Bike Chronicles of India

Mar 26, 2010

20 Honda launches 2010 'CB' Unicorn.

The speculated 2010 upgrade of the Honda Unicorn is here as the 'CB' Unicorn..!! So what's new..??

As speculated earlier by me, Honda has upgraded its 150 cc Unicorn for 2010. Although there has been no official fanfare about the launch, the details of the 'new' 2010 Unicorn has been updated on Honda 2 Wheeler India's corporate website.

2010 Honda CB Unicorn

Many Honda fans were expecting the 2010 Unicorn upgrade to be based on the "Sports" concept that was shown at the 2010 Auto Expo. But it looks like the 2010 upgrade has been 'very-very-very' minor.

Unicorn Sport Concept shown at Auto Expo 2010

So what's new?

Viscous 'paper' air filter

New Dial background design for its speedometer console

Body colored rear grab rail

and oh yes, a new name, 'CB' Unicorn

After the 125 cc 'CBF' Stunner, 110 cc 'CB' Twister, Honda has given the 'CB' moniker to the 150 cc Unicorn too.

Surprisingly the 'CB" Unicorn doesn't get Tubeless tyres and still has got the 'Tuff Up' variety, while the 110 cc CB Twister and 125 cc CBF Stunner comes factory fitted with Tubeless tyres..!!

By the way, what's next..?? 'CB' Shine..??

Engine: The engine has been left untouched and still makes the same old 13.3 Ps of maximum power.. the Honda website does mention that the 'CB' Unicorn meets BS III norms.

Colors: The website mentions that there are 3 colors now: Black, Silver and Red. Thankfully the previous jarring decal jobs seems to have been given the boot. The 2010 colors are sober and simple and go well with the what the Unicorn stands for.. i.e a sober 150 cc commuter.

Price: Rs. 59,285 (Ex-Showroom Delhi), Rs. Rs. 61,924 (On Road Delhi)

Honda Plans 2 models for 2010. New Unicorn on cards..??

Auto Expo 2010 Coverage: Honda (HMSI)

2010 Honda CBF Stunner (125cc). Details, Price, Colors revealed (from Official Website)

Honda CB Twister 110 cc Review [Test Ride]

2010 Honda (HMSI) Corporate TV Commercial [Video]

Disclaimer:

This is to remind that the Views or Opinions in the blog are entirely mine unless explicitly stated. The Views and Opinions published in this blog should in no way be related to any other person or organization associated -- directly or indirectly -- with me.

Mar 25, 2010

5 February 2010, 2 Wheeler Sales in India

February 2010 sales numbers of our 2 wheeler makers..

February 2010 has been another happy month for almost all the major 2 wheeler makers in India. Almost all of them have registering positive growth compared to last year's sales numbers. Also for the last one year, Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India (HMSI) seems to be slowly inching for the 3'rd position, which TVS Motor has held for quite sometime now. Posted below are the February 2010, two wheeler sales numbers.

[The Feb 2010 sales figures of Suzuki Motorcycles India and Royal Enfield could not be collected though..]

Hero Honda had sold 382,000 (approx.) units of two-wheelers in February 2010

News Source: Click here

Hero Honda reported a 16 per cent increase in sales at over 3.82-lakh units in February 2010.

Bajaj Auto had sold 234,623 units of two-wheelers in February 2010

News Source: Click here

The country's second largest two-wheeler maker Bajaj Auto today reported 78.03 per cent jump in motorcycle sales at 234,623 units in February.

The company had sold 131,785 units in February last year, Bajaj Auto Ltd (BAL) said in a statement. BAL attributed growth to robust sales of its Pulsar and Discover range of bikes, it added.

TVS Motor has sold 140,544 units of two-wheelers in February 2010

News Source: Click here

With significant contributions across all segments, TVS Motor Company has posted 31% growth registering total two wheeler sales of 140,544 units in the month of February 2010 against 107,301 units in the same month of the previous financial year. Cumulative growth for the period April 2009 to February 2010 stood at 1,375,176 units against 1,207,754 units in the comparable period of the previous year, a growth of 14%.The company's three wheeler sales also posted sizeable growth over February 2009, generating highest ever sales.

Domestic sales posted growth of 34% registering 121,403 units in February 2010 in comparison with 90,718 units in the February 2009.

The company's motorcycle registered a buoyant growth of 28% in February 2010 with sales of 63,394 units in February 2010 when compared to 49,659 units in the same month of the previous year. During the month, scooters witnessed substantial growth of 38% registering sales of 27,017 units when compared to 19,532 units in February 2009.

Exports continued to show an upward trend posting 15% during the month of February with sales of 19,141 units against 16,583 units in February 2009.

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India has sold 122,000 units (approx.) of two-wheelers in February 2010

News Source: Click here

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter reported a 22 per cent growth in sales at over 1.22-lakh units.

Yamaha India has sold 25,766 units of two-wheelers in February 2010

News Source: Click here

Two-wheeler maker India Yamaha Motor today reported 48.02 per cent increase in total sales in February at 25,766 units.

The company had sold 17,407 units in the same month last year, India Yamaha Motor said in a statement. The domestic sales rose by 17.80 per cent to 16,313 units in February 2010 from 13,848 units in the same month last year, it added.

During last month, the company exported 9,453 units as against 3,559 units in the year-ago period, a jump of over two-fold.

Disclaimer:

January 2010, 2 Wheeler sales in India

Disclaimer:

Mar 24, 2010

18 Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-i "The Fastest Indian": Owner's Review by Gagan

Owners review of the 2009 Pulsar 220 DTS-i by Gagan from Gurgaon..

Hi guys, this is Gagan from Gurgaon..

Well, 7 months down the lane since I brought the Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-i home.. this review was long due!! So am getting to it straightaway.

I had a pulsar 150 late 2005 edition prior to this and I had no complains with that pair of wheels and it wasn’t easy for me to part with it, but I knew what I wanted and I went for it.

Bajaj launched the "Fastest Indian" campaign for the Pulsar 220 DTS-i and I knew at that time that the Pulsar 220 DTS-i was finally coming of age. I took a very brief test ride and decided for it. For some reasons I didn’t place the booking at the pro-biking outlet and did it at the dealer outlet in Gurgaon. It anyways went through pro-biking but that’s another story.

The bike was delivered after 2-3 weeks. The bike came fitted with the leg guard and sari guard (i so much hate them!! :) and black in color. Bike's base price was around Rs. 63K and add VAT and insurance to it and it became around 72K. They put in half a liter of petrol and booted it up and gave the throttle a twist and it welcomed me and my wife with a big roar.

That was the welcome part in flashback, now current date, bike after 2 free services (3rd due in April).

Look & Feel:

Everyone knows how it looks, but how it feels is what I need to say something about. The saddle is perfect with an aggressive stance and the rider actually feels like taking on the road and traffic. It was a welcome change from the pulsar 150 handle bar to the Indianized clip ons, anyone who has seen the actual clip ons will notice the slight elevation on the screws. It took a little time to get used to the fairings as I was used to ride on the 150 where pretty much everything turns with the handle. Fairing is quite a generic term but i know all of you would understand it if you have seen the 220 [:-)]

Overall it is not a hooligan roadster, but it has a class of its own.

Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-i, The Fastest Indian

Handling and riding experience:

The bike is well balanced. The basic test of balance what I do and I "don't" suggest anyone to try it, is gain some speed on the bike in a straight line and on speed around 70-75 leave the handle bar for few seconds. If the bike decides a direction on its own then there is something wrong, and if it holds the straight line you got a good bike. The same test is done for wheel alignments too but on a new bike you don’t really expect a bad alignment of wheels. But then again am sure there can be many arguments for this test but that’s my personal opinion.

The bike never shakes or wobbles on high speed. Little bit of vibration? Yes it is there but hey I can bet you will get that on the frigging R1 too [:-)], after all you have an engine going ballistic right under your butt.

The most amazing part that I noticed and is also a very small thing is that on braking hard on the rear wheels, and when the wheel locks you can hardly feel it, a little bit of exclamation from the bike is all what you feel. Sorry I can't explain the "exclamation from the bike" part. Try it and you will understand it. Real soft and smooth front disc breaks which actually suited my 1 and a half finger braking style and I already discussed the rear ones.

Pulsar 220 DTS-i sale price = 63K

Vat + insurance cost = 9K

Riding Experience + Heads turning = Priceless..!!

The gear box also took sometime to get used to because "good morning!! the first gear is down and the rest are up!!!". Gear changing is yet to show any issue and I think that Bajaj has improved on the Gear Box a lot when I compare it with my 2005 Pulsar 150, that was a different gear box.

The soft compound Tubeless tyres have already given me some surprise in the 5th month only. I saw the rear tyre flat one fine morning and took it to get it checked and fixed. The puncture guy pulled out a good solid long nail and filled the whole. I thought it’s done but on the second thought I decided to scan the tyre once more and found a similar second nail. That should have been it but I had a third thought and guess what there it was, the third nail. So three nails out of a 5 month old tubeless tyre. Guess that’s what you get on soft compounds but they are undoubtedly the finest when it comes to holding on to the road and have been through some scary situations to actually realize that the hard way [:-)].

Satadal Payeng: Gagan dude, I am not very sure if soft compound tyres leads to more punctures.. maybe it could have been bad luck on your part with the punctures.

Engine and Performance:

The 220 CC engine is shelling out what it promised. First, second and third gears don’t put any surprises but shift to 4th and then 5th and you are in for the surprise that made 220 DTS-i the Fastest Indian. On the highways I need to make effort to slow it down whereas it was the opposite on my 2005 Pulsar 150. It starts talking in 90s before you even notice it on the speedo.

Fuel efficiency wise I am yet to actually feel the difference on the fuel cost after my pulsar 150, of course if you remove the petrol price rise factor out of the calculation.

I think that would be it from my review, I have never been able to detail out every minute details of any of my test rides of any vehicle, guess I only like riding/driving and not talking much about it. So pardon me for keeping it short and with less technical jargons.

Shoot a note/comment if you have any questions related to my pulsar 220 DTS-i experience.

Pulsar 220 DTS-i sale price = 63K

Vat + insurance cost = 9K

Riding Experience + Heads turning = Priceless..!!

Suzuki GS150R Ownership Review [By Nikhil]

Bajaj Pulsar 135LS Review

Honda CB Twister 110 cc

Yamaha R15 Review

Disclaimer:

Mar 21, 2010

7 LSD: Lame Speculations & Dhokha/Disappointment

A collection of a few baseless motorcycle related Urban Legends floating around on the web..

Let’s have a look at some of the motorycle related, "World Famous in India" LSDs (Lame Speculation & Dhokha/Disappointment).

1. Bajaj Pulsar 300

When you get bombarded with the same stuff on numerous blogs/sites, the layman would naturally take it as the Gospel truth..

This urban legend one has been around for around 2-3 years. The origin of the rumor is this photo shopped image. Any half-biker with half knowledge of international bikes would tell that this is a digitally altered image of the Pulsar + Honda Hornet 600.

Digitally modified Pulsar

Honda Hornet 600

The Pulsar 300 rumor is so widespread that I have heard even the salesman from a couple of Bajaj showrooms tell me: "Sir, Pulsar 300 will be launched soon, I have seen the photos of it on the net..!!"

2. TVS 250 cc Taurus

The Taurus is actually a concept shown by TVS at the 2006 Auto Expo. At the 2006 expo itself TVS had made it clear that there are were no production plans for this concept. But then our great blogs & sites have made sure that this has become a "soon to be launched" model from TVS.. since 2006..!!

TVS Taurus Concept, 2006

3. Yamaha R15 would make 21-22 Ps (this was before the official specs were announced)

After the 150 cc Yamaha R15 was shown at the auto expo, Yamaha quite astutely did not reveal the power figures of the bike. So till the official specs were revealed, it was all left to.. well.. speculations..!! And boy, did guys speculate?

Not just blogs, websites and forums but even reputed publications joined in the speculation fray. The most widely expected and optimistic power figure was put around 21-22 Ps. We all know that the final official max power figure turned out to be 17 Ps.

4. Ninja 250R will retail for Rs. 1.5 lakh in India (this was before the Ninja 250R was officially launched)

It was first mentioned on a reputed publication and subsequently made into other sites as well. It beats me to comprehend as to what led the guys speculate that the Ninja 250R could really be priced at 1.5 lakhs for India..!! Just for the record the same 2010 Ninja 250R with fuel injection has a sticker price of £ 4,000 (approximately around Rs. 3 lakhs INR) in the United Kingdom.

As it finally turned out the Ninja 250R came with an ex-showroom price of 2.7 lakhs in India.

5. TVS will launch Apache RTR 220

This was a hot topic of discussion on internet forums before the 2010 Auto Expo. As far as I remember the original source of this was a couple of reputed publications.

But why on earth would TVS make a 220 cc Apache and look like a follower of Bajaj (TVS already has an Apache 180 in its kitty). Anyway post the 2010 Auto Expo, the rumor has kind of died down.. at least for the time being.

6. Bajaj Pulsar 250, Liquid cooled, Twin cylinder

This is the latest one to hit the town. The originator of it is motoroids.com. As usual, it is currently being copy, pasted on other blogs, sites and forums.

I’ll leave it to you to decide whether to believe it or give it a pass.

But seriously these speculations are probably losing the novelty these days. Remember the famous Aesop’s fable in which the Boy cried Wolf..??

Sources of the LSDs (Lame Speculation & Dhokha/Disappointments):

"Bakwas" Blogs: Blogs are probably one of the most unreliable sources of information. Any Tom-Dick-Harry with some free time and access to an internet connection can become a blogger. Yep, its that easy. But what is difficult is getting visitors to read the stuff that they publish. So the easiest way to get mouse clicks seems to be publishing sensational, breaking news type of articles.

Moreover coming up with original content every time seems so challenging, so what is the next easiest option? Copy & Paste stuff lifted from other sites. Who the hell cares about the authenticity?

Responsible (?) and Reputed Publications: In some cases, it’s not just the amateur blogs that are responsible for spreading the baseless rumors. In a bid to become the first one to break the sensational news, sometimes even reputed national publications resort to publishing speculations which often go on to become LSDs.

What’s worse is that once any particular site publishes the senseless rumor, it is very conveniently copy & pasted on numerous of other sites. In the process a lot is lost in translation.

When you get bombarded with the same stuff on numerous blogs/sites, the layman would naturally take it as the Gospel truth. Sigh..!!

Will the "Yamaha Fazer 250" and "Honda CBX 250 Twister" be ever launched in India..??

I’d rather ride a 250-400 cc slowly through a pothole, than “Day Dream” of riding the R1 on the Golden Quadrilateral..!!

30 BHP, 250 cc, Twin Cylinder Bikes are for Ladies..!!

Life Cycle of a "Desi" Biker..

Fat Rear Tyres: Need Vs. Want

Disclaimer:

Mar 19, 2010

11 Royal Enfield launches Bullet Electra Twin Spark in India, with 350 cc Unit Construction Engine

Royal Enfield launches its Bullet Electra 350 cc model with the new Twin spark, Unit Contruction Engine..

The 350 cc Thunderbird Twinspark was the first model from Royal Enfield to get the Twinspark UCE engine. The Classic 500 and 350 were the next two models to get the Twinspark UCE treatment and launched in India in November 2009.

I am sure that the original Bullet models (with cast iron engine) will now become prized collectors items..!!

Also at the start of 2010, Royal Enfield had made public that the Twin Spark UCE engine would replace the original cast iron engines from the "Bullet Electra 350" and "Bullet Standard 350" models.

True to its word, Royal Enfield has launched the Bullet Electra 350 cc with the Twinspark UCE engine (Details of the new model has appeared on its website).

Price Update (23,rd March): Prices starting at Rs. 89,846 (ex-Chennai) and going up to Rs. 93,846 for the kick start and electric start variants respectively

The 2010 Bullet Electra retains its original styling and comes with options of a front disc brake and electric start. The exhaust though is a a bit too long. With the long exhaust and the original cast iron engine replaced, the original "Bullet Thump" would certainly be now muffled in these 2010 models. But with new BS III (Bharat Stage III) pollution norms coming into force across India from April 2010, the "heart transplant" was probably inevitable.

Accoridng to Royal Enfield's website: "Along with the UCE engine come the double benefits of more power , and better fuel economy, more reliability and lesser maintenance".

Lets hope that the new 2010 range of models from Royal Enfield turn out to be more reliable than its older models. Now the other model which is awaiting a similar "Twinspark UCE" treatment is the Bullet Standard 350 model.

Visit the Royal Enfiled India website:

Colors: Red, Black and Silver

2010 Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 350, Technical Specifications:

Engine

Dimensions

Tyres

Electricals

Brakes

Suspension

Vehicle

Royal Enfield in Colombia

Royal Enfield to put its UCE (Unit Construction Engine) across all its models in 2010 + Royal Enfield @ Auto Expo 2010

500 C.C Royal Enfield Classic EFI to be on sale in Europe in 2009..!! [Wallpapers]

Royal Enfield launches Thunder Bird Twin Spark in India

Disclaimer:

Mar 15, 2010

63 Honda CB Twister 110 cc Review [Test Ride]

Yep, took the Honda CB Twister 110 cc bike for a test ride. So here is what I think of it..

Usually I start my review with the Looks of the bike, but this time I’ll make an exception and address it at the end of the review (I do have a reason for it).

Ergonomics / Seating Position: The seat height on the bike is low and is narrow enough at the front for even short guys to feel confident and at home. The foot peg–seat–handlebar relation is in the perfect, comfortable commuter mould.

The tank design provides ample space for my knees to grip the tank. The bike also feels extremely light and very easy to handle. A short guy like me is perfectly at home on the CB Twister, I can’t say for sure how a tall guy fits on the bike though.

Clutch & Gearbox: The clutch is delightfully light. I am sure that it will definitely make riding in heavy traffic an easy affair. The toe shift only gearbox has a one down – three up shift pattern. Gearshifts are positive, accurate and slick.

Smooth engine, decent performance for city traffic, comfortable ergonomics, light weight clutch and an accurate gearbox, nimble handling..

The CB Twister provides it all

Engine Performance: Let the clutch go with the left hand and twist the accelerator with the right hand, the bike seems to almost leap forward making you smile, but twist the accelerator further and you soon realize that the engine is basically tuned like a typical commuter bike. Even in top gear the bike has ample torque to move at slow speeds of 25 Kmph. The bike does speeds of 60-70 Kmph with ease, but as the revs rise, the torque and power begins to thin out. The engine remains smooth with slight tingling vibrations only coming in at high revs.

Although not as exciting as the Pulsar 135LS at high revs, the engine of the CB Twister performs perfectly as a commuter bike. Good low end torque, smooth engine and decent poke in city traffic. Thumbs up from me..!!

Ride and Handling: The ride of the CB Twister is a bit on the firmer side which definitely adds to the nimble handling but might lose out in providing a really plush ride. I tried to find out if the rear suspension had scope of being adjusted for a softer pre load setting, but to my surprise, the CB Twister has not provided for multiple stage settings and comes with just one setting.

The CB Twister also is the first Indian 100-110 cc motorcycle to be fitted with a tubeless tyre..!! Great stuff, a tubeless tyre definitely comes very handy in case of punctures as it can be ridden for quite sometime by just filling in air.

But surprisingly the pattern on the rear tyre of the CB Twister doesn’t have a "center groove". The grip of the tyre on dry roads was ok, but absence of the center groove makes me a bit apprehensive about grip on wet roads. The disc brakes (available as an option) do a good job of stopping and have a good progressive feel.

Summary: I found the CB Twister to be a delightful performer as a commuter motorcycle. Smooth engine, decent performance for city traffic, comfortable ergonomics, light weight clutch and an accurate gearbox, nimble handling.. The CB Twister provides it all. I mean what else do you need in a commuter bike?

Likes:

+ Smooth engine
+ Good clutch and gearbox
+ Comfortable ergonomics
+ Nimble handling

Dislikes:

- Ride quality is a bit firm
- Lack of rear suspension adjustment, engine pass switch
- A bit too much plastic in parts
- Empty space in engine area

I can’t call the styling of the CB Twister as muscular, aggressive or even as sporty. Probably the CB Twister can be best described as FUNKY..

Looks: I have come across a few bikes which look awesome in photos but in the flesh it finally appears disappointing. But the CB Twister looks as good even in the flesh. The paint quality on the tank and front fairing area is especially excellent.

The best angle to view the CB Twister is from the front three quarters, from which the bike gives the impression of a muscular bike. But when viewed from the sides and the rear, the CB Twister actually appears quite lean and light. One sore sight though is the empty space in the engine area.

Although the paint quality on the tank and fairing is top notch, the side panels has a little bit too much of plastic, moreover the plastic panels on the side covers are a bit thin.

The rear grab rail on the CB Twister has been fabricated in black plastic instead of the usual alloy metal or chrome metal.

Although it looks good on a new bike, I hope that the back plastic doesn’t turn brittle and gets discolored in the sweltering Indian summer.

But why am I mentioning about the looks/styling at the end of my review?

Here is the reason for it. Without doubt the 110 cc CB Twister is great bike as a commuter bike. As I had earlier mentioned, the CB Twister has a smooth engine, decent performance for city traffic, comfortable ergonomics, light weight clutch and an accurate gearbox, nimble handling.. but then our commuter best sellers like the Hero Honda Splendor/Passion, Bajaj Discover, TVS Star City etc aren’t too bad in these aspects either.

Why should someone then buy the CB Twister? What is it’s USP over the already established best sellers?

Apart from the Honda brand, the USP of the CB Twister is its styling. The CB Twister looks quite different from other Indian motorcycles. I can’t call the styling of the CB Twister as muscular, aggressive or even sporty. Probably the CB Twister can be best described as FUNKY.

Now whether the funky styling works for you is left for you to decide.

Honda CB Twister Price:

Honda CB Twister Tech Specs:

ENGINE & TRANSMISSION

Paper Filter

WEIGHT/MEASUREMENTS

CHASSIS

Tubeless,

Disc

ELECTRICALS

Maintenance Free

Pulsar 135LS Review [Part II] What's so special about the Pulsar 135LS?

Bajaj Pulsar 135LS Review [Part I] Over a week of ownership experience

Bajaj Pulsar 135LS Vs Honda CBF Stunner Vs Honda Unicorn Vs Yamaha FZ-16. Bike India & Overdrive agrees with me..!!

Will 110 cc CB Twister make a big mark?

2010 Honda CBF Stunner (125cc). Details, Price, Colors revealed (from Official Website)

Disclaimer:

Mar 12, 2010

7 Bajaj Sunny Zip TV Commercial (from the 90's). Memorable Jingle Composed and Sung by Gary Lawyer

The legendary Gary Lawyer, probably got an international award for this lovely jingle..

Guys who are now in their mid-20's (and plus) should remember this cute little jingle from the 1990's. The jingle was composed and sung by Gary Lawyer, the singer from India with the Golden voice.

I happened to stumble upon this video a few days back and thought of sharing it.

It's a pity that Bajaj has stopped making scooters; not that I dig scooters very much, but maybe there could have been a few more cute TVC's like this [:-)].

Enjoy the TVC and the Jingle posted below.. [Click here, if one cannot see the video]

Lyrics:

First you say you're always with me,
Coz’ being with me is fun.
Say you'll go the whole distance,
Since the love that you found,
All right, Come on, what's going on?
What you're thinkin'?

Hmm... hmm.. hmm.. hmmmm....

Then you say you need me,
Like the garden needs rain.
Then you go and deceive me,
Like it's all... in the game...

All in the game"

Hmmm... takes me back to my early teens days. But wait, there is something more cuter than the above TVC..!!

Just have a look who used to endorse the Sunny Zip once upon a time.. a cute Sachin Tendular in his teens..!!

Ahh.. the pre-internet/mobile phone/and 20-20 cricket days..!!
Life used to be so simple back then.

2010 Honda (HMSI) Corporate TV Commercial [Video]

Pulsar Maniacs..!! New video.. featuring the Pulsar 135LS DTS-i

Awesome Fan Ad (Video) of the Yamaha (India) Fazer

The First TV Commercial of the Bajaj Discover DTSi, featuring Jackie Chan..!!

"Pulsar Mania", New TV Commercial from Bajaj Auto..!!

Disclaimer:

Mar 11, 2010

12 What is Engine Knocking? Do you really know?

Demystifying one of the most incorrectly used engine related term (in India)..

What is Engine Knocking?

If I ask this question to most of the ones who rides a motorcycle in India, I can bet that the most probable answer would be something like this:

"If you are riding at top gear and the bike is at slow speed say around 20 kmph; in such a situation if you suddenly twist the accelerator without shifting down a gear, then instead of a smooth pick up, the engine will start behaving as if it’s gasping for breadth and struggles to move forward. This causes the bike to move in a jerky manner instead of moving forward smoothly.

This is knocking".

I wouldn’t be surprised if the above answer comes not just from a layman but even from many of out so called "desi" bike experts

What has been described above is actually Engine "SNATCHING" and NOT Engine "KNOCKING".

Why does Engine Snatching occur?

Imagine someone is holding your hand casually and loosely. Now if he/she decides to pull your hand suddenly then you will surely experience an unpleasant jerk won’t you? The same phenomenon occurs with the engine, when the slow moving parts inside the engine are subjected to a sudden motion.

What we instinctively do in such a situation is either shift down a gear or let the engine revs rise by slipping the clutch.

If that is Engine Snatching then what is Engine Knocking?

Engine Knocking is actually a Pinging/Metallic sound which can be heard from the engine when the air fuel mixture is not burnt in the optimum manner.

Causes of engine knocking could be: Due to..

Carbon deposits

A lean air-fuel mixture

Low coolant level, or cooling system problem that causes the engine to run hotter than normal

Posted below is a video in which a car engine makes "Knocking" sounds when revved: Click here, if one cannot see the video.

For more info on Engine Knocking, click here..

What is the difference between Power and Torque of a motorcycle?

What is a "Superbike"? What is a "Super Sports" bike?

Why 125 cc bikes are Popular in Europe?

Disclaimer:

Mar 8, 2010

6 2010 Bajaj Platina 125 Launched [Complete Tech Specs, Price, Colors] + Wallpaper

Bajaj Auto launches the 2010 edition of the Platina 125

The two magic words that has kept the sales registers of Bajaj Auto ringing consistently since the beginning of 2009-10 fiscal year are PULSAR and DISCOVER.

With the Discover(s) cracking the commuter code and the Pulsar(s) continuing to hold its leadership position in the Sports category, the Platina(s) (which caters to the entry level category of motorcycles) seemed a bit neglected. Instead of taking things easy, Bajaj has recently launched the 2010 version of the Platina 125 with some changes which include a lowered price tag as well.

So what’s new?

New state of tune of the Engine: The 2010 variant makes a max power of 8.5Ps and maximum torque of 10Nm, the earlier version produced 9.53Ps of power output and 10.85Nm of torque. Although the peak power and peak torque seems to have come down, the engine now makes the peak torque at a lower commuter friendly 4000 rpm (compared to the earlier 5000 rpm). Better torque at low revs hint at the engine being tuned to return better fuel efficiency.

5 Gears: The 2010 version gets an extra gear compared to the 4 gears on the older 2008 -09 version. But the all down pattern indicates that rather than cater to sporty intentions, it has been done to extract better fuel efficiency (again).

3 kgs lesser weight: The older variant used to weigh at 113 kgs (kerb), the 2010 variant weighs 110 kgs (err.. better for fuel efficiency.. again?)

New Colors: The 2010 Platina 125 gets new decals (I think that the previous decal design looked better). The new colors are.

Black with Red decals

Black with Blue decals

Black with Green decals

Red with Red decals

Rs. 3,000 lesser:

The 2010 Bajaj Platina 125 comes with an ex-showroom price of around Rs. 36,000, the older version was priced at Rs. 39,000.!!

Now at around Rs. 36,000, won’t it cannibalize the sales of the 100cc Discover DTS-Si?

According to me, the 100 cc Discover DTS-Si has been successful because of the strong brand image that it has created for itself over the last 5 years (the Discover brand has been in existence since 2004). The current 100 cc package just makes it more attractive for the buyer. As the Discover brand is stronger than the Platina brand, hence potential Discover buyers might not be enticed by the Platina(s).

The same analogy can be given for the Hero Honda Splendor which outsells the Hero Honda CD Deluxe. Both the models virtually have the same 100 cc engine, the CD Deluxe costs lesser than the Splendor and the CD Deluxe even have a self start as an option (the Splendor still doesn’t have a self start as an option..!!) Even here its because the Splendor brand is stronger than the CD Deluxe brand, it able to outsell it effortlessly.

Who would then buy the Platina 125 then?

Well.. the same kind of guys, who would prefer a Hero Honda CD Deluxe instead of the Splendor. At 36,000 odd rupees Ex-showroom, with a 125 cc engine and a self start, the 2010 Platina 125 does make an offer, which some guys on a budget might find it hard to refuse.

2010 Bajaj Platina 125 Tech Specs

Engine

Suspension

Brakes

Tyres & Wheels

Electricals

Fuel Tank Capacity

Dimensions

Warranty: 2 Yrs, 30,000 Kms

2010 Bajaj Platina 125: Wallpaper

Wide Screen Format: 1280 x 800

Normal Screen Format: 1024 x 768

Bajaj Pulsar 135LS Vs Honda CBF Stunner Vs Honda Unicorn Vs Yamaha FZ-16. Bike India & Overdrive agrees with me..!!

Pulsar 135LS Review [Part II] What's so special about the Pulsar 135LS?

Will 110 cc CB Twister make a big mark?

2010 Honda CBF Stunner (125cc). Details, Price, Colors revealed (from Official Website)

2010 TVS Star City details, TVS Star Sport becomes TVS Sport, TVS Star stopped (?)

Bajaj Auto launches Platina 125 DTS-Si [Nov, 2008]

Disclaimer:

Mar 6, 2010

7 2010 Honda (HMSI) Corporate TV Commercial [Video]

2010 Honda (HMSI) Corporate TV Commercial..

Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India (HMSI) probably spends the least in terms of TV Commercials in India.. and for good reason too, TV Ads are quite costly and usually burns a big hole in the balance sheet of a company.

I couldn’t see even a single frame of the 150 cc Unicorn in it..!!

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to state that a Honda product sells because of the Halo effect of the winged logo/Honda brand. It is therefore quite logical that HMSI tries to sell the Honda brand in its TV Ad rather than directly sell its products.

According to Honda, at the core of their philosophy are Three Joys - the joy of buying, the joy of selling and the joy of creating. And it is the quality, that is at the heart of this joy.

This particular TV Ad just tries to reinforce the same "Quality spreads Joy" philosophy.

The TV Commercial depicts common people along with their Honda 2 Wheelers and uses a remixed version of the rhyme "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands…"

One interesting observation is that although the commercial has many shots of almost all of the Honda 2 wheelers for India (including the 125 cc CBF Stunner and the recently launched 110 cc CB Twister), I couldn’t see even a single frame of the 150 cc Unicorn in it..!!

Hmmm.. an Unicorn upgrade definitely seems to be round the corner did I hear?

How do I rate the TV Commercial..?

Nothing exceptional, nothing to dislike.. I guess its ok. What do you think about the TV Ad..?? Does it work for you..??

Watch the video posted below.. click here, if one can't see the video.

Pulsar Maniacs..!! New video.. featuring the Pulsar 135LS DTS-i

Awesome Fan Ad (Video) of the Yamaha (India) Fazer

The First TV Commercial of the Bajaj Discover DTSi, featuring Jackie Chan..!!

"Pulsar Mania": The Best Motorcycle TV Commcercial in the world for me..!!

Disclaimer:

Mar 5, 2010

1 Cool Websites on Indian Automobiles: Motoroids and Zigwheels

Two websites of note dedicated to Indian Automobiles..

The advent of the internet has drastically altered many aspects of our life.. and in the process disrupted many established business models as well.

For example: Thanks to the internet and easy availability of songs in the MP3 format, even an avid music buff like me haven't bothered to buy a single Music CD in probably the last 4-5 years..!! I know, that this might slowly kill the Music Industry.. and probably that is what is eventually happening. Can you name the popular music album or music video (forget the Bollywood stuff) doing the rounds these days?

Even MTV now proudly declares that it’s more of a reality show channel rather than a music channel. Gone are the days when the VJ’s used to play your requests (it sounds funny right? Why on earth would one call up just to watch a music video?)

Change is inevitable and its not survival of the fittest, but how fast one adapts to the changing environment that determines survival. There was once a time when I used to buy my favorite auto magazines every month without fail. I still do buy a couple of magazines occassionally, but I have to admit that the frequency has come down quite a bit. Is it because of the easily available information about bikes on the internet?

Internet Vs. Auto Publications

Why the auto related sites on the internet score over Traditional Auto Publications?

You don’t have to wait for a month

You can choose what you want to read

You don’t have to pay

You can take part in conversations

via comments on Forums, blogs, social networking sites

But there are also a few limitations associated with these Free Online Resources Vs. Established Publications.

There is no guarantee of authenticity on the information floating around on these sites and also most of the sites are hosted/maintained by "guys next door" like me and therefore they don’t enjoy enough credibility to be taken seriously.

Two Indian auto related sites with quality content

Motoroids.Com

This site is just 7-8 months old but according to me it has a great promise of making it big as a reputed site. Motoroids gets its credibility from the fact that one of the founding members of the site is Amit Changani, ex-Bike India journalist.

The USP of Motoroids.com is a monthly e-mag which can be downloaded for free in PDF format.

The articles are good, photographs are good and even the layout of the PDF e-mag is good.

But I think that the layout and design of the website is a bit amateurish and there is a definite scope for improvement here.

So far Motoroids.Com isn’t been backed by any big sponsor. Hope Motoroids makes it big. Just pay a visit to Motoroids.Com, it’s a promising site.

Zigwheels.Com

Zigwheels is backed by the Times group, a big media conglomerate. The Zigwheels site has been in existence since mid 2008. Apart from the site, Zigwheels also comes as a weekly supplement along with the Times of India news paper in a few major cities of India. Zigwheels also has a weekly TV progam on Times TV.

Zigwheels Tabloid: 1st Issue

If that was not enough, Zigwheels have recently started coming in the form of a monthly tabloid. The other day I happened to pick up a few issues of it. The paper quality is glossy and is among the best found on Indian lifestyle magazines. But the most amazing part of this tabloid is that it is priced at an amazing 10 Rs!!!

The Chief Editor of Zigwheels is Mr. Adil Jal Darukhanawala who is a celebrity among auto journalists of the country.

Prior to Zigwheels, Mr. Adil was also the chief Editor of Overdrive and Bike India magazines.

Visit the Zigwheels website..

Maybe the internet might not replace Auto magazines in the same way the music industry has been hit. The print medium is not totally possible to replace. After all people still read books and newspapers don't they?

But with changing times, internet ventures like Motoroids and Zigwheels are definitely welcome.

Some Indian Auto Magazines that I read:

Autocar India

Overdrive

Bike India

BS Motoroing

Disclaimer:

Mar 3, 2010

24 Suzuki GS150R Ownership Review [By Nikhil]

Nikhil Nayak from Bengaluru writes about his ownership experience with his Suzuki GS150R..

I would like to thank Nikhil for sharing the ownership experience of his Suzuki GS150R

Hi, I am Nikhil from Bengaluru. I bought my GS150 in August 09 and I’m writing this ownership review of my bike after the first 3 services.

[Nikhil's Email id: nik_88@rediffmail.com]

Looks and Design:

I guess I need not write a lot about the looks as the pictures give a better description, but would like to say a little bit about it. The design of the tank is the best part in my in my opinion. It’s bigger than most other bikes, but still manages to keep your legs comfortable around it. The seating position is upright, keeping your back and wrist comfy on long rides and a boon for long distance touring.

After test riding of the Honda Unicorn, it’s easily noticeable that the quality of switches in the Suzuki GS150 is superior and easy to operate. The only negative point could be that there’s no LED backlight in the switches (like those found on the Bajaj Pulsar’s) which if present can be a helpful feature for a first time rider.

The Digital Speedometer of the GS150 can surely get a person hooked on to it. I look at my Speedo at least once in 10sec to check which gear I’m riding in, the gear shift indicator with eco mode and power mode setting can go a long way for a person just learning to ride bikes.

The two trip meters provided in the speedometer helps a lot to calculate mileage and distance travelled.

Pros:

+ Smooth Engine

+ Decent Mileage (52-55 Kmpl)

+ Riding Comfort

Cons:

- Heavy Weight

- Slightly less initial pick up

- Poor tyre grip in wet

Engine Performance:

Since I usually ride within the city, I feel the performance is decent and comparable to other 150cc bikes. The initial pickup in first and second gears seems to be little low unless you rev the engine above 4k rpm, but once the bike gains momentum, you can accelerate better than most other bikes (I remember reading a review which said it accelerates from 30 to 70 in 3rd gear in 5.5sec, which is the same time pulsar 220 takes!!!).

I’m yet to check the top speed, but I’ve managed to touch 95 Kmph on Bengaluru roads with ease. The vibrations in the bike are almost nil (thanks to the engine balancer technology), similar to the unicorn if not better. At the same time, it also produces a sound similar engine grunt as Pulsars for those who prefer loud bikes.

Handling:

Though the bike may look big and bulky, handling is not a problem at all, I mange to ride zig zag through crowded roads with ease. The bike is stable when cornering at high speeds, the only thing that worries me is the MRF zapper Y rear tyre, which has poor grip in wet conditions.

Hauling the bike can be a big challenge though, it’s pretty heavy for a 150cc bike and weighs 149kgs, and I find it almost impossible to push the bike on an upslope due to its weight.

Gearbox:

The gears in the bike are really smooth, makes up shifting and downshifting a breeze.
The only problem you would face with gears is if you try to change from 6th gear to 1st gear continuously without releasing the clutch, but I guess it’s not a big deal anyways.

Mileage & Fuel Efficiency:

The mileage is pretty good considering the fact that it’s a 150cc bike. I manage to get 52-55 in start stop city traffic, occasionally revving to overtake other bikes and touching 80-90.

Suzuki GS150R

Conclusion:

In conclusion to my review, if you’re looking for a 150cc bike that looks good enough to make heads turn (yes, it may sound surprising, but I find people staring at my bike all the time and quite a few have even asked about the cost, mileage etc.), has decent performance, good mileage and comfort for long rides, you could consider GS150.

Thanks.