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Three of India's best bikes and a theoryBy:Kartik Ware |Published :July 25, 2011 Photos: Kyle Pereira & Kartik Ware

Relativity. Einstein’s much talked about and not much understood theory applies to motorcycles as well. Especially when it comes to Performance – a potent word, isn’t it?

When it comes to motorcycles, that word means a lot to some motorcyclists and that’s why every manufacturer has a flagship model that appeals to the rubber-smokin’ bunch. And let me state right away that each of the bikes you see here is a great motorcycle in its own right.

But again, in the end, there is only one winner. And in case you’re wondering, we’ve deliberately left out performance figures. You want best numbers? Buy the P220.

It?s never too late to learn at the California Superbike School!By:Kartik Ware |Published :April 05, 2011 Photos: Aditya Bedre & Preethi

Two Days Ago

I showed up at the MMST, greeted by uncharacteristically pleasant weather. It was warm, but not life-threateningly hot as it usually is. I’m here for the California Superbike School brought to India by Preethi. And this edition is even more special – Andy Ibbott, Darren Sweetman, Steve Brouggy and Dylan Code among others have come down, the first time riding coaches from CSS around the world have come together for a track school. I wandered off towards a few cars that had just pulled up. Among all the new faces, I saw a familiar one; one that I recognised from the Twist of the Wrist books and videos that are imprinted on my brain – Keith Code himself. Another day, another idol.

Two Days Later

Again, it’s almost perfect riding weather. Right knee dragging, the world is blurring past at an insane angle. Going as fast as I dare through C5, I feel almost blessed; the gods of motorcycling are smiling indulgently upon me. I wind open the throttle perhaps a bit too enthusiastically. Then, with a sound that instantly reminds me of Batman’s two-wheeled contraption burning rubber in The Dark Knight, my R15’s much-abused and frayed rear tyre loses traction, throwing me headlong into the first proper powerslide of my life.

Had it happened only two days ago, I wouldn’t be recollecting scenes from Christopher Nolan’s excellent movie, but sweeping the track with my own tumbling physical self. The difference is, just yesterday I’d seen Keith straddling a chair and explaining the Pick Up technique and later practised it on track with coach Darren Sweetman’s eagle eye observing my every move. That was among the many things Keith and his merry band of instructors taught us at Levels I and II of the CSS. And it seems, given the fact that I didn’t crash, I even managed to learn a few things. Things that every motorcyclist must be made aware of. Two wheels deserve two lines, even if they are by someone as poetically challenged as I am.

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Japanese auto maker Honda is open to offering its motorcycle platforms to the Hero group even after the technology pact between the two ends in 2014.By:Swaraj Baggonkar |Published :March 25, 2011

Japanese auto maker Honda is open to offering its motorcycle platforms to the Hero group even after the technology pact between the two ends in 2014.

Honda and the Hero group have ended their joint venture. However, they have signed an agreement under which Honda will give technology for new and upgraded bikes to Hero in return for royalty till June 2014.

“The fee charged for use of Honda platforms and engines is valid only till 2014. But if the Hero group wants to continue using them, and wants our new platforms, we will charge a one-time fee instead of an annual royalty after that,” said Shinji Aoyama, president and CEO, Honda Motorcycle and Scooters India Ltd (HMSI).

Hero does not have a full-fledged research and development centre and has been depending on Honda for technology.

“The intellectual property rights (IPR) of both new and old engines and platforms which will be used by the Hero group are held by Honda. Even if Hero wishes to continue with our platforms, the ownership and IPR will rest with us. We can look at sharing platforms with Hero Honda”, said Aoyama.

HMSI is making an aggressive bid to enter the mass 100cc mobike segment. It is looking to treble its output to above 6.6 million over the next six-seven years from 2.2 million at present. This, the company hopes, will take it close to market leader Hero Honda, which is expected have annual sales of eight million units by that time.

HMSI’s two plants in Haryana and Rajasthan can produce 2.8 million units a year. The company is looking to make build a third mega plant, which could come up in western or southern part of the country.

“In six-seven years, we can have sales comparable to the market leader, and we can hopefully surpass that to become the leader four years after that. The average growth rate should be a minimum of 10 per cent”, said Aoyama.

To expand and make products more affordable, HMSI is keen to bring its finance arm into the country. The arm will be registered as a non-banking finance company. It was to debut last year but could not due to the stake-sale process. HMSI is yet to approach the Reserve Bank of India for a licence.

HMSI has around 1,200 sales outlets in the country compared to Hero Honda’s 4,000.

Riding too fast two strokers from back in the dayBy:Ruman Devmane |Published :June 21, 2011

Remember Kelly McGillis from Top Gun? Well, she hardly looks like that shrewd, oh-so-delectable number now, but back in the day, she could do unmentionable things to your anatomy. That, of course, is only if you are not one to gather a huddle and whisper excitedly about the 'mind-blowing' and 'awesome' 3D visuals of Avatar or the Transformers.

There was a fair bit going on in Top Gun, without any trying-too-hard sequences. Cruise rode a fast motorcycle (Quiz: Name the bike he rode in the movie. Entries with the correct answers will get free access to Aneesh's expensive headphones. Heh), flew fighter jets like a daredevil, wore Ray-Ban Aviators and got his flight instructor hooked on to him in no time. What a man!

Those who've missed out on the charms of TG, however, have missed the plane, pun sincerely intended. TG was clean, direct, youthful and each of the characters had some sort of an aspirational undertone to them. Oh, and you don't meet people called Maverick and Ice Man everyday, do you?

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The Duke 200 will go on sale in Indiia in 2012By:Press Trust of India |Published :July 15, 2011

Austrian sports bike maker KTM today said it would launch its first motorcycle, jointly developed with Bajaj Auto Ltd, in India at the Auto Expo to be held in the capital early next year.

The company, in which Bajaj Auto holds a 40% stake, had already launched its first co-developed bike in Europe in March this year.

"During the Delhi Auto Expo next year, we will be launching the first 200-cc Duke bike in India," Cross Industries AG CEO and also the CEO of KTM Sportmotorcycle AG, Stefan Pierer, told reporters here.

The bike will be produced at the Pune facility of Bajaj Auto, he added.

About the company's sales target in India, Pierer said: "We expect to sell 25,000 to 30,000 units in India in the first year of launch. After one year, we will launch the 350-cc Duke in India."

KTM had launched the 125-cc 'Duke', developed jointly with Bajaj Auto, in Europe in March this year.

"We have already sold nearly 7,000 units in Europe. We are targeting to sell about 10,000 units in Europe this year," he said.

The two partners are looking to expand the markets for their bikes.

 "All the bikes that we produce in India will be global models. Now we are looking to export KTM bikes from Bajaj facility to other emerging markets like Thailand, Malaysia, and Brazil," Pierer said.

Overall, KTM aims to sell 82,000 units this year, up from 62,000 units in 2010, he said, adding that by 2015, it was targeting the sale of 200,000 units.

In 2007, Bajaj picked up a 14.9% stake in KTM for around Rs 300 crore. A year later, it increased its stake in the European bike-maker to 25% and has been increasing it gradually.

 Both companies also signed an agreement for jointly developing 125-cc bikes, which will be built at Bajaj's Chakan plant near Pune for exports to the European market under the KTM brand. They had earlier planned to launch their bikes in India in the latter half of this year.

Asked if Cross Industries, the holding company of KTM, would allow its partner, Bajaj, to hike its stake, Pierer said: "Bajaj currently holds about a 40% stake and we have an arrangement with them under which they can go up to acquiring 49% stake in KTM. They can acquire the stake only through open market and we are helping them to gain more stake in KTM."

He, however, said: "We will not dilute the promoters' holding of 51% in KTM."

We yump, slide and go into a tyrewallBy:Ruman Devmane |Published :July 19, 2011

We’re a dirty bunch, the motorcyclists at least. Our jeans are washing-machine virgins and some of us are not on talking terms with the shaving razor fraternity. If you happen to be driving by our office, I suggest you don’t drop in anytime around lunch time. That is when our lunch table resembles a ravaged third-world country (no names, okay?) and we, its citizens. Viewed in this light, it is not surprising that we take to dirt, slush and slime every now and then for some more motoring madness. In our Slush Fest specials, we’ve gone off-roading on two wheels and four and on one occassion, fourteen (Actros!). This time, we’ve upped it to sixteen. Well, sort of.

HONDA XR 100 MOTARD vs YAMAHA PW 80

An oval? That’s it?’ is what Kartik and I told ourselves on our first sighting of the track. A 350-metre track, with an incline/decline on either straight and two dead slow corners, was to be our playfield for the day. The most obvious choice for a recce was a helicopter, but the little Honda is all we had. ‘So be it,’ said I and stumbled over the seat, hit my knee against the handlebar and moments later, slipped my foot off the kick-starter, landing on a grunge metal footpeg. If the lady in charge wasn’t so hot, I’d have whimpered and hopped off into the woods, weeping. Talk about a good start to the day.

HONDA XR 100 MOTARD

The XR 100 Motard is about as light as half an Activa. And to think of it, it took all 90 kilos of me around the track and even yumped repeatedly. Respect, considering the fact that 6 year-olds and loonies ride it in the US/EU. A four stroke, 100cc motor that sounds borderline Dio actually feels powerful thanks to the weight and size. Four gears and a happy clutch saw us off to cute wheelies. It’s a scaled-down motard, so you get proper motardability, but we wished we were about three feet tall. Explains the target audience, then. More than the engine output, it’s the dimensions than can catch you out. Simply put, aggressive handling will see you eat dust. The XR is small, on motard tyres and that hot girl is still around. Keep it low.  

METAPHOR SPEAK

It’s like a happy Labrador – will playfully growl, but has forgotten his biting trousers in the shrubs.

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Plans on expanding export business from IndiaBy:Press Trust of India |Published :April 05, 2011

Japanese two-wheeler major Yamaha plans to set up a third plant in India as it looks to expand business here, and also make the country an independent export unit for selling in overseas markets, including Latin America and Africa.

The firm's wholly-owned subsidiary India Yamaha Motor Pvt Ltd will invest Rs 300 crore until 2012 to set up warehouses and delivery centres at its Surajpur plant, the capacity for which is being expanded to touch 10 lakh units by 2013.

"Currently a study is on for setting up a third plant. By the end of this year, we should think of a new factory," India Yamaha Motor Pvt Ltd CEO and Managing Director Hiroyuki Suzuki told PTI.

Asked about the time frame for the plant, he said: "We would like to start making the plan for it as soon as possible."

He said the need for a third plant, over and above the Surajpur and Faridabad plants, is in view of the company's ambitions to expand in the Indian market as well as also an intensified focus on exports.

"By 2013, we would like to sell 800,000 units in the domestic market and 200,000 units in export when the Surajpur plant reaches a capacity of oe mllion units annually," Suzuki said, adding, by 2015 the company is look at an annual export volume of three lakh units.

In 2011, the company is eyeing a total sales of 500,000 units, out of which 350,000 will be in domestic market and 130,000 of exports. Last year it sold a total of 480,000 units with exports accounting for 130,000 units.

At present India Yamaha's exports is done through its parent in Japan which act as the via media for selling between its different subsidiaries.

"We are trying to make India Yamaha an independent export unit rather than doing it through Yamaha Japan. We have started exporting directly to Nepal and the next would be Bangladesh and Sri Lanka," he said.

If the model becomes successful then India Yamaha will also look to export directly on its own to new markets.

"The markets in Africa and South America are suitable for our mass market bikes like the Crux and YBR. We would like to sell directly to Yamaha's subsidiaries there," Suzuki said.

Asked about the location of the new plant, he said: "It should be a place where it has an advantage for exports over and above catering to the Indian market."

Suzuki, however, did not comment on investments and the size of the proposed plant. He said the long term plan for India Yamaha is to manufacture mass market products at the third plant while the upper segment and premium bikes are rolled out from the Surajpur plant.

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Says the low-cost minicar with Renault and Nissan was commercially unviableBy:Reuters |Published :July 15, 2011

Bajaj Auto Ltd has shelved a project to develop a low-cost minicar in India for Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co, saying it was commercially unviable, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The company is not planning to get into the low-margin passenger car business, the report quoted Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj as saying.

The company will instead unveil a low-cost commercial vehicle in January, the paper said.

The Renault-Nissan alliance signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) last year with India's second-largest two-wheeler maker to develop an ultra low-cost car for India and other emerging markets and had planned to launch it in 2012.

The car was expected to rival Tata Motors' Nano, the world's cheapest car.

The design, manufacturing and sourcing for the car was to be done by Bajaj, and Renault-Nissan would handle marketing in India and overseas, according to the agreement between the companies.

Nissan spokesman Simon Sproule said in Tokyo that the partners would be facing certain milestones in making decisions for the project in the next few weeks, but the company had no immediate announcement to make.

Bajaj Auto and Renault could not be immediately reached for comments.

The results are in ? which one do you think will win?By:BSM |Published :May 24, 2011 So, we compiled a list of the Top 8 most fun-to-ride motorcycles in India based on our own riding experiences about two weeks back. As expected, there were reactions left, right and centre. Some of you agreed with our list whole heartedly while some declared the list to be rubbish. Rest of them posted random comments about the Tata Ace.Weird. So, since we’re a democracy, we thought it would be nice to ask you what your top 8 motorcycle were. After nearly 15 days of polling on Facebook, here are the results –

The poll is still open and you can vote here after ‘Liking’ our Facebook page.
http://tinyurl.com/bsmtop8

Who's at No.8? Find out on the next page ->

Fresh capacity for scooters that are coming nextBy:Sharmistha Mukherjee |Published :May 18, 2011

India Yamaha Motor is planning to set up a third plant in an effort to garner a larger share of the world’s second-largest motorcycle market. The company, which sold 250,000 motorcycles last year, is targeting a 10 per cent share of the domestic two-wheeler market over the next four years.

“We are serious about our targets and would have to look at fresh capacity to achieve them,” said Roy Kurian, its national business head. The company is expected to soon scout locations for the new facility.

Kurian declined to comment on the new plant’s capacity and investment requirement.

Last year, as many as 11.8 million two-wheelers were sold in the country. The segment is expected to grow at 12-14 per cent this financial year. Even at the current sales numbers, Yamaha would have to sell over a million units to gain a market share of 10 per cent in the two-wheeler industry.

“In Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia, Yamaha has 20 per cent market share. In Indonesia, we sold 3.5 million motorcycles last year, as compared to 0.35 million units expected to be sold in the domestic market here in this financial year. The potential to grow sales is huge,” said Kurian.

The company has facilities at Surajpur in Greater Noida and at Faridabad in the National Capital Region. The Surajpur plant can roll out 600,000 motorcycles a year, which can be expanded to one million units.

The Faridabad facility can manufacture 700,000 engines, besides other components.

To strengthen its presence in the two-wheeler market, Yamaha is gearing up to foray into the fast-growing scooter segment.

The all-new product that its parent company, Yamaha Motor Corporation, is developing specifically for India, is expected to hit Indian roads next year.

Additionally, Yamaha is also considering introducing two new motorbikes this year, which may include possible upgrades.

Yamaha is looking at selling 500,000 motorcycles (domestic sales and exports) this financial year, an increase of over 31.6 per cent over the 380,000 units sold in 2010-11.

It sells 15 products through a network of 400 dealers across the country.

Here is exactly why they are planning an assault on the Indian scooter marketBy:Sharmistha Mukherjee |Published :June 07, 2011

The Indian two-wheeler market comprises about 12 million units per annum, of which over 75 per cent is constituted by motorcycles. So why is India Yamaha Motor revving up to enter the scooter market in India?

Point to note, Yamaha is not the only one. Two-wheeler market leader Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) is also firming up plans to launch a new product in the category this fiscal.

So what gives?

Simply put, strong double-digit growth. While scooters, at present, account for about 18 per cent of the sales in the overall two-wheeler market in India, the segment has posted strong growth numbers with sales increasing by around 41.79 per cent last fiscal to log 2.07 million units. Many contend rising petrol prices were the beginning of the Indian scooter surge. Whatever the reason — nostalgia or sheer prudence — this sudden growth has prompted new players to look for opportunities in the category. So there is India Yamaha Motor which is gearing up to foray into the segment with an all-new product that parent Yamaha Motor Corporation is developing specifically for the country.

As things stand, the top four two-wheeler makers — Hero Honda, Bajaj Auto, TVS and HMSI — together account for around 93.5 per cent of the sales in the domestic market leaving five-odd players — Suzuki Motorcycle, India Yamaha Motor, LML, Mahindra Two Wheelers and Royal Enfield — to battle out the remaining 6.5 per cent. Technically speaking Yamaha today is the sixth largest two-wheeler maker in India. The company has a marginal share of 2.35 per cent in the domestic market.

HMSI, which has three scooter brands — Activa, Dio and Aviator priced between Rs 39,820 and Rs 50,020 — is the largest maker of two-wheelers accounting for 43 per cent share in the domestic market. HMSI sold 893,335 scooters last fiscal.

On its part, India Yamaha Motor is looking to invest $10 million by 2012 in capacity expansion as well as in new products, revving up its market share to about 10 per cent from the current 2 per cent. Roy Kurian, national business head, India Yamaha Motor, says, “We were studying the Indian market intensively over the last two years to gauge the requirements of customers here. We decided we needed a new product. The product is in development at our R&D centre in Japan, which would be introduced in the country shortly.” Kurian, however, declined to specify a definite timeline and technical specifications of the scooter.

India-specific
Yamaha has scooters such as the Neo, Fino, and Spark in its global portfolio which it sells mostly in South East Asian countries. Kurian explains, “Unlike in the 1970-80s, over 60 per cent of scooter users today are women. The riding conditions here and the very profile of the target group necessitated that we develop a product specifically for the Indian market.” Industry sources say it is likely to be a gearless scooter and will contend with best sellers such as Honda Activa and Hero Honda Pleasure.

But it won’t hit Indian roads before the end of next year. The company is conducting post product development studies to evaluate strategies to enter the new category and the positioning of the product. Yamaha would focus on selling scooters in the southern and western markets of India where per capita income is comparatively higher. “The four states in the south, as well as Gujarat and Maharashtra are good markets. This has a direct co-relation to education and awareness levels in these places. A lot more women are working (outside the home) in these places. Delhi too has a lot of potential,” Kurian says.

Yamaha is looking to sell 500,000 motorcycles (domestic sales and exports) this financial year, an increase of over 31.6 per cent over the 380,000 units sold in 2010-11. The company has 400 dealer outlets across the country. Over the next three to four years, Yamaha hopes to cross over to double digit share figures with new products and improved distribution. Kurian says, “We want to consolidate our position in India. This year, we expect to grow by at least a third and then on double the growth rates recorded by the overall two-wheeler industry.”

In Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia, Yamaha has 20 per cent market share. In Indonesia, it sold 3.5 million motorcycles last year, compared to 0.35 million units it expects to sell in the Indian market this year. “The potential to grow is huge”, adds Kurian.

Yamaha, which prides itself on the technology its products offer, has adopted a top down approach for boosting sales in the Indian market. “Our products are known for their technology. And we will continue to introduce top-end products in India. We want to reach out first to the educated urban buyer who is aware of what we stand for. Once we succeed in establishing our brand firmly in urban markets, sales would automatically filter in from rural areas. The rural buyer wants a proven brand.”

THE MOTORCYCLE MAJORS
Market share for sales in domestic 
market (2010-11)

Honda Motorcycle and 
Scooter India

Strengthening portfolio

Besides foraying into scooters Yamaha is also looking to rev up its motorcycle portfolio. The company is looking at introducing two new motorbikes every year, including upgrades. Also on cards is an electric scooter. “We have electric scooters. We will examine how the market for such products develops in India. If there is demand, we can come out with a product.”

Industry experts, however, raise concern over Yamaha’s weak presence in the 100-110 cc mass commuter segment that contributes as much as 60 per cent to overall motorcycle sales in the country. Yamaha has two products — YBR110 and Crux — in the 100-110 cc segment but sales are significantly lower than those of Hero Honda Splendor which sells over two million units annually.

Kurian says, “It is not that we are ignoring the mass commuter segment: we do have products in the 100-110 cc category. But the 150-cc segment is a growing market. Now we are seeing demand for 150 cc bikes coming from even B and C category towns.” India Yamaha Motor today has 15 models in its portfolio, with as many as six positioned in the 150 cc segment. The FZ series is Yamaha’s largest selling brand in the country with sales amounting to around 20,000 units per month. The company had 14 per cent share in the category last month and is expecting to capture a fifth of sales in the segment by the end of the current fiscal.

The 10 per cent share Yamaha is eyeing in the Indian market calls for fresh investment in creating additional capacity. Last year, as many as 11.8 million two-wheelers were sold in the country. The market is expected to grow at 12-14 per cent this financial year. Even at the current sales numbers, Yamaha would have to sell over a million units to gain a market share of 10 per cent in the two-wheeler industry.

To this effect, India Yamaha Motor is planning to set up a third facility in the country. Kurian confirms, “We are serious about our targets and would have to look at fresh capacity to achieve them.” The company declined to share details of the capacity it is targeting and the investment Yamaha proposes to make to that end, but indicated that that the company will begin the search for a new location to set up the new plant soon.

The two other facilities that India Yamaha Motor has today are both located in the national capital region — one in Surajpur in Greater Noida and the other at Faridabad. The Surajpur plant can roll out 600,000 motorcycles a year, and can be expanded to one million units. The Faridabad facility can manufacture 700,000 engines, besides other components.

Last year, the company had said it would focus more on the Indian market with more investments and better products. Its scooter foray may well be a sign of things to come.

We finally get acquainted with the Mahindra StallioBy:Kyle Periera |Published :March 21, 2011

Aamir Khan endorses it and it also happens to be the first motorcycle from Mahindra 2 Wheelers. Yes, it’s the Stallio and here is our first impression of the motorcycle. The styling of the Stallio is par for the course, to be honest. To me, it’s a decent looker, but not stunning enough to leave a lasting impression. On the other hand, I think the bright yellow paint job of the specimen handed to us made it stand out on the road as well as in the parking lot. Note to reader: if you’re buying a Stallio, don’t forget to pick the brightest of colours.

At first glance, the sloper engine seems very familiar – the CD 100 comes to mind. The 106cc motor puts out 7.2 bhp@7500 rpm, with the torque figure rated at 0.8 kgm@5500 rpm. The specs aren’t pathbreaking and are more or less on par with the competition.

On the roll, the Stallio holds its own, with power coming in early. However, the motor begins to get vibey at about 4500 rpm and keeps climbing. At about 6500 rpm, your tooth fillings are rattling and the pegs are sending you large clumps of tingles through your feet. A good thing? Er, unfortunately not.

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HMSI today said it will hire about 1,500 people for its second plant at Tapukara in Rajasthan,By:Press Trust of India |Published :March 21, 2011

Two-wheeler maker Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) today said it will hire about 1,500 people for its second plant at Tapukara in Rajasthan, which will commence operations from July-August this year.

Besides, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Japanese auto major Honda Motor Co will announce setting up its third manufacturing unit in India very "soon".

"We will start production at Tapukara from July-August, with an initial capacity of 6 lakh units annually. We plan to hire 1,500 people, including permanent and contract workers," HMSI President and CEO Shinji Aoyama told reporters here.

The capacity of the facility is expandable up to 12 lakh units annually and HMSI will have a total workforce of 3,000 people at Tapukara then, he said without giving any timeframe.

HMSI has invested Rs 600 crore on the first phase of the Tapukara plant.

Aoyama said the total investment will come close to Rs 1,000 crore in the second phase, when the overall capacity will be expanded up to 12 lakh units.

The company has so far cumulatively put in about Rs 1,300 crore in India, he added.

HMSI currently has a plant at Manesar in Haryana which can produce up to 16 lakh units every year. It employs a total of 7,000 people, including contract labourers.

Aoyama, who will be leaving India after a four-year stint to join the parent Honda Motor Co next month, said under his tenure HMSI was able to bring down the number of unpleasant instances arising due to labour issues.

"I believe, we can somehow manage the issues as we are not squeezing people. Still some issues are pending. Workers will never stop demanding and management will never stop listening to them," he added.

About 2,500 casual labourers went on a 2-day flash strike in December last year after one of them was "manhandled" by a security staff, thus resulting in production loss of over 5,000 units.

In 2009, HMSI suffered a loss of over Rs 300 crore after workers went on a go-slow strike, which had resulted in an output dip of over 50 per cent for nearly three months that ended in October. In 2005 also, the firm witnessed a violent strike by workers that rocked Gurgaon-Manesar industrial belt.

HMSI today said it is targeting to dethrone Honda's erstwhile joint venture with the Hero Group from the No 1 two-wheeler maker position in India within the next 10 years, with focus on the rural areas and plans to introduce its first 100cc bike next year.

Harley-Davidson has an additional reason to be annoyed at the Budget spanner in the works of its assembly plant in the countryBy:Swaraj Baggonkar |Published :March 28, 2011

Iconic American motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson has an additional reason to be annoyed at the Budget spanner in the works of its assembly plant in the country.

The company had started to accept bookings for two models - Iron 883 and SuperLow - produced locally after assembling parts brought into the country in a completely knocked down (CKD) set. While a formal launch of the two models is yet to happen, deliveries of a few units have been made, according to a company spokesperson.

The problem is the Budget change to the earlier rule of a concessional 10 per cent duty on CKD assembly. The Union Budget has changed the definition of CKD and engines, transmissions and gearboxes not made in India would now attract a 30 per cent duty (the original proposal, modified on industry protest, was a 60 per cent rate). Says Anoop Prakash, managing director, Harley-Davidson India, "We respect the fovernment's decision, even while we had shared our view that the increase in duties at this time may affect the development of the leisure motorcycling segment."

Adding: “Regardless, we remain committed to the Indian market for the long term and will now evaluate whether we invest in adapting our operations to the new CKD standards or manage our business to the higher duty rate." Meaning, the assembly plant could even be put in reverse gear.

What irks Harley more was that it had taken the extra precaution, before deciding on a CKD assembly unit in India, of approaching the authorities to formally clarify that they would get the concessional duty.

Last year, it had approached the Authority for Advance Rulings of the finance minsitry on the issue. The AAR is meant for this purpose, to clarify and get binding opinions before a decision, in order to save both the government and the taxed entity later dispute and allied legal and other expenses.

And, in July last year, the AAR gave a favourable ruling (the application was made by H-D Motor Company India, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Harley-Davidson Singapore)on the proposal to import motorbikes as dismantled units. Harley had cited the case in 2006 of the premium German car maker, BMW, whereinrein the latter was allowed to operate as a CKD operator even though some individual parts were to be imported in semi-knocked down condition.

Harley, therefore, argued to the three-member panel headed by Justice P V Reddi that it, too, should be eligible to claim the concessional rate of duty applicable to CKD kits.

Due to the new upward revision in duties, it is now reviewing whether to proceed with its CKD plans in India or not. A 10 per cent customs duty allows premium manufacturers who do not wish to set up a full-fledged manufacturing facility in India to price their products competitively without importing these. If they did the latter, it doubles the price of the vehicle.

The stunting legend?s back in India!By:Kartik Ware |Published :April 06, 2011

I remember it clearly. Ten months ago, I was spellbound as I watched Chris Pfeiffer work his magic, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Last Sunday, I met him on his second visit to India, and I thought, ‘Hmm. The first time’s always special. Maybe I won’t be as swayed this time around.’ Right, no?

However, as Pfeiffer executed a long - really long - rolling stoppie on the BMW S1000RR while heading towards me, I was bewitched all over again. And when his helmet gently nudged my head, it drove an important realisation home - it doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen him perform; my jaw will always hit the ground and my hands will always shake with excitement when Chris Pfeiffer rides a motorcycle.

And I fear I’ll never know what it is that makes us all go crazy. I mean, of course, it’s the fact that he can make a motorcycle seem lighter on its feet than a ballet dancer and he can make his F800 do things that I can’t do on a bicycle even in my dreams. But it’s more than that - perhaps it’s the showmanship, the way he plays to the crowd, the sheer joy on his face when he’s pulling a high-chair wheelie mere feet away from the crowd - what I can’t explain is why my brain switches to ‘surreal’ mode when he’s performing. But I’m sure glad that Red Bull keeps bringing him back!

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Can?t wait for the KTM-Bajaj to hit our roads? Here?s something to chew on until then!By:Alan Cathcart |Published :April 01, 2011

Don’t dismiss the new KTM 125 Duke just because it’s ‘only’ a 125 street single. Because this motorcycle, launched at Intermot 2010, might actually be the most significant and important new motorcycle launched on planet Earth in this century. Here’s why.

The new downsized Duke is the first fruit of joint labour between the second-largest motorcycle manufacturers in both India and Europe. On April 16 this year, Bajaj brought its shareholding in KTM up to a total of 35.67 per cent. By any standards, that makes the Indian company – the fourth-largest two-wheeler manufacturer in the world – a key influence in the future direction taken by KTM under its majority owner, Cross Industries. East meets West.

‘In my opinion, the biggest single challenge for today’s motorcycle manufacturers is this: how can we direct our future products towards a younger customer?’ says KTM president Stefan Pierer. ‘One way is the Zero Emission segment, our electric-driven off-road competition bikes, which could attract new, young customers. But the first and most important thing for us is the 125cc class, so let’s make cool, affordable, entry-level bikes which display the brand image, and that’s what we’re doing in conjunction with our partners, Bajaj, in creating and marketing the 125 Duke. If this also lets us expand globally by approaching emerging markets, that’s a bonus. But the main thing is to get young people on motorcycles for the first time and then to keep them riding, preferably with KTM, as they progress through life and up the capacity scale.’

That summarises KTM’s strategy with the 125 Duke, but there’s a key word in there: affordable. The contribution of Bajaj to this strategy can’t be overestimated, after it was decided in 2008 that KTM would engineer the motorcycle, their close allies, Kiska Design in Salzburg, would design it, Bajaj and KTM would jointly develop it and Bajaj would manufacture it in their vast modern factory in Pune. ‘Our design brief was to produce a lower-priced KTM made in India, which still delivered what the customer expected from us in quality and performance,’ said Robert Prielinger, KTM’s head of R&D for the 125 Duke project.

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We can think of forty-eight reasons to buy this one!By:Kartik Ware |Published :April 05, 2011

Now is this a cool motorcycle or what?! Harley-Davidson has launched the XL 1200X Forty-Eight in India for an ex-Delhi price tag of Rs 8.50 lakhs, and we think this is certainly one of the coolest Harleys sold anywhere on the planet! With good reason, too.

Just look it - classic peanut tank, fat tyres (front AND rear), solo seat, twin roaring pipes and of course, that timeless V-twin motor at the centre of it all. There’s something about this bike that captures the essence of a bygone era when America had excess-hating guys who made a culture out of putting Harleys on a crash diet and giving rise to the ‘bobber’ style of motorcycles. The Forty-Eight is a fitting tribute to that school of bikes.

And if the Nightster that we tested some time ago is anything to go by, the Forty-Eight will be good fun to ride too - it’s based on the same Sportster platform, you see. Which also means endless customisation options - a pillion pad, if you want to share the cool with someone else, and a pair of loud pipes oughta do it, we think. It might be called the Forty-Eight, but there is only one word that defines it -cool!

HMSI today said it will not be chasing to match Hero Honda's production capacity but would rather focus on improving products and service quality to become a market leader in India.By:BSM |Published :June 02, 2011

Two-wheeler maker Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) today said it will not be chasing to match Hero Honda's production capacity but would rather focus on improving products and service quality to become a market leader in India.

"My target is not the numerical positioning but (improving) products quality and service quality. Otherwise, it is not so easy to be number one by 2020," HMSI's new President and CEO Keita Muramatsu told PTI here.

In March this year after Honda finalised breaking off from Hero Honda, Muramatsu's predecessor Shinji Aoyama had said HMSI was aiming to be number one in India in the next decade.

Admitting that there is a huge gap in the production capacity between HMSI and Hero Honda, Muramatsu said: "I don't think we will be looking at (matching) the capacity of Hero Honda but what we are looking at is the growth of the market and we have already opened our second plant."

HSMI's second plant, which was opened here today, will have a total annual capacity of 12 lakh. It is investing a total of Rs 860 crore on the plant. The firm's current plant at Gurgaon has an annual capacity of 16 lakh units.

Besides, the company will also invest Rs 1,000 crore to set up a third plant in Karnataka that will have an annual capacity of 12 lakh units by 2013.

On the other hand Hero Honda's annual capacity is 61.5 lakh units as on April this year.

Muramatsu said there is good business prospect in the long term in India and HMSI is looking to improve its position.

"Currently we are at number four, we have high possibility of improving. Our focus area is on addressing the dissatisfaction of customers like back orders and service quality," he said.

Commenting on the significance of HMSI's second plant, Honda Motor Co President and CEO Takanobu Ito said: "Our new plant is not only important for India but very significant for the whole global operations. India is a very important market for us."

The plant will employ around 3,200 people in total. It will start production by July with the rolling out of scooter Activa and 110cc bike CB Twister.

Muramatsu said with the third plant in Karnataka coming up the company will be able to cover the vast Indian market, along with the two plants in Haryana and Rajasthan.

Plans to launch motorcycles with Kawasaki in order to expand footprint overseasBy:Press Trust of India |Published :June 08, 2011

Automobile major Bajaj Auto (BAL) today said it is trying to expand footprint into overseas markets by launching motorcycles with its Japanese partner Kawasaki, with an aim to be leaders in the two-wheeler segment, similar to their position in the Philippines.

"We both are actively discussing to take it [two-wheeler expansion] to other markets. Discussions about this are going on," BAL Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj told reporters at the launch of the Kawasaki Ninja 650R bike here.

He, however, declined to disclose the target nations, saying "It would be premature to name any country now."

"As far as Indian market is concerned, we will continue to bring more bikes with Kawasaki," he said.

The company, however, has no plans for the next three months to open new showrooms in the country, Bajaj said.

BAL and Kawasaki have an agreement to sell the probikes in India, Nepal and Bhutan. However, the Indian auto major is yet to open a dealership facility in Bhutan.

On the company's plans to set up facilities in other markets, he said Kawasaki and Bajaj share their facilities in order to remove any "duplicity of investment or efforts" since both firms would profit from that strategy.

The Ninja 650R has been priced at Rs 4.57 lakh (ex-showroom). The on-road price would be below Rs 5 lakh. BAL already has three other bikes -- Pulsor 220, Avenger 220 and Ninja 250 R -- in the probiking category.

On the reason to launch 650R in India, Kawasaki Motors Managing Director (Designate) Yoshiro Segawa, said, "Many customers had expectations for a new product. The purpose of Ninja 650R is to establish the presence of the Kawasaki brand as a premium sports model in India."

Bajaj said the previous model, Ninja 250R, has sold 1,500 bikes so far, and hopes to be a market leader in the premium biking segment. He did not divulge any specific sales target for the latest product.

"We have tried very hard to reduce our cost and as a result, we are launching it at this price," he said, adding, Kawasaki was ensuring quality despite the "lower" value of the new model.

BAL said they had to pay 30% duties as the engine is not assembled in India, but added it will not pass on the burden to the customers for the Ninja 250R and had already taken into account the custom duties while pricing the 650R.

The company also said the "substantial disruption" caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan had created supply-chain problems.

"The waiting period for 250R is 60-70 days because of the tsunami [creating supply-chain problems]. We are expecting that in two months' time the vendors will be back to normal and the waiting period comes down," BAL President (New Products) Eric Vas said.

On the production capacity to roll out the Ninja 650R, Vas said the assembling kit had just arrived and the company has assembled 10 bikes so far. It is currently producing 35-40 Ninja 250R bikes a month.

BAL said launching the KTM model is next on the agenda but did not give any timeframe.

Yamaha?s de-specced FZ16 gets a disc. We break, er, brake it By:Ruman Devmane |Published :May 20, 2011

Not fair. This is what you call retro-engineering. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the Yamaha SZ-R, essentially the SZ-X with a disc brake. Personally, I wouldn’t base my buying decision on tank extension panels, and how much do bar end weights (with a replacement handlebar) cost anyway?

My problem, you must understand, is with the incorporation of the disc brake. Why create a fuss over something that should have rightfully been there in the first place? Yamaha’s fortunes in the country took an absolute U-turn thanks to two fantastic motorcycles – the R15 and the FZ16. They owe their success to these extremely well-sorted products and to the Indian buyer, who respected all the kit that was made available to them.
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Rajputana Customs makes a rocking mod. We ride itBy:Kyle Pereira |Published :April 18, 2011 Are you sure you're okay with me taking a spin?' I asked Vijay Singh Ajairajpura, the lad behind Rajputana Customs, as I hung around near Nandi, his latest creation.

'Sure, go on and don't forget to give it as much stick as you can!' he shot back at my apparent hesitation. For crying out aloud, here I am, being coerced into riding this motorcycle that is to be packed in a couple of hours, destined for a long truck ride to its new owner sitting pretty in far away Orissa.

As I had observed in my walk around the motorcycle prior to getting aboard, Nandi seems like it was built around its huge rear tyre. By huge, I mean gargantuan, because this mass of rubber is a whole 300mm job. A slashed fender skims a few hair-widths above the tyre and your butt oscillates on a sprung piece of seat that's been wrapped in leather. A metallic green-and-off-white paint job adds the necessary effect and vies with the chrome for glory in the sun. Copper tubing neatly conceals the wiring while it runs toward the rear. Move up towards the front and you're greeted, no make that mauled, by the springer forks that have been fabricated in-house.

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Now owns 39.3 per cent of the companyBy:Swaraj Baggonkar |Published :May 13, 2011

Bajaj Auto, India’s second-largest motorcycle maker, has raised its stake in Austria’s KTM Power Sports AG by 1.21 per cent to 39.3 per cent.

Led by Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj, the Pune-based company has been consistently buying KTM shares from the open market. But CROSS Industries, the promoter group of KTM, has made it amply clear that it would not agree to a sell-out.

Since 2007, when it acquired a 14.5 per cent stake, Bajaj has spent more than Rs 1,000 crore to become the second-largest shareholder in the Vienna Stock Exchange-listed company. Rajiv Bajaj, who assumed a seat on the supervisory board of KTM four years ago, declined to outline the company’s strategy. CROSS Industries said it will continue to hold more than 50 per cent in KTM.

As of March, CROSS Industries had a 50.1 per cent stake, while other share holders, including HOFER Private Foundation, held less than five per cent. Free float and other investors had a little more than five per cent.

The maker of the Pulsar range of commuter bikes, Bajaj plans to gain the management control of KTM by 2013. Its 39.3 per cent stake, or 3.97 million shares, in KTM is valued at close to Rs 1,400 crore.

The two companies are working together in areas of development of new bike models, engines, procurement of cheaper auto parts from India and expanding sales and marketing reach. They have developed motorcycles that will be sold under the KTM brand starting with Europe. These new bikes, the cheapest in the KTM range, will be manufactured at the Chakan plant of Bajaj Auto.

Apart from securing high-end technology and superior brand, Bajaj’s interest in KTM is also driven by the latter’s return to profitability after it was hit by the financial meltdown. Also, a brand like KTM will help it make a wider push into the global motorcycle market.

KTM’s turnover grew 30 per cent to ¤591.4 million last calendar year from ¤454.6 million in 2009. Net profit advanced to ¤14 million, compared to a loss of ¤81.4 million. Bajaj Auto International Holdings BV Netherlands, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Bajaj Auto, had bought 244,000 KTM shares last November to raise its stake to 38.09 per cent.

According to a report by UniCredit Research, “KTM’s top line growth and significant earnings improvement are mainly due to high volumes in the off-road segment, its core segment. Bajaj has increased its stake to 39.3 per cent and we would not exclude the possibility of this increasing in future.” To maintain its holding in the Austrian bike maker, Bajaj was forced to participate in a right issue floated last year by KTM.

Hero and Honda both planning to launch more scootersBy:Sharmistha Mukherjee |Published :July 05, 2011

While Hero Honda is ramping up capacity by 50 per cent, HMSI is readying itself to launch a fourth product.

The competition in the motorcycle segment is about to spill over to the scooters’ market with Hero Honda Motor Limited (HHML) and Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) chalking out plans to corner a larger chunk of the pie in the fast-growing category.

While Hero Honda (soon to be renamed Hero MotorCorp) is ramping up capacity by over 50 per cent to manufacture half a million scooters in this fiscal, HMSI is readying itself to launch a fourth product after the existing Activa, Dio and Aviator. Hero Honda has only one product in the segment — Pleasure. The capacity expansion programme will enable the Munjals-controlled Hero group to close the gap with market leader HMSI.

HMSI, which sold 893,335 scooters in the country last fiscal, has a market share of 43 per cent. HHML with sales of 342,991 units in 2010-11 comes a distant third with market share of 16.5 per cent.

Anil Dua, senior vice-president (sales & marketing, Hero Honda Motor Limited (HHML) said: “Our scooter sales have outgrown that of the overall two-wheeler category last year. Sales of Pleasure have shot up 70 per cent over the previous year. We are now increasing capacity to roll out 2,300 scooters a day from the earlier 1,500 units.” HHML sells around 35,000 units of Pleasure every month

The company, however, does not have plans to introduce a second scooter model in the immediate future. “Five years back scooters accounted for 10 per share in the overall two-wheeler market in India, last year the share went up to 18 per cent. We have plans to go a long way in the segment with the ‘Pleasure’.”

The sales growth in the scooters’ segment has been evincing interest from two-wheeler makers. While TVS Motors is conducting feasibility studies to introduce electric scooters in India, Yamaha Motor Corporation is developing a new product in Japan specifically for the Indian market. In 2010-11 scooter sales increased by 41.79 per cent to 2.07 million units in the domestic market.

“An increasing number of college-going and working women are opting for gearless scooters for personal transport. With petrol prices on a rise this category is expected to grow rapidly. Two-wheeler makers are showing a renewed interest in the segment,” said Abdul Majeed, leader, automotive practice, Price WaterHouseCoopers (PWC).

Hero Honda is the single largest two-wheeler manufacturer in India accounting for one out of every two motorcycles sold in the country. Post the termination of the joint venture Hero Honda between the Munjals and Honda Motor Corporation in December last year, HMSI has been investing to scale up motorcycle sales in India — an area where former partner HHML has a stronghold.

The company recently announced an investment of Rs 1,400 crore to double capacity to 1.2 million units at its second plant in Tapukara, Rajasthan, and to set up a third plant in Karnataka this fiscal. Besides, the company plans to introduce core products in the mass commuter segment (100-110 cc) to challenge HHML’s dominance.

Rs. 50,500, ex-showroom, Delhi for the carb versionBy:BSM |Published :June 22, 2011 Hero Honda has done another, er, Hero Honda number and this time it's with the Glamour. Called the 'new' Glamour and Glamour FI, these bikes now come with new stickers and some more. A redesigned 'trapezoidal' headlight and digital-analogue meters are among the other minor tweaks.

Aesthetically, the Glamours now come with an 'aerodynamic' shroud along with a re-designed front cown and visor. The muffler now also gets a new heat shield. Within the plastic panels of the 'new' Glamour, resides a maintenance-free battery that should do a lot to improve reliability and trouble free operation. Delhi ex-showroom prices start at Rs 50,500 and Rs. 59500 for the Glamour and its fuel injected counterpart respectively.

Iconic British motorcycle brand latest entrant into the Indian marketBy:Press Release |Published :June 28, 2011

Iconic British motorcycle manufacturer Triumph has announced its intention to enter the Indian market.
First established in 1902 and now based in Hinckley, Leicestershire, UK, Triumph Motorcycles has in recent years been the fastest growing motorcycle brand in the world. For many years Triumph has produced a wide range bikes which perfectly blend design, character, charisma and performance. At the heart of Triumph’s philosophy is a commitment to developing truly unique motorcycles that offer a blend of distinctive design, intuitive handling and performance.

The innovation and engineering passion that gave birth to the iconic Bonneville of the 1960s has today created a broad range of bikes suited to all motorcycle riders, including the striking 2.3 litre Rocket III, the unmistakable Speed Triple, the award-winning Daytona 675 supersport machine and the recently launched Tiger 800. Remaining true to their heritage, Triumph combines the very latest design and manufacturing facilities with the character and design flair that has always been associated with the famous swooping badge.
Triumph has appointed Ashish Joshi as its Managing Director for India. Prior to joining Triumph, Ashish was heading the European operations for Royal Enfield and established the company’s business in Europe. He has over 16 years of experience in Asia and Europe.
Commenting on Triumph’s entry to the Indian market Nick Bloor, CEO of Triumph Motorcycles, UK said: “India is a very important motorcycle market and Triumph has assessed it carefully before deciding to step in. We see it as the next step in our global business model. The appointment of Ashish Joshi is a signal of our seriousness about success in India. I wish him the best and look forward to comprehensive growth from the Indian market.”

Bookings to begin from next monthBy:Swaraj Baggonkar |Published :March 26, 2011

Korean bike brand Hyosung will launch 250cc performance and cruiser bikes next year for under Rs 200,000 each, to compete directly against the best seller in that segment, the Honda CBR 250.

Hyosung, which sells cruisers and sports bikes, is presently setting up a completely-knocked down (CKD) assembly facility in India for two models, the ST7 and GT 650R, along with partners Garware Motors of Pune. The Honda CBR 250, priced at Rs 151,000 (ex-showroom, Mumbai) has garnered total bookings of around 3,000 units since January from across the country.

Like Honda, more companies are keen at starting local production of such high-performance bikes in India after gauging the demand generated by the Kawasaki Ninja 250 launched by Bajaj Auto and priced at Rs 269,000.

Diya Garware Ibanez, managing director, Garware Motors, said: “We are discussing with SNT Motors (owners of the Hyosung) to see how the volumes work out for our two models. We will follow the launch with the naked version of the GT 650R later in the year, followed by the 250cc models next year.”

Adding:”With regard to pricing of the 250cc, we have to be right up there with the best selling models like the (Honda) CBR 250. Other models of Hyosung could also follow, as there is a big portfolio of models to choose from.”

Garware will open bookings for the ST7, priced at Rs 600,000, and the GT 650R, priced at Rs 550,000, on April 21, with deliveries to start by May end. The company will accept bookings at 10 dealerships which will be opened shortly, followed by an additional 10 outlets to be opened later in the year.

Although engines, transmissions and gearboxes for the Hyonsung bikes will initially be imported into the country from Korea due to the low volumes projected during the first year, they may get locally made in due course if demand improves substantially.

Garware is expecting sales of around 2,000 units of the two models in the first year.”We may have to go in for local production of engines to benefit from the lower tax duty if there are enough volumes supporting it,” stated Ibanez.

By the revised rules of the finance ministry, all imports of pre-assembled engines, transmissions and gearboxes will have to pay a customs duty of 30 per cent as against 10 per cent levied last year.

The company is in talks with distributors of neighbouring countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh for sales of Hyosung bikes. Hyosung had recently appointed a distributor in Nepal, which is keen on procuring the bikes from Garware due to lower duties.

The company is spending Rs 20 crore towards the CKD facility being built at Wai in Maharashtra. It has acquired 25 acres, which can be used for expansion, said executives.

Riding the motorcycle India has been waiting for - the new Honda CBR250RBy:Kartik Ware |Published :May 07, 2011

There are many ways to describe the new Honda CBR250R. However, if I had only one way to describe it, it would be ‘path-breaking.’ That’s right, ladies and gentlemen. Indian motorcyclists have always yearned for a ‘real’ performance motorcycle, one that not only looks the part, but also goes the part. While the CBR250R might not appear to be a substantial jump in terms of displacement and power, it is certainly so in terms of performance and what a proper big motorcycle should feel like.

The CBR250R is an important motorcycle for Honda, not just in India but also for its international markets where increasingly the average age of motorcyclists is rising and hardcore sportsbikes are too expensive and intimidating to draw in the younger crowd. Young and old, internationally and in India, the CBR250R is intended to offer people a new experience.

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Do two halves make one soul? We ride BMW?s world-beating S1000RR! By:Kartik Ware |Published :June 07, 2011

My vision is a blurry vortex. The world around me is being sucked into the intake duct. The exhaust turns it into a spine-tingling noise. My senses are overwhelmed by unrelenting, maddening, pure, raw speed. And it’s only second gear. Survival instincts execute a hostile takeover of adrenal glands, begging two fingers to squeeze the brake lever. My backside leaves all contact with the seat like a cat on a hot tin roof – this is even more nuts. I see now why the Jap bikes have a collective exclamation mark over their heads. Say hello to the BMW S1000RR.  

I love litre bikes. Everyone does. Soundly impractical and built for apocalyptic speed, they are the pinnacle of motorcycling evolution. Almost forever, it was the Japanese Big Four that traded supremacy over ultimate high-performance motorcycling, while European manufacturers were regarded as a quaint bunch with their own set of quirks that lend their machines an undeniable charm. And God knows the quirkiest of them all emerged from BMW Motorrad. He also knows they never worried the Japs when it came to flat-out performance.

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3 pet projects are keeping the head of Bajaj Auto busyBy:Surajeet Das Gupta |Published :June 17, 2011

The head of two-wheeler giant Bajaj Auto is staking all on a rugged rural bike, a 600-cc super bike for export and a more elegant and comfortable auto rickshaw

Ask Rajiv Bajaj what is keeping him busy nowadays and he will talk of his three pet projects. The managing director of two-wheeler giant Bajaj Auto Ltd (BAL) has recently thrown down a challenge to his research and development unit, to build a “Bharat Bike” with a 150-cc engine, which will cost Rs 40,000 and run on rugged rural roads. Bajaj is currently king in the 150-cc bike segment, but the bike costs over Rs 50,000 (Discover), while the popular Pulsar is available for Rs 60,000.

“What I want is a tractor on a two-wheeler that can take two or three riders and the extra load of products on it, or simply a 150-cc bike at the cost of a 100-cc one,” says Bajaj, elaborating on his strategy.

That is not the only challenge that he has put up for his team. He also wants to sell sub-600-cc bikes that are made in India, leveraging Bajaj’s lower cost as an OEM supplier to the KTM brand in hitherto untapped new global markets like the US, Latin America and, may be, even Australia. Bajaj has already picked up a 40 per cent stake in the European sports bike maker, which is known for its 600-cc-plus heavy bikes. “There is a large market for our bikes in newer untapped markets,” says Bajaj.

And if that isn’t enough, he is also working on a new auto rickshaw model that promises to look better and be more comfortable than the existing range.

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We have got the inside dope on the next version of India's largest-selling performance bike!By:BSM |Published :June 01, 2011

It’s true - the new Pulsar is around the corner! And don’t ask us how we know, but we’ve got all that you want to know before the reincarnated Pulsar is launched! In order to coincide with 10 years of the Pulsar brand, the new one will be launched with two engine variants, just like the first one - history repeats itself! Now, on with the details.

First of all, the looks: the new Pulsar has got a complete redesign and makes a departure from the look of the older series. What it will do, is build on and upsize the design language of the Pulsar 135 and borrow a few design cues from the KTM Duke 125. Since the existing Pulsar already sports clip-on handlebars, alloy wheels, digital instruments and LED lights, with the P220 also sporting a projector lamp, it’s safe to say that these details will continue on the newer ones too, albeit with refreshed and more contemporary styling and materials. Proper machined rear-sets will add the cool quotient, while the pillion footpegs will be located on a separate subframe, allowing for a clean look. The bigger Pulsar, rumoured to be a 200cc variant will get differentiating details like a stepped seat, for example. Also, since the engine is KTM-based, we won’t be surprised if the exhaust ends under the engine (just like the Duke), leaving the rear end to be dominated by fat rubber. A skimpy rear numberplate bracket will round off the package - we just hope that Bajaj doesn’t stick on an ugly rear mudguard like the P135’s! However, overall, you can expect a full-size, sharp looking motorcycle along with great colour options.

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Great bike, great price ? will this be your next motorcycle?By:BSM |Published :June 08, 2011

Kawasaki-Bajaj has announced the launch of the Kawasaki Ninja 650R or ER-6F (in some countries) for the Indian market and the price is very competitive indeed – Rs. 4.57 lakhs, ex-showroom, Delhi.

For your money, you get a proper 649cc liquid-cooled twin cylinder motorcycle that aims to balance sportiness with every-day ridability and long distance comfort. The highlights of the latest Kawasaki are as follows –

*Liquid-cooled, DOHC, eight-valve fuel-injected twin cylinder engine with focus on ridability and is also equipped with a 180-degree crankshaft-driven balancer shaft.

*Motor tuned for 91 octane fuel

*Sold only in Lime Green colour through ProBiking centres in 30 cities

*Serviced through Bajaj Probiking outlets

*Power - 71 hp @ 8,500 RPM. 6.73 kgm torque @ 7000 RPM

*Six-speed multi-plate clutch

*178 kgs dry weight. 15.5 litres fuel capacity

*High-tensile strength steel trellis frame

*41mm front forks and an offset exposed preload-adjustable laydown shock look cool and do the job well

*Friendly ergonomics with an upright seating posture

*Dual 300mm front petal-shaped disc brakes with twin 27mm piston front brake calipers and a single 220mm rear petal-shaped disc

*Multi-function instrumentation includes a fuel gauge, digital speedometer, clock, odometer, dual trip meters and a bar-style digital tachometer

LOOK FORWARD TO A RIDING IMPRESSION ON BSM!

Click next page for a Kawasaki Ninja 650R video! -

Honda to launch upgraded scooters in the 100-125cc segmentBy:Swaraj Baggonkar |Published :March 25, 2011

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI), the leader in the automatic scooter segment, is preparing to launch a bigger capacity scooter.

Honda, the maker of Activa, India's largest selling gearless scooter, will tap the customer base which seeks upgraded versions of the available 100-125cc engines.

Shinji Aoyama, President and CEO, HMSI, said, “We will introduce a bigger displacement scooter in the coming period. There is a need for a more powerful product in that segment”.

The company currently sells the Activa (110cc), Aviator (110cc) and Dio (102cc) in the scooter segment and five motorcycles — Twister, Shine, Stunner, Unicorn and Dazzler. Scooters will contribute nearly 55 per cent to the company's sales this year, which is expected to stand at 1.65 million units.

Although power scooters are popular in some overseas developed markets, manufacturers have been conservative in introducing them in India due to their higher price tags. Pune-based Kinetic Motor Company, once the market leader in the scooter segment, had launched a 165cc engine power scooter, Italiano Blaze, for nearly Rs 50,000. The demand for the Blaze was high due to its superior performance, but Kinetic wasn’t able to provide the service and back-up parts. Kinetic eventually decided to wrap up its business and sold its assets to Mumbai-based conglomerate Mahindra & Mahindra for Rs 110 crore in 2008.

Although there was no clear indication on what the new scooter from HMSI will be, market experts believe it would have an engine of around 130-150cc. The move towards a bigger engine is also triggered by the buoyant demand seen for the Suzuki Access 125. While a small capacity scooter of around 100cc carries a price tag of Rs 41,000, a bigger engine scooter by HMSI will ideally be priced at Rs 50,000-55,000, say market analysts.

The India scooter market has seen scorching growth so far this financial year, with sales of 1.88 million units, an increase of 44 per cent in the domestic market. HMSI currently has a market share of 43 per cent in the scooter segment with annual sales of 813,000 units.

Hero Honda increases lead further in the first quarter of this financial year while Discover sales lose momentum.By:Swaraj Baggonkar |Published :July 18, 2011 Bajaj Auto’s ambition to zoom ahead of market leader Hero Honda in the entry-level motorcycle segment (75-125 cc) has taken a hard knock. In fact, Hero Honda has increased its lead further in the first quarter (April-June) of this financial year.

The second biggest two-wheeler maker was banking heavily on its largest-selling Discover 100 model, pitted directly against Hero Honda’s Splendour and Passion. But the Discover 100 has been sliding, selling less than 60,000 units per month over the past three months, substantially lower than the peaks of 114,000 units achieved in June last year and an average of around 85,000 per month subsequently.

Bajaj’s total sales in the 75-125cc bike segment fell 1.6 per cent to 306,074 units (as against 311,154 in the same period last year) during the first quarter, when the industry posted a growth of nearly 15 per cent in the same segment.

Sales of Hero Honda grew 23.6 per cent in the segment at 1.31 million units (as against 1.06 million) during the same quarter, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.

CRUCIAL SEGMENT
This segment of motorcycles forms the largest part in the domestic two-wheeler market, with a share of 56 per cent.

Buyers of this segment place fuel efficiency at the top of the preferred features list. Hero Honda is the leader in this segment, with a share of 73 per cent, led by brands such as Splendor and Passion.

Because of Discover 100’s lacklustre performance, Bajaj’s share in this volume-generating segment fell to 17 per cent in the first quarter from 20 per cent posted in the same quarter last year. Hero Honda’s share in the same segment jumped to 73 per cent from 68 per cent in the two comparable quarters.

A detailed email sent to Bajaj Auto on reasons for the poor performance of the Discover did not elicit any response.

A Delhi-based dealer of Bajaj Auto stated, “Yes, of late, there has been a drop in demand for the Discover 100, though the segment hasn’t shown any such drop. That’s why Hero Honda models have posted growth. Sales of the Discover 100 have slowed substantially over last year”.

EARLIER HOPE
Bajaj had launched the Discover 100 in mid-2009 to make a fresh attempt at denting Hero Honda’s dominance in this segment, which at one time stood at 80 per cent share.

With the Discover 100, it marked a re-entry into the 100cc segment, which it had abandoned earlier. Priced at Rs 40,000 the Discover 100 was cheaper than the Splendor at Rs 42,000.

The company promoted the Discover brand, which itself had made a comeback, at the entry-level segment and Pulsar in the premium segment.

The company added the Discover 125 to the line this April. It managed to clock 100,000 units in the first quarter, according to Bajaj.

In all, the company sells four models in the 125cc and less segment — Discover 100, Platina 100, Discover 125 and Platina 125. The Platina range, not promoted by the company actively, sells about 10,000 units per month.

Vineet Hetamasaria, analyst, PINC Research, said, “Hero Honda has always dominated the segment with the Splendor, which is known for its better fuel efficiency.

The brand is strong enough to pull customers at its end. In addition, the Discover 125 seems to have cannibalised the sales of Discover 100 but overall sales are still down.”

Bajaj's total sales growth in the first quarter was, thus, lesser than the industry. It posted volumes of 623,175 units, an increase of 10 per cent.

The industry rose nearly 17 per cent and Hero Honda grew 24 per cent, to 1.49 million units. Growth for Bajaj primarily came from the bigger and sportier Pulsar range.

The new Yamaha R15 replacement will be here soon - will it be a racier 250cc to take on the CBR250R?By:BSM |Published :June 02, 2011

The CBR 250R has blown a lot of the competition right out of the water. Honda's latest two wheeled offering has created quite the stir in the segment and that can only be a good thing for avid motorcyclists. Why? Well, the Honda has certainly sent a lot of the other manufacturers to the drawing board, furiously sketching their own products that will compete with the CBR 250R.

When the Yamaha R15 was launched in 2008, it was a path breaking motorcycle. A rev happy liquid cooled motor coupled with a deltabox super-handling frame along with some air-cutting body work resulted in a motorcycle that was every bit as racy as it looked.

Many in the industry thought that the sales of the R15 would stumble and fall, for it wasn't really a cheap motorcycle. But what happened silenced these critics, for the R15 sold in large numbers and still continues to do quite well. This just went on to prove that the Indian motorcyclist was fast maturing and now knew precisely what he (or she) wanted from a motorcycle.  

Read on! Page 2 ->

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After reading this, you won't need a sixth sense to choose your 150! By:Kartik Ware |Published :May 03, 2011

This is confusing. We've seen them all before and so have you, and we all know they couldn't be more different. Yet, being rivals in the same segment endows them with a sense of similarity.

Six degrees of similarity, that's what we have here in the form of six of the best premium 150s in the Indian market today, and we've pitted them against each other just so you're not confused anymore. Us too, for that matter. If you're looking for fun without financial ruin, look no further than this!

THE COMPARO STARTS ON THE NEXT PAGE>>

Anti-lock Braking System makes its production debut on an Indian motorcycleBy:BSM |Published :March 11, 2011

We've been waiting for the TVS Apache RTR 180 with ABS for a while now and it's finally here! TVS has gone and launched their flagship bike with Anti-lock Braking System. The bike will come priced at Rs 78,880, ex-showroom, New Delhi. The company has declared that this is only the introductory price of the motorcycle, so prices are subject to change, soon. The RTR 180 ABS comes at a premium of approximately Rs 9,000 over the regular 180.

The bike is available only in white colour and comes with differentiating orange decals.

TVS has also declared that if the bike is successful, they will come out with an ABS variant of the Apache RTR 160 as well. The company's plans for a 200cc + motorcycle also continue, but they haven't announced a timeline for it yet.

For our TVS Apache RTR 180 ABS review, click on the following link:
http://bsmotoring.com/storypage.php?autono=3268

Honda, Bajaj, Yamaha and Mahindra are revving launch plans for the 200cc and above notorcycle segment.By:Swaraj Baggonkar |Published :March 09, 2011

Honda, Bajaj, Yamaha and Mahindra are revving launch plans for the 200cc and above notorcycle segment. Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India, the country's fourth largest two-wheeler producer, will be first off. It plans to launch the CBR 250 next month, at a price tag of around Rs 1.5 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).The Japanese subsidiary has already started accepting bookings and got 2,500. Delivery of the CBR 250, whose cost will be on par with the entry-level model of Tata's Nano car, will start by the end of April, stated a senior executive of the company.

Naresh Rattan, operating head of sales and marketing for HMSI, said: "The initial response for the CBR 250 is very encouraging. We are on track for launching in April." The engine and most other components are being made locally. HMSI hopes to sell 30,000 units of the bike in the first 12 months after the launch.

The segment where Honda plans to sell this premium bike is presently dominated by Bajaj, Royal Enfield and Hero Honda. Although the segment is small, with sales of around 160,000 units a year, it is growing in high double-digits, say industry players. Thus, it has attracted others, too.

Bajaj Auto, India's second biggest bike maker, will launch the Duke 200 later this year. This has been developed in association with its Austrian partner, KTM Power Sports AG, where Bajaj holds 38 per cent stake. The Pune-based company had plans of launching the 125cc version of the bike before deciding against it last year. Bajaj is expected to price the bike in the same space as Honda's CBR 250.

Read on - Page 2 - >

With big motorcycle marques queuing up to launch their products in India, it was only time before the more boutique brands made inroads into the countryBy:Kyle Pereira |Published :March 29, 2011

Now this is a bug you won't mind being infected with! Vyrus Motorcycles, famous for their association with Bimota to develop the Tesi bike, is based out of Italy. They produce extremely low numbers of two models, namely the 984 and the 985. Both these motorcycles are powered by Ducati engines and the cycle parts constitute the best money can buy. Not surprisingly, the performance is spectacular and the prices, well, lets just say that they are for the well heeled motorcyclist.

And motorcycles, although most of them being two-wheeled, have various genres within them. Just as Vyrus caters to the sporting millionaire, Hollister Motorcycles is a company in Germany that builds custom-looking bikes around the venerable V-twin torque laden motorcycle. Chrome, billet, raked out front ends, fat and chunky rear ends - they have it all and source parts from the best in the business.

Both these brands will soon be available in India, courtesy InterGlobe Enterprises. Prices for the Vyrus range of bikes start at  about 22 lakh rupees, excluding applicable duties.

India's largest two wheeler-maker Hero Honda will pay Honda 45 billion yen (about Rs 2,450 crore) till 2014 as part of a new licencing agreement signed between the Hero Group and the Japanese auto majorBy:Press Trust of India |Published :April 29, 2011 India's largest two wheeler-maker Hero Honda will pay Honda 45 billion yen (about Rs 2,450 crore) till 2014 as part of a new licencing agreement signed between the Hero Group and the Japanese auto major after deciding to part ways on their joint venture.

Hero Honda Motors Ltd (HHML) said the amount is in line with its existing rate of royalty payment, which is about 2.7% to 2.8% of net sales.

For the existing products, the Indian group will stop paying royalty by June, 2014, it added.

"... Honda and HHML have signed a new licencing agreement, which enables HHML to continue producing, selling and servicing its current products. Consideration for the licencing agreement was JPY 45,000 million and becomes due through 2014," Honda Motor Co said in a statement.

Last December, the Hero Group and Honda had agreed to end their 26-year-old relationship, with the Indian partner agreeing to buy out Honda's 26% stake in Hero Honda for Rs 3,841.83 crore.

When contacted, HHML Chief Financial Officer Ravi Sud said the amount to be paid to Honda till June, 2014, does not reflect any increase in royalty payment.

"Hero Honda has been paying royalty to Honda at around 2.7% to 2.8% of net sales and it will remain the same even in future," Sud told PTI.

The royalty payment will gradually taper off from about 2.75% now to 2.2% by 2014 and after that for the existing products, the Hero group will not pay any royalty for the existing products, he insisted.

"Even for new products, which we may get from Honda after June, 2014, the royalty will be in line with what we are paying today," Sud said.

Shares of Hero Honda were trading 0.95% down at Rs 1,680 apiece on the Bombay Stock Exchange in the late afternoon today.

Victory Motorcycles, the US-based bike manufacturing company, will enter the premium market with its cruisers next year.By:Swaraj Baggonkar |Published :February 18, 2011 Victory Motorcycles, the US-based bike manufacturing company, will enter the premium market with its cruisers next year.

The company manufactures luxury touring bikes, classic-styled motorcycles and powerful inter-state cruisers, among several others.

Victory has been drawn towards India following the vibrant success of its competitor, Harley Davidson, which has sold an average of more than two units from its line-up of 12 models every three days this calendar year.

Market sources said Victory is close to completing its market analysis in India and will introduce models that would best suit the country. The company is keen to participate in next year’s biennial Auto Expo held in New Delhi to showcase its products.

A formal launch by the company will be announced by the second half of next year. To test market response, the company will start importing the bikes initially before setting up an assembly plant to cut costs.

Harley Davidson has managed to bring down its entry point price to Rs 5.5 lakh from more than Rs 7.5 lakh after it built an assembly plant in Bawal, Haryana — the third plant in the world after the US and Brazil. It has also started accepting bookings for the SuperLow and Iron 883, produced from the plant in Haryana. Victory’s motorcycle range in the US are priced between $12,499 (Rs 5.68 lakh) and $27,994 (Rs 12.73 lakh).

Victory, whose parent company is Polaris Industries, is also aggressively looking to recruit people for its India team, said an industry source. “The company is very aggressive at bringing its products to India, as the market is looking at a sustained long-term growth in life style vehicles like cruisers.”

Currently carrying out test runs of about 50 electric scooters across IndiaBy:Press Trust of India |Published :March 11, 2011

Chennai-based two-wheeler maker TVS Motor Company today said it will re-enter the Indian electric scooter market with some existing and new models in the next fiscal.

The company is currently carrying out test runs of about 50 electric scooters across various towns in the country.

"We are working on introducing electric scooters and these are being experimented for the launch. By some time next fiscal, it will come (to the market)," TVS Motor Company President (Marketing) H S Goindi told reporters here.

About 50 electric scooters, comprising some of its existing and new models, are being tested across the country, he added.

"We will launch only scooters in electric mode. The products will initially run on lead acid batteries and later we may develop some other technology also," Goindi said.

The company will produce these new products at its Mysore facility, he said.

When asked about the electric two-wheeler market, Goindi said: "Business in India picked up few years back and also dropped because of variety of issues. Now, subsidy has also been offered, but still it is very sketchy. We feel, business will again pick up."

Earlier, TVS had launched electric scooterette 'Scooty Teenz Electric' in April 2008 with high hopes of selling around 40,000 units per year. However, it stopped the production in May 2009 as it received a lukewarm response from the market.

The company had also shelved its plans to launch electric three-wheelers. "We have an electric three-wheeler, which we had planned to introduce but there is no market for such products. So we don't have any plans to launch it now," Goindi had said in June 2010.

The Budget for 2011-12 proposed to set up a National Mission for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles to encourage manufacturing and selling of alternative fuel-based vehicles.

It also proposed to cut excise duty on development and manufacturing of hybrid vehicle kits to 5% from the existing 10%, besides fully exempting customs and counter-vailing duty on import of special hybrid parts.

In November last year, the government had announced a Rs 95 crore incentive package for the electric vehicle makers for the remaining part of the 11th plan.

Rs 4.57 lakh ex-showroom, New Delhi - a good enough reason to buy it?By:BSM Team |Published :June 11, 2011

Keen on filling the huge gap between expensive litre-class motorcycles and the 250cc motorcycle segment, Bajaj and India Kawasaki Motors have launched the new Ninja 650R in the Indian market. First off, the really good news — the pricing. The Ninja 650R is yours for Rs 4.57 lakh, ex-showroom, New Delhi. To put things in perspective, a brand new 1,000cc super sports motorcycle will cost you roughly Rs 13.5 lakh, ex-showroom, while a sporty 250cc motorcycle will have a price tag in the range of Rs 1.5-3.0 lakh, depending on which model you choose. Now, you have the Ninja 650R as an option sitting between the two ends of the spectrum, at the price of a family hatchback. The Ninja 650R really isn’t about all-out performance that pulls your arms right out of their respective sockets; it’s meant to be a friendly, practical and comfortable motorcycle that will handle various motorcycling duties with ease.

For the price you pay, you get quite a handsome and well-specced bike. The aggression in the design, the sporty detailing and the all-important big bike feel — they’re all there. The liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine displaces 649cc, makes 71 horsepower and is tuned to provide good torque throughout, with special emphasis on low-end and mid-range performance. Chassis-wise, the steel trellis frame, the exposed offset rear monoshock and the twin 300 mm front/single 220 mm disc brakes lend it a nice, sporty character. Particularly worth noting is the fact that the 650R trades racy riding ergonomics for an upright, easy-to-reach riding posture that’s comfortable everywhere — be it on your touring trips or your commute. This six-speed motorcycle is also equipped with a comprehensive multi-function display as well as vibration-reducing rubber mounts, improving refinement.

The Ninja 650R will be available through all Bajaj ProBiking dealerships and will only be offered in the proper Kawasaki green colour option. When it looks this good, we’re hardly complaining. Will this be your next big bike?

Plant is going to now produce 150,000 units a monthBy:Shishir Prashant |Published :July 05, 2011

With an aim to increase its profit margins and optimise the tax benefits available under the concessional industrial package (CIP) 2003 for Uttarakhand, Bajaj Auto has undergone yet another expansion in its Pantnagar manufacturing facility.

Through this expansion, the capacity of the plant is being raised to produce 150,000 units per month, company sources said. An initial investment of Rs 75 crore has already been made. “We have augmented the capacity of our Pantnagar plant to meet future demand as well as optimise the tax,” said a company official. Production at the Pantnagar plant is considered to be the highest among all the other plants of the company.

Significantly, Bajaj’s move came after the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) recently decided that the industries in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, which were provided full excise exemption under the hill based incentives, are entitled to expand and introduce new products.

The production at Bajaj’s Pantnagar unit is being increased up to 1.8 million units from 1.2 million units per year in view of the good demand in the auto market. “We have carried out the expansion according to the market needs,” said the official.

Last year also, the company had carried out a sizeable expansion scaling up the production from 6 lakh units to 12 lakh units per year at its 66 acre facility. Although, there is a strong possibility that the company may introduce new models, but the officials refused to comment on that.

The company is currently producing two variants in each of its top models – Platina and Discover from Pantnagar plant which produced over 914000 bikes in FY 2011 versus 578000 during FY 2010.

Like Hero Honda and other auto companies, which are taking considerable benefits from the CIP, Bajaj Auto began production in 2007 in order to take the advantage of the tax sops which include 10 year long cent per cent excise rebate. The company had initially invested Rs 230 crore at Pantnagar. With the auto boom in the market, Bajaj Auto has improved its market share from 27 per cent in H1/2009-10 to 34 per cent in H1/2010-11.

Comes at Rs 1.51 lakh for standard version and Rs 1.77 lakh for the ABS variantBy:Kyle Pereira |Published :March 22, 2011

Honda, in light of the recent tragic events in Japan, have called off the official launch ceremony of the CBR 250R. Instead, they chose to reveal the motorcycle to the Mumbai press and auto magazines today at a very quiet event which also was the farewell ceremony for the outgoing President and CEO of HMSI, Mr Shinji Aoyama.

The price tag for the CBR 250R are pegged at Rs 1.51 lakh for the standard version and Rs 1.77 lakh for the C-ABS variant, both prices being ex-showroom, Mumbai. We have ridden the motorcycle in Thailand for the world launch and at that time, the CBR 250R was shod with IRC tyres. However, the CBR250R which will be sold in India will roll on Continental tyres which will be identical in performance and specifications to the ones sold in Thailand. Another addition noticeable were the brackets that will hold the saree-guard on the left rear flank of the motorcycle.

With such an aggressive pricing structure and sheer market potential of this motorcycle, Honda plans on selling about 30,000 CBR 250Rs in the very first year. Although bookings have already begun for the CBR250R, deliveries will be in full swing by the 31st of May.

FOR A COMPLETE REVIEW OF THE CBR 250R CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK:

http://bsmotoring.com/storypage.php?autono=3034

Twelve-point review of the latest green meanie in town!By:Kartik Ware |Published :July 05, 2011

Think green. If you’re a motorcyclist, the only thing that comes to mind will be Kawasaki - the Ninja, to be more precise. The Ninja 650R is the latest greenie to arrive in India and we give you 12 all-important pointers before you take on the Ninja.

1. I probably don’t need to tell you this, but this is a good-looking motorcycle. A rakish full fairing, substantial fuel tank and a minimalistic tail section give this Ninja a sporty personality. The tall fairing, however, gives it a mile-munching air - you know that this is no supersports machine. But it’s a big bike and there’s no mistaking that.

2. Then there are the details. This Ninja’s face is defined by a pair of headlamps that look oh-so-evil. It certainly grabs your attention and almost keeps you from checking out the rest of the bike. And that’s not a bad thing at all. Especially not when you’ll find yourself gazing fondly into those sneering eyes.

MORE ON PAGE 2>>

The GP125 put through its paces by riders Danny Webb and Marcel SchrotterBy:Press release |Published :February 23, 2011

Mahindra Racing’s official bike, the GP125 took to the track for the first time in its corporate colours today at the final day of testing at a predominantly wet, windy and cold Estoril circuit in Portugal.

The Indian team was present with riders Danny Webb and Marcel Schrotter as well as Team Principal Mufaddal Choonia, who made the trip from Mahindra Corporate Headquarters in Mumbai to see the bike in action.

The GP125, designed and built by Mahindra’s own Italy-based Engines Engineering, ran for only a handful of laps in its silver and red livery before the team switched back to plain black for testing duties.

Speaking on Mahindra’s participation in the MotoGP Championships, Mr. Anand Mahindra, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Mahindra Group, said, 'It is a matter of great pride for us to be the first Indian motorcycle manufacturer to participate in the world’s most prestigious motorcycling event. MotoGP is the ultimate test in motorcycle racing and an immensely popular event with an extremely loyal fan following. Mahindra motorcycles will compete with the best in the world and it will be an ideal opportunity for us to showcase our strengths in the engineering and IT domains.'

India's second largest two-wheeler manufacturer, Bajaj Auto, which has currently a market share of 27 per cent, is expecting to get hold of one third of the total domestic bike market over the next couple of years.By:BS Reporter |Published :April 23, 2011

India's second largest two-wheeler manufacturer, Bajaj Auto, which has currently a market share of 27 per cent, is expecting to get hold of one third of the total domestic bike market over the next couple of years.

“We are aiming around four per cent increase in market share by the end of this financial year, so this will be over 30 and from thereon we will be having one third share of the total domestic bike market soon,” S Sridhar, President, Motorcycle Business, Bajaj Auto said on Thursday on the sidelines of the launch of its new Discover 125 cc bike here.

However, Sridhar mentioned that the company had already one third of the market share if export is taken into account. Bajaj exports around 80,000 bikes monthly to some of the African and South American countries apart from its exports to neighbouring countries like Bangladesh and Nepal where it is the largest exporter.

Bajaj which is a market leader with almost 50 per cent market share in sports bike segment, is now also planning to focus on mid-level commuter deluxe segment which accounts for the 66 per cent of the total motorcycle business to achieve the target of one third market share.

“There are three segments in bike – sports, commuter deluxe and entry level segment. We are at the top of the sports segment with Pulsar and want to focus on that segment. Now we are also concentrating on mid-level commuter deluxe segment which accounts for the 66 per cent of the total bike business with products like Discover,” he said.

Sridhar also pointed out that the company had experienced huge growth in the mid-level bike segment in last two years.

“Two years back we were having only about 7 to 8 per cent of the market share in the mid-level segment, now this is over 20 per cent and will be around 24 per cent at the end of this fiscal,” he added.

He also said that, Bajaj KTM which develops high-end bikes for the Indian market, would launch their bikes by the end of the financial year.

Speaking on the company's venture into the entry-level segment, Sridhar said, Baja will be re-introducing entry level commuter bike, the Boxer with modified feature in the domestic market in the second quarter of this fiscal.“The Boxer will be re-launched in the second quarter of this financial year. But this time it will not be a 100 cc bike, but will be a more stronger one and will offer good mileage too,” he said.

Which of these 150s is a better bet?By:Kyle Pereira |Published :February 22, 2011

Bajaj Discover 150

1. The 144.8cc, 12.8 bhp, four-stroke motor is exceptionally frugal. Not the most exciting of the bunch in the performance aspect though.

2. The ride quality of the Discover 150 is more than just adequate, soaking up the bumps and potholes with stuning alacrity.

3. The build quality of the Discover gives away the fact that this motorcycle is built to a price.

4. Styling comes off as quite dated

5. The Discover 150 could be a much better handler than it is, had it been shod with grippier tyres.

6. Price, ex-showroom, Mumbai - Rs 50,456

Yamaha SZR

1. Although this motor displaces 153cc, it produces only 11.9 horses - the result of a retune of the FZ engine for better fuel consumption for the commuter segment.

2. Ride quality is at par with the Discover but the Bajaj feels lighter and more nimble than the Yamaha.

3. Build quality has never been an issue with Yamahas and this one is no exception, although certain bits could have been better.

4. Although the styling is not exactly conservative, the SZR is pleasing to the eye. But it's about time the trend of those hideous plastic tank extentions comes to an end. And now!

5. The tyres of the SZ R are adequate and do the job. Push them hard and they'll give up, though.

6. Price, ex-showroom, Mumbai - Rs 58,663