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It's been a while since Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India has had a model which could be a standout model in the 200 cc - 400 cc space. The Honda CBR250R lost steam ages ago and the company turned its attention to other areas. But with the new Honda CB300R, things are looking up and the segment itself is growing at a good pace, offering a good opportunity for HMSI to shake things up in the entry-level performance segment. We spend some time with the new Honda CB300R and come away impressed! Also Read: Honda CB300R Launched In India Looking Dapper (The sharp lines on the Honda CB300R make for an edgy design) Cast a glance at motorcycle and you will definitely look back at it for a few seconds! The Honda CB300R is a handsome bike. Its design is inspired by its elder sibling, the Honda CB1000R, which was earlier the Neo Café Racer Concept. The round LED headlamp, sharp lines on the fuel tank, the step seat and the minimalist approach offer a lovely blend of retro and moder...

Ducati has inaugurated the "Anatomy of Speed" exhibition at the Ducati Museum in Borgo Panigale. The exhibition showcases Ducati's expertise and use of aerodynamics in MotoGP, and is the third temporary show organised and hosted by the Ducati Museum which will continue from May 20 till October 8, 2019. The exhibition illustrates how aerodynamics plays a crucial role in achieving the performance that is the hallmark of Ducati excellence. Visitors will be introduced to aerodynamics as Ducati sees it and the exhibition then examines the research programs and solutions developed over years of intense involvement in racing. The "Anatomy of Speed" exhibition showcases Ducati's use of aerodynamics in MotoGP "I'm extremely proud to inaugurate this third temporary exhibition at the Ducati Museum: indeed, aerodynamics makes bikes magic. This exhibition also aims to involve Ducati enthusiasts in that transfer of knowledge from racing to product that has a...

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) is expected to launch an all-new, updated Honda Activa which will be ready to meet the Bharat Stage VI (BS6) emission regulations that come into place from April 2020. Honda has sent out an invitation for a new two-wheeler launch on June 12, 2019. While the invite doesn't explicitly state that it is indeed the updated Honda Activa, we have reason to believe that the first BS-VI two-wheeler in the country will indeed be the largest selling two-wheeler as well - the Honda Activa scooter. Honda has sent out an invitation for the first BS-VI ready two-wheeler launch The new, sixth-generation Honda Activa is expected to be the first scooter to meet the new BS-VI emission regulations and is expected to be powered by an updated 110 cc, fuel-injected engine. A completely new design language and features are expected on the new model, along with Honda's combi-brake system, as well as a choice of both drum and disc brakes. We expect the ne...

Spy shots of a naked Ducati streetfighter, powered by a V4 engine have emerged leading to the very real possibility that the new Ducati V4 streetfighter may debut sometime later this year. Ducati introduced the four-cylinder superbike, the Panigale V4 over a year ago. The four-cylinder engine of the Panigale V4 is derived from the MotoGP Desmosedici engine which belts out 211 bhp of maximum power at 13,000 rpm and 124 Nm of peak torque at 10,000 rpm. Now, Ducati seems serious about extending the V4 family with what the Italian brand is currently testing - a V4 Naked! Also Read: More Ducati V4 Models Confirmed The bodywork, swingarm and engine seem to be borrowed from the Ducati Panigale V4 The spy pics show - what is clearly - a naked version of the Panigale V4. So, there's no full fairing, but the rest of the bodywork matches the Panigale V4, with the headlight matching the superbike's aggressive looking features. The tail section looks similar to the Panigale V4, and t...

Pune-based Kinetic Engineering will develop an all-new motorcycle in the 250-500 cc displacement with its British partner Norton Motorcycles. The new Norton motorcycle will be a global product which will be manufactured in India, but sold across the world. The new 250-500c cc Norton motorcycle will be developed in the next couple of years and will be priced between Rs. 2-3 lakh, Ajinkya Firodia, MD, Kinetic Engineering and Motoroyale has said. Kinetic Motoroyale is a multi-brand initiative with brands like MV Agusta, SWM, FB Mondial, Hyosung and Norton. Kinetic has an equity partnership with Norton Motorcycles, with Kinetic holding 51 per cent equity in the JV and Norton holding 49 per cent. Also Read: Kinetic Group And Norton Motorcycles Join Hands To Sell And Manufacture Bikes In India Norton Motorcycles CEO Stuart Garner with Kinetic Group MD Ajinkya Firodia "We will make this motorcycle in 1-2 years which will be in the 250-500 cc range, but will be priced between Rs. 2...

More rumours of an updated Honda Africa Twin have again resurfaced, and this time there are more details on what the updated 2020 Honda Africa Twin will get, apart from a bigger, more powerful engine. Rumours have been going around since February this year, according to which, the 2020 Africa Twin is expected to get a bigger engine, with a displacement bump from the current 998 cc to 1080 cc, with maximum power output at around 100 bhp. And along with a bigger engine, also expected is a design and feature upgrade, with a completely new electronics suite. Also Read: 2020 Honda Africa Twin May Get More Power The Honda Africa Twin is an impressive adventure motorcycle But now, latest reports indicate that there could be more than just more power and a design update on the 2020 Honda Africa Twin. Japanese publication Young Machine has quoted a source with knowledge of the new Africa Twin development as saying that the new Africa Twin will use a system similar to the "BMW R 1250...

Harley-Davidson CEO Matt Levatich has said that the American motorcycle manufacturer may consider building motorcycles in Europe if the US and EU trade war doesn't cool off soon. Harley-Davidson has been hit by retaliatory tariffs slapped by the European Union which makes Harley bikes more expensive across the Atlantic. Speaking to a television channel, Levatich said that his company may need to start building bikes in Europe if it wants to continue selling them there. The increased tariffs hitting Harley-Davidson are at 31 per cent right now, and in another two years, the tariffs will rise to 56 per cent, which is likely to compel the American manufacturer to consider an alternative approach. Also Read: Harley-Davidson 2019 First Quarter Sales Fall Harley-Davidson has been hit with high tariffs from the European Union, after the US Administration slapped increased tariffs on steel and aluminium imports. The issue has been in the news last year with President Donald Trump sever...

Piaggio Group today launched the new Aprilia Storm 125 cc scooter in India, priced at Rs. 65,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi). First, showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo , the new Aprilia Storm 125 is now the most affordable model in the Italian two-wheeler marque's Indian line-up, and it is positioned below the existing Aprilia SR 125, which is priced around Rs. 73,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi). While the basic design is largely similar to the SR 125 , the new Aprilia Storm does come with some visual charecteristics unique to the latter. Like, the new dual-tone paint scheme and the smaller 12-inch wheels with fatter wide terrain tyres. Aprilia Storm 125 is powered by the same 125 cc engine that comes with the SR 125 Introducing the new Aprilia Storm 125, Diego Graffi, Managing Director and CEO, Piaggio India said, "We are delighted to launch the long-awaited Aprilia Storm in India. Known for its undisputed racing heritage, Aprilia uses cutting-edge technology to design and create premiu...

The Kawasaki Ninja 300 has been introduced in two new colour options - Metallic Moon Dust Grey and Lime Green. The two new colours are in addition to the existing blue and green colour options already available on the bike. With the two new colours, the Kawasaki Ninja 300 is now available in a choice of four colour options. Prices for the Kawasaki Ninja 300 continue to remain the same at Rs. 2.98 lakh (ex-showroom). While the new Lime Green shade is similar to the existing green colour, it features new decals on the fairing. Mechanically, there are no changes in the Kawasaki Ninja 300 The 2019 Kawasaki Ninja 300 continues to be powered by the same 296 cc, four-stroke, 8-valve, DOHC, parallel-twin engine which puts out 38 bhp of maximum power at 11,000 rpm and 27 Nm of peak toque kicking in at 10,000 rpm. The Ninja 300 has a six-speed gearbox and also comes with an assist and slipper clutch, useful for aggressive downshifting, as well as provides a light feel on the clutch lever. ...

Pune-based electric smart bike start-up Polarity Smart Bikes will launch its first product, an electric bike in end June 2019. The pedal-assisted electric bike has been spotted undergoing test runs on the street of Pune, and looks production ready. It may look like a beefed-up bicycle with pedals and an electric motor, but the company claims a top speed of 100 kmph from its hub-type brushless DC motor. The bike is expected to be powered by a lithium-ion battery mounted on the frame, which will be removable for easy charging from a conventional power socket. The Polarity e-bike features a custom-made frame, fat upside-down front forks and a monoshock linked to a motorcycle-like swingarm. Braking is handled by disc brakes on the front and rear wheel, and the e-bike sports a LED headlight, as well as a LED taillight and turn indicators. The e-bike is also expected to get high-quality switchgear and a digital instrument panel. The soon-to-be-launched e-bike seen in the images seem to be a...

The new-generation BMW S 1000 RR will be launched in India by BMW Motorrad next month. Carandbike has learnt that the 2019 BMW S 1000 RR will definitely be launched by the end of June 2019. The updated BMW S 1000 RR gets a long list of changes from the outgoing model. The new model boasts of even more power from the completely new engine, and updated bodywork and styling which makes the bike sharper and with new headlamps, a departure from the trademark asymmetrical headlights of the outgoing model. Also Read: 2019 BMW S 1000 RR Coming To India The new BMW S 1000 RR will get a more powerful engine with BMW ShiftCam technology, new chassis and updated electronics The most significant change will, of course, be the all-new 998 cc, in-line four-cylinder engine which now puts out 204 bhp at 13,500 rpm with peak torque of 113 Nm coming in at 10,500 rpm. The biggest change to the engine is the introduction of BMW ShiftCam technology, which offers variable valve timing and valve stro...

The KTM 390 Adventure is almost production-ready, and latest spy shots reveal the almost ready to be rolled out version of the entry-level adventure bike. The 390 Adventure will be manufactured in India at Bajaj Auto's plant in Chakan, on the outskirts of Pune, and it will be based on existing KTM architecture, more specifically, based on the KTM 390 Duke . Spy shots of various prototypes have been seen time and again, but this is the first time a near production-ready version of the small adventure bike has been spotted. Also Read: More Spy Pics Of KTM 390 Adventure The KTM 390 Adventure is likely to sport standard hand-guards, along with LED headlights The engine is expected to be an updated version of the 373 cc, single-cylinder unit currently used in the KTM 390 Duke, and the KTM RC 390. On the 390 Duke, the 373 cc, single-cylinder, DOHC, liquid-cooled engine puts out 43 bhp at 9,500 rpm and 35 Nm of peak torque at 7,000 rpm. The same engine on the KTM 390 Adventure is e...

An original Ducati Hypermotard 950 concept has won first place in the "Concept Bikes: New Design and Prototypes by Manufacturers and Independents" category at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este held at Cernobbio at Lake Como, Italy. The concept bike, created by the Centro Stile Ducati, highlights the light and aggressive character of the Ducati Hypermotard 950. The personality and character of the motorcycle, which combines the racing character with that of an urban warrior, is emphasised by technical details inspired by the MotoGP and a high impact graphic design inspired by urban graffiti. Watch Our Review of the 2019 Ducati Hypermotard 950 here: "I'm delighted with the success received by the concept bike we presented for the competition, which follows the award recently obtained at the Red Dot Awards for the Diavel 1260," commented Andrea Ferraresi, director of the Centro Stile Ducati. "Style concepts are useful also for presenting new eleme...

Launched in late 2017, the TVS Apache RR 310 kind of broke the mould for TVS bikes. Sharply styled with shark-like design cues, loaded with features and sharing the same engine as the BMW G 310 R, TVS Motor Company had expected its 'flagship' to do well in the 200-400 cc segment. But as soon as it was launched and deliveries began, concerns were raised for excessive vibrations and reliability of the chain on the motorcycle. Hence, the Apache RR 310 did not quite have a banging start as TVS would have liked it to. But, it still was an excellent all-round motorcycle! Be it touring, commuting or even hitting the racetrack, the TVS did all of it with aplomb. And TVS being an extremely meticulous company, has kept updating the motorcycle over the last few months. The last time around, TVS offered a free ECU upgrade along with a chain roller, heavier bar-end weights and a new windscreen with better aerodynamics. For 2019, TVS has introduced a 'race-tuned' slipper clutch on ...

Ducati India may be launching the 2019 Ducati Diavel 1260 very soon. A Carandbike follower has sent us this image of a Ducati Diavel 1260 in a crate which has landed in India, possibly imported from Ducati's factory in Thailand. The Diavel 1260 will be powered by the 1,262 cc, L-twin, DVT, Testastretta engine which puts out 159 bhp at 9,250 rpm and 129 Nm of peak torque at 7,500 rpm. The engine now gets variable valve timing and gets a chain final drive for the increased performance. The 2019 Ducati Diavel 1260 will be an almost all-new bike from the ground up Sources in Ducati dealerships have confirmed that the outgoing Ducati Diavel has been sold out and is out of stock. The new Diavel 1260 is likely to be launched in India very soon, possibly as early as in June 2019. The new Diavel 1260 has a lot of new components, including the frame, subframe, swingarm, wheels, exhausts, suspension, tail section and bodywork. The Diavel 1260 will replace the outgoing Ducati Diavel whi...

Indian electric scooter start-up Ather Energy has raised an investment of $51 million in its latest round of funding. The new investment was led by Sachin Bansal's $32 million, and his second with the electric mobility company after coming on board as an angel investor with $0.5 million in 2014. In addition to Bansal, Hero MotoCorp has converted its convertible debt of $19 million as a part of this round, while InnoVen Capital has extended an $8 million venture debt. Speaking about the new round of investments, Tarun Mehta, Co-founder & CEO, Ather Energy said, "Electric vehicles are here to stay and Ather is playing a leading role in driving this change. Sachin has been part of our growth journey and this investment is a strong endorsement of the momentum we've built over these years. Post the successful launch in Bengaluru, we are eager to reach out to consumers in other cities and to build more products that will excite consumers to switch to electric vehicles. The...

A few days ago, NITI Aayog panel led by Amitabh Kant, proposed that all two-wheelers below 150 cc and all three-wheelers with an internal combustion engine could be banned from 2025 and 2023 onwards. The NITI Aayog panel believes that this move will not only address pollution and fossil fuel dependency concerns but also slowly transform in India into a hub of electric vehicle manufacturing. But if the current draft proposal indeed becomes a policy then how does it affect existing EV-only manufacturers? Does it bode well for existing EV manufacturers or will mass-market two-wheeler manufacturers take over and establish dominance? Also Read: Electric Bikes Proposal For Indian Market Has Challenges, Say Observers India is the largest two-wheeler market in the world and massive chunk of it consists of two-wheelers below 150 cc. In FY2019, the top 10 two-wheelers sold in the country all consisted of models which displaced less than 150 cc and accounted for total sales of 1.31 crore units...

The Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC may be just another Scrambler in Triumph 's modern classic line-up - a bigger, more powerful, 1200 cc engine, the typical side-mounted Scrambler-style exhaust, and with all the electronic gadgetry modern motorcycles come with. But does it have what it takes to go the distance, and go over anything, any kind of terrain and obstacles you throw at it? That's what we tried to find out on the India press ride of the new Scrambler 1200 XC, the only variant of the Scrambler 1200 on sale in India. We rode out on the highway, on some twisty mountain roads, dodgy gravel trails and crossed several rocky mountain streams to see what exactly the Scrambler 1200 XC offers. Also Read: Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC Launched At Rs. 10.73 Lakh The Real Deal - that's what the marketing folks at Triumph Motorcycles call the new Scrambler 1200. And it's not just marketing-speak - within the first few hours of riding the Scrambler 1200 XC, it was an immediate reve...

Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni is known for his love for motorcycles and has quite an envious collection of two wheels. In fact, Mahi's new home has a separate two storied building that houses all of his prized possessions. Now, adding a new motorcycle to his expansive collection, MS Dhoni recently took delivery of the 2019 TVS Apache RR 310 . The updated Apache RR 310 was launched earlier this week at a price tag of Rs. 2.27 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), and Dhoni is the first customer for the flagship TVS motorcycle. Also Read: 2019 TVS Apache RR 310 With Slipper Clutch Launched The 2019 TVS Apache RR 310 gets several notable improvements of the older version. The bike comes equipped with a race tuned slipper clutch that aids in rapid gear shifting with low hand fatigue and improves vehicle stability during downshifts. The new system is also engineered with assist function that locks the clutch plates lightly that increases clutch engagement force and reduced clutch effort...

Triumph Motorcycles has launched the new Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC at Rs. 10.73 lakh (ex-showroom). The Scrambler 1200 XC offers true-blue off-road ability with the styling of a modern classic. Globally, the new Scrambler 1200 is available in two variants - the Scrambler 1200 XC and the even more extreme, top-spec Scrambler 1200 XE. For India though, Triumph has only introduced the Scrambler 1200 XC. But even with less suspension travel than the XE, the 1200 XC is a hard-core Scrambler which can go the distance and take on all kinds of terrain. 1200 cc engine makes 89 bhp at 7,400 rpm, 110 Nm at 3950 rpm The 1200 cc, parallel-twin, liquid-cooled engine is more or less the Bonneville 1200 'high torque' engine of the Triumph Bonneville T120, but the state of tune is different. The Scrambler 1200 XC's engine is tuned to have performance which is somewhere between the High Torque 1200 cc engine's power and torque and the Thruxton R's High Power 1200 cc engine'...