New Bike First Impression

Another upgrade for the Hero Honda Hunk
Words: Piyush Sonsale  Photography: Sanjay Raikar

Another upgrade for the Hero Honda Hunk
Words: Piyush Sonsale  Photography: Sanjay Raikar

Hero Honda have further embellished their 150-cc style statement, the Hunk. This motorcycle shares its engine with  the CBZ X-treme, but has an upmarket appeal with a glossy finish and muscular look instead of the CBZ X-treme’s sporty one. The Hunk’s power plant still produces 14.4 PS of power and 12.8 Nm of torque and retains its old chassis. Though a good performer, the Hunk isn’t the most frugal 150-cc bike when it comes to fuel consumption. However, it now comes with the option of a rear disc brake (for an extra Rs 3,326) while tubeless tyres are a default.

The revised Hunk has an all-new console with a digital display  for the odometer, speedometer and time. The console has an orange backlight, which is bright enough during the day and looks brilliant at night. At the centre is a big analogue dial for the tachometer and an analogue fuel gauge is located on the left. The neutral gear indicator is located below the tachometer and the turn signal and headlight beam indicators are placed above the tachometer dial. Not so cool, though, is the chrome finish bordering the circular tachometer dial.

The cosmetic changes includes an LED tail-lamp, a re-designed visor and front mudguard, body-coloured mirrors, a sticker of raging bull on the  huge tank cowl and a new exhaust cover. The Hunk is available in six different colours – silver, grey, two tones of red, black and brown – and carries a price tag of Rs 68,827 (OTR, Pune) without the optional disc brake. Hero Honda have again managed to upgrade their product while keeping the price competitive, but, as usual, the changes remain skin-deep.

The SZ-R is a sporty variant of Yamaha’s latest 150-cc utility bike. Better late than never, says Piyush Sonsale
Photography: Sanjay Raikar

The SZ-R is a sporty variant of Yamaha’s latest 150-cc utility bike. Better late than never, says Piyush Sonsale
Photography: Sanjay Raikar

Yamaha have finally
launched a new variant in the SZ series with some essential upgrades and an ‘R’ added to the name. The SZ-R is mechanically the same as other SZ variants. However, it has the much-needed single front disc brake, which SZ lacked earlier. The disc brake goes miles in inducing confidence while riding. The bar-end weights, also part of the ‘new’ list in the SZ-R, have increased the stability of the handlebar. The sticker on the SZ-X says, ‘Power and comfort’, while the one on the SZ-R says, ‘Power and sport’. And truly so. Yamaha have given the bike a sporty edge with a new, two-layered tank cowl sporting the Yamaha logo, a tachometer to show the engine revs and side panels. While the front shock-absorber has changed colour, the turn signal indicators have clear plastic instead of orange. The colours on offer are red, black and blue.

When a person wants to buy a bike, s/he is willing to stretch the budget by one or two thousand rupees. The SZ is priced at Rs 55,186, which is Rs 2,286 more than the YBR 125 (prices OTR, Pune). The SZ-X has been priced at Rs 58,506, an increase of Rs 2,306 from the SS 125. The 125’s have better fuel efficiency, but the winner in the performance and looks category is the SZ series. With such close pricing, the products have thin boundaries in terms of the price. The buyer then has three parameters to choose from within the same brand – engine capacity and design or fuel efficiency – and ends up confused.

However, the SZ-R, priced at about Rs 60,000 (OTR, Pune), has a clear appeal. It might steal some of the SZ-X buyers, but at an increase of approximately Rs 2-3,000, you get a sporty bike with a disc brake. It is considerably cheaper than most of the 150-cc bikes and is a joy to ride, though an engine kill switch, present on the YBR’s and the SS, is still missing.

Honda fly Adhish Alawani to Thailand and give him a taste of their latest offering in the form of a quarter-litre machine – the CBR250R. Should the competition fear slaughter?
Photography: Rishad Cooper & Honda Press

Honda fly Adhish Alawani to Thailand and give him a taste of their latest offering in the form of a quarter-litre machine – the CBR250R. Should the competition fear slaughter?
Photography: Rishad Cooper & Honda Press

Five years ago, if a motorcycle enthusiast in India went out to buy a motorcycle that would give him all the kicks that he dreamt of, the best he could hope for was probably the Karizma. Then slowly the market started opening up with the grown up Pulsars. In 2008 Yamaha revolutionised the way a motorcycle was conceived in India by introducing the R15. A new era of performance motorcycles was unveiled. The pace at which the performance two-wheeler market was growing quickened and the Kawasaki Ninja 250R made an entry for the niche customers. While all this was happening, there were some engineers, somewhere in Japan, who were scratching their heads and pondering over the idea of making a motorcycle that would kill the competition in one fell blow. Perhaps, that is how the Honda CBR250R was born!

The concept was simple – make a bike with a quarter-litre mill, enough juice to click at least 150 km/h, enough comfort for everyday use and styling to die for. With inputs from the south-east Asian market, the engineers came up with something seen in the images around these pages.

The Honda CBR250R is a stunner to look at. Drawing cues from the VFR1200F, the 250R has a (pseudo) twin fairing, a bulging headlamp, a sharp tail and a meaty tank. However, without a doubt, the CBR looks much better in its smaller form and proportional figure than does its elder sibling, the VFR. The exhaust looks a little bulky, but not so much out of place. The way the lines flow from the headlamp to the tail clearly show the amount of thought that has gone into the styling of the bike. The 250R’s properly gelling fairings are not just good looking, but offer a lot of functional value by providing good aerodynamics. Move on to the finer details of the bike and everything from the front visor, clip-on handlebar, switches, instrumentation console to the grab rails and foot pegs impresses you with its quality, styling and functionality.

If the aesthetics of the bike are the first thing that strike you (and they impress you to the extent of making you fall in love with them), then your expectations of the motorcycle are bound to rise all the more. The CBR250R lives up to them in a splendid manner!

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After spending a day just looking at the motorcycle, I finally got a few minutes in the saddle the next day at the Bira Circuit in Pattaya. More excited than ever, I hopped on to the bike and went out for a few laps around the 2.41-km racetrack.

The first thing that one notices as soon as the motor comes to life is the typical single cylinder note along with Honda’s trademark smoothness. After a couple of orientation laps, I got off to a race-like start and the CBR250R responded without the slightest effort. Impressive! The engine revved easily through the low and mid ranges. However, the motor did not rev as briskly as one would expect it to considering its short stroke configuration (76 mm x 55 mm). A little hesitation was perceptible towards the top revs. The red line is at 10,500 rpm and yet the bike did go up to almost 10,800 before hitting the limiter.

Since I didn’t have data logging equipment with me, the top speeds on the speedometer were all that I could note. For the first four gears these were 50 km/h, 85 km/h, 110 km/h and 136 km/h respectively. Going by these and considering a couple of more cogs to choose, there is no doubt that the CBR will give one speeds past 150 km/h. The good part is that reaching those speeds does not take much time either thanks to the 26 PS (approximate peak power output in the Thailand spec motorcycle) and 23 Nm of torque. While the peak power is achieved at 8,500 rpm, the max torque is delivered at 5,500 rpm, according to the company. It was surprising that Honda did not quote these figures in their official press release or in the spec sheet of the motorcycle and talked about approximate figures only.

Considering that there is quite a good amount of power that needs to be transferred to the tarmac, one expects equally good handling and grip. The CBR250R scores well on this front too with good handling from its diamond frame and monoshock prolink rear suspension. However, don’t expect earthshaking stuff, because the motorcycle is not meant for it. The CBR is basically aimed at everyday riding and weekend touring. It is meant to take on the traffic of the bustling metropolises and glide comfortably at 130-140 km/h on the highways. Honda have addressed these needs perfectly well. The suspension is slightly on the softer side to provide the requisite comfort and ease of riding. The footpeg–seat–handlebar geometry is relaxed and easy, neither too aggressive nor too upright. And don’t expect this Honda to demonstrate point-and-shoot precision, for it is not designed for hardcore track purposes. The power is put down to the surface through a 140/70-R17 tyre at the rear and a 110/70-R17 tyre at the front.

The task of slowing down has been entrusted to disc brakes on both the wheels and, for the first time for a bike in this segment, the option of Combined-ABS is available. Seen in bigger machines like the Fireblade and the VFR, the Combined-ABS comes as a part of the bike’s safety features. The ABS unit here is not as advanced as that found on the CBR1000RR. In the event of hard braking, the ABS kicks in and prevents the wheels from locking up. However, the unit is a little jerky and pumps out the brake lever quite a lot. Furthermore, soft suspension at the front results in a tremendous nosedive under hard braking. 

All this brings one to one most crucial question. The power is good and so is the handling. The bike offers great comfort as well. But will it sell in India? The answer is most definitely ‘Yes’. Honda have done the smartest thing. They have made a bike that is more powerful than any other bike manufactured in India at the moment and priced it at approximately Rs 1.5 lakh. Yes, you got that right. The CBR250R will carry a tag of a little less than Rs 1.5 lakh (ex-showroom) for the non-ABS version. As a package at that price, Honda have offered a deal that is too hard to resist. So start saving right away, because this Honda is expected to appear in Indian showrooms by April next year!

BIKE India smokes some fresh rubber at TVS Tyres’ facility in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, and rediscovers interesting facts about the wheel. You can smell a lot of fun already, huh?
Testing: Aspi Bhathena, Words and Photography: Sarmad Kadiri

We have been testing motorcycle abilities most of the time, but this month decided to give it a rubbery twist. How about testing an intrinsic part of the bike’s anatomy that ensures your comfort by always being in touch with the tarmac? Tyres! It is a very vital component, because no matter how great the chassis or suspension setting, it is tyres that can actually make or mar a bike. Yet motorcycle makers do not produce such an important part themselves and depend on tyre manufacturers to acquire the right tyres for their bikes. Keeping all this in mind, my boss Aspi and I hopped on to the first flight to Tamil Nadu and headed straight for some karmic testing at TVS Tyres’ well-equipped facility in Madurai, the temple city.

Just by way of background, TVS Tyres are the largest OEM suppliers with a lion’s share (almost 37 per cent) and also happen to be the largest two-wheeler tyre makers in our country. We wanted to test their newly developed after-market tyres that are about to hit the Indian market. They seemed very excited about the newly developed tyres and we thought, why not put them to the BIKE India acid test? Yes, it’s a bit more vitriolic than normal acid!

In the tight two-day trip, we utilised the first day learning and understanding the technology. We went around the facility and saw rubber take the shape of a tyre. The TVS Tyre team, led by S. Gopalakrishnan, GM (R&D), acquainted us with the entire manufacturing process of two-wheeler tyres and also showed us their latest products and the work they had put in to develop them. A little bird informed us that the 90-year-old firm is also developing radial tyres for bikes and even a dual compound tyre. To elaborate upon that, the dual compound has a soft compound rubber on the side tread for road grip and a harder compound layer on the middle tread, which improves fuel efficiency and life of the tyre. Nice. After the factory tour we emerged a more knowledgeable duo. By the way, did you know that about 72 materials are used in the manufacture of a single tyre? We did, and, of course, now you do. Enough gyaan! Day two was when we got into action.

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Next morning we reached TVS Tyres’ test track very early. The track is a few kilometres away from the Madurai plant. Here we got both an exclusive preview and an opportunity to test the new range that is in the pipeline. According to the company, these tyres have been made using different compound combinations and extended polymer to offer a better feel and improved grip. We tested four different types of tyres, namely, the Standard, Sample A, Sample B and Sample C.

We began with the OEM tyres (Standard) that are currently supplied to manufacturers like Honda for the CBF Stunner and to TVS for the Apache RTR 180. Then we swapped the tyres from the newer range. Sample A had a little extended polymer, but had the same compound as Standard. Sample B had the same amount of polymer as Standard, but had softer compound. Lastly, Sample C had extended  polymer and ran on softer compound. We also tested tyres from the competitors to get a fair idea of where TVS Tyres stand.

After hours of testing under the unforgiving Madurai sun we decided to call it a day and shared our conclusion with our friends at TVS Tyres.

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Here’s an extract:
There were just two places on the track where we could actually push the tyres. First was the quick right-left-right immediately after the first right-hander, where we got to push the front end. When the tyre grip was good, we could flick the bike and easily change direction. The second was the long right-hander, where we could test the rear tyre. The tyre that emerged as the most promising was Sample C, for it held the line and kept the bike very composed while we did quick manoeuvring.

The Standard tyre, on the other hand, was struggling during the same sharp turns even at lower speeds and the rear tyres lost grip round the tight corners, screaming and protesting. In comparison, Sample C with its strong construction and soft compound inspired confidence and, interestingly, the right-hand turn exit speed also increased by seven km/h! The newly developed Sample C was up there or slightly better than its competitors as it demonstrated a good combination of grip and feel.

Obviously, TVS Tyres, treading the right track, have carved out a fine product that can rock the boat for competition. Now what remains to be seen is when TVS will launch the salvo. Will the competition be caught off-guard or are they already preparing for a counter-attack? Either way, it’s an exciting time for the Indian bike enthusiasts and we’re definitely not complaining!

Roland Brown gets an impression of Yamaha’s 800cc urban brawlers, the FZ8 and the Fazer8
Photography: Alessio Barbanti & Paul Barshon

The ingredients of a top ride are pretty simple, if you ask me: a quick, sweet-handling bike; a twisty and traffic-free road; and preferably some sunshine.

It’s no coincidence that this thought occurs to me as I’m screaming the FZ8 out of yet another smooth bend on a gorgeous Provencal morning, wondering not for the first time if there’s anywhere in the world better for motorcycling than this part of the south of France.
The FZ8 is playing its part, too, which is probably just as well. For if any manufacturer has ever needed a new bike to succeed, it’s probably Yamaha right now. The world’s second biggest bike firm had a horrendous 2009, losing more than US $2.3 billion, which cost its President his job. That seemed a bit unfair given that the firm built some superb bikes and won MotoGP and World Supersport championships plus a first ever Superbike title.
Yamaha’s problem is that all they make apart from motorcycles are other big boys’ toys such as jet-skis and electric pianos, which are equally expendable in a recession. Unlike Honda and Suzuki, they don’t produce many cheap, small bikes, which are still being
bought in some countries. Nor do they make cars, which some people still need. And unlike Kawasaki they don’t build useful ships or trains either.
At least Yamaha have managed to come up with a pair of new models, the naked FZ8 and half-faired Fazer8, which look suited to these impoverished times. The 779cc fours are intended to plug the gap between the entry-level, 600cc XJ6 and Diversion, and the 1000cc FZ1 and Fazer. (The FZ6 is discontinued.) And because some parts are shared with the larger machine, the new bikes were relatively cheap to develop.

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Most of the 16-valve engine is new, including the cylinder head and camshafts. The bottom end is based on a 2008-model YZF-R1, including the crankshaft and cases. The clutch has been scaled down with fewer plates, allowing a lighter action. The injection system has intake trumpets of differing lengths — the two inner ones slightly longer than the outers — as Yamaha claims this improves low and midrange delivery (though they couldn’t explain why it’s better than having all four of medium length).
Some chassis parts are borrowed from the FZ1, including the aluminium beam frame and swing-arm. Suspension is relatively simple, with non-adjustable 43mm usd forks, and a shock that’s tunable only for preload. Bodywork — in white, black or blue — is new, although styling has a strong FZ family resemblance, both with the cut-down FZ8 and the Fazer’s taller, half-faired look.
Looking shiny and smart with a hint of menace, the FZ8 seemed an appropriate bike to be launched in Marseille, which has been smartened up from its days as the location of The French Connection but still has bits you wouldn’t want to ride through after dark. A brief spin through the city revealed that the Yamaha would make a good getaway bike. Its upright riding position gave good visibility, it engine pulled cleanly from low revs and it wide bars made it easy to flick through the traffic.
The FZ8 also worked well when I wasn’t in a hurry. It’s reasonably light, and its tank and seat are slightly narrower than the FZ1’s, so average height riders should be able to get both feet on the ground. Footrests are set 10mm lower and 15mm further back, adding some welcome legroom. Pillion passengers won’t be so happy, though, unless you’ve paid extra for the accessory grab-handles.
Like any sporty bike the FZ8 was happier out of town, on the twisty roads in the mountains north of Marseille. Its engine produces a maximum of 105bhp at 10,000rpm, which was enough for some entertainment on those traffic-free roads. Power delivery was midway between grunty big-bike feel and rev-happy middleweight; rather more the latter, with a kick at about 6500rpm.
Below that figure the delivery was crisp but not particularly strong; enough for reasonable acceleration in the lower gears but nothing dramatic. Crack the throttle at about four grand in first, for example, and the Yam accelerated quite briskly, its front wheel only
starting to come up when the revs reached that magical six-and-a-half grand zone.
This meant that when the going got hot through those blind mountain bends, it was vital to work the sweet-shifting six-speed box to exit turns with the revs up, or risk losing several metres to the rider ahead who had. Provided it was ridden right, the Yam accelerated with an addictively smooth feel as its tacho needle nudged the 11,500rpm redline, accompanied by a stirringly gruff bark from the airbox and black-finished four-into-one pipe.
On one straight the FZ8 howled up to an indicated 225km/h on the digital speedo, and was still pulling slightly although its true top speed is around that mark. As with any naked bike the lack of wind protection meant it tried to pull my arms from their sockets in thrilling fashion even before I was going that fast, slightly reducing the chance of trouble with the gendarmes. The drawback is of course that longer distances would become a pain in the neck, though that wasn’t a problem on our twisty route.

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Handling was pretty good, with the Yamaha’s agility again proving useful when flicking round the inevitable gaggles of multi-coloured cyclists. The bike was stable at speed, and its suspension was soft enough to give a smooth ride, even on one short stretch of pot-holed road on the otherwise smoothly-surfaced route. Steering was light, thanks to reasonably sporty geometry (25 degrees rake, 109mm trail) plus the leverage provided by the wide and slightly raised bars.
The Yamaha certainly cornered well enough to be fun, but when ridden hard it lacked the tautness of a good sports bike, and unlike the FZ1 it doesn’t give much scope for fine-tuning. When under pressure the Kayaba forks felt slightly soft and vague, especially when braking into a turn. And although the Soqi shock generally worked well, it occasionally felt a bit harsh when the bike was accelerating hard out of bumpier bends.
That front-brake blend of 310mm discs and four-pot calipers was respectably but not outstandingly powerful. (We didn’t get to try the ABS that will be fitted in some markets.) The Bridgestone BT021s had enough grip to get the footrests scraping quite regularly, though I doubt that most riders will find that a problem.
The highlight of a memorable day was following another rider through a series of 150km/h curves on the D3 near Ollières, the bike railing through with the power on while I gripped the raised bars tight with the adrenaline flowing. That section was followed by a couple of long straights on which the Yam sat smoothly at an indicated 170km/h until my neck muscles were starting to complain.

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A naked bike isn’t likely to be outstandingly practical, but the FZ8 was useful in most respects. Fuel capacity is 17 litres, good for 200km or more which is fine for a naked bike. The seat was comfortable, mirrors excellent, finish good. The list of accessories includes flyscreen, heated grips, crash bungs and a centre-strand, plus the grab-handles that the Fazer gets as standard. There’s also a top-box, though strangely no hard panniers.
The FZ8’s biggest drawback is predictable: it’s expensive. The yen’s strength has hit all the Japanese firms, especially Yamaha, whose prices have rocketed in the last year. What’s worse for Yamaha is that, to take one obvious rival, Triumph’s outstanding Street Triple is substantially cheaper in most markets. The FZ8 is a stylish and capable bike. But even if demand for big boys’ toys picks up again soon, I can’t see it doing much to save Yamaha’s new President from some sleepless nights
Riding the Fazer8
On a gorgeous spring day in Provence, it was fun to charge around on the naked FZ8, but Yamaha’s new four comes equipped for cold climates and winter weather too. The Fazer8 is basically the same bike with the addition of a protective half-fairing. It also gets those pillion grab-handles as standard fitment. In some markets it will come with ABS as standard, in which case it will also get a belly-pan to hide the anti-lock parts.
Apart from looking a bit less sexy, the sensible sister also felt slightly heavier and less agile, though its handling was still perfectly acceptable. The Fazer (I’m sticking to that from now on) accelerated with just as much enthusiasm, too; the only difference being that this time I had a fairing and screen to keep the wind off my chest, with impressively little turbulence.
This allowed effortless cruising at 150km/h, which had soon become tiring on the naked bike. It’s a key difference that makes the Fazer a potentially excellent long-haul machine, although it would be limited by the tank’s range of not much more than 200km, depending on riding style. Some riders will be disappointed that although a top-box is available, the accessory list doesn’t include hard panniers.
For charging along the mountain roads of Provence on a warm day the Fazer was not quite as entertaining as its naked sibling, but I know which model I would prefer for a long trip, or any ride on a cold day. Like the FZ8 it’s a sound bike. But unfortunately for Yamaha it suffers from an identical problem of being too expensive, in this case when compared to more powerful and cheaper half-faired machines including Honda’s CBF1000 and Suzuki’s new GSX1250FA.

Captions
At least
Yamaha have managed to come up with a pair of new models which look suited to these impoverished times

On a gorgeous spring day, it was fun to charge around on the naked FZ8, but Yamaha’s new four comes equipped for cold climates and winter too
The instrument console on both the FZ and Fazer8 are identical
The redesigned half-fairing with floating panels is tastefully done up
The 310mm discs and four-pot calipers upfront. ABS is optional in some markets