V 3 Issue 11 (Touring Special)

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November 2014 Vol 3 Issue 11 NRs. 100

THE OVERLAND ENTREPRENEUR- RABI THAPA ROYAL ENFIELD’S TOUR OF NEPAL, 2014 WORLD’S MOST TRAVELLED CAR

TEST DRIVE - NEW MAHINDRA SCORPIO THE MOST THRILLING ROADS IN THE WORLD

INTRODUCING YETI 4WD

TREKKING DRIVING TO THE

EVEREST BASE CAMP WITH MAHINDRA ADVENTURE

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EDITORIAL THE TOURING SPECIAL

S

So we are back again with ‘The Touring Special’ issue of AutoLife!! This is the annual issue that really gets us wandering about for those epic road trips. As you might have already guessed from the cover of this issue, this time it was indeed the mother of all epic road trips for us, much thanks to our enthusiastic friends at Mahindra Adventure. Yes, we went out on a drive to one of the harshest places on the earth - The Everest Base Camp. We drove all the way to the lap of the mighty Everest on not just one, but five highly capable and adventure ready convoy from the sturdy Mahindra stable. That priceless moment of sitting within the comforts of our convoy and gazing at Everest closing in every miles is something that will stay with us forever. All this majestic scenery was further complimented by the thrill of speeding through amazing roads up and down mountain passes that easily averaged above 4000m altitude. And it turns out, we were not alone. Even our friends from Ducati Nepal had headed out on a similar ‘Ducati Everest Challenge Ride’ to this heavenly terrain. We can only imagine all that fun on the L-twin monsters because the Friendship Highway is truly a superbike haven.

VOL 3 ISSUE 11 NOVEMBER 2014 SR MEDIA GROUP PANIPOKHARI, KATHMANDU, NEPAL TEL: 977-01-4415122 REGD: 84553/068/069

FOUNDER/MANAGING EDITOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EDITOR SUB-EDITOR EDITORIAL, PHOTOGRAPHY & WEB

Ajay Dhoj Thapa Shraddha Rajbhandari Ankit Shakya Ayush Dhaubanjar, Saurav Nepal Niren Tuladhar, Yonten Yonjan Samyukta Dawadi, Bibhas Maharjan Suwal

CREATIVE HEAD EDITORIAL DESIGNER BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Ajay Dhoj Thapa Niren Tuladhar Ayusha Shrestha, Ashitosh Pokharel, Bikesh Shrestha, Keyush Shrestha

And just when we thought that we had rightfully earned the bragging rights to having pulled of such an amazing road trip, we were humbled by the crazy feat of one Gunther Holtorf. In 1989, this unlikely German explorer had set out on his Mercedes G-Wagon and by 2014, he ended up travelling to 179 countries driving his unbreakable Mercedes over 884000kms. All of this unbelievable feat easily makes him one of human history’s greatest individual travellers. Of course, if you are ever determined to set out on a similar road trip of sorts, then make sure that you don’t miss our handpicked list of some of the most amazing roads around the world.

And keeping things with the country, let us introduce you to the Yeti 4WD Club, which is Nepal’s only dedicated group for 4x4 enthusiasts.

If are always on the lookout for those adventure holidays over broken stretch of roads, then look no further. Talking about motoring adventures, it’s hard to miss energetic overland entrepreneur Rabi Thapa as well, who is a pioneer in overland rides/drives across Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet with his travel company Sacred Summits. Going with the flow, we also caught up with the third edition of the Royal Enfield ‘Tour of Nepal’ during their 2200km ride skirting the Himalayas. And setting the standard for the first ever televised motorcycling reality show in Nepal, is the ‘Bajaj Pulsar Dare Venture’ which has been documenting the daring endeavours of 10 contestants challenging ride to the Upper Mustang region. Finally, keeping the test reviews low this time around, we drove the new Mahindra Scorpio that now comes loaded with improvements befitting its iconic status. It looks more imposing, has the brawn to bully the traffic and of course will get you across the worst unimaginable terrains.

So that should be it for this issue, more than enough to wake that adventure hungry soul in you. Get out, start your engines and hit the road. The roads are begging to be driven!

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ADS AND MARKETING ENQUIRIES marketing@autolife.com.np Autolife is an automotive magazine (DAO Regd 213/067/068), published 12 times a year by Softrock Media.

All rights reserved in respect of all articles, illustration, photographs, etc published in Autolife Magazine. The content of this publication may not be reproduced on whole or in any part in any electronics or print form, in any language, without the written consent of the publisher.

The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, who cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omission.

Autolife has a dedicated review team for all test drives and rides. We research, study, plan and execute our tests and publish our real experience without any influences.

We have our loyalty towards our readership and are not biased or inclined towards any specific brands or services.

All advertisement insertions are a part of our marketing campaign, due to their relevance with the magazines content; and published only after authorization from clients or their respective media agencies.

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AUTOLIFE CORRIGENDUM

HYUNDAI XCENT This is in reference to the wrong specifications printed in the article ‘Hyundai Xcent: A Value for Money Proposition’ on page 34 of AutoLife Magazine’s Volume 3 Issue 10.

The person responsible for the error was made to listen to Justin Bieber’s ‘Baby’ on repeat for 7 hours. The correct specifications are as follows.

SPECIFICATIONS Engine Type: 1.2 Kappa Dual VTVT Petrol Displacement: 1197cc Fuel Type: Petrol Maximum Power: 81 bhp @ 6000 RPM Maximum Torque: 114 Nm @ 4000 RPM Transmission: Manual DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT Length: 3995 mm Width: 1660 mm Height: 1520 mm Wheelbase: 2425 mm Ground Clearance: 165mm Tyre Size: 165/65 R14 Suspension Front: McPherson Strut Suspension Rear: Coupled Torsion Beam Axle Brakes Front: Discs Brakes Rear: Drums Fuel Tank: 43L PRICE: NRs. 24,96,000- NRs. 31,96,000 COLOURS: Pristine Blue, Phantom Black, Red Passion, Twilight Blue, Sleek Silver, Pure White ALTERNATIVE CHOICES: Honda Amaze, Suzuki Swift Dzire, CONTACT: Laxmi Intercontinental, Thapathali Ph. No: 4101556 | 4101557

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MAHINDRA SCORPIO

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CONTENTS 36

A TRIP AROUND THE WORLD

VOL 3 ISSUE 11

NOVEMBER 2014

20

READERS’ PHOTOS

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NEWS: INDIA & INTERNATIONAL

26

AUTO SHOWS

LOS ANGELES EICMA

30 PROMOTES

PULSAR DARE VENTURE

32

ROAD TRIP

THE BEST OF ROYAL ENFIELD’S NEPAL TOUR 2014

36 FEATURE A TRIP AROUND THE WORLD

GUNTHER HOLTORF

40 PROMOTES INTRODUCING YETI 4WD CLUB

44

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ROAD TRIP

TREKKING DRIVING TO THE EVEREST BASE CAMP

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TREKKING DRIVING TO THE EVEREST BASE CAMP

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CONTENTS

VOL 3 ISSUE 11

NOVEMBER 2014

56 FEATURE THE MOST THRILLING ROADS IN

60

RABI THAPA

THE WORLD

60 PERSONALITY RABI THAPA

66

TEST DRIVE

NEW MAHINDRA SCORPIO

72 FEATURE CROTCH ROCKETS

74 EVENTS DUCATI EVEREST CHALLENGE 2014

78 QUIZ

80 BUYING GUIDE

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AUTOLIFE READERS’ PHOTOS

SEND US YOUR PHOTOS AT hello@autolife.com.np 20

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AUTOLIFE November 2014 21

AUTOLIFE ADVERTORIAL

High Mileage Lubricants Why special oils can extend the life of your engine.

Normal Wear and Tear As your engine begins to age, it requires some additional protection. Some indicators of engine wear and tear are increased oil consumption between oil changes, an engine that is slow to start on a cold morning or runs hotter on warmer days, a decrease in throttle response and gas mileage, and minor leaks. By taking a proactive approach toward your engine's maintenance, you can help inhibit its aging process and extend the life and efficiency of your automobile.

As a vehicle ages, and its mechanical performance decreases, a greater toll is taken on its engine's oil viscosity. The demands of an older engine break down the oil more quickly, rendering it less able to lubricate. The end result is an engine that no longer functions at its peak performance.

Also, as the engine wears, oil consumption, oil leakage, or lower-cylinder compression may occur. These problems can lead to spark plug failure, excessive deposits and a loss of power.

Further, seals become brittle, rings wear and valves may not seal as tightly. Deposits can build up on fuel injectors, valves or piston rings, so they don't operate as smoothly.

Diminished ring sealing allows more than the usual amount of combustion gas to contaminate the oil. This results in more rapid oil oxidation, which causes the oil to thicken and age 22

AUTOLIFE November 2014

prematurely and may ultimately explain why your engine takes longer to turn over on cold mornings.

Time in a Bottle Before you ponder any expensive or unnecessary repairs, consider that the solution may be as simple as switching to an oil additive specially formulated for higher mileage engines. BG MOA and RF7 are designed to provide specialized protection for your vehicle's engine by containing anti-wear additives, seal conditioners, extra cleaning agents and friction modifiers.

These elements are designed to work together to condition engine seals, prevent leaks, minimize oil consumption, provide easier cold starts, improve power output and resist thermal breakdown — all of which will help maximize the life and sustain the performance of an older engine.

Benefits The specific advantages of using a high-mileage oil in your higher-mileage vehicle are: Conditioned engine seals > Helps prevent oil leaks and deposit formation Cleaner engine/Reduced formation of deposits > Helps prevent horsepower loss Reduced oil consumption > Helps provide faster and easier cold starts Extra wear protection > Helps increase fuel economy and extend engine life

Contact BG Nepal Pvt. Ltd. 9801026540 for further information and for complete solutions for Giving New Life To Your Automobile.

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AUTOLIFE November 2014 23

AUTOLIFE NEWS: INDIA & INTERNATIONAL

FIAT AVVENTURA LAUNCHED IN INDIA Fiat Group Automobiles India has launched the Avventura compact sports utility vehicle with price ranging from INR 5.99 lakh to Rs 8.17 lakh. The Avventura is basically a pumped up Punto, just like Volkswagen’s Cross Polo and Toyota’s Etios Cross.

The company brands the Avventura as a Contemporary Urban Vehicle (CUV). With adventure built into its DNA, the new car offers another level of driving experience. Its aggressive styling, sturdy roof rails, alloy wheels arrest and the rear-mounted spare wheel draws everyone’s attention.There are two engine options for the new Avventura, 90 bhp petrol and diesel engines from the Punto Evo. The Fiat Avventura is available in five variants – Active and Dynamic with petrol and Active, Dynamic and Emotion with diesel.

Both the engines come mated to five-speed manual transmission. Fiat claims a fuel efficiency of 14.4 kmpl from the petrol and 20.5 kmpl from the diesel respectively.

MARUTI SUZUKI ALTO K10 RECIEVES AN UPGRADE First launched in the year 2010, Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 has finally received the muchneeded upgrade. This is the first time that the company has offered the Alto in India with an automatic gearbox. The new model gets a new front fascia with revised bumper, chrome front grille, revised head and tail lamps, body colored ORVMs, side body moulding, body colored door handles, wider tail gate and a few more upgrades. Powering the Alto K10 is the same 3-cylinder 1.0-litre K-Next petrol engine which produces 67 bhp of power and 90 Nm of torque. There are two transmission options, a 5-speed manual, and an Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) unit similar to the Celerio. The engine has been tweaked to improve fuel efficiency by 15%.

The new Alto K10 comes in six variants. It is priced between INR 3.06 lakh – INR 3.81 lakh. At INR 3.81 lakh,the Alto K10 AMT is the cheapest automatic car in India.

MERCEDES-AMG AND MV AGUSTA ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP Mercedes-AMG of the Diamler AG and sportsbike manufacturer MV Agusta have announced a partnership which will cover the areas of marketing and sales. Mercedes-AMG GmbH will also acquire a 25 % stake in MV Agusta and will appoint one member of MV Agusta’s board of directors. No details have been disclosed of the price to be paid for the stake in MV Agusta.

MV Agusta offers a wide range of premium motorcycles in Nepal. The company’s present range in Nepal includes well known motorcycles like the Brutale 1090, Brutale 675, Brutale 800, F3 675 and Rivale 800.

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AUTOLIFE AUTO SHOWS

Highlights from the

2014 EICMA Motorcycle Show EICMA (Esposizione Internazionale Del Motociclo), also known as the Milan Motorcycle Show, is an annual trade show held in Milan, Italy which exclusively features two-wheelers. The 72nd EICMA International Motorcycle Exhibition took place from 4-9th November 2014 at the Fiera Milano in Milano, Italy, and reaped results beyond even the rosiest expectations.

This year EICMA celebrated its first 100 years. It is the only platform in the world capable of illustrating all the different aspects of the two-wheeler world.

This show is frequently used by prominent motorcycle manufacturers to debut new models and this year was no different with a host of exciting revelations. So we have a look at some of the best motorcycles that were unveiled at this year's EICMA International Motorcycle Exhibition.

2015 Aprilia Tuono V4 1100

2015 Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 Factory

SWM Grand Milano 440 cafe racer

2015 Ducati Monster 1200

2015 Kawasaki H2

2015 Ducati Multistrada 1200

2015 Yamaha MT-09 Tracer (FJ-09)

Husqvarna Svartpilen scrambler prototype

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2015 BMW F800R

2015 Yamaha YZF-R1M

Husqvarna Vitpilen cafe racer prototype

2015 BMW S1000XR

2015 Ducati Panigale 1299

Honda’s RC213V-S prototype

Moto Guzzi’s MGX-21 prototype

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Owner’s Review The traffic in Kathmandu is almost always stop and go, so I wanted a car that does not only looks good but also performs well in the roads of Kathmandu. I searched for a few models and found the Skoda Rapid Elegance Automatic model to be the most appropriate as per my requirements and so I bought it.

It has been sometime since I started driving this car and till now it has been performing really well. The car is really easy to drive as well and is extremely comfortable, even for extensive road trips. As far as the looks are concerned, Skoda Rapid is definitely a head turner; the exteriors are extremely well designed.

Just as the exteriors, the interiors are equally well designed, the seats are very comfortable and the interior as a whole is quite spacious. The vehicle is quite powerful too and has a good ground clearance making it really suitable for our bumpy roads.

Sandeep Acharya

DIRECTOR AVIANTE SOLUTIONS PVT. LTD.

All in all, I think that this car is a good value for money proposition and a good decision for all those riders who wish to buy a sedan with attractive designs as well as good performance.

Skoda Rapid SPECIFICATIONS

Engine Type: MPI In-Line 4 DOHC 16-valve Displacement: 1598cc Max. Power: 105bhp @ 5250 rpm Max. Torque: 153nm @ 3800 rpm Fuel Consumption: 15kmpl Transmission: 5-Speed Manual Ground clearance: 168mm Dry Weight: 1145kgs Tank Capacity: 55L CONTACT: Ĺ KODA M.A.W., Thapathali, Ktm Dial: 01-4216835 Fax: 01-4266105 Email: skoda@mawnepal.com

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AUTOLIFE AUTO SHOWS

T

he 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show will be held from 21-30 November, 2014 at the Los Angeles Convention Centre, USA. This falls amongst the biggest international auto shows, with the participation from brands from USA, as well as abroad. This year’s show highlighted a mouth-watering display of cars from fanciful concepts to the latest of the finest production models in the world.

Audi Prologue Concept

Bentley Grand Convertible

BMW X5M

BMW X6M

Cadillac ATS-V

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Chevrolet Chaparral 2X GT6 Vision Gran Turismo

Chevrolet Colorado Zr2 Concept

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Chrysler 300S

Golf R Sportwagen

Ford Explorer

Ford Shelby GT350

Honda HR-V

Jaguar F-Type

Infiniti Q80 Inspiration Concept

LEXUS LF-C2 Concept

Mazda CX-3

Mercedes Maybach S600

Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

Scion iM

Toyota FT-1 Concept

Volvo V60 Cross Country

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AUTOLIFE PROMOTES

PULSAR DARE VENTURE A BIKE REALITY SHOW

Punam Singh Marketing Head HH Bajaj

T

he Pulsar Dare Venture has itself pegged as the first bike reality show of the nation to document the daring endeavours of 10 contestants to conquer the trails of Upper Mustang. Acclaimed for its urban capabilities, Bajaj Pulsar is a veteran on the tarmac. This fete is all set to break these boundaries.

There were so many things could go wrong, ranging from logistics to the risk of coming off as an under par spinoff of the Roadies. Definitely a first of its kind, this venture has Bajaj’s work cut out for them.

A regular brainstorming session in the HH Bajaj office sparked a potentially revolutionizing idea in the Nepali auto and media industry. Initial plans were to execute a ride in an exotic location, all expenses paid for Bajaj Pulsar owners. With a core concept in mind, the Bajaj team explored the terrains of Nepal looking for a suitable location.

To go about things in the proper manner, Bajaj sought out the help of Bikers Nepal. For these ride Marshalls, this was right down their alley. “We started looking for potential riders to lead the ride, but we knew that getting inexperienced riders to do the task would be a mistake. We were not going to take any chances” explained Punam Singh, head of marketing at HH Bajaj.

With a capable team at hand and safety issues addressed, the matter of destination was next on the agenda.

Although Lomanthan was the first

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choice, its altitude played a major role in making the team reconsider their choice. Taking into account the fact that the participants would not be professional riders, the altitude and difficulty might have been an issue.

After further discussions and trial runs, Chaile of Upper Mustang was nominated as the final destination. It took three months to get things set up and on the road.

Of course, one of the glaring factors that stood out in the equation was the question of the motorcycle’s capabilities. Punam clarified the issue: “Yes, it is very good for the road. If we had chosen a very heavier bike like the Pulsar 220, it would be difficult for the bikers, had we chosen a 150cc model it would have been underpowered for the purpose. We selected the 180cc for the participants, given the fact that it presented the best weight to power ratio for the trip.”

Having received the approval, the only modification made to the bikes was the removal of the centre stand to give the motorcycle a slight increase in ground clearance. The Marshalls would be leading the group on the Pulsar 200 NS. With the NS featuring an underbelly exhaust, this would be a crucial test for the motorcycle.

The main priority, was rightfully the safety factor of the participants.

The entire crew was comprised of 10 riders and 30 members with 3 Marshalls, paramedics, mechanics and 10 people just from the television

crew. Marshalls were put in charge of maintaining discipline and safety gear.

The safety wear including jackets, boots and other gear was provided by the company to ensure proper safety.

The 10 participants, who were selected after a set of gruelling selection processes, were provided with a Pulsar 180 each. Winners would be judged on the basis of popularity. Other categories included most disciplined and most daring which would be decided by the jury panel.

Chaile falls amongst some of the most rural areas and lacks proper health facilities with the nearest health post an hour away from the village. Bajaj associated with VAYODHA hospital and with their help set up a health camp and provided a free health check-up for all the villagers. To help them in the long run, they provided them with some basic health tips and first aid kits.

They also painted a school at Jomsom.

The participants were a part of everything from distributing the first aid kit to painting the schools.

Further CSR campaigns, like the traffic volunteering in Pokhara and distribution of gift hampers at a disability centre at Gokarna took place.

The first ever motorcycle reality show is all set to make this an annual event.

After the finale on the 27th November they will open the sponsorship for Dare Venture II and take it on till September. Also, the new destination will be confirmed by January. facebook.com/AutolifeNepal

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AUTOLIFE ROAD TRIP

ROYALENFIELD’S TOUR OF NEPAL, 2014 WINDING MOUNTAIN ROADS, SLUSHY OFF-ROAD TRAILS AND PRISTINE GREEN STRETCHES... THE NEIGHBOURS COME FOR A VISIT

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You can slug around a Royal Enfield inside the city and it will work just fine. But if you really want to put a smile across your face, there is no better way to do it than to take it out on a fully fledged tour. It is a proper workhorse and grunts happily when you put it on the tarmac.

Royal Enfield India knows this very well. A group of 13 Enfielders from India made their way across the border to Nepal in their annual tour of Nepal. Organized by Royal Enfield and managed by Sacred Summits (P) Ltd. & Moto Himalaya Tours & Travels, they thundered across the country.

The trip which is only open to Royal Enfield owners was not a competitive event but a chance to unwind with fellow riders. With 3 support vans, 1 from Nepal and 2 from India, here are the excerpts of the group’s adventures that took them on a 2200km ride.

Info provided by: Sacred Summits | Photos: Royal Enfield

Day 1 & 2: ARRIVAL IN LUCKNOW AND RIDE TO DHANGADI (APPROX. 250KM) Royal Enfield’s Tour of Nepal 2014 commenced on the 5th of October from the Indian city of Lucknow.

After the ceremonial flag-off, the 13 enthusiastic riders set off for their journey towards the Nepalese border of Dhangadhi. After arriving in the Dhangadhi border, the participants, along with the backup vehicle, rode towards the designated hotel for an overnight stay.

DAY 3: DHANGADI TO BARDIYA NATIONAL PARK (APPROX. 160 KM) The second day started with a briefing session which provided the participants information on individual safety, road safety as well as general knowledge about the culture, religion and the geographical structure of Nepal. The destination for the second facebook.com/AutolifeNepal

day was Bardiya National Park.

The ride which started with much enthusiasm passed through the iconic Karnali Bridge and finally into the Bardiya Wildlife Reserve. The team then embarked on a jeep safari to witness the beautiful wildlife, and the natural flora and fauna of the Bardiya National Park.

DAY 4: BARDIYA NATIONAL PARK TO LUMBINI (APPROX. 353 KM) On the third day, the group took off for an enjoyable ride towards Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha. The team set along the East-West or Mahindra Highway passing through long stretches of straight and smooth tarmac. On reaching Lumbini, the team rode towards Bhairahawa through Kohalpur, Banke, Dang and Kapilvastu riding through village settlements, green farm lands and AUTOLIFE November 2014 33

the team headed back to Kathmandu.

Like the day before, they had to cross the landslide area yet again. Luckily nothing unfortunate happened and the riders reached back to Kathmandu safely and checked in at the Malla Hotel. The day ended with a lavish dinner which was organized by Sacred Summits at The Kathmandu Handle Bar where the riders were also busy in a quick tête-à-tête.

DAY 8: REST DAY IN KATHMANDU

serene forest. After reaching Lumbini, the team stayed overnight at Hotel Buddha Maya Garden .

DAY 5: LUMBINI TO CHIWAN (APPROX. 190 KM) On the next day after a brief sightseeing in Lumbini, the team embarked on their ride towards Chitwan. After reaching Chitwan National Park, the team spent their afternoon relaxing in the hotel.

In the evening, everyone headed to the bank of the Rapti River to watch thesunset and got back for dinner at the Royal Park Hotel.

DAY 6: CHITWAN TO KODARI (APPROX. 260 KM) On the 5th day, the riders had to ride upwards towards The Last Resort situated near the Nepal-China border.

The Last Resort is a perfect place to unwind for exciting adventures and complete relaxation. It is famous for the world renowned bungy jump, Tandem swing, and White Water Rafting. However, the entourage had to pass through the massive landslide in Barahbise. By the time they reached the landslide area it was already dark and one of the motorcycles in the entourage got stuck in the mud-pool due to slight gear problems. Sadly, the backup vehicle with the spare parts and the mechanic had still not arrived at the spot due to worse road conditions.

However, the team repaired the motorcycle and everyone made it to the resort just in time.

DAY 9: KATHMANDU TO POKHARA (APPROX. 210 KM) On the 13th of October, the group buckled up for yet another ride. In order to avoid the traffic in Kathmandu, they started early so as to escape the traffic heading out of the Kathmandu valley.

The weather in the morning was very good but as they started the ride, the weather changed surprisingly and there was a sudden downpour. The excitement wore down a bit as they had intended to ride to Jomsom the next day. The team had planned to ride all the way up to Mustang via Jomsom but due to the sudden downpour the chances of making upto Mustang were slim. After the lunch at Mugling, they continued their ride to Pokhara. Upon arrival in Pokhara, the team checked into a hotel and spent the rest of the afternoon to explore the lake city.

DAY 10: POKHARA TO BENI AND BACK TO POKHARA The next day the team decided to ride to Jomsom despite the rainfall.

Determined to reach the destination on time, the team started the ride after a quick breakfast. Praying for no further hindrances on the road, everyone kept on riding towards their destination. However, due to the continuous downpour over the last 24

DAY 7: KODARI TO KATHMANDU (APPROX. 140 KM) After an overnight stay in the resort, 34

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hours, the conditions of the roads were risky. In addition, just before reaching Beni a landslide caused blockage in the highway which left the riders with no choice but to abandon their ride to Jomsom. Keeping everyone’s safety in mind, the team decided to ride back to Pokhara through Dhampus, a small scenic village en-route to Pokhara. One could see the most excellent panoramic views of the Annapurna mountain range touching the sky.

Day 11: POKHARA TO BUTWAL (APPROX. 166 KM) The 2014 Nepal Ride was coming to its end but so far it had been a much enjoyable and learning experience for everyone. The beauty of Nepal and its people had mesmerised everyone in the trip. The ride to Butwal began but unfortunately one of the motorcycles suffered a breakdown due to the faulty fuel injection system and they had to load the bike on to the backup vehicle.

The ride to Waling and Palpa was scenic with winding roads through lush green hills.

DAY 12: BUTWAL TO BARDIYA (APPROX. 315 KM) The following day they headed back retracing their tracks to where the whole trip had started initially.

Everyone knew what was next and this time they were able to see the things that they had missed in their previous ride through the same road. After a lunch-stop at Kohalpur, the team

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reached Nepalgunj and checked in at Hotel Batika where the rest of the day was spent on relaxing and packing.

DAY 13: EXIT NEPAL TO LUCKNOW On the last day after completing the border formalities at Rupadiya border in Nepalgunj, the riders entered the Indian Territory. The trip ended with a lavish farewell programme organised for all the riders. Everyone was amazed at what was just accomplished.

Finally, Royal Enfield’s tour of Nepal 2014 comes to an end.

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AUTOLIFE FEATURE

A TRIP AROUND THE WORLD

26 Years | 884,000km | One unbreakable car Photos: Gunther Holtorf | Source: www.bbc.co.uk

"The more you have traveled, the more you realize how little you have seen," Gunther Holtorf

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unther Holtorf recently completed a 26 year long tour around the world; a fete that has him pegged as one of human history’s greatest individual travelers.

For the most part of the journey, he was accompanied by his fourth wife Christine in a Mercedes G-Wagen they had named Otto. What started as an expedition into Africa developed into an 884,000km journey that took him to over 177 countries.

Of the 884,000km an estimated 250,000 kms were off road as the 4x4 was taken across 410 borders outside of Europe.

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It went in 41 ocean shipping containers and boarded 113 deep-sea ferries. A few breakdowns were inevitable, but nothing so bad that Gunther couldn’t fix. He carried about 400 spare parts in aluminum boxes on the roof of the car just to be sure. Unlike most modern cars, Otto was manufactured before cars went electronic.

“Otto is nothing but nuts and bolts that means I can unscrew the nuts and pull out bolts to repair anything that comes up myself,” he said in 2013. “In any modern car you cannot touch the brakes because it’s all electronically controlled.”

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Gunther had always dreamt of traveling the roads that he pondered over at on his trips, and in 1988 he quit his job to do exactly that.

of its kind. He and Christine added on to the map as they revisited Jakarta for months at a time throughout the 1990s.

Eventually, the map became a 450-page atlas. In the mid-1970s four million people lived in the city and surrounding villages. Today Greater Jakarta has a population of 28 million.

Up until 2000, Gunther’s journey was regularly interrupted. Otto spent the entire year of 2000 and much of 2001 in storage in New Jersey. But things picked up from 2005, when for the first time, the car was almost always on the move. They began the year in Libya, the 69th country on the tour. By September they had reached Kazakhstan, their 100th country, and the first in Asia.

This was also where Otto clocked in the 500,00km mark.

As a result, even after nearly 900,000km Otto still did not consume oil, the engine cylinders had never needed re-lining and the pistons had never been replaced. They were inspected once, in 2004, and found to be fine. After that, the engine was left undisturbed - only the gaskets were changed.

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aving spent three decades working in Luftansa he had to travel to over 20 offices overseas. Gunther had always dreamt of traveling the roads that he pondered over at on his trips, and in 1988 he quit his job to do exactly that.

Because they began the trip at a time before the internet and social media, Gunther and his wife were under the radar for the majority of their trip.

was not an issue. The couple paid for most of their trip themselves. Although sponsorships were offered, they did not take them.

For the last three years of his working life, Gunther had been boss of the air transport division of the Hamburgbased shipping firm Hapag Lloyd.

However, once he began his journey, his main source of income was a map of Jakarta.

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hristine first encountered health issues in 2003, when doctors diagnosed a benign tumor on the facial nerve. The left side became partially paralysed and the hearing in her left ear deteriorated. She continued to travel. Later, it became clear that the tumor was malignant. This meant

Holtorf had begun mapping the city as a hobby shortly after taking over as Lufthansa’s Indonesia country manager in 1973. At the time the city was even without street signs. A map was clearly much needed, and after three years’ work in 1977 he published one, the first

Initially, the plan was to spend a 18 months traveling the African continent, spending as much time in the wild as possible. With the music of Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert and Schuman playing from the cassette player of the Mercedes G Wagen, they started by heading for the Sahara desert. They crossed Algeria and Niger from north to south, before taking a right at Zinder and heading for Mali.

After driving for more than 100,000kilometers across the African terrain and suffering 5 bouts of Malaria, they moved on to the Americas.

Growing up in Germany after the end of the second Great War, Gunther never had things come easily and making do with things was a way of life. Surviving off of stuff they bought in the local markets and sleeping in their truck facebook.com/AutolifeNepal

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that Christine had to spend more time at home, but she urged Gunther to continue. In 2007, Christine’s 27 year old son Martin, who was 10 when she left, joined Gunther on the trip from Jakarta to Europe, via northern Iraq (country 125) and Turkey.

She did make a comeback when Gunther entered the Caribbean. After the Caribbean, Christine mostly stayed at home in Bavaria. She wanted to be alone during courses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The last trip she made was to the UK (country 149) in May 2009.

Knowing that Christine wouldn’t be there for long, the couple was able to have honest conversations about what to do after her death. Christine made sure that Gunther continued the trip.

“It was her wish. She asked me to please continue, not forgetting her and to do what I did on her behalf. I am sure that she will be happy to see it - and I do it, for sure, also since she asked for it,” Holtorf said in August 2013, as his journey seemed to be approaching its end.

They had always intended to marry but never got to it, so they tied the know two weeks before Christine passed away.

Gunther had adopted Christine’s son many years earlier.

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etting into some countries was difficult, but Gunther always got some help. Entering Cuba might have been an issue, but one of Fidel Castro’s sons worked for the Mercedes distributor, so he signed off the

permission with his initials. In St Lucia the matter was discussed in the country’s cabinet, before the green light was given.

Throughout the journey, Gunther faced a lot of obstacles and for each one, his strongest weapon of choice was patience. Instead of bribing his way through he chose to smile and wait, producing a printed copy of his world map, showing the innumerable countries him and Otto had visited over the years, with the roads they had taken drawn in red. He also made sure his papers were always in order.

Every now and again, though, a border presented problems. Crossing from Sudan into Ethiopia, on one occasion, the officials didn’t want to accept the

carnet, and the man in charge had gone awol. It took three days to sort out, with Holtorf and Christine eventually agreeing to give a man a lift in return for permission to enter the country.

This strategy was occasionally repeated.

Once, three soldiers were squeezed into the passenger seat, each carrying a Kalashnikov. On other occasions passengers stood on the rear bumper - but Holtorf always refused to have people sitting on the roof.

Since the start of 2012, Holtorf had been travelling alone, but in Japan he was joined by Elke Dreweck. Holtorf came to know about her husband’s death who was the son of an old friend.

After some contemplation, she agreed to join Gunther. Dreweck ended up taking a year off work and journeying with Holtorf across Russia and down the west coast of Africa, culminating in a difficult route on sand from Angola (country 174) into Zambia, with only a map, a compass and a primitive GPS for a guide.

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Throughout the journey, Gunther faced a lot of obstacles and for each one, his strongest weapon of choice was patience.

fter Dreweck’s return to Germany in mid-2013, Holtorf continued picking off missing countries, including Myanmar (176) and Madagascar (177).

In Madagascar, Gunther was involved in his first ever major accident with Otto. While trying to avoid an oncoming vehicle in a narrow path, Otto slipped into a slope that was covered with vegetation. It took a spin and a half before ending its roll pegging itself on its side to a tree.

Gunther was unhurt and crawled out

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of the upturned G-Wagen. He waited for some help until a French priest, who was passing by, came to his aid. The priest called a policeman and gathered a group of men to guard Otto overnight.

In the morning the tree that halted Otto’s fall was chopped down, Otto was allowed to roll on to his wheels. After checking for leaks, Holtorf put the key in the ignition, and turned. Otto started first time.

The body of the car was tilting slightly to one side, apart from that no damage could be seen. Although the end of the journey was close, Gunther decided to have it replaced. He shipped the car back to Europe, where the body of an old G-Wagen was painted and attached to the chassis by only six bolts. The chassis and the engine, the interior of the car, the bonnet and the front section of the body (everything in front of the windscreen) remain just as they were before the accident.

This new, rejuvenated Otto, visited the

last two countries of the 26-year tour – Ireland (178) and Belarus (179).

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f the 195 countries recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records, only 16 countries are missing from Otto’s itinerary. Three of them – Chad, Somalia and South Sudan - were not safe enough to visit when Otto was in the vicinity. (South Sudan, of course, only came into existence in 2011.)

Because of logistical reasons, principally time and cost, he was unable to reach three others - the Bahamas, Cape Verde and Sao Tome and Principe - while the Caribbean state of Antigua and Barbuda, refused entry.

The remaining nine countries, from the Comoros Islands to Tuvalu, were tiny atolls with barely any roads, so there would have been little point visiting in a car.

The world record for the longest driven journey is held by a Swiss couple who set out in a Toyota Land Cruiser in 1984, four years before Otto was built. But it’s likely that Holtorf and Otto will be awarded the Guinness record for the most countries visited in a single vehicle.

It was only after Gunther’s triumphant arrival to Berlin that he started gaining publicity. It was never his aim to publicize his travels, he felt safer that way. Otto will in due course take pride of place at the Mercedes museum in Stuttgart, with a fee exchanging hands that is likely to reflect the sum Holtorf estimates he has spent on the car over the years – 450,000 euros.

But parting with Otto won’t be too hard.

He has another Mercedes at home – a right-hand-drive E class, which he bought in Indonesia in 1978 and took on long journeys in South America in the 1980s.

Friendliest Nation: Holtorf hesitates, and says “Ghana”, then adds, "and Australia". If it weren’t for the need to sterilise one’s car on entry (at considerable cost in time and money) Australia would be “perfect” he says.

Worst Roads: The worst roads he experienced were in Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the potholes were "big enough to swallow Otto whole", he says.

Worst Toilets: “We have found various degrees of toilet quality on earth,” Holtorf begins.

“The worst one was and still is Russia. And the reason is quite straightforward. One of Russia’s social problems is vodka. The male population is just consuming too much vodka and after an extensive consumption of vodka, the toilet control might be a little bit out of control and for those reason toilets particularly public toilets in Russia are in very bad shape.”

He then adds: “Number two is China.”

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AUTOLIFE PROMOTES

INTRODUCING

YETI 4WD CLUB “We have the vehicles, we have the country – lets enjoy both. We must have fun, as life is too short to miss the wonderful sights our own country offers us.”

Vivek B Basnyat Founding Director & Tourism Entrepreneur

Photos: Gaurav Man Sherchan

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ow that the roads of Kathmandu are no longer worthy of being sarcastically deemed as off-road haven, many 4x4 owners might be finding themselves in a bit of a quandary. Of course, if you got yourself an off-road machine just to tackle the previously ghastly roads of Nepal you have got a different set of problems.

However, if you have acquired a capable 4x4 for the right reasons and test its limits, you will want to include yourself in this particular group.

All the who’s who of the off-roading community possessing a 4x4 are already in the club, or at least should be.

We’re talking about the Yeti 4WD Club. Founded by a few adventurous SUV owners with a goal to promote active and responsible Off Road driving in Nepal, the club caters to the true enthusiasts of Nepal. Although it seems to parade itself as a group dedicated exclusively for big burly men, it is completely the opposite and encourages the involvement of anyone and everyone.

The club organizes and promotes overlanding trips and off road driving

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THE CLUB ALSO OFFERS ADVICE AND TRAINING BOTH IN DRIVING AND PREPARATION OF VEHICLES AND DESIGNING OFF ROAD TRACKS FOR LEISURE AND COMPETITION PURPOSES

events for all owners of four-wheel drive vehicles; from stock to highly modified 4x4 vehicles, in Nepal.

Although they cater solely to off road going vehicles they will accommodate 4x2 and AWD vehicles from time to time.

The club also offers advice and training both in driving and preparation of vehicles and designing off road tracks for leisure and competition purposes. Which also means you can go in serious off road trails, weekend outings with other like minded off roaders.

The club endeavors to hold a variety of trips each year, which may consist of 1-day social outings through to challenging 4x4 trips, night navigation competitions, weekend trips sometimes choosing hotels and sometimes camps, charity events, clean ups and ‘Learning weekends’.

Trips are rated according to difficulty, so you know what is appropriate for you and your vehicle And it doesn’t matter if you’re new to the 4x4 game or have already made a few rounds on the block. Membership is free and open to all 4x4 enthusiasts who have 4x4 vehicles and want to use them responsibly. However, event participation fees will be applicable.

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Upon joining the club, a member is granted the opportunity to learn all about expeditions, touring, planning, driving, safety, communications, etc. through constant interaction with other members who are skilled and competent in these areas. The club also offers training (formal and informal) in the areas of Driver Training (Basic to Advanced), Navigation (Map to GPS), First Aid etc in the near future.

Being part of the club also entitles you to your share of responsibilities.

Maturity on every member’s part is expected as the club encourages the participation of family orientated members of all ages rather than irresponsible ‘hooligans’ / over indulgent type drivers who are always out to prove that he/she is the best driver in Nepal. In addition, politics, bigotry, intolerance, excess use of alcohol (strict NO DRINK & DRIVE Policy exists), abusive language, raucous behavior etc. is strictly prohibited.

The Yeti 4WD Club is the ideal platform to unleash your off roading fervor while associating yourself with other like minded participants. Now, unless you plan on waiting for our roads to succumb to time and return to its previous state, this sounds like an extremely tempting plan.

THE FOUNDERS

Vivek B Basnyat: Managing Director at Yeti Travels Pvt. Ltd.

Kabir Jung Thapa: Director at Lemongrass International

Avash Nirola:Managing Director, 3Q Consult Pvt. Ltd.

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AUTOLIFE November 2014 43

AUTOLIFE ROAD TRIP

WORDS: AYUSH DHAUBANJAR PHOTOS: PRIYANKA KOIJAM & AYUSH DHAUBANJAR

This epic 800km drive by Mahindra Adventure took us from the lush green Nepalese country side, through some of the finest and most thrilling mountain roads, straight up to the scenic barren landscapes of the Tibetan Plateau. And eventually we reached the base of the highest point of adventure.

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t's the third night of this epic driving adventure and I am sleeping like a log at the Rongbuk Everest Hotel, the highest in the world located at an altitude of 5150m above sea level. Suddenly past midnight, I find myself wide awake, Even more so, considering the fact that of all the places in the world I am nestled within close proximity to the mighty Mount Everest and the temperature outside has been easily hovering below a bone-chilling zero degrees Celsius. So as I begin to take off the layers of clothes, I had covered myself in, I recall the warning from the hotel owner. We had been advised to wake up every three hours in the night and heat up our SUVs in order to prevent the diesel from freezing up for our early morning drive to the Everest Base Camp. But after some seemingly wise discussion over the customary round of evening drinks, we had unanimously decided to put off the cold idea. No doubt, all of us were warmly snuggled up in our beds and catching up on deep sleep without a care in the world.

Something that we would regret later‌

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THIS EXCLUSIVE MEDIA ROAD TRIP BY MAHINDRA ADVENTURE WAS THE FIRST EVER DRIVE

BY AN INDIAN FOUR-WHEELER MANUFACTURER, FROM KATHMANDU TO THE EVEREST BASE CAMP IN TIBET.

Ok, wait a minute. Driving, Everest Base Camp, SUVs... Doesn't make much sense right??? No wonder, even my family and friends thought that I had lost my marbles when I cheerfully shared with them that I would be driving up to the Everest Base Camp. The confusion isn’t a complete surprise because most of us have little or no idea that it is actually possible to drive/ ride to the Everest Base Camp rather than giving way to the highly popular, but lengthy and tiring 'trekking' alternative. While the South Base Camp of Everest in Nepal is the one accessible only by foot or in helicopters, the 5200m high North Base Camp located on the foot of the Rongbuk Glacier Zone in Tibet has vehicular access.

I had first become familiar with the possibility of this driving/riding adventure of a lifetime about five years ago and ever since had it on the top of the list of things to do before kicking the bucket. So you can well imagine my joy, when the folks at Mahindra Adventure invited me to be a part of their historical and first ever epic drive by an Indian four-wheeler manufacturer, from Kathmandu to the Everest Base Camp in Tibet. Fittingly christened as 'The Summit', this exclusive media drive was executed by Mahindra Adventure in association with adventure travel

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company Sacred Summits from 30th September - 5th October, 2014. It was a great privilege to be the only Nepalese media representing AutoLife Nepal amongst the team of experienced Indian journalists from reputed media houses like Autocar India, EVO India, TopGear India and Rediff.com.

With an adventure ready convoy of two Mahindra XUV500's, two Mahindra Thars and one SsangYong Rexton to take on the challenging drive, we set out from Kathmandu on the early morning of September 30th, 2014. The 120km drive on the Arniko Highway from Kathmandu to the Nepal-China border at Kodari was supposed to be a relaxed affair through the beautiful Nepalese countryside, past terraced paddy fields and the hilly riverside forests. But due to a recent massive landslide in Jurey, just short of about 20kms from the border, an entire hillside had caved in on a large section of the road and we had to take the diversion to an alternative off-road route. Though the capable off-roaders easily waded through the slushy terrains and river crossings, we were unfortunately delayed at length on some of the stretches due to oncoming traffic. By the time we made it to Kodari, the Chinese Immigration and Customs had already shut shop for the day and that meant an unexpected night halt in a lodge on the banks of the raging Bhote Koshi River in Tatopani.

Next morning, we were off to an early start and raced ourselves ahead of the haphazardly linedup transport convoys in the opening hours of the Nepalese Immigration Office. With our wellexperienced local agent working his way through the bureaucracy for us, we were swiftly cleared past the Nepalese border gates and across the Sino-Nepal Friendship Bridge to Zhangmu. As we waited for the stringent processing of permits through the Chinese Immigrations and Customs, I couldn’t help but marvel at the tall concrete cliffside buildings glittering in the sun along Zhangmu's flourishing ridgeline. Looking back at the conditions at home,, it was a sorry state

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of underdevelopment with scattered houses and naked hills. With all the formalities taken care of, we set the clock 2.15 hours ahead to match the Chinese time zone and began the right-hand side drive on the Friendship Highway towards Upper Zhangmu, where we stopped for lunch and got our final road permits issued.

As we drove up the excellent winding mountain roads through the rolling hills towards Nyalam at 3800m, the topography gradually began to change from the deep forested valleys of Nepal to mountain desert-like terrains with fewer vegetation of the green kind.

The skies turned turquoise blue and magical cloud formations floated over the snow clad hills in the vast arid terrains of the highest plateau in the world. All this majestic scenery was further complimented by the thrill of speeding through butter smooth roads that were occasionally laid out till the horizon and seamlessly climbed up and down mountain passes with long sweeping corners. This fantastic Friendship Highway follows the western portion of Chinese National Highway 318 heading all the way to Shanghai and is a stunning example of the Asian superpower’s rapid pace of development even in such remote high altitude areas.

We continued our ascent into the picturesque Tibetan plateau towards the 5126m Thong La Pass and the views only seemed to get better

ALL THIS MAJESTIC SCENERY WAS FURTHER COMPLIMENTED BY THE THRILL OF SPEEDING THROUGH BUTTER SMOOTH ROADS THAT WERE OCCASIONALLY LAID OUT TILL THE HORIZON AND SEAMLESSLY CLIMBED UP AND DOWN MOUNTAIN PASSES WITH LONG SWEEPING CORNERS. 48

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with Himalayan giants like Mt. Shishapangma gracefully hiding behind the overcast clouds.

After a brief stop at the pass, we descended towards the less significant Lalung Pass at 5050m. From here on, the roads were mostly arrow straight through a flat plateau towards Old Tingri. By the time we made it to the Kangar Hotel in the quaint town of Tingri, it was pitch dark. Thankfully, the high altitude hadn’t quelled my appetite and I could enjoy the adequate variety of fresh Chinese food on the table that varied from yak, pork, and chicken to potatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, corn kernels and boy choys. The food was very different but truly ‘dellliciouuussss’, just like how our guide Tenzing would simply put it, much to the agony of the less experimental ones in the crew. With its luxurious accommodation and piping hot shower facilities even at 4350m, sleep wasn't really hard to find at the Kangar Hotel.

After the acclimatization night in Tingri, we took a diversion from the fine asphalt road and began the 70km dirt road drive along the Rongbuk Valley towards the Everest Base Camp. It was a bumpy ride up and down the dry terrain, along a gravelled path with some occasional rough spots. The quality of roads deteriorated but the views only seemed to get better and better as we drove past the endless twists and turns, and ascended little by little towards the azure sky. After a scenic off road drive on the narrow road along the Rongbuk River, we made it to the Rongbuk Monastery. Originally built in 1902, the Rongbuk Monastery belongs to the Nyingma sect of Buddhism and is the highest monastery in the world at an altitude of 5150m above sea level. But the north face of Everest still lay hidden in the thick smog of low lying clouds. So we drove 8km further to DzarongPu and waited by one of the many yak wool tent hotels scattered across the settlement, hoping for the foggy weather to clear up. This was the closest to the Everest Base Camp that general travellers were allowed to sleep and also the furthest that private vehicles could go.

From here, one has to board an environmentally safe public bus for the last 4kms to the Everest

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Base Camp. Interestingly, DzarongPu is also home to the Qomolangma Base Camp Postal Service which is the highest post office in the world at 5200m.

Everest didn’t seem like in the mood to put up a good show and with darkness falling upon us, we had to return back to our base at the Rongbuk Everest Hotel. The rooms were comfortable and warm, but the common toilet facilities are best not talked about. It was a much better idea to head out to the open and brave the cold rather than trying to withstand the tough test of managing to last enough in the foulest latrines I have ever come across in my life. Ironically, food was pretty good and it was a tough decision to take the risk of overeating up here. We passed away the evening gulping down some naturally chilled Lhasa Beer in the warm restaurant of the hotel and hit the sacks early praying hard for a majestic view of Mt. Everest tomorrow.

Otherwise, it would be an incomplete adventure even after having come so far.

Early next morning, a quick view out of the window is all that it took to make our day.

Outside, standing alone like a snow covered pyramid was a dramatic view of the mystical Everest in all its grandeur. And there was more good news. After some internal arrangements with the authorities, Tenzing had worked out a special permit that allowed us to drive all the way till the Everest Base Camp! Without any further delay, we headed out to heat up our frost covered SUV’s. The XUVs and Rexton sputtered to life, but the old school Thars just wouldn’t budge.

Even several futile attempts like externally heating the frozen fuel tank didn't help. It was probably the outcome of our laziness to wake up in the cold night and heat up the SUV’s, but we would rather believe that the

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mythical Yeti must have tinkered with it in the middle of the night.

Anyways it was a good lesson learnt in the higher Himalayas. So we left the Thars to bask in the morning sun and packed ourselves into the two XUVs and Rexton for the last 12kms to the Everest Base Camp.

And what a soulful drive it was, sitting on that driver’s seat and gaping in awe at the fantastic view of Everest that kept closing in every passing mile.

With such a cinematic view of Everest plastered on the windscreen, the convoy we were driving easily seemed like the most beautiful moving view point in the world. Even after parking the car right on the foot of the colossal Everest, all of this still felt like some dream. Of course, all it took to come back to my senses was to open the door, step out of the air conditioned car and feel that awakening gust of those strong howling cold winds blowing down the supreme mountain. And then came the difficult hiking bit for the last 100m up a hillock to the tourist view point. It was definitely no walk in the park at the 5200m altitude, but once at the top all that breathlessness easily takes the back seat. There it was right in front of us - Everest for the world, Sagarmatha for the Nepalese and Qomolongma for the Tibetans. Not a speck of cloud to obstruct the grandeur

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WITH SUCH A CINEMATIC VIEW OF EVEREST PLASTERED ON THE WINDSCREEN, THE CONVOY WE WERE DRIVING EASILY SEEMED LIKE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MOVING VIEW POINT IN THE WORLD.

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and all you want to do is sit the and lust at the magnificence of this highest peak in the world standing solitarily on the horizon and piercing into the clear blue sky. But with the crazy winds hitting us hard and cold, it was time to head back home.

Hesitantly, we got back to our sturdy Mahindra’s and hit the dust trail for the way back home as Everest gradually disappeared from our rear view mirrors. After the night halt at Tingri, it was another lap of the fantastic drive experience back to Zhangmu.

The return journey was a memorable one as we passed by stunning views of the mystic

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mountain ranges alongside the flat mountain desert plateau and raced up and down the passes through the incredible number of corners, leaving the enchanting treeless Tibetan Plateau behind. Our last night in Tibet was spent in Zhangmu, where we also had our first taste of the unique Tibetan nightlife. It was a whole new level of experience where we were expected to order beer cans by the dozen, gulp it down like Tequila shots and groove to music which was an odd mix of Tibetan pop songs and groovy English and Hindi numbers. And what better way to end this adventure on the way back, than with an adrenaline pumping and suicidal Canyon Swing jump from a 160m high suspension bridge above the raging Bhote Koshi river at The Last Resort in Nepal !!

To sum it up, nothing else has really touched me as intensely as this epic drive experience on the Tibetan plateau to meet the towering mountain against the bluest skies I have ever seen in my life. Everything from the flawless logistics arrangements by Mahindra Adventure and Sacred Summits, the high-spirited team of like-minded motoring hacks to the joy of driving a capable convoy through the fantastic roads on the roof of the world, is something that will stay with me forever.

So if you were to ask me, would I do this trip again?

Over and over, again and again! This drive is easily one of the best overland routes in the world that brings you right at the foothills of the highest mountain. I wonder if anything else will ever beat that sublime experience of stepping out of the Mahindra XUV500 and gazing at Everest standing breathlessly on that hillock‌

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WHEN TO GO? The normal tourist season in Tibet is from May through till October.

The busiest months are usually July and August.

HOW TO GET THERE? This is not a trip that you can easily pull off as an individual traveller.

A visit to the Everest Base Camp in Tibet requires a permit from the Chinese government, on top of the permit required to visit Tibet itself.

Such permits must be arranged via authorized travel companies in Nepal and Tibet who take care of all the overland logistics.

THE CHALLENING BIT? - With the route altitude almost averaging at 4000m, acclimatization and standing up to the bone-chilling weather is the primary hurdle.

- Food is often very different and you will have to be more on the experimental side and adjust your expectations.

- A clean toilet facility is a hard to find luxury here at the roof of the world.

WHAT WE RECOMMEND? If you are really looking tforward to such a drive/ride, you could never go wrong with a well sorted package tour from Sacred Summits based in Kathmandu. With decades of experience and being one of the pioneers of this overland experience from Kathmandu, they would probably be the best bet to get you across and back in the safest and most memorable way possible. And if you really love to drive on your own, stay alert for the second edition of ‘The Summit’ from Mahindra Adventure and book yourself a seat. Otherwise, if Everest is not your cup of tea, Mahindra Adventure also has a myriad of other driving holidays lined up for you which range from a day-long escape to multi-day expeditions around India, Nepal and Bhutan.

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NOTHING ELSE HAS REALLY TOUCHED ME AS INTENSELY AS THIS EPIC DRIVE EXPERIENCE ON THE TIBETAN PLATEAU TO MEET THE TOWERING MOUNTAIN AGAINST THE BLUEST SKIES I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. THIS DRIVE IS EASILY ONE OF THE BEST OVERLAND ROUTES IN THE WORLD THAT BRINGS YOU RIGHT AT THE FOOTHILLS OF THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN.

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www.mahindraadventure.com Mahindra Adventure is a unique marketing unit of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd that specialises in organizing self-driving adventures across India, Nepal and Bhutan with their adventure ready fleet of over 100 Mahindra vehicles. Be it single-day off road adventures or multi-day expeditions to beautiful places, Mahindra Adventure has something for everyone. Mahindra Adventure also runs India’s first and only dedicated Off-Road Training Academy and fields a successful factory rally team at the Indian Rally Championship. So with the tank full of options that Mahindra Adventure provides, it’s not really difficult for the enthusiasts to seek ways to get lost.

www.sacredsummits.com Sacred Summits Pvt Ltd is an adventure travel company which has specialisation in overland rides/drives, treks and expeditions to the magical mountains and terrains of Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and Sikkim. Their team comprises of highly experienced and qualified experts who specialize in developing tour packages that suit anyone with a spirit for adventure. If you truly seek an adventure in the Himalayas, look no further.

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AUTOLIFE FEATURE

THE MOST

THRILLING ROADS IN THE WORLD Nothing like setting out on a perfect weather, holding on to the handlebars of your favourite motorcycle or taking control of your dream car and blazing past these amazing routes that simply begs you to hit the road.

Photos: Internet Sources

So what makes for an epic roadtrip? Normally, it would be the one which takes you to an exciting destination in the perfect weather conditions and on the right set of wheels? But if you were to ask us, no roadtrip is ever worth its salt if you haven’t driven/ridden through the right kind of roads. And by roads, we are not just talking about the insane race track quality highways that snakes its way through the terrain or high speed roads that stretch out till the horizon. It could also be that narrow hillside road where there is no sight of tarmac for miles on end or the treacherous path that climb up a rugged mountain pass. So here you go, find your next dream road trip route among some of these thrilling routes around the world.

DADÈS GORGES ROAD, MOROCCO Winding through Morocco’s Dadès Valley, the Dadès Gorges road runs 160km with a wild landscape of snow on one side, desert on the other. The drive is spectacular, winding through stunning desert landscapes, villages, palm groves, and with the expansive Jebel Sarhro lunar-scape to the south.

SAINT GOTTHARD PASS, SWITZERLAND The St. Gotthard Pass is a 2106m high mountain pass in central Switzerland with an asphalted road that is exposed and unsecured in innumerable twists and turns. It’s one of the most thrilling roads in Europe stretching for 64km with sheer drops and serpentine twists before flattening out at the top of the pass.

STELVIO PASS, ITALY Nestled 2757m up in the Italian Alps, the Stelvio Pass packs 48 high-speed switchbacks into 25km that takes you through several great stretches of alpine forest. While its daunting turns have proven to be challenging to most drivers, the highway’s twisted junctions make it the holy grail amongst motorcyclists.

FRIENDSHIP HIGHWAY, TIBET The Friendship Highway is an 800km long fantastic mountain road that connects the Tibetan capital of Lhasa to the China-Nepal border at Zhangmu. The scenic route takes you over a flat plateau through tiny villages, ancient monasteries, picturesque turquoise lakes and mesmerizing giant peaks. And the best bit? This road easily gets you to the base camp of mountains like Shishapangma, Cho Oyu and the mighty Everest!

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ATLANTIC OCEAN ROAD, NORWAY

CHAPMAN’S PEAK DRIVE, SOUTH AFRICA

The Atlantic Ocean Road is an 8.3km thoroughfare that winds like a sea serpent through the forceful ocean and gives you the chance to drive on the coastal edge of Norway. The majesty of this route is defined by the roads that connect several skerries and islands through revolutionary causeways, viaducts and zigzag bridges.

The Chapman’s Peak Drive is one of the most spectacular marine drives in the world. The 9km route, with its 114 curves, skirts the rocky coastline of Chapman’s Peak. It is a must for anyone who is passionate about the majestic Cape Town scenery, with sheer drops to the sea below and towering mountains rising above you.

COL DE TURINI, FRANCE The Col de Turini is a 1607m high breathtaking mountain pass bordering the French Alps. The road includes a long series of difficult and dangerous hairpin turns that winds up the side of the mountains. The drive is definitely worth it because the Col de Turini has also challenged the best drivers in rally history during the annual Monte Carlo Rally of WRC.

DENALI HIGHWAY, USA The Denali Highway or Alaska Route 8 spans 217km through undeveloped land that typifies the raw beauty of Alaska. If you don’t mind its gravel surfaces and scarce services, you’ll be treated to grandiose views of Mount McKinley and there’s no shortage of natural eye candies for adventure-seeking motorists.

FURKA PASS, SWITZERLAND Furka Pass is a 2429m high mountain pass in the Swiss Alps that was also used as a location in the iconic James Bond film Goldfinger. But you’ll probably look anything but Bond-style glamorous when tackling its steep slopes, hairpin bends, switchbacks and sharp blind curves. And if you can take your eyes off the road, you’ll see awesome views of the Rhone glacier as you climb.

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GREAT OCEAN ROAD, AUSTRALIA The Great Ocean Road is not only one of the most scenic highways in the world, it is the world’s largest war memorial as well dedicated to Australian comrades killed during WW1. Despite its sad inspiration, a drive through the 243km heritage site will definitely make you happy, with its beautiful sea views, clear skies, rainforests, beaches, cliff drops and fascinating limestone formations.

HIGHWAY 163, U.S.A The iconic Highway 163 is a 103km motorway that runs from the small town of Kayenta in Arizona, through to the hamlet of Bluff in Utah. In between you have the Monument Valley which is a postcard depiction of the Wild West with desert scenery, giant red-rock stacks and long straight roads stretching as far as the eye can see.

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JEBEL HAFEET MOUNTAIN ROAD, UAE

KARAKORAM HIGHWAY, PAKISTAN

This immaculate 11.7km road scales the Jebel Hafeet Mountain and ends at a parking lot with only a hotel and a palace belonging to the country’s rulers. So in other words, this stretch of tarmac is empty most of the time and thanks to the two lanes going up the mountain, you can take the bends as fast or slow as you like, enjoying views of the desert.

The Karakoram Highway is the highest paved international road in the world with rugged mountainscapes, sand marshes, crystal clear lakes, glaciers and green marsh lands. This nearly 1300km long highway connects China and Pakistan across the Karakoram mountain range, through the Khunjerab Pass at 4693m. It is often referred to as the Eighth Wonder of the World.

LEH-MANALI HIGHWAY, INDIA The Leh-Manali Highway is a high mountain road situated in India that spans nearly 500km along the Himalayan mountain range and leads to some of the most incredible locations in India like the Pangong Tso Lake, Khardungla Pass, Kargil, Nubra Valley, Zanskar Valley, Spiti and Moreh Plains. It is not a road for the squeamish, but if you’re looking for a lot of excitement, don’t miss this one.

NÜRBURGRING NORDSCHLEIFE, GERMANY Arguably the most notorious racetrack in the world, this 20.8km loop of tarmac also happens to be a toll road that anyone with 24 euros and a need for speed can drive on non-race days. But keep your inner Michael Schumacher in check as this series of 154 turns has a nasty reputation for humbling even the most seasoned drivers.

OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, U.S.A

PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY, U.S.A

ROAD TO MUSTANG, NEPAL

The Overseas Highway is a stunning road that stretches over 200km and leaps from island to island, across 42 bridges over the unbelievably blue ocean through the Florida Keys. It’s essentially a five hour drive over water and if you manage to coincide a part of your trip with a sunrise or sunset, chances are you’ll just end up wishing you could cruise along this road forever!

This 2735km highway is a dream drive famous for running along some of the most beautiful coastlines in the USA, leading to its designation as the ‘All-American Road’. In addition to providing a scenic route to numerous attractions along the coast, the route also serves as a major thoroughfare in Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay, Washington and California.

The road to Mustang is an amazing adventure for off road enthusiasts with a route that offers dramatic landscapes with the higher Himalayas constantly standing guard. While the road to lower Mustang takes you past tough rocky and slushy terrains on a narrow cliffside trail, the drive to Upper Mustang is another challenging treat through dried up river beds, deep canyons, icy stream crossings and past arid mountain deserts.

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RUTA 40, ARGENTINA Also known as RN 40 or National Route 40, Argentina’s famed Ruta 40 is one of the longest highways in the world spanning 5000km long.

With peaks reaching as high as 5000m, a drive through Ruta 40 gives you a chance to stop at 27 Andean passes, 18 major rivers and 20 national parks. It is also the route for the gruelling Desafío Ruta 40 race which is part of the Dakar Series calendar.

SANI PASS, SOUTH AFRICA A pathway from South Africa’s Kwazulu-Natal region to neighbouring country of Lesotho, the perilous 9km Sani Pass sends drivers on a hair-raising journey of steep and slippery slopes over the picturesque Northern Lesotho Mountains. You need a 4x4 to traverse this notorious pass – and only if border authorities think your vehicle’s up to the challenge.

TIANMEN MOUNTAIN ROAD, CHINA The Tianmen Mountain Road is an 11km stretch of tarmac with 99 snaky bends that reaches the top of the mountain and takes visitors to the Tianmen cave, a beautiful dwelling located at the paramount of the peak. The cliffside roads might be intimidating, but the journey to the top of Hunan Province’s famed mountain is truly worth every nervous sweat and tear.

TRANSFĂGĂRĂȘAN, ROMANIA

TROLLSTIGEN, NORWAY

Built as a strategic military route in the 1970s, the Transfăgărășan with its 90km of twists and turns run north to south across the tallest sections of the Southern Carpathians. Linking Transylvania with Walachia through a series of tunnels, bridges and viaducts, the Transfăgărășan is a winding road, dotted with steep hairpin turns, long S-curves and sharp descents.

Trollstigen is a serpentine narrow mountain road in Rauma, Norway.

The route’s steep 9% incline, narrow width and 11 hairpin bends make it a supremely wavy ride. The road plateaus at 700m where there’s a carpark and several public balconies for an eyeful of the Stigfossen waterfall and a fantastic view of the valley below.

TAIL OF THE DRAGON, U.S.A This stretch of the U.S Route 129 offers some of the sweetest curves with no fewer than 318 turns in the course of just 18kms. No driveways or intersections interrupt this forest-lined thoroughfare and it is not the kind of road to sightsee on. The attraction is the road itself and there is really no need to look at the wooded roadside because the curves come at rapid fire. facebook.com/AutolifeNepal

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AUTOLIFE PERSONALITY

The Overland Entrepreneur

RABI THAPA CEO of Sacred Summits Pvt. Ltd. PHOTOS: BIBHAS MAHARJAN SUWAL | LOCATION: KATHMANDU HANDLEBAR, BALUWATAR 60 AUTOLIFE November 2014

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R

abi Thapa, CEO of Sacred Summits Pvt. Ltd., has been in the travel and tour business for over 2 decades. Sacred Summits caters to a niche group of people who want to explore Nepal in arguably the best way possible, on a two wheeler that never quits. A fleet of Royal Enfields are always at the ready for anyone interested.

A veteran in his trade, we first met Rabi Thapa in 2012 when we took part in the fourth edition of the famed Poker Run, arguably the biggest thunder ride in the country. He handed us the keys to a Royal Enfield Standard and asked us to join a convoy of over 200 Enfielders who would be thundering towards Pokhara to celebrate Nepali New Year’s. We’ve been participating every year ever since.

From colossal Bullet (Enfield) trains to Pokhara to coasting through the straights of the Tibetan Plateau, Rabi Thapa brought in a completely new dimension to the travel and tourism industry with overland motorcycling tours. Rabi Thapa isn’t the type to sit behind the desk and a pile of paper work; opting instead to slip into his iconic green leather jacket and straddle his trusty steed to participate in the tours whenever possible.

We caught up with him over some of the pork leg curry and rice, a speciality at the Kathmandu Handle Bar Café.

AL: How did you first learn to ride/drive and which is the first car/bike you had a go on?

Rabi Thapa: The first vehicle that I learnt to drive was the Willy’s Jeep in the summer of 1978 when I was studying in Kalimpong, India. My Uncle bought this jeep and our driver used to let us have a go in it. So, on one of these drives from Kalimpong to Darjeeling, an army man on a motorcycle dashed into our Jeep in Teesta Bazaar. A bit of trouble ensued and there was a police case filed. When we had to return to Kalimpong I thought it would be a good idea to drive the 26 kilometer from Teesta to Kalimpong Bazaar.

My first motorcycle ride was on the 100 cc Honda. I was visiting Kathmandu for my winter holidays in December of 1978 and my brother in law’s friends invited me on a ride. They taught me how to get rolling and I was able to do the section from Satdobato to Godavari. facebook.com/AutolifeNepal

AL: What do you prefer more? Bikes or Cars?

Why? Rabi Thapa: Like the saying goes, “four wheels move the body, two wheels moves the Soul”. Although I’m always up for an adventure on 4 wheels as well.

AL: Is there a driver usually behind the wheels of your car or is it you who takes charge ?

Rabi Thapa: These days, I prefer to let my driver drive the car because I spend a lot of time entertaining guests/ meeting clients, which means I have to indulge in a little drinking. I prefer to not embarrass myself by breathing into a policeman’s face, I’d rather save myself the hassle. However, if I’m travelling outside the valley, I’m rearing to sit behind the wheels.

AL: Till date, on which car or bike you have had the best ever riding/driving experience?

Rabi Thapa: Well, the car

that I used to drive around was the Opel. The 1395 cc hatchback was ideal for Kathmandu and handled very well and loved driving to the Last Resort, Pokhara and Chitwan. And as for the motorcycle, I still prefer the 350 cc standard Royal Enfield any day of the week.

These days, I prefer to let my driver drive the car because I spend a lot of time entertaining guests/meeting clients, which means I have to indulge in a little drinking.

AL: One wicked or crazy thing that you have done on wheels?

Rabi Thapa: It still amazes me how I did it. While attending the Rider Mania in Sohra, Meghalaya in January 2012, our group from Nepal was held up till 3 am and then were assigned with The Bulls of Assam to ride from Shillong to the venue a distance of about 30 kilometers.

However my head lights gave out and had to ride the distance depending on the light emitted from my fellow riders. But once we left the main road and hit the dirt track, everyone started to overtake me and all I remember is desperately AUTOLIFE November 2014 61

peering over the handle to avoid all the rocks and pot holes, trying desperately to not lose track of the last tail light. After what seemed like endless hours, I eventually lost the last biker and there was no one. It was pitch dark and soon after the only sound in the silence of the night was my own engine.

I stopped to look around and realized I had missed a turn. I parked my bike and let my vision better adjust to the darkness, only to realize that I was parked at the edge of a ridge. Turning back, gingerly, I saw a faint glow in the sky coming from behind another hill and followed the light with fingers crossed. Eventually I reached the venue, in one piece. It still sends chills down my spine thinking of what might have happened if I had parked a little further.

AL: Tell us about your most memorable moment on a car or bike?

Rabi Thapa: The Friendship Highway from Kathmandu to Lhasa is one of the most beautiful roads in the world. As you come up to the Thong La Pass (5126 m) while returning from Lhasa, there is a point where the road meets the sky and all the mountains disappear.

And as you start to progress forward, the mountains from all sides start to emerge and you are eye to eye with the Himalayas. It is an amazing breathtaking experience.

AL: If you could wish for one automobile marquee to have a showroom here in Nepal, not yet present, which would it be?

Rabi Thapa: Probably Lamborghini. We have the mountains and if we had the roads to drive on as well, the roads of the alps would have to hide for shame.

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is the best destination to drive/ride to in Nepal ?

Rabi Thapa: For diversity, I would definitely suggest a drive/ride through to the far West. With places like Lumbini, the magical gardens of Tikapur, ethnic tharu culture, the banana resort, Bardia and Suklaphanta National park for wildlife viewing, it offers the complete blend of great roads and rich culture.

The 1 and 1/2 kilometers of the Dodhara - Chadani suspension bridge is an architectural feat worth seeing.

But for those with a passion for mountains and off roading, nothing beats the route from Pokhara to Muktinath and to Upper Mustang.

It takes you through the deepest gorge in the world, Kaligandaki Gorge, and offers breathtaking vistas of mountains, high altitude desert landscape, ethnic ancient cultures and monasteries; and time just stands still.

AL: In the dynamic world of tourism, your company stands on a different pedestal. Tell us about how you started the business.

Rabi Thapa: After my share of involvement in the travel industry, I was looking for something else worthwhile. In 2003 my friend, Maggie Burgess, called and requested me to assist her in her research for “Stigma of Leprosy”.

This included a one and a half month stay at the Khokna Leprosy Colony of Kathmandu. Before long, I was all packed and living in the colony. Here, I met Rakesh Prasai. An avid Enfield rider and founder of Himalayan Enfielders, our conversations led us to the topic about the possibility of a Ride to

Tibet and the prospects of visiting Lhasa on an Enfield.

It was an exciting idea and I didn’t see any reason to just go to Lhasa and not do the Everest Base Camp (North) area too. Of course there were many obstacles, like obtaining permits for Tibet for instance.

Despite the obstacles and people saying that conquering Tibet was impossible on Enfields, we were able to get the first group of riders started for Tibet on 18th September 2003. That got things rolling for us and as they say it, the rest is history.

I parked my bike and let my vision better adjust to the darkness, only to realize that I was parked at the edge of a ridge.

AL: What made you look into the domestic aspect of tourism on wheels, especially when people were pretty much preoccupied with treks, rafting and other common paths?

Rabi Thapa: In 2003, there were already a lot of people involved in the Travel and Trekking Industry and I was looking for a way out. I was at a point in time where it was no longer about the money. That is when I came across motorcycle tours, which was a completely different and exciting story. I’m always up for a challenge and operating motorcycle tours to Tibet seemed like something right down my alley.

Horrendous roads, bad weather, motorcycle breakdowns, altitude sickness, trouble with the border patrol; you name it we had them. There was never a dull moment. In spite of all the chaos, it always felt like the right thing.

AL: Tell us about your most recent undertaking: MotoHimalaya.

Rabi Thapa: MotoHimalaya will be the division that will handle all motorcycling and 4X4 driving events. Although Sacred Summits started it all, it will now focus more on trekking, mountaineering, rafting and other adventure / culture related programs. facebook.com/AutolifeNepal

AL: Apart from the fleet of Royal Enfields, what else is parked in your garage? Which one are you usually on?

Rabi Thapa: At the moment I drive the VW Polo. My wife bought it for herself, but then she took up an overseas assignment and lives there most of the time. So I guess I inherited it. But I’ve grown fond of it.

Tourism governing body, the lack of sponsorships and because of security reasons.

There is always some sort of political commotion in some district or the other and with rampant fuel shortages, bringing in 1500 - 2000 riders might pose a great security risk.

But I am optimistic and the possibilities of a Rider Mania look promising.

AL: There is a pretty decent fan following for the Royal Enfield in Nepal.

What is your opinion regarding the prospects of initiating an event like Rider Mania here in Nepal?

Rabi Thapa: The Rider Mania is an awesome event for Enfield enthusiasts and, in my opinion, must happen in Nepal. This event is surely on my “things to do list” and the only thing holding us back is the lack of support from the

AL: In your opinion, what is the worst thing about driving/riding in Nepal?

Rabi Thapa: The worst things are the quality of the roads and the unruly drivers/motorcycle riders who stop suddenly without warning or park in the most atrocious places.

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AL: If you were given complete control of the country, what changes would you bring about in the automotive scene of Nepal?

I’d also make an effort towards further strengthening the lane driving system and also make helmets a compulsion for pillion riders, especially Children.

Rabi Thapa: Thorough evaluation and education for all motorists prior to obtaining their license on the rules as well as the finer etiquette of driving would be priority number one. I’d also make an effort towards further strengthening the lane driving system and also make helmets a compulsion for pillion riders, especially Children.

AL: Have you ever been in the MA PA SE police checkings? If so, any funny incident?

Rabi Thapa: Luckily, there has not been any Ma Pa Se incident for me. But I heard that a guy who had 5 holes in his license had his license returned even after being caught for the 6th time. It had me confused.

AL: Your message or word of advice to all the auto lovers and owners in the country.

Rabi Thapa: Life is precious.

Ride/Drive Safe.

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AUTOLIFE TEST DRIVE

O I P R O C S A R D N I H A M NEW

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P O T E H T O T K AC PHOTOS: BIBHAS MAHARJAN SUWAL | WORDS: AUTOLIFE TEAM

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The new face of the Mahindra Scorpio is edgy, angular and bold.

The new avatar of the Mahindra Scorpio is not far from the Ugly Betty (or Jassi Jaisi Kohi Nahi) story.

The Scorpio has always been capable of taking a beating and proving its worth on almost any terrain thrown in its path. It has also been enjoyed a lot of success. In spite of being the first ‘modern’ UV in the Mahindra Roster which was launched back in 2002, it wasn’t the best looking thing on the roads. Now, the Mahindra Scorpio has been sculpted into a thing of beauty, and finally it can claim to be as good looking as it is capable. The first major generational leap in the course of 12 years, you could say it was worth the wait. The company had provided major upgrades and a new engine in 2006, a facelift in 2008, but now it's an all-new platform for the first time, and we took the muscular beast to test its limits. The 2014 Scorpio is available in 6 trim levels - S2, S4, S6, S6+, S8 and S10.

Here’s what the S4 had to offer.

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STYLING: Judging by its looks alone, the 2014 Mahindra Scorpio is the epitome of transformation. The massive aesthetic makeover may only be second to the transformation of the roads of Kathmandu for the SAARC Summit.

Although the new Scorpio carries forward the basic structure of the older version like the 4 doors, front windscreen and roof, it is based on a new generation platform. This means that it looks like a Scorpio that finally learned how to carry itself off in style.

The new face of the Mahindra Scorpio is edgy, angular and bold. Its new projector headlamps, front grill and bonnet scoop give it an aggressive look which suits its robust nature. However, the LED eyebrows are not daylight running lights though, but rather work as parking lamps. Equipped with chrome inserts, the radiator grill flaunts an unconventional honeycomb pattern and chrome inserts. The honeycomb pattern is also adapted to AUTOLIFE November 2014 67

the fog lamp surrounds and hood scoop grills as well.

Mahindra have not been coy with the upgrades they’ve made to the front, and certainly not so in the rear. The rear brake lights have been swapped with an LED unit that does not skimp on the style factor. The two tone appliqué looks good but it still hasn’t fashioned a spare tyre most SUVs find mandatory.

Mahindra Scorpio is an impressive tech-laden unit that will keep gizmo-freaks entertained.

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The sides are less busy and take on more subtle designs, the main changes pertaining mainly to the black painted pillars and alloy wheels on the higher variant.

The company claims that the all new modular hydroformed chassis is twice as stiff as the older Scorpio's and is safer as well. This W105 3rd generation

chassis platform has the capability of being usable for all future body-on-frame vehicle.

It can made to accommodate an extended wheelbase, or be reduced to fit a sub-4 metre vehicle. The new Scorpio is the first vehicle on it, and future products like the Bolero, Xylo, and Quanto replacements - as well as any possible new products - will also use the same platform.

INTERIORS: The interiors of the Scorpio are sublime, at least in the top variant. Its light grey with black interior combo has a universal appeal and enhances the bright, airy feel inside. The dashboard incorporates rectangular airconditioner vents with chrome surrounds, multifunction steering wheel, instrument cluster with an

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The Interior of Mahindra Scorpio S10

MID, a climate control system, 6-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, CD, DVD, USB and Aux-in compatibility and navigation.

The touchscreen infotainment system is borrowed from the XUV500. It's an impressive tech-laden unit that will keep gizmo-freaks entertained.

To start with, you can view a lot of vehicle-specific data on the screen, including the distance to empty counter, average fuel consumption, tyre pressure & tyre temperature, warning alerts, service due (if any), GPS navigation, telephony options and a video instruction manual. However, not all of these were a feature on the S4 trim.

The controls for the power windows have been moved from the centre console to the door panels. The upholstery has a blue and grey colour scheme and the driver's seat is heightadjustable. The list of safety features includes ABS, dual airbags collapsible steering column, speed alert, panic brake indicator, auto door lock and engine immobiliser are available as well.

Auto-headlamps and rain-sensing wipers are carried forward from the old Scorpio. The Scorpio is also equipped with "Follow-me-home" and "Lead-me-to-vehicle" headlamps.

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the vehicle. You can also turn them on when approaching your parked Scorpio.

The Scorpio comes in four seating configurations - 7SF (7-seater with side facing 3rd row), 7CC (7-seater with captain chairs in the middle row), 8-seater (front-facing 3rd row) and 9-seater. The S2 & S4 variants are available in 7SF & 9-seater configs, the S6 & S6+ with 7SF & 8-seater, and the S8 & S10 with 7SF, 7CC and 8-seater layouts. When it comes to space, the Scorpio has lots to spare.

convertor. The 4WD model features a new shift on fly system that allows toggling between 2WD and 4WD mode without having to bring the vehicle to a complete halt.

Mahindra has made good work of the new chassis, reducing the body roll even further. Handling, on the whole, has improved by a long margin.

The ride quality has improved and soaks up the bumps with vigor.

PERFORMANCE: The S2 base variant is powered by the agricultural 2.5L m2DICR motor, while the rest of the range gets the refined and powerful 2.2L mHawk engine. It is a proper work horse and does not mind the grind. The peak torque of 280Nm kicks in as low as 1800rpm.

The double-wishbone suspension setup is completely new, with Independent coil springs at the front, and a multilink coil spring employed at the back.

The ride quality has improved and soaks up the bumps with vigor.

The gearshifts are also smoother and take less effort. The automatic variant will feature the same 6-speed torque 70

AUTOLIFE November 2014

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VERDICT Mahindra have put in a lot of work in the new Scorpio.

The very appearance of the new avatar makes this abundantly clear. However, what really steals the cake, are the amazing interiors. Right from the suave tech savvy look to the futuristic feel, Mahindra has ticked all the right boxes.

SPECIFICATIONS Engine Type: 4 cylinder mHawk CRDe diesel engine Displacement: 2179 cc Fuel Type: Diesel Maximum Power: 120 bhp @ 4000 rpm Maximum Torque: 280 Nm @ 1800 rpm Transmission: Manual, 5 gears Drivetrain: 2WD

Thankfully, the new Scorpio is not just a face lift but actually a new generation car. The short comings and niggles of the old Scorpio have certainly been amended for. It has been well tuned and is certainly a big improvement on the previous one.

DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT Length: 4456 mm Width: 1820 mm Height: 1995 mm Wheelbase: 2680 mm Ground Clearance: 180 mm Tyre Size: 235 / 65 R17 Suspension Front: Independent with coil spring & anti roll bar Suspension Rear: Multi-link coil spring Brakes Front: Disc Brakes Rear: Drum Kerb Weight: 2510 kg Fuel Tank: 60L PRICE: NRs. 38,50,000/-

What we have with the Mahindra Scorpio is a capable machine that will put in its money’s worth on the road.

And the best part is, it won’t look shabby while it battles the various terrains you throw in its path. However, you do miss the massive lineup of features in the mid and lower variants.

The Scorpio was one of the stars from the Mahindra roster in 2002, and the upgrade might have just put it back in the top of its game.

COLOURS: White, Silver, Blue, Red, Black ALTERNATIVE CHOICES: Tata Safari Storme, Kia Sportage CONTACT: Agni Incorporated Pvt. Ltd Naxal, Kathmandu O1-6226723 facebook.com/pages/Agni-Incorporated-Pvt-Ltd

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AUTOLIFE November 2014 71

AUTOLIFE FEATURE

CROTCH ROCKETS At some point of every man’s life, he will want to own his very own superbike. A blisteringly fast crotch rocket screaming gratifyingly between your legs is the ultimate dream. Now, with some of the most coveted names in the motorcycling world available in the Nepali market, this dream is being lived by many in the nation.

Apart from a budding market for brand new sports bikes, the second hand market is prospering as well.

Consequently, the number of head turning machinery marvels is increasing in Nepal.

But, as with everything else new, the sports biking culture too is slightly rough around the edges. There are serious riders, but there is a striking dearth of a strong community.

However, it is only a matter of time before it is nurtured into full maturity.

At the moment, there are 72

AUTOLIFE November 2014

many things that can be improved. High performance engines and a lifelong dream coming to fruition sometimes makes one overlook the more practical nuisances of owning a super bike. “Riders lack the discipline that is entrusted upon you when you own such a high cc machine”, says Neeraj Shrestha, owner of Gearventure Bike Nepal.

After bringing in the MV Agusta marquee into the Nepali market, Neeraj has been in constant contact with a large portion of sports bike owners.

CREATING A CULTURE IN THE SPORTS BIKE COMMUNITY

Along with the increased power and capabilities, the risks increase in proportion as well.

Things are definitely looking up. Weekend rides have become a norm for a sports bike owner, which helps in doing its part in building a strong culture. However, until every aspect of the ride is taken seriously, there is always a risk of being pegged as a bunch of rich brats.

As brutal as it sounds, it is true. With the risk factor

“Once you own a high caliber machine, you take on a lot of responsibilities. Along with the increased power and capabilities, the risks increase in proportion as well. Of course, you will be able to go much faster, but that isn’t the definitive point of owning these machines;” explains Neeraj. facebook.com/AutolifeNepal

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AUTOLIFE November 2014 73

balancing on the higher end of the spectrum, it is imperative that the riders take things seriously.

As the sports bikes increase in number, the fender benders you rarely heard about before are slowly escalating. Luckily, and astonishingly, none of the accidents have led to major injuries or fatalities. Apart from a hefty bill from the mechanic and a broken ego, there has been little lasting damage. Of course, things could have come off much worse. If this goes unattended, as the number of sports bikes in Nepal grow, the accidents and casualties will also inevitably swell.

“It’s a good thing the riders were wearing proper riding gear. That’s why they came off with as few injuries as they did” said Shashwot Sharma in reference to the accidents that happened.

These machines are fast, and sometimes you lose sense of that when the only thing on your mind is tallying up the numbers on the speedometer.

“We are still new to high performance two wheelers and it is important to create a solid base in order to establish a proper culture;” said Neeraj between sips of coffee. “Organizing rides on Saturdays within a few hours’ notice is immature. It just means we’re not taking things seriously. Every ride has to be planned keeping safety and security as the highest amongst priorities.”

Most mishaps during rides occur on account of a lack of coordination and irresponsible riding.

A certain predetermined decorum should be maintained on every ride.

Another reason things go awry during rides is because riders exchange their bikes during long rides, “it’s one thing to try out new rides within the city, but when you’re planning on pushing your boundaries you need a motorcycle that is an extension of your own body.” added Shashwot.

Neeraj is expectant of a better future for the industry. “It is highly uplifting to see the sports

bike market growing in Nepal, we are sure it is only a matter of time before a solid culture builds up as well.

And we have to be the ones who get the ball rolling.”

He has plans of doing his bit to create a strong name for the bikers of Nepal, something that rids the community from the stereotype of being spoilt hooligans. Gearventure is looking to organize something that will help the Nepali group

of sports bike enthusiasts with those from India with the hopes that an exchange of ideas and experiences will help the growth of the sports bike community. Word has it, the riders might be taking on the spiritual Circuit route with experienced overland motorcycle tourer Pramod Shrestha leading the way.

It seems like a great idea and we at AutoLife will be eagerly waiting to see how it works out.

These machines are fast, and sometimes you lose sense of that when the only thing on your mind is tallying up the numbers on the speedometer.

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AUTOLIFE November 2014

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AUTOLIFE November 2014 75

AUTOLIFE FEATURES

DUCATI EVEREST CHALLENGE 2014 THE HIMALAYAS- THE CULTURE AND SPEED

Scaling the roof of the world on a machine that will have you holding on for dear life is the perfect blend of adrenaline, exhilaration and exclusivity one can dream of. The silky smooth tarmac of the Tibetan landscape has served as an alluring temptation for motor-heads globally. Its endless stretches of tarmac and the fact that it is one of the highest motor able roads in the world make it a bucket list item for the masses.

The Ducati Everest Challenge 2014 brought together the most alluring ideals into one special package. Riding a superbike to one of the most scenic locations of the world and experiencing a journey is not something many can boast of. Here is how the amazing ride fell into place.

Text and Photographs: Ducati Nepal The first 100 kilometers of the trip was accompanied with motorway challenges to Kodari until the ride turned truly adventurous as it began to chase the celebrated Friendship Highway which perfected the L-twin beasts. Flanking Tibetan landscapes, snaky rights and lefts, soaring passes close to the sky and the taste of Tibetan culture and hospitality at stopovers made the ride an occasion of a lifetime.

The Ducati Everest Challenge 2014, started at the capital, Kathmandu, with a planned duration of 10 76

AUTOLIFE November 2014

days. With a total distance of 1000 kilometers, the entire route ran on the Friendship Highway to the Tibetan capital, through Lhasa and then rallying back to Kathmandu via Everest Base Camp on the Tibetan side. The 1000-kilometer stretch along the foothills of the Himalayas is a fantasy with unrivaled scenery— windswept Tibetan landscapes, magical highland lakes and the dramatic rise and fall of the winding tarmac of the highway.

Pramod Shrestha (Goofy), the Road Captain of the event and five other facebook.com/AutolifeNepal

adrenaline hungry Nepalese riders took up the Everest Challenge 2014 on their L- Twin beasts – Ducatis. The convoy consisted of a Hyperstrada, a Hypermotard, two Monsters and two Diavels. The true power of the beasts were unleashed on the roads to Tibet over the Khamba La Pass which was very much anticipated.

On the open highway, the Ducatis fared exceedingly well and did not succumb to altitude issues. The joy of riding was exceptional with favorable weather and swift speeds. The ride itself was already a larger than life experience, but the coincidental occurrence of a major celebration during the time was fortunate indeed.

The riders were able to participate in the Shakadawa festival- year of the horse, a celebration that takes place once every 12 years.

More challenges surfaced on the ride back to Kathmandu, and the riders took on the challenge head on. The team of adrenaline hungry riders arrived on the top of the famous Yam-drokTse Lake and traversed

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down to the bank of alpine beauty and daringly made it through. The adventure continued towards Shegar, a divergence from the Friendship Highway which unfolded over a 68 kilometers stretch on the way to the Everest Base Camp. The hardhitting and unpredictable road was so challenging that the riders had to slow down, very uncharacteristic to the Ducatis. Despite the adverse conditions, the group rode on to the Base Camp of the World’s highest peak, Everest. The Ducati Everest Challenge 2014 was accomplished, an experience that the riders will be able to relive in the years to come.

The Ducati Everest Challenge 2014 was supported by Explore Himalaya Travel and Adventure and Turbo Motors Trading Pvt. Ltd. After the completion of the Event the Road Captain, Pramod Shrestha said, “It felt great to ride a bike worthy of excellent roads in Tibet. There was not much traffic and hence my machine and I had the freedom to fly across the Tibetan Plateau.”

ITINERARY Day 1: Kathmandu-Naylam (158km) Day 2: Acclimatization at Naylam (free day) Day 3: Naylam-Lhatse (300km) Day 5: Free day in Lhasa Day 6: Visit Potala Palace Day 7: Lhasa-Gyantse (261 km) Day 8: Gyantse-Segar (334 km) Day 9: Segar- Everest Base Camp via Rongbuk and back to Tingri (133km) Day 10: Tingri-Kathmandu (304km)

AUTOLIFE November 2014 77

AUTOLIFE QUIZ

1 What is Pulsar Dare Venture? a. A bike reality show b. A movie starring Rajesh Hamal c. An Advertisement campaign for Pulsar d. A dance reality show

WIN QFX cinemas tickets POWERED BY

www.qfxcinemas.com

2 What did Hyundai Motors recently launch in Nepal? a. Santro Xing b. EON 1.0 Litre c. Excel d. Sonata 3 Which model of Mahindra was taken for a test drive in this month’s issue? a. Thar b. Scorpio c. Rodeo d. XUV 500 4 What segment does Hyundai xcent fall in? a. Compact sedan b. Hatchback c. Truck d. Balloon 5 Who was the road captain in The Ducati Everest Challenge 2014? a. Ankit ‘Herman’ Shakya b. Pramod ‘Goofie’ Shrestha c. Saurav ‘Jai’ Nepal d. Niren ‘Chimpunk’ Tuladhar 3 WINNERS will receive 2 TICKETS each from QFX CINEMAS SEND US YOUR ANSWERS AT hello@autolife.com.np HINT: ALL ANSWERS TO THIS QUIZ CAN BE EASILY FOUND SPREAD ACROSS THIS ISSUE ITSELF. EVEN GOOGLE WILL NOT FIND YOU SOME OF THE ANSWERS! SO UNLESS YOU HAVE RAJNIKANTH’S PERSONAL NUMBER OR YOU CLAIM YOURSELF AS CHUCK NORRIS, THERE’S NO ANY OTHER OPTION THAN TO MAKE SURE YOU READ THROUGH THE MAGAZINE BEFORE ATTEMPTING THIS QUIZ. BEST OF LUCK.

LAST MONTH’S WINNER Kalash Tuladhar Santosh Karki Samriddhi Raut 78

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AUTOLIFE November 2014 79

TECHNICAL

Sunroof

Bluetooth

Fog Lamps

Leather Seats

Steering Adjust

Climate Control

Remote Locking

ABS

Airbags

Top Speed (KMPH)

Torque (NM)

Power (BHP)

Gearbox

Cubic Capacity (CC)

Disclaimer: All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Price (NRs)

NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

Updated November 2014

EXTRA FEATURES AND SAFETY Bama Motors Pvt. Ltd, KTM

CHERY Models A1 1.3L

17,99,000 1297 5M 82 114 155 N Y N N Y N Y N N

Tiggo 2.0 A/T

36,75,000 1971 A 123 168 160 Y Y Y N Y N Y N Y

Hansraj Hulaschand & Co Pvt. Ltd, Maitighar Tel: 4239641 | 4231985

DAIHATSU Models Terios

48,99,000 to 55,00,000

1495

5M

103

140

NA

Y

N

Y

N

Y

N

Y

N

N

Life Automobile Pvt. Ltd, Gairidhara Tel: 4004644 | 4004645

FIAT Models Linea

31,99,000 to 1368 5M 90 115 168 N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 38,69,999

Punto

23,71,999 to 1172 5M 67 96 175 N Y Y Y Y Y Y N N 30,24,999

Punto Evo

26.95,000 1172 5M 67 96 175 N Y Y Y Y Y Y N N Go Automobiles Pvt. Ltd, Thapathali, KTM Tel: 4244254 | 4257001

FORD Models Everest

75,00,000 to 2953 5A 153 380 165 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 85,00,000

All New Fiesta

34,99,000 to 1499 5M 107 140 NA Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y N 41,50,000

Fiesta Classic (Petrol)

24,50,000 to 30,75,000

1596 5M 99 146 175 Y Y Y Y Y N Y N N

Figo Petrol

19,50,000 to 28,49,000

1399

5M

68

160

150

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

N

Y

N

N

All New Ranger

48,50,000 to 69,90,000

2499

5M

81

266

NA

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

N

Y

N

N

EcoSport 1.5

30,90,000 to 46,90,000

1499

5M

107

140

NA

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

N

Kuga 2.5

75,00,000 to 79,00,000

2521

5M

107

250

NA

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

N

Saakha and Universal Automobiles, Kupondole Tel: 5011500

GEELY Models LC Panda

GREAT WALL

16,75,000 1342 5M 85 110 NA Y Y Y N Y N N N N Himchuli Auto International, Kupundole Tel: 5521730

Models Florid 1.5L Elite

16,00,000 1497 5M 103 138 160 Y Y Y N Y N Y N N

Wingle 5 2.5TCI SLX

30,95,000 2499 5M 107 300 140 Y N Y N Y Y Y N N

HONDA

Syakar Trading Company Pvt. Ltd, Kantipath Tel: 5549741 | 4225490 |4253522

Models Accord 2.4 MT

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AUTOLIFE November 2014

78,50,000 2354 5M 180 222 225 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

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Sunroof

Bluetooth

Fog Lamps

Leather Seats

Steering Adjust

Climate Control

Remote Locking

ABS

Airbags

Top Speed (KMPH)

Torque (NM)

Power (BHP)

Gearbox

Cubic Capacity (CC)

TECHNICAL

EXTRA FEATURES AND SAFETY Syakar Trading Company Pvt. Ltd, Kantipath Tel: 5549741 | 4225490 |4253522

HONDA Models

NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

Disclaimer: All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Price (NRs)

Updated November 2014

City

34,50,000 to 1497 5M 118 146 175 Y Y Y N Y N Y N N 49,15,000

Mobilio

30,70,000 to 1489 5M 118 145 175 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N 44,00,000

CR-V

95,00,000 1997 6M 167 218 180 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

Jazz Select

32,25,000 1198 5M 89 110 175 Y Y Y Y Y N Y N Y

Brio SMT

24,85,000 1198 5M 88 109 NA Y Y Y N Y N Y N N

Amaze

26,75,000 to 1198 5M 87 109 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y N 29,75,000 Laxmi Intercontinental, Thapathali Tel: 4101556 | 4101557

HYUNDAI Models Verna 1.4

34,96,000 1396 5M 107 135 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y N Y

i10 Magna 1.0

21,56,000 1197 5M 66 99 140 N N Y N N N Y N N

i20 Magna O

27,56,000 1197 6A 90 220 160 Y Y Y Y Y N Y N Y

Santa Fe GLs Low Trim

99,96,000

Santro GL+

19,66,000 1086 5M 62 96 NA N N N N Y N Y N N

Sonata GL

65,96,000 1998 6M 165 198 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

Tucson GL Petrol

69,96,000 1998 6M 177 382 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

Elantra GLS

56,96,000 1591 6M 130 157 NA Y Y Y Y Y N Y N N

Eon Dlite+

16,76,000 814 5M 56 NA NA Y N Y N N N Y N N

Grand i10

23,96,000 to 27,96,000

1197

5M

83

114

160

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

N

Y

N

N

Xcent

24,96,000 to 31,96,000

1197

5M

83

114

180

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

N

Y

N

N

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2199

6M

194

420

210

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

AUTOLIFE November 2014 81

TECHNICAL

Sunroof

Bluetooth

Fog Lamps

Leather Seats

Steering Adjust

Climate Control

Remote Locking

ABS

Airbags

Top Speed (KMPH)

Torque (NM)

Power (BHP)

Gearbox

Cubic Capacity (CC)

Disclaimer: All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Price (NRs)

NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

Updated November 2014

EXTRA FEATURES AND SAFETY Continental Associates Pvt. Ltd, Tinkune Tel: 2054003 | 2054004

KIA Models Cerato 1.6L

42,49,000 1591 5M 123 156 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N

Picanto 1.2 EX

27,00,000

Rio 1.4L

34,50,000 1399 5M 94 125 NA Y N Y N Y Y N N N

Sorento 2.2L Diesel

102,50,000 2199 6M 197 421 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y

Soul 1.6L

50,50,000 1591 5M 124 156 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

Sportage 2.0 L Diesel

65,50,000 to 83,50,000

1086

1998

5M

6M

64

177

97

392

NA

NA

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

N

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

N

N

N

Y

Agni Incorporated Pvt. Ltd, Uttar Dhoka Tel: 4414626 | 4414628

MAHINDRA Models

Bolero LX MDi 4WD

28,85,000

2523

5M

63

180

NA

N

N

N

N

Y

N

N

N

N

Scorpio VLX 4WD

52,35,000

2179

5M

120

290

150

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

N

XYLO

33,35,000 to 40,85,000

2498

5M

112

240

135

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Thar

22,15,000 to 30,55,000

2498

5M

112

235

140

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

Quanto

31,75,000 to 35,90,000

1493

5M

100

240

NA

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

N

N

XUV500

54,00,000 to 63,00,000

2179

6

140

330

NA

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

N

N

Padma Shree Pvt. Ltd, Gyaneshwor Tel: 4435688 | 4435631

MAZDA Models BT-50

47,50,000 2499 5M 140 330 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N

Mazda 3 Full Opt

67,50,000

1598

5M

103

145

NA

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

N

Mazda 2 Full Opt

50,00,000

1498

5M

102

135

NA

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Mazda 6 Full Opt

81,50,000

2489

6M

170

226

NA

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

N

CX-5

92,50,000 2488 5M 161 218 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Leon Motors Pvt. Ltd, Shantinagar Tel: 4622074 | 4622485

MITSUBISHI Models ASX

67,48,000 1998 6CVT 150 197 190 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Lancer EX

65,00,000 1998 6CVT 150 197 200 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

L200 Sportero 4WD 47,40,000 2477 NA 135 NA 175 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Double Cab Outlander

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AUTOLIFE November 2014

73,70,000

2360 6CVT 170 226 190 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

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ABS

Remote Locking

267

175

Y

Y

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Sunroof

Bluetooth

Fog Lamps

Leather Seats

Steering Adjust

Airbags

185

Climate Control

Top Speed (KMPH)

5M

Torque (NM)

Gearbox

3200

Power (BHP)

Cubic Capacity (CC)

1,25,00,000

TECHNICAL Pajero GLS 3.2L

EXTRA FEATURES AND SAFETY

Pajero Sport GLX

90,00,000 2477 5M 175 400 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Mirage

30,00,000 to 32,00,000

1200

5M

78

100

NA

Y

Y

Y

N

N

N

N

N

N

Dugar Automobiles Pvt. Ltd, Balaju Tel: 4362992 | 4350912

NISSAN Models Models Navara LE

57,00,000 2488 6M 175 403 170 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

New Sunny 1.5

37,50,000

X-Trail

88,00,000 1995 6A 150 320 185 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

NA

5M

110

148

NA

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

N

N

NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

Disclaimer: All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Price (NRs)

Updated November 2014

Nemlink Int’l Traders Pvt. Ltd, Panipokhari Tel: 4006528 | 4410323

PERODUA Models Models MYVI SX

27,00,000 1298 5M 86 116 NA N N Y N Y N Y N N Constant Business Group Pvt. Ltd, Naxal Tel: 2297455

PROTON Models Models Savvy

21,50,000 1149 5M 74 NA NA N N Y N N N Y N N

Persona 1.6

33,75,000 1597 5M 110 148 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N

Gen 2 - 1.6

32,50,000

1597

5M

125

150

NA

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

N

N

Skoda M.A.W, Thapathali Tel: 4216835 | 4268788

SKODA

Models

Superb

83,90,000 to

1968

6A

140

320

206

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Fabia

23,95,000 to 28,95,000

1200

5M

75

110

NA

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

N

N

N

N

Laura 1.8

61,49,000 to 65,49,000

1798

7A

118

250

225

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Yeti 2.0

70,90,000 to 72,90,000

1968

6M

140

320

210

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

N

Rapid

31,75,000 to 1598 5M 105 153 NA Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y N 42,95,000 Constant Business Group Pvt. Ltd, Naxal Tel: 2297455

SSANGYONG Models Korando Active

71,75,000 1998 5M 175 360 180 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y

Actyon Sports

48,75,000 1998 5M 140 310 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y N Y Vijay Motors Pvt. Ltd, Naxal, KTM Tel: 4414625 | 4425603

SUBARU Models Forester

78,00,000 to 91,50,000

2498

AT

230

320

NA

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

N

N

XV Crosstrek

79,00,000 to 85,00,000

1995

M/AT

110

196

NA

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Impreza

65,00,000 to 73,50,000

1995

M/AT

110 196 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

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AUTOLIFE November 2014 83

TECHNICAL

Sunroof

Bluetooth

Fog Lamps

Leather Seats

Steering Adjust

Climate Control

Remote Locking

ABS

Airbags

Top Speed (KMPH)

Torque (NM)

Power (BHP)

Gearbox

Cubic Capacity (CC)

Disclaimer: All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Price (NRs)

NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

Updated November 2014

EXTRA FEATURES AND SAFETY Arun Intercontinental Traders, Jhamsikhel Tel: 5547165 | 5547166

SUZUKI

Models Ertiga Lxi

31,00,000 1373 5M 94 130 170 Y Y Y N Y N Y N N

Alto K10 Vxi

18,29,000

A-Star Zxi

22,29,000 1000 5M 67 90 160 Y Y Y N Y N Y N N

EECO STD 7Seater

18,89,000

Grand Vitara MT

70,00,000 1995 5M 164 225 175 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y

Ritz VXI

22,35,000 1200 5M 75 190 NA N Y Y N Y Y Y N N

Swift Vxi

26,49,000 1200 5M 75 190 160 N Y Y N Y Y Y N N

Dzire Zxi

30,99,000 1200 5M 75 190 160 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

SX4 Zxi

33,19,000 1586 5M 102 145 175 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

New Wagon R Vxi Celerio

20,99,000

1000

1200

1000

5M

5M

5M

67

73

64

90

101

84

145

NA

NA

N

N

Y

N

N

Y

N

N

Y

N

N

Y

N

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

N

N

Y

N

N

N

19,99,000 to 1000 5M 67 90 150 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N 24,99,000 Sipradi Trading Pvt Ltd, Teku Tel: 4250610 | 4250612

TATA Models Movus

30,55,000 2179 5M 119 250 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y

Indica

17,50,000 to 20,70,000

1405

5M

64

100

145

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

Indica Vista Q-JET

26,55,000 to 27,95,000

1248

5M

75

190

160

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

N

Y

Y

N

Indigo

22,45,000 to 25,75,000

1405

5M

69

135

165

N

N

N

N

N

N

Y

N

N

Manza Q-JET

30,95,000 to 34,45,000

1248

5M

90

200

NA

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

N

Y

Y

N

Nano

8,58,000 to 11,88,000

624

4M

35

48

105

N

N

N

N

N

N

Y

N

N

Safari Dicor

34,85,000 to 39,95,000

2179

5M

138

320

NA

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

N

N

Sumo Grande

30,55,000 to 34,85,000

2179

5M

120

250

140

N

N

N

N

Y

N

Y

N

N

Sumo Gold

25,85,000 to 29,85,000

2956

5M

70

223

175

N

N

N

N

Y

N

Y

N

N

Vista D90 ZX+

26,55,000

1248

5M

90

200

165

Y Y Y N Y N Y Y N

Safari Storme LX VX

39,85,000 53,85,000

2179 6M 138 320 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N United Traders Syndicate, Sinamangal Tel: 4478301-5, 4478003

TOYOTA Models Etios Cross

41,45,000

1197 5M 79 104 150 Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N

Corolla

66,00,000

1598 5M 104 145 170 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

Fortuner

115,00,000 2928 5M 160 343 170 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y

Land Cruiser Prado 16,600,000 2982 5M 129 343 170 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Dual AC

THE WORLD’S

NO. 1

84

AUTOLIFE November 2014

MULTIPURPOSE LUBRICANT

AUTOLAND PVT. LTD. 199 TEKU ROAD, KATHMANDU TEL: 4261433, 4212617 FAX: 4262069 EMAIL: INFO@AUTOLAND.COM.NP

facebook.com/AutolifeNepal

Sunroof

Bluetooth

Fog Lamps

Leather Seats

Steering Adjust

Climate Control

Remote Locking

ABS

Airbags

Top Speed (KMPH)

Torque (NM)

Power (BHP)

Gearbox

Price (NRs)

TECHNICAL

Updated November 2014

EXTRA FEATURES AND SAFETY

Yaris Sedan

54,50,000

1298 5M 86 120 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N

Etios Sedan

35,45,000

1496 5M 90 132 NA Y Y Y N Y N Y N N

Rav 4

92,80,000

2362 5M/4A 167 224 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y

Etios Liva

33,45,000

1197 5M 79 104 NA Y Y Y N Y N Y N N Pooja International Pvt. Ltd, Panipokhari Tel: 4006605 | 4006606

VOLKSWAGEN

NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

Disclaimer: All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Cubic Capacity (CC)

Updated April 2012

Models Cross Polo

34,45,000 1598 5M 103 153 223 Y Y Y N Y N Y N N

Passat A/T Loaded 86,45,000 1798 6A 158 250 220 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Polo

26,45,000 to 39,45,000

1198

5M

103

153

185

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

N

Y

N

N

Tiguan TDI

72,45,000 to 94,50,000

1964

6A

138

320

NA

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Touareg 3.0D A/T (Full Option)

1,55,45,000 2967 8A 241 550 220 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Vento 1.6

32,95,000 to 44,45,000

1598

5M

103

153

185

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

N

N

Mileage (KMPL)

Fuel Tank (Litre)

Dry Weight (KG)

Ground Clearance (MM)

Wheelbase (MM)

Height (MM)

Length (MM)

Top Speed (KMPH)

Gears

Torque (NM)

Power (BHP)

Cubic Capacity (CC)

Models

SYM

Shrestha Company Pvt. Ltd, Teku, Tel: 4251202 MAGIC 110 RR

1,59,900 110

N/A 7.2/6000 4 80 1890 N/A 1205 N/A 102 3.5 N/A

ORBIT II

1,84,900 125

N/A 8.33/6500 CVT 91 1905 N/A 1325 N/A 109 5.2 N/A

JET4

2,09,900 125

N/A 8.6/7000 CVT 85 1900 N/A 1330 N/A 113 5.2 N/A

5,99,900

N/A

WOLF SB250Ni

250

23.1/6000

6

KTM DUKE

2005

N/A

1320

150

173

14

N/A

Hansraj Hulaschand & Co. Ltd Naxal, Tel: 4415462 200 DUKE

3,99,900 199.5 25/1000 19.2/800 6 135 N/A 810 1350 165 126

ANNA LIFAN

140

NEW BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE

Disclaimer: All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Price (NRS)

Updated November 2014

COOL BOY

DUE

11

35

Annapurna Lifan Company Pvt. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4241521 1,55,900 149.4 13.5/8500 8.5/7500 5 95 N/A 830 1680 250 120 10.5 50 99,900

97 5.5/7500 6.6/5000 4 N/A N/A 750 1208 140 95

APOLLO

4 70

Universal Super Impex Jyatha Tole, Tel: 4227337 ORION RX 250T

3,16,000 249.4 17.5/7500 18/5500 5 105 N/A 930 1420 280 118 8 35

ORION RX 250M

3,16,000 249.4 17.5/7500 18/5500 5 105 N/A 880 1420 280 118 8 35

THE WORLD’S

NO. 1

MULTIPURPOSE LUBRICANT facebook.com/AutolifeNepal

AUTOLAND PVT. LTD. 199 TEKU ROAD, KATHMANDU TEL: 4261433, 4212617 FAX: 4262069 EMAIL: INFO@AUTOLAND.COM.NP

AUTOLIFE November 2014 85

Fuel Tank (Litre)

Mileage (KMPL)

Ground Clearance (MM)

Wheelbase (MM)

Dry Weight (KG)

BAJAJ

Height (MM)

Length (MM)

Top Speed (KMPH)

Gears

Torque (NM)

Power (BHP)

Cubic Capacity (CC)

Disclaimer: All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Price (NRS)

NEW BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE

Updated November 2014

140

14

35

Hansraj Hulaschand & Co. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4267759 | 4261200 Models AVENGER 220

2,60,900

DISCOVER 100 DTS-SI

1,55,900 94.38 7.5/7500 7.85/5000 5 90 N/A 800 1305 165 108 8

DISCOVER 125 DTS-SI

1,74,900 (DISK) 124.6 11/8000 10.8/5500 5 N/A N/A 800 1305 165

110

8

DISCOVER 150

1,72,900

144.8

13/7500

12.75/5500

5

110

N/A

800

1305

115

8

65

PLATINA 100

1,31,900

99.27

8/7500

8/5500

4

90

N/A

805

1275

160

100

13

75

PLATINA 1,38,900 125 DTS-SI

124.58

9.5/7000

11/5000

4

100

N/A

785

1275

160

100

13

65

BOXER 150

1,39,900

144.8

12/7500

12/5000

4

100

N/A

803

1285

N/A

122

11

60

PULSAR 150 DTSI

2,20,900

149.01

15.06/9000

12.5/6500

5

115

N/A

785

1320

160

120

15

55

PULSAR 180 DTSI

2,33,900

178.60

17/8500

14/6000

5

120

N/A

785

1345

165

130

15

50

PULSAR 220F

2,64,900

220

21/8500

19/7000

5

135

N/A

795

1350

165

140

15

45

PULSAR 200 NS

2,74,900

200

23.2/9500

18.3/8000

5

135

2100

805

1363

167

145

12

40

219.89 19/8400 17.5/7000 5

120 N/A 710 1475

DAELIM

169

165

80 N/A

AKU Nepal Enterprises Kalimati, Tel: 4288339 | 4286018 Models ROADWIN 150R

2,88,500

150 15/10600 12.5/8400 5

5,00,000

249 23/9000 19/8000 5 140 N/A 780 1380 150 160

ROADWIN R250 FI

DEMAK

120 N/A 780 1380

150

135

15

N/A

15 N/A

Agni Incorporated Pvt. Ltd Uttar Dhoka, Tel: 4420964 Models COUGAR 250

3,95,000

249 19/7500 N/A 5 N/A N/A 760 1480 140 140 14 40

2,38,000

150 13/8500 10/7500 5 N/A N/A 840 1380 270 120 8.5 50

DMX-R

DUCATI

Turbo Motors Trading Naxal,Tel: 4435720 Models HYPERMOTARD 796

18,50,000

803 81/8000 74/6250 6 200 N/A 825 1455 N/A 155 12.5 N/A

MONSTER 696

16,80,000

696 80/9000 69/7750 6 N/A N/A 770 1450 N/A 160

15

N/A

MONSTER 796

18,90,000

803 87/8250 79/6250 6 220 N/A 800 1450 N/A 167

15

N/A

848 EVO

27,00,000

849.4 140/10500 98/9750 6 N/A N/A 830 1430 N/A

168

15.5 N/A

1198

N/A

1198.4 170/9750 131/8000 6 N/A N/A 820 1430 N/A

171

15.5 N/A

MULTISTRADA 1200 S

35,00,000

1198.4

150 / 9250

118 / 7500

6

N/A

N/A

850

1530

N/A

192

20

N/A

SPORTSCLASSIC GT1000

N/A

992

92 / 8000

90 / 6000

6

N/A

N/A

810

1425

N/A

185

15

N/A

GLOBAL

GLOBAL

Jai Shambu Automotives Pvt. Ltd Ravi Bhawan, Tel: 4289933 | 4277049

Models

86

G-100

1,21,000

97

7.2/8000

6.5/6000

4

N/A

N/A

N/A

1280

150

100

10

N/A

UFO 150

1,56,500

149.6

8.5/7500

9.2/6000

AUTO

80

N/A

N/A

1275

135

100

5

N/A

XPRESSION+

1,48,994

124

10.5/8500

8.4/7500

5

N/A

N/A

N/A

1280

140

100

15

N/A

AUTOLIFE November 2014

facebook.com/AutolifeNepal

Dry Weight (KG)

Fuel Tank (Litre)

Mileage (KMPL)

Ground Clearance (MM)

Wheelbase (MM)

5

103

N/A

860

1375

280

115

12

45

VR 200H

3,94,000

197

19/7500

15/6000

5

105

N/A

860

1375

290

130

12

30

Price (NRS)

HARTFORD

Height (MM)

12.5/7500

Length (MM)

13.5/8500

Gears

149

Torque (NM)

3,44,000

Power (BHP)

VR 150H

Cubic Capacity (CC)

Disclaimer: All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

International Motor Pvt. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4265336 | 4265337

Models

HERO

Nepal General Marketing Pvt Ltd Jyoti Bhawan, Kantipath, Tel: 4225377 Models

XTREME DSS 2,13,500 150 14.2/8500 12.8/6500 5 110 N/A 800 1325 145 135 15 60.25

HF DELUXE DRS

1,43,500

100

7.2/8000

7.5/5000

4

95

N/A

790

1230

165

100

10.5

72

GLAMOUR

1,78,500(DSS)

125

9/7000

10.35/4000

4

95

N/A

775

1265

150

115

15

72

HUNK 2,15,000(DDS)

150

14.2/8500

12.8/6500

5

110

N/A

795

1325

145

135

12.5

50

KARIZMA DSS

2,59,000

223

16.5/7000

18.3/6000

5

125

N/A

1355

150

135

15

45

KARIZMA ZMR

3,20,000

223

17.5/7000

18.3/6000

5

130

N/A

1350

160

145

15

48

795 795

NEW BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE

Top Speed (KMPH)

Updated November 2014

PLEASURE 1,56,000 102 7/7000 7.8/5000 AUTO 80 N/A 750 1240 125 95 5.5 50

SPLENDOR NXG

1,45,500

100

1,56,500

100 7.4/8000 7.2/5000 4

85 N/A 775 1230 160

110 10.5

60

1,55,500 (DRS)

100

7.6/7500

8.04/4500

4

90

N/A

775

1230

160

100

11

60

SUPER SPLENDOR 1,68,500 (DRS)

125

9.13/7000

10.35/4000

4

100

N/A

775

1235

150

110

12

75

iSMART

SPLENDOR PRO

7.7/7500

7.6/6000

4

100

N/A

HONDA

785

1230

160

100

10

77

Syakar Trading Company Pvt. Ltd, Kantipath, Tel: 4253522 | 4163501 | 4256199 Models

ACTIVA-i

AVIATOR 1,74,900 110 8/8000 8.82/5500 AUTO 85 N/A 790 1256 145 95 6 52

1,59,900

110

8/7500

8.8/5500

AUTO

90

N/A

765

1238

145

100

5.3

55

CB SHINE 1,83,900(DRS)

125

10.3/7500

10.9/5500

4

100

N/A

790

1265

175

110

11

80

CB TWISTER

1,80,900(DSS)

110

9/8000

9/6500

4

95

N/A

800

1262

180

100

8

70

CB UNICORN

2,19,900 (DSS)

149.1

13.2/8000

12.8/5500

5

115

N/A

790

1340

180

135

13

60

CB UNICORN

DAZZLER

2,15,900

150

14/8500

12.8/6500

5

120

N/A

780

1328

162

125

12

55

CBF STUNNER

1,95,900 (NEW)

125

11/8000

11/6500

5

100

N/A

790

1271

173

120

10

60

7/7000

80

N/A

762

1235

145

100

6

50

DIO

1,68,900

110

CBR 250R

4,92,000 (STD)

250

25.3/8500

23 7000

6

155

N/A

780

1370

145

150

13

35

CBR 600

NA

600

118/13500

66/11250

6

240

N/A

820

1369

135

156

18

20

CB 600F HORNET

1,699,000

600

102/12000

63.510500

6

210

N/A

800

1435

135

19

20

CB 1000R

CBR1000RR

183

22,00,000 1000 125/10000 100/8000 6 240 N/A 825 1445 130 213 17 15

26,00,000

NXR150 BROS 5,25,000

CRF 250L

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7.8/5500 AUTO

8,90,000

1000 175/12000 112/8500 6

N/A N/A 820

1410 N/A

150 14/8000 13.6/6000 5 N/A N/A 830 1353 245

249.6 22.8/8500 23.8/7000 6

N/A N/A 875 1445 255

200

17.7

15

120

12

N/A

144

7.7

N/A

AUTOLIFE November 2014 87

Fuel Tank (Litre)

Mileage (KMPL)

160

17

N/A

647 72/9000 61/7250 6 190 N/A 790 1435 185 200

17

N/A

11,10,900

647

72/9000

61/7250

6

200

N/A

830

1435

165

200

17

N/A

RT 125D

4,68,900

124.5

13.5/10000

11/8000

5

N/A

N/A

790

1350

230

135

7

N/A

GV250

6,49,900

249 27/10500 22/7500 5 N/A N/A 710 1508 150 167

14

N/A

GV650P

13,50,000

249 80/9000 67/7250 5 N/A N/A 705 1700 160 220

14

N/A

17

35

Power (BHP)

HYOSUNG

Height (MM)

155

Length (MM)

Dry Weight (KG)

Ground Clearance (MM)

Wheelbase (MM)

Top Speed (KMPH)

N/A

Gears

17

Torque (NM)

160

Cubic Capacity (CC)

175

Disclaimer: All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Price (NRS)

NEW BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE

Updated November 2014

Batas Motors Pvt. Ltd Naxal, Tel: 4004626 | 4004627

Models

GT250N

6,20,900

249

GT250R

7,05,900

249 26.35/9000 21/6750 5

GT650N

10,65,900

GT650R

26.5/9000

21/6750

5

150

N/A

830

1435

150 N/A 830 1435

KAWASAKI

Hansraj Hulaschand & Co. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4220094 | 4261200

Models

NINJA 250R

NINJA 650R

7,49,900

249 32/11000 22/8200 6 160 N/A 790 1400 135

160

13,50,000 649 72/8500 64/7000 6 N/A 2110 805 1410 130 211 16 N/A

MAHINDRA 2 WHEELERS

SG Global Pvt. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4231057 | 4231058

Models

DURO RODEO

1,50,900

124.6

8/7500

9/5500

AUTO

85

N/A

770

1290

155

100

6

45

1,67,900 124.6 8/7000 9/5500 AUTO 85 N/A 760 1245 155 106 4.5 45

PIAGGIO

PIAGGIO

Anna Automobile Pvt. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4229855

Models

BYQ125

ISHINE 100

1,48,000

126.3

9.7/8500

1,49,000

96.21

8.6/7000

4

N/A

N/A

N/A

1295

180

N/A 6.81/6000 AUTO N/A N/A N/A 1340 130

ROYAL ENFIELD

115

14

45

90

6.5

50

Dugar Brothers & Sons Pvt. Ltd Balaju, Tel: 4362992

Models

SACHS

CLASSIC 350

4,31,000

346

20/5250

28/4000

5

N/A

N/A

800

1370

140

170

13.5

N/A

CLASSIC CHROME CLASSIC 500 DESERT STORM

5,55,000 5,15,000 5,35,000

499

27/5250

41.3/4000

5

130

N/A

800

1370

140

170

13.5

N/A

ELECTRA TWIN SPARK

4,15,000

346

20/5250

28/4000

5

115

N/A

800

1370

140

170

13.5

N/A

3,35,000

346

18/5000

32/3000

4

100

N/A

760

1370

140

150

14.5

35

4,11,000

346

20/5250

28/4000

5

115

N/A

770

1370

140

170

15.5

35

STD350 UCE

THUNDERBIRD TWIN SPARK

Saakha & Company Pvt. Ltd. Kupondole, Tel: 5011500 Models MADASS 125

2,00,000

125

8/8400

9/5400

4

N/A

N/A

SUZUKI

835

1235

130

100

5.1

N/A

VG Automobiles Pvt. Ltd. Tripureshwor, Tel: 4233280 | 4233281 Models ACCESS 125

88

124

8.5/7000

9.8/5000

AUTO

N/A

N/A

780

1250

160

110

6

N/A

GSR600 16,50,000 (ABS)

599

93/12000

65/9600

6

215

N/A

785

1440

130

185

16.5

20

GSX650F

16,50,000

656

85/10500

62/8900

6

240

N/A

770

1470

125

220

19

20

GSX-R600

22,00,000

599

125/13500

68/11500

6

265

N/A

810

1400

130

180

17

15

AUTOLIFE November 2014

1,59,900

facebook.com/AutolifeNepal

Mileage (KMPL)

Fuel Tank (Litre)

Dry Weight (KG)

Ground Clearance (MM)

Wheelbase (MM)

Height (MM)

Length (MM)

Top Speed (KMPH)

Gears

Torque (NM)

Power (BHP)

Cubic Capacity (CC)

Models GN125H

1,89,900 124 12/8000 10/7500 5 110 N/A 735 1280 175 107 10.3 35

GS150R

2,09,900 149.5 13.8/8500 13.4/6000 6 110 N/A 790 1340 160 135 15.5 60

SLINGSHOT

1,70,900 (DISK)

124

8.5/8500

10/6000

5

100

N/A

790

1265

160

115

12

60

B-KING

25,00,000

1340

181/9500

146/7200

6

240

N/A

805

1525

120

235

16.5

N/A

BURGMAN 400

16,50,000 400 34/7300 36.3/5800 AUTO 150 N/A 710 1585 125 210 13.5 N/A

GZ150

2,89,900

249

20/8000

18.7/7000

5

N/A

N/A

680

1450

125

140

13

N/A

DR200SE

6,00,000

199

15/8500

17.7/7000

5

N/A

N/A

810

1405

260

115

13

40

TVS

NEW BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE

Disclaimer: All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Price (NRS)

Updated November 2014

AIT Pvt. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4253661 | 4261330 Models APACHE RTR 160

2,12,900

160

15.2/8500

13.1/6000

5

120

N/A

790

1300

180

120

16

50

APACHE RTR 180

2,26,900

180

17/8500

15.5/6500

5

125

N/A

790

1326

180

120

16

45

SCOOTY PEP+

1,29,900

90

5/6500

5.8/4000 AUTO

75

N/A

740

1230

135

90

5

55

SCOOTY STREAK

1,34,922

87.8

5/6500

5.8/4000

AUTO

80

N/A

740

1230

135

90

4.7

55

STAR CITY 110

1,45,900

110

8.2/7500

8.1/5000

4

90

N/A

790

1240

165

95

16

67

JIVE

1,52,889

109.7

8.4/7500

8.3/5500 AUTO

95

N/A

780

1260

165

95

15

65

WEGO

1,58,900

110

8/7500

85

N/A

770

1275

150

100

5

40

8/5500

AUTO

UM

Import USA Pvt. Ltd Gairidhara, Tel: 4004664 Models X-TREET

279900

230

RENEGADE(SPORT)

225000

140

RENEGADE

325000

230

18/8000 15.55/5500 5 10.97/7900 10.53/5600 5 18/8000 15.55/5500 5

147 2040 1100 1300

300

121

-

35

95 19758 1010

375

110

-

40

325

150

-

30

1350

120 2310 1168 1375

YAMAHA

Morang Auto Works Teku, Tel: 4261160 | 4268252 Models

ENTICER DLX

1,81,900

123.7

11/8000

10.4/6500

4

N/A

N/A

710

1375

140

105

13.5

N/A

FAZER

2,21,900

153

14/7500

14/6000

5

115

N/A

790

1335

160

130

13.5

45

FZ-16

2,20,900

153

14/7500

14/6000

5

115

N/A

790

1335

160

125

12

45

FZ-S

2,30,900

153 14/7500 14/6000 5 115 N/A 790 1335 160 125

12

45

SS 125

1,83,900

125

11/7500

10.4/6500

5

110

N/A

795

1295

155

110

13

70

SZ-R

2,05,900

153

12/7500

12.8/4500

5

105

N/A

802

1320

165

120

14

50

SZ-X

1,95,900

153

12/7500

12.8/4500

5

105

N/A

802

1320

165

120

14

50

YBR 110

1,54,900

106

7.5/7500

7.8/6000

4

100

N/A

795

1290

173

115

13

65

YBR 125 DX

1,64,900

125

10.8/7500

10.4/6500

4

105

N/A

795

1300

180

115

13.5

60

YZF R15

3,40,900

150

17/8500

15/7500

6

135

N/A

790

1290

160

120

12

42

RAY

1,60,900

113

7/7500

8.1/5500

A

86

1835

675

1270

128

104

5

40

RAY-Z

1,69,900

113

7/7500

8.1/5500

A

85

1835

765

NA

128

104

5

40

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ENHANCED SAFETY

UNITED TRADERS SYNDICATE PVT. LTD. (Sole Distributor of Toyota Vehicles in Nepal) P.O.Box. 233, Tinkune, Sinamangal, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel. 977-1-4478301-5, Fax. 977-1-4497892 E-mail: vsd@voith.com.np, Web: www.toyota.com.np Direct Number: 4478003 (Vehicle Sales Department) Sales 9851236524 | Service 9851224365

STYLISH INTERIOR

Advanced new features and functions will thrill you like you’ve never been thrilled before.

AUTOLIFE November 2014 91

GENEROUS SEATING CAPACITY

AB Enterprises Tel. 021-461846, 021-460965 (Biratnagar)

Autoways (P) Ltd. Tel. 061-540356 (Pokhara) 056-525935 (Narayangadh) 071-437017 (Butwal)

ENHANCED VISIBILITY Authorized Dealers

MORE LUGGAGE SPACE

EastLink Motors Pvt. Ltd. Tel. 01-4427795, 4441358, 4434055 (Kathmandu, Lainchaur)

ALLOY WHEELS

Gauri Shankar Enterprises Tel. 081-526752 (Nepalgunj)

This is what adventure looks like.

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