Yamaha YZF-R125 WGP 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION – LeftquaterView

Yamaha being one of the leading super bikes in the world is set to debut a 250 cc bike likely to be named YZF-R250 into the world market which would inherit YZF-R125 visually, whose launch has been confirmed by Yamaha Indonesia who are working on this 250 cc sports bike. It is expected to be a success in India and Indonesia where small displacement motorcycles are in great demand by customers.

As per the reports this 250cc sports bike would be equipped with single-cylinder liquid cooled mill which would help the company to price it competitively. Much more details of this bike have not yet been revealed but this new 250 cc bike from Yamaha would be equipped with latest features and excellent handling as the YZF-R15. It is a quarter liter 4-stroke machine and is expected to be priced around 5000 $(around 2.5 lakhs INR) and have sharp headlights, aerodynamically shaped front apron and fully faired engine compartment. Yamaha 250 cc sports bike is expected to be launched by the end of this year.
 
(NOTE - The Yamaha YZF-R125 WGP 50TH anniversary edition image used here is for representation purposes only.)
 
Check out more pictures of below the jump.

Also see – Yamaha’s upcoming 250cc sports bike is no secret anymore

Photo Rendering – Here’s what the Yamaha YZF-R250 could look like

Yamaha YZF-R125 WGP 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION – RightsideView

Yamaha YZF-R125 WGP 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION – LeftsideView

Yamaha YZF-R125 WGP 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION – RightquaterView

Source - BikeIndia.in

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2011 Aprilia RS4 125 – FrontView

In the recent months many International Motorcycle brand are showing keen interest in introducing a new Quarter liter bike model for the Indian market. One of the prominent Auto makers Piaggio has planned to introduce the Aprilia RS4 to the Indian market which supports small, affordable and fuel-efficient sports bikes. In the current market, Piaggio is having a decent position in the scooter and the light commercial vehicles and is expecting to extend its decent sales by introducing this quarter liter motor cycle.

Aprilia has been the winner in the 250 cc category Grand Prix for 9 times and the company Piaggio also manufactures premium 125cc model in the form of the four stroke RS4 125. Aprilia had a 250 cc two-stroke earlier which was known as a “Corner Kisser” and a sure winner in terms of style and power. However the launch of this 2-stroke version is unexpected and would be replaced by RS4 250 in India.

In order to keep the costs low, Aprilia RS4 would feature a fuel injected, single-cylinder, 4 valve engine with liquid-cooling which would deliver a power about 30 bhp. It has also been reported that this bike will make use of perimeter frame and would also feature front USD forks and fully adjustable rear mono shocks with view of competing other bikes such as KTM 200, Pulsar 200NS, Kawasaki Ninja 250 and Honda CBR250R etc.
 
Check out another picture of rear below the jump.

Also see – Piaggio plans to launch Aprilia 200cc for India, to rival KTM Duke 200

2011 Aprilia RS4 125 – RearView

Source – Visordown

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2013 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R – FrontView

After the recent introduction of Kawasaki and KTM into the Indian market, Bajaj Auto Ltd is planning to launch Kawasaki Ninja ZX10R in the coming June-2013. The Ninja ZX10R has been packed with lot of features in order to compete with the German maker BMW’s S1000RR. Ninja ZX10R has been provided with ABS, rider sensitive and race bred attributes which allows it compete and win at highest levels.

Coming to the technical specifications, ZX10R is powered with a 16 valve, 998cc inline four engine which cranks out 197 hp at 11500 rpm along with which Sport-Kawasaki Traction Control would also be provided at an additional cost of 1000 $ which provides amazing blend of power and razor-edge handling. Suspension duties on the ZX-10R are handled by a Horizontal Back-Link design that positions the shock and linkage above the swing arm in order to enable the passenger experience mass centralization, good road holding, compliance and stability, smooth action in the mid-stroke and good overall feedback.

ZX10R would also feature LED turn signals, LED lights for the tail lamp, instrumentation highlighted by an LED-backlit bar-graph tachometer which would provide information about vehicle speed, odometer, dual trip meters, fuel consumption, Power Mode and S-KTRC level, low fuel, water temperature and much more in the list. LCD Display in the instrumentation has an option where it can be set to race mode which moves the gear display to the center of the screen.
 
Check out more picture below the jump.

Also see - Firstlook – 2013 all-new Kawasaki Z800 images leaked

2013 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R – RearView

Source – Biketoq

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‘Male-specific’ TVS 125cc scooter – FrontView

As promised, TVS Motors is launching a scooter that will be positioned above the Wego and will be aimed at the fairer sex. The South-India based bike manufacturer, TVS Motors will be introducing a larger, all-new and macho automatic scooter target at the male buyers. Currently, they don’t have a fully male-oriented powerful scooter. In their current-portfolio ‘female specific’ Wego is the powerful scooter.

This heavily camouflaged test-mule was spotted by MotorVikatan reader named Mr. Karthik Ganesan in Chennai. From the spy pictures here, we can see a rider with a TVS logo embraced on his helmet, riding the scooter which resembles the Honda Activa. Looking at the number plate registration, the engine casing and the alloys wheel design (probably 12-inch or more in size), this is very much a TVS scooter. Also the instrument cluster is similar to the Wego and continues to be analog.

Furthermore, new things such as the vertically stacked exhaust, a shutter lock (both similar to the Activa) and an interesting detail that we see is the positioning of the fuel lid, which can be seen, placed above the tail lamp. Interestingly, the scooter seen here features the drum brakes at the front and back. But we expect TVS to launch the disc brake option too. Some design cues seems to be shared from the Wego.

‘Male-specific’ TVS 125cc scooter – RearView

Thus, it is clear the upcoming TVS scooter is male-oriented and as per the plans, the company is speculated to launch this exciting new scooter very soon. Although nothing much is known about the scooter, keeping with their DNA, we do expect the new TVS scooter to score high on performance (as when the spy photographer tried to snap with his Suzuki Access with same speed and could not catch it!) also well handling, proving to make a zippy and attractive scooter option to ride in India.
 
Check out more spy pictures below the jump.

Also see - TVS Motor to launch two scooters in 2013

Source - MotorVikatan and AutoCarIndia

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2013 Honda CBR400R

After the recent launch of Honda CBR 400 for the Japanese and Asian markets which was unveiled in the year 2012, Honda CBR 400 now includes three models namely CBR400R, CB400F and CBR400X which is meant for adventurous rides. Honda 500 had been given an A2 license tier in Europe which made Honda to restrict this bike to a 46.9 bhp and a 400cc variant.

Honda had not disclosed any information about the specifications of all the three models even after being showcased in the Osaka Motor show. Coming to the technical specifications, Honda CBR 400 series model makes use of 399 cc parallel twin-engine which produces a maximum power of 46PS at 9500 RPM and a maximum torque of 37 Nm at 7500 RPM. Along with this Honda has utilized roller rocker arm which reduces friction between shim type valve adjustments, centrifugal casting to minimize piston distortion in the cylinder, internal relief oil pump structure to reduce friction and improve aeration efficiency.

Apart from this, the instrumentation console is borrowed from the CBR500 which has LCD type of display, 6-speed constant mesh gear box, combined ABS and would provide 39.7 kms per liter under standard test conditions. Honda has released the prices in Japan, and we can reach an approximation basing on that. For reference sake only, we have translated the figures into INR to get a rough idea of the prices we can expect as and when Honda decides on the India launch, but you can expect these prices to come down by some percentage after localization in India. Currency differences have also not been factored here.
 
Indian-bound Honda CBR400 prices are as follows -

1.  Honda CBR400R (Non ABS)
Graphite Black, Victory Red- 669,900 Yen (INR 364,048/-)
Ross White- 701,400 Yen (INR 381,166/-)

2.  Honda CBR400R (ABS)
Graphite Black, Victory Red- 719,250 Yen (INR 390,867/-)
Ross White- 750,750 Yen (INR 407,985/-)

3.  Honda CB400F (Non-ABS)
Graphite Black, Pearl Sunbeam White- 648,900 Yen (INR 352,636/-)

4.  Honda CB400F (ABS)
Graphite Black, Pearl Sunbeam White- 698,250 Yen (INR 379,497/-)

5.  Honda CB400X (Non-ABS)
Pearl Sunbeam White, Matt Black Powder Gun Metallic, Candy Prominence Red- 679,350 Yen (INR 369,225/-)

6.  Honda CB400X (ABS)
Pearl Sunbeam White, Matt Black Powder Gun Metallic, Candy Prominence Red- 728,700 Yen (INR 396,046/-)
 
Check out more pictures below the jump.

Also see - Will Honda CBR400R come to India?

Honda developing new Honda CBR400R for India

2013 Honda CB400F

2013 Honda CB400X

Source - Honda’s Official Japan site (via Motoroids)

The post More details and price list of 3 India-bound Honda 400cc motorcycles revealed in Japan appeared first on Bharath Autos - Automobile News Updates.

LML Freedom – FrontView

Kanpur based, LML (Lohia Motors Limited) lost its lime light after it ended its partnership with Piaggio in 1999 which also resulted in shutting down its Kanpur facility in 2006. The company during its glorious days had launched the Adreno FX and the Energy FX motorcycles which did well in the Indian market.

The company declared a net loss of Rs 45.2 crore in 2011-12. Also, in December the loss figures increased to 17.46 crores from the Rs 9.25 cr in the corresponding quarter in the last year. But for LML the show is still on, as per sales and marketing head, Partha Sen Chowdhury the company is all set to re-launch the old 110cc Freedom motorbike, a two-stroke scooter LML NV, and an all new four-stroke gearless scooter, which will be named as the “Star Automatic”, which is according to LML will be the “man’s scooter”. In addition to that there are also plans to come up with 125cc and 150cc motorbikes, apart from the 125cc Unisex scooters and 150cc and above lifestyle scooters.

Apart from these, the company also plans to launch light-weight 3-wheelers for cargo applications.The LML Freedom and Star Automatic will be available in 70 outlets in Delhi and Punjab by mid-May. In Gujarat and Maharashtra, the products will be launched in three months, Chowdhury said. “We have been able to develop a four-stroke engine and meet euro-emission norms, without altering the vehicle’s dimensions, the prime reason why the scooter is popular in the exports market.”

In order to expand the market from the existing Delhi and Punjab, LML will plans to have 35-40 dealership networks in Gujarat and Maharashtra. LML expects to sell about 26,640 units in Gujarat and Maharashtra and another 50,000 units in Punjab, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Apart from the domestic market LML has exported about 40,000 units last year to Europe where they have a good demand. And according to Chowdhury, “Europe is a heritage-oriented market, and our particular bodyline has a lot of demand. We are even selling decent numbers in Piaggio’s home ground, Italy. More, we also managed to get an attractive pricing in the foreign market,”. LML has been exporting to Italy, France, Germany, the UK, Belgium, Denmark, apart from some Latin American and African countries.

Although the company is declared as sick by the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR), but LML has not lost its hope and will sail through the tough times. Considering the risk involved a lot of financial companies and banks will be monitoring the company’s performance very closely.
 
Check out another picture of the rear below the jump.

Also see - LML to launch 200cc scooter Star & relaunch Freedom motorcycle by end-2011

LML Freedom – RearView

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Bajaj Pulsar 375 – Rendered picture

Pune-based bike manufacturer, Bajaj Auto is planning to launch a 375cc new Pulsar in Indian markets later within this calendar year, in 2013. This new superbike is expected to draw the attention of sportbikes lovers across the country due to the fact that it is going to be bigger, faster and outstanding Pulsar ever.

The Pulsar 375 was proven to be correct by few spy pics that surfaced on the cyber space earlier this year. Today, folks at AutoCarIndia managed to capture another spy pic which reveals the front-end of the Pulsar 375. The bike in this picture looks exactly similar to the one in the earlier three pics. The computer-generated image of upcoming Pulsar 375 by Potdar Design has also been revealed giving us an overall idea how the front-fascia will look like!

As per detail available, it is believed to be offered with four-stroke and single cylinder engine platform which it will share with KTM 390 Duke. Technology on board will be close ratio gearbox, liquid cooling system and four valve equipped head besides enhanced acceleration (0-100 kmph in approx 5.8 seconds) and a top speed of above 150 kmph.

Bajaj Pulsar 375 – Spy picture

Apart from the powerful engine, it will also have host of features and technology on board as the Pulsar sportsbike comes in a bold new design. Spy photos reveal that the new Pulsar 375 will become the first fully-faired Bajaj bike and will sport twin pod projector headlights. While the bike looks very unlike the 200NS in the first glance, there is enough to relate the styling of the current and upcoming Pulsar flagship with each other.

The Pulsar 375 will also sport ABS, which will be optional, besides telescopic fork front suspension, rotor disc brakes at front and rear and a petal shaped rotor which will allow easier venting of heat. Further details along with price have not yet been released by Bajaj Auto and more likely to be revealed prior to release date.
 
Speculated Technical Specifications of Bajaj Pulsar 375 -

• Engine: 4 stroke water-cooled single cylinder
• Engine capacity: 373.2cc
• Torque: 32Nm at 7,250rpm
• Power: 41.5HP at 9,000pm
• Transmission: 6-speed
• Dry Weight: 142Kg
• Clutch: Hydraulic operated
• Fuel system: EFI
• Ignition system: Bosch EMS83

 
Check out another spy picture below the jump.

Also see - Bajaj Pulsar 375 spotted yet again!

Firstever glimpse of Bajaj’s flagship model Pulsar 375

Bajaj Pulsar 375

Source – AutoCarIndia and PowerDrift (on Facebook)

The post Bajaj Pulsar 375’s more detail and rendered picture emerges appeared first on Bharath Autos - Automobile News Updates.

Bajaj Discover 125 ST

Well, if you have heard the tale you may know that it was Seven at one blow, but we are not talking about the fairy tale here, but in fact that`s the number of Discovers Bajaj plans to launch in this financial year. Bajaj already has 5 variants of the Discover and has proved to be a big hit, but it seems Bajaj Auto is still not done with it yet. As competition is launching more models in the 100cc segment Bajaj does not want to risk its share considering the success of the Bajaj Discover.

Rajiv Bajaj, MD, Bajaj Auto expressed the plans to launch 6 new Discover variants of which 4 will be placed in the price range of INR 40,000 to 50,000 which will be targeted at average users which forms a larger user group and 2 will be placed in the price range of INR 50,000 to 60,000, which will be targeted at premium commuter bike segment.

Although the plans are all set to launch the 6 variants, starting from July this year, Bajaj has yet to decide which variant to launch and at what time. Maybe it will consider factors like market statistics, response from the buyers and moves of the competitors to plan the launch. Also the pricing of the bikes will be depending on similar factors.

All said and done, Bajaj will certainly be having a busy schedule in the coming year and buyers can hope to get surprised after every launch.
 
Check out more pictures below the jump.

Also see - 2013 Bajaj Discover 100T launched at Rs. 50,500

Bajaj Discover 125 ST is launched in Tamilnadu at Rs. 55,740

Bajaj Discover 125 ST – Blue

Bajaj Discover 125 ST – Red

Bajaj Discover 125 ST – Blue-Black

Bajaj Discover 125 ST – Red-Black

Source - BusinessStandard

The post Six in a blow…!!! The Bajaj Discover tales appeared first on Bharath Autos - Automobile News Updates.

Mahindra Mojo – SideView

Mahindra has been desperately looking to enter the Indian two wheeler segment and its offering in the non-geared scooter market can tell a lot about it. But Mahindra also aims to get into bike segment with not just commuter bikes but also the more powerful and stylish premium bikes. The 300cc Mojo is one such attempt from Mahindra, after its announcement in 2010 it was displayed at the 2012 Auto Expo. The styling of the bike is certainly eye catching and has got mixed reactions, but you never know the whole mixing thing might just work in favor of Mahindra.

Recently a camouflaged test model of the Mojo was spotted in Pune by an IndianAutosBlog reader. Although the fuel tank and the headlamp console are covered, there are a couple of design feature that tells how the final production version will look. The twin exhaust, the rib styled alloy wheels and the radiator are some of the distinguishing features of the bike. Also as we see in the test model there are a few things missing like the engine cowl and one of the most remarkable design feature, the twin headlamps is missing, well we are not sure if these changes are only specific to the test model or if Mahindra is in a process of reworking them.

The Mojo is expected to be powered by 300cc DOHC 4-valve Fuel Injected engine developed by Mahindra which will produce 26bhp and a max torque of 24Nm. As we have been hearing, that a lot may change by the time the bike is launched, let’s hope the power figures are one of them, since the competition already has bikes in the same segment producing much better power figures. The Mojo is expected to be launched by the end of this year.
 
Check out more spy pictures below the jump.

Also see - Stories of re-designed Mahindra Mojo 300, completely untrue!

Mahindra Mojo – FrontView

Mahindra Mojo – RearView

Source – IndianAutosBlog

The post Spy Shots – Mahindra’s 300cc Mojo spotted in Pune, nearing production appeared first on Bharath Autos - Automobile News Updates.

Suzuki Inazuma 250 caught in lenses during ad-shoot in Goa

Suzuki is planning to launch Suzuki Inazuma 250 which would be the successor of the currently available Suzuki GS500. Suzuki Inazuma 250 was caught on a commercial shoot and is expected to hit the sales market by the end of this year in India.

Coming to the technical specifications, Suzuki Inazuma 250 would be powered with an agile 248 cc, liquid cooled, lightweight, two-cylinder engine which generates lightning fast low-end and mid-range power suitable for urban areas and open roads. Apart from this Inazuma has been provided with 6-speed transmission and is equipped with a rear mono-shock with a seven-way adjustable spring preload and telescopic forks in the front.

Along with this, Suzuki Inazuma would also feature large analog tachometer with new-age digital gear position indicator, digital LCD speedometer, odometer, twin trip meter, clock, fuel gauge readouts and 3 mode rpm indicators. It would also be provided with a stylish 3-spoke wheels. Suzuki Inazuma comes with a 12 months warranty and is expected to be priced around $6000 (INR 334200 approx.).

Check out more spy pictures below the jump.

Also see - Suzuki GW250 Inazuma motorcycle might hit Indian shores soon

Source - GEARS – Goan Enthusiasts And RiderS (on Facebook)

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New Bajaj Pulsar 375 – FrontView

We know Bajaj’s flagship model Pulsar 375 is speculated to hit Indian showrooms before the end of 2013. Now we got the latest spy pictures that reveal a lot of details as compared to the older pictures that were leaked earlier this year. It does seem that the bike is still in its development stage but nearing completion and very soon a test mule could be seen testing.

Earlier this-week, we had reported the confirmation of the Pulsar 375 by trusted media house AutoCarIndia (ACI). The renderings of the frontal portion had also broken cover, but yes, it was a teaser! Now the folks at ACI have disclosed the full-picture of Pulsar 375 without a single piece of camouflage spotted at an unknown location.

As compared to the previous spy pictures, the new pictures reveal the rear and tail section of the bike for the first time. Sharp and angular line care carried till the rear section. But the tail lamp, which is not visible, is likely to have an LED unit. No exhaust on either side probably means that the Pulsar 375 will sport a stubby underbelly exhaust unit.

Other features seen include the typical Pulsar aircraft type fuel lid, a similar cowl around the instrument panel and tank design that has a hint of that of the 200NS. The turn indicator seems to be taken from the KTM Duke parts bin and also the tyres seen on the Pulsar 375 are Metzeler ones that is likely to be seen on the soon to be launched KTM Duke 390.

New Bajaj Pulsar 375 – RearView

Under the skin, the Pulsar 375 will feature a single cylinder 373cc engine, liquid cooled, fuel-injected engine, which will be mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. It is expected to deliver a hefty 40bhp of the peak power with the peak torque of 30Nm. It will deliver outstanding performance, enhanced acceleration and a top speed upwards of 160 kmph.

Alloy wheels, telescopic fork front suspension and monoshock at the rear are evident from spy pictures as are its steel and multi spar frame, petal type disc brakes and steel swingarm at the rear. Retaining the Pulsar value for money scheme, we are expecting this new Pulsar 375 to be priced somewhere around Rs. 2 lakh.
 
Check out another spy picture below the jump.

Also see - Bajaj Pulsar 375’s more detail and rendered picture emerges

New Bajaj Pulsar 375 – FrontFascia

Source – AutoCarIndia

The post New spy pictures of Bajaj Pulsar 375 flagship model snapped appeared first on Bharath Autos - Automobile News Updates.

2012 Royal Enfield Bullet C5 Military Battle Green – FrontView

Royal Enfield is one of the oldest bike manufacturers in the country and has been known for its premium bikes. Recently Royal Enfield added a number of bikes to its 350cc and 500cc bike portfolio. Soon after the launch the thump of the Royal Enfield echoed the streets; these were not only technologically advanced but also were modified to suit the riding choice of the common riders which added to the popularity of the bikes along with the same retro looks.

Even though the company does not face any direct competition from any other 2-wheeler manufacturer in India, it seems that’s just not enough. And there’s a good reason for the same, they are still missing out on the big volume market of 2500cc segment and the creamy segment in the range of 500cc to 800cc. Considering the fact, Royal Enfield has decided to add more bikes to these segments. The company is all-set to launch its Continental GT (Cafe Racer) bike soon.

The Continental GT will be powered by a 536cc motor and will be priced around INR 2.0 lakhs. The addition of bikes in the range of 250 to 300cc will put the Enfield in direct competition with manufacturers like Bajaj, KTM, Honda and Yamaha. Although in the higher range of 500 to 800cc is Enfield can still be the unbeaten king in the India market, also these bikes can face competition with other international brands in this segment.

2012 Royal Enfield Bullet C5 Military Battle Green – SideView

The company also wants to increase their export number, which presently is a mere 3% of its total sales to upto 10% percent in coming years. In order to achieve this target the company has invested Rs. 150 crore in its Oragadam plant in Chennai. The new facility is equipped to make 150,000 units in a year which can go upto 250,000 units by the end of 2014. Royal Enfield exports its bikes to US and Europe and is also exploring markets like Africa and Latin America for its future products.

The company is very confident about its products, and is hoping to beat the projected sales target to approximately twice by the end of next year.

Also see - Royal Enfield plans 750cc and 1000cc bikes in India

Bigger Bullets & diesel variants on Royal Enfield’s pipeline

Source – MotorBeam

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TVS Apache modified

The Indian 2-wheeler market has gone way ahead of just purpose of commutation, now it’s about style and power. Considering the current trend in the 2-wheeler segment the 250cc has been the most popular ones, since it maintains a good balance between power and mileage. There is tough competition among the bike manufacturers and each one wants to have bike in this segment. TVS Motors have been doing great with it Apache but considering that the bike is below 200cc, they are losing on a big piece of market share. On the other hand BMW has its bike above 600cc, which means they too are missing on the high volume market segment. To tackle this, TVS and BMW have joined hands and will produce a 2500cc bike in India.

While talking to Overdrive, Venu Srinivasan, chairman of TVS motors said, “We are certainly pleased at TVS as this gives us the ability to produce products above 250cc that we do not make today.” He also added that, “These products will be manufactured by us in India with two different styles, features and specifications, one for BMW for sale throughout the world and one for TVS,”. This means that TVS and BMW will have their own selling and marketing strategies. Both the companies will certainly benefit from this merger, since TVS will have access to BMW’s technology and BMW will be able to enter the much luring Indian bike segment with much less investment and push the sales figures much higher.

So far we have seen some good results coming from such mergers and we can hope to see some good quality TVS and BMW bikes soon.

Also see - TVS Motor Company and BMW Motorrad join hands to develop sub-500cc bikes

Source - Overdrive

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Hero Glamour 125

The world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, Hero MotoCorp Ltd. (HMCL) is facing a tough competition from erstwhile partner Honda and Bajaj Auto, and amid increasing competition, Hero is also losing numbers with every passing day. Honda is eating into Hero’s market share and recently launched commuter motorcycles such as the Dream Yuga 110 and the Dream Neo 110 have been doing superb for Honda in the segment, which has been the core segment for Hero in India.

On the other side, another home grown brand, Bajaj Auto is following aggressive strategy for the commuter segment. The company recently announced to expand the Discover range, with the launch of 4-6 new Discover motorcycles. While few other manufacturers like TVS and Yamaha are also planning to launch new affordable commuter bikes in India soon.

Thus, it was very important for Hero to counter all these plans, and now there are news coming from Economic Times that Hero MotoCorp is also planning to launch two new motorcycles and a new scooter this year. The new motorcycles will be powered by engines displacing 100-125cc and will cater to the highly competitive commuter segment of our bike market.

Hero Maestro

Currently, Hero MotoCorp sells two Scooters; Hero Pleasure and Maestro. Both the scooters are doing well in terms of sales, but Hero wants to ensure more share in the automatic scooter segment, which is the core strength segment for Honda. Therefore, the company will also be launching a new automatic scooter soon.

The upcoming motorcycles are expected to arrive sometime before festive season this year and it is being said these bikes could be developed with inputs from Hero’s technology partner, Eric Buell Racing of America.

Also see - Hero MotoCorp confirms the launch of 250cc motorcycle at 2014 Delhi Auto Expo

Source - Economictimes.Indiatimes.com

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Mahindra’s Honda Dio/ Yamaha Ray rival

The automatic scooter segment of our India’s two wheelers market is enjoying a decent growth rate. Thus, almost every two-wheeler manufacturer is showing interest to foray into this fast developing segment, future seems pretty promising for Indian scooter buying crowd. The discontinued Kinetic Honda can easily be credited with playing an instrumental role in the development of this segment.

We are not going into depth! Kinetic Honda became Mahindra two-wheelers in 2008, the core business for Mahindra Two Wheelers still lies in the auto scooter segment. Today, our friends at BikeAdvice have captured a glimpse Mahindra’s upcoming scooter spotted on the outskirts of Pune near its plant. This scooter is early prototype with mismatched parts and a lot of camouflage to ensure its identity is hidden.

The scooter seen here is speculated to battle against the likes of Yamaha Ray and the Honda Dio. As per the unconfirmed report, this scooter is codenamed as 301 and will NOT carry the same 125cc engine from Rodeo RX and Duro DX. Although it’s unclear about engine size at the moment we expect a new engine to be get plonked into it with high fuel efficiency and power figures.

Mahindra’s upcoming scooter codenamed 301

According to folks at BikeAdvice, this scooter is expected to launch probably by the end of this year, after the launch of the Centuro 110cc motorcycle. Also don’t be panicked to see if Mahindra market’s the new scooter as a ‘female specific’ offering. Apart from this, Mahindra also has a lot of products in its pipeline for the Indian market including a 125-150cc motorcycle, the 300cc Mojo and 2 more scooters as well.

Also see - Mahindra to launch 3 new scooters and a motorcycle this-year

Source - BikeAdvice

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Honda Lead 125cc scooter – FrontView

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) wants to become the biggest two wheeler manufacturer in India by 2020. To achieve this ambitious goal, Honda will launch four new products in the country every year. In 2013, the company has already launched Honda Dream Neo 110cc motorcycle and Honda CB Trigger 150cc, thus, 2 more products are in the pipeline for this-year.

In March-2013, we already reported our readers that Honda Lead 125cc scooter might be heading to India. Now our good friend at OnCars.in, Rohit Paradkar has tweeted ‘Honda 2 Wheelers is planning to launch a new scooter soon. Expected to b a flagship fr its scooter range & cud run a new 125cc mill.’ Although it’s unclear, we speculate the upcoming scooter could be the Honda Lead, which is already on-sale in Vietnam.

Under the skin, the Honda Lead comes powered with a 125cc, liquid cooled and single cylinder engine that provides low friction technology along with high fuel efficiency. It has been provided with Programmed Fuel Injection system (PGM-FI) for high mileage, but we doubt the company will offer the same in India for cost reasons. We expect the upcoming scooter to cost around Rs 50,000-55,000.

Honda Lead 125cc scooter – RearView

Coming to the styling and specification, Honda Lead has been provided with a 5-spoke wheel , V-shaped thick chrome strip also with integrated indicators by the side of the chrome strip, LED Tail lamps, both digital and manual tachometer along with a clock, fuel lid and seat can be opened using the rocker switch through the main key and also a huge 37-liters of storage space under the seat.

The automatic scooter segment in India is heating-up, this is a right move taken by the Honda to further strengthen its share in country’s two-wheeler market. The upcoming Honda scooter will directly compete with the most expensive scooter in the country, Piaggio Vespa. Once launched, it will also become a nightmare to the recently launched Yamaha Ray-Z.
 
Check out more pictures below the jump.

Also see - Honda Lead 125cc scooter is it heading to India?

Honda Lead 125cc scooter – 001

Honda Lead 125cc scooter – 002

Source - Rohit Paradkar On Twitter

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There has been a dramatic change in the bike scenario on the Indian streets, and riders have been demanding more from new bike hitting the streets. There was a time when 150cc was considered more than enough, but soon came in bikes in the range of 180cc to 200cc. But the demands seem to go on increasing and riders can just not be satisfied by their rides. These demands are well understood the manufacturers and as a result many of them have already started working on their new products to keep their buyers happy (for whatever time possible).

So, if you think you need more from your bike, your patients may just pay off. Here`s a brief introduction of upcoming bikes that you soon burn rubber on Indian roads;

1.  Bajaj Pulsar 375 -

Bajaj Pulsar 375

Bajaj has always introduced products have met customer demands and also their products have taken the competition to the next level. New about the Pulsar 375 has been around from some time, with spy shots floating on the internet, but finally Rajiv Bajaj has given an official confirmation on their new product. We can expect the bike to be launched by the end of 2013, but it’s just a guess.

The bike will be powered by a 375cc motor and will produce a power of 40bhp. The price of the bike is still to be known but since it’s a Bajaj, we can be sure it won’t hurt your pocket much (compared to other bike in the same range). (also click here to see the recent updates on Bajaj Pulsar 375 in India.)
 
2.  KTM Duke 390 -

KTM Duke 390

KTM bikes were an instant hit among Indian riders and thanks to Bajaj, KTM products are well in reach of many enthusiasts. The KTM Duke 200 gave birth to a new breed of riders and a liking for naked bikes to the Indian riders. KTM has planned to take this experience to a new level and is all set to launch the KTM 390 by next-month.

The bike will be powered by a 390cc engine producing 44bhp. The bike is expected to be priced around 2.5 lakh. (click here to see the recent updates on KTM Duke 390 in India.)
 
3.  KTM RC250 -

2013 KTM 1190 RC8 R Superbike (used as illustration)

So if you thought KTM was only looking to impress riders who love the naked look of the bike, it’s not right, faired bikes have been a favourite in India from a long time now and the success of the Karizma is a good example. KTM is working on a fully faired RC250 which will share its platform with the RC8. The bike will be powered by a 250cc engine and as it turns out it will be the smallest KTM production bike with fairing.

The bike is expected to be launched by mid-2014 and is expected to be priced around 2 lakh. (click here to see the recent updates on KTM RC250 in India.)
 
4. Yamaha R25 -

2014 Yamaha YZF-R25

Yamaha has kept the excitement going up and from every new product they introduced in Indian market have resulted in more numbers of fans. But having bikes only under 200cc is the major drawback. As per the news from Indonesian media, Yamaha is working on a 250cc bike. The bike is expected to have similar handling capabilities as of the R15 and with more power a much better riding experience is obvious.

Details of the new bike are still a big secret and so are the price and the expected time of launch. (click here to see the recent updates on Yamaha R25 in India.)
 
5.  Suzuki Inazuma 250 -

Suzuki Inazuma 250

Whenever we talk about performance bikes the picture we get is of a bike with race like riding position and an inclined seating. Well, Suzuki is all set to paints its own picture with the new Suzuki Inazuma. The bike has the looks and feel of a commuter bike, which ensures a comfortable riding position, but has a heart of a sports bike. The Inazuma has a parallel-twin 248cc engine than produces a power of 26bhp. The Inazuma has arrived in India and may soon be available in the showrooms.

The bike is expected to be priced around Rs 2 lakh. (click here to see the recent updates on Suzuki Inazuma 250 in India.)
 
6.  Honda CBR400R -

2013 Honda CBR400R

With the competition working on 250cc bikes, Honda is already one step ahead. Honda had showcased its versions of the CBR400 at the Tokyo Motor Show. The produces a power of 40bhp, which might seems less for the mighty motor, but it certainly has its own advantages.

The bike is expected to be launched by early-2014 and the expected price can be around Rs. 3.5 to 4 lakh. (click here to see the recent updates on Honda CBR400R in India.)
 
7.  Mahindra Mojo -

Mahindra Mojo 300

This is one of the most talked about bike mainly for its design and the twin headlamp which gives it a very different look than the bikes we have seen so far. Also the home grown 300cc engine which produces a power of 26bhp were the features that were most talked about. But it’s been a long time now and there is no concrete news about the bike apart from speculations regarding design change and launch date.

The bike is expected to be launched by the end of 2013 and being an Indian manufacturer Mahindra is expected to put the right price tag. (click here to see the recent updates on Mahindra Mojo in India.)

Also see - The Rise of 250cc motorcycle segment in India

Source – BikeAdvice

The post Indian bike scene to have some more bikes in the 250 to 500cc range appeared first on Bharath Autos - Automobile News Updates.

Polaris plans for the introduction of Indian Motorcycles for India

Polaris is planning to launch a big V-Type engine which is already famous for ATV’s in India keeping the classic Indian engine look starting next-year. Initially started as the Hendee Manufacturing Company back in 1901, was later renamed to Indian Motorcycle Manufacturing Company in 1928. Stephen Julius and Steve Heese owner of the Chris-Craft and Reva luxury boat brands bought the Indian Motorcycles in 2004 which then began selling their range of Motorcycles from 2008.

Harley Davidson one of the premium motorcycles over the globe was initially launched in India in 2010. Although Harley Davidson was priced more than 5 lakhs INR, it saw an overall growth of 178 percent due to the demand for large capacitor cruisers. An impact of this growth led Polaris to also introduce their range of Motorcycles in India.

The Polaris introduction would be featured with a all-new 2014 Indian Chief motorcycle, as seen in the teaser above. It will be first unveiled at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (world’s largest motorcycle rally), between August 3 till August 11, 2013. The motorcycle will be powered by 1819 cc engine, the same engine that powers the Thunder Stroke 111 motorcycle.

The 2014 Indian Chief motorcycle will be the first launch by the iconic American brand in India, as they pledged to launch their motorcycles into new markets including China and New Zealand. The Indian Chief will be retailing at $ 18,999 (Rs 10.4 lakh) in US. So we can expect the motorcycle to be priced a little over Rs 20 lakh with all the duties to directly compete with the Harley Davidson Road King. The other bikes in the current (2013) range of Indian motorcycles start at about Rs. 15 lakh.
 
Check out the teaser video below the jump.

Also see - Victory Motorcycle brand by Polaris to be launched in India by late 2013

Source – Indian Motorcycle

The post Polaris plans for the introduction of 2014 Indian Chief motorcycle in India appeared first on Bharath Autos - Automobile News Updates.

Suzuki seems to be working really very hard to grab the market share it has been longing for since a long time. With its Inazuma nearing the launch date Suzuki is already working on a 250cc fully-faired sportsbike. With the Inazuma designed to give a comfortable yet powerful riding experience, this one is a sportsbike.

Recently Young Machine, a popular automobiles magazine in Japan published rendered images of what seems to be a small capacity Gixxer. The front fairing and the huge mono headlamp gives a clue that the styling of the 250cc bike will be derived from its elder sibling the GSX 1000R. What we see from the image, the bike will get a telescopic front suspension and a monoshock suspension layout at rear and the bike will be equipped with disc brake at its front and rear wheels. The exact spec of the engine and other components are not known so far, but it can be expected to similar to other 250cc bike in the Suzuki portfolio with some tweaks churn out better performance.

Suzuki has  already launched 250cc bikes which were even street legal with a top speed of above 200kmph. The bikes could produce a power of 45 PS@15000rpm and a torque of 24Nm@10500rpm which is a very impressive figure. However the bikes had their skeleton made out of steel rather than aluminum which made them heavier. These bikes were very popular in Japan, and were also sold in Australia and New Zealand.

The 250cc segment has picked up a lot of heat and every manufacturer is trying to launch its best beast to impress its buyers in this segment. With two new models, with totally different styling Suzuki has made sure that there will be one less reason for its buyers to look anywhere else.
 
Check out more rendered images below the jump.

Also see - Indian bike scene to have some more bikes in the 250 to 500cc range

Spy Shots – Suzuki Inazuma 250 caught in lenses during ad-shoot in Goa

Source – TMC Blog

The post Photo Rendering – Suzuki 250cc Gixxer on the works, is it heading to India? appeared first on Bharath Autos - Automobile News Updates.

Honda schedules to launch all-new Activa-i scooter on 12th June

Earlier this-month, we reported our readers that Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India is speculated to launch Honda Lead 125cc scooter in India soon. Now further strengthening the report a teaser image appears online which reades ‘ready to fly 12^th June 2013’ (image seen above) tweeted by an OnCars member Gauri Lokare says that the two-wheeler maker intends to christen it ‘Activa-i’.

At the moment, nothing much is known about the Activa-i, it is speculated to be the flagship model in Honda scooters line-up with a bigger engine. Currently, Honda doesn’t have a product any product in the 125cc scooter segment. Thus, Honda adding a 125cc scooter might become a nightmare to the entire two-wheeler manufacturer who are now enjoying the freedom in 125cc automatic scooter segment.

Although before we predicted the upcoming scooter could be the Honda Lead, which is already on-sale in Vietnam. Now going by the name Activa-i, we speculate the upcoming 125cc scooter could be the regular Activa variant with a 125cc engine sourced from Honda Lead. This scooter might get few sporty add-ons like a new sticker and multi color job. Furthermore, also expect it to get a telescopic suspension, Combi brakes, Digital speedo console and other new features.
 
Stay tuned to BharathAutos to know more about the upcoming Honda Activa-i !

Also see - Honda 2-Wheelers expected to launch a new 125cc scooter for India soon

Source – Twitter.com

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