Royal Enfield HIMALAYAN officially unveiled

Royal Enfield unveiled the much awaited Himalayan in Delhi today. The looks and exhaust sound of the bike were already all over the internet in january itself, but the one unknown aspect was the price, and RE decided not to reveal it!

The Himalayan looks like a baby Triumph Tiger, with tall seating and high ground clearance. It comes with an all new LS410 which is a 411cc, single cylinder, long stroke engine. Like all the REs ever made, the long stroke engines are good for producing a lot of torque in the mid range while compromising on power. This makes sense given the fact that the Himalayan is an adventure bike. The 32Nm of torque is delivered as early as 4000 rpm, making cruising and city commutes easy, not to mention the the extremely comfortable ergonomics. 

The motor produces 24.5hp of max power at 6500 rpm, which means you don't need to rev its nuts off to get going. Sadly RE decided to stick to good old fashion carburettors for fuel delivery functions. Carburettors don't work well in high altitude locations, but RE seems to have tested this bike thoroughly in the Himalayas, which remains to be seen. On the flip side, using carburettors and 2-valve cylinder heads, reduces the final cost of the bike. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                    
The USP of the Himalayan is its off road capabilities. This is achieved by using huge 41mm telescopic forks with 200mm of travel and a monoshock with 180mm of travel at the rear. With 220mm of ground clearance, you need not worry about scraping the belly. The chassis was developed with the help of Harris Performance from UK. The 21" front and 17" rear tyres add to the go-anywhere nature of the Himalayan. 
As seen in the images, this bike comes with a lot of accessories. RE will unveil the pricing in march. Lets hope that the price is below the 2L mark. 

Mahindra Mojo Review

Before you judge the Mojo by the pictures, try to check it out in person. This is that one bike which you absolutely need to swing a leg over before you judge it. I had the opportunity to take this bike for a test ride. Here's what I think about it-

Styling

Like I said, you need to see it in person. It actually looks good, especially in red and white. The humongous headlight assembly might look a bit out of proportion, but overall it is cool. The bike has two exhaust pipes, which gives it that big bike look, even though its a single. The tail end is the best part. It comes in three different colours- black,red and white. In my opinion the red is the best because it has a black frame while the other two have golden coloured frames. 

Ergonomics

This is one of the aspects where the Mojo excels. The handle bar is wide and high. The seat is low enough for any rider height. Hence, the riding position is upright and very comfortable. The footpegs too are in line with the riders knees, giving the rider a natural seating position. The suspension is soft and has lots of travel, the Mojo glides over bad roads. This bike comes with Pirelli Diablo Rosso II tyres which are rated as one of the best street tyres. This bike like all other Mahindra vehicles was made to be rugged. But the bike becomes heavy because of the use of heavy metal parts. The tank has a massive 21 litre capacity, which adds to the weight- 182kgs wet. But this also means the bike will be planted at high speeds. All these features a make this a really good touring bike(apart from wind protection). 

Performance

The Mojo's engine was developed with the help of Engines Engineering, which is a company that makes moto3 engines. The 295cc engine makes 26.82 hp at 8000rpm and 30nm of torque at 5500rpm. You might think that 26hp for a 300cc bike is less, but it has crazy amount of torque which will keep you happy in any gear. The strong mid range and tall gearing means you dont need to change gears very often. And while you are at it, this motor will keep your ears happy too. The twin exhausts sound good. This liquid cooled, fuel injected motor is economic too.

Verdict

If you are looking for a relaxed bike with good power, this bike is worth a shot.

BMW G310 R- All You Need To Know

As you might know, BMW and TVS have collaborated to produce medium capacity bikes in India. Although it will be manufactured by TVS, BMW will sell this bike in their own showrooms, kudos to that. BMW have put up a video of the bike in action....

Video: TVS BMW G 310R

Official photos
This bike takes some design cues from the likes of S1000r, but it misses out on the trademark asymmetric headlamps and makes due with a more conventional unit. At first glance I thought it is a beefed up gixxer...! But there are a few things which look really good like the gold coloured upside down forks, side panels, and a muscular fuel tank. The huge silencer looks out of place on this bike, but nothing a custom exhaust cant fix. 

It is powered by a single cylinder 313cc engine, but not too powerful. It makes 33bhp at 9500 rpm and will hit the limit at 10500 rpm. So you will need to rev its nuts off to get the most out of it. It does have good torque, 28Nm of it. The tagline says "intense riding pleasure", which makes sense considering the power figures. 

Coming to ergonomics, this bike will be comfortable and relaxed thanks to its upright riding position, ideal for an all round bike. It comes with ABS too.
Specifications in brief:
Displacement-            313cc
Power-                       33bhp @ 9500 rpm
Torque-                      28Nm @ 7500 rpm
Transmission-             6 speed synchromesh
Top Speed-                 145kmph
Fuel capacity-             11 litres
Fuel economy-            30kmpl
This bike will be manufactured in TVS's Hosur factory and is expected to be launched mid 2016. 
RIDE SAFE 

KTM RC 200 - THE GAME CHANGER

The KTM RC 200 is like a road legal version of a Moto 3 bike, boasting handling characteristics that can rival some higher capacity sport bikes. With this bike you will literally be "Ready To Race" because that's pretty much the only thing that this bike is good at. Okay, enough blabbering, lets get to the point-

Looks

It comes with a black base paint which looks like a matte finish but isn't. The decals are minimalistic, but there is the option of Powerparts stickers which look insane.The full fairing along with the headlights look aggressive, but on close inspection there are a few gaps which look untidy. The twin projector headlamps not only look cool but also serves the purpose. The DRLs look mean and can also be switched off. The orange coloured Trellis frame and rims are eye catching. The pillion seat is made to look like a cowl which is damn cool. The indicators are incorporated into the rear view mirrors which is unseen on other bikes in this segment. Overall this bike will make you the most famous person in your street, guaranteed.

Ergonomics

As mentioned before the riding position is very aggressive. It just begs you to dip it into a corner. Some owners have reported back and wrist pains. But it depends on how an individual can adjust to this position. It is definitely not suited for city commuting. Long rides become painful, this bike was made with one aim - to handle like a race bike in circuits. And when you go in that direction, comfort has to be compromised. 

Performance

As the name suggests, it has a 200cc liquid cooled engine pumping out 25Bhp and 19Nm. Being a fuel injected engine, it is refined and the fuelling is good too. 100kmph comes up in around 9 seconds just like its naked brother. If you manage to find a good road, you can easily reach the top speed of 138kmph. But this bike was never made with top speed in mind. Where it lacks in top speed, it more than makes up in its mid range (most useful in a race track). It weighs about 147 kgs, which is a lot lesser than its rival- the RS200. But unlike the RS, this bike dosent come with ABS even as an option. The gearing is short, which means you can ride in higher gears at low speeds. That helps in city riding. To sum it up, this bike certainly gives a good bang for the buck. 

Verdict

If given a choice, I would rather buy the Duke 390 which is more powerful and practical(costs around 50k more). But if you are someone who is interested in track days and the heavenly art of cornering, the RC 200 is a really good starter bike. 
Ride Safe

Suzuki Access 125 long term review

On the 3rd of April 2013 all my dreams of becoming a kick-ass sports bike rider were shattered. At the end of that day I ended up squishing lemons with a Suzuki Access. Anyway it has been 2 years since I bought this bike and this is a review of my bike after 12000 kilometres. 

Before getting into the pros and cons here's an overview of how I use this bike. I travel 13 kilometres everyday which might be lesser than an average motorist. Most of those 13 kilometres are through horrible Bangalore traffic. Obviously no road trips apart from the occasional ride to the outskirts of the garden city.

The bike is completely stock. I was asked to replace the air filter after one year of purchase.

Pros

• The build quality of the bike is quite good. So far I haven't faced any problems with the fit and finish of the parts, I mean no loose screw noises.
• The plastics used are good and haven't faded at all. The body panels around the speedometer still look as good as new. The surface of the black plastics seem to have a scratch proof texture.

• All the electronic switches work fine and so far I didn't face a problem with them. They are rugged enough to withstand the wrath of any owner.
• The foot rest for the rider is flat. Transporting cake is a breeze.

• There acres of space for customising the bike with stickers because the body panels are plain and almost flat compared to the Dio. If you are a spy, this would be a perfect bike to have because it doesn't draw attention. Let me put it this way- your crush isn't going to be impressed when she sees you rolling up on an Access. But girls might like the simple design if it was their own. Generally speaking it is a decent looking scooter for any age group. 
• The side mirrors are wide and can be adjusted easily. The handle grips are comfortable enough for palms of all sizes.
• The power delivery of the 125cc ( 124 to be exact ) is very linear thanks to its CVT transmission. The 8.5hp, 9.8Nm torque developed, helps to catapult the bike from a standstill. 60kmph comes up quickly and the engine is smooth at all speeds. Although it takes time to reach the three digit speeds, it can touch the 100kmph mark without a problem if you are skinny like me.
• The engine has never stalled in the last two years and has been quite reliable.
• The self-start never disappoints. Most of the time I can start the bike with the first kick using the kick start, even after a couple of days of inactivity.
• The seat can be unlocked at the same ignition keyhole which is very convenient.

• It has a 6 litre fuel tank and 1 litre as reserve. I have never been out of petrol. 
• The seat is wide and comfy if you have a bit of flesh on your rear end. But in my case the seat has started to conform to the shape of its owners butt! like memory foam.
• The pillions' seating position is very comfortable. The fold-able foot pegs make it easy for the pillion to keep their feet in a chair-like position. 

Cons

• The major problem I face is fuel economy. No matter how I ride, I never get more than 40kmpl. Even though my journey everyday is through bumper to bumper traffic, some higher capacity bikes give more mileage than my bike.
• On and off throttle transitions are a bit jerky and are annoying in traffic.
• The engine revs up a lot during 0-20kmph, which affects the mileage.
• The brakes on both the front and rear tires are drum type, which are useless in the rainy and winter seasons. If the nights are cold, the next morning for the initial 2 kilometres the rear break makes a squeaking noise.
• The tyres I got are square profiled which tend to slip when turning with a bit of an angle. I would rather have the MRF zapper tyres which all the Honda scooters come with.

• The ride is quite stiff and you can feel almost every bump on the road.
• The metal crash guard has started to rust in some places despite regular cleaning. 

• The bag hook is under the seat which is kind of useless for big bags.

• Even without the storage box there is not enough space to fit a gas cylinder.
• If street lights are not there then you better have nightvision because the headlight is not good. But I guess you cant expect a lot from a scooter. 

Verdict

The features that this bike has got going for itself are reliability and engine performance. The materials used are of good quality and look like they can take a lot of abuse. My verdict is that it is a very reliable scooter and the 2015 version is a good buy.

RIDE SAFE

Note- the problems I have listed could be different for other owners.