Shows & Events

Concept electric scooter charges up Frankfurt Motor Show 2011

Toeing the green line, BMW unveiled their long-awaited Motorrad Concept E at the recently concluded Frankfurt Motor Show. This concept electric scooter might be an addition to the long list that the e-scooter market already has, but it emanates a certain charisma that distinguishes it from the usual crop.

From its futuristic design to its state-of-the-art features, the Concept E is a clear representation of where the company imagines the alternative commuters might be heading for. The paintjob is a combination of black, green and white hues and the battery is stored away under its green side panel. There is a fan under the pillion seat (much like the under-seat exhaust in a conventional bike), which ventilates the battery area.

As for technology, the Concept E comes with touch-buttons on the handlebar with a display screen in the middle. Also, instead of the customary rear-view mirrors, this green machine comes with two video cameras, hidden under the tail-lamp.

Just as BMW described in their presentation, we believe this concept will turn out to be a very practical and fun-to-ride commuter, while also contributing its part to a cleaner future

Keeping the tradition alive, Royal Enfield announced the Tour of Rajasthan 2011, a bike ride across the Thar desert and some of the best Tarmac in the country.

The 10 day ride will be starting the from Jaipur, the pink city then traversing through Mahansar, Bikaner, the Sand dunes of Jamba, Jaisalmer, Sam, Jodhpur, Kumbalgarh, Ajmer/Pushkar and converging back to Jaipur.

Accommodation is on twin sharing, with with just bed and breakfast provided by the company throughout the trip. However in camps and smaller towns, dinner will also be taken care of. Please note that Pillions are not allowed on this ride and each rider will have to bring his own ride. The primary eligibility criteria is that you need to be owner of a Royal Enfield motorcycle. The bike maker will make sure that a small team of mechanics with some spares will provide service support on the tour, and even a team doctor will be at hand.

The registrations of the Royal Enfield Tour of Rajasthan 2011 have opened in a first come first serve basis and would cost Rs 16,000 per person and the cost of Petrol and other meals will be borne by each rider. Let’s roll!

Hero MotoCorp, recently separated from its long term siamese twin, Honda, presented its new identity In London. Displaying good knowledge of the Indian people’s love for show and dance, the event was packed with celebrities from around the globe.

Big names, now synonymous with brands, like Shah Rukh Khan, Boris Becker, David Coulthard, Akon, Anusha Sharma and Irfan Pathan graced the event.

 

For biking fans, Hero MotoCorp launched a dual purpose bike named Hero Impulse which could be using Unicorn engine and monoshock package. Also launched was Maestro, the new gearless scooter, aimed at masculine needs. It could be based on Pleasure or Activa engine.

Both the models will be launched in India soon.

Speaking at the event, BM Munjal, chairman of the Hero Group said “So far all our good products have been credited to Honda. Now we will show the world our strength.” Hero MotoCorp also expects to achieve good sales figures to the tune of 10million units in the next five years which will partly be supported by exports to Latin America, South East Asia and Africa. Hero MotoCorp is also looking to support its new products with original research. “In five years we will have a world class R&D center. No baggage to deal with”. “The new brand identity has born out of our desire to break the shackles and realise our potential which were restricted by the nature of our JV with Honda” said the CEO.

We wish all the best to Hero MotoCorp.

The land speed record for piston engined, wheel driven, semi-streamlined motorcycles has been broken by the same man who held the previous record.

Bill Warner of Wimauma, Florida held the earlier record for a little over 448kmph on his turbo-charged Suzuki Hayabusa. This time, he’s gone for more and exceeded 502kmph on the same bike.

 

 

This feat of riding a bike faster than a Bugatti Veyron, was achieved not at Bonneville Salt Flats, but at Loring Timing Association’s land speed races held at the Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, Maine and incidentally, this is not the fastest man has ever gone on two wheels. Faster speeds of 600kmph+ have been achieved by Top Oil-Ack Attack streamliner at the Utah Salt flats as recently as September 2010.

 

Warner said that at that speed, “The bike was bouncing, hopping, skipping and sliding. Needless to say, I got it stopped safely. It was a little scary.” Just a little scary…

That’s it? Yeah, right.

Image courtesy: Facebook

Yezdi and Jawa thump their way through south

Very few bikes trigger the kind of adrenaline rush like the Jawa did. And to celebrate the dawn of the marque, Jawa owners worldwide celebrate their proud ownership of this bike on the second Sunday of July every year. While some may plan out an international virtual rally, the Yezdi and Jawa club of Manglore will be hosting the “International Jawa Day”.

Proximity of the Jawa factory has boomed a fan following in Manglore, Mysore and Banglore which has survived for more than a decade and half. Policies in the fifties prohibited the import of motorcycles. However the assembly of foreign machines prompted former agent Rustom Irani to set up his own firm. As a publicity stunt, he organized a trip of two policemen to Czechoslovakia in 1951 and the feat was repeated in 1955 by three others. Following this event and the setting up of the Mysore factory, the first motorcycle rolled off the assembly lines in 1961. The Company then sold the bike under the name of the more popular Yezdi.

Several models like the Roadking, Deluxe, Monarch and Supersprint based on the 250 cc two stroke engine followed until 1996. Stricter emission norms and budget limitations have erased the Jawa dot off the Indian map. While the Jawa may not be as clinically efficient as the new generation bikes, it has bred a generation of motorcyclists like none.