Suzuki Enters JV for Developing and Manufacturing Fuel Cell System

Suzuki Motor Corporation will establish a joint venture company, SMILE FC System Corporation (SMILE FC), for developing and manufacturing fuel cell system with Intelligent Energy Holdings PLC (IEH) of UK, a company which retains an affiliate company, Intelligent Energy Ltd. (IE), that develops the fuel cell system. Suzuki and IE have been developing fuel cell vehicles such as by exhibiting co-developed motorcycles equipped with air-cooled fuel cell system at the 2007, 2009 and 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, and earning Whole Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA) in March 2011 for Burgman Fuel Cell Scooter, the world’s first fuel cell vehicle to earn it.

In order to officially develop and manufacture one of the next generation environmental vehicles, a motorcycle and an automobile equipped with fuel cell systems, Suzuki will establish a joint venture company, SMILE FC, in February 2012, for developing and manufacturing fuel cell system with IEH, and will speed-up to commercialize a product by combining the fuel cell development technology of IE, and control and mass-production technologies of Suzuki. The investment rates for SMILE FC will be 50% for both companies. The headquarters will be located within Suzuki headquarters in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, and its research facility will be located at Suzuki’s Yokohama Laboratory.
Beginning with the air-cooled fuel cell system, which can be characterized with its lightness, compactness, and potential for cost reduction, Suzuki and IE, with SMILE FC at the core, will work on developing mass-production technology and manufacturing of fuel cells, as well as exploiting the global supply chain of fuel cell parts, and familiarizing the fuel cell vehicles.
It is to be noted that Fuel Cell is next generation technology and it produces very less or negligible level of emissions. We hope that this technology will find in most of two wheelers in years to come.

Know Your 2 Wheeler Insurance Policy

A two wheeler insurance policy plays an important role when your vehicle is damaged or stolen. Hence, it is important to know the basic terms of an Insurance policy. It helps while taking and renewing policy and passing the claim of vehicle. Let us have a look to some important points of a two wheeler insurance policy and its act.
The insurance policy premium is decided as per the guideline given in the India Motor Tariff Act 2002 which is in accordance with the provisions of part II B of the Insurance Act 1938. There are basically two types of insurance policy comes under this act.

• Liability Only Policy: This covers Third Party Liability for bodily injury and/ or death and Property Damage. Personal Accident Cover for Owner-Driver is also included.
• Package Policy: This covers loss or damage to the vehicle insured in addition to above.

Factors Affecting Insurance Policy Premium

These are the following factors which affect a rating of two wheeler insurance policy.
Insured’s Declared Value (IDV): It is the value of the vehicle for which is insured under the two wheeler insurance policy. It remains fix for the tenure of the insurance policy. IDV is fixed on the basis of manufacturer’s listed selling price. There is also IDV for side car accessories etc., the selling price of which is fixed in similar fashion if it is not listed with the manufacturer’s selling price. IDV is calculated after appropriate depreciation applied as applicable. Here is the table of depreciation.

After five years the IDV depends on mutual understanding between buyer and insurance company.
CC (Cubic Capacity) of two wheeler engine
As the CC of two wheeler engine increases the rate of premium also increases. There are three kind of classification, according to India Motor Tariff which are not exceeding 150cc, Exceeding 150cc but not 350CC and 350CC and above. Further the minimum value insured for each category are Rs. 5,000, Rs.6,000 and Rs. 7,000 respectively.
Geography
India Motor Tariff has divided geography in two parts for India, Zone A and Zone B. Zone A includes cities such as Ahmedabad, Banglore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkatta, Pune, Mumbai and New Delhi while Zone B includes rest of India. The premium rating is higher in case of Zone A compared to Zone B.
Age of the vehicle
Premium rating increases with the age of vehicle. In short, there is higher rate of premium as the age of vehicle increases.
There are certain other things also which we should know are:
Geographical area: Normally an insurance policy covers only territory of India. However, you can increase the geographic extension to neighboring country as well which includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Maldives. An extra amount of Rs. 500 in case of package policy and Rs.100 in case of other than package policy is applicable for extension of geographical area. It is to be noted that insurance cover does not apply when such vehicle is in transit by the way of air or sea for the purpose of ferrying in these geographical area.
Extension of policy term: An extension of policy term is not possible beyond the twelve months except the condition where further extension of less than twelve month is taken with the purpose of arriving at a particular renewal date or for any other reasons convenient to the insured, by payment of extra premium calculated on pro-rata basis, provided such policies are renewed with the same insurer immediately after the expiry of such an extension.
NCB (No Claim Bonus): A policy holder is eligible for NCB when there is no claim made during the tenure of policy. It should be noted that NCB applies to own damage section only. The following table shows the rate of NCB for each year where claim is not made.

Transfer of Ownership

When there is transfer of ownership of a two wheeler, the insurance policy should also be transferred in the name of transferee. The transferee shall apply within fourteen days from the date of transfer in writing under recorded delivery to the insurer who has insured the vehicle, with the details of the registration of the vehicle, the date of transfer of the vehicle, the previous owner of the vehicle and the number and date of the insurance policy so that the insurer may make the necessary changes in his record and issue fresh Certificate of Insurance.
Change of Vehicle: A vehicle insured under a policy can be substituted by another vehicle of the same class for the balance period of the policy subject to adjustment of premium, if any, on pro-rata basis from the date of substitution.
Third Party Property Damage (TPPD) Cover: The third party damage is limited to Rs. 1 lac in case of two wheeler insurance policy. However, the insured can at the inception of the policy, opt to restrict to the TPPD cover to the statutory limit of Rs. 6000/- as provided in the M. V. Act.
Insurance policy: The two wheeler insurance policy, which we take or get from our dealer, is a package policy. The insurance policy of a two wheeler is basically divided into two parts. First Part cover Insured Name, address and phone number, Policy Number, Date of Issuance, policy term, Geographical area.
Second part cover Insured Motor Vehicle details and premium collection such as Reg. details, year of mfg, make of the vehicle, cc, coverage, IDV, Engine No, Chassis No, and seating Capacity.
Further, IDV is bifurcated for the vehicle price, side car price and other accessories price. Further you will see the policy divided into two parts A. own damage and b. Third party premium for the purpose of Premium calculation. The premium is calculated as mentioned above under the own damage and Third Party Premium section. Own damage section is for the vehicle and accessories part. It will also show the discounts as applicable such as NCB, Anti Theft device, Automobile Association, Handicap etc. Third party section shows insurance premium amount for third party coverage.

Claim Processing

It is the most important part for a two wheeler insurance policy. If your vehicle is damaged due to accident or any other reasons such as specified in India Motor Act, you should first inform the insurance policy company. You have to also inform the finance company if there is any pending amount of two wheeler loan. Generally if you have taken an insurance policy from the dealer, the dealer will do all the necessary formalities for claim processing. In such case you can inform the dealer instead of insurance policy Company about the damage in the vehicle. Most of the insurance companies now offer cash less claim processing facility which is very helpful in case of damage of vehicle.
Total Loss/ Constructive Total Loss (TL/ CTL): A vehicle will be considered to be a CTL, where the aggregate cost of retrieval and / or repair of the vehicle subject to terms and conditions of the policy exceeds 75% of the IDV. In such cases the company will give you the IDV amount deducting the depreciation of parts as shown below. The following rates of depreciation shall apply for replacement of parts for partial loss claims in respect of all categories of vehicles / accessories.

Rate of depreciation for all other parts including wooden parts is to be as per the following schedule

Theft /Stolen Vehicle: In case if your vehicle is stolen. The first thing you need to do is, registering FIR (First Information Report) in the police station and inform your insurance company. Then you need to give the copy of FIR to insurance company for claim processing. If your vehicle is not found for a specific period the insurance company will process your claim. You may have to transfer ownership to your insurance company using your title certificate.
Please take care of following additional points for your two wheeler insurance policy.
Do not forget to renew your policy on time to avoid extra hassle. No claim will be processed for the period when the vehicle is not covered.
Make sure that all the details on insurance policy are correct. Incorrect information may cause trouble in claim processing.
If you are renewing your insurance policy after the term of insurance policy make sure your vehicle is in good condition while inspection. Any note in inspection may affect claim processing.
If your vehicle is damaged make sure to explain how it was damaged and the damage to the vehicle is due to accident only.
Make sure to claim No Claim Bonus if you have not raised any claim during the tenure of policy.

Bajaj Might Discontinue the Pulsar 180 Soon

We have been informed that the Pulsar 180 DTSi might be taken off the market by Bajaj completely and soon. Though, it is certain that the new found technology and Pulsarism is bound to be found on all Pulsars and this might gulp down the Pulsar 180 from the market, we are still considering this as a speculation.

There is news that the Pulsar 150 will also get colored in the new ‘Pulsarism’ but what remains to be seen is how Bajaj places its products now. With the Pulsar 135LS not expected to be really changed much, this bike will form the base of the Pulsar series at a price tag of around 60+ Ks. Following the smallest sibling would be the refreshed Pulsar 150 (or possibly a slightly bigger engine!) which is still one of the highest selling Pulsars in the lineup. This would stand at somewhere around 70+K.
At least for the time being till Pulsar 220 DTSi is not going off (we expect it to be selling for another 6 months at least, until Bajaj decides something is amiss!), this ‘Fastest Indian’ (which it is no more one!) would follow the series in its current avatar at 85Ks. Next in line would be the soon to be launched Pulsar 200NS which many have been waiting so eagerly for. And we also expect a faired version of this naked beast soon.
Also, as has been the step-brotherly treatment to Avenger for long, it might continue and the baby cruiser might have to sell in its current form at least till the revamped Pulsar series settles down in the market.
There are a few questions now which only time will answer:

1. This creates a little vacuum in the lineup. So, after 10 years of leadership is Bajaj going to place its new 150cc segment Pulsar in the premium segment?
2. Till when will the Pulsar 220 continue after the advent of Pulsar 200NS?
3. Will Avenger get Pulsar 200’s engine and tech anytime this year?
4. After going down the cc ladder will Bajaj launch a bigger Pulsar sooner?
5. Where is Bajaj’s FI tech gone? Why is it not using it?
6. Is the Pulsar brand capable enough to sell at a lakh rupee mark?

What do you think?

How To Plan Financially For Your Next Bike – Expert Advice

You have been eyeing that dream bike of yours for years. In fact, you have been dreaming about owning it since you were in college. And now that you have started earning, you are itching to finally lay your hands on it! The questions is – how do you get together the money to buy it?

Take a loan or save for your bike?
This is the very first thing you need to answer while considering a bike purchase.
Taking a loan means:

• You get your bike instantly
• You pay a lot of money in interest
• You pay a monthly EMI, which reduces your ability to spend on other things and save for the future
• Even if there are financial issues like job loss, you have to keep paying the EMIs

Compared to this, saving for your bike means:

• You do not pay interest – instead, you earn interest on your savings
• If there are financial issues or change in priorities, you can always divert the saved money elsewhere
• You do not get your bike right away

Considering these factors, it makes a lot of financial sense to save for the bike instead of buying it through an auto loan.

How to save for your bike?

So how do you save for your bike? And how much should you be keeping aside every month?
That depends on many factors – let’s discuss each briefly.
Price of the bike: This is a no brainer – the costlier the bike you want to buy, the more you have to save every month! However, it also depends on when you want to buy the bike, which is the next factor.
Time till the purchase: The further away the purchase, the lesser you have to save each month. This is also simple – if the bike purchase is a longer time away, you have to keep aside a smaller amount every month, because you get more time to save for your bike. Also, you gain from the compounding effect.
So if you can postpone the purchase for more number of years, you can buy your dream bike by saving a lesser amount every month. Or, you can buy a better bike by saving the same amount!
Rate of return on investment: When you are saving for your bike, you would be investing this money somewhere till you actually buy it. It can be anywhere – your savings account, a fixed deposit, a recurring deposit, mutual funds, shares, anywhere.
The rate of return you earn on this investment has an impact on how much you need to save every month. The higher the return from your investment, the lower is the per-month saving you need.
Example
Let’s put all this together by looking at an example.
Let’s assume the following:

• You want to purchase a bike that costs Rs. 1 Lakh
• You are willing to wait for 3 years
• You plan to invest in bank FDs that give a rate of return of 8% per year

In this case, you would need to invest about Rs. 2,500 per month (the calculation follows).
Now let’s tweak each of the three assumptions – one at a time – to see what impact it has on your monthly saving needed.

• If the cost of the bike is Rs. 2 Lakhs instead of Rs. 1 Lakh (other things remaining the same), the monthly saving needed is Rs. 5,000
• If you can wait for 5 years instead of 3 (other things remaining the same), the monthly saving needed is Rs. 1,350
• If you invest your monthly savings at a rate of return of 11% instead of 8% (other things remaining the same), the monthly saving needed is about Rs. 2,400

How much do you need to save?

So how much exactly do you need to keep aside every month in order to purchase your dream bike?
We can use a function in MS Excel to find this value. The function is called “Future Value”, or FV. It goes like this:
FV(A,B,C)
Here,

• FV = The amount you want to spend on the bike
• A = Rate of return from your investment
• B = Number of years for which you would make the investment
• C = Amount needed to be invested every year

Type the following in an MS Excel cell (replace A and B with the actual values, and for C, put a value that is half the cost of the bike):
=FV(A,B,C)
You would get an amount in the MS Excel cell as a result of this formula. Now, edit this formula and change the value of C till you get the price of the bike as the result of this formula.
This value of C is the amount needed to be invested every year. Divide it by 12, and you get the amount you need to save every month for your bike!

Tips on where to save

Where should you save your money every month? It depends on the time for which you want to save.

• If you are saving for 2 years or less, you should stick with fixed income. You can open a recurring deposit for this time period, so that you can invest a fixed amount every month.
• If you are saving for 3 years or more, you can invest in the stock market through a good diversified equity mutual fund. You can do this by starting a systematic investment plan (SIP) for this time period. You should start selling the MF units and put that money in a bank FD 1 year before the bike purchase.

Raag Vamdatt is a financial planner and is an MBA in Finance from NMIMS, Mumbai University. At Financial Planning Demystified – RaagVamdatt.com, he writes extensively about saving, investments, income tax, insurance, loans, etc. He also offers personal finance products and services that help you manage your finances better and save income tax.

Highway Riding Tips

Hi everyone. Well, you all may be wondering why I am writing up all these (Though I know I am a very bad writer) instead of shooting it somewhere and posting the photos over here. But off late I have been travelling a lot on highways and I have witnessed a lot of accidents right in front of my eyes. So just wanted to share a few riding techniques which I use while I open the throttle of my red beast.

First of all, let me put down a list of necessary things that you need to carry along with you or check-up right before hitting the highways.

• Carry all the necessary documents – The DL, Vehicle documents, Insurance papers, emission test certificates, etc.
• Carry enough water along with you and a lot of tissues (to wipe the helmet visors and more for other purposes.)
• Carry a basic tool kit and a puncher repair kit if you are riding a tubeless tyre bike.
• Keep the emergency contact numbers handy, just in case.
• Check up the bike’s engine oil, breaks, break oils, tyre pressure and all the electricals, including tail lamps, break lights, indicators along with the headlights.
• Just give a little more attention for carrying a plane visor instead of a tinted one, to get a better road and surrounding detail.
• Make sure you fuel up enough before hitting the next pit.
• Mirrors are as important as your eyes while hitting the highways.
• So you think you are ready for the ride?

Not really..! Here comes the most important thing, Riding Gear. Never ride without a proper riding gear, and make sure you keep yourself warm and ready to accept a shower by proper gear. Well so once you do all these you are almost ready for the most exciting time, Riding Bikes.
Here are few tips which I use and suggest you all to consider it.

• Maintain enough distance in between other vehicles, specially the lord of the roads, The Trucks, Lorries and Buses. Respect them and never mess with them. Trust me, messing up with them is as good as digging your own graves.
• Look deep before overtaking. Look what is ahead of the vehicle which you are overtaking and intimate the rider or driver before doing it.
• Don’t forget to use your colourful and stylish indicators while shifting the lanes. Use it whenever necessary and don’t forget to switch it off once the act is complete.
• Find shelters..! Well yeah, u read it right. Find shelters behind a car or a heavier vehicle than yours who match you’re riding speed and stay behind them (Maintain enough distance so that you don’t bump into his rear, when he brakes!).
• Keep an eye on the tail lamps of the vehicles going ahead of you. You will realise it earlier where there are road humps, pot holes or whatever it is. And also make sure, the bigger brother of yours, whose shelter you are seeking, has a tail lamp which works perfectly.
• While riding in night, accept the fact your head lights are not as efficient as your bike’s engine is and try and follow a car or a bus or a suv, which ever you feel comfortable with your speed. Keep a track of his path and follow it, whenever you see his break lights flashing, slow down. Might save your head sometimes.)
• Use low beams as much as possible, but don’t be afraid to use the high beams when necessary to have the complete view of the road during night times.
• Sometimes your horn may not be audible enough for the vehicles travelling ahead of you. Use the head light flickering to indicated them that you want to over-take them. Never do it, without intimating them.
• In a single road highways, when a heavy vehicles approach, you might have lost your vision. So mark the corners of the road in your mind, shift to low beam, have a clear mind set of the track you are going to take and look there and not into the headlight of the vehicle approaching you.
• When you have a biking partner, make the best out of it, during the night rides. Share head lights. When you are in high-beam, ask the other to shift for low-beam, or vice-versa, so you have the complete vision of the road.
• Never ever overtake when there is a gap in the divider. A friend of mine tried it and was too late to realise, he had to get back to his track and bumped into the divider. (Luckily no damage to the rider, but a slight hurt to his ride came as a lesson for him.)
• Never attack the corners at high speed. Sharing my personal experience, I was doing a high speed test of a Pulsar 220 with a pillion and had to attack the corner at 145kmph when I was sure, there were no vehicles ahead of me in the road. But in the half way, realised there was an old, drunk pedestrian crossing the road. I just had almost zero time to react or even break. Thank god, I managed to pull it behind him and passed by.
• When you enter the village premises, slow down. You have no idea from where people just block your way.
• Do not break hard, or accelerate hard, while you are cornering.
• Do look into mirrors before shifting lanes. And might help you to view a hot gal driving down a BMW, which you just over took, if you are lucky enough.)
• When you realise there is a road hump and you are too late to break, do not panic. Just stay relaxed, stand up, and keep the handle bars loose and straight. Every bike’s tyre is designed in such a way that it just adjusts to the best position.
• Don’t ever panic, stay calm, and stay cool. That’s the best approach in any situation.
• Never push your machine to the maximum it can handle. Ride it in a speed which gives you the best comfort. It won’t strain you much and helps to ride longer.
• The below guideline is purely for those who ride in groups.
• Assign yourselves the position you ride in.
• Have experienced riders as leaders and sweepers.
• Stay in group and follow design and ride in the same.
• Never over take the leader and don’t fall behind the sweeper.
• Leaders use the riding signs and lead the group well.

Hand Signals for use in Trips

Pulsar 200NS: A Lesson Learnt from Yamaha FZ Series

Pulsar, the most successful performance motorcycle brand of the last decade, now aims to rule this decade with the launch of next generation Pulsar “Pulsar 200NS”. But, how Bajaj Auto will make it possible when the competition is increasing from Japanese rival like Honda and Yamaha who are the first and second largest two wheeler manufacturer in the world?

Should Bajaj Discontinue the Current Pulsar Range?

• Yes (59%, 728 Votes)
• No (41%, 499 Votes)

Total Voters: 1,226

What will Bajaj Auto’s strategy in the upcoming years? Further, we also raised some questions with regards to current Pulsar series in the article of “Bajaj might discontinue the Pulsar 180 soon”. This article aims to answer all these questions. Let’s have some background before answering the above questions.

Bajaj Auto launched Pulsar in 2001 and it became an instant hit. I can recall the year 2002 when we started seeing lots of Pulsar on the road. It was catching everybody’s eye due to its muscular tank and aircraft type fuel tank which was novelty in those years. Certainly, it is the Pulsar who changed face of Bajaj Auto from scooter manufacture to motorcycle manufacturer.
Many manufactures have tried to threaten the leadership of Pulsar, but none of them succeeded till the date. Hero Motocrop (Hero Honda before) tried with CBZ*,CBZ Xtreme, Hunk and Achiever, HMSI tried with Unicorn and Unicorn Dazzler, TVS Motors tried with Fiero, Fiero F2 and Apache series, Suzuki tried with GS150R and Yamaha tried with FZ series.
However, when Yamaha launched FZ series in India, it was considered as serious threat to Bajaj Pulsar. FZ series became an instant hit and it is the only motorcycle which has done noticeable business against Bajaj Pulsar. Yamaha also launched SZ series to attract price conscious buyer in premium segment. Both series are doing good business which has made Yamaha second largest player in performance segment.
So, it’s Yamaha which is putting serious threat in premium segment for Bajaj Auto and not Honda or Hero Motocorp. In the past one year Bajaj has seen some market share loss in Premium segment due to increase competition from Yamaha. Bajaj has still maintained its leadership; however it has understood that it needs more powerful product than current generation Pulsar to fight against this Japanese rival.
Next generation Pulsar is an attempt to answer the threat raised by Japanese rival Yamaha. It is loaded with next generation technology, unique features and naked styling something for which FZ series is known for. As far as styling concern Pulsar 200NS has bettered any other naked street fighter motorcycle available in India.
It has got monoshock suspension, a much needed unique feature and a much more powerful engine. It is a perfect package of power and style from Bajaj Auto. In other words, Bajaj Auto has developed a new breed of motorcycle which is ahead of FZ series. But, the million dollar question is, what will happen to current generation Pulsar series and how Bajaj will transform the current generation Pulsar series into next generation Pulsar series?
First thing, Rajiv Bajaj has made clear that the current generation Pulsar series will not discontinue and it depends upon the market to decide when we have to discontinue current Pulsar series. Having said this, it is safe to assume that Pulsar 180 will not discontinue. There are other strong reasons to believe this as apart from Rajiv Bajaj confirmation.
First, Pulsar 180 is generating equal amount of units as generated by Pulsar 150. Second, there is still strong demand for the current generation Pulsar series which are serving their purpose very well in India. It is also to be noted that people still love the current generation Pulsar series styling and its affordable compared to next generation Pulsar.
Third, the next generation Pulsar 200NS is aims to cater those buyers who need some fresh styling, unique features and want to upgrade from current Pulsar series. Fourth, the current generation Pulsar series can easily outscore competition from Honda, Hero Motocorp, TVS Motors and Suzuki Motorcycle. So, it is only Yamaha for which Bajaj needs next generation Pulsar. Hence, it is clear that Bajaj Auto will first see the response of Pulsar 200NS in the market before taking any decision on discontinuation of current Pulsar series.
Now we may see some brand cannibalization between Pulsar 200NS and Pulsar 220 as both will be priced very near. However, this still depend on the response of the Pulsar 200NS. Bajaj may discontinue 220cc if response for Pulsar 200NS will affect Pulsar 220 sell heavily. Similarly, if Bajaj will decide to discontinue 220cc, it may replace Avenger’s 220cc engine with Pulsar 200NS engine as Bajaj believes in sharing common engine between Pulsar and Avenger.
Bajaj will most likely launch 350cc Pulsar in 2013. The reason we believe this because Pulsar 200NS engine is heavily based upon KTM Duke 200 engine except the engine overhead which has triple sparks and SOHC vs DOHC in Duke 200 engine. KTM has planned Duke 350 launch for 2013, similarly we will see Pulsar 350 in 2013.
Now, why Bajaj did not install fuel injection on next generation Pulsar? Fuel injection is a costlier affair it increases motorcycle cost by Rs. 8,000 – 10,000 which Bajaj Auto do not want to do at this point of time. Further, Bajaj Auto has experienced that Pulsar 220 is more successful with carburetor version compared to fuel injection version due to reduced price. Hence, Bajaj Auto has played safe game by going for carburetor version.
Pulsar can sell for any given amount provided it satisfies its VFM package with power packed performance. In other words, if Pulsar 350cc comes in price of Rs 1.10 lacs or 1.20 lacs would you buy the same? This question will answer whether Pulsar can sell at or above Rs. one lac mark. We believe that next generation Pulsar will not cost more than Rs. one lac on road.
For the financial year 2012-13, Bajaj Auto has lined up series of launches. Bajaj Auto has understood that new products are necessary for growth and hence, we are going to see number of launches this year. We have seen KTM Duke 200 launch in January. Next generation Pulsar will hit the market in April.
A completely new commuter motorcycle is lined up for May. This could be a 125cc Discover based upon triple spark engine. I believe that Bajaj Auto will continue with current Pulsar line for this year at least and we will see changes in next financial year based upon the response of market.

Ducati’s MotoGP Bikes For Sale

For some of us out here, owning a bike is a dream and for a few others, the dream is a bit on the upper side that they wanna own a sport – bike. There is a smaller segment which aspires to own a super – bike, but have anyone of you ever dreamt of owning a bike that has been used by world’s top MotoGP riders in world’s most adrenaline packed race.

Ducati has always been an inevitable player when it comes to MotoGP races. The team became even more powerful by getting ‘The Doctor’ – Valentino Rossi in for the team from Yamaha. The news now is that the MotoGP bikes raced by Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner are set to be auctioned off in Monaco on May 11 and 12. This is the first time that the Italian payer – Ducati has come up with such a move.
MCN states that ‘Both machines are being sold directly by the Ducati Corse racing department and will be sold at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco alongside the huge privately owned Saltarelli Ducati collection which is also going under the hammer.’
To add on, these are not machines which were used by the team a few seasons back. These are brand new machines used by the team’s racers in the 2010 and 2011 races which means that they’re just hardly a couple of years old and not more than that and they’re fully tuned racing machines capable of doing wonders closed circuits.
The buyers who are interested in owning these machines for themselves are forces to enter aj agreement with the company as part of the buying exercise
Peter Wallman, specialist at RM Auctions – Europe comments, “Ducati represents the pinnacle of two-wheeled desirability with a reputation for world-beating performance and unmistakable design.
“We are very excited to be working with yet another leading manufacturer and to have this exclusive opportunity to offer items that are not normally available to the public. The sale offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire very unique pieces of Ducati history, not to be missed.”
We’re of course clueless on why has Ducati come up with such a move at this point of time when the company itself is planning to be sold out and as you know Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest two wheeler maker is trying hard to strike this deal and get its hands on it.
Now, here are the details shared by MCN on the two ultimate racing machines which were revved up mercilessly by Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner respectively for the past few seasons.

Valentino Rossi’s machine:

Valentino Rossi’s Ducati Desmosedici GP11 “VR2” was built at the Ducati factory 6-10 December 2010 and was first started for bench testing two days later. VR2’s first track test for Rossi was carried out in the February 2011 Sepang tests and first competed in the Qatar Grand Prix the following month. It recorded a podium position at Le Mans, France in May 2011 and competed in its last race at the Dutch TT in Assen, having clocked a total of 2,342km.

Casey Stoner’s machine

Built in the Ducati factory in Borgo Panigale, Bologna 7-11 December 2009, Casey Stoner’s Ducati Desmosedici GP10 “CS1” was first started for bench testing on 14 December 2009 before being track tested by the Australian rider in Sepang, Malaysia in February 2010. Stoner first competed with CS1 in Qatar in April 2010 and raced it to victory in the Australian GP at Phillip Island in October 2010. The machine took pole positions in Qatar, Phillip Island and Valencia and powered the Australian to podium positions in Valencia, Assen and Catalunya. Its final Grand Prix was in Valencia, November 2010 having clocked a total of 4,232km.
Ducati has also expressed its excitement on this upcoming auction. “The release of two very special machines like these is an extremely rare occasion for us, so the lucky buyer must not only enter into a confidentiality agreement, but also become a close member of the ‘Ducati family’” said Ducati Corse General and Technical Director, Filippo Preziosi. “The Desmosedici GP10 and GP11 were two very interesting bikes in our GP project history and therefore will represent exciting opportunities for serious collectors.”
We’re left absolutely clueless on what is the price for which these machines would be sold. Getting the hands on this machine along a race track should bring life to the eternal biking spirit which has been lying dormant inside the buyers of these bikes.
For more details visit www.rmauctions.com
Thanks to MCN

Union Budget 2012 – Basic Excise Duty Goes up by 2% – Motorcycle Prices Goes Up

Get ready to pay more for a new two wheeler as there is excise duty hike in Union Budget 2012. The basic excise duty has been hiked from the 10% to 12% in union Budget 2012. Many two wheeler manufacturers have passed this excise duty hike to end customer as they are already facing high input cost pressure with an immediate effect. Manufacturers also fear that new hike will slowdown the growth in two wheeler segment which has been already tapered in recent months.
India’s largest scooter manufacturer, HMSI has already increased its Activa model price by Rs. 826 – 996. Similarly the motorcycles prices have also been increased in the range of Rs. 883 to 3,400 by HMSI. The company still has not taken decision with regards to CBR150R which it has just launched in the Indian market. TVS Motors has also follow the same path of HMSI and confirmed that it will increase its two wheeler prices with respect to hike in excise duty. The scooter range will see rise of Rs. 780 to 900 while the motorcycle range will see price hike of Rs. 780 to 1,580.
However, Bajaj Auto and Hero Motocorp, have still not decided anything. But, it seems that the both the company will also follow the suit and will increase two wheeler prices. The increase in excise duty of 2% was expected as the government reduced it to 8% from 12% in 2009 due to stimulus package. With the increase of 2%, now the excise duty is back in the region of 12%. The growth of two wheeler industry has came down sharply in recent months and with this increase in prices we may see further slowdown in the two wheeler segment.

Hero Impulse First Ride Experience

It was 12.10 Sunday morning, when my friend Varaprasad called me and said that we are leaving for an on road trip to OOTY via gopal swami betta. I could not even open my eyes and before I could understand what he told, he had already disconnected the call. I barely saw my alarm and It was ticking 12.15, I walked out of my bed had a glass of water and confirmed with him. At 1.30 in the morning every one assembled in front my home and set to roll, and with a hi-five we started.

Introduction

In brief my self Vikas (proud owner of IMPULSE), the team we started included Varaprasad and Sharath on Pulsar 220(Grey, beautiful Color which we normally won’t get it now), Hezlin on FZ-S, Arun and my roommate Chetan on RTR 180. Being a bike enthusiast, I never wanted to own a common commuter, I needed something extra, something outperforming.
So my lists included RTR 180 ABS, PULSAR 220, R15 V2, and DUKE 200:

• 220 already Sharath had and grey color are already stopped. So it has to go from my list.
• In early November Bajaj people had no clue about DUKE.
• R15 V2 I had already booked, but I did not get a good response from my friends and more over my GF did not appreciate her seating position and comfort. And more over showroom people were pushing me for another 90 days to get one.
• RTR 180 was good but I was already using it as my roommate owns one.
• I was pretty happy with the IMPULSE test ride test ride especially the torque numbers It was reaching and the tires I love the most. So I had to choose one.

In the mean time I was taking a lead with my HID focus as it would disturb the others in their mirrors. Engine had already started roaring with the proper pulse with the K&N air intake and was easily attaining the speed of 103KM/H on an average. In the mean time we had reached maddur coffee day and already gulped in enough amount of beverage that was enough to keep us alive for couple of hours. We started rolling again…

My Previous Owns

As soon as I started getting the pay checks I had a great desire to own the little monster YAMAHA RX100. I got one and felt like contented warrior. It was my ride for next 2 years and my desire to own the old SUZUKI FIERO was at its peak.

Luckiely I got a 2002 April model SUZUKI FIERO shiny red barely used bike, I grasped it immediately and that was my sole partner till last November. My self being used by the two legendry bikes I had to choose My next partner like wise that could always give me a kick ass start. We had reached Mysore when my digital Speedo was clocking 4.30am, we had to take a break, refuel for our next high speed stretch of 60km to GUNDELPET, We found the fuel station, did the necessary activities and started rolling again…

My Regrets

Exactly 55 days after I got my bike Duke 200 was launched and I had my jaw drop down after seeing the monster and its specs. It took nearly a day to come to my senses. I have not words to explain the scenario. With all the features I could have earned an Extra 50cc and more over another extra 11bhp, which I really feel that It lacks in my ride. But still I had one point to cheer that I had saved almost my 50K which I can use it for my next dream bike.

In the similar fashion I took the lead and we were zooming in the range from 99kmph to 112kmph in a narrow stretch for next 60km, it was the ride I was dreaming off and it had made my day. I was very happy that my bike was stable and responding appropriately at high speeds though it not meant for the same. Kudos to its response, and I was able to touch the top speed of 122kmph and at last we had reached GUNDELPET.

Advantage

If you ask me I would provide total 5 stars for Hero Impulse to the suspensions and damping both front and rear it’s unbeatable. Roads from GUNDELPET to GOPAL SWAMY BETTA are a total off-road kind. No other bikes can ride more than a speed of 45kmph to 50kmph.I was just sailing over it like a surfer at a speed of 85+kmph, and no once could even compete me in that road.

All you have to do is hold the handle bar tight, pressure your legs, lift your butt and roll on. The best part is you can even shift gears and apply brakes with your butt up.

Wrap up

We reached OOTY at 11am via bandipur and that part of my ride was breath taking and the hair pin curves was joy… We had to rest there. And after a while were seen racing back towards Bangalore. We reached here by 5.00pm in the eve and my Speedo was clocking 565 km in a continuous stretch of 14 hours. At last we had done it.

And that was the first ride in my brand new bike Hero Impulse.

A little + points:

• Amazing suspensions, as I told 5 stars.
• Proper design (exhausts and engine area compactness).
• Excellent ride height.
• Proper insulators for the exhaust casing, pillion could not feel any heat even though we
• covered 500+kms in a stretch.
• Good riding (commuting) capabilities especially seating posture.
• Admiration guaranteed.

A little – points:

• Feels like you need a bit more extra BHP.
• No wind shield, too much wind blast could be tiresome for long stretches.
• Digital Speedo could have been better with more features like side stand indicator and many more which rivals provide.

Bajaj XCD Review

Hi, this is “Rohit Tamrakar” from Bhopal (M.P). I am 24 years old pursusing M.tech. First of all I would like to thank entire team of BikeAdvice. They have guided me to take care of my bike in a proper and schedule maintained way. Apart from personal caring they also guide for your next bike.

I am very enthusiast about bikes specially custom bikes. As a mechanical engineer I would like to design my own dream bike so that it would be unique in whole world. With God`s hand above us, hope all our dreams come true.

Selection

I personally own a “Bajaj XCD-125″ bike. Its 3 years 4 months old. As these type of bikes are usually made to compete the good average bikes from other companies, in case of average I am completely satisfied with this bike. I had choosen this bike seeing its average with looks.
I was knowing it cant give me that much power as compared to 150cc or 180cc bikes, but in todays economy with high rising fuel rates these type of bikes shot the best on your pocket and budget and Black suits best for bikes according to me. So in student life this bike fullfill my whole desires.

Styling

As far as styling is concerned with the cost, this bike holds good. Display in speedometer is good and can get 8.5/10. Removal of side covers is very easy. Similarly removal of seat, air filter and caburettor is also very easy. Lighting style is also good with this bike.

Comfort and Handling

This bike holds good in case of comfort for small distance. In long distances you might get a little bit back pain. Suspension holds good in todays conditions of road. I have riden this bike many a times with three people at the same time and suspension gave full support to hold my image. Foot rest are in perfect position. For handling this bike gets 8/10. Its easy to control in hidh speed also and braking is also good. Break leavers are provided in suitable position to comfort hand while braking.

Engine

Till now I amcompletely satisfied by my bike performance. As a 125cc class vehicle it gives good mileage and pick up. I have heard from many peoples that after few running time Bajaj engines start to produce unwanted noice. But till now I have not found any thing like this. Engine runs good wether with two riders or one rider on it.
Three riders are generally not recomended in any of the bike, as you know many youngsters are very mischievious and they just dont take good care of bike. Same was with me also till I was not connected with BikeAdvice. Prior also I took good care of bike but BikeAdvice helped me a lot to keep my bike in good running condition. Every bike demands servicing and maintenance. I clean my bike`s carburettor and air cleaner every mont or some time often depending on running condition.

Satisfaction

As for student life this bike helps me with my pockets.It gives mileage of 65 to 70 kmpl and 75kmpl on long distances. I know its not what company recomends but we all know we dont get good quality and exact quantity of petrol, so considering this I would give 9/10 rating for fuel efficeincy. Regarding maintenance thanks to BikeAdvice I can do servicing of my bike by my own at home only andfor changing of parts I have to visit workshop.

Till now I have only went to garage for replacement of Oil seal of front right suspension. Apart from this I had also added some graphics to my bike (also done by me). I had installed Electroluminescent wire (EL wire) atmy head lamp. This wire is not available in India. I palced order online.

Drawbacks

• The only drawback I found in this bike is its not suitability for long distances travel.
• It will give you back pain if you ride continuosly for more than 40km or 50km.

Overall I will give 8.5/10 to my bike.
This is my first ever review and I apologise for any mistakes in my english.
God Bless all

Kawasaki Ninja 250R Ownership Review

Hello friends, this is Kirti Solanki and I ride a Kawasaki Ninja 250R. Here’s my brief intro-I’m a hardcore biker, 2nd year engg. student in RVCE Bangalore and I’m from Patna. This is my 1st ownership report. I dont know if I could write much about the ownership experience yet. I make a pretty bad writer too so kindly bear with me.

How it all started?

I was fortunate enough to be with people who taught me riding a bike at a very young age (11) and my parents never objected it, though they were apprensive. Special thanks to Yamaha YBX/Rajdoot/RX-Z/CruxR/Libero on which I learnt riding and people who taught me riding. Like all the other kids in school I was also fascinated by the idea of owning a bike and going on long rides.

I used to collect pictures of the sportsbikes from magazines/posters (and I bet almost everyone here would have done the same). Daydreaming about owning the R1 has always been my favourite past time (even now). Back in 2007 when I was in 10th std. the Pulsar 220 dts-fi was launched, I began fantasizing about owning it after I saw it’s advertisement in the newspapers and who can forget the “pulsarmania” ad!?

Then one day I rode the Apache RTR 160 which belonged to one of my relatives and immediately I fell in love with it. Whenever I sat to study at night I just couldn’t keep my mind off thinking about owning it. Then in May 2008 the R15 was launched and I suffered many sleepless nights after its launch. But the bike that made me insanely fall in love was the FZ which was launched in september 2008 and it made my urge to own a bike even stronger, I told my parents that I can’t live without a bike anymore. I convinced my parents to buy me the FZ.
But then they told it was too powerful to be the 1st bike. So I had to choose from the 100cc range and finally on 5/12/2008, I became a proud owner of the Yamaha Libero-G5. For me it was the most beautiful thing in the world and I couldn’t stop admiring it. It was a childhood dream come true for me. I began practising proper riding techniques while braking/cornering etc. After reading in magazines and watching videos on youtube.

It was that time when I started being involved in street racing and drag racing. Later in May 2009, I somehow managed to ride an R15, now what? I quit thinking about everything else and told my parents straightaway that I wanted the R15. My parents agreed and finally I got the R15 on 05/08/09. My happiness couldn’t be described in words. I began to get even more involved in street racing (it is a very stupid thing to do).
I smoked a guy on a Pulsar 180 once, and he immediately wanted to ride my bike. I don’t know why, but I gave him the bike to ride just for a few kms and we became friends. One or two months later he bought the R15. I was very happy with my R15 and I felt invincible, a few months later I saw a Black Ninja 250R in my city. After a few days I saw that same P180/R15 guy riding the same Ninja 250.
We both were coming from the opposite direction and we identified each other and we stopped. Without speaking a word he gave me the key of his Ninja and told ” Ride it 1st, we’ll talk later”. I just didn’t know how to react. I rode the Ninja 250 for the 1st time on 15/06/10. However I rode it slowly. Later I got into RVCE and came to Bangalore.

In the college on the 1st day itself I saw a green Ninja parked. After a few months after settling in the college, the bikelessness began haunting me once again and after a few days I came to know that the green Ninja that I saw belonged to one of my classmates. I test rode it and got scared of the acceleartion.
Again I told my parents about it, and after a little bit of convincing they agreed. On 23/04/11 I booked a green Kawasaki Ninja and I was told a waiting period of 3 months. Then in the summer vacations I went home and finally on 04/09/11 I became the owner of the Ninja 250R.
Now about the Bike- A brief introduction Price- Rs 321,000 OTR, Bangalore

Engine Specifications

Displacement: 249cc
Engine: 249cc, DOHC
Maximum Power: 33 Ps @ 11000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 22 Nm @ 8200 rpm
Gears: 6 Manual
Clutch: Wet Multi-Disc, Manual
Bore: 62mm
Stroke: 41.2mm
No. of Cylinders: 2
Cylinder Configuration: Parallel Twin
Valve Per Cylinder: 4
Engine Block Material: Steel
Chassis Type: Semi-double cradle, high-tensile steel
Cooling Type: Liquid Cooling
Carburetor: No, It Is Fuel Injected

Dimensions

Length: 2085.00 mm
Width: 715.00 mm
Height: 1115.00 mm

Other Specifications

Weight: 172.00 kg
Ground Clearance: 135.00 mm
Fuel Tank: 17.00 ltrs
Wheelbase: 1400.00 mm
Headlamp: Halogen
Wheel Type: Black Mag Alloys
Wheel Size: 110/70 R17-130/70 R17 mm

Looks

• The bike is huge and many people would think that it’s a much bigger bike than it actually is.
• The lines of the Ninja is seductive and a treat for eyes. The stance of the bike is aggressive and like a big cat about to pounce on its hapless victim
• The bike is absouletly gorgeous and attracts a lot of attention wherever it goes. The green colour makes the prescence even more pronounced.
• The design lines on the the bike are forward faced giving it a very aggressive look. The bike looks deliciously wicked.
• The street prescence is such that at times you will see everyone looking at you. It will make you feel like a rockstar.
• Drop-dead gorgeous is the word for it and it sums up the looks department.

Performance

I was scared by the acceleration when I first test rode it. It is a screamer and the engine is not so strong into the lower revs, say below 4Krpm. Nearing 6K to 8K you really start to feel that theres going to be a big boom underneath the fairing. The engine seems to be bracing itself up for the maximum oncoming onslaught of power delivery and nearing the 11K the front becomes very light and when it is upshifted to 2nd at the 13k redline then there’s a small power wheelie or a ferocious jerk forward depending upon the precision of the gear-shift.
The rev-limiter is at 14500rpm. You have to be very careful with the throttle and 1st you need to get used to the bike before taking it to it’s limits. The sound and the character both change as the bike crosses the 6k rpm mark. The sound is so awesome that it will be music to your ears, trust me on that.
It’s very easy to get carried away by the acceleration within no time it’ll reach 0-100, and you may be fooled into believing that you are doing 100-110kmph when you actually may be doing 140kmph. It will easily do 180kmph on the speedo. The max that I’ve done is around 175Kmph. It is so smooth that you’ll fall into love just by the feel of the bike. It is clearly such a wonderful feeling that can’t be described in words. It goes like the wind, only louder.

Ride and Handling

There is no hint of even slight vibration at any rpm. The supension what I felt was towards the softer side, however the rear suspension is 5-way adjustable. The bike weighs 172kgs once it starts moving you won’t feel the weight at all, at speeds below 20kmph, it may bother a bit but above that, no chance. It is very planted in the corners, and getting the knee down is as easy as cutting a cake. The confidence that it inspires is so much that it’ll put a smile on your face.
Talking of agility, it’s not as flickable as the R15 but then there is not so much of a difference and in the city traffic you can’t flick it like the R15 also having a 3.2L motorcycle deters you from doing that. Like I said cornering is a breeze on the bike and even when you overcooked a turn, you can correct it without panicking. You can clearly feel the connection of the rear wheel with the throttle coming out of a turn and in the power-band you may sometimes be rewarded with the power-slide. It’ll make you feel like Valentino Rossi.

Braking and Stability

The brakes on the Ninja are very sharp and you have to be very careful with the front. The front and rear are 290mm and 220mm twin piston calipers Nisin unit. The rotor is petal shaped giving it a snazzy look and also helping in effective heat dissipation. It is very very stable under harsh braking and all it takes is just a slight tap of the fingers to bring the bike to a halt.

Even under heavy acceleration you won’t feel uneasy once you are familiar with the bike so stable the bike is. However I am smitten by the stability in the corners, trust me even in the bumpier corners the bike will not show signs of unstability under proper input.

Fit and Finish

The 1st thing that you will notice once you jump on the bike is fit and finish, it’s so neat that you can’t find a single fault or any rough edge. It’s as is expected of an imported bike. The attention to detail is just flawless.

Mileage

Mileage is not that big concern for me.Still the bike gives me 22-24kmpl considering the Bangalore traffic.

• The bike doen’t have a fuel gauge instead it has a low fuel light which comes on if the fuel is below 4.5litres
• The headlight is on all the time, you can just adjust the beam to high or low, you can’t switch off the lights.
• The bike won’t start if it’s in gear and the side stand is not lifted or the engine will be shut down, if the bike is on and the side stand is engaged.

After Sales Service

The probiking guys know how to treat their premium customers. They are ver co-operative and prompt in the service.

Cons

• The bike attracts a lot af attention and sometimes too much of attention, that you can’t really park it and go anywhere because once you come back you’ll see people fiddling with the bike.
• The DRL feature gets irritating sometimes as almost everyone keeps pointing towards the headlight stating the headlight is on.
• Considering the weight it’s difficult to park it sometimes.
• You have to be very very careful with it.
• The running cost is high considering the fuel prices, so much so that you have to cut out other things from pocket money to accomodate for monthly expenditure on fuel.
• Finally the cost of spares is sky-high, just for example the side fairings costs Rs10500 for each side. The Bangalore service centre an absolute horror museum as I have seen damage estimates exceeding rs1.5 lakhs. And most of them being in the region of Rs50-60,000.

Verdict

If you can spend 3.2L for a bike, buy it without any second thought as while you are riding it will make you forget everything.

When I’m down, riding lifts up my spirit; when I cry, it consoles me; when I’m angry, it calms me down; when I’m happy; it makes me happier. As soon as I switch it on, it puts a smile on my face and makes me forget everything. It’ll always reamain the Ninja of my dreams. Thanks to my parents for buying me all the bikes and to almighty.
Finally for fellow riders- Always wear a helmet and ride no matter how small the distance or the ride is. Don’t indulge in street racing and ride defensively/responsibly. Always wear proper riding gear and ride. Ciao, Happy Riding, Hope I didn’t bore anyone!

Ducati Launches Monster Diesel

We’ve been constantly reporting news about Italian bike – maker Ducati is all set to be sold off. We, at BikeAdvice have been providing live updates to the best possible extent. Now, let’s get off from that news for a while and get into the new launch which has recently been in the spotlight.

Ducati’s flagship collection is the Monster series which comprises of Monster 696, Monster795 and Monster796 and Monster1100 Evo. This series has been forced to enter a tie up with another Italian major when it comes to fashion apparels and accessories. These two leading brands together have launched the Ducati Monster Diesel collection.
The Diesel Style Team, under the guidance of Diesel founder Renzo Rosso, working closely with Ducati’s Design Centre, has brought a new “Urban Military Chic” interpretation to the iconic Ducati Monster 1100 EVO.
Braveness and uniqueness has been the key characteristics that’s been based on which this collection has been worked upon. The new and the exclusive Diesel Brave Green matte colour matches an all total black treatment for trellis frame which has been the highlight of the Monster and rims extended to engine covers, exhaust system and forks; while the front brake calipers in yellow are a nice sporty touch reminding the superior performance of the Monster 1100 EVO.
The matte green colour has become significantly attractive in the recent past and it has seen youth concentration to a greater extent all over the globe.
However far more than just an amazing colour makeover, The Monster Diesel broadcasts over 30 raw urban styling modifications that makes it audaciously unique, like its weapon-like exhaust and instrument cluster details.
The bike also boasts signature stripe stitched onto the vintage style leather upholstered seat in addition to laser – engraving the unmistakable “Mohican” logo into the new aluminum air intakes. The model’s exclusivity is further enhanced with a metal plaque attached to the re-shaped passenger seat cover and engraved with the owner’s name and individual motorcycle series number.
The details of this bike are made live on both Ducati’s website as well as Diesel’s homepage.
Here are the technical specs of the Ducati Monster Diesel
Chassis
Frame- Tubular Steel Trellis Frame
Wheelbase- 1450mm
Rake – 24°
Front Suspension – Marzocchi 43mm Fully Adjustable Usd Forks
Rear Suspension – Progressive with Preload And Rebound Sachs Adjustable Monoshock
Front Wheel Travel – 130mm
Rear Wheel Travel 148mm
Front Wheel- 10 Spoke In Light Alloy 3.50 X17
Rear Wheel – 10-Spoke In Light Alloy 5.50×17
Front Tyre – 120/70 Zr17 Pirelli Diablo Rosso Ii
Rear Tyre -180/55 Zr17 Pirelli Diablo Rosso Ii
Front Brake 2 X 320mm Discs, 4-Piston Radial Calliper with Abs
Rear Brake 245mm Disc, 2-Piston Calliper with Abs
Fuel Tank Capacity 13.5 litres
Dry Weight – 169kg
Instruments – Digital Unit Displaying: Speedometer, Rev Counter, Time, Scheduled Maintenance Warning, Oil Temperature, Trip Fuel, Lap Time, Warning Light For Low Oil Pressure, Fuel Level, Fuel Reserve, Neutral, Turn Signals, Warning Abs, Overrev, Dtc, Immobilizer, Ready for Dda System.
Body Colour (Frame/Wheel) Diesel Brave Green Matte (Black/Black)
Versions – Dual Seat
Seat Height – 810mm
ABS – Standard Equipment
Engine
Type – L-Twin Cylinder, 2 Valve Per Cylinder Desmodromic, Air Cooled
Displacement- 1078cc
Bore X Stroke – 98 X 71.5mm
Compression Ratio – 11.3:1
Power – 100hp (73.5kw) @ 7500rpm
Torque – 10.5kgm @ 6000rpm
Fuel Injection – Siemens Electronic Fuel Injection, 45mm Throttle Body
Exhaust – Lightweight 2-1-2 System With Catalytic Converter And Two Lambda Probes. Twin Aluminium Mufflers
Transmission
Gearbox – 6 Speed
Ratio – 1=37/15 2=30/17 3=27/20 4=24/22 5=23/24 6=24/28
Primary Drive – Straight Cut Gears; Ratio 1.84:1
Final Drive Chain – Front Sprocket 15; Rear Sprocket 39
Clutch – Wet Multiplate with Hydraulic Control

Suzuki to Set Up a New Plant

Suzuki Motorcycle India Private Limited, fully owned subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan has got quite a good number of bikes for the Indian market which mostly falls in the 125 cc category. Their 150 cc bike – GS150 is constantly being backed by good reviews from the users except that fact that it has got serious issues when it comes to the quality of service offered in the Authorized Service Centres. However, all these drawbacks are taken care by just one scooter they have in their stable which is the Access 125. The brand has proved to be a major hit among both the sexes.
Now, Suzuki Motorcycle India Private Limited has decided to adopt the expansion mode for the company by itself. The state government of Haryana has approved an INR 2,000 crore worth unit of Suzuki Motorcycles that will come up at Rohtak.
An official working with Suzuki said ‘The first phase of the project will entail an investment of INR 500 crore and will be completed in the year 2014 with an annual installed capacity of 5 lakh units.’ The work will happen in phases and there will be three phases in total for the entire work to get completed. The amount that would be spent by the company at the end of all three phases will be close to approximately 2000 crores of INR. This will help the company in boosting the output capacity to a whooping figure of 2 Mn units by the end of the year 2019, thereby proving that this is a long term project for the company.
The state of Haryana has been a hot destination for two wheeler manufacturers. The other players in the Indian market who’ve their facilities in this state are Hero MoroCorp and Harley Davidson.
Economic Times has quoted that Haryana approved Suzuki’s proposal at a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. It was also attended by state Industries Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala and Managing Director of Maruti Suzuki S Nakanishi and other officials.
The company will commence the production from this new manufacturing facility by 2014, which is just a couple of years down the line. Mr. Nakanishi said that the 50 acre unit will provide employment to 4,000 people and generate indirect employment opportunities for thousands more in the nearby region in terms of vendor manpower, logistics providers and service industries.

Hero Honda Karizma R 18000KMs Ownership Review

“A car carries body but a bike carries soul”. I read this line several times but realised only after riding one of my dream bike- Hero Honda’s old war horse Karizma.

Hello everybody, I am Umesh Prasad Rout (UPR) from Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Riding bike is one of my passion. By profession I am an assistant professor in an Engineering College of Bhubaneswar. This is my review of Hero Honda’s old but gold bike that introduced a new bike segment in India – The Karizma R. The name Karizma comes to mind first while talking about performance bikes in India.

My previous bike was HH Passion Plus, the most popular 100cc bike after Slendor. It is a stylish reliable bike of lower displacement but after 5 years of riding I felt that I need a bike of higher power and torque. Then I purchased Karizma (2010 model) as it fits well to my requirement. I had waited for two months to get my dream bike.
The initial riding experience was awesome. There was increase of 9.5bhp, 11Nm of torque and 126cc of displacement in comparision to PassionPlus. I felt like in heaven for the first few month of riding. My Karizma is now 18 month old and I have done 18000kms till now. I like to share my sweet and sour experience with the black beauty through this review.

Why Karizma?

Karizma looks exclusive and expensive among the bikes of its segment. It gives feeling of a real big bike having a long wheelbase of 1355mm and it is the longest (2125mm) bike among all 250cc and sub 250cc indian bikes (Ninja 250R-2085mm, CBR 250R-2032mm, p220-2035mm, R15-1970mm, ZMR-2110mm).
Karizma own my heart by its beauty. It the most good looking bike in 250cc and sub 250cc segment in india (personal view). Its comfort level is next to a car. Above all it is a VFM machine having good resale value.

Uniqueness of Karizma

• Karizma has electric as well as kick start option. In cold morning kick start option is a kind of boon.
• Two cable throttle is another unique feature which very few bikes have.
• There is a small in-built hole in the exhaust pipe to drain out water.
• The best looking half-fairing among all Indian bikes.
• Only Indian bike to have dual tail lamp .

Styling

Though looks is a personal issue, in my view Karizma is an eye catcher despite of its age. It looks awesome in yellow color. The only bike in its segment that looks proportionate in every angle.

The fighter jet design, half fairing, engine under cowl and R lettering put Karizma in a different league among all bikes. The yellow dashboard, black visor, red suspension, golden exhaust pipe and dual tail lamp are the style elements in it.

Features

The dashboard is very well designed in Karizma. It consists of RPM meter, Speedo meter, neutral and high beam indicator, digital trip meter, digital clock, digital odometer and fuel indicator. The dash board look gorgeous with yellow back ground and it helps at night. The digital clock is very handy for me as while going to the office I am in a hurry and cannot look at the wrist watch every time.
The engine under cowl adds style and better aerodynamics. The MRF Zappers give the bike very good grip on roads. The butter smooth gearbox is a rider’s delight.

Rider Comfort

Being the best tourer, comfort is one of major strength in Karizma R. The riding posture is very comfortable. It absorbs all most everything whether it is pothole or humps. I have never felt any kind of discomfort in it. The comfort level almost like a car. I never felt any vibrations up to 110kmph.

Pillion Rider Comfort

A performance bike is not meant for pillion rider’s comfort. But Karizma has got a good and comfortable sitting posture for pillion rider in comparision to other’s bikes in its leauge. My advice is not to carry ladies as pillion rider because seat is too high and one sided sitting posture is not safe at high speeds.
The most pathetic experience in karizma for me was when my mother fell down from the bike while trying to accelerate quickly from a traffic post. She was not aware of the pick up of bike and hence not prepared for the drag. She fell in the highway and backside her head was struck on the road. Thank God, there was no injury and no problem later on.

Performance

Karizma is a proven performer. The 223cc engine generates 17bhp Power and 18.35Nm torque. The rock solid engine can run 24×7 without any stress. Acceleration of Karizma R is amazing though not the best in its segment. The adrenalin rush can be felt from second gear onwards. The power is well distributed in the whole rpm band.

The top speed I achieved is 130kmph (on Speedo). Karizma vibrates a little after 120kmph,but up to 115kmph it is butter smooth.Up to 110kmph it is quick, after that it takes time to accelerate. In 5th gear it denies to go beyond 8k rpm most of the time. It is capable of 115kmph in 4th gear.

Handling

Karizma handles well in any type of road condition (bumpy, dusty and wet). Though the long wheel base requires more turning radius, the cornering is quite well. The handling is equally good at higher speeds. The brake is not quite sharp but spongy. Though the rear one is drum, It works wonderfully. I have applied brake at 110+ kmph speed several times and it stopped within few seconds.
Karizma is a heavy bike (150kg). If one looses balance, the weight of bike will come in the arm and one need some muscle to handle the situation.

Fuel Efficiency

Performance bikes are not fuel efficient. Also fuel efficient bikes are not performance oriented. The mileage varies on riding style and speed. Karizma gives best mileage when driven in 4k-5k rpm in 5th gear. My Karizma gives 42kmpl in highway and 32kmpl in city. Overall I get 36kmpl. It not fair to expect much from a 223cc bike.

Accidents and Mishappening

No major accident in Karizma (thank God and HeroHonda). Once because of an autorickshaw’s sudden right turn I had to brake hard and as a result me and my bike fell down. The left indicator was broken and gear lever was bent.
The bike fell down twice from my hand due to loss of balance-once whlie trying to ride from right side and the other instance was while trying take a slow right turn with pillion rider. The worst happening was felling down of my mother as told earlier.

Maintenance

Karizma is very reliable and hence requires less maintenance. In 1.5year time I have changed the disc brake pads once in 11000Kms worth Rs 1125, headlight bulb worth Rs 90, one taillight bulb worth Rs15, type B throttle cable worth Rs 75, speedo meter inner cable worth Rs 22 and clutch cable of Rs71. In total Rs 1398 except engine oil. I have also changed the broken main stand free of cost under warranty.
Though Karizma spares are costly ,the genuine parts lasts long.

Strength

• Highly reliable engine
• Power packed performance
• Hero Honda service network
• Excellent ergonomics
• Smooth gear shift
• Sound braking system
• Best for touring
• Super refined engine
• Good suspension offers hassle free riding
• Stability at any speed is top class
• Pretty grippy tyres

Weakness

• Horn is same as 100cc bike
• Head light is not suitable for highway riding.
• Lack of tubeless tyre
• No rear disc brake
• Finding neutral is difficult while riding
• Cold start problem

Karizma for Me

Karizma is not merely a bike for me. It is a source of confidence, smartness and entertainment for me. It is now one of my basic need. Also it has become one of my identity.

Conclusion

Karizma R is a versatile bike. My overall rating is 8/10. If you are looking for a reliable, smooth, comfortable performance bike with good resale value it is the bike you are looking for. Happy Riding.