New Bike Specifications

Riding with a pillion

July 7, 2010 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

How To… keep your pillion happy.

First and foremost:
How many times have you come across a pillion wearing just a basic helmet and casual clothing, while the rider is geared in a proper top-of-the line helmet and leather gear. We don’t see any reason to treat your pillion like this because he/she is as vulnerable as you during an accident. So make sure you keep the pillion well kitted out with a good, safe helmet and protective gearing. The same goes for having wet/cold weather clothing available if necessary.

The bike:
All bikes come with adjustable rear suspension. Before going on a ride with a pillion, ensure that you increase the pre-load to compensate for the weight increase over the rear wheel. This will also keep the bike’s steering geometry right by keeping the rear end from bottoming out, apart from keeping a check on the overall ground clearance of the bike. If you are one of those lucky riders to have a bike with adjustable front suspension, then extra preload plus a little more compression damping will help reduce fork dive during hard braking when the extra weight is transferred to the front end. Also let the grab-rail be there. It is fitted there for a reason!


Novice pillions can be nervous pillions. Talk to them and try to relax them. Speak to them about how to get onto the bike without putting the whole weight on any one peg, where and how to hold the grab-rail.	Assure the pillion its OK for him to speak up, or even shout if necessary, if they aren’t comfortable with the way you are riding or with the speeds you are keeping. During stops, do talk to them about the same.	(Don’t do this!) As a rider, the pillion’s well-being is your responsibility. Stay away from antics like getting the knee down, as this may make the pillion nervous. A sudden shift in their body could easily lead to a loss of balance.

Explain to the pillion how to shift their body weight, for example, as the rider begins to brake, lean or accelerate. It’s better for them to look straight at you from behind and let it all happen naturally.	Do pillions lean with you in the corner? Yes, but just a little. They should lean at the same angle as the bike makes with vertical or just a little more (into the lean). Overleaning or underleaning affect the balance of the bike.	The best way for a pillion not to bang into you under hard braking is to grip the tank. But don’t forget to tell them to hold on to the grab rail or to your waist too, in case you are likely to accelerate immediately.

Pillion specific bikes:
Generally speaking, sports bikes such as the Fireblades or the latest Ninjas are not as comfortable as other bikes. They fail to take a pillion’s needs into account. But still, any bike with pillion foot-pegs and a rear seat will be able to carry a pillion, although not necessarily in a comfortable manner. Put yourself in the pillion’s place and you’ll definitely plan more stops for stretching your legs. If you ride often with a pillion, it’s better to take along the passenger while you are out shopping for a bike so that you both can choose a bike which can keep the pillion happy. Also, if the bike has a more flexible engine, it helps as you don’t have to shift up (or down) too much and this protects the pillion from sudden jerks. Among Indian bikes the best equipped from a pillion perspective are the Enfield Bullets, the Hero Honda Karizma and also the Yamaha Fazer. And almost all Indian bikes come with grabrails fitted as standard.

Doped R15

July 6, 2010 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

Mulund lad, Gaurav custom builds an exhaust system for the YZF-R15.Adhish Alawani finds out if it performs better

Yamaha introduced the YZF-R15 with the intention of acquainting Indian bikers with hardcore performance. No doubt, the Japanese company successfully defined track performance with the R15 in India. However, most costumers in the country are going to use the bike in cities and for sport touring on highways. Like a trademark Yamaha race bike, the R15 has its power band in the higher revs, more precisely over 7500rpm. Riding the bike in such high revs is not practical on a daily basis in town. The R15 definitely feels a lot sluggish from the bottom end to the midrange making it a chore for tackling traffic.

Gaurav, an avid BIKE India reader and a hardcore sports touring fan, decided to modify his R15 so that it would deliver a better midrange performance. To start the project, he made a new exhaust system for his YZF-R15. Obviously, he was not keen on making just a new free flow canister. Gaurav decided to engineer the complete exhaust system which included the pipe as well as the end can.

Getting help from some local mechanics for the labour work, Gaurav managed to make an exhaust system for his bike which he felt was good enough to kill the stock R15 in straight line acceleration as well as top speed. So we decided to hook up our performance testing equipment on his modified bike and gauge its performance against the stock R15.

Looking at the exhaust, you can immediately make out that this one is a bit smaller than the stock exhaust. However, it has the same cap on it that is found on the stock one making it look more familiar to a layman’s eye. Leaving aside the looks, I decided to do a couple of performance runs on the bike. The second run itself gave a 0-60km/h timing of 4.5 seconds. Just a new exhaust system has trimmed off more than over half a second in the 0-60km/h acceleration run. Even the 0-100km/h run showed us that the modified R15 managed the sprint in 12.5 seconds as against 13.2 seconds of the stock bike. As far as top speed is concerned, the bike recorded a top whack of 134km/h on the equipment. A slightly longer straight with lesser traffic to bother about would have raised the top speed further is what we felt looking at the few more revs to go in the top gear.

This rise in performance of the R15 can be experienced from around 5000rpm unlike the stock bike which comes alive just after 7500rpm. The midrange of the bike was much stronger than the stock R15 which I am sure will make a positive difference for city riding. Also, the sound note from the free flow system is louder than the stock one yet much better and quieter than the other locally made exhaust systems.

This exhaust system for your R15 can be bought at a humble price of Rs 9000 (includes the pipe and the canister) Contact: +91 9819003637

Prudent commutin part ii

June 28, 2010 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

This month we continue with some more pointers on how you can be a socially responsible rider

Do not park / stop at the exit of a turn / intersection
The exit of a turn or intersection is usually a blind spot for the oncoming traffic. Parking or being stranded at such a spot is extremely hazardous and can lead to an unavoidable accident. In case of a breakdown in such a position on a turn/intersection, it is recommended to have a person stand at the entry of the turn/intersection to warn the traffic until the breakdown scenario is resolved.

Luggage and pillions have their own space
Make sure that you ride with only one pillion and that the pillion is seated on the pillion seat only and not on unconventional areas like the tank or the foot board of a scooter as these can seriously hamper the vehicle dynamics. In some cases, the rider’s vision too is hindered thus proving to be a perfect recipe for an accident. Similarly, luggage too needs to be carried only in the form of a tank bag, back pack or saddle bags not hanging from the handlebars or your shoulders.

Safe braking

June 25, 2010 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

Continuing with the basics, this month BIKE India teaches you how to refine your braking skills. Follow our tips on how to brake effectively without losing control over your bike


PRACTICE BRAKING UNDER VARIED CONDITIONS Braking at curves is more critical than on a straight line. Some experts even suggest to avoid braking in corners. Nonetheless you should be prepared for unexpected circumstances. Losing speed before entering a corner is the safest way. If you ever need to brake midcorner, apply the front brake very smoothly while pushing the inner side of the handlebar. Slowly release the lever again as you reach the desired speed. Throughtout the process, you must keep the level of traction available under check. At curves, speeding vehicles can lose grip far more easily. However, a banked corner allows for safer manoeuvres than the one without it. Take care not to apply and release the brakes instantly as the front end will dip and rebound with a shocking force. Practice effective braking on different surfaces ranging from concrete roads to tarmac to gravel as well as wet surfaces. This will also help you get accustomed to your your bike’s behaviour. On a downhill section, gravity will not forgive a mistake and you may easily lose control here. It’s better to engage a lower gear and maintain a safe speed. Allow engine braking to do the job. Keep the clutch operation subtle whenever shifting gears. Practice braking on gravel as well, for you don’t know when you might end up facing such riding scenarios. Many evasive actions lead us to go off the tarmac. Preferably use the rear brake here with a gentle tap on the front one. Braking becomes easier on uphill roads where gravity works in your favour. Here you can concentrate more on the line you follow and it’s easy to maintain your balance. Refrain from going hard on the front brake on gravel. A locked front wheel can easily result in loss of traction and your steering ability. Wet roads mean lesser traction. Don’t go for hard braking unless your bike has a specialised set of tyres. Keep your speed under check and you’ll be safe. This is one of the worst case scenarios. Oil spill on a road can virtually defy the laws of physics if you ride on it without caution. Simply look ahead to avoid such surfaces. In case you run into this, never ever apply the brakes.

RIDE ON TYRES THAT ARE IN GOOD SHAPE
Tyres and grip play an important role during braking. A good set of tyres will add to your stability. A tyre made of fairly soft rubber compound wears and tears faster but offers very high traction/footing. Similarly, the better the tyre grips, the more effective your stopping competency will be. This is why you need to check your tyres from time to time. In contrast to an easy rider, a harsh or fast rider may have to change tyres more frequently. Note that a groove line running around the middle of a front tyre offers enhanced stopping power without skidding. During the rainys, it is recommended to go for a special set of tyres that have additional anti-skidding grips.

KEEP THE BRAKE SYSTEM UNDER CHECK
While your technique matters a lot, it will go in vain if the brake components of your bike are not in a healthy condition. Remember to check the disc brake oil level from time to time. If it falls below the indicated minimum level, get the fluid changed and refilled with the manufacturer recommended grade. Caution should be taken so that no air bubbles get trapped in the pipe which could dampen braking effect. Check if your rear brake setting feels adequate to your ankle movement. If not, adjust it accordingly. In case you experience a lack of feel from your brakes despite all requisite settings, check the brake shoes and the disc pads. Get them replaced, if required.

SIT TIGHT TO DEAL WITH RETARDING FORCE
Your sitting position largely determines if you can safely reduce speed without losing control. If you need to brake while riding in a straight line, shift back a little and sit securely with a firm grip on the handlebar. In addition, grip the fuel tank with your knees. This way you can tackle the retardation force even under a hard braking screnario. While the rear brake is quite effective at slow speeds, it’s the front brake that works better at higher speeds. Squeeze the front brake lever progressively in conjunction with the rear brake which should be pressed gently to avoid the rear wheel from locking up. Remember to keep the handlebar straight during hard braking.

DON’T GO HARD ON THE REAR BRAKE
Emergencies are followed by panic braking which locks the wheels thus setting you off balance. Remember not to go hard on the rear brake. Practice to gently release and apply brakes successively if the wheels get locked

SYNCHRONISED BRAKING
Progressively applying the front brake with your index and middle fingers will result in effective braking while also allowing a good grip on the handlebar. Follow it by applying the rear brake in sync for added stopping force. Keep your fingers on the clutch lever but don’t apply them while braking and losing speed. As soon as you reach your desired speed, shift gears accordingly so that the engine doesn’t stall.

AVOID ANY MANOEUVRE CALLING FOR A STOPPIE
Without a firm sitting position, emergency braking with the front brake could result in a stoppie. Refrain from shifting too much weight to the front so that the rear wheel remains grounded to aid braking.

Fast not furious

June 25, 2010 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

Saeed Akhtar is in a stupor as he goes one up on Vin Diesel with a steroid injected Karizma
Photography by Sanjay Raikar

A few decades back, performance enhancement was a term very few bikers in India were familiar with. The racing community was in its nascent stage and most bikers were satisfied with whatever miniscule performance was on offer. But as time progressed, bikers – like all humans – began demanding more from their steeds and started getting familiar with acronyms like NFS, TFATF and thus NOS.

Nitrous oxide systems are still regarded as an arcane art even in most tuning circles. Movies like the Fast and the Furious series, Dhoom and the Need for Speed games franchise have elevated the NOS acronym to something of a cult yet they are also notorious for wrecked powertrains and giant fireballs. First used during World War II in Luftwaffe aircrafts to boost the power output, Nitrous Oxide or N20 is a colourless non-flammable gas with a pleasant, slightly sweet odour and taste. It is popularly known as laughing gas because of the euphoria it induces in humans. Amongst petrolheads too, it induces euphoria but of a slightly different sort. Although it is not flammable in itself, its ability to deliver more oxygen by breaking down at elevated temperatures makes it an excellent catalyst for burning Saudi Arabia’s finest in the fastest possible time. The gas is stored in liquid form and injected either into the intake manifold or right before the cylinder (direct port injection) whereupon its expansion causes more air/fuel mixture to enter the cylinder. By this simple expedient of burning more fuel, very large power gains are possible provided you know how much stress your machine can handle. The increased cylinder pressures caused by nitrous induction have to be harnessed very carefully otherwise you risk blowing off your valves or melting the piston to a molten lump in your enthusiasm. No kidding.

BIKE India has tested NOS kits fitted on the Yamaha Enticer pseudo-cruiser as well as on the screaming Pulsar 180 third gen in the past. This misty morning we ushered in Diwali with the best firecracker we could lay our hands on – a modified Hero Honda Karizma with NOS and a reworked, longer gearing. The blue Karizma featured here is fitted with a 300ml nitrous oxide can that is sufficient to propel the 223cc bike forward for 15 short bursts. Harish Chellani, the owner, importer and installer of the NOS kit, will happily supply you bigger containers for more bursts if you don’t fancy visiting the refill shop too often. Speaking of refills, a 300ml refill will cost you only 150 bucks – a fair bargain considering the power that’s on offer. Harish has found a convenient location for the cylinder in the sari guard, from where a silver coated pipe carries the gas to the inlet manifold. Call it direct injection if you will. A toggle switch, resembling the ones used in old spy movies, that controls the NOX induction is mounted inside the fairing. With it, in the on position, the horn switch ditches its usual duty as a traffic shredder and assumes the role of a catapult. Harish hasn’t fiddled with the carb yet but he has two jets of different sizes for varying amounts of nitrous boost, depending on your craving. The smaller one was on the bike and the bigger one was, well, in his friend’s pocket. Bugger!

The rules are clear and simple, you can employ nitrous boost in every gear provided the rpm is above 4000 and the throttle is fully wrung to the stop. On my first run on the expressway, I gingerly pressed the horn button while in the second gear and braced myself for the kick in the back. Although it didn’t quite qualify as a kick, the tacho needle went berserk and raced up the limiter very fast – too fast for a 223cc bike! Approaching the limiter, the engine roared like it was going to blast its innards out if I persisted anymore. Hmmm. . . . must be time to wind up another gear. A momentary slowing down of pace and it was mayhem again as I pressed the horn button hard enough to snap it off its mounting. No time for glancing down at the speedo or tacho, my eyes were too busy watching out for innocent and beautiful belles with pitchers straying on the tarmac as well as four-legged creatures answering nature’s call right in the middle of NHAI’s crowning glory. If you have not ridden anything on the far side of a Ninja 250 or a RD350, the acceleration even with the smaller jet and longer gearing (14 teeth front/38 teeth rear sprocket a opposed to 13/40 stock sprockets) is astounding. The noise too! Even in higher gears, the bike pulls with such alacrity, that it is very easy to cross sane speeds unless you are also keeping an eye on the speedo. Which frankly, we won’t recommend. Whereas this Karizma (with a reworked gearing) does the 0-60km/h run in 4.77sec sans the laughing gas, it does the same run in 3.87sec flat with it. The 100km/h mark was done and dusted in 10.06sec with NOS. Without it, the bike touches the ton at a relatively slow 13.10sec. Lack of saddle time and horrendous traffic prevented us from taking the top speed estimate, although it must be fairly high up on the stock bike. Sorry.

The downsides of this manic exercise are that it becomes very difficult to resist a dab on the horn button every time you see an open stretch of tarmac. If you are ready to compromise a fair bit on the longevity front for some adrenalin, go right ahead and install it – it’s worth every precious penny. Whether it should be used on public roads is an issue only your heart can decide. However, continuous high revving will eventually take its toll on the bike. A small price to pay, we reckon, considering the excitement that’s on offer.


The NOS cylinder finds a convenient home in the saree guard	The sprocketing has been revised for a higher top speed	Faster acceleration and higher top speed hand in hand, gimme more.