The day has arrived and British motorcycle giants, Triumph Motorcycles, are finally in India. The company has launched 10 models and has also announced the first phase of dealerships in the country. [Read more…]

Hearing the words ‘Harley Davidson’ always evokes images of big, burly cruisers in your mind, doesn’t it? Well, they don’t really get any bigger than this: the 2014 CVO Limited.

CVO is short for Custom Vehicle Operations – H-D’s highly exclusive custom programme. This basically refers to even more customisation options than what the company usually offers a buyer, while also bringing bigger, more powerful engines.

The 2014 CVO Limited is one of the biggest and heaviest models to come out of their portfolio. It also incorporates all the updates that Project Rushmore has to offer. At 428 kg, the CVO Limited is one heavy tourer, and, it needs a special engine just to make sure the performance you would need is there. A 110 cubic-inch, or 1,802cc Twin-Cam, High-Output V-twin engine with the company’s new Twin-Cooling system ensures maximum performance, with peak power, we estimate about 110 PS, together with 160 Nm of torque at 3,750 rpm bringing the party. The addition of Reflex-Linked Brembo brakes with ABS, Daymaker LED headlamps and fog lamps and the revised seating and infotainment systems all make for what could well be a benchmark in highway touring.

The CVO Limited is surely an eye-catching addition to the range and at $38,999 in the US (Rs 24.5 lakh approx), it will be an exclusive motorcycle indeed. We at Bike India sure hope it makes its way to India soon!

Story: Jim Gorde

Of late, there has been news making the rounds that Honda are all set to debut a naked power cruiser: the Gold Wing F6C. Rumour has it that this particular bike is set to based on the Honda EV6 Concept; shown . Honda officials have stated that the new Gold Wing is set to fill-in the gap between the CTX1300 and the Gold Wing F6B under the manufacturer’s 2014 product portfolio.

The rumoured Honda Gold Wing F6C will sport a low cruiser like stance and will be much lighter in comparison to its siblings. However, the new Gold Wing will sport the same engine as the standard F6B model – Honda’s reliable 1,832cc six-cylinder engine – which will be tuned to produce a lower 108 PS, but a higher 157 Nm of torque.

More good news for future buyers is that despite being built off the Gold Wing platform, the new F6C is stated to be almost 70 kg lighter than the Honda Gold Wing GL1800, which should bring it in around 340 kg kerb. This would mean that the F6C, with its naked approach, will also be 45 kg lighter than its fully-faired sibling, the F6B.

Honda head honchos have also revealed that the F6C’s chassis will be made from an aluminium mult-box twin-spar frame, with the GL1800 engine mounted as a stressed member. Honda designers are giving more emphasis on the subframe and a low pillion seat, all in an effort to maintain rider stability at low speeds and to improve handling at higher velocities.

All in all, the new Honda Gold Wing F6C is set to be target those rider groups who will be looking for a lighter, sportier and easier to maneuver Gold Wing. We expect to see the 2014 Honda Gold Wing F6C officially debut in a couple weeks’ time. Stay tuned for more updates.

Story: Sayem Syed

Hyosung Motors are preparing a slew of new models as we’ve seen at EICMA 2013. Of particular interest to us is the new GD250, which will be offered in ‘N’ naked street guise and ‘R’ fully-faired guise.

With the GT250R already in India, we have already become familiar with the V-twin quarter-litre offering which gives a big-bike feel. However, the new GD250 line will use a single cylinder motor, but the numbers it brings are promising indeed. The 249cc single makes a similar 28.8 PS as its twin counterpart in India, but a higher 25.1 Nm of torque. The good news is that these peak output numbers come in at 8,500 rpm and 7,000 rpm respectively; a very usable rev band indeed. The arrival of this bike in India will surely spell success for the Korean company. On one hand, will be the 250-twin at a shade over Rs 3 lakh, whereas on the other, the 250-single could be priced in the same range as the Honda CBR250R.

Hyosung also unveiled a 125cc offering, the MH7, powered by a 13-PS 125cc motor. This one’s quite a looker too, but considering the fact that, if assembled in India, the CKD policies would inflate its price tag to beyond what many consider reasonable, and push it into the seriously expensive bracket.

What is clear is that the Hyosung GT650N, R and the GT250R will soon have some sporty company behind the showroom panes and on the streets!

Story: Jim Gorde

Bajaj has been caught testing a fully-faired Pulsar on the outskirts of the city of Pune. Sharp-eyed snapper Nitin Aggarwal has got us the dope on the new bike, but believes it’s still a 200, rather than a 375. [Read more…]

Tony Fernandes-owned Caterham Group have launched Caterham Bikes – their motorcycle division at EICMA 2013.

The company has showcased three models: two electric bikes and a conventional-engined motorcycle. However, there is nothing conventional about the design of the latter.

Named ‘Brutus 750’, Caterham say the bike is the world’s first ‘two-wheeled SUV’. It certainly looks menacing but is said to be very nimble to ride as well. Caterham say that it can be used as a street bike, an off-road bike, or even a snowmobile; with the conversion taking less than four hours. The numerals in the name suggest a 750cc V-twin motor will power the Brutus. It will be paired to an automatic transmission.

Moving on, the Classic E-Bike carries retro styling which harks back to the golden age of British motorcycling. It offers a range of between 40-80 km before it needs to be recharged. Meanwhile, the third bike – the Carbon E-Bike – is a premium offering which features modern styling and construction technology, inspired by their F1 division. Furthermore, the company is even exploring the possibility of offering a limited edition model to be created with exclusive F1 input.

Caterham say that production of the three bikes will begin as early as Spring 2014. The Brutus 750 will be the first to be built, followed by the two electric bikes later in the year. All will be ‘priced affordably’. The company has also reportedly expressed its interest in contending in the Moto2 world championship, so these bikes are definitely closer to becoming a production reality than many may believe.

Tony Fernandes, Co-Chairman of Caterham Group, said: “Our vision for Caterham Group has taken another step forward with the launch of Caterham Bikes. Expanding our interests into the two-wheeled market is another natural progression for us and is a good opportunity to showcase the breadth of knowledge, experience and creativity we have at our disposal across the Group, now in the two-wheeled world in addition to all of our other automotive, technology and innovation interests.”

Caterham Bikes’ business strategy caters to the growing global demand for environmentally-friendly and multi-purposed, two-wheeled vehicles. Beginning with the European, North and South American markets, the Group’s key growth market will be in Asia, reflecting the burgeoning demand for such vehicles across those territories.

Story: Jim Gorde

Honda have unveiled two stonking 650cc four-pot motorcycles at EICMA. The 2014 CB650F and CBR650R look like perfect middle-weight to bring the battle to a segment which only has the Kawasaki Ninja 650R and the Hyosung GT650R in India. The biggest difference is that the latter are both twins, while the Honda 650s sport twice the number of cylinders.

With the inline-4 engine, the CBR650R will be considerably more expensive if it does arrive, but will offer unparalleled levels of refinement and smooth power delivery. The two new bikes are being considered spiritual successors to the venerable Hornets. However, with 86 PS and 63 Nm, the numbers are actually lower than their old, much-loved 600cc counterparts. Even so, that puts the CBR650R ahead of the Ninja 650R and the GT650R in the power race.

Being a Honda, we can rest assured that the CBR650R, and the CB650F for that matter will be extremely capable tourers and track bikes on call and we would love to see them on our roads soon. We sure hope HMSI are listening!

Story: Jim Gorde

Harley-Davidson are set introduce not one, but two new models in a new entry-level segment, dubbed the ‘Street’ line; not to be confused with the Street Bob or Street Glide. The move comes as a result of wanting more volumes and with the current trend of downsizing, Harley-Davidson saw it fit to follow suit. The new models will be positioned below the ‘Sportster’ line, which has the 883 SuperLow: the current first step to the H-D brand.

To debut at EICMA, the new Harley-Davidson motorcycles will still be V-twin engined cruisers, but will be considerably smaller in size and pack lower displacements. The new Revolution-X 60-degree V-twin engines, in 494cc and 749cc guises, are liquid cooled, run 4 valves/cylinder and will rev higher than the Sportster range. The build, and styling, resemble a mix of the Sportster and VRSC lines. We expect the 500 to put out around 35 PS and 40-45 Nm of torque. The larger 750 can be expected to deliver around 45-50 PS and about 60 Nm of torque.The 6-speed transmission sending power to the belt-driven rear wheel will make short work of touring. The new bikes will also weigh in much lower than the 245 kg SuperLow, with the 750 touching 217 kg wet, and the 500 possibly tipping the scales at just below 200 kg dry. The wheels will be 17-inch front and 15-inch rear with more than adequately wide rubber.

The best part though, is the price. The Street models are expected to be heavily localised and produced in the country. Thus, a starting price tag of Rs 4 lakh seems reasonable for the 500, with a slightly heftier figure on the 750. There will also be a slew of custom parts and accessories, as is the case with every Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

Check out the gallery here.

Check out the video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-eE5_EM3YA

 

We can’t wait to see these models on our roads. Stay tuned to our EICMA coverage to find out more.

Story: Jim Gorde