KTM unveils the Freeride 350 dual purpose motorcycle: Is this the same engine that the Duke 350 will get?

Slim, lean, agile and fit – Austrian motorcycle maker KTM, partly owned by Indian motorcycle maker Bajaj Auto has achieved with the KTM Freeride Dual Purpose On-Off Road motorcycle. Packing 24 PS under 100 kilos gives it enough edge for the beginners on a motocross circuit. The Freeride comes with a minuscule 5 litre fuel Tank. The specifications of the Freeride showcase that it is designed for better fuel economy with higher power as its intended for Off-Road Racing. With 24 PS coming from a single cylinder 350cc DOHC engine, 4 valves, liquid cooling and fuel Injection, the 5 Litre tank should be enough to last a single Off-Road Race.

 

Ducati recently revealed its first product developed exclusively for the Asian markets, the Monster 795,

in the presence of Valentino Rossi at the Rootz Club in Kuala Lumpur. Much like we have been expecting, the new Ducati looks quite familiar to its bigger and more expensive rivals, the main difference here being in the use of low-cost (comparatively speaking, of course) materials and a lower seat height (30mm).

Essentially a 696 chassis powered by the 796 engine, the Monster 795 ditches Ducati’s trademark single-sided swingarm and adopts three spoked rims instead of the 796’s five-spoke Marchesinis. The original Diablo Rosso tyres have been ditched in favour of lower-spec Pirelli Angel STs while the 803cc air-cooled L-Twin will now produce 87PS@ 8250 rpm, 7PS more than the Monster 696). Peak torque figure is 78Nm@6250 rpm. ABS is offered as an option and the bike will be available in three colour combos – Red (red / black), Arctic white silk (red / black) and Diamond black silk (red / black).

The Monster 795 will be assembled at Ducati’s Thailand plant – their first outside Europe – and go on sale very soon in Thailand, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Phillipines, Vietnam and Singapore besides India. Prices are undisclosed as yet but we reckon, it will cost around INR 5 lakh to 6 lakh in India. Which, needless to say, is a steal for a Ducati. Now, are you booking one?

Garware Hyosung unveil naked version of their 650-cc sport bike

Garware Hyosung recently added a new product to their portfolio by introducing the GT650N, the naked avatar of the GT650R. This new bike comes with the same 647-cc, 90-degree V-twin motor that serves the GT650R.
The naked GT650 gets a new stylish headlamp unit, a new handlebar mounted on risers and, of course, a new price tag. The company has priced the bike aggressively at Rs 5 lakh (OTR, Pune). The performance of this bike is expected to be similar to that of the GT650R, but we expect a drop in the top whack because of the missing fairing.

 

Italian marque makes its presence felt in India’s largest biking hub

Ladies and gentlemen, Aprilia is finally here. The legendary Italian marque has set up its first Indian dealership at Pune’s posh Aryaneshwar Road, and the complete lineup is already on display, ready for sale. Ex-racer and longtime motorsports enthusiast, Mr. Srikanth Apte is the man behind the showroom, named Arco Automotive. Mr. Apte’s family has been associated with Piaggio, Aprilia’s parent company, for over thirty years now, firstly with the three-wheelers division and now with Aprilia itself.

Prices of the Aprilia models on sale at Arco Automotive ranges from Rs.11.65 lakhs for the Mana 850 to Rs. 19.50 lakh for the legendary RSV4 R superbike in Factory trim. Then there’s the Dorsaduro that retails for Rs.13.20 lakh while the Tuono 1000 V4 will set back buyers by Rs. 15.60 lakh (all prices on-road Pune). Moreover, apparel, safety gear and ABS versions of almost every model are also on offer at the showroom.

Ducati reveals ‘Superquadro’ engine details for the 1199 Panigale

Ducati recently released some technical details and photos on the engine that will power its forthcoming superbike, the 1199 Panigale. Dubbed ‘Superquadro,’ the engine is completely new and only retains two elements from Ducati’s previous superbikes – Fabio Taglioni’s 90-degree L-twin configuration and Desmodromic valve control. The name comes from the massively over-square bore and stroke ratio of the liquid-cooled four-stroke 1199cc L-Twin. Bore has increased 6mm to 112mm, while stroke has been decreased 7.1mm to 60.8mm. This allows the more oversquare engine to spin at higher rpm than before.

Claimed peak power at the crankshaft is 198PS@10,750 rpm while peak torque stands at 133Nm@9000 rpm. To cope with the massively increased power, Ducati will be offering electronic ‘rider friendly’ power modes that lays down power to the tarmac in the most civil way possible. Besides increased power, the engine was also designed to reduce the overall weight of the 1199 Panigale’s chassis, the Superquadro acting as a stress member for the 1199’s monocoque frame.

The Ducati 1199 Panigale is set to be formally unveiled at the EICMA International Motorcycle Show next month.

The Royal Enfield has introduced two new colour scheme for the Classic range – Chrome & Desert Storm. The Classic Chrome carries chrome tanks, wide mud guards and oval tool box, apart from the tiger lamps that Royal Enfield bikes are famed for. It features a single spring saddle seat remind us 1950’s styling. While Desert Storm is World War era inspired, with sand colour scheme. The matt finish paint job, with the Royal Enfield monogram on the tank and the thigh pads, portray the same strength and grit that of a true veteran.

The Classic Chrome costs Rs 1,65,400 and the Desert Storm is for Rs 1,58,200 on road Mumbai, which are about Rs 10,000 and Rs 3,000 more than the current models respectively.

For more information visit: http://www.royalenfield.com/

This crystal-studded motorcycle can set you back by Rs 8 lakh!

The Delhi international airport has a new attraction for petrol heads. The next time you travel abroad from the national capital you can’t miss this glittering two-wheeled chariot at the Swarovski store. It’s a Royal Enfield Classic 500 that has been given a makeover by the enterprising chaps at the store. It is decorated with crystal-studded wings on the tank along with precious stone highlights on the front and rear fenders, side panels, the headlight and tail-lamp. The Swarovski bike comes loaded with crystals worth Rs 6.5 lakh! Now add to that the price of the Classic 500 and you arrive at a grand total of Rs 8 lakh. If this doesn’t get you attention on the road, then probably nothing street-legal will.

The Ducati Streetfighter gets a smaller and (slightly) cheaper sibling

Going by the official blurb, the brand-new model from the Italian manufacturer aims to add everyday accessibility to the naked sportsbike family. The press note issued by Ducati goes on to say that the 2012 Streetfighter combines a new 848 Testastretta 11° engine with enhanced geometry of a chassis to provide confidence-inspiring agility and that the new model is user-friendlier, with a smooth and flexible power delivery, revised ergonomics and ‘Ducati Traction Control’.

As informed BI readers might remember, the original Ducati Streetfighter entered the ring for the first time at the Milan show back in November 2008, storming the hearts of all who laid eyes on it, and going on to win the ‘Most Beautiful Bike’ title. Its high performance and achingly beautiful Italian styling became the object of desire for sports-naked connoisseurs everywhere and now the 2012 Streetfighter 848 hopes to widen that appeal further with enhanced usability.

Available from November 2011 onwards, the new fighter is dressed in red for Ducati traditionalists, while yellow makes a return for mid-range purists and ‘dark stealth’ provides a matte-black reminder of the Streetfighter’s aggressive image. Pricing remains unannounced as of now.

Kotak Mahindra Bank recently turned 25 and in its attempt to catch ’em young and to better understand their customers, they have flagged off a road trip of Enfield motorcycles.

The 3500km trip will be undertaken by 2 experienced bikers Vir Nakai and Leon Dawson and will be called Money ka Matlab Diaries (someone say Norton?). The ride starts at Chandigarh and ends at Bangalore with waypoints at Delhi – Jaipur – Ahmedabad – Udaipur – Vadodara – Surat – Mumbai – Pune and Goa. Since its flag off on 5th Sept, the trip will take 2 weeks to complete. The bikers will be stopping on all waypoints and ask people what money means to them, helping the bank gain insights into its customers’ minds.

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI), has released its new refreshed look for its Aviator scooter and CBF Stunner 125-cc bike.

The Aviator will now be available in Berry Purple and Sunbeam White, in addition to the three existing colours – Rebel Red Metallic, Pearl Igneous Black and Monsoon Grey Metallic. The scooter will be available in two variants viz. ‘Standard’ with drum brakes and ‘Deluxe’ equipped with front disc brakes, with no changes in price.

 

The CBF Stunner would now be available with new black, white and grey graphics along with the logo on the front cowl. The 125cc machine now comes in two new colours – Candy Palm Green and Black; which are in addition to the two existing shades – Sports Red and Pearl Sports Yellow. Thankfully, no changes in price here either.