Bike Chronicles of India

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:

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 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..!!