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WWW.BIKEINDIA.IN
` 90INDIA’S NO. 1 TWO WHEELER MAGAZINE, BY FAR!
VOLUME 9 ISSUE 007 FEBRUARY 2014
PUBLISHING
TRACK TO THE
FUTUREBIKE INDIA AWARDS 2014 GOC BEHEMOTH CUSTOM BIKE BSA MOTORCYCLES
THE NEW YEAR HAS STARTED WITH A BANG FOR motorcycle enthusiasts as Kawasaki unleashed two new 1,000-cc motorcycles in the form of the Z1000 and Ninja 1000. These two will be followed by the Z800 this month. This is just the tip of the iceberg for Harley-Davidson are getting ready to launch the Street 750, Polaris are poised to bring in the Indian motorcycle and you will get to choose from 10 models from the Triumph line-up. Not to be left behind, Ducati are set to enter the Indian market with their line-up as well. No doubt this is going to be an exciting year for Indian motorcycling.
This year the fight for the Bike of the Year Award had bikes from all the segments, right from a 110-cc commuter to a 650-cc cruiser.
It is also reassuring to see that manufacturers are taking interest in road safety and starting their own road safety programmes. As the traffic situation in the country takes a turn for the worse, most Regional Transport Offices are under-staffed so you can get your driving licence without a proper driving or riding test. Today most people riding don’t have a clue as to what the ‘right of way’ is and basic traffic rules. They treat traffic lights as if they don’t exist. If one tries to educate them, they become belligerent. The police also need to practise what they preach as they are hardly seen wearing seat-belts but fine ordinary citizens like you and me. If the law enforcers break the law themselves, how can one expect the public to take them seriously?
EDITOR Aspi BhathenaASSISTANT EDITOR Sarmad KadiriCOPY EDITOR Deepak UpadhyeEDITOR AT LARGE Navroze ContractorMOTOGP EDITOR Mat OxleyINTERNATIONAL CONTRIBUTORS Roland Brown, Glynn KerrCORRESPONDENTS Ravi Chandnani, Gaurav NagpalSTAFF WRITERS Sridhar Chari, Piyush Sonsale, Jim Gorde, Rommel Albuquerque, Harket Suchde, Sayem Parvez Syed ART DIRECTOR Ramnath ChodankarSENIOR DESIGNER Ravi ParmarDESIGNERS Varun Kulkarni, Santosh Wadhai, Shajib ShamimSENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Sanjay RaikarCONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS DPPIPRODUCTION EXECUTIVE Dinesh BhajnikADMIN. EXECUTIVE Roshni BulsaraCREATIVE DIRECTOR & HEAD PRODUCTIONAtul Bandekar
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARDHoshang S Billimoria, Aspi Bhathena,Navroze Contractor
KNOW SOMETHING THAT THE OTHERS DON’T?BIke India welcomes the views of its readers. Pen down any witty, logical or informative idea that hits your brain, and mail it to: BIKE India, Next Gen Automotive, 401B, Gandhi Empire, 5th Floor, 2 Serene Estate, Kondhwa Road, Pune - 411 040, India.Fax:+91 20 26830465 Email: [email protected]
Dear Gangadhar,We wish you a very happy New Year too! It’s nice to learn that you liked the cover story on the
LET’S HAVE MORE ON CUSTOM BIKES
Hello, John,
We are sure you will be happy to read about
Dear Readers,Thank you for the large number of letters! However, we request you to send them in a proper format. Firstly, please ensure that your letters are part of the e-mail itself, and not an attachment. Only pictures, wherever necessary, may be sent as attachments. Secondly, please mention the subject in the subject line. For example, if your letter is for the ‘Letters’ column, please mention LETTERS in the subject line. If it is a technical query to be answered by us, please mention TECHNO MAIL and so on. Otherwise your mail could land up in the spam bin. This will ensure that your letters and queries are published regularly.
– EDITOR
A NOTE FOR OUR VALUED READERS
STAR LETTERwins a 1-litre pack ofMotul 300V
RICH SOURCE OF TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE
Dear Narendiran,
continue reading and keep sending
THE PLIGHT OF THE BIKER ON HIGHWAY
Dear P V,
not to be on their best behaviour while on the
KUDOS, ROYAL ENFIELD
LETTERS
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OIL LEAKAGEI would like to draw your attention to
the poorly built tappet gasket in the Honda
Unicorn motorcycle. The rubber gasket is not strong enough to hold back oil and oil leaks are a common phenomenon. Please advise me as to what may be done to prevent oil
problem yet.Anirban Dey, Silchar, Assam
The problem with your bike may not really be the gasket. It may be that the workshop mechanic used a screwdriver to open the cylinder-head in order to replace the gasket. This might have damaged the head, resulting into oil leakage. The other probability is thatthe cylinder-head might have warped. You can get the head checked for the aforementioned damages and get them repaired or replaced.
SUSPENSION REPLACEMENTI have a query about my Honda Dio
(2008 model). I want to replace the stock front suspension with the Honda Aviator’s
brake up front, just like the one on the Aviator.
the Aviator’s front telescopic suspension and disc brake directly on the Dio? Are there any
Sourav Mazumdar, by e-mail
includes the forks and the disc brake. However, we would recommend that you consult an
IS A BRAKE UPGRADEFEASIBLE?
I have a 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300. I recently noticed that it has the same brakes as the Ninja 250. I believe that with the added power Kawasaki should also have upgraded the brakes, but they have not done so. I am concerned about the stopping power of the current brakes and would like to know if there is something that can be done to increase the braking performance. Please help me. Mithin, by e-mail
There is absolutely no difference between the braking performance of these two bikes and the brakes are quite capable of handling the slight increase in power.
AFTER-MARKET AIR-FILTERSI have seen a lot of Yamaha FZ’s with
know which one is the best for the FZ. I also wanted to know if there are any long-term
Please advise me.D Perreira, Bengaluru
the latter may not be as capable as those from, say, K&N and BMC. There are no long-term disadvantages associated with an after-market
LARGER FOOTWEAR FOR THE R15
As a regular reader of your magazine I would
like to seek your advice on the following. I own a Yamaha R15 (2010 model). I want to replace the tyres on my bike with wider ones. Is it possible to do so? If it is indeed possible,
carried out? I also want to know what up-size tyre I should go for.
Vaisakh, Thiruvananthapuram It is possible to replace the tyres with slightly wider tyres, but not as wide as the ones on the KTM or the current R15. You can try
would not be required to carry out any
check for clearance.
THE RIGHT 125-CC BIKEI wanted to know which 125-cc
motorcycle I should buy. I want comfort,
touring capability and, above all, long-term reliability. I have shortlisted the Honda Stunner, Hero Ignitor and Bajaj Discover 125ST. Please advise me.Vinay Kumar, by e-mail
The motorcycle that we would recommend to you considering all your requirements is the Honda Stunner.
PROJECTOR HEADLAMPI have a few questions with regard to
my three-year-old Hero Honda Hunk. I am
projector headlamp on my Hunk. Is it possible to do so? Avinash Sharma, by e-mail
to perform better. However, should you need more power, you may go in for an after-market
would recommend that you get in touch with an
your bike.
GOT A QUESTION OR A PROBLEM?WE’VE GOT THE ANSWERWrite to BIKE India, Next Gen Automotive, 401B, Gandhi Empire, 5th
THEY ARE HERE!We had predicted the Indian arrival of the Z1000 and now Kawasaki have
launched the Z1000 along with a consolation, called the Ninja 1000,a more serious and no-nonsense touring sibling of the radical Z1000
WHEN WEsaid that Kawasaki
would be bringing their menacingly gorgeous
Z1000 to India, no one believed us, except, of course, you. We were proven right when Kawasaki surprisingly announced the arrival of the Z1000. This 1,043-cc machine with styling that seems to be inspired by some
shattering. The sleek and minimal front end
with mysterious-eye like headlamps simply makes
you drool at it for hours. The chiselled body, stubby exhaust,
naked avatar and hints of green and silver paint on the body work
are pretty intimidating.
At the heart of this monster sits a 1,043-cc inline four-cylinder motor that develops a serious 142 PS of power and 111 Nm of torque. It comes along with cool looking petal disc brakes, radial mounted brake callipers, ABS, 17-inch wheels and wide rubber.
That’s not all. Kawasaki Motor India have also launched a much more conservative looking Ninja 1000 that is a true litre-class mile-muncher. The styling of the Ninja 1000 is very closely related to the smaller Ninja 650 that is already on sale in India. It comes with the same engine as the Z1000, along with the same brake setup and ABS. The Ninja 1000 is also available with Kawasaki Traction Control System (KTRC).
By launching these two bikes together, Kawasaki have actually given their prospective customers an option to choose from. Crazy fanatics can opt for the radical Z1000 and the more serious no-nonsense blokes can go in for the much more relaxed Ninja 1000. The price is Rs 12.5 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune) for both the bikes and bookings have already begun. So what are you waiting for?
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TWO-WHEELED EXTRAVAGANZAThe Auto Expo is just round the corner and here is a brief preview of what the Indian
biking enthusiast can look forward to
BAJAJ AUTOTHE INDIAN GIANT IS ALL
NOW THAT THEY HAVE
DSK HYOSUNG
HARLEY-DAVIDSONTHE HEAVYWEIGHT OF
DUCATI
IGNITION
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BIG NEWS FOR HONDAenthusiasts as the company is all ready to launch a slew of commuter bikes and scooters along with the much-awaited CBR500, which is expected to be the highlight of the
Honda stand. Other bikes like the CBR300 are also expected to be announced at the Expo along with the latest generation CBR1000RR and, maybe, even a smaller 600-650 cc motorcycle.
HMSI
THE BIGGEST TWO-wheeler manufacturer will be seen launching an entirely revamped line-up that will include almost every model they have. Bikes like the Splendor, Passion, Glamour, Hunk and Karizma ZMR are expected to be seen in a new garb.
Prices are expected to be similar to those of the current line-up. Hero are also expected to show a new variant of the Impulse that will be powered by their larger 223-cc motor. There is speculation that the company might display a bike with a completely new engine.
HERO MOTOCORP
KAWASAKIKAWASAKI CREATED QUITEa stir in the Indian market by launching four big bikes in quick succession and at the Expo the company is expected to launch two more big bikes. One of which is the Z800, smaller sibling of the big Z1000. Kawasaki seem to be
planning to kill the competition with this bike, so we expect it to be priced very competitively. This Japanese company is also expected to bring in a 600-650 cc motorcycle and it is being speculated that the ZX-6R is on the cards.
KTMTHE AUSTRIANS WILL BEcoming to Noida with their RC series and even the 1290 Super Duke R. The company is expected to launch the RC series in India and what better place to do so than the Expo? Along with the RC, the mother of all Duke bikes, the
1290 Super Duke R, is also going to be present at the Expo. This mammoth is one of the craziest super naked bikes out there and we expect the company to announce it for India too. Another big news from KTM will be the possible launch of the 690 Duke.
MAHINDRA 2 WHEELERSLAST MONTH WE REPORTED THAT Mahindra were working on a new scooter and this scooter might be one of the products that will make its début at the Auto Expo. Mahindra are also expected to bring a revamped Mojo to the Expo.
TVSTVS, ANOTHER CHENNAI-based manufacturers who have been quiet for a long time after announcing their partnership with BMW Motorrad, are expected to announce something big at the Expo.
P R E V I E W
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SUZUKITHIS WELL-KNOWN Japanese manufacturer has been quiet for a long time and, honestly, we would like to hear a loud bang from them in the form of the Inazuma. This 250-cc machine was expected to arrive at the
dealerships long ago, but Suzuki have been hesitant in bringing it in. According to sources, the
at this motorcycle is expected at the forthcoming Auto Expo.
TRIUMPHTHIS BRITISH MARQUEhas been in the news for some time now and it was only last month that we rode the Thunderbird Storm exclusively in India. Well, to make a long story short, Triumph will be
at the Auto Expo with their entire line-up. They are also expected to reveal their plans for the upcoming 250-cc model that is going to be built in India, styled on the lines of the Daytona.
ROYAL ENFIELDWELL, THE CHENNAI-BASED COMPANYhas been in the news recently for its retro styled café racer, the Continental GT. So we are sure that one of
Continental GT. Apart from that, there is nothing really that we expect the company to display.
YAMAHA
VESPA
YAMAHA ARE EXPECTED to create a stir at the Auto Expo with their concept R25, which is a 250-cc bike belonging to the YZF family. The bike has attracted a lot of attention in the international
media and we expect it to do the same at the Auto Expo. Along with the R25 Yamaha might also display their budget bike, which is expected to be launched with an alluring price-tag of Rs 30,000.
THE ITALIAN MARQUEwill be launching the new Vespa S at the Auto Expo, but the bigger news is that the company might also showcase a new model which is speculated to be the
replacement for the current generation LX125. It was showcased at the EICMA show in Milan last year and we expect to see it at the Auto Expo as well.
P R E V I E W
IGNITION
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WANT A TRIUMPH? CONTACT HDFC BANK
ANOTHER BIKE FESTIVAL
HONDA’S BHEEM
IT IS NOT UNCOMMON in India for banks to tie up with manufacturers for easy
Ltd has been doing so for quite some time now. Earlier
is doing the same for Triumph motorcycles.
provide potential Triumph customers easy loans
interest rate of 12.9 per cent and easy repayment options over periods of 24 to 60 months. The bank will also provide prospective buyers
Pogo kids entertainment channel’s ‘Chhota
families about road safety and what better way to reach millions of kids and their families than a cartoon character that is loved by many kids in India? To do so the company will be doing road shows in about 11 cities across India where the famous character will be interacting with kids and their families and will be spreading the message of responsible riding.
TVS’ NEW RUBBERlaunched four new tyres that cater to a variety of segments in the Indian
Jumbo GT and Jumbo PT. These tyres
these tyres have superior grip and will last longer.
the logo of this new bike festival was unveiled
are promoting it as one of the biggest biking events in India ever. The brains behind Event Capital and
yet another platform for motorcyclists from across India to come together and celebrate bikes and everything related to it. Soon they will also organize
promote the event that will be held in October this year.
YAMAHA’S NEW SAFETY MASCOT
promote their Children Safety Programme. This
vital road safety measures. The mascot has been designed to strengthen the brand’s connection with kids and accelerate the company’s growth
safety training to school children across India with the help of special trainers who have undergone
gear especially for children at all their dealerships.
IGNITION
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The Rs. 3,853 Crores Automotive Components manufacturer is involved in Aluminium Castings (including Alloy wheels), Suspension , Transmission and Braking.Our Suspension Division manufactures Motorcycle
Front Fork Assemblies, Two/Three Wheeler Shock Absorbers from its 4 plants across Aurangabad and Pantnagar. Our DSIR Certified R & D centre and our technical alliance with W.P. Suspension, Austria for high end Motorcycle Front
Forks and Shock Absorbers has made Endurance a strong name in the global automotive suspension market.Endurance suspension always assures you a smooth ride.
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Antonio Pinto started an off-road
family name.
road titles in the second half of the decade.
version of the bike followed soon with an
that every motorcycle that rolls off the
the factory!
Young and innovative off -road bike specialists from PortugalCompiled by: Piyush Sonsale
DID YOU KNOW
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No Excuses Excuses are what will keep you from getting
into shape and staying in shape. So make a schedule for your workout or exercise and make sure you stick to it. Any excuses will hurt only you and no one else.
Warm Up The key to avoiding injuries while
exercising is to warm up properly. It’s all about
muscles. Improving circulation and getting warmth into your muscles will help improve movement. A simple warm-up before starting your ride will help keep your body more relaxed and reduce aches and pains.
Cardio This is the best way to build up your
stamina to ensure that you keep riding for a long time without getting tired. A good jog every morning or a quick run around the block
calories and give you better lung capacity.
...STAY FITWith the holiday season coming to an end, it’s natural to notice that we’ve probably put on a few pounds as a years to come, and you want to look good doing it, you’ve got to start tuning your body now. Here are a few tips Compiled by: Rommel Albuquerque
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HOW TO...
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result of that festive intake, both solid and liquid. If you want to keep riding for to get you started which you may even follow in the comfort of your own home
The Ups ‘The Ups’ mean pull-ups and push-ups.
Push-ups and pull-ups are two of the best overall upper-body exercises. While push-ups are associated with the chest and triceps, they also work the upper back, shoulders, and core. Regular pull-ups will help strengthen your shoulder and arm muscles too.
Squat This is one exercise that should be a part of
everyone’s routine as it’s relatively simple to perform, requires no equipment, and can be done just about anywhere. Squats help to build your leg muscles engaging the quadriceps, hamstrings and calf muscle. The ankles, knees, hips and lower back are all utilized in the
All essential for riding a bike longer with less fatigue.
Get a Six PackWe’re not talking about a six pack of beer but rather better abdominal muscles. Doing at least three sets of 10 stomach crunches/sit-ups every alternate day can drastically improve your core muscle strength. Remember, while riding you use your core muscles to help stabilize the lower back, improve balance and co-ordination
Grip itHaving strong forearms will enhance your hand and arm strength. You can use a Spring Hand Grip Exercise tool commonly found in any sporting goods store and keep squeezing it daily. This will help reduce the pain and strength required when riding bikes with heavier clutches and when you have to constantly squeeze the clutch lever in
Ensure proper hydration – not only on race days, but also in everyday life
Anti-oxidant rich foods like seasonal fruit should be consumed regularly
Avoid high-calorie sweets, heavy meals before racing
Don’t drink and drive as alcohol is a known depressant. Your reaction time, balance, hand-and-eye coordination and blood fl ow to the muscles decrease dramatically
If you are injured in a road accident, follow a recovery nutrition plan with good amount of proteins, omega three fatty acids, and food rich in vitamins A, E, C, zinc and iron
Foodstuff like sweet potato, carrots, spinach rich in vitamin A, which is needed for eye health, will help increase focus
Include fi brous food like salads, oats, peas, green leafy vegetables and whole grains in your daily diet
STRAIGHT FROM MÜNCHEN BMW Motorrad unveil their 2014 collection of Rider Equipment
IN KEEPING WITH THEIR ANNUALcustom, BMW Motorrad have unveiled their 2014 collection of Rider Equipment. As usual the collection consists of various riding gear, apparel and accessories that let you display your love for the brand in your own way.
This year’s collection comprises various types of riding jackets for men and women along with a serious set of touring suits that have a high visibility quotient and also provide optimum protection. The range also includes a variety of
T-shirts, shirts, trousers, jeans, and casual jackets that are adorned by the company’s logo and creative graphics.
BMW Motorrad are also offering a whole range of accessories for everyone. There are watches, bags,
wallets, water bottles, scarves, key fobs, vintage sticker sets and a lot more.
To know more about these highly attractive products long on to bmw-motorrad.com.
MOTOWARE
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IT’S STRANGE JUST HOW OBVIOUS
of hindsight. Take this year’s explosion of interest in super-nakeds such as the S1000R, 1290 Super Duke R and Monster 1200, for example. If you enjoy performance and light weight, and ride mainly on the road, a powerful, high-tech open-class sports bike with an upright riding position surely sounds like fun.
Logical, isn’t it? At most road-going speeds, ‘naked’ bikes with a bit of wind protection surely make more sense than clip-ons and full fairing, especially as you can ride them in jacket and jeans without feeling under-dressed. Yet despite bikes such as the Tuono,
around for a while, it’s only recently that the class has burst into life. My only surprise is that it took so long, and that there aren’t more
middleweight alternatives to the Street Triple
rise now seems totally predictable. Riders are getting older, exotic holidays are popular, and the world’s a smaller place. Who wouldn’t want a rugged, comfortable bike that could double as regular weekday transport and occasional passport to an exciting adventure off the beaten track? As usual, it’s clear in hindsight.
especially to Suzuki as they let the old V-Strom 1000 die without a replacement.
people (including Suzuki) saw the collapse of the sports bike market. After all, those same ageing riders were encountering ever stricter policing and increasingly negative public attitudes to speed, while the fastest bikes’ speed invited a jail sentence — before getting out of third gear. At least we still have the S1000RR and Panigale, even if they can’t always make much sense as roadsters to their owners, let alone to a non-motorcyclist.
When you go back further, the two-wheeled trends tend to be driven by logical desires. Fairings arrived in the late 1970s and early ’80s, for example, as more bikes got fast enough to
widespread desire for simple, inexpensive machines with adequate performance. In the
’90s, Ducati’s 916 and Monster V-twins offered a more interesting alternative to Japanese fours,
Of course, discussing those trends after they’ve happened is the easy bit. What would be
the ability to transport yourself 10 years into the future, and then look back and see what was about to happen. That’s the game that all the manufacturers’ product planners are playing, as they try to guess which direction to take with new bikes that require several years of expensive development before reaching the market.
their chests, but some thinking becomes clear over time. Honda, for example, have a very cautious view, assuming that ageing riders will get slower and more keen on fuel
decision to put resources into the
younger riders are mostly concerned with reasonable performance at the lowest possible price (as they always
projection, based on at least some motorcyclists being keen to spend money on performance and technology, whether it’s on freshly liquid-cooled adventure bikes, giant six-cylinder tourers or160 PS semi-naked missiles. Perhaps, their latest
is built into the new R nineT — and which is
Heritage models. Expect to see more from other manufacturers in the future, especially if those bikes sell well.
What’s the next big trend, that’s the multi-million dollar question? If I really knew that (or could convince someone that I did) I’d be charging consultants’ fees for my thoughts rather than giving them away here, but it takes little imagination to see clever electronics and customisation spreading to other classes. How about blending the S1000R, K1600 and nineT to make a roadster with semi-active suspension and a quickly detachable half-fairing, plus removable rear sub-frame giving a choice of lightweight solo seat or comfortable dual-seat
are working on it already…
‘Big adventure bikes are another group whose rise now seems totally predictable’MOTORCYCLING TRENDS
MOTOROLAND
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JUST WHEN YOU thought it was safe to go back into
TRIPLE TREATS
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‘Having skipped a year or two during the recent recession, the Paris show has bounced back to compete with the larger Milan EICMA and Cologne Intermot. Now called ‘le Salon de la Moto (Scooter, Quad...)’,
the organisers have cleverly repositioned it to be the last major show of the year’STORY: GLYNN KERR
example? And possible tyre scrub during the transformation into a trike had always been a concern on my own concept.
Power is, of course, all-electric, via a nickel-metal hybrid battery in place of the old-fashioned lithium-ion lump. No, I hadn’t heard of it either. Various blade-like body panels suggest that Gillette was in charge of safety aspects, but then I’m hunting for criticism. The J Concept is a very impressive piece of kit, and I’m
Having skipped a year or two during the recent recession, the Paris show has bounced back to compete with the larger Milan EICMA and Cologne Intermot.
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Yamaha Fazer-based Axis 749 was the last of Alain Carré’s studies by Lakic
Sasha Lakic with his controversial Bimota Mantra design
Now called ‘le Salon de la Moto (Scooter, Quad...)’, the organisers have cleverly repositioned it to be the last major show of the year, hoping in the process to become the venue for any last-minute revelations. Also virtually guaranteed in Paris are novelties from any French exhibitors, although Peugeot clearly has its sights on a more international audience, having already unveiled its new models at the EICMA. Scooters and lightweights make up the majority of French output, manufacturers of larger motorcycles having followed tradition and capitulated to the competition around the time of WW II, although a few attempts have since been made to
revitalise the industry. These are inevitably announced at the Paris show, to be heralded by the French press, and largely ignored by the rest.
Voxan is one name that fared better than most, helped by funding from the Dassault aviation group. Even so, the
woes during its brief history, and has changed hands twice since its formation in 1995. The current owner, billionaire Gildo Pastor, halted production of the various V-twin models when he took over Voxan in 2009, moving the remaining staff to Monaco where his sports car company, Venturi, is based. Since taking over Venturi in 2001, Pastor has focused on electric power, the Sasha Lakic-designed ‘Fétish’ being built in limited numbers since 2006, and billed as the
Now Pastor has come up with an electric motorcycle under the Voxan brand, which was unveiled at the 2013 Paris show - the 200-PS Wattman.
The Wattman is another Lakic creation, and true to his typical style, it is a love-it-or-hate-it design. It worked better
emphasized the length of the bike, than in reality, where the vast bulk of the battery cover is exaggerated by being isolated in a
The frame is reported to be monocoque, but without some internal structure, or
IN THE 1900S MOTORCYCLE manufacturers were obsessed by making the world’s fastest production motorcycle, for the
marketing advantage and prestige of the title. By the end of the 20th century, however, this
Engine capacities had gone above 1,000 cc, power outputs neared 200 PS and top speeds had crossed 300 km/h.
In the year 2000 Kawasaki launched the Ninja ZX-12R superbike with an electronically restricted top speed of 299 km/h, mainly to avoid a possible import ban in Europe. The restriction was adopted as a policy by almost all the major bike-makers and the meaning of the term fastest has shifted to acceleration times since then. Kawasaki replaced the ZX-12R with
motorcycle in 2006 and it has held the coveted title ever since. The bike was updated in 2013 and has been launched in India recently as the Ninja ZX-14R.
Unlike its predecessor, the ZX-14R is a super sport tourer. So the design philosophy is focused on aerodynamics, high-speed cruising and stability as well as long-distance touring rather than agility and weight saving. It is a huge motorcycle that looks intimidating with its sheer size, while its twin headlamps and sharp nose add aggression to its appeal. The headlamp clusters have two projectors and a pilot lamp each and there is a massive ram-air intake between the two. The fairing is well chiselled and the bike has top-notch build quality and
22-litre fuel capacity, massive upswept exhausts on each side and a long and wide single-piece seat. The seat is designed for long-distance comfort and the wide tail section has a rear grab-rail and hooks for bungee cords and cargo nets. The instrument panel has two analogue dials for the speedometer and tachometer respectively while a rectangular digital screen in the centre displays other information.
The ZX-14R offers a sporty riding position,
although not as radical as on a superbike since it is meant for highway touring. In fact, the massive fairing and the tank recess cocoon the rider and protect him/her from windblast while also reducing the aerodynamic drag. Average Indian riders shouldn’t have a problem getting their feet down on this bike as the 800-mm saddle height isn’t very high, but it takes a lot of tiptoeing when taking u-turns due to the wide turning radius.
Beneath all the plastic, the ZX-14R has a 1,441-cc liquid-cooled in-line four engine wrapped in an aluminium monocoque chassis and is mated to a six-speed gearbox. This engine also makes it the most powerful production motorcycle in the world as it churns out a maximum power of 200 PS and the ram air system boosts it further to 210 PS when riding at high speed. The power output equals Kawasaki’s litre-class superbike, the ZX-10R, but is achieved at 10,000 RPM instead of at 13,000 RPM, which makes it much more relaxing to ride. As for the torque, the ZX-14R attains 162.5 Nm at just 7,500 RPM, which gives it lightning fast acceleration in spite of the 268-kg kerb weight.
Braking power is derived from two 310-mm petal discs with radially mounted Nissin four-piston callipers on the front wheel and a single 250-mm petal disc with an opposed twin-piston calliper on the rear wheel. There is ABS to manage the stopping power and the bike’s 17-inch wheels wear Bridgestone’s super grippy Battlax Hypersport S20 radials (120/70 R17 front, 190/60 R17 rear). Kawasaki have also given a slipper clutch to prevent the rear wheel from locking during downshifts at high engine speeds.
The ZX-14R has 43-mm USD forks with
Speedo and tacho are analogue. Rest of the info on screen
top out springs and a gas-charged rear monoshock. The stock suspension setup delivers excellent ride quality on Indian roads
there are many setting options for those who would like to try something different. The front forks have fully adjustable spring preload along with 18 settings for compression damping and 15 for rebound damping while the monoshock has fully adjustable spring preload and step-less compression and rebound damping settings.
The most impressive quality of the ZX-
light-footed in spite of its mass and can be
pull cleanly from as low as 50 km/h in the top gear. The air vents on both sides of the fairing channel the engine heat away from the rider’s legs and the engine temperature rarely exceeds 100 degrees Celsius while riding.
it was born for. The ZX-14R can munch miles at three digit speeds all day long and its
vibrations and a surprisingly quiet exhaust
can go absolutely wild on demand. The engine provides overwhelming amount of torque the moment you crack open the
ton mark from standstill in a matter of seconds
wheelbase. Throttle response is crisp throughout the rev range and it manages wide
Kawasaki have employed a number of sophisticated electronic aids to tame this beast and make its performance more useable. There is
three incremental modes that let the rider decide
only when the bike is at standstill. Along with the
manipulate the amount of power generated by the engine. In the ‘F’ mode the bike unleashes all the horses while in the ‘L’ mode the power curve is changed to make the bike slightly docile.
Kawasaki motorcycles are priced steeper in India as compared to their competitors. The Ninja ZX-14R is imported as a completely built-up unit (CBU) in India and carries a price-tag of Rs 18.56
might soon start selling it in Delhi as well.The Ninja ZX-14R is not a motorcycle for the
faint-hearted. It is a fantastic sport tourer and is
most powerful motorcycle is complimentary.
Power modes and traction control can be adjusted using the grey switch
Old school rear end makes the 190mm wide tyre look slim!
GlovesBoots
RJaysRJays
Rider Piyush SonsaleHelmet
Race SuitKBCSPIDI
GEARCHECK
Max Torque
Max Power
162.5 Nm at 7,500 RPM
210PS at 10,000 RPM with ram-air
Bore X Stroke 84 x 65mm
Carburation Digital fuel-injection, 44 mm throttle bodies
BIKE INDIA IS THE ONLY INDIANmagazine to have test-ridden not just one but two of the best motorcycles Triumph
India have on offer. Last month we exclusively featured the dark knight (read: Thunderbird Storm) on the cover of our magazine, and now we bring you the British marque’s most popular bike: none other than the Bonneville. During its heyday, back in the late 1950s and ’60s, this iconic model was loved for its staggering performance and aggressive nature compared to other motorbikes
century the bike is no longer the fastest or sharpest
wild-child past. With its lineage, retro styling and simplicity the Bonneville still makes a popular choice for many bike enthusiasts across the world.
Over the years the motorcycle manufacturer went through many ups and downs until 1984 when John Bloor resurrected the brand, giving it the modern makeover to its current form that we recognise as Triumph today. However, it wasn’t till the dawn of the new millennium that the new Bonneville 790 was introduced and later in 2007 the bike received a larger capacity engine and fuel injection without losing the classic goodness of the original model. The Bonnie we got to ride in New Delhi still looks, sounds and feels like a true
blooded Triumph. Although it’s now made in Thailand and assembled in India, it carries over 50 years of heritage, seamlessly integrating modern engineering to offer a solid combination of reliability, performance along with its renowned rideability.
In the parking lot, leaning slightly to its left, the
Hollywood stars. It appears as if the Bonnie has magically leaped out of a classic ’60s poster, leaving behind a startled Steve McQueen. The Triumph looks pretty much like the original Bonneville sold years ago, and intentionally so. It successfully re-ignites nostalgia which is one of the high points of this bike. The round headlight, pleasing curves of the tank, sleek, long seat and twin chromed upswept exhausts make for old-school styling that would age gracefully. The
jobs: Lunar Silver, Phantom Black and the Crystal
just under the headlight seems awkwardly positioned, but that’s the way it has been on Triumph Bonneville forever. The riding position is very relaxed with the upright handlebar and conventionally positioned foot-rests. With its 740-
Chain and sproket are unconventionally on the right, while the twin exhausts look great
seat also offers adequate comfort for the pillion, adding to the bike’s practicality.
The controls on the tubular handlebar are easy to use, albeit a bit plasticy. The old-school mirrors give good visibility and I’m certain many cruiser owners will borrow a pair for their bikes. We rode the basic Bonneville, which just like the 70s model comes with cast aluminium wheels and an analogue speedometer with odometer, clock and trip information. You’ll need to shell out a couple of lakhs extra for the more premium Bonneville T100, which comes with other cosmetic enhancements, including a tachometer, more traditional spoke wheels and tube tyres. Our most affordable Triumph test bike came with 17-inch alloy wheels shod with modern Metzeler tubeless tyres and on the go provided ample grip. I prefer these to the T100’s. Simply because, with no main-stand and the twin exhausts coming in the way, it
puncture. Upfront you get a large 310-mm disc and a 255-mm disc in the rear with good stopping power, but could do with some more feel. The bike comes with the classic suspension assembly
with KYB front forks and chromed spring twin
The simple tubular steel cradle chassis holds a 865-cc parallel twin motor which puts out a healthy 68 PS at 7,500 RPM with 68 Nm of torque at 5,800 revs. The air-cooled engine has gained reputation for reliability over the years and
it. It still is based on the original design of wide bore and short stroke, which not only helps in
The four valves per cylinder offer excellent breathing and power. This air-cooled engine comes with balance shafts tucked away inside the crankcase which restrain vibrations really well. To keep the old-school theme going, the Hinckley-
system which from the outside appears like modern day carburettors. The dummy carbs would have looked more authentic if they resembled old-school British AMAL carburettors, rather than modern Keihin ones.
There’s enough surge right from the word ‘go’, with plenty of torque available at low revs. The
Bonnie delivered power in a predictable and linear way, and offered adequate speed and torque for
spaced out and with the ample supply of torque, it allows you to quickly shift up to the top gear to
of similar capacity, but you’ll never be
fun for the enthusiast, and at the same time won’t
large capacity bikes. The beauty of the bike is that
The Bonneville is not a small bike, but never feels too cumbersome or too noisy or overtly powerful. It’s absolutely manageable in pretty
geared motorcycles can handle the Bonnie, even
Twisting the throttle on the open roads of the Gurgaon highway the Bonnie gives out a
control as it turns easily, holds the line well and is forgiving through the corners. At slower
over road undulations.
might seem charming to classic motorcycle
bikers. For instance, the ignition switch is on the side of headlight bracket, there’s a separate key for
have a lock, which is a scary thought in our
country. Yes, you can buy one with a lock from the company, which, according to their UK website, costs about Rs 4,600 (£46). Triumph have sold so many Bonneville bikes along with
community of Bonnie devotees online who are more than willing to help you if you seek any advice to further customise your bike or to resolve these minor issues.
The Bonneville is not only the most affordable
showroom, New Delhi), but can also be your practical and dependable road companion for
fuss. Now that the company has several dealerships across India and is tying up with local banks, the Bonnie will not only be easy to ride, but also easy to own.
HOTTED-UPANDTRACK-READYWe swing a leg over the new Honda Fireblade SP on the Losail circuit under the guidance of veteran race school boss Ron HaslamSTORY: ROLAND BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY: ZEP GORI, FRANCESC MONTERO & ULA SERRA
THERE CAN’T BE A MUCH BETTER way to re-learn the tricky Losail circuit than following Ron Haslam on a Fireblade
SP. The former Honda 500-cc works star and veteran race school boss is the perfect instructor, setting a quickening but not-too-fast pace, checking his mirrors and occasionally slowing so I can follow his effortlessly smooth lines.
And this latest, most exotic yet version of the Fireblade is also doing a pretty good job of
spread of torque mean I don’t lose too much ground when I enter an unfamiliar bend in the wrong gear; its taut, immaculately damped suspension and powerful, ABS-equipped brakes mean I can slow hard and change direction rapidly.
It’s not surprising that the Fireblade SP is in its element on Qatar’s MotoGP track. This is the
Honda have produced since shaking up the super-sports world with the original CBR900RR back in 1992. Those SP initials — used on a
Sport Production, meaning a hotted-up, track-ready version of the standard bike.
And that’s exactly what the Fireblade SP is. For 2014, the standard model is updated with a mildly tuned 999-cc engine, subtly revised frame, more aggressive riding position and double-bubble screen. The SP, which costs roughly 25 per cent extra, goes several stages further, with blueprinted engine internals, Öhlins suspension, Brembo Monobloc callipers, sticky Pirellis, single seat and more.
What neither the standard nor even the SP version of the Fireblade does is follow most of its super-sports opposition by incorporating electronic features, apart from the option of ABS brakes. The SP is the most lavishly equipped and expensive Fireblade yet, but in many respects it’s
ranks of ever more complex sports bikes.In many respects the Honda is distinctly long
in the tooth, given that much of its 16-valve engine dates back six years to the Fireblade’s last complete re-design. For 2014 the standard model
and polished inlet and exhaust ports, plus gas-
trumpets are re-shaped with slash-cut tops, as developed in World Superbike.
The SP also gets blueprinted internals. Basically each piston’s maximum weight variation from the target 177g is one gram, rather
reduced vibration. The injection system is revised to suit, but there’s no sign of ride-by-wire or alternative engine modes, let alone traction control. Maximum power is increased by 2.0 PS to 180 PS at 12,250 revolutions per minute.
Most of the SP’s differences are in its chassis.
stand-out feature, and there’s far more to the SP than simply a Fireblade with some bolt-on extras.
Honda to develop the chassis, which also incorporates new, stiffer triple clamps and an aluminium twin-spar frame that was revised around the swing-arm pivot to make it less rigid, for improved feel.
This mod was also incorporated into the standard model. So was the revised riding position, which angles the clip-on bars slightly wider and lower, and moves the foot-rests back by 10 mm. Despite that the SP felt very much like the previous Fireblade — just a little bit tauter, racier and quicker. You’re never going to notice an extra two horsepower, but the engine was certainly strong through the midrange. It fuelled very crisply, and pulled sweetly once into its stride at 6,000 RPM.
There was no noticeable dip even if this ’Blade does counter its slightly improved torque output below 6,000 RPM by making slightly less between 7-9,000 RPM, before coming on stronger from 10,000 RPM to the rev limit at 13,000 RPM. A couple of riders found the unchanged gearbox slightly notchy, but I didn’t have any problems with it, though it’s disappointing that a bike of this quality and price doesn’t come with a quick-shifter.
Any aerodynamic advantage from the SP’s double-bubble screen would have been
the raging headwind, which tried to push me off the back of the bike after I’d sat up to brake with the bike still accelerating at just over 260 km/h. I didn’t notice the slightly more aggressive
position slightly cramped for my long legs. (Adjustable pegs would be nice…)
Handling was exceptional, notably from that
inspiring feel was remarkable even by the high standards of modern super-sports bikes. The rear TTX36 shock also gave a superbly well controlled ride, after a few clicks of preload and compression damping had been added to the stock track settings. Honda’s work with Öhlins also involved re-locating the adjusters for easier access, but you’ll have to pay extra for a ride-height adjuster.
less front brake when the rear pedal is used, and none at all when it’s used very gently. Initial activation of the front brake is also smoother. Feel is slightly different to a conventional ABS set-up, but the bottom line is you can stop hard in safety.
The C-ABS also adds a dab of rear brake when you squeeze the hand lever, which can be useful. Shame Honda’s system is so heavy, at 11 kg. If you can ride like factory WSBK ace Leon Haslam, whose tyre-smoking corner exits at Losail showed no need for traction control, you’ll doubtless brake slightly harder without ABS. Most normal riders are probably better off with it. The crash rate at dad Ron’s racing school halved after they started using ABS-equipped ’Blades.
Pirelli’s SuperCorsa SPs grip well and are a good track-day choice, though embarrassingly I proved they’re not infallible by crashing on the
that the strong wind had cooled the front tyre
while the bikes were being refuelled. I should have known better than to set off behind Leon’s team-mate, Johnny Rea, even when he was trying to ride slowly… The afternoon sessions were on super-sticky SuperCorsa SC race rubber that gave an even more planted feel.
This most racy of Fireblades is certainly at home on a track, and it doesn’t lose out too much in practicality. Its single seat allows the rear sub-frame to be lightened, saving one kilogram and bringing wet weight to 199 kg (210 kg with ABS). In other respects the SP is a typical Fireblade,
inspired paintwork.As to whether the Fireblade loses out by not
having a good traction control system, personally I’d say, ‘yes’, but you can make up your own mind about that. The shrinking super-sports market seems to be polarising into two groups,
with most manufacturers putting their effort into creating hugely powerful bikes with high-tech electronics aimed at helping the rider keep it under control.
Then there’s the traditional method of development, aimed at creating high but not excessive horsepower with the emphasis on the way it’s delivered, and a chassis whose aim is to help the rider use brain and right wrist, not electronics, to go fast. The Fireblade has long been the leader of this group — generally scoring well in comparison tests despite a relatively
Honda’s approach to a new level.
equipped in some areas, although less so in others. Whether it’s the ultimate Sport Production machine depends on what you want and expect from a cutting-edge superbike.
TEISHIRO GOTO,FIREBLADE SERIES LARGE PROJECT LEADER“Many Fireblade customers ride their bikes on the racetrack, and we built the SP model for them. At the beginning of 2000, Mr Fukunaga [previous Fireblade project leader] and I considered the possibility of expanding the super-sports market. We discussed it several
“Customers are choosing Öhlins, Brembo and Pirelli, the same as racing teams. They know these packages and want to have them too, and we want to provide them. But the Fireblade’s aim is to provide high performance for a wide range of customers, and the standard model will keep this direction.
“We considered providing different riding modes. Three years ago, Mr Fukunaga had a lot of requests, from journalists and the market. We considered it, and we are still developing it because the Fireblade’s performance level — handling, driveability — has to be near the top.
“How we maintain this level is the most
steering dampers or ABS, our system is not the same as the others. This shows Honda’s engineering spirit and pride. We need to ensure that the Fireblade is at the highest level with every single system.”
MORE INCISIVE, SOPHISTICATEDAND SAFELike the RSV4, from which it’s derived, the Tuono V4R ABS is a seriously rapid superbike, with a top speed of over 260 km/h, and in naked bike fashionit’s often all the more fun for emphasising rather than disguising that speedSTORY: ROLAND BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY: MILAGRO
THE TUONO V4R WAS ALWAYS BRILLIANT —one of the top bikes of the last few years for me — but touched by madness too. By essentially
removing the fairing from an RSV4 super-sports bike and bolting on a wide one-piece handlebar in place of its clip-ons, Aprilia created a naked V4 that was fast, loud, agile and fantastic fun on track or the right road.
However, although there was actually a lot more to the Tuono V4R than appearances suggested — including a slightly de-tuned 999-cc engine and a re-jigged frame — there’s no doubt that Aprilia’s naked weapon was too hardcore for many. It was an absolute blast in the right situation — but harsh, loud, thirsty and ill-suited to the real world that most riders inhabit most of the time.
Now Aprilia have tweaked the naked V4 to make it, in their words, “more incisive, sophisticated and safe” for 2014. Softened suspension, a larger tank, re-designed seat and the addition of an ABS brake system are all designed to make the Tuono more rider-friendly and easy to live with. In the words of Marco Zuliani, Aprilia’s Product Manager, “Naked bikes spend most of their time on the road, so we have listened to customers and improved the Tuono’s attitude for road use.”
And, fortunately, they haven’t forgotten that its attitude is what made the V4R special. With the Tuono’s status as the ultimate
naked weapon seemingly about to be challenged by rival big-bore naked models of unprecedented viciousness — including
KTM’s Super Duke R, BMW’s long-rumoured S1000RR derivative and Kawasaki’s revamped Z1000 — the Italian company couldn’t resist giving their
That deliciously potent and compact 65-degree V4 follows the 2013-model RSV4 unit by getting some
revised internals for reduced friction, plus improved crankcase ventilation. As before, it differs in several respects from the super-
sports motor: cam timing is softer, intake trumpets are of
This Tuono also gets a new silencer and re-worked
PS to 170 PS at 11,500 revolutions per minute. As before the Weber-Marelli injection system incorporates three maps —
Track, Sport and Road — with differing throttle response and the Road setting giving 25 per cent less power.
the Tuono, which shook its head all the way down the straight, despite the assistance of the steering damper tucked below the unchanged digital display.
Fortunately, the rain stopped, the track quickly
Corsas the Tuono felt like its old self: neck-strainingly rapid, stable yet superbly manoeuvrable
made a gorgeous growl through that single silencer as the
certainly felt as though it had plenty of power, especially as it
unsuccessful attempt to tuck down behind the low screen. Like
disguising that speed.
a very useful safety net and also making it relatively easy to
The Tuono V4R ABS is totally up for the track if you are, but it hasn’t
Brakes (Rear) Twin-piston Brembo calliper, 220-mm disc with ABS
Suspension(Rear)
Suspension(Front)
Brakes (Front)
Rake/trail
Sachs monoshock, 130-mm wheel travel, adjustments for pre-load, compression and rebound damping
43-mm Sachs upside-down telescopic fork, 120-mm travel, adjustments for pre-load, compression and rebound damping
Two, four-piston Brembo Monobloc radial callipers, 320-mm discs with ABS 25 degrees /107.5 mm
Wheel (Front) 3.50 x 17 inch, cast aluminium
Wheel (Rear)
Tyre (Front)
Tyre (Rear)
120/70 x 17 inch Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa190/55 x 17 inch Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa
6.00 x 17 inch, cast aluminium
approach the limit of traction under hard acceleration. Charging
but it was generally the system sensing the imminent loss of grip and adjusting the fuel delivery. The ability to
adjust TC level so easily, with a press of left thumb or
manufacturers could learn from.
the Tuono showing no ill-effects from its softer suspension.
settings, which are easily changed in any case. The track
There was nothing wrong with the power or feel of the new Brembo callipers, which chomped the 320-mm discs with
struggled when transitioning from damp to dry tarmac, occasionally letting off the anchors momentarily and allowing the bike to run slightly deep into the turn, on both of the main
power and predictability of the similar set-up I’d tried on Ducati’s 899 Panigale the previous day, in wetter conditions. On the damp track I was still glad to have the ABS, but if I’d been chasing lap times I’d probably have been forced to turn it off and take my chances.
That apart, I was very impressed by the Tuono — although admittedly not much better informed about its improved road-going ability, because there was no opportunity to test that aspect of its performance. Proper evaluation will have to wait for a road ride, preferably one long enough to show whether the bike’s comfort is a match for its new-found fuel range.
are that you’ll be able to ride the Tuono further (200 km or more, realistically), more safely and with less discomfort than before — as well as marginally faster too. This is a massively entertaining naked roadster that is perfectly capable of starring on a track day, then providing a soft, relaxing, cosseting ride when touring or in town.
Sorry, only joking about that last bit. The Tuono is totally up for the track if you are, but it hasn’t gone soft. It’s an even more
animal that likes a drink, loves to be thrashed and isn’t built for U-turns or going slowly. It’s as exciting as ever, and slightly less mad; which is not a bad combination at all.
ABS-backed Brembo Monobloc callipers chomp on 320mm discs
Swinging into action with all the support needed, including APRC
The sculpting continues over what was thought unsculptable
Bike India (BI): Michelin has now brought in radial tyres for motorcycles. Do you currently have any competitors in the Indian market?Pradeep Thamby (PT): As far as I know, there are only one or two sizes of a particular brand available in the market, but that is it – the offerings are very limited. For superbikes, there is
BI: Superbike owners, therefore, must be importing these tyres on their own?PS: Yes, they do it through their own sources,
sourcing tyres for their superbikes.
BI: What advantage does Michelin bring to the table?PT: Our tyres come with the renowned Michelin
through its dealers, without having to rely on grey market imports or the unorganised market.
BI: Why has Michelin chosen this point in time to enter the Indian market for radial tyres for motorcycles?PT: Our internal studies indicate the trend of more and more people migrating from the commuter segment to biking for pleasure, and we see this on a daily basis. We thought we could be pioneers when it comes to launching radial tyres for motorcycles for Indian customers, so we are here. There is a small but sure trend of this segment growing, but it is growing fast.
BI: How does the growth in thissegment compare with that in the commuter segment?PT: The commuter segment is obviously going to be huge in terms of the mass and volumes. Our studies indicate that this category (to which our radial tyres cater) has been growing at a CAGR of 25 per cent over the past four years, which is huge.
BI: In the bike radial tyre segment, where do you see Michelin a few years down the line in terms of volume/value of sales or of market share?PT: What we do know is that we have a very robust product line, and we keep a close eye on new bike registrations across categories, on the basis of which we plan our product line and launches. Since we are new in this category (that is, radial tyres for bikes), and this category is actually being introduced just today, I would not be able to tell you where we will be a few years down the line. The trend is very positive and the CAGR I mentioned earlier is something people would die for in any industry. Fingers crossed, we should do very well in this segment.
We have a very robust product line, and we keep a close eye on new bike registrations across categories, on the basis of which we plan our product line and launches
BI: Internationally, how do Michelin bike radials compare with competition in terms of pricing and features?PT:tyre models, of course, indicate the superiority of our tyres as against competitor offerings. Globally, the product range in radial tyres is split into full road race tyres, which is clear slick tyres for 100 per cent track use; hypersports, which is 50-50 per cent for road and track use; sport premium, which is 85 per cent for road use and 15 per cent for track use; and sport touring, which is for 100 per cent road use. Each of these categories has offerings from all major manufacturers, and we benchmark ourselves with the best in the respective segments. Pricing differs from country to country: for example, we are very strong in France, as we are French. Commenting on a comparison within different
BI: How will you be selling these tyres? Through your own outlets, multi-brand dealers, possibly OEM partnerships?PT: We have distributors who distribute our tyres to retail shops. In most cities, there are specialist outlets catering to such tyres. We will be distributing to such dealers and to any other dealers who we feel can sell such high-end tyres. We are nascent in the two-wheeler segment and
business volumes. Whether it is OEM or something else, we do not know at this time. We
BI: How do you plan to market these tyres? Any plans for riding schools, safe riding demonstrations or other tools?PT: For such tyres, mass-market communication would make little sense, as it is a very niche market. We would be doing a lot of
When it’s pitch dark, a star shines the brightest. This was exactly what Polish custom bike builders Game
Over Cycles (GOC) thought when they decided to collaborate with Behemoth, the iconic death metal band, to create a motorcycle so dark, it would actually give the Devil the shivers. Behold the ‘Behemoth Bike’, the brainchild of heavy metal music’s living legend Adam ‘Nergal’ Darski of Behemoth and acclaimed custom bike builder Stanislaw Myszkowski of GOC, Poland.
The ‘Behemoth Bike’ started with a vision: to fuse the two different worlds of motorcycles and heavy metal music. The GOC design team as well as the Behemoth band members were of the same mindset: to create a powerful and brutal one-off custom motorcycle. The ‘Behemoth Bike’ has already garnered quite a bit of popularity in the custom bike scene by winning two awards, including the popular People’s Choice Award, at the prestigious European Bike Week, one of the biggest motorcycle rallies in the world held
annually in Austria.So what makes this custom build stand out?
Well, for starters, this bad boy is powered by a monster of a 1,802-cc aluminium V-twin engine. This monstrous RevTech 110” Evo style engine on the ‘Behemoth Bike’ produces a whopping 115 PS of power and 163 Nm of torque. If you
smoke your standard Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Scary stuff, isn’t it?
What’s even more appealing is the fact that
HEAVY METAImagine a motorcycle straight from the depths of hell; a motorcycle so satanic that the Devil himself will get the shivers riding it. Bike India takes you on a last ride aboard the ‘Behemoth Bike’, a sinister creation that is taking the custom motorcycle world by stormSTORY: SAYEM PARVEZ SYED | PHOTOGRAPHY: GAME OVER CYCLES
1991. They are considered to be one of the most important bands of extreme metal in the 21st century. The band
released nine studio albums and have many achievements to their credit. It is the only
Billboard chart.
GOC are a Polish company
classic cars. They are located
formally established in
custom machines that are unique not only by virtue of
are passionate about their
masterpieces.
all the basic elements of the motorcycle such as the fuel-tank, frame, suspension, fenders, exhaust and wheels feel as if they have been forged
not only by its general look, but also all the
implemented in its construction, such as the front
logo: a Phoenix with a shiny Thelema hexagram
mammoth wheels, 19” front and 18” rear, wrapped in a 120-section front and a truly
dark paint scheme on the motorcycle is the work of custom painter Artur Wisniowski and reminds you of the medieval period: gallant knights in shining armour astride their steeds,
June 2013 in Warsaw during the Impact Festival,
iconic music festival stage also hosted giants like
Warsaw, Poland, there was a global press meet
whole project is something that came out from
MASTER OF THE METAL: Myszkowski
NERGAL: Frontman on the stage and in the shop
BEHEMOTH: Tomasz Wróblewski (left) Adam ‘Nergal’ Darski (centre)
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AUGUST 201410 INDIANAPOLIS GP (Indianapolis Motor Speedway)
17 CZECH REPUBLIC (Automotodrom Brno)
31 Great Britain (Silverstone Circuit)
SEPTEMBER 201414 San Marino & Riviera di Rimini (Marco Simoncelli Misano)
21 ARAGON (MotorLand Aragon)
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Star of the British Motorcycle Industry
A dip into the hoary history of one of thebest-known British motorcycle marques
STORY: ASHRAF SHEIK
MANY OF THE WORLD’S ENGINEERINGsuccess stories have curious beginnings. The BSA motorcycle company is no exception to this. In 1850, a trade association was formed by a group of gunsmiths to
sporting use. Some years later it was established as Birmingham Small
logo that is retained to date.
group needed to look into alternative manufacturing to stay in business. Initially bicycles were the choice and from then on in a sort of natural progression, motorcycles became the mainstay of the venture.
As with many other motorcycle manufacturers of the time, BSA were looking to source engines from proprietary partners to initiate motorcycle
already producing a light motorized bicycle, known as a ‘motocyclette’, powered by their own engine. This engine, clipped on to the down tube of the bicycle and offered in kit form, would be ideally suited to the BSA project.
could cruise comfortably at 30 km/h. The engine speed at this speed was a lazy 1,500 revolutions per minute and it would return an astounding 94 km per litre. It could also reach a top speed of 50 km/h if desired.
However, with no dearth of engineering expertise available in Britain, it was not long before BSA started to build their own powerplants. By 1910, BSA
BSA MOTORCYCLES
www.bikeindia.in 77FEBRUARY 2014
FEATURE BLAST FROM THE PAST
Classic Bike_Feb14.indd 77 17-01-2014 12:42:27 PM
powering their own motorcycles. A 499-cc single-cylinder engine producing just 3.5 PS drove the rear wheel directly by belt. Agreed that this may appear rather primitive by today’s standards, but it’s a
considering that although a majority of motorcycles employ chains to transmit power to the rear wheel, the original belt drive systems have been developed
commercial acceptability in some brands. The pros and cons of chain drive versus belt drive would be quite an interesting subject, but could be the subject of another story.
Coming back to the subject of BSA motorcycles, one has to dwell a bit longer on the history behind this brand that at one time was considered to be the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the whole world. This was true when BSA bought over Triumph Motorcycles in the year
A7 1949 BSA:
two-stroke engine displaced 123 cc from bore and stroke dimensions of 52 mm and 58 mm. In time and with the application of new technologies, it was gradually
attributes of user-friendliness and affordability. The engine size grew in steps from 150 cc to 175 cc, and in keeping with the increase in power the chassis kept pace, receiving a better suspension system, initially
a spring and shock-absorber update.All along the Bantam was positioned as a low-end
road bike, and it served commuters well, but there were many users who saw the potential to modify this simple engine for off-road competition and after
getting noticeable success, Bantams were progressively tuned for track racing too. Although the
factory didn’t support Bantam racing in a big way, there were many British and Australian privateers who
devoted ample time, money and dedicated effort to transform the humble GPO’s telegram delivery mount into
a veritable track burner. To put that into perspective, Eric Walsh tuned the Bantam that was capable of 100 mph (160
km/h) and was thought to be the fastest 125-cc powered bike in the whole world.
Adhering to the same principles, many such offerings from BSA catered to a growing demand for more powerful and visually appealing motorcycles. BSA had many of their models with ‘Star’ as the identity tag. There were Blue Stars, Empire Stars, Fleetstars, Silverstars, Royal Stars, Shooting Stars, Gold
One such model, the BSA Rocket Gold Star, has a rather interesting history. Before we elaborate on that, we need to go back and trace the origins of the models that contributed to both the name as well as the bike itself. In the BSA line-up were a couple of very desirable twin-cylinder motorcycles: the A7 Shooting Star and the A10 Rocket. Essentially built for the road, the A7 and A10 were highly rated and caught the attention of a large number of buyers looking for the kind of performance that came from these high-lift cams and alloy cylinder-head equipped Rockets and Stars.
Yes, I did say Rocket Gold Star. The ‘Gold’ in Rocket Gold Star’s tag was an earned attribute. In the year 1936 BSA, looking to update their single-cylinder models, hired a certain Mr Valentine Page to apply his engineering
the range of models that they produced over the years. Right from small capacity two-strokes to one-litre four-stroke twins, BSA
built them all. The different models were not just chosen at random; many of
As early as in 1921, Combinations (motorcycles coupled to sidecars) were becoming increasingly popular to bridge the gap between basic transport models and higher end motorcycles that would appeal to the
770-cc twin motorcycle that could be bought solo or coupled to a sidecar, either directly from the company or from a specialist sidecar builder if the customer so desired.
production run from 1948 to 1971. It was conceived as a cheap, easy-to-maintain and simple machine for everyday use. Introduced during the post-WW II economic instability, it was well accepted, and by the year 1953 as many as 1,00,000 BSA Bantams had been produced. During its incredible 23-year lifespan the Bantam engine as well as the cycle parts underwent
THE GOLD STAR:
FEATURE BLAST FROM THE PAST
www.bikeindia.in78 FEBRUARY 2014
Classic Bike_Feb14.indd 78 17-01-2014 12:42:50 PM
engine into a winner.
Worthy of mention is the BSA Bantam, which enjoyed an extended production run from 1948 to 1971. It
was conceived as a cheap,easy-to-maintain and simple
machine for everyday use
1963 SUPER ROCKET: The power performer A10 Super Rocket with an aluminum cylinder head and hi-lift camshaft along with many sporting options was superseded by the unit construction models
A50 ROYAL STAR:engines. The Royal Star displays the new design which among other thingshelped curb the much maligned oil leaky British motorcycles
BSA MOTORCYCLES
www.bikeindia.in 79FEBRUARY 2014
Classic Bike_Feb14.indd 79 17-01-2014 12:42:44 PM
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Against the serene and scenic background of the Oxford Golf and Country Club at Bavdhan, near Pune, our judges contemplated the contenders’ fate and passed their judgement on the motorcycles vying for the top spot. This demanding task concerned a glistening line-up of motorcycles that completed our list of nominees, made available to them to thoroughly vet before they gave the final verdict. Our audit partners, Mazar’s, were at hand to make sure everything was carried out by the book, and after putting all the motorcycles through their paces, the judges finally locked in their votes.
This well-established entrepreneur has been a keen sportsman and over the years has competed in various national level swimming and cycling competitions, apart from setting ablaze the Indian motor rallying scene where he holds the record of being the fastest driver from Mumbai for five consecutive years. That’s not all; he also jointly holds the 24-hour speed record of our country.
Rayomand is a former racer with eight Formula car and Go-Kart racing championships to his credit. He now grooms upcoming Indian racers and also owns and runs his racing teams under the banner of Rayo Racing. Rayo’s karting team is the only Indian outfit to have won international titles and he also has a Formula car racing team in India.
The Editor of both Car India and Bike India, Aspi Bhathena is a veteran in the automotive field with over 37 years’ experience and a motorcycle racing career spanning 24 years. He is one of only two Indians to have raced twice in the Isle of Man TT races, winning a bronze replica in his very first attempt.
Our Assistant Editor Sarmad Kadiri’s flair for writing combined with his fair opinion about cars and motorcycles definitely leave a mark in the readers’ minds. The keen observer that he is, all the contenders were examined closely at his desk.
The youngest member of the jury team, Piyush has not only been testing two-wheelers for Bike India, but has also traversed the length and breadth of the country on a motorcycle. On top of that he also brings along good track time. His passion for riding certainly helped him pick the best of the lot.
SAM KATGARA RAYOMAND BANAJEE ASPI BHATHENA SARMAD KADIRI PIYUSH SONSALE
The Shapoorji Pallonji Group(S P Group) Limited is active in a vast variety of fields. At its core still remains the construction business. It’s one of the most quality-conscious and the oldest Indian construction companies with a legacy going back 147 years. Today the S P Group has over 23,000 employees
and a group turnover of US$ 2.5 billion. The group has grown exponentially over the years and become a huge conglomerate with multiple business segments with a thoroughly professional approach. Few of the areas where the S P Group is flourishing are: real estate , infrastructure (ports, power plants, highways, toll
ways), fabricators, EPC (power and steel), Gokak Textiles, construction material (pre-engineered buildings, interior, access flooring), Afcons Infrastructure (marine works, roads, bridges, tunnels, pipelines, specialist foundation works - piling, drilling, grouting), Forbes & Company, agriculture (bio-fuels) and many more.
THE S P GROUP
A leading independent and integrated international organisation that specialises in providing audit, tax and advisory services. Mazars made sure that the judging procedure was unbiased and in strict conformity with the rules.
MAZARS
ZEE BUSINESSThe best medium to show all the action behind the awards was television and this is where Zee Business came into the picture, literally. The fastest growing Hindi business channel in India, Zee Business speaks the language of the masses and, therefore, we joined hands with them once again to bring the 2014 awards to you within the comfort of your homes.
MAK LUBRICANTSBPCL’s MAK brand of lubricants is the fastest growing brand in its category and has a wide range of products for automotive and industrial customers. MAK grades of lubricants are made available through an elaborate network comprising the ‘Bazaar’, BPCL’s retail outlets, primary lube distribution (PLD) and direct sale. The company also reaches out to core sectors like the railways, defence, coal, marine and steel. BPCL’s Mumbai refinery produces the best-in-class Group II + category base oil. Blended with world-class additives in three blending plants across the country, MAK has over 350 SKUs of superior quality oils and greases, varying in size from 250 millilitres to
210 litres. Constant innovations like new oil formulations have been the success score for the brand in one of the most competitive sectors of the petroleum industry.
Recent innovations like MAK HITEMP XTRA SM GREASE for sugar mills, MAK all-season HMO (horticulture mineral oil) and LLPO (light liquid paraffin oil) for the cosmetic sector have turned out to be runaway successes.
MAK has entered into tie-ups with major OEMs like TATA, Hero MotoCorp and Escorts to introduce specialised oils. MAK has also made forays into international markets like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and the Middle East.
In 2013, Bajaj added the Discover M to their already impressivecommuter motorcycle arsenal. The 100M is a true value-for-money mass market offering by Bajaj. It offers a big motorcycle appeal with the right blend of performance, features and commendable mileage. The Discover 100M is certainly one of the most potent 100-cc commuter motorcycles in the
as being the winner of our motorcycle up to 110-cc award for this year.
HMSI launched the CB Trigger early last year, taking the company’s 150-cc baton
from the Dazzler forward.
quality the CB Trigger quickly found a place among
the more popular models in the highly competitive 150-cc segment in India. It also
managed to impress the judges with its performance
during our jury round.
MOTORCYCLE UP TO 150 CCHONDA CB TRIGGER
(L -R) Sarmad Kadiri – jury member, Bike India presents the award toYadvinder S Guleria, VP Sales & Marketing, Prabhu Nagraj, GM Customer Service – HMSI
The year 2013 saw TVS launch the 110-cc Jupiter variomatic scooter in the Indian market. In a short span of time this gearless scooter has become hugely successful. For its competitive price the Jupiter offers a powerful motor, comfortable seating and decent mileage, making it one of the best scooters in the market today.
The new Mahindra Centuro is a game-changer for Mahindra 2 Wheelers. The motorcycle is packed to the brim with features
seem to be working in its favour. The Centuro comes standard with an engine immobilizer, an alarm system and ‘follow-me-home’ lights. The engine runs smoother than Mahindra’s previous models and returns a decent mileage too.
The Harley-Davidson Street Glide is the latest import from Harley’s touring family that has landed on Indian shores. The 2014 Street Glide makes its way to India as an imported CBU motorcycle powered by the Project RUSHMORE engine. The new massive 1,690-cc engine churns out
ABS braking system, dual halogen headlight, air adjustable suspension and tons of features that every touring biker would need for a long ride.
IMPORT MOTORCYCLE OF THE YEARHARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET GLIDE
(L -R) Jogajoyti Pati – VP, Zee Media
Corporation presents the award to Anoop Prakash – MD, and
Bike India’s ‘Motorcycle of the Year’ award is the highest honour bestowed by our jury. It has become one of the most prestigious titles in the Indian motorcycle industry due to the credibility and fair judgement associated with the award over the years. All the motorcycles and scooters launched during the stipulated time period are minutely scrutinised in this category on parameters like
design and styling, technology, performance,
out the most outstanding two-wheeler of the year.This year, the KTM 390 Duke emerged as the strongest contender due to its shattering performance as well as competitive pricing and won our highest recognition of excellence, the Motorcycle of the Year 2014 Award.
(L -R) Aspi Bhathena, Hoshang S Billimoria – Next Gen Publishing Ltd. hand over the coveted award to Amit Nandi – VP Probiking, Bajaj Auto Ltd.
BIGGER AND GRANDER2013 Pune Invitational Supercross raises the bar
REPORT: PIYUSH SONSALE | PHOTOGRAPHY: VILO EVENTS
www.bikeindia.in102 FEBRUARY 2014
SPORTPUNE INVITATIONAL SUPERCROSS
Pune invitational supercross_Feb14.indd 102 17-01-2014 3:10:22 PM
Riders acknowledge the support from spectators
Arvind KP receiving his trophy from the Mayor of Pune
The jumps were a huge attraction for the crowd
Sri Lanka's Ishan Dasanayake receiving the award from Ceat's Prabhakar Tiwari
THE SECOND EDITION OF THECeat Tyres backed Pune Invitational Supercross was held in Pune between 19 and 21 December 2013, and it was bigger
P, the reigning Indian National Motocross Champion, C S Santosh, four-time Indian National Motocross Champion and winner of the Raid De Himalayas; and Ishan Dasanayake, Sri Lankan National Motocross Champion
the 7,000 spectators who had turned out for the event. The races were held after sunset on 21 December at the makeshift
in Pune, designed by the event owner, Eeshan Lokhande, who is an accomplished motocross rider himself.
The riders were distributed among seven competing teams and the races
apart from the visual treat of the breathtaking motorcycle jumps, there
Mexican waves and a cheering crowd that made it an exciting evening.
MX1 was the premier class of the event with one rider from each team. Moto (race) One witnessed a tussle
Rides and C S Santosh of team
which ended with Santosh crossing the
second Moto was heading for the same
result until Santosh’s tumble, which gave
took the top honours in overall ranking while Santosh and Ishan stood second and third respectively.
In the MX2 category, Jignesh Patel’s
crashing and covering the gap multiple
Bhandari Motorsports) took the third place on the podium.
In the MX3 category, youngest rider Suryansh Rathore of Stallion Rides surprised everyone and became the crowd’s favourite with his spectacular double jumps. Rathore was in a league of his own and was almost a lap ahead of
stood second and third respectively.The MX4 category had Indian
production bikes and two riders per team, which made it a 14-rider grid.
both the Motos in this category comfortably while Vishal Barguje of Pashankar Racing and R Natraj of Stallion Rides stood second and third overall respectively.
Rides scored the highest points, courtesy
championship of the 2013 edition.
www.bikeindia.in 103FEBRUARY 2014
Pune invitational supercross_Feb14.indd 103 17-01-2014 3:10:43 PM
WITH CAL IN CALIFORNIABritain’s fastest GP rider in a generation is wintering in California, gearing up for his biggest challenge yet: racing Ducati’s devilish Desmosedici MotoGP bike. Our MotoGP Editor got him to take a day off from training to go for a ride
HIS COULD BE PARADISE. WE’VE GOT Abox-fresh Hypermotard and Multistrada Pikes Peak special and we’re heading inland from Los Angeles, bathed in silvery California sunshine, riding up into the hills, into Indian country.
As a man used to making quick decisions, Cal Crutchlow immediately chooses the Multistrada – ‘I’m touring, not racing’ – and off we go. He is a better road rider than many racers I’ve ridden with: fast, smooth and cheeky. If there’s a gap, he goes for it: left, right or down the middle. And
So, this then is the life of a factory MotoGP star. Spend all summer
over, as the winter gloom descends upon Britain, you jet off to California to soak up the rays, pound out the training miles and ride a few bikes.
Trouble is, there’s no such thing as a free ride. Just beneath MotoGP’s thin veneer of glamour it can get ugly, like the ruddy gore beneath a nice, neat scab.
In Germany last July, Crutchlow had his best-ever MotoGP race. For a
just 1.5 seconds off the win. On the podium he celebrated between Marquez and Valentino Rossi – one legend coming, the other going. ?? This looked like a man at the height of his powers, at least from the comfort of your own sofa.
In fact, Crutchlow was a mess. The former World Supersport champ had taken a huge tumble during practice, rag-dolling it through the gravel trap, shredding both arms.
‘I laugh about it now, but it was scary,’ he says. ‘I really hurt myself and I’ve never taken so many drugs. I told the team, I want to ride, I want to ride, so the Clinica Mobile gave me painkillers and bandaged me up. Then I passed out in my motorhome, pissed all over myself, smashed the place to bits. Lucy was screaming her head off.’
Mrs Crutchlow (a PE teacher from North Ireland who wed Cal a few
and he was pissing all over me.’Crutchlow is one of the hardest riders in MotoGP. The paddock is in
awe of his resilience – his ability to survive a massive shunt, grab a scooter ride back to the pits, jump on his spare bike and go even faster, no matter how much his body is screaming for him to stop. He’s had 41 crashes over the past three years, many of them big ones.
‘Cal is a gritty little boxer type – get stuck in and have a go,’ says Ian Newton, who runs the Aprilia Superteen series that Crutchlow won in 2001. ‘His big thing was always his determination. He would crash his brains out, but the crashes didn’t seem to knock him at all. Very, very few blokes can do that.’
After half-an-hour of riding the Californian freeways, the road narrows and switches this way and that past craggy hillsides, straight out of a
sweepers perfectly, diving past cars whenever there’s a hint of a gap and always making great progress.
Road-signs tell us we are entering the Pala reservation, where the Cupan Indians have lived since being evicted from their ancestral
cluster of tepees and a few warriors sharpening their tomahawks. Instead we get a vast casino/hotel complex straight out of Vegas. Native American Indians own sovereignty over their lands, so no one can stop them
compensation for the wrongs put upon them over the centuries.Crutchlow is a gambler himself. In 2011 he walked away from a
lucrative career in World Superbike to risk it all in MotoGP. And now he’s taking perhaps his biggest gamble: climbing off Yamaha’s career-making M1 on to Ducati’s career-breaking Desmosedici, the bike that has already done for Valentino Rossi and many more.
Rossi’s crash rate increased threefold when he joined Ducati in 2011, so Crutchlow’s fortitude may be tested more than ever during the coming two seasons. But the gritty little boxer isn’t worried.
‘I’m not scared of getting hurt,’ says the 28-year-old. ‘Even now I’ve got a sore shoulder, but you just think, ****ing hell, if that’s all I’ve got to deal with to do something I love… The shoulder hurts, but what can I do? It’s a way of life, you think nothing of it. It’s like when Jorge [Lorenzo] raced at Assen 34 hours after he’d broken his collarbone. We think that’s normal and I know that’s a scary thing.’
From a normal human being’s perspective, it’s just about possible to understand putting your body through hell to make enough cash to keep you for the rest of your life. But what happens when you’ve got a couple of nice houses, a few million in the bank and a lovely lady on your arm? Surely then thoughts must creep into your mind: now I want to enjoy what I’ve got, I don’t want to risk losing the good life.
position of being a highly paid factory rider. Rumours suggest Ducati
easing off.‘I’m not worried about going soft, not at all. I’ll race for as long as I enjoy
it because you never forget the feeling when you do something good or when you have a good result.
‘No matter what anyone says, I didn’t go to Ducati for the money. I went to Ducati to prove people wrong. There’ll be nothing better than getting a good result, because when you get a good result with Yamaha, people expect it, but at Ducati you’re not expected to. I enjoy being the
Cal can’t help himself doing wheelies on the Multistrada. Moments later he was stopped by a native American Indian ‘tribal law enforcement’ car, patrolling the Pala Indian reservation. Nice people: they weren’t at all bothered about his behaviour!
This way, the white man came. Sorry, Indians
Hey, Cal, maybe you shouldn’t wheelie away from this traffi c light – that’s a cop car over there
underdog and I ride better when everyone thinks I’m not going to do anything. But don’t get me wrong; if I’m having a bad run of races, my morale does go down.’
That’s exactly what happened when he graduated to MotoGP in 2011
and the best riders are in MotoGP. There’s World Superbike riders who say they don’t want to go to MotoGP, but they do, trust me, they just don’t get the opportunity or they don’t take the risk. I took a massive gamble in 2011. After four GPs I was asking to go back to Superbikes. I couldn’t ride the bike, everything seemed wrong, and I wasn’t used to being in the situation of not knowing what I was doing, because I’d always been in control.
was trying to follow them and in three laps they were gone. And these were chaps at the back, not even in the middle of the pack.’
After a run of morale-crushing results and body- and bike-crunching crashes, Poncharal was getting fed up. Matters came to a head halfway through the season.
him to sign someone else and I dragged him out of my motorhome. It was funny because he didn’t have any shoes on. Now I class him as a very close friend.’
they know best. It takes mistakes to work it out; like Jorge, who went over
listening to Yamaha and things started coming better.’
door, waving a nice, fat cheque.
Pancake eating face on…
… followed by a chocolate milkshake. Crutchlow isn’t obsessive about his diet – he cycles 60 miles a day, so he can handle a pile of carbs
California dreaming: heading down the coast road, south of LA
CAN CAL TAME THE DUKE?SIMPLE ANSWER: NO. CRUTCHLOW
ride on the bike last November.‘I didn’t expect anything worse or
better,’ he says. ‘I was just pleased I did the same lap time as Dovi [team-mate Andrea Dovizioso], which shows that’s the lap time the bike can do. If you go past that, you don’t make it through the lap.’
He knows because he tried. ‘I tried to ride the Ducati like I rode the Yamaha and I lasted eight corners before I lost the front and crashed.’
No, the Ducati doesn’t need taming, it needs a re-design. And that’s already happening. Gigi Dall’Igna, the mastermind of Aprilia’s successes in World Superbike and the MotoGP CRT class, is already hard at work on
Ducati’s GP14. The fact that his RSV4-powered CRT bike could harry the factory Ducatis despite a 30 horsepower handicap suggests Dall’Igna may know the abracadabra to getting Bridgestone’s control tyres to work. Though it may not be that simple.
‘They need to do so many things – the bike spins too much, it wheelies too much and it doesn’t go round corners so well. They need to look at the whole package and that’s where Gigi is very good.
‘You can’t do it overnight. Look at Honda – it’s taken them years to learn how to brake, because Yamaha use to hammer them on the brakes and now they hammer Yamaha.’
Crutchlow gets his ride on the GP14 at Sepang on 4 February.
VALENTINO ROSSI MADEa stunning comeback to Yamaha with a second-
Qatar last year. However, the rest of the season, though much better than his two-year stint at Ducati, was not as promising as the Doctor would have liked. Rossi has replaced his long-time crew
chief and mentor, Jeremy Burgess, in order to improve his
performance, but the 34-year-old rider has announced that he would only stay in the sport if he is closer to the top three riders and that he would take the call whether to continue racing post 2014 after the
the season.
FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD Championship team Mahi Racing Team India will be racing in the premier class of the championship this year. The
in their former Supersport rider, Fabien Foret, as the Superbike class entry in the new EVO sub-class while their other rider, Kenan Sofuoglu, will continue racing in the Supersport category.
Mahi Racing will be Kawasaki’s sole factory-backed team in Supersport class like last year
will be second to the factory team. However, team principal Amit Sandill has revealed that 2014 will
be a learning year in Superbike and if all goes well, the team could be in-charge of a two-rider
Mahi Racing Moves up to Superbike
THE FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD Championship will have a new cost-effective sub-class, called EVO, from this year. The EVO sub-class will be part of the Superbike class like
the CRT class in MotoGP. EVO is meant to make racing cost-effective in order to increase the number of bikes on the grid.
The EVO class will follow the FIM Superbike
technical regulations for all chassis, suspension and brake components while on the engine and electronics side, these motorcycles will follow the present FIM Superstock rules.
Also See: Ducati Monster 795Mana 850 ABS 13.31 lakh 839.9 76/8000 73/5000 A 218 NA NA 16 NA NA NA
Mana 850 GT ABS 13.70 lakh 839.9 76/8000 73/5000 A 218 NA NA 16 NA NA NA
DORSODUROWe Say: NA
Also See: Ducati Multistrada, Triumph Tiger ExplorerDorsoduro 1200 ABS 15.75 lakh 1197 130.5/ 8700 115/7200 6 NA NA NA 15 NA NA NA
CAPONORDWe Say: NA
Also See: Ducati Multistrada 1200, BMW R 1200 GSCaponord 1200 ABS 16.57 lakh 1197 128/8500 116/7200 6 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
1200 ABS Travel 18.52 lakh 1197 128/8500 116/7200 6 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
TUONOWe Say: NA
Also See: Yamaha FZ1, Honda CB1000R, Triumph Sped TripleTuono V4R APRC 18.05 lakh 999.6 167/11500 111.5/9500 6 NA NA NA 17 NA NA NA
RSV 4We Say: NA
Also See: BMW S 1000 RR, Honda CBR 1000RR, Yamaha YZF-R1, Suzuki GSX-R 1000, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RRSV4 R APRC ABS 19.17 lakh 999.6 182/12500 115/10000 6 NA NA NA 17 NA NA NA
Factory APRC ABS 23.31 lakh 999.6 182/12500 115/10000 6 NA NA NA 17 NA NA NA
Also See: Honda VFR 1200F, Suzuki Hayabusa, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14RK 1300 S BO 1293 177/9250 140/8250 6 245 NA NA 19 NA NA NA
K 1600We Say: NA
Also See: No alternatives yet.K 1600 GT BO 1649 160/7750 175/5250 6 332 NA NA 24 NA NA NA
K 1600 GTL BO 1649 160/7750 175/5250 6 348 NA NA 26.5 NA NA NA
SWe Say: NA
Also See: Aprilia RSV4, Honda CBR 1000RR, Suzuki GSX-R 1000, Yamaha YZF-R1, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RS 1000 RR BO 999 193/13000 112/9750 6 202 NA NA 17.5 NA NA NA
DUCATI www.ducati.com
HYPERMOTARDWe Say: A tall road bike with handling of a supersports
Also See: Triumph Tiger.796 NA 803 82/8000 75.5/6250 6 167 NA NA 12.4 NA NA NA
1100 Evo NA 1078 96/7500 103/5750 6 172 NA NA 12.4 NA NA NA
1100 Evo SP NA 1078 95/7500 103/5750 6 171 NA NA 12.4 NA NA NA
MONSTERWe Say: Light and nimble, a good buy
Also See: Yamaha FZ1, Triumph Street Triple795 7.00 lakh 803 87/8250 78.4/6250 6 167 2.86 NA 15 NA NA
796 NA 803 87/8250 78.4/6250 6 167 2.86 NA 15 NA Mar 11
1100 NA 1078 101/7500 103/6000 6 169 NA NA 15 NA NA NA
1100 S NA 1078 101/7500 103/6000 6 168 NA NA 15 NA NA NA
STREETFIGHTERWe Say: NA
Also See: Aprilia Tuono V4R, Triumph Speed TripleStreetfighter NA 1099 157/9500 115/9500 6 169 NA NA 16.5 NA NA NA
Streetfighter S NA 1099 157/9500 115/9500 6 169 NA NA 16.5 NA NA NA
SBKWe Say: NA
Also See: Yamaha YZF-R1, Suzuki GSX-R 1000, Honda CBR 1000RR, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R848 EVO NA 849.4 142/10500 98/9750 6 168 NA NA 15.5 NA NA NA
1198 NA 1198.4 172/9750 131.4/8000 6 171 NA NA 15.5 NA NA NA
1198 S NA 1198.4 172/9750 131.4/8000 6 168 NA NA 18 NA NA NA
PANTEROWe Say: Improvement over the Stallio but still a long way to go
Also See: Honda Dream Neo, Suzuki Hayate, TVS Star City, Yamaha YBR 110T1 NA 106.7 8.5/7500 8.5/5500 4 120 8.66 93.56 13.7 49 Mar 13
T4 NA 106.7 8.5/7500 8.5/5500 4 120 8.66 93.56 13.7 49 NA NA
CENTUROWe Say: A commuter with many innovative features
Also See: Honda Dream Yuga, Hero Passion, TVS Star City, Bajaj DiscoverCenturo 52,990 106.7 8.5/7500 8.5/5500 4 120 8.66 93.56 12.7 49 Aug 13
ROYAL ENFIELD www.royalenfi eld.com
BULLETWe Say: The subtle Enfi eld makes a come back with a UCE heart.
Also See: No options, as there are no alternatives to an Enfi eld but an Enfi eld itself!Bullet 350 1.10 lakh 346 19.8/5250 28/4000 5 180 NA NA 13.5 NA NA NA
Bullet Electra 1.23 lakh 346 19.8/5250 28/4000 5 183 NA NA 13.5 NA NA NA
Bullet 500 1.53 lakh 499 26.1/5100 40.9/3800 5 193 NA NA 13.5 NA NA NA
THUNDERBIRDWe Say: NA
Also See: None as yetThunderbird 350 1.42 lakh 346 19.8/5250 28/4000 5 192 NA NA 20 NA NA NA
Thunderbird 500 1.81 lakh 499 27.5/5250 41.3/4000 5 195 4.65 NA 20 NA NA NA
CLASSIC 350We Say: Royal Enfi eld fuses old world charm with modern retro lines along with a twin-spark 350cc engine
Also See: There is no other bike like the ClassicClassic 350 1.31 lakh 346 19.8/5250 28/4000 5 NA NA NA 13.5 NA NA NA
CLASSIC 500We Say: A retro-modern motorcycle with a fuel injected 500cc mill.
Also See: There is no other bike like the ClassicClassic 500 1.78 lakh 499 27.5/5250 41.3/4000 5 182 4.75 131 13.5 NA Jan 10
Desert Storm 1.70 lakh 499 27.5/5250 41.3/4000 5 182 4.75 131 13.5 NA NA NA
Classic Chrome 1.77 lakh 499 27.5/5250 41.3/4000 5 182 4.75 131 13.5 NA NA NA
Also See: No alternatives yet.Bonneville 5.7 lakh* 865 68/7500 68/5800 5 225 NA NA 16 NA NA NA
Bonneville T100 6.6 lakh* 865 68/7500 68/5800 5 230 NA NA 16 NA NA NA
THRUXTONWe Say: NA
Also See: No alternatives, other than the Royal Enfi eld Continental GT.Thruxton 900 Café Racer 6.7 lakh* 865 69/7400 69/5800 5 230 NA NA 16 NA NA NA
DAYTONAWe Say: NA
Also See: Suzuki Bandit 1250S, Yamaha FZ-1 Daytona 675R 11.4 lakh* 675 128/12500 75/11900 6 184 NA NA 17.4 NA NA NA
TRIPLEWe Say: NA
Also See: Hyosung GT650N, Kawasaki Ninja 650R, Ducati Monster, Suzuki Bandit 1250SStreet Triple 7.5 lakh* 675 106/11850 68/9750 6 183 NA NA 17.4 NA NA NA
Speed Triple 10.4 lakh* 1050 135/9400 111/7750 6 214 NA NA 17.5 NA NA NA
TIGERWe Say: NA
Also See: Ducati Multistrada, Aprilia DorsaduroTiger 800XC 12 lakh* 799 95/9300 79/7850 6 215 NA NA 19 NA O NA NA
Tiger Explorer 17.9 lakh* 1215 137/9300 121/6400 6 259 NA NA 20 NA NA NA
THUNDERBIRDWe Say: NA
Also See: Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic and Fat Boy, Suzuki Intruder M1800RThunderbird Storm 13 lakh* 1699 98/5200 156/2950 6 339 NA NA 22 NA NA NA
ROCKET IIIWe Say: NA
Also See: Yamaha VMAX, Ducati Diavel.Rocket III Roadster 20 lakh* 2294 148/5750 221/2750 5 367 NA NA 24 NA NA NA
TVS www.tvsmotor.co.in
STARWe Say: Adds style to your commute without being too heavy on the pocket.