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Mishap Claims a Promising Young Racer’s Life

Indian motorcycle racing lost a bright young star in the making last month with the demise of Shreyas Hareesh, one of the most talented youngsters I have seen in motorcycle racing. My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.

It was a racing incident and, as all of us know, motorcycle racing is a dangerous sport. At the same time, we should try to make it as safe as possible. The first step towards this is riding gear of a good quality, which is difficult to procure in India today due to the ban on the import of helmets. Indeed, it is a sad scenario that the government has banned the import of helmets just to protect the Indian helmet manufacturers. Even after so many years in the business our manufacturers cannot make a helmet that meets the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) standards that are mandatory for racing in the country. It is unfortunate, to say the least, that we are going backwards in time to protect poor manufacturing.

Indian two-wheeler manufacturers like Bajaj Auto, TVS, Hero MotoCorp, and Royal Enfield are making world-class motorcycles, taking on global manufacturers and beating them in international markets. If we can make world-class motorcycles, why can we not make good helmets?

Another important aspect is that the riding gear should fit properly; neither too tight nor to loose. If the body armour shifts, it will not protect the vital organs that it is supposed to protect during an impact, thus leading to serious injury.

Ride in peace, my little friend.

We saw two big launches recently, the return of the Hero Karizma and the Royal Enfield Bullet, the longest model in production anywhere in the world that has been in production for over nine decades. The new Karizma has a modern liquid-cooled DOHC four-valve engine and a trellis frame. The Bullet gets its engine from the Classic which has been further refined with the power delivery tweaked to suit the bike’s character.

Aspi Bhathena
Editor

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Yet Another Milestone

BIKE INDIA MAGAZINE CELEBRATES ITS 18TH anniversary this month. What a ride it has been wherein the magazine has gone from strength to strength! Even today we are the only dedicated bike magazine in the country and for this I would like to thank all our readers and manufacturers for their unstinting support over the past 18 years. We look forward to your support in the future too. Incidentally, only two of us, Ramnath and myself, are the members from the founding editorial team of the magazine in 2005 still working for the magazine.

Last month we witnessed two major motorcycle launches: first it was the Harley-Davidson X440, built in collaboration by Hero MotoCorp, and the day after it was the Triumph Speed 400, also made in collaboration by Bajaj Auto. The H-D X440 is aimed squarely at the Royal Enfield 350 Meteor and Classic. It delivers a little more performance than the Royal Enfield and is in the same mould of being a laidback cruiser. The Triumph Speed 400, on the other hand, is more of an all-rounder. It will allow one to cruise all day and, at the same time, have a blast around their favourite mountainous terrain. It is easy to make a one-dimensional motorcycle, either a laidback cruiser or a performance bike like the KTM Duke, but manufacturing one capable of doing both is a challenge and I must say that Bajaj and Triumph have done a fantastic job with the Speed 400.

Some journalists say that the Speed 400 engine is based on the that of the KTM. That is not true at all; in fact, there is nothing in common between the two engines. Then there are some who feel that it sounds like the Bajaj Dominar’s. It is a 400-cc single-cylinder engine. Therefore, if it does not sound like a single, should it sound like a twin or an in-line four?

We recently lost a promising young racer in 13-year-old Shreyas Hareesh. We offer our sincere condolences to his family and friends.

On the occasion of the 18th anniversary, I would like to thank the Bike India team for their hard work and support throughout to bring out the magazine. 

Aspi Bhathena
Editor

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Sad and Shocking

The biking community suffered another big loss last month with the demise of Navroze Contractor in a road accident on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Navroze was a member of the Next Gen team, specifically Bike India and Car India, from day one and from the very first issue of these two magazines. In fact, he was on our editorial advisory board.

Navroze was a genuine motorcyclist. He loved riding motorcycles and he died doing just that. He had ridden motorcycles across the globe and done photography for none other than Motor Cycle News, UK. The sad part is that he was killed in an accident for no fault of his. It was the other rider coming down the wrong way who hit him at such a great speed that the front end of his bike got ripped off the chassis.

Indeed, it is sad that we keep losing people in road accidents for no fault of theirs just because some idiot is not willing to go those 100 or 200 metres to make a U-turn. Shame that innocent people lose their lives and such morons get away.

To cite an instance, at Koregaon Park in Pune, near the Hotel Blue Diamond, we see four policemen waiting to catch people who take a left turn disregarding the traffic signal, so that they may fine them. About 50 metres from where these policemen stand, people on two-wheelers, three-wheelers, cars, and small pick-up trucks keep going down the wrong way, but they take no action against them. I think riding or driving down the wrong way is a bigger offence than making a left turn where it is not a free left turn.

Dear Navroze, you may be gone but never forgotten. Ride in peace, my friend.

Aspi Bhathena
Editor

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An Evolutionary Phase

The two-wheeler industry is evolving at a great speed due to the onset of the new emission norms. Manufacturers are having to bring out new models with OBD 2 compliance, besides having to upgrade their existing line-ups to comply with OBD 2. One upshot of these new norms is an increase in the price of new bikes, thus further burdening the already struggling two-wheeler sales.

Some of the electric two-wheeler manufacturers are in a quandary, for the government is asking them to refund the subsidy because they did not comply with the requirements. The price of electric two-wheelers will go up with the reduction of benefit under the FAME 2 policy. The cost of electric scooters is already high as compared to their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts. One needs to clock a lot of mileage to recover the extra cost of buying an electric scooter. In a heartening move, Hero Electric have just announced that they will not increase the price of their e-scooters.

The big four Japanese manufacturers have come together to develop an ICE that will run on hydrogen. There are many reasons for this. First, the energy storage density of batteries is quite poor as compared to petrol. One needs a 20-kilogram battery to store the same amount of energy generated by one litre of petrol. Most 1,000-cc high-performance motorcycles have petrol-tanks with a capacity of between 15 and 18 litres. That translates into carrying a 300- to 360-kg battery, which is not feasible on a motorcycle. This is one of the main reasons why you cannot have electric superbikes.

The first motorcycle resulting from the Bajaj and Triumph collaboration will be unveiled on the 28th of June in the United Kingdom and all of us are looking forward to this much-awaited motorcycle.

Aspi Bhathena
Editor

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This Needs to be Remedied Forthwith

The traffic situation is getting from bad to worse by the day and nothing is being done about it. There are no rider training schools; everyone who gets a two-wheeler licence has either learnt to ride a two-wheeler from someone in the family or a friend who himself does not have a clue about riding a bike or the traffic rules. It should be made mandatory to go through a rider training programme for three months at the very least before appearing for a proper riding test.

Simple though it may look, there is a lot to riding a two-wheeler. It is just not about knowing how to balance yourself on it, pull the clutch, select a gear, and get going on a motorcycle or, even simpler on an automatic scooter, just twist the throttle and get going. There is a lot more. The first is the dos and don’ts when you are on the road with other people. One does not change lanes at one’s own sweet will without looking in the rear-view mirror (and expecting all the traffic behind to stop). Riding down the wrong side of the road is done with such brazenness and with such impunity that it is like their birth right. If you happen to say something to them by way of a reprimand, they turn around and give you a mouthful. Traffic rules need to be implemented rigorously.

The auto-rickshaw drivers are another lot who do not give a damn for traffic rules. They are always parked at crossroads and intersections, which is a traffic offence but no one seems to care.

The traffic situation is getting out of hand to such an extent that let alone the ordinary citizens like you and me, even the traffic police are getting attacked by these hooligans.

On a heartening note, the sales of new two-wheelers seem to be gaining momentum and this is a good sign for the economy.

Aspi Bhathena
Editor

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A Comeback of Sorts

The Indian two-wheeler market is making a comeback of sorts, although it is still far from where it was before the pandemic. Manufacturers like Hero MotoCorp, who used to register 7,00,000 units in some of the months, are now down to 3,00,000 units a month. Most of the manufacturers are registering 50 to 60 per cent of sales of what they were before the outbreak of the pandemic.

With high inflation, the cost of two-wheelers has already gone up and now, with new emission norms coming in with OBD-II, bike prices are likely to go up even further. Furthermore, the high cost of fuel keeps having a major impact on the cost of living for the poor and the middle class and these are the people who buy entry-level 100-cc motorcycles and scooters. A true indicator of the economy is the sale of entry-level two-wheelers: if they are doing well, then you know that the economy is doing well and if not, you know that the bottom of the pyramid is not doing well.

The mechanically linked braking system in entry-level bikes is not a foolproof system, for it does not yield the desired result when the brake cables are not adjusted regularly or one of them has greater free play than the other. In such cases, you will either experience excessive braking at the front or at the rear. It works well when you have linked hydraulic brakes because hydraulic brakes are self-adjusting, ensuring that you get the desired pressure and stopping power on the front and rear brakes. Thus, mechanically linked braking is a flawed system.

As has been reiterated in these columns several times, we require stringent licensing norms to decide who deserves a riding licence and who does not. Riding a two-wheeler is not just about knowing how to balance yourself on it, depress the clutch, engage the gear, and start moving. There is a lot more to riding a two-wheeler. Besides, we do not have proper riding schools that can train people in riding a two-wheeler before obtaining a licence and venturing on to the road.

Aspi Bhathena
Editor

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Recognition for the Meritorious

The Bike India Awards for 2023 were presented last month. There were 39 contenders for these awards, all launched between the first of December 2021 and the 30th of November 2022.

The most frequently asked question in this context pertains to the basis on which the jury select the Motorcycle of the Year. To win this award, a bike needs to raise the bar in its own segment; in areas such as performance, fuel efficiency, ride, handling, braking, and, above all, it should be value for money, relevant to the Indian market, and affordable to the masses. Incidentally, the parameters are the same for the Bike India Awards and the Indian Motorcycle of the Year (IMOTY) Award.

Both the Car India and Bike India Awards were well represented by the automobile industry at the ITC Grand Central at Parel, Mumbai. It was great to see the Royal Enfield Hunter, a motorcycle made by an Indian manufacturer, win the coveted Two-wheeler of the Year Award. It is equally heartening to see Indian manufacturers like Bajaj, TVS, and Royal Enfield giving international manufacturers a run for their money by making motorcycles that are suitable to the Indian market.

The Suzuki V-Strom SX, Honda CB300F, and KTM RC 390 were strong contenders for the awards. The jury considered the value-for-money factor, which is one of the reasons for not winning an award.

Electric scooters are making an impact on the Indian scooter market. In view of this, Bike India decided to institute an award for the best electric scooter. Three big Indian manufacturers—Bajaj Auto, TVS, and Hero MotoCorp—have entered the EV market, the last-named with the “Vida” brand.

I would like to thank all the jury members, manufacturers, and, last but not least, our sponsors, Motul and the Shapoorji Pallonji Group, for their support which made the Awards a successful event.

Aspi Bhathena
Editor

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Blazing a Trail of Success

The Auto Expo, which was to have been held last year, took place last month. The restrictions imposed by the outbreak of the pandemic resulted in this event being postponed by a year.

The response by the mainstream two-wheeler manufacturers, however, was lukewarm as most of them stayed away. The only internal combustion engine (ICE) exhibit was from Adishwar Auto Ride India of Hyderabad who showcased Italian brands made in China. Otherwise, most of the exhibitors were start-up electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers.

These EV start-up manufacturers face a truly uphill task because they have neither any experience in the manufacture of two-wheelers, nor R&D experience or facility. They are also not likely to be familiar with how much endurance testing is done before a two-wheeler is launched. The mainstream manufacturers with years of R&D experience behind them find it difficult at times to get a new two-wheeler right at first attempt. It is after months, sometimes even years, of endurance testing that they get the product right.

The problem here is that some of the EV start-ups import their kits from China and assemble them here. The quality tends to be quite substandard. Some of them are here today and gone tomorrow, which leaves the buyer in a lurch because there is no service back-up for such two-wheelers.

The jury round for the Indian Motorcycle of the Year (IMOTY) Award was held on the 10th of last month at the Buddh International Circuit in Noida. There were 17 contenders in all and they were further shortlisted down to 10 motorcycles for the jury round. All the 10 were strong contenders. The winner for 2023 was the Royal Enfield Hunter. The trophy was presented by Dr Raghupati Singhania, CMD, JK Tyres, to Siddhartha Lal, MD, Eicher Motors Ltd. JK Tyres, the IMOTY sponsors, organised a great show.

Now it looks like Royal Enfield are making a habit of winning the IMOTY Award, this one being their third in the last five years.

Aspi Bhathena
Editor

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Looking Forward to a Bright Future

The year gone by started with a lot of uncertainties because of the pandemic but things settled down as the year progressed. Now, as we usher in the New Year, the pandemic seems to be coming back with a vengeance. A large number of cases have been reported in China and infections in the US are also on the rise.

Owing to the nature my job at Car India and Bike India I travel and drive/ride more or less across the globe. That gives me an opportunity to compare our traffic situation with that in the other countries. Last month I was on a holiday in Africa. I visited Rwanda and Uganda, two very backward and poor countries compared to India. What surprised me the most, however, was how the traffic is regulated and the way everyone obeys traffic rules in those countries. There was no road rage or aggression on the streets. Nobody cut lanes or honked. There was no screaming or shouting; everything was peaceful. Why have we become so aggressive and intolerant? The roads in Rwanda and Uganda were single-lane highways but the quality of the surface was amazing and even the speed-breakers were well designed and of a uniform length and height; not like what we have here where each one is different in height and length.

The two-wheeler market in Rwanda is dominated by the TVS Victor and in Uganda by the Bajaj Boxer. You see only these two brands on the road. Their dominance is such that if you see 100 motorcycles, 99 of them will be Bajaj and TVS, barring an odd Chinese two-wheeler or a Honda or a Yamaha.

I would like to thank all our readers and wish them a happy New Year. Enjoy your ride but always wear your helmet and ride safely.

Aspi Bhathena
Editor