Honda launches PCX 150 Maxi scooter in Indonesia

Honda Motor Corporation of Japan has launched PCX 150 maxi scooter in Indonesia through its joint venture Astra Honda.  PCX150 is a premium maxi scooter (touring scooter) and it will replace the existing PCX125 in Indonesia. The new PCX 150 comes with Honda’s latest technology.  The new PCX150 will be priced at 33.3 million Indonesian Rupiah (Rs. 2,00,000). The new version is just Rs. 6,000 costlier compared to the previous PCX 125. Honda is targeting to sell 2,500 units a year in Indonesia.
The New PCX 150 comes with 150cc liquid cooled four stroke engine that is capable of producing maximum bhp of 13.5 bhp at 8,500 rpm compared to maximum power of 11.5 bhp at 8,500 rpm of PCX125. The new engine comes with ESP (Enhanced Smart Power) which increases the power output but does not compromise on fuel efficiency front.  PCX 150 offers 110 MPG (47Km/liter).  The engine also comes with low friction technology.  This stylish and sporty scooter also serves as an enjoyable ride for errands, commuting or weekend fun, thanks to its nimble and friendly handling characteristics. It comes with comfortable seating position for the rider and pillion.  It offers ample amount of storage capacity with large, handy under-seat storage compartment and front glove box.

What’s new in 2013 PCX 150

• New, larger-displacement 150cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke engine adds freeway credentials to this modern scooter that captures a distinctive, motorcycle-like style.
• It comes with standard automatic side stand – engine switches off automatically when the side stand goes down.
• Increased wheelbase of 1305mm and 140 mm of ground clearance.
• New seat padding material adds to the PCX150’s comfort factor.
• Excellent fuel mileage makes for remarkably economical transportation.
• Modern motorcycle-inspired styling in a full-sized scooter.
• Available in Metallic Black and Candy Red colors.
• Honda Genuine accessories include rear trunk, trunk base kit, widescreen and outdoor cover.

ENGINE

Engine Type	153cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke
Bore And Stroke	58.0mm x 57.9mm
Induction	PGM-FI with automatic enrichment
Ignition	Digital with electronic advance
Compression Ratio	10.6:1
Valve Train	SOHC; two-valve

DRIVE TRAIN

Transmission

Honda V-Matic belt-converter automatic transmission

CHASSIS / SUSPENSION / BRAKES

Front Suspension	31mm hydraulic fork; 3.5 inches of travel
Rear Suspension	Unit swingarm, 3.1 inches of travel
Front Brake	Single 220mm disc with three-piston caliper and CBS
Rear Brake	Drum with CBS
Front Tire	90/90-14
Rear Tire	100/90-14

DIMENSIONS

Rake	27.0 degrees
Trail	86mm (3.4 inches)
Wheelbase	1305 mm (51.8 inches)
Seat Height	140 mm (29.9 inches)
Curb Weight	129KG (Includes all standard equipment, required fluids and a full tank of fuel-ready to ride)
Fuel Capacity	6  liters

Indian Motorcycles Sales Figures for May 2012

Indian Bikes Sales Chart May 2012

Welcome to another edition of Monthly sales report of Motorcycles in India, check out the chart above and the analysis given below to know how the Two wheeler companies performed in the month of May, 2012.

Hero Motocorp. Latest Sales Figures May 2012

Hero MotoCorp India’s no. 1 two wheeler company has posted growth of 11.28% in the month of May 2012 compared to May 2011.  The company has sold 5,56,644 units of two wheelers in the month of May 2012 compared to 5,00,234 units of two wheelers sold in the month of May 2011. On the month on month basis the sale is up by 0.92%. The company has sold 5,51,557 units in the month of April 2012. The figure of 5,56,644 is the highest ever in company’s history, the last sales record was 5,51,577 units in April 2012.

Cumulative sales for the period of April to May 2012 reported growth of 8.93% over the last year same period. The company sold 11,08,201 units this year compared to 10,17,333 units last year for the period of April to May. The company aims to sell 7 million two wheelers this year.

Bajaj Auto Latest Sales Figures May 2012

Country’s second largest two wheeler maker, Bajaj Auto has reported growth of 1.24 % in the month of May 2012. The company has sold 3,21,922 units of motorcycle in the month of May 2012 compared to 3,17,989 units in the month of May 2011. The company exported 1,30,573 units in the month of May 2012 up by 2.96% compared to 1,26,818 units in the month of May 2011. On the month on month basis sales is down by 5.96%. The company sold 3,42,324 units in the month of April 2012.

The company’s total sales stood at 3,52,219 units in the month of May 2012 down by 1.85% compared to 3,58,849 units in the month of May 2011. Cumulative sales for the period of April to May 2012 reported growth of 3.75% over the last year same period. The company sold 6,64,246 units of motorcycle this year compared to 6,40,224 units last year for the period of April to May. The company aims to sell 4.5 million motorcycles this year.

HMSI Latest Sales Figures May 2012

India’s largest scooter manufacturing company Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Ltd reported growth of 52.02% in the month of May 2012. The company reported sales of 2,21,540 units in the month of May 2012 compared to 1,45,729 units in the May 2011. On month on month basis the company’s sales is up by 11.42%. The company sold 1,98,831 units in the month of April 2012.

Motorcycle sales stood at 95,507 units in the month of May 2012 up by 37.44% compared to May 2011 where it sold 69,488 units. The company reported 65.31% jump in sales of Scooter. The company sold 1,26,033 units of scooter in the month of May 2012 compared to 76,241 units in the month of May 2011. Cumulative sales for the period of April to May 2012 reported growth of 48.88% over the last year same period. The company sold 4,20,371 units this year compared to 2,82,351 units last year for the period of April to May. The company aims to sell 2.8 million units this year.

TVS Motors Latest Sales Figures May 2012

TVS Motors has posted de growth of 4.84% in the month of May 2012. The company has sold 1,73,092 units in the month of May 2012 compared to 1,81,891 units sold in the month of May 2011. Total sales stood at 1,76,012 units in the month of May 2012 down by 5.33% compared to 1,85,930 units sold in the same period last year. On the month on basis the company has reported sales growth of 0.90%. The company has sold 1,71,551 units of two wheeler in the month of April 2012. Domestic sales stood at 1,51,980 units in the month of May 2012 down by  4.31% compared to 1,58,829 units sold in the month of May 2011. Export stood at 21,112 units in the month of May 2012 down by 8.46% compared to 23,062 units sold in May 2011.

Motorcycle sales stood at 64,134 units in the month of May 2012 down by 15.19% compared to 75,619 units sold in the month of May 2011.  Scooter sales stood at 38,833 units in the month of May 2012 up by 1.74% compared to 38,168 units sold in the month of May 2012. Moped sales stood at 70,125 units in the month of May 2012. Cumulative sales for the period of April to May 2012 reported de growth of 0.91% over the last year same period. The company sold 3,44,643 units this year compared to 3,46,071 units last year for the period of April to May. The company targets 8-10% growth this year.

Yamaha India Latest Sales Figures May 2012

Yamaha India did not report sales figure for the month of May 2012. It seems that the company has reported flat or negative sales this month. Last year the company has sold 38,812 units in the month of May 2011 and cumulative sales for the period April to May 2011 stood at 73,288 units. The company sold 36,581 units in the month of April 2012. The company aims to sell 6.3 lakhs units this year including export.

Suzuki Motorcycles Latest Sales Figures May 2012

Suzuki Motorcycle India reported growth of 21.59% in the month of May 2012 compared to May 2011. The company’s total sales stood at 36,746 units in the month of May 2012 compared to 30,222 units in the month of May 2011. The company reported growth of 19.94% compared to the month of April 2012. The company sold 30,635 units in the month of April 2012. The company aims to sell five lakh two wheelers in this year. Cumulative sales for the period of April to May 2012 reported growth of 13.09% over the last year same period. The company sold 67,381 units this year compared to 59,584 units last year for the period of April to May.

Mahindra Two wheelers Latest Sales Figures May 2012

Mahindra Two Wheeler reported de growth of 17.08% in the month of May 2012 compared to May 2011. Total sales stood at 9,096 units in the month of May 2012 compared to 10,970 units in the month of May 2011. Month on Month basis the company’s sales is down by 10.74%. The company sold 10,191 units last month. Cumulative sales for the period of April to May 2012 reported de growth of 6.03% over the last year same period. The company sold 19,287 units this year compared to 20,525 units last year for the period of April to May.

Royal Enfield: Please refer to Royal Enfield reports 42% growth in 2011  post for Royal Enfield sales performance.

Summary:

Indian two wheeler industry reported double digit growth for the first time in this financial year 2012-13 due to Hero Motocorp and HMSI. Total sales stood at 1.36 million units in the month of May 2012 compared to 1.22 million units in the same period last year registering growth of 10.57%.  Cumulative sales for April to May month stood at 2.70 million units compared to 2.44 million units registering growth of 10.57%.

Hero Motocorp sold 1.11 million units while Bajaj Auto sold 0.66 million units during the April to May 2012. HMSI, TVS Motors, Yamaha and Suzuki motorcycles reported 0.42 million, 0.34 million, 0.07 million and 0.07 million units respectively. Mahindra two wheelers reported 0.02 million units. May remains good month for few companies but let’s wait and see how these companies perform in the month of June.

KTM Introduces Complementing Protective Cover for Duke 200

As the country has started to get rain splashes all across, many people are flocking on to bike accessory shops to get a protective covering for their bikes. Let the normal ones do this, the Duke 200 owners have a stylish choice it seems.
KTM India has introduced a complementing orange colored protective outdoor cover for your Duke 200. It not only looks good but is also functional. According to the company the cover is made up of special fabric and is completely water proof. The protective cover doesn’t allow dust or condensation droplets to seep through to your bike. It also comes with a bag in which you can carry it around or store it properly.  is suitable for all seasons of the year and saves you from other substances like salts, bird droppings etc.
KTM Duke Protective Cover Price
The bike cover is priced at Rs 720 currently and the company clearly tells that this is the introductory price as of now. It is available at KTM dealers all across the country.

Hyosung Launches GT250R in India at 2.75 Lakhs Ex-Showroom, On-Road Price: ~3Lakhs

The most awaited bike GT250R from Hyosung’s stables was launched at a grand ceremony at Hotel Trident in Mumbai eariler. We covered the GT250R Launch event live for you. Here is the brief overview of the launch, at the end we have also given more pictures of the event which we could not upload earlier.

- This would be Hyosung’s smallest bike in India.

- This would be Hyosung’s first bike in India in partnership with DSK.

- The launch was kept minimal without stretching out on anything.DSK group chairman Mr Kulkarni talked about the brand DSK and future plans

- Hyosung GT250R is priced at 2.75 lac ex-showroom Delhi, right beside the established Ninja 250R.

- The bike will hit the showrooms in 5 days and DSK Motowheels plan to launch the naked version by September this year.

- The company also plans to launch their GV cruisers – GV250 and GV650 in India possibly by this year-end or early next year.

- As we already informed you earlier, DSK has grave plans of achieving almost 90% localization in the coming 18 months.

- If they succeed, according to them GT250R could be as cheap as 1.50 lac in India

- GT250R would be available in 3 color options – White/Red (which we have ridden), Red/Black and Silver/Red

- DSK also said that GT250R is a premium product and deserves that price.

The bigger question is that will people buy the super-sports looker GT250R or the supremely talented Ninja when these two come at the same price point. We have already tested the GT250R and you can read our comprehensive review of the bike here.

We thank our guest correspondents Siddharth and Rohit for the complete coverage of GT250R launch and keeping our readers updated about all the timely updates. Also, check out pictures from the launch ceremony.

On-road price of GT250R given above is approximate, we will soon update the article with exact price very soon.

Mahindra Launches Rodeo RZ in South India at an Ex Showroom Price of 49K

After unveiling the facelifted Rodeo RZ on 7^th June to the media, Mahindra has finally launched the scooter on sale. However, Rodeo RZ would be launched in a phase wide manner across the country and the current launch is limited to South India.
The Rodeo RZ is powered by a 125cc Z Series engine which has been tuned to offer better pick-up remaining frugal at the same time. Rodeo RZ gets a the Dual Curve Digital Ignition (DCDI) similar to Duro DZ,  which Mahindra claims provides better fuel efficiency.
Here are the prominent features of the scooter (as claimed by Mahindra)

• ARAI certified fuel efficiency of 59.38 kmpl
• 7 interchangeable backlit panel Digital console with tachometer, tripmeter, acceleration timer, odometer, speedometer, over-speed alarm, fuel gauge, clock and side stand buzzer.
• Body Color mirrors
• Mobile phone/MP3 charger
• 4-in-1 Anti-theft key
• Available in 7 color options – Mystique Violet, Electric Green and Flame Orange are new additions apart from the regulars

Mr. Dharmendra Mishra, Vice President - Sales and Customer Care, Mr. Viren Popli, Senior VP - Strategy and Market Development and Mr. Sarosh Shetty, Vice President – Marketing at the launch of the Mahindra Rodeo RZ in Chennai.

PRICE: (Ex-Showroom)

1. Andhra Pradesh : Rs 49,575
2. Kerala : Rs 49,410
3. Tamil Nadu: Rs 50,710
4. Karnataka: Rs 48,930

When we compare these prices with its competitors, they seem to be very much around what others are priced at. However, this might mean that Rodeo RZ might have lost its value-for-money preposition, 2k lesser than others and it could have made a bigger impact.
The biggest issues reported by customers were that of inconsistent fuel efficiency and low ground clearance for the erstwhile Rodeo. However, Mahindra seems to be confident of the product this time and we hope that the scooter delivers whatever is promised.

Mahindra Plans to Launch Mojo Soon [2012 Motorcycles]

Yes, you read it correctly. Its the Mojo we are talking about. At the launch of Rodeo RZ, Mahindra also revealed a little about their motorcycle portfolio for the future.

According to the company, they have plans to launch 3 new motorcycles which would be placed across various segments. Obviously, the most exciting seems to be the Mojo which made big waves when Mahindra unveiled it. However, it went off the air as soon as something could be made out of it. The last we saw it was at the Auto Expo 2012.

Nonetheless, Mahindra has been working on it and it seems Mojo would see light of the day (we hope that day is near. The best part is that according to Mahindra, Mojo is ‘under test’ and would get to the markets soon.

The other bike is the 100cc Stallio which Mahindra took off from the market following a few technical glitches. Mahindra would be launching the newer version of the bike soon and an announcement regarding the same would be made shortly.

Do you think, Mojo would be able to garner the same public interest now, with the presence of a few 250ccs in the market already?

Honda’s 3rd Manufacturing Unit in India To Get Functional by 2013

Going on the offensive, HMSI is trying all what it can to grab market share as early as possible from all the competitors in the market. And it has been grossly successful in its attempt as well.
Foreseeing the importance of capacity, Honda is rapidly increasing its production facilities. The company plans to go operational in its 3^rd manufacturing plant in Bangalore by the year 2013. The new plant is located at Narsapuram area in Bangalore and would have a capacity of 1.2 million units. Honda already has two plants in Haryana (Manesar) and Rajasthan (Alwar). Honda’s current capacity is 2.8 million units and Honda plans to take this up.
Honda also said that with the new center in place, they would be able to cut down on testing time as they are sent to Japan and Thailand currently.

Indonesia May Two Wheeler Sales Down by 13.5%B

Indonesia, world’s third largest two wheeler market after China and India has seen steep fall in May month two wheeler sales.  Total two wheeler sales stood at 6,11,251 units in May 2012 down by 13.5% compared to 7,06,293 units sold in the May 2011 as reported by Indonesian motorcycle industry association (AISI). It is also down by 1% month on month basis. There were total 6,17,508 units sold in the month of April 2012.

The reason of steep fall is because of the new down payment requirement for auto purchases which come into effect on June 15. The Indonesian government has taken the steps to limit the size of housing and auto loans to prevent the loan bubbles in the economy. This has severely affected the world’s two wheeler giant Honda and Yamaha which commands more than 93% share of Indonesian two wheeler industry. Last year Honda sold 4.28 million units while Yamaha sold 3.15 million units in Indonesian two wheeler market.

The May month figure is alarming sign for Indonesian motorcycle industry association (AISI) which has set target of 9 million units for the year 2012. It seems that the sales will continue to be affected due to new credit policy and will not revive until government will take corrective actions. We may see total sales of around 7.5 -7.7 million units for the entire year which is down by 4-6% compared to 8 million units sold last year. This can affect Yamaha and Honda’s global sales projection since Indonesia accounts lion’s share of their global two wheeler sales.

So Are You Ready for a Bigger TVS Apache?

Remember, the teaser which created a lot of tremors in the market as soon as TVS uploaded it on their official Facebook page. Everyone hoped that the new bike would be the ‘awaited since long’ bigger Apache. Later on it turned out that it was a cosmetically lifted variant of their existing range though.
However, things this time are different and it seems we can finally trust these words since they are coming from the company itself. TVS promises new and bigger machines in the times to come to take head-on with the company which displaced them from the third spot – Honda India.
It is for sure that the recent upturn of events in the Indian motorcycle market has hurt TVS the most. Their market share has dropped by one percentage point in this fiscal so far to 14%. And needless to say that this share has gone to HMSI (Honda Motorcycle & Scooters India) which has a control of 15% now. Hero leads the pack with 45% share followed by Bajaj’s 19%.
Bajaj has already launched two products (Pulsar 200NS and Discover 125ST) which have been received fantastically well in the market. TVS has just revamped their Apache line up which has not really gone in favor of the company. TVS definitely needs a star mass selling product in the 100 or 125cc segment to increase sales and a premium product (greater than 200cc) to build its brand.
TVS has plans to invest Rs 300-400 crore in the new product development and revamping the existing lineup. The company is working on two new platforms and intends to launch as many as 6 new products by 2014-15.  Now this might seem to be distant however, the good news is that TVS would launch 2 new motorcycles and a scooter in this fiscal year itself. We have already seen one bike caught testing a few days back which looks like a small capacity bike. It would be interesting to see the other bike and scooter which would be hitting our shores within 8-9 months from now.
Meanwhile, TVS is also working hard to make the Qube electric concept which we saw at this year’s Auto Expo into production.

Honda CBR150R 2012 India Road Test and Review: Coming Soon

Today, Sharat Aryan of our team got his hands on this 150cc beast for BikeAdvice exclusive test ride and as we speak he is penning down the review of Honda CBR150R bike, he did send us some pictures to drool over until the review is complete, find them below.

Honda CBR150R Pics: click on the pics to enlarge.

In his words:

The bike seems to be very impressive, here are a few teaser photos from the road test.

Petrol Prices Reduced by Rs 3, More Respite Might Follow

We had the hints from oil companies that prices of petrol would get reduced in some time. As we reported that a price decrese of Rs 4 is expected to be announced effective July 1. However, to prevent petrol pump owners hoarding issues Oil companies announced a Rs 2.46 cut and it is already in effect from today.
With all the levies and taxes, the total reduction amounts to somewhere around for Rs 3 in different cities of India.

Petrol prices in various cities of India

• New Delhi: Rs 67.78 (Less by Rs 2.46)
• Mumbai: Rs 73.35 (Less by Rs 3.10)
• Chennai: Rs 72.27 (Less by Rs 3.13)
• Bangalore: Rs 76.39 (Less by Rs 3.22)
• Hyderabad: Rs 74.89 (Less by Rs 3.22)
• Kolkata: Rs 72.74 (Less by Rs 3.07)
• Pune: Rs 73.70 (Less by Rs 3.16)

* Above mentioned are approximate prices

Adding the earlier 2 rupee reduction, the total decrease is approximately Rs 5 which is still less than the humongous hike of Rs 8 on May 24 but yes the effect has come down significantly. The good news is that there is still room for approximately a rupee reduction. If Indian rupee performs better, we might see some more respite in the coming days.
Also the oil companies are planning for daily or weekly price revisions based on international cruse prices. Do you think this reduction brings a respite to your household expenditure?

Mahindra Unveils New Rodeo RZ in India [125cc Scooters 2012]

Mahindra conducted a media release cum test ride of their facelifted offering of Rodeo which now comes with a suffix RZ last Thursday in Mumbai. Somehow, for some urgent reasons we could not make it to the event, however here is a brief of what the new Rodeo brings in.

The new Rodeo RZ is basically the same scooter which impressed us during our last stint with it in our official ride review. Mahindra has tried to enforce ‘newness’ to the scooter and it now comes with new decals and fresh bright color options, which basically are more female oriented.

Like what Mahindra did with the Duro DZ, by making it more user friendly by ironing out whatever niggles customers and ride reports suggested, Rodeo RZ is expected to do the same.  The peppy scooter now comes in 7 colors including two new color options (of what we know till now) – Flame Orange and Electric Green.

There have been tinkering done with the engine bits to make it more city friendly and the engine now comes with dual mapping ignition system for improved fuel efficiency. There was a little gripe among existing Rodeo owners that the scooter is a little inconsistent in its fuel efficiency.  According to ARAI approved figures, Rodeo is capable of returning 59kmpl. On the roads if this efficiency turns out to be around the 40-45kmpl mark, this would take it right at the top of the pyramid among similar powered scoots.

Some comparison charts shared by Mahindra claimed the following points:

1. Rodeo RZ returned a fuel efficiency figure of 53kmpl as tested on chassis Dynamometer in Indian Driving Cycle. This is 3kmpl more than the latest 125cc scooter Suzuki Swish.
2. Rodeo also has the quickest from naught timings till 60kmph. Rodeo RZ does the 0-60 dash in 9.35 seconds, Swish can do it in 9.4 seconds where the Activa takes 11.6 seconds.
3. Earlier Rodeo also had the problem of shorter ground clearance which made the stand touch the ground on smaller speed breakers. However, it seems Mahindra has ironed that issue out. The Rodeo RZ without rider is 154mm high where Swish and Activa are 140mm and 150mm respectively. At a rider weight of 75kg astride the scooter Rodeo RZ still is 142mm high as compared to 130kg for Swish and Activa. Even at a combined weight of 150kgs on the scooter, Rodeo RZ still leads the pack in ground clearance at 124mm compared to Swish and Activa’s 115mm.
4. Another chart shared by Mahindra had a featurewise comparison of the scooter. It is the only scooter in the segment which comes with a digital speedometer, front fuelling (Wego has rear fuelling), an illuminated underseat storage of 22 liters(compared with 20kg for Wego and Swish and 18 liters for Dio and Activa), mobile charger (In Wego it is optional) and a 4-in-1 anti theft key.

*Above mentioned are Mahindra claimed figures.

Rodeo RZ 2012 Scooter Price

Mahindra has not disclosed any pricing details for Rodeo RZ as of now. It is expected that Rodeo RZ would become available soon. As they did with Duro, we expect a marginal price hike of around 1-4%. When we tried to check the current Rodeo on Mahindra 2 wheelers official website, it was not present.

Mahindra is seriously considering customer feedback and working on to improve its products. Duro DZ is a classic example of that. The two biggest gripes which we have received from actual owners are the inconsistent and lowly mileage of Rodeo along with the lower ground clearance issue. As we have described above, Mahindra seems to have taken all the feedback in ironing out these issues and making the scoot more road and user friendly. A comprehensive and long term report would reveal a lot more about the scooter. Till then, let’s wait for the official word on pricing. Technical specifications of Rodeo RZ are mentioned below.

Buddh International Circuit to Host World Superbike Championship in March 2013

Another feather in the cap for India’s latest racetrack revelation, Buddh International Circuit! After Formula1 and FIA GT1 championships, BIC is scheduled to host theWorld Superbike Championship in March 2013. Jaypee Sports International announced that they have signed an agreement with Infront Motor sports  to host the WSBK on March 9th and 10th.

After the Petronas Asia Road Racing Championship at Chennai WSBK would be second International bike racing championship to be held in India. “I’m extremely happy to host Superbike World Championship at BIC on 9th & 10th March, 2013” JPSI CEO Sameer Gaur Tweeted.

How we wish the MotoGP would make it to India as well!

TVS Scooty gets new brand ambassador Anushka Sharma

TVS Motor Company has endorsed Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma as the brand ambassador for its ‘Scooty’ range.  She will replace Preity Zinta who was the brand ambassador for TVS Scooty earlier. All the brand campaigns related to TVS Scooty will now feature Anushka Sharma. Anukska Sharma also did a brand campaign for TVS back in 2005.

TVS Motor Company president marketing HS Goindi said, “Anushka Sharma was an immediate choice for the TVS Scooty brand. She is well known for being spunky with her distinctive style and is an icon for young girls in India. She is seen by young women as one who is living her goals of being vivacious, independent and successful. We are confident that this association will further enhance the popular TVS Scooty Brand.”

“It’s almost like ‘homecoming’ for me. As a young woman I know how important independence and mobility is to me. TVS Scooty has always understood young women of India and it feels great that I now have an opportunity to be a part of the rich legacy of a brand such as TVS Scooty,”" Anushka said.

It seems like roping brand ambassador is fast catching up with two wheeler industry.  Beside Anushka Sharma, Priyanka Chopra is associated with Hero Pleasure and Kareena Kapoor is associated with Mahindra Two Wheelers.  TVS Motors Company also has Virat Kohli as their brand ambassador for TVS Sports motorcycle.

C-1: The Ultimate Futuristic Two Wheeler

Would you like to have a two wheeler which offers the efficiency and freedom of a motorcycle with the safety and convenience of a car? Would you like to own a two wheeler which looks stylish, smart, trendy and equipped with next generation technology? Would you like a two wheeler which has steering like car rather than handle bar like motorcycle? Lastly would you like a two wheeler which is running on battery with a range of over 320 kilometers and can achieve top speed of more than 190 Km/ hour? If your answer is yes then, here is the C-1 with all these features.

The C-1 is a solution for the current and future transportation problem. C-1 has been designed by Lit Motors based in California. The C-1 stands for Codename and the company has also given nick name of C-1 as “Rolling Smart Phone”. C-1 is the world’s first gyroscopically stabilized two wheeler.  It offers safety and convenience features of car and freedom of motorcycle. C-1 has electronically controlled gyroscopes located under the floor (putting out over 1,300 lb/ft (1,762 Nm) of torque), to balance the vehicle in stationary condition. Due to this feature C-1 stays upright even in the event of collision.  The vehicle runs on electric motor of 40 KW.  It has range of 200 miles (322 Km) and top speed of 120 Miles / hour (193 Km/ hour).

Check out the video:

The vehicle is heavily based upon Scandinavian Design concepts. The exterior of the C-1 is both approachable and simple, enveloping the human in subtle curves, softened volumes and lots of glass. The overall design foundation is based on its waist-line which wraps around the vehicle’s circumference, and is grounded by the swooping rocker panel which highlights its unique gyroscopic components. There is a glow of light from the wheel hubs which show the electric hub motors.  The vehicle’s car like steering and dashboard looks unique and futuristic. The seat has been designed to offer maximum comfort to the rider. It offers a car like space in the front. The rear seating position is not that much spacious. However, it offers ample amount of leg room.

The company has given the nick name of rolling smart phone due to its connectivity features. The device will employ H2V, H2C, V2I, and V2V connectivity. Due to these features, traffic, construction, and adverse weather conditions will be transmitted to the vehicle, thus keeping the rider and the vehicle aware about the external situation and design the route accordingly. The company expects to launch this vehicle at the end of 2014. Beside this, Lit Motors is also developing cargo scooter and foldable scooter for transportation of goods.

C-1 has all the good features which we expect to have in our two wheeler. However, this is not a cheap vehicle; it is going to cost $16,000 (Rs. 9 lakhs approximately).  Hope, we will have such kind of two wheeler in future with affordable price.

Latest Petrol Price India Update

In another possible relief, price of petrol might go down by Rs 2-3 today. The prices of crude oil have fallen to as low as $96.5 per barrel and this gives a chance to the oil retailers to give a rethink about petrol’s prices. You can also check out the current petrol prices in different cities of India at our community forum thread.

Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) officials  have a meeting scheduled for today where they will discuss about this reduction. However, another roadblock is the declining value of Indian Rupee. If the expected price reduction happens, this would be the second cut in this month.

Oil companies have rolled back Rs 2 on June 2 after a massive protest by the politicos and general Junta.  Let’s wait to hear anything positive on this front.

Hyosung’s GT250R Launch : Live from the Event

As we informed, DSK would be launching the big 250cc GT250R in a while in Mumbai. Everything right from the price to official details would be unveiled and BikeAdvice would be covering the event for all our readers live from the event.

Our guest correspondents Siddharth and Rohit have reached the venue and are awaiting for the program to start. According to the schedule, proceedings would begin from 11:30am and we would keep updating this page and our official Facebook pageas and when things happen.

Keep glued to BikeAdvice as we bring the updates to you live.

Till that time, you can read our comprehensive ride review of Hyosung GT250R:

2012 Hyosung GT250R India Review and Test Ride

Update:

Hyosung’s GT250R Price in India: 2.75 lakhs ex showroom, Delhi. It will be available in the showrooms in 5 days with 1 month delivery time.

Hyosung GV250 Cruiser Bike to come by September, 2012.

Scoop: Yamaha Scooter Ray Caught Testing

Yamaha has not talked about scooters much in India till now. However, this Auto Expo 2012 was totally dedicated to their concept scooter ‘Ray’. It was John Abraham who unveiled the prototype to the public and we all know that the scooter model displayed at the Expo was extremely girly and feminine.

We have also reported that ‘Ray’ would make it during the second half in India, possibly around Diwali. Motor Vikatan has scooped the scooter under test and this proves that Yamaha has started the pre-launch testing of the scooter. Ray is expected to get a 125cc engine and would compete directly with Suzuki Swish, Suzuki Access and the likes. Thankfully, the Ray under test here is not extremely ‘pink’ and rather a regular scooter which males could also ride

Hero Motocorp to remove Honda badge by second quarter of financial year 2012-13

According to news reported by Economic Times, Hero Motocorp, India’s largest two wheeler company is all set to remove Honda badge from its entire model range. Hero Motocorp will relaunch, its entire model range under the brand name of Hero by the end of second quarter of financial year 2012-13.  Hero Motocorp will complete its rebranding exercise two year ahead of its expiry of license agreement. Under the license agreement, Hero Motocorp can use Hero Honda brand name till June 2014.

Pawan Munjal, MD & CEO of Hero Motocrp said “We will be re-launching our entire range under the Hero brand name, and will complete the exercise by the second quarter of this fiscal. Now that we are on the threshold of becoming a truly global company, our initial focus is on markets where the volumes are large and products can be sold with minimum changes. So right now, our existing products with suitable modifications will be made available in the new international markets. We have already identified partners for these markets. We expect at least 25% growth in our international business in the first year of our opening these new markets. These exports to new international markets will only be under Hero brand.”

Earlier the company relaunched its flagship motorcycle “Splendor” and “Passion” under the Hero brand name in this quarter. The company is very bullish on export front. However, it is not easy to capture export market as expected by Hero Motocorp, since it takes time to establish brand name in export market.

Hero Motocorp to invest Rs 2,575 crore for capacity expansion and R&D centre

India’s largest two wheeler company Hero Motocorp announced on Monday that,  it is going to invest Rs. 2,575 crore to set up a full fledge R&D centre and for capacity expansion. The company will invest Rs. 400 crore to set up full fledge R&D centre in Kukas at Rajasthan, Rs. 2,000 crore to set up 4^th plant in Rajasthan, 5^th plant in Gujarat and capacity expansion at Dharuhera, Gurgaon and Haridwar plants. The other investments will account for Rs. 175 crore.

The current capacity expansion at the cost of Rs. 500 crore will give company an annual capacity of 7 million units across the three plants. The fourth plant at Rajasthan will attract an investment of Rs. 400 crore and will have an annual installed capacity of 0.75 million units. The plant is expected to commission by first quarter of financial year 2013-14. The fifth plant in Gujarat will attract an investment of Rs. 1,100 crore and will have an installed capacity of 1.2 million units. The plant is expected to commission by second quarter of financial year 2013-14.

The company will have a combined installed capacity of 9 million units once the fourth and fifth plant gets operational. The new R&D centre will come at Kukas, near Jaipur in Rajasthan, it will spread across 250 acres and will also have a test track. The new R&D centre will have strong workforce of 500 people.

It seems like Hero Motocorp will leave no stone unturned to achieve its ambitious target of 10 million units by 2016. The company also stated that it will launch its first motorcycle based upon its indigenous technology by 2014. This capacity expansion will create headache for HMSI (Honda Motorcycles and India ltd.) which aims to become number 1 in India by 2020.

Honda vs Bajaj: Honda leads in May 2012 sales

From the month of March, the war of second spot in Domestic two wheeler market has begun between Bajaj and Honda. Honda displaced Bajaj in the month of March and Bajaj displaced Honda in the month of April. For the month of May again Honda has displaced Bajaj Auto from the second spot. Although we do not have exact figure of domestic sales, some brokerage research houses claimed that HMSI has regained its second position.

Bajaj Auto has sold 3,21,922 units in the month of May 2012 compared to 3,17,989 units in the month of May 2011, thereby registering growth of 1.21%. The figure of 3,21,922 units is including export. It means that the company has sold around 1,90,000 to 2,00,000 motorcycles in the domestic market in the month of  May 2012. HMSI has sold 2,21,540 units (including export) of two wheelers in May 2012 up by 52.02% compared to 1,45,729 units in the May 2011. The company has sold in access of 2,10,000 units in the  domestic market in the month of May 2012. As always HMSI major growth is coming from the increased sales of Activa. The company has sold 1,26,033 units of scooter in May 2012 up by 65.31% compared to 76,241 units in the month of May 2011.

Bajaj Vs Honda in 2012

As expected Honda and Bajaj has neck to neck competition for the rest of the year also. From this month HMSI has Dream Yuga and Bajaj Auto has new Pulsar 200NS andDiscover 125 ST

DSK Plans to Setup a Manufacturing Plant for Hyosung Bikes

DSK Head, Shirish Kulkarni answering media questions

After an official confirmation about DSK Group taking over Garware Motor’s share in the venture with Hyosung Korea there was a planned Question and Answers session which revealed a lot of interesting bits about DSK and the way they plan to go forward. Read on for a quick round of important points from the session.

Question & Answers Round:

1. DSK did not disclose the amount at which they bought Garware’s stake.
2. On a question that whether Garware Motors was a loss making unit, DSK Shirish Kulkarni said that Garware had their own reasons of moving on and had they continued they would have made profits, on a larger scale.
3. Everything including the assembly plant at Wai, all the dealerships as well as the manpower now goes to DSK.
4. Wai plant is 10,000 sq feet in size and currently bikes in CKD (Completely knocked down) forms get assembled there.
5. Wai plant is capable of doing 8-10 bikes per shift of 8 hours per day.
6. On a question whether this continuous change of partners from Kinetic to Garware to DSK create confusions and hesitation in a buyer, Shirish promised to make this venture work and as long as they can.
7. Hyosung managed to sell 611 bikes in the last fiscal year (which was the first year of operations for the company) and in a market of 2500-3000 annual sales, this is a sizeable chunk.
8. DSK has plans to infuse Rs 300 crores in this business.
9. DSK would also want to take the Hyosung brand to tier 2 cities and plans to increase dealerships to 35-40.
10. Shirish also mentioned that the company plans to setup a proper manufacturing plant to increase localization and bring down the costs of all the Hyosung motorcycles sold in India.
11. This one would be a proper manufacturing plant (and not an assembly plant) where DSK plans to take the localization levels to 90%
12. Shirish also clearly hinted that he prefers having this setup in Maharashtra but the current political clout is not looking favorable. He also stated that talks have been initiated with other states like Gujarat and a decision would be taken soon.

Hero Motocorp launches Ignitor: Priced at Rs. 55,900 ex-showroom Delhi

Finally, Hero Motocorp has launched its Ignitor motorcycle. The company has launched this motorcycle in two variants, the Drum brake variant will cost Rs. 55,900 ex-showroom Delhi while the Disc brake variant will cost Rs. 57,900 ex-showroom Delhi.  The company will soon launch this motorcycle across the country. This is the second new product from Hero Motocorp after the launch of Maestro scooter. Earlier the company unveiled three new products in the Auto Expo 2012 out of which Passion Xpro is still to be launched.

Hero Ignitor is nothing but rebadged version of Honda CBF Stunner. However, there are certain changes made by the company. Hero Ignitor will generate maximum power of 11 bhp at 8,000 rpm and maximum torque of 11 Nm at 5,000 rpm. The maximum torque will peak at 1,500 rpm lower compared to Honda CBF Stunner. It means better fuel efficiency and you can accelerate the vehicle quickly. Apart from this you get an advance digital speedometer and color choices compared to Honda CBF Stunner.  Ignitor is available in four colors, Vibrant Blue, Sports Red, Pearl White and Panther Black.

Price: Hero Ignitor vs CBF Stunner

As far as price is concerned there is not much difference between Hero Ignitor and Honda CBF Stunner. Honda CBF Stunner has been priced Rs. 56,054 ex-showroom Delhi for drum brake version. Honda CBF Stunner is also available with fuel injection apart from carburetor version. It is interesting to see how Ignitor will compete against the Honda CBF Stunner. This is the second rebadged product after Hero Impulse (Honda NXR 150Bros). However, this time the story is different. Honda CBF Stunner is already available in the Indian market so people will easily identify that Hero Ignitor is rebadged version of the same.

Confirmed: Hyosung GT250R Launching on 13th June

Click on the image to go to GT250R's review

There were talks of this bike coming to India in March, later on it slipped a month or two and now after a few days of delay, GT250R would be getting launched on 13^th of June. This was confirmed by DSK officials during the unveiling of DSK’s foray into the two-wheeler segment and its partnership with Hyosung replacing Garware Motors.

• GT250R was initially planned to be launched on 7^th of June but possibly due to this internal change of guards and partners the official unveiling was shifted by 1 week.
• GT250R is Hyosung’s smallest bike in India and possibly the most awaited one from their stables as well.
• GT250R would compete with Honda CBR250R and Kawasaki Ninja 250R in the 250cc segment in India.
• Though there is no official disclosure of its price but the bike is expected to come around the Rs 2.5 lakhs region until DSK plans to pull up a surprise (we expect!).
• GT250R would be brought in CKD (Completely Knocked Down) units and assembled at company’s Wai plant.
• At a later stage, DSK plans to create a proper manufacturing plant and increase localization in turn causing the effective prices of all its motorcycles to go down to become more competitive in the market.

On invitation by the company we, BikeAdvice, have already tested the GT250R and you can read our comprehensive review of the bike along with a whole lot of pictureshere.

Official: DSK Group Enters Superbike Market, To partner with Hyosung, Replaces Garware

We had talked about this a few days back that Garware motors is exiting the venture with Korean S&T Motors which makes motorcycles under the brand name of Hyosung and the new partner might be Maharashtra’s real estate giant DSK group. Today, in a press conference conducted in Pune, DSK made this announcement official.

Here are the important pointers of the press meet:

• The new company from DSK group would be called as DSK Motowheels Pvt Ltd.
• DSK group is one of the Maharashtra’s biggest business conglomerate with a turnover of over Rs 4000cr and spans across various sectors.
• This is the first time DSK would be entering the two-wheeler market.
• DSK Motowheels would be replacing erstwhile partners of Hyosung, Garware Motors to become the exclusive distributors of Hyosung branded motorcycles in India.
• The venture between Hyosung and DSK would be called as DSK Hyosung and the logo of the new entity is attached above.
• After this partnership, DSK Motowheels would take over Garware’s manufacturing facility in Wai in Maharashtra.
• The current 18 dealerships of erstwhile Garware would also get transferred to the new owner DSK Motowheels.

About DSK Group:

DSK group was established in 1980 and has a varied list of diversification on areas they operate in. It has a turnover of Rs 4000 crores.  Its business spans across sectors like construction, real estate, automobiles, digital products, education, investments, pharmacy, travel and leisure, hospitality and infrastructure.

We, mostly know DSK for its dealership network tieup with Toyota which started in 2000 and currently spans across 9 dealerships Maharashtra. DSK also have exclusive dealerships of HINO commercial vehicles in Maharashtra. DSK is known for its quality service and renowned customer facing experiences.

About Shirish D. Kulkarni, Director – DSK Group

Shirish Kulkarni, Director DSK Group

The event was presided over by the director of DSK group, Mr. Shirish D. Kulkarni. Shirish, is a commerce graduate from Symbiosis College, Pune and has done his post graduate diploma in Business Strategy, Finance, Organizational Development Skills and Banking from Unitec University, New Zealand.

Shirish Kulkarni is also the Dealer Principal for DSK Toyota which has 9 showrooms and 6 ultramodern workshops in Maharashtra. Toyota’s commercial brand HINO is also under the dealership of DSK which happens to be the biggest one all across the West Zone for Hino. Shirish also plays an active role in running a soccer club and has keen intrest in football and motor racing. Mr. Kulkarni has also helped the Tsunami victims and also takes interest in welfare of animals.