Latest Bike News

First Look: 2014 Honda CRF 450 Rally

October 9, 2013 by Team Bike India Leave a Comment

Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) – the Japanese manufacturing bigwig’s racing wing has raised the curtains on its latest entry for the upcoming 2014 Dakar Rally. A year after HRC made a trailblazing return to the Mecca of rally raids, they’ve announced their participation in the next installment of the competition as well. Drawing parallels to last year, HRC have again used the the CRF 450X enduro as blueprint for their dedicated rally machine, called the CRF 450 Rally.

Honda had introduced the Dakar-ready model exactly a year ago,and now, the new CRF 450 Rally has undergone a series of upgrades and improvements based on data pertaining to maintenance requirements, aerodynamics, durability and engine performance gleaned from last year’s race. The bike will be propelled by HRC’s signature Programmed Fuel Injection system this time around as well.

Team HRC’s 5 racers and their respective CRF 450s will participate in the upcoming 2013 Morocco Rally which starts on the 13th of October, using it as a platform to build towards next year’s Dakar Rally, which will also feature the same personnel and vehicles that will appear in Morocco. The bike will be produced and released for sale to other rally teams post-Dakar next year.

Story: Harket Suchde

2014 BMW R 1200 GS Arrives

October 8, 2013 by Jim Gorde 1 Comment

It’s finally here! The highly anticipated BMW R 1200 GS has broken cover, and boy it surely is a head-turner. The new R 1200 GS gets factory-installed crashbars and panniers as standard, the 1,170cc opposed-twin engine has also been tweaked to give the new version even more bang for the buck. Certain parts have been replaced: a heavier flywheel and an additional vibration damper come in to provide a smoother ride and a better feel of the powerplant under various conditions.

What’s more is that the spring travel is 20mm longer for both rear and front. The bodywork is also restyled to fit an all-new, larger 30-litre fuel tank, new off-road pegs are much more wider and stronger and provide more stability to the rider. A large windshield with air flaps comes standard while the new tilt-adjustable seat is a boon for long, bumpy rides. On the electronics side of things, the R 1200 GS comes equipped with anti-lock brakes, automatic stability control and two riding modes as standard, with three additional modes available optionally to further fine tune the performance on offer.

BMW Motorrad have not yet stated any information regarding the price and availability of the 2014 R 1200 GS, so stay tuned for updates as and when they surface.

Story: Sayem Syed

Raise your metal fists for Harley Rock Riders – IV

October 8, 2013 by Team Bike India 1 Comment

Harley-Davidson’s long standing association with rock n’ roll music is well known globally, and keeping up with the tradition, Harley-Davidson India is hosting the grand finale of their 4th annual Harley Rock Riders gig at the Mehboob Studio in Mumbai on Saturday, the 12th of October 2013.

Boasting of a stellar line up, the gig will see international electro-rock duo Shaa’ir + Func, Mumbai based hard rockers Overhung, and celebrated Alt. Rockers in the form of Junkyard Groove, play out scintillating sets.

Along with this, the Rock Riders show will also see the top 3 bands of Harley’s inaugural ‘Find your Freedom’ contest take to the stage in an attempt to woo the trio of celebrity judges present for a chance to earn a chance to perform at the The European Bike Week in Austria in 2014. These hopefuls will be judged by Musician,Actor and VJ Luke Kenny, Zero and Tough on Tobacco’s Sidd Coutto, and Lalitha Suhasini, Editor, Rolling Stone India.

Visit the Harley-Davidson India web site or their Facebook page for passes and more information with regards to the show.

Story: Harket Suchde

Lighter, faster Ducati Panigale R Superleggera incoming

October 7, 2013 by Team Bike India 1 Comment

Ducati are all set to amaze enthusiasts once more come EICMA 2013. [Read more…] about Lighter, faster Ducati Panigale R Superleggera incoming

KTM Orange Day comes to Delhi

October 4, 2013 by Jim Gorde Leave a Comment

KTM Racing India recently conducted the third Orange Day for its customers in Delhi. The Orange Day event has been conceptualised to allow customers to experience the racing genes of the company’s popular motorcycle, the 200 Duke. Owners also get a chance to interact among each other and face off on a race track.

The venue for the Orange Day was the Parking Area near the ATC Tower at the Cargo Stand of the Indira Gandhi International Airport (Terminal 2 Road), with KTM owners as well as non-KTM motorcycle enthusiasts among the invitees. Proceedings kicked off with registrations followed by a classroom session by a racing expert on racing basics and the best way to extract the most out of the bike. This was followed by a demonstration on the track and then the race. Other events included service camps, KTM Powerwear and Powerparts stalls, refreshments and music. The company also showcased its 1190 RC8-R superbike, the 350 SX-F and the recently-launched 390 Duke. The first few buyers of the KTM 390 Duke received the keys to their motorcycles at the event.

Speaking at the occasion, Ishwinder Singh Khurana, DGM Probiking, Bajaj Auto Ltd. said that the KTM brand was rooted in racing and the company wanted KTM owners to experience the capabilities of the motorcycle on a race track. The Orange Day has been organised in Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Noida, Chennai, Vadodara, Jaipur, Kochi and now Delhi, and would be held in other metros too.

KTM has won over 230 World Championship titles in various categories including 12 consecutive Dakar Rally titles. Their motorcycles seek to follow this racing philosophy through the use of light and high-strength alloy components allowing what is usually the best power-to-weight ratio in their respective classes.

Story: Gaurav Nagpal