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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