9 Mahindra new motorcycles, Mojo 300 cc & Stallio 110 cc

Mahindra reveals the details of its motorcycles on its website one day prior to its official launch

300 cc Diablo..!! 125 cc Cevalo..!! Bah..!!

What happened to the tall claim of all these sites and blogs..??

"Mojo" yes sir, that seems to be the name of the 300 cc bike from Mahindra. The details have been made public a few hours today on Mahindra 2 Wheelers website. [It seems the info got out by mistake. The website is currently down]

The engine specs seems to be impressive with a single cylinder, liquid cooled, fuel injected engine with inverted front suspension and monoshock rear. The peak power at 26 Ps and Peak torque at 24 Nm seems impressive.

But looks/styling/asthetics..??

I don't know, right now I am too shocked to give an opinion. Maybe the photograph is not doing justice to the final product. I'll reserve my opinion till I see it in the flesh at tomorrow's official launch.

But one question: If its a single cylinder engine, then why two exhausts?

9 KTM 125 Duke, with Back Lit switches like Pulsar [New Video]..!!

A new teaser video of the KTM 125 Duke has emerged.. and the bike has Back Lit switches.. apna la Pulsar style..!!

A new teaser video of the KTM 125 Duke (to be launched in March 2011) has been uploaded by KTM and recently posted on its Facebook Fanpage.

This time the fully painted and almost production ready bike can be seen in the video.

And guess what.. the KTM 125 Duke has got "Back Lit" switches which look very much like that we have on our Pulsars..!!

Teaser Video posted below:

6 30’th Sep, Mahindra motorcycles launch. I’ll be there..!!

Mahindra will launch its new Motorcycle range on Sep 30'th.. I would probably be attending the launch

125 cc Cevalo, 300 cc Diablo..!! 125 cc Cevalo, 300 cc Diablo..!! 125 cc Cevalo, 300 cc Diablo..!!

Cevalo? Diablo? Whatever..!!

I will be in Mumbai on Sep 30, to cover the launch of the Motorcycles from Mahindra

That’s the current LSD (Lame Speculations and Disappointment) doing the rounds these days. Just a simple Google for them will land you on several Amateur sites and "Bakwaas" Blogs screaming with authority that Mahindra is launching these 2 motorcycles in India.

These also seem to be almost sure about the peak power, engine configuration, price range et al. Some are even audacious enough to put photographs of the yet to be launched bikes from Mahindra.

Posted below are the most widely circulated photos of the Diablo and the Cevalo.

Megelli 125S

For heaven’s sake the first photo is a model called the Megelli 125S (an European brand with a made in China/Taiwan engine) and the second photo (posted below), is a "concept" 125 cc model from the Taiwanese scooter maker SYM. The SYM Cevalo is not even a current production model from SYM. It was just displayed at the 2009 International Milan Motorcycle Show.

34 CBZ Classic Vs Fiero Vs Pulsar 150 Classic: Blast from the past (early 2000’s)

A review in retrospect of those bikes which started a new category of motorcycles in India.. and made me what I am today

It was the first year of my engineering, I still remember vividly the day (late 1998) I saw this particular issue of Overdrive magazine in a newspaper stall. On the cover page was an exotic looking motorcycle which was right out of my dreams.

I promptly bought the issue and after going through the magazine, I realized that the motorcycle on the cover page was a soon to be launched in India 156.6 cc, four stroke motorcycle from Hero Honda called the CBZ (the article made sure to mention that the bike’s name was to be pronounced as Cee Bee Zee!).

Yes sir, from that fateful day, a Boy Next Door became a Biker Next Door..!!

By the end of the 90’s the 2 stroke motorcycles were breathing their last in India and 100 cc 4 stroke economizers (led by the Hero Honda Splendor) were the order of the day. The CBZ started a new category of motorcycles in India. A category of good looking-performance oriented motorcycles.

Although Hero Honda did start the 150 cc revolution, soon 150 cc models from other manufacturers also started to appear in the horizon viz. the TVS-Suzuki Fiero, the LML Beamer/Graptor and the Kinetic GF 170/Lazer.

The CBZ had the Best Looks

The Fiero had the Best Engine & Gearbox

The Pulsar had the Best Package..

All these models including the Hero Honda CBZ, ultimately died a natural death for various reasons. But one particular model, the Bajaj Pulsar 150 not only survived the competition, but even after almost 10 years, it has remained the market leader in terms of sales in its category. CBZ might have started this new category, but it was the Pulsar 150 which defined it.

Let’s go back in time (early 2000’s) and see how 3 of the prominent 150 cc motorcycles stacked up against each other and try to find out what made them tick or what was wrong with them that led to their demise.



Hero Honda CBZ (1999-2006): The original fire starter

11 Review: DSG Maze Jacket & Motomesh Gloves- My Summer Riding Gear

Review of my Summer riding gear, the DSG Maze Jacket and the DSG Motomesh Gloves

My first riding jacket was the DSG Spike (now discontinued by DSG), acquired in 2007 while I was in Bangalore. It was a very good jacket to wear and was perfect for use Bangalore's lovely climate. As I moved to the National Capital Region during the winter of 2007, I realized that my DSG Spike jacket was excellent in insulating from the cold Delhi Climate as well.

But just as the Summer arrived, I realized that the same Spike Jacket was uncomfortable to wear in the Indian Summer. I therefore got myself a jacket specially meant for Summer use, the DSG Maze in March 2008. I also got myself a pair of DSG Motomesh Gloves also meant for Summer use.

Posted below is the review of these two products, that I have now been using for over a year and a half.