The MV Agusta 921 S concept reinterprets vintage design while fusing it with cutting-edge technology. Instead of being a refined exercise in style, it is a conceptual preview of a brand-new category of bikes that will be created and introduced in the upcoming years.
[Read more…]Ultraviolette Tech Showcased at Battery Day
At “Battery Day”, Ultraviolette showcased their F77 components as production nears and it looks to be an exciting prospect.
[Read more…]Firing on No Cylinders
Jitendra New EV Tech, an EV start-up based in the Golden Triangle of Maharashtra, organised an in-depth site visit, a relationship-building meeting, and a tour of Jitendra New EV Tech’s assembly plant in Nashik.
Matter Host Tech Day
Matter, a technology start-up, hosted their first TechDay where they showcased their homegrown
technology for India and the world at the Capital Incubation Insights Everything (CIIE.Co) campus,
IIM Ahmedabad.
Yamaha Introduce Electric Power Steering for Motorcycles
Yamaha announced recently that they have developed a prototype of an Electric Power Steering (EPS) support system for motorcycles as a rider-aid contributing to improved motorcycle stability and agility.
The newly developed EPS is a technology falling under the “Transforming Mobility” (transform mobility to expand human possibilities) focus area of the company’s long-term vision of art for human possibilities. Yamaha are carrying out development of the system seeing it as a technology not only for transforming mobility for greater fun, safety, and comfort but also as one connected to resolving societal issues in uniquely Yamaha ways.
The EPS support system employs sensor technologies that differ from those in power steering systems for automobiles and other four-wheeled vehicles. Utilizing a magnetostrictive torque sensor enables the system to function as a steering damper and provide assisted steering, thereby contributing to a motorcycle’s stability, improving agility, reducing rider fatigue, and more.
In order to further expedite their R&D in a real-world scenario, the Yamaha Factory Racing Team will contest the All Japan Motocross Championship with two YZ450FMs and a YZ250F equipped with EPS. The company plans to use the wealth of data acquired through use in the harsh environment provided by top-level motocross competition to accelerate the system’s development and refinement. Yamaha aim to equip EPS on various motorcycles in order to provide a wide range of riders with greater motorcycling fun, safety, and comfort.
However, the electronic steering damper technology being developed by Yamaha is not entirely new as Honda have been using it since 2004 on their high-end motorcycles, but its damping rates are variable and adjusted by the ECU. Yamaha have taken the concept further by adding an actuator to assist with any steering input applied to the handlebar.
Story: Alshin Thomas
Image source: Yamaha
Also Read: Triumph Tiger Sport 660 Launched in India
Tech Comparo: TVS Ntorq 125 v Aprilia SR 150 Race – Right Out of the Matrix
With technological improvements running at warp speed, we pit two scooters against each other, both boasting of some interesting smart-connective systems. [Read more…]
Harley-Davidson University: Apprentice to Alumnus
We were at the Harley-Davidson University in Gurugram (formerly Gurgaon) recently to try our hand at dissembling and then reassembling H-D’s latest Milwaukee Eight 107 V-twin. Thus, in a manner of speaking, I entered the shop floor as an apprentice and left it as an alumnus. [Read more…]
How to Maximise your Fuel Economy
The sky-rocketing cost of fuel has hit the daily commuter as well as the enthusiast equally badly. No doubt the portents are grim. However, don’t let this curb your passion to ride. Follow the simple tips given below to make sure you get the most out of every precious drop of petrol. [Read more…]
Electric bikes: World Environment Day Special
On World Environment Day we bring to you our coverage of eco-friendly electric bikes. So without any further ado here is the honour roll of battery powered motorcycles. [Read more…]
Techno Queries
Is Fuel Injection To Blame?
At the very outset, congratulations to you all for the fabulous job you are doing!
I have a couple of queries regarding my trusted TVS Apache RTR Fi. The bike has done 15,400 km to date and I have always had it serviced from a reputed mechanic. Now-a-days, however, the bike becomes jerky as if it has run out of petrol, when it is actually not the case.
I took it to the best local mechanic in Kolkata to have the problem rectified. The bike seemed to be all right for some time, but the problem reared its head once again after a week or so. When I took it back to the mechanic, he insisted that it was a fuel injection problem and that there was nothing he could do. The power from the throttle is all right, but it seems as if the fuel does not reach the engine properly. Is it likely that there would be some kind of a block in the fuel injection system? I am not sure if other bikes with the fuel injection system also face a similar problem.
My second query concerns tyre replacement. Is it possible to fit the tyres from the Yamaha R15 or Yamah FZ16 on my bike?
The gear lever of my bike requires too much effort to shift, as if it is stuck in a position. How may I rectify it?
Hasan Arshi, Kolkata
From the description given by you, it does appear that there is a problem in the fuel supply line of your motorcycle. Please take out the fuel filter before the fuel pump and clean it thoroughly. Only a visual inspection by a competent mechanic will yield the correct diagnosis. Whereas the Yamaha R15 and FZ16 come with tubeless tyres, the Apache RTR Fi has tyres with tubes. You may replace the Apache’s front tyre with the FZ16′ front tyre, but the rear tyre of the FZ16 will not fit the narrow rim of your bike. On the other hand, the R15’s rear tyre will be too narrow for the Apache.____________________________
Boosting The Dio’s Performance
I recently bought a Honda Dio and am very impressed by its combination of good looks and practicality. The scooter has clocked 4,200 km so far. However, I would like to boost its performance a bit more. Can I fit a K&N air-filter and an NGK iridium spark-plug? Will it be necessary to re-tune the carburettor if I opt for these changes? Is semi-synthetic or fully synthetic engine oil better for my Dio’s performance? Which brand is better: Motul or Mobil1? What type of fuel can I use to get the maximum performance? Can I fit fatter 100/90 tyres on both rims? Where can I fit an HID on my scooter?
Sunny Sharma, Indore
A K&N air-filter or an NGK iridium spark-plug will not give you the big boost of performance that you are looking for. A free-flow exhaust system will also serve to augment the performance of your scooter to some extent. You may use wider tyres, but these will affect your scooter’s performance. A high-intensity discharge (HID) headlight is not feasible for the Dio, for its electrical system does not rely on a battery, which is a must to power an HID. As for oil, the brand does not matter so much as the grade of oil. Please stick to the grade recommended by the manufacturer.____________________________________________
The Case Of The Slipping Clutch
I own a Royal Enfield Bullet 500, which I use only for occasional long rides. It is a 2002 model, which I have kept in mint condition and have had it serviced regularly.
My problem is that when I accelerate hard in the second, third or fourth gears, the clutch slips and the engine tends to rev more than the speed achieved. It does not happen in the first gear, but when I accelerate suddenly, the kick-starter lever falls down and comes up when I ease up on the accelerator. I have had the clutch-plates, clutch-wire and pressure plate replaced and even had bigger springs fitted for the clutch on the advice of my mechanic, but it did not make much difference. Even the chaps at the authorised agency have not been able to help me in this regard.
Ata Hussain Qureshi, via e-mail
When you change the clutch, you have to see to it that there is enough free play in the clutch cable and also in the clutch rod setting. If that is too tight, the chances are that the clutch gets partially engaged, which will cause it to slip and burn out eventually. The load on the clutch is the maximum when you are running in the third and fourth gears. In the first, on the other hand, there is little load on the clutch. That is why you do not suffer slippage in that gear. The fact that the kick-starter lever goes down as you accelerate may be due to the fact that you are using a heavy grade gear oil. Please stick to the grade recommended by the manufacturer. Similarly, try changing the kick-starter return spring.