Tim ‘Frogman’ Cotterill’s Rocket II Trike is plain insane

Many would agree, when I say there is a thin line between genius and insanity and most men try to keep the balance right. When the rest of the automotive world is trying to go green with hybrids and alternative fuel, Tim ‘Frogman’ Cotterill, a metal sculptor by trade, has made the Rocket II Trike.

Everything about the Rocket II is ridiculously over the top, with a supercharged 7.0 liter HEMI V8 and a BDS 8-71 supercharger, belting out 1000 hp (yes, three zeros) and almost as big as a football field in length, it can touch triple digit speed figures in a few seconds managing a top speed of 260 kmph. Weighing in at over 1,200 kg and a fuel economy about 1.2 km/l it may seem Tim is waging a war against the greens on road. This heavy three wheeler is steered using a wheel machined from a billet and a front swing arm made from ¼ – inch steel plate featuring adjustable rosejoints to allow wheel castor and camber.

The Rocket II trike is built as an ode to sheer excessiveness of power.

 

Words: Raymond Raj

Cigarette Racing 42X Ducati Edition

 

In what may be called a unique collaboration two performance icons have come together to unveil a power boat that will definitely blow you away. Cigarette Racing, a well-known power boat brand that is counted among the top brands in the world, recently showcased a marine machine, called the 42X, in association with Ducati, a motorcycle brand that has been associated with speed and performance for more than half-a-century now. The 42X is a pure performance power boat that is dipped in luxury for the upper crust of the society. This speed machine is equipped with twin 1,100 horsepower engines that produce exhilarating power to propel the beast to a top speed of 104 nautical miles, which is the equivalent of 193 km/h overland. However, the highlight of the 42X will be its special Ducati livery. Not only that, the interior will also feature the Italian marque’s colours along with a specially designed stereo system from JL audio. This is one hot product aficionados will cherish. Prices and other details can be found on www.cigaretteracing.com

 

 

 

Words: Ravi Chandanani

To be called the GW250, will come to India soon

After Honda its Suzuki’s turn to thrill young riders with a new 250cc naked street bike that will be coming to India in a years time. Most probably around the 2012 Auto Expo. This new bike was first shown at the 2010 CIMA exhibition in China however, it was shown as a concept bike then but now, just a few months later, Suzuki has announced its plans for launching the bike in China and Brasil along with confirmation on countries like Indonesia and India. The GW250 is a naked street bike with a parallel twin cylinder engine that develops a healthy 26PS of power and 24Nm of torque. The bike borrows its design from the bigger B-King which is a 1300cc naked street bike from Suzuki. The GW will be priced at around Rs. 1.8lakhs making the Honda CBR 250 its closest rival in terms of pricing.

Although its direct competitor in terms of power and weight will be the Kawasaki Ninja 250 which also comes with a parallel twin engine however, develops more power than the GW250.

Words: Ravi Chandnani

Hero Honda tweaks the 223cc bike to keep it fresh

India’s leading two-wheeler maker, Hero Honda has giving a minor face-lift to the Karizma-R. We are not sure if we can call it ‘new’ but the pictures below highlight some of the visible changes. The price and engine specs remain unchanged.

Words: Sarmad Kadiri

Prince William planning a motorcycle ride in India

 

They won’t have been married long, but Prince William, the elder son of the Prince of Wales and the late Princess Diana, will be getting away from his new bride sooner than expected as he plans a royal bike ride round India. 

According to our international correspondents, Prince William is planning another charity motorcycle trip after the success of his last 1,500-kilometre trip around Africa in 2008. As of now we do not have information about the route or the bike the Prince would be riding. This trip will be organised in association with Swinton Bike Insurance of the UK and the company says that the prince has more to prepare for than just for his wedding, as a trip of this magnitude requires a lot of hard work.

Words: Sarmad Kadiri

Suzuki adds a visor to the bike to improve its looks

As you know, Suzuki SlingShot has won the Bike India Award 2011 for the ‘Bike of the year – up to 125cc’. Now Suzuki India is giving its two-wheeler buyers a small treat by launching a new variant of the bike called the SlingShot Plus. Wondering what pluses you’d get in the new variant? Well, the list is rather tiny, as the new variant sports a visor which covers the instrument console, right above the headlight. According to Suzuki this increases the style quotient. The ‘Plus’ variant will be available in three trims — drum brake and alloy with kick start for Rs 50,350, with self start at Rs 52,518, and the top of the line with front disc brake, alloy and self start for Rs 54136 (OTR Pune), which is about a thousand rupees more than the basic SlingShot.

Words: Sarmad Kadiri

No, the Apache won’t have six-pack, but will be safer to ride

   

 

Early this year TVS Motors showcased the Apache 180 with ABS (anti-lock braking system) technology during the Auto Expo and, almost a year later, the bike sporting this safety technology will be available in a TVS showroom close to you this month (January 2011). We reckon the new Apache with ABS to be about Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 dearer. Though ABS is common in bikes and cars internationally, we still have a reason for a tiny celebration. This will be the first time a ‘made in India’ bike will feature ABS. Hurrah!
TVS have developed the anti-lock braking system in collaboration with Continental AG, Germany (pioneer in chassis control system for passenger cars and leading bikes like the BMW). The system has a hydraulic-electronic control unit (HECU) and a speed-sensing technology that continuously monitors the wheel speed of the bike. During braking it modulates the hydraulic pressure in the brake system to avoid an impending wheel lock and loss of control.
The ABS system improves braking even in wet conditions, prevents wheel skids and rear wheel lift-off. So, all you guys who love to perform ‘stoppies’ on their Apaches, TVS have made the trick even harder for you.