Bike Reviews in India

1734 kilometers in a day

June 28, 2010 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

Akshay “Iron Butt” Kaushal rides more than 1000 miles to complete the SaddleSore ride.
Story: Mihir Gadre Photos: Akshay Kaushal

Akshay Kaushal has become one of the only two Indians to have been featured on the Iron Butt Association’s website for completing the SaddleSore ride. On the 29th of October 2008, Akshay, who works as a journalist with the Times Group, embarked on the endurance ride on his Bajaj Pulsar 180 DTSi finally covering a total of 1,734 kilometers in less than 24 hours. He started his ride from Ahmedabad (Gujarat) continuing on to Udaipur, Jaipur (Rajasthan) and Gurgaon (Haryana) before returning to Ahmedabad to participate in the SaddleSore 1000.

In a bid to identify the world’s toughest riders, the Iron Butt Association of Chicago, Illinois, USA certifies individuals who dare to achieve this extremely difficult feat of riding 1000 miles astride a bike in under 24 hours. The SaddleSore 1000 is conducted under very strict guidelines set forth by the Iron Butt Association. The rules state that a rider should complete 1000 miles in less than 24 hours with an error margin of five percent for the odometer which takes the total distance to 1050 miles i.e. around 1700km. The rider has to retain the fuel receipts paid using a credit card from the start to the end point and submit them as proof. He is not allowed to travel on the same road more than twice and he should have a witness at the start point as well as the destination.

Akshay’s achievement is even more special given that 1000 miles on Indian roads on an Indian bike is at least twice as difficult as doing the same distance on smooth European motorways or American freeways astride a big cruiser. Our hearty congratulations to him for having achieving this feat

Big brother

June 28, 2010 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

TVS has upped the performance ante of the Apache with a new 180cc variant. Amit Chhangani gives the new bike the BI treatment
Photography: Sanjay Raikar

TVS’s test track at Hosur is as simple to learn as that except for the two rather uneven troughs – one in the middle of the long arc and another at the left hander exit. Perfect to appreciate one of the two most significant changes incorporated in the new Apache RTR 180 as compared to its predecessor.

The new bike’s wheelbase is longer than the 160 by a good 40mm, making it substantially more stable and confidence inspiring than its earlier iteration when leaned over. In its newest avatar the RTR feels more stable and planted both in a straight line as well as around bends. Both the bumps on the track, which made us cautious during the first few laps, were taken in its stride with disdain. I managed to ride the 180 and the 160 RTRs on the track back-to-back and the difference in the handling characteristics was clearly perceptible. Not that the older RTR felt scary around the bumps, but the new bike augments the feeling of confidence and makes you push harder without any worries.

Another, more obvious improvement is the bigger capacity engine. The new 177.4cc mill is a bored out variation of the 160cc mill and has a longer stroke too. With 62.5mm bore and 57.8mm stroke, the new engine still remains an oversquare, screamer unit but not so much so
as the 160. Power is up by 1.9PS to 17.3PS and the new engine produces 2.4 more units of twisting force at 15.5Nm. Peak power is produced at 8500rpm similar to RTR 160, though the peak torque is now produced at 6500 revs, 500 more than the carburetted variant of the bike’s smaller capacity version.

The increased power and torque makes itself very palpable especially while accelerating hard from a standstill. However, the new bike somehow doesn’t feel as free-revving as its predecessor. Down the straight on the test track, before braking, the 180 showed a speed of 120km/h on the digital display while the 160 was marginally slower at 118km/h. Tech boffins at TVS admitted that they have not worked towards increasing the top speed of the bike but to increase it’s low and midrange grunt as well as in-gear acceleration times. We must mention that the new RTR doesn’t have a rev limiter. Rev the bike hard in neutral or in the first gear and the tacho needle keeps swinging to the 12,000rpm limit on the tacho. That’s good news as the absence of a limiter hints at introduction of performance kits for the bike by the company in the near future. Hooligans rejoice!

Technically, worth a mention are the newly developed TVS Srichakra tubeless tyres both upfront as well as at the rear. The new tyres are wider (90/90 x 17-inch front and 110/80 x 17-inch rear) which are much lighter than the tubed tyres. The fact, along with the incorporation of a lighter crank employed in the engine, means that the overall weight of the bike remains unchanged. Other technical changes include a 270mm petal disc at the front and a 200mm petal disc at the rear as standard equipment. Carburetion duties have been handed over to the Mikuni BS-29 carburettor. There isn’t a FI version available for this bike and we don’t see one coming in the near future.

On the visual front, the 180 adorns a new graphic scheme to distinguish itself from its smaller siblings with ‘RTR’ emblazoned boldly on the tank scoops. The front forks and the gas reservoirs for the rear shocks are now painted in a new golden shade and the clip-ons have a new RTR 180 emblem at the centre. Other cosmetic upgrades include a new slim, superbike style, trident shaped mud flap under the rear fender. It can be replaced by the conventional mud flap. The rear-set footpegs for the rider as well as the pillion come in two forms. You may either have a racing style naked metallic set or get them covered with a rubber cover for better cushioning. The tacho dial for the new bike is painted in a sporty white shade as against the black-grey-white theme for the 160 FI.

The new bike feels more planted and has got more grunt, more grip and more poise. The prices have not been announced yet, but we expect the new bike to be priced a tad cheaper than the RTR 160 FI priced at rupees 74 grand. The new TVS 180 looks like a potent contender in the Indian performance bike arena.

A new beginning

June 28, 2010 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

Bunny Punia spends a Sunday morning astride a rather different kind of bike

It’s quite rare for me to be in my home town, New Delhi for more than a day and that too on a weekend. I love spending time with my family, lazing around in the house and playing with my little niece. But last month, I simply couldn’t resist a test ride on my kind of bike.

Off-roading hasn’t really caught on amongst the biking enthusiasts in the country. It is more or less limited to the national championships that often take place in South India. Ashish from Adventure Wheels, however, thinks there is a small but important and as yet unexplored market out there for these leisure bikes. Apart from bikes, he is also importing an ATV with an engine as big as 550cc! But let’s talk about the bikes for now. The spot chosen by Ashish for riding and photographing the two bikes he got along (in a small tempo mind you) was great. I had to follow his car for close to an hour, but in the end, we
were around 30km from the Delhi border on the base of the Aravali mountains near Sohna.

I started the morning’s ride on the smaller 150cc bike which frankly did disappoint me initially. An extra large rear sprocket meant gearing was too short and before I knew it, I was in the fifth within a matter of seconds! However, it was a dirt bike and with the right kind of suspension, this little number was ready for anything. Powered by a 12.4bhp mill, it had enough grunt for most types of off-roading stints. The bigger 250cc bike was, however, the reason I was here. Even for a 6 footer like me, swinging a leg over it was difficult. Both my toes hardly touched the ground. Nonetheless within minutes, I found myself literally flying over pebbles and rocks at good speeds. This damn thing really had the dexterity to ride over nasty off-road sections at 45-50km/h! Even while riding on broken tarmac, with the digital speedometer showing 80-85km/h, the superb suspension setup chewed and spat any and everything that came its way. Dumping the clutch over undulations saw the front wheel go up easily.

The 250cc bike’s liquid cooled motor develops an impressive 24bhp of power and is mated to a six-speed ‘box. There is more than adequate power for even serious hill climbing and flat out, the bike manages around 110km/h. The acceleration through the gears is impressive and the grunty exhaust note sounds great. Ashish is importing this bike from Taiwan and selling it for around Rs 3 lakh. Yes, it sounds a lot but since they are imported as CBU units, a hefty sum has to be paid for custom duties. For those who wish to spend less, the 150cc offering makes great sense. Retailing for around Rs 1.2 lakh, it won’t make a huge dent in your pocket too. For more, log onto www.adventurewheels.co.in


The liquid cooled engine felt punchy and had no signs of fatigue even after being pushed hard for a good 30 minutes	A claimed output of 24bhp means lifting the front was rather easy	Ashish is working hard on making these bikes road legal. But getting things cleared from ARAI can be tough and time consuming

Who dares wins

June 25, 2010 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

They look smashing, perform brilliantly and make up the Indian performance biking segment. Bunny Punia rides the four bikes – the Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-i, the Hero Honda ZMR, the TVS Apache RTR 180 and the Yamaha YZF-R15 back-to-back and picks the one that justifies the performance tag completely
Photography Sanjay Raikar

The morning seemed unusual for this time of the year. The air was quite nippy and there was a layer of dew on the grass around the roads we were traversing. As we came up a crest, the view of the fog filled the valley in front of us and took our breath away. We stopped to soak in the scenery and switched off our bikes. Suddenly, there was complete silence around us. There was no traffic on the road and the rising sun was still hiding behind layers of clouds. It almost seemed eerie there and hence we decided to do what we do best – ride on!

Our machines for this morning included four of the quickest and most powerful locally manufactured motorcycles on sale in India. These bikes not only look good, they all perform (almost) equally well too. Needless to say, these models are on the wish list of every youngster today. Of the four, in the recent past, we have pitted three bikes against each other – the Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-I, the TVS Apache RTR 180 and the Yamaha YZF-R15. The newest (and the fourth) contender here comes in the form of the fuel injected 223cc Hero Honda ZMR. Are we in for a fierce battle for a performance champion then? Definitely.

The first and the most important feature that matters a lot for customers going in for any Indian performance bike today are its looks. Without a doubt, the little supersport offering from Yamaha easily walks away with the crown for being the best looking bike here. With design lines inspired from its bigger sibling the YZF-R1, the R15 looks gracefully sexy and utterly beautiful, no matter which angle you look at it from. The twin cat eyes type headlamps with in-built parking lamps dominates the front. The full fairing flows in nicely, exposing the engine a bit on either side. The black finished exhaust with a silver cap adds a sporty touch, though I personally think, the tail lamp could have been executed in a better way. On the move or while parked on the side stand, the R15 has the ability to turn heads like no other bike in its class. Some probable customers, however, wish the rear tyre was wider which brings me to the bike with the fattest rear here. The Pulsar 220 comes loaded with good bits and pieces to make it look like a muscular and mean bike. Wide tyres up front and at the rear, wide forks, a beefy looking exhaust, a half fairing with projector lamps, an all-black paint scheme to name a few are some of the visual features that Bajaj has incorporated on the biggest bike in the Pulsar stable. This does work wonders and the bike commands a good road presence. The TVS offering, on the other hand, can fool you into believing it is the smaller 160cc variant due to its similar design. However, changes like wider tyres, a stylish RTR font on the tank scoops and a superbike styled rear fender make it stand apart from its younger sibling. We specially like the model in white with golden finished forks and gas reservoir for the rear shock absorbers. You also can’t help but notice the beautiful looking petal discs – a first in this category of bikes in India. The newest entrant in this segment, the ZMR gets a major visual revamp as compared to the current Karizma. A full body fairing is the talking point here. We got our test bike in white and though the ZMR has massive road presence, not all of us appreciated its new appearance. This is one of those bikes whose looks can take time getting used to. There are exceptionally nice details like the LED rear tail lamp, the faired mounted rear view mirrors, golden finished forks and engine cover, the striking two-piece grab rail and the superb fit and finish levels of body panels. But why couldn’t Hero Honda give us a bike with headlamps inspired from Honda’s numerous twin light higher capacity bikes sold abroad?


The R15 – the place to be in if you love riding hard	The Pulsar 220 – the console looks good at night. So does the backlit switchgear	The RTR – racing strips add a sporty touch

Swinging a leg over the Hero Honda brings back familiar memories. The saddle is an inviting place to be in and the ergonomics are topnotch including the working of the fairing mounted rear view mirrors which serve their purpose very well. This bike does feel substantially big and tall. Heavy riders will prefer the way the ZMR makes you feel comfortable once astride it. What really grabs your attention is the fully digital speedometer console that has a display for various mandatory things including other features like speedometer, tachometer, odometers, two trip meters, fuel gauge, time, tell tale lights as well as a welcome and goodbye message which can be tailored by the rider to include his (or his girl’s) name in it. The bike’s sitting posture is comfortable with a touch of sportiness due to the new clip-on handlebars. In fact, the bike is so accommodating that I for one wouldn’t mind riding it for a cross-country run. The Karizma has always had a good suspension set-up with a bias towards comfort. With GRS equipped shock absorbers finding their way here too, the ride quality has only improved especially over bad roads. Push the bike hard around a set of twisties and the improvements in the suspension show their worth. The front tyre becomes a little wider and both tyres are now of the tubeless variety – thumbs up to Hero Honda for this. The handling of this bike can be best described as neutral. It doesn’t feel nervous when the rider pushes it hard, but at the same time, it cannot be ridden with the knee down in a manner as easy as say the Yamaha through corners. What this bike does best is cruise lazily on the highway, munching away miles at triple digit speeds and taking care of the occasional pothole or bump with utter ease. In city traffic, it is nimble, though the bike’s 159kg kerb weight makes its presence felt easily.

On the other hand the R15, true to its inherited genes, has a sporty riding stance. It begs you into crouching down at high speeds, to make full use of the aerodynamic fairing. And even while doing so, it doesn’t feel uncomfortable unless you are a very tall rider. The ergonomics are very good from a sport biking point of view. The seat is exceptionally comfortable for such a bike, the rear view mirrors give a good view of the traffic behind and the clocks look and perform well. Ride the R15 back-to-back with each of the other three bikes and you can go on and on talking about how different it feels. All the efforts that have been put in behind making this mini Yamaha seem to have paid off. This is the bike to own if you love corners. The R15 will happily teach noobs the art of cornering and at the same time, it will keep the experienced owner happy with its ability to make the rider touch down his knees when the tarmac and road conditions allow. On the highway, the bike excels with the only bother being the windblast hitting your chest until unless you crouch down indefinitely. The monoshock suspension is non-adjustable but surprisingly it works very well through a variety of road conditions. The rear holds well through mid-corner bumps as well as over bad roads while commuting in the city. Speaking of which, of the four, this bike loses out when it comes to negotiating rush hour traffic. Your wrists do take a beating in start-stop traffic, but if a fun city bike is what you desire, it is the RTR 180 that you need to look at.

Instant throttle response combined with nimble and agile handling gives the TVS the best characteristics for being a practical yet fun bike for city commuting. Its riding posture might not be to everyone’s liking as it is more on the sportier side. Unlike the ZMR and the R15, you also feel as if you are perched higher on the bike. The speedometer console looks terrific after the sun sets, although the seat feels like it is on the firmer side. This is also a bike that can handle a lot of high speed highway riding. Some of us appreciated the TVS for its ability to be a hoot around corners. It may not be as encouraging to push as the R15 but spend some time with the bike and you soon learn the art of leaning it around curves. You may also be surprised by its abilities to bring grinning from ear to ear moments from time to time. The suspension, however, could have been better we feel.

Jump onto the fourth bike here, the Bajaj Pulsar 220 and you will be surprised. Like the RTR, on this bike too you feel as if you are sitting too high. The seat feels firm and the ergonomics are biased towards sportiness. The console looks great and small features like the back light for the switchgear makes the rider feel that his money has been well spent. This bike too faces issues with the suspension. Lean in hard into a corner with bumps and you can easily feel the rear of the bike giving way. Ride the bike hard over bad roads and again the harsh suspension makes itself felt. This isn’t the best bike here for corners but hit the highways at high speeds and its reassuring solid feel is hard to match in this class. Credit for this goes to the bike’s wide forks and wide tyres as well as its long wheelbase. Inside the city, the 220 feels at home but the wide turning radius can be an issue in tight situations.

The engines on all these bikes are as different as chalk and cheese. The smallest of the four here is the R15 but size doesn’t always matter. It might sport a tiny 149.8cc mill but this one gets liquid cooling, four valves and a host of other technologies that make sure it performs like a much bigger engine. The maximum power output of 17PS might not be tyre shredding but when you have a bike that weighs just 136kg with a nicely worked six-speed gearbox, outright performance does turn out to be nice. A 0-60km/h timing of 4.95seconds and a 0-100km/h timing of 13.85seconds is praiseworthy for a 150cc bike. The beauty of the engine, however, comes alive once you get past the 6000rpm mark. It must be noted that the R15’s engine is imported into India and the level of engineering that has gone into the motor is tremendous. It begs to be revved hard – keep the rpm needle near the red zone and the R15 is hard to catch. The six-speed gearbox also helps when it comes to extracting a good top end. Given the road, the bike achieves a true whack of 130.2km/h. The only downside I see here is the lack of low end punch. This is reflected in the roll-on timings too with the bike being the slowest in the 30-70km/h run in the third and fourth cogs.

The next biggest engine comes fitted on the RTR. The 177.4cc mill is derived from the younger RTR 160 and traces its roots back to the days of the old Apache 150. In this form, it develops 17.3PS of power along with 15.5Nm of torque – almost identical to what the R15 manages. However true to the saying ‘there is no replacement for displacement’, the RTR performs very well managing to fly past the 60km/h mark in under 4.7seconds and taking just 13.2seconds for the 0-100km/h sprint. This bike also boasts a strong midrange that is reflected in its best in class roll-on timings. The only grouse I have with this TVS is the level of vibrations that creep in via the handlebars and the footpegs when you give it the stick. The five-speed gearbox could also do with a better (smoother) gearshift.

The Pulsar 220 has always been the performance king of small capacity bikes in India. With the new carb variant, its power went up to a claimed 21.04PS with 19.12Nm of torque. It does weigh more than the previous two bikes discussed above, but nevertheless, performs impressively when the right wrist is wringed. With a 0-100km/h timing of 13.1seconds, this bike remains the quickest accelerating motorcycle in India. It also registers a good top whack of a genuine 132.5km/h or 140+ on its digital speedometer. The punchy low and midrange reflect in the roll-on figures which are second only to the RTR. This is due to its maximum torque coming at 7000rpm – the highest here. Vibrations and harshness are well controlled on this bike, being significantly noticeable only when you cross the 6500-7000rpm mark.

The ZMR has the same 223cc motor like the original Karizma. It now gets Honda’s well known PGM-Fi unit and along with other minor changes, the maximum power jumps slightly to 17.84PS at a low 7000rpm. The torque, however, remains the same at 18.35Nm. This engine has always been appreciated for its fuss-free nature as well as punchy midrange and this version only betters it. The throttle response is very good without being jerky and the motor feels eager to build up speeds. The speedometer is the most accurate here with no error whatsoever. So while your friends on the other three bikes might end up flaunting videos of themselves doing 130km/h or more on the speedometer, the ZMR will top out at a true 127km/h with a similar display on the console too. The bike’s acceleration has improved but only marginally. This was expected as the kerb weight has been pushed to a porky 159kg. Hero Honda isn’t boasting about any figures in their promotions either. For the record, we managed a 4.7second 0-60km/h dash and a 13.8second 0-100km/h sprint. But this bike has never been about out and out performance. The Karizma has earned a reputation for being a tourer’s delight and this one takes this appreciation to a new level. The bike will happily do Delhi to Mumbai or Chennai to Vizag high speed runs with ease. One thing I noticed was the bike’s increased vibrations at high revs – we reckon this is probably due to improper tightening of engine mountings.

All bikes here fare decently in fuel efficiency runs and there isn’t much of a difference. Yes, the R15 is made for a purpose and hence you do lose out a bit on the efficiency front. The ZMR with added benefits of the FI and a softly tuned engine turns out to be most efficient here.

Fire and brimstone

June 25, 2010 by Bike India Team Leave a Comment

The TVS Flame is back with a new look and better features. Is it worth it, asks Saeed Akhtar

When the Flame was first launched, it created quite a stir in biking circles for its DeltaEdge styling, fighter craft inspired bodywork and the bundle of features that came with it. Sadly, due to some legal wrangles over copyright infringement, the bike had to go back to the drawing board sooner than expected. Now TVS has introduced a new variant of the Flame – badged the Flame SR 125 – with new colours and a bigger spec sheet. Let’s take a closer look.

The first thing that strikes you about the Flame is its luscious paintjob done up in vibrant colours. The bike’s older iteration was no ugly duckling, but this one is simply gorgeous. Now available in vibrant blue, it outclasses most of the present 125cc bikes by a fair margin. It is all wedges and slash-cuts wherever you look, lending the bike a very bold and edgy look. The twinpiece tail lamps surrounded by black plastic panels looks uber cool and the pillion grab rail is also tastefully designed. The angular side indicators integrated into the fuel tank shrouds look smashing while the cubbyhole in the fuel tank itself is pure genius. However, it decreases the fuel capacity to a meager eight litres. The ergonomics are top notch; everything feels solidly built and made to last. The seat is narrow but quite comfortable. The biggest visible change on the SR 125 is the wider 100/90 tyre that adorns the black mag alloy wheel at the rear. Coupled with the 90 section front tyre, the bike features the widest tyres in its class. Together they impart a macho edge to the DeltaEdge styling of the Flame.

The instrument console remains the same analog speedo-digital odometer/tripmeter combo with a real time mileage indicator, clock and fuel gauge. There are also power and economy mode indicators that blink alternately depending on the strain you are putting on the throttle cable. The only thing missing is a tachometer but that’s not a standard feature on 125ccs anyway. The overall layout and fonts are very stylish and this has got to be one of the most striking consoles ever on a 125cc Indian bike. It looks even better once it gets dark and the backlights are turned on.

Like its previous iteration, the SR 125 employs a three-valve engine and not the regulation two valves normally found in Indian bikes with TVS’ patented Controlled Combustion Variable Timing Intelligent (CC-VTi) thrown in for good measure. Developed in conjunction with AVL of Austria (they also helped Royal Enfield develop the lean burn 500 engine), the CC-VTi employs a twin-port layout with tumble and swirl induction technology. The layout has been optimized keeping in mind factors such as emissions, fuel efficiency and rideablity for small capacity engines. Peak power and torque remains unchanged at 10.5bhp produced at 7500rpm and 10Nm at 6000rpm respectively.

On firing up the engine, the first thing that strikes you is the throaty soundtrack, uncharacteristic of most TVS bikes. The delta shaped exhaust can emits a throaty wooden sound once the revs rise and the second inlet valve kicks into action. It keeps getting louder as you continue to wring the throttle but those who love smooth, quiet and refined engines may feel a tad disappointed by it. It’s another matter for performance enthusiasts though. Despite the presence of bar-end weights, the handlebar is quite vibey and you need to squint into the rear view mirror once the speeds rise above 55km/h. The performance figures haven’t changed much and are on par with other bikes in the 125cc segment. The front disc brake is quite sharp and coupled with the wide 90 section contact patch it takes minimal effort to lift up that rear. The suspension is set too firm (it is adjustable though) considering the target buyer of the bike who will mostly consist of college goers and youngsters with a sporting intent. Handling is neutral and the bike scoots wherever you point it. My only concern was the low set footpegs that scraped the ground far too early, but it is highly unlikely that most buyers will be hearing the metal versus tarmac sound everyday on their commute.

In all probability, the majority of owners will be using the Flame for riding to college and occasional trips to popular hangouts. For that purpose, the Flame, with its striking good looks and attractive colours fits the bill admirably. It is distinctively styled, packed with goodies and has some additional tricks up its sleeve too. The new SR 125 comes for an on-road price of Rs 54,705 (in Pune) with a front disc brake and electric start as standard equipment. It remains to be seen whether this well-rounded exec-commuter succeeds in making a dent in the most cutthroat segment of the domestic motorcycle market.


The instrument console is one of the most comprehensive ever on a 125cc bike	A wider 100/90 rear tyre, twin tail lamp lens and a snazzy grab rail – the rear of the Flame looks as good as the front