Features, Specification & Price of KTM 200cc and 350cc Duke bikes in India with Bajaj

The KTM motorcycles is an Austrian based company and the company has confirmed that the KTM Duke 200 and KTM Duke 350 shortly launch in India.

The new stylish and sporty bikes will be launching soon with Bajaj auto. The KTM Duke 200 price in India will be around Rs. 1, 50,000/-. 

The KTM Duke 350 price in India is not yet available. KTM bikes are coming India with Bajaj company.


KTM Duke 200 specifications & features

• Bike has 110/70x17 mm Front and 150/60x17 mm rear wheels for nice safety and control on the Indian Roads
• Bike has Multi disc wet clutch system
• Chromium Molybdenum trellis frame chassis is presenting sporty and handsome looks
• Bike is having 4-stroke Petrol fuel bike
• KTM Duke 200 is enabled with DOHC 4-stroke engine with displacement of 200cc power
• High performance engine is producing maximum power of 22Bhp and maximum Torque of 18Nm 
• 6 speeds gear system is presenting high performance speed
• Liquid cooling system engine is available
• Braking system and suspension system are providing excellent braking facility and nice safety
• Dual Muffler Exhaust and sporty graphic and body work of the bike is very attractive

KTM Duke 350 specifications & features

• Ultra-compact 4 stroke engine with modern electronic fuel injection system
• KTM Duke 350 has electronic start option
• Bike has 349.5cc DOHC engine
• Handling and seating arrangement setting of the bike is very comfort

Bajaj Boxer 150 or the Bharat Bike launch in August 2011

The motorcycle, which Bajaj Auto hopes will spawn an all new segment, of that of rugged load carrying motorcycles, the Bajaj Boxer 150 or the “Bharat Bike” has already been soft launched in some areas of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. This motorcycle will see a pan India launch in August, this year.

Touted to replace the likes of the long serving but now defunct Escorts Rajdoot and the Ideal Jawa Yezdi, as a workhorse motorcycle for India’s hinterland, the Bajaj Boxer 150 will come with a tough four stroke engine that is expected to be a torquey performer in order to lug big loads in rural India.

With a 150cc engine, Bajaj Auto might not really be able to offer the same level of efficiency as that of a 100cc four stroke motorcycle, and this could be a big factor that makes or breaks the Boxer 150. On how exactly the Indian hinterland’ motorcycle market takes to this particular trait of a larger engined motorcycle is something that would be very interesting to see.

With the existing Splendors of the world doing a reasonable job of hauling three adults around and on other occasions helping to carry loads too, the Boxer 150 is set to challenge the status quo. This apart, the Bajaj Boxer 150 is also expected to equipped with a load carrying platform that could be used to lug large loads as pillion.

Bajaj Auto will be hoping that the INR 40,000 price mark for the Boxer 150, in true Bajaj tradition of offering more for less, will be a big factor that entices motorcycle buyers of the Indian hinterland. All said and done, it is quite commendable that Bajaj Auto is trying to create an all new segment in the Indian motorcycle market than being a mere follower of trends.

Royal Enfield UCE500 Classic Chrome may launch in India in upcoming time

Royal Enfield Classic Chrome was first unveiled at the 2010 Indian Auto Expo, following which it was launched in the American and European markets. Many prospective buyers have been eagerly asking about this motorcycle’s Indian launch, and finally Royal Enfield seems all set to give Indian Royal Enfield the option of buying this classy motorcycle.

Mechanically, the Royal Enfield Classic Chrome 500 is not dissimilar to the Classic 500 EFI 

• 500cc engine
• Air cooled
• Pushrod based unit construction engine that produces a peak power of 27.2 Bhp at 5,250 rpm
• Peak torque of 41.3 Nm at 4,000 rpm
• Fuel injected engine will be mated to a five speed transmission

Although a non fuel injected 500cc motorcycle from Royal Enfield would be a good idea considering the fact that the Indian Bullets don’t come with the critical O2 sensor as a cost cutting measure.



While the export versions of the Classic Chrome 500 comes
18 inch wheels, the Indian model could come with a 19 inch wheel up front for better high speed stability.
Moving on to the cosmetic changes, the Classic Chrome gets dollops of chrome all around. The front mudguard, the fuel tank, the air box and the rear mudguard get chrome plated to give the Classic Chrome terrific street presence.

When the Royal Enfield Classic UCE350/500 was launched in India, many Bulleteers complained of how puny the motorcycle looked when compared to the likes of the 19 inch wheeled models like the Electra and the Machismo. So, the addition of chrome will perhaps put back the imposing presence that Bullets are always known for

KTM Duke 200 will launch in India at Auto Expo 2012 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

The KTM Duke for India will feature a 200cc engine and will be launched at the upcoming 2012 Indian Auto Expo to be held in the month of January at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

KTM CEO Stefan Pierer also pulled off a massive announcement in the form of a 350cc KTM Duke to follow the 200cc model, in 2013.

Coming back to the KTM Duke 200, this motorcycle will be produced at Bajaj Auto’s plant in Chakan. Bajaj-KTM is very aggressively targeting 25,000 to 30,000 units each year which means that the pricing of the Duke 200, in true Bajaj style will be very competitive to say the least. Quite hearteningly, the KTM Duke 125, which is currently being exported to various markets across the world is built by Bajaj Auto at Chakan. This motorcycle has received worldwide acclaim for it’s great quality levels, which is a tribute to Bajaj Auto’s and India’s growing expertise in motorcycle manufacturing, rivaling the best motorcycle makers in the world.

Start saving up people, a 350cc Duke is coming in 2013. Meanwhile, KTM plans to sell a whopping 2 lakh motorcycles by 2015, which is more than double its current projection for 2011 at 82,000 motorcycles. So, the future KTM motorcycles like the Duke 200 and the Duke 350 will be the big volume pushers for KTM, with India becoming a major market. Also, the KTM Dukes manufactured in India by Bajaj Auto will also be exported to many countries like the Thailand, Malaysia and Brazil. Here’s what KTM CEO Stefan Pierer has had to say about the Duke 200, Duke 350 and KTM’s overall expansion plans.

LML relaunch LML Freedom 100cc & 125cc and brand new 125cc scooter at end of 2011

Kanpur based bike maker known for the LML Vespa scooter and the bikes that followed once the era of scooters came to an end in the nineties, is ready to revive its Freedom bike which was one of the products the company had on the price list before ceasing their Indian operations.

Company will be launching bikes with engine capacity ranging from 100 – 125cc. Well, as it turns out it is going to be the LML Freedom that will be revived as a result. A 125cc scooter is also on cards and could be launched later in the following year. The new gearless scooter will rival the likes of Suzuki Access 125, TVS Wego and the sorts.

Adding to this LML has also launched the Select 4, four stroke scooter in the NCR region. The scooter will only be available in select regions of north India as has been the case with many of the past LML models. Coming back to the LML Freedom, the company will use the same old platform but will be a much evolved product and will be differently engineered.

New Version of Bajaj Pulsar may come in Septembet 2011

Bajaj Auto MD, Mr Rajiv Bajaj has remarked that the Bajaj Pulsar series of motorcycles are due to get an upgrade in September, and we’re wondering what it could be. Considering the fact that the Bajaj Pulsar 150 and 180 have both got facelifts quite recently, the big story emerging could be that of the top of the line Bajaj Pulsar getting it’s share of goodies from Bajaj Auto.

On the back of Bajaj upping it’s production capacity to 5 million units per year, come October, the new Pulsar 220 is expected to help Bajaj retain the strong momentum with which sales have been growing all through this year. Currently the big point of speculation is what Bajaj will launch shortly to take over the reins as the flagship Pulsar. Currently, there are two strains of thought surrounding the new Pulsar, which is expected to be a major departure from the current models.


Whether it would be a 200cc engine derived from KTM, that could come with advanced engine technology like 4 valves, DOHC and liquid cooling or whether a 250cc engine would make it to the Pulsar range, remain questions that the coming days could throw light upon. Also, the styling of the flagship Pulsar could also see a major revamp to bring it up to date as the Pulsar, despite seeing various facelifts over the years has started to look slightly dated.

KTM Freeride electric motocross bike for the EICMA show

Electric motorcycles, until recently mainly made by the newer entrants into the motorcycling industry like Brammo and Zero Motorcycles, are all set to go mainstream as KTM readies up it’s first electric offering in the form of the Freeride electric Motocross motorcycle for the EICMA show scheduled for November, this year. Along with the KTM Freeride getting launched at EICMA, the other neat surprise the first electric motorcycle from KTM comes with is the price tag that the Frreride is expected to sport.

Under 10,000 Euros is what you will have to shell out for this electric motorcross motorcycle and that price makes it very attractive indeed. Over the past few years, four stroke motorcycles in motocross are slowly being questioned over cost of maintenance even as the cheaper two strokes make much more sense, considering their low cost of maintenance, lower cost of parts and fewer parts in the engine. Once the electric model from KTM will arrive, it could further trigger a paradigm shift in how Motocross motorcycles will be powered.

An electric motor replacing the conventional powered MX motorcycles makes a bunch of sense considering the fact that the battery stack of the electric MX motorcycles can be replaced after each race. This is exactly what KTM seems to be betting on with the Freeride Electric MX’er machine. Meanwhile, the KTM Freeride will produce a very useful 43 Nm of twist right from 500 rpm. This apart, the peak power that the MX machine is capable is about 30 Bhp, with a constant power of 11 Bhp possible all through.

While the peak power still has some catching up to do with conventional MX motorcycles, the torque figure will be what will really be the talking point of the lithium ion battery powered Freeride. Will the KTM Freeride manage to convert enough of the MX crowd to adopt electric power remains the big question that remains to be answered.

All New Version of TVS Apache RTR 180 Comes in India with Superb Changes

TVS Apache models are very stylish and handsome looking bikes. Now the company has made the Apache much better than other Apache bikes because the new Apache RTR 180 model is released with Racing DNA features. The TVS Apache Racing DNA edition will be make new history in Indian auto market.

The new TVS Apache RTR 180 price in India is Rs. 68,000/- and it may be go up as per Indian RTO rules and Racing DNA accessories.


TVS Apache RTR 180 features

• New LED light option at handle bar and Projection Lamps
• Bike has some attractive features like new Sprockets, Pirelli Sport Demon Tyres, Remote lockers
• Nice handsome sporty look
• New Xenon headlamps and digital speed meter are really looking very nice
• New Racing DAN inbuilt machine comes with K&N air filters inbuilt silencer
• Bike is having Pirelli sport demon 90 section tires which give a impressive look to the bike
• New Apache RTR 180 is released with White, Yellow, Black and Gray colors

TVS Apache RTR 180 specifications

• 177.4cc displacement engine of the bike provides maximum power of 17.3Bhp @ 8500 rpm and maximum Torque of 15.5Nm @ 6500 rpm
• Bike engine has Multi Plate Wet Type clutch and 5 speeds gear box
• Air-cooling engine bike is having 6 spokes Mag Alloys wheel with 90 section tyres for better grip on the Indian roads
• High performance bike has Kick and Electronic starter option engine
• TVS Apache RTR 180 has 137kgs weight
• New bike have 180mm of groud clearance and 1326mm of wheelbase

All New Suzuki GS150R Images & Changes Leaked

The Suzuki GS150R is a bike that ticked almost all the boxes of a perfect commuter bike. The bike was an all round complete package for the ones looking for a comfortable, good looking bike to go around town. The 6-speed gearbox was the USP of the Suzuki GS150R when it came out. That meant, the power from the 149.5 cc, single cylinder engine was accessible even in city riding conditions. Maximum power of 13.8 bhp was available when you revved the silky smooth engine to 8500 rpm.


The new bike gets an all new styling upgrade

• Redesigned headlamp cluster
• New attractive graphics as well as a new exhaust
• Amber backlit instrument cluster will also be featured on the new bike
• Old suspension setup will also be carried over on the new model as will the 6 speed gearbox thus keeping the characteristics of the bike unchanged
• New colour option also seems to be a welcome addition

Suzuki may not make any changes to the powerplant itself though. So, the changes are just limited to the cosmetic bits. Will Suzuki fiddle with the engine of the bike is still not known as is the mystery surrounding the launch dates

Harley Davidson new liquid & air cooled engine bikes may launch in India

Harley Davidson Sportster XR 1200X

Harley Davidson CVO Electra Glide

The America based International motorcycles manufacturing company Harley Davidson has introduced its 14 sporty and Royal bikes in Indian auto market. The Harley Davidson bikes are very popular for its looks and design.

The company has also released Harley Davidson NIGHT ROD and Harley Davidson XR 1200X

• Harley Davidson NIGHT ROD price in India is Rs. 22, 91,900/-
• Harley Davidson Sportster XR 1200X price in India is Rs. 11, 95,000/-

The company intends to launch liquid cooled engines for all its bikes. The Harley Davidson auto company has launched Liquid-cooled and Air-cooled two type of engine inbuilt bikes in Indian market. The bikes are having good looks and designed for good personality output. The braking and suspensions system of these bikes are also very excellent.


The Harley Davidson has released some Air-cooled bikes in Indian market. The Harley Davidson Touring has 1584cc displacement powerful engine. The type of engine id Air-cooling. The 6-speeds gearbox bike has top torque of 121Nm at the rate of 3500 rpm.

Cruiser model Harley Davidson CVO is having 6 speeds gear. The bike has 1802cc displacement high performance Air-cooled engine. The model is generating top up torque of 150Nm at the rate of 3500 rpm.

Harley Davidson Softail is also having Air-cooling engine and the bike is having 1584cc capacity engine. The powerful engine is generating maximum Torque of 126Nm at the rate of 3000 rpm.


Harley Davidson Dyna has 1584cc displacement engine. The engine is an Air-cooling type engine. The bike is producing maximum Torque of 123Nm @3125 rpm power. The model is having 6 speeds gearbox for smooth and high speed riding.

Harley Davidson XR 1200X is high performer bike. The bike is having 1202cc powerful engine. The model is also having Air-cooling engine. The bike belts top Torque of 100Nm at the rate of 3700 rpm.

Garware Motors will launch Hyosung 250cc to 400cc super bikes in India next year

Come 2012, Garware Hyosung will launch three new motorcycles with capacities ranging from 250cc to 400cc to drive volumes in the Indian sports motorcycle segment.

Currently Garware-Hyosung sells two motorcycles in India

• 650cc Hyosung GT650R sportsbike
• 700cc Hyosung ST7 Cruiser

Both these motorcycles have received a good response from the market although the Hyosung GT650R seems to be in a spot of bother with Bajaj Auto launching the Kawasaki Ninja 650R at a killer ex-showroom price tag of 4.57 Lakh Rupees, which makes the Hyosung GT650R overpriced considering the minimal brand recall and brand value Hyosung enjoys in comparison to Kawasaki.

While one 250cc motorcycle could be smaller version of the Hyosung GT650R, in the form of the GT250R, we’re wondering what exactly the other 250cc and 400cc motorcycle could be considering the fact that Hyosung doesn’t have any other 250cc motorcycle in it’s global portfolio currently, apart from the naked version of the Hyosung GT250R. Previously, Hyosung made it’s Indian entry with the erstwhile Kinetic Engineering Limited with the Hyosung Aquila 250 Cruiser and we’re thinking that we could see a reprise of this in the Indian market in 2012, when Hyosung could relaunch a 250cc cruiser to join the ST7.

On the other hand, the naked Hyosung GT250 makes a lot of sense considering the fact that the naked version of the Hyosung GT650R, the GT650 is due later this year. Coming to the 400cc motorcycle, the last motorcycle that Hyosung build with this capacity was an on-off road motorcycle, the Hyosung XRX400 enduro motorcycle. This 400cc enduro came with a 400cc single cylinder four stroke engine. Considering the limited potential of an enduro style motorcycle in the Indian market, we’re not too sure whether this motorcycle is what Hyosung will bring into India come 2012 or some other motorcycle with a multi-cylinder engine displacing 400cc.

What is Price of Ducati Diavel in India; Ducati Diavel Specification & Features

The Ducati superbike is priced at Rs 17 lakh ex-showroom. The Italian bike maker "Ducati" also inaugurated its fourth showroom in India on Bangalore’s Lavelle road. The Lavelle road showroom is the first in Bangalore with a 3S facility. The new showroom situated at the UB Mall will be run in association with Matrix Agencies Private Limited.

Ducati also took this opportunity to launch the Diavel superbike in India. What impressed us most apart from the specifications is the price. Ducati has priced the bike at Rs 17 lakh ex-showroom which is pretty descent for a bike with 162 bhp and carbon fibre bodywork. The bike will be available in two variants, one the Diavel Carbon which will feature all the carbon fibre bits as well as forged and specially machined Marchesini wheels and the other the standard Diavel.

SOME SPECIFICATION

• Bike weighs in at 204 kg
• Produces 127.5 Nm of torque from its 12 valve L-twin cylinder engine which displaces 1198.4 cc
• Fuel injection for the bike has been designed by Mitsubishi for better throttle response
• Head lights have LEDs for better visibility
• Huge 240 section rear tire by Pirelli provides a sticky contact patch between the bike and the tarmac
• ABS
• Ducati Traction Control
• Ducati Riding Modes namely, Sport, Touring and the Urban mode. Each mode has been designed specifically taking into consideration different riding conditions. The Sport mode will provide the maximum response from the engine while the Touring and Urban modes are for more relaxed riding.

New version of Hero Honda Glamour and Glamour Fi with Price, Specifications & Features

Hero Honda Bikes has come up with another refreshed version of Hero Honda Glamour and Hero Honda Glamour FI.

• New Hero Honda Glamour Price In India is Rs. 50,500/-(ex-showroom price)
• New Hero Honda Glamour Fi Price In India is about Rs. 59,500/-(ex-showroom price)

On the launch of these new refreshed versions of Hero Honda Glamour the Sr. Vice President Mr. Anil Dua stated that “The Glamour family has given a new dimension to Hero Honda's leadership in this segment. The launch of the new refreshed versions of these two models promises to take our leadership position to an even higher level".

Hero Honda Glamour Features

• New edgy headlight and visor
• New Digital- Analog Combo Instrumentation panel which gives an indicator to the rider on the functioning of the PGM-FI system
• Bank angel sensor
• Aerodynamic air scoop
• Silencer cover
• Red spark plug to give this bike a more cooler and a sporty look
• Remarkable Maintenance-free Battery Ensures Peaceful And Uninterrupted Ride

The all new Hero Honda Glamour comes with five colours including black with vibrant orange, black with tornado grey metallic, Black with frost blue metallic, black with sports red, candy blazing red

Hero Honda Glamour Specifications

• 125cc – 4 stroke single cylinder engine (unchanged) which dissipates a power of 9 Bhp @ 7000 rpm and a maximum torque of 10.35 Nm @ 4000 rpm
• Comes with the 4 speed gear box
• Multi plate wet clutch and air cooling system engine
• Top speed of 94 Kph which
• Mileage of 62 kmpl in city & 80 kmpl on highway
• Oil tank capacity of 13.6L
• New engine also has ASFS (advanced swirl flow induction system) which provides us better mileage and on road performance
• New version comes with both disc and drum brake variants while the top end variant comes with fuel injection technology
• New glamour comes with breakthrough service package with 3years/40000 Kms warranty period and 6 free service benefits up to 18 months.

When Triumph Motorcycles (British brand) Launch its Bikes in India

British motorcycle brand, Triumph will soon enter India with a wide range of it’s motorcycles. Triumph motorcycles is speculated to enter India through the CBU route by which it will import fully built motorcycles into India for retail sale.

The British brand which went under more than a couple of decades ago was rescued by British construction magnate, John Bloor, under whose aegis the brand went from strength to strength, with a great product portfolio, that is a delightful mix of both cutting edge as well as retro vintage. the heritage of the brand was retained in some models like the Bonneville while new products like the 675 Triple created brand new market segments.

Coming back to Triumph’s India foray, although details about the range of motorcycles that Triumph will bring into India remains unknown for the moment, expect most motorcycles to displace 800cc and above as this is the mandatory engine capacity that can be brought into the country as CBU without the hassles of the lengthy homologation process. So, that makes the Triumph 675 triple a doubtful starter for India.

Husqvarna’s 900cc Parallel Twin Motorcycle Images; BMW Motorrad in India

BMW owns Husqvarna now and BMW Motorrad is eager to set shop in India. That said, BMW Motorrad’s motorcycles will be priced pretty high for most Indian motorcycle enthusiasts except the very well heeled ones. So, volumes isn’t what BMW Motorrad will get from the Indian market, not with their existing range of motorcycles anyway.

But, even as we first heard about Husqvarna borrowing BMW F800′s 800cc parallel twin and going big bore to build a 900cc parallel twin for use in Husqvarna’s latest 900cc road going naked motorcycle. Now, that opens up a wide range of possibility, at least for some speculation that is. Husqvarna’s has leaked a bunch of images of it’s 900cc street bike, in the build up to EICMA 2012, where the motorcycle will be officially unveiled.

From the images, the motorcycle appears like a super moto motorcycle that could indulge in some touring as well due to it’s high ground clearance and the upright riding position. Now, why shouldn’t BMW Motorrad bring the Husqvarna to India, and price it somewhere at the entry level Harley mark.

This, even as the motorcycle touring culture in India is just about to take off in a big way, now that we have the Honda CBR250R and the Kawasaki Ninja 650R selling in India for very competitive prices. Perhaps, Husqvarna could be what the Rotax powered BMW F650 could never be for BMW in India, a solid entry level offering to know what the brand is all about.

While we think that the BMW Motorrad brand in India could definitely do with a entry level offering at about INR 6-8 Lakhs, all of this remains mere speculation at the moment. Let us hope that someone at BMW Motorrad realises the huge opportunity they can have if they bring in the Husky 900 as BMW’s entry level offering into India and price it very competitively

When Bajaj Boxer will Launch in India; Cheap Bikes in India

Bajaj Boxer 150 cc is going to launch in India at end of 2011 with a displacement of a powerful engine to rule the Indian rural roads. Bajaj Boxer Price in India is around Rs. 40,000. Bajaj Boxer Features are unique and this bike is coming with a tag line name of Bharat bike. The company keep in mind that their bike has to reach the rural and semi urban people.

Bajaj bikes are most popular in the urban and cities only. Most of the semi urban and rural people are using Escorts Rajdoot 175 and Yezdi 250c as load puller. This bike is coming to replace that old version bikes with its new powerful engine and attractive color schemes. The Bajaj Boxer is designed for lugger in those areas. The fuel economy and the cost of this bike will surely match with the 100cc bikes and on the addition this model bike is having a powerful engine.

Bajaj Boxer Specifications

• 150cc engine with all the powerful equipment
• Bike is specially made for the load puller and passenger on the rural and semi urban areas
• Bajaj Boxer is coming with a attractive suspension and superior lighting system along with breaking system
• Ground clearance and the wheel base will give excellent road grip
• Seating and the foot rest of this bike will give thrilling riding experience

When New Model of Yamaha R15 will Launch in India?; Price of New Yamaha R15 in India

Yamaha is preparing to re launching its Yamaha YZF R15 model with small modifications. Yamaha YZF R15 Price in India is Rs. 97,425.


Yamaha YZF R15 Features

• Bike is coming with various color schemes with addition of impressive graphics on the body
• Head lamp design of the bike is impressive
• Front part of the bike is low comparing to rear part
• Sports engine is covered with a fiber cover which will give some supplementary magnetism for the bike
• Alloy wheels along with Disc breaks on the front and rear will give perfect safety to the rider
• Design of seats and the fuel tank will give much pleasant riding experience to the biker
• Pillion rider will also feel much comfort because of the superior suspension is upgraded with this super bike

Yamaha YZF R15 Specifications

• Four stroke engine of this sports bike is packed with 149.8cc with liquid cooled technology
• Powerful six speed manual transmission gear box is enabled with this bike
• Engine produces a maximum power of 17Bhp at 8500rpm and the maximum torque of 15NM at 7500 rpm
• Can reach 60km speed with in three seconds
• Mileage of this bike is 35 km per liter
• Hydraulic disc break on the front and single disc on the rear
• Having a Telescopic suspension on the front and Linked mono cross type suspension on the rear

Where Kawasaki Ninja 650R sportsbike Avaiable in India

Kawasaki and Bajaj Auto today launched the much awaited Kawasaki Ninja 650R sportsbike in India. The launch event was held at the Bajaj Auto Auditorium at Pune. Mr. Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director, Bajaj Auto was present for the occasion. India Kawasaki Motors was represented by Mr. Yoshiro Segawa, Managing Director (designate). The new Kawasaki Ninja 650R is launched in India at a price of Rs 4.57 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Click here to see images of KAWASAKI NINJA 650R

Kawasaki has managed to price the Ninja 650R pretty competitively compared to the Hyosung GT 650R which will be the main rival of this bike. The Ninja 650R comes loaded with MotoGP inspired technology.

Triple petal disc brake, daytime running lights, under-slung exhaust, offset rear mono-shock suspension and a liquid cooled inline twin cylinder engine which pumps out 72.1 Ps of max power @ 8500 rpm and 66 Nm of torque @ 7000 rpm. The triple petal discs at both ends with twin semi floating upfront is a patent Kawasaki technology.

The launch was preceded by an introduction of the Ninja brand by Mr. Eric Vaz, President (New Project Development). The Bajaj management did not reveal any details of its future plans for India as far as the collaboration with Kawasaki over high capacity performance bikes is concerned but, do expect more powerful models from the Ninja line-up in the near future.

The Kawasaki Ninja 650R will be imported into India through CKD channels even though it attracts the current 30 percent import duty. The bike will be assembled at Bajaj’s Chakan plant but as for now there are no plans to manufacture engines to avoid the extra import duty. The new Ninja 650R will be available at Bajaj Probiking showrooms across the country.

As of now, there are 30 dealerships in India and Bajaj is looking at expanding the network further. A delivery period of 90 days is what Bajaj predicts at the moment but this could change depending upon the demand. Secondly, the situation in Japan is still improving after the earthquake and tsunami and it could take at least 2 months for the production at the Japanese plants to normalize. Since, most of the components come from Japan, it could also have an affect on the delivery period.

New Bikes from Hero MotoCorp (previous Hero Honda)

Following the name change, the first new product that Hero MotoCorp will launch is an on-off road motorcycle displacing about 180cc, spawning an all new segment in the Indian motorcycle market. Along with the 180cc dirt bike, our sources reveal that Hero MotoCorp will also focus on it’s roots, the bread’n'butter economuter motorcycle segment, from where the real volumes come from and what has made Hero the force that it has come to be.

Recently, Hero acquired the rights to manufacture the latest 110cc four stroke engine from Honda, the same one which is found on Honda’s economuter offering, the Honda CB Twister. This engine, represents a tectonic shift for Hero, which has for long been using the horizontally inclined 97.2cc four stroke engine design that was designed by the legendary Soichiro Honda way back in the 1960s. Now, the market has began to demand more power and torque along with higher fuel economy even from commuter motorcycles.

Therefore, Hero MotoCorp has obtained the license to manufacture the 110cc four stroke engine and use it on a Hero MotoCorp product in the second half of 2011. The other motorcycle Hero MotoCorp will introduce in the market will be a 125cc motorcycle, that will sit in the executive segment to rival the likes of the Honda Shine and the Suzuki Slingshot.  This move from Hero MotoCorp comes due to the dismal performance of the Glamour 125, whose sales haven’t picked up to Hero’s high standards despite the recent refresh.

So, expect to see three new motorcycles from Hero MotoCorp and from the looks of it, Hero MotoCorp looks like it will continue to be the market leader for a couple of more seasons at least as the smaller capacity motorcycles continue to be in demand spurred more by the recent fuel price hike.

God Shuffled His Feet, And Looked Around

*** continued from previous post ***


He turns to the man standing beside him, and points to me with a hitch of his thumb. "This guy knows bikes." To which the crowd nods in agreement.

I would like to look at the scenery as we cross the lake, but my adoring fans will have none of that. I am now THE NICE BIKER FROM THE STATES. I sneak a quick glance here, a look over my shoulder at the far shore there. As the ride progresses there are two things that I DO notice however, and they are:

1. Your Mom is a now a celebrity.

2. Suddenly, it's getting dark. Very, very dark. And the water, which a few minutes before was as flat as a North Dakota ski resort, is now white-capped and slapping the sides of the boat.

Well isn't that curious, I think to myself before I'm dragged back into conversation.

"So tell me," one of my new-found friends asks, "after buying a bike like that, you must have ridden a Molokoi B-30. Right?"

You would think so," I say without missing a beat having not a clue as to what a Molokoi B-30 is, "but regrettably, I never had the chance."

"Really?" he asks, somewhat shocked. "They were all over the place in the late 70s and early 80s. Everybody rode one."

"Well, there you go." Hardly noticing, I brush a few raindrops off of my bald pate' with the sweep of a fingerless glove. "That would have been about the time I was with the crew in El Salvado - - -" I feign a look of utter shock, with an exaggerated motion, I bite my lip. I bow my head, and bang on my brow with my fist. "Whoopsie. Let's pretend I didn't say that, shall we?"

They all nod in agreement. I could have gone all Pirate on their asses and taken over the boat had I wanted, they were mine. You dodged one there, Canadian Maritime Fleet! But alas . . . as you have no doubt noticed, my quick wits and the ability to lie on the fly has painted me, yet again, into a bit of a corner.

I smile. All teeth and charm. I can't wait to hear what I'm going to say next.

Luckily, right at this particular moment, God intervenes. And as God is wont to do, takes a righteous whiz over the whole of creation.

And the rains . . . the rains they came a pouring down.

*** the journey continues on 11/17/2011 ***