Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2021 i BIKE India

THE STREETFIGHTER, A MOTORCYCLE that fuelled the war in the hyper naked class, a 200-plus-hp superbike-derived motor, winglets, and no fairing. But just when you thought the Streetfighter has a bit too much, Ducati have dropped yet another bomb in the form of the Streetfighter V4 SP. Adorned in Ducati’s winter test livery, the Streetfighter V4 SP is three kilograms lighter than the Streetfighter V4 S. The reduction in its weight comes in the form of carbon-fibre wheels, winglets, and a front fender. Like the Panigale V4 R, this hypernaked also gets a brushed aluminium tank that amplifies its appeal. The wet-clutch set-up has been done away with for a new STM-EVO SBK dry clutch unit, while the Brembo Stylema calipers have been replaced with Stylema Rs along with a…

DUCATI HAVE NOT TRIED TO RE-WRITE A proven recipe; they have simply improved the existing model with small but significant changes such as a lighter clutch, a roomier riding position (10 millimetres more between pegs and seat), and a large saving on unsprung weight, thanks to 1.7-kg lighter wheels from the premium Multistrada V4. Ducati rolled out the red carpet and organized a two-day road test to enable us to get a flavour for their “entry-level” Multi V2 S, including an epic tour around Tuscany in northern Italy. The Bologna factory wanted us to “discover the beauties of this territory, its culture, food, and wine… and to introduce you to the true spirit of the new Multistrada V2”. Which does not sound like the worst job in the world. With…

The way you shift gears will put an even bigger smile on your face now because the top variants of the R15 come equipped with a quickshifter for upshifts “CREATING SOMETHING NEW IS DIFFICULT and it is tougher to improve something that is already good, because if it is not better, then it is only a waste of time.” This was something that crossed my mind a little over three years ago when I was testing the third version of the popular Yamaha YZF-R15 at a racetrack. This déjà vu was triggered by the latest R15 that stood waiting to be tested on the humbler tarmac of Pune city. Oh, don’t worry, it is more than a cosmetic makeover; well, slightly more. The fourth generation of the R15 features the…

TVS HAVE TAKEN A NEW APPROACH TO COMMUTERS WITH THE RECENT launch of the Raider. With the introduction of this motorcycle, it seems that the days when commuters were simple motorcycles are going to be history very soon. The Raider brings a lot of segment-first features to the table, making it quite a unique proposition. We tested it in the city for a few days and here is what we think of this bike. What we see here is a modern-day streetfighter design with a unique headlamp that gets two DRL strips running down in a pattern and an LED set-up at the rear as well. Then we have the nice-looking fuel-tank that has clearly been inspired by the Apache series but still manages to retain a character of its…

THE 2021 WSBK CHAMPIONSHIP fight boiled down to an exciting final round at the Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit in Indonesia. Although the weather tried to cool things down with a few spells of rain, the racers were out on the circuit to claim their grid positions. The championship leader, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK), took pole position ahead of Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). Inclement weather meant that race one had to be postponed to Sunday and the fans were back in the stands to witness the showdown between the two championship contenders. Despite the wet conditions, all racers started the race on slick tyres. Razgatlioglu dropped down the order initially, but fought back to lead the race by…

THE OLA ELECTRIC SCOOTERS HAVE BEEN a hot topic of conversation since they were teased. Bookings went live for a token amount of Rs 500 and the hype was real with a large number of units getting sold out within minutes. There were many claims by Ola regarding the specifications of the scooters and, on paper, they looked very promising. The two variants on offer are called the “S1” and the “S1 Pro”. Here we have the top-of-the-line S1 Pro variant. To add to the appeal and be able to cater to a wide audience, there are 10 attractive colour options on offer. Sadly, for this review, we received the plain glossy Jet Black paint scheme and the scooter was given to us inside a gated community for a very…

IF YOU REMEMBER THE 1980S — LONG HAIR, bad music, terrible fashion, and mobile phones the size of house bricks — then you might remember the original Aprilia Tuareg (as a 50, a 125, a 350 or a 600). Do not worry if you do not, this is not a test. But it is worth noting that the name Tuareg will rekindle nostalgic feelings for those who loved Aprilia’s cool-looking range of off-roaders as well as the factory Turaeg that raced in the infamous Paris Dakar Rally. It is a name with history, all right, and Aprilia wanted to push the boundaries with the latest bike to join the Tuareg dynasty — to “set a new limit how far an adventure bike can go off-road”. While it would have been…

THE “BUILT TO ORDER (BTO)” PLATFORM WAS recently introduced by TVS. With this initiative, TVS are offering customers the opportunity to purchase a motorcycle that is customized with some very important race-spec parts to further enhance what the RR310 is capable of. Last year, the bike received a BS6-compliant engine along with a bunch of electronic updates and was a real blast to ride around the track. Let us take a look at what makes this year’s update so special. The RR310 remains the same in terms of design and styling, but it now sports a combination of colours from TVS’ racing heritage. The blue-white-and-red colour scheme is loud and attracts a lot of attention on the road. The only customization in terms of styling is that riders will be…

THE ROYAL ENFIELD CLASSIC 350 IS AMONG THE BEST-SELLING models in the manufacturer’s Indian portfolio and they have also introduced a long list of accessories to make this motorcycle more appealing to their customers. These modifications include everything from style elements to functional options that can make the riding experience better for certain parameters (touring, for example) and, finally, some protective additions. The motorcycle in these pictures has a mixture of everything and it is merely the tip of the iceberg. RE have a rather extensive catalogue and similar accessories are available for all the motorcycles in their portfolio. ENGINE GUARD Two chrome bars stretch out on either side of the motorcycle and they promise to protect it from too much damage in the event of a fall. The bars…

MotoGP We are in the closing stages of the 2021 MotoGP season with just two races to go. Portugal would have its own share of ups and downs and the new world champion, Fabio Quartararo of Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP, would like to finish cementing his domination of 2021. However, mid-season race-winning bloomer, Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo Team, would like his word to be taken seriously too (not that it hasn’t). The race started with four Ducatis making up the top five after qualifying. These were the two Ducati Lenovo Team riders, Bagnaia and Jack Miller, and the two Pramac Ducati boys, Johann Zarco and Jorge Martin. Sandwiched in between was last year’s world champion, Joan Mir of team Suzuki Ecstar, who, though he continues to be a strong…

EXACTLY TWO DECADES AGO, WHEN THE FIRST Pulsar was launched, I loved its muscular design and that sporty 150-cc engine. And just like thousands of enthusiasts, I couldn’t resist buying one. The brand became so popular that there are lakhs of Pulsar Maniacs on the road today. Fast forward to 2021 and Bajaj Auto have updated the range with the new 250-cc models, which is the largest capacity Pulsar yet. Earlier, in an exclusive interaction, a Bajaj executive revealed that the new Pulsar 250s would retain the authentic fabric that made bikes like the 220F such icons even today. That’s why Bajaj won’t be adopting a high-revving KTM powertrain; instead going back to the basics and developing one on their own. And here’s the result: two brand new motorcycles —…

Make no mistake, the new Aprilia Tuareg is not just an off-road looking bike, it is more than capable off road. As soon as you stand up on the grippy pegs (with removable rubbers), you feel at home. You peer over the small-ish screen, the bars are tall and wide, the seat and tank narrow, meaning you can hold on to the sides with your inner legs — really, this has been made for off-road riding. You are over the front, you can feel the front take the punishment of the terrain, whilst you play with the excellent fuelling, allowing the rear to drift for fun. The mirrors are a little obtrusive on forearms, but, for an average rider, there are few complaints. For a road-going adventure bike it is…

MOTORCYCLISTS AND SCOOTERISTS HAVE more in common than just a couple of wheels. I would even say that they share a dream. A fantasy of a two-wheeler that has the performance of a motorcycle and the convenience of a scooter. I certainly wished for one and it is worth celebrating that the first of these offerings is finally here, courtesy Yamaha Motor India. On paper, the Aerox 155 has what it takes to dominate the performance scooter market, so we put it to the test. If it had to be named after its styling, one of the first things that comes to mind is “moto-scooter”, because the Aerox has design elements that are unique to both motorcycles and scooters. Head-on, it is unmistakably the latter, defined by the large front…

MotoGP Valencia, venue of the last race in the MotoGP calendar, would be an emotional one for fans of the sport. Valencia 2021 would see the last race of the legend that is Valentino Rossi. The number 46 would finally be hanging up his boots, bringing to an end his illustrious careers which can hardly be described in words. Fans of this brilliant sport knew this day would come and a surreal moment it sure was. Valentino Rossi raced in his last MotoGP and even with a 10th-place finish, the roar could be heard the world over. We would like to thank Rossi for the rider he was and the person he has been for the sport. Grazie, Vale! The race would have Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo Team continue…