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KARIZMA ZMR vs P220 vs RTR 180 vs R15
LIRJB PPRB LSBJ?BO
EXCLUSIVE TEST!
QUARTER LITRE BOMBSHELL
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KAWASAKI NINJA 250R
TESTED
TVS FLAME SR 125
RIDE IN A GROUP SAFELY AND QUICKLY
INTERNATIONAL REVEAL HONDA VFR1200F
FIRST RIDE
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Because this magazine is yours. Because we salute your spirit, your passion and your enthusiasm. Because we know that we are nothing without you. Send us your pictures, so that we may put them here, before everything else, and express our gratitude to the love and admiration you have bestowed on us. Thanks a lot, bikers!
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CONTRIBUTORS SANJAY RAIKAR ROAD TEST NINJA 250R
Bunny Punia feels the world’s best 250cc motorcycle has been worth the wait. But is it worth every single penny? Photography Sanjay Raikar
To BIKE INDIA Issue 052 November 2009 Some of the Indian Motor Vehicles Act rules are quite ridiculous. For instance, the requirement of front number plates for motorcycles. In fact some of the number plates are outright dangerous. In case of a collision with a pedestrian, it could slice through his flesh like a knife. It is only in India that we insist on having a front number plate even though it is not of much use. You may have noticed that a policeman notes down the number of a vehicle that has committed an offence as it is going away from him. Thus it is the rear number plate that is visible to him. We Indians are obsessed with crash guards to protect ourselves and our motorcycles. However, they seldom protect us in case of an accident and can even inflict a lot of damage on other two-wheeler riders and pedestrians. There should be some sort of norms that define what is safe for the rider as well as for people on the streets. Especially
those straight bars that people put on their motorcycles can maim other people. The Ninja 250 has finally arrived from Bajaj and let me tell you that the wait was well worth it. The Kawasaki Ninja 250 is top of the line as far as technology goes. After spending half a day on the Bajaj test track with the Ninja, I was convinced that this is just the bike for India. It is human nature that we don’t like being criticized by others and the truth always hurts. It is the same
IT IS HUMAN NATURE THAT WE DON’T LIKE BEING CRITICIZED BY OTHERS AND THE TRUTH ALWAYS HURTS. IT IS THE SAME WHEN WE CRITICIZE SOME BIKES. when we criticize some bikes. The manufacturers don’t like it but the fact is that we need to ensure that our reports are accurate as we owe it to our readers. I would like to convey this message to the manufacturers that by giving them glowing reports about their products we will not help improve their models in any way. Instead, we will not only mislead them by not giving them the true picture but also do them a disservice by not highlighting the shortcomings with their products.
ASPI BHATHENA EXECUTIVE EDITOR
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Sanjay San, as some of us fondly call him, wasn’t in the best of health this month. That, however, didn’t deter our music loving photographer from putting in his best work and making full use of his cameras and lenses. Give him his space and time to experiment and the end result does turn out to be fantastic as seen across almost the entire magazine this month the Ninja 250R (pg 56) and the new ZMR (pg 46) articles to name a few.
ROLAND BROWN FIRST RIDE TRIUMPH ROCKET III
ALERT!!! “ROCKET INFILTRATING”
The new Triumph Rocket III betrays family (cruiser) virtues and enters the ‘muscle bike’ territory
It may be enormous and heavy but the Rocket handles quite well for a cruiser.
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This globetrotting Birt is one of the most talented motorcycle road testers in the world. Though we had a couple of options to choose from the kitty of big bikes he has ridden recently, we had to pick the Rocket III for obvious reasons. Even before we started reading the article, the pictures conveyed the blast he had riding it. See for yourself on pg 64.
SAWAN S. HEMBRAM BIKING TIPS GROUP RIDING
GROUP RIDING
Monsoon clouds are giving way to clear skies but leaving behind lush green landscapes with seasonal waterfalls here and there. It’s the right time to appreciate Mother Nature before the scene changes. Just the perfect time we reckon to get together with friends and ride by those beautiful mountains, spectacular riversides and breathtakingly picturesque views. Sawan S Hembram gives you some tips on how to ride in and as a group
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HEN A FEW PEOPLE come forward for a group ride, the motive must be clear whether it is a leisure ride or the emphasis is on reaching a particular destination. This plays a major role for all other issues associated with group riding. Accordingly, planning the ride becomes easier. Group riding may involve individuals with different levels of riding skills, experiences as well as mentalities. It’s quite possible that only a few are familiar with the route to be followed. In such case, routes should be discussed beforehand. All riders need to know about checkpoints such as refuelling stops or food joints, etc. If the group is fairly large, it is recommended to split in smaller groups, each with at least one experienced rider and with a sense of responsibility. Sub-grouping may be done according to riding skills so that slower bikers remain in each others’ company. Exchanging cell phone numbers with fellow riders is a good idea to deal with any eventuality. It is also important to discuss beforehand how to deal with any possible crisis.
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PHOTOGRAPHY: SANJAY RAIKAR India November 200 2009 9
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This is one guy who isn’t seen regularly in this magazine. Previously working for our sister magazine, Commercial Vehicle as a photojournalist, he now feels at home working for BI. And why wouldn’t he, for he is as passionate about bikes are we are. He also likes penning down his feelings into words as evident from the stories he has done this month. The Ride Safe (pg 42) and Group Riding articles (Pg 82) were his ideas for this issue.
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CONTENTS
ISSUE 052 NOVember 2009
16 NEW METAL
KARIZMA ZMR vs P220 vs RTR 180 vs R15
PERFORMANCE BIKE COMPARO
EXCLUSIVE TEST!
QUARTER LITRE BOMBSHELL
Dark Knight motorcycle suit / Doohan switches to four wheels / Mahindra Rodeo inspires fashion
Yamaha bikes to be sold in Pakistan / RE to launch Classic 500 and Bullet 350
Harley-Davidson’s Indian dealership search / Rider Mania ‘09 in Goa
IGNITION
P …ˆ’ˆˆ
LIRJB ƒ PPRB ˆˆ‚ LSBJ?BO €ˆˆ‡
30 BUZZ
KAWASAKI NINJA 250R
TESTED
TVS FLAME SR 125
RIDE IN A GROUP SAFELY AND QUICKLY
Honda VFR1200F
New colour schemes for Hunk and Splendor / HH Karizma ZMR launch
Kawasaki Ninja 250R debuts in India
INTERNATIONAL REVEAL
HONDA VFR1200F
FIRST RIDE
PUBLISHING
NOS KARIZMA
WILD ‘10 TRIUMPH ROCKET III ROADSTER VEGA CHOPPERS LEH-LADAKH ON CYCLES
#Ă´-Ă´9Ă´+
Design: Ramnath Chodankar Photography: Sanjay Raikar
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E-scooters from various electric vehicle manufacturers
Rocket III Roadster / Kawasaki’s 2010 portfolio
Ducati Hypermotard 796 / Harley-Davidson to shut Buell
REGULARS 06 12 14 16 38 40 42
You! LETTERS TECHNO MAIL IGNITION MOTOWARE READERS’ PAGE hero honda ride safe
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FEATURES 46 INDIAN PERFORMANCE cover feature
BIKE COMPARO Can the new ZMR dwarf its homegrown rivals?
56 starter kwacker cover feature
Though fully learner legal for progressing newbies, is the Ninja 250R nasty enough for seasoned bikers?
64 Triumph Rocket III Roadster The R3 creates a new niche in the clone-like performance cruiser market 72 FLAMING REVISION The TVS Flame is back in new colours and with more features
BACK END 76 MANIC ZMR We lay our hands on a nitrous inhaling Karizma 80 CUSTOM BOBBERS Amrith Raj creates traditional oldschool motorcycles 82 GROUP RIDING ETIQUETTE There is security but also risks invovled when you are riding with a bunch of motorcyclists 86 RIDING TO KARGIL Jet Airways staff may have been in the news for all the wrong reasons but not this time 88 CYCLE TRIP Two bicyclists ride to the highest motorable road in the world
92 madox 94 MOTOGP PORTUGAL 99 MOTOGP NEWS 100 WSBK ITALY & FRANCE 102 INDIAN SPORTS 104 GBU
Think you know all about Bikes ?? SMS ‘BIKE’ to 55456 & find out! Exclusively for Idea subscribers Charges Rs.3/ SMS
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LETTERS
STAR LETTER wins a 1-litre pack of Motul 300V
FZ16 EXHAUST DILEMMA From: Romit Mankame, via email I am writing this mail in order to solve a problem. When Yamaha launched race kits for the FZ16, I was blown away. However, since its price is way too steep, I decided to
Across the seven seas
drop my plan of buying it. In your October 2009 issue, Aspi sir and Sheri sir came up with the amazing exhaust for the FZ16. Now I am confused between these two performance exhausts available for the FZ16. I would like to know how good the Dagrex kit by Yamaha
STAR LETTER
From: Balbir Kumar, Uttar Pradesh I work as merchant marine officer on a chemical tanker. I have been reading BIKE India since a year. This is my first letter to you and I appreciate all your efforts to bring out such a splendid two-wheeler magazine. The BI team is doing a great job by giving us tips and basic knowledge of proper biking which is absolutely necessary on Indian roads. Personally, I feel driving any vehicle is a great responsibility towards yourself and the people commuting on the road. I have learned a lot reading your magazine especially the technical aspect of bikes. As a kid I used to love Jawa and Yezdi followed by the Bullet. I’m just waiting for the Bullet Classic to go on a trip from the west coast of India all the way to the east along the sea coast. My job keeps me away from home for at least six months, sailing the deep seas but my love for BI is so much that I collect old issues and bring them along with me on the ship. The current issues are posted
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to my Norway office and from there the magazine is sent to the local agent’s office where the ship is located at port. I really appreciate my wife efforts as she makes sure I receive all the issues during my sailing time because she knows how much I love to read BIKE India. I must say that your magazine keeps me going on board my ship, updates me and works as a great stress buster after a long, hard day. It’s really motivating to have BI with me while sailing. My fellow mates from different nations are very happy to read your magazine too and they thank me for bringing on board something really interesting to read. There are a few pictures of my ship taken during my last voyage from Singapore to Al Jubail passing the Indian Ocean along the Lakshadweep Islands which is an absolute delight. I promise to BI that I will spread awareness and safe riding tips to my friends and fellow riders who are passionate bikers. Keep it up BIKE India and all the best from the bottom of my heart.hope that one day the bike will come to me. Here’s to you dad, keep up the awesome work. Thanks for everything.
India November 2009
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KNOW SOMETHING THAT THE OTHERS DON’T? BIke India welcomes the views of its readers. Pen down any witty, logical or informative idea that hits your brain, and mail it to: Bike India, Next Gen Automotive, 401B, Gandhi Empire, 5th Floor, 2 Serene Estate, Kondhwa Road, Pune - 411 040, India. Fax: +91 20 26830465 or email bikeindia@nextgenpublishing.net Don’t forget to write your full name and address!
is as compared to the exhaust made by Sheri sir. Also what is the cost of the exhaust made by Sheri sir We have yet to test Yamaha’s exhaust for the FZ16. Remember that the company’s exhaust comes with a feature to make it street legal which does hinder the performance. Sheri’s exhaust will cost around Rs 5000. TWO-WHEELER TRAINING SCHOOLS From: Bhagat Awasthi, Jharkhand I am a regular reader of your magazine and rarely miss an issue. I am probably one of the very few people who do not know how to ride but yet are very passionate about bikes. I would like to ask that while we have driving schools and training institutes for would-be car drivers, why we don’t have the same for would-be bikers like me. I believe this would enable bikers, new as well as existing, to follow traffic rules more carefully and be more responsible citizens on and off the road. My sincere request to BIKE India is can you help us. If at all there are any such training schools which we may not be aware of, please let us know Hero Honda has safe riding schools around India. We will try getting a list of all these schools for the next issue. Stay tuned. P200 SHOOTOUT? From: Mukul Sud, Lucknow I really enjoy reading your articles in which you do a comparison of various bikes in different categories. Moreover, your lessons for riding and maintaining the bike in different weather conditions is very handy
CHOCOLATE HEROES
B M DU Here we go again. With thousands of bikers out there paying no heed to basic safety, our inbox is always full with pictures like these. The funny part is that most readers send in their pics without any riding gear, hoping we will print them. Yes, we do sometimes, in this special section reserved for the brainless homosapiens. The first pic has two young fellas on a TVS Victor, while the second image shows another young chap testing his luck on the Unicorn.
as I can ensure my bike remains in good condition without visiting the service station frequently. I own a Pulsar 200, August 2007 model and like to ride it as much as possible. As my current job requires a bit of touring to nearby cities, I generally do that on my bike. Last month, I rode from Lucknow to Delhi and back. I wish I could be with BIKE India and just ride bikes and earn a living. Recently I was interested in installing a HID kit in my bike as the factory fitted one does not provide a good enough level of illumination. I stay in Lucknow but I am unable to find a dealer who could get me a branded HID kit (probably Philips). Lastly, although the Pulsar 200 is a thing of past, I would like to express my concern that you never included it in any of your comparison tests. Anyways, keep up the awesome work you are doing. Good luck. The reason for us not including the Pulsar 200 in our comparisons is that we knew the production of this bike would soon come to an end, which did happen eventually. SUPERBIKE SERVICING From: Vaseem Mirza, Mysore First of all my belated wishes to the entire BIKE India team. I am 20 years old and studying Veterinary Science. I’ve been following your magazine from the past four years without missing a single issue. Thanks a lot for those wonderful posters guys as they make my room look more beautiful now. I especially like Bunny Punia’s articles and the one titled ‘Motomaidens’ in the last issue was pretty cool too. I wish I had a girlfriend who shared such a passion for bikes (preferably someone who owned a superbike). I’m a huge bike lover and recently bought myself a Honda CBR900RR from Singapore. All thanks to my generous mother who finally
gave in. I love her and I am indebted to her for life. Though I’ve tried my hand on 400cc and 600cc bikes before, this is the first bike I can call my own. And I couldn’t think of anybody better than the BIKE India team to share the good news with. You guys have always been my greatest inspiration when it comes to biking and behaving on Indian roads. A huge thanks to all of you. I live in Mysore and I am proud to say it’s a city where the number of superbikes is slowly increasing. But I can’t think of anyone I can take my bike to when it comes to regular servicing. Can you please tell me if you know anyone in Mysore who can take care of god forbid any minor glitches in the bike and a little tuning and servicing too at times? I would really appreciate all your help. Congratulations again, you have really changed the biking scenario on Indian roads. Great job! We really don’t know anyone in Mysore. However, you can try getting in touch with Joe’s racing in Bangalore.
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Q&A P200 MODIFICATIONS I own a Pulsar 200 and I want to fit in the block piston of the new Pulsar 220 (carbureted model). What are the other changes I have to do in my 200 so that it does not harm my bike and increase the speed and pickup? Will these changes create any problems in the future? If I change the block piston, valve and clutch plate then what will be the effect on my P200. Shree Kant, via email You will need to change the cylinder head along with the clutch assembly in addition to the modifications you have mentioned. There will be a definite increase in power if the task is carried out by an experienced professional. POWER INCREASE I have a Suzuki Max100R, 2001 model. It is in good condition. Now I want to increase the bike’s power. Can I do the following things to my bike: port it, put a K&N filter and use a combustion chamber. After doing all these things, will the bike’s power increase? Shree H, via email The modifications that you have mentioned will definitely bring about a change in performance but only if they are carried out by an experienced mechanic. Keep in mind that porting has to be done to a specific size otherwise it may do more harm than good. FZ16 VIBRATIONS I bought a new FZ16 two months back. Things were fine till the first service but soon after that the bike’s digital meter gauge as a whole began to vibrate at slows speeds. I am
Got a question or a problem? We’ve got the answers Write to: Q&A, BIKE INDIA, 401B Gandhi Empire, 2 Sareen Estate, Kondhwa Road, Pune 411 040. Or email us at: bikeindia@nextgenpublishing.net
not sure about high speeds as I have using my FZ regularly within the city limits. My heart breaks when I hear and feel those vibrations. Can you guide me? Naren Keshav, Puducherry Have you thoroughly checked all the nuts and bolts that keep the instrument console in place? Also check if the rubber mountings and grommets are in place. P220 FI NIGGLES
I own a three month old Pulsar 220 FI which has clocked 5000km. I started using this bike for drag races after it clocked 3000km, but I am facing a problem. The bike’s engine shuts off automatically when it reaches the top speed. Then I have to stop the bike, shut the ignition key off, wait for a few seconds and then restart it. The same thing happens even when I try to achieve the top speed while cruising on highways. The pro-biking guys are unable to solve this problem even after numerous efforts. I have replaced the spark plug as well as the air filter but still this issue is not solved. Vaibhav Jadhav, Thane
flow air filter change the sound of a vehicle? Arjun, Mangalore In the regulation air filter, there are baffles that cut off the intake roar and thus restrict the wheezing sound. These baffles are not present in a free-flow air filter which is why you notice the difference in the sound. ACTIVA TROUBLES I own a four year old Honda Activa and I am quite happy with it. My only concern is that I get a burning smell from the engine every time I go longer distances. When I consulted my friends, I was told that it is not the engine heating up, but simply the variomatic clutch that starts slipping due to excessive heat and also due to my excess weight. Is it safe to ride the scooter over long distances (100km or so) at a stretch? If yes, at what intervals of distance should I stop to let it cool down? Lately, the headlamp’s beam seems diminished. I want to replace the headlamp with a halogen bulb as fitted on the latest Activa and Aviator. Is it possible to do so? When I asked my Honda service centre guy, he simply said it was not possible. Vignesh G, via email Riding at a constant and moderate speed should not heat up the clutch plates beyond a reasonable degree. Your weight might also be a factor contributing to it. It’s better to ride at a constant average speed of 60-65km/h and take short breaks every hour of riding. It is possible to fit a halogen bulb on your Activa.
The problem might be due to a clogged fuel filter restricting the flow of petrol. Take it out and clean it. It is located before the fuel pump inside the petrol tank.
CHANGING FZ16’S HEADLIGHT I own a Yamaha FZ16. Can I have the sporty twin headlight assembly of the Yamaha Fazer installed in my FZ16? How can it be done and what other extra modifications can be done to the bike either for extra speed or for the looks? Dhruva Kumar, Karnataka
FREE FLOW AIR FILTERS I recently got a K&N free flow air filter for my Apache RTR 160. The overall performance of the bike has improved and I am happy with it. I also noticed that the bike sounds different while opening the throttle. How does a free
You can mount the half fairing and the twin headlights from the Fazer onto the FZ but try to get the mounts, nuts, bolts and grommets from a genuine Yamaha dealer only. The mounts will need to be welded on the chassis. This way you will get a neater fit that resembles the stock Fazer more closely.
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VIFFER STRIKES! Radical, technologically advanced and a killer in every sense – presenting the all-new Honda VFR1200F
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HE VFR1200F HAS BEEN one of the most awaited bikes from the Honda stable in the last few years. The first teaser of the bike came in the form of the V4 Concept shown at the Intermot Auto Show last year. A completely radical design was presented by Honda and it gathered maximum attention at the showcase of new projects undertaken by automotive manufacturers around the world. The bike then started making its appearance on the internet and through various automotive magazines and tabloids in the form of sketches and renderings. The motorcycle’s spy pictures made their appearance a couple of months ago and finally Honda pulled the curtain off the VFR1200F on 8th October, 2009. Some say that it was one of Honda’s worst kept secrets. Was it? Who cares? The new generation Honda Viffer is here
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to replace the Blackbird, which has been doing its sport-tourer duties quite comfortably since ages. So what do we have in this VFR? On paper it seems to be a fantastic blend of passion, technology, performance and a distinguished image of its own. The bike features a 1237cc V4 motor that produces a peak of 172 horsepower at 10,000rpm and 129Nm of maximum torque at 8750rpm. Maybe the engine doesn’t brag of a couple of tons of horses, but all the ones present in there boast sophistication and Honda’s user friendliness. And well, the V4 motor is not a regular one. The engine is extremely compact for a 1.2-litre mill thanks to the UNICAM design employed by Honda that uses a single overhead cam like the ones found on their motocross bikes. Besides this phenomenal engine doing its work, there are
a host of other elements that will leave every bike enthusiast in a state of awe. To start off with, the VFR1200F comes with an option of a manual or an automatic transmission. The automatic variant has a dual clutch system (it has been doing its duties in the likes of Porsches and will be seen for the first time on a bike). This auto ’box also allows the rider to shift gears manually with the help of paddle style shifters. Interesting? Well, that’s not all. The VFR1200F comes with more such fascinating features like throttle-by-wire control, slipper clutch (only for manual version) and Combined-ABS. The Japanese giant says that with its offset pivot point and sliding constant-velocity joint, the bike doesn’t suffer with suspension issues even though it has a shaft drive that travels through the single-sided swingarm.
More brilliantly interesting stuff comes in the form of a layered fairing featured on the new VFR. Though it might look visually out of shape, the new fairing offers great functionality. Not only does the layered fairing take the ergonomics to a new level and protects the rider from weather conditions, it also makes sure that there is enough airflow to the engine for maximum heat management. No doubt, Honda has already obtained a patent for their layered fairing. The VFR1200F is radical in every sense of the word and there is a whole lot of newbie stuff to be explored and experienced. The bike’s looks might not appeal to all, but then its function over form for the real biker, isn’t it? Honda has done it, once again! The new VFR’s pricing details will follow soon. No idea as to when you will be able to lay your hands on one of these in India though.
India November 2009
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The most awaited Honda of all time breaks cover - the all new VFR1200F
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IGNITION
NEW METAL
Colour me right
Diwali is here and Hero Honda launches two new firecrackers
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ESTIVE SEASONS ARE considered an auspicious time for vehicle purchases and Hero Honda seems to have understood this very well and have come out with two new variants of their existing models - the Hunk and the one crore sale crosser Splendor+. Priced at Rs 56,675 (exshowroom), the Hunk now features special Macho Ebony Grey colour treatment which is carried over to the rear grip, side cover, pillion step holder and handlebar. It also gets
body colored rear view mirrors along with contemporary body art on the fuel tank and the Raging Bull insignia on the tank shrouds. The Special Edition Splendor+, priced at Rs 40,000 (ex-showroom) boasts new look graphics and Gold colour treatment for the Splendor+ emblem on the side cover and Hero Honda logo on the fuel tank, visor and console. The bike has gets an all-black colour treatment among many other fresh and innovative features.
Karizma ZMR at a showroom near you Hero Honda introduces its premium fuel injected machine
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NDIA’S BIGGEST TWO-WHEELER manufacturer, Hero Honda recently launched the new Karizma ZMR in the capital wooing the fans countrywide. The new ZMR comes with a sticker price of Rs 91,000 (ex-Delhi) which makes it Rs 18,200 more expensive than the carburetted version. However, the extra 18k bucks gets you a fuel injected engine and a completely new design.
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The bike is on sale now and will be available in five shades across the nation. HH will continue to sell the carburetted version of the Karzima alongside the ZMR. With the Karizma ZMR, HH has expanded its current portfolio in the high-end bike segment which is dominated by players like Bajaj and TVS. The company has also indicated that it will be focusing more on
the premium bike segment and will be introducing newer models in the future to attract the kind of consumer who is more inclined towards such bikes. With this launch and future products in the pipeline, we can hope to see HH making a similar impact in this category as it has done in the commuter bike segment. Flip to pg no 46 for a complete road test.
India November 2009
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IGNITION
NEW METAL
Amit Nandi, Erik Vaz and Rajeev Bajaj unveiled the Ninja 250R
NINJA PACES IN
The Kawasaki Ninja 250R is finally here. And we love it!
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HE WAIT FOR THE NINJA, one of the most awaited bikes in recent years, (or maybe even in the history of Indian motorcycling) was finally over as Rajeev Bajaj pulled off the sheets from the Kawasaki Ninja 250R amidst flashes of lens men. Clad in the typical Kawasaki green, the bike proudly showed off its Kwacker attitude to the journalists present at the event. Powered with a 250cc twincylinder engine, the Kawasaki Ninja will come to India through the Completely-Knocked Down kit (CKD) route. Since Bajaj and Kawasaki have tie-ups outside the Indian market (Vietnam for instance), the companies have decided to exploit their joint venture in India as well – thanks to that fraction of customer base in India that are driven by the performance attributes of the bike. To make sure that the Indian customer is not disappointed, Kawasaki has introduced the fuel injected version of the Ninja 250R in India which produces a peak power of 33PS at 11,000rpm (as against the one that is sold in America producing less than 30PS). The Ninja will be assembled at Bajaj’s Chakan plant near Pune and will have no localization except for a saree guard (which gels in perfectly with the flow and design of the bike) and the front number plate
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on the windscreen. The Kawasaki Ninja 250R will be made available to customers through the Probiking network that includes various dealerships across the country. The company officials have claimed that Ninja owners will have complete service backup from the time of sale and that the spare parts are already available and present at the service stations. The Kawasaki Ninja 250R is undoubtedly a brilliant performer (read about that in our road test further in the magazine). But all good things come at a cost and the Ninja is no exception. With a steep price tag of Rs 2.69 lakh (ex-Delhi), the Kwacker is undoubtedly expensive. But who cares when you have a bike that can claim to be the fastest in India (not considering CBU import bikes here) and has a pure Jap soul to it? During the launch of the Ninja, Bajaj senior officials made some statements that finally put a relief on our faces. A completely new generation Pulsar is being developed by the Pune-based auto giant. Officials claim that the bike doesn’t share its platform with the current version of the Pulsar. Still in the state of sketches, this new generation of Pulsars is expected to arrive in the Indian market by 2011. The wait begins!
India November 2009
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Electrotherm launches new e-scooters
Hero Electric debuts E-Spirit
India’s leading electric vehicles maker introduces the YO Electron and the YO Xplor
The fastest and most powerful model from the company yet
E
LECTROTHERM (INDIA) LTD., India’s largest manufacturer of electric vehicles, has launched two new electric two-wheelers - the YO Electron and the YO Xplor. These are the firms latest offering in the No License-No Registration category. The new models will also be offered in the energy efficient ‘Extra Range’ or ER variants. The YO Xplor ER is battery operated and hence a zero pollution (at least in the short term) two-wheeler which runs on a 33Ah rechargeable battery and a 250W motor. According to the firm, once fully charged, the eScooter
Ultra Fun - 250W low speed vehicle
can run up to 105-110km. The bike is also available with 24Ah battery options which as per company claims can travel up to 70-80km per charge. The powerful YO Electron ER is powered by a 24Ah, VRLA battery and a 250W motor which as per the firm gives a range of 95-100km in a single charge. The YO Electron is available with 20Ah battery options which can travel up to 70-75km per charge. Both models have been cleared by ARAI for exemption from CMVR and hence do not require a driving license and RTO registration.
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AY HELLO TO YET ANOTHER GREEN SCOOTER, THIS TIME from Hero Electric - a Hero Group company. Named E-Spirit, this electric scooter is powered by an 800W Brushless DC motor (BLDC) that can propel it to a maximum speed of 45km/h. Fully charging the 33Ah maintenance free battery takes up to eight hours and the E-Spirit can run on this juice for as long as 65km. Now that’s a fair enough range for the city where the scooter is most likely to be used. Under the aerodynamically designed albeit familiar body style, the E-Spirit boasts a front disc brake, a mobile phone charging point, telescopic shock absorbers and numerous safety features. Also, unlike many other electric scooters, the E-Spirit will require registration and its rider must hold a valid driving license. The vehicle is priced at Rs 37,400 (exshowroom, U.P).
Ultra Motor’s new electric scooters
The firm launches Fun and Shakti scooter models in the e-vehicle segment
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LTRA MOTOR COMPANY (UMC) TODAY announced the launch of two new Electric Scooters - Ultra Fun and Ultra Shakti. The latter is a low speed vehicle with a 250W geared motor designed for hilly terrains. The firm claims that it has the ability to climb the gradient with ease. The model is available in two colours, Red and Black at a price tag of Rs 34,650 (ex-showroom, Maharashtra). Ultra Fun is a low speed vehicle with a 250W motor built on the Velociti platform. It is easy to ride because of its height, size and weight and is expected to find special favour with school going kids and women. Available in Black, Red and Silver colours initially, Metallic Purple will be added later with an introductory ex-showroom price of Rs 31,838 in Maharashtra. You don’t need a driving license to ride these eScooters, just charge ‘em, turn the throttle, enjoy the ride and don’t forget to unplug it!
Address:
B-6, Saraf Kaskar Ind’l Estate, Oshiwara, S.V.Road, Jogeshwari ( West), Mumbai - 400102
Ultra Shakti
Ultra Fun
Battery for new generation bikes
Contact Details:
Mr. Dinesh Shrivastav: +91 9702998800 Tel: 022-26780032/4612 / 32441040 Fax: 022-66954788 Email: dineshbattery@yahoo.com
Happy
Diwali November 2009
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IGNITION
NEW METAL
Rocket III Road (mon)ster unleashed
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RIUMPH HAS UNVEILED THE latest personification of the Rocket III in the form of the Rocket III Roadster. The new 2300cc monster now packs a more powerful punch as it gets an increase in overall power (15 percent torque and 6 percent PS). In order to tame the beast, Triumph has equipped it with ABS that will be standard on the new bike. A new rear suspension unit promises to deliver a controlled ride without compromising on comfort. For an increment in the bad boy image of the Rocket III, the company has blacked out many components like the radiator shrouds, the front forks, the rear springs and the yolks. Plus, the firm has cut down on the chrome to strike the right balance on the design front and give the bike an ultimate roadster look. Pulled back and lowered footpegs combined with a higher and forward seat create the perfect non-cruiser like riding position – ideal for roadsters. The new bike also gets a twin exhaust, ergonomics and quality improvements and a tiny blacked out bikini fairing that hides the chrome console. The new Roadster will go on sale from early 2010 in the UK at a price of Rs 8,01,309.
The largest capacity production motorbike gets bigger and meaner
Kawasaki’s sassier 2010 models The Japanese giant unleashes its 2010 beasts for an assault across vivid segments
ZX-10R NINJA
VERSYS
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AWASAKI RECENTLY UNVEILED THEIR fresh 2010 line-up that includes a completely revamped Z1000, the Versys, a rugged and more aggressive GTR-1400 and the litre Ninja ZX-10R. However, the biggest attention grabber is the Z1000 that has received a complete overhaul. The famed naked bike gets a bigger 1043cc engine capable of producing 138PS at 9600rpm and bodywork that appears to be straight out of a sci-fi movie. The 2010 Versys receives a revised
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Z1000
headlamp and a new yellow colour. Kawasaki’s hyper-tourer, the GTR-1400/Concours 14 undergoes a complete makeover with an aggressive front fairing and receives a traction control system to tame the extra power from the retuned ZZR-1400 engine. And finally, the litre Ninja receives an array of changes and a claimed 200PS of power (with ram-air) from the 998cc motor. The ZX-10R gets a completely new fairing, a revamped exhaust, an Ohlins steering damper and two
GTR-1400
injectors per cylinder that improve the power output at higher revs. Unfortunately, Kawasaki fans will be disappointed at the Tokyo Motor Show as the company will be absent from the event. According to an official statement, the Japanese firm is taking countermeasures against the economic slowdown. As part of their relocation of management resources, Kawasaki has decided to relinquish the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show.
India November 2009
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IGNITION
NEW METAL
Ducati’s Hyper baby The Hypermotard family has a new entrant - the 796
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UCATI RECENTLY REVEALED pictures of the 796 Hypermotard just before the EICMA show due this month. The 796 is the smallest capacity bike to be inducted in the Hypermotard family. So, it was obvious for the baby Hyper to have the appearance of its bigger sibling. With the 796, Ducati can now cater to a wider audience who weren’t able to experience the thrills onboard the Hypermotard. Hence, the 796 gets a smaller heart, lesser weight than the 1100, better suspension and a lowered seat with a price tag of just Rs 4,60,000 (US). At this price, you get an 803cc L-twin engine that is able to produce a healthy 82PS and a torque figure of 75.5Nm. The bike weighs approximately 180kg. The 796 uses a lighter steel trellis frame that is identical in dimensions to the 1100. This feature packed, crazy machine is expected to hit dealerships by December 2009.
Harley-Davidson – Buell to shut Following its new business strategy, H-D discloses plans to shut down Buell and sell MV Agusta
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Erik Buell - What does the future hold?
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T MIGHT SOUND ASTONISHING BUT according to a statement released by Harley-Davidson, the company is to shut down Buell completely and sell MV Agusta with immediate effect. The US bike maker had acquired the Italian brand about a year ago. H-D further announced that their worldwide sales had declined by 21 percent and reported an 84 percent decline in income as compared to the previous year. Keith Wandell, CEO, Harley-Davidson Inc., said to the media during the announcement regarding Buell and MV Agusta that H-D is moving with the speed and decisiveness required to bring the firm’s business strategy to life. The company will focus their effort and investment on the Harley-Davidson brand as this provides an optimal path to sustained and meaningful long term growth. The US firm believes that it can create a bright future for the firm’s stakeholders through a single minded focus on the Harley-Davidson brand. They also assured that the warranty coverage for Buell motorcycles will continue and H-D will provide replacement parts and service through its dealerships.
India November 2009
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buzz
Be the Dark Knight biker After the BatMobile and the BatPod, here’s the BatSuit!
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niversal Designs has brought in the ultimate collector’s item for hardcore biker fans of the Dark Knight in the form of their Dark Knight Motorcycle suit. The suit includes a full leather jacket with lightweight interior lining as well as moulded leather and Kevlar armor sections, leather pants with four-way stretch Spandex inserts and CE approved armor, leather gloves and boots. The suit, which is an exact replica of the one from the Dark Knight movie, can be bought in a range of sizes from XXS to XXL at a price tag of Rs 50,000 (approximate US pricing). Enthusiasts place your orders now as only 1000 units will be made! Hurry!
Doohan to race with Schumacher and Jenson Button
Rodeo to take centre stage at the Lakme Fashion Week
The five time world champion is the latest to make a transition to four wheels
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here is some great news for all of us who were born too late to see the legendary Mick Doohan in action. The fivetime World Championship winner will return to the racetrack alongside other racing greats like Michael Schumacher and current F1 championship leader Jenson Button at the Race of Champions to be held in the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing. No, he’s not on a bike this time. The five consecutive title holder will team up with fellow Aussie Jamie Whincup, the reigning Australian V8 Supercars Champion, in The ROC Nations Cup to be held on November 3, 2009. Both racers will then compete for individual glory in the Race of Champions on November 4. “The Race of Champions is a really fun event,” said Doohan. “In June I raced in Portugal at the ROC Legends and had a great time, so I’m really looking forward to taking part at the World Finals in Beijing, I can only imagine how good it will be! I’ve got a great team-mate in Jamie Whincup for the ROC Nations Cup so we’ll be giving it our best shot to win the crown for Australia.” “. . . . . I will get to race some amazing cars against the likes of Schumacher and Button, which is incredibly exciting. It will be great to mix it with these guys and find out what makes them tick.” he added. In the past, other two-wheeled racers who had taken part in the Race of Champions include seven-time MotoGP Champion Valentino Rossi, triple World Superbike Champion, Troy Bayliss and multiple XGames gold medalist, Travis Pastrana.
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F
A collection inspired by a twowheeler will be showcased at India’s premier fashion event
ashion designer Kunal Rawal has gained widespread acclaim amongst the fashionistas with an enviable clientele boasting of celebrities like Anil Kapoor, Salman Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor and Neil Nitin Mukesh. Now he takes his creativity a step further with a special collection inspired by the Mahindra Rodeo for the special Menswear Day of the Lakme Fashion Week to be held on September 20, 2009. Kunal’s signature cues like confidence, youthfulness and wearablity will be visibly infused in the collection that is to draw texture and design cues from the very recently launched 125cc Rodeo scooter. “Lakme Fashion Week serves
as the perfect platform for us to showcase the brand attributes of the Mahindra Rodeo; namely, power, style and sheer machismo. . . We are also proud to be the first two wheeler brand in India to partner with Lakme Fashion Week. . . .” stated Mr. Devendra Shinde, Senior VP, Marketing Mahindra Two Wheelers, speaking on the occasion. “Indian men are always associated with a certain machismo that is accentuated with them astride a powerful vehicle. It is this persona of the Indian male that I have attempted to bring alive in my collection.” said Kunal Rawal, adding that it was an absolute delight designing India’s first menswear collection to be inspired by a two-wheeler.
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Yamaha ventures into Pakistan The Japanese major plans to invest at least 727 crores (150 million USD) into its new venture
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AMAHA MOTOR PRESIDENT, TAKASHI Kajikawa made the announcement that the company will be setting up a motorcycle manufacturing facility in Pakistan, to be located at the National Industrial Park in Bin Qasim, near Karachi. The plant is expected to be up and running by mid-2011. The company plans to assemble at least 22,000 units at its new plant by 2012, following which it will start using locally sourced components to start manufacturing bikes in that country. Mr Kajikawa has also stated that the company intends to make Pakistan a base for exports to neighboring Asian and African countries in the coming future. Come 2017, Yamaha will also start production of motorcycle engines in the country. In India too, Yamaha is growing by leaps and bounds at an unprecedented rate. The company posted staggering growth of 160 percent in sales in September 2009 as compared to the last year. It sold 26394 units in September 2009 as against 10142 units in the same month last year with the newly launched Fazer contributing a significant part of it.
Classic will head to India
RE to launch the Classic 500 and the Bullet 350 with UCE in India
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AST YEAR, ROYAL ENFIELD showcased the Classic 500 EFI at Intermot and later launched the bike in the market abroad. Indian customers were really unhappy with the company not launching the Classic in India. However, enthusiasts’ wish seems to be getting fulfilled as the Chennaibased manufacturer has the launch of the Classic on the cards for India. Technologically, one of the most advanced bikes ever built by RE, the Classic 500 features a fuel injected, 499cc, single cylinder UCE (Unitary
Construction Engine) four stroke engine. It also happens to be the most powerful Bullet in production, delivering 27PS at 5250rpm and a whopping 41.3Nm of torque at 4000rpm. The Classic will be priced at approximately Rs 1.5 lakh (exshowroom) whenever it makes it to the market. Along with the Classic 500, RE also plans to introduce the Bullet 350 with the UCE. This motorcycle will come with a price tag of approximately Rs 1.1 lakh (exshowroom).
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IGNITION
BUZZ
Harley begins search for dealers Harley-Davidson’s Indian arm begins dealership selection process in the country
BIKE India Magazine, 401B, Gandhi Empire, 5th Floor, 2 Sareen Estate, Kondhwa Road, Pune 411 040. INDIA Tel: +91-20-32930291 / 2 Fax: +91-20-26830465 Email us at: bikeindia@nextgenpublishing.net EDITORIAL Executive Editor Aspi Bhathena Assistant Editor Bunny Punia Copy Desk Monica Thakkar Editor At Large Navroze Contractor MotoGP Editor Mat Oxley Art Director Ramnath S Chodankar Senior Designer Ravi Parmar Designer Ajit Manjrekar Assistant Designer Varun Kulkarni Senior Correspondent Sarmad Kadiri Staff Writers Sridhar Chari, Adhish Alawani, Ravi Chandnani, Saeed Akhtar Staff Photographers Sanjay Raikar, Sawan S Hembram Production Executive Dinesh Bhajnik Administrative Executive Roshni Bulsara Contributors Nikhil Raghavan, DPPI, Marc Willing EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Hoshang S Billimoria Aspi Bhathena Navroze Contractor
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ARLEY-DAVIDSON INDIA HAS STARTED THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR DEALERSHIPS IN Maharashtra and NRC and they are seeking interested parties from Mumbai and New Delhi. As part of the selection process, the US firm will also hold dealership camps in Mumbai on October 19th-20th ‘09 and on November 1st-2nd ‘09 in Delhi, which will give interested applicants an opportunity to meet with the company’s representatives. They will guide applicants through the requirements for opening Harley-Davidson dealerships in the region. The deadline for dealership applications is November 2, 2009. Moreover, Harley-Davidson is also open to receiving indications of interest across all cities in India for future development. Announcing the extension of the dealership application deadline and the dealer camp, Anoop Prakash, Managing Director, Harley-Davidson India said, “We have had an overwhelming response so far and are grateful for the interest shown by the applicants. Given the legacy of Harley-Davidson, the selection process will evaluate the applicants understanding of the brand and delivering the brand experience to customers, as well as their business experience.” “We have also decided to extend the application deadline keeping the forthcoming festive season in mind. While Punjab, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi are our priorities for opening dealerships in 2010, we are more than happy to consider applications from other locations that make business sense for both the dealer and Harley-Davidson. Our aim is to create a strong network of dealers that will provide our riders a world-class ownership experience,” he added further.
Contributors to Ignition :
With all the fun and music there will also be a photography exhibition, a custom bike exhibition, a display of various forms of bike art and courses on pillion safety, first aid and bike maintenance. Wait, there is more, the firm is also going to offer a test ride of their ‘Export Only’ Royal Enfield Classic bike to customers on a first come first serve basis. This and much more awaits all Bullet riders from across the country. Happy thumping!
Adhish Alawani, Bunny Punia, Monica Thakkar, Ravi Chandnani, Saeed Akhtar, Sarmad Kadiri, Sawan Hembram
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ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Marzban Jasoomani BIKE INDIA MARKETING OFFICE MUMBAI: NEXT GEN PUBLISHING LTD. 2nd Floor, Khatau House, Mogul Lane, Mahim (W), Mumbai – 400016, India Tel +91 22 43525252 Fax +91 22 24448289 BIKE INDIA REGIONAL MARKETING OFFICES: NEXT GEN PUBLISHING LTD. 24 & 30 Okhla Industrial Estate, Phase III, Okhla, New Delhi - 110020, India Phone +91 11 42345678 Fax +91 11 42345679
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The annual Royal Enfield Mania is all set to kick off in the happening state of Goa
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GROUP ART DIRECTOR & PRODUCTION IN-CHARGE Atul Bandekar
NEXT GEN PUBLISHING LTD. # 903, 9th floor, ‘B’ Wing, Mittal Towers, MG Road, Bangalore -560001, India Phone +91 080 66110116
Rider Mania hits Goa OYAL ENFIELD HAS ANNOUNCED THE dates for the 2009 Rider Mania which will happen in Goa from 17th - 20th November. Events like motorcycle riding skill and motorcycle fixing and handling skill are among the main events taking place at the event. The company has also taken care of the entertainment as there will be heavy rock music and an open stage where riders and Royal Enfield community fans will be able to jam together all day long.
ADVERTISING Regional Mktg. Mgr. Ellora Dasgupta (North & East) Regional Mgr. A. Mageshwaran (Tamil Nadu & Kerala) Asst. Mgr. Advertising Chanchal Arora (Delhi) Area Advt. Mgr. Niladri S Majumder (Mumbai), Pramod Udupa (Bangalore), Y. Lingeswaran (Chennai) Sr. Response Executive Sachi Kumar (Delhi) Response Executive Minocher Parakh (Mumbai),
NEXT GEN PUBLISHING LTD. Chandan House, 3rd Floor, Mithakhali Six Roads, Ahmedabad - 380006, India Tel +79 40008000 SUBSCRIPTION & CIRCULATION National Manager Circulation & Subscription K Srikanth Asst. Circulation Manager Operations Sanjeev Roy Asst. Circulation Manager Kapil Kaushik Subscription Supervisor Sachin Kelkar Tel +91 22 43525220 Fax +91 22 24448289 PUBLISHER Khushroo Bhadha Published by Khushroo Bhadha Next Gen Publishing Ltd., 2nd Floor, Khatau House, Mogul Lane, Mahim (W), Mumbai - 400016. Printed by Khushroo Bhadha Next Gen Publishing Ltd., 2nd Floor, Khatau House, Mogul Lane, Mahim (W), Mumbai - 400016. Printed at Kala Jyothi Process Pvt. Ltd, 1-1-60/5 RTCX Roads, Hyderabad - 20. Published at Next Gen Publishing Ltd., 2nd Floor, Khatau House, Mogul Lane, Mahim (W), Mumbai - 400016. EXECUTIVE EDITOR Aspi Bhathena
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IGNITION
Bunny Punia
From the saddle
Can a sales guy sell you the right bike?
Motorcycle dealerships and workshops are sometimes not ready to serve you well Last month, I visited a two-wheeler showroom as I wanted to pickup a price list of all the models of this particular manufacturer on sale. I was stepping out of the showroom when I happened to overhear a conversation between the sales guy and a prospective customer. The latter seemed to be a well educated (from a biking point of view) young teenager and seemed to have shot a technical query at the sales guy about the bike he intended to purchase. Needless to say, the sales guy was left baffled. He of course didn’t know the meaning of what the customer had asked him and as a result, starting uttering meaningless and false statements. At this point, I almost wanted to step in and correct him but before I could, the 20-something prospective buyer left the showroom with a laugh. This is the harsh reality of some of the two-wheeler showrooms across India. Even in metro cities like Pune, sales executives are illinformed and can’t handle queries put forward by the youth of today. In case of handling clients like a middle-aged family guy who would want a commuter bike for his use, in most cases, the sales guy ends up giving the wrong advice, trying to somehow sell his product
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to the customer. Recently, we got an e-mail from a sales executive working in a showroom of a reputed manufacturer. He wanted to know the basic meaning of what power and torque meant. No really! I don’t pity him, I pity the company he works for. It seems he wasn’t given any training whatsoever to handle clients that are now becoming increasingly aware when it comes to biking thanks to magazines, websites and TV shows. How can our Indian manufacturers even think of selling bikes without providing basic training to the guys responsible for putting forward their products to the masses? If you can spend crores of rupees developing a product, can’t you spend a few thousands training your sales team and educating them about the bike, its engineering, capabilities and basic terminology like the above two words? Making a good machine and promoting it through adverts is one thing, but making sure it sells is another (and a very important thing). And this is when I am forced to think about the future of big bikes in India. Are these sales executives really trained to handle clients for these bikes?
Do they really understand the technological marvels behind these machines? Most importantly, have they ever ridden these bikes to understand why they are termed as superbikes? The same goes for the backend support, i.e., the workshops. Even with our own desi performance bikes, each month we get mails from readers who seem to be unhappy even with the authorized service stations of various manufacturers. According to my personal experience too, seldom do the workshop managers or the mechanics take interest in the customer’s grievances. Half the complaints are not sorted out and if you still stand firm on your point, you are told that the bike is running perfectly fine and it is probably a mental block that you
have. Brilliant! This is where I am yet again forced to think about the case with superbike owners in India. Are they really satisfied with after sales support? Your guess is as good as mine. My last month’s column provoked a lot of readers to write in to me. Of course, I got to hear both sides of the coin and received appreciation as well as criticism. It’s not that I don’t want to see superbikes selling in India. The point I was trying to make is that, is the Indian market really ready for a bright future of superbikes from the infrastructure, weather and people’s outlook point of view? Keep writing into the usual address fellas – b.punia@nextgenpublishing.net
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IGNITION
Glynn Kerr
Guru Glynn
An Exercise in Minimalism Various motorcycle models turn out for the A&S Classic Bike Show The local BMW dealer here in Roseville, A&S Powersports, has always been pro-active at organising events to draw in the crowds. Since it became known they had a veteran bike designer living on their doorstep, they’ve
wasted no time in hauling me over to give an evening seminar, and have festooned the service reception with huge prints of my artwork. Having recently taken over as the local Ducati representatives too, they also
now handle the servicing on my Multistrada, so it has evolved into a two-way relationship. When I heard they were hosting a classic bike show on their premises last month, and with author and journalist Clement Salvadori acting as judge, attendance was obligatory, heavy workload or not. Here in NorCal, there seems to be a classic car show almost every day over the summer months. Bike shows tend to be less numerous, and although Pebble Beach introduced a two-wheeler event this year, the Legend of
the Motorcycle was cancelled, so it’s been a win some, lose some situation. Being just a local event, I wasn’t expecting a huge turnout for the A&S show, but the Guzzi V7 Sport was dusted down to add to the exhibits. She fired up instantly, despite having been dormant for several weeks (something that never ceases to amaze me for a 36year-old machine), after which it was just a matter of remembering to shift with the right foot, not the left, and shift down through the gears, not up. Just to confuse things further, my Guzzi V7
The little Imme certainly attracted plenty of interest The classic bike show was organised by A&S Powersports of Roseville, California.
As expected, American models were well represented. The unrestored Indian boardtracker was an unexpected rarity
Peter Schwierzke takes first place in the German entries with his 1950 Imme R-100
The beauty of simplicity. The R-100’s exhaust doubles as the swingarm, both front and rear suspension being single-sided
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The Harley-Davidson Servi-car was produced for forty years up to 1973
The Imme was one of the subjects for a fictitious redesign by the author in the series ‘Back to the Future’ in the early nineties. All the essential features were retained
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This well-used Panther “Sloper” made a surprise appearance. The cylinder was designed to replace the frame down-tube, hence the sloping angle which gave the bike its nickname
This pair of round-case 750 Desmos was the highlight of the Italian section
This immaculate 1968 BSA Lightning won top prize in the People’s Choice section
Special had been converted to leftside shift, although retaining the upside-down shift pattern, while the Multistrada does things the conventional way. I defy anyone to own these three and not hit the wrong gear now and then - or worse still, stomp on the rear brake inadvertently when going for a
Motorcycling author Clement Salvadori (right) judged the winners
rapid shift. The show was already on full song when we chugged through the gates with few places remaining for any late-comers. Never can manage to get off on time somehow, no matter how many mental promises are made the night before. But the Guzzi was squeezed in between a random selection of oddities, the Italian section being fully occupied, after which it was
Beautifully restored 1947 Triumph Speed Twin
time to wander off to see what else people had brought along. For such a small event, both the turnout and rarity of the bikes on show were pretty amazing. Beautifully restored examples nestled among barn finds, although most of the bikes had been ridden to the show, irrespective of their condition. There was a strong British contingent with the usual Triumphs and BSAs bolstered by the likes of Ariel, Enfield, Greeves, Vincent, and even a surprise Panther “Sloper”, usually seen pulling sidecars thanks to its torquey, long-stroke single. A pair of stunning yellow round-case 750 Desmos topped the Ducati collection, although a nicely restored 250 Monza won the prize for the best Italian machine due to its scarcity. And indigenous production was of course represented by various Indians, including a wonderfully original board track single, and Harleys, from a nicely patinad Servi-car to a very presentable XLCR Cafe Racer. But the star of the show for me was an immaculate 1950 Imme R-100, owned and restored by Peter Schwierzke. Salvadori clearly
Both old and new models turned out for the A&S Classic Bike Show
agreed, awarding it top prize in the German section. The Imme is a fascinating device, built for just three years from 1949. The chronic shortage of materials in the immediate post-war period meant that manufacturers had to be inventive with their designs, and none more so than Imme’s founder, Norbert Riedel. Using his own 100cc two-stroke, the R-100 was brilliantly simple, if somewhat unorthodox. At that time, simplicity was vital, not only for a low price, but to reduce the quantity of raw materials, so all non-essentials were omitted, and the function of certain components multiplied. For example, the single-sided swingarm also functioned as the exhaust pipe, the engine pivoting with the swingarm scooter-style, although in this case mounted ahead of the pivot rather than behind it. The front fork too was one-sided, the front and rear wheels being interchangeable, allowing a universal spare to be carried at the rear. Kerb weight was a mere 68kg, which gave the Imme an admirable performance for the time. Sales were strong, rising to
1000 units a month at its peak. So what killed it so soon? Schwierzke told me that Riedel’s story mirrored that of would-be car entrepreneur Preston Tucker, whose venture was allegedly terminated due to pressure from the established automotive industry. The Imme had been the first new post-war design, and the other German motorcycle manufacturers had nothing to compete with it. For a brief period, the Imme was popular - a little too popular for the likes of the mainstream companies, who conspired to force Riedel out of business. When the company closed in 1951, some 12,000 Immes had been assembled, helping mobilise an impoverished nation. But when prosperity returned to Germany, customers quickly opted for four wheel transport. The used bikes were considered worthless, and many were simply thrown out with the garbage. It is believed that only around 300 R-100s exist today. Thanks to the dedication of enthusiasts like Peter Schwierzke, we are at least able to appreciate the ones that survived, now restored to their former glory.
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IGNITION
MOTO WARE
These new products from leading manufacturers are sure to be a racer’s delight
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India November 2009
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01 ALPINESTARS GP PLUS GLOVE
The GP Plus glove featured here is from AStars’ 2010 collection. It features a high quality kangaroo leather chassis and palm with a number of Kevlar reinforcements at critical places. It also has a wrist cuff for added protection during impact as well as better protection around the knuckles to dissipate impact. The fingers feature 3D anatomical design for better flexibility and perforated leather for better cooling. Price 9500
02 JOE ROCKET MOTO AIR GLOVE
The Moto Air gloves from Joe Rocket are half gloves that are ideal for short trips and city riding. They are constructed using dyed leather. The sleek vented knuckle protectors are injection molded. The fingers, cuffs and wrists get high density padding for enhanced protection and double leather reinforcement on the palm area for higher impact resistance and tear. Unfortunately, these are only available in black colour. Price Rs 5500
03 JOE ROCKET AIRBORNE JACKET
This Airborne jacket is a perfect piece of gear for your long highway stints. The Roc Tex 600 outer shell provides greater durability. The Big Air ventilation system provides enough ventilation to kick the heat away. The protectors in the shoulder and elbow areas are CE approved and the jacket features a pocket for an optional spine protector. Other features include elastic adjustment straps and loops to attach the jacket with pants. Price Rs 10,500.
04 SIDI VORTICE
Sidi’s Vortice boot is equipped with an array of protectors well hidden into the sleek design of the boot. It features a calf tensioner, a shin tensioner and an instep tensioner which allows you to adjust the boot in various ways without compromising comfort. The heel consists of a special shock absorbing material that protects your feet on impact. Other features include a ventilation system and a lightweight interior lining which offers better flexibility. Price Rs 25,000
05 ALPINESTARS DUAL AIR TEXTILE JACKET
This jacket is constructed using 600 denier polyester, polyester air mesh and airguard fabric. It features bio-armor protectors and a mesh liner construction along with with an over jacket. The chest and back compartments have been provided with CE certified padding. It also has adjustment straps for the waist and cuff and a connecter zipper for attaching the jacket to selected AStars pants. Price 12,000 November 2009
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IGNITION
readers’ page
your trips Who am I? Mukul Bhat Bike : Hero Honda Karizma Trip Log : I decided to go ahead with a three day solo motorcycle trip starting from 28th Aug 2009, to the Mallikarjunaswamy temple of Srisailam - one of twelve Jyotirlingas of India. It is situated on the southern bank of Krishna, on a 457 meter high hill. I left home at 4:30 am from Panvel. With a brief halt at Lonavala, I continued across Pune till Hadapsar reaching by 7 am. After a few snaps at the HP Petrol bunk and refueling, I started for my next destination, Solapur. There is a double road till approximately 20km ahead of Pune and then it’s a single road with very heavy truck traffic. Safe speeds on this stretch can be only around 4050km/h. Solapur came up around 1 pm. After a quick lunch and fuel top up, I was ready to ride towards Hyderabad. Here the roads were awesome with wide shoulders. I could easily maintain three-digit speeds and managed to fly across the state borders. By 4:30 pm, I was at Pathancheru on the outskirts of Hyderabad after completing 633km in 12 hours. I was hoping to take the newly build Jawaharlal Nehru Outer Ring
YOUR STUNTS with the subject line, ‘Your Stunts’.
SEND US YOUR PICS! Get digital. Email your pictures to bikeindia@nextgenpublishing.net,
(Clockwise from top left) : Suman Suresh does a no-hander stoppie on the Honda Dio. Yogesh, a member of the Insane Rydrz club, performing a single hander wheelie with a pillion on the TVS Flame - good balance there buddy. Anurag pulls a standing wheelie on the Pulsar 200. Members of Club Raging Demonz make us smile with these two variants - Karthik on the Kinetic and Navneeth on the Honda Activa. Remember to send us your unedited pictures only at the usual address.
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Road, but the wide sign board with a red across the motorcycle symbol meant that I needed cut across the city. I needed to ask for directions on several occasions that ate up substantial time. It was 6:30 pm by the time I reached the Srisailam road and stopped again for fuel and some snacks. By 7 pm, it was dark and I still had 200km to cover. Since Srisailam is a Tiger Reserve situated in the middle of Nallamalai forests, the forest department closes the road gates at 9:30 pm. I
reached the gates right on time to be included in the last batch of 20 vehicles to cross over to Srisailam. Covering the last 50km of forest in the night on a lone motorcycle was quite an adventure. I reached Srisailam at 11:30 pm. After some struggle to find accommodation, I was cozily asleep in an A/C room at the Temple Trust motel named Ganga Sadan. The next day, I attended a religious pooja at the temple of Sri Mallikarjunaswamy and his consort
Sri Bharamaramba Devi in the morning. After breakfast, I was ready for my return journey by 11 am. With some stops on the way for clicking pictures, I reached the new Rajeev Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad by 4 pm. I refueled myself and the bike and continued towards Solapur. I could once again enjoy zipping across the broad and well textured road surfaces to reach
my destination around 10 pm. As expected, on 30th Aug 2009, I was quite exhausted by the long haul rides of the pervious two days and decided to take it easy. After a proper seven hour sleep and a good heavy breakfast, I was on the final leg of my return journey by 9 am. After a couple of brief stops at Pune, Lonavala and Khopoli, I was back in the loving warmth of my home by 6 pm.
Mukul’s solo three day 1800km road trip on the Karizma took him through various roads as well as different weather conditions
(Clockwise from top left) : It is rare to see riders stunting on twostrokes. Chinny from Bangalore send us these pictures of stand-up wheelies on the Yamaha RXZ. Sumukh Wagh from Pune pulling the Dio for these wheelie variations.
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IGNITION
RIDE SAFE
Safe braking Continuing with the basics, this month BIKE India teaches you how to refine your braking skills. Follow our tips on how to brake effectively without losing control over your bike 42
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Sit tight to deal with retarding force
Synchronised braking
Your sitting position largely determines if you can safely reduce speed without losing control. If you need to brake while riding in a straight line, shift back a little and sit securely with a firm grip on the handlebar. In addition, grip the fuel tank with your knees. This way you can tackle the retardation force even under a hard braking screnario.
Progressively applying the front brake with your index and middle fingers will result in effective braking while also allowing a good grip on the handlebar. Follow it by applying the rear brake in sync for added stopping force. Keep your fingers on the clutch lever but don’t apply them while braking and losing speed. As soon as you reach your desired speed, shift gears accordingly so that the engine doesn’t stall.
While the rear brake is quite effective at slow speeds, it’s the front brake that works better at higher speeds. Squeeze the front brake lever progressively in conjunction with the rear brake which should be pressed gently to avoid the rear wheel from locking up. Remember to keep the handlebar straight during hard braking.
Avoid any Manoeuvre calling for A stoppie Without a firm sitting position, emergency braking with the front brake could result in a stoppie. Refrain from shifting too much weight to the front so that the rear wheel remains grounded to aid braking.
Don’t go hard on the rear brake Emergencies are followed by panic braking which locks the wheels thus setting you off balance. Remember not to go hard on the rear brake. Practice to gently release and apply brakes successively if the wheels get locked
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IGNITION
RIDE SAFE
PractiCe braking under varied conditions
On a downhill section, gravity will not forgive a mistake and you may easily lose control here. It’s better to engage a lower gear and maintain a safe speed. Allow engine braking to do the job. Keep the clutch operation subtle whenever shifting gears.
Practice braking on gravel as well, for you don’t know when you might end up facing such riding scenarios. Many evasive actions lead us to go off the tarmac. Preferably use the rear brake here with a gentle tap on the front one.
Braking becomes easier on uphill roads where gravity works in your favour. Here you can concentrate more on the line you follow and it’s easy to maintain your balance.
Refrain from going hard on the front brake on gravel. A locked front wheel can easily result in loss of traction and your steering ability. This is one of the worst case scenarios. Oil spill on a road can virtually defy the laws of physics if you ride on it without caution. Simply look ahead to avoid such surfaces. In case you run into this, never ever apply the brakes.
Wet roads mean lesser traction. Don’t go for hard braking unless your bike has a specialised set of tyres. Keep your speed under check and you’ll be safe.
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Braking at curves is more critical than on a straight line. Some experts even suggest to avoid braking in corners. Nonetheless you should be prepared for unexpected circumstances. Losing speed before entering a corner is the safest way. If you ever need to brake midcorner, apply the front brake very smoothly while pushing the inner side of the handlebar. Slowly release the lever again as you reach the desired speed. Throughtout the process, you must keep the level of traction
available under check. At curves, speeding vehicles can lose grip far more easily. However, a banked corner allows for safer manoeuvres than the one without it. Take care not to apply and release the brakes instantly as the front end will dip and rebound with a shocking force. Practice effective braking on different surfaces ranging from concrete roads to tarmac to gravel as well as wet surfaces. This will also help you get accustomed to your your bike’s behaviour.
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Keep the brake system under check While your technique matters a lot, it will go in vain if the brake components of your bike are not in a healthy condition. Remember to check the disc brake oil level from time to time. If it falls below the indicated minimum level, get
the fluid changed and refilled with the manufacturer recommended grade. Caution should be taken so that no air bubbles get trapped in the pipe which could dampen braking effect. Check if your rear brake setting
feels adequate to your ankle movement. If not, adjust it accordingly. In case you experience a lack of feel from your brakes despite all requisite settings, check the brake shoes and the disc pads. Get them replaced, if required.
Ride on tyres that are in good shape Tyres and grip play an important role during braking. A good set of tyres will add to your stability. A tyre made of fairly soft rubber compound wears and tears faster but offers very high traction/footing. Similarly, the better
the tyre grips, the more effective your stopping competency will be. This is why you need to check your tyres from time to time. In contrast to an easy rider, a harsh or fast rider may have to change tyres more frequently. Note that a
groove line running around the middle of a front tyre offers enhanced stopping power without skidding. During the rainys, it is recommended to go for a special set of tyres that have additional anti-skidding grips.
I hope our readers will now practice correct braking, one of the most important aspects of riding. It’s an art to stop the bike while still being in full control. Try to get the right balance of foresight, anticipation and planning. As strange as it may sound, it is sometimes better to slowly decelerate than jam on to the
brakes. It is a good idea to brake when you are sitting straight and not leaning or are in midcorner. Most importantly, we have to start using the front brake more because during braking the rear wheel loses traction and tends to lock up which can be hazardous for the rider.
Editor’s Note With the introduction of modern technology, bikes are becoming faster than ever and are equipped with new age braking systems. Unfortunately, most enthusiasts dedicate most of the time trying to achieve the top speed in the shortest possible time and rarely work on their braking skills.
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SHOOTOUT ZMR vs RIVALS
WHO DARES They look smashing, perform brilliantly and make up the Indian performance biking segment. Bunny Punia rides the four bikes - the Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-i, the Hero Honda ZMR, the TVS Apache RTR 180 and the Yamaha YZF-R15 back-to-back and picks the one that justifies the performance tag completely Photography Sanjay Raikar
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SHOOTOUT ZMR vs RIVALS
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HE MORNING SEEMED UNUSUAL for this time of the year. The air was quite nippy and there was a layer of dew on the grass around the roads we were traversing. As we came up a crest, the view of the fog filled the valley in front of us and took our breath away. We stopped to soak in the scenery and switched off our bikes. Suddenly, there was complete silence around us. There was no traffic on the road and the rising sun was still hiding behind layers of clouds. It almost seemed eerie there and hence we decided to do what we do best – ride on! Our machines for this morning included four of the quickest and most powerful locally manufactured motorcycles on sale in India. These bikes not only look good, they all perform (almost) equally well too. Needless to say, these models are on the wish list of every youngster today. Of the four, in the recent past, we have pitted three bikes against each other – the Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-I, the TVS Apache RTR 180 and the Yamaha YZFR15. The newest (and the fourth) contender here comes in the form of the fuel injected 223cc Hero Honda ZMR. Are we in for a fierce battle for a performance champion then? Definitely. The first and the most important feature that matters a lot for customers going in for any Indian performance bike today are its looks. Without a doubt, the little supersport offering from Yamaha
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easily walks away with the crown for being the best looking bike here. With design lines inspired from its bigger sibling the YZF-R1, the R15 looks gracefully sexy and utterly beautiful, no matter which angle you look at it from. The twin cat eyes type headlamps with in-built parking lamps dominates the front. The full fairing flows in nicely, exposing the engine a bit on either side. The black finished exhaust with a silver cap adds a sporty touch, though I personally think, the tail lamp could have been executed in a better way. On the move or while parked on the side stand, the R15 has the ability to turn heads like no other bike in its class. Some probable customers, however, wish the rear tyre was wider which brings me to the bike with the fattest rear here. The Pulsar 220 comes loaded with good bits and pieces to make it look like a muscular and mean bike. Wide tyres up front and at the rear, wide forks, a beefy looking exhaust, a half fairing with projector lamps, an all-black paint scheme to name a few are some of the visual features that Bajaj has incorporated on the biggest bike in the Pulsar stable. This does work wonders and the bike commands a good road presence. The TVS offering, on the other hand, can fool you into believing it is the smaller 160cc variant due to its similar design. However, changes like wider tyres, a stylish RTR font on the tank scoops and a
superbike styled rear fender make it stand apart from its younger sibling. We specially like the model in white with golden finished forks and gas reservoir for the rear shock absorbers. You also can’t help but notice the beautiful looking petal discs – a first in this category of bikes in India. The newest entrant in this segment, the ZMR gets a major visual revamp as compared to the current Karizma. A full body fairing is the talking point here. We got our test bike in white and though the ZMR has massive road presence, not all of us appreciated its new appearance. This is one of those bikes whose looks can take time getting used to. There are exceptionally nice details like the LED rear tail lamp, the faired mounted rear view mirrors, golden finished forks and engine cover, the striking two-piece grab rail and the superb fit and finish levels of body panels. But why couldn’t Hero Honda give us a bike with headlamps inspired from Honda’s numerous twin light higher capacity bikes sold abroad? Swinging a leg over the Hero Honda brings back familiar memories. The saddle is an inviting place to be in and the ergonomics are topnotch including the working of the fairing mounted rear view mirrors which serve their purpose very well. This bike does feel substantially big and tall. Heavy riders will prefer the way the ZMR makes you feel comfortable once astride it. What really
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THE KARIZMA ALWAYS HANDLED WELL. THE ZMR WITH A BETTER REAR SUSPENSION AND TUBELESS TYRES BETTERS ITS PREVIOUS AVATAR SIGNIFICANTLY
1. Love at first sight? Not really, we think. The white colour though looks fantastic and gives the bike immesnse road presence 2. The bike comes with Honda’s HECS (Honda Evolutional Catalysing System) for cleaner emissions. 3. We love the LED tail lamps and the twin grab rails. Fantastic stuff!
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SHOOTOUT ZMR vs RIVALS
grabs your attention is the fully digital speedometer console that has a display for various mandatory things including other features like speedometer, tachometer, odometers, two trip meters, fuel gauge, time, tell tale lights as well as a welcome and goodbye message which can be tailored by the rider to include his (or his girl’s) name in it. The bike’s sitting posture is comfortable with a touch of sportiness due to the new clip-on handlebars. In fact, the bike is so accommodating that I for one wouldn’t mind riding it for a cross-country run. The Karizma has always had a good suspension set-up with a bias towards comfort. With GRS equipped shock absorbers finding their way here too, the ride quality has only improved especially over bad roads. Push the bike hard around a set of twisties and the improvements in the suspension show their worth. The front tyre becomes a little wider and both tyres are now of the tubeless variety – thumbs up to Hero Honda for this. The handling of this bike can be best described as neutral. It doesn’t feel nervous when the rider pushes it hard, but at the same time, it cannot be ridden with the knee down in a manner as easy as say the Yamaha through corners. What this bike does best is cruise lazily on the highway, munching away miles at triple digit speeds and taking care of the occasional pothole or bump with utter ease. In
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city traffic, it is nimble, though the bike’s 159kg kerb weight makes its presence felt easily. On the other hand the R15, true to its inherited genes, has a sporty riding stance. It begs you into crouching down at high speeds, to make full use of the aerodynamic fairing. And even while doing so, it doesn’t feel uncomfortable unless you are a very tall rider. The ergonomics are very good from a sport biking point of view. The seat is exceptionally comfortable for such a bike, the rear view mirrors give a good view of the traffic behind and the clocks look and perform well. Ride the R15 back-to-back with each of the other three bikes and you can go on and on talking about how different it feels. All the efforts that have been put in behind making this mini Yamaha seem to have paid off. This is the bike to own if you love corners. The R15 will happily teach noobs the art of cornering and at the same time, it will keep the experienced owner happy with its ability to make the rider touch down his knees when the tarmac and road conditions allow. On the highway, the bike excels with the only bother being the windblast hitting your chest until unless you crouch down indefinitely. The monoshock suspension is non-adjustable but surprisingly it works very well through a variety of road conditions. The rear holds well through midcorner bumps as well as over bad roads while
commuting in the city. Speaking of which, of the four, this bike loses out when it comes to negotiating rush hour traffic. Your wrists do take a beating in start-stop traffic, but if a fun city bike is what you desire, it is the RTR 180 that you need to look at. Instant throttle response combined with nimble and agile handling gives the TVS the best characteristics for being a practical yet fun bike for city commuting. Its riding posture might not be to everyone’s liking as it is more on the sportier side. Unlike the ZMR and the R15, you also feel as if you are perched higher on the bike. The speedometer console looks terrific after the sun sets, although the seat feels like it is on the firmer side. This is also a bike that can handle a lot of high speed highway riding. Some of us appreciated the TVS for its ability to be a hoot around corners. It may not be as encouraging to push as the R15 but spend some time with the bike and you soon learn the art of leaning it around curves. You may also be surprised by its abilities to bring grinning from ear to ear moments from time to time. The suspension, however, could have been better we feel. Jump onto the fourth bike here, the Bajaj Pulsar 220 and you will be surprised. Like the RTR, on this bike too you feel as if you are sitting too high. The seat feels firm and the ergonomics are biased
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towards sportiness. The console looks great and small features like the back light for the switchgear makes the rider feel that his money has been well spent. This bike too faces issues with the suspension. Lean in hard into a corner with bumps and you can easily feel the rear of the bike giving way. Ride the bike hard over bad roads and again the harsh suspension makes itself felt. This isn’t the best bike here for corners but hit the highways at high speeds and its reassuring solid feel is hard to match in this class. Credit for this goes to the bike’s wide forks and wide tyres as well as its long wheelbase. Inside the city, the 220 feels at home but the wide turning radius can be an issue in tight situations. The engines on all these bikes are as different as chalk and cheese. The smallest of the four here is the R15 but size doesn’t always matter. It might sport a tiny 149.8cc mill but this one gets liquid cooling, four valves and a host of other technologies that make sure it performs like a much bigger engine. The maximum power output of 17PS might not be tyre shredding but when you have a bike that weighs just 136kg with a nicely worked six-speed gearbox, outright performance does turn out to be nice. A 0-60km/h timing of 4.95seconds and a 0-100km/h timing of 13.85seconds is praiseworthy for a 150cc bike. The beauty of the engine, however, comes alive once
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1. Of the four, the ZMR sports the best looking and the most informative clocks. The tachometer has a white lit background colour 2. A rear disc and GRS shocks picked up from the Hunk are welcome additions. The rear tyre size remains the same though 3. The front tyre gets wider to 80mm now. Disc and forks remain the same 4. The R15 - the place to be in if you love riding hard 5. The Pulsar 220 - the console looks good at night. So does the backlit switchgear 6. The RTR - racing strips add a sporty touch
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you get past the 6000rpm mark. It must be noted that the R15’s engine is imported into India and the level of engineering that has gone into the motor is tremendous. It begs to be revved hard – keep the rpm needle near the red zone and the R15 is hard to catch. The six-speed gearbox also helps when it comes to extracting a good top end. Given the road, the bike achieves a true whack of 130.2km/h. The only downside I see here is the lack of low end punch. This is reflected in the rollon timings too with the bike being the slowest in the 30-70km/h run in the third and fourth cogs. The next biggest engine comes fitted on the RTR. The 177.4cc mill is derived from the younger RTR 160 and traces its roots back to the days of the old Apache 150. In this form, it develops 17.3PS of power along with 15.5Nm of torque – almost identical to what the R15 manages. However true to the saying ‘there is no replacement for displacement’, the RTR performs very well managing to fly past the 60km/h mark in under 4.7seconds and taking just 13.2seconds for the 0-100km/h sprint. This bike also boasts a strong midrange that is reflected in its best in class roll-on timings. The only grouse I have with this TVS is the level of vibrations that creep in via the handlebars and the footpegs when you give it the stick. The five-speed gearbox could also do with a better (smoother) gearshift.
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OVERALL 11112 HERO HONDA ZMR
ROAD TEST # 77
PRICE Rs 91,000 (ex-showroom)
Saddle Height 795mm
Height 1175mm
GENERAL DATA
Ground Clearance 159mm Wheelbase 1350mm Length 2110mm
Width 805mm Kerb Weight 159kg Battery 12 V / 6.0 Ah MF Battery, Digital speedometer, odometer, tachometer
FUEL ECONOMY
11112
Overall* Highway City Fuel Tank Capacity(usable) Range *is 75% city riding and 25% highway
47.5 kmpl 58 kmpl 44 kmpl 15 litres 712.5 kms
ENGINE
11112
Type Displacement Bore x Stroke Valvetrain Comp Ratio Fuel supply Max power Max torque Power To Weight Ignition
4-st,single cylinder with oil cooler 223 cc 65.5mm x 66.2mm OHC, 2 valves 9.0:1 PGM-FI 17.84PS@7000rpm 18.35Nm@6000rpm 112.2 PS/ton DC-FTIS (fully transistorized ignition system) Electric
Starting
TRANSMISSION
11112
Clutch Gears Gearshift Pattern Primary Drive Final Drive
Wet, Multiplate 5-speed 1-down, 4-up Gear Chain
CHASSIS
11112
Type Suspension (Front) Suspension (Rear) Brakes (Front) Brakes (Rear) Tyre (Front) Tyre (Rear)
Tubular single cradle with diamond frame Telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers 5-step adjustable iGRS system 276mm dia single disc brake 240mm dia drum 80/100 x 18 - tubeless 100/90 x 18 - tubeless
PERFORMANCE 120
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ACCELERATION
100
13.80
80
8.33
60
2.55
20
1.10 TIME, SECONDS 0
2
4
6
8
Standing Quarter Mile (0-400m) ROLL - ON 30-70 km/h MAX SPEEDS IN GEARS 1 2 3 4 5 BRAKING 60km/h to standstill 80km/h to standstill
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GEAR CHECK
4.70
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The Pulsar 220 has always been the performance king of small capacity bikes in India. With the new carb variant, its power went up to a claimed 21.04PS with 19.12Nm of torque. It does weigh more than the previous two bikes discussed above, but nevertheless, performs impressively when the right wrist is wringed. With a 0-100km/h timing of 13.1seconds, this bike remains the quickest accelerating motorcycle in India. It also registers a good top whack of a genuine 132.5km/h or 140+ on its digital speedometer. The punchy low and midrange reflect in the roll-on figures which are second only to the RTR. This is due to its maximum torque coming at 7000rpm the highest here. Vibrations and harshness are well controlled on this bike, being significantly noticeable only when you cross the 65007000rpm mark. The ZMR has the same 223cc motor like the original Karizma. It now gets Honda’s well known PGM-Fi unit and along with other minor changes, the maximum power jumps slightly to 17.84PS at a low 7000rpm. The torque, however, remains the same at 18.35Nm. This engine has always been appreciated for its fuss-free nature as well as punchy midrange and this version only betters it. The throttle response is very good without being jerky and the motor
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18.60s@109.58km/h 4th 5th 6th 5.78 8.75 10.0 True Speed Indicated Speed 41.4km/h 41km/h 66.04km/h 66km/h 89.81km/h 90km/h 114.51km/h 115km/h 126.67km/h 127km/h
feels eager to build up speeds. The speedometer is the most accurate here with no error whatsoever. So while your friends on the other three bikes might end up flaunting videos of themselves doing 130km/h or more on the speedometer, the ZMR will top out at a true 127km/h with a similar display on the console too. The bike’s acceleration has improved but only marginally. This was expected as the kerb weight has been pushed to a porky 159kg. Hero Honda isn’t boasting about any figures in their promotions either. For the record, we managed a 4.7second 0-60km/h dash and a 13.8second 0-100km/h sprint. But this bike has never been about out and out performance. The Karizma has earned a reputation for being a tourer’s delight and this one takes this appreciation to a new level. The bike will happily do Delhi to Mumbai or Chennai to Vizag high speed runs with ease. One thing I noticed was the bike’s increased vibrations at high revs – we reckon this is probably due to improper tightening of engine mountings. All bikes here fare decently in fuel efficiency runs and there isn’t much of a difference. Yes, the R15 is made for a purpose and hence you do lose out a bit on the efficiency front. The ZMR with added benefits of the FI and a softly tuned engine turns out to be most efficient here.
GEAR CHECK
Rider: Bunny Punia
Rider: Sawan Sekhar Hembram
Helmet Jacket Gloves Boots
Helmet Jacket Gloves Boots
Sparx S07 Pow Blue KRP Blizzard DSG Spidi XPD XP5
GEAR CHECK
Vega Boolean Angels Racing DSG Woodland
GEAR CHECK
Rider: Adhish Alawani
Rider: Ravi K. Chandnani
Helmet Jacket Gloves Boots
Helmet Jacket Gloves Boots
Shark S-500 Air DSG Nero Spidi Strada Spidi XPD XP5-GP
Daijya Spidi Mio DSG Spidi XPD XP5-GP
18.41metres / 2.07s 36.80metres / 3.07s
Performance testing by Adhish Alawani
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SHOOTOUT ZMR vs RIVALS
THE ZMR REMAINS A STUNTER’S DELIGHT. IT PICKS UP THE FRONT WHEEL EASILY AND THE LONG WHEELBASE AIDS IN IMPARTING A STABLE FEEL AS WELL November 2009
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SHOOTOUT ZMR vs RIVALS
VERDICT
Pricing has always played an important role in India. And it does so here in our quest for crowning India’s best locally manufactured performance bike too. Every bike has its own share of good and bad points. The TVS Apache RTR at an ex-showroom price of under Rs 64,000 is shattering value for money. It is the second fastest bike here with a ballistic midrange grunt for city riding. It is nimble enough for commuting and will still take on duties as a tourer. Only if the NVH (noise, vibrations and harshness) levels were better, the RTR would have been a great contender for the crown here. Next on the pricing front is the Bajaj Pulsar 220. For six grand more than the TVS, you get a lot more. More power, more refinement, more features and most importantly, the quickest and the fastest sub-250cc bike you can buy in India today. But it does come with its own share of issues – the suspension for one and secondly, cornering abilities. If you want a bike for performance though, look no further. The Hero Honda ZMR at Rs 91,000 (exshowroom) does seem a tad expensive. No doubt it comes with additional features (over a Karizma) like fuel injection, rear disc, GRS shock absorbers, a full fairing, and a fully digital console. Additionally, the bike performs flawlessly, but some of us here at BIKE India really didn’t appreciate its new look. Nonetheless, the ZMR is a smooth operator, will hold its resale value well and comes with Hero Honda’s legendary reliability. The priciest of the lot here is the Yamaha YZF-R15. At close to a lakh (exshowroom), the bike does have a high sticker price. But after you ride all the bikes back-to-back, it is the R15 you want to ride again and again and yet again. It looks smashing, handles like a dream and has enough technological marvels going in its favour – essential ingredients to justify the word ‘performance’. The only factor that makes you want to rethink is its asking price. There is a reason why two-wheeler loans exist, right? Go and live your dream young fellas.
IN A NUTSHELL Value for money Best performance Best for city Best for touring Best for corner cravings Overall
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TVS Apache RTR 180 Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-i TVS Apache RTR 180 Hero Honda ZMR Yamaha YZF-R15 Read our verdict
QUICK FACTS
Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-i
TVS Apache RTR 180
Yamaha YZF-R15
Hero Honda ZMR
Displacement Maximum power Maximum torque 0-60 (sec) 0-100 (sec) Top speed (km/h) ROLL-ON (30-70km/h)
220 cc 21.04 PS @ 8500rpm 19.12 Nm @ 7000rpm 4.7 13.1 132.5 3rd 4th
5th
177.4 cc 17.3 PS @ 8500rpm 15.5 Nm @ 6500 rpm 4.64 13.2 124 3rd 4th
5th
149.8 cc 17 PS @ 8500rpm 15 Nm @ 6500rpm 4.95 13.85 130.2 3rd 4th
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223 cc 17.84 PS @ 7000rpm 18.35 Nm @ 6000rpm 4.7 13.8 127 3rd 4th
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ROAD TEST NINJA 250R
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A New Era Begins Bunny Punia feels the world’s best 250cc motorcycle has been worth the wait. But is it worth every single penny? Photography Sanjay Raikar
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ROAD TEST NINJA 250R
THIS BABY NINJA LOOKS DELICIOUSLY SEXY IN KAWASAKI’S RACING GREEN COLOUR WHILE STANDING STILL AS WELL AS ON THE MOVE
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t won’t be wrong to say that the bike you see on these pages is probably the most speculated, hyped and awaited motorcycle in the history of Indian two-wheelers. Since it was first showcased at the 2008 Auto Expo in New Delhi, enthusiasts have been waiting patiently for the Ninja 250 to be launched commercially by Bajaj. Before the patience of thousands of local bikers and Ninja fans turned into sore disappointment, the Pune-based manufacturer finally decided to take the right step and uncovered the baby Ninja as well as, most importantly, disclosed the bike’s pricing for the Indian masses last month. Many people say that the bike has come too late and at a price too steep. I do agree with the first statement but for the second argument, all I can say is that one needs to be in the saddle of this bike to really feel and experience true entry-level sports biking in its purest form. The Ninja 250 had been selling pretty well in various countries
without any major changes for over two decades. In 2008, the motorcycle got its first major revamp on every single front – from the design to the engine – and the modern Ninja 250R was born. What we have here is the 2010 model which remains more or less unchanged from the 2008 variant. However, the bike will be sold in only two colour options in India, namely the classic Kawasaki lime green and the all-black version which is called the Ebony in a few markets. The former colour variant, for the year 2010, gets a black rear body panel along with a green seat and a black exhaust instead of the chrome one on earlier models. Visually, this baby Ninja has a very strong character. It looks like a bigger machine and has the right amount of curves with minimal graphics running along its length. The twin front headlamps (one works all the time, similar to the bikes available abroad) look distinctive from a distance but the stupid Indian government regulations mean that the position of
the front number plate spoils the mood a bit. Side on, this bike looks the best – the full fairing, petal discs up front and at the rear, the beefy 2x1 exhaust with dual catalysers (do I smell prospective owners already thinking about aftermarket units?) and the raised rear go a long way in making the Ninja the prettiest thing on two-wheels this side of the bigger superbikes in the country. Look closely and you notice bungee hooks below the pillion seat – a boost for tourers. Even though the bike is assembled in India and imported from Thailand as a CKD (Completely Knocked Down) unit, on closer inspection, we found the overall quality of the workmanship and the fit-finish to be perfect. Swing a leg over and suddenly the big looking small bike seems to shrink. To start with, the fuel tank (in spite of having a capacity of 17 litres) does feel small. The seat height of 790mm is low by sport bikes’ standards. Another thing that really disappoints you is the analogue speedometer console which frankly looks very ‘90s. This
bike will be sold in India without a single change from the versions sold abroad and hence the dated looking console. Don’t be discouraged by the above lines though as the moment you bend down a bit, hold onto the clip-on handlebars and thumb the starter, the fun begins. The parallel twin, 249cc, liquid cooled, fuel injected, eight valve motor immediately sets into a slightly high set idling. It doesn’t really sound very exciting until you rev it. Shift into the first, raise the revs, dump the clutch and the next few moments will change your perception towards 250cc bikes completely. This Ninja is the same European model which means we get 33 ponnies on offer along with 22Nm of torque. The bike weighs in at 172 kilos (kerb weight with fuel and oil). This number is three kilos more than the UK model due to the extra weight of the saree guard and the number plate which means the bike has a power-to-weight ratio of 191.8PS per tonne. Impressive? You bet.
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ROAD TEST NINJA 250R 1
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1. This is the only disappointing feature in the bike - the analogue clocks look dated but then, the bike remains unchanged from the version sold abroad! A good rider (on a long open road) can see 165-170km/h on the speedometer with ease 2. The clip-ons are sporty wiithout being too low. The Ninja can be a good companion for long rides 3. The IRC tyres work well: 110mm up front and 130mm at the rear. The rear disc works well with a positive feedback. The 2010 version comes with a black exhaust and in my opinion looks better 4. The little Ninja gets all the design elements of a full capacity superbike. Pillions will notice the lack of a grab rail - good for guys taking the fairer sex out for a spin though! 5. The liquid cooled parallel twin engine works brilliantly, especially once the tacho needle inches towards the 10,000 mark 6. Beautiful, gorgeous, graceful, sexy - pick your word!
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OVERALL 11111 KAWASAKI NINJA 250R ROAD TEST # 78 PRICE Rs 2.96 lakh (ex-showroom)
Saddle Height 790mm
Height 1115mm
GENERAL DATA
Ground Clearance 135mm Wheelbase 1400mm Length 2085mm
Width 715mm Kerb Weight 172kg Battery 12 V / 12.0 Ah, analogue speedometer, odometer, tachometer
Second Opinion The Powerful Green The Ninja’s task is to infiltrate, combat and emerge victorious after assassinating its enemies. Though the baby Ninja doesn’t really have any enemies in the Indian market, I feel that it has emerged victorious in every sense. The Kwacker looks sensational especially in its green dress (I personally don’t like the black tail and green seat funda though). Leaving aside the looks of the bike, the Ninja 250R is a brilliant performer. Extreme refinement, linear power delivery and a peaceful exhaust note make you feel that you are riding something not as fast as a Ninja. However, twist your right wrist and glance at the dated instrumentation console to witness the prowess of the green. It will take you past 100km/h quicker than any other bike in India (not considering those CBU bikes sold in the market) and will max out past 165km/h (on the speedo). The IRC tyres on the bike provide a good grip around corners and the tube diamond frame surprisingly lends amazing handling abilities to the 250R. Pointing the bike heavenwards is no big deal as well. Show the rev friendly engine slightly higher revs and dump the clutch to feel one wheel ecstasy. My final take on the bike? It is a pure Kwacker with a slightly steep price tag. Ride it to get the price tag justification.
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FUEL ECONOMY
NA
Overall* Highway City Fuel Tank Capacity(usable) Range *is 75% city riding and 25% highway
N/A kmpl N/A kmpl N/A kmpl 17 litres N/A kms
ENGINE
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Type Displacement Bore x Stroke Valvetrain Comp Ratio Fuel supply Max power Max torque Power To Weight Ignition Starting
4-st, parallel twin, liquid-cooled 249 cc 62.0mm x 41.2mm DOHC, 8-valves 11.6:1 Fuel Injection 33PS@11000rpm 22Nm@8200rpm 191.86 PS/ton Digital Electric
TRANSMISSION
11111
Clutch Gears Gearshift Pattern Primary Drive Final Drive
Wet, Multiplate 6-speed 1-down, 5-up Gear Chain
CHASSIS
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Type Tube diamond, steel Suspension (Front) 37mm telescopic fork Suspension (Rear) Bottom-Link Uni-Trak with gas charged shock absorbers with 5-way adjustable preload Brakes (Front) Single 290mm dia petal disc Brakes (Rear) Single 220mm dia petal disc Tyre (Front) 110/70–17 Tyre (Rear) 130/70-17
PERFORMANCE 120
11111 12.60
ACCELERATION
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7.95 5.01
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2.98
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40 20 0
0.70 TIME, SECONDS 0
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Standing Quarter Mile (0-400m) ROLL - ON 30-70 km/h MAX SPEEDS IN GEARS 1 2 3 4 5 6 BRAKING* 100km/h to standstill 80km/h to standstill
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15.86s@128.9km/h 4th 5th 6th 7.36 9.39 11.3 True Speed Indicated Speed 59.8km/h 62km/h 87.2km/h 93km/h 110.7km/h 117km/h 134.6km/h 140km/h 152.1km/h 161km/h N/A N/A 52.29metres / 3.67s 29.25metres / 2.86s
Performance testing by Aspi Bhathena and Adhish Alawani
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ROAD TEST NINJA 250R
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GEAR CHECK Rider: Aspi Bhathena Helmet Suit Gloves Boots
With Aspi in the saddle and our test equipment strapped on, the bike managed a naught to 60km/h timing of 2.98 seconds. Zero to 100km/h came up in just 7.9 seconds and the way this Kawasaki continued to gather speeds was simply amazing for a small capacity bike. With a limited straight of just 1.1km at the Bajaj test track, exiting the last left hander in third and pinning the throttle hard saw the test equipment register a true whack of 152km/h. Mind you, this was in fifth with another gear to go. We believe that given the road, this little screamer will go onto hit a genuine 160km/h or around 170km/h on the speedometer. Brilliant! What is also impressive is the way the engine feels at high speeds – completely fuss free with enough power in reserve. We expect the bike to run around 25km to a litre in city traffic and while on the highway, the tall sixth gear should help extract good numbers while touring as well. But the Ninja is not just about out and out performance. For one, the little two cylinder mill being short stroke, loves being revved and while doing so, it remains almost
The bike not only looks great but also performs impressively and handles like a dream. we couldn’t have asked for more vibration free. A lot of credit for this goes to the 180 degree crank which helps when it comes to a smooth and free revving character. Like its bigger brother, the ZX-6R, this bike also features dual throttle valves which aid responsiveness across the rev range. The Ninja also has a linear yet terrific midrange, although in the limited riding environment, I really couldn’t judge how well the bike would fare in day-to-day traffic. What I could easily evaluate however was the nimble, effortless and forgiving handling of the bike. The 37mm telescopic front forks and Kawasaki’s UNI-TRAK rear suspension along with the rugged diamond shaped frame and a beefy square cross-section swingarm go a long way in giving the bike a very sweet handling nature. Further, the 110mm front and 130mm rear IRC tyres also lend a helping hand in the way they hug the road. While
flicking the bike around the test track or gunning the throttle hard through high speed curves, the Ninja felt like no other small capacity bike in India today. Yes, that is a very strong statement but it is a fact. You can aim the bike in the intended direction without losing composure and take the exact line you want to with perfect ease. The punchy, high revving nature of the motor also helps as you can stick to a lower gear and rev the hell out of the small engine without losing steam on most occasions. The braking feedback is impressive too aided by the 290mm front and 220mm rear brakes work more than exceptionally well. Before I took the bike for a spin, I already knew its retail price. Yes, I was disappointed like thousands of others but after a half hour riding and thrashing session, my perception changed. This is a bike that draws its lineage from the
KBC Spidi R-Corse Arlen Ness XPD XP-5
legendary larger Ninjas. Its rides and feels like one too, albeit in a toned down way. It looks absolutely ravishing and will satisfy those looking for an exhilarating performance too. Being backed by Bajaj’s Probiking network is another added advantage. We are told that spares have already reached dealers and full backup support will be provided to Ninja owners. At Rs 2.69 lakh (exshowroom), I don’t deny that the bike isn’t cheap. Given the fact that it is imported from Thailand (with which India has a FTA agreement) as a CKD unit, I feel it was possible for Bajaj to have a lower price tag. But then who said fun, excitement and involvement come cheap? The Kawasaki Ninja 250R is a practical sports bike too and its full potential can be easily extracted on Indian roads. At the same time, it has more than enough juice for owners to have ‘grinning from ear to ear’ moments inside the helmet every day. Those who understand the value and meaning of taking the first real step into the world of genuine and legal superbikes will surely look no further. November 2009
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FIRST RIDE TRIUMPH ROCKET III
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ALERT!!! “ROCKET INFILTRATING”
The new Triumph Rocket III betrays family (cruiser) virtues and enters the ‘muscle bike’ territory
It may be enormous and heavy but the Rocket handles quite well for a cruiser.
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FIRST RIDE TRIUMPH ROCKET III
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A…HEY! I KNEW THE Rocket III Roadster had lots of grunt, but I hadn’t expected this. Accelerating onto the first, slightly damp roundabout, a few minutes after setting out from Triumph’s factory at Hinckley, I opened the throttle gently and found the enormous, 240-section rear Metzeler spinning up, fortunately in a straight line, as it was overwhelmed by the three-cylinder engine’s monstrous torque. That unplanned slide (shortly followed by a few more deliberate ones...) was a useful warning that the Roadster required treating with respect, especially on slippery roads. Not that this exactly came as a surprise. After all, taking Triumph’s already outrageous Rocket III and
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tuning it for more power and torque was always going to result in a machine with seriously lively throttle response. There’s a bit more to the Rocket Roadster than engine performance, mind you. Just over five years after the launch of the original Rocket, Triumph has created a revamped model that is designed to shift emphasis away from the cruiser sector and towards the musclebike territory where the likes of Yamaha’s V-Max and Harley’s V-Rod Muscle lock horns. That original Rocket III made a big impact with its sheer size, unique look and improbably sound handling. And especially, of course, with its 137bhp in-line three-cylinder engine, whose 2294cc capacity made it the world’s largest
purpose-built motorcycle powerplant and whose peak torque output of 194Nm was unapproached by any other production bike. The Rocket made a sizeable impression on the sales charts, too, and started a family of three-pot giants. The original model was followed in 2006 by the Classic variant with its screen and panniers, and a year later by the even more comprehensively equipped Rocket III Touring. Total Rocket III sales have now passed 18,000, a healthy figure for a high-end niche model. And now the Rocket has been given some extra aggression. Triumph’s thinking is that they now have the Thunderbird to satisfy cruiser riders, so can afford to shift the big triple towards the standard roadster class — hence its name.
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Whoa! With all that prodigous torque on tap, wheelie-ing the Rocket III is not as difficult as it looks
Ride one of these in black and watch everybody give you way instantly
Along with some extra stomp, the Roadster gets revised ergonomics, rear suspension and brakes. And it has a simpler new look, combining chrome with a Henry Ford inspired paint option of either metallic or matt black. Finding some extra heft from such a vast, under-stressed powerplant was never likely to tax the Hinckley development team unduly. In fact they didn’t even need to change the main part of the liquid-cooled, DOHC 12-valve engine. All the extra performance comes from the freer-flowing exhaust system, which now contains the catalytic converters in the twin silencers and from the injection system that is modified to suit. The gain is worthwhile, even so. Maximum power goes up by 9bhp to 146bhp at 5750rpm, while peak torque is increased by 14 percent to a mind boggling 221Nm — over double the output of Triumph’s not exactly gutless Speed Triple. The
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clutch and drive-shaft are strengthened to cope. Other engine detail changes include a revised camshaft drive to reduce noise and a gearbox tweak to improve selection. There’s no change to the tubular steel twin-spine frame, nor (except for a new black finish) to the 43mm Kayaba upside-down forks, which are kicked out at a lazy 32 degrees. But the rear shock springs are 20 per cent softer, with damping adjusted to suit. Although the front brake set-up of 320mm discs and four-piston calipers is unchanged, the Roadster adds ABS as standard fitment. Other mods are related to ergonomics. The wide, raised one-piece handlebar remains, but both rider’s and pillion’s halves of the seat are reshaped. The rider’s footrests have been shifted 123mm backwards and 22mm down. The instrument panel has also been revamped to include clock, gear position indicator and fuel gauge.
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1 The Rocket’s twin round headlamps are reminiscent of the Speed and the Street Triple 2 Four piston calipers and 320mm discs now get ABS for better safety 3 The teardrop-shaped tail lamp is a work of art good enough to adorn your living room
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FIRST RIDE TRIUMPH ROCKET III 1
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The chrome-rimmed twin dials are retained, so the view from the low seat across the broad black petrol tank was familiar. So too was the slight torque-rock to the right as the big motor’s 17kg of longitudinal crankshaft began spinning (despite the contra-rotating balance and drive shafts). But the sound from the new exhaust system was distinctly different — a deep, gruff three-cylinder grumble that added an air of menace as I let out the light action clutch to pull away. My first thought on lifting my feet up to the footrests was that if this is what the pegs are like 4 A mere glimpse of that badge should be enough to send shivers down other bikers’ spine........... 5 ..........while the new Roadster badge now adorns the engine’s flanks 6 If you have seen a bigger radiator on any other bike, shoot us an e-mail ASAP
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after being moved back a fair way, they must have been well forward beforehand. These are rearsets only by cruiser standards, and for most riders the change will be welcome, especially as it gives some added leg-room. After that initial impression I didn’t think about the footrest position, which is a sign that it was pretty well right. The extra sound and more natural riding position made the Roadster better at what the Rocket was always good at: tooling along feeling relaxed and full of character — and with a mighty jolt of acceleration just waiting to be unleashed at the drop of a right wrist. Not that I got too carried away on the damp roads around Hinckley early on, after that early reminder of how easily this brute could be provoked. Despite the conditions the Roadster was great fun and effortlessly quick. The 120 degree
1 The exhaust system is now 3-1-2 2 The twin-pod instrumentation console is quite basic, in keeping with the cruiser theme 3 The footrests have been moved backwards and downwards for added rider comfort
crankshaft motor was very smooth, but produced just enough vibration to feel involving. And the bike was so grunty that it pulled uncomplainingly from as low as 1500rpm without complaint, helped by flawless fuelling and by a torque curve that peaks at just 2750rpm. The broad power delivery meant the fivespeed gearbox didn’t get much use, but the sweeter change was welcome all the same. (The original Rocket’s ‘box wasn’t great.) My left foot didn’t twitch as the Roadster burbled south along the highway at about 130km/h, with just 3000rpm on the clock and an instant burst of acceleration just waiting to be
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FIRST RIDE TRIUMPH ROCKET III 1
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The chrome-rimmed twin dials are retained, so the view from the low seat across the broad black petrol tank was familiar. So too was the slight torque-rock to the right as the big motor’s 17kg of longitudinal crankshaft began spinning (despite the contra-rotating balance and drive shafts). But the sound from the new exhaust system was distinctly different — a deep, gruff three-cylinder grumble that added an air of menace as I let out the light action clutch to pull away. My first thought on lifting my feet up to the footrests was that if this is what the pegs are like 4 A mere glimpse of that badge should be enough to send shivers down other bikers’ spine........... 5 ..........while the new Roadster badge now adorns the engine’s flanks 6 If you have seen a bigger radiator on any other bike, shoot us an e-mail ASAP
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after being moved back a fair way, they must have been well forward beforehand. These are rearsets only by cruiser standards, and for most riders the change will be welcome, especially as it gives some added leg-room. After that initial impression I didn’t think about the footrest position, which is a sign that it was pretty well right. The extra sound and more natural riding position made the Roadster better at what the Rocket was always good at: tooling along feeling relaxed and full of character — and with a mighty jolt of acceleration just waiting to be unleashed at the drop of a right wrist. Not that I got too carried away on the damp roads around Hinckley early on, after that early reminder of how easily this brute could be provoked. Despite the conditions the Roadster was great fun and effortlessly quick. The 120 degree
1 The exhaust system is now 3-1-2 2 The twin-pod instrumentation console is quite basic, in keeping with the cruiser theme 3 The footrests have been moved backwards and downwards for added rider comfort
crankshaft motor was very smooth, but produced just enough vibration to feel involving. And the bike was so grunty that it pulled uncomplainingly from as low as 1500rpm without complaint, helped by flawless fuelling and by a torque curve that peaks at just 2750rpm. The broad power delivery meant the fivespeed gearbox didn’t get much use, but the sweeter change was welcome all the same. (The original Rocket’s ‘box wasn’t great.) My left foot didn’t twitch as the Roadster burbled south along the highway at about 130km/h, with just 3000rpm on the clock and an instant burst of acceleration just waiting to be
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THE EXTRA SOUND AND MORE NATURAL RIDING POSITION MADE THE ROADSTER BETTER AT WHAT THE ROCKET WAS ALWAYS GOOD AT: TOOLING ALONG FEELING RELAXED AND FULL OF CHARACTER November 2009
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FIRST RIDE TRIUMPH ROCKET III
unleashed every time my neck muscles needed some exercise. My only slight disappointment was that although the Rocket blasted through the 150km/h mark as though heading into orbit, it ran out of breath at a curiously early indicated 200km/h. I later discovered that it’s electronically limited to 193km/h, rather than 217km/h as before, because above that speed Triumph’s increasingly stringent stability tests detected a slight weave during worse-case scenario riding with heavy load and worn tyres. Stability on my ride was absolutely fine, which was no surprise given the strong frame (which uses the motor as a stressed member), conservative steering geometry and bus-like 1695mm wheelbase. I was again impressed by how well a Rocket handled, helped by those wide handlebars to get it turning and by the suspension that managed to give a comfortable ride while keeping 367kg of fuelled-up Roadster under improbably good control. The Triumph was even easy to manoeuvre at slow speed, helped by its length and its fat Metzeler Marathons, the 150/80-section front of which is broad enough to fit the rear of most bikes. The Marathons are presumably
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named in recognition of their longevity rather than their grip, as one rider confirmed when he leaned too far in a damp bend during the photo session and went down unhurt in a shower of sparks. When the roads dried out later in the day there was enough grip to use more of the reasonable ground clearance, which is unchanged as the footrests are narrower as well as lower. There was no danger of skidding under braking, whatever the conditions. Triumph’s ABS doesn’t rival Honda’s latest system for sophistication, but worked fine and is a worthwhile addition on a bike as heavy as this. Especially as Triumph have managed to add ABS plus the extra performance while making the Roadster cheaper than the Rocket it replaces. That price cut is well timed, even though many owners will doubtless spend the savings on an accessory list that includes everything from screens and panniers to chrome extras and tuning parts. More importantly, Triumph’s big triple is even torquier, more comfortable, better braked and has more giant-triple character than its predecessor. The Rocket III was an improbably good bike when it was a cruiser. As a Roadster, it’s better than ever.
SPEC SHEET Triumph Rocket III Roadster Engine type Valve arrangement Displacement Bore x stroke Compression ratio Carburation Maximum power Maximum torque Clutch Transmission Front suspension
Liquid-cooled inline triple DOHC, 12 valves 2294cc 101.6 x 94.3mm 8.7:1 Digital fuel-injection, 52mm bodies 146bhp @ 5750rpm 221Nm @ 2750rpm Wet multiplate 5-speed, shaft final drive 43mm inverted telescopic
Rear suspension Front brake
Twin shocks, adjustments for preload Four-piston calipers, 2 x 320mm discs with ABS
Rear brake
Twin-piston caliper, 316mm disc with ABS 3.5 x 17in, cast aluminium 7.5 x 16in, cast aluminium 150/80 x 17in Metzeler Marathon ME880 240/50 x 16in Metzeler Marathon ME880 32 degrees/148mm 1695mm 740mm 24 litres 367kg
Front wheel Rear wheel Front tyre Rear tyre Rake/trail Wheelbase Seat height Fuel capacity Dry weight
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E N O E T R IF MS I R B
ROAD TEST TVS FLAME SR 125
k s e i loo . m w s Fla ne ture S a a s TV ith r fe ask e w e , Th ack ett th it ar b d b or kht an it w d A Is aee S
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HY P RA G O OT H P
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Y JA N SA
R KA I RA
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HEN THE FLAME WAS FIRST LAUNCHED, IT created quite a stir in biking circles for its DeltaEdge styling, fighter craft inspired bodywork and the bundle of features that came with it. Sadly, due to some legal wrangles over copyright infringement, the bike had to go back to the drawing board sooner than expected. Now TVS has introduced a new variant of the Flame badged the Flame SR 125 - with new colours and a bigger spec sheet. Let’s take a closer look. The first thing that strikes you about the Flame is its luscious paintjob done up in vibrant colours. The bike’s older iteration was no ugly duckling, but this one is simply gorgeous. Now available in vibrant blue, it outclasses most of the present 125cc bikes by a fair margin. It is all wedges and slash-cuts wherever you look, lending the bike a very bold and edgy look. The twinpiece tail lamps surrounded by black plastic panels looks uber cool and the pillion grab rail is also tastefully designed. The angular side indicators integrated into the fuel tank shrouds look smashing while the cubbyhole in the fuel tank itself is pure genius. However, it decreases the fuel capacity to a meager eight litres. The ergonomics are top notch; everything feels solidly built and made to last. The seat is narrow but quite comfortable. The biggest visible change on the SR 125 is the wider 100/90 tyre that adorns the black mag alloy wheel at the rear. Coupled with the 90 section front tyre, the bike features the widest tyres in its class. Together they impart a macho edge to the DeltaEdge styling of the Flame. The instrument console remains the same analog speedo-digital odometer/tripmeter combo with a real time mileage indicator, clock and fuel gauge. There are also power and economy mode indicators that blink alternately depending on the strain you are putting on the
throttle cable. The only thing missing is a tachometer but that’s not a standard feature on 125ccs anyway. The overall layout and fonts are very stylish and this has got to be one of the most striking consoles ever on a 125cc Indian bike. It looks even better once it gets dark and the backlights are turned on. Like its previous iteration, the SR 125 employs a three-valve engine and not the regulation two valves normally found in Indian bikes with TVS’ patented Controlled Combustion Variable Timing Intelligent (CC-VTi) thrown in for good measure. Developed in conjunction with AVL of Austria (they also helped Royal Enfield develop the lean burn 500 engine), the CC-VTi employs a twin-port layout with tumble and swirl induction technology. The layout has been optimized keeping in mind factors such as emissions, fuel efficiency and rideablity for small capacity engines. Peak power and torque remains unchanged at 10.5bhp produced at 7500rpm and 10Nm at 6000rpm respectively.
THE 3V BADGE PROUDLY ADORNS THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE ENGINE WHILE THE SR 125 TAG IS ON THE REAR PANEL IN PLACE OF THE CC-VTI STICKER
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ROAD TEST TVS FLAME SR 125
The DeltaEdge styling is carried over to the silencer end can which emits a meaty roar once the second inlet port comes into play
The instrument console is one of the most comprehensive ever on a 125cc bike
On firing up the engine, the first thing that strikes you is the throaty soundtrack, uncharacteristic of most TVS bikes. The delta shaped exhaust can emits a throaty wooden sound once the revs rise and the second inlet valve kicks into action. It keeps getting louder as you continue to wring the throttle but those who love smooth, quiet and refined engines may feel a tad disappointed by it. It’s another matter for performance enthusiasts though. Despite the presence of bar-end weights, the handlebar is quite vibey and you need to squint into the rear view mirror once the speeds rise above 55km/h. The performance figures haven’t changed much and are on par with other bikes in the 125cc segment. The front disc brake is quite sharp and coupled with the wide 90 section contact patch it takes minimal effort to lift up that rear. The suspension is set too firm (it is adjustable though) considering the target buyer of the bike who will mostly consist of college goers and youngsters with a sporting intent. Handling is neutral and the bike scoots wherever you point it. My only concern was the low set footpegs that scraped the ground far too early, but it is highly unlikely that most buyers will be hearing the metal versus tarmac sound everyday on their commute. In all probability, the majority of owners will be using the Flame for riding to college and occasional trips to popular hangouts. For that purpose, the Flame, with its striking good looks and attractive colours fits the bill admirably. It is distinctively styled, packed with goodies and has some additional tricks up its sleeve too. The new SR 125 comes for an on-road price of Rs 54,705 (in Pune) with a front disc brake and electric start as standard equipment. It remains to be seen whether this well-rounded exec-commuter succeeds in making a dent in the most cutthroat segment of the domestic motorcycle market.
A wider 100/90 rear tyre, twin tail lamp lens and a snazzy grab rail - the rear of the Flame looks as good as the front
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OVERALL 1111 TVS Flame SR 125
ROAD TEST # 79
PRICE Rs 54,705(OTR, PUNE)
Height 1070mm
GENERAL DATA
Saddle Height 812mm
VI TH B E GORAN NE OD T W T IE BLU VS S E F TO A LA FE ND ME ND IS L O OF PAC OK F K S TH ED SM E W A CO IT SH M H E IN PE N G TI OU IN TI G ON H
Ground Clearance 165mm Wheelbase 1320mm Length 2030mm
Width 760mm Kerb Weight 121kg Battery 12 V / 5 Ah Headlights 12 V-35/35 Watts Halogen Bulb Instrumentation Analog speedometer, with digital information display
FUEL ECONOMY
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Overall* Highway City Fuel Tank Capacity(usable) Range *is 75% city riding and 25% highway
69.4kmpl 59.3kmpl 73.9kmpl 8 litres 548km
ENGINE
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Type Displacement Bore x Stroke Valvetrain Comp Ratio Carburettor Max power Max torque Power To Weight Ignition Starting
4-stroke, single cylinder, air-cooled 124.8cc 54.5 x 53.5mm SOHC, 3-valve 10:1 V.M.Type 10.5PS@8250rpm 10Nm@6250rpm 113.30 PS/ton IDI ignition System Electric start and kick start
TRANSMISSION
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Clutch Gears Gearshift Pattern Primary Drive Final Drive
Wet Multiplate 4-speed constant mesh 4-up Gear Chain
CHASSIS
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Type Suspension (Front) Suspension (Rear) Brakes (Front) Brakes (Rear) Tyre (F/R)
Twin Top Tube and Single Down Tube, engine as stressed member Telescopic Hydraulic Shock Absorbers Twin Shocks, 5-Step Adjustable 240mm disc 130mm drum 90/90 x 17” / 100/90 x 18”
PERFORMANCE
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120
ACCELERATION
100 80
12.65
60
6.77 3.37
40
1.19
20 0
GEAR CHECK Rider: Saeed Akhtar Helmet Jacket Gloves Boots
Sparx S-07 Technik Chicane DSG Moto Mesh Puma Casuals
TIME, SECONDS 0
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Standing Quarter Mile (0-400m) ROLL - ON 30-70 km/h MAX SPEEDS IN GEARS 1 2 3 4 BRAKING 60km/h to standstill 80km/h to standstill
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20.2metres / 3.05s 42.32metres / 4.02s Performance testing by Adhish Alawani
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21.49s@91.95km/h 3rd 4th 8.16s 10.52s True Speed Indicated Speed 31km/h 35km/h 58km/h 62km/h 81km/h 85km/h 100.8km/h 105km/h
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NOS KIT HH KARIZMA
Fast, Not Furious Saeed Akhtar is in a stupor as he goes one up on Vin Diesel with a steroid injected Karizma Photography by Sanjay Raikar
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FEW DECADES BACK, PERFORMANCE enhancement was a term very few bikers in India were familiar with. The racing community was in its nascent stage and most bikers were satisfied with whatever miniscule performance was on offer. But as time progressed, bikers – like all humans – began demanding more from their steeds and started getting familiar with acronyms like NFS, TFATF and thus NOS. Nitrous oxide systems are still regarded as an arcane art even in most tuning circles. Movies like the Fast and the Furious series, Dhoom and the Need for Speed games franchise have elevated the NOS acronym to something of a cult yet they are also notorious for wrecked powertrains and giant fireballs. First used during World War II in Luftwaffe aircrafts to boost the power output, Nitrous Oxide or N20 is a colourless non-flammable gas with a pleasant, slightly sweet odour and taste. It is popularly known as laughing gas because of the euphoria it induces in humans. Amongst petrolheads too, it induces euphoria but of a slightly different sort. Although it is not flammable in itself, its ability to deliver more oxygen by breaking down at elevated temperatures makes it an excellent catalyst for burning Saudi Arabia’s finest in the fastest possible time. The gas is stored in liquid form and injected either into the intake manifold or right before the cylinder (direct port injection) whereupon its expansion causes more air/fuel mixture to enter the cylinder. By this simple expedient of burning more fuel, very large power gains are possible provided you know how much stress your machine can handle. The increased cylinder pressures caused by nitrous induction have to be harnessed very carefully otherwise you risk blowing off your valves or melting the piston to a molten lump in your enthusiasm. No kidding. BIKE India has tested NOS kits fitted on the Yamaha Enticer pseudo-cruiser as well as on the screaming Pulsar 180 third gen in the past. This misty morning we ushered in Diwali with the best firecracker we could lay our hands on - a modified Hero Honda Karizma with NOS and a reworked, longer gearing. The blue Karizma featured here
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is fitted with a 300ml nitrous oxide can that is sufficient to propel the 223cc bike forward for 15 short bursts. Harish Chellani, the owner, importer and installer of the NOS kit, will happily supply you bigger containers for more bursts if you don’t fancy visiting the refill shop too often. Speaking of refills, a 300ml refill will cost you only 150 bucks - a fair bargain considering the power that’s on offer. Harish has found a convenient location for the cylinder in the sari guard, from where a silver coated pipe carries the gas to the inlet manifold. Call it direct injection if you will. A toggle switch, resembling the ones used in old spy movies, that controls the NOX induction is mounted inside the fairing. With it, in the on position, the horn switch ditches its usual duty as a traffic shredder and assumes the role of a catapult. Harish hasn’t fiddled with the carb yet but he has two jets of different sizes for varying amounts of nitrous boost, depending on your craving. The smaller one was on the bike and the bigger one was, well, in his friend’s pocket. Bugger! The rules are clear and simple, you can employ nitrous boost in every gear provided the rpm is above 4000 and the throttle is fully wrung to the stop. On my first run on the expressway, I gingerly pressed the horn button while in the second gear and braced myself for the kick in the back. Although it didn’t quite qualify as a kick, the tacho needle went berserk and raced up the limiter very fast – too fast for a 223cc bike! Approaching the limiter, the engine roared like it was going to blast its innards out if I persisted anymore. Hmmm. . . . must be time to wind up another gear. A momentary slowing down of pace and it was mayhem again as I pressed the horn button hard
The Mastermind
Harish Chellani, Wakewadi, Pune Pune-based Harish Chellani has diversified his father’s medical equipment import business to provide NOS kits for all Indian bikes. He can also provide nitrous refills at a very reasonable amount. You can call him at 9021599535 or e-mail him at harishnecessary@ gmail.com
IF YOU HAVE NOT RIDDEN ANYTHING ON THE FAR SIDE OF A NINJA 250 OR RD350, THE ACCELERATION EVEN WITH THE SMALLER JET AND LONGER GEARING IS ASTOUNDING
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enough to snap it off its mounting. No time for glancing down at the speedo or tacho, my eyes were too busy watching out for innocent and beautiful belles with pitchers straying on the tarmac as well as four-legged creatures answering nature’s call right in the middle of NHAI’s crowning glory. If you have not ridden anything on the far side of a Ninja 250 or a RD350, the acceleration even with the smaller jet and
A. The NOS cylinder finds a convenient home in the saree guard B. The sprocketing has been revised for a higher top speed C. Faster acceleration and higher top speed hand in hand, gimme more. D. The master key - the toggle switch mounted inside the ZMA’s fairing that controls the nitrous flow to the engine
PERFORMANCE (0-100) 120
ACCELERATION
10.06
100
6.29
80
3.87
60
2.18 1.11
40
78
13.10
7.89
NOS Kitted
4.77
Stock Bike
2.83
20 0
B
1.33 TImE, sECONds 0
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longer gearing (14 teeth front/38 teeth rear sprocket a opposed to 13/40 stock sprockets) is astounding. The noise too! Even in higher gears, the bike pulls with such alacrity, that it is very easy to cross sane speeds unless you are also keeping an eye on the speedo. Which frankly, we won’t recommend. Whereas this Karizma (with a reworked gearing) does the 0-60km/h run in 4.77sec sans the laughing gas, it does the same run in 3.87sec flat with it. The 100km/h mark was done and dusted in 10.06sec with NOS. Without it, the bike touches the ton at a relatively slow 13.10sec. Lack of saddle time and horrendous traffic prevented us from taking the top speed estimate, although it must be fairly high up on the stock bike. Sorry. The downsides of this manic exercise are that it becomes very difficult to resist a dab on the horn button every time you see an open stretch of tarmac. If you are ready to compromise a fair bit on the longevity front for some adrenalin, go right ahead and install it - it’s worth every precious penny. Whether it should be used on public roads is an issue only your heart can decide. However, continuous high revving will eventually take its toll on the bike. A small price to pay, we reckon, considering the excitement that’s on offer.
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Now on stands
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CUSTOM CRAFT VEGA CHOPPERS
CHEESY CHOPPERS Fascinated by the work of Billy Lane, a world renowned custom bike builder, Mangalore’s Amrith Raj loves to give bikes totally different avatars
H
IGH AMBITION, strong determination and the courage to chase dreams are the characteristics of entrepreneurs. Of late, we at BIKE India have seen many young entrepreneurs who have been successful in achieving their goals and most importantly, follow their passion. Thinking out of the box is what makes these people a success. Choosing an extraordinary profession and then managing to make it successful needs a lot of courage and self-determination. One such entrepreneur is Amrith Raj, a young lad from Mangalore, Karnataka, who chose the profession of custom bike building. He builds big, fat, low, lean choppers with his own ideas and designs. If you live in or around Mangalore, have an old Royal Enfield Bullet and are dreaming of riding
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custom built bikes a la choppers or bobbers, then he is the person to go to. The guy will convert your old machine into a breath stopping, road hitting and bad ass metal beast. Amrith, who is known as Mangalore’s Billy Lane, said, “Since my childhood days I was crazy about bikes. I was fascinated by my dad’s Rajdoot and studied it closely. I got influenced by world-renowned custom bike builder Billy Lane from Florida, USA.” With immense support from his brother and parents, Amrith has completed a technical course in bike design but his main source of knowledge and reference are books. He has his own workshop under the name ‘Vega Choppers’ that specialises in custom choppers. His specialisation lies in handcrafting various body parts. He draws inspiration from preschool, old school, bobbers, East
THIS GUY WILL CONVERT YOUR OLD MACHINE INTO A BREATH STOPPING, ROAD HITTING AND BAD ASS METAL BEAST
Coast and West Coast chopper traditions. Within an hour of meeting the client and understanding his needs, Amrith gets down to designing a rough sketch of the bike on paper before translating it into the actual roadhitting machine. Next, all parts from the bike are removed except the engine. His bike building process thus starts from scratch. Referring to the materials used, Amrith says that he usually makes use of imported paints, tyres and parts sourced from other big bikes. A typical bike-building exercise takes around two and half months. Sometimes, he even toils over a bike for 24 hours in his workshop! He stresses on the fact that his designs are never repeated and hence each finished bike is unique in its own way. Amrith fashioned the ‘Rumbler’ and the ‘Revolver’ along the lines of bobber and old school
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chopper traditions. His latest works of the art, the R790, the Street Fighter and the Venom are based on West Coast and East Coast choppers as well as anticlassic bobber traditions. The cost of his projects range from Rs 1.20 to Rs 2.50 lakhs. To give the bike a unique look, graphic paint designs are handcrafted on to it or an airbrush paint job is undertaken. Amrith believes that when a man and his machine become one, nothing else matters. We at BIKE India are surely impressed with this young entrepreneur’s grit and determination. Readers can get more info on these bikes by logging into his website at www.vegachoppers.com. Seen here are five different works of Amrith Raj. The bikes, clockwise from the facing page, are : the R-790, the Street Fighter, the Venom, the Revolver and the Rumbler. Most parts on these bikes come from junked superbikes and imported cruisers
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BIKING TIPS GROUP RIDING
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GROUP RIDING
Monsoon clouds are giving way to clear skies but leaving behind lush green landscapes with seasonal waterfalls here and there. It’s the right time to appreciate Mother Nature before the scene changes. Just the perfect time we reckon to get together with friends and ride by those beautiful mountains, spectacular riversides and breathtakingly picturesque views. Sawan S Hembram gives you some tips on how to ride in and as a group
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HEN A FEW PEOPLE come forward for a group ride, the motive must be clear whether it is a leisure ride or the emphasis is on reaching a particular destination. This plays a major role for all other issues associated with group riding. Accordingly, planning the ride becomes easier. Group riding may involve individuals with different levels of riding skills, experiences as well as mentalities. It’s quite possible that only a few are familiar with the route to be followed. In such case, routes should be discussed beforehand. All riders need to know about checkpoints such as refuelling stops or food joints, etc. If the group is fairly large, it is recommended to split in smaller groups, each with at least one experienced rider and with a sense of responsibility. Sub-grouping may be done according to riding skills so that slower bikers remain in each others’ company. Exchanging cell phone numbers with fellow riders is a good idea to deal with any eventuality. It is also important to discuss beforehand how to deal with any possible crisis.
PHOTOGRAPHY: SANJAY RAIKAR November 2009
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BIKING TIPS GROUP RIDING Once a biker group takes to the road, the state of affairs could become quite complex and chaotic. However, sticking to a previously discussed formation is the best idea. It is always recommended to maintain safe distance from fellow riders. If a rider in front ďŹ nds a challenging situation and slams the brakes, others behind him should have enough room to react safely. Similarly, formation must be such that all riders get the maximum view of the road ahead. This is easier said than done. Remember, a rider on a bike would cover much less view (due to the helmet) in comparison to a four wheeler and further more, a bunch of riders in front of you could block the entire view of road
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ahead. A diagonal formation with sufďŹ cient gaps in between solves this problem to a large extent. Another usual occurrence during group riding is that skilled riders with powerful bikes zip ahead fast. Invariably other followers push themselves hard just to keep up. Many a times this results in accidents. Less skilled riders in order to keep up enter corners at high speeds, fail to exit properly and end up biting dust, literally! You can avoid this by looking at the road ahead instead of the taillight of the bike in front of you. If there are subgroups of faster and slower riders, such occurrences can be completely evaded. Overtaking becomes another major
issue while riding in a group. Adrenaline seekers love to overtake each other often forgetting the whole idea of a joyride. This could translate into a crisis if it involves a large group. It is better to lay out rules regarding overtaking (whether it is allowed or not) for all the riders within a group. Similarly, overtaking other bigger vehicles in a row must be avoided. While the bike in front may instantly react to any critical situation, those closely following it have little chance to do that. Also refrain from showing off while in a group. Remember to slowdown while passing through populated areas such as towns and villages especially when there is a
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road sign implicating a school ahead. Even at a reasonable speed, a large group of bikers can be seen as rowdy fellows by others. If passing through populated areas at night, you must use the low beam in order to not blind other oncoming vehicles and locals on the road. A proper interaction among all the riders results in riding as a group rather than just riding with a group. This will further increase team spirit and the joy of riding. Remember to care for yourself as well as your fellow riders. If have a pillion rider, be considerate to him/her and be extra careful. Don’t forget to wear adequate riding gear and carry a ďŹ rst aid kit. Enjoy your ride. on. Slow down e are for a reas ile, shift to a Road signs ther wh an Me . to do so n have the ca if they indicate u yo e er position from wh of the road ahead w maximum vie
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TRAVELOGUE KARGIL TRIP
Path to the war zone Thirteen men ride to the battle field of Kargil to taste Himalayan waters and stand alongside the men who guard it Report by Kuleshwar Singh
ld!!! ust’ co ky its ‘j c lu e ’r We
Flag off in addit teractio iona l DGP n with th e of Pu njab
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H
OW MANY OF US REALLY think about those who lost their lives saving us? Those who struggle in the most extremes of weather conditions, battle Mother Nature, fight extreme cold and everything else just so that we may have a peaceful sleep. None of us, right? Wrong. On the 8th of September 2009, nine Jet Airways staffers - R Vijayan, Rajiv Menon, Rajesh Vaity, Bhaskar Mandvekar, Tushar Surve, Sandeep Dandekar, Vinod Patil, Vaibhav Raul and Anilkumar Chavan along with four adventure seekers from Mumbai - Karthik Vijayan, Pavan Pal, Vishnu and Dr. Vineet Srinivasan set out on a journey to Kargil on motorcycles to meet and greet the heroes of our nation, the Indian Army,
Our li’l friend here, a Himalayan Mormot, a shy breed was overwhelmed to see the bikers
personally and commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Kargil war. These men began their journey from Chandigarh. The group took a day’s halt at Manali due to heavy rains before proceeding towards Rohtang on the 10th, where they encountered heavy snowfall forcing them to ride back to Manali. The roads were closed indefinitely and so the bikers were advised to give up, but instead they chose to move ahead via another route, i.e. Manali – Mandi – Pathankot – Udampur – Patnitop – Srinagar – Drass – Kargil. After encountering a landslide on the Pathankot highway and luckily managing to cross unhurt, they finally reached their destination,
Kargil on the 15th by 6:00 p.m. The entire army staff greeted the bikers with a lot of warmth. The group conveyed their gratitude to the brave army men and in return, the jawans appreciated their patriotism and respect. The efforts and pain taken to get there were paid off as the group left Kargil with a sense of achievement and satisfaction. Moving ahead towards Leh-Ladakh, they also conquered the highest motorable road in the world, the Khardungla Pass. They then rode back to Leh from where the bikes were transported back to Mumbai and the men boarded cars to Srinagar from where they were flown down. This was more than just an adventure but rather a way for them to get a miniscule idea of the life our true heroes lead and it’s anything but easy.
Landsli d encoun e the riders tered e n route
At the foot of Tiger Hill near Kargil
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CYCLE TOUR LEH-LADAKH
W
HAT IS IT THAT GIVES YOU A high? Booze? Smoke? Grass? Well, that’s not the case if you are someone like Kiran Chopda or Vikram Walvekar. These guys believe in living life on the edge, taking risks and extracting the best ‘high’ out of undertaking adventures. So what was their latest expedition? Kiran decided to ride up to the highest motorable road on earth – the Khardung La Pass. And when I say ride, it is pedal power that I am talking about. He posted his plans for the trip on Facebook where another maniac in the form of Vikram Walvekar decided to join in. Thus the journey began. Kiran had initially planned to ride alone since there are very few like-minded people who would dare to do what he was attempting. He flew from Pune to Kullu, assembled his bike there and rode up to Manali covering around 50km and climbing up from almost 3000 ft to 6400 ft. He took a day’s halt in Manali for Vikram to join him there. The next day, both cycling freaks decided to head to Koksar. The 74km ride went through the Rohtang Pass (13,400 ft). With no tarmac most of the times, it was a tough task to ride through broken terrains. The duo encountered army convoys on their way. The men in uniform were awed by the cyclists and cheered them on. The journey from Koksar proceeded to Jispa and they covered almost 70km the next day. The fourth day of the ride took Kiran and Vikram to Patsio where the riders halted at a government rest house. The high altitude and low temperature made it extremely tough for the duo to get a good night’s sleep. Their task ahead was tougher and the destination still far away. From Patsio, the cyclists headed to
The 21 Gata Loops take you 1500 feet higher over the seven kilometers of its length
With no roads most of time, Kiran and Vikram had to cycle on such terrains to reach the destination
No vegetation and no life for miles at a stretch
PEDAL POWERED HEROES
BIKE India salutes Kiran Chopda and his companion Vikram Walvekar for having covered the highest motorable road on earth on bicycles Story: Adhish Alawani Photography: Kiran Chopda & Vikram Walvekar 88
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Kiran and Vikram celebrate at Khardung La - 18,380 feet above sea level on bicycles!
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Cycle Sponsorship Ride2026 Ride2026’s Sami Makki is a hardcore bicycle promoter. With a club of riders, Ride2026 promotes and participates in BMX and MTB activities. Ride2026 are the distributors for ORBEA cycles in India. The organisation came forward and sponsored Kiran’s bicycle for the trip.
Staying at any possible place, the duo carried out the expedition with the bare minimum necessities
Riding through the Himalayas and enjoying the beauty of the nature was probably the best high that Kiran ever experienced
Pedal power had succeeded after fighting the terrain, the weather and all the difficulties en route Kiran’s ORBEA stood by him through every terrain to help him conquer what he desired
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Sarchu passing through the Baralacha Pass. At Sarchu, Vikram suffered from severe knee pain. He took a taxi to Leh while Kiran was still strong enough to make it further on his bicycle. After Sarchu, Kiran headed to the Nakeela Pass which took him through the famous 21 Gata Loops. These are 21 hairpin turns that stretch over seven kilometers and take you 1500 ft higher. Later, he headed to Pang passing through Lachulung La – the third highest motorable road at 16,500 ft. The day Kiran left Pang was the day he covered the maximum distance (approximately 126km) in a day. Riding 10km uphill, he reached the More plains. Situated at 14,500 ft above MSL, the plains are plateaus with sand roads for 50km with another 18km of an awful uphill road section. Riding through low temperature conditions, Kiran made it to Tanlang La, the second highest motorable road at 17,500 ft. From there, another 50km took him to Upshi. The extremely cold temperature and high altitude issues once again gave Kiran no sleep. The thought of riding through the night did cross his mind, but with one torch set already conked out earlier, he decided not to take any risks. The next day, he rode to Leh where Vikram was already waiting for him. The guys took a three-day halt at Leh at the Mahabodhhi International Meditation Centre before setting out for the final destination of their adventure. Rejuvenated and reenergized, on 6th October 2009, both of them set out from Leh at 7:30 in the morning. By 2:20 in the afternoon, Kiran and Vikram made it to the highest motorable road on earth – the Khardung La at 18,380 ft above mean sea level. Cycling all the way up to that height, after starting from close to 3000 ft at Kullu, is an amazing feat. The ecstasy of the conquerors knew no bounds. Kiran had achieved what he had set out for. Though Vikram took a shortcut in between, he had done a lot too. Pedal power had succeeded after fighting the terrain, the weather and all the difficulties en route. BIKE India congratulates Kiran and Vikram for their achievement and wishes them all the best for future adventures including the Desert Storm and Dakar, which they plan to undertake in the coming years.
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BIKESPORT MAT OXLEY
MadOX
THE FUTURISTS: THE MEN WHO MADE ITALY FALL IN LOVE WITH SPEED
The Fiat Yamaha team celebrated the centenary of Italy’s Futurist art movement during the 2009 MotoGP season. Good thing or bad thing, asks Mat Oxley If you’ve been lucky enough to receive an invitation to dine at Fiat Yamaha’s MotoGP hospitality unit this season (I’m still awaiting mine), you can’t have failed to notice the funky table mats. The mats feature the team’s riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo and celebrate the centenary of the Futurist Movement - 1909 to 2009. Futurism was a hugely influential Italian art movement led by the wildly eccentric Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. The Futurists sought to represent the 20th century’s new world of speed with radical new art that illustrated the thrilling
sensation of high speed movement and ever shifting perspectives, hence the cut-up, chopped-up images created by Fiat Yamaha. The Futurists didn’t only paint and sculpt. They sang “the love of danger, the habit of energy and fearlessness”. Marinetti published his Futurist Manifesto in 1909, proclaiming that “the world has been enriched by a new beauty, the beauty of speed. A racing automobile with its bonnet adorned with great tubes like serpents with explosive breath... a roaring motor car which seems to run on machine gun fire,
Copyright Yamaha Motor Racing Srl
FIAT YAMAHA TABLE MAT (CHOICE OF ROSSI OR LORENZO MATS) Fiat Yamaha’s 2009 table mats feature Futurist-inspired, chopped up images of the team’s riders.
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GILERA RONDINE Gilera’s futuristic four-cylinder Rondine used fighter plane-style aerodynamics to reach 170mph in 1937. (Photo courtesy of Gilera)
OIL PAINTING Giacomo Balla’s ‘Speed of a Motorcycle’ (1913, oil on canvas) was typical of Futurist art which attempted to illustrate the thrilling new sensation of high-speed movement and ever-shifting perspectives.
is more beautiful than the Victory of Samothrace [a much loved Greek sculpture housed in the Louvre].” In other words, this bunch of art revolutionaries were the world’s first petrol-heads. The Futurists made Italy fall head over heels in love with the machine and with the future that machines might offer. They were one of the fuses that triggered the explosion of interest in speed that became the country’s car and motorcycle industries. Would names like Ferrari and Ducati have existed without Marinetti and his followers? Probably, but possibly not. During the inter-war years, companies like Gilera and Alfa Romeo (where Enzo Ferrari started out) were inspired by the Futurists’ worship of speed to design record breaking bikes and cars. Gilera built the seminal four-cylinder DOHC Rondine while Alfa Romeo created the 12-cylinder Gran Premio Tipo C. Inevitably, the fire of Futurism soon spread beyond Italy’s borders. The Mercedes and Auto Union cars and DKW motorcycles that ruled much of motorsport before
World War Two all bore the mark of Futurism. Prior to World War Two and before the company made motorcycles, Ducati manufactured a range of electronic goods created in the Futurist style. After WW2, Italy’s iconic Vespa scooter carried Futurism into the 1950s and beyond. But there was a darker side to these Italian radicals. Marinetti and many of his followers were fascists. Their obsession with technology allowed them to be seduced by the latest military hardware, especially fighter planes and bombers. They believed that violence and war were good, the only way forward to what they considered social progress. During the years leading up to WW2, Marinetti became a close acquaintance of Mussolini’s and sat on Italy’s first Fascist Council. Marinetti was a misogynist too, glorifying “a disdain of woman”. Which makes Fiat Yamaha’s celebratory table mats seem rather surprising. It’s a tricky dilemma, especially for an Italian-run team: do you abhor this bunch of woman hating warmongers? Or do you acknowledge and celebrate the effect their ideas had on the world?
India November 2009
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SPORT
MotoGP - Portugal
IT AIN’T OVER
Lorenzo rides like he is from another planet, comeback man Casey Stoner comes back to earth in stunning style after his nine-week holiday proving the doubters wrong with a brilliant ride to second, well ahead of Dani Pedrosa Report: Adhish Alawani Photography: DPPI 94
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TILL IT’S OVER
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SPORT
MotoGP - Portugal
Stoner makes a brilliant and strong comeback
800CC CLASS position Rider
Timing
1 Jorge LORENZO 2 Casey STONER 3 Dani PEDROSA 4 Valentino ROSSI 5 Colin EDWARDS 6 Toni ELIAS 7 Andrea DOVIZIOSO 8 Nicky HAYDEN 9 James TOSELAND 10 Chris VERMEULEN 11 Randy DE PUNIET 12 Marco MELANDRI 13 Niccolo CANEPA 14 Gabor TALMACSI
45’35.522 45’41.816 45’45.411 45’58.950 46’08.174 46’11.231 46’11.245 46’14.352 46’19.615 46’28.385 46’31.220 46’40.037 46’40.060 47’02.821
L
Kallio rode ahead of Hayden for a while before crashing out of the race
orenzo had never made his team-mate look quite as slow as he did at Estoril. This is where the Spaniard won his first MotoGP race last year when his Michelin tyres gave him a distinct advantage over Rossi, who was then just starting out on Bridgestones. This time both men were on the same bike and tyres. And this time Lorenzo beat Rossi by 23.4 seconds – that’s almost a second a lap. It was Lorenzo’s greatest and Rossi’s worst ride at a crucial point in the championship battle. Rossi had been a comfortable 30 points ahead after his Misano win, but Estoril shrunk the gap to a distinctly less comfortable 18 points. Super flyweight Pedrosa (all 103 pounds of him) grabbed his usual holeshot, storming past Lorenzo towards turn one. Two corners later, Lorenzo shot past Pedrosa and conjured up an impressive disappearing act: six tenths ahead after the first lap, 1.2 seconds ahead after the second lap. But Estoril wasn’t all about Lorenzo. Stoner was also full of fight. Fourth after lap one, he barged past Rossi and Pedrosa, then began chipping away at the leader for a couple of laps at least. By one-third distance the die was cast. From then on it was a horribly processional race: Lorenzo several seconds ahead of Stoner who was several seconds
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ahead of Pedrosa who was several seconds ahead of Rossi who was several seconds ahead of Edwards. Nonetheless Lorenzo’s performance was superhuman; indeed it was his blinding speed which stretched out the pack. “This is a happy day, a perfect weekend,” he said. “I was very confident.” Stoner was just as delighted with second. It wasn’t just the result that mattered, of course. He was consistently fast and he didn’t look destroyed when he removed his helmet in parc ferme either. “We knew we had the speed, it was just difficult getting back into race mode in the middle of the season,” he said. “Friday felt a bit strange, but things came together on Saturday and today was good, though I did have some arm pump issues. I had one moment on lap two – I made a mistake through the fast kink onto the back straight, my right foot came off the footrest and when the foot spat back off the road it broke the footrest.” Pedrosa had a big scare a few laps later which probably convinced him he wouldn’t be able to match Stoner: “The bike was snaking as I braked, I ran wide and nearly crashed.” Rossi meanwhile was going backwards at a remarkable rate. For once, his crew had got the set-up wrong. “I didn’t have any edge grip, so when I opened the throttle at maximum lean the rear slid very much, so I lost a lot
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The contenders for the third place in the championship - Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner congratulate each other on their podium finish
Rossi tries to defend his position as a wrong setup forced him to fourth place
in acceleration.” It was a grim race for Rossi, but at least he didn’t fall back into the clutches of Edwards, once again the best of the rest after the Fast Four. “As much as I couldn’t comfortably stay with the four guys in front, it was pretty easy for me to run a pace that meant I could pull away from the group behind me,” said Edwards who was comfortably ahead of the only real race to the finish: Elias and Dovizioso duking it out for sixth. Elias had stormed through the pack in typically frantic style, from 12th on lap one to pass Dovizioso in the final few laps. The Repsol Honda scalp meant a lot to Elias who is currently without a ride for 2010. A real travesty. Hayden spent some time with Elias mid-race, going back and forth with Capirossi and Toseland as they disputed eighth place. The American struggled with the track temperature but was spared a fight to the finish when Capirossi DNFed with an electrical problem and Toseland’s cold got to him. Vermeulen took the final top ten finish, winning a long duel with de Puniet, who managed to unzip his right boot on the first lap. An off-song Melandri, Canepa and Talmacsi took the final points. Kallio and De Angelis were non-finishers, Kallio crashing out in the early stages while just ahead of Hayden, de Angelis going out with his own electrical problem.
Dani gets the better of Rossi this time around
championship position Rider 1 Valentino ROSSI 2 Jorge LORENZO 3 Dani PEDROSA 4 Casey STONER 5 Andrea DOVIZIOSO 6 Colin EDWARDS 7 Loris CAPIROSSI 8 Randy DE PUNIET 9 Marco MELANDRI 10 Toni ELIAS 11 Chris VERMEULEN 12 Alex DE ANGELIS 13 James TOSELAND 14 Nicky HAYDEN 15 Mika KALLIO 16 Niccolo CANEPA 17 Gabor TALMACSI 18 Sete GIBERNAU 19 Yuki TAKAHASHI 20 Aleix ESPARGARO
Team Fiat Yamaha Team Fiat Yamaha Team Repsol Honda Team Ducati Marlboro Team Repsol Honda Team Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Rizla Suzuki MotoGP LCR Honda MotoGP Hayate Racing Team San Carlo Honda Gresini Rizla Suzuki MotoGP San Carlo Honda Gresini Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Ducati Marlboro Team Ducati Marlboro Team Pramac Racing Scot Racing Team MotoGP Grupo Francisco Hernando Scot Racing Team MotoGP Pramac Racing
points 250 232 173 170 142 134 97 93 91 90 90 88 85 81 51 38 14 12 9 8
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SPORT
MotoGP - Portugal
250cc race A revised race schedule (because Portugal is one hour behind central European time) had the 250s out first. And because Estoril had been cloaked in a thick mist all morning, the track still had some moisture in the tarmac; the likely cause of eight crashes. The race was dominated by Marco Simoncelli (Gilera). The reigning champ won by five seconds, leaving Mike di Meglio (Aspar Aprilia) and Hector Barbera (Pepe Aprilia) to dispute second place. The pair crossed the finish line in a dead heat and even the photo finish couldn’t separate them. Di Meglio was given second place because his best lap was faster than Barbera’s. Points leader Hiroshi Aoyama (Scot Honda) could only manage fourth place, but his championship lead increased after prime rival Alvaro Bautista’s Aprilia seized and flung him to the ground. 250CC CLASS position Rider
Timing
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
44’04.298 44’09.615 44’09.615 44’16.322 44’18.647 44’22.554 44’31.929 44’38.965 44’49.708 44’50.189
Marco SIMONCELLI Mike DI MEGLIO Hector BARBERA Hiroshi AOYAMA Jules CLUZEL Ratthapark WILAIROT Thomas LUTHI Mattia PASINI Alex DEBON Karel ABRAHAM
125CC CLASS
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Position rider
timing
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
41’00.421 41’00.815 41’01.002 41’11.469 41’17.251 41’17.591 41’17.721 41’17.967 41’18.087 41’21.799
Pol ESPARGARO Sandro CORTESE Bradley SMITH Stefan BRADL Joan OLIVE Sergio GADEA Esteve RABAT Dominique AEGERTER Johann ZARCO Randy KRUMMENACHER
125cc race Pol Espargaro (Derbi) went some way towards making up for his Misano disaster – when he led into the final turn, only to be taken out – with a thrilling last lap win at Estoril. The 18-year-old beat Sandro Cortese (AJO Derbi) and Bradley Smith (Aspar Aprilia) by a few tenths in the race of the day.
The trio hadn’t even been fighting for the win until seven laps from the finish when the runaway race and title leader Julian Simon (Aspar Aprilia) crashed, throwing away a six second lead. Simon remounted to finish in 12th place and he still leads team-mate Smith by 50.5 points with three races remaining.
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NEWS
Spies to start his MotoGP career soon Ben Spies will start his full time MotoGP career five months earlier than expected when he rides a Yamaha YZR-M1 in the 2009 season ending Valencia GP from 6th to 8th November. The Texan will have a ten day rest following the WSB title decider at Portimao, Portugal, before starting his career with Yamaha at MotoGP. The Valencia race will give Spies a crucial head start in his MotoGP career, especially since winter testing has been slashed. First of the slimmed down off-season tests takes place at Valencia, two days after the GP. Spies rode a MotoGP bike for the first time at Valencia during the 2007 post-season tests. He went on to race Suzuki’s GSV-R in last year’s British, US and Indy GPs.
Tyre pressure is a big deal now The single tyre rule has had many effects in MotoGP and not always those intended. Estoril was anything but the close race the onetyre-for-everyone rule was supposed to promote. One-tyre-for-all has made it especially tough for the slower riders who now have to try and get some grip out of tyres essentially designed for Rossi, Stoner and the like. Thus riders have to use other set-up details to adapt the Bridgestones to their own styles; which is why tyre pressure has become a big deal. “We now have pressure sensors in the tyres,” said Nicky Hayden at Estoril. “More people are playing with pressures, because of the single tyre rule. Tyre pressure can make a big diff for warm-up, for profile and so on. We used to check pressure when we came into the pits, but if you did a slow in-lap, you’ve lost the reading, so the sensor is a big help.”
Toseland devastated to be out of MotoGP Double World Superbike champ James Toseland hasn’t taken his sacking from the Tech 3 team too well. “I’m devastated at losing my ride to Ben,” said Toseland, who blamed his below par 2010 performance on two huge highsides he suffered during preseason testing. “They knocked my confidence and the racing is so tight here that you can’t afford to lose confidence.” Toseland was offered a 2010 MotoGP ride with Pramac Ducati but needed to bring his own money with him. He turned the deal down, though presumably that money would have been paid by Dorna, who subsidized his ride at Tech 3 during 2008 and 2009.
Lorenzo reveals his sophrology secrets Estoril winner Jorge Lorenzo employs Eastern mystic teachings and meditation to improve his racing performance. This is how he does it. “When you are under a lot of pressure, meditation and relaxation are very important,” he says. “It’s all about feeling your breathing so you can relax. I don’t do this every time I ride, only when I feel nervous, but I do breathing exercises every day. “Normally, most people only breathe using their upper lungs. In sophrology they teach you to use all of your lungs. When you only concentrate on your breathing you can clear your mind and there comes a point where you don’t think about anything. You can be 10 or 20 minutes not thinking anything, only concentrating on your breathing. It is very difficult to get into this state because you are always thinking about something, but you just focus on your breathing. After this you feel more open and you can see the details in everything. On the grid I do try to think of nothing, then I try to think positive, because normally when you are nervous you think negative. So the first step is to think nothing, then to think positive.” Estoril briefs World Supersport star Cal Crutchlow was all set to join Fausto Gresini’s 2010 Moto2 team until Yamaha held him to a two-year contract and put him in their 2010 WSB team alongside fellow Brit James Toseland. Jorge Lorenzo’s fifth pole of 2009 was Yamaha’s 11th pole of the year, a record for the Japanese manufacture which has been in the premier class since the early 1970s. Italian 125 wild man Andrea Iannone, who took out Pol Espargaro at the last turn of the Misano 125 GP, came into Espargaro’s pit at Estoril to apologise for his maniac move. Valentino Rossi was asked at Estoril why F1 cars attract much bigger TV audiences’ figures than MotoGP. The world champ said: “Many more people follow F1 racing, but for sure more than half of them are asleep.” Rossi sent Marco Simoncelli a text message before the youngster’s Imola WSB ride for Aprilia, alongside Rossi’s old enemy Max Biaggi. “The text wished me luck,” said Simoncelli. “It also said I must beat Max.” Simoncelli did just that in race two. Austrian factory KTM won’t contest the 125 GP world title next year. KTM quit 250s at the end of last season.
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SPORT
WSBK
THE TITLE BATTLE BOILS DOWN TO THE LAST RACE
With Ben Spies and Noriyuki Haga showcasing their skills to the best level, it is up to the last race in the WSBK calendar this year to decide who will walk away with the crown Report Adhish Alawani, Photography: DPPI
Fabrizio celebrates the podium while debutant Simoncelli takes second place
IMOLA Noriyuki Haga made his comeback to the championship battle by winning race one at Imola. Max Biaggi led the race for most of the time as Haga pushed his Ducati to its limits trying to overtake Biaggi with no success. Finally with three laps to go, Haga managed to get past and then disappeared to take the victory. Fabrizio then gave Biaggi a tough one in the last laps. However, a bold move by Biaggi in the final chicane handed over the third spot to Fabrizio while Biaggi himself took the second place. Ben Spies managed to claim the fourth position and slipped down in the championship standings. In race two at Imola, Micheal Fabrizio took an easy win while his teammate Noriyuki Haga took the second spot. This put the Jap rider in command of the championship battle. Ben Spies managed to come home in fifth, which put him three points behind Haga in the title chase. Special mention goes to Marco Simoncelli who entered the WSBK round as a wildcard entry and took the podium in his debut race weekend. The Italian had unfortunately crashed in race one after coming up to the fifth spot.
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MAGNY COURS In an attempt to get back into the lead of the WSBK championship, Ben Spies made sure that he rode his best at Magny Cours. He took off brilliantly at the start and led most of the race while Haga was stuck behind Jonathan Rea and Max Biaggi initially. However, Rea crashed later in the race and Haga soon made a move on Biaggi after that. Riding brilliantly with the hopes of safeguarding his championship lead, Haga closed in on Spies and even overtook him. Spies, though, was in no mood to lose any more points to the Jap ace and made sure that he won the race in the end to reclaim his lead in the championship. Things however, changed during race two at Magny Cours as Noriyuki Haga led from the start to take the victory in the end. Max Biaggi and Jonny Rea joined Haga on the podium after finishing the race in second and third place respectively. Yamaha ace Ben Spies could finish only in the fourth spot and once again went behind Haga in the title chase. With just one round to go, the WSBK title chase is hot between Haga and Spies.
Ben Spies in action at the Italian World SBK round Haga showcased an amazing pace at France and took the victory in race one
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SPORT
INDIAN SPORTS
CRASH AND BURN
The penultimate round of the JK Tyre NRC saw a good share of thrills as well as spills Report: Ajay Joyson
T
HE PENULTIMATE round of the 12th JK Tyre NRC was held at the MMST track at Chennai between the 11th and 13th of September 2009. Rohit Giri dominated the 600cc Experts category by qualifying on pole and taking the victory in both race one and two. The Red Rooster Racing prodigy
also recorded the fastest lap of the round. Vivek Pillai came second on both occasions while Gopinathan and Praveen Keerthi stood third in race one and two respectively. The 600cc General category witnessed one of the most horrific crashes of the weekend when Prithvi M. lost the balance of his bike as he exited the last corner. Both man and
machine were ushered to the sidelines by the marshals and thankfully, Prithvi’s condition was not very critical. Sumit Lucas and Balaji KV stole the top podium slots for both races. Race two in this category saw racing maiden Alisha Abdullah clinch the final step of the podium after a brief absence. In the 1000cc category, Alok
Sashidar once again put in a powerful performance to clinch the top spot of the podium during race one while Vikram V. and Sanjay Kumar came second and third respectively. Race two saw one of the best performances by Vikram as he beat Alok by 9.4 seconds to the chequered flag. Sanjay Kumar took the final honours.
Prithvi M’s horrific crash
Rohit Giri makes a quick start at the superbike race - our lensman misses him!
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Parallel lines..err..bikes at the last corner of the MMST track
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Honda CBF Stunner Cup – Round Four A. Prabhu furthers his lead in the Stunner Cup as he wins one race and comes second in the other during round four of the Honda One Make Races Report: Adhish Alawani Photography: Honda
T
he Honda One Make races arrived in Chennai for round four after the initial three rounds in Coimbatore. As usual, there were more than 60 entries for the CBF Stunner Cup race. However, this time around, the 60 riders were divided in three groups of 20 each (unlike the initial three rounds where there were four groups of 15 participants each) and
Riders negotiate the last chicane at Chennai on Honda Stunners
were give 10 minutes of practice followed by 10 minutes of qualifying. The top 15 riders from the qualifying were given the opportunity to race on Sunday in the two races. The six lap race one on Sunday started off on a sad note for a few top riders as Murlidharan and Naveen Raj crashed out in lap one itself. Things didn’t go well later too as S. Patel Kumar crashed out at C2 in lap
two while G. Vishal and Stalin C. got involved in a crash with each other at the short loop right hander. Varun Kumar V. then had the final crash of the race at the last corner in lap three. With six riders out, the remaining nine participants battled it out till the end. Stunner Cup leader A. Prabhu registered another victory while S. Padmanabham and Karl Marx finished off the podium.
The eight lap race two again saw Naveen Raj and Renn Johnson crashing out at the short loop right hander in lap five. A. Prabhu finally got some real competition in the form of S. Padmanabham who challenged him throughout the race and finally took the victory crossing the line 0.818 seconds ahead of A. Prabhu. Karl Marx again finished in the third place.
Champs rejoice
The JK Tyre championship comes to an end as racers battle it out in the last round to take vital championship points Report: Adhish Alawani
T
he last round of the JK Tyre Championship concluded in style as the last round’s winner Rohit Giri
Alok Shashidhar riding the R1 in the last round Right: Vivek Pillai (600cc class) and Alok Shashidhar (1000cc class) take championship trophies
once again made it to the top spot on the podium in the 600cc Expert category in both races. Similarly, Sumit Lucas took the chequered flag in the Novice class of the 600cc bikes in both races of the last round. Sanjay Kumar emerged victorious in the litreclass category while Alok Shashidhar finished second. Alok made sure that he got the necessary points to seal his championship and then rode a relaxed race to make sure he finished where he intended to.
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Pulsar 150 DTSi 11112
Price 54,195 57,345
CC 134.21 134.21
Ps/rpm 13.10/8500 13.10/8500
Nm/rpm 11.88/6500 11.88/6500
FT 10 10
G 4 4
SH 798 798
WB 1305 1305
WT 133 133
0-60 5.93 5.93
KMPL 60 60
Top Speed: 113.64km/h Tested: DEC ‘06 We Say: Good fusion of performance, efficiency and looks. Cycle parts could be better built. Also See: HH CBZ X-treme, Honda Unicorn, Suzuki GS150R
Pulsar 150
Pulsar 180 DTSi 11112
Price 65,265
CC 149.01
Ps/rpm 14.09/8500
Nm/rpm 12.76/6500
FT 15
G 5
SH 785
WB 1320
WT 137
0-60 5.51
KMPL 55
Top Speed: 117.5 km/h Tested: JUN ‘09 We Say: Great performace, stunning looks and the good ’ol edgy box. Great value though. Also See: TVS Apache RTR 160, TVS Apache RTR 180
Pulsar 180
Price 68,560
CC 178.60
Ps/rpm 17.05/8500
Nm/rpm 14.22/6000
FT 15
G 5
SH 785
WB 1345
WT 147
0-60 4.98
KMPL 51
WB 1350
WT 152
0-60 4.7
KMPL 42.25
Top Speed: 132.5km/h Tested: JUL ‘09
Pulsar 220 DTSi 11112
We Say: More power at lesser price translates into great value for money. Also See: Hero Honda Karizma R, TVS Apache RTR 180, Yamaha YZF R15 Pulsar 220
Price 78,180
CC 220
Ps/rpm 21.04/8500
Nm/rpm 19.12/7000
FT 15
G 5
SH 795
Top Speed: 109.58km/h Tested: NOV ‘07
Avenger 200 DTSi 11112
We Say: Powerful and torquey, great combo of style and value. Pillion seat should have been more comfortable. Also See: Royal Enfield Thunderbird Avenger 200
Price 72,485
CC 198.80
Ps/rpm 17.51/8000
Nm/rpm 16.78/6000
FT 14
Your display here to grab the most eyeballs
G 5
SH 710
WB 1475
WT 152
0-60 5.90
KMPL 37
Contact: BIKE India Marketing Office Mumbai: +91 22 67525252 Delhi: +91 11 42345678 Bangalore: +91 80 66110116/7 Chennai: +91 44 39149889
November 2009
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BI BUY-BOOK NEW BIKES MOTORCYCLES HERO HONDA
34, Community Centre, Vasant Lok, Vasant Vihar New Delhi - 110 057 www.herohonda.com
CD Dawn 11121
Top Speed: 84.9km/h Tested: NA We Say: All the Hero Honda qualities for cheap, and stop cribbing Also See: TVS Star, Yamaha Crux S, Bajaj Platina Price 36,317
CD Dawn
CD Deluxe 11111
CC 97.20
Ps/rpm 7.4/8000
Nm/rpm 7.50/5000
FT 10.5
G 4
SH 790
WB 1230
WT 107
0-60 14.20
KMPL 68.82
Top Speed: 92.90km/h Tested: JAN ‘07 We Say: There! You cribbed again. So here’s your all new bikini fairing. Also See: Hero Honda Splendour NXG, Hero Honda Super Splendor, Honda Shine
CD Deluxe
Splendor Plus 11111
Price 40,224
CC 97.20
Ps/rpm 7.4/8000
Nm/rpm 7.50/5000
FT 10.5
G 4
SH 790
WB 1230
WT 107
0-60 14.20
KMPL 72.75
FT 10.5 10.5
G 4 4
SH 775 775
WB 1230 1230
WT 117 117
0-60 12.30 12.30
KMPL 59.72 59.72
Top Speed: 82.50km/h Tested: NA We Say: Perfect commuter if you can do with the looks. Also See: TVS Star Sport, Yamaha Alba, Bajaj Platina
Price Splendor Plus (Spokes) 43,579 Splendor Plus (Alloys) 44,583
Splendor NXG 11111
CC 97.20 97.20
Ps/rpm 7.40/8000 7.40/8000
Nm/rpm 7.20/5000 7.20/5000
Top Speed: 96.92km/h Tested: JULY ‘07 We Say: The best seller just got better looks but at a higher price. Also See: TVS Star Sport, Yamaha Alba, Bajaj Platina
NXG (Alloys)
Passion Plus 11111
Price 44,583
CC 97.20
Ps/rpm 7.70/7500
Nm/rpm 7.60/60000
FT 10.3
G 4
SH 785
WB 1230
WT 107
0-60 10.73
KMPL 77
FT 12.8 12.8
G 4 4
SH 775 775
WB 1235 1235
WT 117 117
0-60 12.30 12.30
KMPL 59.72 59.72
SH 775
WB 1265
WT 117
0-60 7.50
KMPL 78.4
Top Speed: 85.3km/h Tested: JULY ‘06 We Say: A Splendor will save you three grand. Also See: Yamaha Alba, Bajaj Platina
Passion Plus Passion Plus Pro
Super Splendor 11111
Price 47,455 49,948
CC 97.20 97.20
Ps/rpm 7.50/8000 7.50/8000
Nm/rpm 7.20/5000 7.20/5000
Top Speed: 98.9km/h Tested: NA We Say: Splendor hops onto the ‘executive’ bandwagon. Also See: TVS Victor GLX 125, Yamaha Gladiator, Bajaj Discover 125
Super Splendor
Price 50,446
CC 124.70
Ps/rpm 9.13/7000
Nm/rpm 10.35/4000
FT 12
G 4
Contact: BIKE India Marketing Office Mumbai: +91 22 67525252 Delhi: +91 11 42345678 Bangalore: +91 80 66110116/7 Chennai: +91 44 39149889
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Glamour
Top Speed: 94.9km/h Tested: SEP ‘05
11111
We Say: The Glamour actually looks much better than the Super Spendor. Worth the extra dough. Also See: Baja Discover 125, TVS Victor GLX 125, Yamaha Gladiator Glamour (Drum) Glamour (Disc)
Price 51,972 53,324
CC 124.70 124.70
Ps/rpm 9.13/7000 9.13/7000
Nm/rpm 10.35/4000 10.35/4000
FT 14.6 14.6
G 4 4
SH 775 775
WB 1265 1265
WT 129 129
0-60 7.40 7.44
KMPL 72.74 72.74
Top Speed: 100.2km/h Tested: AUG ‘06
Glamour FI 11111
We Say: Fl, digital speedo, efficiency commuter, better throttle response. Buy only if the extra money doesn’t hurt! Also See: Bajaj Discover 125, Yamaha Gladiator, TVS Victor 125 Glamour (Disc)
Price 61,633
CC 124.7
Ps/rpm 9.13/7000
Nm/rpm 10.35/4000
FT 14.6
G 4
SH 775
WB 1265
WT 125
0-60 8.80
KMPL 80.75
FT 12.4
G 5
SH 800
WB 1290
WT 134
0-60 6.25
KMPL 57.5
FT 12.4
G 5
SH 795
WB 1325
WT 146
0-60 5.08
KMPL 51
WT 143
0-60 5.55
KMPL 60.25
Top Speed: 110.8km/h Tested: NOV ‘06
Achiever
11111 1111
We Say: Every bit a Unicorn, except for the ride quality. Also See: Bajaj Pulsar 150, Honda Unicorn, Suzuki GS150R Price 60,138
Achiever (ES)
Hunk
11112
CC 149.1
Ps/rpm 13.4/8000
Nm/rpm 12.8/5000
Top Speed: 107.16km/h Tested: DEC ‘07 We Say: Stunning looks, efficient engine and good performance. Also See: Bajaj Pulsar 150, Honda Unicorn, TVS Apache
Hunk (ES)
CBZ XX-Treme 11111 1111
Price 64,275
CC 149.2
Ps/rpm 14.4/8500
Nm/rpm 12.8/6500
Top Speed: 110.8km/h Tested: NOV ‘06 We Say: Pricey but much better than the CBZ and the Achiever. Too skinny at the front. Also See: Bajaj Pulsar 150, Honda Unicorn, TVS Apache
X-Treme (ES)
Karizma R 11111
Price 64,591
CC 149.2
Ps/rpm 14.4/8500
Nm/rpm 12.8/6500
FT 12.4
G 5
SH NA
WB 1325
Top Speed: 125.8km/h Tested: NA We Say: The most well-rounded performance bike around. Spares are an issue though. Also See: Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTSi
Karizma
Karizma ZMR 11111
Price 81,069
CC 223
Ps/rpm 16.9/7000
Nm/rpm 18.3/6000
FT 15
G 5
SH 795
WB 1355
WT 150
0-60 4.70
KMPL 43.42
SH 795
WB 1350
WT 159
0-60 4.70
KMPL 47.5
Top Speed: 127km/h Tested: NOV ‘09 We Say: The most well-rounded performance bike gets even better. Also See: Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTSi, TVS Apache RTR180, Yamaha R15
Karizma
Price 1,02,182
CC 223
Ps/rpm 17.8/7000
Nm/rpm 18.3/6000
FT 15
Your display here to grab the most eyeballs
G 5
Contact: BIKE India Marketing Office Mumbai: +91 22 67525252 Delhi: +91 11 42345678 Bangalore: +91 80 66110116/7 Chennai: +91 44 39149889
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BI BUY-BOOK NEW BIKES MOTORCYCLES HONDA MOTORCYCLES & SCOOTERS
Plot 1&2, Sector 3, IMT Manesar, Gurgaon(Haryana) 122 050 www.honda2wheelersindia.com
Shine
11112
Top Speed: 100.4km/h Tested: MAY ‘06 We Say: Short ratios make it really quick through gears. Top speed could have been better with taller gearing. Also See: Hero Honda Glamor, TVS Flame, Yamaha Gladiator
Price Shine (Drum, Spokes) 46,817 Shine (ES, Drum, Alloys) 52,427 Shine (ES, Disc, Alloys) 54,405
CBF Stunner
CC 124.6 124.6 124.6
Ps/rpm 10.4/7500 10.4/7500 10.4/7500
Nm/rpm 10.9/5500 10.9/5500 10.9/5500
FT 11 11 11
G 4 4 4
SH 790 790 790
WB 1265 1265 1265
WT 122 122 122
0-60 7.04 7.04 7.04
KMPL 78.75 78.75 78.75
FT 10 10 10 10
G 5 5 5 5
SH 790 790 790 790
WB 1271 1271 1271 1271
WT 129 129 129 129
0-60 6.57 6.57 6.57 6.32
KMPL 61 61 61 66
Top Speed: 100.8 Tested: SEP’08
11112
We Say: A worthy competitor to the Gladiator. Also See: TVS Flame, Yamaha Gladiator CBF (KS, Drum, Alloys) CBF (ES, Drum, Alloys) CBF (ES, Disc, Alloys) CBF FI (ES, Disc, Alloys)
Unicorn
11112
Price 56,009 57,574 57,955 72,846
CC 124.7 124.7 124.7 124.7
Ps/rpm 11.15/8000 11.15/8000 11.15/8000 11.76/8000
Nm/rpm 11/6500 11/6500 11/6500 11.2/6250
Top Speed: 111.3km/h Tested: DEC ‘06 We Say: One of the smoothest mills around. Great ride-handling combo. Almost indestructible. Also See: Bajaj Pulsar 150, HH CBZ X-treme, HH Achiever, Suzuki GS150R
Unicorn
CBR1000RR 11112
Price 64,070
CC 149.1
Ps/rpm 13.5/8000
Nm/rpm 12.8/5500
FT 13
G 5
SH 790
WB 1340
WT 146
0-60 6.10
KMPL 58.92
Nm/rpm 112/8500
FT 17.7
G 6
SH 820
WB 1410
WT 199
0-60 3.4
KMPL 15
Nm/rpm 100/8000
FT 17
G 6
SH 825
WB 1445
WT 217
0-60 3.7
KMPL 16
Top Speed: NA Tested: Jun ‘09 We Say: NA Also See: Yamaha YZF R1, Suzuki Hayabusa
CBR1000RR
CB1000R
11112
Price 14.46 lakh
CC 999
Ps/rpm 178/12000
Top Speed: NA Tested: Aug ‘09 We Say: NA Also See: Yamaha MT-01, Suzuki Intruder
CB1000R
Price 11.13 lakh
CC 999
Ps/rpm 125/10000
Contact: BIKE India Marketing Office Mumbai: +91 22 67525252 Delhi: +91 11 42345678 Bangalore: +91 80 66110116/7 Chennai: +91 44 39149889
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KANDA MOTORS
43, Shanivar Peth, Nav Maharashtra House, Pune 411 030 www.kandaex.com Top Speed: 82.8km/h Tested: JAN ‘06
Mission 100 11111
We Say: Surprisingly well built for a Kandaa though lack of power is nagging. Also See: Bajaj Platina, TVS Star, HH CD Deluxe Price 35,200
Mission 100
CC 100
Ps/rpm 6.6/7000
Nm/rpm 6.45/5000
FT 12
G 4
SH 760
WB 1320
WT 115
0-60 11.27
KMPL 67.25
WT 172
0-60 2.98
KMPL NA
KAWASAKI MOTORS
www.bajajauto.com/probiking/index.html Top Speed: 160km/h (approx.) Tested: NOV ‘09
Ninja 250 R 11111
We Say: First true 250cc performance bike in India, Best sportsbike in India Also See: No further Price 2,96,150
Ninja 250 R
CC 249
Ps/rpm 33/11000
Nm/rpm 22/8,200
FT 17
G 6
SH 790
WB 1400
ROYAL ENFIELD
Tiruvottiyur High Road, Tiruvottiyur, Chennai-600 019 www.royalenfield.com
STD
11111
Top Speed: 100.1km/h Tested: NA We Say: Too old and too slow for this day and age but do you have an option? Also See: No options, as there are no alternatives to a Enfield but an Enfield itself! Price 83,291
350 STD
Electra 5S 11111
CC 346
Ps/rpm 18.3/5000
Nm/rpm 32/3000
FT 14.5
G 4
SH 760
WB 1370
WT 163
0-60 7.7
KMPL 35.22
WB 1370
WT 170
0-60 7.1
KMPL 36.44
Top Speed: 103.7km/h Tested: SEP ’05 We Say: Chromed slug with a left foot shifter and a new five-speed gearbox. Also See: No options, as there are no alternatives to a Enfield but an Enfield itself! Price 98,909
LEGEND
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Nm/rpm 32/3000
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SH 780
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Contact: BIKE India Marketing Office Mumbai: +91 22 67525252 Delhi: +91 11 42345678 Bangalore: +91 80 66110116/7 Chennai: +91 44 39149889
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BI BUY-BOOK NEW BIKES MOTORCYCLES Top Speed: 113.4 Tested: NOV ‘08
Thunderbird Twin Spark 11111
We Say: TBTS is a huge step forward in terms of performance. The best Bullet yet, well, almost Also See: You really want us to repeat the same line again? Price 1,09,290
Thunderbird
CC 346
Ps/rpm 20.07/5250
Nm/rpm 28/4000
FT 15.5
G 5
SH 770
WB 1370
WT 182
0-60 5.51
KMPL 36
WT NA 175
0-60 NA 5.15
KMPL NA 33.12
Top Speed: NA/120.54km/h Tested: NA/JULY ‘07
Machismo LB 11111
We Say: Expensive, but nothing comes in the zip code of this machine’s torque. Also See: You really want us to repeat the same line again? Price 1,06,500 1,17,700
Machismo 350 LB Machismo 500 LB
CC 346 499
Ps/rpm 18.24/5000 24/5600
Nm/rpm 27.45/3000 40.85/3000
FT 13.5 13.5
G 5 5
SH 835 835
WB 1370 1370
SUZUKI
Kherki Dhaula, Badshahapur, NH-9, Link Road, Gurgaon, Haryana www.suzukimotorcycle.co.in
Heat
11111
Top Speed: 101.11km/h Tested: JUN ‘06 We Say: Suspension on the firm side but a good buy at a 100cc price. Also See: Yamaha Gladiator, Hero Honda Super Splendour, Honda Shine
Heat (spoke wheels) Heat (alloy wheels)
Zeus
11121
Price 41,331 42,401
CC 124 124
Ps/rpm 8.83/7500 8.83/7500
Nm/rpm 10/3500 10/3500
FT 12 12
G 5 5
SH 800 800
WB 1240 1240
WT 110 110
0-60 8.69 8.69
KMPL 64.25 64.25
G 5 5
SH 790 790
WB 1240 1240
WT 120 120
0-60 8.01 8.01
KMPL 64.5 64.5
G 6
SH 790
WB 1340
WT 149
0-60 5.46
KMPL 59.75
G 6
SH 805
WB 1485
WT 236
0-60 2.3
KMPL 15
Top Speed: 101.33km/h Tested: JUNE ‘06 We Say: Very smooth engine and nicely equipped though pricey. Also See: Yamaha Gladiator, Hero Honda Super Splendour, Honda Shine
Zeus (Drum) Zeus (Disc)
GS150R
11112
Price 51,698 53,360
CC 124 124
Ps/rpm 8.83/7500 8.83/7500
Nm/rpm 10/3500 10/3500
FT 12 12
Top Speed: 108km/h Tested: FEB ‘09 We Say: Well packaged all-rounder from Suzuki Also See: Bajaj Pulsar 150, Hero Honda Achiever, Honda Unicorn
GS150R
Hayabusa 11111
Price 66,981
CC 149.5
Ps/rpm 14/8500
Nm/rpm 13.4/6000
FT 15.5
Top Speed: 296km/h (Electronically Restricted) Tested: JAN ‘09 We Say: One of the world’s fastest motorcycles, now on sale in India. Also See: Yamaha YZF-R1, Honda CBR 1000RR
Price CC Hayabusa GSX1300R 13,63,000 1340
Ps/rpm 186.45/9600
Nm/rpm 146.02/8100
FT 21
Contact: BIKE India Marketing Office Mumbai: +91 22 67525252 Delhi: +91 11 42345678 Bangalore: +91 80 66110116/7 Chennai: +91 44 39149889
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Intruder
Top Speed: 209km/h (approximate) Tested: JAN ‘09
11112
We Say: Extremely big and heavy. Attention magnet Also See: Yamaha MT-01, Honda CB1000R Price CC 13,63,000 1783
Intruder M1800R
Ps/rpm 128/6200
Nm/rpm 160/3200
FT 19.5
G 5
SH 705
WB 1710
WT 319
0-60 2.1
KMPL 13
TVS
P.B. No 4, Harita, Hosur, Tamil Nadu 635109 www.tvsmotor.co.in
Star Sport
Top Speed: 85km/h Tested: APR ‘07
11111
We Say: Stylishly slick offering for those on a budget. Also See: Bajaj Platina, Hero Honda Passion Plus, Yamaha Alba Price 38,389
G 4
SH 785
WB 1250
WT 112
0-60 9.5
KMPL 58
We Say: Adds style to your commute without being too heavy on the pocket. Also See: Bajaj Platina, Hero Honda CD Deluxe, Yamaha Libero G5 Price CC Ps/rpm Nm/rpm FT G Star City (ES,Spokes) 43,822 109.7 8.29/7500 8.1/5000 16 4 Star City (ES,Alloys) 44,703 109.7 8.29/7500 8.1/5000 16 4
SH 785 785
WB 1250 1250
WT 110 115
0-60 NA NA
KMPL NA NA
SH 812
WB 1320
WT 126
0-60 6.77
KMPL 69.4
WB 1300 1300 1300
WT 136 136 136
0-60 5.04 5.04 5.56
KMPL 50 50 55
WT 137
0-60 4.64
KMPL 45.25
Star Sport CVTi
Star City
11111
Flame
11111 1111
CC 99.7
Ps/rpm 7.6/7500
Nm/rpm 7.5/5000
FT 16
Top Speed: 85.05km/h Tested: NA
Top Speed: 100.8km/h Tested: NOV ‘09 We Say: Good city bike, got a little better Also See: Honda Shine, Bajaj Discover, Hero Honda Glamour, Suzuki Zeus,
Price SR125 (Disc, Elec-start) 54,705
Apache RTR EFI 11112
CC 124.8
Ps/rpm 10.5/7500
Nm/rpm 10/6000
FT 7.5
G 4
Top Speed: 119km/h Tested: JAN ‘08 We Say: Stunning looks, nimble traffic carver and a punchy ride overall. Also See: Bajaj Pulsar 180, HH CBZ X-treme, Honda Unicorn
Price Apache RTR 65,086 Apache RTR (rear-disc) 67,374 Apache RTR EFI 73,998
Apache RTR180 11112
CC 159.7 159.7 159.7
Ps/rpm 15.4/8500 15.4/8500 15.92/8500
Nm/rpm 13.1/6000 13.1/6000 13.1/6500
FT 16 16 16
G 5 5 5
SH 790 790 790
Top Speed: 124km/h Tested: JUL ‘09 We Say: Great looks, nible traffic carver with power through the complete rev range. Also See: Bajaj Pulsar 220, HH Karizma R, Yamaha FZS, Yamaha YZF R15
Apache RTR
Price 72,110
CC 177.4
Ps/rpm 17.3/8500
Nm/rpm 15.5/6500
FT 16
Your display here to grab the most eyeballs
G 5
SH 790
WB 1340
Contact: BIKE India Marketing Office Mumbai: +91 22 67525252 Delhi: +91 11 42345678 Bangalore: +91 80 66110116/7 Chennai: +91 44 39149889
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BI BUY-BOOK NEW BIKES MOTORCYCLES YAMAHA
A-3, Surajpur Ind. Area Noida Dadri Road, Surajpur - 201 306 www.yamaha-motor-india.com
Crux S
11121
Top Speed: 93.95km/h Tested: OCT ‘05 We Say: Excellent gearbox, but lacks appeal and doesn’t excel at anything else. Also See: Hero Honda CD Dawn, Bajaj Platina, TVS Star
Crux S
Alba 106
11111
Price 38,000
CC 106
Ps/rpm 7.3/7500
Nm/rpm 7.7/6000
FT 11
G 4
SH 775
WB 1260
WT 0-60 105.5 9.9
KMPL 62.52
G 4
SH 800
WB 1290
WT 119
0-60 14.2
KMPL 67.5
SH 800
WB 1290
WT 119
0-60 11.8
KMPL 66.64
WB 1300 1300
WT 123 123
0-60 7.55 7.55
KMPL 67.5 67.5
Top Speed: 83.67km/h Tested: JUL ‘07 We Say: Libero reincarnated but with added style and presence. Also See: Hero Honda Splendour NXG, Bajaj Platina, TVS Star Sport
Alba 106 (ES)
Libero G5 11121
Price 44,511
CC 106
Ps/rpm 7.6/7500
Nm/rpm 7.8/6000
FT 13
Top Speed: 86.8km/h Tested: AUG ‘05 We Say: A good all round performer but pricey for a 100cc. Also See: HH Passion Plus, HH Splendor NXG, TVS Star Sport, Bajaj Platina
Libero G5 (ES)
Gladiator
11112
Price 46,000
CC 106
Ps/rpm 7.6/7500
Nm/rpm 7.8/6000
FT 13
G 4
Top Speed: 108.2km/h Tested: JUN ‘06 We Say: Big bike feel, great performance. Mid-range torque should have been stronger. Also See: Suzuki Zeus, Bajaj XCD 125, Hero Honda Super Splendour, Honda Shine
Gladiator SS Gladiator RS
FZ16
11112
Price 52,914 53,500
CC 123.7 123.7
Ps/rpm 10.8/7500 10.8/7500
Nm/rpm 10.4/6500 10.4/6500
FT 13 13
G 5 5
SH 800 800
Top Speed: 110.9km/h Tested: OCT ‘08 We Say: The best looking naked bike in the country. Has worked wonders for Yamaha in India. Also See: Hero Honda Hunk, TVS Apache RTR
FZ16 FZ-S
Fazer
11112
Price 72,856 75,116
CC 153 153
Ps/rpm 14/7500 14/7500
Nm/rpm 13.6/6000 13.6/6000
FT 12 12
G 5 5
SH 790 790
WB 1335 1335
WT 136 136
0-60 5.51 5.51
KMPL 43.5 43.5
G 5
SH 790
WB 1335
WT 141
0-60 NA
KMPL NA
Top Speed: NA Tested: NA We Say: The FZ with a fairing, little underpowered for serious touring. Also See: Hero Honda Hunk, TVS Apache RTR
Fazer
Price 80,800
CC 153
Ps/rpm 14/7500
Nm/rpm 14/6000
FT 12
Contact: BIKE India Marketing Office Mumbai: +91 22 67525252 Delhi: +91 11 42345678 Bangalore: +91 80 66110116/7 Chennai: +91 44 39149889
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NEW BIKES SCOOTERS YZF R15
Top Speed: 130.2 Tested: AUG’08
11111
We Say: Indian performance biking taken to the next level. Also See: Hero Honda Karizma, Bajaj Pulsar 220 Price 1,08,807
YZF R15
YZF R1
CC 149.8
Ps/rpm 17/8500
Nm/rpm 15/7500
FT 12
G 6
SH 790
WB 1290
WT 131
0-60 5.12
KMPL 42.6
Top Speed: 290km/h Tested: JAN ‘08
11111
We Say: One of the best supersport bikes in the world. Now officially on sale in India. Also See: Suzuki Hayabusa, Honda CBR1000RR Price CC 12,81,000 998
YZF R1
Ps/rpm 180/12500
Nm/rpm 112/10000
FT 18
G 6
SH 835
WB 1415
WT 177
0-60 2.68
KMPL 13
FT 15
G 5
SH 825
WB 1525
WT 243
0-60 NA
KMPL NA
FT 15
G 5
SH 775
WB 1700
WT 310
0-60 NA
KMPL NA
Top Speed: 210km/h (claimed) Tested: NA
MT01
11111
We Say: Naked street fighter with tons of torque. Also See: Suzuki Intruder, Honda CB1000R Price CC 12,81,000 1670
MT01
Ps/rpm 90/4750
Nm/rpm 150/3750
Top Speed: NA Tested: NA
VMax
11111
We Say: Ultimate naked street fighter Also See: Yamaha MT01, Suzuki Intruder, Honda CB1000R VMax(ex-Pune)
Price 20 lakh
CC 1679
Ps/rpm 200/9000
Nm/rpm 166.8/6500
SCOOTERS BAJAJ AUTO
Mumbai-Pune Road, Akurdi, Pune Maharashtra - 35 www.bajajauto.com
Kristal 11111
Top Speed: 82.5km/h Tested: FEB ‘07 We Say: Good performance but mediocre build quality, plastics and stiff ride quality. Also See: Honda Activa, Honda Dio, HH Pleasure, TVS Scooty Pep+
LEGEND
Kristal
ubic CC- C
Peak /rpm-
Ps
ity
capac
power
Price 39,620
rque eak to P m Nm/rp acity nk cap a t l e u FT- F
CC 94.86
Ps/rpm 7.2/7500
. of G - No SH -
Nm/rpm 7.66/5500
G V
SH 760
m)
ase (m
gears )
ht (mm
heig Saddle
FT 4.5
heelb WB- W
(Kg) weight b r e K WT
Your display here to grab the most eyeballs
WB 1250
WT 99
0-60 11.60
KMPL 49.12
ation cceler A ) h / km 0-60( iency el effic u F lKmp
Contact: BIKE India Marketing Office Mumbai: +91 22 67525252 Delhi: +91 11 42345678 Bangalore: +91 80 66110116/7 Chennai: +91 44 39149889
November 2009
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BI BUY-BOOK NEW BIKES SCOOTERS HERO HONDA
34, Community Centre, Vasant Lok, Vasant Vihar New Delhi - 110 057 www.herohonda.com
Pleasure
11111
Top Speed: 80.90km/h Tested: FEB ‘06 We Say: Great looks and goodie-loaded, this is the ideal jump for the econo-commuter who wants more. Also See: Honda Activa, TVS Scooty Pep+, Bajaj Krystal Price 40,842
Pleasure
CC 102
Ps/rpm 7.1/7000
Nm/rpm 7.8/5000
FT 10
G V
SH 750
WB 1240
WT 104
0-60 12.18
KMPL 47
HONDA MOTORCYCLES & SCOOTERS
Plot 1&2, Sector 3, IMT Manesar, Gurgaon (Haryana) - 122 050 www.honda2wheelersindia.com
Activa
11112
Top Speed: 89km/h Tested: May ‘09 We Say: Revived the scooter market and is an improvement over the old Activa. Also See: Bajaj Krystal, Honda Dio, TVS Scooty Streak, HH Pleasure Price 45,575 46,464
Activa Activa DLX
Dio
11112
CC 109 109
Ps/rpm 8.1/7500 8.1/7500
Nm/rpm 8.8/5500 8.8/5500
FT 5.3 5.3
G V V
SH 765 765
WB 1238 1238
WT 106 106
0-60 10.79 10.79
KMPL 53.5 53.5
FT 6
G V
SH 762
WB 1235
WT 107
0-60 10.9
KMPL 49.52
FT 6 6
G V V
SH 790 790
WB 1256 1256
WT 102 102
0-60 11.78 11.78
KMPL 46 46
WT 116 104
0-60 NA NA
KMPL 86 NA
Top Speed: 78.7km/h Tested: OCT ‘06 We Say: An Activa with good looks. Pillon foot rest is a pain though. Also See: Hero Honda Pleasure, Kinetic Nova 135, Honda Activa Price 41,125
Dio Deluxe
Aviator
11112
CC 102
Ps/rpm 7/7000
Nm/rpm 7.8/5500
Top Speed: 83km/h Tested: FEB ‘08 We Say: Positioned for the premium market. Good but expensive. Also See: Suzuki Access, Kinetic Flyte Price 45,347 49,446
Aviator (Drum) Aviator (Disc)
CC 102 102
Ps/rpm 7.2/7000 7.2/7000
Nm/rpm 7.8/5500 7.8/5500
LML
7309, DLF Phase-IV, Gurgaon-122002
NV
11111
Top Speed: NA Tested: NA We Say: Going back in time Also See: Honda Activa, Mahindra Duro
NV-4S(ex-Delhi) NV-2S(ex-Delhi)
Price 40,166 36,058
CC 147.5 149.5
Ps/rpm 8.8/6200 8/5500
Nm/rpm 11.3/4250 13.2/3500
FT 5.5 8
G 4 4
SH 820 820
WB 1235 1235
Contact: BIKE India Marketing Office Mumbai: +91 22 67525252 Delhi: +91 11 42345678 Bangalore: +91 80 66110116/7 Chennai: +91 44 39149889
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MAHINDRA 2WHEELERS
Mahindra Towers, Worli Mumbai 400018 www.mahindra2wheelers.com
Kine’
11111
Top Speed: 67.5km/h Tested: AUG ‘05 We Say: One of the last two-strokes available. Pulls nicely for its cubic capacity. Also See: TVS Scooty Teenz
Kine
4S
11111
Price 32,028
CC 71.5
Ps/rpm 4.3/5500
Nm/rpm 5.7/4500
FT 4
G V
SH 770
WB 1235
WT 82
0-60 13.10
KMPL 70.89
Nm/rpm 7.7/5000
FT 7
G V
SH 760
WB 1260
WT 104
0-60 12.92
KMPL 45.75
FT 6
G V
SH 770
WB 1290
WT 105
0-60 NA
KMPL NA
Top Speed: 77km/h Tested: NOV ‘05 We Say: Old wine in old bottle. Also See: Honda Dio, Honda Activa
4S
Duro
11111
Price 42,791
CC 113.1
Ps/rpm 7.3/7500
Top Speed: NA Tested: NA We Say: Nova’s body gets the Flyte’s engine. Also See: Honda Activa, Honda Dio, Bajaj Krystal
Duro
Flyte 11112
Price 42,612
CC 124.6
Ps/rpm 8.11/7500
Nm/rpm 9/5500
Top Speed: 83.8km/h Tested: OCT ‘07 We Say: Zippy and comfortable scooter. Great choice for city commutes. Also See: Honda Aviator, Suzuki Access, TVS Scooty Streak
Flyte
Rodeo
11111
Price 43,324
CC 124.6
Ps/rpm 8/7000
Nm/rpm 9/5000
FT 5
G V
SH 760
WB 1260
WT 105
0-60 13.02
KMPL 41
Nm/rpm 9/5500
FT 4.5
G V
SH 760
WB 1245
WT 106
0-60 NA
KMPL NA
FT 6
G V
SH 760
WB 1250
WT 103
0-60 12.30
KMPL 40.17
Top Speed: NA Tested: NA We Say: Flyte gets a style change. Also See: Honda Activa, Honda Dio, Bajaj Krystal
Rodeo
Nova
11111
Price 45,666
CC 124.6
Ps/rpm 8.11/7000
Top Speed: 82.9km/h Tested: OCT ‘06 We Say: Fast, pricey and thirsty. Also See: Honda Activa, Honda Dio, Bajaj Krystal
Nova
Price 44,455
CC 135
Ps/rpm 8.6/6500
Nm/rpm 10/4500
Your display here to grab the most eyeballs
Contact: BIKE India Marketing Office Mumbai: +91 22 67525252 Delhi: +91 11 42345678 Bangalore: +91 80 66110116/7 Chennai: +91 44 39149889
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BI BUY-BOOK NEW BIKES SCOOTERS TVS
P.B. No 4, Harita, Hosur, Tamil Nadu 635109 www.tvsmotor.co.in Top Speed: 74km/h Tested: NA
Scooty Teenz 11111
We Say: The good old scooty lives on with a cosmetic makeover. Also See: Kinetic Kine Price 29,990
Scooty Teenz
Scooty Pep+
CC 59.9
Ps/rpm 3.5/5500
Nm/rpm 4.5/5000
FT 4.5
G V
SH NA
WB 1220
WT 83
0-60 NA
KMPL NA
G V
SH 740
WB 1230
WT 95
0-60 12.2
KMPL 50.67
WB 1230
WT 96
0-60 11.48
KMPL 51
Top Speed: 74km/h Tested: NOV ‘05
11111
We Say: An engine upgrade makes it even more desirable. Also See: Bajaj Krystal, Honda Activa, Hero Honda Pleasure Price 38,998
Scooty Pep+
Scooty Streak
CC 87.8
Ps/rpm 5/6500
Nm/rpm 5.8/4000
FT 5
Top Speed: 78.4km/h Tested: May ‘09
11111
We Say: NA: Styling updates and sticker works gives it a new lease of life. Also See: Kinetic Flyte, Bajaj Krystal, Honda Activa, Hero Honda Pleasure Price 41,236
Scooty Streak
CC 87.8
Ps/rpm 5/6500
Nm/rpm 5.8/4000
FT 4.7
G V
SH 740
SUZUKI
Kherki Dhaula, Badshahapur, NH-9, Link Road, Gurgaon, Haryana www.suzukimotorcycle.co.in
Access
11112
Top Speed: 91.78km/h Tested: DEC ‘07 We Say: Really quick and a nimble handler but priced higher than the competition. Also See: Kinetic Flyte, Honda Aviator Price 48,295
LEGEND
Access
y
apacit
bic c C- Cu
C
wer
eak po rpm- P
Ps/
Peak /rpm-
Nm
el tank FT- Fu
CC 124
torque
Ps/rpm 8.71/7000
Nm/rpm 9.8/5000
ity
capac
S
ddle H - Sa
height
G V
SH 780
(mm)
heelb WB- W
WB 1250
WT 109
0-60 11.58
m)
ase (m
ars
. of ge G - No
FT 6.4
(Kg) weight b r e K WT-
KMPL 42
n
leratio
) Acce
km/h 0-60( K
y
fficienc
uel e mpl- F
Contact: BIKE India Marketing Office Mumbai: +91 22 67525252 Delhi: +91 11 42345678 Bangalore: +91 80 66110116/7 Chennai: +91 44 39149889
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ELECTRIC SCOOTERS AVON
G.T. Road, Ludhiana, Punjab 141003. www.avoncycles.com Top Speed: 25 km/h Tested: MAR ‘09
AVON E-SCOOT
Avon E-Scoot
Price 30,321
Voltage Power 48V 250W
Torque -
FT -
G -
SH -
WB -
WT 85
0-30 11.16
RANGE 50-55
BSA
Post Bag # 5,M T H Road, Ambattur,Chennai - 53 www.bsamotorsindia.com
Roamer +
Roamer +
Top Speed: 39.8km/h Tested: MAR ‘09
Price 36,600
Voltage Power 48V 800W
Torque -
FT -
G -
SH -
WB -
WT 107
0-30 7.68
RANGE 40
EKO VEHICLES
Bhoruka Park, WhitefieldRoad, Bangalore560048 Web: www.ekovehicle.com
Top Speed: 56.14km/h Tested: MAR ‘09
EV-60
EV-60
Price 38,800
Voltage Power 60V 1878W
Torque -
FT -
G -
SH -
WB 1240
WT 93
0-30 9.49
RANGE 60
HERO ELECTRIC
50 Okhla Industrial Estate Phase III New Delhi 110020 Web: www.heroelectricindia.com
MAXI
Top Speed: 25km/h Tested: MAR ‘09
Maxi
Price 29,400
Voltage Power 48V 250W
Torque -
FT -
Your display here to grab the most eyeballs
G -
SH -
WB -
WT 65
0-20 7.84
RANGE 70
Contact: BIKE India Marketing Office Mumbai: +91 22 67525252 Delhi: +91 11 42345678 Bangalore: +91 80 66110116/7 Chennai: +91 44 39149889
November 2009
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BI BUY-BOOK NEW BIKES ELECTRIC SCOOTERS Top Speed: 25km/h Tested: MAR ‘09
OPTIMA PLUS
Optima Plus
Price 31,900
Voltage Power 48V 250W
Torque -
FT -
G -
SH -
WB -
WT 83
0-20 7.84
RANGE 70
Torque -
FT -
G -
SH -
WB -
WT -
0-20 -
RANGE 70 100
Top Speed: NA Tested: NA
WAVE DX
Price Wave Dx 33,450 Wave Dx(With Extra Miles) 36,650
Voltage Power 48V 250W 48V 250W
INDUS
72, Palodia, Ahmedabad 382 115 Gujrat www.induselectrans.com
YO Speed
YO Speed
YO Smart
YO Smart
YO Spin
YO Spin
Top Speed: 45km/h Tested: NA
Price 39,950
Voltage Power 750W
Torque -
FT -
G -
SH -
WB -
WT -
0-20 -
RANGE 70-75
Torque -
FT -
G -
SH -
WB -
WT 75
0-20 4.5
RANGE 60
Top Speed: 25km/h Tested: FEB ‘07
Price 29,970
Voltage Power 48V 250W
Top Speed: 24.28km/h Tested: FEB ‘07
Price 26,990
Voltage Power 48V 250W
Torque -
FT -
G -
SH -
WB -
WT 75
0-20 6.14
RANGE 45
Contact: BIKE India Marketing Office Mumbai: +91 22 67525252 Delhi: +91 11 42345678 Bangalore: +91 80 66110116/7 Chennai: +91 44 39149889
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KABIRDASS, MOTOR COMPANY
16, Poonamalee road, Velappanchavadi, Chennai 600077 www.kabirdass.com
K100 LA
Top Speed: 25km/h Tested: NA
Price 26,000
K100 LA
K103 LA
Voltage Power 48V 250W
Torque -
FT -
G -
SH -
WB -
WT NA
0-20 NA
RANGE 60
Torque -
FT -
G -
SH -
WB -
WT NA
0-20 NA
RANGE 75
Top Speed: 25km/h Tested: NA
Price 32,000
K103 LA
Voltage Power 48V 250W
LECTRIX MOTORS LTD.
C-8/C-9, Community Centre, Janakpuri, New Delhi 110058, Uttarakhand www.lectrix.in
e1
Top Speed: 25km/h Tested: NA
e1 (Punjab, Haryana)
Price 28,800
Voltage Power 48V 250W
Torque -
FT -
G -
SH -
WB -
WT 84
0-20 7.84
RANGE 70
LOHIA AUTO
Nandnagar Industrial Estate, Kheraganj, Kashipur 244713, Uttarakhand www.lohiaauto.com
Oma
Top Speed: 25km/h Tested: NA
Oma
Price 31,000
Voltage Power 48V 250W
Torque -
FT -
G -
SH -
WB -
WT NA
0-20 NA
RANGE 70
Torque -
FT -
G -
SH -
WB -
WT NA
0-20 NA
RANGE 70
Top Speed: 25km/h Tested: NA
Fame
Fame
Price 31,000
Voltage Power 48V 250W
Your display here to grab the most eyeballs
Contact: BIKE India Marketing Office Mumbai: +91 22 67525252 Delhi: +91 11 42345678 Bangalore: +91 80 66110116/7 Chennai: +91 44 39149889
November 2009
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BI BUY-BOOK NEW BIKES ELECTRIC SCOOTERS TVS
P.B. No 4, Harita, Hosur, Tamil Nadu 635109 www.tvsmotor.co.in
Scooty Teenz
Top Speed: 40km/h Tested: JAN ‘08
Scooty Teenz Electric
Price 36,192
Voltage Power 48V 800W
Torque -
FT -
G -
SH -
WB 1220
WT 95
0-20 -
RANGE 40
ULTRA MOTOR
F 89/5, Okhla Industrial Estate, Phase-1, N.Delhi-20 www.ultramotors.com/india
MARATHON
Top Speed: 25km/h* (claimed) Tested: NA
Price 18,275 23,120
Marathon Lite Marathon
Voltage 48V 48V
Power 250W 250W
Torque -
FT -
G -
SH -
WB -
WT 77 88
0-20 -
WT 88
0-20 -
RANGE 70* 85*
Top Speed: 40km/h* Tested: NA
VELOCITI
Price 28,015
Velociti
Voltage 48V
Power 500W
Torque -
FT -
G -
SH -
WB -
RANGE 50*
VIJAYA
19, 2nd Main Road, ra Puram, Chennai Tamil Nadu 600 001 www.vvelectricscooters.com
Grace 50
Top Speed: 40km/h Tested: NA
Price 38,000
Grace 50
Glide 25R
GLIDE 25 SUPER
120 120
Torque -
FT -
G -
SH -
WB -
WT -
0-20 -
RANGE 50
Torque -
FT -
G -
SH -
WB -
WT -
0-20 -
RANGE 60
Torque -
FT -
G -
SH -
WB -
WT -
0-20 -
RANGE 75
Top Speed: 25km/h Tested: NA
Glide 25 R
Glide 25 Super
Voltage Power 500W
Price 29,000
Voltage Power 48V 240W
Top Speed: 25km/h Tested: NA
Price 26,000
Voltage Power 48V 240W
India November 2009
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RNI NO. MAHENG / 2005 / 15682
BC_bike_August09_bajaj_newstand.122 122
10/15/2009 6:45:13 PM