effective.
Meter console is neat and fully digital making it different from other bikes which have a analog-digital console.
The switchgear is of a very good quality as compared to a lot many bikes in the market today.
Larger front and rear tyres make the bike more stable on the road and enhances road grip.
Both tubeless tyres make them more resistant to punctures and if punctured at all then it is easier to remove the puncture without actually having to remove the tyre off the axle.
Bike is well balanced with respect to its centre of gravity and this makes cornering enjoyable.
Riding position is not too stooped like that of sporty bike or not too upright like that of a commuter/ cruiser bike. It’s just perfect and comfortable for longer journeys.
Seating is well cushioned and front seat is wide and big enough for the rider making the ride comfortable.
Half open chain guard makes the bike look a bit sporty.
Foot pegs are of aluminium adding to the sporty looks of the bike and also making them more rigid. Also, the position of the front pegs is a bit on the sportier side with the pegs pushed back slightly.
Black and orange colors seem to go well with the bike.

Cons:

Of the twin headlamps, one lamp is for upper and one is for the dipper. It’s sad those both don’t work simultaneously like in the R15, but don’t even try to keep the switch in the center to make them work together as the battery is not designed to take that much load.
Meter console doesn’t have a clock (don’t know why that is required in the first place as we all do wear wrist watches or could check our mobiles if required, but since this has become a trend to have a clock in the console I mentioned this in the cons).
No kick start, just self. So I have to put on the choke every morning for about 10-15 secs before I can take off.
Rear seat is a bit small making riding with a rucksack on shoulders and a pillion uncomfortable for long journeys.
Half open chain guard means mud flying on to the chain during monsoons resulting in rusting of the chain. Thus it requires regular cleaning and lubricating of the chain – thus additional cost and effort. The YamaLube for the chain costs around Rs. 200 & the effect could last only for about a month or so.
After pushing the bike past 90 kmph, it seems to lack power. Such a brawny bike with just 150 cc engine seems to be underutilized. It should have been at least a 180 cc powerhouse.

Currently, I am getting an average of 40 kmpl in city and almost 45 kmpl on highways, which is decent considering that the rear tyre is much wide.
I have tried to provide an exhaustive review with a hope that this helps many of the readers who are planning to buy this bike or are at least considering Fazer as one of their options, to make their decision better and simpler!

~RAKESH~

Thanks RAKESH for your article

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Bajaj Pulsar 200cc DTSi Ownership Review by Vikrant

2010-10-07T08:16:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! My name is Vikrant Singh. I am crazy Lover of My Pulsar 200 DTSi. I learnt how to ride on this bike so I am deeply attached with my bike. I have named her “VIK3″. If I speak about VIK3, there is a lot to talk and I won’t stop. But I realized that this is not a place for stories, its review so let me get down to the important points that I looked when I planned to purchase a bike.

Looks: I guess looks of this bike was one good reason for the rising sales of the pulsar in high segment category. It’s not a secret that the sales for P220 were somewhere affected because of this naked street fighter looking bike.
The main attraction is the Silencer that matches with the bike perfectly. Split seats and the front small faring covering the tank just enhances the looks of this bike which makes it look meaner and sexier.

Handling, Highways: You will simply love this bike when you ride it on the highways. You may feel that it’s just made for it till you take a steep corner and you hear the middle stand screech against the ground (If you have a Pillion with you). Its lighter and faster, overtaking on the straights is the best, cornering I guess could have been better (you may feel the cornering is not so good only if you’ve been riding extremely good bikes like R15 which is the best for cornering and moving out of the corners swiftly) otherwise this will feel like the perfect bike for you.

Handling, City: City handling is good but I have felt that the front fork could have been a bit better to make handling better in city. The braking is simply good considering the drum brake for the rear. If you ride in the city a lot, keep a close check on your clutch plates for replacement on time as they wear sooner than expected.

Handling, Off Roads: Simply Awesome! I don’t know why but I feel it performs outstandingly well on off roads too. The engine doesn’t heat so quickly and that’s a very good plus point for off road riding.

Overall Performance: When you want her to be smooth and easy for cruiser feel, she will behave like a cruiser and the next moment if you become a monster she will be your shadow. Amazing pick up! Amazing mid and top Range! Excellent mileage if taken good care and Good Braking too! What else can you ask for.

Comfort: It gives you a race riding posture after you are on it, so yes I agree due to its seating arrangement it may not be the most comfortable bike and if, you are on a long riding trip then you sure gonna have a sore butt. Well for me i don’t care about that much, but if you do then you might want to test ride one of your friends bike to see how comfortable it feels for you.

Electronically Speaking: The main point to focus on this point is that the bike does not come with a Kick Start. Only electric start and yes if you maintain your battery good then you should have no problems with that. Few things are observed that the engine heat side stand, oil and air filter blockage indicators on the digital console tend to act weird after sometime. One or few of them may keep blinking or remain switched on(Side stand Indicator). Other than that if you give your bike for a wash at a washing center then please instruct him not to spray a lot near the CDI device which is under your seat that may damage it.

Service: Please do not expect a lot form the Bajaj service centers and be alert and smart while dealing with them they try to con a lot and please cross check if your work is done as mentioned in the manual.
Watch Out For:

Rear disc and heavy front fork can help a lot.
Headlights not so good on the Highway but that can be fixed.
Replace your Coil with an avenger 180′s coil that will give you a better power output and good beam intensity.
Engine noise is a bit noisier than a Honda engine.
Regularly servicing the bike will help with good performance for a long time.Hope This info helps you a bit if not a lot.

Final Verdict: If you are convinced that this is the bike you want then go for the better and improvised version Pulsar 220 without the faring it seriously rocks and is a great value for money!!
Ride Safe Guys!!!

~VIKRANT SINGH~

Thanks VIKRANT for the nice article.

send your article to ask@hotbike.in

Yamaha Sales Grow 13 per cent in September-Upbeat about upcoming festive season!

2010-10-07T07:44:00.000-07:00

With the recent additions to their product portfolio comprising of the successful, FZ series and R15 motorcycles, India Yamaha Motor has registered a growth of 13.5 per cent in sales during September 2010 as compared to the corresponding period last year. It sold 33,944 units in September 2010 as against 29,900 units sold in September 2009. Yukimine Tsuji, CEO & MD, India Yamaha Motor said, “We are pleased with our sales growth in September in spite of capacity constraints at vendors end and the resulting parts supply shortage. However, we are trying our best to fulfill the order backlog and meet the expectations of our esteemed customers this festival season.”
“Having received an overwhelming response for FZ series, we are also launching Limited Edition FZ series bikes in Midnight Special color scheme during this festival season. We are confident that these too will be an instant hit among the biking enthusiasts”, he added.
The company is continuing with its efforts to enhance consumer confidence by conducting various marketing initiatives like Yamaha Safe Riding Science, Yamaha R15 One Make Race Championship and Yamaha Service Camps. The company is also focusing its efforts on strengthening its dealer network in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. It is also increasing its sub-dealers in rural areas too focussing on the commuter segment.

Bajaj Auto registers a growth 26 percent

2010-10-07T07:35:00.001-07:00

Automotive giant Bajaj Auto Ltd has reported its monthly sales of 352,769 units in September, a 26 per cent increase from 280,916 units in the same period last year. The company which is challenging the number one two-wheelers company Hero Honda though is registering a healthy growth rate, is still behind the leader.
Of the 352, 769 units sold, motorcycles accounted for 314,515 (249,133) units with commercial vehicles taking up the balance 38,254 (31,121) units. Exports totaled 101,960 units, up 26 per cent from September 2009 level of 80,681 units.

Yamaha May Launch Improved Versions of FZ-16, FZ-S and Fazer (Speculation)

2010-10-07T07:34:00.000-07:00

Yamaha may launch new and upgraded versions of FZ-16, FZ-S and Fazer bikes i.e. the whole FZ series. It is also being speculated that Yamaha may launch these upgraded versions by Diwali, though no such confirmation has been received from the officials. As far as the upgraded versions of the FZ series are concerned, Yamaha will only be making the bikes attractive rather than enhancing its performance i.e. they will only count their chickens on paint job and graphics rather than improving bike’s performance.

If at all Yamaha launches these improved version (only physical improvements), it is estimated that they will be charged Rs.2000 above the normal regular price. The upgraded paint job could be then compared to Yamaha YZF-R15. There seems to be no confirmation though about the launch of upgraded versions. We will have to wait and see if Yamaha comes up with this or not.

India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd. to get a new CEO

2010-10-07T07:30:00.000-07:00

There is a change at the helm of affairs at Yamaha. After spending three and a half years at India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd. (IYM), it’s CEO&MD, Yukimine Tsuji is moving back to YMC to take on a new set of challenges. He will be replaced by H. Suzuki effective November 1st, 2010. Speaking on the change, Yukimine Tsuji said, “I am very much satisfied with the efforts we have made to strengthen the company’s constitution, Brand Image and get back the trust of our customers. The task of rebuilding is complete & the company is ready to move into the growth phase under the leadership of Mr. Suzuki. I am confident that our business partners including dealers & parts suppliers will continue to make sustained efforts in the new paradigm.”
Tsuji joined IYM as Chief Manufacturing Officer in May 2007 and stayed in that role until December 2008 when he took over as its CEO&MD. Tsuji has been the driving force behind various initiatives of IYM including commissioning of new Surajpur Assembly plant & Faridabad Engine Parts manufacturing plant, Product Quality enhancement measures, Enrichment of the model line up with the launch of FZ-S, Fazer, YBR 110, YBR 125 & SZ bikes and Strengthening of dealer network.
The recent launch of the SZ Powerful-commuter bike is the direct result of the hard work put in by him and his management team. Because of his efforts, IYM is strongly poised to fully realize it’s potential.

Bajaj Auto likely to hike price up by 1-2 percent

2010-10-07T07:28:00.001-07:00

One of the country’s leading two-wheeler manufacturers, Bajaj Auto, is likely to increase the prices of its bikes by 1-2 per cent this month following a rise in input costs, according to a senior company official. "Input costs have risen considerably. As a result, we will have to increase the prices of our vehicles. We are planning to increase them by 1-2 per cent from this month," the company's General Manager (Marketing), Milind Bade, told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.
However, the company is still working out the details of the hike, he said.
In July this year, the company had increased its prices following a rise in steel prices.
It is expected that steel prices are likely to increase by Rs 500-1,000 in the coming months following an increase in the global demand for the material.
Bade said that the company was also planning to ramp-up its production capacity to 2-million units annually by this month.

TVS Apache RTR 180 Ownership Review

2010-10-06T07:45:00.000-07:00

The time has at-last come! It is time for me to look for a new companion as my aging companion was getting really old. 11+ years to say it exactly! My companion on all my road-trips, chugging the uphill’s and cheerfully doing the downhill’s, was Bajaj Caliber. Yes! My Caliber did a wonderful job all these years. When it was a baby back in last quarter of1998, it used to be the king of the road. But now with cut throat competition and plenty of ‘kings’ trying to invade the roads, the time has come to change my workhorse.

One year back, in August 2009, I finally made up my mind to acquire a new kid on the block. Having ridden a no non-sense bike all these years (literally, I did not have to go to service center except for replacement of chain, tyre, clutch/brake cables etc), my mind had a soft corner to the Bajaj stable. So I started visiting the showrooms. It was the time when Bajaj was planning to put in the Pulsar 180 UG IV version. Luckily in my city, Thiruvananthapuram (capital of Kerala), Bajaj, Suzuki, Honda, TVS, Hero Honda and Enfield showrooms were within a circular radius of 1 km. Let me say, I am not a big fan of front fairings, bigger tanks and scoops and such extra showoffs. So, Hunk, Karizma, Pulsar 220, Suzuki GS150R etc was off from my list. And my budget was 65,000 – 75,000. Comfort and better seating was also to be taken into account for my better half.
Enfield Bullet 350, Bajaj Pulsar 180 UG IV, Honda Unicorn, TVS Apache RTR 180, Yamaha FZ 16. Phew! The list that I came up, after scouting the internet user reviews, comments, word of mouth etc. It is time to decide among the above contestants. First I went to the Bajaj showroom to test ride the P180 UG IV version. At a single look, most of its design was taken from the elder P200. It has split seats, good looks etc, but the saree guard is not having foot-rest rods. When I enquired whether it has one or not, the showroom guy said to weld it from a local welder! Also, they did not have a test drive machine. Next I went to Honda showroom. Unicorn has not changed much after their introduction into the market.
When I asked for a test ride the answer was in negative (even though I rode one of my friends Unicorn) and the waiting period is crossing one month time! Next I went to Yamaha and same results repeated as that of Honda. Even though it has everything that I am looking for, it is slightly overpriced for a 150cc bike. Next I went to TVS showroom. I rode one of my friends Apache 160 FI and so did have an idea as to how Apaches are. There was a test drive vehicle for Apache 180! But the showroom guy did not allow me to take it to highway for full testing. I took it to inter connected roads and was happy with the way of its handling. Showroom guy also said that it has a waiting period of more than 3 weeks.
When I asked him if I pay the full amount as ready cash, whether he can deliver it on a date specified by me, he told me that he will call back after consulting with the manager. Next I went to the Enfield showroom and there stand Bullet 350 with all its glory. Even after all these years, it had not lost the appeal. Personally I do have a soft corner to Bullet as my Dad owned one.
Now with all the data that I am having it is time for me to choose. With so many Pulsars seen on the road and need to do some aftermarket modifications, it was the first one to go from my list. Being overpriced for a 150cc (I accept the fact that we need to pay a premium for its style), FZ16 was the second one to go from my list. Taking into account the dry weight of the vehicle and the mileage factor (I was looking for at least a 40+ kmpl vehicle) Bullet 350 was the third one to go from the list. Now left with Unicorn and Apache 180.
I went to both these showrooms again to make up my mind. Honda people were saying that it would take at least a week to get the bike. This time though, they gave me a bike to test ride. TVS people were saying that they will try to get the bike on the date that I specified. After weighing in all the factors in my mind for a couple of days (I was sleepless sometimes, literally), I decided to go for Apache 180. I went to TVS showroom on the second week of August 2009 and booked my RTR 180. I want the bike to be delivered on 17th August 2009, as it was starting of a new year according to calendar followed by Keralites (Any keralite reading this, it was Chingam 1).
And finally the day has come. I woke up pretty early and was eager to get by baby. When the time struck 11AM, I set out to get my RTR 180. By afternoon, I got my bike! WOW! I am a proud owner of Apache RTR 180. I went to nearby petrol bunk, filled the whole tank and set out to my home.
Warm welcome was waiting for the new baby. My dad did his preliminary inspection on it and was satisfied, my mom & wife did an aarathi pooja, and my sis took a drive! Everybody was happy even though my mom & dad had a concern that I may speed out on this pint sized power-house!
I settled for a matte grey color, as black color is too noticeable and so many black pulsars around. White color? I had to wait for another week! Yellow? A definite no-no choice for me.
Below is the very first shot of RTR, being ridden below 10kms. (Showroom to home – 8 kms only)

I first thought of writing up a review after a month, but I hold back, due to the fact that, the review may not be complete if I did not complete all four seasons in my RTR. So now after an year a month, I think it is a good time to write a review.

Style and Build Quality

When I stop at traffic lights all the people who are in their bikes surrounding me stared at me. A couple of times RTR 160 owners spoke with me regarding the performance, mileage and other stuff. Once during the night, a pulsar guy came over and said “wow, you are having blue backlight on your dash board. Cool!”
The styling is not much different from the old Apaches. It could have been given more style other than copying the old ones. The differentiator between the old and the new ones are the racing stripes on the tank and the scoops. I liked this because I can go unnoticed in the crowd. The matte grey finish is also helping me to go unnoticed.
The tank has air scoops, which helps to cool down the engine and increase the aesthetics of the bike. The forward stance also gives an impression of it being a racing-kind of bike. The grab rail/bars on the rear are not just for a show off but a pretty solid grab rail. I was able to move the bike, by picking up from the rear using these bars/rail. The brake levers are forged so that it is lighter in construction but give a point to styling.
The detachable rear fender flap is a good option. During rainy season, the flap can be attached to it, so that the vehicle/person coming behind me are not ‘bathed’ in mud and water, and on other seasons it can be removed so that RTR looks racier. If you plan to, not to attach the flap on rainy season, then be prepared to wash the pillion rider’s shirt/top after a ride!
Also, I found a pretty good problem during rains! Your shoe will be loaded with water even in a slight rain. I think it is due to the foot rest being near to the rear wheel mud guard coupled along with the fact that there is a small opening on the rear-foot rest designer plate!

The other problem which I noticed is rusting of open parts. I noticed it on the front shock absorbers, then weight-end/clips-ons on both sides of the handle bar, then on the saree guard, on the underside clamp of the headlights. For a good bike like this, these must be taken care by TVS.

These rusting happened in a life span of 1 year. I must say that, in my old Bajaj Caliber, the rusting came up only after a couple of years.
The matte black kind of finish on the engine is pretty good, the same goes for the side/rear panels. The exhaust is covered with a silver kind of plate, which helps the beauty of the bike. The six spoke alloy wheels with factory fitted TVS tyres are good, but it could be better if other brands may be used. I did have a slippery grip during the rainy season.
Indicators are good, so do the rear brake lights. Number plates are set in a visible area, just below the headlight on the front and at the rear; it is placed in such a way that, it is easy to add the detachable rear fender easily. The rear shock absorber is painted in light golden colors and having the spring/coils in black, adds to the beauty.

Electrical and Instrumentation

RTR has a pretty neat no non-sense dashboard which houses digital speedometer and an analogue tachometer. The digital speedometer console itself houses the digital clock, the fuel gauge, the speedometer, the odometer, the trip meter A & B, the high speed indicator and the shortest time indicator! Phew, so much in a single console. Having two trip meters has many advantages, like set meter A to get the mileage and meter B to count the distance covered.

Fuel gauge/indicator is faulty or not showing the exact amount of fuel left in the tank. The tachometer console houses the tachometer/rpm counter, the fuel warning indicator, the service reminder indicator and the battery charge indicator. It also has the TVS racing logo imprinted on it. Below the digital speedometer lies the high beam indicator, the neutral indicator and the turn signal indicator.
On the left handle bar, it has the horn, turn signal switch, pass by switch, head lamps dim/bright switch and the choke lever. On the right handle bar, it has the electric start switch, head lamp switch and the engine cut off switch. The ignition type is dual mode digital ignition with a bosch twin electrode spark plug. The headlamp is halogen 35/35W and the park/position lamp is 4W. The signal lamp is 10W and number plate lamp (rear) is 4W. Tail/brake lamp is 0.5/3.5W. The quality of switch gears is very good and none of them is having a pointed edge, so it will be smooth on your fingers.
Having a self start option, the battery must be maintained to its optimum. In all these days, I did not have any glitches in starting up the machine in a single press. Be it in the morning, when the engine is cold or be it at the time when the engine is warm after a ride. I usually use the kick start option in the morning and for the rest of the day use the self start option. In that way you can maintain the self starting motor & battery to its optimum and will not forget to kick start the bike, in case battery goes down!

Comfort and Handling

RTR seating position is slightly forward, meaning you cannot ride it in a spine-straight/upward postion (unless your are nearly or more than six feet tall). Having an average height I am comfortable with the forward slanting riding position. It gives you a feeling that you are going to race. The length and width of the seat provide ample space for both the driver and pillion rider. The cushion is not of top notch quality but average. The showroom people put up a seat cover, which adds nothing more to the cushion feeling.
When I removed and inspected the seat cover the showroom guys provided, it was just a leather cover with no cushioning underneat it. So I discarded it althogether.
RTR has telescopic oil damped shocks at the front and gas filled shocks at the rear. The rear shock is of 5 step adjuster, so you can set it to your liking. Riding through the poth ridden road, it absorbs most of the shocks, but if you ever fall into a heavy poth hole or just cut through the point where the new tarring meets the old tarring of the road, the front portion give a loud thud sound! The ground clearance is only 165mm, so be careful while riding with the pillion. The cowl/engine-fairing may kiss the road, on some humps and poth holes.
Having a wheel base of 1326mm, the bike is quite steady at lower as well as higher speeds. Nobody other can match the cornering ability of this one. If you a ride a Pulsar 180 and then a RTR 180, you can definitely feel the difference. The factory fitted TVS Srichackra is not so comfortable when riding in rainy days. On dry surface the grip is really very good, but that feeling goes off, when you ride in the rain/ wet surfaces.
The front tyre is having a size of 90/90 and rear tyre is having a size of 110/80, which translates to great grip and confidence. The wheels are light weight alloys, so it helps in reducing the overall weight of the vehicle (around 140kgs with full tank) without compromising on the safety aspect. TVS did a good job on that front.

Engine and Transmission

RTR 180 is built around the same platform as other Apaches and hence share the same 4 stroke, air cooled, single cylinder OHC with 62.5mm bore and 57.8mm stroke. The piston displacement is 177.4 cc having 2 valves. The compression ratio is 9.5:1. The maximum power is 17.3 bhp @ 8500rpm and the maximum torque is 15.5Nm @ 6500rpm, all enclosed in a Mikuni BS-29 carburetor. Being a carburetor version, we can tune it to our liking unlike the FI machines. Utmost care is to be taken while tuning the carburetor, if something goes wrong, the bike is dead or sluggish in performance.
I rode the RTR very carefully during the run-in period. I did not go more than 50 kmph nor did any sudden acceleration/braking and other such stuff. I rode it normally through the traffic engaging gear changes on long stretches so that engine can set in. Home to Office distance is around 22km and it is pretty near to 50-50 city-highway road. RTR is a rev happy machine, you can open the throttle and overtake or attain speed without any hiccups.
The engine is mated with a 5 speed gearbox which is smooth, the only problem being the shifter having only the toe option. So be careful while wearing a shoe which is light especially made of leather. As the bike is designed from Racing Throttle Response (RTR), no matter which gear you are in, you can turn the accelerator and fly. Once on a level road, I was able to come down to as low as 24 kmph in top gear and was able to climb back to 70kmph in a matter of seconds! The engine note said that it was not complaining but demanding more! The top speed that I was able to achieve is 121 kmph and the manual/spec says it is 124 kmph! So I was just short of 3kmph in touching what the manual said.

At night time, the headlights are powerful enough both in the dim and bright modes. One interesting factor that I noticed when I use bright light is, whenever I am passing through smoke/fog like conditions, two rays which seems to originate from the parking light bulb position, goes straight up into the open sky! The light falling area is also pretty good; you can avoid the potholes and humps.

Performance and Braking

17.3 bhp of raw power is more than enough for our city road conditions. To use the full power you have to ride in the highways or ride at mid-night (I am not mentioning cities like Mumbai or Delhi, but my own city which starts sleeping by the time clock stuck 11PM). When you are starting from a standstill and raring to go, the bike keeps up to your expectation. If your open up the throttle, it responds without a glitch and before you think that you have reached the maximum, the bike still gives a feeling like it can be pushed more.
But if you have a pillion rider, be warned, it will not perform like it used to be. That is because of high power to weight ratio. Now coming to the most often discussed part – vibrations. Yes, there is indeed vibrations creeping in, when speed hit above 50 and dies out when it reaches 70 kmph. But think about the bhp it packs, think about the performance it packs, think about the brakes it packs, then these vibration will not come to your mind. If TVS is able to tackle this issue, then I must say RTR 180 will become more desirable.
RTR 180 employs roto petal disc brakes for both front and the rear. Having 270mm at the front and 200mm at therear, the pint-sized work-horse is put to a full stop without any slippage. Be warned that if you apply brakes so hard, the bike may stop at the place, but the driver may be thrown off! Just kidding . But that is the way in which brakes are designed. If the tyres are Zapper ones, the braking may be improved and be of more precision. I am not sure about that aspect, but I am still using the stock tyres. But all these accuracy and full stops go away once you are in the rain or on wet conditions. But I think that is expected of disc brakes, in general.

Mileage and This & That

As I ride the bike through the city and through the highway, on my daily commute to office, I must say the fuel consumption figures are justified. If you ride the bike in a careful manner, like keeping the speed below 60 kmph and not changing the gears too often, not having a sudden acceleration/braking etc, it returned an average of 44-46 kmpl.
If ridden like a racing maniac (yes, I did so, to test the full capability of the bike), it returned an average of 38-40 kmpl. But I am riding somewhere between being sane and insane. The last time I check for an average, it returned me 43 kmpl. Phew! That is a good average figure for this racing horse. The tank capacity is 16 liters with 2.5 liters marked for reserve.
Some other minor things that I would like to point out are:

RTR 180 has open chain, means, you have to maintain the chain in good condition. Clean it every two weeks and adjust it once in a month, to give a better performance.
Make sure you are using the rear fender flap on a rainy season.
Park the bike under the shades, if possible, on sunny days, as it may leave an after effect on your digital dashboard console.
Service it once in two months, after you run out of service periods mentioned in the user manual.

Verdict

I must say, TVS put in all the effort to bring out a good performance bike which an average user can depend, be it buying it or maintaining it. Despite having some shortfalls, my baby did not disappoint me even once. It is a cool bike to have a city commuting and weekend get aways. If you are a tall guy, look for other options, but if you are an average guy go for it.

Style and Build Quality – 8/10
Electrical and Instrumentation – 8/10
Comfort and Handling – 8.5/10
Engine and Transmission – 8/10
Performance and Braking – 8.5 /10
Mileage – 8/10
Overall – 8/10

~HARI~

thanks HARI for your review.

send your article to ask@hotbike.in

New Hero Honda Hunk Launched ( specification video included)

2010-10-06T05:53:00.000-07:00

It has been in the news for sometime now; people have been flocking Hero Honda showrooms to enquire about it and it is here, finally. The all new Hunk makes its way to the showrooms with a rather funny and familiar tagline “NO ONE MESSES WITH IT” and a very flashy and heavy website.

Needless to mention: technical specifications remain exactly the same as has been a general norm with Hero Honda upgrades. But apart from the routine cosmetic enhancements, the new bike does get a handful of good add-ons. Let’s take a quick look at what is the hype all about.

Main Features:

Optional Rear Disc Brakes: Hunk becomes the 3rd bike in the 150cc sporty commuter segment to sport rear disc brakes after Dazzler and Apache. Apart from the 220mm front, braking prowess further gets a boost with 220mm rear discs which are provided as an option.

Tubeless Tires: Slowly but surely it is becoming a norm nowadays and a very good practice we must say. Hunk follows Dazzler and is now given tubeless rubber for both the front and rear.

Digital Console: Its not completely digital but similar to Dazzler it could be called as a semi-digital console. The bike now comes with a orange colored digital speedometer against a big analogue tachometer calibrated till 11k and all done in spunky bright reddish orange colors.

LED Tail lamps: The tail gets glitzy as it gets the dotted cool looking LED treatment
Altered visor: Hunk also gets a more contoured black transparent visor.

idged exhaust cover: The stainless steel muffler cover gives way to a more attractive smooth black colored one
Restyled side panels: Gray colored side panels give way to black colored ones. Also the ‘GRS’ sticker which signified ‘Gas Reservoir Suspension’ is replaced by the ‘ATFT’ (Advanced Tumble Flow Technology) logo similar to the one seen on the sibling CBZ Extreme.
Grab Rail: The rear grab rails also get a darker shade to go along with the overall theme.
Beefy Front Mudguard: Front mudguard has also been worked upon to make it look brawnier.
Colors: Apart from the existing Force Silver, Sports Red and Panther Black, Hunk also gets 3 new colors – Blazing Red, Ebony Gray abd Bold Brown to take the total tally to 6 options.
Body Colored Mirrors: In a bid to make the bike look sportier, the new bike now comes with body colored mirrors which, to us, did not gel well with all the colors
Prices: The new Hunk costs Rs 66,122 in Pune, Rs 68841 in Mumbai, Rs 64,724 in New Delhi and the costliest in 69,779 in Bangalore. All prices are on road. Add approx Rs 3000 for the variant loaded with rear disc brakes.
Apart from this, Hero Honda mentions in their website that the engine oil capacity is 1.2 liters which is a little surprising. These enhancements definitely make Hunk an even worthier buy especially the rear discs, Digital Console, new colors and the all important tubeless tires.
Moreover, after these add ons people who have to choose between Honda 150ccs will definitely get confused between Dazzler and the new Hunk as they seem to possess more or less the same traits.

Specifications of New Hero Honda Hunk 2010:

Engine:

Type : Air-cooled, 4-stroke single cylinder OHC
Maximum Power : 10.6 Kw (14.4 Ps) @ 8500 rpm
Maximum Torque : 12.80 Nm @ 6500 rpm
Carburettor : C.V. Type
Displacement (cc) : 149.2 cc
Starting : Self Start / Kick Start
Idle Speed : 1400 rpm
Bore x Stroke (mm) : 57.3 x 57.8
Ignition : AMI – Advanced microprocessor Ignition System
Compression Ratio : 9.1:1

Chassis Type : Tubular, diamond type
Transmission

Gear Box : 5 speed Constant Mesh
Clutch : Multiplate Wet

Dimensions

Wheelbase (mm) :1325
Length (mm) : 2080
Kerb Weight (Kgs) : 143 (Kick) / 146 (Self)
Width (mm) : 765
Ground Clearance (mm) : 145
Height (mm) : 1095

Wheels

Rim Size Rear : 18 x 2.15 Alloy Whee
Rim Size Front : 18 x 1.85 Alloy Wheel

Suspension

Front :Telescopic Hydraulic Shock Absorbers
Rear :Swing Arm with 5 step adjustable Nitrox GRS (Gas Reservoir Suspension)

Tyres:

Front : 2.75 x 18 – 42 P
Rear : 100/90 x 18 – 56 p (with tuff-up tube)

Fuel

Tank Capacity : 12.4 Ltrs (Min)
Reserve : 2.2 Ltrs (usable reserve)

~ATHUL~

thanks ATHUL for the news.

friends please send your news to ask@hotbike.in

Official specifications and details of the KTM 125 Duke is out.

2010-10-06T05:22:00.000-07:00

The "baby" Duke will be available on sale in Europe by March 2011. India launch could be in the later part of 2011.

Liquid cooled engine, 4 Valves-DOHC, Fuel Injection, 185 mm Ground clearance, 43 mm dia USD (Upside Down) Front Forks, Chunky Swing-arm, 150 mm Rear Tyre, Trellis Frame, Hydraulically Operated Clutch..!!

For those who are yet not aware, it is our own Bajaj Auto Ltd. which will be manufacturing these "Krazzy" KTM's in Pune..!!

ENGINE

Type: Single cylinder, 4-stroke, 4 Valve-DOHC
Engine Capacity: 124.7 cc
Bore x Stroke: 58/47

Max. Power: 11.3 kW (around 15 Ps or 15 bhp) at 10500 rpm
Max. Torque: 12 Nm at 8000 rpm

Starter: Electric Starter
Gear: 6 Speed

Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection

Clutch: Multi-disc clutch, operated hydraulically

CHASSIS

Frame: Space frame in chrome -molybdenum steel tubes
Subframe: Steel

Front suspension: WP USD (Upside Down) 43 mm dia
Rear suspension: WP monoshock
Travel (front / rear): 160/160 mm

Front brake: Disc 280 mm dia
Rear brake: Disc 230 mm dia

Wheels (front / rear): 3,00 x 17 " / 4.00 x 17 "
Tires (front / rear): 110/70 x 17 " / 150/60 x 17 "

Steering head angle: 65 °
Trailing: 100 mm

Wheelbase: 1350 + / -15 mm
Ground clearance: 185 mm
Seat height: 810 mm

Fuel tank capacity: approximately 11 liters
Dry Weight (no fuel): 128 kg

Motorcycle Shock Absorbers

2010-10-05T21:15:00.000-07:00

Motorcycle Shock Absorber

With a suspension geometry that consists of fork angle and height, motorcycles are designed. Changing of components from the suspension geometry of motorcycles can affect the geometry, therefore, it is advisable that the front and rear ends of motorcycles must match each other. When the front and rear shock absorber components interact properly, the optimum result can be achieved.

Design of Motorcycle Shock Absorber
Usually, the shock absorbers of motorcycles are pressurized. Under gas pressure, the fluid is put, and the fluid and the gas pressure are kept apart from each other with the help of a piston. On the top of the shock absorber, this separating is directly fixed, or it is kept in a separate reservoir.

There is another type of shock absorber is found for the motorcycle, in which everything is fitted in the main cylinder tube. This tube is also called as internal gas reservoir. Nitrozen is used for making the pressurization of the fluid. This pressurization prevent the cavitation of the fluid, that is useful for making the shock absorbing more even. The external reservoirs assist in controlling the temperature of the fluid, which increases the service life of both the components and the fluid. In motorcycle shock absorbers, there are integrated temperature compensation. The fluid starts to flow more easily with the increasing temperature of the fluid, but this flow of fluid is control inside the absorbers. Therefore, the effect of shock absorbing is quite independent of the temperature. In some modern motorcycle shock absorbers, the individual-adjustment of rebounding damping and compression damping is possible. There is also adjustable either mechanical or hydraulic pre-loading system is found in the motorcycle shock absorbers.

Fluid Flow in Motorcycle Shock Absorbers
The fluid of the shock absorbers is forced through the needle valves at a slow rate (Fig. 3). It can also be forced through a number of other apertures, which are present in the piston (Fig. 4). The shims regulate the flow of fluid (Fig. 5). The shims are the steel washers. At high pressure of fluid flow, the shims are deflected from their position. The features of the damping action can be altered by changing the thickness, number or diameter of the shims.

When the shock absorbers of motorcycles get compression due to the movement of the motorcycles, through the needle valves (combination of return valves and compression valves), the fluid starts to flow in the piston road. During rapid compression, when the velocity of the piston is high, the needle valves are not sufficient for the flowing of the fluid. In this case the fluid starts to flow through the shims, which are present just beneath the piston. The fluid is forced into the external fluid chamber, which is displaced through the piston rod. A separate compressive valve is used through which the fluid is being force into the external fluid chamber. Although, this valve is attached with the shims, which open during the high piston velocity.

Setting of Shock Absorbers in Bikes & Motorcycles

Place the bike or the motorcycle on its stand.
To keep the suspension of the vehicle in full extended position, raise the rear end of the vehicle.
Either from the lower edge of the rear mud guard or from any point just above the rear wheel axle marked by a piece of tape, the distance is measured (R1).
Similar measurement is done on the front axle also. (Between bottom of the upper fork crown and the front wheel axle) (F1).
For applying load on the springs, the motorcycle or the bike is allowed (With our rider). The measurement process is repeated (R2, F2).
In this step, take the measurements (same as step E), but this time the measurement is taken with rider (R3, F3).

Inspection & Maintenance of Two-Wheeler Shock Absorbers

Soft detergent can be used for external wash of these shock absorbers.
Compressed air can also be used for this purpose.
The place used for cleaning the shock absorbers, should be clean.
The bump rubber should also be lifted, while cleaning it.
Frequent oil spray should be applied on these shock absorbers and these should keep clean.
Detergent never be used for cleaning these absorbers, because detergent may erode the external surface.
Brake cleaner and thinner can be used for quick drying-up of the surface of these absorbers.
Normally, the pressure of gas of the absorbers should not be changed of altered. Some special purpose equipments can be used for altering the gas pressure of these absorbers.

Inspection of Two Wheeler Shock Absorbers

For more frequent and smoother play, the ball joints should be checked regularly.
For preventing any leakage and damage, the piston shafts of the absorbers should be checked.
The external reservoirs of the absorbers must also be checked.
Prevent the excessive wear and tear of different rubber equipments present within the absorbers.
Ensure the secure and tight fastening of the shock-absorbers in the two-wheelers.

_KANNAN

thanks kannan for your news...
send your news to ask@hotbike.in

A couple of things to know about the Mahindra Mojo

2010-10-03T06:50:00.000-07:00

1) What is the Price of the Mahindra Mojo?

A: 1.75 Lakh Ex-Showroom Pune. That means the final on road price will be around 2 lakhs.

2) When will the Mahindra Mojo be on sale in the showrooms?

A: No dates have been fixed yet. But according to the Mahindra officials it could be probably by late this year or early next year.

3) How much of an Indian content will be on the Mahindra Mojo?

According to the Mahindra officials at the launch, the Indian content on the bike will be very less. The parts will be mostly imported and assembled in Mahindra’s Pithampur plant near Indore, M.P.

This means that the bike will be assembled and sold like the Kawasaki Ninja in India. No wonder the price tag is high.

4) In which cities will the Mahindra Mojo be on sale?

Quality of components used on the Mojo (the bike displayed at the launch) was good

Tyres from Pirelli, USD front suspension from Piaoli Italy..

A: Again Mahindra has yet to finalize the distribution structure for the Mojo (according to what was told in the launch). It probably means that the Mojo would be on sale only in select metros.

Makes sense too since to develop the infrastructure to service such a technically advanced bike will need some time and effort from Mahindra.

5) The Mahindra Mojo will be the "Fastest Indian" bike according to Mahindra.

But Mahindra officials did not give a kmph figure with the claim. According to me, with all the imported content on the bike the Mojo will be pitted against the Kawasaki Ninja for this title and not the Pulsar 220 DTS-i.

6) The model displayed at the launch was a protoype.

Yes, it was only a prototype and not a working model. But inspite of that, the quality of the parts on the bike was quite decent.

Honda Unicorn Dazzler Ownership Review by Prabhu

2010-09-28T19:57:00.000-07:00

I bought my Honda Unicorn Dazzler on 6th july. I have done two free services and crossed 4700 kms. I need to share my experience with my bike. As Honda says definitely CB Unicorn Dazzler is “life time in every moment”.
The semi digital speedo is great. Already bajaj, Hero honda and TVS adopted and now Honda also implements the same. But the thing that keeps it ahead of others is the color of the backlight of the speedo. In TVS and Bajaj the color is orange and bright yellow.

That may project the display attractively but,very contrast and they will give strain to eyes on continuous viewing. In dazzler its mild blue which wont give strain for our eyes and also gives nice display.
Digital clock gives additional advantage to the rider to manage time. The neutral lamp has some drawback.
During heavy sunlight at noon it is difficult to find whether neutral light is on or off. The dual disk brakes plays a vital role in streets. Many say that rear disk in not needed and its also risk. Perhaps they should not have used or they may tried rear disk in some other bikes. I have experienced one accident in my brother’s pulsar. In my splendor I used to apply both front and rear brakes based on the situation.While turning i apply rear brake if not enough i apply front also. I applied the same in Pulsar, but I slipped. There is a risk in applying front disk in turning. But I don’t have any problem with braking in my Dazzler.

But we should be careful during rains. But by experience we can get used to rear brakes. 0-60 kmph can be achieved in 5 seconds and top speed I have reached is 118 kmph. Mileage is great. With speed maintained between 45 to 45 kmph at 5th gear, I got 80 kmpl. But at 90 kmph it gives only 35 to 38 kmpl. My average mileage is 60 kmpl.
With my riding experience I am giving some tips for fresh riders and riders who are all new to 150cc segments.
Tips:

When you buy a new vehicle, usually showroom guys will tell us to maintain lower rpm’s for mileage. But if you drive in lower rpm’s for very long distances the engine will get used to lower speeds permanently. Later if you push to higher speeds you may experience vibrations. Don’t get stuck to lower rpm’s. Concentrate on engine heat. You can push to higher rpm’s upto you feel the heat of the engine in your legs. Maintain that speed. As the heat reduce day by day you can increase the speed. It takes 4000 kms for engine to adopt to your driving style completely. If you need just performance and you don’t bother about mileage, then just race your bike and burn up the streets from the very beginning stage.
After each service, your engine will become like a new engine. So after each service you should not drive regularly. First you should drive it like a new vehicle for a week of two and make it adopt to your driving style. You can find that from mileage. After service mileage will decrease a little bit. Once you get the regular mileage you can drive in your regular way.
For mileage keep the engine idle speed at 1000 rpm and for greater performance keep the engine idle speed at 1500 rpm.
Maintain bike single handed. Dont allow anyone to drive your bike.

- Prabhu

Thanks prabhu for the news.
send your articles to ask@hotbike.in

Air Cooled, Oil Cooled and Liquid Cooled Engines

2010-09-28T01:47:00.000-07:00

It was the year 2007, when Bajaj launched the Pulsar 220/200 with the oil cooler, and they advertised it as oil cooled bike. At that time I didn’t dwell much inside the all the tech, I just assumed it to be a method of cooling the engine, definitely better than the normal method, that’s why they were advertising it. And then in the year when Yamaha launched the tech-laden R15, featuring country’s first liquid cooled engine, my head went into bonkers. I kept on thinking what exactly liquid cooling is and how is it different from the pulsar’s oil cooler is after all oil is also an liquid.
So, some googling and some research on the internet helped me gather some information which I am going to share with you all.

Why Engine Cooling?

As we all know engines convert the energy produced by the burning of the fuel into mechanical energy, in our case it’s the turning of the wheels, but not all the energy generated by combustion is converted into mechanical energy, the major chunk is converted into heat energy. Now as we try to run the engine on higher revs more and more amount of heat is generated (due to the friction between the mechanical parts as well) which results in the heating of engine.
For the smoother running of the engine as well as to maintain the optimum performance the engine needs to be cooled down, and this where the cooling agent comes into the picture. There are three categories in which the engines are classified depending on the method of cooling employed:

Air cooled
Oil Cooled
Liquid cooled

Air Cooled engine:

As the name implies this type of engine uses air as the cooling engine. This is the most common form of engine and is available on the majority of the Indian bikes. The engine cylinder is surrounded by fins on the outside. These fins facilitate the cooling by increasing the surface area which is exposed to air for cooling. Air cooled engines are easier to manufacture and also pretty easy to maintain are pretty optimal for low capacity bikes where price is a concern as well as where high performance is not an important requirement.

This type of method is a very primitive method and the engine gets heated up pretty easily if it’s is continuously on higher rpms. The performance decreases if the engine becomes hot and running a hot engine may result engine seize as well.

Oil Cooled engine:

When Bajaj launched the pulsar’s with oil cooled engine, they forgot to add a ‘is’ between the word oil and cooled. As we know that the engine oil is circulated in the engine when it is running, and along with the engine the oil also becomes hot on running. The oil loses its viscosity on getting heated, thus if an engine is running on higher temperature, then the oil becomes thinner, thus the lubricating effect of oil reduces which increases friction between the engine parts.
To avoid this and to make sure that the oil maintains the optimal operating temperature; the oil is circulated between the radiator and the engine case, the radiator takes off the heat from the oil, thus bringing down the temperature, hence helping in maintaining the viscosity of the oil. Oil cooling is just air cooling with an additional cooling mechanism. The efficiency is definitely better than the air cooled but it’s nothing ground breaking.

Liquid Cooled engine:

This is the most popular method being used by almost all the high capacity machines as well as by our very own R15. Liquid cooling ensures stable performance in high speed riding, on up hills, in traffic jams, in all these conditions there is too much stress on the engine and engine gets heated very quickly. A liquid cooling system uses a web of passages around the cylinder to circulate coolant through.

This coolant absorbs the heat produced by the engine when running. Under high performance conditions like engine running at a higher rpm, the engine gets hot quickly; this results in the temperature of the coolant to rise.
The coolant is then sent to a radiator which dissipates the heat by running air flow or an electric fan. The coolant is then circulated back to the engine. This constant circulation of the coolant constantly cools the engine. Thus engine runs cooler, can maintain high speeds for a long time as well as the performance is not hampered. The liquid engine also has a longer life as compared to an air cooled engine. The efficiency of liquid cooled engine is any day better than its air cooled counterpart.

Mahindra will launch its new Motorcycle range on Sep 30'th

2010-09-27T20:50:00.000-07:00

No spy photos of the 2 models launching are available.
somE saying that the 125cc is SYM CEVALO. but its a concept model from sym on 2009 International Milan Motorcycle Show

HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS OF THE CEVALO FROM MOTORCYCLE SHOW.

and the another model everyone saying is "DIABLO" but it is Megelli 125S (an European brand with a made in China/Taiwan engine). I DONT THINK THEY WILL LAUNCH THIS ONE

SOME PHOTOS OF MEGELLI 125S 2008 MODEL.

NEED TO WAIT 48HOURS for the LAUNCH..........

Thanks for supporting us......

DTSi and DTS-Si Technology

2010-09-26T09:19:00.000-07:00

Everyone might have heard of the motorcycles powered by DTSI and DTS-SI technology. So here is a quick look at what this technology is and if it is better than the technologies used in a normal (non-DTSI) powered bikes.

DTSI stands for Digital twin spark ignition. The technology is currently used in Bajaj motorcycles in India because they have patent rights. Digital twin spark ignition technology powered engine has spark plugs at either sides of the combustion chamber. Engines powered by DTSI technology will have greater combustion rate because of twin spark plugs located around it. DTSI technology enables the engine to combust fuel at double rate than normal, this enhances both engine life and makes it fuel-efficient i.e. better as regards mileage
Aside of making the engine fuel efficient, the technology also enriches the power of the bike. The technology also results in smoother operation, adjusts the engine to varied temperature fluctuations and makes the motorbike resistant too breakdown. Overall, the bikes with the technology are supposed to live longer, run smoother with high fuel efficiency.
DTS-SI on the other hand is an upgraded version of the present DTSI technology developed by research and development team of Bajaj and they have patented it too. Under this technology, the digital twin spark plugs are located at same place like in DTSI technology engines but in an inclined or diagonal manner. This offset of things further expounds the process of combustion and makes the ignition of fuel and air faster, resulting in enhanced power and expanded fuel efficiency.

Some primary features of DTSI and DTS-SI technologies are:

The engine becomes powerful and fuel-efficient.
The expected life of the motorcycle increases.
Bikes powered by the technologies are very well resistant to breakdowns and temperature fluctuations.
The throttle response considerably enhances.

As of now, only Bajaj manufactures bikes with both the technology, as it is the only manufacturer in India holding patent over the technology for small bikes. One classic example of DTS-SI powered bike is XCD 125. This was all about DTSI and DTS-SI, in the next article we will take the concept further to know about DTS-FI.

Mahindra Cevalo 125cc

2010-09-26T02:23:00.000-07:00

The Mahindra Cevalo comes with different and classy look which attracts onlookers. Mahindra set test drive of Cevalo 125cc at Italy. Mahindra Cevalo is equipped with 125cc engine which is integrated with cooled technology, 4 valves technology with Single Over Head Camshaft configuration. The overall height of the bike is approximately 1050mm, length of 1850mm, width of 495mm, saddle height of 730mm and 1245 of ground clearance. Let’s talk about the Mahindra Cevalo 125cc price, features and specification in detail.

Mahindra Cevalo 125cc Bike Features and Specification

Brand: Mahindra
Type: Bike
Model: Cevalo 125cc
14 liter of fuel tank
17-inch wheels
5 speed manual gear transmission
Air cooled
Alloy wheels
Big tyres
Dimensions (L/W/H) 1050 x 1850 x 495mm
Displacement of 125cc
Fuel injected engine
Gearshift indicator light
Indicators light
Kick and self start
LED tail lamp
Maximum power of 15bhp
Single disc brake system
SOHC, 4 valve
Speedometer

Mahindra Cevalo 125cc Price in India

Mahindra Cevalo 125cc is available in India at the cost of Rs.50,000 (Indian Rupees). The price of Mahindra Cevalo 125cc mentioned here exclusive of tax, insurance, registration and the accessories. The Mahindra Cevalo 125cc price mentioned above as per the Ex-Showroom prices.
hope to be launched on 30th September 2010 in Mumbai.

Honda Shine 125cc 40,000 kms Ownership Review

2010-09-25T06:34:00.000-07:00

First when I look at the bike it doesn’t look much eye catching. But gentle looks and self start in 125 cc machine attracts me more. My bike clocked 40,000 km in 2 years but I never pay a single penny on it except servicing.
At first you may think that sitting position is little different than other bikes. Its siting position is really nice which also makes it comfortable for highways. Shine rocks in city traffic. You can start it in any gear and slow down without much shifting. It makes ride very easy in traffic. Also two people can sit easily without complaining it also comes with front disk brakes. But it vibrates above 70 km. The maximum speed is 90 km/hr.

Engine really goes smooth after first 1000 km and makes a very nice firing in 2nd shift and gives true feeling of riding a bike With Honda’s engine… I love that most. Bike is also very consistent in mileage gives mileage of 58-62 km/lit.
Negatives:

Long long waiting period (2-3 months)
Suspension can be better

So if you are going to replace your dad’s old bike then Honda shine is perfect smooth, sober and light weight machine for you but not for college life as it lacks that X factor (Sometimes I miss the 5th gear in it). Thanks.drive safe!

Yamaha Reports Hike In Sales Figures By 29.76%

2010-09-25T06:30:00.000-07:00

Yamaha, one of the finest bike manufacturers, reported a firm hike in sales of 29.6%. The reports said that Yamaha sold 30450 units this month compared to 23466 units in the same month last year. Yamaha is constantly reporting increasing sales revenues in all the segments of the market like consignment sales, export sales, inter and intra state sales etc. A rise in Yamaha’s domestic growth rate is something to cheer about for Yamaha motors.

Domestic sales rose my more than 16.22% as compared to the next year, thanks to their new models viz. Yamaha SZ, SZ-X and YBR 125. Also with the power launch of R15 has helped Yamaha reach top of the sales chart. As far as the domestic sales are concerned, Yamaha managed to sell a whooping 22672 units this month than compared to 19508 units last year.
Also, the exports have drastically improved to 96.51% at 7778 units as against 3958 units last year. According to the CEO of Yamaha, Indian market is ever increasing and good response of people has helped Yamaha reach where it is currently standing. Officials say that Yamaha will continue its marketing strategies to make more and more sales in the near future.

Bajaj Auto Expanding Its Capacity at Pantnagar Plant

2010-09-25T06:22:00.001-07:00

After deciding discover to make 2 million a year brand and as the festival season is starting from the month of October Bajaj auto is expanding its capacity at its Pantnagar plant.
The company officials said that they are expanding the capacity to 1.8 million units a year from current 1.2 million units a year. The capacity expansion will cost Rs. 750 million to Bajaj Auto. The company expects to complete the capacity expansion work by October end.

Bajaj Auto’s Pantnagar Plant is spread across 66 acres. Bajaj auto had initially invested Rs 2.30 billion at the Pantnagar unit where the production began in 2007. Last year Bajaj auto expanded the capacity to 1.2 million units from 6,00,000 units a year. Currently Bajaj auto is producing its Platina, Discover and pulsar 135LS from this facility. When asked for a new model launch the company officials remain tight lipped and said “Such possibility always remains.”
The major reason to expand the capacity at Pantnagar plant is the tax benefits given in this industrial region. There are so many tax benefits among which a 100% excise rebate for 10 years is major one.

Royal Enfield To Double Capacity In Two Years

2010-09-25T06:21:00.001-07:00

Due to the ever rising demand, Royal Enfield has decided to increase the production capacity in next 18 to 24 months. The officials at the royal Enfield’s are speculating to increase their production capacity to 15000 per month compared to 5000 per month currently.

The Royal Enfield is owned by New Delhi based Eicher motors and the managing director of Eicher said that the company is evaluating the ways and means to double their production; the company is looking at various sources to increase its production like further investment, efficient labor-material synchronization and other things.
The MD of Eicher motors did not comment on the investment they are looking forward to invest in the market but according to experts, the investment should be around 200 crs or more. Royal Enfield currently produces 5 models which are getting overwhelming response by the people. However, he accepted the fact that the latest version i.e. classic 350 and 500 were amended in some nature.
There seems to be a joint venture coming up between Volvo group and Eicher motors for setting up the production units for the bike. The Joint venture will be known as VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV) and they will invest a whopping 800 crores over the span of coming three years for developing production units. The MD of Eicher said that VECE will take every step to increase the production capacity and Royal Enfield’s market share by at least 4%.

BMW Planning to Enter Indian Luxury Motorcycle Segment!

2010-09-24T21:44:00.001-07:00

After entry of Harley Davidson, BMW is planning to enter into Indian luxury motorcycle segment. BMW has seen success in luxury car segment of India, now it wants to repeat the same story in luxury motorcycle segment of India. BMW will introduce a selection of the company’s motorcycle range in the Indian market.
BMW is abbreviated form of Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (in English: Bavarian Motor Works). IT is a German company which is known for its luxury and performance vehicles. The company will introduce model between 400cc to 1300 cc displacement range. It will first brings its 1200 cc motorcycle via CBU (Completely Built Unit) route.
According to company official they are currently investigating whether it’s a good idea or not to enter the Indian market (for motorcycles). They have not taken the final decision but the investigation would be over in the next couple of weeks. They also said that “Motarrads” which is their motorcycle company of core BMW group. sees a huge potential in India and they will soon make an announcement.
Another company official said that India is a market that holds great potential for the future for them and is a building block in their global market offensive.
The Indian Luxury motorcycle segment is crowded with the models from Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, Ducati, Harley Davidson etc. According to PWC official this segment is growing at 30-40% due to low base effect. A high import duty of 110% on these motorcycles is a concern but as volume increases this can be reduced by assembly plant. Considering the market growth BMW will surely enter in Indian luxury motorcycle segment.

Mahindra Diablo 300cc

2010-09-24T21:39:00.000-07:00

Mahindra and Mahindra is all set to foray into motorcycle segment with the launch of its motorcycle Diablo. Currently it’s producing scooters Rodeo, Duro, Kine and Sym flyte. Mahindra Diablo will come with 300cc, 4 stroke liquid cooled engine, which will produce around 25bhp. The bike will have a six speed transmissions. It will also have inverted telescopic forks and disc brake at both front and rear.

The bike is more tuned for fuel efficiency than the power. It is expected to give 35 kilometer per liter in city ride condition which makes it fuel efficient bike in 300cc segment. Beside this it will have 18.5 liter fuel tank which makes it perfect for long distance journey.
The bike is specially designed for India and it will be the first 300cc sports bike produced by any Indian manufacturer. The bike is expected to retail at Rs.1,50,000 (Ex-showroom Delhi). Beside this Mahindra will also launch 125cc Cevalo. Mahindra has still not announced any particular date of launch.

Liquid Cooled Vs. Air Cooled Engines

2010-09-20T01:30:00.000-07:00

As engine generates mechanical power and waste heat energy at the same time, they need cooling to prevent them from over heating and break down. There are two types of engines i.e. air cooled and liquid cooled engines. Liquid cooled engines use a mixture of water and other chemicals like anti freeze and rust inhibitors.
While some other, liquid cooled engines do not use any water but special fluids with enhanced properties like ethylene glycol. On the contrary, air cooled engines use air but no water or other chemicals to cool themselves. Liquid cooled and air-cooled engines are interdependent as most liquid cooled engines use some amount of air to cool over heating and air-cooled engines use liquids for cooling down.

Basic Advantages & Features:

A motorbike with liquid cooled engines is smoother and more resistant to breakdown than air-cooled.
A liquid cooled engine produces more power/torque than an air-cooled one.
A liquid cooled engine, since cooled by liquids, maintains a better control temperature.
Air-cooled engines are fuel efficient, affordable and require lesser engine space than that of liquid cooled engines.
The Maintenance costs of liquid cooled ones are higher than air-cooled engines.
Liquid cooled ones are easy to operate (better riding experience) but certainty of liquid spilling out is high.
Air-cooled engines are nosier and somewhat harsh than liquid cooled engines.

Although liquid cooled engines are quite good as regards cooling, power and efficiency people prefer air-cooled engines because of their cost efficiency, fuel efficiency and low cost of maintenance. However, if you wish to avail more powerful and torque then opting for liquid cooled engines are a good deal. In simple words, go for liquid cooled engines if you need more power and air cooled engine for more mileage.

Fuel Prices Hiked

2010-09-17T23:13:00.000-07:00

Petrol prices went through a marginal hike on 9th September to compensate for revision of dealer margins. The hike is to the tune of 10 paisa for Petrol and 8 paisa for Diesel. This hike comes after the government hiked petrol prices by Rs 3.50, Diesel prices by Rs 2 in June earlier this year.
Current prices in Delhi stand at Rs.51.53 for petrol and Rs 40.18 for Diesel; in Kolkata Rs 55.42 for petrol and Rs 40.02 for Diesel; in Mumbai Rs 55.98 for petrol and 42.06 for Diesel and in Chennai Rs. 55.02 and Rs. 40.15 for diesel.
Dealer commission was raised from Rs 1125 per kiloliter to Rs 1218 per kiloliter for petrol and from Rs 673 to Rs. 757 for every kiloliter for Diesel. Dealers have threatened to go for an indefinite nationwide strike from September 20 with demands for an upward revision and a proper rule to set the commission based in line with full deregulation of petrol and partial for diesel.
On the contrary, based on unconfirmed reports Shell has dropped prices of its unleaded and premium petrol along with giving away a few toy scale models as gifts. This promotional activity might be limited to some cities only.

TVS Motor To Expand Capacity

2010-09-17T23:09:00.000-07:00

TVS Motor it will invest Rs. 200 crore by April 2011 to increase its production capacity to 28 lakh units. The company will also set up a design center in Indonesia where it has a manufacturing facility. There is an increasing demand for the company to meet from the existing 21 lakh units per annum. The company is looking to increase export to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and ASEAN countries.

Yamaha flags off the SZ Tour with 20 riders

2010-09-17T23:06:00.000-07:00

Twenty chosen bikers are set to ride across India as Yamaha Motor today flagged off the “Yamaha SZ Tour - Stay Ahead”. The riders will ride the new SZ across 67 cities in 17 states of the country for the next one month. The month-long event will culminate with an event in Cochin on the October 17 2010

The rally will cover from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Orissa, Chattisgarh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh over 30 days. Twenty bikers divided into two teams, each team consisting of 10 members started their journey from Delhi and ride through different routes across the country.

Commenting on the month long “Yamaha SZ Tour”, Mr Yukimine Tsuji, CEO & MD said, “Through the YAMAHA SZ tour, we aim to appeal & reach out to a wider section of customers, not only urban but also rural customers. Through this tour, we want to demonstrate Styling, good Mileage and Comfortable riding of SZ models as bikers traverse across the length & breadth of the country on these bikes to ride more than 12,000 kms.”
Yamaha acknowledges its Corporate Social Responsibility towards the society and is regularly conducting safe riding education program - Yamaha Safe Riding Science (YSRS) for inculcating safe riding habits and raising traffic safety awareness among local communities. Yamaha has already conducted this program in 7 cities across India since its inception a year ago. Through Yamaha SZ Tour, Yamaha aims to promote safety riding among bikers with the slogan “Be Safe on Road – Wear helmets while riding”.

Suzuki GS150R Ownership Review by Pritam

2010-09-13T03:08:00.000-07:00

ust like most of you, back when I didn’t have a bike I dreamt of my first bike. It was going to be good looking, stylish, attention grabbing and able to resist the bumpy Indian roads. Back then I dreamt of the Bajaj Pulsar 150cc. However, after having heard a lot of complaints about the bike from my friends (exhaust pipe breaking into two pieces, unreliable, unable to be resold after being used etc.) I lost interest in the Pulsar.

At first I didn’t know which bike I wanted but I had my eyes on the lookout for a big motorbike. I saw a TV advertisement for the GS150R but I actually wasn’t that impressed with the bike at first. However, a few days later while I was coming from my classes I noticed that a few people from Suzuki were standing giving out information about the Suzuki GS150r and the Suzuki Access 125cc.

I walked up to them because I wanted to ask them questions about the GS150r. I wanted to find out more about the bike. After I had finished asking my first question, literally the first thing that came out of the assistance’s mouth was that the GS150r have a 6 speed manual gearbox. I was sold!
I realized how perfectly designed and engineered this bike was. I made up my mind. I was getting that bike. Next week I booked this little beast for myself (actually, it’s one of the biggest 150cc bikes available). I finally got the bike back in October of 2009. Now, let’s get this review started.

The Suzuki GS150r and the Pulsar have quite similar headlight assemblies but that’s pretty much where the similarities end. Compared to the average 150cc bike, the GS150r is bigger and more robust. For example, take the fuel tank. It’s huge! The fuel tank is very similar to the fuel tanks on litre class bikes. Suzuki even calls it the ‘Majestic Fuel Tank’.
I’ve heard some people say that the tailpiece on the GS150r looks a lot like the tailpiece on the Hero Honda CBZ xtreme bike. I advise you to simply visit Google, using the image search, search for “gsxr400” and “gsxr600” and you can see for yourself. When it comes to the instruments, this bike has got one of the coolest digital instrument panels available today.
It gives you all the important and necessary information. It got two trip meters, one odometer, a fuel gauge, a clock, a gear indicator and a white led warning lamp. All that said, I would like to share a little story with you guys.

Recently on the 6th of august, my friends and I went to Malshej Ghat near Murbad in Mumbai city. You won’t believe what I did! I filled the bike with 300 rupees worth of petrol and after that the bike went so smooth. Even on the road towards Malshej Ghay! That road is the definition of the word nightmare but yet, with a pillion rider I never felt a single bump.
We travelled the 260.4 kilometres back to Thane and my mind was completely blown away. On average I travelled 56 kilometres per litre of fuel. I am a really proud owner of the GS150r. It’s my dream bike.
That said, there are some positives and negatives with this bike.
Here are the positives:

The bike is built perfectly. Suzuki has created an amazing bike!
The saddleis really comfortable compared to the saddles on other 150cc bikes.
The instrument panel got the gear indicator and a Digi Clock.
It shifts gears so smooth.
The highest speed that I’ve reached is 133 km/h. Even at that speed there was no vibration.
The disc brake assembly on the left side prevents the bike from slipping.

Here are the negatives:

The height of the saddle is a little more than expected and it is difficult for the pillion to climb on it especially if they are not so tall.
The curb (kerb) weight of this bike is 149 kilograms. This can be a bit annoying when you’re in start-stop traffic but on the positive side, it’s great when you’re out on a highway.

Take care,
Pritam Dhamde

Thanks PRITAM for your news....

mail to ask@hotbike.in

Petrol Prices Set To Hike Again

2010-09-06T21:45:00.000-07:00

if you though they are reasonably high, Petrol prices are set to get another hike ‘soon’. According to The Hindu, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry is considering another rise in petrol prices. Though, the increase might not be significantly high but anything in the quantum of Rs 1-2 is being considered. The ministry would decide upon the same after the monsoon session of Parliament in the first week of September.
The average crude oil prices are around 81$ per barrel and if they do not soften in due coarse of time, the quantum of increase might increase to a bigger number. This further creates a big concern to the middle class and an uproar is expected in the Parliament in case this decision is announced.

Yamaha FZ16 Does 1610 Kms In A Day

2010-08-31T22:40:00.000-07:00

Well certainly that is no feast for the bike to cover 1610 kms in a day, after all its a Yamaha but it truly is a feast for Mr. Melroy Alphonso who undertook this tedious journey and came out on top. He came across the Iron Butt Association of USA which has certification for long distance rides called the saddlesore1000. In this ride you have to complete 1,610kms (1000 miles) in a period of 24 hours. He had to locate a suitable route where the roads were good and traffic was light. For proof the ride has to have petrol receipts, logs, witness forms for verification process. He choose the route of Mumbai to Eklinji and back to Mumbai covering a distance of 1650kms. Eklingji is located in Rajasthan which is at a distance of 15kms north from Udiapur. So the route was Mumbai (Maharashtra), Surat (Gujarat), Udaipur-Eklingji (Rajashtan) and turn back and come back to Mumbai thus completing the required 1,610 kms.

DAY1 – He started out from Sion (Mumbai) on 23rd November, 2009 at 7:54am at western express highway. The W.E highway connects to the golden quadrilateral which takes him across to Gujurat and Rajasthan. This route goes all the way north direction to Delhi. He topped up hi fuel tank on his Yamaha FZ16, took a petrol receipt as proof for documentation and his saddlesore ride has begun, His destination was to reach Eklingji which is ahead of Udaipur and head back to Mumbai. The journey on the golden quadrilateral is much better than riding on other highways. He had to be extremely careful of the trucks plying as he did not want to be run down by any of them. Riding the FZ16 was fun as the engine and gear change was smooth, rest assured the extra wide 140mm tire on the bike provided fantastic grip and stability. He reached Surat at 11:35am covering about 284 kms. This was his first stop after he begain hi ride after filling fuel. The scenery covered while riding the bike is breathtaking, he thought to myself this is the best part of doing the ride. He finally reached the end border of Gujurat at Himmatnagar at 4:30pm. The only stops he did was at the petrol pumps to refuel and he sipped on red bull for energy. He continued his ride entering into Rajasthan. This was his first visit to Rajasthan, it is really a lovely place to visit once at least. Finally he reached Eklingji at 7:26pm and he was glad. Now he just had to make it back to Mumbai in one piece. After leaving Rajasthan to return back to Mumbai he reached Himmatnagar (Gujurat) at 10:28pm.
DAY2 – The journey in the night became a problem as lots of insects were starting to hit his helmet. He had to stop frequently to clean the helmet visor so that he can have a proper view in the night. He reached Surat (Gujarat) early morning at 3:40am and was dead tired not knowing whether he will be able to make it back to Mumbai. His odometer read that he had covered a distance of 1363 kms. Continuing riding he made it to Dhaisar check naka and to his surprise there was a hell line of trucks lined up. Making his way on the side path he made his way out. He reached Mumbai and headed to to the western express highway, nearing his time. After much riding he reached a petrol pump but the credit card machine was down. Ahead he was glad to see a ATM machine and quickly punched in his card and got a time stamp slip for proof. He reached Goregaon (Mumbai) on W.E highway at 7:50am on 24th November, 2009. He had done it, he had completed 1650 kms in 24 hours. Now he had to make his way back home satisfied that he had done the saddlesore1000 ride.