Bike India Team

Kawasaki Ninja gets bigger, gains 50 more ccs

September 6, 2012 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

If you thought that 250s aren’t fun then take a look at the 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300 which was recently unveiled in Europe and will soon be launched in other world markets.

It was just a few weeks back when Kawasaki unveiled the updated 2013 Ninja 250R and now the company has gone a step further and announced a new entry-level sportsbike for folks looking for some extra horsepower at an affordable price tag. Customers will now have a choice of an entry-level Ninja 250R or a bit more powerful Ninja 300. Why just an upgrade of 50cc? Well, Kawasaki is not the one to takes its competition lightly and after Honda launched its highly capable CBR 250R worldwide, Kawasaki wanted to counter this move with a more powerful option and that’s one of the reasons why the company choose to launch the Ninja 300. Its a smart move as customers now have two options to choose from and Kawasaki won’t be selling the 300 Ninja at a very high premium. In fact it will be priced slightly higher than the 250R which will attract more consumers. After unveiling the bike in Europe Kawasaki will be launching it in the US on September 13^th at the famous Times Square in New York followed by California launch from September 17^th – 19^th.

About the new Ninja 300

It may sound like an all-new bike however, Kawasaki has actually transformed the Ninja 250R into the Ninja 300. They bumped up the displacement from 249cc to 296cc and they did so by increasing the stroke length by 7.8mm. But because they used lighter and shorter connecting rods the engine height remains the same. They have also widened the intake ports and increased the diameter of the intake valves. However, compression has been reduced from 11.6:1 to 10.6:1. Now the Ninja 300 produces 39.54PS of power, an increase of 7PS over the 250R. Along with these changes Kawasaki has also made the new Ninja 300 more rider friendly as this bike gets a new slipper clutch, race-style back-torque limiting function and optional Nissin ABS system. The 300 gets a new frame for better stability and a 140 mm rear tyre for extra grip. Styling has also been updated to give the 300 a more radical look that is seen on bigger capacity Ninja bikes. The floating windscreen is inspired from the ZX-10R and the twin head lamp cluster borrows cues from ZX-6R and the fairing and wheel design remind you of the ZZR1400. The 300 also gets aluminium foot-pegs and a more complex silencer shape that is also seen on bigger Ninjas.
The specs are out however, Kawasaki is yet to announce the pricing of this mean green entry-level Ninja. Will it come to India? Well, that still remains a big question however, even if it comes to India it will be priced much higher than the CBR250R which is its direct rival in the international market. And with the Ninja 250R already costing upwards of Rs 3 lakh in India, the 300R will be priced even higher making it an expensive enthusiasts bike.

Check out the teaser video of the new Ninja 300 here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjDFyKvqwPM

BMW unveils C evolution electric scooter

September 5, 2012 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

BMW Motorrad has been busy perfecting an electric scooter for a long time now.

The company has now unveiled a new “near-production” electric scooter: the BMW C evolution. The scooter boasts of a range of 100 km on one full charge. The C evolution scooter can reach a 70 percent charge after approximately thirty minutes spent plugged in. BMW claims that the C evolution has outstanding performance for an e-scooter, with a low center of gravity and the instant high-torque nature of the electric motor both combining to make the vehicle more than a match for the current crop of maxi scooters sporting a capacity in excess of 600 cc. The C evolution’s motor churns out 11 kW continuous output and 35 kW peak output and achieves its 100 km range from a 8 kWh battery. The generator function of the alternator creates drag torque, resulting in the familiar engine brake that takes effect when reducing the accelerator on a normal fuel two-wheeler. The C evolution further performs energy recuperation when braking by converting kinetic energy into electrical energy in order to charge the battery.

There’s no news yet as to when we can expect the C evolution electric scooter to hit the market, nor the price it will command once it appears and even if it will come to India. However, BMW is currently undertaking trials of the C evolution in London, presumably with a view to beginning a wider manufacturing process relatively soon.

StopGo now for bikes

September 4, 2012 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

There are several mid-level and high-end cars that come with a Start/Stop system in India.

The system automatically senses when the vehicle comes to a standstill or if the engine is idle, and subsequently switches off the car’s engine. Similarly as soon as the accelerator is engaged, the engine automatically cranks-up and you’re ready to roll again. The obvious benefit of this system is that it protect the environment by reducing CO2 emissions and, more importantly does what everyone desires – saving valuable money by boosting the fuel efficiency.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that India predominantly moves on two-wheels and the idea of installing a similar fuel-saving system on them would be a dream come true for millions. Specially with the rocketing gasoline prices. Several companies are working on this technology, like Mahindra 2-Wheeler which displayed the Duro DZ equipped with the Start/Stop system, making it India’s first scooter with ‘Micro Hybrid’ technology.

And now, international component supplier SFK have developed ‘StopGo’, a Start/Stop technology adapted to be used on two-wheelers. With the StopGo, SKF claims to reduces CO2 emissions by 5g per kilometre on two-wheelers. If you estimate an annual mileage of, let’s say, about 8,000 km, this equates to a reduction of almost 36 kg/ CO2 per year! Now imagine if one million motorcycles were equipped with the SKF solution, the reduction would be 36,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. Besides making your bike more environment friendly, it is also said to increase the fuel efficiency by 6-8%.

The SKF ‘StopGo’ is a three-in-one integrated sensor-bearing system solution that performs a bearing function, senses speed and has a stop-start function. The unit fits into the hub of the front wheel, like a standard bearing, and is connected by a plug-and-play connector to a mating connector attached to the engine stop-start electronics. The design is a ready-to-fit unit which can be assembled easily for both OEMs and as a retrofit for a wide range of two wheelers models.

Speaking about the new product, Harsha Kadam, SKF Automotive, Two Wheeler Business Unit Director said, “The technology for SKFStopGo reaffirms our commitment towards providing sustainable solutions and helping our customers and end-users to reduce the carbon footprint. This solution for the two wheeler segment shuts off the engine when the vehicle has stopped, for example at traffic lights. It restarts the engine when the throttle is turned on”.

There hasn’t been any update yet as to the pricing or when the product will be available in the market. But be sure we’ll be the first to let you know when it does.

2013 Kawasaki Z800 pictures leaked

September 4, 2012 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

Japanese motorcycle makers Kawasaki are all ready to unveil next year’s Z800 street bike.

The rumor mills have been long since making rounds regarding the Z800, though Kawasaki have not disclosed anything regarding the motorcycle and when will they be unveiling it. But the leaked pictures of the 2013 Z800 clearly showcases the fact that it has been derived from the Z750 bike – with a 50cc engine hike – which makes sense with the new name Z800. The chassis as well engine look quite the same as the Z750 from the ouside, while the styling on the 2013 Z800 has been clearly taken up a notch, making it look much more aggressive. We can clearly see that the styling DNA has been derived from the Z1000 superbike. Looks like the mean-green samurai is all set to enthrall motorcyclists once more.