New Bike Launches in India

TVS motors have launched their new 125cc offering, the Phoenix, in Chennai today.

Targeted towards the commuter segment, the Phoenix has been equipped with some features which are firsts on TVS bikes. Like a fully digital speedometer, digital fuel gauge, low battery reminder, trip meter, hazard lamps etc… to name a few. The Phoenix churns out 11 PS of peak power at 8000 rpm while company officials claim a fuel economy of over 67 kmpl under standard riding conditions.

Speaking at the Launch Mr.Venu Srinivasan, Chairman TVS stated,”We hope to increase our market share in the commuter segment with the launch of the 125cc Phoenix and with the festival season coming up are targeting around fifteen thousand motorcycles per month. This launch also completes our motorcycle product portfolio.”

Yamaha Motors India have officially launched the Ray in the Indian market.

Since its spy images which were making a round on the net, this scooter offering from Yamaha has been generating quite an enthusiastic response. Yamaha has targeted the Ray towards women and have roped in Deepika Padokone as their brand ambassador. The Ray packs a 113 cc engine, delivering 7.1 PS of peak power and 8.1 Nm of torque. Yamaha have priced the ray at Rs 46,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi). Stay tuned for the complete road test of the Yamaha Ray in our forthcoming issues.

 

In a market like India, where two-wheelers enjoy a major share, shrunken sales figures of motorcycles in this year comes as a surprise to many.

The data furnished by SIAM shows that such a dip has been recorded for the first time since 2009. Sales fall of 8.5 percent has been recorded, at 7,66,123 units for the month under review. The reason for this dip in sales, SIAM states, is due to high inflationary rate in the economy, especially fuel price hike, and bad spell of monsoon, which has affected the buyer sentiments in both urban and rural areas. All major two-wheeler manufacturers have suffered this fall in sales. The percentage dip in the sales of some manufacturers is- TVS Motors (the highest, 21% dip) BajajAuto (with a dip of 10% in sales). Hero Motocorp weren’t left unaffected either and their sales fell for the first time in many years, as the demand for their entry-level commuters went down. However, the company expects their sales to grow again as the festive season approaches.

 

According to a recent news report in one of the nation’s leading dailies, Hero MotoCorp will be phasing out their Impulse and Ignitor motorcycles and Maestro scooter soon as they have been launched with technology assistance from erstwhile partner Honda Motor Co of Japan.

Pawan Munjal, MD of Hero MotoCorp, said the company wants an independent robust R&D set-up, for which it has stitched up a new technology agreement with a European design and technology provider — its third such partner since its split from Honda last year. He said going forward, Hero MotoCorp wants to develop products with its new partners so that it can replace those developed with Honda.

Hero, that is setting up an integrated R&D centre near Jaipur with an investment of Rs 400 crore, has been getting aggressive in firming up alliances to guarantee new technology flow after the departure of Honda. Munjal did not disclose the name of the new European partner. In February, the company announced a partnership with US superbike company Erik Buell Racing (EBR), and in March signed a research deal with Austrian engine manufacturer AVL.

BMW Motorrad has been busy perfecting an electric scooter for a long time now.

The company has now unveiled a new “near-production” electric scooter: the BMW C evolution. The scooter boasts of a range of 100 km on one full charge. The C evolution scooter can reach a 70 percent charge after approximately thirty minutes spent plugged in. BMW claims that the C evolution has outstanding performance for an e-scooter, with a low center of gravity and the instant high-torque nature of the electric motor both combining to make the vehicle more than a match for the current crop of maxi scooters sporting a capacity in excess of 600 cc. The C evolution’s motor churns out 11 kW continuous output and 35 kW peak output and achieves its 100 km range from a 8 kWh battery. The generator function of the alternator creates drag torque, resulting in the familiar engine brake that takes effect when reducing the accelerator on a normal fuel two-wheeler. The C evolution further performs energy recuperation when braking by converting kinetic energy into electrical energy in order to charge the battery.

There’s no news yet as to when we can expect the C evolution electric scooter to hit the market, nor the price it will command once it appears and even if it will come to India. However, BMW is currently undertaking trials of the C evolution in London, presumably with a view to beginning a wider manufacturing process relatively soon.