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The much awaited Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles II (FAME II) scheme has finally been cleared by the union cabinet on February 28, 2019 with a total allocation of Rs. 10,000 crore. The allotted amount will be laid out in the next three years with the scheme being implemented from April 1, 2019. The new scheme is in succession to the FAME I scheme which earmarked an investment of Rs. 895 crore in 2015. The current allocation of Rs. 10,000 crore has been channelized to speed up the development of EVs and EV infrastructure in a bid to achieve the target of 100 per cent electrification of vehicles by 2030. Also Read: Electric Car Sales Fall In FY18; Two-Wheeler EVs Sales Growth Stable The FAME II scheme primarily aims to incentivise the purchase of electric vehicles and establishing the requisite charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. The emphasis will also continue to be on the electrification of public transport vehicles and other shared mobility solution...

The Benelli TRK 502 was first showcased in India at the 2016 Auto Expo. It was exciting because it was a legit adventure motorcycle with a displacement of less than 500 cc. But with Benelli having a hard time in India, the plans of it launching had to be shelved temporarily. That is until now! Starting its second innings in India with a new partner, Adishwar Auto Ride, Benelli's newest launch was the TRK 502 and the TRK 502 X. And now, we finally had a chance to ride them. Our brief ride led us to believe that these motorcycles hold a lot of promise. Intrigued? Read our story to find out. Also Read:   Benelli TRK 502 & TRK 502 X Adventure Bikes Launched In India Looks and Design The Benelli TRK 502 can stand with bigger ADVs with its looks which is dominated by a protruding beak upfront along with the transformers like headlamps with LED DRLs. The Benelli TRK 502 looks really good! The front end gets angular, 'transformers' like headlamps with LED daytime runni...

Polaris-owned American bike maker Indian Motorcycles has revealed the 2019 Roadmaster Elite. Much like last year's model, the 2019 I ndian Roadmaster Elite gets the super luxurious treatment in its appearance and is limited to just 200 units globally. For the 2019 model year, the Roadmaster Elite gets a new red and black paint scheme, as against the blue and black (Wildfire Red Candy over Black Crystal) paint scheme seen on the 2018 version, and comes with 24-karat gold badging that remains a standout feature on the cruiser. The 2018 Indian Roadmaster Elite did make its way to India and based on the customer demand, we could see the 2019 version arriving as well later this year. In terms of features, the 2019 Indian Roadmaster Elite gets all the bells and whistles from the standard version uniform the 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with auto adjustable volume control. The system offers Bluetooth connectivity that allows you to connect your smartphone with the bike and pr...

Chinese Motorcycle brand CFMoto's middleweight adventure tourer, the CFMoto 650 MT may be also under consideration to be launched in India. A few days ago, a camouflaged CFMoto roadster, the CFMoto 250 NK was spotted undergoing test runs on Indian roads. Now, it looks like CFMoto is planning to begin operations in India and under consideration is also the middleweight adventure tourer, the 650 MT. The adventure tourer is based on CFMoto's middleweight naked, the CFMoto 650 NK, and is already on sale in certain international markets. With a lot of interest in the adventure segment in India, CFMoto will most likely launch the 650 MT on its Indian debut as well. Also Read: CFMoto 250 NK Spotted Testing In India A camouflaged CFMoto 650 MT was spotted on the streets of Hyderabad The 650 MT is powered by a 649 cc, liquid-cooled, DOHC, parallel-twin engine which puts out just under 70 bhp at 8,750 rpm and peak torque of 62 Nm at 7,000 rpm. The engine comes paired to a 6-speed ...

Ducati has inaugurated its new training centre at the Ducati factory in Rayong, Thailand. Ducati's Rayong factory is where most Ducati bikes sold in India are manufactured. The state-of-the-art facility is built and conceived with the aim of further enhancing the level of customer experience in every aspect within all Ducati dealerships in the Asia Pacific region, a statement from Ducati said. Brand trainings, Ducati Riding Experience certifications, and technical trainings will be conducted using the Ducati Asia Pacific Training Centre within the Ducati Motor Thailand facility in Rayong. "The best training program in the world is worthless without the will to execute it properly, consistently, and with intensity. With our new Training center we have now state-of-the-art facilities that will enable us to deliver strong brand and technical trainings to all personnel from the whole Asia-Pacific Ducati network," said Domonique Cheraki, Ducati Asia Markets Director. The A...

Two new design patents reveal that Suzuki may be working on a latest roadster, and this one could well be a small displacement bike. The bike in question is expected to have a single-cylinder engine displacing around 300 cc, and from the looks of the patent images, it does promise to have a sporty silhouette and possibly handling, once a closer to production prototype is revealed. So far, though, no other details about this upcoming Suzuki motorcycle are available, and whatever we know are gleaned from the patent images only. The images reveal a small displacement engine, possibly in the region of 300 cc The motorcycle in question is definitely going to be a roadster, with upside down forks, a single front disc and a compact exhaust that exits ahead of the rear wheel. The engine is mounted on a trellis frame and the swingarm looks like a high-quality unit, derived or at least inspired by Suzuki's race-bred machines. It may not be a sportbike though, and something which could t...

The new Yamaha MT-15, which will be launched on March 15 at the Buddh International Circuit, has been spotted undisguised. The production-spec Yamaha MT-15 reveals a brand new colour and some details including the cycle parts which will be available on the India-spec bike. The 2019 Yamaha MT-15 will be offered in a matte blue and black colour scheme which is already offered in international markets. The India-spec MT-15 will however, come with a few changes, as is evident from the bike spotted ahead of the launch. Also Read: Yamaha MT-15 Specifications Leaked The Yamaha MT-15 has aggressive looks and is based on the Yamaha YZF-R15 Version 3.0 Unlike the upside down front forks on the international spec model, the India-spec MT-15 will come with conventional telescopic front forks. The alloy wheels are also painted black and shod with MRF rubber, unlike the bright colours on the alloys on the international-spec MT-15. The swingarm on the India-spec bike is also different, and not...

The Yamaha MT-15 is the next big launch from the Japanese two-wheeler giant and a massive one at that. The bike has been a long awaited model and marks a true-blue sporty naked offering from the manufacturer in the 150 cc segment. Ahead of its launch on March 15, the Yamaha MT-15 has been spotted at what seems to be a dealership, and gives a glimpse of what the India-spec model would look like. These are one of the first images to emerge online where the MT-15 is not camouflaged. Also Read: Yamaha MT-15 Bookings Open At Dealerships Compared to the Indonesian spec version, the Indian Yamaha MT-15 sports a host of changes both cosmetic and mechanical. The bike has been trimmed on a number of things in a bid to keep costs in check, while it will be sharing components with the India-spec YZF-R15. The street-fighter misses out on USD forks and gets telescopic units at the front instead. The forks finish too are finished in chrome instead of the more likeable gold finished units on the I...

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) has updated the entry-level Navi and CD 110 two-wheelers with Combined Braking System (CBS). The bikes are the latest in Honda's commuter line-up to get the safety feature that will be mandatory starting April 1, 2019. The Honda Navi CBS is priced at Rs. 47,110, which is priced at a premium of Rs. 1796 over the non-CBS model. Meanwhile, the Honda CD 110 CBS is priced at Rs. 50,028 for the standard version, while the Deluxe variant is priced at Rs. 51,528 (all prices, ex-showroom Delhi). The CD 110 CBS version commands a premium of Rs. 848 over the non-ABS model. Also Read: Honda Navi Review Honda has been offering CBS on its scooter range for a while now and the feature essentially uses both the front and rear brakes in tandem to offer more controlled stopping power. This adds to the overall braking stability on the two-wheeler while reducing the braking distance. The feature is mandatory for all two-wheelers below 125 cc. With the C...

American electric motorcycle manufacturer, Zero, has unveiled the company's new SR/F streetfighter, describing the new electric bike as an "unprecedented combination of industry-leading power, control and connection." What is noteworthy is that the SR/F boasts of 110 bhp of power and nearly 190 Nm of peak torque, together with a range of over 250 km on a single charge. The SR/F is claimed to be the first fully "smart" motorcycle with a dedicated operating system, giving the rider the ability to monitor the bike for bike status and alerts, charging, ride data sharing, as well as system upgrades and updates. The Zero SR/F looks like any contemporary middleweight naked with sharp looks The Zero SR/F has conventional design, quite similar to contemporary middleweight naked bikes with sharp looks. While the power of 110 bhp may not seem much, the outright 190 Nm surge of torque is what should make the SR/F a serious performer in the electric motorcycle space, an...

Having commenced updating its line-up with ABS last year, Royal Enfield has finally introduced the safety feature on the standard version of the Classic 350. The entry-level Royal Enfield Classic 350 ABS is priced at Rs. 1.53 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) and gets the dual-channel unit for improved braking performance. The feature was originally launched on the Classic 350 Signals Edition in August last year, and has since been made available on the Gunmetal Grey and Redditch models in a phased manner. The new Classic 350 ABS is priced at a premium of Rs. 5800 over the non-ABS model. Also Read: Royal Enfield Classic 350 Signals Edition Launched With ABS In terms of updates, the Royal Enfield Classic 350 ABS gets no additional features and is powered by the same 346 cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that churns out 19.8 bhp at 5250 rpm and 28 Nm of peak torque available at 4000 rpm. The motor is paired with a 5-speed gearbox. The Classic 350 ABS uses a 280 mm disc brake up front a...

Keeping up with the upcoming safety norms, Bajaj Auto has updated the smallest Discover with combined braking system (CBS) in the country. The Bajaj Discover 110 CBS is now available at a price of Rs. 53,273 (ex-showroom, Pune), and commands a premium of Rs. 563 over the non-CBS model. The combined braking system offers more controlled braking on the motorcycle and is mandatory on motorcycles below 125 cc. Larger displacement two-wheelers, meanwhile, need to have Anti-Lock Brakes or ABS as a standard feature starting from April 1, 2019. Also Read: Bajaj Discover 110 Review Apart from the Discover 110, Bajaj has also been rolling out the CBS and ABS-equipped versions of its other motorcycles in India. Apart from CBS, the 2019 Bajaj Discover 110 does not get any changes. The bikes continues to draw power from the 115 cc single-cylinder, air-cooled engine tuned to produce 8.6 bhp and 9.81 Nm of peak torque. The bike gets 130 mm drum brakes at either end and uses telescopic forks up fr...

Harley-Davidson will introduce two new motorcycles, the Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight Special, and the Harley-Davidson Street Glide Special, in India. These two motorcycles will be launched on March 14. Both these motorcycles were globally unveiled last year as part of the American motorcycle maker's plan to unveil 100 new models in the next five years. The Forty-Eight Special gets a slightly larger 1200 cc Evolution engine and will replace the existing Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight. Along with the bigger engine, the Forty-Eight Special will also get new graphics inspired by the 1970s custom motorcycle styling and design. The 2019 Harley-Davidson Street Glide Special also gets a larger engine, and touchscreen infotainment system and will replace the existing H-D Street Glide Special in India. Also Read:   2018 Harley-Davidson Iron 1200, Forty-Eight Special Unveiled The new Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight Special gets aplenty use of chrome. The 2018 Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight Specia...

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) has updated the long-running CB Unicorn 150 with Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) in the country. The 2019 Honda CB Unicorn 150 is priced at Rs. 78,815 (ex-showroom, Delhi), and is about Rs. 6500 more expensive than the non-ABS version. The bike now gets a single-channel ABS unit like a lot of the manufacturer's other offerings and is paired with the front wheel's 240 mm disc brake. The rear continues to get a 130 mm drum brake set-up. The Honda CB Unicorn 150 is one of the longest running models from the bike maker in India and such has been the demand, that the model was brought back on sale despite the updated 160 cc version being introduced a couple of years ago. The Honda CB Unicorn 150 ABS continues with the no-nonsense design that has aged well over the years, while the long seat and soft suspension set-up make add to the comfortable ride quality on the motorcycle. Power figures remain the same on the 2019 CB Unicorn 150 with the 149.2 c...

In the last year and a half, almost all mass-market two-wheeler manufacturers such as Honda Scooter And Motorcycle India, TVS Motor Company, Suzuki Two-Wheelers and even the likes of Aprilia have launched 125 cc scooters in India. The average scooter buyer today is looking for that extra oomph in terms of power and looks which the 125 cc models offer, rather than the typically staid design of the 110 cc scooters which are all about practicality. The Hero Destini 125 is a great example of a 125 cc scooter with decent performance and offering the practicality and comfort of a 110 cc scooter. Also Read: Hero Destini 125 First Ride Review Looks and design The front of the Hero Destini 125 looks quite similar to the Aviator while the rear resembles the Hero Duet. Make no mistake about it; Hero is positioning it as a family scooter, so the looks are conservative. The rear resembles the 110 cc Hero Duet, and the front looks quite similar to the Honda Aviator. Chrome is used abundan...

Chinese motorcycle brand CFMoto is possibly looking to enter India with the company's 250 cc naked street motorcycle, the CFMoto 250 NK. The bike in question was spotted undergoing test runs recently in India, somewhere in Telangana. The name though isn't all-new for India, and CFMoto was supposed to debut in India in 2016, in a tie up with Eider Motors. That company though, (Eider Motors) has gone bankrupt and any plans to introduce the Chinese brand in India, had been put into the backburner. Now, three years later, the CFMoto 250 NK makes an appearance, although in form of a test mule. CFMoto 250 NK spotted testing in India The CFMoto 250 NK is already on sale in international markets, and is powered by a 250 cc, single-cylinder, four-valve, liquid-cooled engine which puts out 26.5 bhp at 9,000 rpm and 22 Nm of peak torque at 7,500 rpm. The engine is mounted on a trellis frame, and the the 250 NK also comes with a upside down front fork, and rear monoshock, with disc br...

Honda has filed new patents for a future Gold Wing which reveal that the flagship luxury touring motorcycle from the Japanese brand may come equipped with a pair of cameras in the front fairing. The work of the dual cameras is expected to trigger the automatic safety system in case it senses a collision. The system uses the pair of cameras to produce a stereoscopic image upon which the bike's electronic safety system can react and make safety-based decisions, like automatic braking and limiting speed. Adaptive driving assistance systems, or ADAS, are the next level of electronic safety systems which are used in cars. These systems avoid collisions with a vehicle or pedestrian, running out of a lane on a highway, recognising road signs or reacting to the driver falling asleep on the wheel. Now, it looks like such safety systems will be available in the next generation of big bikes as well. KTM and BMW Motorrad are already working on similar safety systems using front and rear radar...

TVS Racing talent Aishwarya Pissay will be competing in the Baja Aragon Rally 2019 that will be held between March 7 and 9, in Dubai. This is the Sherco TVS rider's second outing at Baja Aragon having made her debut in the international rally last year. Pissay joins riders Adrien Metge and Michael Metge, as well as Lorenzo Santolino, all of which competed in the 2019 Dakar Rally earlier this year. Aishwarya will undergo a few days of training in the sand dunes of Dubai, leading up to Baja Aragon. The TVS Racing rider will be participating as a privateer entry, competing on a non-TVS bike at the event. This is because the manufacturer does not have presence in Dubai but will remain her principal sponsor. The only female Indian rider to participate in the Baja Aragon Rally, Aishwarya had an impressive run in her maiden outing last year and finished 77th at the end of the first stage. However, a nasty crash on the second day forced her to forfeit the rally, and had to undergo a surge...

Aruba Racing Ducati rider Alvaro Bautista made a dream debut in the World Superbike (WSBK) Championship in the opening race of the 2019 season. The Spaniard won the first race of the season at Phillip Island, Australia by a margin of 14.983s, beating reigning WSBK champion Jonathan Rea of Kawasaki Racing to the top spot. Bautista was astride the Ducati Panigale V4 R and maintained his momentum right after taking the lead on the opening lap. While the former MotoGP rider had shown impressive pace during the practice sessions, a victory and that too by such a huge margin was certainly unprecedented. Alvaro Bautista took his maiden win in WSBK with reigning champion Jonathan Rea finishing second Bautista was dominant through the pre-season test in Australia and also set the pace during the practice sessions. However, the Ducati rider qualified third in the first race of the season with Kawasaki riders Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam starting in the top two spots. However, Bautista was q...

The Suzuki GSX-S750 has been updated for the 2019 in international markets and the street-fighter gets new colour options on offer. The in-line four ppt offering now comes in a blue paint job with green and white highlights and a white and blue colour with black cladding on the fuel tank. The bike is also available in the full matte black paint scheme that sports blue highlights and is complemented by a matte black finished exhaust to complete the look. The new colours replace the existing black/red and black/blue colours options on the 2019 Suzuki GSX-S750. The 2019 Suzuki GSX-S750 will be available in India later in the year Barring the new paint scheme, the 2019 Suzuki GSX-S750 gets no changes to the mechanicals. The bike continues to draw power from the 749 cc four-cylinder engine tuned for 113 bhp and 81 Nm of peak torque. The motor is paired with a 6-speed gearbox and gets ABS and traction control as part of the standard kit. With respect to styling, the bike continues its ...

The temperature dropped below -3 degrees, and I'm holding on to the engine to get some warmth into my numb hands. The light is fading fast and I've still some distance to get to my destination for the day - Phobjikha, in the heart of Bhutan. The TVS Apache RR 310 is my companion for the day and the ideal mile muncher one could ask for. The cold isn't helping but the view is worth every bit. But what exactly am I doing in our carbon negative neighbouring country riding the flagship Apache? Read on to find out. Curated and organised by TVS, the ride is supported by back-up vehicles and technicians In a span of a little over a decade, the TVS Apache series has grown exponentially with bikes ranging from 150 cc to 313 cc. While TVS has sold over three million Apaches in India, the brand has its set of followers beyond our borders too and the company sells these bikes in several countries, some of them in South Asia. So, it was about time that the Apache Owners Group (AOG) g...

The Benelli TRK 502 and the TRK 502 X have been launched in India and marks a new era for the Italian bike maker in the country. The TRK 502 is priced from Rs. 5 lakh (ex-showroom); which puts in the same vicinity as a number of other offerings between 300-650 cc in the adventure motorcycle segment. While the bike does not have a direct competitor at this price point or displacement, the model does lock horns against the Kawasaki Versys 650 , BMW G 310 GS , Kawasaki Versys-X 300 , and the SWM SuperDual T . With a number of models to choose from, we do a quick specifications comparison to see where the Benelli TRK 502 stands against the competition. Also Read: Benelli TRK 502 & 502 X Launched In India The Benelli TRK 502 and the BMW G 310 GS get the dis-engagable ABS. Features The five motorcycles in this comparison remain pretty basic when it comes to the electronics department and only get dual-channel ABS as standard in compliance with the upcoming safety norms. which re...