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Kawasaki has come with all the right ingredients with the Ninja 650R

Kawasaki brought the long forgotten middleweights segment into talks again and launched their much awaited Ninja 650R today. Priced at Rs 4.57 lakh ex-showroom, Delhi (about Rs 5-5.1 lakh, OTR Pune), the bike has already gathered eyeballs for its strategic pricing and tough hit to the competition. The Kwacker’s 649-cc twin cylinder engine offers 72 PS power and 66 Nm torque and the bike sports Ninja’s signature aggressive styling. So far, Garware Hyosung GT 650R was the only option available in the segment. The new Kwacker is a sports tourer and bike’s aerodynamics and strong engine support its nature very well. Looks like it’s time for competition to buckle up as this Japanese giant is a little too much for the Korean bull.

 

Words: Gasha Aeri

Brutale 990R receives paint job as Italy celebrates unification

 

To celebrate 150 years of Italian unification MV Agusta has announced a limited edition Brutale 990R. The bike features tricolored body panels in colors of the Italian flag and will be available in red, black and white themes. The numbers 150 and the serial number etched on the bikini fairing will make the bike instantly recognizable. A premium of Rs 22,458 will be charged over the standard price of Rs 10,20,255 in Europe for the cult status aesthetics. True to Italian flamboyance, MV Agusta has described the limited edition Brutale 990R as the marriage of Style and Technology.

 

Words: Aniruddha Mulgund

Bullets have got a way with celebrities. 

Looks like days of fancy sportscars, yachts and airplanes are long gone for directors have shifted their focus to bikes now. To add to that, there is no Tom Cruise riding a Ducati, but our very own Bollywood lassies riding the big bulls, Katrina Kaif being the latest one to do so for her upcoming movie, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. We had reported American about TV host Jay Leno riding the cult bike earlier and this time it’s Kaif riding a Royal Enfield Classic 500 in her upcoming movie. 

Even Gul Panag was seen riding a Thunderbird Twinspark in a recently released movie, and even owns one. Looks like, the bike manufacture is attracting celebrities across the globe. So strap the helmet, put the shades on and ride your Bullet… who knows, the paparazzi might mistake you as a celeb too.

 

 

Words: Gasha Aeri

The FZ series now offered in new colour scheme

India Yamaha Motor has introduced new colour schemes for FZ, FZ-S and Fazer. The bike will now adorn more vibrant colors along with new logos and graphics. The launch will be complemented by media campaign featuring Yamaha India brand ambassador- John Abraham.

Yamaha has introduced four new colors for FZ-S – Golden Streak, Competition White, Black Cyber Green and Yellow Streak. Fazer will also be seen in four new colors – Competition White, Black Cyber Green, Midnight Black and Lava Red while FZ will be available in two new colors – Midnight Black and Lava Red. All the models of the FZ family will now have a kick start option and will be available at a price of Rs 67,000 to Rs. 74,000 (ex-showroom Delhi).

Words: Sarmad Kadiri

Spotted – Bajaj KTM 200 in Bengaluru 

Not long after Bajaj made it clear that they would be bringing in a 200cc KTM motorcycle to Indian shores, there’s been a spate of sightings of the test mule, mostly around the Bajaj facility at Chakan near Pune. Now, Bike India reader Niranjan Skoda has sent us these images of the bike being tested in Bengaluru. In contrast to most spy pictures, Niranjan was actually lucky enough to get some very detailed pictures of the stationary bike.

 KTM created the 125cc for European markets because of the licensing laws there, which stipulate that all beginners’ bikes should be restricted to below 125 cc and/or 17 PS of peak power. Since this is not the case in India, it made no sense for KTM to manufacture such a ‘small’ bike in a country where cubic capacity is (sadly) one of the most important criteria in buying a new motorcycle. The maximum power output of the 200cc mill is expected to be somewhere in the 20-25 PS region. So, given the bike’s lean kerb weight of 130 kg, it should do a top speed of about 145 km/h. Feast your eyes on the pictures till then.

 

Words: Saeed Akhtar

Photos: Niranjan Skoda