Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2017 i BIKE India

HARLEY-DAVIDSON, THE AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE manufacturers who have a cult following in many parts of the world, have announced the arrival of their latest motorcycle, the Street Rod. This brand-new Street variant has been introduced in India priced at Rs 5.86 lakh (ex-Delhi). H-D India have already opened the bookings for this new variant and soon the motorcycle will be available for test-rides. The Street Rod is based on the standard Street 750; however, the company has made several changes in order to make it aggressive and sportier. To start with, the styling of the bike harks back to the days of the XR1200, a model that was designed and developed for the European market. The tail section, the front end and the side panels and even the exhaust are all…

SUZUKI HAVE FINALLY ANNOUNCED THE PRICE OF THEIR MUCH-AWAITED quarter-litre, twin-cylinder, entry-level sports bike, the GSX250R or Gixxer 250, in the United Kingdom. At the equivalent of Rs 3.5 lakh in the UK, this new Suzuki will take on the likes of Kawasaki’s Ninja 300 and Yamaha’s YZF-R3. Sales are due to get under way from April in the UK. However, we are more interested in how the bike will be priced here in India. Although Suzuki have not revealed any plans about the Indian launch of the Gixxer 250, we expect them to bring the bike to India by the end of the year. As for the price, we believe it would be similar to that in the UK (Rs 3.5 lakh). At this price point the main competition…

INDIA’S PREMIER BIKING FESTIVAL IS BACK AND THIS YEAR IT celebrates its fifth edition. To mark this milestone there are five special rides organised for bike enthusiasts all over the country. Called the ‘Iconic 5’ rides, these are, as the name suggests, five rides leading to various destinations across the country, the last of which will, of course, be Goa on the 24th and 25th of November. The first weekend of February 2017 saw the first of these five rides take place. This ride, held in Pondicherry, saw 250 riders from across southern India ride all kinds of bikes. The riders came from a number of cities and towns, including Dharmapuri, Bengaluru, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Hampi, and Chennai, to name a few, for this three-day event. Each of the ‘Iconic 5’…

THE MOTOR SPORT WORLD RECENTLY LOST A GEM WHEN John Surtees, one of the most talented racers on two and four wheels, left for his heavenly abode on 10 March 2017, exactly 14 years after the demise of another legendary racer, Barry Sheene. Surtees’ contribution to the world of motor racing goes beyond just winning championships. His exceptional talent was complemented by his bravery and will to achieve what others could only dream of. John Surtees was the only racer in the world who managed to win a Formula One championship (1964) and also numerous motorcycle Grand Prix championships in his racing career. Born on 11 February 1934 in Surrey, England, Surtees started racing at a very young age. In fact, he first participated in a sidecar race with his…

Ride Log Who We Are: Ziaur and five others Riding: KTM 390 Duke, KTM 200 Duke, Honda CBR 250R, Kawasaki Ninja 300, and Bajaj Pulsar 220 IT WAS THE VALENTINE’S Day week and to show our love for our bikes we decided to ride in the hills of Meghalaya. The plan was to cover a distance of 1,000 kilometres, 5,000 feet above mean sea level, covering Dawki, Mawylnnong (the cleanest village is India), Cherrapunjee, and Shillong in three days. We started from Dhubri in Assam at 4.30 am. We stopped for a refreshing cup of tea after riding for 70 km at Chapor and thereafter at Rajapara for breakfast. We wanted to reach Guwahati before 10.00 am because two of our bikes were in need of service there. However,…

THE KTM 1290 Super Duke R is an irresistible design. I know many who would give an eye, an arm and a kidney to own the Super Duke but KTM are not interested in bringing it to our shores just yet. But there’s hope. Now you can have a scaled down version of the bike, at a fraction of its price, right here in India. Presenting the stunning new 2017 KTM 390 Duke. From the tank design with razor sharp extensions to the sinister split headlight and the new KTM MotoGP racing orange — the new 390 Duke looks like a mirror image of its elder sibling. The headlight comes with 20 LED (light-emitting diodes) and is brighter than ever. The fuel tank is all-steel now and larger with a…

IT WAS AUGUST last year that Italian marque Aprilia launched India’s first truly sporty scooter, the SR 150. This machine shattered the impression that scooters in India had to be practical, family-oriented vehicles, softly sprung for comfort, and with enough room for a week’s groceries. The SR 150 introduced the Indian public to a fun scooter that accelerated hard, had immense stopping power, and was endowed with a firm suspension and sticky tyres oriented towards sporty handling rather than comfort. So great has been the response that Aprilia have, in just six months, introduced a variant of this groundbreaking scooter: the SR 150 Race. We thought the original SR looked sporty, but this new variant takes it to a whole new level. Liveried to match Aprilia’s RS-GP MotoGP race bike,…

THE FIFTH EDITION OF the Mumbai KTM Track Day had all of 93 KTM enthusiasts pushing their limits to set the fastest time on five-right-two-left-cornered J K Raymond’s circuit in Thane. We had one goal: to decimate our own best lap-time from the last track-day. After our classroom session with a teacher in a racing suit and a whiteboard with the track layout on it, with tips on body position, throttle control, braking points and several key points, we set out. They say a slow rider won’t know how to go fast without crashing, and a fast rider won’t find the thin line of control and limit of a machine until he crashes. There were a number of crashes, and the organisers had left no stone unturned to ensure the…

The premier riding academy that has a presence across the world, the California Superbike School has been hosting training sessions in India since 2010. And for the last three years the CSS coaches have been riding Triumph motorcycles while instructing the students, courtesy Triumph Motorcycles India. This initiative points to how Triumph are contributing to safer riding in the country, as well as promoting motor sport. CSS has a presence in 27 countries, and trains enthusiastic motorcyclists in safe and responsible riding habits, both on the track and on the street. Vimal Sumbly, MD, Triumph Motorcycles India, attended one of the training sessions this year. He said, “We are extremely excited to see CSS growing and motor sport gaining ground here in India. Owning a powerful bike is becoming popular…

The new MotoGP season gets under way in Qatar on the 26th of March, with the genuine prospect of an even better championship than last year’s. Jorge Lorenzo switches to Ducati, Maverick Viñales to Yamaha and Andrea Iannone to Suzuki, while Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi stay where they were, at Honda and Yamaha respectively. Meanwhile, Cal Crutchlow should be stronger than ever. Last year’s major technical overhaul — Michelin tyres and same-for-all Magneti Marelli rider aids — made history. Nine different riders and four different manufacturers won races, a first in a championship that began back in 1949. Will we see 10 or more different winners in 2017? Rider: Marc Marquez Team: Repsol Honda RC213V Winner: Argentine, Americas, German, Aragon and Japanese GPs LAST YEAR MARQUEZ WON FIVE RACES…

We’ve completed 11 YEARS at BIKE INDIA, and YOU, our READERS, are the FUEL that drives us FORWARD. Your SUPPORT is the most valuable component of BIKE INDIA MAGAZINE, and we can’t THANK YOU enough. So here’s a tribute to YOU — the amazing #BICOMMUNITY. May our bond ever grow STRONGER. Ride hard, ride safe Send in Your Pictures with #BICommunity to: EMAIL bikeindia@nextgenpublishing.net FACEBOOK /bikeindia TWITTER @bikeindia INSTAGRAM @bikeindia POST Bike India, Next Gen Automotive, 401B, Gandhi Empire, 5th Floor, 2 Serene Estate, Kondhwa Road, Pune - 411040.…

THE GREEN TEAM HAVE GONE AHEAD AND LAUNCHED THE LIMITED-edition ZX-10RR, an intense and more track-focused variant. Kawasaki India have priced the new ZX-10RR at Rs 21.9 lakh (ex-Pune). The RR looks pretty much the same as the standard model; however, the real magic lies in the engine. The RR is a WSBK homologation special model and gets revised cylinder-heads to accommodate high-lift camshafts. The crankcase has been reinforced for better durability and the valve spring tappets get diamond-like coating for reduced friction and noise. The RR also gets a quick-shifter for clutch-less gear shifting. Apart from these changes, the engine remains the same, which means it still develops 200 PS (210 with ram-air) and 113.5 Nm. Other minor changes include new Marchesini forged aluminium wheels and Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa…

DSK HYOSUNG HAVE INTRODUCED 100 LIMITED-EDITION UNITS OF the Aquila 250. These limited-edition bikes will be available in three new stylish colours, priced at Rs 2.94 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The Hyosung Aquila 250 is, of course, a cruiser, and is exactly the same as its predecessor underneath all that fresh paint. It is still powered by a 249-cc DOHC V-twin and sports front telescopic suspension and hydraulic shock-absorbers at the rear. It also retains its fuel tank capacity of 14 litres. The limited-edition bike will now be available in three new colour options: Matte Green, Carbon Black and Desert Brown.…

HARLEY-DAVIDSON INDIA HAVE OFFERED TO PROVIDE FREE STORAGE FACILITY FOR THEIR Armed Forces Chapter. The chapter was started in 2015 and is exclusive to Harley-Davidson owners from the defence services in India. Selected Harley-Davidson dealerships across the country will offer the Armed Forces H.O.G members an option to store their motorcycles at the dealership while they are away. This initiative has been taken to assist defence personnel who are away on duty for long periods of time. Such officers can store their motorcycles at the dealership where they will be maintained in pristine condition until the owners come back to collect them, thereby assuring the owners peace of mind while they are away on duty.…

MOJO – BORN FOR THE ROAD. THIS IS THE TITLE OF THE BOOK THAT Mahindra have released to celebrate the success of their flagship motorcycle, the Mojo. Mahindra have been happy with the Mojo’s performance in the Indian market for quite some time now and to celebrate it they have come out with a monograph that encompasses the Mojo story right from its inception to date. The monograph is a testimony to the adventures of the Mojo owners (popularly known as ‘Mojo Tribesmen’), including the variety of rides organised by Mahindra such as the Mountain Trail, Desert Trail, Jungle Trail and Coastal Trail.…

FEDERAL MOGUL, ONE OF THE TOP NAMES IN THE INDIAN LUBRICANT market, have launched a new brand of oil, called Goetze Engine Oil. This new brand has a range of oils for two- and three-wheeler engines. This new oil is made from high-quality base oils and high-performance additives that are designed to enhance the overall behaviour of modern-day engines. The oil offers superior abrasion resistance and viscosity stability. These attributes along with active technology molecules contribute to extending engine, clutch and gear life. Federal Mogul have also launched a new line of grease, called Goetze Special Grease, which offers superior surface adhesion and reduced friction under all riding conditions.…

THE TITLE THAT NATURALLY suggested itself for this article was ‘Customisation’. But for those of us who grew up with the image of Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper crossing the United States to do ... whatever it was they crossed the United States to do, that word carries some immediate connotations. Wildly extended forks, banana seats and peanut tanks have now been irrevocably burned into the brain cells whenever the word ‘custom’ crops up. But that’s just one genre. Across the spectrum of categories, the desire to personalise our rides is a natural phenomenon, whether that’s to improve its function or looks, or just to put our individual stamp on it. This desire has been increasingly recognised by manufacturers as a lucrative side-line, to the point where some bikes are…

The FZ25 engine comes from the company’s treasure-trove of powertrains. This 249-cc engine is based on the Yamaha XT250 dual sport, but here has been tuned to offer better low-end and mid-range power BACK IN 2008, DURING THE AUTO EXPO held in Delhi, I remember our editor pointing out that the just unveiled Yamaha FZ16 would have been an even better bike if it came with a larger 250-cc engine. And about eight years down the line, we have the first quarter-litre naked motorcycle from Yamaha Motor India in the shape of the FZ25. However, over the last eight years the Indian motorcycle scene has transformed, and how. Apart from missing the first-mover advantage, Yamaha are, in fact, late to join the 200-to-250-cc party. The specifications, at least on paper,…

IMAGINE OUR CITIES minus the smog. Imagine breathing clean air on the commute to work every morning. Although such fantasies may remain in the realm of imagination for now, clean mobility has gradually been gaining acceptance across India with electric vehicles slowly hitting the mainstream. CNG-powered vehicles have been around for some time now, with a few manufacturers offering conversion kits straight from the factory, and several more aftermarket options as well. Lovato gas kits for petrol cars have been available for many years, and the company has now started offering gas conversion kits for two-wheelers as well. It may be some time till we see a CNGpowered motorcycle, but Lovato seem to have done a great job with this Honda Activa scooter. The Honda Activa on these pages features…

FLAT-OUT IN TOP GEAR with my head behind its screen and the bright blue ocean up ahead, the GSX-R1000R is well into sixth and doing maybe 270 km/h when it flashes past the 200-metre marker of the Phillip Island pit straight and I sit up and squeeze the front brake lever. As the bike slows, a black GSX-R comes past on my right, its rider wearing a distinctive white, red and blue helmet, and leathers with a name in yellow letters on the back: Schwantz. Through the next fourth-gear right-hander I’m right behind as the tall figure carves through the slightly bumpy Doohan Corner in that familiar sitting-up style — familiar, that is, from television and photos rather than today’s eerily, temporarily close proximity. By the time I touch the…

THERE IS A RUNNING GAG about us journos from all over the world that alludes to how we’re fuelled by copious amounts of coffee topped off with a dash of panic induced by never-ending, ever-impending deadlines. As with most humour, this one is born from a kernel of truth, as I myself consume coffee by the proverbial truckload on an everyday basis. To say I enjoy my brew, then, would be selling things a tad short. The reason I bring all this up is because Karnataka is the heartland of India’s coffee mechanisation and that’s exactly where I found myself early one cold, winter morning. Triumph India had invited us for what they called the Coffee and Spice Ride, so there I was in the capital city of Bengaluru, assembled…

IT’S BEEN FIVE YEARS SINCE THE INCEPTION OF the Harley-Davidson Owners Group of India and, every year, members from various chapters ride to Goa to celebrate the formation of the club and also the brotherhood that holds the riders together. This year, however, was special as it marked five full years of the group’s foundation in India. More than 3,000 H.O.G. members rode to Goa to be part of a grand spectacle that dominated the party capital of India. The atmosphere was alive with brotherhood and camaraderie as riders from 27 Indian chapters showed up at the event and shared their riding stories. Riders rode in from as far as Chandigarh in the north and Kolkata in the east. At the event, Harley-Davidson honoured a lot of riders for their…

BMW MOTORRAD, THE MOTORCYCLE wing of the German automotive giant, is finally entering the Indian market this month. The premium motorcycle manufacturers have been studying the Indian market for a very long time as they aim to price their big motorcycles competitively to take on the likes of Ducati and Triumph. Last year we got a first glimpse of the brand in India at the Auto Expo and now we will see their dealerships spring up across the country this month. Initially, BMW Motorrad will launch their R, K and S Series of motorcycles in India. The R Series consists of adventure and touring models such as the R 1200 GS, R, RS and RT. The K Series is BMW’s sport touring range comprising motorcycles of the K 1300 and…

INDIA YAMAHA MOTOR RECENTLY RECALLED SOME OF THEIR 321-CC YZF-R3 motorcycles after the parent company, Yamaha Motor Co Ltd, detected defects in its fuel tank bracket and main switch sub-assembly. Yamaha have announced that this will affect 1,155 motorcycles in the Indian market and have offered to correct their mistake by replacing the faulty parts with new and modified ones at no cost at Yamaha dealerships. The replacement procedure is set to begin immediately. The company will get in touch with the concerned individual customers.…

TO CELEBRATE WOMEN EMPOWERMENT on the occasion of the recent International Women’s Day (8 March), H-D India have decided to honour the ladies by launching a new chapter that is exclusive to women, called the ‘Ladies of Harley’. The aim of the chapter is to appreciate the woman riders who have taken up leisure motorcycling and provide them with a platform to share their interests with other like-minded women. The chapter is open to the ever-growing number of woman riders and pillions. Like the other chapters of Harley-Davidson, this one also boasts of its own embroidered patch and pin. Pallavi Singh, Director (Marketing), Harley-Davidson India, says, “In India we have seen strong interest amongst women to join the sport of leisure motorcycling and ride their own motorcycles. This women’s day,…

KTM HAVE LAUNCHED THEIR MUCH-AWAITED Duke range in India with prices ranging from Rs 1.44 lakh to Rs 2.26 lakh (ex-Delhi). The new 390 Duke has been completely reworked, with new body panels and headlight, and KTM have also given us another new Duke, the 250. The 390 gets a new side-mounted exhaust, while the 250 can be distinguished by a different headlight and differently-coloured trellis frame. The 200 Duke is essentially a facelift with a new paint job and a few odds and ends, and does not share visual cues with either of its larger siblings. The 200 Duke and 390 Duke are powered by the same 199.5-cc and 373.3-cc engines as their predecessors; however, the 390 now makes two more Nm of torque (37 Nm at 7,000 rpm,…

Mobile Phone Holder   1,449/- Keep your GPS navigation in plain sight on long rides with this handlebar-mounted mobile phone holder. It features a ball-joint for all around adjustability, and can fit everything from regular-sized smartphones to phablets. This product has an adjustable clamp that can hook on to any handlebar and has rubber inserts within the clamp, as also around the phone, to insulate your device from vibrations. We used this unit recently when riding across the country, and were glad we had it. You can buy this, and several other designs, in Pune from Team Driven (www.teamdrivenindia.com) . TechSpec Gripster Tank Grips   3,500/- to 7,000/- Designed to keep the rider firmly anchored to the motorcycle, these tank grips will eliminate sliding forward under hard braking, and facilitate…

ON MANY SUPER-SPORTS bikes this ride would be getting uncomfortable and annoying by now. I’m on a twisty back-road in the hills near Seville in the south of Spain, and for the last few miles the surface, which was superb for most of the ride, has been more like something suited to an adventure bike launch: bumpy, potholed and made slippery by occasional patches of gravel as well as dampness from recent rain. This is hardly traditional Ducati country, but the SuperSport is handling the tricky conditions well. Or, at least, its relatively high handlebars and compliant suspension are making this part of the ride much more enjoyable than it would be on plenty of sports machines, while the 937-cc V-twin engine’s flexible response and gentle power delivery, backed up…

I AM WAITING at the pits of the iconic Circuit de Catalunya as the Triumph crew warm up the Pirelli SuperCorsa tyres and preps the 2017 Street Triple RS for the racetrack. It’s the same track where legendary MotoGP riders like Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez will be scraping their knee-sliders (and elbows) later this year. The idea is still sinking in, as the tyre warmers are stripped off the bike and I roll it off the paddock stand astride the bike. There are a million things playing on my mind. Had Triumph mixed up the bikes? Maybe, they should have handed over the track-focused Daytona instead of a naked street bike. All the thoughts vamoose as soon as I leave the pit-lane and hit the very first sharp right-hand…

AT AN INDICATED 160 km/h it’s a hell of a thrill. You’re crouched down in a vain attempt to escape from the wind, peering over the clocks and with arms raised to high and wide handlebars. The big engine is sucking audibly through its open-topped airbox beneath the seat, and howling louder through four chrome silencers as the mighty Z1 speeds along with the force and style that once made it the undisputed king. Then you glance down at the steering head and realise that the bars don’t just feel light, but that they’re moving slightly yet visibly from side to side under the strain being fed into the chassis. It’s not quite a weave, but it’s not far from becoming one — and it shows the other side of…

WHEN KTM ENTERED THE Indian market back in 2012, the orange firm from Austria gave rise to great excitement among the Indian biking fraternity. We finally had affordable performance-oriented bikes after years of longing for faster imported machinery. Since their launch, the 200 Duke and 390 Duke have been the enthusiasts’ choice for fast, nimble street bikes, and now KTM have gone ahead and introduced a 250-cc Duke to fill the void between the two previous models. Launched alongside the 2017 200 Duke and 390, the 250 Duke is a completely new machine to our market, and seems ideally placed for the customer who wants a little more power than what the 200 offers, while not spending the premium that the 390 demands. Better fuel economy than the 390 could…

I ARRIVE AT CHANDANI CHOWK in Pune at 6.00 am on a Sunday; typically something I would have spent the rest of the story grumbling about. The fact that I arrived on an H-D Fat Boy draped in tangerine and chrome had a definite calming effect on me, though. There were already a couple of Iron 883s and Forty-Eights about, and the air was repeatedly rent with the gurgles and burbles in that distinct note of potato-potato that is instantly identifiable as a Harley as more and more bikes joined in every minute. By 6.30 am there were already more than a few riders assembled on everything from the Street 750 to the Street Glide Special in attendance. All told, about 20-odd people (including a pair of pillions) had set…

Australia Race One After a killer Super Pole victory, Rea started the first event of the season on pole, followed by his team-mate, Tom Sykes, and Aruba.it Ducati’s new rider and veteran racer, Marco Melandri. As the lights went out, it was Melandri who rocketed past everyone and took an early lead. However, Rea, Sykes and Davies were right on the Italian’s tail on lap one. Come lap two and the Kawasaki duo overtook the Italian, forcing him to P3 with Davies coming in hot in P4. Rea led the race for four laps before Melandri made his move again and regained the lead. The battle for P1 was so close during the first half of the race that there were about five riders fighting for the lead at one…