Original Source: HMSI Launches Next Generation Dio for Rs. 42,362 from BikeAdvice.in

After showcasing 7 new product at Atuo Expo 2012, India’s largest scooter manufacturing company Honda Motor scooters India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) has now launched the next generation Dio with the price tag of Rs. 42,362 Ex-showroom Delhi. The next generation Dio will be available in showroom by February end. The next generation Dio is built on a platform to give an unmatched ride experience with high level of fuel efficiency. The next generation Dio has been revised in all the parameters. Be it styling, ergonomics, safety or engine.

The next generation Dio has got new advance and highly reliable 110cc engine from Honda which is 10% more powerful than old Dio and can generate of power of 9 bhp. The new engine is equipped with several cutting edge technologies like roller rocker arm, reduced valve spring load, reduced cooling fan diameter size and better stability of weight roller & load of pulley spring. All this new features has enable next generation Dio to reduce friction and generate 15% more fuel efficiency than the old 102cc Dio which is around 55 Kmpl.

Next generation Dio has got all new unisex motoscooter styling. The aerodynamically designed front and the unique premium 3D emblem and sporty shaped integrated rear with elegant tail lamp will surely win the heart of youths. It has got host of new features like the new combi brake feature for improved riding stability and braking efficiency, tubeless tyres for better comfort and convenient riding, increased leg space for comfortable ride experience, convenient  maintenance free battery, Vicious air filter and spacious under seat luggage box.

The next generation Dio will be available in five colors – sports red, matt axis grey metallic, pearl sunbeam white, candy palm green and liblon violet metallic. With the ex-showroom price of 42,362 next generation Honda Dio will surely do good numbers.

- Mahavir Kothari 

Original Source: Why You Should Buy the KTM Duke 200 from BikeAdvice.in

Ever since KTM Duke 125cc was launched in Europe every bike enthusiast just waiting to see KTM Duke 125cc launch in India. Most of them were disappointed when Duke 125cc was launched in Europe with the configuration of 15 bhp power, top speed of 80 KM (due to European norms for under 18) and the price tag of nearly Rs. 2.8 lakhs. But the real surprised came when Bajaj Auto announced that India will get a bigger Duke at an attractive price.

Indian bike enthusiasts were eagerly waiting for Duke 200 India launch after it was launched in Malaysia and Europe. Finally the wait is over now. Bajaj Auto has launched Duke 200 on 24^th January in Delhi and the booking will start from February 1^st week across the country. But why one should buy Duke 200 when there is Pulsar 220, Karizma, YZF-R15 V2.0, Honda CBR250R and upcoming Honda CBR150R, next generation Pulsar and Hyosung GT250R? Let’s have a look.

Supremely Engineered and Highly Reliable Engine

Duke 200 engine reflects traditional quality of KTM. It is compact yet delivers high performance. The single cylinder, liquid cooled, four valve, DOHC (Double Overhead Camshaft) with DLC (Diamond like Coated) coated finger followers engine has bore x stroke of 72 x 49 mm which gives it engine displacement of 199.5cc. The bore x stroke ratio of 1.47 suggests this is an oversquare / short stroke engine and produces maximum torque at higher speed.

The engine generates maximum power of 18.4 KW/ 25 bhp @ 10,000 rpm and maximum torque of 19.2 NM @ 8,000 rpm. The power to weight ratio of 184 bhp / tonne is even more impressive than bhp and best in class thanks to its kerb weight of 136 Kg. It has got high tech cylinder head similar to those used by KTM on their top level racing bikes. It comes with Balancer shaft which reduces annoying vibrations. Duke 200 comes with very high compression ratio of 11.5:1 which requires high octane quality of fuel like Speed or Xtra premium.

The fuel delivery is managed by world class Bosch electronic fuel injection. The fuel injection mapping starts working as soon as the gear is engaged. The 38mm throttle body ensures instant acceleration, maximum performance and low level of fuel consumption. Thanks to the electronic functionality and gear sensor, the maximum speed is limited in sixth gear to level permitted in the respective country.

The transmission is handled by six speed gear box and wet multi disc clutch which is mechanically operated. It has got single centrally placed spark plug which ensures optimum ignition.  To control the overheating issues the engine comes with liquid cooling system. It has got centrally located exhaust which is something new in India. The compact three chamber silencer with three way catalytic converter has been placed between rear wheel and the engine due to which it seems that there is absence of exhaust pipe. The central location of exhaust also has an advantage of low centre of gravity. The rotary sound like exhaust note is a unique feature and suggest an arrival of monster.

This is an engine which is meant to be revved hard. The engine produces lower level of emissions and high level of fuel efficiency. Overall it’s supremely engineered and highly refined and reliable engine which is choice of every bike enthusiasts across the world.

Trellis Frame and Aluminum Swing Arm

Duke 200 has got the Chromium-Molybdenum trellis frame with steel sub frame. It is important to know what a trellis frame means. According to motorcycle racing research major advantages are to be gained in terms of rigidity by joint the steering head to the swing arm in as short a distance possible. A steering head is at top of the frame. The frame is made up of large number of short steel (or aluminum) tube welded together to form a trellis. It is easy to manufacture and extremely strong as well. It has unique aluminum die cast swing arm which is light yet extremely stable. It has got wheelbase of 1367mm which is widest enough to do better cornering. The bike weighs only 136 Kg despite having 200cc engine, widest tyre, USD suspension, liquid cooler. The light weight is result of KTM’s traditional quality of having precise and compact components and excluding unnecessary components. It has 165 mm (6.50 inch) of ground clearance which is enough for most of the bumpy riding. Overall the chassis is light weight, well built and enhances a rider’s confidence.

Radial Tyres & 10 Spoke Rim

Duke 200 has got one of the widest tyres in its class. It has also got 10 spoke alloy wheel which suits its naked look. The front rim size is of 3” x 17” and the rear rim size of 4” x 17”. The die cast aluminum wheels are specially designed by KTM to make it lightweight yet extremely stable. It has got MRF REVZ FC radial tubeless tyres with the front tyre size of 110/70 * 17 and rear tyre size of 150/60 * 17. It is to be noted that this are radial tyres so it comes with an advantage of shorter barking distance, better road grip, low fuel consumption and better life over a normal tyre. Further the tyre size is large enough for any kind of road conditions.

Brembo Brakes

Duke 200 has got one of the finest braking system in its class. It has got disc brakes from Bybre, a subsidiary brembo brakes (world’s leader in disc brakes). The front has got 280 mm disc with single piston floating caliper and the rear got 230 mm four piston radially bolted caliper. The rear disc is one of the widest in its class.

WP Suspension

Duke 200 has another novelty in suspension department. It comes with WP Upside down (USD) front suspension which is also better known as Inverted forks. The upside down system has tubes at bottom and bodies at the top which improves handling by reducing the unsprung weight of the motorcycle. The USD suspension is mostly found on Sports motorcycle. What’s more, the upside down suspension has 43 mm internal tubes one of the largest in its class.

This isn’t enough the rear got WP Monoshock suspension. WP Suspension is one of the leading European companies in suspension and it supplies to some of the reputed name in Europe like BMW and Triumph.

Street fighter Styling and robust Build Quality

As far styling concern Duke 200 has got naked street fighter looks. The bull inspired front headlight suits its street fighter look. The motorcycle looks massive from the front due to its wider tyre and naked headlight. The diamond inspired LED tail lights are good enough to catch anyone’s eyes. The LED side blinkers looks cool with headlight and taillight. The nicely design saree guard, grab rail and rear hugger enhances its rear look. The bull inspired fuel tank offers enough knee recess and the air craft type fuel tank filler looks gorgeous on Duke fuel tank. Both the side look of Duke 200 leaves an impression of higher displacement bike due to an over square engine and wider tyres. Duke 200 comes with top notch paint quality. It comes with KTM inspired orange color, however we may see other color option in near future. Overall it has top class built quality with pure naked street fighter look.

Best in class Instrument panel

Generally an instrument panel introduction is included in electrical but the Duke 200 has got most sophisticated and functional instrument panel which is best in class and available only on top end bikes and cars. It has got digital instrumental panel where you can have average speed during trip, average fuel consumption, distance to empty, distance to service, dot matrix messages, ready to race message. The list does not end here; it has two trip meters with additional F mode apart from digital speedometer, rpm meter, a digital watch and gear indicator. You can also know the temperature level of engine. You can also set the rpm limit for you motorcycle and it will not go above that.  A shift RPM alarm fro driver helps in shifting the gears. The instrumental panel has indicators for side, neutral, high beam, side stand, low fuel level and low battery.  It has one of the widest digital instrumental panels in its class.

Electricals

It has headlamp roll ON during rolling downgrade: This means there is a vertical compensation for the angle created on an incline or decline, something like the adaptive headlight in the K1600, but way less advanced than that since the one on the KTM will not compensate for the lean. The front headlight and rear tail light has got 60/55W bulbs. It also got zero maintenance 8AH VRLA battery which ensures you will never out of power supply. The Duke 200 number plate has also got LED illumination. What more you can also modify the tank illumination by aftermarket tank LED. It has got Backlit control switches which includes side indicator, low high beam, headlight turn on/off, turn indicators and engine kill switch.

Best in Class Ride and Handling

Duke has best in class ride and handling abilities thanks to its class leading frame, tyres and suspension. The riding position is upright which ensures that you will not get tired in long journeys.  It has the hydroformed handlebars for better strength and clamping location. The handle bars provide an excellent feedback while high speed cornering. The high speed straight line stability of Duke, is a second to none.

The seat height from ground is just 810mm, perfect for an Indian average height of 5.6 inches. The wide rider seat has enough padding but the rear seat is bit narrow. The fuel tank offers enough knee recess.

Outstanding Performance & Fuel Efficiency

The performance figure suggests why Duke 200 is a true hooligan street bike. It can achieve 0-60 speed in just 3.3 seconds which is a quicker than the competition, 0-100 speed in slight over 9 second again quicker than the competition. Even the rolls on figures are quicker than the competition. The 0-120 race is an effortless job on Duke 200. However, after this speed it takes time to achieve the top speed of the motorcycle which is around 135KM/ hour. It is not one of the fastest motorcycles in its class but yes its one of the quickest motorcycles in its class. KTM did not claim any fuel efficiency figures but showroom guy confirmed that you can expect mileage of 30 Kilometer / liter which is acceptable given the power figures and the engine performance.

European brand

Duke 200 is a first European motorcycle in its class. European motorcycle brands have more aspirational value compared to Japanese motorcycle brands. Be it any brand Ducati, BMW, Aprilia, Triumph or KTM. The pride of owning a European motorcycle has much more values which you will not get with R15 or CBR250R. What’s more there is a range of accessories like gloves, jackets, t-shirts, bags etc.  and aftermarket parts like chain, sprocket, illumination set, seat cowl, handle guard etc. to make a perfect KTM club.

Largest and Dedicated Service Center

People are always worried about quality and availability of service station in case of sports motorcycle. With Duke 200 you get 34 dedicated showroom and service centers throughout India which is largest for any specific motorcycle (these service stations were before pro biking showrooms of Bajaj).  The competition like CBR250R and R15 does not have any sole dedicated service station which the Duke has.

Mouthwatering Price

Duke 125 is sold at 4,400 Euro (Rs. 2,87,000) in Europe which is almost 600 Euro (Rs. 40,000) more than the competition and still it became the number 1 motorcycle in its category by sales after few months of launch. So what kind of price did you expect for KTM Duke 200 in India? We expected price range of Rs. 1.2 lacs to Rs. 1.4 lacs. However, Bajaj Auto has undercut our expected price range by Rs. 2,500. The Duke 200 has been launched at an introductory price of Rs. 1,17,500, Ex-showroom Delhi (On road around Rs. 1,30,000) which is an outstanding price considering its qualitative parts and European brand. It has all the quality of European brand except one thing, European motorcycle brand premium compared to Japanese motorcycle brand. Duke 200 is just Rs. 10,000 more than the R15 and Rs. 30,000 less than the CBR250R.

Verdict

Duke 200 is an outstanding motorcycle, the only thing which it short fall is a top speed. However, considering a street fighter motorcycle it needs to be quickest rather than fastest and Duke over score competition in this department. If you are ok with top speed this is the motorcycle in 250 cc segment you should go for. So guys, ready to race?

- Mahavir Kothari

Please leave your comment what do you feel about Duke 200?

Technical Specification

Engine Type: Single cylinder, 4-Stroke,
Displacement: 199.50cc
Bore x Stroke (mm):  72 x 49
Compression Ratio: 11.3:1
Maximum Power : 25 bhp @ 10000rpm
Maximum Torque : 19 Nm @ 8000 rpm
Starter/Battery : Electric Starter/12 V
Fuel System: Bosch EFI
Control: DOHC, 4-valve
Engine Management/ Ignition: Bosch EMS
Headlamp:  12V 60/55W H4
Battery:  12V 8AH VRLA
Lubrication: Wet sump
Clutch: Wet multi-disc clutch, mechanically operated
Transmission: 6 Speed, claw shifted
Cooling: Liquid cooling
Frame: Steel Trellis Frame, powder coated
Subframe: steel
Handlebar: Aluminum, tapered 26/22mm
Steering head angle: 65˚
Trail: 100mm
Front Rim Size: Cast aluminum wheels 3.00” x 17”
Front Tyre Size : 110/70 x 17
Rear Tyre Size: 150/60 x 17
Front Brake: Four piston, radially bolted caliper, 280 mm disc
Rear Brake: single piston, floating caliper, 230 mm disc
Front suspension: USD, Telescopic fork, 43mm dia
Rear Suspension: Monoshock
Front fork travel: 150mm
Real monoshock travel: 150mm
Silencer: Stainless Steel Silencer with regulated catalytic converter
Chain: X-Ring 5/8 x ¼”
Fuel Capacity:  11 liters approximately
Kerb Weight: 136 KG
Wheelbase : 1,350 +/- 15 mm
Seat height: 810 mm
Ground Clearance: 165mm

Original Source: Yamaha Fazer Review & Road Test from BikeAdvice.in

All across the globe, Street bikes has got its own fan base and so has the sport bikes for itself. Yamaha holds a pre – dominant position when it comes to both these kinda bikes. Think of street bikes and FZ series will be the first one to strike the gong in your mind. For the sport-bike category, it has to be the inevitable YZF – R15. (What else can one think of other than this?)

But, ever wondered how will a street bike look if it bears a fairing which is basically derived from that of a sport-bike? It’ll be resembling the Indian bike which talks about the ‘Touring Spirit’. Put your collars up for a while if you guessed it right. It has to be the Yamaha Fazer.

The bike sees no change across its entire body and heart (the engine) which is all inherited from the FZ-16 which became a massive hit in the sub – continent by attracting great fans towards the company. Also, the Fazer marks the beginning of a whole new segment by targeting specifically the long distance tourers.

First Impression

Though, the Fazer doesn’t boast of a monstrous look unlike most other European bikes, you need to look at it with an artistic touch to get a glimpse of its macho starring monstrous looks. Our Photographer Sharat tried too hard to get the click in the most appealing angle (as a result of which he made me divert the traffic for him for about 15 min or so!). Finally after puff and pants, I should say that he has indeed been successful to an extent in his attempt. Historic attempt, Oh well that’s just way too much!

The headlamp fairing is what catches your attention on the first sight when taking a look from the front angle. The dual lamp small fairing is the cut down version of the R15’s fairing and matches just perfectly in the given space. For a true macho and an aggressive look, twin lights will always assist in getting the effect accomplished ad the Fazer is a live example for it.  Actually, I‘m the right guy to comment about the Fazer’s looks. You know why? I’ve never been personally impressed so much by the FZ-16 or the FZ-S for that matter. And that’s because I always have a greater affinity and bonding towards sport-bikes. But, I found the Fazer very appealing with a mutual composition of both these looks.

The small fairing is cut at the right place just ahead f the fuel tank’s projection which doesn’t affect the position of your leg in any matter.  I really like this designing. The graphics are also bare minimal and are cool enough to ideally match the bike’s looks. The wind protector above the fort fairing is another style quotient here. Though, it is undersized it does its work brilliantly.

Bangalore Wheels, the Yamaha dealer in Bangalore had offered us the Limited Edition Midnight Black series for our review. This is a masterpiece from the company where aesthetics meets the touring spirit perfectly. As you can see, the rims are matte gold in color with the graphics too in the same color. Cool enough to attract any passer – by in the signal or along heavy traffic.

What is Fazer worth of?

Yamaha India website bring the adage of Fazer to display right out there. It states

• Mountains are what you’ll love to conquer
• You thought it’s just a large piece of sand covered wasteland – think again! Explore now
• Discover the secrets of the sea
• A ride on green woods will lift your spirit.’

This is more than enough to be on familiar terms with what category does the Fazer actually fit itself into ideally.

Engine

Let’s first discuss about the heart of the Fazer, which is nothing but its engine. Its 153cc engine is derived from its sibling FZ-16 without undergoing any tuning for any sort of performance. As with the case of all Yamaha engines, the Fazer also is a zero vibration bike and possesses no engine vibes.

So, no worries on that aspect. The engine doesn’t get exhausted fast with puffs and pants when you rev her up as much as you can. The engine is more frugal and you get to understand it right in the first ride (if you really notice it keenly). The 153cc ‘     -cooled’ engine is ideal along all kinda roads and makes the bike an efficient handler.  The detailed spec list along with that of engine details will be posted towards the end of this post.

Handing

Handling of the Yamaha Fazer has nothing much to talk about. She is not at all a bike meant to be used in a track and hence if you expect such a kind of decent performance, she would greatly be pacified in satisfying you.  The bike handles extremely well in the power band of around 5500 to 6500 rpm. This band will be able to glide the bike in a speed of around 90 kmph without any strain to the engine.  No vibes, no hard pulling nor no roughness. Probably, that’s what the bike is designed for. This is what a guy taking this bike for a long trip would in turn expect from a bike like the Fazer.

Rev it up a little more and the engine starts expressing its unhappiness. But, you gotta be happy that it doesn’t express it in the form of engine vibes. That’s the best part about the Fazer. Absolutely no vibes.   But, you need to rev her up so damn hard and hold it for a long time and that’s when you’ll find her touching a max speed of 119 kmph which is the max. speed she is able to attain. I tried touching 120 but in vain. But, still this is a decent figure for a 150 cc touring bike and one has to be happy and is forced to stay satisfied with it.

Riding Impression

As I took this bike for a ride along the NICE road on the outskirts of Bangalore, I was able to get the feel that she can sustain comfortably for along rides, than compared with the usual and tiresome city rides. On the first note, the handle – bar is pretty wide thereby creating a comfortable riding position and I really found it very useful as we opened her throttle along the open highway. This is something I feel should be a part of all bikes designed for touring purposes.

The mono – shock suspension in the rear does its work brilliantly. As you cruise, this offers an ease of ride which I was able to feel clearly and if you’ve a pillion on your back, then this would make your ride even more enjoyable. Ride the Fazer in the 3^rd gear and you’ll enjoy the way she responds back for your throttle. Every bike will have one gear which is the fun to ride and as mentioned, it is 3^rd for the Fazer.

But, it becomes very clear that this is not the kinda bike that can be used on the tracks owing to its bulkiness, not in terms of weight but in terms of its size.

Seating

The seating position of the Fazer is no different from that of the FZ series.  It is comfortable for both highway cruises and for the city commutes, which is where the Fazer stands a class apart. As with the case of other bikes, the seats are not slippery which prevents you from having a comfortable ride.

The split seat concept is not implemented but there is a considerable difference in height between that if the rider and pillion and this is again not too high making the entire concept uncomfy.

However, lean forward of tuck – in position becomes tough in getting used to in the Fazer, there is a fact that this is not the bike of that kinds, which I’m constantly mentioning for your knowledge.

Performance

There is usually a mindset amongst us that tourers will not be able to deliver great performance. But,  it depends on the way we’re gonna handle her. Agreed that it cannot perform to the greatest but one has to agree that Fazer doesn’t underperform when compared with its rivals.

In fact, it is pretty better than many other rivals in the 150cc segment.  Apart from that, there’s not much to discuss about the bike’s performance here. In short, you can expect same kinda performance what you get outta the FZ-16 or the FZ-S.

Headlamps

Here comes the interesting fact about this bike.  The main notable difference between the FZ-16 (and the FZ-S for that matter) and the fazer is the twin pod headlamp and its fairing which covers it. Any bike would obviously look great with twin headlamps and the Fazer is not gonna be any exception with this fact. In fact that’s what the best part about the Fazer is. But, guess what’s the funniest part here? You can’t turn on both the lamps together. Yes, you seriously can’t do that. That turns out to be a minor flaw. (Or major you call It as).

Yamaha need to upgrade this feature in the Fazers soon. Among the two lamps present, one comes alive when you turn on the low bean switch and the other exclusively for high beams. This concept is unlike the way the headlamps of the R15 work.

I don’t understand the concept of keeping one light dummy and the other active. High time for a change in this aspect and let’s hope Yamaha hears us and incorporate this change in the next breed of bikes.

Instrument Cluster

Again, not much to discuss as this is inherited from its siblings. It’s a fully integrated digital cluster with absolutely no pinch of analog elements surprising us. It has a Fuel-meter, Odometer and the Tachometer combined in an overall package with the Speedo.

You also have the Tripmeter out here. It looks as a great package for a bike like fazer which is targeted for the long tourers.

Brakes

The Fazer comes equipped with disc brakes at the front and the conventional drum brakes for the rear tyre. The front single hydraulic disc does its work brilliantly without a flaw. Brakes in Yamahas have never been an issue worth concern till date. However, it’s high time for the Fazer to be fitted with rear discs as well.

Every other bike in this segment competes with discs for both the tyres and this is a point where Fazer lacks. But, as I say this I should also tell you the fact that the drums handle far better than the way its other competitors handle. There are companies (and this is not the apt place to mention the name) from companies where the discs handle worse than the drums. There’s no sense of dissatisfaction with the rear brakes. However, it’s a suggestion which needs to be heard as we talk about this here and needs to be implemented at the fastest possible time frame.

About The Midnight Special

Let’s also have a few words here mentioned here about the ‘Midnight Special’ edition of Fazer which is basically a limited edition one. This deserves a special place as you can’t get this bike now even if you love it to the core of your heart. There were only 1000 bikes produced as part of this limited edition series and Yamaha stuck on to the figure seriously. What makes this bike unique from the others is the pinch if matte gold color which you find here and there. For instance, the entire graphics in this bike is golden color based which makes it really stand apart, not from its competitors from other brand but from its own color schemes.

As you can see in the pics, both the alloy wheels are matte gold powder coated without much fanfare.  That is something which attracted me towards this bike. This color scheme is available not only for the Fazer, but also for the FZ-16 and the FZ-S range of bikes. The toolbox cover also has the term ‘Midnight Special’ written on it with an attractive macho font.  Then you’ve a small metal strip in the fuel tank where the unique number of your bike is engraved. This makes the bike more special and admirable irrespective of how many ever years you keep this bike for yourself.

The final admiration is the autograph of India’s most admired biker and Bollywood star – John Abraham on the headlamp fairing. Hardcore fans of JA would love possessing one of this limited edition bikes.

Tyres

If it’s any bike in the FZ series, then there has to be a paragraph exclusively dedicated for the tyres of these bikes. The rear tyre is the highlight for this mean bike. The dimension of the rear tyre is ‘140/60-R17’ which makes it one of the widest tyres offered on an Indian bike.

The tyres are tubeless which came in handy for us as we met with a punctured rear tyre along 30 kms off the city limit. The tubeless tyres enabled us to reach till the puncture-wallah ad then get it done. For a bike like Fazer which is designed to cater the needs of tourers, tyres like this would indeed be a boon at times of emergency.  Excellent road – grip is what these set of tyres offer and the confidence level within you goes way too to the fore when you’ve such implausible tyres on your bike. The dimension of the front tyre is 100/80-17 which again does its job executed perfectly without a flaw.

Miscellaneous

There are few other points also to be mentioned here. This is one of the few bikes n the 150cc category which still comes with a kick – starter. Absence of this option has become a hot topic of discussion these days in BikeAdvice forum. For such guys who has got an obsession towards kick – start, this is one of the best option you’ve here in the market.

Then the next point is that here are absolutely no LEDs coming anywhere in the picture. Neither the turn indicators nor the tail lamps are installed with LED lamps.

To mention a word about the gearbox, it is a five speed one which is truly crisp with smooth levers which enables better ride quality and also enhances the same to a greater extent.

The grab- rail is indeed one of the coolest looking in the market.  Though, it’s been quite some time we’ve this in our market, it still looks spanking new which is the prime plus for this bike

Last but not the least, the exhaust talks a tone about the bikes looks. The small yet bulky exhaust has become the identity for this entire series of bikes. The note arising here is sharp and enjoyable. Acts as a style quotient as well, apart from differentiating itself in the battle without losing out itself on the long run.

Fuel Efficiency

For a 153cc bike like the Yamaha Fazer, all that you can expect is a decent figure of 40 – 44 kmpl practically as the Fuel Efficiency. With a heavy rise in city traffic these days, the Fuel Efficiency naturally tends to see a dip.

Color schemes

Yamaha Fazer is available in four color schemes as of now. The schemes being Competition White, Black Cyber Green, Lava Red and the list would tend to become incomplete without mentioning Midnight Black. The bulky body of the Fazer is capable to bear all these paintjobs on her and is able to carry them well. None of the colors really looks odd on the Fazer. Note that Midnight Special scheme is not mentioned in the list.

Price

Coming to ‘P’ factor, the Fazer is made to bear a price tag of INR 74,500 which is the Ex- Showroom price in the city of Delhi. This is marginally expensive for a 150 cc bike. However, taking into consideration the big bike feel which it offers, the amount is worth investing upon.

Conclusion

It is indeed nice to see bikes like Fazer, which are designed to satisfy the inner self of true bikers who believe in the fact that bikes are for long rides. On an overall package, if you want one bike which should be made use of across all kinda lanes, be it city roads or open highways, this is the bike you need to go for . One thing that neds to be assured here is that you certainly get value for the bucks spent here though it is commented to be priced high by many riders.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

I’ve tried my max to cover almost everything about this bike and I assume that I’ve been quite successful in my attempt as well. All that I expect is that my readers should sit back and enjoy the review.

Credits

• Ridden and Reviewed by Naren.
• Photography by Sharat Aryan.
• Test Ride Bike Offered by Bangalore Wheels 

Regards,
M.Naren.
Author – BikeAdvice.in

• For more info like specs, color options etc, visit the Fazer Official Website
• For more high resolution photos visit our Facebook Album

Original Source: CBR 250R Mostly Faster than Kawasaki Ninja 250R, Says MCN Road Test from BikeAdvice.in

MCN, one of the most reputed and popular source of motorcycle news, has conducted a road test to see who amongst CBR 250R and Kawasaki Ninja 250R meets the expectation. As you know that CBR 250R is one of the hot topics discussed these days, MCN decided to conduct a road test between the CBR 250R and Kawasaki Ninja250R. The results of this road test roll out the fact that CBR 250R is mostly faster than Kawasaki Ninja 250R. The results of the test show that Honda’s CBR 250R is somewhat faster than its peer Ninja. Let us now have a look at the main points rolled out during the test.

Let us first take a good look at their engines. The 2011 CBR 250R comes with a single cylinder. The engine has packed in pretty much of innovation like spiny cylinder outer liner, world’s first roller rocker arm on DOHC engine. The displacement of the engine is 250cc and sports 4 valve cylinder producing 25 Bhp at 8,500 rpm and 23 Nm at 7,000 rpm. The Ninja on the other had comes with a cylinder extra, as it is a parallel twin that displaces 250cc and is liquid cooled. Like the CBR, the Ninja’s 250cc engine is liquid cooled, uses four valves per cylinder driven by a DOHC layout. The bike is capable of producing 32Bhp of power at 11,000 rpm and 22Nm at 9500rpm.

Well, the MCN road test seem to portray an altogether different picture of CBR 250R. Many of the riders would think see CBR as a sports cum street bike but the test results show some radically different stats. The road test lay out that Ninja stands out as far as the speed is concerned. Ninja beats CBR comprehensively by 5 Kph as far as the top speed. Apart from top speed there was not any other area where Ninja really outclassed CBR. To sum up, Ninja ruled the top speed criteria while the other areas are kind of dominated by CBR. Take a look at the performance figures of both the bikes below

The other aspects of road test seemed to be ruled by the CBR because of its torquier engine that makes it easier to ride than its peer. In every aspect, including the roll-on timings, the CBR250R noses ahead of the Ninja. The road test tested both the bikes on various criteria like top speed, 0 to 60mph and roll ons. Also an important factor that will lead to increased sale of CBR is its price. Overall, the MCN road test lay out that CBR250R is mostly faster than Kawasaki Ninja 250R.

Original Source: Yamaha Motors to Expand Production Capacity in 2012 from BikeAdvice.in

Hi Readers! To start with here is wishing all the readers a very happy and prosperous new year. Now for the news; two wheeler maker Yamaha Motors is aiming to expand its production capacity in 2012. Yamaha announced on Saturday that they are planning to expand their production capacity to as much as one million units in 2012 (guess this is not their New Year’s resolution which eventually gets stale by timeJ). All in all, Yamaha India is aiming to sky rocket their production capacity to a million units by the end of 2012.

Yamaha Motors was silent about the investment part but they said that the sales figures have really improved.  The company said that the sales for the past month stood at 44976 units (domestic- 33290 and exports- 11686) as against 34896 units (domestic 26567 and exports 8272 units) in the same period of 2010. The last month witnessed a 29% growth in sales figures. Yamaha has decided to continue with their plans of increasing production capacity because the aims at attaining the top spot in the Indian two wheeler market. Earlier in November 2011, Mr. Suzuki (CEO, Yamaha Motors) said that the company was in a severe condition and would break even by 2013 as they are planning to increase their production capacity. Keeping in mind the great demand for Yamaha products, Suzuki said that the company aims to sell at least 10 lakh vehicles in domestic market by 2014.

Yamaha motors did not reveal either the investment required or their plan as to how are they going to achieve their goal of producing as much as a million units. All in all, we can just assume that Yamaha is still planning and the true picture as to the execution of this humongous task will come out a bit later. We hope and pray that Yamaha gets what they wish for in this new year of success. Finally I would like to wish each one of the Bike Advice readers a “Very Happy New Year” and all the “Success”.

Original Source: BunBurner 1500 on a Ninja 250R and CBR250R from BikeAdvice.in

In Brief this is what we have done…

1. M. Sriharsha (ME) – Kawasaki NINJA250R – Completed BB2500K and SS1600K
2. N. Ramvarma – Honda CBR 250R – Completed BB2500K and SS1600K
3. K. Abhinav Santhosh – Kawasaki NINJA250R – Completed SS1600K

We would like thank Vinu S.V. who is fondly called as MADMAX by the bikers of Hyderbad. He is the first one in Andhra Pradesh to do SS1600k and the first one from the entire South India to have done BB2500k, he is the one who helped us a lot in the planning stage as well as during the ride and he is the one who inspired and encouraged us to do this wonderful feat. Want to see you breaking many more records.

How it all Began

Me (Harsha), Ram and Abhinav shared the common hunger for biking and we were unable to satisfy ourselves with normal weekend rides/speed run. To satisfy our hunger to be on tarmac we did interstate rides but still we werent satisfied and yea more is never enough. Its then we got to know about the IBA which focuses on endurance riding and certifies the bikers for attempting their rides.

It’s then we decided to give it a shot and then we started planning for this big ride. First we planned to SS1600k for which we need to 1600kms under 24 hours but later we felt it to be quite easy and its then we decided to move on to the next level that is Bunburner 2500K in which we need to cover 2500kms under 36 hours. Then we started searching for route and in mean while Vinu attempeted this ride and completed his ride successfully and we consulted him and finallly decided on the route.

Route Choosen: Hyderabad – Kanyakumari – Hyderabad – Chegunta

Then came another question of choosing the start time, since its going to be a 36 hours ride we have two options to choose i.e to ride on 2 days & 1 night or 2 nights & 1 day, as we are comfortable in riding night and if we choose day we need to to encounter Bangalore traffic which eats lot of time so we decided to choose 2 nights & 1 day and we also fixed the dates for the ride which suits three of us. A week before the ride we got our bikes serviced and did a couple hundred kms to ensure that everything is ok with our bikes.

We picked up redbulls, choclate bars, glucose sachets, wet tissues, dry tissues (to clean visors), waterbottles (to carry extrafuel), first aid kit, bungeenets, few spares, engine oil..etc and prepared ourselves for the ride physically as well as mentally. We decided not to over speed in order to avoid any unfortunate circumstances and decided to keep ourselves cool keeping the aspect of safety in mind

The D-day (23-11-2011)

We reached the fuel station by 6:30 P.M. got the witness forms signed, took pics, tanked up the bikes, took pics of odo meter and collected the ATM receipts and we started from fuel stop exaclty at 7:05 P.M, just 15 mins after the start of our ride there was a road block because a politician was arriving which took half n hour of time still we didn’t hurry up and started riding at comfortable speeds and we reached Kurnool (which is 220kms away from Hyderabad) which is our first fuel stop and we tanked up bikes and completed formalities by taking the pics of odometer, bike and collected the electronic receipts and resumed our ride, then we again stopped at Anantapur (150kms from kurnool) which is our second fuel stop we stopped here because we couldn’t find many 24hr petrol pumps in between Anantapur and Bangalore. After finishing the formalities at Anantapur we resumed the ride again and headed towards Bangalore.

As we reached the outskirts of Bangalore city we started encountering numerous speed-breakers (I would prefer to call them as speed-mountains) thus we were forced to decrease our speeds drastically, In addition to that we got confused with the route in Bangalore luckily as it was night we didn’t loose much time, sooner we were on the correct route and again we stopped at hosur for fuel and it took nearly 7hrs for us to reach Hosur from Hyderabad which is not bad by any standards, then we munched few choclate bars cleaned our visors, finished the formalities at bunk and then again we were back on saddle with cool mind as were ahead of time-plan, then again we stopped at namakkal for the fuel stop.

Its then abhinavs bike started behaving weirdly, the temparature needle didnt want to come down but we saw nothing unusal and kept riding. After 10 kms Abhinav pulled over the bike and complained that he could smell something burning, then three of us pulled over side of the road and then we saw smokes coming from the bike, we three were tensed then. Took out the torch light and along with the help of bikes headlight (it was pitch dark then) we removed the fairing of the bike fastly without getting our fingers burnt only to find out that there was coolant spill over the engine block.

Then Abhinav called to the PBK mechanic of Hyderabad showroom and explained him the situation he suggested to let the bike cool down and continue the ride. We let the bike to cool for half an hour and then fixed the fairing back and started to ride again and again abhinav noticed smoke coming from the bike. Then we made few calls to the mechanic and we realised that it couldnt be fixed there. Its then Abhinav decided to call of his ride and to make it a SaddleSore 1600k and urged me and Ram to continue with BB2500k.

With nothing left to do me and Ram started riding towards Kanyakumari. After riding for some good 100kms Ram found something falling off from my bike and then he signalled me to stop the bike, after coming to halt we were surprised to see the bolt which holds the exhaust to the bike is missing and exhaust was hanging without any support.then Ram using his DIY skills and with the help of hooks of bungee nets he gave support to the exhaust and thus this issue was fixed but it half an hour which is a lot of time especially in this kind of rides! then the ride was smooth and we reached Madurai where we decided stop for fuel stop filled up the tanks, collected receipts, took photographs and resumed our ride again.

We were smiling inside as we were able to keep up with our planned time despite of the time we lost because of the mechanical problems but nature has some surprise for us, suddenly it started raining which reduced our speeds drastically which continued for 50kms after which rain disappeared (thanks to our stars!) it was smooth ride afterwards and we were welcomed to Kanyakumari by the sight of huge windmills and we entered Kanyakumari which was our u-turnpoint fuelled up the bikes, took all the pics, electronic receipts along with ATM bills and headed towards highway, we pulled our bikes to side to take some rest. Then we topped up the engine oil, lubed chains, streched bodies, muched few chocs along with redbull and glucose and started from there at 11:00 A.M on 24-11-2011

Meanwhile we called up Abhinav and found that he was somewhere past Hosur and lots of traffic, and reached reached the toll gate of elevated flyover at 11.45am with a smile hoping he’d be able to complete the SS1600 as he had 500km and 7 hours left to complete them. Once on the flyover he switched on his GPS and plotted the course to Bangalore New Airport and voila! The GPS guided him through thick and thin without a single mistake on its part but it was tough for him to cope with the sheer volume of traffic on ridiculously congested roads with construction happening left right and centre.

Finally holding his nerve, he reached new town Yelahanka petrol station at around 1pm and luckily so as his bike was on reserve much before he reached Yelahanka! He took his time to regain his composure, made a few calls to Ram, Vinu and loved ones, had couple of red bulls, mars bars and washed his face as well as not forgetting to take photos. More than anything he rested his bike for one hour before he made his way back to home sweet home but not before doing the math that he still had around 450km to cover in 5 hours which even on a good day is a challenge! hoping that everything goes good with Abhinav we started the return leg of our ride!

Me and Ram stopped at Madurai to fill up the tanks and we headed towards Salem which is the end point of our SS1600k. We reached salem with around 4 P.M by which we completed SS1600k with 3 hours left and we were very happy and confident that we will be able to complete BB2500k with an ease as we were left with 700kms which we should complete under 14 hrs which seemed to be a peice of cake, then we started riding towards Banglore and at the same time fatigue started to set in, so we took few breaks in middle to have tea and to have the food we were carrying and we reached banglore at 7:00 P.M and stopped at a fuel stop in banglore, called up Abhinav and by that time he reached Hyderabad thus finsihing the SaddleSore1600k.

Then we were left with 12 hrs in which we should complete close to 600kms, then we tanked up the bikes and headed towards Hyderabad from the middle of Banglore, its then we tasted the Banglore traffic, it took us nearly 3 hrs to reach the outskirts of banglore considering the fact that its the peak traffic time and at the same time we were not well versed with route of Banglore and thus we reached Banglore outskirts by 10:00 P.M.

Then we were left with 550kms which is to be covered under 9 hours, then we kept on riding till Anantapur where we filled up tanks and finished our formailites then the time was somwhere close to 12:00 midnight, so we should cover some good 350kms under 7 hours, but slowly fatigue started showing up and its then we decided not at all to risk ourselves so we took ample breaks whenever we felt sleepy (we stopped for every 30kms till we reach Kurnool), then we stopped by a tea stall had 2 cups of strong tea and then we running tight on time and dont know what happend to us sleep dissapeared and the only thing in our mind was to complete the BB and reach home safely and after that point we never got sleep. We reached hyderabad by 5:OO A.M on 25-11-2011 and soon we reached Chegunta (which is 50kms from Hdyerabad) which was our end point for BB2500k at 6:00 A.M ,took the atm reciepts which had the time and date stamp took the pics of the odo meter and thus the challenge is done!

The seemingly impossible obstacles have been overcome! Months of planning, days of efforts and there they are! It is an ecstatic moment and our hunger for tarmac was satisfied temporarily though and thus…

• Abhinav completed SS1600k (1600km in 24 hours)
• Harsha completed SS1600k and BB2500k (1600km in 24 hours and 2500km in 36 hours)
• Ram completed SS1600k and BB2500k (1600km in 24 hours and 2500km in 36 hours)
• The END (I guess some real stories do have a happy ending after all)

Ram in his own words “After I bought my CBR in May, I met some really interesting people (read bikers). Initially I found them to be just bikers but soon after a couple of weeks got to know them more and more. End conclusion was that they’re much more than just bikers. I saw the real meaning of brotherhood. Now we (bikers from Hyderabad) are a family. We hang out every so often, whenever possible not just to talk about the bikes but we end up doing much more”.

Harsha in his own words “This itch began for me when I did an interstate ride along with Abhinav but at that time I couldnt proceed as no one from AP have done it till then,but after Vinu have done both BB2500 and SS1600, I got confidence and then I decided to do it. I couldn’t risk doing something like this solo and I don’t think I’ll be able to find two great friends ever! Meeting these like minded individuals was a no brainer in the beginning but we now end up meeting for things like dinner, movies and even for companionship 24/7”.

Abhinav in his own words “I wanted to do this for myself and not for a certificate from the IBA, I just wanted to push myself and know my limits but when doing these it was very important to have friends who’re there for me, always! I made some great friends in the process, Kiran who’s helped us out like no other during Harsha’s crash and during mine. People sharing the same passions tend to transcend the boundaries of friendship much faster and I’m grateful for this. In all Harsha and Ram are more than just great friends to me”.

- Harsha Sree

Original Source: Suzuki Access 125 Vs. Honda Activa from BikeAdvice.in

Honda Activa and Suzuki Access are the two premium scooters in the Indian market which has the maximum demand. Since these two scooters are from the same country – Japan; and since both the companies have their own reputation, it is often hard to decide which bike to buy.

In this post I will try to help you choose the best. And the best judge are our readers! So in to following poll, please vote for the the scooter you prefer.

Both these scooters have a 4 stroke single cylinder air cooled engine. Access has a 124cc engine while Honda Activa has only a 109cc engine. But both these engines are extremely refined and serve the purpose. From a research we conducted, the most commonly reported mileage of Activa is 40kmpl with extremities ranging from 35kmpl to 45kmpl. The mileage of Suzuki Access is a little bit less with the average being 37.5kmpl and extremities ranging from 33kmpl to 43 kmpl.

Ownership Reviews:

• Suzuki Access 125 Review by Venkata
• Honda Activa Ownership Experience by Siddharth

Also leave a comment explaining why you chose one scooter over the other.

Regards,
Deepak Raj

Original Source: TVS Apache RTR Hyper Edge Review by Manoj from BikeAdvice.in

I had purchased my Apache RTR Hyper Edge in November, 2010 just a month after its actual launch in the market. It has taken 2 days of waiting period being from Chennai. Prior to this, I have done a lot of homework on different machines (bikes) to decide up on RTR of course. Initial days during this research (what I call), I was having different feelings on different bikes. And I don’t mind to say that every bike is different and has got its own pluses & minuses.

You need to prioritize on what features your heart responds before going for any bike in that case. My heart was always on to the throttle response & pickup and you know that RTR is the best in these segments. Of course you need to check up on other things such as mileage, torque, pickup, maintenance, reliability, service etc before freezing. The above mentioned factors matched up well with the RTR. New graphics were added advantages to the bike and finally I have opted for it.

Experience with the Monster

It has been more than a year since RTR Hyper Edge has entered my family and I still remember my first ride with my Hyper Edge. Prior to this I have ridden & owned bikes of other manufacturers but let me say this RTR is ‘real a monster’. The throttle response and pick up are the ever rejoicing experiences and frankly speaking for anyone new to this bike needs to manage in its first gear and it has taken a week for me to adjust to its initial pickup. Now coming in to the technical aspects of it, being a mechanical engineer I will include certain rare facts about it in the trailing sentences.

Manufacturer promised mileage is 48kmpl and you know it is calculated / calibrated by keeping ideal conditions of road, load, wind, margin for design etc while proposing the mileage. So, forget about what the manufacturer has promised. In the span of its purchase to first service, my Hyper Edge was delivering at 43-48kmpl (driven in speeds not exceeding 50 kmpl) and let me remind this span of first 500 kms is very crucial for any machine for that matter to get adjusted to the conditions like ambient, riding etc. After the first service the mileage has varied to a lower figure (never less than 38kmpl till now) as you can rip apart the monster and I think one buys such bike to rip and not for the mileage. If mileage is your priority please shift to splendors or ct 100 s. 38Kmpl is pretty decent in this segment when you are actually raping the bike.

Manufacturer specifies a top speed of 116- 120 kmph and actually it delivers a little more than that i.e 121 – 123 kmph when ridden single and 110 – 115kmph when ridden with pillion passenger (depends on load i.e weight of persons, drag due to wind etc).

Stability wise RTR is good in normal dry conditions and because of TVS tires; the stability is less in wet or rainy conditions. People normally associate RTR producing vibes at speeds between 60kmph & 80kmph. I too encounter vibes but not complying with speeds but with RPM i.e from 4500 rpm to 5000rpm especially in 4^th gear and after that it is normal. What so ever the reason may be, it does not bother me much as other bikes of this segment produce vibes or resistance after 80kmph and for that matter RTR crosses 100kmph with ease & roar, thanks to its engine.

Service is another issue which is very important for any bike. RTR has to be serviced for every 3000km and you will notice by yourself that your RTR has reached service period as the vibrations increase (4500 rpm range), chain loosens up etc. Literally saying you will feel a little bit uneasy riding without being service. These are common for any bike of course. But mileage of the RTR will never drastically decrease as the machine can take the beating even without servicing for another 1000 to 1500 km or so.

The rear suspension of RTR is a bit hard when compared to other bikes such as FZ s etc but can be adjusted depending on the road conditions (no mechanic required) as there exists a provision for 4 level adjustments.

The braking is also a bit hard and has no issue with the braking effectiveness. I have once (rainy day) encountered a road mishap and thanks to its brakes, I escaped with no injuries. The bike’s wind guard or visor was broken and the side indicator was damaged and the replacement with repair costed me just around Rs 600/-.

Conclusion

If your heart beats for throttle response, pick up just go for RTR and unleash your racing DNA.

Specifications

• Model: TVS Apache RTR 160 Hyper Edge.
• Date of purchase: 11.11.2010.
• On Road price: 72,000/- approx (Chennai).
• Servicing complete: 5 No.
• Odometer Reading: 15956 km.
• Top Speed recorded: 121kmph @ 10000rpm.
• Parts replaced in this 1 year: Indicator lamp, Wind shield, Front disc brake shoe.
• Additional accessories installed: Centralized digital locking system, Bosch Horns.

For any other details, I can be reached by manojnamadhu@yahoo.co.in

- Manoj

Original Source: Mahindra Duro DX 125 Review & Test Ride from BikeAdvice.in

“Mahindra, as we all know, is one company which banks heavily upon customer feedback a lot, which is clearly visible in all their products. A little less known in this two wheeler business, they continue this practice coming here as well. After three years in this business, we have at least got one hang of this company – its mindset of continuous improvement on existing products.

Towards the end of last month, we were invited by Mahindra where they unveiled the latest ‘improvement’ of their existing 125cc scooter Duro, christened as Duro DX – an idea probably taken from Honda. HMSI is known for this ‘DX’ (rather ‘DLX’) badging on their vehicles which are mostly not more than added stickerworks and jazzy paintjobs (which obviously are charged extra).

However, Mahindra has gone a little ahead and has promised a lot more than mere cosmetic enhancements with this added ‘DX’. So, what has changed and do the changes really bring a fruitful result on the Duro? Let our author Saad Khan talk about it, in-depth!” – Deepak, BikeAdvice.in

Mahindra Duro DX 125 Review & Test Ride

Back in November 2009, I had test ridden the Duro (along with its brethren Rodeo) and I was surprisingly impressed by the scooter. It served as a very promising tool for all kinds of zesty point A to B transport. I also had written about the shortcomings and it seems Mahindra was reading it all through to prepare a list of “All what needs to be upgraded/improved” before beginning their project Duro DX. During the course of this article you would also understand the gravity of homework Mahindra has put in this evolved model. Also, I would refer to the existing Duro as ‘STD’ (as in standard) for clear demarcation. What’s the wait then? Let’s talk!

Styling, Build & Design

Majorly inspired from the Kinetic Nova 135, little changes have been made in the overall styling of Duro DX over the standard existing standard version. Starting from the front – the most striking change you would notice is the revamped headlamp which was rectangular on the STD version.

The headlamp on the DX version looks largely inspired from the rival Suzuki’s Access 125 and now forms a broad octagonal kinda shape with curvier edges. ‘Mahindra’ logo also rests a little lower on the chest of the scooter which was almost on the neck on the STD model. The logo decal itself is a little changed as well: earlier one was hollow and the new one is on black base. Stickerwork is gone from the front and only ‘Mahindra Duro’ written in vertical gets place. Coming sideways, the scooter remains identical largely with little tinkering done to the decals.

The grab rails are also changed and the new ones are more basic in nature from the jazzy double layered earlier ones on the STD version. At the back, ‘Mahindra’ badging moves up with the company logo as well. Side decals now include “125 DX” under “Mahindra Duro” tag.

As internal as I could see, even the ‘PowerScooter’ tag is nowhere to be found on the scooter. Another addition to the scooter’s looks enhancement goes to the MRF Nylogrip Zappers, seriously. One little downer as far as styling part goes is the inclusion of 4 point mounting on the wheels. While the STD variant’s 3 point mounted wheels looked more stylish with an ‘alloy wheels’ kind of appearance, the DX’s looks more conventional scooter wheels. I, somehow, also happen to see a bare basic looking Duro STD variant without any stickers (apart from the company and model name) sometime back and it looked gorgeous in white. Mahindra has cut down on the stickers on the DX variant and it does help a lot on the styling front.

I have always liked vehicles with minimal or no additional jazzywork. The Duro DX definitely looks more proportionate and striking than the existing STD variant, its leaner and smarter. Build quality has also definitely increased with better quality of paintwork and plastics. The tinee-minee gaps are also not many to find and the overall packing work seems to have been done with proper care. Fit and finishing does seem to be a step ahead.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Engine, Performance & Mileage

While testing the existing Duro STD, I was very impressed by its engine response. The 124.6cc engine remains largely the same producing 8 bhp of power and 9Nm of healthy torque peaking at 7000 rpm and 5500 rpm respectively and now features a dual curve Digital Ignition which, according to Mahindra is a big difference in the new Duro DX as it enhances the power delivery along with being more fuel efficient.

I tried to extract the same result from the new engine; however, I found that the keenness to move forward is a little traded off for fuel efficiency, which would have been one major goal of Mahindra. Another reason of this difference was the increase in weight of the scooter: it has grown fatter by a wholesome 9 kgs and as a result the new DX variant does lose out on the agility with respect to the existing STD version. While the initial push from standstill is really one trait I like about this engine, the scooter feels a little lethargic on mid to mid-higher revs when compared to the STD version.

Duro DX manages to hop from naught to 30 kmph really keenly, power after that is also decent till 50 kmph, but that’s probably the end somewhere there! Anything over 60 kmph and you are in for a teatime run. The scooter takes its own sweet little time to gather momentum and speed. I could also hear some kind of noise for an instant when the scooter is throttled madly from standstill. Probably a unit related issue, I would passby. On inclines, Duro DX needs efforts to keep it in increasing momentum.

However, the load carrying capability of the scooter is one real big boon for our kind of usage. I, fortunately, got an opportunity to ride with a pillion for a short duration and seriously did not find any significant drop in the response of the engine. Duro DX feels as eager to move forward as with only a solo rider. Engine note just after the start is a little higher, but settles down to a smoother echo once in motion. Though not in the leagues of the japs, still, engine feel is also fairly refined at all revs. At higher revs also, vibrations are kept minimum. Ride quality is very good and provides for a plush and non-tiring experience. The speedo indicated top speed I could achieve was 75 kmph on a straight road, did not account the speeds downhill.

A few of the most reported issues by customers also included lower and inconsistent fuel efficiency from Duro. Mahindra seems to have taken a deep note of it (Dual curve ignition is probably based on the same thought) and the figures under IDC (Indian Driving Conditions stand at 53 kmpl. If these figures are an indication of anything we could deduce, it would be a fantastic bargain if this scoot returns anything around 45kmpl.

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Convenienece & Comfort

Duro DX comes with a host of conveniences and smart features like…

• Bigger fuel tank:There are scooters in the market with front fuelling including the little sister – Rodeo, however, the loss is a lower capacity fuel tank. With Duro, you get a large 6 liter capacity petrol tank. With an expected fuel efficiency figures of 45-46kmpl, a rider can ride freely till 270-275 kms before the need for refueling.
• Larger Storage Space: Though a little lower than Rodeo’s 22 liters, Duro DX’s storage space at 20 liters is large and generous to store a full size helmet neatly along with a decent sized ladies purse.
• Front Storage compartment: Mahindra has used the available space to the scooters advantage. While other companies provide the front storage at an additional charge, it is standard on the Duro DX. Though not large, but it is useful for carrying a men’s wallet, mobile plus a little more of such tiny stuff. Plus, it doesn’t hinder the legs in any way.
• Higher scooter neck: One little thing which I noticed was the obstruction larger human knees do to the handle bar during more than acute handle turns on normal scooters. Mahindra has ensured that this is not the case with Duro DX. I, at slightly higher than 5’9” was really comfortable with my knees having adequate gap with the handlebar ends.
• Massive Leg room: One big advantage with the Duro DX is its ample amount of leg room. As I have mentioned earlier, a user can carry a substantially larger entity at the front in cases of need.
• Broader Seat: Mahindra informed us that they considered 40 seat (designs) before putting the current one! Good job I must say. I found the seat comforting and padded enough just that the pointed-ness starts a little too early and it might have been slightly better with wider base at the front. Nonetheless, cushioning is good and you will not get exhausted even after long rides, I didn’t.

• Broader Headlamp: The broader headlamp which adds to the looks of the scooter also adds to the safety point of view of the scooter. However, since it was all bright in the day, we could not test the brightness but as promised by Mahindra, both the length and width of throw of light is said to have increased.
• Brake Lever Lock: Now this is one thing which should have been here at the first place! Come on Mahindra, it took you two decades to bring this basic safety feature on your scooter. Anyways, Duro DX does come with a brake lock lever to block your scooter to roll over when parked on an incline.
• Fantastic Rear View Mirrors: Now these have to be really one of the best rear view mirrors I would have seen in scooters. Fantastically functional, they give you a complete view of whats happening ‘behind your back’.
• Upright seating posture: While larger human souls find it tougher to spread their legs on normal scooters, Duro DX provides them with enough to stretch and the seating posture remains very upright with almost every organ rightly placed. Seating posture is pretty comfortable.

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Instrumentation & Overall Behavior

The looks of the all analogue instrument cluster have changed. In place of the rounded white background speedo and fuel gauge on the existing Duro, the newer Duro DX has a neater all black and all in one theme. The speedo calibrated till an optimistic 120 kmph redlines at anything over 80 kmph. The fuel gauge and upper beam indicator are housed in this oval shaped housing. To either of the sides are placed the respective side blinker indicators. I liked the earlier one; I like the console more on the Duro DX. It’s simple and elegant.

Mahindra is promoting the longer wheelbase of Duro DX which measures 1270 mm, however, the wheels have come closer by 20mm from Duro STD (1290 mm). Still, Duro DX has one of the longest wheelbases among scooters. With this huge a gap between both the tyres, cornering does take a setback but the inclusion of much needed better tyres help a lot, a lot I say! As we have advised in our Duro STD roadtest, all the scooters which Mahindra has given to journos, were shod with very functional MRF Nylogrip Zappers. The end result is better handling scooter and phenomenal grip at almost all conditions. Under extremely sudden braking, the scooter remained very poised and did not lose control at all. This was not the case with the earlier CEAT Secura loaded Duro STD versions and the DX version definitely has a much better braking bite. When asked about this change, Mahindra said that based on availability with different vendors these scooters might come with other tyres as well. However, I sincerely suggest them to stick with MRF Nylogrip Zappers on all their variants. Also, the side stand is not very ergonomically placed, rider has to stretch his legs forward (a little more than needed) to reach out to pull it in action.

Another massive change is the inclusion of telescopic shock absorbers in place of the conventional unit link on the Duro STD. This makes a world of good to the scooter. It is better at shock absorption, better at handling and cornering, more stable at high speeds and provides the much needed cushion from the spine braking Indian roads.

A vast majority of Duro users complained about the lower ground clearance (140mm) of Duro and as a result, the new scooter is raised a little. The new figure provided by Mahindra tells that Duro DX stands 155mm taller from the ground. Though this is a considerable 15mm gain but still lesser than Suzuki Access’ figure of 160mm. Digging a little deeper, we understand that the figure reported in ‘On the wheels and without riders’ which really doesn’t make much of a sense. According to Mahindra, when we have a single rider weighing 75 kgs riding, the Access goes lower by as much as 26mm but Duro’s ground clearance falls only by 8mm. When both the scooters are loaded with a total weight of 150 kgs of a rider and pillion (both weighing 75 kgs) Access goes as low as 114mm above the ground whereas Duro DX stands as taller as 127mm. I would second this because the suspension does seem to be stiffer. However, the end result of the raised ground clearance is an increased saddle height: Yes, saddle height stands taller by 20mm at 790mm. Along with this, a chubbier weight increment of 9 kgs (kerb weight is now 114 kgs) it would make Duro DX a little uncomfortably taller and heavier for females, definitely a not so welcome move by Mahindra.

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

BikeAdvice Verdict

With a plethora of changes – both favorable and not so favorable, I would put the ball in Mahindra’s court. If they can price this reasonably and sensibly they have a very good product in hand, else things might backfire. No doubt that Duro DX, with all its added enhancements, is a better product than Duro STD, and a very very competent one with respect to the competition. But it’s the pricing which matters a lot here.

With the indications given to us, Duro STD would continue to exist and this means that Mahindra is planning to keep Duro DX as a higher variant of Duro obviously at a premium. Both Suzuki’s Access and Honda’s Activa retail at a price bracket of 51-52k on road Pune and the existing Duro STD sells at 48k. This leaves us with a very little room for Mahindra to play with.

Ideally, Mahindra should discontinue the STD version and launch the DX at similar prices and a difference of 4k is enough to give this scooter the much needed USP. But if Mahindra has other plans (which they do have), they have to leave a major part of the success factor of this product in taking advantage of competition’s heavenly waiting periods and investing heavily and innovatively in marketing this aloud.

As we were told, Mahindra plans to launch Duro DX latest by the second week of December 2011 and announce the pricing only then. We are as eager as you might be, in knowing what lies ahead, but to reveal the true fact, Duro does have it in it to enhance Mahindra’s sales tally manifold as a product, rest lies on company’s strategies and policies. This is one family scooter which can carry heavier pillion with relative ease, can lug around with more stuff is expected to be frugal and above all, it would give you a better ride.

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Likes

• Initial push
• Telescopic Shockups
• Brighter broader headlamp
• MRF tyres
• Braking
• Handling
• Storage space
• Torque
• Rear View Mirrors

Dislikes

• Increased weight
• Mid & high range
• Possible price increase over STD variant taking away the VFMness of the product
• Increased saddle height

Original Source: Ducati 1199 Panigale – Preview from BikeAdvice.in

Ultimate performance, excellent technology, attractive personality, action-packed design: on track or on road, there’s nothing to beat the Ducati’s newly launched 1199 Panigale. Let’s now look at some features available with this red beauty. Ducati has launched three different models of 1199. The first one is 1199 Panigale.

1199 Panigale

This model is equipped with new aluminium front suspension forks and innovative mounting design at rear suspension unit. This version is also equipped with DTC, DQS, EBC and Power Mode combined into the Ducati Riding Modes. The 1199 Panigale is available in standard configuration with optional ABS.

1199 Panigale S

The 1199 Panigale S is equipped with damping controlled suspension, both on the front and on the rear. This model also equipped with adjustable steering damper. In addition, the model moves on super lightweight forged and machined wheels as used in Lamborghini’s cars, a carbon fibre front mudguard, full LED headlights and an “Aero kit”, which is an addition of wider fairing top-section. Other working systems are just like 1199 Panigale.

1199 Panigale S Tricolore

The 1199 Panigale S Tricolore version rejoice the arrival of the new generation Superbike, fitted with ABS as standard and sporting the proud Italian colours of red, white and green on the same bike.

The distinctive model carries the same equipment as the S version with the addition of the new generation DDA+ with special GPS lap time function as well as titanium racing muffler kit by Ducati Performance.

So now, let us look at to some extraordinary engineering features adopted by Ducati for 1199 Panigale.

Engine Based Frame Technology

The 1199 Panigale’s chassis represents a pioneering frame design in the history of bike industry. The frame designed for Panigale is unification of condensed and lightweight element. The Superquadro engine itself is main stress member of the frame, and forms an engine based frame design where engine itself acts as an integral part of frame and carries various load.

The engine based frame is directly attached to the cylinder heads of the Superquadro engine, obtruding the engine forward to assemble the steering system. This arrangement helps to generate more space for the airbox, which got sheltered and preserved under the lightweight aluminium fuel tank.

Suspensions

The electronic front suspensions used on Panigale is fully adjustable with respect to spring length and damping ratio. These suspension tuning can be made either by using the pre-programmed Riding Modes, or in independent mode, which allows riders to generate and use their own special combinations.

The rear suspension of the 1199 Panigale features a smart and convenient side-mounting instead of central monocross. This mounting helps to increase room for the rear cylinder head, which has been tilted more towards the rear to concentrate the mass. The exclusive positioning of rear suspension provides more free length of spring against pre-loading conditions and also helps to adjust seat elevation according to rider’s height.

Braking System

Ducati 1199 Panigale uses the four pistons callipers, two pistons on each side of the front disc. 330 mm diameter front discs allow quick heat rejection to attain stunning braking performance. The 1199 Panigale carries a very newest and for sport adjusted ABS to allow full combination with the three different programmed Riding Modes.

This ABS operates with the latest generation 9ME Bosch processor. When kept in Race mode, the system applies full ABS on the front wheel only. This allows the rider to have braking drift on the rear wheel during extreme riding conditions on race track. This ABS system also possesses a sophisticated and precise “Rear lift-up” sensor to measure the rear wheel lift. This sensor reads and feeds the lifting amount of rear wheel to the processor to avoid stoppie. Obviously this is done to avoid power loss as well as saving lap time.

Just like BMW’s DDC technology, this electronic combination of front and rear brakes, enables shorter braking distances by optimising brake force allotment between two wheels.

Wheel And Tyre

The 1199 Panigale comes loaded with newly designed 10-spoke wheels in 90 mm front rim width and 154 mm rear. All 1199 Panigale editions come with the Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP tyres. The front tyre has the same dimensions as other superbikes have which is 120/70 ZR17.

One extraordinary observable component on Panigale is its widest rear tyre ever used for any Ducati superbike. The designation for that widest rear tyre is 200/55 x ZR17. According to Ducati designers, this rear tyre is specially designed for accurate road holding and cornering. The rear widest tyre is to increases the contact patch area and vehicle speed at the time of turning to save the lap time consumed during racing.

Instrumentation Panel

One of the most attractive features of 1199 Panigale is its TFT (Thin Film Transistor) screen. Each and every reading is available on this screen while riding 1199 Panigale. These readings include speed, total distance travelled, lap time, gear indicator, temperatures, traction control modes, ABS modes, riding modes, quick shift ON/ OFF and engine braking ON/ OFF.

This panel can be used as a control panel to apply the appropriate settings in different systems like ABS, suspension, traction control etc when the 1199 Panigale is inactive. It is just like a touch screen computer working along with Bosch processor.

Ducati Traction Control (DTC)

The Ducati Traction Control (DTC) offers a choice of tractive effort output for the rider with which he wants to drive the Panigale. There are total eight different programmed contours are available for rider. Rider can choose any one according to his confidence level and experience. Rider can also change this traction control output during riding, no need to stop the enjoyment of Panigale.

Engine Brake Control (EBC)

We already have gone through this advanced feature available with Superquadro engine in its preview. The Engine Brake Control (EBC) system controls vehicle immovability under extreme riding conditions by balancing the torque applied to the rear wheel. EBC monitors throttle opening, gear selection and crankshaft speed rate and manages accurate throttle openings to balance the torque acting on the tyre.

Ducati Quick Shift (DQS)

This is the most favourable feature introduced by Ducati in Panigale for Moto GP drivers. The Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) system is small electronic system to let the rider to hold the throttle open when changing the gears. This helps to save very important fractions of a second in the chase of quicker lap times.

Reference: Ducati Official website

Regards,
Dhruv Panchal
Author – BikeAdvice.in