Apache RTR

Start Saving for Your Next Bike than Getting into Debt

2012-02-14T23:01:00.004+05:30

Indian biking industry is going in the right direction. There is more focus on biking as a lifestyle and hobby than just commuting. We can see new bikes in the market which create a sensation every few months.

Every one of us including me and you want to own a bike which satisfies our wants and not just our needs. One need not have imported Yamaha R1s and Hayabusas, but a Ninja 650R or even a Honda CBR 250R would be more than enough. It would give us pride, bring out the boy within us, let us appreciate the awesomeness and overall it can make our life better – if we enjoy every moment with it. Being passionate about something is a form of meditation and it can bring out the best within us.

Having said that, I am also a strong advocate of being frugal, having a low consumption lifestyle, not wasting resources and overall being economical. Most of the people that I know who own such bikes will mostly get a 2 wheeler loan from one of the well known banks and repay the amount in EMIs while enjoying the bike right now.

It is not a good habit to get under debt. We are actually robbing from our future and enjoying it now. At this context you may argue that one cannot survive in this fast paced world without going in debt – I agree. You need to go into debt for certain things – but you also need to be clear what are those.

Debt is for ‘Needs’ and Not ‘Wants’

If you are going to get a loan for your first bike, its all right as long as it is a commuter bike. What I want to say here is that if you need something, get a loan. If you want something, save for it. If you are going to debt for something you want but don’t really need, then you are becoming a slave to the economic system and you can never be on top of your financial life.

Companies create awesome products and banks give us loans without much fuss. It is easy to get it now and enjoy it now and it looks like there is nothing wrong in it but it is not the right path to take. I cannot tell you why because it is beyond the scope of this article. But if my thoughts ring a bell inside you… read on!

Make Monthly Savings a Habit

Instead of getting a loan and repaying it every month save a certain amount of money every month with a future goal/dream of buying a nice bike. For example, you can open a Recurring Deposit account with your bank and start investing a certain amount every month for the next 5 years for the bike which you are going to buy.

I practice what I preach.

I want a nice 250cc bike like a Ninja 250R or CBR 250R but my commuting needs are already being taken care of my Yamaha R15. Apart from just satisfying my needs, it also satisfies some wants.

For my next bike, I have opened a Recurring Deposit account where I invest Rs.3,500 every month for 60 months and by the end of 5 years, it would have matured into 2.67 Lakhs (at 9.25% interest). With the sale of my old bike, I would have more than 3 Lakhs at the least and I can buy myself a nice bike – a bike which is dominating the market in that price segment in 2017.

Investing Rs.3,500 every month is something which does not burn a hole in my pocket considering my present financial situation. Since it is automatically debited from my savings account every month, I need not conciously take any efforts to invest it every month. Just like other monthly expenses it gets debited and above all it gives a great satisfaction that I am saving for something that I am gonna really enjoy in the near future.

If you want to calculate RD returns, Try this Recurring Deposit Calculator

What do you think about my idea? Will you start saving too?

Bullet 350 7000KM Ownership Experience by Abhilash Bharadwaj

2012-02-14T23:01:00.001+05:30

Hello Bikers, I am Abhilash Bharadwaj, from Bangalore. I have written an article already in this blog regarding what made me select this bike after riding a Honda for over 6 years and Yamaha for over 2 years. Today I would wish to share few experiences with Royal Enfield after 7000 + km on various terrains and how a Machine becomes more than part of Life.

This article is more of how a bonding develops with a bike rather than the performance oriented issues. Biking has been part of my life since my childhood. I remember those days when I would travel with my dad sitting on the fuel tank and commenting on his riding and insisting him to ride slow as I was scared. But I would enjoy the wind hitting my face and that is the special attribute of biking compared to other modes of transport.

I personally feel that touring on a four wheeler can never be fun or exciting like biking. In a four wheeler, you are always in a compartment, bounded by the doors and the windshield and probably one would not notice that its just like watching TV and nothing much than observing the world moving by them boringly in a frame, unless they experience the freedom that a bike can provide.

“Only A Biker Knows Why A Dog Sticks His Head Out Of A Car Window“. I would just like to share one more issue and hope every biker would agree.

Every Engine will have its own behaviour the bike of the same make and same old would behave differently and I feel it is how you treat the Machine and how you care for him.

Let me get back to how a Machine becomes a part of you and how it influences your attitude towards road and the commuters who share the road.

I had done lot of touring on two wheels throughout my life may be as a pillion or as a rider. I would suggest people to to come out from Cages (cars) and try freedom on a motorcycle. One would feel that they are a part of the nature around them rather than being a outsider just visually enjoying the scenic beauty.

A popular quote-

“Four wheels move your body but two wheels move your soul”. It has been over 10 months since I got my Hermes and I have done over 7000km most of the distances outside the city including country roads and the highways.

Group Riding

With RIEOC – Royal Indians Enfield owners Club. “Birds Of Same Feather Flock Together”.

2nd Anniversary Ride

It was a pre-organized ride of over 500+ km by the club to celebrate the second anniversary of the club. It was a wonderful experience to ride with 17 Bulls to Gerumalam (A hill station ), and thereby entered to the Club Culture of biking.

Coramendal Coast Ride

It was different compared to the earlier rides which was not pre-organized and the route was totally unknown. A total of 23 bikes participated in the ride and faced few troubles as expected but did not cause much problem. This ride was for over 1000+ km on different terrain.

With Cultured Vultures

From inspiration with group riding with RIEOC, ignited a idea in me to group few enthusiasts of similar interest of riding. So finally at the beginning of this year, our club was launched with the name “Cultured Vultures” (as suggested by one of my friend). With this group of bikers, we have done few short rides of about 200+ km on weekends searching for some peace away from the crowd.

SOLO Riding

Apart from group riding, I have done some short rides alone with Hermes. And riding SOLO is completely different and the freedom of riding alone is unexplainable. Now let me get back to how the 7000km on bike was and how Hermes influenced my road behaviour.

As I was riding Japanese bikes earlier I was addicted to more speed and acceleration and once I switched over to different breed of bikes, initially I would try to compete with other bikers and gradually the attitude of competing with the commuters and speed enthusiasts have reduced and now I’ve understood the purpose of the bike’s build and the attitude of Bullet has grown over me. I feel that my riding style has a drastic change from past 10 months and I love the change.

7000 km spent with this bike has been memorable and hope to spend more time this year with my bike and more miles to go.

Pros

Neat gear ratios – comfortable for cruising
Comfortable for rider to ride for long distances
Too good performance on country roads
Luggage carrying capability is too good

Cons

Maintenance issues
Some time has to be spent for regular check-up and maintenance
Thump of the CI engine is lost

First two issues would never haunt a passionate biker. But for a true RE lover, thump could be a issue. For these 7000km, I have not spent anything other than the service and oil change and have never faced performance issue. I would like to share a thought, hope that most of you bikers would agree.

Biking will be more fun and colorful on country road where people ask you where are you from and where you heading towards rather than riding over long, never ending lifeless highways or through the crowded city roads. “Life Is Too Short For Traffic”

I would like to finish this article by thanking Deepak Raj for providing opportunity to share our thoughts with the like minded people and thanks to the entire BikeAdvice team.

Befor finishing off, I would like to share one of my own Quotes -

“ I don’t need Spirit to get high, a gallon of Fuel in my bike can do the same”

Mahindra, BMW or Volkswagen may buy Ducati

2012-02-14T23:00:00.001+05:30

According Financial Times news Ducati owners are considering the possibility of entire stake sell. Investindustrial, the Italian private equity group wants to sell its entire stake in Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A for the price of €1bn (Rs. 6,500 crores approximately). Investindustrial will make three times profit on initial investment if the deal goes through. According to news, people familiar with situation told that possible buyers list may include India’s Mahindra, Volkswagen and BMW.

Earlier Investindustrial group decided to go for public offering and it was in talk with Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs for public listing in Hong Kong. However, it seems that the group is more interested in selling the stake to a single group is more likely. Shares of Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A were delisted in December 2008 from Milan stock exchange when Investindustrial bought the entire stake.

According to Andrea Bonomi, Investindustrial Chairman, “Ducati is now a perfect company but the further growth it requires needs the support of a world-class industrial partner. This year, we will work towards that partner.”

Ducati is a global premium motorcycle brand and it owns by celebrity such as Prince William, Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. Ducati has up its market share in global premium motorcycle to 10.7% from 8.5% in 2010. It currently sells about 40,000 motorcycles worldwide. With more than € 2.2 billion of combined assets under management, Investindustrial is one of Europe’s leading investment groups focused on taking control positions in Southern European medium size companies that are leaders in their fields.

Bajaj Discover 125cc Ad Campaign Mocks HM Corp’s Products

2012-02-13T21:08:00.001+05:30

Country’s second largest two wheeler maker Bajaj Auto has now come up with new Discover 125cc ad campaign. The new ad campaign speaks about the Discover 125cc more powerful engine and ride pleasure which is not available in best selling commuter motorcycle. The tag line refers to Indian consumer’s “Chalta hai” attitude. The ad shows three persons whose first preference was to buy Discover 125cc. However, they changed their decision under the influence of father, wife and boss respectively and bought other commuter motorcycles. Although the names are beeped, one can easily make out which motorcycle the advertisement speaks about!

Commenting on K Srinivas, President – Motorcycle Business, Bajaj Auto said, “Auto brands have been talking about mileage and maintenance for years. Today, these parameters might not help drive preference. Consumers see them as generics and want a better drive-feel, even from commuter bike offerings. Given the fact that Bajaj Discover offers much more, what distinguishes the Discover from other bikes in its segment is the power and thrill it offers the rider. So, we wanted the new communication to reflect that clearly.”

Explaining the ad campaign Abhijit Avasthi, National Creative Director, O&M, said “The brief was to create a differentiated position for the fastest selling 125 cc motorbike in the country. We wanted to dramatise this fact. The baseline ‘Chalta nahin, daudta hain’ takes a light-hearted dig at those with the ‘chalta hai’ attitude in life.”

It seems like the slowdown in two wheeler industry is forcing auto manufacture to come with new advertisement to increase the sales. The slowdown is mostly affecting the commuter segment and it is the segment which is seeing more new ad campaigns.

Indian Bikes Sales Figure January 2012

2012-02-13T21:07:00.002+05:30

Hero MotoCorp the world’s no. 1 two wheeler company has posted growth of 11.52% in the month of January 2012 compared to January 2011. The company has sold 5,20,272 units of two wheeler in the month of January 2012 compared to 4,66,524 units of two wheeler sold in the month of January 2011. On the month on month basis the sale is down by 3.70%. The company has sold 5,40,276 units in the month of December 2011. The reason behind month on month lower sales is due to the company had overstocked its dealers in the month of December. Hero Honda has sold 51,83,440 units during April 2011 to January 2012 period up 17.42% compared to 44,14,537 units sold in the same period last year.

Commenting on the performance, Anil Dua, Senior Vice-President (Marketing & Sales), Hero MotoCorp, said, “We have made a good beginning to the new year with our January performance. We are pleased with the trend of five lakh-plus unit sales every month for the past six months, and we are confident of building further on these numbers. We showcased our new range at the recently-concluded Auto Expo in Delhi. While many of these will be launched in the market in a phased manner, the scooter segment will be seeing immediate action with the launch of our 110cc scooter Maestro soon”

The first ten months sales figure suggest that the company will easily achieve its 6 million units target. The company has launched three new products in Auto Expo 2012, Passion Xpro, Maestro & Ignitor under its new brand identity Hero. It also showcased its first hybrid concept scooter LEAP. The company is also looking for establishing fourth plant which will become operational by second half of financial year 2012-13. Beside this the company is looking to expand its present capacity of 6.15 million units to 7.0 million units.

Bajaj Auto

Country’s second largest two wheeler maker, Bajaj Auto has reported growth of 6.83 % in the month of January 2012. The company has sold 2,94,432 units of motorcycle in the month of January 2012 compared to 2,75,622 units in the month of January 2011. The company exported 1,16,996 units in the month of January 2012 up by 13.01% compared to 1,03,526 units in the month of January 2011.

On the month on month basis sales is up by 11.62%. The company sold 2,63,699 units in the month of December 2011. The company’s total sales stood at 3,37,875 units in the month of January 2012 up 7.75% compared to 3,13,583 units in the month of January 2011. The company has sold 32,31,596units of motorcycle during the period of April 2011 to January 2012 up 14.35% compared to 28,25,994 units sold in the same period last year.

The January month sales figure suggested that the company has flat sales for domestic market this month also. There is also concern that the company will not achieve its 4.6 million unit target which was revised to 4.5 million units and now further revised to 4.4 million units. However, the company is very hopeful for the financial year 2012-13 since it is going to launch new promising product in next fiscal. The company launched KTM Duke 200 on 24^th January and showcased Pulsar 200NS on 30^th January.

TVS Motors

TVS Motors has posted growth of 5.80% in the month of January 2012. The company has sold1,71,112 units in the month of January 2012 compared to 1,61,725 units sold in the month of January 2011. Total sales stood at 1,73,514 units in the month of January 2012 up by 5.06% compared to 1,65,152 units sold in the same period last year. On the month on basis the company has reported sales jump of 1.91%. The company has sold 1,67,905 units of two wheeler in the month of December 2011. Cumulative two wheelers sales for the period of April 2011 to January 2012 stood at 18,09,105 units of two wheelers up by 9.85% compared to 16,46,827 units of two wheeler sold in the same period last year.

Domestic sales stood at 1,53,014 units in the month of January 2012 up by 7.58% compared to 1,42,227 units sold in the month of January 2011. Export stood at 18,610 units in the month of January 2012 down by 12.32% compared to 21,224 units sold in January 2011. The company sold 41,469 units of scooter in the month of January 2012 up by 1.80% compared to 40,436 units of scooter sold in the month of January 2011. Motorcycle sales stood at 65,608 units in the month of January 2012 down by 3.12% compared to 67,721 units sold in the month of January 2011. Moped sales stood at 64,035 units in the month of January 2012.

TVS Motors motorcycle sale is stagnating now. The company is pushing well on moped front. The company is also bullish on export front and exploring new opportunities to expand its export market. The company has set goal of selling 2.4 million units in this financial year which it will miss considering only 2 months left to achieve the same.

HMSI

India’s largest scooter manufacturing company Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Ltd reported growth of 46.66% in the month of January 2012. The company reported sales of 1,89,353 units in the month of January 2012 compared to 1,29,110 units in the January 2011. On month on month basis the company’s sales is down by 1.30%. The company sold 1,91,854 units in the month of December 2011.

Motorcycle sales stood at 76,850 units in the month of January 2012 up by 31.67% compared to January 2011 where it sold 58,365 units. The company reported 59.03% jump in sales of Scooter. The company sold 1,12,503 units of scooter in the month of January 2012 compared to 70,745 units in the month of January 2011. The company sold 16,81,521 units during the period April 2011 to January 2012 up by 31.67 % compared to 13,63,627 units sold during the same period last year.

HMSI is now at number three position for consecutive third month which suggest that it will now begin to chase number two position. Scooter number for HMSI has grown at the rate of 40-70% from couple of months which suggests continuous capacity expansion. The higher growth rate is also attributed to continuous strong performance in scooter segment. Cumulative sales has achieved landmark figure of 9 million in the month of January. The company has started building its third plant in Narsapur Industrial area, 52 Km away from Banglore, Karnatak to expand it’s capacity to 4 million units by mid 2013. The company launched new Dio which it showcased at Auto Expo Delhi.

Yamaha India

Yamaha India has reported sales growth of 39.67% in the month of January 2012 compared to January 2011 on the back of strong demand in export market. Total sales stood at 39,940 units in the month of January 2012 compared to 28,597 units last year in the same period. The company reported month on month basis sales jump of 1.99%. The company sold 39,160 units in the December 2011. Domestic sales stood at 26,300 units up by 19.69% compared to 21,974 units in the month of January 2012. Export stood at 13,640 units in the month of January 2012 up by 105.95% compared to 6,623 units in the month of January 2011. The company sold 4,02,350 units during April 2011 to January 2012 period up by 32.66% compared to 3,03,286 units during the same period last year.

Speaking on the results, Mr. Hiroyuki Suzuki, CEO & Managing Director, India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd., said, “Continuing with 2011 Sales trend, we are very happy with the growth registered in January and plan to keep the momentum high for the rest of 2012. We attribute this growth to the success of our flagship models both in the deluxe & premium segments – R15, FZ series & SZ series. We are planning to enhance our Best 3S (Sales, Service & Spares) set-up in tier-2 & tier-3 cities and increase our customer touch points in the rural areas to further boost our sales.”

The company has recently launched version 2.0 of its flagship motorcycle YZF-R15. The company is aiming to sell 5,00,000 units in this financial year with 3,50,000 units of domestic sales and 1,50,000 units of export. The company is also planning to launch scooter in this financial year. The company is also expanding its capacity to 10 lakh units in anticipation of better demand in upcoming years. The company also unveiled its scooter concept Ray at Auto Expo 2012.

Suzuki Motorcycles

Suzuki Motorcycle India reported growth of 22.73% in the month of January 2012 compared to January 2011. The company’s total sales stood at 35,099 units in the month of January 2012 compared to 28,598 units in the month of January 2011. As the company did not report December 2011 sales figure, month on month basis and year on year growth is not calculated. The company sold 2,26,041 units during April 2010 to January 2011.

Speaking on this strong growth pattern, Mr. Atul Gupta, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, SMIPL, said “The Year 2012 has started well with a good response from the market for all our products. The growing customer satisfaction has led to a positive word-of-mouth in the market. January 2012 was also very significant as we launched our mass market motorcycle, the Hayate, while the Swish 125 is an addition to the bestselling scooter Access 125. We will continue to give best to our customers.”

As far as a domestic sale is concern Suzuki and Yamaha are fighting for 5^th and 6^th position. Suzuki Motorcycle is benefitting from the growth of scooters. It is to be seen when Yamaha will start selling scooter and Suzuki will start exporting.

Mahindra Two Wheelers

Two wheeler company Mahindra two wheeler reported de growth of 55.30% in the month of January 2012 compared to January 2011. Total sales stood at 6,984 units in the month of January 2012 compared to 15,623 units in the month of January 2011. Month on Month basis the company’s sales is up by 12.08%. The company sold 6,231 units last month. During the April to January 2012 period the company reported sales of 116,402 units down by 15.94% compared to sales of 1,38,482 units in the same month last year.

“We have undertaken stock correction to make space for the introduction of the new Mahindra Duro DZ. We are very excited about the enthusiastic response that the Duro DZ has been receiving all across the South where it was launched last month. We now intend to roll out the Duro DZ nationally very soon. It is a solid and powerful scooter designed specifically for Indian road conditions. With an amazing range of superior features, and a very attractive launch price, the new Duro DZ is sure to be an instant hit. We have also created an interesting new marketing campaign with actor Kareena Kapoor, which will be launched nationally.” said Mr. Viren Popli, Senior V.P. Strategy and Market Development, Mahindra Two Wheelers.

The company has reported massive de growth this month also in spite of dealer base expansion and promotional activities. This HMSI is clear indication that customers are moving from brand Mahindra. Moreover market leader has increased Activa production which is also taking some unit sales of Mahindra two wheelers. Going forward we will not see good growth figure if situation remains like this. The company is now looking to re launch its motorcycle Stallio for volume growth.

Summary

The Indian two wheeler industry’s growth finally started showing slow down in the second consecutive month after sluggish December sales. The January 2012 month has seen sales of more than 1.26 million units up by 13.70% compared to 1.11 million units sold in January 2011. The period April 2011 to January 2012 has witnessed growth of 16.23% over the same period last year. More than 12.70 million units of two wheelers sold during the period of April 2011 to January 2012 compared to 10.92 million units in the same period last year.

Hero Moto Corp the market leader is continuously posting double digit growth with robust sales each month. It has done 5.18 million units sales in the current financial year. Bajaj Auto the second largest manufacturer of two wheelers has sold over 3.23 million units in the current financial year.

TVS Motors has sold more than 1.81 million units whereas HMSI sales stood at 1.68 million units during April 2011 to January 2012 period. Yamaha India, Suzuki Motorcycle and Mahindra two wheelers sold 0.40 million, 0.27 million and 0.12 million units respectively during the period of April 2011 to January 2012. It seems that the industry may grow at double digit but the growth rate will be around 10-12% for the rest of the financial year

KTM Projects Itself as a Premium Brand in India

2012-02-12T21:56:00.001+05:30

All these days, when I report any news about the KTM, I’d to come up with an exclusive paragraph which would act as an intro about the maker. The launch of Duke 200 in India has reduced this work for me and from now on, I can start talking to the point precisely. Basically, it’s a sigh of relief!

Though, the brand is Austrian by nationality, Bajaj Auto owns nearly 40 per cent stake in the company which enables it to make use of the technology and the basic platform on which the KTMs are built. Its effect was pretty much felt in the recently launched Pulsar 200NS, which is the first naked street bike ever in the history of Bajaj Auto.

Initially, there was high speculation among Indian bike enthusiasts that the Duke125 will be the first KTM to hit the Indian roads. But then KTM announced a little later that it’s not this bike, but the Duke200 which will be the first product for India. The brand deals with bikes in almost all categories and has marked its presence effectively across Geographies.

When I reviewed the KTM 125Duke in Singapore about 6 months back, I clearly felt that if it is launched in the market, it’ll be positioned as a premium brand owing to its refinement in the entire quality and the price tag it’ll most probably be bearing with itself at the time of its entry into the sub – continent.

If you can look at the price of the KTM Duke200 which was recently launched in the capital city, the price difference between this and its rival – Pulsar 200NS is close to quarter a lakh of INR. As on date, these are the only options available in the 200cc category for young bikers out here.

The company doesn’t seem to work on reducing this gap in pricing, as it is trying to position itself as a Premium brand in India. In a way it is good because quality counts more and there are no two words on that at any point of time.

Here is what the press release of KTM says about its recent foray into the Indian market.

‘India, with around 12 million motorcycles sold in 2011, is the world’s biggest market for two – wheelers. An increase in growth of 15% on this figure is expected in 2012. Bajaj, KTM’s partner in India, is the second biggest manufacturer in this market with a share of 20% and offers an optimal sales structure for KTM motorcycles through its dealer network.

The 125 Duke was already successfully introduced onto the European market in the first half of last year as a result of a development project with Baja. The next step has now followed. KTM CEO Stefan Pierer and Bajaj CEO Rajiv Bajaj officially unveiled the new 200 Duke to the media in New Delhi on January 24, 2012. With this motorcycle, KTM enters the Indian market with Bajaj for the first time and expects sales of around 20,000 bikes.’

Stefan Pierer, Chief Executive Officer, KTM said, “34 flagship stores will be exclusively available to KTM in a first step. Six more will open in 2012. With an additional 40 service partners, KTM is to be anchored into the Indian market as a premium brand.”

The company will also be launching its bigger variants of its flagship product – Duke in the years to come. In the pipeline, we’ve the Duke 350 and a much bigger Duke 690 waiting which are few of the best – sellers in most of the markets where is operates.

With such efficient and effective products in the pipeline, it is indeed pretty obvious that a company like KTM will have to be branded as a Premium Brand and that is what the owners of these machines would also prefer!

Yamaha launches Mio J and Mio Fino in Indonesia

2012-02-11T23:34:00.003+05:30

Yamaha added Mio J and Mio Fino to already successful Mio scooter series. Yamaha Mio and Mio Fino were showcased at Auto Expo 2012. Both the new models are launched in response to Indonesian consumers who need fashionable and technological advanced scooter. The delivery for both of the scooters is going to start from the 14^th February (Valentine Day). Yamaha Motors Indonesia is planning to sell 25,000 units a month for Mio J which will gradually increase to 50,000 units a month.

Yamaha Mio J is an advanced version of Mio Series and equipped with Yamaha’s class leading technologies. Mio J has got YMJET-FI (Yamaha Mixture Jet-Fuel Injection), DiASil cylinder and forged piston (All of this features we see on Yamaha R15). It is equipped with 115cc (113.7 cc) 4-stroke, 2 valve, SOHC engine. The engine is able to generate maximum power of 7.75 PS @ maximum 8,500 rpm and maximum torque of 8.5NM @ 5,000 rpm. Apart from this it has got new designing, DRL (Daytime running light) headlight system, wide and longer seat, increased luggage space, larger fuel tank and new speedometer. The new model is able to generate 30% more fuel efficiency compared to the previous version. Yamaha has launched this model at a price of 12.7 million Indonesia Rupiah (Rs. 70,500).

Mio Fino is a fashionable unisex scooter and it’s targeted to especially younger woman. Mio Fino has three more themes like fashion, sport and classic. Fino has got seven colors choices cyan Fashion, Fashion Pink, Classic Red, Classic Black, Black Sports, Sports Blue and Sports Red. Fino is equipped with Automatic Headlight On (Aho), fuel meter, speedometer, front pocket, and tail light. It has got 113cc, 2 valve, 4-stroke SOHC engine which generates maximum power of 8.35PS @ maximum rpm of 8,000 and maximum torque of 7.84 Nm @ 7,000 rpm. It has been launched at 13.5 million Indonesia Rupiah (Rs. 74,500) for Fino Sporty. Yamaha Indonesia is targeting sales of 20,000 units a month for Fino series.

Indonesia is world’s third largest two wheeler market with market size of 8 million units a year. Automatic scooters accounts for 50% of this total market. Mio was the first automatic scooter launched by Yamaha in Indonesian market in 2003. Mio changed the trend to automatic scooters in Indonesia where manual transmission scooters were ruling the market. More than 4.7 million units have been sold of Mio series scooters till the date.

Noteworthy: Yamaha SZ TV Commercial

2012-02-10T07:27:00.001+05:30

Yamaha SZ series is another successful product from Yamaha after R15 and FZ series. The SZ series has got good response across the country and it helped Yamaha to gain market share in Sports commuter segment. This is also another reason for having 30-40% growth in sales by Yamaha compared to last year. To strengthen its position in sports commuter segment Yamaha has now came up with new SZ TV commercial.

The New SZ TV commercial is mostly based on similar concept of Onida’s iconic tagline ‘Neighbour’s envy, owner’s pride’. This is concept of having things which others desire. The new TV commercial shows a guy speaking to her girlfriend that, people are always interested in others thing and take her on ride to show the same. There are a number of examples where he shows her while riding and when they stop on traffic signal every other motorcycle owner is looking at Yamaha SZ. The guy feels pride of owning Yamaha SZ in the end. Have a look to new commercial posted above.

KTM Duke 200 is Getting a Good Response

2012-02-08T22:44:00.001+05:30

KTM Duke 200 is getting tremendous response across the country. There are only 15 days have passed since Duke 200 is launched on 24^th January 2012, but KTM showrooms (Erstwhile Probiking showrooms) are flooded with inquiries. The company initially decided the booking amount of Rs. 30,000 but it was reduced to Rs. 20,000 when Duke 200 hit the showrooms. The booking amount was reduced to encourage more buyers.

The company is also charging Rs. 3,000 as cancellation charges if the booking is canceled, to avoid speculative bookings and timely delivery for genuine buyers. The waiting period is ranging from 30-90 days depending on the location of showrooms. The delivery is expected to start within 2-3 weeks time. KTM Duke 200 is the third motorcycle which is seeing such an encouraging response from the buyers after Honda CBR250R and Yamaha R15 V2.0.

Duke 200 is the first offering from Austrian motorcycle manufacturer KTM which comes with 200cc engine and power of 25 bhp. It would be easy for Duke 200 to start with 2,000 units a month which is very good figure, considering its price. It seems that KTM Duke 200 may outscore competition in terms of bookings. However, it is to be seen how it performs in longer run against the competition.

Reasons Why Bajaj Boxer 150 Did Not Succeed as Expected

2012-02-08T22:43:00.002+05:30

What is the difference between doing things right (efficiency) and doing the right things (Effectiveness)? In order to launch a successful product or to make a successful company, effectiveness and efficiency are required to be out in place together. If you are effective but not efficient, there is a chance that efficient competitor will follow your strategy and will take on you. On the contrary if you’re efficient but not effective, the effective competitor will take on you. In Indian two wheeler industry, we have example of two such companies – Hero Moto Corp and Bajaj Auto. Bajaj Auto, a company which operates at 20% EBITDA margin is the highest so far in the industry. It is the most efficient company in the two wheeler space. Hero Moto Corp which sells half a million units every month, 6 million units in a year, highest in the two wheeler industry and it is world’s largest two wheeler company. It is one of the most effective companies in two wheeler industry.

Hero Motocorp has a strong foothold in the rural India. It commands very large pie of rural two wheeler sales. Nearly half of the company’s sale comes from rural part of the country. What more to say Hero MotoCorp.’s rural sale is more than Bajaj Auto’s total domestic sale. If you want to challenge Hero Motocorp., you need to have a strong rural motorcycle. Bajaj Auto realized this fact sometime ago and launched the Boxer 150cc (Bharat Motorcycle) on 26th August 2011.

A purpose built rural motorcycle which sports a 150cc engine, torque of 12 Nm, wider tyres, larger seat which can accommodate three people and a price tag of around INR 42,000 ex-showroom Delhi. The motorcycle fetched the company a business of 10,0000 units a month in the initial two months; however the volumes were down by almost 7,000 units for last two, three months. This is a very big disappointment considering the brand ‘Boxer’, which was leader in its segment before it was discontinued way back in the year 2004 for the Indian market. So what is wrong with Boxer 150cc (Bharat Motorcycle)? Why it is not able to clock sustainable larger amount of volumes? Let’s have a closer look at some of the reasons.

Soft Marketing

How many people are aware that Boxer 150cc is launched? Certainly, not a large number of people know that Boxer 150cc is in the market even after nearly 6 months of its launch. This is a reason of soft marketing. Boxer 150cc did not get the enough push on the marketing front. It is to be understood that this is a rural motorcycle and needs to be marketed in a different manner. However, Bajaj Auto did not do any effective rural marketing campaign to provide enough ground for Boxer 150cc to take on the competition. Even the Bajaj Auto website does not have Boxer displayed anywhere. If I’m not wrong, there is no such TV commercial featuring the Boxer 150cc and even if it is there I am not aware about it (Another example for too much of soft launch) I did search for a video and I got the below one which is enough to show the power of Boxer 150cc.

Bajaj Auto could have made a TV commercial highlighting the unique features of Boxer 150cc and could have shown it on Doordarshan which has largest reach even in remote villages. You can take example of Hero Motocorp.’s rural marketing campaign Har Gaon, Har aangon (Hindi for Every village, Every Home) under which Hero Honda dealers met Sarpanches, Headmasters, aanganwadi workers who influence buyer’s decision in rural segment to sell Hero Motocorp motorcycles. This is the campaign which has given Hero Motocorp a strong foothold in rural India. By far this is a marketing practice for rural India, which is more effective than the TV commercial as rural sales drive more through Word Of Mouth publicity than advertising.

Brand Positioning

Bajaj Auto re-launched the Boxer in 150cc avatar. This can also be a reason for lower sales. It would have been an easy job to start with a 100cc motorcycle in rural segment but Bajaj Auto chose 150cc to differentiate it from others. Now a 150cc can work inversely if the market is not prepared. The 100cc motorcycle accounts a very large pie or of total rural sales in India. Bajaj Auto could have gone with 100cc Boxer first which would have helped the product to establish itself. Once the brand establishes itself they could have launched 150cc version as a part of its brand extension.

We can also take an example of Discover brand which started with 100cc version and then extended to 150cc and 125cc. Today, around half of the Discover brand sales come from 125cc and 150cc versions. The brand would not have been that much successful, if it would have started with 150cc version first. Further, when you go for differentiation strategy you always need to have strong marketing practices highlighting the differentiation points. It helps the product or service to establish itself as differentiation strategy is mostly targeted to niche segment. As we can see Boxer had very soft launch which resulted in lower brand awareness to target market.

Bajaj Auto also has Platina in 100cc entry level segment, however this is an urban brand and Boxer is a rural brand. Hence, there were very lower chances of brand cannibalization (“When two brands in the same product line, offered by same player target same market segment and compete with each other by eating away the market share without adding any value to the marketer.”) here if Bajaj Auto could have launched 100cc Boxer. It is also to be noted that 100cc version of Boxer was successful in India and currently it is successful when it comes to the export market too.

High Price, Low Fuel Efficiency and Low Dealer Margins

Boxer is the cheapest 150cc motorcycle available in the Indian market. However it is still 20% more expensive compared to basic 100cc motorcycle like CD-Dawn. Further due to 150cc version it also has lower level of fuel efficiency. The rural India is extremely conscious about the fuel efficiency; hence it might be a cause of having lower sales. It also has lower dealer margins compared to other brands like Discover and Pulsar which makes the dealers more interested in selling Discover and Pulsar brand compared to the Boxer brand.

Corrective Actions

As far as the product is concerned, the 5-6 month old owners are well satisfied with the composition of power and fuel efficiency offered by Boxer 150cc, so there are no such major changes required when it comes to the product front. As far as marketing strategy is concerned, the company has now started a marketing campaign in around 16,000 villages. In the new campaign, the company is showcasing Boxer 150cc on demo van and offering customers a test ride thorough which one can have a ride experience of the Boxer 150cc. However, what have been missed is having large customer base in initial stage. If this would have been done in the initial stage, the company might have had more customers aware about the brand and its features which are capable of generating positive word of mouth publicity, thereby ensuring sustainable sales for the future.

Conclusion

Having the right marketing strategy is an equally important factor with having a right product. Boxer 150cc (Bharat motorcycle) might be the right product for rural India but it has not been backed by a right marketing strategy. Bajaj Auto considers Pulsar as its centre of gravity. However, it should not ignore the other market opportunities which come with Boxer brand. Rural India has lots of potential of growth and it is still in nascent stage. We may see rapid urbanization in the coming years but still Rural India’s growth will outpace urban India growth as far as two wheelers and more specifically motorcycle is concerned. Further, Boxer is also equally profitable (20% EBITDA) and commands brand premium in Africa despite the fact that it is an entry level motorcycle and operates in highly price sensitive market. Boxer has always helped Bajaj Auto be it the time from transformation of scooter manufacturer to
motorcycle manufacture since the year 2008-09 when Bajaj Auto’s sales tapered drastically. It is one of the fastest growing brands in export market. Hope the new marketing campaign will help Boxer 150cc to establish itself in the Indian market.

Bajaj to Come Up With Bikes Upto 700cc in India

2012-02-06T23:42:00.001+05:30

Bajaj Auto Limited, the nation’s second largest player when it comes to two – wheelers has decided to bring in more high displacement bikes from KTM stable into India. Bajaj presently owns around 40 per cent share in KTM, Austrian bike maker known for its naked street bikes all across the globe.

The company will be launching bikes in the range of 200cc to 700cc in the coming years. Duke 200 was already launched for the Indian market a couple of weeks back and marks the entry of KTM into the Indian market. There is of course a great potential for these bikes here depending on the price tag they’ll be bearing along their necks.

Bajaj, though is on a lead in the race with its other counterparts like Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki, it becomes mandatory of it to come up with new products which will enhance the company in maintaining its current position and slowly to climb up the ladder. Bajaj Auto Limiter is interested in getting the leadership position in the premium bike segment in the years to come.

Bajaj aims to position the Pulsar in the value-for-money sports bike segment which has hot an amazing potential and Pulsar brand is already leading the race in this segment. Its Austrian partner KTM’s motorcycles will be fighting at the premium end of the market.

“We share the same development process with KTM, so you can expect there will be ‘a much bigger Pulsar’ next year, because we think the market is at an inflection point (at the premium end) and we are in a good position to take advantage with these two brands,” Managing Director, Mr. Rajiv Bajaj said.

The company will also be launching a 350 cc Pulsar for the Indian market next year.Now that should be great news for the PulsarManics out here. Bajaj said the company will come out with 350cc Pulsar next year and it is exploring even bigger motorcycles under the Pulsar brand. “There will be a 350 cc Duke next year, so you can expect something similar with the Pulsar next year. And going forward, in 2014-15 there will be even bigger KTM and even bigger Pulsar,” Bajaj said.

The company is also gearing up with the capacity of 1 00,000 units at its Chakan plant to cater the demand created for the company by its new range of Pulsars and the KTM motorcycles. The month of January saw to new bike launched from Bajaj – Duke 200 and the Pulsar 200NS (Naked Sport). Both these bikes have been jointly developed by Bajaj and KTM. The two companies are likely to jointly bring in 350 cc and 690 cc motorcycles under the Bajaj banner over the next few years. The joint R&D for vehicle and engine development will help the company to maintain the cost and help itself maintain a 20 per cent EBIDTA margins.

On the pricing front which determines a company’s success in the Indian market, price positioning will be similar in bigger models for the Pulsar and KTM brand, the Indian brand at the lower end and KTM at the premium end compared with that of the entire Pulsar line – up.

The next generation Pulsar motorcycles (200cc, 350 cc and above) will co – exist with the current range of Pulsars. With bigger motorcycles expected from the Japanese competition, experts say this Bajaj – KTM twin strategy should work for the company to cater to different end of the market. We of course, agree with this point here. The alliance between these two companies should be doing wonders for this company in the years to come.

Bajaj said the new motorcycles would help the company increase market share to 30 – 32 per cent, from a market share of 26 per cent as of now, as the market for premium – end motorcycles is expanding at a very rapid pace.

Auto experts say that with a rise in disposable income, the number of buyers will grow, but the segment will continue to be niche as the price bracket exceeds INR 1 lakh.

“The market is growing, yet it forms less than 1 per cent of the overall motorcycle market in the country. The sports bike category will continue to grow in double digits and there will be takers, yet it will form only 1 per cent to 2 per cent of the market and it will be niche category, at least in the medium term,” said Mahantesh Sabarad, auto analyst with Fortune Broking.

Bajaj Auto, which has an export turnover of nearly 6,500 crore with almost 1.5 million vehicles shipped annually sees the similar strategy being played out in the global markets too.

“I think this strategy of KTM-Pulsar acting together in the sports segment is a valid strategy anywhere in the world not just in India. We will look at leveraging this in many of our overseas markets in Latin America, Africa and South East Asia,” said Bajaj.

Knock – A Hidden Peril For Engine

2012-02-06T23:41:00.003+05:30

Generally, knock has been recognized as particular kind of sound comes out from engine at the time of sudden acceleration. But majority people don’t know about the exact particularity of this sound. Moreover, they are also unaware about the source from where this sound comes out in the engine. Another rumour about knock is its relation with sudden acceleration and sudden retardation. Knock is not at all a result of acceleration or retardation. One more blunder I heard from a mechanic was very shocking. He said “knocking does not take place in single cylinder engine”. It’s totally erroneous though accepted by many mechanics and never treated seriously in private as well as authorised service stations.

No doubt, “particular kind of sound from the engine” is the definition of knock but it’s not precise and complete. Strictly speaking, knocking is a phenomenon that can be defined as spontaneous ignition or autoignition of fresh charge in the cylinder at various pin-point locations. Autoignition is possible when any fuel reaches to its self ignition temperature by any means of heat.

Mechanism of Knock

Above diagram shows the normal combustion process. For easy understanding, let us assume that the spark plug is located in the centre of the cylinder. This is visible in both the views of combustion chamber in above diagram. A first flame front is generated with the help of spark. The flame front travels across the combustion chamber from top to bottom and from centre to cylinder walls. This pass through of flame front is shown by orange shades.

The advancing flame front compresses the unburned charges shown by blue colour. Simultaneously, temperature of this unburned fresh charge also increases because of compression as well as heat transfer from burned charge. If the temperature of this unburned charge had not reached its self ignition temperature, the charge would not autoignite and the flame will advance further. Finally all the charge will ignite and process converted in to normal complete combustion.

Now suppose, somehow the unburned charge reaches to its self ignition temperature and also has sufficient time to ignite itself. The same case is illustrated in above diagram. The unburned blue coloured fresh charge starts self ignition because of temperature rise. At this moment, two different sparks take place in the cylinder but obviously at different instant. Because of this autoignition, another flame front starts travelling in the opposite direction to the main flame front. When the two flame fronts collide, a severe pressure pulse is generated. This instant but huge disturbance can force the walls of the combustion chamber to vibrate and produces direct blow on the engine structure. This blow is sufficient enough to generate a thudding sound which a human ear can detect. Only because of this thudding sound, it is known as “Knocking”.

Effect of Knocking

The impact of knock on the engine components and structure can cause engine failure. Below photo shows effect of knocking on piston structure.

In addition, the noise from engine vibration is always objectionable. The pressure difference in the combustion chamber causes the gas to vibrate and scrub the chamber walls causing increased loss of heat to the coolant. Fuel consumption of engine increases drastically as heat energy is lost during knocking. The same reason also affects the power output which is observable at the time of acceleration.

Factors Affecting Knock

From the above discussion on knock, it may be seen that four major factors are involved in either producing or preventing knock. These are the temperature, pressure, density of the unburned charge and the time factors.

Temperature factor includes inlet temperature of the mixture and temperature of the combustion chamber walls. Increase in inlet temperature of the mixture makes the charge more vaporized than the required at the end of compression. This increases the tendency of knocking. Temperature of the combustion chamber walls plays a predominant role in knocking. In order to prevent knocking the hot spot in the combustion chamber should be avoided. Since, the spark plug and exhaust valve are two hottest parts in the combustion chamber; they mostlyconverted in to sources of autoignition after a long run. Furthermore, most of the two wheelers use air cooling which is not at all efficient to cool these two hottest parts. This is the main reason because of which a single cylinder engine could also have knocking problem.

Pressure factor includes the final pressure of fresh charge that it can reach after completion of compression stroke. Obviously, high pressure again converted in to high temperature factor and boosts the knocking process. No doubt, pressure factor is not at possible to control externally. It depends only on design parameters of engine.

Density factor comprises mass of inducted charge and fuel-air ratio. A reduction in the mass of the inducted charge into the cylinder of an engine by throttling reduces both temperature and density of the charge at the time of ignition. This decreases the tendency of knocking.

The flame speeds are affected by fuel-air ratio. Also the flame temperature and reaction time are different for different fuel-air ratios. So tendency of fresh charge to reach up to its self ignition temperature directly depends on the composition of that charge. As the carburettor or injection systems are the only responsible components for fuel-air ratios, it is advisable to keep them cleaned and tuned to avoid knocking.

Time factors consist of engine speed and spark timing. An increase in engine speed increases the turbulence of the mixture considerably resulting in increased flame speed, and reduces the time available for preflame reactions. Hence knocking tendency is reduced at higher speed. Adversely, prolonged high speed increases working temperature of engine and increases amount of hot spots, so prolonged and constant high speed should be avoided to minimize the knocking. Wrong spark timing always leads to incomplete combustion. This incomplete combustion can be possible either as pre-ignition or post-ignition. Both these incomplete combustion increases knocking tendency.

Miscellaneous factors include location of spark plug and octane value of the fuel. In order to have a minimum flame travel, the spark plug is located at proper place in the combustion chamber. DTSI, DTS-SI and now three spark plugs (Pulsar 200) are few of the examples where efforts have been made to reduce flame travel by igniting the fresh charge from different locations, of course in proper manner. High octane fuel has the higher self ignition temperature and low preflame reactivity which reduces the tendency of knocking.

How to Recognize Knock

Following are some symptoms which can help to identify the knock.

Metallic sound in harmony with engine firing
Sound comes out after long running
Sound disappears at idle speed
Drastic drop in fuel efficiency
Drop in power output
Engine run with high temperature and noise

It is very true that one has to develop some skills to identify the particular sound of knock. Many videos are available on youtube where you can have idea about knock sound and you can save your engine by identifying the knock in preliminary stage. I hope this will be useful to you all in future. Waiting for your valuable comments.

M&M Sells Its Stake in Engines Engineering

2012-02-06T23:41:00.001+05:30

According to news reported by moneycontrol.com Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) is selling its entire stake in Engines Engineering back to its original promoter Alberto Strazzari. M&M is selling its entire stake at good amount of premium which it bought in the year 2008 with the aim to strengthening its R&D capabilities for Mahindra Two Wheelers. Engines Engineering is the same company which has done work of fixing Sattlio’s gear box.

Engines Engineering is Europe’s number One motorcycle designer. It provides full range of activities starting from a basic idea on a blank sheet to a finished product on the road. It is a one stop solution for conception, design, styling, online assembly, industrialization and marketing. It’s client name includes some of the prestigious name in motorcycling world like Honda, Yamaha, Ducati, Benelli, Gilera etc.

According to reports the reason for stake sell is Engine Engineering’s client base, which is not comfortable with Engines Engineering close proximity with Mahindra two wheelers and Mahindra Engineering services. They questioned the possibility of Intellectual property rights (IPR) infringement. However, M&M said that it’s baseless fear and the IPR are protected with adequate firewalls. Engines Engineering will now act as independent advisor and consultant to M&M.

Yamaha Adds R15 V2.0 Limited Editions

2012-02-03T23:31:00.004+05:30

R15 V2.0 has been THE bike that has done wonders to Yamaha. It is indeed one of the most preferred bikes amongst the Indian youth. Though there is a common mindset that 1.2 lakh is way too much for a 150cc bike, its continuous performance has made Indian bikers agree to the fact that it is worth every single buck spent on it.

We’d already posed that Yamaha has announced the launch of its anniversary edition of its R15 V2.0 with two special colours which are named WGP 5oth Anniversary Edition and the other one being Fiery Red Special Edition. Both these bikes are extremely hot looking and it’s always worth spending money on a limited edition bike. The reason being that the production of these bikes is just limited to a few 100 units and after selling them, you’ll never be able to get your hands on them as they’ll be off the production line.

There is absolutely no change that’s been carried over to this bike in terms of technical aspects. It’s just the colour scheme that has seen a change. The Fiery Red scheme is engulfed by fire flame design in form of graphics which begins flowing right from the front fairing and continues its flow till the rear. Brilliant work! Though it lacks the racing instinct in this all new colour scheme, I became a big fan of it, the moment I took a look at it in the Yamaha stall in the Auto expo.

Talking about the new White colour, it is just stunning in its looks, though it looks simple and humble unlike the other colour of this bike. The bike is completely painted in white with just a mild pinch of red stickering here and there without making it a red over – dose. The small rise in seat which appears between the rider’s and the pillion seat is coated with red which adds up the gorgeousness of the bike many – folds.

Most of the showrooms have already commenced bookings for this bike. Yamaha has now updated the images of these 2 limited edition in the R15V2.0 page under the colours tab. The R15 WGP limited edition is priced at INR 1,11,000 (Ex – Showroom, New Delhi) and the Fiery Red scheme is priced at INR 1,10,000

Bajaj’s Sales Performance for January

2012-02-03T23:31:00.001+05:30

Bajaj Auto, India’s second largest player has reported a sales growth of 6.83 per cent for the month of January 2012. The company managed to sell 2,94,439 units of their bikes which is their highest ever for the month of January. Their sales figure for the same month the previous year stood at 2,94,439 units.

Bajaj Auto Limited said that the company’s exports grew 13.01 per cent during the month at a figure of 1,16,996 units compared to 1,03,526 units in January 2011. The company manages to hit great sales figures through exports. It has marked its presence in several nations and with the pricing power which Bajaj products possess, they turn out to be number crunchers for the company. The company is constantly tapping the potential in several International markets with its wide array of products.

It’s always been with the case of Bajaj that most of their sales will churned out from two of its best brands – Pulsar and Discover. The new generation Pulsar was just launched on Monday and as our regular readers would be knowing it’s a 200cc naked bike which incorporates an all new engine featuring twin spark technology whose unique patents are with Bajaj Auto. This technology will slowly be brought into the engines of Discover series as well.

Though the 2012 Pulsar is launched, it’ll more likely take another couple of months for it to hit the road. Let’s just wait to see what kinda sales figures would the new Pulsar be able to churn out for Bajaj Auto Limited.

HMSI Launches Next Generation Dio for Rs. 42,362

2012-02-03T23:30:00.001+05:30

After showcasing 7 new product at Atuo Expo 2012, India’s largest scooter manufacturing company Honda Motor scooters India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) has now launched the next generation Dio with the price tag of Rs. 42,362 Ex-showroom Delhi. The next generation Dio will be available in showroom by February end. The next generation Dio is built on a platform to give an unmatched ride experience with high level of fuel efficiency. The next generation Dio has been revised in all the parameters. Be it styling, ergonomics, safety or engine.

The next generation Dio has got new advance and highly reliable 110cc engine from Honda which is 10% more powerful than old Dio and can generate of power of 9 bhp. The new engine is equipped with several cutting edge technologies like roller rocker arm, reduced valve spring load, reduced cooling fan diameter size and better stability of weight roller & load of pulley spring. All this new features has enable next generation Dio to reduce friction and generate 15% more fuel efficiency than the old 102cc Dio which is around 55 Kmpl.

Next generation Dio has got all new unisex motoscooter styling. The aerodynamically designed front and the unique premium 3D emblem and sporty shaped integrated rear with elegant tail lamp will surely win the heart of youths. It has got host of new features like the new combi brake feature for improved riding stability and braking efficiency, tubeless tyres for better comfort and convenient riding, increased leg space for comfortable ride experience, convenient maintenance free battery, Vicious air filter and spacious under seat luggage box.

The next generation Dio will be available in five colors – sports red, matt axis grey metallic, pearl sunbeam white, candy palm green and liblon violet metallic. With the ex-showroom price of 42,362 next generation Honda Dio will surely do good numbers.

Yamaha’s Records 40% Growth in January

2012-02-03T23:29:00.001+05:30

Yamaha made its initial foray into India in the year 1985. In the month of August 2001, Yamaha India became a 100 per cent subsidiary of Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd, Japan (YMC). In the year 2008, Mitsui & Co., Ltd. entered into an agreement with YMC to become a joint-investor in the motorcycle manufacturing company “India Yamaha Motor Private Limited, abbreviated as (IYM)”.

India Yamaha Motor, the Indian subsidiary of Yamaha Motor Company, has recorded good performance in this New Year with high sales growth backed by its dynamic product portfolio, registering an overall sales growth of 40 per cent. In the domestic market Yamaha sold 26,300 units in January 2012 as against 21,974 units sold in the same period last year thereby registering a 20 per cent sales growth. The export figures stood at 13,640 units in January 2012 while 6,623 motorcycles were exported in the month of January 2011. The overall sales stood at 39,940 units in January 2012 vs. 28,597 units in January 2011.

Speaking on this results produced by the company, Mr. Hiroyuki Suzuki, CEO & Managing Director, India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd., said, “Continuing with 2011 Sales trend, we are very happy with the growth registered in January and plan to keep the momentum high for the rest of 2012. We attribute this growth to the success of our flagship models both in the deluxe & premium segments – R15, FZ series & SZ series. We are planning to enhance our Best 3S (Sales, Service & Spares) set-up in tier-2 & tier-3 cities and increase our customer touch points in the rural areas to further boost our sales.”

IYM operates from its state-of-the-art manufacturing units located at Surajpur in Uttar Pradesh & Faridabad in Haryana and produces motorcycles both for domestic & export markets. With a strong workforce of more than 2,000 employees, IYM is highly customer-driven and has a countrywide network of over 400 dealers. Presently, its product portfolio includes VMAX – 1,679cc, MT01 – 1,670cc, YZF-R1 – 998cc, FZ1 – 998cc, Fazer – 153cc, FZ-S – 153cc, FZ – 153cc, SZ, SZ-X & SZ-R – 153cc, YZF-R15 Version 2.0 – 150cc, SS125 – 123cc, YBR 125 – 123cc, YBR 110 -106cc and Crux -106cc.

Yamaha will also be launching its scooter range into the Indian market in a few months from now. With the current demand for scooters out here, expect the performance of the company to go up in the coming days.

TVS Motors Posts 7% Revenue Growth in Q3

2012-02-02T00:58:00.001+05:30

South India based TVS Motor Company, which is the country’s third largest player in the Indian market has registered a growth rate of 7 per cent in terms of revenue in the third quarter of the current financial year. The company’s revenues grew to a whooping sum of INR 1762 crore in the quarter which ended by last December from INR 1647 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year.

Profit before tax (PBT) during the quarter under review was higher at a sum of INR 75.56 crore, compared to INR 70.29 crore recorded in the same period of the previous year. Profit after tax (PAT) in the current quarter was INR 56.53 crore compared to Rs. INR 55.75 crore in the previous comparable quarter. For the period from April 2011 to December 2011 , the company’s cumulative PBT and PAT were substantially higher than the comparable period of the previous year. While cumulative PBT for nine months ending December 2011 increased to INR 254.28 crore from INR 188.52 crore in the previous year, the cumulative PAT for nine months ending December 2011 increased to INR 191.84 crore from INR 150.90 crore reported in the previous comparable period.

In the third quarter of the current fiscal, the company reported total two-wheeler sales at 5.19 lakh units, compared with 5.18 lakh units in the corresponding period of the previous year. Scooter sales grew by 11% to 1.38 lakh units in the current quarter from 1.24 lakh units during the corresponding quarter of the previous year, while motorcycles registered sales of 1.93 lakh units in the reporting quarter against 2.11 lakh units in the quarter ended December 2010. .

Two wheeler exports registered 24% growth with sales increasing to 63700 units in the current quarter from 51441 units in the quarter ended December 2010.
During the quarter, PT TVS Motor Company Indonesia, a wholly owned subsidiary of TVS Motor Company has registered total two wheeler sales of 4033 units in comparison with 3800 units recorded in the same period of the previous year. For the nine months ending December 2011, PT TVS Motor Company recorded cumulative sales growth of 28 per cent with 18,905 units against 14,809 units in the comparable period of the previous year.

Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS – Launch Report

2012-02-02T00:57:00.001+05:30

I shouldn’t say it was a long wait for the Next Generation Pulsar to be launched. Rather I should mention we all have waited on and on and on and looks like God has finally answered all our long – standing prayers. Mr. Bajaj had given life to his words. He had mentioned sometime back that the next generation of Pulsars will be based on a whole new platform and will be the first bike to incorporate a few technologies. That is what exactly Bajaj Auto has done for the Pulsar.

The launch of the 2012 Pulsar took place in Mumbai for a change and the venue was ITC Grand Central this time. There weren’t much of fanfare created in the hotel premises by placing posters or bill – boards here and there. The launch was scheduled at 2 PM and the rooms of the ball room opened right then.

There was an unexpected surprise waiting for us as all the Pulsar models right from its inception in the year 2001 was kept on display. The first Classy looking Pulsar with round headlamp made me stare at her for quite sometime as this is my favourite Pulsars ever. Next to that in the queue was the DTS-i variant and you know the history of Pulsars very well. The Pulsar 135 and the ‘Speed Lines’ variant of the 220 were formed the closing of this long line. There was a small board kept beside every bike displaying their year of launch and their special features, of course.

There was a video played which featured all the commercials of Pulsar till date from the very first commercial which emphasized its tagline ‘Definitely Male’. I really had a nice time watching all these TVCs. I t instilled a sense of Nostalgia within me. Then as an end note of this video was played the 10th anniversary video of Pulsar which we’d posted a long time back in BikeAdvice.

With this ended the hypes that surrounded the bike to be launched. The launch ceremony then begun with an inaugural speech of Mr. K Srinivas, President, Two Wheelers, Bajaj Auto. He said, “Pulsar as a brand is moving front and forward.” He said that he wanted to explain the question ‘What makes Pulsar a legendary bike?’

Here are the points he mentioned:

“When you see one, you recognize one.” Think about the sentence he said and then you’ll understand that every ‘PulsarManiac’ in the country would happily rejoice. He said that the characteristics of Pulsar which includes the fuel tank, the LED lamps, wolf eyes and the speedo are all unique only to Pulsars.
“Pulsar satisfies the burning desire and not the need.” In the year 2001 when first Pulsar was launched for the Indian market, the entire market was dominated entirely by commuter bikes and Bajaj daringly ventured into the Sport – Bike segment.
Thrill of riding is now affordable because of Pulsars. Ina market when ‘Fill it, Shut it and Forget it’ was what drove the minds of Indians, it needs a lot of guts to come up with a bike like Pulsar. (I didn’t tell this. He told!)
Today, around 1 Mn Pulsars are sold worldwide in around 25 countries which includes Philippines and Columbia to name a few.
Pulsar has become a part of culture and then he added that Pulsar is viral as well.

Then came to stage Mr. Mr. Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director, Bajaj Auto to talk a few words about the Pulsar brand of bikes. He marked the beginning of his speech by telling, “When we first made the Pulsar, we didn’t make it for any of the reasons. We simply made it because that was US. ”

In order to explain his quote further he used Dr. Porsche’s famous words ‘I couldn’t find the car I want. Si, I decided to make it.’ Similarly he said the country didn’t have the kinda bike that he’d imagined and so they decided to make their own one by coming up with the Pulsar. He thwen added, “We’re more excited to see the bike and in fact you all would have only half the excitement as us.”

Then started the interesting part of his speech. He referred Pulsar as ‘A Three Layered Animal’. The following are the 3 layers mentioned by him.

Pulsar As A Product – He referred to the best in class functionalities that Pulsar boasts of when one talk about Pulsar as a product from the stable of Bajaj.
Pulsar As A Brand – He claimed that Pulsar is nothing less than the most profitable bike on Planet Earth. Bajaj currently works on an operating profit margin of 20 per cent for Pulsars and them he generalized it for all the Bajaj products. He said, “If a Brand is not profitable and cannot produce better business results and lacks pricing power, then it cannot be claimed as a Brand at all.”
Pulsar As A Strategy – 40 years before the launch of Pulsar, the entire strategy of Bajaj goes in one word – Chetak. People visualized Chetak as a value for money, family vehicle, low cost, durable and a reliable product. He was indeed right. India cannot forget Chetak so easily.

He said the company’s ascent is to make a better and better Pulsar every passing day. He added, “Earlier, Chetak was Bajaj’s centre of gravity and now Pulsar is Bajaj’s centre of gravity. “

He had some interesting points about the Discover brand too. He claims, “Discover is nothing but the commuterized version of Pulsar.” “Even KTM comes from the learnings of Pulsar though both are entirely different products.” Here is the statement which will make every PulsarManiac roam around with his collars up atleast for the next couple of days. He said, “If Pulsar goes wrong, the entire strategy of Bajaj goes wrong. If Pulsar gets it right, so does Bajaj.”

Though the first Pulsar was launched only in the year 2001, the background work for it begun as early as 1998.

Then the dais was taken over by Mr. Abraham Joseph, Chief Technology Officer, Bajaj Auto. He handles brilliantly the features and the engineering aspects f the Pulsar 200 NS. He compared all the aspects with the P220 so as to get a better clarity. He said, P220 is the benchmark for performance bikes till now.

The moment finally came when a guy in racing attire brought the Pulsar 200 NS to the stage from backdrop. That’s when we really gotta take a first glimpse of the 2012 Pulsar 200NS. The first look was just great and was more stunning to know that this time it was a naked bike. I’ve posted all the details of this bike in a separate post titled ‘Insights of Pulsar 200NS’.

So, this is what exactly happened in the venue of the bike’s launch which was indeed much awaited. The bike will most probably be hitting the showrooms in the month of April. The price as I’d mentioned in other posts is less than a lakh and we don’t know the exact price till now. We’ll update it soon in the blog as soon as we get to know about it.

Pulsar 200 NS Insights

2012-01-31T21:24:00.001+05:30

Upgrading and face – lifting are two different entities when it comes to Motorcycles. However, it so happens unfortunately in India that they can mean anything for anything. But for the 2012 Pulsar it was not either of these. It was a whole new bike by itself.

Naked bike is by itself a whole new breed for Bajaj Auto. But, one has to insanely agree upon the fact that Bajaj has always kept its pulse on the mindset of Indian youth which is why Pulsars are considered to be youth icon. Now, they should have realized that naked bikes are the sensation in Indian market. So, in simple terms, this time it’s the NS (Naked Sport) for ‘PulsarManiacs.’

Pulsars, though claims to be sport – bikes are never preferred to be used on tracks even upon mods. I think that has made Bajaj Auto think about it and act accordingly. As I mentioned above, this is a whole new bike which has got features and technologies incorporated on this bike for the first time.

The 200NS is powered by a 200cc, 4 valves, single cylinder engine and thought on spark plugs have gone beyond DTS-i. This time, it incorporates triple spark ignition, which is one of its kind and Bajaj Auto has got unique patents pending for it. That’s a great advantage for the company indeed and no two words on that. The DTS-i engine aided the company in scaling new heights in terms of dominance and sales. Expect the same from this engine as well. However, the abbreviation for this new engine wasn’t mentioned there and so I don’t know how it will be named. Probably, TTS-i!

The engine is designed is such a way that the engine coolant goes through the gap between all the spark plugs ensuring better and rapid cooling of engine. That should be a great boon for guys who are gonna rev, rev and rev up this bike. The venture carb will do its work brilliantly.

Talking about ht external appearance, the bike looks really aggressive. The headlamp though is not the same as the fox – eyed ones; it is indeed got its cues from the older ones. The body lines are basically derived from the Pulsars elder siblings so that it keeps up the tradition of Pulsar, carrying it front and forward. A close observation would reveal the way the engine compartment looks like. It is tightly packed offering a real sport – bike look and I loved the way this is done. Good work chaps!

We’ve been having the conventional exhausts for a long time with just very minor changes made to this. This really needed a drastic change. The Pulsar 200NS now incorporates low slung central exhaust which takes the Pulsars to the next level. This would enhance the bike’s handling in the track. Since there is no weight onto the sides, handling this bike in the track should be fun to be with. Also, the time taken for retrieving it back to the position takes less time than the conventional ones.

All the performance aspects of the Pulsar 200NS are compared with the P220 and the reason for this being that Bajaj considers this model to be the epitome of performance. Bajaj claims that the Pulsar 200NS claims that the time taken for 0 -60 kmph is 3.61 seconds and can manage to claim a top speed of 136 kmph.

The frame strength in the Pulsar 200NS is as much as 50 per cent more rigid than the P220, the Fastest Indian. Also, the damping characteristics of this bike are just great. ‘Damping’ refers to ‘the capacity built into a mechanical or electrical device to prevent excessive correction and the resulting instability or oscillatory conditions.’

To mention about the brakes, both the wheels are fitted with discs to offer enhanced braking experience. The dimensions of the front disc is 280 mm and that of the rear is 230 mm. Nitrox filled mono – cross suspension is expected to do a great job on this bike.

The rear looks more stunning now. The tail light is the same double strap that is a part of identity of all Pulsars. I liked the way the rear number plate holder is placed. It is derived front he KTM Dukes and that makes the bike a worth for the bucks spent on it.

The variant now launched is a Naked Sports one. Mr. Bajaj said that there are chances of a fairing version which might be launched in a few months, though he was not very certain about it. Also, there could be more than one Pulsar on the way for the Indian market awaiting for us. Also on display was a Pulsar with yellow colour scheme. It looked really fresh and the scheme itself is a new one for Bajaj products.

There was one fact that I didn’t like about this bike. From long shots, the 200NS resembles the 135 LS to a greater extent. Otherwise, it is a good looking bike though it resembles the Honda CB1000R perfectly. This is again not intentional but it so happened as such.

But, what surprises me is when Mr. Bajaj declared the price, he should have been specific about it. He just said generically that it’ll be priced at less than a lakh of bucks. But, taking the features and technologies that this bike features, one needn’t be hesitant to pay this sum of money.

Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS

2012-01-31T21:23:00.001+05:30

Our Author Mr.Naren had taken a HD video of the all new Pulsar 200 NS during the launch event. We are posting the same here for your viewing pleasure. Let us know what you think about this video.

2012 Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS (Naked Sport) Launched – Price Expected to be Less than a Lakh

2012-01-30T22:18:00.001+05:30

Today at a press conference in Mumbai ITC Grand Central, Bajaj has launched the Pulsar 200 NS. NS stands for Naked Sport. It has been 10 years since the launch of the original Pulsar and today’s launch is expected to go into the history of motorcycling in India. At the conference, Mr. Naren, our regular author and 2 special correspondents of BikeAdvice Mr. Amit Gavande and Mr. Pratheek Kunder are present representing BikeAdvice.

Technical Specifications

200cc SOHC Engine
3 Spark Plugs
Liquid Cooled Engine
23 BHP @ 9500 RPM

18.3 Nm Torque @ 8000 RPM
145 KG Kerb Weight
12 Litre Fuel Tank

Press Release

Bajaj Auto Unveils the generation next Pulsar 200NS
World’s first motorcycle to adopt Triple Spark Engine Technology
Next generation technology offers unmatched overall performance

Mumbai, 30 January 2012: A little more than 10 years since the original Pulsar was launched, Bajaj Auto today unveiled the Next Gen Pulsar 200NS. This new Pulsar is all set to re-define Motorcycling technology and design as-much-as the original Pulsars did way back in 2001.

At the heart of the new Pulsar is its cutting-edge engine which sets new benchmarks in performance, emission and incidentally also fuel efficiency. The DTS-i (Digital Twin Spark-ignition) technology launched in 2003 marked a unique first in the history of Indian Motoring.

The new Pulsar takes this technology altogether to another level with a SOHC 4-valve Triple Spark engine controlled by an advanced Electronic Control Unit for an absolutely unmatched performance. To support this exhilarating heart-pumping performance the bike comes with liquid cooling and a six speed gear box.

The Pulsar 200NS chassis comprises a pressed steel perimeter frame and a Rectangular tube section swing arm delivering over three times the lateral stiffness of a P220 frame. These deliver outstanding high speed handling and cornering stability. The centrally located muffler and the unique gas filled Nitrox mono suspension further improve the ride and handling of the bike due to low & centralized CG position.

The Pulsar design character has evolved with the performance & dynamics. It’s become stronger, more aggressive with a street fighter stance. The look just begs you to ride it. Once astride, the sporty speedo console, triple-tree clip-ons, the signature clips and the illuminated switches evoke the design, fit and finish so far exclusively reserved for much more expensive super sports bikes. The new 200cc Pulsar is probably the most stunning sports bike in its class oozing raw muscular appeal.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. K. Srinivas, President-Motorcycles, Bajaj Auto said: “Pulsar has now celebrated a ‘Decade of Dominance’ with 10 years of leadership in the Indian performance motorcycle market. These sporty iconic motorcycles have been a testimony to the company’s engineering prowess. The Pulsar 200 NS showcases next leap in technology and design and will set the standard for others to follow.

We believe that 2012-13 will be an exciting period where Bajaj Auto will excite customers both here and abroad,” Mr. Srinivas added.

The Pulsar 200NS will be commercially launched beginning next Fiscal.

Next Generation Bajaj Pulsar Photos

2012-01-30T22:17:00.004+05:30

Here are some exclusive photos of the 2012 Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS Triple Spark from the Launch Event.

Bajaj Displays All Previous Pulsar Models at the Next Gen. Pulsar Launch Venue

2012-01-30T22:17:00.002+05:30

As we had posted earlier, the D-day has arrived. Bajaj will unveil the next generation Pulsar today at Mumbai. Our team members are at Mumbai now and it seems that Bajaj has displayed all the previous Pulsar Bikes in the venue. Here are the photos live from Mumbai.

We can see the registration numbers on these bikes which means that these bikes on display are probably owned by customers and Bajaj has borrowed it for today’s event.

2003 Pulsar

2004 Pulsar

2007 Pulsar – Present (Speed Lines)

2009 Pulsar – Present

Ducati Commences Panigale Production

2012-01-30T22:16:00.001+05:30

Remember the Ducati Panigale? It broke its wraps off in the month of November last year. This new superbike from the high performance stable of Ducati launched this bike in Milan, Italy.

Ducati has now started the official production for this bike – The Panigale. It’s been manufactured in the company’s state – of – the – art manufacturing facility in Bologna. The first bike coming off the assembly line was ridden by The Doctor – Valentino Rossi who rides for the Ducati in MotoGp.

This historic event was witnessed by the entire team of Ducati manufacturing unit along with Mr Gabriele Del Torchio, President, Ducati, Mr Claudio Domenicali, General Director, Ducati and Mr Silvano Fini, Plant Director. The first Ducati 1199 Panigale is seen in the images here getting baptised by sprinkling sparkling wine.

To get a small flashback effect, this is what Ducati President Mr. Gabriele Del Torchio commented at the time of Panigale’s launch. ”Without doubt, this has been the most ambitious project in Ducati’s history and underlines our engineering excellence and ‘product emotion,’ an aspect of our brand which, in such a competitive market place, has become more important than ever. This motorcycle represents pure Italian style, the reference point for performance and a safety-enhanced, confidence-inspiring experience for our customers on road and track.”

The most interesting part of this bike is basically its frame which is a monocoque one, which reduces parts, reduces the weight of the parts and is designed to make the claimed 195 hp. Earlier, the Italian bike maker was making use of trellis frame and this is the first time the company is trying this out here. The swing – arm is also an all aluminium one which again aids in reducing the weight considerably.

Panigale makes use of the new Superquadro engine which is claimed to be most powerful twin – cylinder as on date. The name – Superquadro is named after it’s highly oversquare dimensions – 112 X 60.8mm L-Twin. Besides its standard L-configuration and Desmodromic valve control system, Ducati also started with a clean slate for the powerplant of this performance machine. The company also rotated the top end of the signature 90 -degree L backwards around the crankshaft which gives six – degrees more clearance on the front wheel and allowed the front-to-rear bias to be skewed slightly to a 52 per cent front bias.

The other features of this bike are Ducati Riding Mode which oversees functions of the ABS, Ducati Traction Control (DCT), Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES), Ducati Quick Shift (DQS), Ducati’s race – derived Engine Brake Control (EBC), and Ride by Wire throttle system. Even the full colour Thin File Transistor display changes according to the mode selected by the rider.

There were three variants of bikes launched under the Panigale badge Viz, the 1199 Panigale, 1199 Panigale S and 1199 Panigale S Tricolore (don’t worry, the spelling is not a typo error!).

The 1199 Panigale’s chassis represents a pioneering frame design in the history of bike industry. The frame designed for Panigale is unification of condensed and lightweight element. The Superquadro engine itself is main stress member of the frame, and forms an engine based frame design where engine itself acts as an integral part of frame and carries various load. The engine based frame is directly attached to the cylinder heads of the Superquadro engine, obtruding the engine forward to assemble the steering system. This arrangement helps to generate more space for the airbox, which got sheltered and preserved under the lightweight aluminium fuel tank.

The electronic front suspensions used on Panigale is fully adjustable with respect to spring length and damping ratio. These suspension tuning can be made either by using the pre-programmed Riding Modes, or in independent mode, which allows riders to generate and use their own special combinations. The rear suspension of the 1199 Panigale features a smart and convenient side-mounting instead of central monocross. This mounting helps to increase room for the rear cylinder head, which has been tilted more towards the rear to concentrate the mass. The exclusive positioning of rear suspension provides more free length of spring against pre-loading conditions and also helps to adjust seat elevation according to rider’s height.

Ducati 1199 Panigale uses the four pistons callipers, two pistons on each side of the front disc. 330 mm diameter front discs allow quick heat rejection to attain stunning braking performance. The 1199 Panigale carries a very newest and for sport adjusted ABS to allow full combination with the three different programmed Riding Modes.

This ABS operates with the latest generation 9ME Bosch processor. When kept in Race mode, the system applies full ABS on the front wheel only. This allows the rider to have braking drift on the rear wheel during extreme riding conditions on race track. This ABS system also possesses a sophisticated and precise “Rear lift-up” sensor to measure the rear wheel lift. This sensor reads and feeds the lifting amount of rear wheel to the processor to avoid stoppie. Obviously this is done to avoid power loss as well as saving lap time.

The 1199 Panigale comes loaded with newly designed 10-spoke wheels in 90 mm front rim width and 154 mm rear. All 1199 Panigale editions come with the Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP tyres. The front tyre has the same dimensions as other superbikes have which is 120/70 ZR17.

Her is the pricing details of the Ducati Panigale series. The 1199 Panigale is priced at USD 24,000, 1199 Panigale ABS variant at USD 25,195, the 1199 Panigale S ABS variant at USD 31,595, the 1199 Panigale S Tricolore variant at USD 37,585.

What do you guys have to say about this next generation production bike as on date? Leave your comments in the form of words below.

KTM Duke 200

2012-01-30T22:15:00.003+05:30

Ever since KTM Duke 125cc was launched in Europe every bike enthusiast just waiting to see KTM Duke 125cc launch in India. Most of them were disappointed when Duke 125cc was launched in Europe with the configuration of 15 bhp power, top speed of 80 KM (due to European norms for under 18) and the price tag of nearly Rs. 2.8 lakhs. But the real surprised came when Bajaj Auto announced that India will get a bigger Duke at an attractive price.

Indian bike enthusiasts were eagerly waiting for Duke 200 India launch after it was launched in Malaysia and Europe. Finally the wait is over now. Bajaj Auto has launched Duke 200 on 24^th January in Delhi and the booking will start from February 1^st week across the country. But why one should buy Duke 200 when there is Pulsar 220, Karizma, YZF-R15 V2.0, Honda CBR250R and upcoming Honda CBR150R, next generation Pulsar and Hyosung GT250R? Let’s have a look.

Supremely Engineered and Highly Reliable Engine

Duke 200 engine reflects traditional quality of KTM. It is compact yet delivers high performance. The single cylinder, liquid cooled, four valve, DOHC (Double Overhead Camshaft) with DLC (Diamond like Coated) coated finger followers engine has bore x stroke of 72 x 49 mm which gives it engine displacement of 199.5cc. The bore x stroke ratio of 1.47 suggests this is an oversquare / short stroke engine and produces maximum torque at higher speed.

The engine generates maximum power of 18.4 KW/ 25 bhp @ 10,000 rpm and maximum torque of 19.2 NM @ 8,000 rpm. The power to weight ratio of 184 bhp / tonne is even more impressive than bhp and best in class thanks to its kerb weight of 136 Kg. It has got high tech cylinder head similar to those used by KTM on their top level racing bikes. It comes with Balancer shaft which reduces annoying vibrations. Duke 200 comes with very high compression ratio of 11.5:1 which requires high octane quality of fuel like Speed or Xtra premium.

The fuel delivery is managed by world class Bosch electronic fuel injection. The fuel injection mapping starts working as soon as the gear is engaged. The 38mm throttle body ensures instant acceleration, maximum performance and low level of fuel consumption. Thanks to the electronic functionality and gear sensor, the maximum speed is limited in sixth gear to level permitted in the respective country.

The transmission is handled by six speed gear box and wet multi disc clutch which is mechanically operated. It has got single centrally placed spark plug which ensures optimum ignition. To control the overheating issues the engine comes with liquid cooling system. It has got centrally located exhaust which is something new in India. The compact three chamber silencer with three way catalytic converter has been placed between rear wheel and the engine due to which it seems that there is absence of exhaust pipe. The central location of exhaust also has an advantage of low centre of gravity. The rotary sound like exhaust note is a unique feature and suggest an arrival of monster.

This is an engine which is meant to be revved hard. The engine produces lower level of emissions and high level of fuel efficiency. Overall it’s supremely engineered and highly refined and reliable engine which is choice of every bike enthusiasts across the world.

Trellis Frame and Aluminum Swing Arm

Duke 200 has got the Chromium-Molybdenum trellis frame with steel sub frame. It is important to know what a trellis frame means. According to motorcycle racing research major advantages are to be gained in terms of rigidity by joint the steering head to the swing arm in as short a distance possible. A steering head is at top of the frame. The frame is made up of large number of short steel (or aluminum) tube welded together to form a trellis. It is easy to manufacture and extremely strong as well. It has unique aluminum die cast swing arm which is light yet extremely stable. It has got wheelbase of 1367mm which is widest enough to do better cornering. The bike weighs only 136 Kgdespite having 200cc engine, widest tyre, USD suspension, liquid cooler. The light weight is result of KTM’s traditional quality of having precise and compact components and excluding unnecessary components. It has 165 mm (6.50 inch) of ground clearance which is enough for most of the bumpy riding. Overall the chassis is light weight, well built and enhances a rider’s confidence.

Radial Tyres & 10 Spoke Rim

Duke 200 has got one of the widest tyres in its class. It has also got 10 spoke alloy wheel which suits its naked look. The front rim size is of 3” x 17” and the rear rim size of 4” x 17”. The die cast aluminum wheels are specially designed by KTM to make it lightweight yet extremely stable. It has got MRF REVZ FC radial tubeless tyres with the front tyre size of 110/70 * 17 and rear tyre size of 150/60 * 17. It is to be noted that this are radial tyres so it comes with an advantage of shorter barking distance, better road grip, low fuel consumption and better life over a normal tyre. Further the tyre size is large enough for any kind of road conditions.

Brembo Brakes

Duke 200 has got one of the finest braking system in its class. It has got disc brakes from Bybre, a subsidiary brembo brakes (world’s leader in disc brakes). The front has got 280 mm disc with single piston floating caliper and the rear got 230 mm four piston radially bolted caliper. The rear disc is one of the widest in its class.

WP Suspension

Duke 200 has another novelty in suspension department. It comes with WP Upside down (USD) front suspension which is also better known as Inverted forks. The upside down system has tubes at bottom and bodies at the top which improves handling by reducing the unsprung weight of the motorcycle. The USD suspension is mostly found on Sports motorcycle. What’s more, the upside down suspension has 43 mm internal tubes one of the largest in its class.

This isn’t enough the rear got WP Monoshock suspension. WP Suspension is one of the leading European companies in suspension and it supplies to some of the reputed name in Europe like BMW and Triumph.

Street fighter Styling and robust Build Quality

As far styling concern Duke 200 has got naked street fighter looks. The bull inspired front headlight suits its street fighter look. The motorcycle looks massive from the front due to its wider tyre and naked headlight. The diamond inspired LED tail lights are good enough to catch anyone’s eyes. The LED side blinkers looks cool with headlight and taillight. The nicely design saree guard, grab rail and rear hugger enhances its rear look. The bull inspired fuel tank offers enough knee recess and the air craft type fuel tank filler looks gorgeous on Duke fuel tank. Both the side look of Duke 200 leaves an impression of higher displacement bike due to an over square engine and wider tyres. Duke 200 comes with top notch paint quality. It comes with KTM inspired orange color, however we may see other color option in near future. Overall it has top class built quality with pure naked street fighter look.

Best in class Instrument panel

Generally an instrument panel introduction is included in electrical but the Duke 200 has got most sophisticated and functional instrument panel which is best in class and available only on top end bikes and cars. It has got digital instrumental panel where you can have average speed during trip, average fuel consumption, distance to empty, distance to service, dot matrix messages, ready to race message. The list does not end here; it has two trip meters with additional F mode apart from digital speedometer, rpm meter, a digital watch and gear indicator. You can also know the temperature level of engine. You can also set the rpm limit for you motorcycle and it will not go above that. A shift RPM alarm fro driver helps in shifting the gears. The instrumental panel has indicators for side, neutral, high beam, side stand, low fuel level and low battery. It has one of the widest digital instrumental panels in its class.

Electricals

It has headlamp roll ON during rolling downgrade: This means there is a vertical compensation for the angle created on an incline or decline, something like the adaptive headlight in the K1600, but way less advanced than that since the one on the KTM will not compensate for the lean. The front headlight and rear tail light has got 60/55W bulbs. It also got zero maintenance 8AH VRLA battery which ensures you will never out of power supply. The Duke 200 number plate has also got LED illumination. What more you can also modify the tank illumination by aftermarket tank LED. It has got Backlit control switches which includes side indicator, low high beam, headlight turn on/off, turn indicators and engine kill switch.

Best in Class Ride and Handling

Duke has best in class ride and handling abilities thanks to its class leading frame, tyres and suspension. The riding position is upright which ensures that you will not get tired in long journeys. It has the hydroformed handlebars for better strength and clamping location. The handle bars provide an excellent feedback while high speed cornering. The high speed straight line stability of Duke, is a second to none.

The seat height from ground is just 810mm, perfect for an Indian average height of 5.6 inches. The wide rider seat has enough padding but the rear seat is bit narrow. The fuel tank offers enough knee recess.

Outstanding Performance & Fuel Efficiency

The performance figure suggests why Duke 200 is a true hooligan street bike. It can achieve 0-60 speed in just 3.3 seconds which is a quicker than the competition, 0-100 speed in slight over 9 second again quicker than the competition. Even the rolls on figures are quicker than the competition. The 0-120 race is an effortless job on Duke 200. However, after this speed it takes time to achieve the top speed of the motorcycle which is around 135KM/ hour. It is not one of the fastest motorcycles in its class but yes its one of the quickest motorcycles in its class. KTM did not claim any fuel efficiency figures but showroom guy confirmed that you can expect mileage of 30 Kilometer / liter which is acceptable given the power figures and the engine performance.

European brand

Duke 200 is a first European motorcycle in its class. European motorcycle brands have more aspirational value compared to Japanese motorcycle brands. Be it any brand Ducati, BMW, Aprilia, Triumph or KTM. The pride of owning a European motorcycle has much more values which you will not get with R15 or CBR250R. What’s more there is a range of accessories like gloves, jackets, t-shirts, bags etc. and aftermarket parts like chain, sprocket, illumination set, seat cowl, handle guard etc. to make a perfect KTM club.

Largest and Dedicated Service Center

People are always worried about quality and availability of service station in case of sports motorcycle. With Duke 200 you get 34 dedicated showroom and service centers throughout India which is largest for any specific motorcycle (these service stations were before pro biking showrooms of Bajaj). The competition like CBR250R and R15 does not have any sole dedicated service station which the Duke has.

Mouthwatering Price

Duke 125 is sold at 4,400 Euro (Rs. 2,87,000) in Europe which is almost 600 Euro (Rs. 40,000) more than the competition and still it became the number 1 motorcycle in its category by sales after few months of launch. So what kind of price did you expect for KTM Duke 200 in India? We expected price range of Rs. 1.2 lacs to Rs. 1.4 lacs. However, Bajaj Auto has undercut our expected price range by Rs. 2,500. The Duke 200 has been launched at an introductory price of Rs. 1,17,500, Ex-showroom Delhi (On road around Rs. 1,30,000) which is an outstanding price considering its qualitative parts and European brand. It has all the quality of European brand except one thing, European motorcycle brand premium compared to Japanese motorcycle brand. Duke 200 is just Rs. 10,000 more than the R15 and Rs. 30,000 less than the CBR250R.

Verdict

Duke 200 is an outstanding motorcycle, the only thing which it short fall is a top speed. However, considering a street fighter motorcycle it needs to be quickest rather than fastest and Duke over score competition in this department. If you are ok with top speed this is the motorcycle in 250 cc segment you should go for. So guys, ready to race?

- Mahavir Kothari

Please leave your comment what do you feel about Duke 200?

Technical Specification

Engine Type: Single cylinder, 4-Stroke,
Displacement: 199.50cc
Bore x Stroke (mm): 72 x 49
Compression Ratio: 11.3:1
Maximum Power : 25 bhp @ 10000rpm
Maximum Torque : 19 Nm @ 8000 rpm
Starter/Battery : Electric Starter/12 V
Fuel System: Bosch EFI
Control: DOHC, 4-valve
Engine Management/ Ignition: Bosch EMS
Headlamp: 12V 60/55W H4
Battery: 12V 8AH VRLA
Lubrication: Wet sump
Clutch: Wet multi-disc clutch, mechanically operated
Transmission: 6 Speed, claw shifted
Cooling: Liquid cooling
Frame: Steel Trellis Frame, powder coated
Subframe: steel
Handlebar: Aluminum, tapered 26/22mm
Steering head angle: 65˚
Trail: 100mm
Front Rim Size: Cast aluminum wheels 3.00” x 17”
Front Tyre Size : 110/70 x 17
Rear Tyre Size: 150/60 x 17
Front Brake: Four piston, radially bolted caliper, 280 mm disc
Rear Brake: single piston, floating caliper, 230 mm disc
Front suspension: USD, Telescopic fork, 43mm dia
Rear Suspension: Monoshock
Front fork travel: 150mm
Real monoshock travel: 150mm
Silencer: Stainless Steel Silencer with regulated catalytic converter
Chain: X-Ring 5/8 x ¼”
Fuel Capacity: 11 liters approximately
Kerb Weight: 136 KG
Wheelbase : 1,350 +/- 15 mm
Seat height: 810 mm
Ground Clearance: 165mm

Bajaj Pulsar 2012 Count Down on Bajaj’s Website

2012-01-30T22:15:00.001+05:30

We have hardly one full day left and that is all the time we’ve to talk about the next gen Pulsar. Post that no more speculations and expectations as the bike would’ve been launched and I’ll not have time to discuss about it as I’ll be covering the launch out there in Mumbai for our dear readers.

This time the launch crates more hype than any other bike for the reason that its not just one bike that’s getting launched but an entire series. So, for all reasons its worth to wait with fingers crossed for the bike which has completed 10 full year of nothing but success in India.

Bajaj has finally updated its MyPulsar website which is a website uniquely designed and dedicated for the Pulsar fans who are referred to as ‘PulsarManiacs’. The site features a bike covered in blue sheet and the most interesting part of the story is that not even a single part of the bike is exposed! So, no guesses this time too.

The webpage also has a clock running at the top which simply determines how much time is left for the bike to be revealed. Er, well! That’s the term I gotta use here. Here is the link that’ll direct you to that page – Pulsar 2012. The page also enables the users to share their views and expectations about the new breed via their fb account. We already have our readers pouring their comments right out there are can we have you joining them!

KTM’s New Adventure Motorcycle Spied in Canary Islands

2012-01-30T22:14:00.001+05:30

As Indians we are only used to hearing and talking about two segments of bikes. One being sport – bikes and the other, the street bikes. The former is known for its speed and performance while the latter is known for aggressive and brutal looks. Yhese days, we slightly get involved with the third category – Cruisers. But, there is one more category which is least penetrated into the Indian sub – continent. It is nothing but what is commonly referred to as ‘Adventure Motorcycles.’

For a guy who is pretty familiar with this term, the first image that would strike his mind woulds be (and has to be) the BMW R1200GS. This particular model was launched way back in the year 2004 as a successor to the R1150GS. However, the R1200GS Adventure model was launched only towards the fag end of 2005 and came to market a year later.

According to Wikipedia, ‘The R1200GS is the best selling motorcycle that BMW has built, on 3 August 2007 it produced the 100,000th model. In 2006, the R1200GS was the best selling motorcycle in the United Kingdom. The two models had combined sales of 2,227 units, compared with the next best selling bike, the Honda Fireblade which sold 2,067 units. Nearly one third of the 100,000 units sold by BMW Motorrad worldwide in 2006 were R1200GS. In 2008, the R1200GS was once again BMW’s best selling motorcycle, with 22,845 standard models and 12,460 Adventure models being delivered’.

A typical adventure bike will have a kind of design that would be ideally suited for sheer off – roading kinda rides and for touring purposes as well. It’s become a signature for Adventure bikes to have high front mud guards or flaps and a small visor over the headlamp which’ll usually remain without a fairing.

Now, KTM is planning for a rival against the much reputed BMW R1200GS. The all-new KTM Adventure will house a 1290cc V – twin engine which is expected to produce around 130bhp . This figure is 25bhp more than its German rival, the BMW R1200GS. MCN has released the spy images of the KTM Adventure which were clicked in Canary Islands when being tested.

The bike being tested is very similar to the 990 Adventure (the one posted towards the beginning of this write – up) taking a look at its design cues. The prototype seems to be a hand built one which is very basic and hence would atleast take a couple of years or a few months less than that to come alive in the market.

When being asked about this prototype, KTM Product Manager, Mr. Jorg Schuller said, “The bike in the pictures is one of the prototypes KTM is currently developing. As you know, our development centre is working intensively on several projects, and the new Adventure is one of these. It is planned to introduce two new Adventure models onto the market in 2013.”

However one can be rest assured that this models will not be the one for India.

Next Generation Pulsar To Be Launched On 30th

2012-01-26T22:34:00.005+05:30

I don’t remember waiting for such a long time for the launch of any bike like what’s happening with the Pulsar series. The date is finally revealed for the launch and it is 30^th of this month (January). Wait with your fingers crossed as I update you with the live happening right from Mumbai from the launch spot.

The venue for the launch is Hotel ITC Grand Central in Mumbai. I’m very sure that the expectations for the next generation Pulsars keep rising as time pass by. We don’t have any clue as such on what are the engine variants with which they’ll be launching this whole new breed of bike.It’s been 10 successful years for Bajaj started dealing with the Pulsar brand of Motorcycles. It in fact became a kinds youth icon in India, which is the reason for its success in the Indian market. Overwhelmed by the success here, Bajaj also started exporting the Pulsar series to various other markets which include Indonesia and Singapore to name a few and the best part of the story is that they are equally success out there as well

Now, what make the expectations for the next generation Pulsars grow so high? This time it’s not a typical facelift or an upgrade which Indian bikes are used to. According to what Mr. Bajaj said in an interview, the next generation Pulsar is gonna be based on a whole new [platform and the technologies incorporated will be the best in class. Also, there are rumours and speculations that these Pulsars will make use of the technology and might also be based on the KTM platform. True? No? Let’s wait to see the reality.

Stay updated with BikeAdvice on 30^th as we get you all the happening live to your computer screen.

Yamaha Fazer Review & Road Test

2012-01-26T22:34:00.002+05:30

All across the globe, Street bikes has got its own fan base and so has the sport bikes for itself. Yamaha holds a pre – dominant position when it comes to both these kinda bikes. Think of street bikes and FZ series will be the first one to strike the gong in your mind. For the sport-bike category, it has to be the inevitable YZF – R15. (What else can one think of other than this?)

But, ever wondered how will a street bike look if it bears a fairing which is basically derived from that of a sport-bike? It’ll be resembling the Indian bike which talks about the ‘Touring Spirit’. Put your collars up for a while if you guessed it right. It has to be the Yamaha Fazer.

The bike sees no change across its entire body and heart (the engine) which is all inherited from the FZ-16 which became a massive hit in the sub – continent by attracting great fans towards the company. Also, the Fazer marks the beginning of a whole new segment by targeting specifically the long distance tourers.

First Impression

Though, the Fazer doesn’t boast of a monstrous look unlike most other European bikes, you need to look at it with an artistic touch to get a glimpse of its macho starring monstrous looks. Our Photographer Sharat tried too hard to get the click in the most appealing angle (as a result of which he made me divert the traffic for him for about 15 min or so!). Finally after puff and pants, I should say that he has indeed been successful to an extent in his attempt. Historic attempt, Oh well that’s just way too much!

The headlamp fairing is what catches your attention on the first sight when taking a look from the front angle. The dual lamp small fairing is the cut down version of the R15’s fairing and matches just perfectly in the given space. For a true macho and an aggressive look, twin lights will always assist in getting the effect accomplished ad the Fazer is a live example for it. Actually, I‘m the right guy to comment about the Fazer’s looks. You know why? I’ve never been personally impressed so much by the FZ-16 or the FZ-S for that matter. And that’s because I always have a greater affinity and bonding towards sport-bikes. But, I found the Fazer very appealing with a mutual composition of both these looks.

The small fairing is cut at the right place just ahead f the fuel tank’s projection which doesn’t affect the position of your leg in any matter. I really like this designing. The graphics are also bare minimal and are cool enough to ideally match the bike’s looks. The wind protector above the fort fairing is another style quotient here. Though, it is undersized it does its work brilliantly.

Bangalore Wheels, the Yamaha dealer in Bangalore had offered us the Limited Edition Midnight Black series for our review. This is a masterpiece from the company where aesthetics meets the touring spirit perfectly. As you can see, the rims are matte gold in color with the graphics too in the same color. Cool enough to attract any passer – by in the signal or along heavy traffic.

What is Fazer worth of?

Yamaha India website bring the adage of Fazer to display right out there. It states

Mountains are what you’ll love to conquer
You thought it’s just a large piece of sand covered wasteland – think again! Explore now
Discover the secrets of the sea
A ride on green woods will lift your spirit.’

This is more than enough to be on familiar terms with what category does the Fazer actually fit itself into ideally.

Engine

Let’s first discuss about the heart of the Fazer, which is nothing but its engine. Its 153cc engine is derived from its sibling FZ-16 without undergoing any tuning for any sort of performance. As with the case of all Yamaha engines, the Fazer also is a zero vibration bike and possesses no engine vibes.

So, no worries on that aspect. The engine doesn’t get exhausted fast with puffs and pants when you rev her up as much as you can. The engine is more frugal and you get to understand it right in the first ride (if you really notice it keenly). The 153cc ‘ -cooled’ engine is ideal along all kinda roads and makes the bike an efficient handler. The detailed spec list along with that of engine details will be posted towards the end of this post.

Handing

Handling of the Yamaha Fazer has nothing much to talk about. She is not at all a bike meant to be used in a track and hence if you expect such a kind of decent performance, she would greatly be pacified in satisfying you. The bike handles extremely well in the power band of around 5500 to 6500 rpm. This band will be able to glide the bike in a speed of around 90 kmph without any strain to the engine. No vibes, no hard pulling nor no roughness. Probably, that’s what the bike is designed for. This is what a guy taking this bike for a long trip would in turn expect from a bike like the Fazer.

Rev it up a little more and the engine starts expressing its unhappiness. But, you gotta be happy that it doesn’t express it in the form of engine vibes. That’s the best part about the Fazer. Absolutely no vibes. But, you need to rev her up so damn hard and hold it for a long time and that’s when you’ll find her touching a max speed of 119 kmph which is the max. speed she is able to attain. I tried touching 120 but in vain. But, still this is a decent figure for a 150 cc touring bike and one has to be happy and is forced to stay satisfied with it.

Riding Impression

As I took this bike for a ride along the NICE road on the outskirts of Bangalore, I was able to get the feel that she can sustain comfortably for along rides, than compared with the usual and tiresome city rides. On the first note, the handle – bar is pretty wide thereby creating a comfortable riding position and I really found it very useful as we opened her throttle along the open highway. This is something I feel should be a part of all bikes designed for touring purposes.

The mono – shock suspension in the rear does its work brilliantly. As you cruise, this offers an ease of ride which I was able to feel clearly and if you’ve a pillion on your back, then this would make your ride even more enjoyable. Ride the Fazer in the 3^rd gear and you’ll enjoy the way she responds back for your throttle. Every bike will have one gear which is the fun to ride and as mentioned, it is 3^rd for the Fazer.

But, it becomes very clear that this is not the kinda bike that can be used on the tracks owing to its bulkiness, not in terms of weight but in terms of its size.

Seating

The seating position of the Fazer is no different from that of the FZ series. It is comfortable for both highway cruises and for the city commutes, which is where the Fazer stands a class apart. As with the case of other bikes, the seats are not slippery which prevents you from having a comfortable ride.

The split seat concept is not implemented but there is a considerable difference in height between that if the rider and pillion and this is again not too high making the entire concept uncomfy.

However, lean forward of tuck – in position becomes tough in getting used to in the Fazer, there is a fact that this is not the bike of that kinds, which I’m constantly mentioning for your knowledge.

Performance

There is usually a mindset amongst us that tourers will not be able to deliver great performance. But, it depends on the way we’re gonna handle her. Agreed that it cannot perform to the greatest but one has to agree that Fazer doesn’t underperform when compared with its rivals.

In fact, it is pretty better than many other rivals in the 150cc segment. Apart from that, there’s not much to discuss about the bike’s performance here. In short, you can expect same kinda performance what you get outta the FZ-16 or the FZ-S.

Headlamps

Here comes the interesting fact about this bike. The main notable difference between the FZ-16 (and the FZ-S for that matter) and the fazer is the twin pod headlamp and its fairing which covers it. Any bike would obviously look great with twin headlamps and the Fazer is not gonna be any exception with this fact. In fact that’s what the best part about the Fazer is. But, guess what’s the funniest part here? You can’t turn on both the lamps together. Yes, you seriously can’t do that. That turns out to be a minor flaw. (Or major you call It as).

Yamaha need to upgrade this feature in the Fazers soon. Among the two lamps present, one comes alive when you turn on the low bean switch and the other exclusively for high beams. This concept is unlike the way the headlamps of the R15 work.

I don’t understand the concept of keeping one light dummy and the other active. High time for a change in this aspect and let’s hope Yamaha hears us and incorporate this change in the next breed of bikes.

Instrument Cluster

Again, not much to discuss as this is inherited from its siblings. It’s a fully integrated digital cluster with absolutely no pinch of analog elements surprising us. It has a Fuel-meter, Odometer and the Tachometer combined in an overall package with the Speedo.

You also have the Tripmeter out here. It looks as a great package for a bike like fazer which is targeted for the long tourers.

Brakes

The Fazer comes equipped with disc brakes at the front and the conventional drum brakes for the rear tyre. The front single hydraulic disc does its work brilliantly without a flaw. Brakes in Yamahas have never been an issue worth concern till date. However, it’s high time for the Fazer to be fitted with rear discs as well.

Every other bike in this segment competes with discs for both the tyres and this is a point where Fazer lacks. But, as I say this I should also tell you the fact that the drums handle far better than the way its other competitors handle. There are companies (and this is not the apt place to mention the name) from companies where the discs handle worse than the drums. There’s no sense of dissatisfaction with the rear brakes. However, it’s a suggestion which needs to be heard as we talk about this here and needs to be implemented at the fastest possible time frame.

About The Midnight Special

Let’s also have a few words here mentioned here about the ‘Midnight Special’ edition of Fazer which is basically a limited edition one. This deserves a special place as you can’t get this bike now even if you love it to the core of your heart. There were only 1000 bikes produced as part of this limited edition series and Yamaha stuck on to the figure seriously. What makes this bike unique from the others is the pinch if matte gold color which you find here and there. For instance, the entire graphics in this bike is golden color based which makes it really stand apart, not from its competitors from other brand but from its own color schemes.

As you can see in the pics, both the alloy wheels are matte gold powder coated without much fanfare. That is something which attracted me towards this bike. This color scheme is available not only for the Fazer, but also for the FZ-16 and the FZ-S range of bikes. The toolbox cover also has the term ‘Midnight Special’ written on it with an attractive macho font. Then you’ve a small metal strip in the fuel tank where the unique number of your bike is engraved. This makes the bike more special and admirable irrespective of how many ever years you keep this bike for yourself.

The final admiration is the autograph of India’s most admired biker and Bollywood star – John Abraham on the headlamp fairing. Hardcore fans of JA would love possessing one of this limited edition bikes.

Tyres

If it’s any bike in the FZ series, then there has to be a paragraph exclusively dedicated for the tyres of these bikes. The rear tyre is the highlight for this mean bike. The dimension of the rear tyre is ‘140/60-R17’ which makes it one of the widest tyres offered on an Indian bike.

The tyres are tubeless which came in handy for us as we met with a punctured rear tyre along 30 kms off the city limit. The tubeless tyres enabled us to reach till the puncture-wallah ad then get it done. For a bike like Fazer which is designed to cater the needs of tourers, tyres like this would indeed be a boon at times of emergency. Excellent road – grip is what these set of tyres offer and the confidence level within you goes way too to the fore when you’ve such implausible tyres on your bike. The dimension of the front tyre is 100/80-17 which again does its job executed perfectly without a flaw.

Miscellaneous

There are few other points also to be mentioned here. This is one of the few bikes n the 150cc category which still comes with a kick – starter. Absence of this option has become a hot topic of discussion these days in BikeAdvice forum. For such guys who has got an obsession towards kick – start, this is one of the best option you’ve here in the market.

Then the next point is that here are absolutely no LEDs coming anywhere in the picture. Neither the turn indicators nor the tail lamps are installed with LED lamps.

To mention a word about the gearbox, it is a five speed one which is truly crisp with smooth levers which enables better ride quality and also enhances the same to a greater extent.

The grab- rail is indeed one of the coolest looking in the market. Though, it’s been quite some time we’ve this in our market, it still looks spanking new which is the prime plus for this bike

Last but not the least, the exhaust talks a tone about the bikes looks. The small yet bulky exhaust has become the identity for this entire series of bikes. The note arising here is sharp and enjoyable. Acts as a style quotient as well, apart from differentiating itself in the battle without losing out itself on the long run.

Fuel Efficiency

For a 153cc bike like the Yamaha Fazer, all that you can expect is a decent figure of 40 – 44 kmpl practically as the Fuel Efficiency. With a heavy rise in city traffic these days, the Fuel Efficiency naturally tends to see a dip.

Color schemes

Yamaha Fazer is available in four color schemes as of now. The schemes being Competition White, Black Cyber Green, Lava Red and the list would tend to become incomplete without mentioning Midnight Black. The bulky body of the Fazer is capable to bear all these paintjobs on her and is able to carry them well. None of the colors really looks odd on the Fazer. Note that Midnight Special scheme is not mentioned in the list.

Price

Coming to ‘P’ factor, the Fazer is made to bear a price tag of INR 74,500 which is the Ex- Showroom price in the city of Delhi. This is marginally expensive for a 150 cc bike. However, taking into consideration the big bike feel which it offers, the amount is worth investing upon.

Conclusion

It is indeed nice to see bikes like Fazer, which are designed to satisfy the inner self of true bikers who believe in the fact that bikes are for long rides. On an overall package, if you want one bike which should be made use of across all kinda lanes, be it city roads or open highways, this is the bike you need to go for . One thing that neds to be assured here is that you certainly get value for the bucks spent here though it is commented to be priced high by many riders.

Rating:

I’ve tried my max to cover almost everything about this bike and I assume that I’ve been quite successful in my attempt as well. All that I expect is that my readers should sit back and enjoy the review.

Credits

Ridden and Reviewed by Naren.
Photography by Sharat Aryan.
Test Ride Bike Offered by Bangalore Wheels

Alpinestars’ New Jacket T-GP Plus

2012-01-26T22:33:00.001+05:30

Riding jacket has now become an integral part of a rider’s apparel now and its demand in India is seeing a rise in demand which is indeed a good sign for the bikers. AlpineStars is a name that is synonymous with riding apparel out here.

Alpinestars is an Italian protective gear manufacturer established in 1963. It has been at the forefront of technical developments in motorsport safety clothing since its inception.

The company offers a wide range of protective motorsport gear for motorcycle, car and bicycle racing, apart from its fashion apparel line which draws heavily from its involvement in sports.

With an active focus on motorsport, the brand sponsors protective gear for some of the top international riders in road and offroad racing. These include stars such as Mick Doohan, Randy Mammola, Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa, Marc Marquez, and the reigning world champions from WSB and MotoGP – Carlos Checa and Casey Stoner.

2012 Alpinestars T-GP Plus Air Jacket makes its special Indian debut through Dream Sporting Gear commonly known as DSG, off the shelf bearing a price tag of INR 9900.

The world’s most popular protective motorcycle apparel brand Alpinestars is out with its 2012 range of goodies for bikers, and amongst those is a textile jacket that breaks new grounds for our riding conditions. Designed especially with India in mind, the new T-GP Plus Air Jacket has made its debut in the country through Dream Sporting Gear, even before it has been introduced in international markets.

The T-GP Plus Air is an abrasion resistant summer mesh jacket constructed from 600 Denier Polyester Fabric, with a focus on the Indian biker’s constant need for ventilation inside his riding gear. The non-absorbent mesh also ensures quick and easy drying. Of course, it comes with CE certified Alpinestars Bio Armour for the elbow and shoulders, and 3D foam padding at the back to ensure rider protection in the worst situations. High-tech and convenient, the jacket carries the popular T-GP styling language forward into this year’s collection with the large and aggressive embroidered Alpinestars logo at the front. For now, you can have it any colour as long as it’s black.

The jacket also brings never-before affordability from the cool and coveted brand. Priced at Rs 9,900 it is one of the most affordable products from Alpinestars in India, and its aptness for our weather adds a big dollop to its value for money. The jacket is available at DSG’s official and partner outlets in Pune, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Cochin.

The following are the standout features of this T-GP Plus Air:

Large mesh panels for easy ventilation
Sport fit with curved sleeves for riding comfort and style
Waist and wrist adjustment for a tailored fit
Connection zipper at waist to attach select Alpinestars leather / textile riding pants
Chest pad compartment which can fit Bionic Chest pads
Back protector compartment with PE padding which can fit the CE
certified Bio Armor Back Protector
Microfleece lined sport collar for comfort and protection
Thermoplastic rubber Zipper cover

Conceptualized in 2005 and established in the year 2006, Dream Sporting Gear, or DSG as it is known by its loyal customer base, is India’s first and premier riding gear company. Apart from dealing in some of the best riding gear brands from around the world, DSG has also been dealing in its self-branded gear since 2006, being market leaders ever since.

www.planetdsg,com is the establishment’s popular online store – the first in India – which is being used by riders in small and large towns for their riding safety. Alpinestars products figure in DSG’s current range, which is now available off the shelf in five cities viz, Pune, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Cochin.

New SZ-R & SZ-X with New Colours and Kick Start

2012-01-26T22:32:00.005+05:30

Yamaha has been known for its performance bikes across the globe and in India they are the only name which strikes the mind if you want a high performing bike. But, it tried its hands on a powerful commuter bike for the Indian market with its SZ series of bikes.

Yamaha has given a minor upgrade to the existing line up of SZ series. The SZ – R & SZ – X has been launched with new colour schemes and there is also an additional feature added. Guess what? Kick start feature has been added.The SZ – X is now available in three colour schemes which are Red, Black and Silver. The last colour mentioned here is really impressive and looks cool on this bike. Talking about the SZ – R, it is again the same three colours here as well. However for the SZ – R, the air scoops fitted onto the side of the fuel tanks are silver except the silver colour scheme where is gets replaced with a kinda opera gold colour. When it comes to the SZ – X, it adapts single colour schemes all across and boasts of no separate colour for the air scoop.

I had already posted a comprehensive test ride review of SZ-R. It is a decent performing bike and I like the way it really handled.

Here is a brief spec list of the SZ – R

Overall Length × Width × Height : 2050 x 730 x 1040 mm
Seat height : 802 mm
Wheelbase : 1320 mm
Minimum ground clearance : 165 mm
Wet (With Oil & Fuel): 132 kg
Engine type : Air cooled 4 stroke, SOHC
Cylinder layout : Single cylinder
Displacement : 153 cc
Bore × stroke : 58.0 X 57.9 mm
Compression ratio : 9.5:1
Maximum output : 12.1PS / 7500 rpm
Maximum torque : 12.8Nm / 4500 rpm
Starting method : Electric Start
Engine oil volume : 1000 ml
Lubrication type : Wet sump
Fuel tank volume : 14 litres
Fuel supply : Carburettor
Ignition type : CDI
Battery : 12V, 5 AH(10H)
Headlamp : Halogen bulb (12V, 35/35W)
Primary / Secondary reduction ratio : 3.409 / 3.000
Clutch type : Wet, Multiple-disc
Transmission type : 5 Gear Constant Mesh
Gear ratios : 1st = 2.714, 2nd = 1.789, 3rd = 1.318, 4th = 1.045, 5th = 0.916
Frame type : Diamond
Caster / Trail : 26 degree/ 99 mm
Tyre size (Front / Rear) : (2.75- 17 41P ) / (100/90-17 55P)
Brake type (Front / Rear) : Disc / Drum
Suspension (Front / Rear) : Telescopic / Swing-arm

TVS Launches 2012 Edition of StaR City

2012-01-26T22:32:00.003+05:30

TVS had strived hard and worked for years together to position its Star brand of motorcycles as a Fuel – Efficient city commuter and one has to agree to the fact that the South India based company has been considerably successful to a very greater extent. The Star City has proved out to be the leader in the 110cc segment in the Indian sub – continent.

For the first time, TVS Star City will now be available in a new executive segment features such as dual tone body colours, an all – new stylish headlamp and will hit the market in six new colour combinations. Another executive segment feature would be the inclusion of clear indicators. New refreshing dual tone graphics will include ‘Electric Green’, ‘Bold Blue’, Red Blaze, ‘Gold Spark’, ‘Silver Strike’ and ‘Crimson Flash’.

Mr. H S Goindi, President–Marketing, TVS Motor Company commented, “This new motorcycle is a winning combination of executive class features and vibrant styling. The backing of high fuel efficiency and toughness will make TVS StaR City a much sought after motorcycle.”

TVS Star City Displayed at Auto Expo 2012

The engine of the new TVS StaR City makes use of TVS Motor Company’s indigenous revolutionary CVTi (Continuous Variable Timing Ignition) which facilitates superior pickup and boosts performance without compromising on mileage. This is achieved through a unique combination of swirl and tumble motion that generates very high in – cylinder charge motion, almost three times more than the conventional port designs. Under standard test conditions and as per ARAI certification, TVS StaR City returns a mileage of 83.9 kilometers per litre. The base version TVS StaR City 110cc starts at INR. 38,650/- (Ex – Showroom) with a five – year warranty asserting high quality assurance for the product.

All black alloy wheels, elegant styling and a comprehensive backlit speedo add to the style quotient of the new TVS StaR City. The bike is also equipped with an econometer by way of which the rider can ensure optimal Fuel Efficiency. High quality ride handling and easy manoeuvrability augmented by high performance shock – absorbers make the TVS StaR City a tough yet powerful motorcycle that can be ridden with ease on any terrain.

Bajaj Auto Trusts New Bikes for Huge Sales

2012-01-26T22:32:00.001+05:30

Bajaj Auto, the country’s second largest producer of two – wheelers has decided to maintain its high growth momentum in the sub – continent. In order to keep up the sales figures high for the year 2012 – 2013, the company believes that launching new bikes would be the most ideal solution, taking the present market scenario into consideration.

“We expect this initiative to bring enormous energy into our system. Customers who visit our showrooms will hopefully be impressed with what they see and overall sentiment will be lifted in the process,” Mr Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director, told Business Line in an exclusive interview.In less than a week (30^th of this month), Bajaj will launch the next generation Pulsar series which will be placed to fit in the mid – sports category. This is as part of the celebration for the 10^th year anniversary of Pulsar which has made the company grow leaps and bounds, not only in the Indian market but across several other nations as well.

“I am confident that the new Pulsar will be the most stunning sports bike in the world. It is also my belief that as much as DTS-i took the market by storm, the new technology in the Pulsar will shake up the market this decade,” Mr Bajaj said.

Mr. Bajaj had already announced that the next generation Pulsar will be based on a whole new platform and will be an entirely new series of bike by itself. Also, there will be another new product getting added to the company’s portfolio by the month of June. This time, there are high chances for it to be the Discover series which will get a massive change – over.

It can also so happen that the same technology and platform on which the new Pulsar would be based on would get transferred to the Discover breed as well. The brand currently has 3 variants, viz 100, 125 and 150cc which are all majorly used as commuters. Discover, as a brand is known for its refined engine and enhanced Fuel – Efficiency.

“Our strategy is to be a bike specialist. We have every reason to believe that 2012-13 will be an exciting period where we can produce something special for customers both here and abroad,” Mr Bajaj said.

Bajaj’s revenues from foreign markets is a whooping 35 [per cent as of now and will more likely see a rise in the days to some. Africa has already been identified bu Bajaj Auto as the key growth driver, in addition to its operations in Asia, while the KTM association could help Bajaj Auto make inroads into Brazil as part of the bigger Latin America journey.

The business newspaper, Business Line also reported ‘The company hopes to wrap up this fiscal with production of over 4.4 million bikes and three-wheelers and the new launches in 2012-13 are expected to give a fillip to the growth tempo.’

The company is also looking up on opening fourth plant but it seems to be in no hurry. The reason for this is the fact that the 3 facilities at Chakan, Waluj and Pantnagar which are presently operating are sufficient for the company in meeting up its present demand.

As an end note, “We have an astute business model with strong front and back-ends. We know that we are a volumes player but this does not have to translate into mediocre profitability. As much as it is common to find high profitability with low volumes, we are striving for fairly high profitability with fairly high volumes,” Mr Bajaj said.

e-Let’s Electric Scooter Showcased by Suzuki at the Auto Expo 2012

2012-01-23T22:41:00.002+05:30

Suzuki displayed a chic electric scooter called as e-Let’s at the recently concluded Auto Expo 2012. The scooter had a huge box at the front which, though made sense, however took away all the front looks of it. Standing just beside the mighty Hayabusa, the scooter looked pretty small in size.

This scooter was supposed to get launched in Japan on 9th Janurary 2012.

Main pointers of the scooter are:

Zero emission
Highly Practical
High performance in-wheel motor
Regenerative Braking capability
Compact & lightweight chassis
Battery is charged from a 100V household outlet
On a single charge e-Let’s can run for about 30 kilometers (when ridden at 30 kmph on level roads)
It had tons of carriage space – big box at the front, small box near the legs, and possibly some boot space under the seat as well.
Length x Width x Height – 1665 x 600 x 985 (all in mm)
Power Unit: AC synchronous Electric motor

Good for intra city short distance visits to shorter distances like nearby grocery shops, supermarkets or other places, this scooter makes pretty good sense. However, there was a clear mark ‘Currently not sold in India’ at the detail banner of the scooter. Neither did Suzuki mention or talk about this scooter anywhere. But I guess it might be kept by Suzuki to gauge public response of us, Indians and the growing trend of electric motors might push Suzuki to launch these kind of products here in India sooner than later.

Auto Expo 2012: A Complete Look at Suzuki’s Stall

2012-01-23T22:40:00.001+05:30

Suzuki was the first one to kick off things in both the 4 wheelers and 2 wheelers categories. Their launches were scheduled right at 9:00 am in the morning of the inaugural day of 5th January. As we have reported live on that day that they launched the 110cc mass market motorcycle Hayate and the more contemporary looking 125cc scooter Swish125.

All along, I was listening to their theme music ‘Apna Way of Life’ which was striking. The products were launched by Mr. Ichiro Kondo who is the Managing Director of SMIPL (Suzuki Motorcycles India Pvt Ltd).

With Hayate Suzuki has cleared its intention of becoming a big mass player in India. And their show at the expo sneaked their intentions as they displayed almost there complete lineup available in India along with a few foreign showcases.

Right from the smallest electric scooter e-Let’s to the ultimate sports Hayabusa and the IntruderM1800R they had everything on display. We take you to a visual tour of Suzuki’s stall to ensure you do not miss out on any advancement which had happened at the recently concluded Auto Expo 2012 at Pragati Maidan Delhi.

White Hayate

First up was a White Hayate with flowing red stickers and it did look pretty good in this color. Powered by a 112.8cc air cooled, 4 stroke single cylinder SOHC engine, Hayate is Suzuki’s first motorcycle in this most voluminous segment.

Orange Slingshot Plus

Though it is not a very famous bike in its segment but it still is a no-nonsense commuter. It is powered by a 4 stroke 124cc engine and is priced pretty well for its segment.

White GS150R

Seems like Suzuki is fond of white colors and the recently refreshed GS150R looked fantastic in white color. This bike, powered by a 4 stroke air cooled 149.5cc engine commands a lot of respect in this segment.

Black Intruder M800

The smaller sibling, which is big enough to gulp down big roads, was launched in India not very long ago. In its own tune Intruder M800 looks fabulous. This bike is powered by a 4 stroke 2 cylinder 45 degree V-twin 805cc engine. It comes at an ex-showroom price of 8,88,000 Delhi.

Blue Intruder M1800

The big daddy of cruisers, Intruder M1800 is one big insane looking machine and in Blue, it made its own territory at the stall attracting everyone towards it. It sports a huge 4 stroke 2 cylinder liquid cooled 1783cc Vtwin engine inclined at 54degrees from each other.

White & Maroon Hayabusas

The powerpacked ultimate sports and probably one of the most famous big bikes in India, Hayabusa was displayed in two different colors – white and maroon. Powered by a huge 1340cc 4 stroke 4 cylinder liquid cooled DOHC engine which enables this bike to insane performance. This was once the fastest commercially available bike of the world.

Red Access125

One of the most potent scooters in India, Access125 has a big fan following here. This family oriented 125cc scooter sports a 124cc 4 stroke single cylinder OHC mill which boasts very good torque figures for our kind of traffics.

Blue Swish125

Completing the Indian lineup was the latest launch from Suzuki, Swish125 in sparkling Blue color. Sharing the same engine with Access125 under similar specs, Swish125 would strengthen Suzuki’s hold in the scooter segment.

Then there was a revolving stand which housed and highlighted the latest mass market launches, Hayate and Swish125. Apart from these, Suzuki also displayed their cute electric scooter – e-Let’s, offroading metal – MX450Z, touring breed – V-Strom 650ABS and the naked monster GSR750/A which are not a part of India’s lineup and there was no word from Suzuki about these motorcycles’ possible launch in India. However, one big miss was the Bandit 1250S which was not to be found at the whole stall.

All in all it was a dedicated effort from Suzuki and its latest launches would surely make things interesting in our 2 wheeler automotive scene for sure.

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