Best Bikes in India | No.1 Two Wheeler Magazine
Bajaj has been caught testing a fully-faired Pulsar on the outskirts of the city of Pune. Sharp-eyed snapper Nitin Aggarwal has got us the dope on the new bike, but believes it’s still a 200, rather than a 375. [Read more…] about Faired Pulsar Caught Testing!
Tony Fernandes-owned Caterham Group have launched Caterham Bikes – their motorcycle division at EICMA 2013.
The company has showcased three models: two electric bikes and a conventional-engined motorcycle. However, there is nothing conventional about the design of the latter.
Named ‘Brutus 750’, Caterham say the bike is the world’s first ‘two-wheeled SUV’. It certainly looks menacing but is said to be very nimble to ride as well. Caterham say that it can be used as a street bike, an off-road bike, or even a snowmobile; with the conversion taking less than four hours. The numerals in the name suggest a 750cc V-twin motor will power the Brutus. It will be paired to an automatic transmission.
Moving on, the Classic E-Bike carries retro styling which harks back to the golden age of British motorcycling. It offers a range of between 40-80 km before it needs to be recharged. Meanwhile, the third bike – the Carbon E-Bike – is a premium offering which features modern styling and construction technology, inspired by their F1 division. Furthermore, the company is even exploring the possibility of offering a limited edition model to be created with exclusive F1 input.
Caterham say that production of the three bikes will begin as early as Spring 2014. The Brutus 750 will be the first to be built, followed by the two electric bikes later in the year. All will be ‘priced affordably’. The company has also reportedly expressed its interest in contending in the Moto2 world championship, so these bikes are definitely closer to becoming a production reality than many may believe.
Tony Fernandes, Co-Chairman of Caterham Group, said: “Our vision for Caterham Group has taken another step forward with the launch of Caterham Bikes. Expanding our interests into the two-wheeled market is another natural progression for us and is a good opportunity to showcase the breadth of knowledge, experience and creativity we have at our disposal across the Group, now in the two-wheeled world in addition to all of our other automotive, technology and innovation interests.”
Caterham Bikes’ business strategy caters to the growing global demand for environmentally-friendly and multi-purposed, two-wheeled vehicles. Beginning with the European, North and South American markets, the Group’s key growth market will be in Asia, reflecting the burgeoning demand for such vehicles across those territories.
Story: Jim Gorde
Japanese motoring mammoths Yamaha have stamped their mark on this year’s EICMA, or the Milan Motorcycle Show as it’s also called, as they showed off 3 new bikes to the rest of the world. Or at least two and a half new ones.
First off is the MT-09 Street Rally, this bike isn’t really brand new (hence the half), as it’s pretty much the same old MT-09 that launched in June this year, with a few visual upgrades bolted on. This motard avatar is the result of cosmetic additions such as fork boots, a couple of additional fairings and number plates running down the sides, a ‘beak’ located below the front headlamp, a protective guard running along the handle, and a cover spanning across the air intakes and flanking the fuel tank.
The bike also has a higher,flatter seat and a higher resting position for the feet, keeping in tune with the required posture for a rally bike. Here’s a video created by Yamaha of the bike in action, featuring Valentino Rossi, epic power-slides, and a pack of wolves for added measure.
Yamaha’s next bike feels a lot like Déjà vu. The forerunner in Yamaha’s new ‘sports classic’ sector, the SR400 is based on the original model of the same name which was first launched in 1978. With its old-school looks, 400cc fuel-injected engine, and steel tubed semi-double cradle frame, this bike combines the styling of a classic with the technology of the modern age.
In an interesting quirk that will immediately transport you back in time, Yamaha have designed this bike without an electric start, so using the kick start is only way to get it going, just like in the old days. Yamaha have also kept things simple in terms of the bike’s architecture so that it can be used as a platform for some tinkering by the customisation community out there.
Rounding up the launch is the MT-07, the baby brother to the previously mentioned MT-09. Driven by a 689cc parallel-twin mill, this naked racer produces 75 PS and 68 Nm of torque. The monorail chassis with asymmetrical swingarm are made of steel, giving the bike a frugal 179 kg weight. Everything about this bike, from its feral looks, to its attractive price of € 6000 (Rs.5,04,400 approx.), and futuristic styling and electronic display, make it an absolute eye-grabber.
Yamaha also commemorated the release of this bike with a video of its own. This one is an Anime inspired by the bike, and while it doesn’t actually feature the bike in physical form, the animated rendering looks just as accurate, and makes for a fun watch.
All three bikes will hit the showrooms across Europe within the first quarter of 2014, and Yamaha will hope that they go on to fulfill the promise they displayed at EICMA.
Story: Harket Suchde
Honda have unveiled two stonking 650cc four-pot motorcycles at EICMA. The 2014 CB650F and CBR650R look like perfect middle-weight to bring the battle to a segment which only has the Kawasaki Ninja 650R and the Hyosung GT650R in India. The biggest difference is that the latter are both twins, while the Honda 650s sport twice the number of cylinders.
With the inline-4 engine, the CBR650R will be considerably more expensive if it does arrive, but will offer unparalleled levels of refinement and smooth power delivery. The two new bikes are being considered spiritual successors to the venerable Hornets. However, with 86 PS and 63 Nm, the numbers are actually lower than their old, much-loved 600cc counterparts. Even so, that puts the CBR650R ahead of the Ninja 650R and the GT650R in the power race.
Being a Honda, we can rest assured that the CBR650R, and the CB650F for that matter will be extremely capable tourers and track bikes on call and we would love to see them on our roads soon. We sure hope HMSI are listening!
Story: Jim Gorde
The Milan Motorcycle Show, EICMA has started off with a bang, and the Triumph stall has been one of its leading lights. With Triumph’s arrival on Indian shores imminent, we’ve been paying special attention to their actions of late. We have already covered the announcement of the Tiger 800 XC SE, and there’s more where that came from. Triumph have also used EICMA as a platform to springboard a couple of other models for their 2014 catalogue, namely the Thunderbird Commander and Thunderbird LT (Light Touring).
The Commander is built along the lines of a big, bad roadster. Boasting of a 1699cc parallel twin engine producing 94 PS at 5400 RPM and 151 Nm of torque at 2550 RPM, 17 inch tyres, striking twin headlamps, and lots of chrome, the Commander is as conspicuous as they come, and bound to catch the eye with its dominant presence.
The LT on the other hand is, as the name suggests, more of a tourer, and through its design, a throwback to the classic low-riders of the years gone by. Everything from the massive wind-shield to the big tank badges, the white-wall tyres, and the retro style rear indicators are all straight out of the old-school book of styling, but don’t let the classic looks fool you, this bike is chock full of modern technology. The LT too comes equipped with the same 1699 cc engine, which produces 92 PS @5400 RPM and 150 Nm of Torque at 3550 rpm, with an ABS system as standard fitting.
Triumph is targeting the summer of 2014 as the projected time frame for these bikes being made available for sale, as for whether or not we will see them in India, there’s no official word yet, and even though they will most likely make their way over here, we wouldn’t hold our breaths over this happening any time soon.
Story: Harket Suchde
