BIKE India julio2014

` 90INDIA’S NO. 1 TWO WHEELER MAGAZINE, BY FAR!

YAMAHA MT & YZF-R

VOLUME 9 ISSUE 012 JULY 2014 WWW.BIKEINDIA.IN

PUBLISHING FOLLOW THE TIGER’S TRAIL FROM K2K: PUNE TO RANN OF KUTCH

FIRST RIDES Hyosung GT250R Honda VFR 800F BMW S 1000 R EBR 1190RX

EXCLUSIVE RIDE

One for the road,one for the track

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IN INDIA SOMETHING SERIOUS NEEDS TO HAPPEN for the authorities (or, for that matter, ordinary people) to wake up to the danger. For instance, the attack on Mumbai showed us how vulnerable we were to being attacked from the sea. For a little while people were up in arms and the security was beefed up, but now we are back to square one.

The road accident that killed Union Minister Gopinath Munde has received an immediate reaction from our new transport minister, Nitin Gadkari, as he is looking at the lawless traffic situation in the country and is going to change traffic rules. Not only do the rules need a change, but also how the RTO (Regional Transport Offices) issue driving licences. The most important issue is strict implementation of traffic rules, levying of hefty fines and impounding the licences of habitual offenders. I hope this action does not die down with time.

Last month I was in Port Blair, which happens to be unspoilt naturally and traffic-wise. It is a part of India, but there is one big difference between the mainland and the island: everybody obeys traffic rules right from stopping before the zebra crossing to respecting traffic signals.

The Indian economy should improve in the near future with a stable government and that will help a turnaround in the two-wheeler market which has been flat for most of last year and the first half of this year. Many of the Indian manufacturers are looking to export their products to the South American and African markets to counter the Indian slowdown.

EDITOR Aspi BhathenaASSISTANT EDITOR Aninda SardarCOPY EDITOR Deepak UpadhyeEDITOR AT LARGE Navroze ContractorMOTOGP EDITOR Mat OxleyINTERNATIONAL CONTRIBUTORS Roland Brown, Glynn KerrCORRESPONDENTS Ravi Chandnani, Gaurav NagpalSTAFF WRITERS Sridhar Chari, Piyush Sonsale, Jim Gorde, Rommel Albuquerque, Harket Suchde, Sayem Parvez Syed ART DIRECTOR Ramnath ChodankarSENIOR DESIGNER Ravi ParmarDESIGNERS Varun Kulkarni, Santosh Wadhai, Shubham RohatgiSENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Sanjay RaikarCONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS DPPIPRODUCTION EXECUTIVE Dinesh BhajnikADMIN. EXECUTIVE Roshni BulsaraCREATIVE DIRECTOR & HEAD PRODUCTIONAtul Bandekar

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARDHoshang S Billimoria, Aspi Bhathena,Navroze Contractor

PUBLISHER Marzban Jasoomani

MARKETING HEAD OFFICENext Gen Publishing Ltd.2nd Floor, C Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013, IndiaTel: +91 22 43525252 Fax: +91 22 24955394 SUBSCRIPTION SUPERVISOR Sachin KelkarTel + 91 22 43525220 Fax + 91 22 24955394E-mail: [email protected]

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BIKE India Magazine, 401B, Gandhi Empire, 5th Floor, 2 Serene Estate, Kondhwa Road, Pune 411 040. INDIA

Tel: +91-20-32930292 / 3 Fax: +91-20-26830465Email us at: [email protected]

PUBLISHING

Printed by Marzban JasoomaniNext Gen Publishing Ltd., Trade World, C-Wing, 2nd Floor, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel(W), Mumbai 400013.Published by Marzban JasoomaniNext Gen Publishing Ltd., Trade World, C-Wing, 2nd Floor, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel(W), Mumbai 400013. Printed at Kala Jyothi Process Pvt. Ltd,1-1-60/5 RTCX Roads, Hyderabad - 20.Published at Next Gen Publishing Ltd., Trade World, C-Wing, 2nd Floor, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel(W), Mumbai 400013.

EDITOR Aspi Bhathena

Member

www.bikeindia.in8 JULY 2014

ASPI BHATHENA EDITOR

www.bikeindia.in

THE RIGHT LINE

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YOU have

SUPPORTED us for

NINE YEARS and are still the

MAIN REASON for this humble eff ort of ours.

WE, together with YOU, have made BIKE INDIA

the LEADING two-wheeler MAGAZINE in the

country. Your STORIES give us the INSPIRATION

to strive hard and bring the BEST just for YOU

You can now get your pictures in this section by simply posting them on our page and also on our handle.

You can still send them by e-mail [email protected]

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Ducati Monster 821Second liquid-cooled Monster from Borgo Panigale

BMW Concept RoadsterRadical new avatar from Bavaria to keep Boxer legacy alive

New YamahasDope on quarter-litre Yam, plus some

Hero’s New Heroes Karizma R and ZMR arrive packing two more horses

IGNITION

8 Editorial10 You14 Letters16 Technomail18 Ignition26 Did You Know 28 Motoware30 How to...32 Your Trips

REGULARS

BACK END96 Isle of Man TT 2014104 MotoGP France108 MotoGP Italy112 WSBK Donington Park116 Motorsport News

FEATURES34 Design Trends84 The Tiger’s trail continues and this time we head to the lion’s den in Gujarat and beyond, to the Rann of Kutch

BMW S 1000 R

naked roadster

Honda VFR800F An excellent bike just got better. We take it for a spin40

62

78

TVS Star City+ Two wheels for the stylish commuter

74

NO EMPTY BOAST THIS

We rode Yamaha’s MT-125 and the

new-generation YZF-R125 in Barcelona

recently. Here is the report

PHOTOGRAPHY: ALESSIO BARBANTI, JONATHAN GODIN, NICKI MARTINEZ, SEBAS ROMERO, FRANCESC MONTERO & HENNY STERNSTORY: ROLAND BROWN

Given the success of Yamaha’s naked MT-

09 and MT-07, and the fact that the

YZF-R125 has also been popular in

many markets in recent years (it was by far the

UK’s top-selling sports bike in 2013), the arrival

of a stripped-down 125-cc single with the letters

MT in its name was not so much predictable as

inevitable. Perhaps, the only surprise is that the

MT-125 was not only developed in Europe but is

being produced in France, while its closest

“European” rival, KTM’s Duke 125, is assembled

in India.Yamaha have, however, taken great trouble to

keep production costs as low as possible, notably

by combining development of the MT and new-

generation YZF-R125, to the extent that the

models’ engines and most of their chassis are

identical. The powerplant is a revamped version

of the YZF’s SOHC, liquid-cooled unit,

featuring mods including new cylinder-head,

camshaft and clutch.

Maximum output had to stay at 15 PS for

licensing reasons, but there’s a fraction more

torque at most points below the peak at 8,000

RPM, and Yamaha claim fuel economy is

improved by over 10 per cent. The motor is

bolted into a chassis that retains the YZF’s twin-

spar steel frame layout but is completely new,

with 41-mm upside-down (USD) forks in place

of conventional 33-mm legs, and a four-piston

radial front brake calliper instead of the old

model’s twin-pot Brembo unit, biting a single

disc of unchanged 292-mm diameter.

The MT looks very sharp, with clear hints of

its larger siblings, but its own distinct style,

enhanced by an aggressively angled LED

headlight and by large (doubtless much larger

than strictly necessary) air scoops on either side

of the tank. Like the YZF it’s designed to feel like

a full-sized bike despite its small capacity, so the

slim seat is a moderate but not super-low 810 mm

off the ground, but with just 138 kg of wet weight

the Yam feels effortlessly manageable at standstill.

That seat feels like a good place to be in too, as

you reach forward to hold a wide, slightly raised

one-piece ‘bar that gives a fairly roomy riding

position in conjunction with foot-rests that are

slightly higher and further forward than the

YZF’s. The top yoke has neat cutaways; the new

digital instrument panel has a smart phone-like

appearance with a bar tacho at the centre, below

a pair of gear shift lights.

With only 15 horses to play with this MT was

never going to be a raw, wheelie-happy hooligan

bike like its big brothers, but within its

inescapable limits it was plenty of fun. Yamaha

Barcelona launch began with a city-centre tour

low-effort clutch, glitch-free throttle response

FIRST RIDE YAMAHA MT-125/ YZF-R125

YAMAHA MT-125/ YZF-R125

www.bikeindia.in

44 JULY 2014

www.bikeindia.in

45JULY 2014

44

44Yamaha MT-125 and YZF-R125

Two exceptional bikes: one for the street, the other for the racetrack

Vespa S-cape Exploring the cool back waters of Kerala from the back of an Italian wasp

FIRST RIDES50 Hyosung GT250R The Korean’s new clothes68 EBR 1190RX Erik Buell is back

JULY 2014CONTENTS


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D-Store BangaloreShop 123A, 1st floor Orion Mall | Brigade Gateway | Bangalore 560 055 Tel. +91 80 2218 7676 | [email protected] | www.dainese.com

#dainese

Dainese: providing people with head to toe protection in dynamic sports. This was the objective with which Dainese was founded, a mission it has pursued right from the start on racetracks around the world with help from the greatest racers. Lino Dainese, the company’s founder and president, began his adventure back in 1972 after returning from a motorcycle trip to London, where for the first time he’d admired English bikes and registered surprise at the suits the riders wore: little more than leather sheaths without any protection at all. This was his first perception of the needs to improve motorcycle riding gear and to introduce a modern and efficacious concept of protection. From Giacomo Agostini to Valentino Rossi, Dainese has played a key role in the motorcycle world by working together with the champions on the invention of new products like the back protector and the knee slider or the evolution of existing products with the introduction of innovative technologies and materials. In 2010, Dainese presented D-air®, the intelligent protection for riders born from the application of special air bags around the rider’s body. Ten years of study, experiments, and testing led to the optimization of the D-air® Racing model for racetrack use and the D-air® Street model for use on public roads. Dainese is the company behind “head-to-toe” protection that integrates the various components of motorcycle apparel with protection and optimizes performance and weight. From head to toe, to be exact.

The first official Dainese store in India is now open, offering a wide selection of the Dainese motorcycle collection and AGV helmets range.

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KNOW SOMETHING THAT THE OTHERS DON’T?BIke India welcomes the views of its readers. Pen down any witty, logical or informative idea that hits your brain, and mail it to: BIKE India, Next Gen Automotive, 401B, Gandhi Empire, 5th Floor, 2 Serene Estate, Kondhwa Road, Pune - 411 040, India.Fax:+91 20 26830465 Email: [email protected]

Dear Readers,Thank you for the large number of letters! However, we request you to send them in a proper format. Firstly, please ensure that your letters are part of the e-mail itself, and not an attachment. Only pictures, wherever necessary, may be sent as attachments. Secondly, please mention the subject in the subject line. For example, if your letter is for the ‘Letters’ column, please mention LETTERS in the subject line. If it is a technical query to be answered by us, please mention TECHNO MAIL and so on. Otherwise your mail could land up in the spam bin. This will ensure that your letters and queries are published regularly.

– EDITOR

A NOTE FOR OUR VALUED READERS

SUGGEST THE RIGHTTOURING BIKE

I request you to suggest to me a touring motorcycle below Rs 2.2 lakh. My primary concerns are comfort, handling, vibe-free cruising at 70-100 km/h, safe braking, and illumination. My decision will depend solely on your advice.Vaisakh, Thiruvananthapuram

Hello, Vaisakh,

FIRST BIKE SHORT-LISTFirst of all, kudos to you for bringing us

India’s number one biking magazine!

listed the Honda CBR 250R, KTM 390 Duke, Kawasaki Ninja 300, and Hyosung GT250R. I want to know when the RC 390 is expected to land in our showrooms. Similarly, is there an update on the Harley-Davidson Street 500? Please advise me. Shashank S J, by e-mail

Dear Shashank,

STAR LETTER

MADE FOR EACH OTHERI would like to share with my

favourite magazine a beautiful poem written by my aunt, Naina Nair, expressing the love that myself and my bike share. It was given to me on my birthday. I thought this would be the best way to thank my aunt and show her how much it matters to me:

AN AWESOME TWOSOME

Sharad Shyam, Bengaluru

LETTERS


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BIGGER CARBURETTORFOR THE PULSAR

I am an avid fan of Bike India and have been following your magazine since 2009. I have also written a number of letters to you. This time, however, I am not writing a fan letter. I want some technical information about my Bajaj Pulsar 150. I have read many Technomail questions wherein people have asked about how they can improve the performance of their

my Pulsar 150, which I bought recently. I want to go for a bigger carburettor, but I have no idea as to how it can be done. Please advise me. Arjun Rai, Delhi

DROP IN FUEL EFFICIENCYI am really unhappy with the fuel

have tried explaining the problem to the showroom people but they don’t have a clue as to what could be wrong. Earlier, I used to get

gone down to 30-35 km/l. Please advise me.Vaibhav Pandey, Dehradun

ROYAL OIL LEAKAGEI am a proud owner of a 2012 Royal

However, I spend a lot of time and money quenching its thirst for oil. I have tried replacing the gasket several times. It runs without any leaks for a few days, but after that it’s back to square one. I even asked a few mechanics in my area to help me out with the problem, but they simply laugh at me and say that it’s a Bullet, so it’ll leak no matter what I

bikes or is it just my bike? I sometime feel as if I have invested like a fool in a motorcycle this expensive. Please help me.Pratik Sharma, Pune

WHEEL REPLACEMENTI recently bought a second-hand

Honda Unicorn which was not in a very good condition. It came with spoke wheels and the rear wheel is slightly bent and the front one needs some work, according to my mechanic. I

alloy wheels of the new Unicorn on this older model. I also found out that the new one comes with a wider rear tyre. Do I need to

there any changes in the engine of the old

Unicorn and the new one? Please advise me.

SOFT-COMPOUND TYRESI am not a

regular reader of Bike India. Recently I came across one issue of your magazine and found that you have a section wherein you help people with technical queries. Hence this letter.

my bike have started wearing down. I would like to change them, but I am not able to get the standard tyres. One of my friends suggested that I should go in for soft-compound tyres. I have no idea about what that means. How are soft-compound tyres different from regular tyres? Please advise me.Pravin Rao, Bengaluru

GOT A QUESTION OR A PROBLEM?WE’VE GOT THE ANSWERWrite to BIKE India, Next Gen Automotive, 401B, Gandhi Empire, 5th

Floor, 2 Serene Estate, Kondhwa Road, Pune 411 040, India.Fax:+91 20 26830465 Email: [email protected]

TECHNOMAIL

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WELCOMEJUNIOR

Ducati unveil their latest mid-level Monster, called the 821 because of its Hypermotard connection. This new beast from Borgo Panigale looks quite ravishing and has a very menacing personality. Here is a little bit

more about the new monster on the block

THE DUCATI MONSTER IS PROBABLY THE most successful motorcycle from Borgo Panigale because for more than two decades the Monster has had a solid fan following in Italy and also all over the world. Last year at EICMA, Ducati launched the most modern Monster yet with liquid cooling and other cool stuff. In 2014, the company has unveiled yet another gorgeous motorcycle: the Monster 821.

It has a beautiful silhouette, sculpted by the artists at Ducati. The fuel-tank has always been the highlight of the Monster line-up and here it is chiselled to perfection as it takes centre-stage in this masterpiece. The Trellis frame too works its magic in drawing your eyes towards the new

Hypermotard. The perfectly curved pipes of the 2-1-2 exhaust also elevates the overall visual appeal of this Monster. The tail section, as always, is minimal, sharp and drop-dead gorgeous.

The 821 looks exactly the same as big brother, the 1200, but keen Monster fans will be able to notice

the missing single-sided swing-arm because the 821 features a conventional swing-arm. Apartfrom that, however, it is very hard to distinguish between the two.

This new Monster’s heart is the humble

Hypermotard. However, it now produces 112 PS and 89 Nm of torque, slightly more than in the Hypermotard. A six-speed gearbox transfers this power to the rear wheel. Braking duties are shouldered by 320-mm rotors with radial-mount Brembo four-pot callipers. Other things include footwear from Pirelli, eight-level traction control, ABS, ride-by-wire throttle, Ducati’s push-button riding modes and a dry weight of just 167 kg.

Ducati have disclosed only a few details of the new Monster 821, but we are certain that at the upcoming World Ducati Week the company will give more information about the 821. But one thing we can tell you for sure is that this new Monster is headed to India and we expect Ducati to price it smartly if they want it to win hearts in this country as well.

Exhaust end-cans simply look beautiful The new powerplant is liquid-cooled and produces 112PS

IGNITION

www.bikeindia.in18 JUNE 2014

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www.bikeindia.in 19JUNE 2014


TO KEEP THE BOXER-TWIN tradition alive BMW Motorrad have come up with a new concept motorcycle, called the Roadster. BMW Motorrad unveiled this new concept at the famous Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, held on the beautiful shore of Lake Como in Italy.

Last year BMW Motorrad took the wraps off the NineT, a retro motorcycle with a modern twist. BMW commissioned the NineT to the young custom bike builder and designer, Roland Sands, but for the Concept Roadster, all the design work was done in-house by BMW.

This time, instead of a retro motorcycle the designers penned a gorgeous, modern-looking motorcycle that has a perfect blend of form and function. This naked concept features a Boxer-Twin that is completely dipped in black. It is the centre-piece of the whole design, and, on

power output stands at 125 PS and torque at 125 Nm. The whole design has a very aggressive aura about it, be its sharp lines or the minimalist body-work or the low front end and high rear end. Everything on the bike looks smart and even at standstill it appears to be fast. It is

BMW Motorrad.

Will this concept go into production? Well, it is too early to comment on that, but looking at

what the company did to the R NineT, we are sure that the Concept Roadster might just become a radical new toy from BMW Motorrad.

SCRAMBLING BACKDUCATI ARE ALL SET TO HARK back the 1960s by launching a modern-day incarnation of the famous fun machine, the Ducati Scrambler. In the ’60s the Scrambler craze was at its peak and even today you can

the Scrambler.However, the 2015 Ducati Scrambler will be

a lot different from the original thing. Unlike the single-cylinder motor Scramblers of the ’60s, which made these zippy lightweight

machines so much fun to ride, the modern Scrambler will get an air-cooled L-twin, probably the smaller air-cooled unit from the Monster family.

Ducati have not divulged any information apart from the name of the motorcycle, but at the upcoming World Ducati Week we expect the company to reveal more about the Scrambler. A formal launch will take place later either at the biggest motorcycle show on earth, the EICMA, or at the Intermot show in Germany.

BMW MOTORRAD CONCEPT ROADSTER

BAJAJ AUTO HAVE INTRODUCED the Pulsar trio in a new avatar, with more exciting colour schemes for the Pulsar 150, 180 and 220 DTS-i.

The Pulsar brand has been doing well and remains the most popular performance brand-name in India, with the 150, 180, 220 and NS 200 forming a sizeable chunk of the Indian performance bike market. With the new look DTS-i Pulsars, the company hopes to keep the momentum going.

We expect to see a smaller Pulsar NS as well as the larger SS 400 in the near future. The CS 400 ‘Cruiser Sport’ concept unveiled at the Auto Expo generated more than its fair share of hype and became a highly talked-about and anticipated model.

NEW-LOOK PULSARS FROM

BAJAJ

IGNITION



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HERO MOTOCORP recently launched the 2014 version of their popular 223-cc motorcycle, the Karizma and ZMR. The earlier Karizma, almost one-and-a-half-decade old, had a simple design yet it managed to win many hearts. The designers at Hero have given the new Karizma a very dramatic look, which will certainly invite some criticism from the hardcore enthusiasts.

Anyway, the 2014 Karizma features a new fairing that has stacked twin headlamps and integrated blinkers, a new belly pan, fenders, whole mid- and rear section, split seat, grab-rail, chain-

cover, handlebars, console, slightly wider tyres and exhaust heat shield. However, Hero did not play around with the engine much as most of it remains unchanged, except for a slight power boost. The 223-cc motor now develops 19.2 PS of power and 19.35 Nm of torque.

If you wish to buy the refreshed Karizma, you will have to shell out Rs 83,158 (ex-showroom, Pune) for the Karizma R and if your heart desires the ZMR, which has got all the above mentioned changes plus a full fairing, then you will have to spend Rs 1,04,986 (ex-showroom, Pune).

TVS WEGO GETS AN UPDATETVS RECENTLY LAUNCHED A refreshed version of their popular scooter, the Wego. To keep the buzz alive about the Wego,

digital console that features an econometer. Apart from the digital console, the Wego also

gets tubeless tyres, a new exhaust can and also parking brake. And completing the new look are the new graphics and dual-tone paint scheme.

TVS have already begun selling this new Wego and the price starts at Rs 46,410 (ex-showroom, Delhi).

HERO REFRESH THE KARIZMA

NEW YAMAHA BIKES IN THE OFFINGTHE YZF-R25 HAS CREATED QUITE a stir since its recent launch in Indonesia and it will surely make its way to India. However, we’ve learnt from sources that Yamaha Motor India may launch the bike

engine with about 30 PS instead of the 36-PS parallel-twin motor. Yamaha will manufacture

the bike in India and the single-cylinder

competitive pricing against its direct rival, the Honda CBR 250R.

Chassis, cycle parts and equipment will be same as the bike shown in Indonesia and the Indian launch is expected next year.

On the other hand, the wait for the

updated FZ-S naked bike is almost over. The company proposes to launch the fuel-injected FZ-S in India next month. This bike has a refreshed styling that will give it a new

the upcoming Suzuki Gixxer 155. However,

changes in engine capacity and performance.

IGNITION



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SUZUKI MOTORCYCLES India Limited have launched a 110-cc automatic scooter, the Let’s, at an introductory price of Rs 45,606 (ex-showroom, Pune).

Aimed at the urban youth in the 18-22 age-group, the scooter is meant to tap the growing personal scooter segment where the demand for sophisticated,

effective yet aspirational two-wheelers is on the rise.

The Let’s features a 112.8-cc four-stroke, SOHC, two-valve, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine. Mated to a CVT (continuously variable transmission), the powertrain puts out 8.7 PS at

7,500 RPM and nine Nm of maximum torque at 6,500 RPM.

the company’s introduction of Suzuki Eco Performance (SEP) technology wherein engineers have worked on several crucial elements of the engine to reduce mechanical losses.

SUZUKI LET’S LAUNCHED

BMW S 1000 R LAUNCHED IN INDIAFIRST SEEN AT THE EICMAshow last year in Milan, the BMW S 1000 R is Motorrad’s latest offering in the four-cylinder, litre-class segment. BMW Motorrad launched it in India

(ex-showroom, Mumbai).This crazy-looking motorcycle is a

naked version of the company’s fully dressed, track-ready missile, the S 1000 RR. All BMW did was take off the fairing and clean up the edges to make it look as mean and aggressive as the fully faired RR. So it retains the asymmetrical headlamps (although the positioning of individual lamps is now swapped), the sharp tail section and the trademark

Basic powertrain is the same as in

horses to make it more manageable than the sports bike. The 999-cc in-

RR now produces 160 PS to propel the R forward. Torque output, however, remains the same at 112 Nm. Most of the other components such as the transmission, frame, much of the suspension, tyres, wheels and brake callipers are exactly the same as on the RR. What has changed, however, is the steering head angle. The R has an angle of 65.4° whereas the RR has one of 66°.

So if you wish to splurge on a naked motorcycle that has the thrills of a sports bike, then head to the nearest BMW Motorrad dealership to book one. Go to

NEW LOGO, COLOUR SCHEMESTHE ICONIC MOTORCYCLE

(RE), now sports an all-new identity. Every

which goes on sale from this month onwards is set to adorn the motorcycle brand’s new RE logo across its various models.

The new logo looks fresher, more vibrant and contemporary while rigidly holding on to its British-motorcycling roots. The new monogram has been inspired by

the early era as well as a new crest which still carries the ‘Made Like a

Gun’ tag-line.

introduced an array of new colour schemes across the model range, which includes the Thunderbird

Both the Thunderbird variants

three new colours – Lightning, Stone and Marine. The Classic

schemes. The Classic 500 is now available in Tan, Black and Silver,

and Silver.

IGNITION



KTM RE-CALL 390 DUKE

MAHINDRA GROUP’S BIG STEP IN THE USIN AN ATTEMPT TO EXPAND THEIR footprint in the United States of America, the Mahindra Group recently inaugurated

available in the US market.

for the urban environment and its compact

about. It has a range of 48 kilometres and the top speed is also 48 km/h. Because of the limited top speed, many of the states in the US do not require the rider to have a

has a capacity to produce 9,000 units per annum, and it can produce up to 20,000 units

depending upon demand.

also inaugurated the Mahindra North

currently employs 40 engineers. It is located in Troy, Michigan, and is responsible for

vehicle prototyping capabilities.

KTM RECENTLY ANNOUNCEDa

been necessitated by a misalignment of the locking plate on the primary or front sprocket. KTM have found out that in the long run the locking plate

some damage, though no incidents have been reported as yet. All the KTM 390 Dukes manufactured before March 2014

by the dealership free of cost.

TRIUMPH EXTENDDEALERSHIP NETWORK

TRIUMPH, THE FAMOUS British motorcycle marque, recently

company has set up an excellent

global dealership standards. It

space and also has a dedicated

southern India in Chennai, called

dealership is also based on the

and features a consultation lounge,

sales bay. Triumph Motorcycles

opening more dealerships in the near future.

www.bikeindia.in 25JUNE 2014


BETAMOTORItalian manufacturers specialising in off -road motorcyclesCompiled by: Piyush Sonsale

Like many motorcycle manufacturers round the world, Beta’s origins lie in

bicycle production. The company started out as a handmade bicycle maker based in Florence in the year 1904 and was named as ‘Società Giuseppe Bianchi’ at the time.

In 1948, the company switched to motorcycle production to tap the growing

demand of cheap motorised transport due to the post-War situation in Italy. The company was re-named as Betamotor, where the ‘Beta’ is an acronym devised from the two letters of the names of its two heads at the time, Enzo Bianchi and Arrigo Tosi.

Cervo 48, was a bicycle with an engine mounted in the frame. In 1948, they launched

the Cigno, which was a more evolved motorcycle featuring a double-cradle frame, telescopic front forks, rear shock-absorbers and a 48-cc engine.

Engine capacity went up to 125 cc with the Ital-Jap 125 of 1950, which had a

pressed steel girder fork, and went up further to 175 cc during that decade. Beta also launched various motorcycles such as the Astro 98, Mercurio 150, Folgore 175 and Orione 200 in the 1950s that had a single-cylinder four-stroke engine.

The following decade saw the start of in-house engine production and along

with new bikes Beta also ventured into various forms of motorcycle sport such as hill-climbing and road racing. From the 1970s, the company has focused on off-road motorcycles and

increased their involvement in off-road sport such as motocross, enduro and trials, which serve as the test bed for the development of new motorcycles. Beta’s involvement in motor sport has earned them seven Trial Outdoor World Championships, six Trial Indoor World Championships, seven European Championships and over 100 national championships all around the world.

Beta launched a new range of enduro bikes in 2004, powered by KTM engines,

development and motor sport. By 2010, they

company has trials and enduro bikes along with dual sport motorcycles and scooters in its line-up and has a global presence.

DID YOU KNOW


Did You Know_July2014.indd 26 6/13/2014 2:53:55 PM

ADS_July14.indd 141 6/13/2014 4:19:09 PM

RACERS’ CORNERWe bring you the cool new range of apparel from Suzuki and Kevin Schwantz as well as a gripping tale of the Isle of Man’s popular event: the scooter rally

A new book by Steve Jackson takes a comprehensive look at the Isle of Man Scooter Rally, an annual event that has successfully been organised for 20 years. The book traces the history of the Rally from its inception to the present and has

exclusive images, interviews and content from the Manx Press archives. The book has been created with direct involvement of teams from Lambretta and Vespa and offers a concise history of scootering’s longest running event.

SCOOTER MANIA!Recollections of the Isle of Man International Scooter Rally

KEVIN SCHWANTZ COLLECTION LAUNCHED BY SUZUKI

Kevin Schwantz, arguably one of the most popular racers ever, has teamed up with Suzuki to deliver a variety of items that have been designed by the legend himself. He has won the GP 25 times with Suzuki. All items bear his iconic

number ‘34’ and are available in his signature red-and-black colour scheme with a high-quality golden stitching and in a range of sizes and prices. The merchandise is now available online at www.suzuki-gb.co.uk.

MOTOWARE


Motoware_July2014.indd 28 6/13/2014 3:48:32 PM

ADS_July14.indd 127 6/13/2014 4:19:41 PM

Getting good mileage from a bike depends equally upon the rider as well as the machine. For example, a Yamaha FZ should give a mileage of about 43 km/l if the bike has been taken care of in terms of maintenance. But, say, rider A is getting only 35 km/l and rider B is getting 55 km/l on the same bike. That 20 km/l difference is because the two riders have different riding styles.

Here are a few tips and tricks to help you save fuel and money:

Start the engine only once you are in the direction you want to take. The

little fuel you save each time you start the bike will amount to a lot over time

When you know it’s time to shift gears, shift. Shifting up instead of over-

revving the engine reduces strain on the engine and saves a lot of fuel

situation wherein you know you’ll need

to slow down, ease off the throttle so that you slow down in time and don’t have to use the brakes

When overtaking, always look far ahead and come out of your lane a

bit to get a good view of what’s in front. Only once you are 100 per cent sure, you can overtake easily

Don’t use lower gears unnecessarily and

When possible, always park your bike in a shade

Some bikes have a green band on the speedometer which displays the range

at which you’ll get the best mileage. Try and keep the speed within that range; it’s the engine’s sweet spot

Tyre pressure is also very important for achieving good mileage. Always

maintain the correct tyre pressure as per the manufacturer’s recommendations

Every few weeks check the chain tension and make sure the chain

is well lubricated

Maintain a log-book and ensure you get your bike serviced regularly. Check

that the wheels turn freely, the engine oil is topped up or changed and brake oil is at the recommended level

...ACHIEVE GOOD MILEAGEAs fuel prices keep rising and bigger and better bikes enter the market, the one question everyone asks is, ‘Kitna deti hai?’ – how much do you get (in terms of mileage)Compiled by: Rommel Albuquerque

HOW TO...


How to_July14.indd 30 6/13/2014 2:58:42 PM

ADS_July14.indd 135 6/13/2014 4:20:16 PM

Dear Readers, Email your pictures to [email protected] with the subjext line ‘Your Rides’ or ‘Your Stunts.’ Readers, please note, all stunters should wear full-sleeved shirts and complete protective gear if they want to get their pictures published in this space

SEND US YOUR PICS!

LAST WINTER TWO OF MY friends and I decided to undertake a journey that we had been considering for a long time. We had a destination in mind, we had our bikes ready and we were raring to go.

We set out on 21 December on our Honda CBR 250R bikes with Nampong in Arunachal Pradesh as our destination. The diversion from Makum on NH 38 led us through Digboi, Margherita, Ledo, and

Jagun. From Jagun we continued towards Jairampur according to our schedule. At Jairampur we were issued an Inner-line Permit

which allowed us an entry into Arunachal Pradesh.

As we rode on, we came to the town of Duda, where we stopped for a while and roamed about, taking in the natural beauty and visiting the Second World War Cemetery as well as the Botanical Garden. We were amazed by the abundance of such breathtaking beauty as well as the historically

continued our ride, we reached the famous Hamilton Bridge. Upon crossing it, we found ourselves in Namgoi, after which we reached our destination, Nampong, having ridden 158 kilometres.

The famous Pangsau Winter Festival is held at Nampong every year. Nampong is a small, picturesque town located near the Hamilton Bridge and is only 12 km

Who We Are: Diganta, Gokul and Amar of Dibrugarh, AssamRiding: Two Honda CBR 250R motorcyclesThe Route: Dibrugarh to Nampong and back

away from the international border with Myanmar. The town was given the sobriquet of ‘Hell’s Gate’ by the Allied soldiers during World War II.

As dusk fell, we had to leave this

picturesque town and begin our ride back home. As we reached home, we had covered a total distance of 318 km on our bikes. The motorcycle trip will stay in our memory for ever.

YOUR RIDES


Your Trips_July2014.indd 32 6/13/2014 3:00:05 PM

ADS_July14.indd 137 6/13/2014 4:21:44 PM

LIGHTNING STRIKES AT THE QUAIL

All design is a compromise, and yet the whole process is a frustratingly impossible battle of trying to achieve perfection. All this makes us designers really easy to live with, says GLYNN KERR

D ESIGNERS SEE THINGSslightly differently from other human beings. When we look at a man-made

object, we may appreciate the beauty, but mostly we see the imperfections. It’s our job to work on a design until all those imperfections have been ironed out – in a perfect world that is. In reality, we’re mostly working against the clock, and within limited resources or budgets. There are physical constraints, such as ergonomics, legislative requirements and the shape of the mechanical base we’re working around. And, of course, the people you’re working with, including the chap who’s paying the bill (and in one earlier case, his 10-year-old son), may have their own ideas about how things should turn out. All design is a compromise, and yet the whole process is a frustratingly impossible battle of trying to achieve perfection. All this makes us designers really easy to live with.

So the unveiling of the Lightning LS-218 at

the Quail Lodge Motorcycle Gathering in Carmel Valley, California, on 17 May, held both a tense anticipation and a certain amount of trepidation for this particular designer. The last time I’d seen the bike was two weeks earlier, unpainted and with plenty of work still to be done. But the team had done a great job

and the bike was sitting resplendent on the grass at the Quail when I arrived. No matter how long

always looks slightly different from how you

few minutes were spent taking in the reality before instinctively starting a short-list of

The prototype unveiled at the Quail is a preview of the main model launch due later this summer, so there’s still room for some minor tweaking.

The LS-218 is a full-power street-legal development of Lightning’s successful race

All I

mag

es C

opyr

ight

: Dia

ne M

oret

t

The road-going LS-218 electric superbike from Lightning Motorcycles made its

preview at the 2014 Quail Lodge event

FEATURE DESIGN TRENDS


Glynn Kerr_July2014.indd 34 6/13/2014 12:42:10 PM

An impressive display of early Harley-Davidsons from the collection of ex-fairing designer and manufacturer, Craig Vetter

Lovely Matchless-engined Morgan three-wheeler from 1936 product to visitors

to the prototype

The Quail Lodge attracts a variety of visitors

DESIGN TRENDS

www.bikeindia.in 35JULY 2014


FEATURE DESIGN TRENDS

THE LS-218 SPECS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

TRANSMISSION: None. Direct drive motor.

SUPERBIKE MOTOR: IPM liquid cooled 150 kW+ 10,500 RPM electric motor. This generates an equivalent of 200 PS and 228 Nm of torque.

Battery PackTHE BATTERY PACK OPTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS:1. 380V 12 kWh battery pack good for 160-190 km per charge*2. 380V 15 kWh battery pack good for 190-240 km per charge*3. 380V 20 kWh battery pack good for 260-290 km per charge*Lightning Motorcycle exclusively uses the most powerful and safest best of breed batteries currently available.

CHARGING TIME: Thirty minutes on a quick charger or 120 minutes on level two charger.

WEIGHT: 225 kg

SuspensionFRONT SUSPENSION: Öhlins FGRT inverted fork, NIX30 cartridge internals, TiN surface treatment, billet aluminium radial calliper mountings. Fully adjustable spring preload, compression and rebound damping.

REAR SUSPENSION: Billet aluminium swing-arm with linear Öhlins TTX36 Shock and linkage system, adjustment for preload, ride height, high and low speed compression and rebound.

BRAKES: Dual Brembo 320-mm disc, Brembo radial-mount forged four-piston callipers.Two Brembo T-Drive 320-mm Fully-Floating Rotors.Two Brembo GP4-RX CNC Radial Callipers.

REGENERATIVE BRAKING: User programmable.

Wheels and Tyres(FRONT): Marchesini forged magnesium 3.5” x 17”, 120/70ZR17

WHEELS AND TYRES (REAR): Marchesini forged magnesium 6.0” x 17”, 190/55ZR17

SEAT HEIGHT: 32 inches

Believed to be the only surviving examples of about 200 units commissioned by the Winchester

built by the Merry Company of San Francisco

Ninja model range

tail-pipe solution

the design

www.bikeindia.in36 JULY 2014 www.bikeindia.in36 JULY 2014


bike, which won at Pikes Peak last year against some world class gasoline-engined bikes. It also holds the world land speed record for an electric motorcycle, with a 350-Km/h one-way best on the Bonneville Salt Flats; hence the model name.

have broad acceptance from the motorcyclist community, we need to provide design, performance and value that competes head to head with the best gasoline motorcycles on the

race-proven technology to market and pursue our

win in the market place”.

Bonneville Salt Flats, with an array of cigar-

latest streamliner powered by twin Rocket III engines producing over 1,000 PS. Guest speaker

Jay Brett’s unique and imaginative ‘Sub G1’ three-wheeler

Ardito was a short-lived Italian manufacturer that produced various small-capacity motorcycles from 1951 to ‘54. This 125-cc model is from 1953

Collectible Ducati 750 F1 in unusually clean condition

Tasty Honda-engined Rickman from 1975

The 2014 Quail Lodge Motorcycle Gathering offered a perfect mix of rare motorcycles, hazy sunshine and a few hundred devoted enthusiasts

Some imaginative lightweight specials from S-Works

Unusual cable-operated gear indicator on this 1954 Triumph Terrier

What to do with those three RD engines you’ve had lying around the garage for years

DESIGN TRENDS

www.bikeindia.in 37JULY 2014www.bikeindia.in 37JULY 2014


Mahindra’s premium commuter, the Centuro, has made its mark in the two-wheeler

commuter market for a whole year now. We look at what makes it stand out

ADVERTORIAL MAHINDRA CENTURO


Mahindra Centuro Advertorial_July 2014.indd 38 6/16/2014 7:26:24 PM

REMOTE FLIP KEY

ANTI-THEFT ALARM

The versatile Mthe

MAHINDRA CENTURO


Mahindra Centuro Advertorial_July 2014.indd 39 6/16/2014 7:48:19 PM

FIRST RIDE BMW S 1000 R


BMW S1000R_July 2014.indd 40 6/13/2014 12:33:48 PM

ROAD MISSILE

We experience the BMW S 1000 R super naked in India

STORY: PIYUSH SONSALE PHOTOGRAPHY: ROMMEL ALBUQUERQUE

THE BMW S 1000 R IS ONE OF THE most sophisticated naked sports bikes in the world. Launched internationally at the

end of last year, the bike is based on the company’s highly successful fully-faired superbike, the S 1000 RR, that made its début four years ago. The S 1000 R shares the same in-line four engine and perimeter frame as the Superbike, but while the S 1000 RR is a track-focused motorcycle, its naked sibling has been developed essentially for the road and can be equally crafty on the racetrack, though not as aerodynamic. BMW Motorrad’s Indian importers and dealers, Navnit Motors, have launched the S 1000 R in India and they invited us to Mumbai to experience the bike.

Unlike other BMW nakeds, the S 1000 R is an extremely compact motorcycle, though it is one millimetre longer, 19 mm wider and 90 mm taller than the S 1000 RR. BMW have increased the rake angle by 0.6 degrees, so the wheelbase is longer by 25 mm for better straight-line stability while the saddle height has been lowered by six mm. It has a sharp tail-up-nose-down design that more or less resembles the S 1000 RR’s if you don’t consider the fairing, of course. However, BMW have carefully designed the side shrouds and the asymmetric twin headlamps to ensure that the S 1000 R looks as quirky as its faired sibling. There is a dummy V-shaped vent above the headlamps and

functional air-intake vents are located on both sides of the tank and have rubber slits that look like gills. The meter console has an analogue tachometer dial while rest of the information is displayed on the adjoining digital screen.

The bike looks exotic thanks to BMW’s unwavering attention to detail. Each and every component of the motorcycle has the highest

is equally tasteful. Apart from the matte blue colour of our test bike, the S 1000 R is also

available in glossy white or red. And the ‘S 1000 R’ decals are placed on the tank of the red bike instead of the side shrouds as on the other two.

in-line four engine to make it suitable for riding on public roads. It has a new cylinder-head, reduced compression ratio (12:1 from 13:1), reworked four-into-one exhaust and a revised fuel-injection system. The result is a 33 PS reduction in peak power output. The S 1000 R produces 160 PS at 11,000 RPM while the torque output remains unchanged at 112 Nm. However, it is generated 500 RPM lower at 9,250 RPM and BMW have used softer cams to modify the engine’s torque curve for better mid-range delivery.

Even with the reduction in engine performance, the S 1000 R is no slouch and with a kerb weight of 207 kg, it has a very good power-to-weight ratio. To tame the beast, BMW have equipped it with almost all of the high-tech electronic and mechanical riding aids they could think of. The bike we rode had a steering

damper mounted under the headlamps, along with BMW’s Race ABS (anti-lock braking system) and ASC (automatic stability control). It also had a ride-by-wire throttle and a slipper clutch. The fabulous DDC (Dynamic Damping Control) system borrowed from the S 1000 RR’s HP4 version adjusts the damping every few milliseconds according to the road surface and

via a switch on the handlebar. The DTC (Dynamic Traction Control) ensures maximum traction on all types of road surfaces, prevents wheel spin and has a lean angle sensor for optimum throttle response when riding through

delivery to suit the riding conditions. In Rain, the power output is reduced by about 30 PS and the throttle response is gentler. In Road, it is adapted to riding on dry public roads. Dynamic makes the throttle response even better while


BMW S 1000 R


the Dynamic Pro unleashes the bike’s full potential. Apart from these, the S 1000 R also has a quick shifter for fast gear changes and, for some more money, they will also add a cruise control system adapted for motorcycles.

The bike feels even more compact from the saddle and the wide one-piece handlebar lends a sporty yet comfortable riding position. BMW have relaxed the posture further by lowering the foot-pegs compared to the S 1000 RR and the 814-mm saddle height should suit Indian riders of average height. After tinkering with the settings, I thumbed the two-into-one engine kill/ignition switch and, surprisingly, the engine came to life with the side-stand still down. The exhaust was humming as I rode the S 1000 R cautiously through the residential neighbourhood of Kharghar in search of a suitable place to test its capabilities. I slowed down to a standstill at the start of a straight

change the suspension setting to hardest and switched to the Dynamic Pro mode.

As I fed in the clutch and wrung the throttle, the bike surged ahead instantly with a small wheelie. The acceleration was blinding and the

on the meter console as it tried to provide

howling in the morning air while I shifted up through the six-speed gearbox with the throttle pinned and without pulling the clutch lever, thanks to the quickshifter. I was well past 170 km/h on the digital speedometer before the front wheel took off in the air. Easing off the throttle, I brought the wheel down and braked hard for the upcoming roundabout, quickly

mechanical aids work in perfect harmony to control the bike under hard acceleration so the rider can focus on enjoying the experience. The massive 320-mm twin front disc brakes (and the 220-mm rear one which I hardly ever

SPEC TALKBMW S 1000 R

Seat height

Wheelbase 1,439 mm

814 mmSuspension (Front)

Rake/trail

46-mm Sachs USD telescopic, 120-mm spring travel, adjustment of pre-load, compression and rebound damping (optional DDC semi-active)

Brakes (Front) Two, Brembo radial four-piston callipers, 320-mm discs, linked system with ABS

Brakes (Rear) Single-piston calliper, 220-mm disc, linked system with ABS

Suspension (Rear)

Sachs damper, 120-mm spring travel, adjustment of pre-load, compression and rebound damping (optional DDC semi-active)

24.6 degrees/98.5 mm

Wheel (Front) 3.50 x 17 inch; cast aluminium

Wheel (Rear)

Tyre (Front)

Tyre (Rear)

120/70 x 17 inch Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa


6.00 x 17 inch; cast aluminium

Clutch

Transmission

Wet multi-plate slipper

Six-speed

Fuel capacity 17.5 litres

Wet weight 207 kg fully fuelled (182.5 kg dry)

Max Torque

Max Power

112 Nm at 9,750 RPM

160 PS at 11,000 RPM

Bore X Stroke 80 x 49.7 mm

Carburation Programmable fuel-injection with traction control

Liquid-cooled transverse four

999 cc

12:1Comp Ratio

Type

Displacement

DOHC, 16 valvesValve arrangement

Lots of lights and a world of information neatly layed out on the ana-digi meter console

Asymmetrical headlamps are similar to the S 1000 RR but wilder If you like quiet bikes then look for something else because the stock exhaust on this one is a howler

FIRST RIDE BMW S 1000 R



tapped) do an equally great job of shedding speed and have a predictable feel while the Pirelli

one can get. The ABS and DTC can be switched off manually via a switch on the handlebar; that’s really unnecessary on the road.

I did a few more runs in different modes and the bike was equally impressive in each of them. Even in the Rain mode, it felt far from shy. In fact, I found it more manageable since it did not wheelie at high RPM.

A nearby stretch of road had a cluster of speed bumps where I tested the three suspension modes. The bike soaked up all the undulations without upsetting the ride when I went over the bumps at 60 km/h in the Soft mode and there was no noticeable change in the Normal mode as well. The third time I went over them in the Hard mode and it shuddered and kicked my butt multiple times, forcing me to stand up on the pegs. That one’s for the racetrack then!

BMW have created yet another masterpiece

that joins the club of elite naked sports bikes such as the KTM 1290 Superduke R and Aprilia Tuono V4 R ABS. However, the sophisticated technology it packs in is all very expensive. Add to it the heavy import duties on CBUs in India and what you get is the daunting price-tag of Rs 22.83 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai). If you are willing to shell out more, BMW offer a large collection of performance parts and accessories for the S 1000 R that probably make it marginally faster but will certainly shoot up the price by a few more lakhs. The bike is on sale at all four dealerships of Navnit Motors (Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Mangalore) and I may conclude by saying that for all its performance and technology, the S 1000 R is not a practical bike. It is an everyday sports bike for wealthy enthusiasts who want to be exclusive.

GlovesBoots

RJaysRJays

Rider Piyush SonsaleHelmetSuit

SparxSpidi

GEARCHECK

Batman ears! Sharp LED tail-lamp has been borrowed straight from the S 1000 RR

Raised handlebar makes it road friendly but the windblast is like a slap on the face on highways


BMW S 1000 R


NO EMPTY We rode Yamaha’s MT-125 and the

new-generation YZF-R125 in Barcelona recently. Here is the report

Given the success of Yamaha’s naked MT-09 and MT-07, and the fact that the YZF-R125 has also been popular in

many markets in recent years (it was by far the UK’s top-selling sports bike in 2013), the arrival of a stripped-down 125-cc single with the letters MT in its name was not so much predictable as inevitable. Perhaps, the only surprise is that the MT-125 was not only developed in Europe but is being produced in France, while its closest

“European” rival, KTM’s Duke 125, is assembled in India.

Yamaha have, however, taken great trouble to keep production costs as low as possible, notably by combining development of the MT and new-generation YZF-R125, to the extent that the models’ engines and most of their chassis are identical. The powerplant is a revamped version of the YZF’s SOHC, liquid-cooled unit, featuring mods including new cylinder-head,

camshaft and clutch.Maximum output had to stay at 15 PS for

licensing reasons, but there’s a fraction more torque at most points below the peak at 8,000 RPM, and Yamaha claim fuel economy is improved by over 10 per cent. The motor is bolted into a chassis that retains the YZF’s twin-spar steel frame layout but is completely new, with 41-mm upside-down (USD) forks in place of conventional 33-mm legs, and a four-piston



Yamaha MT 125 & YZF R 125_July 2014.indd 44 6/13/2014 3:19:31 PM

BOAST THIS

PHOTOGRAPHY: ALESSIO BARBANTI, JONATHAN GODIN, NICKI MARTINEZ, SEBAS ROMERO, FRANCESC MONTERO & HENNY STERNSTORY: ROLAND BROWN

radial front brake calliper instead of the old model’s twin-pot Brembo unit, biting a single disc of unchanged 292-mm diameter.

The MT looks very sharp, with clear hints of its larger siblings, but its own distinct style, enhanced by an aggressively angled LED headlight and by large (doubtless much larger than strictly necessary) air scoops on either side of the tank. Like the YZF it’s designed to feel like a full-sized bike despite its small capacity, so the

slim seat is a moderate but not super-low 810 mm off the ground, but with just 138 kg of wet weight the Yam feels effortlessly manageable at standstill.

That seat feels like a good place to be in too, as you reach forward to hold a wide, slightly raised one-piece ‘bar that gives a fairly roomy riding position in conjunction with foot-rests that are slightly higher and further forward than the YZF’s. The top yoke has neat cutaways; the new digital instrument panel has a smart phone-like

appearance with a bar tacho at the centre, below a pair of gear shift lights.

With only 15 horses to play with this MT was never going to be a raw, wheelie-happy hooligan bike like its big brothers, but within its inescapable limits it was plenty of fun. Yamaha

Barcelona launch began with a city-centre tour

low-effort clutch, glitch-free throttle response




and very light, manoeuvrable feel that’s ideal for dodging taxis and dicing with scooters.

What power there is lives mostly near the 9,000-RPM peak, which means plenty of enjoyable thrashing through the respectably sweet-shifting six-speed box. Exit a bend with 5,000 RPM on the tacho in the higher ratios, and the response to a wide open throttle is barely

times till there’s 7,000 RPM or more showing, the Yam picks up speed at an enjoyable if far from

arm-straining rate, heading for a genuine maximum of 115 km/h, and with the engine’s balancer shaft reducing vibration enough to make that speed practical.

Keeping up momentum through bends was manic good fun, and the MT’s chassis worked well enough to add to the entertainment. Suspension is very basic, with 130 mm of travel up front and a modest 114 mm at the rear, without even the option of preload adjustment at either end. But that’s all right — at least when you’re

not carrying a pillion — because spring and damping rates gave a respectably good blend of comfort and control, and the wide bars provided just the right amount of leverage to make the Yam

Michelin’s Pilot Street tyres gave enough grip to make use of the ample ground clearance, too, when we got out of Barcelona on to some winding roads on nearby Mount Tibidabo. And my non-ABS-equipped launch bike’s four-piston radial front brake worked well, generating

41 mm upside down forks replace the older

33 mm telescopic forks

MT-125 gets four-piston radial front brake that

work well

Digital instrumentation looks good and is easy to read as well




enough stopping power without being too grabby for the mostly young and inexperienced riders who are likely to be squeezing the lever

system that will be an option in most markets, standard in others).

Other aspects are mostly good, including the usefully wide and smooth mirrors and the instrument panel, whose information includes average speed, trip time and distance to service,

as well as both current and average fuel consumption. Info can be toggled from the handlebar, too, which isn’t true even of some

impressive, with better than 2.8 litres/100 km possible from the frugal single. So it doesn’t

reduced from the old YZF’s.You can’t expect a naked 125 to be especially

practical, but the Yamaha can be made more so

crash bungs and Akrapovic silencer to parts

Those will add to the price, which, Yamaha say,

Duke (approximately €4,000 in most European markets). It certainly looks good enough, and, more importantly, works well enough to challenge the KTM and become another important part of Yamaha’s impressive recent comeback.

Clutch

Transmission

Wet multi-plate

Six-speed

Fuel capacity 12 litres

Wet weight 138 kg [140 kg](126 kg [128 kg] dry)

Tyre (Front)

Tyre (Rear)

100/80 x 17 inch Michelin Pilot Street

130/70 x 17 inch Michelin Pilot Street

Wheelbase 1,355 mm

Suspension (Front)

Seat height

Rake/trail

Suspension (Rear)

Telescopic, 130-mm wheel travel, no adjustment

810 mm[825 mm]

25 degrees/89 mm

Monoshock, 114-mm wheel travel, no adjustment

Brakes (Front)

Brakes (Rear)

Four-piston radial calliper, 292-mm disc

Single-piston calliper,230-mm disc

Max Torque

SPEC TALK

Max Power

12.4 Nm at8,000 RPM

15 PS (11 kW)at 9,000 RPM


Carburation Fuel-injection

Liquid-cooled single

125 cc

11.2:1Comp Ratio

Engine type

Displacement

SOHC, four valvesValve arrangement

YAMAHA MT-125 [2014 YZF-R125]

Engine pumps out a decent 12.4 Nm of max

torque at 8000 RPM

Grab handles are cleverly integrated into

the tail piece

Short and stubby exhaust pipe adds to brawler image




YZF-R125You could argue that Yamaha had no pressing need to update the YZF-R125, given that it was still selling well in some markets after six years in production. But an integral part of the MT-125 project was sharing parts with the fully-faired model, so after more than 45,000 European sales the YZF is revamped with the same engine and main chassis components as the naked newcomer.

That means its updated, 125-cc SOHC liquid-cooled powerplant is identical to that

of the MT; and that it also shares its twin-spar steel frame, 41-mm USD forks, slender-spoked 17-inch wheels and four-piston radial front brake calliper. Along with its new bodywork, including a full fairing whose headlamps and central duct are intentionally reminiscent of the YZF-R6, the updated 125 combines its lower, clip-on bars with slightly higher, more rear-set foot-rests and a seat that is 15 mm higher, at 825 mm.

Sharing so many parts with the MT naturally means performance is very similar, especially in

a straight line where there’s almost nothing to split the rev-happy pair. In theory, the YZF, which weighs two kilos more at 140 kg wet, might be a fraction slower off the line, before gaining the edge due to its superior aerodynamics, which allow a slightly higher true top speed of 120 km/h.

Whether that difference would be noticeable in the real world of riders’ differing weights,

another matter. A more noticeable difference was that the YZF’s riding position put more strain on

New R125’s sharp face is now reminiscent of

the YZF-R6

Slim tail lamp on the R125 at the end of an

edgy tail piece is sporty

Rear gets a 230 mm disc with single piston caliper




Instrumentation is identical to that on the

MT-125

Liquid cooled 125 cc single cylinder pumps

out 15 PS

Rake has been increased to 25 degrees




THE FEEL-GOThe Hyosung GT250R now sports a new set of graphics that enliven the bike’s sporty styling.

FIRST RIDE HYOSUNG GT250R


Hyosung GT250R_July 2014.indd 50 6/13/2014 2:31:01 PM

THE FIRST TIME I EVER GOT ASTRIDE a Korean motorcycle was over a decade ago. At the time, superbikes (the likes of which we now see with increasing regularity on our roads) were virtually non-existent. Honda, the giant of the motorcycle world, hadn’t even introduced a bike here in India. All they had were scooters. The bike in question was Hyosung’s Comet GT250. With its huge fuel tank, V-twin powerplant with an oil-cooler, sporty riding position, upside down (USD) front forks, rear disc brake and single rear shock, the Comet stood out from everything around it.

Much water has passed under the bridge since then and with the rest of the world, the Indian motorcycling scene too has moved on. Today, barring Ducati and a few other manufacturers of exotic two-wheelers, pretty much every motorbike manufacturer worth its salt is present in India. There are at least two more quarter-litre bikes available – one a single-cylinder, the other a parallel twin. Things like oil-coolers, rear disc, and monoshocks are now seen as normal additions to even mass-produced motorcycles, let

the word exotic. In this changed scenario, one wonders if a Korean 250-cc with such embellishments that are no longer seen as fancy can still hold its own.

Surprisingly, the new Hyosung GT250R does manage to stand out from the crowd, much like its predecessor, the Comet GT250, did back in the day. Its distinctive beaky head, that massive fuel-tank and racy stance all merge together to endow the bike with a fair amount of road presence. You’ll be sure to grab a decent amount of eyeballs no matter where you go (except, perhaps, at a gathering of superbike owners). We can tell you because we did. Part of the GT250R’s ability to pull attention also lies in its exclusivity.

test was painted in a vivid shade of crimson only helped enhance its visual appeal and presence.

The riding posture on the GT250R is on the

proper crouch, courtesy the low clip-on bars and

uncomfortable as can a long stretch of highway riding. Unlike most other sports bikes, this one

which is great for the pillion. The pillion seat,

O OD BIKE We get astride this Korean quarter-litre motorbike

STORY: ANINDA SARDAR PHOTOGRAPHY: ROMMEL ALBUQUERQUE

Engine 249cc, air-cooled, V-twin with oil coolerOutput 28 PS @ 10000 RPM, 22.07 Nm @ 8000 RPMGears Five speed, constant meshBrakes 300mm twin disc (F), 230mm disc (R)Tyres 110/70 R17 (F), 150/70 R17 (R)Price Rs 3.01 Lakh (OTR, Pune)

NEED TO KNOWHYOSUNG GT250R

HYOSUNG GT250R



though, is like on any other bike with sporty intentions – perched high. Towards the front, instrumentation is a digi-analogue unit with the tacho and the tell-tales being the analogue bit while the rest of it is all digital. What you can’t help noticing is that this is a well-put-together bike with good quality switches and levers (the brake lever is adjustable too).

To ride, this bike is quite stable in a straight line, even when the speedo indicates triple digits. It doesn’t twitch or do anything to make you feel nervous. Handling, however, isn’t as good with the bike showing a distinct tendency to

in line with its sporty intentions. Rev the 249-cc 75-degree V-twin beyond 6,000 RPM and you

will be rewarded with a fairly strong pull. The air-cooled unit, which features an oil-cooler, eight valves and DOHC, makes a peak 28 PS at 10,000 RPM and 22.07 Nm of torque at 8,000 RPM. Unfortunately, it lacks low-end grunt and

gearbox for meaningful movement when the

is a slick shifting unit. Where the bike truly impresses is when it comes

to shedding speed. Its twin 300-mm dia discs at

the front do a phenomenal job of pulling the bike down from any speed. They feel progressive too, so that you are always aware of whether the tyres are at the point where they might lock up. There is a 230-mm disc at the rear too, but, honestly speaking, you don’t really need that. The front

we never needed to touch the rear brake lever at all over the couple of days that we rode the bike.

The Hyosung GT250R is sold for just over Rs 3 lakh, and, sure enough, you could get a quarter-litre class motorcycle for a full lakh rupees less. But if you wish to stand out in the pack with a machine that is good-looking and does reasonably on all other parameters, then the Hyosung makes a good case for itself.

GlovesBoots

Frank ThomasXPD

Rider Aninda SardarHelmet Sparx

Spidi

GEARCHECK

Race Suit

Grips, switchgear and levers are well made. Switches are easy to reach too. As is the brake

New graphics enliven the GT250R’s image,

FIRST RIDE HYOSUNG GT250R



VALENTINO ROSSI CELEBRATES HIS 300TH GRAND PRIX IN ITALY


July 2014


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THE BEST JUST GOT BETTERThe new Honda VFR800F is still every millimetre a VFR; it’s quick, versatile and a blast to ride. We tell you what it’s like from the saddleSTORY: ROLAND BROWN STORY: ZEP GORI, FRANCESC MONTERO, ULA SERRA & FÉLIX ROMERO

FIRST RIDE HONDA VFR800F


Honda VFR800F_July 2014.indd 62 6/13/2014 1:41:11 PM

http://www.bikeindia.in

HONDA VFR800F




THE LAUNCH RIDE HAD BEENso good that reaching a conclusion about the VFR800F should have been easy.

The updated V4 had been fast and fun on

Alicante. It had handled, stopped and been comfortable, and with its sharp red suit gleaming in the Spanish sunshine it had looked fabulous in the process.

But as I killed its V4 engine for the last time, I was unsure what to make of the VFR. Yes, it had been good, but I couldn’t help wondering how much better it would have been if Honda

make this model as advanced as the VFR750F that began the line in 1986.

developing the VFR: its ancestors set the bar very high. That original V4 was one of Honda’s most important ever models, because

reputation following a string of unreliable bikes, including the VF750F.

Honda’s other problem was justifying a major update. The VFR’s popularity fell in the late

with its far from universally popular VTEC system sold well, it couldn’t halt the decline. These days, with many riders having abandoned

even harder to make the sums add up. So Honda’s development the budget didn’t run to

frame’s aluminium main spars.But there’s still plenty that’s new. The changes

begin with the look: still unmistakably VFR,

white or black as well as red), but now subtly

LED headlight that echoes the VFR1200F. It’s

The engine now produces one PS less

Height adjustable seat is a big welcome





leaner, helped by swapping twin side-mounted radiators for one up front. And it’s 10 kilos lighter at 239 kg wet, thanks mainly to a rear sub-frame in aluminium instead of steel, and a new exhaust with single silencer instead of two under the seat.

The feel is more sports than tourer, partly because the riding position means you lean forward to clip-on bars, albeit ones that are slightly higher and further back than the previous model’s. The screen is sports-bike low too and there’s no adjustment. At least the seat is now height adjustable, and an accessible 789 mm at its lower level. It’s also generously sized, and equipped with a colour-matched pillion seat

cover plus retractable grab-handles. The motor remains a 16-valve, 90-degree V4

and is re-tuned for more low-rev performance, with new cams, revised fuel-injection and longer

system to operate more smoothly as it stops one inlet and one exhaust valve in each cylinder from opening at low revs, boosting torque by increasing mixture speed. Peak output is down by a few bhp, which doesn’t sound so bad until

RPM means this bike is less powerful than the

Perhaps, the strangest thing is that despite all

that it still felt fast enough, at least on those

strong low-rev performance is part of the reason for that, making the bike very easy to ride quickly. There’s only one engine mode, but that was enough because it worked very well.

mid-range crisp and strong, and the bike’s long-legged V4 feel made it effortless yet engaging.

And there’s enough power to make you grin. The V4 lump stayed smooth enough up near its

also shifted very sweetly, with the help of

Single sided swing-arm a typical trait of the

VFR

Single exhaust on the right side looks good

HONDA VFR800F




MASATSUGO TANAKA, VFR800F Test Project Leader

“The V4 is regarded as a very special area of engineering within Honda, and the VFR is a special brand. I was very conscious not only of the VFR history going back to 1986, but also the more recent V4 history with the VFR1200F and Crossrunner and Crosstourer, because the V4 is going to have a long future as well as a long history within Honda.

“We could have given the engine more top-end power, but the VFR is not all about chasing peak power. The model has a range of use, including commuting in town and two-up touring. So we wanted an engine with more focus on low to mid-range, and to improve how the VTEC works to get smooth performance across the whole range. We also improved the aerodynamics and reduced weight, which improved performance.

“We did have discussions about a new frame, but the further we went through the planning stages of development, the more confident we were that we could get the sporty performance we wanted without a new frame or engine. We did things like changing the rear subframe to aluminium, plus the new exhaust and other work we did to save weight. All those things meant we were happy to stick with the frame we had.

“We are conscious that other manufacturers have electronically adjusted suspension, and technically it is something we could do. But the priority for the VFR this time was sporty performance and reduced weight, so we decided the extra weight of electronic suspension wasn’t worth the trade-off. We think the suspension we have gives the level of both sportiness and touring comfort that we needed.”





Max Torque

SPEC TALK

Clutch

Transmission

Wet multi-plate

Six-speed

Fuel capacity 21.5 litres

Dry weight 229 kg (kerb)

Max Power

75 Nm at 8,500 RPM

105 PS at 10,250 RPM

Bore X Stroke 72 x 48 mm Carburation Electronic fuel-injection

Liquid-cooled 90-degree V4

782 cc

11.8:1Comp Ratio

Engine type

Displacement

DOHC, 16 valvesValve arrangement

Tyre (Front)

Tyre (Rear)

120/70 x 17 inch Dunlop Sportmax D222

180/55 x 17 inch Dunlop Sportmax D222

Wheelbase 1,460 mm

Suspension (Front)

Seat height

Rake/trail

Suspension (Rear)

43-mm telescopic fork, 108-mm travel, adjustments for preload and rebound damping

789/809 mm

25° 30”/95 mm

Pro-Link single shock, 120-mm wheel travel, adjustments for preload (remote hydraulic) and rebound damping

Wheel (Front) 3.50 x 17 inch; cast aluminium

Wheel (Rear)

Brakes (Front)

Brakes (Rear)

Two, four-piston Tokico callipers, 310-mm discs with ABS

Twin-piston calliper, 256-mm disc with ABS

5.50 x 17 inch; cast aluminium

HONDA VFR800F

HONDA VFR800F




FIRST RIDE EBR 1190RX


EBR 1190RX_July 2014.indd 68 6/13/2014 4:06:27 PM


DANCING TO HIS OWN

TUNE

STORY: ROLAND BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY: STUART COLLINS

WITH 185 PS UNDER MY RIGHT

EBR 1190RX




are held by a thick top yoke with a transverse steering damper above it. The magnesium rear subframe contributes to that low weight. So do the lightweight, cast aluminium 17-inch wheels with their very slender spokes. In familiar Buell fashion the front wheel holds an eight-piston Nissin front brake calliper and single perimeter disc, this one enlarged to 386 mm in diameter and cooled by air directed around the fork leg by a couple of plastic scoops.

So much of the engineering is typically idiosyncratic. What’s much less so is the RX’s relatively conventional styling, which lacks the complex detailing of an MV Agusta or Ducati, but is respectably sleek and attractive, in yellow, red or black. Finish seems mostly good and the fairly tall, thinly padded seat gives a view of low clip-ons, and a stubby screen above a colourful electronic display that shows speed, revs and numerous other functions, including fuel consumption.

That wasn’t an issue at Varano, as the engine

and I prepared to tackle the damp circuit on shiny new Diablo Rosso Corsas. At least the R’s advanced electronics package includes a traction control system, though, disappointingly, it can’t be adjusted on the move. We set it to 14 of 21, the recommended rain setting, and I released the rather heavy-action clutch to head out on to the track.

The RX doesn’t have ride-by-wire, relying on a system developed by EBR around a pair of 61-mm Dell’Orto throttle bodies, with twin injectors per cylinder. They’ve done a good job because throttle response was light, yet even with those huge pistons thrashing up and down the bike pulled very sweetly and crisply, both from around 6,000 RPM in normal use and when exiting the slower turns, where the lack of grip and tall gearing meant revs dropped below four grand.

The traction control system worked well,

allowing some wiggles of the rear Pirelli, but helping me avoid being launched half-way to nearby Bologna when I got too enthusiastic exiting the faster chicane. Occasionally the system cut in to limit forward progress on the straights, too, but most of the time the RX found enough grip as it thundered towards a claimed top speed of 300 km/h.

More to the point the bike was grunty enough to feel both quick and easy to ride. It makes at least 80 per cent of its maximum torque all the way from 4,500 RPM to the 11,500-RPM red-line. Not surprisingly, given its cylinder dimensions, the RX feels more 1198 than 1199; lacking the Panigale’s top-end charge, but hitting harder through the mid-range, which should be of value on the street as much as the track. There’s a bit of vibration at higher revs, which didn’t worry me but might be an issue on a longer ride.

The neat display doesn’t have progressive shift lights, which would sometimes be handy although the close-ratio gearbox worked





That’s no sat-nav, its the modern-day instrument

console on the RX

Exhaust looks cool, unlike the earlier models

Remember this? The frame of the RX brings

back memories from the Buell era

Braking duties at the rear are handled by a 208mm rotor and twin-piston Hayes caliper

Nostalgia runs high on the RX. Just look at these perimeter rotor

This V-Twin powerplant uses German components and develops a heart-pounding 185PS

EBR 1190RX


EBR 1190RX



“When Buell was closed down so suddenly it was very disappointing and emotional, but I was really busy, try-ing to make sure we took care of all the people there. I had some options, one of which was retirement. But I discussed it with my wife and decided there was a lot I still wanted to do. I knew I had a great team of people, and unfinished business.

“I had to build a brand-name and I thought, let’s race Buells, let’s make race parts for Buells, and introduce new things. I realised we could build better motorcycles and also a better business. I really believed in the guys, and in this out-of-the-box American thinking. We can bring a lot of freshness to the motorcycle industry.

“We were going to need backing, and I said it’s going to have to be an Asian company, because there are so many motorcycle companies in Asia. And I wound up falling into a bed of roses with Hero, a very strong company that also has a culture that fits well with ours. [Hero, which split from Honda in 2010, is India’s largest motorcycle firm and builds roughly six million bikes per annum.]

“Pawan Munjal, the CEO of Hero MotoCorp, is an engineer, so he really understands the product. I was introduced by a friend, we talked a number of times and he said, ‘I’ve split with Honda, you’ve split with Harley. Why don’t we share some ideas?’

“I just love motorcycles, whether they’re sport bikes or being used as transportation in Africa. I think they’re much better than cars. They’re lighter, use less energy, they use less resources to build them. So we had a lot of discussions like that and I was very

impressed by how much he knew about high-level technology, in a way that you might not expect from someone running a company that makes 100-cc and 200-cc bikes.

“Pawan said, ‘I need a concept vehicle and don’t have a lot of time,’ so we ended up making the Leap [a prototype petrol/electric hybrid] for Hero, which was a whole lot of fun. He said, ‘I don’t want to run your business, but we could be a partner you could trust.’ And they’re a real strategic investor. [Last year Hero paid US $25 million for a 49.2 per cent stake in EBR.]

“It’s no secret that we’re working on a couple of other models. [A naked 1190SX, due in August, and a dual-purpose 1190AX, to be unveiled at the Milan Show in November.] We’re a sport bike firm but what that means is open to debate. A bike doesn’t need low bars and a fairing to be fun. If it can be light, have some perfor-mance and technology, that’s what makes me smile.

“The biggest number of bikes that Buell ever built in a year was 15,000, and I don’t think it’ll be all that long before we’re beating that total. We’re never going to build small-capacity bikes, but it certainly makes sense to broaden the range and make the most of what we’ve developed.

“The race team has a lot of potential and it’s great to get two American riders [Geoff May and Aaron Yates] involved in World Superbike. The bike we ran in Australia was almost a stock street bike, so we have a lot of potential to improve. We’re going to learn a lot more about the bikes and it’s great to participate. The organisers are excited to have us in the series and we’re excited to be taking part.”

ERIK BUELL, CEO, ERIK BUELL RACING





smoothly enough, and the engine was grunty enough, that clicking into another cog slightly early didn’t seem to lose time. The lack of a quick-shifter was slightly surprising. That heavy hydraulic clutch will be hard work in town, but for track use the slipper unit worked well. And unlike Buells, including the 1125R, with their troublesome Harley-style belts, the RX has chain

welcome in the chassis, which was very promising although the track didn’t dry enough to allow a full evaluation. The bike is short and compact, with a stubby 1,409-mm wheelbase, but I wasn’t cramped despite being tall. In Buell fashion its steering geometry is racy, with 22.4 degrees of rake and 96.5 mm of trail, which helped make the bike effortlessly agile through the slow chicanes.

The Showa suspension was reasonably

tuning. Reports from the States suggest the RX is well up to a more aggressive dry-track pace too. Better hope so, given that American pilots Geoff May and Aaron Yates are racing the bike in World

Superbikes this season. Such

bold but typical of Erik Buell.

Another of the RX’s trademark Buell features that couldn’t be fully tested in the damp was the perimeter front brake, but the single disc and its eight-pot Nissin calliper gave excellent feel and more than ample power in the conditions. (Especially given the lack of ABS, which is due later this year.) Let’s hope the larger rotor and cooling scoops have cured the old Buells’ tendency to warp discs. This set-up certainly looks a lot more up to the job.

So Erik Buell and his team have more work to do, but they’ve come a long way in creating the

have allowed Buell to concentrate on developing his bikes the way he wants, rather than dancing to someone else’s tune. The Buell 1125R launch in 2008 was marred by bikes that ran erratically,

contrast, the EBR worked well immediately and hesitated only when I stayed out too long and ran low on fuel.

Only putting the RX directly against its closest rivals will show whether the 1190RX can match the best from Europe and Japan. But on this evidence it won’t be far away, and it seems very competitively priced for a bike built in such small numbers. The RX is certainly the best sports bike yet from America. Erik Buell might yet face a few

future has surely never been brighter.

Max Torque

SPEC TALK

Clutch

Transmission

Wet multi-plate slipper clutch

Six-speed

Fuel capacity 17 litres

Wet weight (no fuel)

191 kg

Max Power

137.8 Nm at 8,200 RPM

185 PS at 10,600 RPM


Carburation Digital fuel-injection

Liquid-cooled 72-degree V-twin

1,191 cc

13.4:1Comp Ratio

Type

Displacement

DOHC, four valves per cylinder

Valve arrangement

Tyre (Front)

Tyre (Rear)



Wheelbase 1,409 mm

Suspension (Front)

Seat height

Rake/trail

43-mm inverted telescopic Showa BPF, 120-mm wheel travel, adjustments for preload, compression and rebound damping

826 mm

22.4 degrees/ 96.5 mm

Suspension (Rear)

One Showa damper, 130-mm wheel travel, adjustments for preload, compression and rebound damping

Brakes (Front)

Brakes (Rear)

Eight-piston Nissin calliper, 386-mm perimeter disc

Twin-piston Hayes calliper, 208-mm disc

EBR 1190RX

EBR 1190RX




ROAD TEST TVS STAR CITY+


TVS Star City+_July 2014.indd 74 6/13/2014 4:31:17 PM


STAR-STRUCKThe TVS Star City+ is set to carry forward the legacy of its highly popular predecessor, the Star City. Does it live up to

STORY: SAYEM PARVEZ SYED PHOTOGRAPHY: ROMMEL ALBUQUERQUE

BACK IN THE YEAR 2005 WHEN TVS launched the Star City, it proved to be quite a revolution in the highly

competitive Indian commuter market. The 110-cc motorcycle was praised for its durability, quality and low maintenance cost, all of which made it stand out among its competitors. Fast forward to the year 2014, and the commuter segment in the Indian market is still the focal

various two-wheeler manufacturers. With the ever-increasing competition, the Bengaluru-based two-wheeler giant could not afford to rest on its laurels. Therefore, TVS launched the Star City+ last month and we were glad to get astride the bike and to test just how good this updated version is.

As I was approaching the parked Star City+ to undertake the road test, I was wondering if this updated version would live up to its name. At standstill, the motorcycle is somewhat a visual

clone of its previous avatar. The bikini fairing is the most instantly recognisable part of the commuter, but now it sports a squarish headlamp instead of the protruding one seen on its previous avatar, the Star City. The styling on the new bike is edgier and sharper, which makes it one of the best-looking commuter motorcycles on sale today. Black alloy wheels are standard on the Star City+ and the motorcycle receives an all-black

well. Refreshed graphics and glossy paint-job

make it visually appealing too.The instrumentation on this commuter adopts

a no-nonsense approach: the simple white speedometer blends perfectly with the digital fuel-gauge and trip meters. TVS’ trademark economy and power mode indicators are a welcome addition in the Star City+. Nice mirrors, a comfortable seat, a decent set of switches and a distinctive looking rear end with a prominent tail-light cluster add a feel-good factor to this commuter.

The Star City+ comes equipped with a 109.7-cc, four-stroke, two-valve, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine. The engine is extremely

single cylinder mill features TVS’ advanced

with a ‘Molycoat’ piston that ensures reduced friction within the cylinder and better combustion for improved economy. The peppy engine features an intelligent ignition system

TVS STAR CITY+




(TCI), while the spark-plug has been reworked for improved combustion. Maximum power available to the rider is 8.4 PS while the peak torque is 8.7 Nm. When you thumb the electric starter on the bike (the basic variant features only a kick-starter) the engine noise and

feels quite light. The bike features a four-speed fairly slick shifting gearbox, typical of a commuter motorcycle.

Once I got astride the Star City+, I found it had decent ergonomics with that typical upright commuter riding position. Featuring a single-cradle tubular frame and well-sprung suspension on both ends, the Star City+ rides and handles well, both in the city as well as on the highway. The 110-cc mill has very good low-end and mid-range grunt – 0-60 km/h was done in a respectable 7.6 seconds – and it manages to pull off strongly at the twist of the wrist. Power delivery is fairly linear at all times and I was able to max out the bike at 90 km/h. Even with the increase in wheel-base, its compact dimensions aid in quick change of direction while also offering excellent stability and ride quality. The Star City+ feels planted at all times, even at high speed, and it also let me

As for braking, the bike is a decent performer. Its 130-mm front and 110-mm rear drum brakes are comparatively better than those in majority of

its competitors, although I strongly feel that offering a front disc brake would make for a marked improvement. The current drum options do their duty without much fuss, especially when you encounter sudden braking situations while riding in the city as well as progressive braking in

gets its set of sticky rubber, which provide adequate grip at all times – when pottering through the city as well as riding enthusiastically.

Being a commuter motorcycle, it’s very important that the Star City+ shines when it

road test, I rode the bike quite extensively in the city during rush hours and also managed to take it for a spin on the highway. The bike returned an

So, did the Star City+ manage to beat its predecessor? It is a resounding ‘Yes’ from

reliable motorcycles, and, in case of this bike, has worked effectively to iron out the few issues that were present in the previous model. As a result,

even better and able commuter. If reliability,

your primary concerns while buying an everyday commuter, look no further. In the crowded

might just be the catalyst bringing about a

Gloves DSGBoots WoodlandDenim Wrangler Tough Gear

Rider Sayem Parvez SyedHelmet StuddsJacket DSG

GEARCHECK

ROAD TEST


TVS STAR CITY+



SPEC TALKTVS STAR CITY+ ROAD TEST #144

Width 750mm Kerb Weight 109kgBattery 12 V / 5.0 Ah, Analogue speedometer,

odometer and Digital fuel guage

Wheelbase 1260mm

Heig

ht 1

080m

m

Sadd

le H

eigh

t 78

5mm

Ground Clearance 172mm

Length 1980mm

OVERALL 50,144 (OTR, Pune)

Max Torque

Power To Weight

Bore X Stroke

Comp Ratio

Fuel Supply

Max Power

8.7 Nm @ 5000 RPM

77.06 PS/Ton

53.5 x 48.8mm

9.2:1

Carburettor

8.4 PS @ 7000 RPM

Digital CDI

4-str, single cyl, air-cooled

109.7cc

4 Valves

Ignition

Type

Displacement

Valvetrain

Electric+KickStarting

Overall *

Highway

City

Fuel Tank Capacity

67 km/l

76 km/l

64 km/l

10 litres

Clutch

Gears

Primary Drive

Wet, Multiplate

Four

Gearshift Pattern

All-up

Gear

Range 670 km

* is 75% city riding and 25% highway

Final Drive Chain

Performance testing by Piyush Sonsale

Standing Quarter Mile (0-400m) [email protected] km/h

ROLL - ON 3rd 4th 30-60 km/h 11.33s 19.65s

Top Speed 90.83 km/h

Speedometer error True Speed Indicated Speed 31.87 km/h 32 km/h 56.93 km/h 62 km/h 74.93 km/h 80 km/h 90.83 km/h 98 km/h

BRAKING*60km/h to standstill 29.44 metres / 3.74s80km/h to standstill 55.82 metres / 5.32s

Suspension (Front)

Suspension (Rear)

Telescopic forks

5 step adjustable hydraulic shock absorbers

Type

Brakes (Rear)Tyre (F/R)

Brakes (Front)Single downtube

110mm drum2.75 x173.00 x 17

130mm drum

02 148 206 1812 244 1610 22

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

TIME, SECONDS

ACCELERATION

0.61s

3.31s

7.68s

18.62s

The all-new front and rear-end of the Star City+ is understated but distinctive from its predecessor

engine for a proper balance between power and economy, thus catering to both commuter and enthusiast

The analogue/digital combo is simple and effective. Notice TVS’ standard Eco/Power modes

Large, angular mirrors are well-positioned and provide good visibility at all times

The drum brake setup packs a good bite but we wish it soon gets a disc, at least as an option delivery and helps in commuting effortlessly

TVS STAR CITY+





LIVIN’ LA VIDA VESPA

What happens when two adventurous souls get an opportunity to discover ‘God’s own country’ with some much-needed

STORY: SAYEM PARVEZ SYED PHOTOGRAPHY: ROMMEL ALBUQUERQUE

FEATURE VESPA S


Vespa Travelogue_July 2014.indd 78 6/13/2014 4:25:19 PM


VESPA S




FEATURE VESPA S




WITH THE ARABIAN SEA TO the west, the Western Ghats towering in the east and networked

by 44 rivers, the enchanting State of Kerala enjoys unique geographical features that have made it one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in the world. Thus, when Piaggio India invited us for a short experiential ride with the new Vespa S at the gorgeous lake resort of Kumarakom, I was all smiles for this much-needed holiday.

of the gods. I had heard a lot about Kerala – salubrious climate and a long shoreline with serene beaches, tranquil stretches of emerald backwaters, lush hill stations, exotic wildlife, picturesque waterfalls as well as sprawling

discover this paradise on earth!We touched down in Kerala on a dark, cloudy

day. The thunder gods were in full swing as the

hour drive took us to our destination: Vembanad Lake, Kumarakom, where the marketing bigwigs of Vespa were going to launch the ‘Do you Vespa?’ campaign. The essence of organizing this experiential ride in Kerala for us journos was to create a much-needed buzz and to throw light on how Vespa owners are a class apart from other scooterists the world over.

Vespa scooters greeted us at the Kumarakom lake resort. It just felt like a crazy carnival of bright Arancio Taormina (orange) Vespas. There were Vespa scooters parked at almost all corners of the resort, a few of them even managed to attract the lens of my photographer colleague – a Vespa S which was parked on a traditional Kerala canoe and another that graced the edge of

It was a near-perfect setting for the fun evening that was planned for us. The backwaters looked scenic and calm during sunset and the stage was set for an informal press conference on day one as M V Krishna, VP, Marketing, Vespa India, greeted us and focused our attention on the giant screen which showcased the Vespa legacy movie clip. This was quickly followed by performances

VESPA S




even when at anchor. I managed to strike up a conversation with the boatmen and they gladly allowed us to use their majestic boats as part of our photo shoot.

As we rode ahead and decided to wander farther into the lush countryside, the helpful local people were perfect guides to us. We came to know about a close ferry point and decided to follow the trail. On the narrow, twisting lanes up to the ferry dock, the Vespa S shone like a star. Its 125-cc mill provided adequate power and ensured brisk progress, while the ride felt comfortable at all times even with a pillion. The front disc brake provided ample stopping power and the sticky tyres kept the scooter planted. We soon reached our ferry and got some great pictures. It was

interesting to see the people not paying heed to the incoming ferry’s hoots, for the Vespa S had them in its thrall, not to mention our antics to portray ourselves as supermodels.

Waving goodbye to the genial local citizens, both of us were back on the country road and decided to head back to our resort. Evening was upon us and there was a blissful atmosphere, riding on the

out of this world. As I was riding back, I pondered the ‘Do you Vespa?’ campaign and the ride that I had just taken part in. I

conclusion: the Vespa is not just a scooter, it’s a part of one’s personality, a style statement and a lifestyle!

of renowned sand artist Rahul Arya, who highlighted Vespa’s rich heritage with his breath-taking sand-art, and acclaimed stand-up comedian, Papa CJ, who left us all in splits with his ‘Do you Vespa?’ stint. We had to play the role of a discoverer the next day so we decided to call it a day.

Next morning, we were greeted by a clear blue sky and, thankfully, the sun was out in all its glory. It was a perfect setting for us. We were handed the keys to our sporty and stunning Vespa S, and, just like eager beavers, both of us took off to explore the serenity of these enchanted backwaters. We didn’t know the local language nor did we have any guidance maps with us, but the moment we stepped out on to the country roads we became instant celebrities. Children and adults alike were attracted to the Vespa S; eyes popping all over the countryside.

The roads in Kerala are mostly two-lane ones with a lot of buses taking up most of the space. The roads were a bit wet and slippery after the previous night’s downpour, but with the Vespa’s decent riding dynamics, we had very little to

the route in our minds while cruising along the country road when we came across a

calm backwaters. These intricately designed river vessels are simply gorgeous

FEATURE VESPA S




ADS_July14.indd 147 6/13/2014 4:22:49 PM

http://www.tradus.com

http://www.aaronhelmet.com



Thekkady

Munnar

KANYAKUMARI

OOTY

PUNE

Madikeri

Mangalore

Udupi

Goa

Ratnagiri

Mahabaleshwar

DASADA

Junagadh

Sasan Gir

Vadodara

DahanuBordi

TRAVELOGUE


TRIUMPH TIGER TRAVELOGUE

Triumph Tiger Travelogue_July2014.indd 84 6/13/2014 3:24:01 PM


The Triumph Tiger 800XC tackles city, coast, highway, forest and the vast deserted expanse as it heads from Pune to more of the west coast, the Gir National Park, and the Rann of Kutch, braving the scorching summer

A TIGER’S TALE #III

INTO THE LION’S DEN

STORY: JIM GORDE | PHOTOGRAPHY: SANJAY RAIKAR





THE TRIUMPH TIGER 800XC has been a fantastic companion ever since we began our journey from the very tip of southern India.

Having covered forests and hill stations, beaches and mountain roads, there wasn’t anything which made the beast

more beaches, we would head west to Gujarat and the forests of Gir before

that is the Rann of Kutch.Pune, home to many of us here, can

get rather crowded during the day. Okay, that’s a huge understatement, and that meant we would leave as early as our senses would allow, but, before that, we just had to visit some more must-see sights. The famous marketplace in the heart of the oldest part of the city,

landmark, the Dagdusheth Temple, which becomes a hub of activity during

immense interest is Sarasbaug: sprawling lawns dotted about with trees and fountains; a nice way to unwind later in the evening. The street food junction or chowpatti becomes active then and you can indulge in a variety of local favourites

from bhel and pani-puri to pav-bhaaji. However, we had a long way to go, and it was just a few hours until we hit the road.

In the wee hours of a Saturday morning, we set off towards Thane. The highway would only be used so much.

primed and ready for the adventure ahead. It looked forward to taking on the rough and heading out into new lands. I, for one, couldn’t wait to set all those eager horses free.

close to the Maharashtra-Gujarat border. Once you set off, the road takes you along the outskirts of Mumbai and Thane. The highway is a joy to tackle, but the sheer number of trucks along the way can be annoying, especially with their overtaking competitions seeing single-digit speeds. The ghat section going past Lonavla is quite cool, especially at the time we had reached there, with sunrise still at least a couple of hours away. Once on the main highway, the Tiger opened up and began sprinting. Some sections offer you the opportunity to try out some truly ridiculous speeds, but we refrained from

ahead would have in store for us.

THE SPICE IS RIGHT:

TRAVELOGUE TRIUMPH TIGER TRAVELOGUE




PLACES OF INTEREST

Pune: Saras Baug, Shaniwarwada, Dagdusheth Temple, Osho Ashram

Dahanu: Dahanu Fort, Dahanu Beach

Vadodara: Kirti Temple, Sursagar Lake, Laxmi Vilas Palace

Sasan Gir: Gir National Park

Dasada: Little Rann of Kutch, Rann Riders Resort

AT A GLANCE

Route: Pune - Thane - Dahanu - Bordi - Vadodara - Sasan Gir - Junagadh - Dasada

Distance Travelled: 1,320 km

Where foliage meets sand - Dahanu Beach





SOLACE FOUND:The Kirti Temple in Vadodara





The road to Dahanu requires you to turn off the main highway and head into town. The area is famous for its beaches and plantations. There are acres of fruit orchards along the way as you head towards the beach, away from the highway. The coastal road here is absolutely beautiful. The water is brown, taking its colour from the sand. There are just a few people around and every so

docked by the side of a shack. The road goes up to another beach village, Bordi, even closer to the State border. Bordi is

extremely scenic locales. The beach seems to go on for miles and the sparse population, everywhere except the busy village centre with its buzzing marketplace, means you can actually relax and enjoy the ride. Ahead is the city

country centuries ago. Now we were headed for Vadodara, and that meant taking the NH 8, leading to Vapi. The Kariya lake, just off the coast, makes for a tranquil halt when the heat gets to you. However, we were bent on pushing on.

The highways were crowded, but

out some good average speeds. After a quick lunch stop in Vapi, we continued down the NH 8. Riding down the highway late afternoon had hot winds whipping us head-on. No, astride the Tiger, they didn’t make me break into a sweat, but the sheer dry heat meant the temperature was soaring beyond what I was remotely expecting. We didn’t know then, but there was a heat-wave in Gujarat. That explained the 44º C temperature that had to be ridden through as we passed Surat and left it behind in a hurry, the heat having no remorse.

It was almost evening by the time we saw the exit on the highway signalling our arrival in Vadodara. The busy marketplace we went through led to one of the old gates to the city. It was quite a structure, and with some policemen looking on, we managed to get some quick pictures before heading to the Kirti

Luckily for us, when we got there, the place was deserted. The sun was beginning to set and the evening light made the orange Tiger stand out and gleam. Our luck carried through to the hotel, which wasn’t too far away from the temple or the sights we’d seen on our way

there. Dinner was an interesting egg fast-food affair and, apart from the sweltering heat, we came away happy with our choice of eatery.

Early next morning, we hit the not-so-busy streets to try and capture the big Shiva statue situated in the middle of the Sursagar Lake. Needless to say, it was quite a sight to watch the sun rise from behind it. However, we had to scoot because it was a big day for us: the Tiger would enter the lion’s den, but only if we managed to reach Sasan Gir before 2.30

the majestic Laxmi Vilas Palace, still used as a palatial dwelling, complete with peacocks in the yard.

Our route to Sasan Gir would take us past some of the lesser-used highways, and that meant long stretches and high speeds. The Bhavnagar-Pipali highway also had the Velavadar National Park en

wasn’t allowed in at the gate, so I made a dash towards the salt for some quick pictures. Seeing the white mountains of salt over twice my height and a conveyor belt adding more volume with every passing second was quite a sight! Pure rock salt was streaming down, with the occasional lump rolling down all the way to the ground. After a quick stop, we were off, approaching the junction which would take us either to Bhavnagar or bypass Amreli. It was getting

to cool off at the next little town en route, Chalala. We had a simple lunch of sev-tomato curry and rotis, a typical local lunch, before gunning it towards the Gir National Park.

Barely after we entered the boundaries of the reserve, we spotted some deer.

deer. The road had turned from a mix of broken tarmac and rubble to non-existence, with stones, mud and tracks forming our path into the forest. Even though it was hot and dry, there was no shortage of greenery. The types of trees around gave the surroundings equal measures of lush and spooky; many a dead tree with skeletal branches was there forming the backdrop, seemingly spying on us through the foliage. As we made our way through, we found the place deserted, save for some jumpy spotted deer and sambhar, which couldn’t be bothered. I decided to explore the forest a bit, but the howl from the Tiger’s triple was probably enough to warn anything around of my presence a good bit before I actually got

GEAR CHECK

Riders: Jim Gorde,Harket Suchde,Ravi Chandnani,Sanjay Raikar

Helmet: THHJacket: TriumphPants: TriumphGloves: TriumphBoots: RJays Altitude

IN THE TOOLBOX

Chain lubricant,Allen keys,Spanners

A watchful eye over Sursagar lake

You are nowentering Vadodara





there. The Tiger’s tyres offered commendable grip and the bike felt absolutely stable. That meant I didn’t have to pay attention to trivial things like throttle control and grip levels in the mud I was traversing. After a quick detour, we were back on track, all set to head into the lion’s den. The Lion Safari starts from

adapted SUVs and guides to take you through the forests in the search for the elusive king of the jungle. We hoped we would spot some lions, majestically basking in the summer sun, although we did know fully well that it was all down to chance, and being in the right place at the right time.

The sun was beginning to set as we headed out of Sasan Gir hoping to make the most of daylight. It was still sweltering as we stopped to cool off in the shade of some trees. There was something about the sunset in the isolation which grew into civilisation again. There was farmland on either

irrigation had turned the whole place into a lush green paradise. I popped my visor a crack, and the air was warm but felt soothing. There was no need for speed. This was serenity being handed to me on a road I had to take. What could be better?

The greenery went on for miles, and soon we spotted human construction and

that got my attention was the Groundnut Research Centre. Yes, a research facility for groundnuts! I felt quite stoked about that and realised that agriculture is something very serious. That was just what I needed to ponder over as I took on the curves at high speeds. The needle’s vertical, the engine is howling away, the wind is attacking me and I’m wondering what sort of tests they subject groundnuts to and if they indeed were dicotyledons, if I remember my secondary school science right. Before I knew it, I was in the middle of the bustling city centre of Junagadh. After asking some locals, we checked into the Leo Resort, which was a stone’s throw

next morning.Junagadh seemed like a rather pleasant

town at sunrise, and there were hardly any people about as we made our way through some narrow lanes to get to the fort. Historically, Uperkot has been around since 319 BC, constructed over two millennia ago. The entry gate is

several cannons at varying heights. Looking up at the fort with the sun rising in the background made me remember my history lessons and my mind vividly displayed images of what the battles must have been like back then.

There is a cobbled pathway which leads into the fort, revealing more passageways. Thankfully, the Tiger was allowed inside for a small fee. As I made my way in, the road got higher and the view even more spectacular. Inside the fort was a road, a normal one, with dirt and plants on the side. It led up an incline to a wall overlooking the ramparts, complete with two more huge cannons on each side, imported from Egypt. Just beyond them is the Jama Masjid. Exploring the many rooms it holds within its many (140, to be precise) pillars can take a while. It was easy to lose track of time as I continued exploring.

We exited the fort and proceeded through the city, which was now quite packed with people and vehicles. The road out of Junagadh was actually a narrow street that went through the city and which would eventually lead us out on to the long, straight highway 8D through Jetpur and Gondal. The stretch from Gondal to Rajkot was a dream:

and hardly any animal intervention. That meant only one thing: the Tiger could stretch its legs and make headway for Dasada. The triple was up for it and was very vocal with its happiness. The acceleration is so brisk, it’s on open stretches like these that you can really feel the horses in the Tiger come alive. Hitting 80 km/h takes just a couple of seconds, but it’s the way the engine pulls so cleanly in any gear which really speaks loads about its rideability. It’s just as comfortable pottering about at 50 km/h in sixth gear, and that has a big part to play in making it a great bike for touring, on and off road.

It was almost afternoon when we arrived at the outskirts of Dasada. Our destination was a unique resort called Rann Riders. I’d heard a lot about the place and was looking forward to getting there. Besides, the temperature was an unholy 47º C and the sun was glaring down with an intensity that no one in their right mind would be comfortable. I am infamous for having beads of perspiration take over my forehead while many are

BIKE INDIA RATINGS

Triumph Tiger 800XCFuel Economy:

Engine:

Transmission:

Chassis:

Performance:

Overall:

This one’s on a branch, not on tap





TIGER ON THE PROWL: Gir National Park

Into the lion’s den, then

We did feel like we were being watched

Would you like your Sambhar mixed?

Quite the colourful couple they make





THINGS TO CARRY

Pack light and carry only the essentials while riding. For longer trips, you may require saddlebags, so select a set specifically made for your kind of bike. Strap them down with the help of bungee cords, so that they don’t move around when in motion.Other necessities, like official papers and gadgets, can be carried in a tank-bag. This way, you have easy access to them when you take breaks. Fuel up the bike at the beginning of the ride everyday.Also try and keep your hip pockets empty to avoid discomfort over long rides. A hydration pack can also be a big help at times.

this was far from ideal for me. I point out to my photographer how even the locals have taken shelter under whatever few trees were alongside the road. Not an animal was stirring and yet here we were, the Tiger running along with its temperature gauge a tad over half the distance between ‘C’ and ‘H’.

A simple gate with a signboard and a wall signal your arrival. The desert-like heat had got to everyone and we were irritable and just looking for a break. The moment we entered the compound, though, it all changed! Rann Riders was like an oasis in a desert, quite literally, I might add. The off-road ready SUVs and

rustic dining area and the hut-like cottages were a welcome sight after the miles we’d spent in the scorching sun. Getting the opportunity to stay there was all thanks to members of our team visiting the place a few times in the past few years. Although it was closed for the off season, the owner had us put up in two air-conditioned cottages. While wondering what we could do for lunch, a soft knock on the door followed by a quick word telling us that lunch was ready got us upbeat even more. Finally, we got to experience the dining area. It wouldn’t be fair to call it a restaurant; the

ambience was far more exclusive and serene than many a great restaurant I’ve had the pleasure of visiting. There was even a peacock, the owner’s pet, frolicking around and basically just relaxing on the sofas. A pug, named Princy, would also become a close companion over the course of the day.

lunch which comprised a surprisingly extensive menu, we went off for a quick power nap. The stone pathways, wood

enthralled me as I made my way back to

the hut. This was indeed an oasis. If it wasn’t for the scorching heat, I would have surely explored every inch of the place. However, Little Rann of Kutch was calling, and we would answer that evening.

Rann Riders had arranged for a guide to take us to the expansive salt desert, which was about 40 kilometres away. We set off at 5.00 pm and made our way past the little stretch of highway and a village with the road getting narrower with each turn we took. Soon the background began to turn into more

HEAVY ARTILLERY:All the way from Egypt

The 140 pillars ofthe Jama Masjid





Trails of dust erupted behind me and the howl from the engine was the sound of freedom. It took over and all I wanted to do was go back and forth, enjoying the endless expanse

sand and less vegetation. I was gingerly making my way over the sand banks which, once regular, had now turned into the only terrain. I was so focused on not toppling with the Tiger that I didn’t realise the elevation changes and the fact that we were getting closer to the endlessly sprawling desert of a different kind. The guide was directing us, going by mounds of sand and bushes. I couldn’t fathom how well he knew the place. Soon enough, the salt desert was all the eye could see: it was land, background and horizon.

As I came to a stop and got off the bike, I began to take in where we were. Cracked mud-cakes with salt topping were what I would like to describe it as. Then began the speed runs. There was not a soul in sight, not a sign of movement, and, most importantly, no speed limits! I imagined Bonneville (the place, not the Tiger’s sister) and the speed records that so many have attempted on this treacherous surface. Increase tyre pressure. Reduce tyre pressure. Close all

was tried there, but, here, we weren’t about to set any speed records. We were here for fun, to explore and push our own limits. And that we would gladly do. It was hot, and the anticipation had got me

breathless. I couldn’t contain myself standing still and hopped back on the bike and went far till Sanjay, my photographer, was but a dot in my visor. Like a heat-seeking missile, I opened the throttle and let the Tiger loose.

The speedo rose to 50, then 80 and I felt what sort of grip was on offer. There was very little really. One shift in weight would mean I was off. Holding a straight line was everything! As the needle climbed to 100 km/h, I was gunning for glory. Trails of dust erupted behind me and the howl from the engine was the sound of freedom. It took over and all I wanted to do was go back and forth, enjoying the endless expanse. The sun was setting in the background and Sanjay

dusk settled in, we set up our portable tent. Late-evening shots would be another experience. Pitch darkness would soon step in, and millions of stars would light up the night sky.

It was mesmerising. The Rann. It puts things in perspective. How minuscule we are. How large such a tiny dot on a map can be. How there is much beauty in everything for those who seek it. How deep you can go into nowhere and yet know exactly where you are. Yes, we had to leave early, and, no, I didn’t care.





COMMUTING WITHOUT FUSSThe Mahindra Pantero has been my long-term bike for over six months now, and the plucky little commuter has become a part of my daily commute to work and back. Over this length of time, I’ve pretty much

falls short. The positives for me are its massive fuel-

tank capacity of 12.7 litres, and how nimble

too is par the course. It isn’t a bad-looker either, and has a very modern digital dash-board, which are also points in its favour.

On the downside, the fuel economy of around 40 km/l in the city falls short of its segment rivals. The power from the 106.7-cc engine kicks in really late in the rev range, resulting in slow acceleration, which makes it feel underpowered, especially when it has to lug a big built guy like me. Lastly, the lack of disc brake makes riding, particularly with the monsoon setting in, a bit of a challenge.

Overall, the Pantero does what it was supposed to do, getting me from point A to point B with the minimum fuss.

— HARKET SUCHDE

NOT JUST ONE MORE GEAR

I did not have to contend with any mechanical glitches for most of this time).

years, followed by the 125-cc Heat for the past six years. The Heat, now defunct, is a

rode the GS 150R, the latest entrant into the

months ago, I thought that I was graduating by one gear, for this one is a six-speed machine. I soon realised, however, that it was not restricted to just that.

I became alive to the GS 150R’s superiority in other departments as well,

Being a heavier bike than the Heat, it adheres to the tarmac in a much more

gradient, on account of its 150-cc engine.So far so good. I have done about 6,000

kilometres on this bike, and, as I had anticipated, have nothing to grumble about.

— DEEPAK UPADHYE

AWESOME ITALIAN

and brings the smile back on our faces. While the classic red Vespa LX was a joy to ride and looked like nothing else on the road, always being the centre of attraction, the new VX takes things further, and just where we would have liked it to.

The VX brings in MRF Zapper tyres and a disc brake – two very important additions that vastly improve ride and

stop on a dime, or coin. The colour is a new one too, and it reminds me of a refreshing drink on a hot day, which is

day’s work. Its peppy engine, which is also among the most powerful scooter engines in India, can really pick up its heels and go! Even after all those miles, there hasn’t been a whimper of complaint and the VX continues doing what it does best: making every journey a joy and keeping that smile plastered on my face!

— VARUN KULKARNI

BI GARAGE


Long Term_July2014.indd 94 6/13/2014 3:20:24 PM


TRULY MORE POWERFULThe Honda Activa 125 launch took place in Mumbai. My colleague and I went to collect the scooter as it was given to us for long-term use and my task was to shoot the scooter for the road test en route to Pune. The next day I asked my colleague how the bike was. Seeing the smile on his face I could make out. He said the bike was really wonderful. My own long-term bike had just gone back and I wanted one for my daily commute to and

Activa 125.True to my colleague’s experience I

found the Activa 125 amazing. It really was more powerful than its predecessor. It handled well and was best when manoeuvring and overtaking other vehicles on the road. One thing I found a little worrisome was its headlight. The low beam’s reach was very feeble. It did not illuminate the road properly, as a result of which potholes were not visible at night. However, the high beam was good. Overall, a good scooter to live with.

— SANJAY RAIKAR

ABLE COMMUTERThe TVS Phoenix has been with us for almost a year now and it’s been treating me brilliantly ever since. The 125-cc mill

and everyday commuting on the crowded city roads is a pleasant affair. I have managed to clock a total of 11,000+ kilometres on the odometer, riding all over Pune and its environs. Even while riding on the highway the bike turns out to be quite a decent performer.

My Phoenix has been rock-solid for me all these months and I have never had a major issue with the bike. What is surprising is that my commuter has only undergone four services to date, but it still manages to perform exceptionally well. The comfortable long seat, decent

big hit with my family too.— SANTOSH WADHAI

ON OR OFF ROAD? long time now and clocked over 15,000 km on it. I know that isn’t much, but those 15,000 km have been a mixture of mostly rough terrain and a little bit of metalled roads. The button tyres on the Impulse offer really good grip on mud, slushy terrain and even sand, but what about when you are riding on tarmac? Well, I went for a short ride to Khopoli last weekend to see just how much grip the tyres would offer me. By the time I reached Lonavla, about 65 km from my house, the tyres were all warmed up and it was time to tackle some twisties. Open road in front of me,

hander. I leaned in a bit, then came the right-hander, I leaned in a bit more. By the end of the twisties and a small bout on the curves that the Pune-Mumbai expressway had to offer, I reached Khopoli. In typical tradition, I parked the bike and started sipping a cup of tea as I took a 360-degree walk round the bike. So how much grip did the tyres offer, how much could this on- and off-road bike lean? An inspection of the tyres showed a negligible amount of half a button untouched by tarmac. Half a button! Leaning the bike around corners was easy and the bike felt planted. The tyres offered good traction and the

leaned over. So we’ve now proved this bike is good not only on rough terrain, but on tarmac as well.

— ROMMEL ALBUQUERQUE

BIKE INDIA GARAGE


Long Term_July2014.indd 95 6/13/2014 3:20:29 PM


It seems that dominating the TT last year was not enough for Michael Dunlop, who returned to the Isle of Man this year to

time his winning streak included the prestigious Senior TT

REPORT: RAVI CHANDNANI PHOTOGRAPHY: IOMTT.COM

HE MAY NOT HAVE WON THE SENIOR TT last year, but that is not the case this year. Michael Dunlop not only impressed the spectators with his

Senior TT win this year, but he also lifted the overall TT championship trophy named after his late uncle and great racer, Joey Dunlop. We take a look at the youngster’s performance at the 2014 IOM TT and also tell you about other great men who risk everything for a place on the podium at the world’s oldest, most prestigious and dangerous motorcycle racing event.

THE DUNLOP REIGN CONTINU

SPORT 2014 ISLE OF MAN TT


IOMTT_July 2014.indd 96 6/13/2014 2:41:31 PM


http://www.motul.in

http://www.facebook.com/motulindia

ES

2014 ISLE OF MAN TT




http://www.motul.in


SUPERBIKE RACE Michael (centre) shares the podium with maverick racer Guy Martin and local hero Connor Cummins

Michael Dunlop, the new king of the mountain, at the start of the Superbike race on his BMW





http://www.motul.in


SUPERSPORT RACE ONEIt was quite a dramatic Supersport race for the whole equation changed as it got under way. The 60.72-km-long mountain course saw Briton Gary Johnson pilot his Triumph Daytona 675R to victory for newcomer Smiths Racing team. It was

Brit was also engaged in a duel with Kiwi rider

of the race. Bruce and Gary kept swapping the lead and there was also a time when Gary had gained a 2.5-second lead on Anstey.

With just two miles to go the gap was just 0.011 seconds when Gary pulled a quick one and

completed the podium in third place.

during the supersport race wherein 65-year old

favourite event.

SUPERSTOCK RACE

early lead in the race and held on to it for a perfect win. The Northern Ireland youngster piloted his

Dean Harrison. Bruce Anstey rode at a

event of the TT week.The four-lap Superstock race also witnessed

the second casualty of the 2014 TT. Three-time

crashed at Joey’s corner which ultimately resulted in his death.

Amazing talent: Gary Johnson, winner of the Supersport race one

Uncle Joey and father Robert Dunlop will be so proud of Michael

Michael Dunlop was fast on the BMW, but he was equally good on the Honda in Supersport race two

2014 ISLE OF MAN TT




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SUPERSPORT RACE TWOThis one was an epic race because Michael once again proved that he has the talent and passion to enter the record books just like his uncle Joey. The 25-year-old rider stunned everyone by winning the second Supersport race, which he

easy win, for his closest rival, Bruce Anstey, was giving Michael a tough time by being right on his tail. Michael’s exceptional talent allowed him to keep the lead and win the race with a 10-second margin. On his part, Bruce did no give up right till the end, but had to be content with a second-

The race also saw a number of retirements which helped many riders jump up a position. Tyco Suzuki rider William Dunlop was running second for a while, but he slipped into third position after Bruce Anstey overtook him to slip

Michael Dunlop followed by Bruce Anstey in second and William Dunlop in third. The Supersport win was Michael’s 10th TT win and it elevated him to the likes of great riders like Giacomo Agostini, Stanley Woods, Rob Fisher and Ian Lougher.

Flawless performance by Michael at this year’s TT established him as a legend at the island

Stars of the TT take a moment to honour Karl Harris and Bob Price, both of whom died this year





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SENIOR TTThe most awaited race of the TT was a very exciting one as there was a lot of drama on the mountain course. Weather conditions were

the top two spots on the podium. William led the charge as the race commenced. He was closely followed by Manxman Connor Cummins and Guy Martin in second and third respectively. Following the top three were Dean Harrison in

in sixth. Michael Dunlop, however, was running seventh.

But Michael did not stay there

and was moving up the leader board. By the end of lap one, he had slipped into the lead and was charging ahead at great speed. William, on the other hand, was not able to maintain his lead and was forced down to fourth.

local hero Connor Cummins moved up the chart into second while

a comfortable third place.On lap two, Michael and

his BMW S 1000 RR really

Michael was able to put in a really fast lap, creating a new lap record in the process. His average

also extended his lead to 7.7 seconds

Meanwhile, behind Michael, Connor Cummins had slipped to fourth place with

Guy Martin was still in third.

Dunlop, who crashed at Les Graham Memorial,

Nobles Hospital for immediate treatment. Michael was still in the lead, but William’s accident had opened up the second place which

Martin still remained in number three spot. He didn’t win it last year, but this year he simply stunned everyone by winning the Senior TT

2014 ISLE OF MAN TT




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Lap four saw Michael extend his lead to 13 seconds, but at the second pit-stop Connor was able to catch Michael and reduce the gap to 9.5 seconds as he put a very quick lap. By now, the gap between Cummins and Martin was 10 seconds.

gap between the two was just seven seconds at Glen Helen. As the rest of the pack encountered

Michael was able to pull away from Connor thus increasing his lead.

By the last lap, Michael had piled up a comfortable lead of 14 seconds on Cummins, who was running second. Guy Martin was just nine seconds behind Cummins during the last

Michael Dunlop was the fastest to complete the six laps of the Senior TT and claim his fourth victory of the 2014 TT Championship. This was also the 11th win of his short TT career. He joined the ranks of Steve Hislop and Phillip McCallen by winning the Senior TT and also claimed his

Dean Harrison on his RC Express racing Kawasaki

Conrad Harrison and Mike Aylott





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right for the Joey Dunlop TT Championship Trophy. On the podium Michael was joined by local hero Connor Cummins, who rode his Honda Racing machine to a perfect second-place

Martin, who claimed his 15th podium by

Michael Dunlop was crowned the 2014 TT Champion followed by Bruce Anstey, who put in

became the fastest man to lap the Mountain

TT Legend and the second most successful

among the top 15 in every race he participated. There was one event where he reigned supreme:

manage the same in other races because of his wrist injury, he was able to pull up a lighting-fast lap, setting a new lap record for electric

ahead of team-mate, Bruce Anstey, who gave the

spot. The third place went to Rob Barber, thus completing the electric podium.

Harrison is a TT sidecar regular and has

and won the second race.Another exciting class, the Lightweight TT,

victory by leading the three-lap Lightweight race

in the lightweight class was another youngster, James Cowton.

Dave Molyneux and Patrick Farrance claimed the top spot in sidecar race two

“Morecambe Missile” John McGuinness won the TT Zero race, his 21st TT win

2014 ISLE OF MAN TT




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AS VALENTINO ROSSI SAID AT Le Mans, “Marc is the only one who squeezes 100 per cent out of the bike.”

And all those riders who thought that they were already at 100 per cent need to start all over again.

MotoGP RaceWell, at least Marquez made a race of it by

it was Lorenzo’s lap-one move on the champ that pushed him off the track at the Garage Vert hairpin. For the next 12 laps there was fun aplenty as Marquez pushed to the front.

On lap three of 28 he slipped past Bautista at

inside Smith into the Esses Bleu, on lap seven he out-braked Lorenzo into Turn Two and later that same lap he rode right round the outside of Dovizioso at the Esses Bleu.

That left the three leaders – Rossi, Espargaro and Bradl – some way ahead. But with a clear track, Marquez broke the lap record and closed for the kill. On laps 10 and 11 he repeated his Turn Two pass on Bradl and Espargaro, which left only Rossi ahead.

The Italian had earlier snatched the lead from fast-starting Dovizioso and was nearly a second ahead at one point. But Marquez reeled him in at the rate of several tenths of a lap until he was

ready to pounce. Rossi saved him the effort by running wide into the Esses Bleu and gifting the lead to his pursuer.

Of course, Marquez rued the fact that he

Valentino, I expected a nice battle, but he made a

and I enjoyed today because I had to make a lot of overtakes.”

his fault. “I was too relaxed at the start, so many riders overtook me, including Lorenzo, then I was too close to him, so I had to go off the track. After that my eyes were always on Valentino.”

By the last lap Marquez had effortlessly stretched his advantage to 3.4 seconds, but

seconds. Rossi was delighted to be second. In reality, the seven-time MotoGP king was back to his very best; after all, if it wasn’t for this young interloper, he would’ve won the race. “I am so happy about my race,” said Rossi after his third

class podium. “When I had Andrea and Bradl in front, I knew I was faster, so I could take the lead. I was strong on braking, but I was on the limit trying to keep Marc behind me. If I hadn’t braked too deep into Turn Nine, I think I could’ve fought with him for a few laps and it

REPORT: MAT OXLEY PHOTOGRAPHY: DPPI

WHO CAN STOP THE MARQUEZ STEAMROLLER?

SPORT


MotoGP FRANCE

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MotoGP FRANCE



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MOTOGPPOS. RIDER TIMING

1 Marc MARQUEZ 44’03.925

2 Valentino ROSSI +1.486

3 Alvaro BAUTISTA +3.144

4 Pol ESPARGARO +3.717

5 Dani PEDROSA +4.077

6 Jorge LORENZO +7.088

7 Stefan BRADL +11.527

8 Andrea DOVIZIOSO +22.103

9 Aleix ESPARGARO +22.626

10 Bradley SMITH +23.108

11 Cal CRUTCHLOW +25.780

12 Scott REDDING +39.523

13 Yonny HERNANDEZ +42.544

14 Hiroshi AOYAMA +42.736

15 Karel ABRAHAM +56.644

16 Michael LAVERTY +1’14.123

17 Colin EDWARDS +1’19.723

18 Broc PARKES +1’30.934

19 Mike DI MEGLIO +1’34.521

would’ve been fun. It was too easy for him!”Behind the two leaders Bautista comfortably

three since Motegi 2012. The result made him the happiest man on the podium, largely absolving him of his horrible run of three crashes from the

so good on the bike,” said Bautista, who may yet save his job.

Espargaro was just as happy as the top three, scoring by far his best MotoGP result after a steady start to his MotoGP apprenticeship. Unable to resist the fastest riders he held station in fourth for some while and fended off a late charge from Pedrosa, who struggled with a lack of front grip.

Pedrosa spent much of the race with the off-form Lorenzo. Last year Lorenzo was famous for his lightning starts and his ability to carve astonishing lap times with a clear track ahead. Now he seems a little lost if he doesn’t have a

same, I struggle to be smooth,” said Lorenzo who also made a settings error in warm-up that cost

Likewise Bradl, who changed his rear

suspension on race morning in search of more race grip, but found the opposite result.

the German.Dovizioso went backwards after leading the

lost the front and rear many times.”Espargaro was half-a-second down on the

and half-a-second in front of Smith. Crutchlow had a gloomy race in 11th, but at least he scored

was top RCV1000R rider after improving his

once again ran into electronics/fuelling trouble

took him out.

Bautista had one of his best races in MotoGP

Pol Espargaro managed to save his spot and had his best MotoGP finish so far

SPORT


MotoGP FRANCE



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Moto3POS. RIDER TIMING1 Jack MILLER 41’30.582

2 Alex RINS +0.095

3 Isaac VIÑALES +0.230

4 Francesco BAGNAIA +0.487

5 Alex MARQUEZ +0.931

6 Efren VAZQUEZ +0.940

7 Enea BASTIANINI +1.026

8 John MCPHEE +1.221

9 Alexis MASBOU +1.575

10 Jakub KORNFEIL +2.173

Moto2POS. RIDER TIMING1 Mika KALLIO 42’41.696

2 Simone CORSI +1.015

3 Esteve RABAT +1.303

4 Maverick VIÑALES +2.187

5 Luis SALOM +3.619

6 Jonas FOLGER +3.918

7 Dominique AEGERTER +12.324

8 Thomas LUTHI +15.552

9 Sam LOWES +17.627

10 Franco MORBIDELLI +28.704

Moto2Finn Mika Kallio (Marc VDS Kalex) won his second Moto2 race in a row. This time he didn’t lead from start to

Simone Corsi (NGM Kalex) in the early stages and was happy to stay

said Kallio. “Then when he slowed a

Kallio pounced with six laps to go and then got his head down so no one could mount a last-gasp attack.

crossing the line a second ahead of Corsi to close the points gap on slow-

Tito Rabat.

(HP40 Kalex) established a new lap

Moto3

in the 2014 Moto3 championship. This race was marked by innumerable changes of position in

had the door slammed in his face. The pair

won the race.

teenager whose KTM was down on the speed

Vazquez. On the last lap he twice grabbed the

Kallio scored his second consecutive win

Miller won the closely fought Moto3 race to extend his

championship lead


MotoGP FRANCE



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LORENZO FIGHTS BACK, BUT STILL MARQUEZ WINSJorge Lorenzo arrived at Mugello knowing that this had to be the weekend he turned his season around. Just once on the podium and nowhere

Lorenzo had won the previous three races at Mugello and he

REPORT: MAT OXLEY PHOTOGRAPHY: DPPI

THE YAMAHA WORKS WELL around Mugello’s sweeping curves and high-speed esses, and there was always

the chance that Marc Marquez might be a touch reticent, following his four crashes during the 2013 Italian GP, including that scary 209-mph get-off at the end of the main straight.

And then, of course, there was the Valentino Rossi factor. Contesting his 300th GP and fresh

and Le Mans, the nine-time champ was

since 2008. And the hillsides were busier than in years, a sea of yellow, hoping against hope that their hero could rekindle his glory years at the track that he had once made his own.

Lorenzo shows some sportsmanship in Parc Ferme

SPORT


MotoGP ITALY



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MotoGP RaceThis race was like a war, with a brief skirmish at the start, followed by a lengthy lull, before the real

Lorenzo won the initial skirmish, after

then Marquez shadowed the leader until two-

inside each other and outside each other, running wide and holding the line, running

both ran wide as they got into corners too hot,

most incredibly when he sneaked through on the inside at the Correntaio right-hander when there

some scary high-frequency headshakes, while

was ahead for most of the straight, allowing him

him a better line through the left kink before Turn

because that was the hardest race of the year,”

struggled to follow Jorge because his corner

MOTOGPPOS. RIDER TIMING

1 Marc MARQUEZ 41’38.254

2 Jorge LORENZO +0.121

3 Valentino ROSSI +2.688

4 Dani PEDROSA +14.046

5 Pol ESPARGARO +15.603

6 Andrea DOVIZIOSO +17.042

7 Andrea IANNONE +17.129

8 Alvaro BAUTISTA +27.407

9 Aleix ESPARGARO +41.886

10 Yonny HERNANDEZ +45.212

11 Michele PIRRO +45.433

12 Karel ABRAHAM +45.831

13 Scott REDDING +45.839

14 Hiroshi AOYAMA +46.834

15 Colin EDWARDS +1’09.554

16 Michael LAVERTY +1’17.789

17 Broc PARKES +1’35.031

18 Mike DI MEGLIO +1’37.501

Lorenzo was on the edge throughout the race and had many such hairy moments


MotoGP ITALY



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CHAMPIONSHIPPOS. RIDER TEAM PTS.

1 Marc MARQUEZ Honda 150

2 Valentino ROSSI Yamaha 97

3 Dani PEDROSA Honda 96

4 Jorge LORENZO Yamaha 65

5 Andrea DOVIZIOSO Ducati 63

6 Pol ESPARGARO Yamaha 49

7 Aleix ESPARGARO Forward Yamaha 44

8 Stefan BRADL Honda 39

9 Alvaro BAUTISTA Honda 34

10 Bradley SMITH Yamaha 34

11 Andrea IANNONE Ducati 34

12 Nicky HAYDEN Honda 23

13 Hiroshi AOYAMA Honda 23

14 Yonny HERNANDEZ Ducati 22

15 Scott REDDING Honda 21

16 Cal CRUTCHLOW Ducati 15

17 Karel ABRAHAM Honda 13

18 Colin EDWARDS Forward Yamaha 8

19 Michele PIRRO Ducati 5

20 Danilo PETRUCCI ART 2

21 Hector BARBERA Avintia 2

22 Broc PARKES PBM 1

Iannone was impressive in the fi rst half but that soft rear tyre was never going to last

SPORT


MotoGP ITALY



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Moto3This was a typically epic Mugello slipstreaming race, with a dozen or so riders in the lead group for most of the 20 laps.

corner didn’t win the race, and the top seven crossed the line separated by less than six-tenths of a second.

Once again it was Romano Fenati (Sky VR46

past Isaac Vinales (Calvo KTM) and Alex Rins (Estrella Galicia Honda) to win by just 0.010 seconds. Vinales and Rins dead-heated for second but Vinales got the nod following a video replay. Fourth went to Mahindra’s Miguel Oliveira, a further 0.121 seconds down.

It probably would have been 10 or 11 crossing the line within a second if it hadn’t been for a

Miller (Red Bull KTM) and three others. Miller was controversially awarded two penalty points for the incident.

Fenati’s third win in four races moved him closer to Miller and made him smile. “The last lap is always crazy at Mugello, no?” he grinned.

Moto2Tito Rabat (Marc VDS Kalex) won his third race of the year after making a dogged and successful

and Luis Salom (Pons Kalex).

nearly ran off the track and at half-distance it seemed as if he would have to settle for third. But

remaining. “I made a very good race because, on

had a lot of distance to make up,” he said.If Rabat was happy with his latest success

Moto2 rookies Salom and Folger had just as much reason to smile.

Five seconds behind them Simon Corsi (NGM Kalex) won a tight tussle for fourth, a fraction ahead of Dominique Aegerter

(Caterham Suter).

Moto2POS. RIDER TIMING1 Esteve RABAT 39’45.660

2 Luis SALOM +0.248

3 Jonas FOLGER +3.600

4 Simone CORSI +8.117

5 Dominique AEGERTER +8.124

6 Mika KALLIO +8.214

7 Johann ZARCO +8.781

8 Sam LOWES +10.575

9 Maverick VIÑALES +10.912

10 Franco MORBIDELLI +16.251

Moto3POS. RIDER TIMING1 Romano FENATI 39’46.256

2 Isaac VIÑALES +0.010

3 Alex RINS +0.010

4 Miguel OLIVEIRA +0.121

5 Niklas AJO +0.260

6 Alexis MASBOU +0.359

7 Alessandro TONUCCI +0.597

8 Juanfran GUEVARA +5.230

9 Brad BINDER +5.353

10 Karel HANIKA +5.395

Fenati celebrates home victory in Italian fl ag colours

Rabat fought his way to his third victory of the year and extended the points lead to 22


MotoGP ITALY



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SYKES THE SCRAPPERThe reigning champion was at his best again in front of home crowd

REPORT: PIYUSH SONSALE PHOTOGRAPHY: DPPI

SuperbikeDucati’s Davide Giugliano scored his second

kilometre-long Donington Park circuit was 1’44.903.

Race OneAprilia’s Sylvain Guintoli made a lightning start

corners. However, he was immediately under

his way up steadily. Sykes was in second by lap 17

Above: Tom Sykes on the podiumRight: Factory Kawasaki duo storming their way to victory

SupersportHonda’s Michael V D Mark secured the Supersport

unable to use the advantage in the race as he slipped

Race Two

start. Sykes started making his way up the order

lead by lap 11. From there onwards he set the with 159 points each. Sylvain Guintoli is third

Michael V D Mark on the Honda CBR600RR

SPORT


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THE ISLE OF MAN TT (Tourist Trophy) is one of the premier road racing events in the world. It is as dangerous as it is fast, having claimed more than 200 lives since its introduction in 1907. This year two more racers lost their lives during this fast-paced race. Bob Price, a 65-year-old car repair man from Gloucestershire, died in the Supersport One race near the village of Ballaugh. Scott Redding, 21-year-old British MotoGP rider and a close family friend of Price,

immediately pulled out of an appearance on the parade lap of the Blue Riband event, the Senior TT, on Friday. Tragedy struck again on Tuesday when three-time British Supersport champion, Karl Harris, lost his life in a

fatal collision at Joey’s Corner during the Superstock race.

Their deaths shocked the entire community, making competitors as well as spectators re-think about the harsh realities surrounding this dangerous event.

FRENCH TYRE manufacturers Michelin will replace Japan’s Bridgestone as the

from the 2016 season.Michelin was the

only tyre company to bid for the two-year contract after Bridgestone announced their exit at the end of 2015.

Michelin was a MotoGP tyre supplier from 1976 to 2008 during which

time they won 26 premier-class titles. In 2009 MotoGP became a single tyre supplier series. Michelin decided not to bid for the

contract at that time due to lack of competition in the control tyre format. Bridgestone has been the sole tyre supplier to the MotoGP class ever since while Dunlop provides tyres to the Moto2 and Moto3 support classes.

THE LATE MARCO Simoncelli was posthumously inducted into the MotoGP Hall of Fame at Mugello.

Simoncelli tragically lost his life in 2011 during the second lap of the Malaysian Grand Prix. Dorna CEO

Marco as a MotoGP Legend at the Italian circuit in the presence of Marco’s father, Paolo Simoncelli. Marco Simoncelli is the latest rider to receive grand prix motorcycle

racing’s honour after Casey Stoner, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame last year at Phillip Island.

Only 21 grand prix riders have received this honour, legends like Kevin Schwantz, Kenny Roberts Sr, and Giacomo Agostini being among them. In addition to being the 2008 250-cc World Champion, Simoncelli’s record includes 15 pole positions, 31 podiums, and 14 victories across the three grand prix classes.

THE MUSEO OLIMPICO IN Barcelona hosted the release of the

Marquez, three-time world champion and the youngest ever rider to win a MotoGP title. This

of books to be written about him. Not many would be aware of the fact that before Marc Marquez became the youngest premier-class champion, the record was held by Freddie Spencer.

The author of the book, respected Spanish sport journalist Emilio Perez De Rozas, asked Spencer to contribute a special foreword. Spencer (aka Fast Freddie) was also present at the Barcelona release along with Marquez himself and Rozas.

The biography is in Spanish and an English version will take some time, so non-Spanish-speaking fans of the baby-faced champ have to wait a little longer.

KARL HARRIS

SPORT


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DEALER FOR APRILIA AND MOTO GUZZI

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127 INDIAN, KAWASAKI128 KTM129 LML, MAHINDRA 2 WHEELERS, MOTO GUZZI130 ROYAL ENFIELD, SUZUKI131 TRIUMPH132 TVS133 VIBGYOR, YAMAHA

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PRIC

E (O

TR P

UNE)

ENGI

NE

CAPA

CITY

(cc)

PS/r

pmPE

AK P

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Nm/r

pmPE

AK T

ORQU

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FUEL

TAN

K (L

itres

)

NUM

BER

OF

GEAR

S

KERB

WEI

GHT

(KG)

0-60

(KM

/H)

ACCE

LERA

TION

TOP

SPEE

D(K

M/H

)

FUEL

EF

FICI

ENCY

ALLO

Y W

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S

ELEC

TRIC

STA

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ABS

TEST

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OVER

ALL

RATI

NGS

BI B

UY-B

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NEW

BIK

ES


APRILIA www.aprilia.com

MANAWe Say: NA.

Also See: Ducati Monster 795Mana 850 GT ABS 15.65 lakh 839.9 76/8000 73/5000 A 218 NA NA 16 NA NA NA

DORSODUROWe Say: NA.

Also See: Ducati Multistrada, Triumph Tiger ExplorerDorsoduro 1200 ABS 18.07 lakh 1197 130.5/ 8700 115/7200 6 NA NA NA 15 NA NA NA

CAPONORDWe Say: NA.

Also See: Ducati Multistrada 1200, BMW R 1200 GS1200 ABS 19.60 lakh 1197 128/8500 116/7200 6 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

1200 ABS Travel 21.69 lakh 1197 128/8500 116/7200 6 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

TUONOWe Say: NA.

Also See: Yamaha FZ1, Honda CB1000R, Triumph Speed TripleTuono V4R APRC 19.99 lakh 999.6 167/11500 111.5/9500 6 NA NA NA 17 NA NA NA

RSV4We Say: NA.

Also See: BMW S 1000 RR, Honda CBR 1000RR, Yamaha YZF-R1, Suzuki GSX-R 1000, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR APRC ABS 20.42 lakh 999.6 182/12500 115/10000 6 NA NA NA 17 NA NA NA

Factory APRC ABS 24.73 lakh 999.6 182/12500 115/10000 6 NA NA NA 17 NA NA NA

BAJAJ AUTO www.bajajauto.com

PLATINAWe Say: Reasonably decent looks mated to the CT100’s frugal genes.

Also See: Hero Splendor NXG, TVS Star City, Yamaha YBR 110Platina 100 44,451 99.27 8.3/7500 8.05/4500 4 112 9.91 89.5 13 72.25 May 06

MOTORCYCLES



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PRIC

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(cc)

PS/r

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)

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DISCOVER 100We Say: Good commuter, high frequency handlebar vibrations.

Also See: Hero Splendor NXG, TVS Star City, Yamaha YBR 110,Honda CB TwisterDiscover 100M (Drum) 49,698 102 9.3/8000 9.02/6000 4 114 NA NA 9.5 NA NA NA

Discover 100M (Disc) 53,563 102 9.3/8000 9.02/6000 4 114 NA NA 9.5 NA NA NA

Discover 100T 56.597 102 10.2/9000 9.2/6500 5 121 7.5 100.3 10 56 Feb 13

DISCOVER 125We Say: A defi nite improvement over the previous model in terms of refi nement and performance.

Also See: Hero Super Splendor, TVS Flame, Honda ShineDiscover 125M 56,744 124.6 11.5/8000 10.8/6000 4 118 5.96 98.45 7.2 68.25 May 14 Discover 125 (Drum) 54,840 124.6 11/8000 10.8/5500 5 118.5 6.25 103.7 7.2 68.25 May 11

Discover 125 (Disc) 57,063 124.6 11/8000 10.8/5500 5 118.5 6.25 103.7 7.2 68.25 May 11

DISCOVER 125 STWe Say: Modern technology in a commuter however, a bit pricey for a 125cc bike.

Also See: Hero GlamourDiscover 125 ST 62,054 124.6 13/9000 10.8/7000 5 124.5 6.17 103.76 10 58.5 Oct 12

DISCOVER 150We Say: Commuter with poke.

Also See: Hero Glamour, TVS Phoenix, Yamaha SZDiscover 150 59,260 144.8 13/7500 12.75/5500 5 121 5.79 110.2 8 63 Jun 10

PULSAR 135We Say: Nice and nimble, good looks and four-valve technology, a fi rst from Bajaj.

Also See: Bajaj Pulsar 150, Hero X-treme, Honda CB Unicorn, CBF StunnerPulsar 135 LS DTS-i 65,874 134.66 13.5/9000 11.4/7500 5 122 5.18 112.1 8 63.75 Jan 10

PULSAR 150We Say: Good fusion of performance, effi ciency and looks.

Also See: Hero X-treme, Honda CB Trigger, Suzuki GS150RPulsar 150 DTS-i 74,759 149.01 15.06/9000 12.5/6500 5 143 5.4 115 15 55 May 10

PULSAR 180We Say: Great performace, stunning looks and the good ol’ edgy box. Great value though.

Also See: TVS Apache RTR 160, RTR 180Pulsar 180 DTS-i 78,325 176.80 17.02/8500 14.22/6000 5 147 4.98 117.5 15 51 Jun 09

PULSAR 200We Say: Value for money, a modern bike for under a lakh of rupees.

Also See: KTM 200 DukePulsar NS 200 94,335 199.5 23.52/9500 18.3/8000 6 145 3.83 133 12 44.5 Aug 12



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PULSAR 220We Say: More power at lesser price translates into great value for money.

Also See: Hero Karizma R, TVS Apache RTR 180, Yamaha YZF-R15Pulsar 220 DTS-i 90,221 219.9 21.04/8500 19.12/7000 5 152 4.7 132.5 15 42.25 Jul 09

AVENGERWe Say: Powerful and torquey, great combo of style and value. Pillion seat should have been more comfortable.

Also See: No alternatives yetAvenger 220 DTS-i 85,224 219.9 19.03/8400 17.5/7000 5 154.5 4.8 118 14 34 Sep 10

BMW MOTORRAD www.motorrad-deutschemotoren.in

R 1200 RWe Say: NA.

Also See: Moto Guzzi GrisoR 1200 R BO 1170 110/7500 119/6000 6 227 NA NA 18 NA NA NA

R 1200 RTWe Say: NA.

Also See: Kawasaki Ninja 1000R 1200 RT BO 1170 110/7750 120/6000 6 263 NA NA 25 NA NA NA

R 1200 GSWe Say: Arguably the best all-round motorcycle there is.

Also See: Ducati Multistrada, Triumph Tiger ExplorerR 1200 GS BO 1170 125/7750 125/6500 6 238 NA NA 20 NA NA NA

R 1200 GS Adventure BO 1170 125/7750 125/6500 6 260 NA NA 30 NA NA NA

K 1300 RWe Say: NA.

Also See: Honda VFR 1200F, Suzuki Hayabusa, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14RK 1300 R BO 1293 175/9250 140/8250 6 243 NA NA 19 NA NA NA

K 1300 SWe Say: NA.

Also See: Honda VFR 1200F, Suzuki Hayabusa, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14RK 1300 S BO 1293 177/9250 140/8250 6 245 NA NA 19 NA NA NA

K 1600We Say: NA.

Also See: No alternatives. Honda don’t have the Gold Wing here yetK 1600 GT BO 1649 160/7750 175/5250 6 332 NA NA 24 NA NA NA

K 1600 GTL BO 1649 160/7750 175/5250 6 348 NA NA 26.5 NA NA NA



http://www.motorrad-deutschemotoren.in

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S 1000 RWe Say: NA.

Also See: Aprilia Tuono V4R, Ducati Streetfi ghter, Kawasaki Z1000, Yamaha FZ-1S 1000 R BO 999 160/11000 112/9750 6 183 NA NA 17.5 NA NA NA

S 1000 RRWe Say: NA.

Also See: Aprilia RSV4, Honda CBR 1000RR, Suzuki GSX-R 1000, Yamaha YZF-R1, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RS 1000 RR BO 999 193/13000 112/9750 6 202 NA NA 17.5 NA NA NA

DUCATI www.ducati.com

HYPERMOTARDWe Say: A tall road bike with handling of a supersports.

Also See: Triumph Tiger.796 NA 803 82/8000 75.5/6250 6 167 NA NA 12.4 NA NA NA

1100 Evo NA 1078 96/7500 103/5750 6 172 NA NA 12.4 NA NA NA

1100 Evo SP NA 1078 95/7500 103/5750 6 171 NA NA 12.4 NA NA NA

MONSTERWe Say: Light and nimble, a good buy.

Also See: Yamaha FZ1, Triumph Street Triple795 7.00 lakh 803 87/8250 78.4/6250 6 167 2.86 NA 15 NA NA 796 NA 803 87/8250 78.4/6250 6 167 2.86 NA 15 NA Mar 11

STREETFIGHTERWe Say: NA.

Also See: Aprilia Tuono V4R, Triumph Speed TripleStreetfighter NA 1099 157/9500 115/9500 6 169 NA NA 16.5 NA NA NA

Streetfighter S NA 1099 157/9500 115/9500 6 169 NA NA 16.5 NA NA NA

DIAVELWe Say: Looks big and heavy but is light and nimble.

Also See: Yamaha VMAX, Harley-Davidson Night Rod Special, Triumph Rocket IIIDiavel NA 1198.4 164/9500 127.5/8000 6 NA NA NA 17 NA NA NA

Diavel Carbon NA 1198.4 164/9500 127.5/8000 6 NA NA NA 17 NA NA NA

MULTISTRADAWe Say: An SUV of motorcycles.

Also See: BMW R 1200 GS, Triumph Tiger ExplorerMTS 1200 NA 1198.4 152/9250 118.7/7500 6 189 NA NA 20 NA NA NA

MTS 1200 ABS NA 1198.4 152/9250 118.7/7500 NA NA NA NA 20 NA NA NA

MTS 1200 S NA 1198.4 152/9250 118.7/7500 6 192 NA NA 20 NA NA NA

MTS 1200 T NA 1198.4 152/9250 118.7/7500 6 192 NA NA 20 NA NA NA



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DSK HYOSUNG www.dskhyosung.com

GT250RWe Say: 250 V-twin that is dated now.

Also See: Honda CBR 250R, Kawasaki Ninja 300GT 250R 3.01 lakh 249 28/10000 22/8000 5 188 4.02 140 17 NA Jun 12

GT650NWe Say: NA.

Also See: Kawasaki Ninja 650R, Triumph Street TripleGT 650N 4.32 lakh 647 74/9000 60.9/7500 6 208 NA NA 17 NA NA NA

GT650RWe Say: A good V-twin sports bike however, a bit costly.

Also See: Kawasaki Ninja 650R, Triumph Street TripleGT 650R 5.35 lakh 647 74/9000 60.9/7500 6 215 2.61 NA 17 NA Mar 11

AQUILAWe Say: The only 250cc V-twin cruiser in India.

Also See: Royal Enfi eld Thunderbird 500GV250 Aquila 2.99 lakh 249 26.5/9500 21.7/7000 6 167 NA NA 14 NA NA NA

AQUILA PROWe Say: A big improvement over the ST7 and good value for money.

Also See: Harley-Davidson Street 750 and 883 SuperlowGV650 Aquila Pro 5.57 lakh 647 75/9000 62.1/7500 5 240 NA NA 16 NA NA NA

ST7We Say: A good cruiser but pricey.

Also See: Harley-Davidson Street 750 and 883 SuperlowST7 6.47 lakh 678.2 58.5/8000 57.3/7500 5 244 3.09 1674 18 NA Apr 10

HARLEY-DAVIDSON www.harley-davidson.in

STREETWe Say: The fi rst affordable cruiser with a Harley-Davidson badge.

Also See: Hyosung Aquila Pro GV650, Suzuki Intruder 800Street 750 4.66 lakh 749 NA 60/4000 6 218 NA NA 13.1 NA NA NA

SPORTSTERWe Say: Value packed, classic and timeless looking motorycles that proudly boast of their heritage.

Also See: Hyosung Aquila Pro GV650, Hyosung ST7, Suzuki Intruder 800XL883L Superlow 6.91 lakh 883 52/5750 70/3750 5 260 NA NA 17 NA NA NA XL883N Iron 7.58 lakh 883 52/5750 70/3750 5 260 NA NA 12.5 NA NA NA



http://www.dskhyosung.com

http://www.harley-davidson.in

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XL1200X Forty-Eight 9.87 lakh 1202 67/5750 98/3200 5 260 NA NA 8 NA NA NA

DYNAWe Say: Comfortable, easy to ride and powerful - these no-nonsense cruisers fl aunt their H-D branding.

Also See: Honda VT1300CXFXDB Street Bob 11.59 lakh 1585 75/5250 124/3250 6 305 NA NA 17.8 NA NA NA

FXDC Super Glide Custom 13.52 lakh 1585 75/5250 124/3250 6 295 NA NA 18.9 NA NA NA

FXDF Fat Bob 14.75 lakh 1585 76/5250 126/3500 6 305 2.6 NA 18.8 NA NA NA

SOFTAILWe Say: Authentic and original to Harleys, one of their best-selling lines ever!

Also See: Indian Chief, Suzuki Intruder M1800R, Triumph Thunderbird StormFLSTF Fat Boy 17.13 lakh 1690 78/5250 130/3000 6 330 NA NA 18.9 NA NA NA

FLSTFB Fat Boy Special 17.93 lakh 1690 78/5250 132/3250 6 330 NA NA 18.9 NA NA NA

FLSTC Heritage Classic 18.67 lakh 1690 74/5010 130/3000 6 341 NA NA 18.9 NA NA NA

V-RODWe Say: As fun to watch as it is to ride - unlike any other Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

Also See: Ducati Diavel, Yamaha VMAX, Suzuki Intruder M1800R, VRSCDX Night Rod Special 24.28 lakh 1247 120/8000 111/7250 5 302 NA NA 18.9 NA NA NA

TOURINGWe Say: Long distance touring at its fi nest - torquey, immensely comfortable and of course addictive!

Also See: Indian ChieftainFLHX Street Glide 32.34 lakh 1690 86/5010 138/3500 6 372 NA NA 22.7 NA NA NA

HERO MOTOCORP www.heromotocorp.com HF DAWN

We Say: All the Hero MotoCorp qualities at an affordable price. Also See: TVS Star, Yamaha Crux, Bajaj Platina

HF Dawn 43,813 97.20 7.8/7500 8.04/4500 4 109 NA NA 10.5 NA NA NA

HF DELUXEWe Say: Another affordable and quality product from Hero MotoCorp.

Also See: Hero Splendor NXG, Yamaha CruxHF Deluxe 46,425 97.20 7.8/7500 8.04/4500 4 109 9.39 91.11 10.5 68.25 Jan 07 HF Deluxe ES 49,592 97.20 7.8/7500 8.04/4500 4 112 9.39 91.11 10.5 68.25 NA NA

HF Deluxe Eco 50,705 97.20 7.8/7500 8.04/4500 4 112 9.39 91.11 10.5 68.25 NA NA

SPLENDOR PLUSWe Say: Perfect commuter if you can do with the looks.

Also See: TVS Star Sport, Yamaha YBR 110, Bajaj PlatinaSplendor Plus 50,080 97.20 7.40/8000 7.95/5000 4 109 NA NA 11 NA NA NA

Splendor Plus (Alloy) 50,802 97.20 7.40/8000 7.95/5000 4 109 NA NA 11 NA NA NA



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SPLENDOR PROWe Say: Tried and tested work horse.

Also See: Bajaj Platina 100, Discover 100, TVS Star Sport CVTISplendor Pro 50,745 97.2 7.8/7500 8.04/4500 4 112 NA NA 11 NA NA NA

Splendor Pro (Alloy) 53,969 97.2 7.8/7500 8.04/4500 4 112 NA NA 11 NA NA NA

SPLENDOR iSMARTWe Say: Start-Stop systema fi rst on two-wheelers and should result in increased fuel-saving.

Also See: TVS Star Sport, Yamaha YBR 110, Bajaj DiscoveriSmart 55,346 97.20 7.8/7500 8.04/4500 4 112 NA NA 8.7 NA NA NA

PASSION PROWe Say: A Splendor will save you three grand.

Also See: Yamaha Crux, Bajaj Platina, Mahindra CenturoPassion Pro 53,136 97.20 7.8/7500 8.04/4500 4 116 NA NA 12.8 NA NA NA

Passion Pro ES 57,303 97.20 7.8/7500 8.04/4500 4 119 NA NA 12.8 NA NA NA

PASSION X PROWe Say: NA.

Also See: Honda CB TwisterPassion X Pro 58,105 109.1 8.7/7500 9.36/5500 4 113 NA NA 9.5 NA NA NA

Passion X Pro (Alloy) 60,218 109.1 8.7/7500 9.36/5500 4 116 NA NA 9.5 NA NA NA

SUPER SPLENDORWe Say: Splendor hops onto the ‘executive’ bandwagon.

Also See: TVS Phoenix, Yamaha YBR 125, Honda Shine, Suzuki SlingShotSuper Splendor 57,703 124.70 9.12/7000 10.35/4000 4 121 6.99 100.83 13 73.25 Oct 10

GLAMOURWe Say: The Glamour actually looks much better than the Super Splendor. Worth the extra dough.

Also See: Bajaj Discover 125, TVS Phoenix, Yamaha YBR 125Glamour (Drum) 60,995 124.70 9.13/7000 10.35/4000 4 125 9.64 94.9 13.6 72.75 Sep 05

Glamour (Disc) 63,218 124.70 9.13/7000 10.35/4000 4 129 9.64 94.9 13.6 72.75 NA NA

Glamour FI (Disc) 71,416 124.70 9.13/7000 10.35/4000 4 129 8.80 94.9 12 80.75 Aug 06

IGNITORWe Say: Stunner in a new avatar.

Also See: Honda Stunner, Yamaha YBR 125Ignitor 66,330 124.7 11/8000 11/5000 5 129 6.50 100.3 9 62.25 Oct 12



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ACHIEVERWe Say: Every bit a Unicorn, except for the ride quality.

Also See: Bajaj Discover 150, Honda Unicorn, Suzuki GS150RAchiever 66,518 149.1 13.5/8000 12.8/5000 5 138 6.25 110.8 12.5 57.5 Dec 05

HUNKWe Say: Stunning looks, effi cient engine and good performance.

Also See: Bajaj Pulsar 150, Honda CB Trigger, TVS Apache Hunk (Front Disc) 75,409 149.2 14.4/8500 12.8/6500 5 146 5.08 107.16 12.4 51 Dec 07 Hunk (Front-Rear Disc) 78,743 149.2 14.4/8500 12.8/6500 5 146 5.08 107.16 12.54 51 Dec 07

X-TREMEWe Say: Pricey but much better than the CBZ and the Achiever. Too skinny at the front.

Also See: Bajaj Pulsar 150, Honda CB Trigger, TVS ApacheX-Treme 75,125 149.2 14.4/8500 12.8/6500 5 143 5.55 110.8 12.4 60.25 Nov 06 X-Treme Rear Disc 78,738 149.2 14.4/8500 12.8/6500 5 143 5.55 110.8 12.4 60.25 NA NA

IMPULSEWe Say: Good dual purpose bike.

Also See: No alternatives yetImpulse 78,132 149.2 13.2/7500 13.4/5000 5 6.0 6.0 100 11.1 52 Jan 12

KARIZMA RWe Say: The most well-rounded performance bike around. Spares are an issue though.

Also See: Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTSi, TVS Apache RTR180, Yamaha YZF-R15Karizma R 88,844 223 17.0/7000 18.3/6000 5 150 NA NA 15 NA NA NA

KARIZMA ZMRWe Say: The most well-rounded performance bike gets even better.

Also See: Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTSi, TVS Apache RTR180, Yamaha YZF-R15Karizma ZMR 1.10 lakh 223 17.8/7000 18.3/6000 5 159 4.70 127 15 47.5 Nov 09

HONDA www.honda2wheelersindia.com

DREAM NEOWe Say: One of the most fuel effi cient bikes in the country.

Also See: Bajaj Discover 100, TVS Star City, Suzuki HayateDream Neo (KS,Spoke) 47,332 109 8.36/7500 8.63/5500 4 105 NA NA 8 NA NA NADream Neo (ES, Alloy) 51,674 109 8.36/7500 8.63/5500 4 105 7.82 96.5 8 72.5 Aug 13

DREAM YUGAWe Say: One of the most fuel effi cient bikes in the country.

Also See: Bajaj Discover 100, TVS Star City, Yamaha YBR 110, Suzuki HayateDream Yuga (KS, Spoke) 50,334 109 8.63/7500 8.91/5500 4 108 7.82 96.53 8 72 NA NADream Yuga (ES, Alloy) 54,861 109 8.63/7500 8.91/5500 4 108 7.82 96.53 8 72 Aug 12



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CB TWISTERWe Say: Good styling and performance will be a revelation in the commuter segment.

Also See: TVS Star City, Yamaha YBR 110, Suzuki HayateTwister (Drum) 54,409 109 9.1/8000 9/6000 4 108 6.99 93 8 71.25 NA NA

Twister (Disc) 57,837 109 9.1/8000 9/6000 4 108 6.99 93 8 71.25 Mar 10

CB SHINEWe Say: Low gearing make it really quick through gears. Top speed could have been better with taller gearing.

Also See: Hero Glamour, TVS Phoenix, Yamaha YBR 125Shine (Drum) 54,184 124.7 10.4/7500 10.7/5500 4 121 7.04 100.4 11 78.75 NA NA

Shine (ES, Drum) 58,089 124.7 10.4/7500 10.7/5500 4 121 7.04 100.4 11 78.75 NA NA

Shine (ES, Disc) 61,422 124.7 10.4/7500 10.7/5500 4 121 7.04 100.4 11 78.75 May 06

CBF STUNNERWe Say: A worthy competitor to the Yamaha SS 125.

Also See: Hero Ignitor, Yamaha YBR 125CBF Stunner 63,413 124.7 11.15/8000 11/6500 5 128 6.57 100.8 10 61 Sep 08

CB UNICORNWe Say: One of the smoothest mills around. Great ride-handling combo. Almost indestructible.

Also See: Bajaj Pulsar 150, Hero CBZ X-treme, Hero Achiever, Suzuki GS150RCB Unicorn 71,407 149.1 13.5/8000 12.8/5500 5 146 6.10 111.3 13 58.92 Dec 06

CB TRIGGERWe Say: A perfect premium all-rounder for the youth.

Also See: Bajaj Pulsar 150, Yamaha FZ-S, Suzuki GS150RCB Trigger 74,129 149.1 14.2/8500 12.7/6500 5 137 6.14 119 12 55.70 NA NA

CB Trigger CBS 84,214 149.1 14.2/8500 12.7/6500 5 138 6.14 119 12 55.70 Jul 13

CBR 150RWe Say: Refi ned engine, great handling and riding position but loses out in midrange and bottom performance.

Also See: Yamaha YZF-R15CBR 150R 1.31 lakh 149.4 17.8/10500 12.6/8500 6 138 4.86 131 13 38 NA NA

CBR 150R Deluxe 1.32 lakh 149.4 17.8/10500 12.6/8500 6 138 4.86 131 13 38 Jun 12

CBR 250RWe Say: Just the bike for India, a perfect all rounder for city and highway.

Also See: Kawasaki Ninja 300, KTM 200 DukeCBR 250R 1.69 lakh 249.6 25.3/8500 22.9/7000 6 161 3.47 155 13 35.75 NA NA

CBR 250R ABS 2.00 lakh 249.6 25.3/8500 22.9/7000 6 167 3.47 155 13 35.75 Jun 11

CBR 250R Repsol ABS 2.07 lakh 249.6 25.3/8500 22.9/7000 6 167 3.47 155 13 35.75 NA NA



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CBR 1000RRWe Say: NA.

Also See: Yamaha YZF R1, Suzuki GSX-R 1000, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RCBR 1000R FireBlade 15.75 lakh 999.6 178/12000 112/8500 6 199 NA NA 17.7 NA NA NA

CB1000RWe Say: Practical. Both in and out of town.

Also See: Yamaha FZ1, Ducati Monster, Triumph Speed TripleCB1000R 12.00 lakh 999 125/10000 100/8000 6 217 2.1 NA 17 16 Aug 09

VFR 1200FWe Say: Effortless mile muncher.

Also See: Suzuki GSX 1300R Hayabusa, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R, BMW K 1300 RVFR 1200F BO 1237 172/10000 129/8750 6 267 2.37 NA 18.5 NA Dec 10

VT 1300CXWe Say: NA.

Also See: Harley-Davidson Super Glide Custom, Harley-Davidson Fat BoyVT 1300CX BO 1312 57.7/4250 107/2250 5 309 NA NA 12.8 NA NA NA

INDIAN www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-in

CHIEF CLASSICWe Say: The fi rst, no-nonsense step to an iconic brand.

Also See: Harley-Davidson Fat Boy, Harley-Davidson Night Rod Special, Triumph Thunderbird StormChief Classic 26.50 lakh* 1811 NA 138.9/2600 6 370 NA NA 21 NA NA NA

CHIEF VINTAGEWe Say: A iconic example of American iron.

Also See: Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic, Triumph Thunderbird StormChief Vintage 29.50 lakh* 1811 NA 138.9/2600 6 379 NA NA 21 NA NA NA

CHIEFTAINWe Say: The only genuine challenger to the Harley-Davidson Touring models.

Also See: Harley-Davidson Street GlideChieftain 33.00 lakh* 1811 NA 138.9/2600 6 385 NA NA 21 NA NA NA

KAWASAKI www.kawasaki-india.com

NINJA 300We Say: A true performance bike in India.

Also See: Suzuki GW250 Inazuma, Honda CBR 250RNinja 300 3.73 lakh 296 39/11000 27.5/10000 6 172 2.56 160 (appr) 17 NA May 13



http://www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-in

http://www.kawasaki-india.com

http://www.tuono.in

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NINJA 650RWe Say: Most versatile motorcycle.

Also See: Hyosung GT 650R and GT 650N, Triumph Street TripleNinja 650R 5.37 lakh 649 72/8500 64/7000 6 209 2.04 NA 16 NA Sep 12

Z800We Say: Aggressively styled streetbike at a hard-to-resist price.

Also See: Ducati Streetfi ghter 848, Triumph Street TripleZ800 8.73 lakh 806 113/10200 83/8000 6 229 NA NA 17 NA NA NA

Z1000We Say: One of the meanest looking streetbikes you can opt for.

Also See: Ducati Streetfi ghter, Yamaha FZ-1, Triumph Speed TripleZ1000 13.74 lakh 1043 142/10000 111/7300 6 221 NA NA 17 NA NA NA

NINJA 1000We Say: Smooth and comfortable mile-muncher.

Also See: Suzuki Bandit 1250SNinja 1000 13.74 lakh 1043 142/10000 111/7300 6 230 NA NA 19 NA NA NA

NINJA ZX-10RWe Say: One of the most rider-friendly litre-class superbike there is.

Also See: Honda CBR 1000R, Yamaha YZF-R1, Suzuki GSX-R 1000Ninja ZX-10R 17.23 lakh 998 210/13000 112/11500 6 201 2.10 276 17 NA Dec 13

NINJA ZX-14RWe Say: NA

Also See: Suzuki Hayabusa, Honda VFR 1200F, BMW K 1300 RNinja ZX-14R 18.54 lakh 1441 210/10000 162.5/7500 6 268 NA 299 22 NA Feb 14

KTM www.ktm.com/in

200 DUKEWe Say: First bike to feature updated technology in India including upside down forks

Also See: Honda CBR 250R, Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS200 Duke 1.44 lakh 199.5 25/10000 19.2/8000 6 136 3.73 135) 10.5 34.5 Jan 12

390 DUKEWe Say: A bike which loves to be ridden aggressively

Also See: Honda CBR 250R390 Duke 1.99 lakh 373.2 43.5/9000 35/7000 6 154 2.46 162 10.5 NA Sep 13



http://www.ktm.com/in

http://www.tuono.in

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LML www.lmlworld.com

FREEDOMWe Say: NA

Also See: Mahindra Centuro, TVS Star SportDX 51,545 109.2 8.5/7750 8.6/5000 4 119 NA 98.2 12.5 NA NA NA

LS 55,355 109.2 8.5/9000 8.6/5000 4 119 8.2 98.2 12.5 51 Sep 13

MAHINDRA 2 WHEELERS www.mahindra2wheelers.com

PANTEROWe Say: Improvement over the Stallio but still a long way to go

Also See: Honda Dream Neo, Suzuki Hayate, TVS Star City, Yamaha YBR 110T1 NA 106.7 8.5/7500 8.5/5500 4 120 8.66 93.56 13.7 49 Mar 13

T4 NA 106.7 8.5/7500 8.5/5500 4 120 8.66 93.56 13.7 49 NA NA

CENTUROWe Say: A commuter with many innovative features

Also See: Honda Dream Yuga, Hero Passion, TVS Star City, Bajaj DiscoverCenturo 52,990 106.7 8.5/7500 8.5/5500 4 120 8.66 93.56 12.7 49 Aug 13

Centuro N1 NA 106.7 8.5/7500 8.5/5500 4 120 8.66 93.56 12.7 49 NA NA

MOTO GUZZI www.motoguzzi.com

BELLAGIOWe Say: NA.

Also See: Triumph BonnevilleBlack Eagle 17.53 lakh 935 73/7200 78/6000 6 224 NA NA 19 NA NA NA

940 17.68 lakh 935 73/7200 78/6000 6 224 NA NA 19 NA NA NA

GRISOWe Say: NA.

Also See: BMW R 1200 R, Ducati Monster, Triumph Speed Triple8V SE 18.40 lakh 1151 110/7500 108/6400 6 222 NA NA 16.7 NA NA NA

Sports 8V SE 18.99 lakh 1151 110/7500 108/6400 6 222 NA NA 16.7 NA NA NA

Sports 8V SE Corsa 19.27 lakh 1151 110/7500 108/6400 6 222 NA NA 16.7 NA NA NA

CALIFORNIAWe Say: A distinct long-distance tourer.

Also See: Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic, Triumph Thunderbird Storm1400 Custom 22.48 lakh 1380 96/6500 120/2750 6 337 NA NA 20.5 NA NA NA

1400 Touring 24.77 lakh 1380 96/6500 120/2750 6 337 NA NA 20.5 NA NA NA



http://www.lmlworld.com

http://www.mahindra2wheelers.com

http://www.motoguzzi.com

http://www.tuono.in

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ROYAL ENFIELD www.royalenfi eld.com

BULLETWe Say: The subtle Enfi eld makes a come back with a UCE heart.

Also See: No options, as there are no alternatives to a Bullet but a Bullet itself!Bullet 350 1.10 lakh 346 19.8/5250 28/4000 5 180 NA NA 13.5 NA NA NA

Bullet Electra 1.23 lakh 346 19.8/5250 28/4000 5 183 NA NA 13.5 NA NA NA

Bullet 500 1.53 lakh 499 26.1/5100 40.9/3800 5 193 NA NA 13.5 NA NA NA

THUNDERBIRDWe Say: Pseudo-cruiser with a focus on touring.

Also See: None as yetThunderbird 350 1.42 lakh 346 19.8/5250 28/4000 5 192 NA NA 20 NA NA NA

Thunderbird 500 1.81 lakh 499 27.5/5250 41.3/4000 5 195 4.65 NA 20 NA NA NA

CLASSIC 350We Say: Royal Enfi eld fuses old world charm with modern retro lines along with a twin-spark 350cc engine.

Also See: There is no other bike like the ClassicClassic 350 1.31 lakh 346 19.8/5250 28/4000 5 NA NA NA 13.5 NA NA NA

CLASSIC 500We Say: A retro-modern motorcycle with a fuel-injected 500cc mill.

Also See: There is no other bike like the ClassicClassic 500 1.78 lakh 499 27.5/5250 41.3/4000 5 182 4.75 131 13.5 NA Jan 10

Desert Storm 1.70 lakh 499 27.5/5250 41.3/4000 5 182 4.75 131 13.5 NA NA NA

Classic Chrome 1.77 lakh 499 27.5/5250 41.3/4000 5 182 4.75 131 13.5 NA NA NA

CAFÉ RACERWe Say: Classic British bike which is fun to ride, easy to maintain and affordable too.

Also See: There is no other bike like the Continental GTContinental GT 2.08 lakh 535 29.1/5100 44/4000 5 184 4.11 143 13.5 NA Dec 13

SUZUKI www.suzukimotorcycle.co.in

HAYATEWe Say: Suzuki’s answer to the commuter competition.

Also See: Bajaj Discover 100, TVS Star City, Yamaha YBR 110Hayate 51,899 112.8 8.4/7500 8.8/5000 4 112 8.26 94.71 8 68.5 Aug 12

SLINGSHOTWe Say: Stylish commuter equipped with a refi ned engine.

Also See: Hero Super Splendor, Honda Shine, TVS PhoenixSlingShot 58.873 124 8.6/8500 10/6000 5 128 7.65 97 12 59 Oct 10 SlingShot Plus (Disc) 60,539 124 8.6/8500 10/6000 5 128 7.65 97 12 59 NA NA



http://www.royalenfield.com

http://www.suzukimotorcycle.co.in

http://www.tuono.in

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GS150RWe Say: Well packaged all-rounder from Suzuki.

Also See: Bajaj Pulsar 150, Hero Xtreme, Honda CB UnicornGS150R 79,647 149.5 14/8500 13.4/6000 6 149 5.46 108 15.5 59.75 Feb 09

INAZUMAWe Say: NA.

Also See: Hyosung GT250R, Kawasaki Ninja 300, Honda CBR 250RGW250 Inazuma 3.48 lakh 248 24/8500 22/6500 6 183 4.04 NA 13.3 NA Mar 14

BANDITWe Say: Value for money, versatile and practical.

Also See: Honda CB1000R, Yamaha FZ1, Ducati Monster, Triumph Speed Triple Bandit 1250SA 11.72 lakh 1255 98/7500 108/3700 6 254 2.19 250 19 15.25 Jul 10

V-STROMWe Say: Capable, but pricey adventure sports tourer.

Also See: Triumph Tiger, Ducati Multistrada, BMW R 1200 GS, Aprilia DorsoduroV-Strom 1000 16.91 lakh 1037 100/8000 103/4000 6 228 NA NA 20 NA NA NA

GSX-RWe Say: Carrying on the Gixxer tradition of high performance.

Also See: Yamaha YZF-R1, Honda CBR 1000R, Kawasaki NInja ZX-10R, BMW S1000RRGSX-R 1000 15.58 lakh 999 185/12000 117/10000 6 205 2.07 299* 17.5 11.80 Jul 10 GSX-R 1000 Z LE 17.93 lakh 999 185/12000 117/10000 6 205 NA NA 17.5 NA NA NA

HAYABUSAWe Say: One of the world’s fastest motorcycles, offi cially on sale in India.

Also See: Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R, BMW S1000RR, Honda VFR 1200FGSX 1300R 18.35 lakh 1340 186/9600 146/8100 6 236 2.3 296* 21 15 Jan 09 GSX 1300R LE 18.95 lakh 1340 186/9600 146/8100 6 236 NA NA 21 NA NA NA

INTRUDERWe Say: Attention magnet.

Also See: Yamaha VMAX, Ducati Diavel, Harley-Davidson Iron 883, Harley-Davidson Fat BoyM800 10.95 lakh 805 53/6000 66/3600 5 269 2.91 NA 15.5 NA Jan 12 M1800R 18.35 lakh 1783 128/6200 160/3200 5 319 2.1 209 19.5 13 Jan 09 M1800R B.O.S.S. 17.93 lakh 1783 128/6200 160/3200 5 319 2.1 209 19.5 13 NA NA

TRIUMPH www.triumphmotorcycles.in

BONNEVILLEWe Say: NA.

Also See: No alternatives yetBonneville 6.52 lakh 865 68/7500 68/5800 5 225 NA NA 16 NA NA NA

Bonneville T100 7.50 lakh 865 68/7500 68/5800 5 230 NA NA 16 NA NA NA

THRUXTONWe Say: NA.

Also See: No alternatives, other than the Royal Enfi eld Continental GTThruxton 900 Café Racer 7.61 lakh 865 69/7400 69/5800 5 230 NA NA 16 NA NA NA



http://www.triumphmotorcycles.in

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DAYTONAWe Say: NA.

Also See: No supersport alternatives yet Daytona 675 11.55 lakh 675 128/12500 74/9750 6 184 NA NA 17.4 NA NA NA

Daytona 675R 13.03 lakh 675 128/12500 75/11900 6 184 NA NA 17.4 NA NA NA

ROADSTERWe Say: NA.

Also See: Kawasaki Ninja 650R, Ducati Monster, Suzuki Bandit 1250SStreet Triple 8.49 lakh 675 106/11850 68/9750 6 183 NA NA 17.4 NA NA NA

Speed Triple 11.92 lakh 1050 135/9400 111/7750 6 214 NA NA 17.5 NA NA NA

TIGERWe Say: NA.

Also See: BMW R 1200 GS, Ducati Multistrada, Aprilia DorsoduroTiger 800XC 13.65 lakh 800 95/9300 79/7850 6 215 NA NA 19 NA O NA NA

Tiger Explorer XC 20.23 lakh 1215 137/9300 121/6400 6 259 NA NA 20 NA NA NA

THUNDERBIRDWe Say: NA.

Also See: Harley-Davidson Fat Boy, Moto Guzzi California, Suzuki Intruder M1800RThunderbird Storm 15.07 lakh 1699 98/5200 156/2950 6 339 NA NA 22 NA NA NA

ROCKET IIIWe Say: NA

Also See: Yamaha VMAX, Ducati Diavel.Rocket III Roadster 23.03 lakh 2294 148/5750 221/2750 5 367 NA NA 24 NA NA NA

TVS www.tvsmotor.co.in

STARWe Say: Adds style to your commute without being too heavy on the pocket.

Also See: Bajaj Platina, Hero CD Deluxe, Yamaha YBR 110Sport 46,489 99.7 7.4/7500 7.5/5000 4 95 9.5 85 12 63 Apr 07 Star City+ 50,144 109.7 8.4/7000 8.7/5000 4 108 NA NA 10 NA NA NA

Star City+ (ES, Alloys) 52,216 109.7 8.4/7000 8.7/5000 4 109 7.68 90.8 10 NA Jul 14

JIVEWe Say: Auto clutch makes it an effortless commuter.

Also See: Honda CB Twister, TVS Star City, Yamaha YBR 110Jive 53,134 109.7 8.5/7500 8.3/5500 4 105 8.16 94 15 62 Jan 10

PHOENIXWe Say: A capable commuter.

Also See: Honda Shine, Bajaj Discover 125STPhoenix Drum 57,759 124.5 11/8000 10.8/6000 4 114 7.52 NA 12 NA NA NA

Phoenix Disc 59,999 124.5 11/8000 10.8/6000 4 116 7.52 96.4 12 63 Nov 12

APACHE RTR160We Say: Stunning looks, nimble traffi c carver and a punchy ride overall.

Also See: Bajaj Pulsar 180, Hero CBZ X-treme, Honda CB Trigger, Suzuki Gixxer, Yamaha FZ-SApache RTR 160 77,149 159.7 15.4/8500 13.1/6000 5 136 5.04 118.7 16 50 NA NA



http://www.tvsmotor.co.in

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APACHE RTR180We Say: Great looks, nimble traffi c carver with power through the complete rev range.

Also See: Bajaj Pulsar 220, Hero Karizma R, Yamaha YZF-R15Apache RTR 180 83,655 177.4 17.3/8500 15.5/6500 5 137 4.64 124 16 45.25 Jul 09

Apache RTR 180 ABS 95,354 177.4 17.3/8500 15.5/6500 5 137 4.64 NA 16 NA NA NA

VIBGYOR www.vvehicles.co.in

GALLOPWe Say: NA.

Also See: Hero CD Dawn, Bajaj Platina, TVS StarGallop ES (Drum) NA 97.2 6.8/8500 6.5/6000 4 87 NA NA 13.5 NA NA NA

Gallop ES (Disc, Alloy) NA 97.2 6.8/8500 6.5/6000 4 87 NA NA 13.5 NA NA NA

HUNTERWe Say: NA.

Also See: Hero Splendor NXG, Bajaj Platina, Yamaha YBR 110Hunter NA 124.1 9.8/9000 9.0/8000 5 120 NA NA 18 NA NA NA

SHARKWe Say: NA.

Also See: Bajaj Discover 150, Yamaha SZShark NA 142.6 13.05/9000 9.5/7500 5 130 NA NA 14 NA NA NA

YAMAHA www.yamaha-motor-india.com

CRUXWe Say: Excellent gearbox, but lacks appeal and doesn’t excel at anything else.

Also See: Hero CD Dawn, Bajaj Platina, TVS StarCrux 43,351 105.6 7.6/7500 7.85/6000 4 113 9.9 94 11 62.52 Oct 05

YBR 110We Say: A good alternative for a Hero MotoCorp bike.

Also See: Hero Splendor NXG, Bajaj Platina, TVS Star SportYBR 110 50,884 106 7.6/7500 7.85/6000 4 123 NA NA 13 NA NA NA

SS125We Say: Big bike feel, great performance. Mid-range torque should have been stronger.

Also See: Suzuki SlingShot, Hero Super Splendor, Honda Shine, TVS PhoenixSS 125 62,168 123 11/7500 10.4/6500 5 125 7.2 108.2 13.6 67.5 Oct 10

YBR125We Say: Refi ned engine, sporty handling.

Also See: Bajaj Platina 125, Hero Super Splendor, Honda Shine, Suzuki SlingShotYBR125 57,632 123 10.8/7500 10.4/6500 4 126 6.41 102.7 13.6 57.5 Dec 10

SZWe Say: Commuter with a 150cc heart and a 125cc’s price tag.

Also See: Hero Achiever, Bajaj Discover 150SZ-X 62,981 153 12.1/7500 12.8/4500 5 132 NA NA 14 55 NA NA

SZ-R 66,358 153 12.1/7500 12.8/4500 5 133 6.48 105.34 14 55 Oct 10



http://www.vvehicles.co.in

http://www.yamaha-motor-india.com

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FZWe Say: The best-looking naked bike in the country; has worked wonders for Yamaha in India.

Also See: Hero Hunk, Honda CB Trigger, TVS Apache RTR160FZ16 78,203 153 14/7500 13.6/6000 5 135 5.51 110.9 12 43.5 Oct 08

FZ-S 80,450 153 14/7500 13.6/6000 5 135 5.51 110.9 12 43.5 NA NA

FAZERWe Say: The FZ with a fairing, little underpowered for serious touring.

Also See: Hero Hunk, Honda CB Trigger, TVS Apache RTR160Fazer 86,096 153 14/7500 14/6000 5 135 5.51 110.9 12 43.5 NA

YZF R15We Say: Indian performance biking taken to the next level.

Also See: Honda CBR 150R, Hero Karizma ZMR, Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTSiYZF-R15 1.23 lakh 149.8 17/8500 15/7500 6 136 4.89 130.3 12 42.2 Dec 11

FZ1We Say: NA

Also See: BMW S 1000 R, Honda CB 1000R, Suzuki Bandit 1250SFZ1 10.87 lakh 998 150/11000 106/8000 6 214 NA NA 18 NA NA NA

YZF R1We Say: MotoGP derived technology places the new R1 among the best superbikes in the world.

Also See: Suzuki GSX-R 1000, Honda CBR 1000RR, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RYZF-R1 16.56 lakh 998 189/12500 118.3/10000 6 206 NA NA 18 NA NA NA

VMAXWe Say: Ultimate naked street fi ghter.

Also See: Ducati DiavelVMAX 25.77 lakh 1679 200/9000 166.8/6500 5 310 NA NA 15 NA NA NA

COMPETITION BIKESSUZUKA www.suzukaracingmotorcycles.com

SRM250 2VWe Say: NA.

Also See: NASRM250 AC 2V 3.40 lakh 223 16.3/7000 17.5/5500 5 115.5 NA 120 6 NA NA NA

SRM250 LC 2V 3.45 lakh 223 16.3/7000 17.5/5500 5 115.5 NA 120 6 NA NA NA

SRM250 4VWe Say: NA.

Also See: NASRM250 4V 3.65 lakh 250 22.4/8500 20/7000 5 116.5 NA 135 6 NA NA NA

Sponsored GBUBIKE_Jul14_1.indd 134 6/13/2014 1:51:00 PM


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SCOOTERS APRILIA www.aprilia.com

SRVWe Say: NA

Also See: NASRV 850 13.43 lakh 839.3 76/7750 76.4/6000 V 249 NA NA 18.5 NA NA NA

SRV 850 ABS 13.92 lakh 839.3 76/7750 76.4/6000 V 249 NA NA 18.5 NA NA NA

HERO MOTOCORP www.heromotocorp.com

PLEASUREWe Say: Great looks and goodie-loaded, this is the ideal jump for the econo-commuter who wants more.

Also See: Honda Dio, Honda Activa, TVS WegoPleasure 50,047 102 6.8/7000 7.8/5000 V 104 12.18 80.9 5 47 Feb 06

MAESTROWe Say: A Honda Activa with a plastic body.

Also See: Honda Dio, Honda Activa, TVS WegoMaestro 56,061 109 8.2/7500 9.1/5500 V NA 10.37 88.7 5.3 52 Jun 12

HMSI www.honda2wheelersindia.com

ACTIVAWe Say: Revised the scooter market and is an improvement over the old Activa.

Also See: TVS Wego, Hero PleasureActiva DLX 52,884 109 8/7500 8.74/5500 V 109 10.8 89 5.3 53.5 NA NA

Activa-i 49,695 109 8/7500 8.74/5500 V 103 8.49 90 5.3 63.5 Sep 13

ACTIVA 125We Say: More power and big improvement overall compared to its smaller-engined sibling.

Also See: Vespa VX125, Suzuki SwishActiva 125 63,436 125 8.67/6500 10.12/5500 V NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

Activa 125 Deluxe 70,085 125 8.67/6500 10.12/5500 V NA 7.76 92 NA 46.75 Jun 14

DIOWe Say: An Activa with good looks. Pillion foot rest is a pain though.

Also See: Hero Pleasure, TVS WegoDio 50,666 109 8/7500 8.6/5500 V 106 10.49 93 5.3 54.75 Mar 12

AVIATORWe Say: Positioned for the premium market. Good but expensive.

Also See: Suzuki Access, Mahindra Duro, Mahindra Rodeo, Mahindra FlyteAviator (Drum) 53,971 109 8.1/8000 8.8/5500 V 102 10.83 83 6 52 NA NA

Aviator (Disc) 59,617 109 8.1/8000 8.8/5500 V 102 10.83 83 6 52 Dec 09



http://www.aprilia.com

http://www.heromotocorp.com

http://www.honda2wheelersindia.com

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LML www.lmlworld.com

NVWe Say: Going back in time

Also See: Suzuki Access, Mahindra Duro, Mahindra Rodeo, Mahindra FlyteNV-4S DLX (KS) 44,484* 147.5 8.8/6200 11.3/4250 4 116 NA NA 5.5 NA NA NA

NV-4S (ES) 48,321* 147.5 8.8/6200 11.3/4250 4 116 NA NA 5.5 NA NA NA

NV LS-4S 62,048* 147.5 8.8/6200 11.3/4250 4 120 NA NA 5.5 NA NA NA

SELECTWe Say: NA

Also See: Suzuki Access, Mahindra Duro, Mahindra Rodeo, Mahindra FlyteSelect 4 (KS) ex-Delhi 47,140 149.5 8/5500 13.2/3500 4 119 NA NA 8 NA NA NA

Select 4 (ES) ex-Delhi 50,978 149.5 8/5500 13.2/3500 4 123 NA NA 8 NA NA NA

MAHINDRA 2WHEELERS www.mahindra2wheelers.com FLYTE

We Say: Zippy and comfortable scooter. Great choice for city commutes. Also See: Honda Aviator, Suzuki Access

Flyte NA 124.6 8/7000 9/5000 V 105 13.02 83.8 5 41 Oct 07

DUROWe Say: Nova’s body gets the Flyte’s engine.

Also See: Honda Aviator, Suzuki AccessDuro 125 DZ 53,351 124.6 8.11/7500 9/5500 V 114 8.2 92.8 6 38.25 Mar 12

RODEOWe Say: Flyte gets a style change.

Also See: Honda Aviator, Suzuki AccessRodeo RZ 54,199 124.6 8.11/7000 9/5500 V 106 NA 87 4.5 NA NA NA

SUZUKI www.suzukimotorcycle.co.in

LET’SWe Say: A lightweight 110cc automatic Suzuki

Also See: Honda Activa 125, Mahindra Rodeo, Mahindra FlyteLet’s 50,911 112.8 8.7/7500 9.0/6500 V 98 NA NA 5.2 NA NA NA

ACCESSWe Say: Really quick and a nimble handler but priced higher than the competition.

Also See: Honda Aviator, Mahindra DuroAccess 125 57,327 124 8.71/7000 9.8/5000 V 109 7.9 91.8 6.4 42 Dec 07

SWISHWe Say: The Access gets a sporty look

Also See: Honda Dio, Mahindra Duro, Mahindra RodeoSwish 125 58,649 124 8.71/7000 9.8/5000 V 110 7.77 92.6 6 42.2 May 12



http://www.lmlworld.com

http://www.mahindra2wheelers.com

http://www.suzukimotorcycle.co.in

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TVS www.tvsmotor.co.in

SCOOTY PEP+We Say: An engine upgrade makes it even more desirable.

Also See: Honda Activa, Honda Dio, Hero PleasureScooty Pep+ 44,510 87.8 5/6500 5.8/4000 V 95 12.2 74 5 50.67 Nov 05

SCOOTY STREAKWe Say: Styling updates and sticker works gives it a new lease of life.

Also See: Honda Activa, Honda Dio, Hero PleasureScooty Streak 46,619 87.8 5/6500 5.8/4000 V 96 740 78.4 4.7 51 May 09

WEGOWe Say: A good city runabout

Also See: Honda Activa, Honda Dio, Hero PleasureWego 53,900 109.7 8/7500 8/5500 V 105 10.35 84 5 40 Jan 10 Wego Disc 59,600 109.7 8/7500 8/5500 V 105 10.35 84 5 40 May 13

JUPITERWe Say: Good features and comfort for the price

Also See: Honda AviatorJupiter 54,805 109.7 8/7500 8/5500 V 108 9.98 88.78 5 43 Nov 13

VESPA www.vespaindia.com

125We Say: If you love retro, buy the Vespa

Also See: Mahindra Duro, Suzuki Access, Suzuki SwishVespa LX 73,300 125 10.06/7500 10.6/6000 V 114 9.36 101 8 45.25 Aug 12 Vespa VX 77,700 125 10.06/7500 10.6/6000 V 114 9.36 101 8 45.25 Jun 13

SWe Say: Good features and comfort for the price

Also See: Honda AviatorVespa S 82,000 125 10.06/7500 10.6/6000 V 114 NA NA 8 45.25 NA NA

YAMAHA www.yamaha-motor-india.com

RAYWe Say: NA

Also See: Honda Dio, TVS Wego

Ray 53,306 113 7.1/7500 8.1/5000 V 104 9.48 86.31 5 42.5 Nov 12 Ray Z 55,650 113 7.1/7500 8.1/5000 V 104 9.48 86.31 5 42.5 NA NA

CYGNUS ALPHAWe Say: NA

Also See: Honda Activa-i, TVS Jupiter, Hero MaestroCygnus Alpha 57,000 113 7.1/7500 8.1/5000 V 105 NA NA 5 42.5 Apr 14



http://www.tvsmotor.co.in

http://www.vespaindia.com

http://www.yamaha-motor-india.com

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AVON www.avoncycles.com

E-SCOOT 207Top speed: 24 km/h

Tested: NAAvon E-Scoot 23,280 48V 250W - - - 65 km

(ex-Delhi)

E-LITETop speed: 24 km/h

Tested: NAAvon e-lite (ex-Delhi) 22,748 48V 230W - 56 - 50 km

BSA www.bsamotorsindia.com STREET RIDER

Top speed: 25 km/h Tested: NA

Street Rider 36,600 48V 250W 1260 75 - 70 km

EKO VEHICLE www.ekovehicle.com EV-60 ELEKTRIC

Top speed: 56.14 km/h Tested: Mar 09

EV-60 Elektric 45,000 60V 1878W 1240 93 9.49(0-30) 60 km

(ex-Bengaluru)

STRIKETop speed: 16 km/h

Tested: NAStrike (ex-Bengaluru) 23,200 48V 250W 1185 - - 50 km

COSMICTop speed: 40 km/h

Tested: NACosmic (ex-Bengaluru) 38,000 48V 250W - - - 50 km

ELECTROTHERM www.yobykes.in

SPARKTop speed: 45 km/h

Tested: Aug 11Spark (ex-Delhi) 34,000 48V 1300W - 70 4.5 60 km

ELECTRONTop speed: 25 km/h

Tested: Aug 11Electron (ex-Delhi) 22,200 48V 250W - 77 NA 70-75

Electron ER (ex-Delhi) 24,000 48V 250W - 81 NA 95-100

STYLETop speed: 25 km/h

Tested: Aug 11Style (ex-Delhi) 25,000 48V 250W - 94 NA 70-75

XPLORTop speed: 25 km/h

Tested: NA

Xplor (ex-Delhi) 31,705 48V 250W - 93 NA 75-80

Xplor ER (ex-Delhi) 34,204 48V 250W - 105 NA 105-110

SPEEDTop speed: 45 km/h

Tested: Aug 11Speed (ex-Delhi) 30,500 48V 1100W* - 94.6 NA 70-75

EXLTop speed: 55 km/h

Tested: Aug 11YO EXL (ex-Delhi) 37,500 48V 1800W* - NA NA 70-75

ELECTRIC SCOOTERS



http://www.avoncycles.com

http://www.ekovehicle.com

http://www.yobykes.in

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E-VO INDIA www.evoindia.com

EXULTTop speed: 25 km/h

Tested: Aug 11EXULT (ex-Delhi) 23,709 48V 250W 1260 90 - 90 km

ELEGANTTop speed: 25 km/h

Tested: Aug 11ELEGANT (ex-Delhi) 24,815 48V 250W 1330 95 - 85 km

HERO ELECTRIC www.heroelectric.in MAXI

Top speed: 25 km/h Tested: Mar 09

Maxi (OTR Delhi) 31,750 48V 250W - 75 - 70 km

OPTIMA PLUSTop speed: 25 km/h

Tested: Mar 09Optima ++ (OTR Delhi) 34,250 48V 250W - 82 - 70 km

WAVE DXTop speed: 25 km/h

Tested: NAWave Dx (OTR Delhi) 35,750 48V 250W - 105 - 70 km

Extra Miles (OTR Delhi) 38,500 48V 250W - 117 - 100 km

E-SPRINTTop speed: 45 km/h

Tested: Aug 11E-sprint (ex-Delhi) 37,997 48V 800W - 91 - 65 km

CRUZTop speed: 25 km/h

Tested: Aug 11Cruz (OTR Delhi) 34,750 48V 250W - 91 - 75 km

ZIONTop speed: 25 km/h

Tested: NAZion (OTR Delhi) 32,990 48V 250W - 74 - 70 km

PHOTONTop speed: 45 km/h

Tested: NAPhoton (ex-Delhi) 40,750 48V 1500W - 111 - 50 km

KABIRDASS MOTOR CO. www.kabirdass.com

K100 LATop speed: 25 km/h

Tested: NAK100 LA (ex-Chennai) 27,257 48V 250W - NA NA 60 km





LOHIA AUTO www.lohiaauto.com

FAMETop speed: 25 km/h

Tested: Aug 11Fame 22,477 48V 250W 1270 70 NA 60 km

OMA STARTop speed: 25 km/h

Tested: Aug 11Oma Star 25,495 48V 250W 1230 89 NA 60 km



http://www.evoindia.com

http://www.heroelectric.in

http://www.kabirdass.com

http://www.lohiaauto.com


http://www.youtube.com/harleydavidsonindia

http://www.facebook.com/harleydavidsonindia


http://www.harley-davidson.in


RNI NO. MAHENG / 2005 / 15682

BC_bike July14_bajaj_newstand.indd 142 6/12/2014 5:46:22 PM

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BIKE India julio2014

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