Ride on Pulsar ......

Riding the new Pulsar, is an interesting experience after having ridden the older model just before that. There are some important and interesting cosmetic changes which I’ll come to later. But right now, lets talk about the more important bits which will surely add to the riding experience a lot more.
The gearbox - silken smooth. Knife thru hot butter, call it what you will, but its the slickest gearbox I have seen. And after having ridden the earlier Pulsars you’d be forgiven for thinking Bajaj stole someone else’s gearbox! Shifts are very clean, precise. No judders, false neutrals.
Power delivery is very linear, although this author felt that Power wasnt coming with the hurry that one is used to on the older Pulsar - maybe it was just need for running-in on the test bike.
The engine has, I’m sorry to note, a very weak note(no pun intended). You can hardly hear it at times - which can be good sometimes, but wouldn’t you wanna hear your baby screaming as you rev it up? I sure would!
The suspension seemed better. The bike’s slightly heavier - about 4 kilos or so which might have helped matters just a wee bit.
Looks. The new fairing looks all the more aggressive. The tail-light is very unique, but looks kinda wimpy, and if my experience is any guide, one cant really see it, if one’s in a taller vehicle. The illumination of the tail lamps is lovely.
The digital speedo looks great with orange backlight, but unfortunately the idiots that they are, folks at Khivraj have disconnected the speedo cable - but NOT the rev-counter cable. So one could see the revs going up, but nothing on the very good-looking dash!
On the whole, a better bike indeed, although one hopes the note of the older(2005) model can either be retained or re-introduced on this model!

Harley Davidson coming to India

Motorcycles will be sourced from the American plant.
BY A CORRESPONDENTMay 19, 2006
Harley Davidson, the iconic American bike-maker is planning an India entry. For the second time in less than a year, Harley Davidson officials from its US headquarters visited India to check out the possibilities of an Indian foray.Harley Davidson does not have any presence in the Indian market so far. The company is planning to enter India through the CBU (completely built up) route. Since such imported bikes attract a 60% import duty, the price of Harley Davidson bikes in India would be in the range of Rs 4 lakh to Rs 14 lakh. Harley Davidson has no plans to start production in India. The company wants to keep its production in the US, since Harley Davidson is essentially an American nostalgia bike brand.According to Harley Davidson vice-president Timothy Hoelter who visited India in September 2005, "India is among the few motorcycle markets in the world that's growing at a fast pace and we are surely looking at a presence here. Whenever we enter the Indian market, it will be through the sourcing route. Harley Davidson buyers identify our bikes to be an all-American brand and they want to buy the bikes that are produced in US."Hoelter had a second visit to India early this month, when he met officials from the commerce ministry to find ways of entering the market.Acording to reports, there is lack of clarity on emission norms for high-end bikes like Harley Davidson. Though Harley Davidson conforms to emission norms in the US and Europe, there are no clear guidelines for such bikes in India.Harley Davidson is yet to work out a list of products it would like to introduce in India. The company is betting on the increasing attraction for high-end bikes, as seen in the interest in Suzuki Hayabusa and Kawazaki Ninja. Harley Davidson hopes that increasing disposable incomes in India powered by a booming economy will help it make the cult bike do well in India.

Harley Davidon entry in India linked to Indian banks in US

BY OUR AUTO CORRESPONDENT
February 25, 2006: What do ICICI Bank and SBI have to do with a mean machine? The two Indian banks are said to be linking their expansion in the United States with Harley Davidson's entry into India. With the Bush administration hoping that India would lower import duty for Harley Davidson besides allowing it to ply on Indian roads despite not complying with the Euro emission norms, this seems to be a possibility. The Indian administration has made it clear that it was not in a position to allow Harley Davidson's import without complying with the Euro II emission norms. However, the Centre has said that it was willing to follow a system of tariff rate quotas which will mean lower customs duty for a certain number of bikes, beyond which the applicable customs duty will be levied. However the government is likely to push itself into a sticky situation. When its allows tariff rate quotas for Harley Davidson, other automobile makers, who have been complaining of the high import duties in India might also follow suit. The role of the banks comes in here. India will give the method a try if the US government was willing to grant fresh branch licences to ICICI Bank, SBI and Bank of Baroda, whose proposals have been pending for several years and also fast-track new rules for export of Indian mangoes. Any progress on Harley Davidson's case has to be linked to the progress on banking licences, said a report quoting sources. With Harley Davidson betting big on India, Indian banks could just get a few more US branches.India is in fact trying to seize the chance to negotiate a better deal for its banks, knowing that the Bush adminstration will look at a good deal for its Harleys.

Bajaj Auto to launch cheap car to tackle Tata's car

The proposed cheap car from Bajaj Auto will have a 500 or 600 cc engine and diesel, petrol or CNG engine options.
BY OUR AUTO CORRESPONDENT
March 27, 2007: The Tatas’ Rs 1-lakh car seems to be posing a challenge to two-wheeler major Bajaj even before it is on the road. A study has indicated the two wheeler sales are sure to see an erosion once Ratan Tata’s dream Rs 1-lakh car is launched. This indeed has made India’s second largest two-wheeler manufacturer Baja Auto to seriously consider entering the passenger car market. Significantly, Hero Honda, the country’s top bike manufacturer had announced that it would foray into the four-wheeler market soon. As the study states, the Tata car will affect the two-wheeler market. If that happens, Bajaj would also manufacture cars for the market. It may be recalled that Bajaj Auto had earlier said it would launch a goods-carrier version of a light commercial vehicle by year 2009. It is also expected to a launch passenger carrier version a little later. The proposed vehicle will be fitted with a 500-600cc engine and will be available in diesel, petrol and compressed natural gas (CNG) versions, according to a report which elaborated on Bajaj’s plans. It has been forecast that the Tata Rs 1 lakh car, which is to be launched by mid-2008, would severely affect the top-end motorcycle segment in which Bajaj is the market leader with its successful Pulsar. Bajaj is not alone as opportunity calls for innovation. The Kolkata-based company Global Automobiles has reportedly announced a tied up with China’s Guangzhou Motors, to roll out a low-cost car, a report said.

Test ride of hh karizma

For years, you’ve cribbed about the lack of power and performance from Made-in-India four-strokes. You’ve been cribbing about how you didn’t give a damn about fuel efficiency, as long as you could fulfil your Need for Speed. Gentlemen, the cribbing stops today. Hero Honda is better known as maker of large selling commuter models, than for powerful or stylish bikes. The company surprised everyone early in 1999 by announcing a new, sharply styled performance bike, the CBZ. Now, a couple of years down the line, Hero Honda has everyone again sitting up. The recently launched Karizma is a motorcycle made for that niche market, which selects performance over economy. Its aggressive styling looks the piece. :


Hero Honda has taken a lot of styling cues for this bike from Honda’s old model VFR 800, the Japanese giant’s legendary and largest selling superbike. Similarities are visible in the alloy die-cast wheels, the tailpiece, the front indicators, the fairing, the silencer unit, seat, panel shapes and instrument binnacle. Even the way Hero Honda has painted parts of the side panels silver to look like exposed aluminium frame sections, reminds one of the genuine thing on the VFR. One cannot help but think that the steering column section of the bike looks crude and empty just below the handlebar mounts. Fit and finish is excellent and no less than the high standards we have come to respect Hero Honda for. The company has kept with the times, and grafted an aircraft-type fuel filler cap onto the tank. The tank recesses easily accommodated the legs of our tallest testers. The amber backlighting for instruments is exciting. Being connected directly to the battery, all lights and instruments work independently of the rpm of the engine, and are a boon at night.


A large 223cc single cylinder, air-cooled and inclined 15 degrees forwards from the vertical does duty on the Karizma. A paper-pleated element is employed to help purify breathing, and we noticed a small resonator working on the hose leading from the airbox to the carburetor. The carburettor also runs a throttle sensor to help adjust rate of fuel delivery in relation to the throttle position. All this adds up to 17bhp at 7000rpm and a prodigious 1.87kgm of torque at 6000rpm. However, bhp is only two more than the Pulsar 180. Five cogs shift through a sporty toe-shifter. The gearbox employs a tall close ratio fourth and fifth gear with lower gearing for the first three gears. This works out well giving one sufficient power out on the highway, yet not making the bike tough to ride around town. A wet multi-plate clutch is employed and feels perfect, with just the correct amount of feedback. Thumb the starter and the first thing you will notice is the refinement of the engine. We feel the Karizma is surely capable of even faster times. This bike simply begs you to ride hard, on any empty road. It managed a top whack of 125kph. What is impressive is the manner in which the Karizma performs at speeds around 100kph. The riding position is very sporty and similar to that on the CBZ, with just a hint of the feel imparted by the infamous BMW F650. When you mount the 795mm-high seat, you feel in a commanding position. Though the riding position is very sporty and similar to that on the older CBZ, it feels different. The long wheelbase at 1355mm helps stability. Gripping the wide bars, the rush of pleasure with its linear torque is a feeling difficult to put in words. Stability at any and every speed is top class. Turn-in is excellent and cornering is admirable. The way the suspension is set up and mated with the single downtube conventional frame is excellent. Braking on the Karizma is superb and we managed to bring this bulky 150kg-bike and rider to rest from 60kph in a scant 18.36 metres. Equipped with a larger capacity engine, the Karizma’s mileage figures depend on how it is ridden. Under city riding conditions, the bike returned 30kpl and on the highway testing runs surprised with an impressive 45kpl at a speed of 70kph.


This is the bike for the jeans-and-leather-clad youngsters, who want to feel the wind in their hair and indulge in the finer pleasures of biking. Refinement, comfort, great handling and that much-sought-after big bike feel are all available on the Karizma. Until the competition pulls out something as good from their bag, we’re hooked. Karizma sure grabs our imagination. How we wish we could afford one. A highly capable, stylish bike, but high price puts it out of reach for many.

MOTORCYCLES IN INDIA

In 1955, the Indian government needed sturdy and reliable motorcycles for its Army and police to patrol the rugged border highways. The first batch of 350cc Bullet from the Royal Enfield Company of UK were received and assembled at Chennai.

The four stroke engine of the motorcycles is fuel efficient and is the main reason for the growth of motorcycle segment In India. The motorcycle market share is about 81.5% of the total two wheeler market in India. Three-fourths of the total exports in the two wheeler automobile industry are made in the motorcycle segment. Exports are made mainly to South East Asian and SAARC nations.