Latest Bike News

Donington Park’s iconic Dunlop Bridge to go under the hammer

September 10, 2012 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

Authorities at the Donington Park race circuit have decided to auction off four landmark items from the track side at the Goodwood Revival on September 15^th 2012.

The auction, which will be carried out by Bonham’s, will include items such as sections of the Dunlop Bridge located on the back straight of the track, the Dunlop advert sign from the bridge, an old timing clock from the hairpin bridge and the wind tunnel model of the famous world land speed record car called the Project Blue Star which is also located at the hairpin bridge. All the proceedings from the auction will be forwarded to Leicestershire-based Hope Against Cancer charity which was supported by the late owner of Donington Park, Tom Wheatcroft.

Hero may phase out Impulse, Ignitor & Maestro

September 7, 2012 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

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.

Kawasaki Ninja gets bigger, gains 50 more ccs

September 6, 2012 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

If you thought that 250s aren’t fun then take a look at the 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300 which was recently unveiled in Europe and will soon be launched in other world markets.

It was just a few weeks back when Kawasaki unveiled the updated 2013 Ninja 250R and now the company has gone a step further and announced a new entry-level sportsbike for folks looking for some extra horsepower at an affordable price tag. Customers will now have a choice of an entry-level Ninja 250R or a bit more powerful Ninja 300. Why just an upgrade of 50cc? Well, Kawasaki is not the one to takes its competition lightly and after Honda launched its highly capable CBR 250R worldwide, Kawasaki wanted to counter this move with a more powerful option and that’s one of the reasons why the company choose to launch the Ninja 300. Its a smart move as customers now have two options to choose from and Kawasaki won’t be selling the 300 Ninja at a very high premium. In fact it will be priced slightly higher than the 250R which will attract more consumers. After unveiling the bike in Europe Kawasaki will be launching it in the US on September 13^th at the famous Times Square in New York followed by California launch from September 17^th – 19^th.

About the new Ninja 300

It may sound like an all-new bike however, Kawasaki has actually transformed the Ninja 250R into the Ninja 300. They bumped up the displacement from 249cc to 296cc and they did so by increasing the stroke length by 7.8mm. But because they used lighter and shorter connecting rods the engine height remains the same. They have also widened the intake ports and increased the diameter of the intake valves. However, compression has been reduced from 11.6:1 to 10.6:1. Now the Ninja 300 produces 39.54PS of power, an increase of 7PS over the 250R. Along with these changes Kawasaki has also made the new Ninja 300 more rider friendly as this bike gets a new slipper clutch, race-style back-torque limiting function and optional Nissin ABS system. The 300 gets a new frame for better stability and a 140 mm rear tyre for extra grip. Styling has also been updated to give the 300 a more radical look that is seen on bigger capacity Ninja bikes. The floating windscreen is inspired from the ZX-10R and the twin head lamp cluster borrows cues from ZX-6R and the fairing and wheel design remind you of the ZZR1400. The 300 also gets aluminium foot-pegs and a more complex silencer shape that is also seen on bigger Ninjas.
The specs are out however, Kawasaki is yet to announce the pricing of this mean green entry-level Ninja. Will it come to India? Well, that still remains a big question however, even if it comes to India it will be priced much higher than the CBR250R which is its direct rival in the international market. And with the Ninja 250R already costing upwards of Rs 3 lakh in India, the 300R will be priced even higher making it an expensive enthusiasts bike.

Check out the teaser video of the new Ninja 300 here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjDFyKvqwPM

BMW unveils C evolution electric scooter

September 5, 2012 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

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.

2013 Kawasaki Z800 pictures leaked

September 4, 2012 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

Japanese motorcycle makers Kawasaki are all ready to unveil next year’s Z800 street bike.

The rumor mills have been long since making rounds regarding the Z800, though Kawasaki have not disclosed anything regarding the motorcycle and when will they be unveiling it. But the leaked pictures of the 2013 Z800 clearly showcases the fact that it has been derived from the Z750 bike – with a 50cc engine hike – which makes sense with the new name Z800. The chassis as well engine look quite the same as the Z750 from the ouside, while the styling on the 2013 Z800 has been clearly taken up a notch, making it look much more aggressive. We can clearly see that the styling DNA has been derived from the Z1000 superbike. Looks like the mean-green samurai is all set to enthrall motorcyclists once more.

2013 Kawasaki Z800 pictures leaked

September 4, 2012 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

Japanese motorcycle makers Kawasaki are all ready to unveil next year’s Z800 street bike.

Honda to re-enter in Bangladesh with JV

September 3, 2012 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

Japanese automotive heavyweights Honda have planned to form a joint venture with local players in Bangladesh.

As you might be aware, Honda used to sell their motorcycles in Bangladesh through Hero MotoCorp, but since their split in 2011 Honda are planning to re-enter market on their own. A JV with local businesses is the best bet for the Japanese heavyweight in order to set-up a low cost assembly facility, with an annual sales target of 10,000 to 20,000 units. With launches like the Dream Yuga, Shine and Twister along with the evergreen Activa and Dio – and more new models being planned for semi-urban and rural markets – the Japanese marque are also looking to increase dealership network in India. Now, with Honda entering the Bangladesh market independently shortly, it can be said that their motto “Power of dreams” is surely driving them in their pursuit to become No.1 in the Indian sub-continent.

The Diavel gets more meaner

August 31, 2012 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

The Ducati Diavel (‘Devil’ in Italian) is one of the most beastly-looking motorcycles in the world.

And now, the Italian manufacturer have unveiled the Diavel Cromo, perhaps the most mean looking Diavel ever. The all new Cromo features a chromium-plated fuel and an all black finish, while the exhaust have been given the chrome treatment too, making it a sinister-looking machine. The overall motorcycle has just undergone cosmetic changes as the bike utilizes the same 1198cc Testastretta engine with a max output of 164PS of power delivered at 9500 rpm. This new version of the Cromo Diavel is all-out wickedness in its true avatar. Well if the all black treatment of the Diavel was not enough too make your jaw drop, you better think twice about the Cromo.

BMW readying R1200GS successor

August 31, 2012 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

BMW’s superlative R1200GS is all set to get a heart transplant soon.

The new engine is stated to be a water-cooled boxer twin, and will be officially unveiled at the INTERMOT show in Cologne next month. BMW are leaving no stone unturned in hyping the unveiling of the new engine. With its air-cooled design an important feature of the current GS, it will be interesting to see the response from adventure riders when details of BMW’s new bike unfold. While the new GS will be the star of the show, INTERMOT will showcase BMW’s F700GS, HP4 and the new S1000RR with semi-active suspension. The BMW R1200GS is a very important brand for BMW Motorrad globally, and thus this launch is very much significant for the industry.

Suzuki’s Next Offering For India?

August 30, 2012 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

The latest Japanese brand to introduce a brand-new 250-cc motorcycle internationally is Suzuki.

Now this could be construed both as bad news or good, depending upon which side of the globe you inhabit. The bad news is that the company’s Indian arm is still tight-lipped about their 250-cc plans despite a growing threat from the new performance Turks like KTM, Honda, Bajaj and, apparently, Yamaha too. However, the good news is that the bike fits our requirements perfectly well and some of the international automobile journalists have already shared their first impression of this bike. Here’s what we know about the Suzuki Inazuma.

Shown last year, the Suzuki Inazuma is scheduled for an entry into the British showrooms in September this year with a price-tag of approximately Rs 3 lakh (OTR, UK). Before you raise your eyebrows in astonishment, let us add that currently the bike is being made in China and that when it comes to India, it will be highly localised, thus bringing down the price considerably. Rest assured that the build quality and finish of this bike would be on par with international standards.

Suzuki claim that this twin-cylinder, 250-cc motorcycle draws its design cues from its elder sibling, the B-King. However, the Inazuma is much smaller in size and looks more like a commuter than the buck-wild monster that is the B-King, and the convex headlight design reminds us of the long forgotten Yamaha Libero. We expect the engine to produce approximately 28 PS of peak power, which might not be close to the 33 horses of the Kawasaki Ninja 250R, but Suzuki’s engineers have deliberately done so to improve the bike’s maximum torque, using the parallel twin’s surprisingly long stroke. This would offer a strong mid-range, making the Inazuma very easy to ride. Featuring a very slick six-speed gearbox, the bike is sure to have pure-Suzuki levels of refinement.

Moreover, the 780-mm seat height and narrow fuel tank make this 250-cc Jap ideally suited for Indian customers. The company claims a fuel efficiency of 30 km per litre for international markets, which might (will) get enhanced further for India, by more engine whizbangery and tuning. The arrival of this Suzuki in India is certain, but ‘when’ still remains a question.