Bike Reviews in India

Pack your saddlebags and get some sunscreen too. Roland Brown is here to guide you around the world on not one,not two but three German globe tourers
Photography: Paul Bryant and Jason Critchell

BMW R1200GS
It’s a classical GS experience. Half an hour ago I was cruising comfortably along a Spanish motorway; ten minutes ago I was scratching down a twisty, smooth surfaced back road with my boot-toes clipping the Tarmac. And now I’m standing up on the pegs on a gravel covered path through the arid Andalucian countryside, gassing the big boxer motor to send up a satisfying rooster-tail behind me.

This off-road excursion isn’t very ambitious or exciting; just a short dirt detour before it’s time to get back on the road and head back to our hotel. There again, most R1200GS owners’ globe crossing daydreams aren’t matched by reality. And that hasn’t prevented the amazing success of the dual-purpose boxer, which contributes more than half of BMW’s total two-wheeled production and has notched up almost 200,000 sales since being launched six years ago.

Both the GS and its heavy duty Adventure sibling have been updated for 2010 with a new version of the air/oilcooled boxer motor, incorporating twin overhead cams for the first time. The engine, which is developed from that of the HP2 Sport (and is shared with the latest R1200RT) keeps the traditional GS capacity of 1170cc and features four radial valves per cylinder.

Performance is increased to a peak of 110bhp at 7750rpm, 5bhp up on the old unit. The new motor revs 500rpm higher to 8500rpm. It’s stronger by several horsepower almost everywhere from 2500rpm to that limit, especially at 5000rpm and 6500rpm, where it’s about 10bhp more powerful. The exception is a distinct dip between those points, where the old engine (whose own dip is 500rpm earlier) briefly goes ahead.

This GS update is pretty much confined to that new powerplant. The exhaust has a new cable operated valve, plus reworked internals for the single silencer. There are a few other fresh details: restyled instruments plus brake and clutch master cylinders, larger locating screws for the adjustable windscreen and a new fuel gauge sensor.

Styling is unchanged except for four new colour options, and the red bike I chose looked good in its accessory hand protectors. Having always admired the GS’s tall, bird-like profile I was glad about that, but less impressed by the appearance of that new exhaust valve. The valve with its twin cables is fixed to the exhaust pipe low on its left, and the whole thing looks a bit messy and tacked-on.

My negative thoughts were banished as soon as I’d hooked a leg over the BMW’s tall saddle, and fired up the motor to unleash a notably louder exhaust note through the repacked silencer. After the mild mannered old GS, this bike’s harder, thrappier note — still a distinctive flat-twin bark — gave an instantly more aggressive image. The bike’s ability to pass emission tests presumably owes much to that valve, so all credit to it.

The aural accompaniment made me even keener to give the GS some stick as we set off from the launch base near Malaga in southern Spain, with a plan to follow the coast road eastwards to Motril before veering northwards onto the steeper, twistier roads of the Sierra Nevada. Even before we’d got out of town and reached the A7 coast road, it was clear that the new sound was matched by extra straight-line performance.

The improvement is not dramatic and was it not for the exhaust note, you might not even notice it unless you’d just climbed straight off the old model. But I’m sure I wasn’t imagining an extra spring in the boxer’s step as it charged forward in response to a tweak of the throttle. It pulled from 2500rpm without complaint, punched hard through the midrange, and generally felt lively and impressively flexible.

Just occasionally I was conscious of a slightly slow response in the midrange, at about the 5500rpm mark, where that torque dip occurs. But it certainly wasn’t a problem and there was always acceleration at hand even when the Bee-Em was loping along at a lazy 130km/h in top. If anything I was more conscious of the bike pulling with extra enthusiasm as its torque curve headed sharply upwards approaching 6000rpm.

The GS was happy to rev, heading towards that higher 8500rpm redline with only a touch of vibration. But apart from one top-speed blast —it managed 185km/h into a very strong headwind — there was no real incentive to work it that hard. I much preferred to short shift through the six-speed box, which worked very well except on a couple of later occasions when, wearing motocross boots, I struggled to get my foot under the lever.

Fuel economy doesn’t seem to have been hit by the four-valve layout either. The GS was drinking less than 7 litres/100km despite some pretty high cruising speeds (assuming the accessory onboard computer could be believed), giving a range of well over 250km from its 20 litre tank. That computer also shows remaining range, and is a useful accessory. But talking of electrics, I was slightly disappointed to find BMW have retained their old style indicator switches on each handlebar instead of fitting a conventional button on the left as they have with the R1200RT (and S1000RR).

 

Comfort is another aspect of the GS that’s basically unchanged, which is no surprise because it’s outstanding. The one-piece bar (which can be reversed for standing up riding off-road) and thick two-piece seat give plenty of room in conjunction with well-placed and grippy footpegs. And although short riders will struggle slightly with a standard bike whose seat height is adjustable between 850 and 870mm, the accessory lower seat and suspension combine to reduce this to a much more manageable 820mm. Can’t ask more than that, you shorties.

Unfortunately very tall riders aren’t quite so well catered for. The screen is more easily adjustable than ever, thanks to its bigger screws, and at its highest setting gave useful protection. But at 1.93m I had to crouch slightly to get out of the turbulence. BMW don’t recommend using the Adventure’s taller screen, which does fit, because the standard bike’s mounts aren’t as strong. But some riders do fit it and I’d be tempted to do the same.

One adjustment option that I was very glad of was the red bike’s Enduro ESA (Electronic Suspension Adjustment), the GS’s version of the push-button wizardry. Unlike the R1200RT’s new ESA II system, the GS’s can’t change spring rate. But the ability to substantially alter damping rates without even slowing down is arguably even more valuable on a dual-purpose bike, with its extra suspension travel.

If buying a GS, I’d certainly pay the extra for ESA which allowed me to select a Comfort setting that effortlessly soaked up road surface imperfections in town and on the autopista at the start of the ride. Then, when we reached Adra and swung north into the hills, a quick press of the ESA button firmed up both the front Telelever set-up and the Paralever rear end, making the bike tauter and more stable in the bends.

We had to take a diversion to miss some of the best roads due to landslides that made some of the Alpujarras mountain roads impassable even for the GS (let alone the RTs that we had in tow). But there are so many twisty, generally well-surfaced and almost traffic free roads in this part of Spain, that it was easy to be reminded of just what a sound handling bike the GS is.

Six years after the bike’s launch, I can still vividly recall my first few hundred metres on one, riding down the twisty hotel driveway on the launch in South Africa — and being amazed by how agile the 1200 felt, after BMW had shed 30kg from its R1100GS predecessor. There’s no weight loss this time, but that’s because at 203kg the GS is light enough to be very manoeuvrable, at least on the road. That wide handlebar gives enough leverage to allow easy direction changes despite the bike’s dual-purpose geometry and 19-inch diameter front wheel.

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Bridgestone’s road-biased Battlewing tyres gripped well enough to make good use of the GS’s ample ground clearance (and later seemed okay off-road too). The BMW also stopped hard, helped by an optional ABS system that links front and rear wheels. Our testbikes were also fitted with ASC traction control. I can’t say I noticed it on the road, but it’s not a bad thing to have in reserve. Like the ABS system, it’s very simply disconnected for off-road riding (or for wheelies, which it prevents), by pressing a button on the bars.

I’d need more time to experiment with the traction control, but at least it’s one of the less expensive accessories our bikes were carrying. The ABS brakes and ESA suspension adjustment add considerably more; the handy heated grips and sweet little LED indicators add further to an already pretty expensive bike. At least its used values are famously high.

Given more time, it would have been great to have pressed the ESA button again to select off-road suspension mode and headed much further along some of the dusty tracks that criss-cross southern Spain. But it’s really the GS’s road going performance that is boosted by the new motor, and we were short of time. So after a brief play in the dirt, I was back onto the hard stuff, heading to the overnight stop at Mojacar.

We’d been riding pretty much all day on a wide variety of surfaces, but the GS had barely been stretched; its remarkable all-round appeal enhanced just a bit by its extra power and that bonus of a character enhancing soundtrack. The R1200GS will be getting a new rival soon, of course, in Ducati’s comprehensively revamped Multistrada. The Italian V-twin looks very promising, but it will have to be mighty good to match the old master.

R1200 ENGINE TECH

 

 

This new 1170cc motor is closely based on the dohc unit from the HP2 Sport, though it contains some differences including using two spark plugs per cylinder, like the previous GS, instead of a single plug like the Sport. Each pot’s camshafts are chain driven and operate four valves that are arranged radially, operated via rocker-arms and semi-hemispherical shims.

The cams sit horizontally, in line with the bike, giving the unusual arrangement of each cam operating one inlet and one exhaust valve. The cams have a slightly conical profile, to suit the radial layout. Valve lift is increased from the old GS engine, and valves are bigger: inlets up from 36 to 39mm; exhausts from 31 to 33mm. Pistons are redesigned to suit the new combustion chambers, but bottom end parts including crankshaft and conrods are retained.

The intake system is uprated with redesigned trumpets and larger manifolds (50mm diameter from 47mm). The new electrically controlled exhaust valve also helps allow the increased peak output of 110bhp at 7750rpm, 5bhp up on the old high-cam GS unit. Maximum torque is also increased, by 5N.m to 120N.m at 6000rpm. The six-speed, shaft drive transmission is unchanged except for a slightly taller final ratio.

R1200GS Adventure
The Adventure is a brilliant bike; no doubt about that. It’s also undeniably, unmistakably huge. At 890mm, its seat is 40mm higher than the standard GS’s, and there’s no option of lowered suspension. At 223kg dry, it weighs 20kg more than the standard model — and that’s before you start filling that enormous, 33 litre gas tank, let alone adding running lights, aluminium panniers and other globe crossing accessories.

Inevitably, this size sometimes leads to problems. One short guy on the launch loved the lowered stock GS but didn’t even want to ride its giant brother. I’m tall and had no trouble getting both feet on the ground, but still had to concentrate hard at a standstill. Once this bike leans more than a certain angle, you ain’t going to pull it upright again.

This latest Adventure gets an identical upgrade to the standard GS. Same new dohc radial-valve engine and same extra torque, which is arguably even more useful with that extra weight to shift. Like the standard model, it retains its existing chassis, complete with extra suspension travel. It comes with the hand protectors and aluminium cylinder head guards that are an accessory for the standard bike. It wears wire-spoked wheels instead of cast, with the option of knobbly rubber.

Given that the standard GS is an exceptionally tall, well-equipped, rugged machine with a very generous fuel range, you have to wonder whether many riders really need a more expensive, heavier and more unwieldy version with even more of the same attributes. Most people would undoubtedly be better off on the standard GS.

But there was undeniably something very special about sitting on that wide, comfortable seat, sheltering behind the more protective, similarly adjustable screen that allowed me near-silent 150km/h cruising (unlike any pure bred touring bike I can recall riding), and glancing down at a digital display that was showing I had more than 500km ahead before needing to stop for gas.

It was also inspiring to know that I could simply have turned off the road onto a dirt track, and kept on going almost no matter what got in the way – at least until I fell off and had to pick up the great brute, anyway. My short off-road excursion was fun, and for once I actually stayed upright, but the BMW’s size and weight were never far from my mind.

I spent my last blast on the Adventure back on the main road, thinking that it was simply the most complete, do-it-all bike I’d ever ridden; and that if I had to own just one bike for ever, this would be it. But I had to conclude that for me, as for so many others, it would be excessive.

Just as with the standard GS, the Adventure’s new engine makes a very good bike better still. But even if you’re fortunate enough to be able to afford a very substantial basic price that is sure to grow considerably with accessories, it’s important to be sure that this is a bike you really need and can use. The Adventure is up to the challenge. The question is: are you?

BMW R1200RT
The bike is new; the BMW touring experience is timeless. At a steady 130km/h on the motorway, I’m sheltered by a broad, adjustable screen. A relaxed riding position and heated seat add to the comfort. The flat-twin motor beats effortlessly down below. I glance at the digital instrument panel to find that the bike is averaging 15.3Kmpl, and will not require a fuel stop for more than 300km. Bring them on…

BMW has introduced so many totally different models of late, from middleweight parallel twins via mad naked fours to the insanely fast S1000RR, that it almost seems strange to be riding a new German bike of the old school: a fully-faired tourer with big fairing, boxer motor, shaft final drive and panniers; even if this RT has been updated for the iPod era with extra performance as well as a new sound system and numerous other tweaks.

It’s the engine that provides the main news. The air/oilcooled, 1170cc flat twin is developed from the HP2 Sport unit, and is identical to that of the latest R1200GS. That means it has twin overhead cams and four radial valves per cylinder and produces 110bhp at 7750rpm. That maximum output is unchanged from the previous RT’s, but the new motor makes more torque through most of the range and its 8500rpm limit is 500rpm higher.

With its broad fairing, standard fit panniers and those sticking out horizontal cylinders, the new bike looks subtly different but still very much an RT. New headlights and reshaped fairing nose give a sharper look, although the modernising effect is limited by the limited paintwork options. There’s a generous four to choose from, but all are variations of grey, with no colour to be seen. Maybe a bit too traditionally BMW.

The view from the rider’s fairly low seat is bang up-to-date, though, especially on the fully accessorised RT on which I spent most time. Between the two main analogue dials is a digital display that can show everything from average speed to the music selected on the MP3 player (or memory stick) that can be kept in a lockable compartment in the right of the fairing.

The right bar has buttons for heated grips and seat but it’s the left handlebar that gets complicated, at least on a fully loaded RT. As well as a conventional single button (at last!) for the self-cancelling indicators, this BMW has buttons for windscreen height, ABS, traction control, cruise control and ESA electronic suspension adjustment. Oh, and a rotating wheel to control the sound system, which also has an array of buttons on the fairing.

It was all a bit confusing at first inspection, but at least the RT itself is relatively simple. Inevitably the broad fairing makes the bike feel quite bulky, but the air/oilcooled twin-pot motor contributes to a dry weight of 229kg. That’s light by touring standards — in fact it’s 35kg lighter than Yamaha’s FJR1300, the lightest of the touring fours, and an incredible 171kg down on the 400kg figure of Harley’s Ultra Classic Electra Glide.

That lack of weight helped the RT feel reassuringly manageable when I climbed aboard on the launch in southern Spain, midway through a two-day trip shared with the R1200GS. At 820-840mm, the standard seat is low enough to allow most riders to get both feet down (and there’s an optional low seat that’s just 750mm). The new motor fired up with a distinctive boxer throb but sounded less throaty than the new GS, despite also gaining an electronically controlled flap on its exhaust.

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Straight line performance was pretty similar, though. That 110bhp maximum is nothing special by big tourer standards, but it’s backed up by a broad spread of torque that gave effortlessly strong acceleration. The BMW happily pulled from 3000rpm out of the bends, as we headed west on the generally well-surfaced roads near Almeria, and always seeming to have the right gear in its smooth shifting six-speed ‘box.

There’s slightly more torque all through the range, except for at the very top. Such is the midrange performance that I rarely revved it near that new 8500rpm limit, although vibration levels remained low — perhaps a bit lower than the old pushrod engine’s. With a crisp response from the injection system, and plenty of punch at five or six grand, it was simpler and more satisfying to change up early and enjoy the BMW’s long legged character.

The RT’s new found grunt will be useful when it’s heavily loaded, and was welcome when we hit the A92 motorway. The bike was happy sit at a relaxed 120km/h plus in top gear and then delivered a burst of acceleration when its predecessor might have demanded a downchange. Comfort was as important as performance and predictably, the BMW scored highly, starting with a riding position that is unchanged but now incorporates rubber mounted bars and an adjustable gearlever.

The fairing and screen are both wide enough to give plenty of protection, in conjunction with the big, low set mirrors whose view was slightly obscured by my hands. For my money, an adjustable screen as almost essential on a serious tourer, and the RT’s is among the best. Being very tall I found it wasn’t quite high enough even when fully extended, and generated mild turbulence that disappeared if I crouched slightly, but most riders won’t have that problem.

After a couple of hours, I was enjoying the RT’s effortless distance eating ability, slightly annoyed that I couldn’t find anything worth listening to on the radio (which has 24 presets instead of the previous six) and that I didn’t have the necessary adaptor for an iPod. Having set out with my overjacket in one of the big panniers, and with no chance to stop, I was grateful for the bike’s heated grips and seat. Then we turned off the motorway, and the RT had a further chance to shine.

This bike has an updated, ESA II version of BMW’s electronic suspension system. This allows preload and spring rate, as well as damping, to be set with the press of a button, and also has a broader range of damping adjustment. The ability to adjust the spring, which will be useful when adding or removing a pillion or luggage, wasn’t needed on our trip. But when we reached a twisty road it was great to be able to firm up the RT’s handling by changing damping from Comfort to Sport mode, without even slowing down.

Within seconds, a bike whose suspension had been supple enough to absorb motorway imperfections became a much firmer, more responsive machine that was happy carving through the bends. The RT wasn’t as agile as the lighter, wider-barred GS boxer, but it could be hustled along pretty quickly, with the help of excellent Metzeler Roadtec tyres, ample ground clearance and powerful, ABS assisted brakes.

The RT was certainly taut, light and controllable enough to be fun, and to encourage spirited riding, on a twisty road — which is more than can be said of plenty of its heavier and no better equipped rivals. The ESA system is so easy to use that after a bout of back road scratching it was no problem to switch back to Comfort for pobbling through villages, over road repairs or speed humps. The ESA is not cheap, but I’d pay the extra every time.

The test bikes were also fitted with BMW’s accessory ASC traction control system, which was worth having just in case, although I didn’t notice it working. Back on the motorway heading towards Malaga, I put the screen back up, flicked the cruise control on, and got back to searching for a radio station. It’s tempting to dismiss some of these features as gadgets, but they certainly help make life more pleasant on a long trip.

And the important thing about the RT is that its basics are right too. Both panniers are big and easy to use, with space no longer wasted by a CD player, and the tank is designed to take a tank-bag. The 25 litre fuel capacity combines with the boxer’s efficiency — 7 litres/100km when ridden hard, with under 6 litres/100km possible — to give a typical range of 350km.

A pillion gets a broad seat and plenty of legroom, plus a switch to control their half of the accessory heated seat. There are countless other accessories, of course, from top-boxes and inner bags to chromed parts and additional power sockets. Most buyers will doubtless opt for several although the RT is not cheap, either in its basic form or in the more expensive SE model (which, depending on market, includes ESA, heated grips and seat, computer, cruiser control, extra socket and chromed exhaust).

Perhaps this grey BMW sometimes lacks a little excitement, in its performance as well as its paint schemes. But by the time we reached Malaga, the RT had done enough to suggest that it’s a very worthwhile improvement over its predecessor and a bike that makes that timeless BMW touring experience better than ever.

R1200RT TECH

The RT is powered by the same dohc, air/oilcooled flat twin engine as the updated R1200GS. Developed from the HP2 Sport motor, the radial eight-valve boxer is detuned to give a maximum of 110bhp. That’s an identical peak output to the previous RT (and 20bhp down on the Sport), but torque is increased from 2500rpm to the 7750rpm point at which maximum power is delivered.

Like the HP2 Sport motor, the new unit features chain-driven cams that are conically shaped to suit the radial valves, which are operated via rocker-arms. This engine differs by using two spark plugs per cylinder, like the previous GS, instead of a single plug like the Sport. The cams sit horizontally, in line with the bike, with each cam operating one inlet and one exhaust valve.

Changes from the old RT engine include bigger valves (inlets 36 to 39mm; exhausts 31 to 33mm), new pistons and reshaped combustion chambers. Bottom-end parts including the crankshaft and conrods are unchanged. The intake system is uprated with redesigned trumpets and larger manifolds (50mm diameter from 47mm). The exhaust gains an electronically controlled valve.

The RT’s main chassis change is the adoption of ESA II, an updated version of the Electronic Suspension Adjustment system. This allows adjustment of preload and even spring rate for the first time, to one of three positions intended for riding solo, two-up, or two-up with luggage. In each preload position, there is a choice of three damping settings: Comfort, Normal and Sport. (Only damping can be altered with the bike moving.) The differences between the damping settings are significantly greater than with the previous ESA system.

 

It Is light, quick and cheap. But is it a step in the right direction?
Words: Bunny Punia
Photography: Sanjay Raikar

I seldom ride a motorcycle on a test track with the transmission resting in the fifth cog. While riding through numerous tight curves where speeds fall below 50km/h, I was still not using my left hand or the left toe for that matter to downshift. Neither did I shift my body weight while taking turns. Instead, I sat upright like a typical commuter trying to experience the traffic negotiating manoeuvers of Bajaj’s all-new traffic buster machine, the Pulsar 135LS. Even with my weight and a few slightly uphill sections, the bike pulled cleanly from low speeds in the highest gear. I have to admit, I was beginning to enjoy riding the LS in this manner on the track before being flagged down by my colleague Ravi who was waiting patiently for his turn to hit the track.

But why was my riding so different in the first place? Apart from its blistering engine (for the capacity) and eye-catching looks, the LS is also about its ability to weave in and out of traffic effortlessly at low to midrange engine speeds. As our test ride session was scheduled at Bajaj’s racetrack, there was no better way to understand their new product than ride it in the manner explained above.

In the recent few months, Bajaj’s dominance in the premium commuter segment has seen a huge positive growth. The Pulsar model line-up comprising of the 150, the 180 and the 220 models has strengthened its presence in the market. But Bajaj wanted to provide something for young enthusiasts that would combine the best of both worlds – a 125cc machine’s efficiency and sticker price with a typical 150cc bike’s performance and looks. Hence, the birth of the Pulsar 135LS.

At first glance, you might mistake it to be the Hero Honda Hunk, at least I did. But once you notice the side and the rear profile, all similarities end. The front seems to use a FZ style headlamp stacked between sharp plastic panels and a smart little visor on the top. The tank looks like a typical Pulsar one but has neat side plastic shrouds with the four valve sticker – more on that later. The step seats are a welcome addition and the rear panels again remind you of the bigger Pulsar models, though they end very sportily with a twin split grabrail and a striking tail lamp. I particularly loved the fender less treatment at the rear, although to comply with government regulations, Bajaj had to use a tyre hugger – the first mod chop most youngsters will do once they get the bike. Another unique design treatment is the tapering exhaust that might not be to everyone’s liking. At 1995mm, the LS’ wheelbase is even longer than its own elder sibling, the Pulsar 150.

This bike, for the first time in the Pulsar range history, makes use of the engine as a stressed member in the box section chassis. An all-new swingarm was engineered for the rear and the bike sports tubeless tyres which are fast becoming a norm on Indian motorcycles. Though the bike has a longish swingarm, the steep steering angle made sure it behaved well around the test track, being over eager and enthusiastic to lean into corners and scrape the pegs without upsetting the entire balance. Even while gunning down the last straight at triple digit speeds, the bike felt reassuringly stable in spite of early morning crosswinds. I really couldn’t judge the behaviour of the suspension for Indian conditions due to the limited testing environment, though our readers should get that report in the next issue.

Now isn’t that a familiar console? Yes, the Discover 135 has the same one	Smooth and punchy – the 135cc mill impressed us

Coming to one of the main aspects of the LS -its engine. On paper, it might feel average for this segment with a 134.6cc motor, but dig deeper into its technicalities and you are bound to be impressed. To start with, this is India’s first indigenously developed four valve powertrain which enhances the engine’s breathing characteristics. This combined with Bajaj’s patented DTS-i tech gadgetry helps in giving the bike not only a punchy low and midrange, but also class demolishing top end performance. 13.5PS of power might not be tyre shredding, however when you factor in the bike’s impressively low kerb weight of just 122 kilos (which in itself is lower than all the other 125cc bikes from the competitors and hence the tag LS or Light Sports), you are bound to be surprised once the performance test data is revealed. A 0-60km/h timing of 5.18 seconds not only makes the 135LS the quickest in its segment, but it also ends up shaming most 150cc bikes out there. However due to it’s relatively lower engine capacity, as speeds climb in excess of 80km/h, the bike starts losing steam, hitting the ton mark at a shade over 19 seconds. Nonetheless, it still remains quicker than some bigger bikes and further goes onto hit a genuine top whack of 112km/h with the over enthusiastic speedometer registering in excess of 120km/h!

As I mentioned in the opening lines, the LS also impresses in the way it gathers speeds at low revs. The 30-70km/h roll on, for example, takes just 7.31 seconds in the third and 9.51 seconds in the fourth. The engine has the ability to pick up speeds from as low as 25km/h, however, compression knock is very evident especially with a pillion while pulling from low engine speeds. The motor, however, remains smooth and vibration free until you rev it close to the red line. The light weight of the bike also endows it with impressive handling capabilities and an experienced rider won’t find it difficult to indulge in peg scraping antics when the environment allows. The brakes perform well too and stunt junkies will appreciate the bike for its ability to roll on the front one easily.

All said and done, no matter how good a bike is, a lot boils down to its sticker price in India. Most top of the line 125cc bikes in the country retail at around Rs 50,000 (ex-showroom). The Pulsar 135LS, with extra grunt and a bigger bike feel at almost the same price, translates into more bang for your buck. Not to forget that in spite of all that segment shattering performance, ridden sanely, the bike still manages 60km to a litre in the city and close to 80km on the highway. Icing on the cake? You bet!

Adhish Alawani takes the Royal Enfield Classic 500 on a 900km ride to the Nilgiris and comes back with mixed impressions
Photography: Adhish Alawani & Sanjay Raikar

I have never been a Royal Enfield guy and have always struggled to digest the fact that people can actually be hardcore fans of the Bullet. I have often wondered why some people have always preferred Bullets as compared to the more advanced machines of the era. However, the Royal Enfield Classic shown at the Intermot show in Germany last year, had such an impact on me that I longed to ride it ever since.

The reason for this was simple – the design and styling of the Classic. True to its name, this bike has a classic, mid-twentieth century character to it. The designers at the Royal Enfield house worked hard on the Classic to give it post-WWII looks. The round headlamp, the small tail lamp mounted on the flat plate at the rear, the big fenders, the typical retro fuel tank, the company’s characteristic triangular airbox, the traditional instrumentation console with classic English font for the readout, the green colour and the minimal graphics on it gives this motorcycle the feel of those immortal ‘50s bikes. The company has, in fact, painted the complete frame of the Classic in the body colour. Royal Enfield, in particular, has tried to replicate their own J2 model that had grabbed the fancy of many in its days. The most evident similarity between the J2 and the Classic, noticed at first glance, has to be the single saddle with springs. The company is providing the pillion seat separately with this bike and those who need it can attach it to the motorcycle easily by themselves. The long, straight pipe exhaust comes as a stock fitment with the bike. A more stylish and louder silencer is available as an option at a premium. Royal Enfield has shifted to 18-inch wheels, which in the case of the Classic, comes in the form of spoke wheels further adding a retro feel to the motorcycle. Look at the new Royal Enfield Classic 500 from any angle and it definitely reminds you of the 1950s machines.

But it was not just the styling and looks of the new Classic 500 that made me yearn for a ride on it. The company claims to have taken a huge leap forward with regard to the technology used in their latest machine; the most important of the lot being UCE (Unit Construction Engine) and EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection). Basically, in the UCE, the clutch and the gearbox are integrated in the crankcase itself making it a compact engine. Use of the UCE has also helped in reducing the weight of the engine by 4kg. However to retain the characteristics of the Classic, they have maintained the bike’s overall weight by compensating for the saved kilos elsewhere – for example, the huge fenders. The EFI optimizes the air-fuel mixture and makes sure that the bike is in a perfect state to operate over a wide range of altitudes and temperatures. UCE and EFI are being used by other manufacturers for years now and finally Royal Enfield has adopted these technologies to make their products better.

My wish to ride the Royal Enfield Classic 500 was fulfilled when the company offered the bike to a few journalists, including me, for a ride from Chennai to Bangaluru via Coonoor – a distance of over 900km in two days. The route was chalked out in such a manner that it covered the smooth and straight national highways, the twisty state highways and almost a 100km of uphill/downhill ghat sections in the Nilgiri mountain ranges. The first leg of the ride from Chennai to Krishnagiri took me on the long straights of the NH46. The first few kilometers before getting out of the city were enough to indicate the humongous amount of torque offered by the 500cc single cylinder engine powering the Classic. A gentle nudge at the throttle made sure that the bike surged ahead most willingly. The 41.3Nm of peak torque starts acting up right at 4000rpm, giving the bike a very strong low and midrange kick. As for the top end, I could manage a speedometer indicated 125km/h on the highway. The motorcycle feels amazingly smooth at 80km/h. In fact, the sweet spot to ride at on the highway would be around 90-95km/h when the vibrations from the engine are yet to creep into the handlebar and the footpegs and you are doing a sufficiently high speed to munch miles at a stretch. However, it is not the easiest bike to ride beyond 100km/h. Being retro styled, you cannot expect it to have any kind of aerodynamics and that is where it suffers. A hint of wind is enough for the Classic to get into weaves at three-digit speeds. A point to be noted about the top speed here is that I was riding the bike with the stock exhaust. Later, I got an opportunity to ride the one with the optional exhaust and to my surprise, I could hit the 140km/h mark on the speedometer. A huge difference, isn’t it? Performance runs on the bike with the optional exhaust revealed that it sprints from standstill to 60km/h in a mere 4.57 seconds and does a top whack of 131 km/h (true). Also, the thump and the looks of the optional exhaust are a lot more alluring than that of the stock one.

After almost 500km, we finally hit the mountain ranges. By now, there were a few things crystal clear to me. Firstly, the Classic 500 has a torquey and powerful engine that will let you cruise comfortably at slightly under 100km/h. Secondly, you can go beyond that speed but it is not recommended. Thirdly, the seat is not comfortable at all. I was trying to find the most relaxed spot on the seat to sit on for almost all the while with no success. At the same time, I would like to mention that the handlebar-seat-footpeg geometry has been perfectly optimized thus making sure that you don’t get exhausted even after hundreds of kilometers on the tarmac. Coming back to the mountain twisties that we hit in the last 70-80km of the ride, I wasn’t expecting a lot from the heavyweight, retro architecture motorcycle around the corners. Boy, was I wrong! The Classic is quite planted and stable around the bends. Partial credit for this goes to the MRF Zappers doing their duty on the Classic which do not give even a hint of low grip when leaned over.

I also noticed the weird positioning of the odometer between the needle and scale of speedometer. Minor thing, but when you are traveling at speeds between 60km/h to 100km/h, you cannot read all the digits of the odometer. So either you have to raise the speed or reduce it in order to read all the digits of the odometer. How irritating! Secondly, the brake pedal most often scrapes the ground in the tight right handers when leaned over giving you the jitters and disturbing your concentration. The vibrations in a Royal Enfield are its trademark characteristic. And even if the rider is okay with that, there are practical issues. For example, it is hard for you to make out what is in your rear view mirror because of the vibrations. Though a Royal Enfield is mostly used for touring there is no option of luggage carriers on it yet. However, I believe that the boffins at the factory are working on it. Apart from these few minor issues that can be addressed in the future, the Classic 500 will prove to be a success for the company. Royal Enfield has moved ahead in terms of technology, fit-finish and styling. The last but a very important point about the engine is that it did not leak even a drop of oil from anywhere during the 900+ km trip – worth applauding.

 

 

The all-new VFR1200F is coming to India in a few months. Bunny Punia sheds more light on this iconic bike

Even before I thumbed the electric starter, I knew this wouldn’t turn out to be a very long test ride that too on a road that this bike will seldom be seen on. Nevertheless, with a chance to experience one of the most awaited motorcycles in the history of Honda, I wasn’t really complaining. A few minutes later, with my left hand free, the big sweet sounding V4 motor was changing through the gears effortlessly on its own, downshifting quickly without abruptions as I slowed down for the tight curves on Honda’s HSR (Honda Safety Riding) track in Kumamoto. What you see on these pages is the all-new VFR1200F that, hold you breathe, is slated for an Indian launch during the third quarter of the 2010 calendar year.

The VFR series from Honda has a long history. First launched in the 1980s, the bike was available in various engine configurations of 400cc, 700cc and 750cc. The model line-up went on to become one of the most iconic models for Honda, but the company was losing market share rapidly to the competition. Hence, the plan of developing an all-new VFR with a more powerful engine and modern tech gadgetry came up. Apart from the 50 percent increase in cubic capacity, the new VFR comes equipped with something that will set the trend in times to come – a dual clutch transmission.

I got a chance to ride both, the conventional manual as well as the DCT variant of the VFR. Needless to say, the latter is a boon for those who will end up using the bike in its natural environment, long distance touring. The rider has one less thing to worry about – shifting gears – and hence can concentrate more on the biking experience as well as enjoying the vistas around. The engine has been updated from the previous 800cc unit to a new 1237cc motor that belts out 170 ponnies along with 129Nm of torque. This was primarily done to rival the likes of BMW’s K1200 range. However, once seated, you don’t really feel the big engine thanks to a 76 degree layout of the cylinders along with a shift to the SOHC instead of the DOHC set-up. These features have allowed for a more compact engine construction.

Even though HSR’s track didn’t have very long straights, exiting the long sweeping left before the back straight hard saw the digital speedometer register close to 190km/h quickly. The DCT, when left in the automatic mode, changed its shifting frequency depending on the rider’s inputs. However, enthusiasts don’t have a reason to complain as the rider can manually shift up or down with a flick of a button on the left yoke. Even when left in the A/T mode, the rider can choose from the D and the S modes. The D mode offers excellent fuel economy and is suited for daily riding whereas the S mode delivers sportier shifting characteristics for enthusiastic riding. Hard braking saw the VFR shed speed with a reassuring force, and occasionally with a bit of pulsing from the handlebar lever or the foot pedal, as the combined ABS system kicked in. Even though the bike weighs in at a porky 267 kilos, it carries itself pretty well. While following Tohru Ukawa’s (ex-MotoGP and Suzuka 8-hour winner for Honda) lines through the tight bends, it wasn’t really difficult to get the VFR down with the pegs millimeters away from the tarmac.

Though my experience aboard the new VFR lasted for less than an hour, it was more than enough to judge Honda’ flagship sports tourer pretty well. The bike has Honda’s typical rider friendly nature, a sweet throttle response, a great sounding engine and very comfortable ergonomics for serious touring. It might boast of controversial styling (I do like it though), but there is a lot more to this bike than just its looks. The production of the bike is already in full swing though commercial sale begins abroad in a few months. A thumbs-up to Honda for their concrete plans of getting the bike to India around July-August this year. Although we don’t know about the DCT variant as of yet, the manual version due to its lower sticker price will debut here for sure. Watch this space for more!