Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2017 i BIKE India

TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES INDIA have launched the most potent iteration of their street-naked motorcycle, the Street Triple RS, priced at Rs 10.55 lakh (ex-showroom). After launching the base Street Triple S a few months ago, Triumph Motorcycles India have skipped the middling ‘R’ version and have gone all the way to bring us their top-of-the-line ‘RS’ variant. The most potent version of the popular street-naked series boasts of some serious equipment including a slip-and-assist clutch, switchable ABS, a quick-shifter, and an additional ‘Track’ riding mode, among other goodies. The Street Triple RS is powered by a 765-cc in-line three-cylinder motor that makes an impressive 123 PS at 11,700 rpm and 77 Nm at 10,800 rpm. It is paired to a six-speed gearbox sourced from the more track-focused Daytona. The bore and…

PIAGGIO INDIA HAVE LAUNCHED the Vespa RED edition, priced at Rs 87,009 (ex-showroom). The scooter remains unchanged as compared to a standard variant; however, the company has launched it to fight the menace of HIV AIDS. Vespa have announced that they will donate $50 (Rs 3,300 approx) to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS in India for every scooter sold in the country. They went on to add that the money generated from the sale of one scooter can provide more than 165 days of life-saving medication. The new scooter was unveiled by Bollywood actor and UN Women Goodwill ambassador, Farhan Akhtar. In addition to presenting the scooter, Akhtar was gifted a scooter, becoming the first owner of the Vespa RED is an organisation founded in 2006 and has raised…

CURRENTLY HOLDING THE exclusive licence to manufacture and market products of the Repsol brand in India, GP Petroleums have launched two new Repsol products: Repsol Moto 4T Sintetico 10W-50 and Repsol Moto 4T Sport XTI 15W-50. GP Petroleums are a part of the UAE-based Gulf Petrochem Group. They have said that these launches are a result of the positive feedback they received from their clientele since the launch of the brand in April the previous year. The two products launched were ‘Repsol Moto 4T Sintetico 10W-50’ and ‘Repsol Moto 4T Sport XTI 15W-50’. The former is fully synthetic and the first of its kind in India for the Spanish oil major, while the latter is a synthetic blend that Repsol claim is best used in technologically developed engines. Both products…

ENTHUSIASTS, THE WAIT IS OVER. HONDA HAVE OPENED BOOKINGS for the new CBR 650F in India. The new bike features enhanced riding dynamics, accentuated by aggressive styling and a more pronounced intake roar. The new CBR 650F is a middleweight supersport motorcycle powered by a 649-cc, DOHC inline four-cylinder engine developing 86.6 PS at 11,000 rpm, paired to a six-speed short-ratio gearbox. The CBR 650F features a new LED headlamp and tail-lamp package, along with revised Nissin brakes: 320-mm discs with dual-piston front calipers and a 240-mm single disc with single-piston caliper at the rear. Along with it the 41-mm Showa Dual Bending Valve forks are equipped to enhance the riding experience. The bronzed engine and head covers are styling cues inspired by the 2017 CBR 1000RR Fireblade. The new…

ROYAL ENFIELD, THE CHENNAI-BASED COMPANY, HAS EXPANDED ITS REACH as the company recently entered the Vietnamese market by opening a new brand store in Ho Chi Minh City. Royal Enfield are expected to launch the Classic range along with the Continental GT in the Vietnamese market. Royal Enfield have expanded globally in quite an aggressive way with dealerships being opened in South America, Europe, and South East Asia. Apart from the Vietnam showroom, the company has brand stores in Thailand and Indonesia.…

THE MAIN REASON FOR THE MANY foreign trips I’ve had to undertake as a motorcycle design consultant is to interact with the design and engineering teams of whoever I happen to be working for at the time and, very often, to develop full-size clay models on site. Computers have helped international collaboration enormously, but the final sign-off, and sometimes much of the development, still requires an experienced human hand and eye. Conditions during clay modelling can be demanding and, as air-conditioning in the factories mostly exists to keep expensive computer equipment cool rather than the occupants, this convenience rarely extends to the model room. Temperatures are often around 100 degrees outside and the windows are kept open to allow the hot air from the clay ovens to escape. Anyone working…

Motorcycles are meant to be ridden. But Italian motorcycles are built to be admired first; every line, crease and curve crafted to evoke strong emotions in those that are lucky enough to catch a glimpse. My first thought as I walked up to the MV Agusta Brutale 800, key in hand, was, ‘Wow, that’s sharp!’ An aggressively-raked headlight, flanked by slim turn indicators, makes way for a broad, shapely fuel tank that tapers down to a narrow waistline at the junction of tank and seat. The wide, muscular chest trails off into a svelte sub-frame and tail section, unmarred by turn indicators or an ungainly numberplate holder; the indicators and plate are mounted lower, on the smartly designed tyre-hugger. Triangular sections of the steel trellis frame are exposed, and hanging…

ROAD RASH WAS ONE THE MOST POPULAR games here in India, especially among those of the two-wheeled persuasion. I have extremely fond memories of hour after countless hour glued to my computer, elbowing my siblings out of the way in an effort to keep playing the thrill-a-minute bike racing game with a vengeance. So when I heard that a fan was building a spiritual, modern-day sequel to a game that was an integral part of my childhood, I was naturally sceptical. I needn’t have been, though, because the development team have the same rabid reverence for the original as I do, and the result of this reverence is a game that takes everything great about Road Rash, and amplifies it. Being an indie game built on a successful Kickstarter campaign,…

LAST MONTH WAS A REAL treat when we got to witness top international racers battle it out across three classes as the fifth round of the Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) was held at Chennai’s MMRT circuit. Top riders from Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia were in attendance with their teams, and spectators in the packed stands got to experience motorcycle racing at the international level. We knew we were in for a show when lap records started tumbling right from the first practice session on Friday as Thai rider Decha Kraisart set a new record around the 3.717-kilometre circuit (1:41.305) astride his Yamaha R6 in the Supersport 600 class. The other two classes that made up the event were the Asia Production 250 cc and the Underbone 150 cc,…

THE FIFTH AND FINAL ROUND OF THE Honda One Make Race Championship was held in Chennai across two weekends, with the Open Class races being held alongside the Asia Road Racing Championship from the 15th to the 17th of September, while the Novice Class races were scheduled for the next weekend. Unfortunately, heavy rain on the morning of the 24th saw the second Novice Class race being cancelled, so we only had one race in this class. On to the races. Open Class RACE ONE The first CBR250R race of the weekend saw championship leader, Honda Ten10 Racing’s Rajiv Sethu, slip into fifth place, while Chennai’s Deepak Ravikumar rode a flawless race. He set the best lap (2:01.327) on the very last lap and claimed victory. Anish Shetty of Hubli,…

HARLEY-DAVIDSON, THE AMERICAN CULT BIKE-makers, have launched their extended new Softail line-up in India; a line-up that now includes the former Dyna models: the Street Bob and Fat Bob, apart from the Fat Boy and Heritage Classic. For now, the company has only launched four of the eight bikes that make up the new Softail range. So far as pricing is concerned, the Street Bob costs Rs 11.99 lakh, the Fat Bob is Rs 13.99 lakh, while you would have to shell out Rs 17.49 lakh for the Fat Boy, and Rs 18.99 lakh for the Heritage Classic, all prices ex-showroom. These four bikes, along with the other four, in the line-up, were designed and developed from the ground up and feature a series of changes to attract new customers…

BAJAJ HAVE LAUNCHED THE NEW PLATINA, AND THE LED daytime running lights (DRL) atop the headlights have caught our attention. The motorcycle is now priced at Rs 46,656 (ex-showroom). The previous year, Bajaj dazzled (quite literally) the Indian motorcycle market with the Dominar 400. The distinctive LED headlamp made it quite easy to spot the motorcycle from afar. With the addition of a DRL crest above the main headlamp, the Platina ComforTec has become the first 100-cc motorcycle in India to sport LED DRL. In addition to better visibility on the road, Bajaj claim that the suspension provides a much more supple ride than most of the other motorcycles in the segment. The mechanicals remain the same. It continues to be powered by the 102-cc single that produces 7.9 PS…

SUZUKI MOTORCYCLE INDIA Private Limited recently launched Suzuki Japan’s global lubricant brand, Ecstar, in India. Suzuki claim that the new line of engine oil is formulated to enhance engine performance and prolong the motor’s life. The R9000 (10W40) engine oil is designed for Suzuki motorcycle engines and consists of a blend of high-quality synthetic base oil additives that help to reduce friction, provide better performance, and prevent sludge and other deposits. Suzuki also claim that the Ecstar engine oil helps their motorcycle engines achieve better thermal stability, which provides better engine protection. They claim that the R9000 also helps the engine in cold conditions for an effortless start and longer engine life. The R9000 is available for the Gixxer range and also for Suzuki’s big bikes such as the Hayabusa…

THE DATES HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR ONE OF THE BIGGEST EVENTS ON the Royal Enfield calendar: Rider Mania. Royal Enfield have confirmed that Goa will host the event again from 17 to 19 November at Vagator. The previous year saw the biggest turnout ever. Will the upcoming edition break that record? The crowd is expected to be a mix of experienced riders and new additions to the fold. With three days of music and a plethora of motorcycling events, it looks like Royal Enfield have something in mind for riders from every age-group. Rider Mania 2017 will feature dirt-track racing, slow race, maze chase, trials, custom motorcycle showcase, long-distance travel forum, Art @Rider Mania, arm wrestling, and on- and off-road riding schools. It will also have a number of stalls…

TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN’S RIDE SINCE its inception in 2012 and, recently, Triumph Motorcycles India organised this much-talked-about ride for the fourth time in the country. The ride’s motive was to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer and suicide prevention. This year the initiative has been successful in raising over US $4 million (Rs 27 crore) globally. You can still donate by visiting www.gentlemansride.com. This ride is different from any other ride as the participants dress in their finest formal attire and ride Triumph’s range of modern classic and vintage motorcycles to raise awareness and funds. This year’s ride took place on 24 September in over 600 cities across 95 countries where the number of riders participating was over 70,000, including over 2,000 men…

THE 99 CANNONS Motorcycle Club is an exclusive Royal Enfield bike club based in Hubli, Karnataka. We also have chapters in Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) and Sirsi (Karnataka). Our monthly ride last month was planned from Hubli to the coastal town of Karwar, but it was with a twist in that we would take a route very few people have ever ridden on. The ride got under way from Hubli at 8.00 am and we headed out to Yellapur, some 65 km away, for breakfast. We reached Yellapur by 9.00 am and, following a hearty breakfast, were back in the saddles of our respective Royal Enfield bikes by 10.00 am. We briefed the riders about the road and the kind of terrain that lay ahead. The road we were going to…

HERE WE ARE RIDING THE LATEST DUCATI to have reached our shores. There’s something about these Italian designs that evokes one’s deepest emotions. Their bikes can be spotted pretty much everywhere — proudly displayed on bedroom walls, as desktop wallpapers or on smartphone covers. The new SuperSport’s design is no exception to this either. Bearing close resemblance to its exotic sibling, the Panigale, it naturally attracts a second glance. Trust me, it looks even better and sleeker in the flesh than in the picture. Its beautifully crafted full front fairing neatly conceals all bolts and hinges, creating a seamless profile. Distinct LED daytime running lights imitate frowning eyebrows and, with the sharp-looking halogen headlights, create a visual x-shaped cross. On the side the bold shoulder-lines blend smoothly into the edgy…

THE TOURING GENRE IS AN OLD one and it has been at the core of the Indian motorcycling scene since the very beginning. Even today, you will find a lot of touring stories woven around the highly capable and sweet-handling Yamaha RD350. It’s not just the old-timers who will engage in an interesting conversation revolving round their favourite Yamaha steed. There are several new-age bikers who have experienced nirvana on modern Yamaha machines such as the YZF-R15 and the smaller Fazer. The touring game, however, has changed quite a lot today but there is a recent Yamaha motorcycle that should establish itself as a capable touring machine in the near future. It is called the Yamaha Fazer25 and we recently spent some time with it to see if it can…

THE FIFTH AND FINAL round of the 2017 MRF MMSC Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship took place on the last weekend of September, and culminated on Sunday, 1 October. With championship trophies up for grabs in all classes, the riders and their teams were focused on only one thing — victory. Unfortunately, heavy rain on Saturday night and early on Sunday morning almost halted proceedings, but the organisers did their best to clear the waterlogged track so that racing could commence. A few races on Sunday, where the championship had already been decided on Saturday, were scrapped, while the rest of the races were held on the smaller 2.1-kilometre club circuit loop. Here is what transpired. SS 300-400 Class Saturday’s Super Sport 300-400 Class race was a battle for the…

It was at the beginning of the 2016 racing season that Honda introduced races for ladies amid much speculation that these girls were not tough enough to withstand the rigours of the racetrack. We are happy to report that after two seasons of racing, a few crashes and some stiff competition, these young ladies have proved the naysayers wrong and themselves worthy of this great sport. Here is what transpired at the last Honda Ladies Race of 2017. Chennai girls, and good friends off the track, Ryhana Bee and Shruthi Nagarajan started the five-lap race at P1 and P3 respectively, with Indore’s Kalyani Potekar between them at P2. Ryhana led off the line, while behind her Shruthi and Kalyani fought for second place. Shruthi soon passed Kalyani and was hot…

REVEALED IN THE UK, THE LATEST BONNEVILLE variant is based on the Bobber but features high-end cycle parts, including new suspension and brakes. Along with the new Speedmaster, Triumph also showcased the Bobber Black which, as the name suggests, gets an all-black treatment on the exhaust and engine, along with a twin-disc front brake and smaller 16-inch wheels with a wider tyre. The Speedmaster borrows inspiration from the classic American cruisers of the 1960s and aims to give the British brand access to new customers who fancy cruiser styling and relaxed riding position at comparatively entry-level pricing. It gets a hard-tail-style chassis and swingarm which further enhance its retro styling like the Bobber, but gets pulled-back ‘beach’ handlebars and a low saddle height which add to its cruiser appeal. Moreover,…

DUCATI INDIA HAVE LAUNCHED their much-awaited SuperSport and SuperSport S in India bearing price tags of Rs 12.08 lakh and Rs 13.39 lakh (ex-showroom), respectively. Although it sports heavy visual overtones reminiscent of the Panigale, the SuperSport isn’t a hardcore track machine. Instead, it is less committed and built more along the lines of a sports-tourer. The SuperSport S comes with more equipment as standard, comprising a fully adjustable Öhlins suspension, the Ducati Quick Shifter (DQS), and a rear seat-cover. The DQS and rear seat-cover are also offered as an option for the SuperSport. Ducati claim that the latest tubular-steel Trellis frame has been instrumental in keeping the weight of the motorcycle at 210 kg. The standard SuperSport uses a fully adjustable 43-mm USD (upside down) Marzocchi forks. Whereas the…

THE MOTOGP ROUND AT TWIN RING MOTEGI, Japan, marked 30 years of partnership between Motul and Suzuki at the pinnacle of motorcycle racing. The French lubricant manufacturer and the Japanese two-wheeler giant began paving their road to MotoGP in 1988. Back then, the highest form of racing was the 500-cc Grand Prix World Championship. The partnership has borne fruit to a whole line of racing-inspired lubricants from Motul, called ‘Factory Line’. Since 1988, these two brands have been tackling year after year of Grand Prix motorcycle racing, accumulating experience and expertise side by side. They claimed the championship twice during the past 30 years, once with Kevin Schwantz (1993) and once more with Kenny Roberts Jr (2000). Apart from that, they have also had 39 victories. The most recent win…

TVS MOTORS’ MOST POPULAR SCOOTER, THE Jupiter, achieved this sales mark in just four years since its launch. The 110-cc scooter was launched in 2013 and in just 30 months it has reached the 10 lakh sales mark. Commenting on this achievement, Aniruddha Haldar, Vice President (Marketing), Commuter Motorcycles, Scooters and Corporate Brand, TVS Motor Company, said, “It brings us immense delight to see that TVS Jupiter is surpassing milestone after milestone since its launch. TVS Jupiter has the distinction of being the first scooter to reach this milestone in a short span of four years. This milestone is special as we now have 20 lakh happy customers in the TVS Jupiter family. It is occasions like these which humble us as well as inspire us in our endeavour to…

“THE FAT BOB IS OUR zombie apocalypse escape vehicle,” Harley’s product planning chief had said when introducing the revamped, brutally styled V-twin during the morning’s press conference. “It doesn’t go over things, it goes through things.” That’s one claim that I hadn’t planned to test on our ride through the hills north of Barcelona, but a large and presumably stray dog had other ideas. Barely 10 minutes into the ride, it suddenly leapt across the road and towards the bike as our convoy of Softails trundled through a sleepy Spanish village. Thankfully, the Fat Bob backs up its striking new look with reduced weight plus improved brakes and suspension. I slowed sharply, swerved and narrowly avoided the dog, then watched in my mirror as the following riders stopped and managed…

As a package, the Street Scrambler is a pretty good one then — it looks good, rides decently, and offers a good burst of speed SCRAMBLERS seem to be making a bit of a comeback. The genre of motorcycle that was birthed in the 1960s and faded away a decade or so later seems to be making a strong resurgence these days. All the big European bike-makers have gone down the scrambler route of late, and the latest to get on this particular hype train are Triumph. For the keen-eyed reader who has his or her pulse on the international scene, yes, there used to be a Triumph Scrambler available abroad since 2006, but it didn’t do very well and has since been discontinued, plus it was never sold on…

“NICE BIKE,” I SAID to the old man in the cap, back outside the bike dealership as I killed the Panther’s engine, lent the elderly machine on its side-stand and unfastened my crash-helmet. “But it is a bit hard to start, isn’t it?” The chap from the dealership didn’t say a word. He just walked over to the bike, eased his leg over the seat, fiddled for a moment with the advance-retard lever on the left-hand bar plus something down to the right of the engine. Then he gave as hefty a swing on the kick-start as the awkwardly placed lever would allow. The Model 100’s single-cylinder engine fired immediately with its distinctive, slightly clattery note from its twin-port cylinder-head and pair of silencers. I watched almost in disbelief, recalling…

AT THE 2017 INDIA BIKE WEEK, TO BE HELD in Vagator, Goa, on 24 and 25 November, two illustrious names from the motorcycle racing world will be part of the party. Your very own Bike India, in association with TVS Motor Company, is bringing in racing stalwart Freddie Spencer, and fans of ‘Fast Freddie’ will be able to interact with him face-to-face at the IBW. Freddie Spencer Recognised as one of the greatest racers of all time by aficionados the world over, Spencer dominated the motorcycle racing scene through the 1980s. He made history in 1985 by earning the distinction of being the only racer in history to have won the 250-cc and 500-cc world championships in the same year; no one has repeated this feat since. The legendary rider…

TWELVE TOP place finishes, including four double wins, and 20 podium finishes have enabled Jonathan Rea of Kawasaki Racing Team to claim his third WSBK title. The battle among Jonathan Rea, his team-mate, Tom Sykes, and Aruba.it Ducati rider Chaz Davies started in Australia where Rea dominated the grid by winning both the races on the weekend. His rivals, however, were not far off; for they too followed him on the podium. Two weeks later, the Northern Irish rider and defending champion went on to repeat the same results in Thailand at the Buriram Circuit. The fight among the top three riders intensified as WSBK moved from country to country but Rea always managed to find himself on the podium. In the third round in Spain, Rea was able to…

The fifth and final round of this year’s TVS One Make Race Championship was held across two weekends, with the Open Class races taking place from the 15th to 17th of September alongside the Asia Road Racing Championship and the Novice Class races taking place the following weekend. For easy reading we have combined the two weekends’ proceedings below. Open Class RACE ONE The top three places in the first Open Class race were all taken by Chennai boys at their home circuit. Arun Muthukrishnan rode a perfect race right off the line to win the 10-lap race on Sunday, crossing the line barely half a second ahead of Anand Kumar in second place. Championship leader Sivanesan S finished in third, but had gathered enough points already to have the…

THE LAST TIME WE SAW Yamaha at the track with a grid full of bikes for a One Make Race Championship was in 2015. They were absent for the 2016 season, and with the 2017 season coming to an end, the Japanese company decided to make its presence felt in the very last round of the race season, held over the last weekend of September, by organising a mini championship with just two races. Hopefully, this is an indication that Yamaha will be back in full form from the next season. But for now, our race report. RACE ONE Saturday’s six-lap race saw Hyderabad’s Sai Rahil Pillarishetty and Coimbatore’s Nithish Kumar pull away from the rest of the pack as they traded the lead trying to best each other. At…