Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2019 i BIKE India

Suggest the Right Scooter I want to buy a scooter. I am considering the TVS Ntorq and the Suzuki Access. Please suggest to me the best scooter to opt for. I want the best mileage possible and my budget is between Rs 55,000 and Rs 78,000. I have no preference in terms of brands. What would you suggest? Romil Harsora, via social media Dear Romil, The optimal choice based on your parameters would be the Honda Activa 5G. It fits the bill in terms of fuel efficiency and is well within your budget. Do take a test-ride on the scooter to see whether you are comfortable riding it. Suggest a Good Helmet I am planning to buy a new helmet and propose to visit the store in a few days.…

THE SPORTS TOURER IS A MOTORCYCLE made for munching miles upon miles, yet attempting to bring out your inner MotoGP racer when the twisties arrive. Today, you have a host of such motorcycles and in fairly varied avatars too. However, if you want to fit in with those folk on the streets of Monte Carlo or Saint-Tropez, you have to go Italian. Not just any Italian either, you need fascino, which is Italian for glamorous or in the motorcycle world known as Meccanica Verghera (MV) Agusta. MV Agusta have launched their tourer model in India recently and given it a name that rolls off the tongue followed by a smug smile: the MV Agusta Turismo Veloce 800. Fancy names apart, does the Turismo Veloce live up to the mile-munching, canyon-carving…

THE LEONCINO IS A MODEL THAT HAS PROPPED UP ON Benelli’s timeline for decades now. The Italian…, well, Chinese-Italian brand has always had a special place reserved in its historic line-up for this bike whose name loosely translates into “lion cub”. There is even an adorable diminutive statuette, called the Lion of Pesaro (which is the historic home of Benelli), perched firmly on the front fender of all the Leoncino models that have come before and this one, too, to underscore its significance in the brand’s line-up. So does the little Simba have the claws to live up to the older lions of the Benelli pride, the ones who are sharper in the tooth and longer in the mane? To start with, the Leoncino doesn’t look like any other cat…

IF YOU FOLLOW BIKE INDIA ON THE REGULAR, YOU MAY have caught a story we published about this madcap organisation called the Adventurists who organised an event in Morocco where participants raced from the heart of the desert to the coast on 50-cc monkey bikes. Well, the same team also have a similarly bonkers event in India every year: the Rickshaw Run. The concept is simple. Teams of a couple of people or more fly to Leh, get into their brightly painted chariots, and leave for Shimla with seven days to reach their destination. The route requires them to go via the daunting Spiti Valley, a route that can beat even the most battle-hardened adventurer into submission. And, of course, they attempt it piloting a three-wheeled, rear-wheel-drive rickshaw which coughs…

THE RACING HEADED TO SILVERSTONE FOR THE British GP and, sure enough, it had its fair share of drama. With Austria behind him, would Repsol Honda Racing’s world champion, Marc Marquez, engage in another duel? Would the younger Marquez, Alex, continue his Moto2 domination? With Lorenzo Dalla Porta and Aron Canet so close in the Moto3 championship standings, would we see a proper duel between the Italian and the Spaniard? How would Valentino Rossi fare on his return to the front row on the grid? All these questions were answered in a sensational fashion. Here is the lowdown. MotoGP The starting grid for the British GP saw two old foes take up the first two spots: Repsol Honda Racing’s numero uno Marc Marquez and “The Doctor” Valentino Rossi of Monster…

MISANO IS THE HOME RACE FOR THE legend that is Valentino Rossi and, importantly, can see the horsepower-deficit Yamahas vie with the Ducatis and Honda as the track does not have long straights. Hence, the racing should be an exciting affair especially with Marc Marquez on his Repsol Honda, who was pipped twice in consecutive rounds before Misano and will surely be looking for some payback. Additionally, another win for Marc will see him pass the one and only Mike Hailwood on career victories. The track is now named after the late Marco Simoncelli, whose father also started a racing team in Moto3, SIC58 Squadra Corse, in his honour. Will the team see any success on their home turf, too? Well, this is how the story unfolded. MotoGP Qualifying saw…

THE WAIT IS OVER. KTM INDIA HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THEY ARE BRINGING the long-awaited 790 Duke to our shores. In fact, a few KTM dealerships have started accepting advance booking amounts ranging from Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000. The 790 Duke is likely to be launched in India on 23 September, which is just short of our time to go to press. Sources claim that “The Scalpel”, as KTM call it, is expected to be priced around Rs 8 lakh (ex-showroom), which will bring its on-road price to somewhere below Rs 10 lakh. Expensive, you say? Well, it is said that about 100 units will be brought to India via the CBU (completely built-up) import route, which entails huge taxes. The aim of a limited number is to gauge interest…

LAST MONTH, I WAS contacted by one of the many expert consultancy groups that have cropped up over the past few years. These agencies act as middle-men between their clients, who require knowledge or advice on a specific topic, and a network of experts, who are supposedly able to supply it. The consultation is usually by group telephone conference, during which the client pays for an hour or less of your time, while milking you for a lifetime’s knowledge and experience. I suppose the number of experts that have the word “motorcycle design” in their resume is limited. As a result, I have found myself in some curious discussions, including how to reduce the cost of seat foam, for which I have neither expertise nor the vaguest interest. But thank…

WHEN YOU THINK HARLEY, THE IMAGE THAT your mind conjures up is probably that of a behemoth from their touring line-up. These are the ultimate expressions of freedom. Mean, nowhere near lean, mile-munching machines. Floorboards and straight-back riding postures are what they are all about and they form an integral part of global motorcycling culture. On this ride, I got to sample some of this line-up’s finest proponents in its ancestral and spiritual home: good old ‘Murica. The CVO Limited is the apex predator in H-D’s 2020 touring catalogue. And two major changes come to the fore in this and all other 2020 tourers. One, the inclusion of Reflex Defensive Riding systems. First seen on the all-electric LiveWire I reviewed in the August 2019 issue, this is Harley’s version of…

THE ROAD GLIDE LIMITED REPLACES THE ROAD GLIDE Ultra in Harley-Davidson’s global 2020 line-up and comes with some exclusive updates to match. Under the skin, it is the same bike as the Road Glide Special that has been part of the brand’s Indian line-up ever since the Milwaukee-Eight touring range was first launched. So, the same reliable 114 engine, debonair shark-nose fixed fairing, the same suspension set-up, and the same set of Brembo brakes. However, what’s new in this specific variant is the gloss finish on the inner fairing, fresh paint options (including the addition of painted pinstripes rather than the less classy sticker-based affair), and new wheels that Harley have dubbed Slicer II Contrast Light — yep, quite a mouthful for a design that does look quite snazzy. The…

THERE’S NO DENYING THAT THE NEW TRIUMPH THRUXTON IS THE ultimate retro-styled performance bike from the Hinckley factory. Sadly, not everyone has the palate (or physical fitness) for its committed riding geometry. But then, everyone desires the meaty performance of that 1,200-cc motor and the terrifyingly good exhaust note. The Triumph engineers came up with a groovy idea: mix some good quality Bonneville parts, make most of its relaxed ergonomics, and bolt in that sweet and juicy 1,200-cc parallel twin. And in doing so, they brought back to life the Speed Twin, the popular British moniker from the late 1930s. Since this is the latest addition to Triumph’s modern classic range in India, we had to take it out for a leisurely weekend spin. The classic British design can be…

The six-speed gearbox now gets a race-derived slipper clutch; a welcome addition to the RR 310’s formidable arsenal EVOLUTION IS AS MUCH A NECESSITY AS IT IS inevitable. It is what enables us to keep up and make the most of a world that is changing every second and, of course, it is best enjoyed when it is an improvement on the previous version. Our Editor was mighty impressed by the RR 310’s handling after a first ride at the MMRT. Coming from a man with more than two decades of racing experience, it shows just how good the motorcycle was to begin with. On city roads, too, the RR 310 was a great motorcycle. After almost two years in the market, TVS decided to evolve this motorcycle into a…

WATCHING MOTOGP RACES ON WEEKENDS has always tempted me to hit the racetrack on a motorcycle and experience the rush, but then there’s a right way to do everything. The globally renowned California Superbike School (CSS) was back in India for the second time this year, following a successful two weekends held in January. Let me get straight to the point: there is no feeling like riding a motorcycle on a racetrack. Wide open tarmac, the sound of revving engines, and being hung over in a corner on either side of a motorcycle will ensure that you’re screaming with joy inside of your helmet. The most fun I’ve had riding a motorcycle before CSS was in the twisties close to home, where I considered myself a fairly decent rider. That…

AFTER THE SUMMER BREAK, the FIM Superbike World Championship action resumed with the Portugal round. The most sensational news at the end of the break was Alvaro Bautista’s (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) replacement. Ex-MotoGP racer, Scott Redding, who is currently doing rather well in the Bennetts British Superbikes championship, will take Bautista’s place. There are rumours that Bautista may sign with the factory Honda outfit for the next season astride the new Fireblade. At Portimão, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) topped the charts to claim pole position ahead of Bautista and Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team). Rea also managed to claim Superpole with a time of 1’41.372; a new record for motorcycles at Portimão. Race One Rea took off to a brilliant start and got the holeshot. Bautista’s…

I have a question regarding the BS VI norms for bikes. When will they come into force and what will be their major impact on the market? Keep up the good work. I love reading your magazine and buy it whenever I see it at the news stand. Anil Patil, via social media Hello, Anil, According to the new norms which kick in by April 2020, all bikes above 50 cc will have to be equipped with fuel injection (FI). The fuel quality rating remains 91 octane, though. Bigger bikes that already come with FI systems may also have to be optimized to meet the new norms. So, manufacturers will have to look at either including fuel injection or at the very least optimizing it and in some cases will…

IT DOESN’T TAKE A MOTORCYCLE EXPERT TO KNOW Harley-Davidson’s famous cruisers are born of full-blooded American two-wheeler culture. The brand doesn’t particularly shy away from its American lineage either. They are quite partial to using eagles and the Stars and Stripes motif sprinkled across their model range, in case you were ever in doubt. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, that when Harley were looking to create a more premium S model for their Low Rider Softail, they drew inspiration from the motherland, California in particular. From Easy Rider to Sons of Anarchy and Orange County Choppers, pop culture is riddled with examples of just how mad motorcycling is in the sunny West Coast state and the Low Rider S draws on certain elements of this sub-culture for its design.…

We rode the base bike that the CVO Limited is an evolution of as well. Visually, the Ultra Limited is a less blinged-out version of the CVO. It misses out on the chrome embellishments to the dials and central locking system. It doesn’t get the 117 motor either, having to settle for a 114 instead. The Ultra Limited also has to make do with an inferior sound system when compared to its more exclusive sibling. It is easier to manage in corners and tight traffic due to its lighter weight and the clutch action is also easier on the palms. It isn’t quite as exciting on the highways, though, and doesn’t feel quite as exalted as the CVO. The lack of rider backrest was keenly felt when I jumped from…

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ATTRACTED TO FAST, SPORTY MOTORCYCLES; SUPERSPORTS and naked streetfighters have always been my flavours of choice. Eyeball-popping acceleration, high-revving multi-cylinder engines, and aggressive handling are what I’m looking for in a motorcycle. So, naturally, when I was assigned the task of riding an Indian Scout across the country in mid-2016, I was less than thrilled. After all, I perceived big American V-twins to be somewhat slow and agricultural, not exactly the exciting embodiment of motorcycling as I saw it. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The 1,133-cc motor proved its worth over the next 2,000 kilometres, with its easily accessible 95 hp and 97 Nm. It accelerated pretty quickly and I even saw an indicated 200 km/h on a few open stretches of highway, so it…

IT WAS AROUND THE TURN OF THE CENTURY THAT Bajaj gave us the original Pulsar twins in 150- and 180-cc displacements. These bikes were like a breath of fresh air to us performance-starved Indian bikers at the time, and set the bar for the fledgling sporty motorcycle segment of the era. Subsequent years saw a few visual tweaks and the introduction of the 200- and 220-cc versions, which further established the Pulsar line-up as the go-to performance bikes in the market, with displacements and price tags to suit various needs. So, what are Bajaj thinking, launching a new Pulsar this year with a mere 125-cc displacement, bang in commuter bike territory, when they already have bikes in this space such as the 125-cc Discover and the V12? We spent a…

First of all, what do you think of the move to leap-frog BS V and go from BS IV directly to BS VI? It seems much needed, but is it too ambitious? This is a very ambitious move and if I understand correctly, India is the first country where one stage of emission has been completely skipped while going directly to the next advanced stage of emission. Now this is no easy task as automobile engines are usually designed considering a time period of operation of six to eight years. When one emission step is omitted then the engine needs to be compliant to the next stage of emission. Also, every stage of emission usually lasts during entire engine life. Therefore, many automobile companies and also main suppliers have to…

T VS TYRES SENT OVER A pair of fresh rubber for us to test a few months ago. Since then, the tyres have been doing duty on our Yamaha FZ-S. Thus far, we have used the motorcycle predominantly for commuting with an occasional weekend ride. Here is what we have to say about these tyres. The front tyre is a tubeless 100/80-17 TVS ATT 230F while the rear one is a TVS Tyres 140/60 R17 Protorq Sport SR. So far, the tyres have done a good job for everyday use and highway runs as well. They offered good stability on high-speed straight sections, maintained composure through corners, and even supported my efforts to avoid turning innocent animals into roadkill by providing ample grip for quick direction changes and hard braking.…