Best Bikes in India | No.1 Two Wheeler Magazine
Hero Honda tweaks the 223cc bike to keep it fresh
India’s leading two-wheeler maker, Hero Honda has giving a minor face-lift to the Karizma-R. We are not sure if we can call it ‘new’ but the pictures below highlight some of the visible changes. The price and engine specs remain unchanged.
Words: Sarmad Kadiri
Dutch magazine spill the beans on KTM’s strategy for the next two years
Recently, our friends from Nieuwsmotor.nl visited the KTM headquarters in Mattighofen, Austria, and went back home with some very interesting tidbits, skillfully gleaned out of Robert Prielinger, head of R&D for KTM’s streetbikes. We have the extract here.
According to Prielinger, KTM will launch all-new versions of the Super Duke and Adventure bikes in 2012, which will be fitted with brand-new twin-cylinder engines. The 2012/2013 KTM Super Duke is likely to be a very high-tech machine, with a 1200cc V-twin and advanced electronics, including sports-ABS, traction control and ride-by-wire technologies. The off-road-oriented 2012 Adventure would be available with at least two engine sizes – 1200cc/1000cc and 700cc/800cc. Next year, the KTM Duke 690 may be replaced with the Duke 700, fitted with a revised single-cylinder engine and revamped styling. There might also be a more expensive ‘R’ version of the Duke 700, with higher-spec components.
KTM, in collaboration with Bajaj who now owns more than a third of it, will also continue to develop smaller streetbikes for India and other Asian markets and some of these bikes will also make their way to Europe by mid-2011. The two companies have started working in close coordination in the area of technology development. In fact, the 2011 RC8R even uses dual spark plugs in each of its cylinder heads, which is a development of Bajaj’s patented DTSi technology. The two companies will continue to develop small capacity single- and twin-cylinder motorcycle engines for Asian markets, while Bajaj will also introduce the KTM brand in India shortly, which is the world’s second largest motorcycle market.
Words: Saeed Akhtar
Dr. Venki Padmanabhan takes the riding seat as R. L Ravichandran moves on to the Eicher Board
Royal Enfield Motors, manufacturer of the iconic Bullet motorcycle has announced the appointment of Dr. Venki Padmanabhan as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer. The motorcycle maker has in the recent years strengthened their brand image in India and internationally by their witty commercials and bike rides. Dr. Padmanabhan will have the task of taking this to the next step.
Dr. Padmanabhan first joined Royal Enfield two years ago, acting as COO under marketing wizard CEO R.L. Ravichandran. During that time, the company posted a 21-percent growth in sales volume, 54-percent growth in sales turnover and a return to two digit profitability. Prior to joining Royal Enfield, Dr. Padmanabhan, a citizen of the United States and an Overseas Citizen of India, was Managing Director of Chrysler’s South East Asia Global Sourcing Office based in Chennai, India and responsible for $1 billion worth of material sourced to its parent manufacturing units in the United States.
Words: Sarmad Kadiri
The Chennai based company is all set to enter the Brazilian market
Royal Enfield, the classic Indian motorcycle manufacturer has a strong desire to enter the Latin American market and wishes to begin this venture with Brazil. The company is apparently in talks with various contract manufacturers in Brazil. RE is looking for a contract manufacturer as the company doesn’t want to raise the stakes too high and enter an unknown market all by themselves. The Brazilian two-wheeler market is approximately 6-7million units a year and it would benefit RE if they enter this market. This venture will also help them to create a bigger footprint the world of two-wheelers. However, the company has not released any information confirming these plans. But we expect RE to do it shortly.
Words: Ravi Chandnani
Rossi hopes to be fully fit before the Malaysian official test
Seventy-three days after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder, The Doctor returned to the track at Misano Adriatico aboard a Ducati 1198 Superbike. The purpose of the test was to ascertain the status of his shoulder which, though recovering nicely, is still quite painful, just a few days ahead of the first test in Malaysia with the Desmosedici GP11.
“First of all, thanks to Filippo (Preziosi) and to Ducati, who organized this test,” said Valentino Rossi. “Misano Circuit let us use the track on a day when Mattia (Pasini) was planning to ride in order to confirm his own condition. The track more or less confirmed what we expected: the shoulder is painful—especially under braking, when the front area hurts, where they stitched the tendon. Movement is stable enough, and we’re also doing not so bad with endurance, but apart from that, it hurts a lot and isn’t very strong. Let’s hope it gets a little better in these next few days before the test in Malaysia. Once we’re there, we’ll work with the riding position in an effort to make the most of the situation and collect important information with the Desmosedici, even though I’m not in top form. Today I did a total of 25 laps on the 1198 Superbike, which is sort of a ‘historic’ motorcycle for Ducati: beautiful and fast. I liked it!”
Here’s wishing Rossi all the best for the upcoming MotoGP season.
