6 Made it to the top 20..!! Need your Vote one more time [+ my 1st video post]

Need your vote once again.. this time to make it to the top 6 finalists..!! Watch me on video for the first time..

A couple of weeks back I had appealed for your votes to make it to the top 20 in the "Biker of the Year" contest.

I am pleased to announce that thanks to your valuable votes, I have made it to the top 20..!!

Now in order to qualify to the top 6 finalists, I again need your help one more time.

Please vote for me once again so that I make it to the final round. Explanation of how to vote for me can be found here.

Click here.. to visit my profile on the "Biker Of the Year" site and vote for me.

I have also recorded my first video post, in which I have spoken a little bit about the biker and blogger in me. Do check out my first video post.. and please cast your valuable vote for me.

P.S: Last date of casting votes is 31'st July 2011

9 New Yamaha R15 (?) Spied.. once again (with video)

The new/updated Yamaha R15 caught on camera once again.. this time with a video too..!!

I have nearly lost the number of times "spy photos" of this bike has hit the internet.. Seriously, with all the spy photos since last December, the excitement for this bike now seems to be diminishing. Posted below is the latest and the clearest photos of the new Yamaha R15 that has appeared on the net.

Link to the original source: xBhp.Com

The bike now is now looking quite awesome.. sharp from front to rear and almost in perfect proportion. As evident from the other photos, the rear tyre is now fatter compared to the older/current one. But yes, the rear tyre hugger is definitely a big eyesore.

I won't speculate about whether there is any change in the engine capacity, power/torque specs because there are other blogs/sites which will do that for you (without any proof).. I'd rather wait for the official details to be out.

Video of the new Yamaha R15

Posted below is the video of the bike being tested on Noida roads. Not much is seen of the bike though.. more importance seems to have been given to the speedo of the car (doing 120 kmph) rather than capturing video of the bike.

17 Power to Weight Ratio of Made in India Motorcycles: 2011 Comparo

A collection & comparison of the "Power to Weight ratios" of the "Made in India" motorcycles.. in 2011

In a very simplistic understanding, more engine "power" usually means "more speed".. but in real life scenarios the weight of the vehicle also has to be taken into consideration.

To compare our "made in India bikes" by their "Power to Weight" ratios, I have compiled a list. This list would give an idea as to which bike would feel "Zipper" on the road when compared to other bikes.

The Honda CBR250R walks away with the (made in India) bike with the highest power to weight ratio.

But the list also throws in many surprises.. like how the Passion is one of the lowest when it comes to power to weight ratio.

Also how both the Pulsar 135LS and the Discover 150 has a better power to weight ratio than the Pulsar 150..

..how the Hero Honda Achiever and the CBZ Xtreme has near identical power to weight ratios..!!

Rank	Model Name	Max Power (Ps)	Kerb Weight (Kgs)	Power to Weight Ratio
01	CBR250R	25.35	167	152
02	Classic 500	27.56	187	147
03	Pulsar 220S	21.04	148	142
04	Pulsar 220F	21.04	150	140
05	YZF R15	17.00	131	130

0 Pulsar MTV Stuntmania Underground (India) & Pulsarmania Reto 10 (Colombia)

3’rd season of the Pulsar MTV Stuntmania show is on.. also watch a similar Colombian TV show called “Pulsarmania Reto 10” online..

Colombia is one country where the Pulsar has a great fan following. For the last six years, every year there has been an annual Pulsar owners meet in that country; where fans of the bike come together for a couple of days to celebrate, ride and have a good time together.

Now similar to the lines of Pulsar MTV Stuntmania (India) a TV show called Pulsarmania Reto 10 (Pulsarmania Challenge 10) has recently been aired on Colombian TV airwaves.

Pulsar MTV Stuntmania (III) Underground

The third season of the Pulsar MTV Stuntmania in India is currently running on MTV. This time the show is being hosted by Ranvijay one of the popular VJ of MTV India who also happens to be an avid biker himself. Compared to the inaugural season, the skill on the contestants in the current season is several notches up. The presentation this time is very obviously influenced by the Hollywood movie “Tron”.

21 Cosmetic upgrade for Pulsars in August 2011, Brand new Pulsars by Jan-Mar 2012 [Photos, Details]

Bajaj does a Hero Honda.. plus "official" dope on new Pulsars

"Cosmetic upgrade for Pulsars in August 2011 and totally brand new Pulsars by Jan-Mar 2012", that's what has been officially announced by Bajaj Auto officials.

[Click here for the original news source]

It also looks like the "cosmetically upgraded" Pulsars have already hit the showrooms. Check out the screen shot of the Pulsar Facebook Fanpage posted below.

Also posted below are photos of the refreshed 2011 Pulsar 220 in their new color schemes. The Pulsar 180 also seems to have got similar treatment. Mechanically the bikes have not been touched and retain the older specifications.

0 Review: Alpinestars Bionic Knee Guard

Review of the Alpinestars Bionic Knee Guard..

In case of a fall from a bike, most of the time a biker falls on his “hands and knees”. A select few do wear gloves to protect our hands in case of crash. But “Indian knees” hardly ever gets protection.

Blame it on not being practical to wear protective knee guards/protectors for our city commute, we Indians would rather risk getting the occasional knock on the knees (and a couple of days bedrest).

Agreed that knee protectors are not very practical for our everyday commute, but when it comes to long distance touring, a knee guard/protector is a must.

Posted here is my review of the “Bionic Knee Guard” from Alpinestars, one of the worlds best known names when it comes to protective riding gear.

I had used this product during my road trip from Guwahati to Tawang (Apr 2011). I had borrowed a pair for the trip from a biker friend of mine who is into heavy touring.

6 Royal Enfield Classic Chrome for India? Maybe.. Maybe Not

The desi blogosphere has broken news of Royal Enfield launching it's Classic model in Chrome for India.. really?

Its like a domino effect.. one blog breaks out a news, soon the others follow suit. This time it is the news of Royal Enfield planning to launch it Classic Chrome (so far an export only model) in India.

Most blogs has quoted the "Official Royal Enfield Facebook Fanpage" for making the announcement on it Fanpage wall. Try visiting the fanpage for yourself and try to search for that comment.. I tried doing that but couldn't find it.

[Let me know if you can find it]

8 KTM 200 Duke India launch by early 2012. Plans of a 350 Duke as well..!!

Official word about the KTM 200 Duke launch date in India..

I hate to spread useless speculations without the backing of some solid info. This time economictimes carries the news of the launch date of the KTM 200 Duke in India.

According to the news, KTM CEO Stefan Pierer has revealed plans of the launch of the KTM Street bike (Yeah..it's NOT an offroader), the 200 Duke in India in the 2012 Auto Expo in New Delhi..!!

Interestingly Mr. Pierer also revealed plans of a 350 cc KTM model for India to be launched a year later (probably by 2013).

It's almost certain the the KTM 200 Duke would look the the KTM 125 Duke, which Bajaj manufactures for KTM and exports to Europe (exports started just a couple of months back). Indian bikers can rejoice as the "Baby" Duke slated for India will have a more powerful 200 cc engine instead of the 125 cc for europe.

It's not clear if the next 350 cc model will share the looks of the 125/200 Duke or will be an entirely new model. Anyway, the 350 cc KTM would definitely be out of my budget.

Engine/Power specs and pricing have not been revealed yet. But just from the fact that the 125 cc Duke can belt out 15 Ps of max power, I am expecting at least 22-23 Ps of power from the 200 Duke (provided it's not detuned too much for India). 22-23 Ps of power coupled with a light weight kerb weight of around 130 kgs would mean that the KTM 200 Duke would have a healthy "power-to-weight" ratio (to easily take on bikes like the Honda CBR250R) and will be an absolute fun machine.

0 Best Official 2 Wheeler Websites in India [2011]

Two of the best "Official 2 wheeler websites" in India which goes beyond providing plain vanilla "information"..

What makes for a great "official" 2 wheeler website?

A. A seamless browsing experience: The site design should be simple, intuitive and very easy to browse. All the pages should have a similar design, layout, theme so that it gives the visitor the feel that he/she is always on the same site.

B. Relevant content which adds value: Going the extra mile and providing value adding and relevant information differentiates a good website from a mediocre one.

C. Attempt at brand building: An official site can be used to build upon the brand by adding sections like a "historical timeline" of the brand, by building a community of followers and helping them to interact with each other.

Posted below are two of the best official 2 wheeler websites which have gone that extra mile to make browsing these sites a "paisa wasool" (value adding) experience..

1. Official Royal Enfield Website: (www.royalenfield.com)

The official Royal Enfield website has been updated very recently (probably today). The previous site was good but the latest one is better.

18 Introduction to different types of Motorycle Helmets

One can tell a lot about a biker by his helmet..

We Indians have it in us to turn our humble bikes for "multi purpose" use. Be it a Super Sports replica like the Yamaha R15 or cruiser replica like the Bajaj Avenger, the end use most of the time turns out to be nearly similar. For example, we use the same bike for riding on good/bad roads for "Touring", "Racing", "Stunting" or "Commuting". Bikes like the Yamaha R15 and the Bajaj Avenger have actually been designed keeping in mind certain specialized kind of riding.

Similarly there are Helmets which are specifically designed keeping in mind the kind of motorcycles that you ride. Posted below are different type of helmets which are designed keeping in mind specific motorcycle styles and which go along with specific kinds of motorcycle design / motorcycling activities.

1. Race Track Biker: Full face Helmet

12 LOL..!!

A couple of very recent "hate" comments..

Thanks to the internet one can voice his/her opinions and remain blissfully anonymous.. giving a chance for retards to post anything they like.

Posted below is a couple of recent comments posted by some "Anonymous" (of course) guy.

1. "Man u sick damn ur views into bowels ...........guess you are envious of guys owning what you so call "desi" bikes"

2."Guess u cant afford a r15... Outburst with rage and disappointments,you are making nonsense comparisons and somehow want to convince yourself...its natural for a guy owning p220 to degrade r15 as he cant afford it.....its all about price is to performance ratio dude......

so stop ur nonsense and dream of owning a r15 or ninja on ur own than borrowing and writing reviews....anyone can take a testride of ninja @ less than Rs 500.....so stop ur stories.....i own a r15 and i feel its i am comfortable wid it ...."

All I say is, LOL..!!

19 An appeal for your vote..

Please vote for me..

Your vote can make me “Biker of The Year”. I have registered myself in a contest called “Biker of the year”, by India’s leading online motorcycle forum xBhp.

6 finalists will be selected from the first lot of entries to compete for the “Biker of the Year” title. If you have enjoyed reading my posts over the years then kindly cast your vote for me.

I need your vote to make it into the top 6
finalists. Click on the given link (click here) to visit my profie on the “Biker of the Year” site.

3 easy steps to cast your vote

17 Engine Running In- Comprehensive Details [What, Why & How]

Proper engine running in tips.. along with logical explanations

“Ride below 60 kmph till the first 1,000 Kms”. This is what is normally told while taking delivery of a new motorcycle. It is supposed to be in interest of proper “engine running in”.

Even if you do not stick to proper engine running in tips, relax.. All Izz Well..!!

This is actually erroneous as one can rip his bike in the first gear and still not reach 60 kmph..!! The idea basically is to take it easy on the engine and try to limit the engine rpm roughly below 4,000 in each gear (which will automatically limit the top speed at around 60 kmph).

But is that the correct running in procedure?

Not so long ago, I wasn’t totally clear about “what”, “why” and “how” about engine running in. Therefore I had never posted about it on my blog (I stay away from spreading half cooked info). Over the years I have tried to acquire knowledge about this and now I feel confident that I have collected decent amount of dope on it to post it here.

Posted below is my attempt to explain “what” happens inside an engine, “why” engine running in is required and “how” it should be actually done. With the knowledge of what goes on inside an engine, the “do’s and don’ts” during the running in period becomes clear.

Disclaimer: So far I haven’t tried to implement these running in techniques. But I promise that I will surely do it on my next bike. It’s therefore up to you to decide whether to take my “advice” or not. I maintain that I am no expert to give you bike advice; I am just a Biker Next Door.

195 Best Indian Bikes for Short Guys

A list of 9 current Indian bikes/motorcycles which are easy to ride for a short guy..

A common and pertinent concern among Indians guy who are not blessed with a good height, looking for a motorcycle would be:

“Will I be able to handle the bike comfortably?” or “Will the seat height be too high for my legs?”

Being around 5 ft 4 - 5 ft 5 inches in height, I can perfectly understand this concern. Things to look out in a bike for a short rider

1. A low seat height
2. A seat which narrows/tapers towards the front
3. A manageable Kerb (with petrol + engine oil) weight of the bike

Compiled below is a list (from my own riding experience) of currently available Indian bikes/motorcycles which short guys would find comfortable to ride. Interestingly nearly all the bikes listed below have a seat height of less than 800 mm (most fall around the 790 mm mark).