New Bike Launches in India

Component revision affects earlier schedule

We rode the Pulsar 200NS on Bajaj Auto’s test track in February this year to come back with the impression that this was the best Pulsar made so far. We had also said that it would be launched in April after the KTM 200 Duke. However, the bike had not appeared in the showrooms yet. The reason?

Bajaj are betting big on the Pulsar 200NS and they want it to be just perfect. The automotive media, though generally impressed by the bike, had a thing or two to suggest after the pre-launch ride, to which the company was receptive. A limited number of bikes were also given out to commuters while the company was busy testing the bike in real world conditions. Based on this feedback, the company is making minor changes to fine-tune their offering.

From what we hear, Bajaj are working on a few components inside the engine to improve refinement. The headlight will get a more powerful bulb and some of the body components are undergoing quality revision.

Now the bike is expected to be launched some time this month. Well, as they say, a stitch in time saves nine.

 

Garware Motors officially confirms GT250R for India

Following months of speculations amongst Indian bikers, Garware Motors have finally announced that they are going to launch the Hyosung GT 250R in India. The Korean two-wheeler major is no stranger to the 250cc segment in India, having first sold the Comet ( in collaboration with the now-defunct Kinetic Motors) a long time before other manufacturers had even started thinking about the segment. However, limited availability and high costs of spares created a lukewarm reception for what was an otherwise excellent motorcycle.

This time round, the company will leave no stones unturned to make the 250 a success and will also offer tempting finance schemes to woo buyers. The biggest challenge for the Korean bike-makers will be to price the GT250R competitively in view of the massive import duties and taxes it attracts. Most of the 200-cc to 250-cc bikes are priced well under Rs 2 lakh, except the Ninja 250R, which costs close to Rs 3 lakh.

The company already sells three of their unique models, ST7 Royale, GT 650R and GT 650N across the country with 16 dealership which also includes presence in tier II and tier III cities. As with the bigger GT 650R, there is a distinct possibility that Hyosung will also introduce a naked version of the GT 250R soon.

Watch out for a full road test in our forthcoming issue of Bike India.

 

Basic Specifications Hyosung GT 250R:

Engine Type: Air / Oil cooled DOHC 8-valve 75° V-twin

Displacement: 249cc

Max Power: 26.27 bhp (19.6kW) / @10,000RPM

Max Torque: 21.04Nm / @6,750RPM

Mr. Yadvinder S Guleria succeeds Mr. Naresh K. Rattan as Vice President, Sales & Marketing, HMSI

Close on the heels of the announcement that Mr. Naresh K. Rattan, Board Member and Vice President – Sales & Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI), has resigned from his post, HMSI has announced that Mr. Yadvinder S Guleria will take over his position.

Mr. Rattan joined HMSI as Head Sales in August, 2000 and was responsible for setting up the vital sales & marketing operations in domestic as well as international markets. He led the business to No. 3 position in India. During his tenure, he passionately developed many effective business processes and sales quality-up systems like Dealer Management System (DMS), Retail management, Customer Relations Management (CRM), Joint Promotion and dispatch systems etc. After a memorable and exciting association of close to 12 years, the Board has agreed to relieve Mr. Rattan on March 10, 2012. He was handling portfolio of Operating Head – Sales Planning and Marketing and Operating Head – Corporate Affairs.

Mr. Yadvinder S Guleria returns to Honda as the Vice President, Sales & Marketing, HMSI w.e.f. April 2, 2012. He left the Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer last year and went on to join the U.S. based all-terrain vehicle maker, Polaris as director for sales and dealer development.

Triumph has been incubating and hatching the 1200 Tiger Explorer since July 2006v but has now finally added it to its Adventure range.

They had to design and build a brand new engine as well as a brand new bike. The Explorer’s 1215cc three-cylinder motor shares no parts and no dimensions with any other engine in the current Triumph range. Three cylinders run 85×71.4mm bore and stroke dimensions and a full ride-by-wire Keihin fuel injection system takes care of a number of important aspects such as cruise control, traction control and capping the top speed to 220kmh. Triumph claim a peak figure of 137PS and – the most crucial part – a peak torque figure of 121Nm delivered at 6,400rpm. The 1200 Explorer comes, as standard, with traction control, ABS, cruise control and heated grips.

 

Suspension front and rear is courtesy of Kayaba. A 46mm inverted fork and a monoshock unit with progressive rising rate linkage at the back offer 190mm of wheel travel and 194mm respectively. The new Tiger comes with adjustable rider seat height, handlebar position and screen in line with a 20-litre fuel tank. One of the interesting points to take note off is that the 1200 Tiger has a 16000km service interval. Just a feather in its cap to prove it can stand tall for a long time.

Italian scooter giant to make their official entry next month

Vespa, the whooly-owned subsidiary of Piaggio & Co. S.p.A., is back in India and this time they are flying solo. The Italian company, as much a global fashion trendsetter as it is a scooter manufacturer, is no stranger to the Indian two-wheeler market, having had a highly successful joint venture with LML from 1984 until its abrupt end in 1989.

 

Piaggio Group President, Mr. Matteo Colaninno, will be commercially launching Vespa in its new avatar in Mumbai on 26^th April, 2012. This will be followed by the plant inauguration at Baramati, on the outskirts of Pune. We reckon their first offering will be the trendy LX 125 scooter displayed at the Auto Expo this year, aimed at young and fashion conscious college-goers. All we can say is, welcome back, Vespa.