Posts

Showing posts from December, 2018

Royal Enfield Bullet 350 And 500 Trials Scrambler Images Leaked

Image
Rumours have been rife about Royal Enfield bringing a Scrambler-styled motorcycle next year to the Indian market and while it was expected to be a new 650 cc offering, the latest set of leaked images say otherwise. According to the latest images emerged online, Royal Enfield is working on the Scrambler version of the Bullet 350 and 500 that is likely to go on sale in the first half of 2019. To be badged as the Royal Enfield Bullet Trials 350 and 500, the bikes look identical to the ones we've spotted testing in the past and will come with an upswept exhaust, knobby tyres, single seat, among other changes. The Royal Enfield Bullet 350 Trials gets a red frame and an Interceptor 650 inspired fuel tank With the popularity of scramblers globally, it should not come as a surprise that Royal Enfield is looking to tap into the potential. The Trials edition has been on sale internationally for years now as customisable kits for the standard models. The leaked images reveal most noticea...

Upcoming Bikes Of 2019: Top Modern Classic Bikes

Image
The year 2019 will see quite a few modern classic bikes which will be launched in India. British motorcycle brand Triumph Motorcycles will launch a whole new range of modern classics in the Triumph Bonneville family. But there will also be some affordable, made-in-India modern classic bikes. From the Royal Enfield Scrambler 500, the Jawa Perak to British the new Triumph Street Twin, Street Scrambler and Speed Twin models, here's a look at all the upcoming modern classic bikes which will be launched in 2019. Royal Enfield Scrambler 500 The upcoming Royal Enfield Scrambler 500 has already been spotted while being tested on the public roads, and also at a dealership. The RE Scrambler 500 will be certainly launched in 2019, and earlier than you think, in all likelihood by the first quarter of 2019. The motorcycle will be the first Royal Enfield Scrambler and will be based on the Royal Enfield Classic 500. So, expect the chassis, cycle parts and engine to be the exact spec as the ...

2019 Bajaj Avenger 220 ABS Spotted Ahead Of Launch

Image
The 2019 Bajaj Avenger 220 is the newest motorcycle ready to hit the dealerships now equipped with Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS). The small capacity cruiser was recently spotted with the safety feature ready to hit the showrooms and you can expect the launch sometime in January 2019. Like the Bajaj Pulsar RS 200 , the new Avenger 220 also gets a single-channel ABS unit and will be seen on both the Cruise and Street versions. The safety feature will also extend to the Avenger 180 that was introduced last year replacing the 150 cc model. The 2019 Bajaj Avenger 220 gets a single-channel ABS unit similar to the RS 200 The government has mandated ABS on all two-wheelers above 125 cc and manufacturers have until April 2019 to meet the new safety norm on two-wheelers already on sale. All new two-wheelers launched need to have ABS in place as a standard fitment. For two-wheelers below 125 cc, Combined Braking System (CBS) has been made mandatory. Barring the safety feature, the 2019 Bajaj Aven...

Best Bikes Of 2018: Top 10 Two-Wheeler Reviews

Image
The year 2018 has almost ended and we spent the better part of the year riding and reviewing the best two-wheelers which were launched in India. Surprisingly, 2018 did not see a single manufacturer launching any mass market commuter motorcycles in the 100-110 cc segment. Instead, the action moved to premium commuter motorcycles. Even in the scooter segment, there were only 125 cc scooter launches in 2018. But the biggest action came in the middleweight segment, starting with the 300 cc Jawa bikes and going up to the Royal Enfield 650 Twins, all within a price bracket of Rs. 1.5 to Rs. 3 lakh. Of course, adventure bikes continue to remain the favourite flavour as do modern classics. Here's a look at some of the best motorcycle reviews of 2018. 1. Ducati Panigale V4 The Ducati Panigale V4 is one of the most powerful road-legal superbikes in the world The Ducati Panigale V4 - a manic, 211 bhp superbike packed with the performance to scare you silly, and electronic riders aids t...

Bengaluru Police Adds 911 TVS Apache RTR 160 Bikes To Its Fleet

Image
The Karnataka government has added 911 motorcycles to the Bengaluru City Police fleet in a bid to improve patrolling and keep a tab on criminal activities around the state capital. The state government presented the bikes to the police officials earlier this week. The 911 new bikes are the older generation TVS Apache RTR 160 , which reportedly cost the exchequer a total of Rs. 7.11 crore. The patrolling bikes will join the 272 units of the previous generation Maruti Suzuki Ertiga MPVs that are already being used as Hoysala vehicles in the city. With Bengaluru's infamous traffic woes and road conditions, bikes are certainly going to help the police report to crime scenes faster. Karnataka government has added the bikes to the fleet to improve patrolling and keep tabs on criminal activities Speaking at the event, The News Minute quoted Chief Minister saying, "I hope the bikes will help the police in operating swiftly and will enhance their response to distress calls and ch...

Benelli TRK 502, TRK 502 X Launch Date Revealed

Image
The Benelli TRK 502 has been in coming for more than a year now. It hasn't been a good ride for Benelli in the Indian market, but thanks to its collaboration with the Mahavir Group, things are looking up for the company. Benelli will finally be launching the TRK 502 and the TRK 502 X in India on February 18, 2019. The TRK 502 will be the road-going variant while the TRK 502 X will be the off-road focussed variant with wire-spoke wheels are maybe some more off-roading kit. The motorcycle was first showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo and not long after the company had to cease its operations in India with DSK (its previous partner) running into financial troubles. Also Read: Benelli TRK 502: What We Know So Far DSK Benelli TRK 502 gets new 500 cc parallel-twin engine The Benelli TRK will be the first motorcycle to be launched under the new collaboration and both variants will share the frame and the engine which is a 499 cc parallel-twin which is liquid-cooled and makes about 47 ...

Best Performance Bikes Of 2018

Image
The year 2018 has its share of motorcycle launches, and the numbers certainly tipped in favour of modern classic and adventure bikes. There were commuter bikes, and scooters as well, but a handful of performance-oriented motorcycles during the course of the year left us impressed with their performance and handling. From the very entertaining middleweight naked, the Suzuki GSX-S750 to the manic performance of the Ducati Panigale V4 which we experienced at the Sepang International Circuit, here's a look at the best performance bikes of the year. Also Read: Best Bikes Of 2018 Ducati Monster 821 (The Ducati Monster 821 is an all-muscle naked sportbike with aggressive looks and the performance to back it) The Ducati Monster 821 got updated for 2018, with design inspired by the first Ducati Monster M900 from 1993. The Monster 821 shares the LED headlight and sculpted fuel tank with its older brother, the Monster 1200, and also gets a new, full-colour TFT instrument panel. Wit...

Yamaha To Launch New Motorcycle Next Month

Image
Yamaha will be launching a new motorcycle on January 21, 2019. The mail referred to a product which will be sporty. Of course, Yamaha hasn't announced which model is it going to launch, but we are going out on a limb and make an educated guess that the company will be launching the new-generation FZ-FI. The new bike has been spotted testing in India quite a few times and with the second generation FZ being launched in 2014, it was about time for a model upgrade and not just a facelift. The FZ is still one of the better selling models in the Yamaha portfolio and we believe the new model will just make it all better. Also Read: Next-Gen Yamaha FZ V3 Motorcycle Spotted Testing Again (The new FZ will have a bunch of new features as well) The new FZ spy shots suggest that the motorcycle will get a major overhaul, which includes new bodywork along with a few changes to the engine as well. Expect new features such as ABS, LED headlamp and other significant changes as well. Alterna...

Royal Enfield Scramble 2018: Looking For Adventure With The RE Himalayan

Image
Royal Enfield, as a brand, holds quite a big value in the Indian motorcycling community and has been a crucial part of our automotive history. Despite several modern and technologically advanced offerings present today, one reason why many customers still go for a Royal Enfield motorcycle is purely because of the love and camaraderie its owners share for the brand. The company knows this very well, which is why Royal Enfield has been hosting some of the most popular customer-driven riding events. One such event is the Royal Enfield Scramble, a specially designed adventure riding competition that tests your riding ability, navigation skills, and teamwork. Luckily, this year, Royal Enfield invited us to be a part of the fourth season of this competitive riding event, which was held in Gurugram. The fourth season of the Royal Enfield Scramble was held at Gurugram this year Organised by Himalayan Motorsport, the 2018 Royal Enfield Scramble offers three days of hard-core off-road ridi...

Is A Royal Enfield Scrambler 650 In The Making?

Image
An upcoming Royal Enfield Scrambler 500 has been spotted once again, undergoing test runs in Pune, leading to speculation that the Scrambler 500 will be launched as early as March 2019. Spy shots of the RE Scrambler 500 reveal only cosmetic differences, primarily in the fender design and a wider and taller handlebar with a central brace. While the latest spy shots do underscore that the Royal Enfield Scrambler 500 may be almost production ready, it also leads to the next possibility - is there a Royal Enfiield 650 Scrambler on its way? Watch the Royal Enfield 650 Twin India Ride Review Here:   Also Read: Royal Enfield Scrambler 500 Spotted Testing The Royal Enfield Scrambler 500 is expected to be launched in the first quarter of 2019 The new Royal Enfield Scrambler 500 is expected to be powered by the same engine as the RE Classic 500 . The four-stroke, air-cooled, fuel-injected 499 cc single-cylinder engine puts out 27.2 bhp of maximum power at 5,250 rpm and peak torque o...

2019 Suzuki Hayabusa Launched In India; Priced At Rs. 13.74 Lakh

Image
Suzuki Motorcycle India Private Limited (SMIPL) has launched the 2019 Suzuki Hayabusa in India. The 2019 edition of the Suzuki Hayabusa will be offered in two new colour schemes - Metallic Oort Gray and Glass Sparkle Black, with updated graphics, and added pair of side reflectors. The Hayabusa has been discontinued in Europe, with sales coming to an end by December 31, 2018. The model has been discontinued because the Hayabusa no longer meets Euro 4 emission regulations. In India though, the Hayabusa will continue to be sold, as in the US. "For 20 years, the Suzuki Hayabusa has been one of the most loved sportsbikes among the enthusiasts and has received an excellent response in India. It is our constant endeavour to offer great products, and we are pleased to launch the 2019 edition of Hayabusa in two new colour schemes appealing to a larger fan base and enthusiasts in India," said Satoshi Uchida, Managing Director, Suzuki Motorcycle India. Also Read: Suzuki Hayabusa Di...

Royal Enfield Classic 350 Redditch ABS Launched In India; Priced At Rs. 1.53 Lakh

Image
Royal Enfield has been updating its line-up with Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) since August this year, ahead of the April 2019 deadline. Joining its line-up of ABS equipped models is the Classic 350 Redditch Edition that now gets the safety feature. The Royal Enfield Classic 35 0 Redditch Edition ABS is priced at Rs. 1.53 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), which makes it about Rs. 6000 more expensive than the non-ABS version. The Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350X ABS was introduced last month priced at Rs. 1.63 lakh and followed up with the launch of the Thunderbird 500X ABS priced at Rs. 2.13 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom Delhi). Also Read: Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350X ABS Launched In India The Royal Enfield Classic 350 Redditch ABS gets no mechanical upgrades like all ABS models from the company. Power comes from the same 346 cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine tuned for 19 bhp at 5250 rpm and 28 Nm of peak torque available at 4000 rpm. The bike uses telescopic forks up front and twin shock ab...

Sherco-TVS Enduro Rally Ride Experience

Image
The closest to a dirt bike that I have ever been to was on a first ride experience with TVS Motor Company last year, on the Sherco TVS RTR 450 FX, the rally-spec 450 cc dirt bike. That ride introduced me to the first taste of what a true-blue off-road bike is capable of, riding skills notwithstanding. But this time, it was different. We were invited to Morocco, and the idea was to sample some of the enduro and rally bikes the Sherco-TVS Factory Rally Team uses in competition events, including several rally raid events in Europe and closer home like the India Baja. And we were going to ride the bikes not on 'normal' off-road trails, but on the actual desert, at no less than the dunes of the Sahara! Riding dirt bikes on the dunes of the Sahara desert is a one of a kind experience Also Read: Sherco-TVS RTR 450 FX First Ride Review The Sherco-TVS factory rally team invited a bunch of us journalists to hop across the world to Casablanca, and then a van ride over nearly the c...