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Close to a decade after the original launch of the light-weight Dio, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) has given the automatic scooter a much needed upgrade.

And thankfully, the scooter gets a thorough revision, with a bigger and more powerful 109-cc motor, which has been borrowed from the new Activa, and produces 8.11PS of power @ 7,500rpm and 8.66Nm of torque @ 5,500rpm. Honda claims that this will improve fuel efficiency by 15 per cent, the fiber bodied scooter will now return 55 kpl.

The re-styled 2012 Dio looks chunkier and more sporty with the new aerodynamic design. This is the first gearless scooter in India to sports tubeless tyres and in combination of Honda’s ‘Combi Brake System’ which would improves stability and braking. Other new features include a maintenance-free battery, viscous air filter, 3D emblem and enhanced luggage space under the seat. All this for an attractive price of Rs. 42,362 ex-showroom New Delhi. The new Dio will be available at Honda showrooms from the last week of this month and will be offered in five new colours – Sports Red, Matt Axis Grey Metallic, Pearl Sunbeam White, Candy Palm Green and Leblon Violet Metallic.

Speaking about the launch N.K. Rattan, Vice President – Sales, Marketing & Corporate Affairs, HMSI said, “The increased convenience and comfortable riding position of New Dio will appeal to both style conscious young males and females.”

Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the new Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS!

Exactly ten years ago to this very day, Bajaj Auto Ltd. took the country by storm with the launch of the Pulsar brand. Ever since then, the Pulsar has ruled the premium motorcycling segment in the country, with yearly cosmetic and visual upgrades doing their part to keep it abreast of the competition. And now, the all-new Bajaj Pulsar 200NS Naked Sports (NS) has finally been unveiled, ready to take on all comers.

The first visual impressions convey a more muscular and grown up bike, albeit one that retains characteristic Pulsar styling cues that are discernible at even a glance. A large twin-spar frame dominates the side profile view, while the beefier tank and side panels give a new dimension to the Pulsar. Upfront, the suspension seems to be much beefier than before, shod with larger 100/80-17 tubeless rubber while the rear features a meaty 130/70-17 tyre, also tubeless. The headlight unit is a completely new interpretation of the Pulsar unit and we absolutely adore its Transformers-like angry face. Expect the Pulsar 200 NS to be priced below Rs 1 lakh!

Echoing what we have seen in numerous spy shots earlier, the rear panels are borrowed from the Pulsar 135LS, but the big news is the welcome inclusion of a monoshock rear suspension – Bajaj’s first. Powering the new Pulsar is a four valve, liquid cooled, triple spark motor. Good enough for 23.52 PS@9,500rpm and a peak torque figure of 18.3Nm@8,000rpm. That, coupled with the kerb weight of 145kg and the six-speed ‘box, gives the Pulsar 200NS a theoretical top speed of 136 kph, 0-60kph in 3.61sec and 0-100 kph in 9.83 seconds. Tell-tale lights and indicators remain the same while the exhaust has now been moved to under the bike, which should help in mass centralisation and lend the bike a low centre of gravity.

More information coming soon…. Stay glued to your computers and smartphones.

TVS has upgraded its popular 110cc motorcycle StaR City with a new variant – the 2012 edition.

The bike will now feature cosmetic changes like dual tone body colours, new headlamp and clear indicators. StaR City 2012 edition will come in six new colour combinations, which include ‘Electric Green’, ‘Bold Blue’, Red Blaze, ‘Gold Spark’, ‘Silver Strike’ and ‘Crimson Flash’.

There are no changes to the CVTi (Continuous Variable Timing Ignition) engine and TVS claims a mileage of 83.9 kilometers per litre. The base version TVS StaR City 110cc starts at Rs. 38,650/- (Ex Delhi) with a five-year warranty.

Chennai based auto major, TVS Motor Company, announced that it would launch four new two-wheeler models this year.

The game plan is to launch two motorcycles in the executive segment and two scooters so that it can topple Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India from its recently acquired third position in the two-wheeler market, as TVS has slipped to forth position.

 

The first to enter India will be Qube, a hybrid scooter, in June 2012, which the company had displayed in the last two Auto Expos. Initially TVS would like to see the response the hybrid scooter gets and would introduce just 200 scooters before its commercial launch in 2013. The Qube has two sources of power, including a 100cc four-stroke engine and an electric hub motor. The rider has the option to choose from a range of modes, depending on his or her requirement. This hybrid system charges the lithium ion battery when the brakes are applied and utilizes this power whenever required. Something like the KERS used in Formula One cars. In addition, it also has a stop-start hybrid which would further saves fuel. One has the option of using the electric only mode for short trips and, obviously, the engine only mode is present as well.

 

According to TVS the Qube delivers significant emission reduction and improved fuel economy in city traffic driving with 35 % reduction in CO2 emission, 30% HC + NOx reduction and an increase of 35% in fuel economy. The company claims a fuel economy of around 70kpl in typical city riding conditions.

 

TVS will also introduce a brand new motorcycle model in the entry level 125-cc segment with 4-speed gear box in June 2012. Apart from this, the Victor model with be re-introduced along with a new a 125cc scooter in December 2012.

 

These models will hopefully fetch bigger numbers for TVS, but we would have liked to see the upgraded Apache range also mentioned in the announcement. Enthusiasts calling TVS.

The KTM 200 Duke is here and it was worth the long wait

The KTM Duke 200 was spotted innumerable times on the NH 4, being tested by Bajaj Auto’s test riders. We saw its pictures too. The specifications were out last month and they were enough to give us the goose bumps. A 200-cc liquid-cooled engine producing 25 PS of peak power and fitted on a machine that weighs just 136 kg (kerb weight, mind you, not dry) was enough to give one an idea of this machine’s prowess.

And now, Bike India finally got to test this beauty of a machine. And boy, is she a hoot to ride. Watch out for our comprehensive review in the January 2012 issue of BI, on stands come 20th December.