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Showing posts from July, 2020

Ampere Vehicles Partners With OTO Capital To Offer Leasing Plans For Electric Scooters

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Ampere Vehicles, a subsidiary of Greaves Cotton has partnered with OTO Capital to offer leasing plans for its electric scooters. The leasing option is available from this month and is available only in Bengaluru for now. The leasing service will be extended to other cities including Hyderabad, Pune, Delhi, Chennai and Cochin by the end of this year. Ampere says the partnership will allow customers to bring home an electric two-wheeler at an affordable lease rental within 48 hours after a quick documentation process. Customers can book the electric scooters on OTO Capital's website or via Ampere's dealerships. They also have the option to have the vehicle delivered to their doorstep. Also Read: Ampere Magnus Pro Electric Scooter Launched In India; Priced At Rs. 73,990 The leasing plans from OTO Capital are said to be substantially more affordable than other financing schemes Speaking on the tie-up, P Sanjeev, COO, Ampere Vehicles said, "We are happy to partner with OT

Honda Electric Super Cub Revealed In Latest Patent Filings

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Honda introduced a concept electric scooter as far back as in 2009, with a design based on the hugely popular Honda Super Cub. And now, it seems the electric Super Cub is about to become reality. Patents filed in 2016, and now officially published reveal designs of the electric Super Cub, hinting at the very real possibility that Honda may be working on an electric version of its legendary and most popular two-wheeler model. Patent applications published by the US Patent and Trademark Office show several drawings, not just for the electric Super Cub, but also for the removable battery system that the bike uses. The patent images show the removable battery system of the electric Super Cub A removable battery will certainly be helpful for owners of the electric Super Cub, who can just remove the battery and put it for charging while attending classes in college, the workplace, or even overnight at home, or the university hostel. The patent designs also reveal where the battery will

KTM 250 Duke To Get New LED Headlight

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The KTM 250 Duke will be updated with a new LED headlight, similar to that on the KTM 390 Duke. The company has already begun despatching the updated model to KTM dealerships across India and the motorcycle should be officially launched in the coming weeks. Our dealer sources tell us that the ex-showroom price of the updated KTM 250 Duke could see a hike of about Rs. 4,000 or so. The new ex-showroom price of the 250 Duke is likely to be around Rs 2.10 lakh. Apart from the new headlight, we do not expect any other updates to the motorcycle. Also Read: KTM, Husqvarna Offer Free Extended Warranty & Roadside Assistance (The 2017 KTM 250 had a regular halogen bulb headlight, which will be replaced by a new LED unit) As far as looks are concerned, the only differentiators between KTM 250 Duke and the 390 Duke are the colour scheme and the TFT screen on the 390 Duke . Few KTM dealers have started accepting bookings for the motorcycle for a token amount of Rs. 5,000. The 250 Duke

BMW S 1000 XR Gets New M Sport Livery For 2021

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BMW Motorrad has introduced a new M Sport livery for the new S 1000 XR, along with a few optional feature updates that are specific to just the M Sport model. Along with the new colour scheme, BMW Motorrad also offers a bunch of optional features on the S 1000 XR such as a titanium sports silencer, USB charging port and an M endurance chain. Interested customers can also opt for the M milled parts package which include a folding brake lever, folding clutch lever, engine protector, rider footrests and pillion footrests. Other features include a sport windshield and an additional core screen that gets a lap timer. Riders who like to go on long distance trips, can opt for luggage racks as well. Also Read: BMW S 1000 XR Pro Launched In India (Along with a new colour scheme, the BMW S 1000 XR also gets a few new optional features) The new S 1000 XR boasts of more power, now boosted to 165 bhp from the same in-line four-cylinder engine based on the BMW S 1000 RR, with better punch i

2020 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade, Fireblade SP Bookings Open; India Launch Soon

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Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India has begun taking bookings for the 2020 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade and the Fireblade SP in the country. The bookings can be made at Honda's BigWing dealerships for premium motorcycles. Revealed last year at the 2019 EICMA Motorcycle Show, Honda says that this is the most powerful four-cylinder motorcycle engine that the company has ever made. And the CBR1000RR-R ever and promises to be extremely fast as well. Significantly updated for 2020, the superbike now gets a new in-line, four-cylinder engine heavily inspired by Honda's RC213V MotoGP machine and its street-legal RC213V-S counterpart. It puts out maximum power of 212 bhp at 14,500 rpm and peak torque of 113 Nm at 12,500 rpm, with a kerb weight of just 201 kg. Both motorcycles get Akrapovic exhaust as standard kit but the SP gets a bi-directional quick-shifter as well. Also Read: Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade Gets Inducted In Red Dot Design Museum (New Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP fe

Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP Inducted Into Red Dot Design Museum

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The Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP has now been officially inducted into the Red Dot contemporary design museum in Essen, Germany. There are currently three Red Dot Museums worldwide, one in Singaport, the second in Xiamen, China and the one in Essen, Germany. Naturally, to be inducted into a Red Dot Museum, a product must first win a Red Dot Design Award. The CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP has already won the 2020 Red Dot Design Award in the motorcycle category, one of the most prestigious design awards in the world. Also Read: Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP Wins Red Dot Design Award "If I'm thinking about Honda, the first thing that comes to mind is motorbikes," said Red Dot Design Award founder and CEO, Peter Zec. "The Honda Fireblade deserves the Red Dot because the jury liked it very much, and we have really crazy judges that challenged the bike, including a professional racing bike rider. It's not just good design, it has perfect performance too, which is the

Zontes VX 310 Touring Motorcycle Revealed

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Chinese motorcycle brand Zontes has released the first official images of the company's new Zontes VX 310 touring bike. The VX 310 is powered by a 312 cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine, which also powers the Zontes T310 adventure tourer, X310 sports tourer, and the V 310 cruiser. The VX 310 in essence is a combination of a cruiser and the X310 tourer, to make something of a grand tourer. The engine has maximum power of 35 bhp at 9,000 rpm and 30 Nm of peak torque at 7,500 rpm. Also Read: Zontes T 310 Adventure Bike Revealed The face of the Zontes VX 310, particularly the headlights and fairing, is reminiscent of the Ducati Panigale The Zontes VX 310 gets a full-fairing with a face that somewhat resembles the Ducati Panigale, with similar styled headlights and flowing lines. The dual LED headlight and tall, electronically-controlled windshield will definitely be of help while covering long distances on the highway. Two small storage compartments are also included in t

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 Is UK's Best-Selling Motorcycle For June 2020

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Chennai-based bike maker,  Royal Enfield,  has a new feather to add to its cap as the Interceptor 650 has become UK's bestselling motorcycle in June 2020. According to the monthly sales data shared by the UK Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA), Royal Enfield sold 196 units of the Interceptor 650 last month, surpassing the BMW R 1250 GS' 188 units, placing it third on the list. The BMW offering was the highest-selling motorcycle in June 2019. The Interceptor 650 was also the second highest-selling two-wheeler in the UK in June, as the extremely popular Honda PCX 125 scooter was crowned the top-seller (445 units). The Interceptor 650 has also been the highest-selling naked style motorcycle in the UK for the last 12 months. Meanwhile, RE has also revealed that the Himalayan has been one of the top five best-selling bikes in the UK over the past year in the middleweight category. Also Read: Royal Enfield's Volumes Grow 50% Over May 2020, But Y-o-Y Sales Drop By 35% In Jun

KTM, Husqvarna Offer Free Extended Warranty And Roadside Assistance On New Motorcycle Purchase

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KTM has introduced a new limited period scheme for new KTM and Husqvarna motorcycle purchases between July 28 and September 20, 2020. Customers will now get a free extended warranty for three years, which is over and above the two year warranty that you get with the motorcycle, for a total warranty period of five years. Additionally, the company will also offer free roadside assistance plan for one year from the date of purchase. Plus, new KTM and Husqvarna buyers stand a chance to win either an iPhone 11 or KTM merchandise every week. Also Read: KTM Introduces New Finance Scheme For 390 Adventure (Buyers of new Husqvarna 250 bikes will be able to avail the same offer as well) KTM recently introduced a new finance scheme for the KTM 390 Adventure where the EMIs start at Rs. 6,999 with up to 80 per cent coverage of on-road price of the motorcycle along with five years of ownership. The KTM 390 Adventure is priced at Rs. 3.04 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Interested customers can als

Mahindra Mojo 300 ABS BS6 Launched In India; Priced At Rs. 1.99 Lakh

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After dropping multiple teasers online, Mahindra Two-Wheelers has revealed prices for the Mojo 300 ABS BS6 in the country. The 2020 Mahindra Mojo BS6 is priced at Rs. 1.99 lakh (ex-showroom, India), nearly Rs. 10,000 more expensive than the BS4 version. The model was pulled off the shelves in April this year following the industry's transition to the new emission regulations but makes a comeback with four new colour options and a cleaner engine. There are no cosmetic updates to the motorcycle though. Bookings for the BS6 Mojo 300 commenced last week for a token amount of Rs. 5,000 at the brand's dealer outlets. Deliveries for the motorcycle will commence in a few days. Also Read: 2020 Mahindra Mojo 300 ABS BS6 Bookings Begin For Rs. 5,000 Bookings for the 2020 Mahindra Mojo 300 ABS BS6 are already open for a token of Rs. 5,000 While there are no styling revisions, the Mahindra Mojo 300 ABS BS6 gets four new colours - Ruby Red, Black Pearl, Garnet Black and Red Agate. Th

Mahindra Mojo 300 ABS BS6 Launched In Inda; Priced At Rs. 1.99 Lakh

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After dropping multiple teasers online, Mahindra Two-Wheelers has revealed prices for the Mojo 300 ABS BS6 in the country. The 2020 Mahindra Mojo BS6 is priced at Rs. 1.99 lakh (ex-showroom, India), nearly Rs. 10,000 more expensive than the BS4 version. The model was pulled off the shelves in April this year following the industry's transition to the new emission regulations but makes a comeback with four new colour options and a cleaner engine. There are no cosmetic updates to the motorcycle though. Bookings for the BS6 Mojo 300 commenced last week for a token amount of Rs. 5,000 at the brand's dealer outlets. Deliveries for the motorcycle will commence in a few days. Also Read: 2020 Mahindra Mojo 300 ABS BS6 Bookings Begin For Rs. 5,000 Bookings for the 2020 Mahindra Mojo 300 ABS BS6 are already open for a token of Rs. 5,000 While there are no styling revisions, the Mahindra Mojo 300 ABS BS6 gets four new colours - Ruby Red, Black Pearl, Garnet Black and Red Agate. Th

Bike Taxi Company Rapido Introduces Back Shields For Users' Safety

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India's bike taxi platform Rapido has announced the introduction of what the company calls 'Rapido Back Shields' as a measure to ensure the safety of Rapido riders (called Ride Captains) and customers during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Rapido Back Shield is a simple solution designed to ensure some amount of distancing is maintained between the rider and the customer, who will be sitting as the pillion, and is primarily aimed at increasing the safety aspect of using a service like a two-wheeled taxi during the ongoing pandemic. Also Read: Rapido Launches Person To Person Delivery Service The Rapido Safety Shield is made of PVC and various materials were tested before finalising the design and to maintain proper aerodynamics as well as minimum touch points for users The Rapido Shield weighs around 400 g, and will be worn by the Captain during rides, and will prevent any contact from the customer on the pillion seat. The Rapido Shield is a lightweight, PVC boa

Coronavirus Pandemic: TVS Registered Loss Of Rs. 139.07 Crore In Q1 FY21

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TVS Motor Company has reported a net loss of Rs. 139.07 crore in the quarter ended June 2020 of FY'21. In the same quarter last year, the company had reported profit after tax of Rs. 142.3 crore. In the quarter under review, the company's revenue dropped by a massive 67.96 per cent to Rs. 1,434.3 crore from Rs. 4,469.8 crore last year. The company said that this particular quarter is not a representative quarter as sales and production were on complete halt for a significant amount of time. The situation, caused by the lockdown due to Coronavirus pandemic was unprecedented. Also Read: TVS Says Business Environment Will Continue To Be Challenging This Fiscal (TVS saw steep declines in segment wise sales in Q1 FY'21 as well) Even in terms of sales, the company saw steep declines. The company's overall two-wheeler sales including exports was 2.55 lakh units during quarter ended June 2020 as against sales of 8.84 Lakh units reported in the quarter ended June 2019. TV

KTM Global Motorcycle Sales Hit In First Half Of 2020

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Pierer Mobility AG, the parent company of KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas, has announced sales figures for the first half of 2020, and the numbers aren't great. For the first six months of 2020, the three brands sold a combined total of 90,331 motorcycles around the world, compared to 1,35,711 motorcycles for the same period last year. That is a 33 per cent decline in sales for the period from January to June, year on year. Out of that, Bajaj Auto, which owns 48 per cent stake in KTM, sold 20,160 motorcycles in the same period, a decline of 38 per cent over the 32,539 made-in-India KTM motorcycles Bajaj had despatched in the same period a year ago. Also Read: KTM CEO Says Motorcycle Sales Picking Up Despite Pandemic KTM's Mattighofen factory was shut down in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic Pierer Mobility AG in a press release states that the result is positive in the first half of the year despite the challenges and lockdowns due to COVID-19. In fact, CEO Stefan Piere

Top Upcoming Bike Launches In August 2020

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With India slowly opening up for business, there has been a slight increase in the sales of two-wheelers. Most companies are looking to cash in on this and launch new models, especially two-wheeler manufacturers. August 2020 holds promise of several two-wheeler launches which includes scooters as well. For performance enthusiasts, Triumph and Ducati have a launch each lined up while mass market buyers can look out for the BS6 variants of the Mojo 300 and the two models from Hero MotoCorp. Here's our list of top two-wheelers which are likely to be launched in August 2020. Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 will be the next big launch from the company) Royal Enfield is geared up to launch the Meteor 350 in India in August 2020. Originally, the motorcycle was supposed to be launched in June itself. The Meteor 350 will mark a new era for the company as it will be the start of a new product line. The motorcycle will replace the Thunderbird 350 and will be an al

Jawa Offers Roadside Assistance Program; Prices Start At Rs. 1,050

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Jawa Motorcycles has launched a roadside assistance program in India and the prices for the same start at Rs. 1,050 for one year. The roadside assistance (RSA) service will be offered on all Jawa models which are - Jawa, Forty-Two and the Perak. Jawa will offer the RSA in 950 cities across India along with 24x7 coverage for up to a distance of 100 kilometres from the location of the bike breakdown. The roadside assistance package includes free towing facility for 100 km, roadside repairs, puncture repair, extra fuel in case the bike runs out of fuel, lost key retrieval and help in case of medical emergencies as well. Also Read: Jawa Perak Deliveries Begin (Here's a look at the services that Jawa roadside assistance offers) The terms and conditions haven't been revealed yet. Existing Jawa owners can avail of the RSA package provided the bike is less than three years old. Jawa will also offer help with a crane and emergency message relay in case a Jawa bike is immobile. A

Harley-Davidson Reports $92 Million Loss As Bike Sales Skid

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Harley-Davidson is reeling under slowing motorcycle sales, which were dealt another blow by the COVID-19 pandemic. For the quarter ended June 30 (April - June, 2020), the iconic American motorcycle brand said it will now trim its product line-up and also exit some foreign markets where sales have been slowing down alarmingly. For the second quarter of 2020, Harley-Davidson reported a loss of $92 milliion in the three-month period, compared to a profit of $195.6 million in the same quarter a year earlier. Also Read: Harley-Davidson Removed From S&P 500 Index In the home market of US, Harley-Davidson's retail motorcycle sales fell 27 per cent in the April-June quarter. It's the steepest sales decline in the last six years, and according to Harley-Davidson the slowing sales were aggravated by COVID-19 production cutbacks and temporary closures of dealerships as the pandemic raged on. In fact, Harley-Davidson suspended production in its factories in the US in March due to th

2020 Hero Xtreme 160R Review

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Hero MotoCorp finally makes its move into the popular 160 cc motorcycle segment with the all-new Hero Xtreme 160R. It's a bike which immediately impressed us during our very brief first ride earlier this year at Hero's Global Centre for Innovation and Technology in Jaipur. And now, we get to spend some time with the new Xtreme 160R out in the real world to see what exactly it offers, and if it packs enough punch in all aspects to take the fight to established rivals in its segment. Also Read: Hero Xtreme 160R First Ride Review The Hero Xtreme 160R is one of the best-looking motorcycles from Hero MotoCorp right now It's got the look The Hero Xtreme 160R is definitely one of the best looking motorcycles in Hero MotoCorp's portfolio right now. It looks sharp and sporty, with a muscular front end, and is well-proportioned, giving it a sporty stance even when standing still. The fuel tank with the bulky skirt running along the length of the tank down to the side pane

Hero Xtreme 160R: Top 5 Bikes You Can Buy At Similar Price

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The Hero Xtreme 160R is Hero's new premium commuter motorcycle, and will have its task cut out to take on established rivals in the 160 cc motorcycle segment. The Xtreme 160R is available in two variants, with the base variant priced at Rs. 99,950 (Ex-showroom, Delhi), and the dual disc brake variant priced at Rs. 1,03,500 (Ex-showroom, Delhi). Now, the 160 cc motorcycle segment has several contenders, from brands across the spectrum. While Hero has been late to join the party in the 160 cc segment, it still is the most affordable motorcycle, although costing almost the same as its closest rival in terms of price. Also Read: Hero Xtreme 160R Specifications Comparison With Rivals The 2020 Yamaha FZS-FI BS6 is the closest in pricing to the Xtreme 160R but it's the least powerful as well Yamaha FZ FI/ FZ-S FI The Yamaha FZ is the bike that started it all. It is the motorcycle which brought style, dynamism and premium-ness to an otherwise rather plain commuter-ish motorcycl

Harley-Davidson Reboots Business As Coronavirus Hammers Earnings

Harley-Davidson Inc on Tuesday reported an unexpected quarterly loss due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, sending its shares sliding 4% in pre-market trade. It also unveiled a strategy that includes streamlining product portfolio and shifting resources and investments in markets with growth potential as part of new Chief Executive Jochen Zeitz's strategy to turn around the 117-year-old motorcycle company that has been grappling with an aging customer base. The Milwaukee-based company reported a loss of 60 cents per share for the quarter through June, compared with a profit of $1.23 per share a year ago. Analysts had on average expected the profit to come in at 4 cents per share, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. Motorcycles and related products revenue dived 53% year-on-year to $669 million, hurt by the temporary suspension of production during the quarter due to lockdowns to curb the spread of the virus. The company's shares were trading down 4.9% at

Hero Xtreme 160R vs Rivals: Specifications Comparison

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The Hero Xtreme 160R is finally on sale across the country. The motorcycle was launched at the end of June 2020 and has its work cut out, taking on some truly good motorcycles in the 150-160 cc segment which has the likes of the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V, Bajaj Pulsar NS160, Suzuki Gixxer 155, Yamaha FZ-S and the recently launched Honda X-Blade BS6. The competition is definitely tough in this segment. We give you a quick lowdown on how the new 160 cc motorcycle from Hero squares up against the other motorcycles in the segment. Take a look! Also Read: Hero Xtreme 160R: All You Need To Know (The Bajaj Pulsar NS160 gets the most powerful engine among all motorcycles here and in the 150-160 cc segment as well) Engine Specifications Specifications Hero Xtreme 160R TVS Apache RTR 160 4V Suzuki Gixxer Honda X-Blade Bajaj Pulsar NS160 Yamaha FZ-V3.0 Displacement 163 cc 159.7 cc 155 cc 162.7 cc 160.3 cc 149 cc Max Output 15 bhp at 8,500 rpm 15.8 bhp at 8,250 prm 1