4 Hero & Honda Officially Split Apart

26 years of a successful partnership officially ends.. Honda name to be evenually dropped.. What else does the divorce brings?

Not very long ago I had heard overheard a conversation that the word "Hero Honda" had found its way into a couple of contemporary folk songs of Rajasthan (a state which is dominated by Hero Honda models). I have not heard those songs myself but I totally understand the impact of models like Splendor/Passion have had in the life of middle class Indians.

On 16'th Dec 2010, Hero and Honda officially announced that both are finally going separate ways. So what does it mean for both the manufacturers and also for the middle class Indians who have been brought up on a staple diet of Splendor/Passions?

0 Nov 2010, 2 Wheeler Sales India

Nov 2010 sales numbers of our Indian 2 wheeler manufacturers..

Positive growth for all manufacturers continue even for the month of November in 2010.

Note:

1. The monthly sales figures include domestic sales as well as exports. Also it includes sales of all types of 2 wheelers (Motorcycles, Scooters, Mopeds etc.)

19 European Yamaha R125 for India? Good Joke..!!

"Yamaha R125 will be launched in India". That's what most "desi" amateur auto/bike blogs say with authority. Do they really know what they are saying..??

Did you know?

The R125 is physically bigger than our R15!

This particular LSD (Lame Speculation & Disappointment) has been around for about 2 years now. Amateur "desi" auto/bike blogs are responsible for spreading and still keeping this baseless rumour alive.

Even sites like Rediff.Com couldn't tell the truth from rumour and published the following as shown in the screenshot posted below.

Why do amateur blogs speculate that the Yamaha R125 might get launched in India?

• Because Yamaha has the R125 in its international lineup (and according to their thinking it will be very easy to bring it to India)



• Because (they think that) Yamaha India can then price the R125 at around Rs. 90,000 (below the R15 which currently has a price tag of around Rs. 1,15,000)

Let me now explain why the Yamaha R125 is NOT COMING to India and that its just another of those LSD's thanks to our amateur blogs..

34 2011 Yamaha R15 (?) Spied..!!

New/Upgraded R15 on cards in 2011..??

Two photos of what looks like an upgraded Yamaha R15 has been recently reported on Orkut and xBhp.Com. (by one of its member Vaibhav Saigal)..!!

Could this be the Yamaha R25, the possible 250 cc answer to the Honda CBR250R?

Just in the previous post I had put the Yamaha R15 in "Not the Best Styled Motorcycles of India: My Top 10" list. The reason was its relatively "thin" looking rear which was out of sync with its super sports inspired full fairing. The following spy shots show that Yamaha has probably finally decided to address the Achilles Heel of the R15, its malnourished looking rear portion.

2011 Yamaha R15 (?)

What's new?

16 "Not the Best" Styled Motorcycles of India: My Top 10

My own Top 10 motorcycles from India which do "not" have the best styling..

Forword: Although styling is a matter of personal taste.. and in most cases lies in the eyes of the beholder. But one can't argue against the fact that a bike has to look good from "every possible angle".

One might not agree with me, but posted below are my "Personal top 10" bikes which have a little bit of problem in their styling or in some cases totally bad styling. Please do not get offended if you happen to own one of the motorcycles mentioned below.

10. Bajaj pulsar 220 DTS-Fi (2007)

Even though I myself own a Fuel Injected Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi, I am not shying away from calling a spade a spade. Although the bike looks good from the front and rear and three quarter view, when viewed bang side on, the fixed half fairing appears as an after thought. The shape of the front fairing and the tank is not in proportion to each other.

But the visual appearance of the bike has improved after the 2009 Pulsar 220 DTS-i (carbureted) version got the all back theme (engine, alloys finished in black) which has helped keep the visual impact tighter.