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Since parting ways with Honda a couple of years back, there has been few major launches from the Hero MotoCorp stable.

With increase in competition in all the segments of the market, India’s no.1 two-wheel manufacturer is certainly finding it difficult to hold on to its position. Now, as we are aware of the fact that Hero are already in a technical partnership with Eric Buell Racing (EBR), it seems that they are in plans to introduce a 250cc offering for the Indian market.

If rumor mills are to be believed this 250cc motorcycle is expected to debut in February 2014. What’s even more interesting is the fact that Hero engineers are directly working in collaboration with ERB in the US of A. This project is also personally being overseen by Hero CEO Mr. Pawan Munjal, with this 250cc offering being termed as an ‘ambitious international business plan for global penetration’ for Hero Moto Corp.

The fact still remains with the increase in competition of bigger capacity bikes in the sub-continent, only time will tell if this 250cc offering turns out to be the next big thing. Furthermore this being a Hero-ERB motorcycle it will be quite interesting to see how this motorcycle also fares in the land of uncle Sam.

Over the years, Vyrus have carved a niche for themselves in the rarefied world of exotic two-wheels.

Famous for their futuristic hub-center steering set-ups, that are reminiscent of the Bimota Tesi 3D, these alien-looking creatures are powered by a state-of-the-art 992cc Ducati DesmoDue motor. Now, the 984 Ultimate Edition ups the desirability factor even higher and drops the dry weight of the already-light 984 to a mere 144kg.

The 984 Ultimate Edition has been carved from carbon fiber, and sports an even sharper look to the original. As in the Ducati 1199 Panigale, the front portion of the engine is built directly off the engine cylinder heads and serves double-duty as the motorcycle’s airbox, saving a lot of weight.

The Vyrus 984 also sports carbon disc brakes, magnesium case covers, Öhlins TTX suspension and an upside down aluminum box frame swingarm as standard. And since the bike has been designed from the ground up with the track in mind, it also gets a hi-tech traction control and data-logging system. The price of all this exclusivity? We don’t know yet, but trust us, it ain’t gonna be anywhere near cheap.

Motorcycle shows are a platform to showcase technological prowess and design flair

However, it took a killer combination of the two – in the form of the new Vespa 946 – to be ranked as ‘Best-In-Class’ at the 2012 EICMA Motorcycle Show in Milan, Italy.

The 946 is based on the iconic MP6 from the WWII era. Design accolades apart, the 946 is a showcase of technological strengths – a true steel monocoque chassis with aluminum accents, a 125cc four-stroke three-valve single-cylinder producing 11.1PS, and no compromise on the fuel-efficiency front with a claimed mileage of nearly 130mpg, and a full-LED headlight. Class-first features include ABS braking and ASR traction control.

The scooter’s combination of maxi-scooter features in the traditional scooter segment plus a universally-appealing design aesthetic is expected to make it yet another successful model for Vespa. Pricing will be key though, as Vespa offerings often command a premium over competing models from Japanese manufacturers.