Yamaha YZF-R3: First ride review

Entry level sportbike segment has seen a lot of action lately. Kawasaki, KTM, Benelli and Honda have all been battling out with their low capacity, fun and agile machines teaching new riders and entertaining the rest.
Yamaha has been sitting in the pit-lane observing all the others duke it out.And finally they have an answer with the new YZF-R3.Among much fanfare Yamaha India invited us to the celebrated Buddh International Circuit to get a taste of what the R3 can do on a track.
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How does it look?

Design being an important parameter for buyers in the segment, the YZF-R3 has been pencilled with utmost care preserving that R-series character into each of its edge.  It looked great in its images, but standing in front of it you realise how perfect the design is.
The pointy nose, the slim tank, the short muffler and the razor sharp tail, all point towards its racing DNA. Yamaha has introduced two colours for India; black lightning and racing blue, and almost immediately the blue became everybody’s favourite. Black looks a bit bulky but hides away all those curves and creases.

Your next attention will go to the brilliant instrument cluster, with a large analogue revcounter and digital read-out for the speedometer. The host of information displayed is elaborate and legible. Apart from ODO meter, fuel level and instantaneous consumption, engine oil temperature, further more information includes a gear indicator and a shift light telling you when to change gear. The alloy wheel design with split spokes especially add to the sporty character of this machine.

How comfortable are the ergonomics?

The seat height has been kept at 780mm, which is the lowest among near competitors, helps riders of all dimensions get comfortable. The handlebar has been set fairly upright to justify both sporty and commuter friendly riding.
The slim tank allows you to hold it between your thighs and the wide handlebars provide easy everyday riding position. Owners will also appreciate the good build quality of the R3.
Switchgear quality is excellent, although the Kawasaki has it even better, and all the switches and toggles are within easy reach. The softer seat cushion, against its competition, will make longer rides less painful on the bum.

How good is the engine?

The new R3 is powered by a 321cc parallel twin cylinder engine which comes with liquid cooling. It generates 41.4bhp of maximum power at 10,750rpm and a healthy peak torque of 29.6Nm at 9,000rpm. The clutch is soft and it is very easy to get a quick start. Zero to 100kmph from a standstill takes just about 6 seconds and we touched 170kmph on the long straight of BIC with a little more to go. The power delivery is linear with strong mid-range. It comes in very handy tearing through high speed or tight corners.

On the road overtaking manoeuvres will be a breeze with less downshifting and easy power available at higher gears. The gearbox is precise with quick and true shifts, zero misfires detected. Another variable that will leave you impressed is the sound of the engine and exhaust. The twin starts screaming after 9,000rpm and becomes very charming. The exhaust begins with a steady hum when your push the starter, and then becomes brawny as the rpm rise.

An argument rises in the form of absence of a slipper clutch, however, the rear is so predictable that you’ll not need one while pushing the R3. To extract the best out of this twin one must use it gently with smooth power inputs. Quick changes with the throttle and peaking through gears will make the R3 uncomfortable. The first two gears have been setup for acceleration and the 5^th and 6^th are very relaxed for comfortable cruising. Even the screen works well allowing you to tuck in behind away from the wind blast.

What about handling?

Yamaha has opted for a diamond frame design rather than its class leading Deltabox frame in the interests of saving weight as they told us. And joy of joy it works wonders. Handling is sharp and swift corners are dealt stably. The engine and chassis complement each other so well that even new riders feel confident chucking it through corners at fast speeds.

R3 weighs in at 169kg which is on the higher side, but still very manageable indeed. As the rear suspension has been setup soft for road use, you do feel it takes its toll while riding on the track, with a loose back end, but that too at very high speeds. The MRF tyres try their best to cope with the power and chassis, but fail slightly and we do recommend better rubber for good measure.

Brakes have considerable bite and you need to familiarise yourself with them before riding. Once you understand the brakes and how they react, they respond with seamless stopping power and you don’t feel the disappointment of an absent ABS.

Is it priced right?

The entry level sport category is not starved anymore and there are options to choose from. Priced at Rs 3.25lakh (ex showroom), the R3 sits between the pricier and less powerful Kawasaki Ninja 300 and the considerably cheaper but more performance oriented KTM RC 390. The YZF-R3 beautifully slides in between its closest performance competitors. It looks and performs better than either of them in the real world.

The R3 has confident handling, its rides well while being sporty or just heading out to the office and looks stunning. Yes at its price it does lack ABS and a slipper clutch, but rest assured Yamaha is looking into the matter. The riding posture is comfortable and will enable you to rack up considerable number of kilometres.

Fuel economy drops way low on a track, some 17-18kmpl, however the R3 will return you a decent figure of 22-24kmpl under regular riding. Yes, Yamaha showed up late to the show, but what a great show the YZF-R3 turned out to be!

Honda Forza 125cc scooter

           Honda revealed the new Forza 125 scooter at the 2014 Paris Motor Show

At the 2014 Paris Motor Show, Honda unveiled its new 125cc scooter offering – the Forza 125. According to Honda the new Forza 125 is a performance oriented scooter and has been developed for consumers who prefer spirited riding during their daily commute. The styling of the Forza 125 is edgy and modern to woe the youngsters whom according to the Japanese two-wheeler giant is their target audience. Design details on the Honda Forza 125 include LED headlamp and tail lamp, adjustable windscreen, rear-view mirror mounted turn indicators and star shaped alloy wheels.
Powering the Honda Forza 125 is a 125cc, liquid-cooled, 4-valve, single-cylinder motor churning out 14.5PS of maximum power and peak torque of 12Nm. Power is transmitted to the rear-wheel via a CVT transmission. The Honda Forza 125 has been equipped with a start-stop tech which Honda claims has aided the scooter in returning a fuel efficiency of 52kmpl. Suspension duties are handled by 33mm telescopic front forks and twin-shock setup at rear while braking is done by disc brakes at front and back. To further improve braking performance ABS is a standard offering on the scooter. To enhance stability the Honda Forza 125 sports 14-inch dia front wheel and 15-inch dia rear wheel. 

The Honda Forza 125 has a humungous underseat storage capacity of 48-litres which the manufacturer claims can easily hold two full face helmets. Also a 12V power socket has been provided in the glove box for mobile charging. Other optional accessories for the Honda Forza 125 include heated grips, rear carrier and 35-litre colour-matched top box.

The Honda Forza 125 will be offered in the following shades of Matt Pearl Cool White with Matt Pacific Blue, Pearl Nightstar Black with Castagna Brown and Moondust Silver with Matt Cynos Grey. Honda hasn’t divulged any details about the scooters pricing but said that it will be available in the UK market from early 2015 onwards.  On the Indian context, it is unlikely that the Forza 125 will most head to our market but given the fact that Hero is planning to launch the ZIR maxi-scooter next year, the Forza can be an able competitor.

Honda CB Hornet 160R: First Overview

The Honda CB Hornet 160R was showcased at Revfest and will be positioned as a premium 150cc motorcycle by the Japanese two-wheeler giant. It will replace the Honda CB Trigger from the Indian market.
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One of the biggest talking points about the new Honda CB Hornet 160R has to be its styling and every journo present at unveil had an opinion about it. But what’s good news for Honda should be the fact that sentiments for its design language were positive. The new motorcycle has been designed to target youngsters and adopts an aggressive design philosophy. The trapezoidal shaped headlamp has been carried forward from the Unicorn 160 but gets LED pilot lamps. It seems that Honda designers have paid special attention the fuel tank as the chiselled lines and beefy tank shrouds adding a dose of muscle to the overall styling. The fuel tank also gets a faux bare carbon finish panel above it and it looks unique.The rear section of the CB Hornet 160R features a X-shaped LED tail light that makes the tail section look distinctive. The new Honda motorcycle also features multi spoke alloy wheels, split seats and an all digital console which is a straight lift from the Honda Unicorn 160. Switch gear quality is decent but the lack of engine kill switch is really disappointing. Overall the Honda CB Hornet 160R is a striking looking motorcycle and design influences from the Honda CX-01 concept that was showcased at 2014 Auto Expo can be seen.
 Honda hasn’t revealed specifications of the new CB Hornet 160R. But expect it to be a straight lift from the Unicorn 160. The 162.7cc; air-cooled motor churns out 14.5PS of max power and peak torque rating of 14.6Nm. Power is transmitted to the rear wheel by a 5-speed gearbox. Going by the experience we had on the Unicorn 160, expect the new Honda CB Hornet 160R to have good performance. Power will be transmitted via a 5-speed gearbox. Instead of the heel-n-toe gear lever expect a single toe-shifter as it is a premium 150cc offering. The motorcycle will be equipped with the patented HET technology and having tested the Honda Unicorn 160 expect the CB Hornet 160R to have an overall mileage of around 45-50kmpl. 

Ride, Handling and Braking:

Being a premium 150cc commuter, the Honda CB Hornet 160R adopts a flat and wide handle bar along with rear-set footpegs. This should result in a sporty but comfortable position which is a welcome move as the Unicorn 160 had a commuter-ish riding posture. The frame of the new motorcycle has been carried forward from the Unicorn offering and it should have good handling dynamics. Aiding handling performance further will be the 140mm section chunky rear tyre. The Honda CB Hornet 160R is also the first mass production Honda motorcycle in country to offer petal disc brakes. Anchorage is provided by disc brake at front and rear while CBS will be an optional extra. Suspension duties are handled by telescopic front forks and a monoshock unit at the rear. 

Pricing is one aspect that Honda needs to pull up its sock. One of the main reasons for the CB Triggers failure can be attributed to its steep sticker price. The Honda CB Hornet 160R will carry a price tag of around Rs 5,000 to 8,000 more expensive than the Unicorn 160. Expect the new bike to be priced around Rs 78,000 to 83,000 (ex-showroom).

 Talking about competitors, the Honda CB Hornet 160R will square off against the Suzuki Gixxer, Yamaha FZ-S FI, HeroXtreme Sports, Bajaj Pulsar AS150 and the TVS Apache 

Honda SFA 150 Concept

The Honda SFA 150 Concept features great styling elements
  


Honda is displaying the SFA 150 Concept at various shows. It may turn into a production motorcycle soon and would be a KTM Duke 200 competitor.
The entry-level street-fighter market has been largely dominated by KTM in India and the Duke 200 and Yamaha MT-125 abroad. Honda seems to be interested in getting into this segment because it has a lot of potential for growth. Honda showcased the SFA 150 in Indonesia last year but did not reveal any details about the bike or any information about the launch date. Now, the bike has been showcased at the 2015 Osaka Motorcycle Show. We think that the motorcycle might become a production model in the near future.
The Honda SFA 150 Concept design looks radical and has plenty of attention-grabbing components. However, the production model might not feature all such components in order to keep costs in check because buyers in this segment are price sensitive. The exhaust partially visible under the seat hasn’t been seen on other bikes and looks different indeed. The headlight design is uber cool but might be changed to a more cost-effective unit. The trellis frame on the bike seems to be inspired from bikes from manufacturers like KTM and Ducati who have been using these frames since years.
We hope Honda starts producing this bike and launches it in India soon to add some spark to its Indian portfolio. This would also give good competition to the Duke 200 which has been on a dream run since the time it was launched. The fact that Honda bikes are very proven will help the street-fighter sell well in our market. The only concern that most of us have is that Honda might change a bit too many components on the production model and then it would totally lose the charm that the concept has.

Suzuki to launch full-faired GSX150R  performance motorcycle in India

Suzuki to launch full-faired GSX150R performance motorcycle in India

Yamaha became a pioneer of sorts by launching the R15 in 2008. It was the first low capacity track oriented street use bike in India and quickly became the choice of enthusiasts because of its excellent dynamics. Up next was Honda, who launched the CBR150R to compete with the R15 in 2012, even Kawasaki had its baby ninja on-sale in India. The only Japanese manufacturer who didn’t have a low-capacity track oriented performance motorcycle was, Suzuki.

Generally, when the name Suzuki is taken, what immediately comes to mind is, the cars they produce and not the two-wheelers, even if we remember Suzuki two wheelers, its only the biggies like the Hayabusa and the GSX-R 1000. So what’s wrong?
It’s because of the absence of exciting products in the lower price range. Now however, that’s all set to change. Next-year, Suzuki will launch an R15 and CBR150R competitor.
The new bike will be called the GSX 150R, and like the name suggests, it will look like its liter class elder sibling, the GSX-R 1000. The bike might also make an appearance at the upcoming 2014 Auto Expo in Noida coming February. It will be powered by a 150cc, single cylinder, liquid cooled, fuel-injected engine, coupled to a six-speed gearbox. Now, this is what enthusiasts in India were asking for, because Suzuki’s are generally known for their wonderful riding dynamics and rider ergonomics.
The price, at which it is expected to be launched, is around 1.10-1.20 lakh rupees ex-showroom. This would be a very important motorcycle for Suzuki India, as it fits neatly in between the GS 150R and the upcoming Suzuki Inazuma.
Suzuki could also produce the motorcycle in India and use India as an export hub and export the bike to other markets, like Yamaha is currently doing with the R15. Let’s hope that Suzuki quickly signs-off the bike for production, as it will add to the already long list of options in the segment and leave the Indian consumer spoilt for choice.

Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350 Review – A Complete Cruiser

Royal Enfield is synonymous with thrilling horsepower, vintage styling and the thumping engine sound. With every product launch, the maker of iconic motorcycle Bullet has reinvented itself coming up with new technologies carefully fitted with traditional design that RE bikes are known for.
The legendary Thunderbird cemented Royal Enfield’s position as the leading cruiser brand when it was launched a decade back. It was the first bike in the RE portfolio to offer fresh & modern design that stole more hearts across the country. With the new Thunderbird series, 350 and 500, it looks like the waiting period is just going to get longer.
The next generation range of cruiser motorcycle – Thunderbird has never been exported and is produced exclusively for Indian market. Now all new Thunderbird comes with a powerful 500 cc engine, LED tail lamps, digital meter console, a 20 liter tank and three striking shades of black, giving a new definition to Highway cruising.
Royal Enfield recently launched a face-lifted version of classic looking Thunderbird 350 featuring modern technologies, an iconic style and a comfortable riding position. Out of Thunderbird series, the Thunderbird 500 is one of the much anticipated models of the decade and is poised to enhance the joy of leisure motorcycling amongst the young touring enthusiasts.
Let’s take a look at some notable features of iconic Thunderbird that worth being mentioned!

Technical Specifications

As far as power of Thunderbird 500 is concerned, this legendary bike is powered by a strong 499 cc, 4 stroke, twin-spark, single cylinder, air cooled engine and is an agile and pretty fast roadster which lives up to everything that you demand of it. With an average mileage of 34 kmpl, Thunderbird’s refined & powerful engine is mated to a 5-speed sequential gearbox which sends power to the when through a chain drive.
On the other hand, powered by a single cylinder, 4 stroke, twins-park engine, Thunderbird 350 generates a power of 19.8 bhp at 5,250rpm and 28nm of torque at 4,000rpm. Mated with a 5-speed constant mesh gearbox with one down and four up shift pattern its air-cooled engine is undoubted powerful & responsive even at high speeds. Its fuel efficiency is also decent with an overall mileage of 42kmpl.

Style & Design

The style factor is a key element of all models of Royal Enfield and Thunderbird is not an exception. In fact, the company has given a 360-degree design language to the new Thunderbird 500 which means it has got styling refreshes all around the bike. Thunderbird 500 is the first Royal Enfield motorcycle to get a 240 mm rear disc brake along with LED tail light.
The Thunderbird 350 continues to carry the same silhouette as before. Some of its notable features include a digital meter console, a 20 liter tank, LED tail lamps and split seats with a removable rear seat which can be used as a luggage carrier.

Ride & Handling

No doubt, a ride on Thunderbird with its easy-rider ergonomics and laid-back handlebars makes it an absolute delight to cruise on open highways. The Thunderbird 500 is certainly the best handling new generation bike from Royal Enfield so far. It’s slightly forward placed foot pegs and the handlebar placement put the rider in a comfortable upright position. Apart from styling preferences, the Thunderbird is a ‘many roads’ bike which can tackle highway slog, city streets and a little dose of dirt very proficiently that can’t be found on any other bike in Royal Enfield’s stable..

Hero HX250R Review

The leading Indian automaker, Hero MotoCorp has always been known for making new segments in the two-wheeler segment or manufacturing bikes that are segment leaders. The company shocked passionate sports riders with the debut of stunning and drop dead gorgeous Hero HX250R in 2014 Auto Expo India, held at New Delhi.
Hero HX250R is Hero Moto Corp’s first pure quarter-liter sports bike, developed completely in-house without any inputs from Honda, its erstwhile partner. The bike has been designed & engineered in association with Hero’s technology partner and an American motorcycle maker, Erik Buell Racing (EBR).
The automaker is aiming very high with this premium 250cc bike and it is hoped that this latest bike will definitely entice Indian bike enthusiasts looking for a 250cc motorcycle in India. The bike’s futuristic styling and excellent mechanicals would blow way its competition.
Let’s have a look at some quick facts and amazing features of this premium Hero Motocorp bike.

Technical Highlights

• Powering the bike is an in-house developed 249cc, fuel-injected, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, single cylinder engine which is capable to churn out 31bhp of power and peak torque of 26Nm
• Its engine is mated with a six-speed manual gearbox with optimized ration selection.
• The bike offers a top speed of over 150kmph and can reach 0-60kmph mark in merely 2.7 seconds, which is remarkable.
• The small motor gets stopping power from a 220mm single disc at the rear and 300mm single disc at the front.
• Keeping in mind the Indian tastes, this motorbike offers a choice of two ride modes – Economy and Power. Economy mode gives less performance with more fuel efficiency while the power mode offers the maximum performance.

Design & Styling

Given the design of the bike, it has got loads of features that will completely bedazzle you and will make you forget other models in its segment. Available in 2 variants in a combination of red and black shade, the bike boasts of twin multi-reflector LED headlights & taillight, black rear view mirrors, front & rear turn indicators, Fire blade like styling, sports bike type footrests & handlebar, a stylish under-seat exhaust, geodesic tubular frame, 17-inch alloy wheels, a well sculpted 12.9 liters fuel tank and stylish body graphics. Hero HX250R has a width of 735mm, a length of 2085mm, a height of 1145mm, a ground clearance of 145mm and a wheelbase of 1370mm,

Handling & Riding

Featuring world-class sport chassis, high-tech engine and a slim seating position, the dazzling motorcycle has all the characteristics to deliver superb sports bike experience. Bike’s light weight (139kgs) is one of the main factors boosting its performance. The six-speed gearbox, an aerodynamic styling and the light weight make the bike amazingly responsive for all riding conditions. The entire package offers stability and perfect handling for riders of all skill level.

Top Rivals of Hero Moto Corp HX250R

The main rivals of Hero HX250R include Honda CBR250R, Hyosung GT250R, Yamaha R25, Suzuki GS250R, KTM RC200, KTM RC390, and Bajaj Pulsar 200SS. With its price range, the Hero MotoCorp bike will also compete with the upcoming Bajaj Pulsar 400SS.
Hero to launch HX250R in June 2015
According to recent reports, Hero MotoCorp would launch this quarter litre stunner by June 2015. Initially, this 250cc motorbike was scheduled for a launch by the end of 2014; however, the plans have been postponed as the company is facing some challenges with their manufacturing unit. So if you’re looking for a 200-250cc bike within the range of INR 1.5 – 1.6 Lakh, we suggest you to wait till Hero’s HX250R hits the Indian roads and you have a better choice!