In the world of motorcycles, custom choppers have always had a very special niche, with their beauty, power and exclusivity.

And where some designs are awesome, others are simply down right bad-ass. This one is no exception – it showcases just to what extent a master designer can go to create his work of art.

Vasilatos Ianis has been designing works of art like these for nearly two decades. He loves vehicle design and has the incredible ability to create amazing vehicle concepts which particularly focus on the wheels, and the possibilities that lie within, to make them both striking and absolutely functional. The Indian Gorilla V4 is a concept which has been incorporated with Indian motorcycles, one of the most iconic brands in the world and features a hubless design.

The ideology behind the master piece is the integration of technology taken from the rich history of Indian motorcycles and the futuristic approach of hubless design. The bike is a combination of a muscular bike with delicate detailing which incorporates a retro styled instrumentation panel, ventilation grilles and numbered cylinders. The motorcycle is powered by a massive V4 engine. Big exhaust pipes, sporty riding position, 32 inch tires, large amount of chrome parts and external tubular frame structure, all combine to make this bad boy a dream bike for enthusiasts.

For more information on Vasilatos Ianis’ Indian Gorilla V4 concept, check out the July 2012 issue of Bike India, on stands soon.

Istvan Puskas, a Hungarian motorcycle enthusiast actually took the term ‘custom’ a little too real and spent the last two years chopping his dream chopper from you guessed it… wood.

Puskas has build this one-of-a-kind beauty almost entirely out of weather-resistant black locust wood, and not just as a showcase but as a fully functional machine. Wood isn’t the only unusual material used to create this special chopper. The handlebars and exhaust pipes are made from cow’s horns instead of chromed steel, and deer antlers has been used as decorations. A small Fiat donated the engine while a small wooden barrel serves as a gas tank.

 

It’s not clear whether the agricultural machine expert from Tiszaros couldn’t afford to buy himself an ordinary chopper, or if he just wanted to create something that would gain lots of attention where ever he went. Though some people might disagree with the fact about it being a fully fledged motorcycle, the level of craftsmanship that went into the building this master piece is impressive.

You’ve heard of BMW sedans, sportscars and motorcycles, but how about an electric bicycle sporting the revered blue propeller logo?

Allow us to introduce the BMW i Pedelec concept then. Mr. Ian Robertson head of marketing and sales, BMW, presented the new i Pedelec folding pedal-electric bike at the launch of the first iStore on July 25 on South Park lane in London. Apparently, the company plans to launch around 200 i Pedelec electric scooters in London this summer as part of its fleet for the 2012 Olympic games.

 

The three-speed 42-volt electric hub motor of the bike’s 16-inch rear wheel will only provide motor-assist up to 25 km/h, after which you will have to pedal on your own. The motor delivers 20Nm of torque and can feed some juice back to the battery during braking or when riding downhill. The i Pedelec’s lithium-manganese battery pack is said to offer between 25-40 km per charge, depending on usage of rider. The bike is said to weigh less than 20 kg, due to the lightweight and strong aluminum & carbon fiber frame. It reportedly takes four hours for a full recharge. BMW says that its green commute solution doesn’t need to be insured or registered, and the rider is not required to obtain a license or wear a helmet.

England International and Manchester United star footballer Wayne Rooney has designed an exclusive motorcycle in association with Lauge Jensen.

The motorcycle designed by the superstar is inspired from his famous scissor-kick goal he scored last season against Manchester City FC. The motorcycle will soon be auctioned and the proceedings will be forwarded to ‘KidsAids’ charity.

The exclusive motorcycle has been designed for an auction whose proceedings would go to KidsAids group which supports the sick and poor children in Denmark in collaboration with Denmark’s only motorcycle manufacturer, Lauge Jensen. The motorcycle will be put up for auction at the end of May 2012.

Footballing superstar Wayne Rooney said,“The bike we have designed is inspired by my scissor kick against Manchester City last season. The goal has been described as a score of high quality and technically outstanding and it was a target with great force and beauty. I hope people will agree with me when I say that the motorcycle has all these qualities and more attached with it.”

Tailored to the smallest detail at Lauge Jensen’s shop, the team has put each element of the motorcycle as per the Manchester United ace’s needs. Wayne Rooney will also help to put his unique stamp on the bike with a personalised signature adoring the fuel tank paint job of his kit number.

India’s entry-level performance bike segment is abuzz with new models from different two-wheeler manufacturers.

Kawasaki, Honda and Bajaj have introduced the Ninja, CBR250 and Pulsar 200NS, respectively, to the country’s enthusiasts, who have appreciated the bikes and set the cash registers ringing. It’s DSK Motors, Hyosung’s new Indian partners, whose turn it is now to exploit the surging demand with the GT250R. You might remember that Hyosung recently broke up with Garware Motors and tied up with DSK Motors.

The company has launch the 250-cc performance bike today in Mumbai with a price tag of Rs 2.75 lakh (ex showroom, Delhi) and bookings are already open now. The bike is identical to the GT650R, except for a smaller motor which churns out 28.89 PS of peak power and 22.68 Nm of torque.

DSK Motors and Hyosung are planning to assemble the next batch of GT250Rs in India itself in the coming eighteen months which would bring the cost of the bike down to around Rs 1.5 lakh. The company will leave no stones unturned to make the 250 a success and will also offer tempting finance schemes to woo buyers. A naked version of the bike, called the GT250, will be launched soon thereafter. The competition is becoming fiercer in this segment and we hope other manufacturers also join the fray. For our complete road test of the Hyosung GT 250R, and how it fares vis-a-vis the Honda CBR 250R, pick up the June issue of Bike India today.

Triumph has been incubating and hatching the 1200 Tiger Explorer since July 2006 but has now finally added it to its Adventure range.

They had to design and build a brand new engine as well as a brand new bike. The Explorer’s 1215cc three-cylinder motor shares no parts and no dimensions with any other engine in the current Triumph range. Three cylinders run 85×71.4mm bore and stroke dimensions and a full ride-by-wire Keihin fuel injection system takes care of a number of important aspects such as cruise control, traction control and capping the top speed to 220kmh. Triumph claim a peak figure of 137PS and – the most crucial part – a peak torque figure of 121Nm delivered at 6,400rpm. The 1200 Explorer comes, as standard, with traction control, ABS, cruise control and heated grips.

Suspension front and rear is courtesy of Kayaba. A 46mm inverted fork and a monoshock unit with progressive rising rate linkage at the back offer 190mm of wheel travel and 194mm respectively. The new Tiger comes with adjustable rider seat height, handlebar position and screen in line with a 20-litre fuel tank. One of the interesting points to take note off is that the 1200 Tiger has a 16000km service interval. Just a feather in its cap to prove it can stand tall for a long time.

The wait is finally over. The most awaited bike from the Bajaj stable has been officially launched

There has been a lot of speculations regarding why this, the most exciting revision of the Pulsar in a long time, has been delayed, after the first impression ride offered by the firm back in February 2012. Apparently, the company was making some last moment adjustments to the bike on customer and media feedback, like upgrading the headlight bulb from 35 to 55 Watt.

The 200 NS comes with a triple-spark, 4 valve, SOHC layout with fueling handled by a Mikuni UCD33 carburettor. It is also the first Pulsar to get a monoshock, while suspension duties up front are taken care of by meaty 37mm forks. With a kerb weight of 145 kg and 23.52 PS of power on tap at 9.500 RPM the all-new Pulsar was a hoot to ride around the Chakan test track. Now we are waiting and hoping it to be as much fun to ride on the city roads too, which you can expect to see soon in our forthcoming issue. The new generation Pulsar has been priced at Rs 94,280 (OTR, Pune).

Read our first ride impression of Bajaj Pulsar 200NS here.

Hero MotoCorp is just about to launch a bike called the Ignitor with a 125cc ATFT engine.

The bike was displayed by the company earlier this year at Auto Expo in New Delhi, and yes, it does resemble the Honda Stunner a lot. India’s No. 1 two-wheeler maker hopes to strengthen its grip on the 125-cc segment where it has other models like Super Splendor and Glamour, priced between Rs 55,000 to Rs 60,000 (on road, Pune).

However, the sporty looking Ignitor is a premium offering in the segment and will bear on-road Mumbai price tags of Rs 66,139 for the drum and self-starter version, while the disc and self-starter variant is priced at Rs 68,426.

It’s not just the external design that resembles the Honda Stunner, even the specs of the 129kg bike at Hero’s official website states that the 124.7cc engine will produce 11.15 PS power and 11 Nm peak torque, which is identical to the Honda. You get to chose from four colour options – Pearl Whilte, Sports Red, Vibrant Blue and Panther Black Metallic.

Visit Hero MotoCorp’s website for more information

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Engine
Type	Air cooled , 4 – stroke single cylinder OHC
Displacement	124.7 cc
Max. Power	8.20 kW ( 11 bhp ) @ 8000 rpm
Max. Torque	11 N-m @ 5000 rpm
Bore x Stroke	52.4 x 57.8 mm
Carburettor	CV Type
Compression Ratio	9.2 :1
Starting	Self Start / Kick Start
Ignition	Digital CDI
Transmission & Chassis
Clutch	Multiplate wet
Gear box	5 Speed constant mesh
Chassis Type	Tubular , Diamond Type
Suspension
Front	Telescopic Hydraulic Shock Absorbers
Rear	Swing Arm with adjustable hydraulic shock absorbers
Brakes
Front Brake	Dia 240 mm Disc – Non Asbestos type
Rear Brake	Internal expanding shoe type ( 130 mm ) – Non Asbestos type
Wheels & Tyres
Rim Size Front	17 x 1.85, Cast Wheel
Rim Size Rear	17 x 2.15, Cast Wheel
Tyre Size Front	80/100 x 17 – M/C 46 P ( Tubeless Tyre )
Tyre Size Rear	100/90 x 17 – M/C 55P ( Tubeless Tyre )
Electricals
Battery	12 V – 3 Ah , MF Battery
Head Light	35 W / 35 W – Halogen Bulb ( Multi-Reflector )
Tail Stop Lamp	5 W / 21 W ( Multi-Reflector )
Turn Signal Lamp	10 W x 4 nos ( Multi- Reflector )
Dimensions
Length	2010 mm
Width	710 mm
Height	1095 mm
Wheelbase	1270 mm
Ground Clearance	175 mm
Kerb Weight	129 kg

There an awesome new TVC doing the rounds on YouTube and with every passing second getting hits after hits. It’s our very own good/bad cop Chulbul ‘Dabangg’ Pandey a.k.a Salmaan Khan busting crime with ease and capturing runaway criminals with ease in the story line of this advert. Even though a bit stereo typical in its approach, the TVC manages to create an impression in the minds of the people with a humorous approach. As far as the marketing aspect is concerned Suzuki are bang on and roping in the character of Chulbul Pandey is sure to work in favor of the brand.

The new Hayate ad is slated to hit prime-time television very soon, but for now you can watch it here.

 

Bajaj has discretely disclosed the price of the much anticipated Pulsar 200NS at its dealerships in Pune.

It is no surprise the the Pune-based automobile major chose its home city for the soft-launch. The all-new Pulsar 200NS will bear a price tag of Rs 94,210 (on the road, Pune) which is bang on to what we had predicted in our first ride / impression of the bike. With 23.52PS of power on tap at 9500rpm and 18.3Nm of turning force at 8000rpm, the triple spark plugged, four valves SOHC, 200NS is a hoot to ride!

 

The price of the Pulsar 200NS might vary in different states of India but we are certain it will remain with-in the Rs 1 lakh price bracket, which makes it a good value for money proposition. The bike will be available for test ride from next week onwards.

 

For a detailed ride report of the Pulsar 200NS visit www.bikeindia.in or click here