Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2019 i BIKE India

THE SCOOTER MARKET HAS BEEN POSTING A CONSISTENT AND seemingly unrelenting growth in the last decade or so, contributing to nearly a third of all two-wheeler sales in India in the process. However, for the first time in 13 years, the scooter market has taken a bit of a nosedive. Despite India’s punters buying a massive 67 lakh units worth of scooters in the 2018-19 fiscal year, this number signifies a 0.27 per cent drop compared to last year. Turbulent finances and a lack of jobs have been cited as possible reasons for this slump. Since the biggest consumers of scooters in the recent past have come from the rural and semi-urban demographics, the paucity of employment opportunities has hit this segment particularly hard. Furthermore, the ever-growing and fluctuating fuel…

THE DEMAND FOR THE CALIFORNIA Superbike School (CSS) has been so high that the renowned riding school has decided to return to India once more this year; this time over two weekends in August. In usual fashion, MMRT will be the venue. Unlike previous editions of the school, this time they will train participants only for Levels One and Two. The training will be spread over three days and will feature a total of 10 vital drills. This rather relaxed approach will also allow students more track time than usual, while also giving them those crucial extra sessions to acclimatize to what they have learnt. The school is now charging a lower fee, Rs 60,000 to be precise. Furthermore, lady riders and teenagers below 16 years of age can avail…

AS A SIGN OF RESPECT, THE FIRST 100 JAWA MOTORCYCLES ARE being delivered by ex-defence personnel. The company initiated a fund-raiser for the armed forces and put up 13 Jawa motorcycles on auction. Apart from enthusiasts, bigwigs like Anand Mahindra also bid for the bikes. For the very first unit, an enthusiast parted with a staggering Rs 45 lakh. The contributions from the #ForeverHeroes fundraiser accumulated to an impressive Rs 1.43 crore that goes straight to the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund. Following their announcement of this good news on Twitter, a couple of followers raised queries about the motorcycles’ fuel-efficiency and drew attention to the fact that Jawa were not revealing that crucial bit of information. Jawa then stepped up and replied to said followers that the ARAI-certified figure…

DUCATI HAVE OPENED registrations for the Custom Rumble contest, a global competition that seeks the best customized Ducati Scrambler. Now in its third edition, the contest features increased and updated categories this year. The third edition of the Ducati Custom Rumble will have five categories – four for the Scrambler 800 and Sixty2 and one specifically for the Scrambler 1100. The categories include Rocker which is inspired by the café racers of the 1960s; Cut-Down which are Bobberstyled machines; All-Terrain; Outsider - an open category which does not need to follow set styles like the previous categories; and Bully which is similar to the Outsider so far as any style of customization will do; however, the Bully is specifically meant for the Ducati Scrambler 1100. Registrations are open and will…

THE JAPANESE BIG FOUR ― HONDA, YAMAHA, SUZUKI, AND KAWASAKI ― ARE REPORTEDLY working together to form a consultative body to discuss a unified standard for electric motorcycle technology. Their primary goal is to prevent many different standards from being established for charging stations and other infrastructure by setting up a common technical base for battery-swapping technology and kindred charging station network. Rather, given the popularity of the big four, they would set global standards for mainstream adoption of electric motorcycles. The specifics of the arrangement have not been revealed, but financial and technological sharing among the big four makes for a force to be reckoned with. This move could be monumental in increasing their reach and in furthering the adoption of mainstream electric mobility. Japanese reports suggest that this…

Suzuki Motorcycle India have updated the Intruder 150 to offer a more relaxed rider geometry and also introduced a new Metallic Matte Titanium Silver colour. The 2019 model comes with a revised front footrest position which has been moved closer to the rider. Even the gear shift lever and brake pedal have been modified which should make them easier to use. Apart from these, the 2019 model also gets a new back-rest for the pillion, while the belly cowl that the outgoing model sported has been done away with in the new version. The Intruder 150 is available in two variants: the standard model is priced at Rs 1.01 lakh and the fuel-injected version costs Rs 1.08 lakh (prices ex-showroom, Delhi). Both versions come powered by a 154.9-cc single that…

IN THE PAST BMW WERE KNOWN TO MAKE only touring and adventure motorcycles with boxer twin-cylinder engines. In April 2008, BMW surprised the world when they showcased the very first litre-class super sport motorcycle, the S 1000 RR. The S 1000 RR set a new benchmark in the litre-class with its power, handling, and, most of all, the electronics. At that time, BMW were the first to offer rider aids such as traction control even though they were not participating in MotoGP like most of the other litre-class superbike manufacturers. At the time of its launch, the S 1000 RR was the most powerful superbike and it took years for others to catch up. BMW have moved away from the asymmetrical design to a symmetrical one for the S 1000…

IF YOUR USUAL PIZZERIA were advertising a bigger and juicier version of your favourite pizza, that would definitely make your day. As you dream about sinking your teeth into the slice, you are already imagining it to be better in many ways than your previous experience. In the world of motorcycles, that is probably how enthusiasts felt when Triumph announced that a new Street Twin was on the way. The Street Twin has always been a bestseller for Triumph in various markets and refreshing it was like treading on thin ice for the Hinckley-based marque. They had to carry forward the appeal of the motorcycle with upgrades that would meet their customers’ expectations. Have they managed to pull it off? Read on to find out. Triumph are well-known for having…

HOW DOES ONE GO ABOUT deciding which bicycle is right for us? This is the most common question friends ask us. For most of us living in cities, especially working professionals, it is best to start off with a hybrid bicycle as a first choice. Although a hybrid bicycle may not be the best-looking bike in the market, it outperforms competition with its noteworthy attribute of functionality. Undoubtedly, a hybrid bicycle is your go-to bike when it comes to city riding and daily commuting requirements. Road bicycles look a lot more attractive and they can be pushed to attain above-average high speeds; however, given the condition of our city roads which tend to be bumpy, besides being subject to heavy congestion, these do not make for a very practicable option…

IT HAD BEEN A MISTAKE TO JUMP STRAIGHT ON TO the Big 4 and roar off without first pausing for thought. This fact was abundantly clear, just 10 minutes into my first ride, as I wound back the throttle of the Norton once again ― and then waited rather impatiently as the old single-cylinder machine ambled forwards with no more urgency than an elderly gentleman shuffling towards the Post Office counter to collect his pension. Gently, gently, the elderly Norton picked up speed until it was chuffing along at about 80 km/h, its rider by now resigned to taking in the view rather than enjoying any sense of excitement. I was reasonably comfortable, too, bouncing slightly in the sprung saddle, despite the absence of any rear suspension. But this modest…

I INCLEMENT WEATHER PLAYED A HUGE ROLE IN deciding the starting grid for the race. One of the free practice sessions had to be called off and the pressure increased as the riders sought front-row starts for race day. The King of COTA, Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), earned himself his consecutive seventh pole position, equalling the record set by Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) at Mugello. In second and third positions were “The Doctor” and Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) respectively. MotoGP Although Crutchlow was the fastest of the three off the line, the holeshot was claimed by Marquez who was simply the bravest on the brakes into Turn One. The King of COTA is famous for getting away at the front and then hammering in a good…

The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 made a clean sweep of all the “Bike of the Year” awards, including the Bike India Two-wheeler of the Year Award and the Indian Motorcycle of the Year (IMOTY) Award. After a quick chat with the Royal Enfield management, Bike India received a long-term Interceptor. The bike was delivered to my house on a Saturday morning and it has stayed with me ever since, even though everybody at the office was asking who would get it as their long-term bike. It was a little disappointing for everybody as I pulled rank and said that the Interceptor would be my long-term bike. Normally, I don’t keep a long-term bike with me, but the Interceptor is different. In fact, in the last month or so I have…

LED BY FOUNDER AND MAD SCIENTIST LUDOVIC LAZARETH, THE BRAND HAS MADE A YAMAHA NIKKENesque three-wheeled machine in the past, called the LM847. The kicker is its ticker, though ― because it is powered by Maserati’s 4.7-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine. Yep, they went there and this time around they’ve set their sights a little higher. No, wait, scratch that, they’ve set their sights a lot higher... you could go so far as to say they are aiming for the skies. Yep, the latest bonkers machine from the French tinkerers is codenamed LMV 496 and, yep, it straight up flies. You can ride it around on regular tarmac with wheels planted firmly on the ground or, if the whim catches you, switch into flight mode and the wheels expand outwards…

THE NEW DUCATI DIAVEL 1260 HAS WON the “Red Dot Award: Best of the Best” in the Product Design category. This is the third accolade for Ducati, following the success of the Ducati 1199 Panigale in 2013 and the XDiavel S in 2016. The Red Dot Design Award is a prestigious product and communication design award, hosted in Essen, Germany, by Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen since 1955 and has prize categories for product design, design agencies, and design concepts. This year, over 5,500 products from all over the world were submitted, out of which the Ducati Diavel 1260 was chosen as the winner by a jury consisting of 40 international experts. The Ducati Diavel 1260 was unveiled at the Ducati World Première 2019. Its muscular lines and imposing front end…

WE ALL KNOW THAT FOR THE AVERAGE INDIAN BIKE enthusiast, a ride up to the mighty Himalayas is a bit of a rite of passage. After all, those prayer flags aren’t going to wrap themselves across your mirrors, are they? If you want to take a break from convention and attempt this challenging ride in a completely left of field (some would even say bonkers) way, then the Rickshaw Run might just be the way to do it. Organized by The Adventurists, this event is now in its second year and will see two batches being flagged off, one in June and another in September. The route starts from Leh and goes via the daunting Spiti Valley before ending in Shimla (the route is reversed for the September batch). The…

THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MADE ABS (ANTI-lock braking system) mandatory for all two-wheelers above 125 cc, whereas CBS (combined braking system) has been mandated for two-wheelers below 125 cc from 1 April 2019 onwards. These technologies makes for safer braking on wet and loose road surfaces and even prevent the wheels from locking up under panic braking. To meet the deadline, Indian two-wheeler manufacturers updated their disc-brake equipped motorcycles models with ABS whereas those with drum brakes have been equipped with CBS. The only scooter exception here is the Aprilia SR150 which has become the first scooter in India to feature ABS. The CBS equipped models cost around Rs 4,000 more, while ABS models see an increase of roughly Rs 10,000 over the current equivalent variant.…

BRITISH SCOOTER MANUFACTURERS SCOMADI HAVE partnered with Pune-based AJ Performance to assemble the premium Scomadi TT125 scooter at their Pune facility. Scomadi are known for producing bespoke, hand-built scooters since 2009 and have a cult following. The European-spec TT125 is powered by a 125-cc, air-cooled, SOHC, single-cylinder engine capable of producing 9.5 PS at 8,000 rpm and 9.67 Nm of torque at 7,200 rpm. It weighs 125 kilograms and comes with a combined braking system (CBS) and 220-mm disc brakes both at the front and the rear. The Scomadi TT125 will be available with a host of customization options, including paint schemes, accessories, and more. The company plans to establish four dealerships in the metros in their first phase of operations and plans to expand its portfolio in the years…

THE 500-800 CC PREMIUM MOTORCYCLE MARKET IN India has witnessed substantial growth in the last year. The big bike segment sales have more than doubled, growing from 3,585 units in the previous financial year to a reported 8,264 units in FY 19. The major reason for this sudden surge has been the Royal Enfield 650 Twins which added 5,168 units to the premium segment. In comparison, back in FY 18 Royal Enfield had reported the sale of only 305 motorcycles above 500 cc. Achieving this in spite of the overall poor two-wheeler sales is quite a commendable feat. This is a clear indication of the fast-changing buying pattern and the rapidly growing number of Indians being attracted to leisure riding. The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650,…

The Bullet Trials Works Replica are the 350-cc and 500-cc scramblers that the company had been teasing for a while earlier. These are, in essence, based on the company’s Classic models and come with two engine capacity options as mentioned above: 350 cc and 500 cc. However, there are a number of changes and additions made for that good ol’ all-terrain scrambler to rear its mug. The Bullet Trials have been inspired by Johnny Brittain, who won over 50 championships starting from 1948, which is the reason why the number “48” is slapped on to the battery box cover on the left side of the 500. Another point of distinction between the two is the orange frame on the Bullet Trials 350 and the green one on the 500. The…

THE NEW LUMINOX RECON SERIES HAS MADE IT TO India. It is called the NAV SPC and is inspired by Navigation Specialist, the armed forces personnel whose task it is to maintain patrols on designated routes. Apart from superhuman skills, the Specialist relies on maps, compasses, and even GPS to get the job done. Pretty much like a navigator in a car rally, but in much more intense environments. Imagine Pub-G level Ace and multiply it by nine. This all-black timepiece comes equipped with a walking speed tachymeter integrated into the dial, while the fibre strap has three common map scales along with inch and centimetre measurements and a comparison chart to help read maps better. You can even set a second time zone and it also comes with a…

IT HAS TO BE ONE OF THE MOST THRILLING experiences on two wheels. I’m hammering over the brow of the hill on Mugello’s long pit straight, head tucked behind the screen of an RSV4 1100 Factory that is flat-out in top gear and still accelerating enthusiastically with a delicious V4 growl audible above the wind roar. The circuit drops away and the Aprilia keeps on charging down the hill, staying rock-solid as it leans slightly left across the track. Then suddenly I’ve passed the 300-metre board, reached my trackside marker, and squeezed the front brake lever; pushing myself back in the seat, bracing my neck muscles against the wind, and gripping the tank with my knees against the ferocious deceleration of the Brembo Stylema front brake calipers as I tread…

BACK IN THE 1940S AND ALL THE WAY through to the ’60s, Royal Enfield were apparently as dominant in Trials competitions as FC Barcelona have been in La Liga. Basically, they won everything, pretty much all the time. And the Leo Messi who drove (or rode, rather) them to the top of the Trials mountain was a chap called Johnny Brittain. And, no, that isn’t a euphemism for a guy who really embodies the spirit of Her Majesty’s Kingdom; that was really his name. And, no, no relation to Johnny English either. Anyway, with ol’ Johnny Brittain at the helm, Royal Enfield took home 50 championships during that period and first employed a swing-arm to help them do it — the first manufacturer to do so. This period of dominance…

TRIUMPH TRIPLES ARE HUGELY POPULAR THESE DAYS and deservedly so. The Speed Triple and Street Triple have a blend of performance and character that has made them long-lasting hits. And with numerous Tiger models in the range and a revamped Rocket III on the way, three-cylinder bikes form a vital part of the range of one of motorcycling’s most successful manufacturers. How different it was back in 1975, when struggling Triumph introduced the three-cylinder T160 Trident. The 740-cc, air-cooled triple ― its T160 designation referred to its factory code number, in Triumph tradition ― was not the Meriden-based Triumph firm’s first three-cylinder model, as it replaced the T150 Trident triple that had been a sales flop since its introduction in 1969. The T160 was a very different Trident from that…

RIDING ON THE SUCCESS of his previous outings, Álvaro Bautista (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati), arrived at Aragon as the favourite. Fans were ecstatic after he claimed pole position again with a time of 1’49.049; a new lap record. It also made him the first Spaniard in the history of WSBK to take a pole position at home. Accompanying him on the front row were Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK) and Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in second and third places respectively. Race One Bautista nailed the start and took the holeshot, quite oblivious to the commotion behind him. The defending champion, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), and Markus Reiterberger (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) collided on the line with the latter falling off his motorcycle. Meanwhile, Tom Sykes (BMW…

ENTREPRENEUR RAHUL SHARMA, CO-founder of the mobile phone brand Micromax, has entered the electric two-wheeler industry. His new venture, Revolt Intellicorp Pvt Ltd, set up at an investment of about Rs 400-500 crore, aims at developing India’s first AI-enabled motorcycle. With their headquartered in Gurugram (erstwhile Gurgaon) and a manufacturing facility in Manesar, Haryana, the firm has a production capacity of 1.2 lakh vehicles commissioned for phase one. The company’s R&D is said to be working for nearly two years to develop the AI-enabled motorcycle and has released a sketch of their first product which promises to offer performance on a par with conventional ICE motorcycles. Recently, a test mule of this smart-motorcycle was spied near the manufacturing facility near the National Capital Region. The new model is a fully…

HONDA MOTORCYCLE AND SCOOTER INDIA HAVE OPENED BOOKINGS FOR the 2019 Africa Twin at their Wing World dealerships across the country. Priced attractively at Rs 13.5 lakh (ex-showroom), the new Africa Twin gets a fresh Glint Wave Blue Metallic colour scheme and the second generation of Honda’s acclaimed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), allowing the rider to select the transmission’s behaviour for relaxed highway cruising, fast sporty riding or off-roading. Built to cross continents and anything else that gets in its way, the Africa Twin also gets an Incline Detection feature to take on steep climbs, Honda Selectable Torque Control to fine-tune the power delivery to suit the conditions, multiple riding modes, and a detailed LCD dash.…

MAVOX ARE A NEW INDIAN MOTORCYCLE HELMET brand, part of the Sandhar-Amkin group, a reputed automotive components manufacturer based in Gurugram, Haryana. The helmets will be priced from Rs 1,500 upwards. These helmets have been tested and constructed keeping in mind the everyday use of motorcycle riders of our country and come with a promise to offer best-in-class safety, affordability, and style. We haven’t got our hands on the helmet yet, but since Mavox adheres to the newly revised ISI standards, we feel that it will be on a par with other Indian helmet brands such as Steelbird, Studds, and Vega. To begin with, Mavox have launched three ranges of helmets in India which include full-face, modular, motocross style, and open-face helmets catering to men, women, and children. The company…

The updated Dominar 400 features cosmetic, performance, and structural updates that improve the bike’s touring credentials. The price is Rs 1.73 lakh (ex-showroom), making it cost almost Rs 11,000 more than the outgoing model. Bajaj have given the Dominar subtle styling updates that do not compromise the motorcycle’s butch stance. The most notable changes include refreshed headlamps, an updated instrument cluster, and a new mirror design with aluminium stalks. The Dominar will continue to be powered by the same 373.2-cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine. While the torque figure remains unchanged at 35 Nm at 7,000 rpm, peak power is now 40 PS at 8,650 rpm; a significant five-PS increase over the outgoing model. Bajaj claim that this has resulted in a 25 PS/tonne increase in the power-to-weight ratio. Suspension at the…

The tyres on my Bajaj Pulsar NS 200 are nearly worn out and will soon need to be replaced. I want to do the swap before the monsoon sets in. My dad, on the other hand, says that I should wait till after the monsoon. What should I do? Please advise me. Salim Mirza, Kolkata Hello, Salim, It depends on how much life is left in those tyres. As a rule of thumb, though, we would recommend erring on the side of caution and replacing the worn-out rubber sooner rather than later. After all, it is much easier to replace tyres than it is to repair fractured bones, so why take a chance?…

IN THE BEGINNING, MAN CREATED THE bicycle. Which is a pity, because without that, who knows how the motorcycle would have evolved? The first motorcycle is credited to Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach for their “Petroleum Reitwagen” of 1885. But that’s only reflective of two-wheelers powered by the internal combustion engine. Some 16 years earlier, a certain Sylvester Howard Roper from Roxbury, Massachusetts, built a “steam-powered velocipede” which, by all accounts, could reach 40 mph (64 km/h), while sustaining 30 mph (48 km/h) over a distance of several miles before re-stoking was necessary. Steam propulsion apart, there are further reasons that Roper’s invention should be considered the direct descendant of everything we ride today. The Reitwagen had four wheels, if you include the outrigger casters which prevented any form of…

THE CB300R WAS FIRST REVEALED at EICMA 2017, mirroring the ‘Neo Retro Café’ styling of the big CB1000R naked roadster. We were hardly expecting Honda to introduce this model to the Indian market, but the Japanese giant surprised us earlier this year with an announcement that they would be bringing their little sport naked to our shores. I, however, wasn’t impressed; there are far too many competent motorcycles that get downgraded with basic suspension and brake components before they arrive here to fit into a certain price bracket. Hence, I had my doubts that the CB would make it to India with that beefy upside-down fork, petal discs at both ends, and carefully crafted swing-arm as seen on the international version. Thankfully, Honda laid my fears to rest; the CB300R…

IN THE RECENT PAST, THE DSK GROUP THAT manufactured and sold Benelli motorcycles in India fell into trouble and Benelli motorcycles were off the map for a short while. Now they are back like a phoenix from the ashes under the banner of the Mahavir Group. In their updated line-up, the TnT 300 is the most accessible offering. Globally known as the BN 302, in India it directly rivals the Kawasaki Z250; the only other small-displacement, naked, parallel-twin in the country. One of the TnT 300’s biggest flaws was the lack of ABS which Benelli have now included as standard. We decided to put in some test runs and a comprehensive city-based review for this slightly upgraded Italian naked. The design team in Pesaro did not hold back on the…

IT ISN’T EVERY DAY THAT A single motion picture is credited with changing the industry’s approach to film-making, propelling a supporting actor who only pops up in the second act (a certain Mr Jack Nicholson, no less) into instant super-stardom, turning the traditional way of treating music within films on its head, and bringing motorcycle culture into the front and centre of mainstream pop-culture consciousness. Well, 1969’s Easy Rider did all of this and raked home over $60 million at the box office while also planting its flag at the summit of counter-culture, all on a shoe-string budget of less than $400,000 before music — the tunes piled on another $1 million, because Hopper decided to license Steppenwolf’s iconic biker anthem Born to be Wild, and tunes from other rock-and-roll…

HEADING INTO THE ARGENTINA race weekend, there were a couple of things to look forward to. It would be 23 years to the day for “The Doctor” Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) since his Grand Prix début in 1996 in Malaysia. Secondly, the protests around Ducati’s “holeshot device” were finally laid to rest. The ruling was in Ducati’s favour and the device was deemed legal. MotoGP Marc Marquez hammered away a 1’38.304 lap-time to claim pole position. Behind him, Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati) started from second and third places respectively. A good launch followed by the holeshot allowed Marquez to disappear within a couple of laps; eventually turning the race into a battle for second place. Things were not as good…

ALVARO BAUTISTA (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) secured pole position in the nick of time because the session was red-flagged after a couple of big crashes. Giving him company on the front row were Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and Markus Reiterberger (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). Race One Race officials postponed race one to Sunday due to severe weather conditions on Saturday and Bautista got the holeshot to lead the race. A few laps later, the challengers for podium had reduced to Markus Reiterberger (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team), Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing WorldSBK). The battle for fourth place comprised some high-octane action between “Pocket Rocket” Haslam and Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team).…

With about 4,300 kilometres on the clock, the bright red TVS Apache RTR 160 4V has been my daily ride for nearly a year now. The bike has seen three scheduled services at the local TVS dealership and has never given me reason to complain. My 12-kilometre commute to and from work includes weaving through Pune’s chaotic traffic as well as a few open stretches of road that are tackled with the throttle open to the stop. The Apache’s nimble nature and torquey motor make short work of the urban jungle, while the engine still feels as smooth as it did on day one, despite running close to red-line and at triple-digit speeds for a major part of my commute. This bike strikes a perfect balance between comfy commuter through…