We heard second-hand Impulse hunters were flocking to dealerships to get their hands on the Xpulse 200. So, we got one to see if it actually fills the void left by the Impulse [Read more…]
Search Results for: Royal Enfield
Benelli Leoncino 500 Launched in Pune
With styling inspired by classic motorcycles, the Benelli Leoncino 500 has been launched in Pune at Rs 4.79 lakh (ex-showroom). This is the first retro-modern motorcycle to be a part of their Indian portfolio. [Read more…]
August 2019
No Use Putting the Cart Before the Horse
This month Bike India celebrates its 14th anniversary and I would like to thank all our readers, manufacturers, and our supporters for being with us for the last 14 years.
There has been frenzied activity on the electric two-wheeler front for the past couple of months, including the notification from the Niti Ayog saying that all two-wheelers below 150 cc will have to be EVs from 2025. The idea may seem very futuristic, but it is a little unrealistic. To develop an internal-combustion (IC) engine bike the lead time is between three and five years. Imagine developing a bike with electric propulsion from the ground up in six years. It is a very difficult task.
The electric two-wheelers in the market are of a poor quality, made either in China or with Chinese components. We will end up with a heap of scrap because these bikes will not last for more than a couple of years. First let us get clean and uninterrupted power supply before we go electric.
For our anniversary issue we always have some special stories and this year I decided to conduct a ride at the Mecca of motorcycle racing: the Isle of Man TT course and the motorcycle of choice was the Royal Enfield Continental GT. For this ride I had two legends with me: Siddhartha Lal and Freddie Spencer. Siddhartha is known for turning around the fortunes of Royal Enfield and creating these two brilliant twins. “Fast Freddie” is three-time world champion and the only man to win the 250 and 500 world championships in the same year. What better place to put the Contis through their paces than the most demanding racetrack in the world? This time instead of me telling you how the bikes performed, it is Freddie Spencer doing the critiquing this time around. It was a pleasure to ride with Siddhartha and Freddie. For me, it was a dream ride and I would like to thank the Royal Enfield teams both in India and the United Kingdom for making this ride possible.
Once again I would like to thank all our readers and supporters.
Aspi Bhathena
Editor
Next-Gen Royal Enfield Motorcycle Spied
Pictures of the new Royal Enfield have surfaced giving us a glimpse of the updates.
A new Royal Enfield 350 motorcycle is expected to go on sale next year that will have a BS VI-compliant engine. The new Royal Enfield will have a gearbox casing that is similar to the 650-cc twins, suggesting a six-speed gearbox. The new bike will also get updated electronics with a fuel-injection system and the mandatory onboard diagnostics set-up. There is also a more advanced catalytic converter seen aft of the powertrain. There might be a slight bump in displacement considering the fact that the design of the engine head has been changed.
Other features on the new Royal Enfield include a new console and a rotary toggle ignition switch, reminding us of classic old-school motorcycles. The left side will have another toggle switch for high and low beam. There is a small knob where the pass-light switch was earlier, which may be a means to control the new digital screen.
The console has an analogue speedometer just like the earlier models. Under the speedometer will be a small digital display. Currently the 650 twins have a display that gives us the odometer reading, an option of two trip-meters and a fuel gauge. There are still no details on what information would be displayed on the new digital display.
Royal Enfield are likely to introduce the 2020 Classic 350 a few days ahead of the 2020 Auto Expo. We expect a price rise of between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000.
Image Source: https://gaadiwaadi.com/
Story: Azaman Chothia
July 2019
Wide versus Narrow
LAST MONTH SUZUKI LAUNCHED A 250-CC GIXXER AND AN UPDATED 150-CC GIXXER. The first ride on both these bikes was held at the Buddh International Circuit. After riding both the motorcycles everyone said that the 250 was not as nimble and quick to steer as the 150. Both the motorcycles share the same chassis with identical steering head angle and wheelbase, but one steers quicker than the other. Nobody knew why that was happening. The answer is very simple: the 250 runs on a wider set of tyres compared to the 150 and this slows the steering response. Fit the 150 wheels and tyres on the 250 and you will see that it is as quick and nimble to steer as the 150.
Incidentally, today the “expert” opinion-making journalists are able to differentiate between a slow-handling bike and quick-steering motorcycle but are unable to identify the reason for the change in characteristics.
We did a road test on the new Honda CB300R and the bike feels like a 150 to ride with a leaner power delivery. The compact motorcycle is a joy to ride as you can flick it through traffic and around corners. Though it is sold out, the price is on the high side. Would I pay nearly Rs 3 lakh for a single-cylinder motorcycle when I can buy a Royal Enfield 650-cc twin-cylinder for almost the same price?
Last month Indian motor sport suffered a huge loss with the demise of Nazir Hoosein. In a way he was responsible for kick-starting my own motorcycle racing career, for it was at the Juhu races organized by his motor sport club, IARC, in 1977 that it all started for me. May his soul rest in peace.
Aspi Bhathena
Editor
Royal Enfield Showcase New Custom Builds
The Wheels and Waves 2019 festival held in Biarritz, France saw Royal Enfield showcasing some new custom builds of their machines.
Royal Enfield showcased the BAAK Motocyclette and Nought Tea GT along with five other interesting motorcycle builds. Wheels and Waves is a festival that showcases some of the newest and most unique custom motorcycle builds. The festival kicked off its eight edition this year on 12 June. It is focused on classic and custom motorcycles alongside surfing, skateboarding and the culture that goes with it: music, visual arts and other forms of expression.
Royal Enfield also participated at many of the events that took place at the festival. The ‘Two Smoking Barrels’ nitrous-boosted drag-racer showed the capability of the 650 twin-motor in the ‘Punks Peak Rally’. The Himalayan was also put to the test in the dirt for the ‘Swank Rally Event’.
Let us take a look at the custom motorcycle builds that were showcased by Royal Enfield at the event.
BAAK Motocyclette
The BAAK Motorcyclette is a custom motorcycle that has been built jointly by Royal Enfield and BAAK Motocyclette. The base for this motorcycle is the Royal Enfield Interceptor INT 650. The build shows off some classic elements such as a ‘bathtub’ style rear fender concept. BAAK’s style is to create timeless motorcycle builds by combining old and new elements. The bike shows off some excellent craftsmanship and a lot of attention has been paid to detail, too.
Nought Tea GT
The Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 was used as a base to create this track-focused custom bike. The Nought Tea GT is a unique blend of style and function, developed in collaboration with the chassis experts at Harris Performance. Apart from the creative-looking build, custom lightweight parts and Öhlins suspension highlight the superior performance that the motorcycle is capable of. The custom bike gets a mix of red and black graphics that represent the flow of air over the motorcycle.
Two Smoking Barrels x Sinroja for the Sultans of Spirit
This is a custom drag-racing bike that has been built using the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 as the base bike. The motorcycle has been built in collaboration with Sinroja Motorcycles. Instead of adding more power to this build, the bike has been stripped down of a lot of parts for minimal weight. The dragster is a capable machine weighing in at just 150 kg.
Mjr Roach
Mjr Roach has been designed to survive all kinds of environments and has been built based on the Royal Enfield Himalayan. The bike looks like its jumped straight out of a video game with a chunky rear tyre that is held up by an aluminium single-sided swingarm. To make things even crazier, the bike has been fitted with a Garrett turbocharger.
Midas Royale (@Art Ride)
The Midas Royale is a motorcycle that has been crafted on the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650, with all the latest performance parts and upgrades available. The build shows off an all-carbon body and rims, that are highlighted by Öhlins suspension and custom-made chassis parts. Making this endurance racer really stand out is the exotic gold and black paint scheme by Rough Crafts.
Malle Rally Royale
These two custom motorcycle builds were created using the Royal Enfield Interceptor INT 650. They were specifically designed to take part in the Great Malle Rally, 2019, which is an end-to-end ride of the length of the UK. A competition run in collaboration with Iron & Air magazine will decide who gets to ride the black #1 bike. The red #2 version will be the dedicated ride support vehicle. The builds consist of long-travel suspension, custom-made Harris chassis parts and other adjustments to make them ultimate rally Interceptors.
Story: Azaman Chothia
List of Upcoming Bikes in India 2019
The year 2019 is proving to be an exciting year for motorcycle enthusiasts. This year we have already seen some amazing launches but the manufacturers have a few more in store. We have compiled a list of the most talked-about bikes that are about to be launched and will make motorcycle enthusiasts go weak at the knees.
Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 – Welcome
The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 made a clean sweep of all the “Bike of the Year” awards, including the Bike India Two-wheeler of the Year Award and the Indian Motorcycle of the Year (IMOTY) Award.
Harley-Davidson to Launch Most Affordable Model
American bike major, Harley-Davidson, are all set to launch a new, more affordable bike in the 250-500-cc category, if word on the street is to be believed.
Royal Enfield Meteor Making a Comeback?
Is the Royal Enfield Meteor set to make a comeback? The Meteor used to sell way back in 1950.
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