Jim Gorde

Harley-Davidson Chennai HOG Ride

October 3, 2013 by Jim Gorde 4 Comments

Chennai recently woke up to the sound of 300 Harley-Davidson motorcycles roaring through the city. H.O.G. chapters across India from Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Indore and Kochi came together with their families making this a big milestone for Harley-Davidson in India as it was the biggest zonal ride ever. The posse made their way through the streets of Chennai to Mahabalipuram in celebration of the 2nd Southern H.O.G. Ride. The three day event, organized featured live music, stalls having the latest Harley-Davidson merchandise on display, a tattoo parlour and a “Swap Shop” where riders could exchange motorcycle accessories and install them on the spot.

“The Southern H.O.G Ride has always been one of my favourite regional rides. I attended the first Southern H.O.G Ride in 2012 which was nothing short of fantastic. This year’s edition has been equally fabulous if not more. These three days passed in a flash, as I made new friends, shared my riding stories and will now be riding back home with a whole new set of brothers” Bala Chandrasekharan, Director, Coromandel H.O.G, Chapter, Chennai. Coromandel Chapter is the host chapter for the Second Southern H.O.G. Ride. As the men at Harley-Davidson say, ‘You’re not just buying a bike but an entry into a culture and lifestyle that the brand offers’.

Story: Rommel Albuquerque

Wild Child: KTM 1290 Super Duke R tears through!

October 1, 2013 by Jim Gorde 3 Comments

KTM have revealed the details of their mental new flagship, the 1290 Super Duke R, and as expected, it is engineered brutality in the metal!

The bike looks as aggressive as ever and definitely evokes every feeling of speed and hooliganism the moment you lay your eyes on it. The unabashed sharp, naked design reeks of power and speed; like the most powerful KTM ever “hulked up”. The engine is a 1,301cc twin and spews out 180 PS at 8,870 rpm and bucket-loads of low down torque – 144 Nm – of which 100 Nm is available from 2,500 revs! There’s a wave of torque, and then, there’s the deluge that floods your town overcoming everything in its path. That is the ferocity of what KTM have unleashed. Even worse, or better, is that the 1290 weighs just 189 kg. KTM claim a 0-200 km/h time of 7.2 seconds – faster than some good sportscars. A slipper clutch sends the powers out back while one of the most advanced traction control systems in the world is onboard to ensure things don’t get too rough. KTM also claim that the 1290 Super Duke R has a 15,000 km service interval.

Braking performance is equally mental.You have ABS and big discs front and rear, but in Supermoto mode, the ABS guards the front end, while the rear is free to slide around. There’s also an option to switch off the electronic police when you feel a little wild. Specially designed Dunlop Sportsmart rubber sticks to the road, for the best grip in hot and cold, dry and wet conditions with incredible stability, in KTM’s own words.

Want more pictures? Visit the gallery:

https://bikeindia.in/ktm-1290-super-duke-r-pictures/

Death Metal fans will enjoy the teaser a bit more than most others. Watch it here:

UPDATE: Action video from KTM:

UPDATE #2: Find out more about what the 1290 Super Duke R brings:

For staying on the same page each day, look up their new website:

http://1290superduker.com/cms/

Story: Jim Gorde

First Husqvarna unveiled under KTM

October 1, 2013 by Jim Gorde Leave a Comment

Austrian power brand KTM have unveiled their very first Husqvarna offering to the global market: the TC300. It is the first bike to roll-out from Pierer Industries AG, a firm owned by KTM’s CEO Stefan Pierer. The TC300 is largely based on the popular Husqvarna TV250, a 2-stroke maniac machine. Technicians at KTM have infused this new bike with a 300cc mill to provide more bang for the buck.

This new Husky has received plenty of necessary upgrades than its predecessors, they include – a new carbon-fibre subframe, WP suspension, a state of the art Akrapovic exhaust, billet machined hubs and the iconic Husqvarna Factory racing livery.

KTM officials have also issued a statement regarding the launch of the new Husqvarna. The TC300 will be showcased to the general public on October 5 in Sweden. Stay tuned for more updates.

Story: Sayem Syed

Dainese Gear coming soon

October 1, 2013 by Jim Gorde Leave a Comment

In a first move of it kind, Dainese, the high-end motorcycle safety gear brand, have announced their plan to venture in to India and will be soon opening their first exclusive store here. The Italian company has joined hands with Tusker Group, which is well versed with the two-wheeler segment, being owners of Tusker Harley-Davidson dealership in Bangalore.

Srinivas Reddy will be heading Dainese and AGV’s Indian arm which will market these products through a number of outlets called D Store. The first D Store will be inaugurated by the end of this month at Orion Mall in Bangalore. Reddy will also supervise the drive to open stores in most cities with evolved biking culture like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai and Coimbatore among others. Keeping the sentiments in mind for enthusiasts from other cities, Tusker Group will soon launch their online shopping portal: www.dainesedstore.in

The company has also developed a new range of products, called the Hot Climate Line, specifically for India and other Asian country like ours, which have extreme hot and humid climate. This new mesh and fabric range of riding gear will offer comfort and safety in warm weather conditions like ours.

During an interaction with Bike India, Federico Minoli, CEO, Dainese Protective Gear, said, “We have started establishing a production site in Baroda in India for helmets to be exported to Europe. We have just begun the production of medium priced helmets for local markets; that have Asian fitting and include all the feature of higher priced helmets, to be distributed in India.”

Story: Sarmad Kadiri

Bajaj Price Hike in the Offing

September 28, 2013 by Jim Gorde 1 Comment

Bajaj Auto Ltd., makers of some of the most popular motorcycles in India, are all set to raise the prices of their offerings. A leading daily stated that this move has been facilitated by the Pune-based manufacturer to offset the impact of high input costs and the rupee decline.

Addressing the media at a business conference recently, Mr. Rajiv Bajaj, MD stated, “It seems likely that we have to raise prices because commodity prices have gone up significantly, partly owing also to the way forex has moved.”

As of now, the head honchos at Bajaj have not revealed any specific details regarding the percentage of price hike across their product portfolio. With the festive season coming up and with a couple of important launches from Bajaj, which include the KTM 390 Duke-derived Pulsar 375, among others expected. It would be quite interesting to see how Bajaj Auto Ltd manages to hold on its market share amidst severe competition.

Story: Sayem Syed