All posts by Sunil Gupta

xBhp Rides and Reviews the Yamaha VMAX

Photos: Sundeep Gajjar/ Sunny
Text: Sandeep Goswami/ Old Fox

“Power corrupts. And absolute power corrupt absolutely”, wrote Lord Acton in a letter to Bishop Creighton adding hence that great men are almost always bad men. I wonder what else the staid and proper Lord Acton would have written had he sampled the VMAX on a drag strip then. V MAX is ‘Max’ in every sense of the word, both within and without the motorcycling lexicon. Yamaha had introduced the drag-strip king way back in 1985. The Yamaha Star VMAX, with its huge 1198cc V-4 put 140 PS on the rear wheel. A true muscle bike in every sense, which even the best of V-8’s couldn’t wish away at drags. The VMAX ruled and became the only motorcycle to be featured as a legend (at the Guggenheim Museum) while still in active production.

The 2009 VMAX comes with such Olympian lineage. 25 years is a long time in modern day technological terms but absolutes and superlatives still remain relative. The present day VMAX retains the king’s crown and how. Just one quick twist of its throttle in first gear will let you know what it takes to rule. Its 1679cc liquid-cooled V-4 churns out 200 PS (at 9k RPM) and 167 Nm of torque (at 6.5k RPM) at the crank. Even at 310kg wet, this low geared hunk of metal is so powerful that the rider cannot even twitch his right hand without getting a sledge-hammer punch up his butt. Though electronically limited to a top speed of about 225 kmph, it is about how it gets to that speed which matters. And it does so with devilish brutality.

Yamaha has not skimped on any technological bits and farkles on this prodigious motorcycle. The list starts at things like YCC-T (Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle), the YCC-I (Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake), the EXUP (Exhaust Ultimate Power) Valve, six-piston radial brake callipers straight off the YZF R1 coupled with a pretty effective ABS, a new diamond frame made from cast and extruded aluminium that uses the engine as a stressed member and a very stiff aluminium swing-arm that lets this shafty behave like a chain-driven bike. The fuel injection is pretty well sorted out, whatever your gauge of ‘violence’ in acceleration might say to that. It is just that this bike needs an entirely different mind-set and control grading than other bikes, even those that are equally powerful in specification.

On your first ride on this Hulk, please make sure you’re upright, pointed straight ahead with ‘plenty’ of empty tarmac between you and the nearest obstacle and that you’re very gentle with the throttle. This fat lady just likes to take off with a bizarre and grotesque quickness that is literally breath-taking. But whatever those brutish ‘power’ attributes, it is a very civilized motorcycle in every other sense of the word. Every other. The clutch is light and precise; the gear shifts come with a sure and firm click, vibrations are almost non-existent at normal cruising speeds and the throttle response is more than instantaneous bordering on the telepathic.

The VMAX is a big bike, a fact all the more accentuated by its huge almost 5ft long wheelbase. This length might make wheelies difficult but it does impart that much needed straight-line stability to this lightning fast locomotive. And helps the rubber put down those massive doses of torque without spinning. Though there’s not much you can do to help avoid leaving streaks of rubber down the straightway when taking off with that adrenalin rush in mind. In the same vein, the rider needs to be extra careful exiting turns as the rear does have a strong tendency to spin away at the least carelessness with the throttle inputs. Downshifts are relatively carefree stuff, what with that excellent ramp type slipper clutch.

The bike looks beautiful in a very ‘machine oriented’ manner. It’s a more engine-less frame kind of a motorcycle, all rippling muscle and granite hard features. The instrument console is a two-way split, with the digital speedo/analog tacho and a bright shift-light on the round console above the headlamp and the secondary display on the fuel tank that incorporates a clock, odometer, dual-trip meters, gear position, coolant temperature, intake air temperature, throttle grip angle, a fuel gauge as well as distance-to-empty mileage countdown.. The head-lamp can only be termed adequate as no amount of lighting up front can make you safe enough on a bike that fast and powerful at night. There’s one grouse though and that’s the absurdly low range provided by the 15 ltr fuel tank which needs a top up every 150-175 odd kms.

The VMAX sits at the top of the ‘power-cruiser’ category of motorcycles. In fact it actually defines the category and lords over it at the same time. This is a bike that makes any and every after-market performance enhancement stuff totally redundant. It already has more, much more than you can bite and chew. The VMAX in stock is enough to make you smile and scream in sync, from the same mouth that is. Yours.

An interview with Mr. Shyam Mehta – the man who rides a Yamaha VMAX to work!

What brought you in the world of Superbiking?

The skepticism about Superbiking or for that matter any other field is a deadly enemy of self-development. Surely this is no age for the skeptic, because it is an age in which we have seen more & more exciting fields uncovered, than that had been discovered & seen in the past in India. Truly this is the time of illumination & unfoldment.
So I said to myself (Against the wishes of the family which gradually melted away off course), let me take a plunge in this wonderful & exciting world of superbiking.
And to be absolutely honest with you, I am so happy to have taken a plunge, because I feel to have unlocked the gate that leads to the secret power which is stored up, within all of us.
It has brought me the thrill that has made all past discoveries pale into oblivion by comparison.

Yours first bike and its experience with it?

The first bike was way back in 1985 when I brought an Enfield Bullet for Rupees Sixteen Thousand.
Then I bought a Yamaha RD 350 which was considered to be super bike of that era. Then came a long vacuum as far as biking goes.
Got intrigued when I came across a group of riders on the Delhi-Jaipur Highway and went to pick up a Hayabusa from the Showroom. Enjoyed it for a couple of months. The Hayabusa is undeniable in terms of design & technology. It has been there since so many years and has gained this iconic image which it so richly deserves.
It was the Hayabusa which got me introduced to my new set of beautiful friends & as on a date I continue to ride with the same group, the FRMC.

Something attracted you to the Yamaha V Max over your first bike, what was it?

Hayabusa Gs X1300 R is an amazingly powerful & comfortable bike and it was hard to bid farewell to this one.
The riding position was not as comfortable as it should be for me probably because of my size & weight, the seat was near prefect but the slightly leaning forward posture took its toll on my wrist and sometimes back on long hauls.
I decided that I will be simply happier sitting upright rather than hunched over the bars.
There can be no one bike made for all, is I guess what I am saying.
Then I laid my eyes on the V Max. This encounter was at the Auto Expo 2010.

Your experience with the V Max so far? Likes and dislikes?

The sheer presence of the VMax took my breath away. It was such a stunner – OH My God! It was the interpretation of motorcycling’s iconic muscle bike. It was like artillery with a set of angry muscles waiting to receive a command so that it can shoot out and spit fire. It bursts with energy even at a standstill. I just got sold, in the bargain; the Yamaha India made their first sale of the V Max!
On the road again, this bike is fast, brutally fast. The 1679cc V four mill pumps out a rear tyre destroying 197 horsepower. The first crack of the throttle & you feel you have a loaded gun to ride; it is an exercise in responsibility.
The engine besides the looks is the USP, the chassis is impressive too. The brakes are as strong as the engine and are equipped with the ABS System. The confidence level while riding this machine is very high because you feel that the bike is an extension of your body and it gives you what you expect out of it, with no time lag.
Perfection cannot be improved is what I have to say.

Finally, what do you do when not biking?

While, I am not biking my time is absorbed by my other passions, which is to breed, raise & exhibit pure bred dogs. I would like to share with you here that I have bred Boxers in India, who have finished their Championship Titles in USA & Canada and have ended up their showing careers by becoming International Champions. This tantamount to creating history in the Indian Kennel World since this feat has been accomplished by no one since the inception of the Kennel Club of India, this is now 106 years old.
My kennel situated in Gurgaon, is the home of more than a dozen American Champion Boxers who are show stoppers and I have been bagging the titles of the “Number One Winning Boxers” in India for more than eight years. I am also the elected President of the Indian Boxer Club which is the only National Breed Club for Boxers and is affiliated to the Kennel Club of India.
I am on the verge of getting my International All Breed Judging License, which will entitle me to judge dog shows in over 47 countries worldwide. This will hopefully get me even more friends overseas in due course, so I am anticipating great expectations in the near future from my judging career.

In order to support my expensive hobbies I need to work! I run an extremely successful business house with 2000 plus employees in India. Ours is a Multinational Company with a presence in 50 countries. Me and my brother are the stakeholders in this MNC for the manufacturing, sales and Marketing operations here on pan India basis. We currently have the second largest capacity plants for manufacturing of energy efficient Compact Fluorescent Lamps and LED lamps in the country under the brand name of Energetic (Energetic India)

TECH SPECS

Engine type: 4-stroke, DOHC, 4-valve, V-type 4-cylinder
Engine Cooling: Liquid cooled
Displacement: 1,679cc
Bore & Stroke: 90.0 x 66.0 mm
Compression ratio: 11.3:1
Maximum power: 147.2 kW (200 PS) @ 9,000 rpm
Maximum torque: 166.8 Nm (17.0 kg-m) @ 6,500 rpm
Lubrication system: Wet sump
Fuel system: Fuel injection
Starter system: Electric
Clutch type: Wet, multiple-disc diaphragm spring
Ignition system: T.C.I

Transmission system: Constant mesh, 5-speed
Final transmission: Shaft drive
Primary ratio: 1.509
Secondary ratio: 3.082
Gear ratio-1st gear: 2.375
Gear ratio-2nd gear: 1.810
Gear ratio-3rd gear: 1.400
Gear ratio-4th gear: 1.115
Gear ratio-5th gear: 0.935
Fuel tank capacity: 15 litres
Oil tank capacity: 5.9 litres

Aluminum, Diamond-shaped

Front suspension: Telescopic forks, Ø 52 mm
Front travel: 120 mm
Rear suspension: Swingarm (Link-type suspension)
Rear travel: 110 mm
Caster angle: 31°
Trail: 148 mm
Front brake: Dual wave discs, Ø 320 mm
Rear brake: Single wave disc, Ø 298 mm
Front tyre: 120/70 R18M/C (59V)
Rear tyre: 200/50 R18M/C (76V)

Length: 2,395 mm
Width: 820 mm
Height: 1,190 mm
Seat height: 775 mm
Wheelbase: 1,700 mm
Minimum ground clearance: 140 mm
Service weight: 310 kg

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Text: Sandeep Goswami/ Old Fox

Photos: Sundeep Gajjar/ Sunny

Imagine James Bond, not as a human but as a machine…or rather a motorcycle. Dressed to kill, superlative in performance, efficient to the point of perfection and with that intriguing aura of mystery and mystique added to this already extraordinary amalgam of lineaments. That’s the Honda Rune for you. The brand new avatar of the famed Honda Valkyrie. A motorcycle built by a company known for its very efficient and very functional no-nonsense machinery on two wheels and four, across the globe and since decades. But with the Rune, Honda has taken a commendable step towards near-perfect aesthetics, demonstrating a flair and flourish only seen in one-off custom designs. From ‘clinical’ motorcycles optimized in design for mass production to a cruiser that could almost be passed of as ‘hand-crafted’. Commendable.

The flowing lines that envelop the 1823cc horizontally-opposed six cylinder engine (taken from the Goldwing) are an impossible admixture of the retro and the futuristic. The trailing link front fork, the ‘melting’ headlamp, the blue digital ‘fuel tank embedded’ console, the outstanding exhaust and the huge rear fender with its embedded LED strips all combine to make for a very impressive style-function combo. The bike is huge…and heavy, with an imposing street presence. A motorcycle that you never get tired of looking at, whether standing still or swooshing past you, so great is the amount of detailing and visual oomph that’s gone into its design.

Walk up to the bike, preferably dressed in Jodhpurs, long riding boots with spurs and a long flowing coat, and swing a leg over its low saddle to straddle it. The heaviness is apparent as you lift it off the side-stand. The ubiquitous chrome around you glimmers, shimmers and sparkles in your eyes as you switch on the ignition and thumb the starter. The ‘soft-tuned’ flat six rumbles to life, with a deep bass filled and throaty rumble that is. Blip the throttle and the crisp response and smoothness of the engine has ‘Honda’ stamped all over it. Stretch the left leg, pull in the clutch and shift it into first. A muted ‘thunk’ with a ‘click’ in sync tells you that you’re ready to sail.

The torque the engine produces in this state of tune is nothing short of amazing. Enough to uproot a tree, the torque curve goes vertical from near idling, hitting its peak at a mere 2000 rpm. The bike pulls relentlessly and does not go breathless as you work your way through the tranny, the speed building up unnervingly fast for a cruiser….or in fact for any motorcycle. The unsuspecting rider could have the handlebars snatched out of his hands, so strong and quick is the torque build-up. The slowest of forward motion does magic to the ‘heaviness’ of the Rune. The weight and mass almost vanish when the behemoth moves and the light feel only improves as speed builds up. Though limited in lean by the characteristic low ground clearance as in all cruisers, the Rune nevertheless remains surprisingly well planted even when the peg-feelers are being ground to dust on tarmac.

The trick trailing link front suspension is not only a very strong visual element of the bike but it also is a major contributor to its impeccable handling credentials. Feedback and response is phenomenal and so is the damping. Though not the same can be said for the rear. The one-sided swing arm with its single damper is a tad disappointing, being harsh and not providing a response that matches up to the superb front. The rear feels skittish on turns on anything less than a smooth surface and hits back pretty hard when it rides over rough roads. All this while, the front seems to be existing on a different planet altogether.

Braking is again great, the front and rear being linked. The cruiser stops from high speeds without fuss or drama, the ample rear tyre and the long wheelbase coupled with a low C of G aiding this stability, allowing the rider to exploit the large 330mm discs to the hilt. The brakes are coupled, the rear brake pedal also operating one of the front disc pistons while the remaining two are operated by the front brake lever.

Ergonomically, the bike seems spot on for the cruiser lovers. And this adds to the overall comfort quotient of the bike. The seat has ample width and sufficient cushioning and its contours are quite unobtrusive. In the sense the rider gets ample choice in sitting either close to the tank or a little farther behind. But long rides should not end up with a sore bum on the Rune. It lacks a rear seat in the true ‘lone-rider’ fashion and though that in no way reduces the appeal of the bike, but it sure does not give the owner the option of carrying any luggage whatsoever.

The heart of any bike is its engine. And the Rune has a gem in that Gold-wing derived flat six. The low 9.8:1 compression ratio makes the engine feel unstressed and also tolerant to low octane fuels. It also revs freely and seems extremely well-built. The only issue with the engine is its rather abrupt mid-range response, which when coupled with a shaft drive makes for an uncomfortably snappy on-off throttle response. No amount of grading the throttle hand seems to make the abruptness go. It is the only tiny smudge on the otherwise flawless power-plant.

The Rune, in a nutshell, can be hailed as a giant step forward for production cruisers, as it beats even the best of customs hands down. It is expensive but not as much as a custom bike of such proportions, aesthetics, quality and performance would cost. It is heavy…no massive…but only at stand-still. On the move it is nimbler than deer on the run. And it is probably the only bike around that can captivate without even moving an inch, so arresting is its design and execution. Right from the unique front, the ‘shaped’ radiator, the ‘cool blue’ instrument display, the invisible rear suspension and drive and those futuristic LED’s on the huge n smooth rear fender seem the last word in cruiser design. Buy it if you have the moolah….or just encourage your motorcyclist friend to buy one. Just being able to look at it at leisure seems a blessing. Long live change. Long live the Rune.

Discuss this review on the xBhp Forums

Text: Sandeep Goswami/ Old Fox and Sundeep Gajjar/ Sunny

Photos: Sundeep Gajjar/ Sunny

It was tall, bright and lanky. A veteran motorcyclist who has 500,000 kms under his belt seemed a little misplaced sitting on it, but not for long. The height was enough to make you believe you are sitting on a king’s throne with all other people on the road being your subjects, kneeling down as they see in amazement as you slither amidst the Delhi traffic with a newfound élan. At traffic lights you have to be wearing 6 inch heels or need to be tall as a giraffe to balance the thing. But once you are off everything can be just a speck in the rear view mirror (if there was one). 56 Bhp 122kg wet makes it fly like a horse with his arse on fire. Quite a different motorcycle really. Being a touring junkie I could see it fly across the More plains with stupendous ease and speed. However, the very small gas tank and some other features (very apt for MX races) will impede my ambitious dreams on it. With a road tyre it would definitetly be a fun and powerful machine capable of handling any kind of terrain the under-construction city of Delhi throws at it.

The first impression will be written in greater detail by the gentleman who sports these goggles:

The first Impression by Old Fox:

It is tall. Sitting on it, I couldn’t get both feet on the ground together. Not even both toes. It was either this foot or that. It is lanky. Seen from up front, the bike is very lean and narrow with the radiator and handlebar sticking way out in width while the rest of the body seems surprisingly slim in comparison. Bright. Well, yes. The red and white colour scheme definitely catches the eye. But then, the words ‘tall, bright and lanky’ unwittingly omit muscle power. While this guy christened CRF450X by Honda has more than its fair share of it. A 450 single (actually 449cc) that makes a super-healthy 56 bhp (and 50Nm of torque!) steps into the relatively high-performance region of specific power output hovering around the 120bhp/ltr mark. That’s loads of power for a moto-crosser. And more so when you get to feel how it comes on tap. Super snappy, almost like a 2-stroker with oodles of torque added. The quick-throttle adds to the effect but then the engine needs to be responsive enough for the fancy throttle to be effective. Try snapping a 350cc single (our good ‘ol Bullet) and see the engine bog down. The absence of fly-wheel mass, spot on tuning and low mass engine components can sure make a 450 single as snappy and revvy as a 250 or even less.

No ignition key is needed. Just sit on the bike, make sure it is in neutral, pull in the clutch lever and thumb the starter, making sure you don’t twist the throttle. The bike starts and settles into a sort-of lumpy but quick idle. Shift into first, which slots with a sure and soft thunk and get rolling. You’ll be surprised by the smooth clutch and the super-responsive engine. Any first timer on it lurches forward before catching on the clutch and easing it a moment later with his throttle hand thoroughly re-graded. The bike pulls strong in the relatively tallish first, keep upshifting through the close-ratio 5 speed gear-box using the short-throw lever and the bike seems on endless traction. The high seating gives you a commanding view on road (these words are in context with its use on typical urban tarmac) and the bike feels like it is built around you. Mass-centralization is at its best in these off-roaders and even the high C of G brings no adverse effects to their handling. The wide bars and centralized weight allows the rider a level of steering control that’s close to phenomenal. Even a rank amateur to off-roading/moto-cross like me felt sure enough to ride the bike up a short flight of stairs without balking even for a moment. Unusually confidence inspiring.

Sitting on the slim bike, you don’t actually realize it’s a 450 till you turn that throttle. And then you don’t forget. The light weight takes a while to get used to on so tall a saddle but once on the move, you instantly realize the huge benefits of this lack of flab. Flickability is phenomenal, braking again is great, both on and off road and the seat narrow and long enough to let the rider use his body weight to full advantage. Suspension travel and response with those inverted Showas up-front (with more than a foot of travel!) and Pro-link mono-shock at the rear is again nothing short of amazing for tarmac crawlers like me. Though even the best of off-roaders appreciate it on this bike. Speed-bumps a few inches high are like a ripple underneath. Getting in and out of ruts is an absent-minded activity. In a little while, one tends to focus more on enjoying the speed and power of the engine, almost forgetting what the wheels are riding on or over. Ah! Spiti would have been nirvana on a steed like this. The only catch would have been its abysmally low fuel capacity. Barely 8 ltrs and expecting some 20-25 kms to a ltr, one would need to tank up within some 150 odd kms.

Honda are past masters of light and durable chassis and the CRF’s twin-spar aluminium frame with a forged aluminium steering head gives the best of lightness, rigidity and reliability. Rake and trail are conventional (at 26.8 deg and 4+ inches) though the wheel-base at 1490mm results from a relatively longer swingarm. This has the benefit of reducing the tendency of the front to rise under strong acceleration and lets the rear wheel put down power better allowing the rider to make the best of the engine. Little details like tucking in the muffler close to the engine results in highly optimized mass-centralization which when allied with spot-on ergonomics and an amazing engine, result in a package that astounds and delights with its performance.

I rode this bike not with the mind-set of riding a moto-crosser but as that of riding a motorcycle. And walked away thoroughly in love with its engine and handling. Even on full knobbies, I felt surer on tarmac (with their inherent tendency to weave at speed as less and easily deformable rubber makes itself felt) than I do on my own ZMA at somewhere close to 90-100kph. Could only guess the speed as the bike doesn’t have a speedo. The power and engine response is addictive and the rideability makes you feel like a pilot on two wheels. The ability to virtually ‘glide’ over any surface, limited only by one’s skills, is what makes the CRF450 experience an exceptional one. This bike, though a highly specialized design for off-roading, is no less a pleasure to use on tarmac. A real multi-purpose two-wheeled swiss-knife of sorts that’s a pleasure for any motorcyclist to ride.

PS: Will try and arrange a full-blooded review by an accomplished off-roader/moto-crosser, someone who can exploit this bike’s capabilities in its default terrain and talk about it.

And now the photos:

Now time for a coffee…

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Photography: Sundeep Gajjar/Sandeep Goswami/xBhp.com using Canon 400D and Canon lenses

Text: Sundeep Gajjar and Sandeep Goswami / xBhp.com / thePhotographer.in

Riders: Sundeep Gajjar and Sandeep Goswami / xBhp.com / thePhotographer.in

Design: Sundeep Gajjar /itsAsunny.net

Riding Gear by: Draggin Jeans

Helmet (full black) and Gloves by Dream Sporting Gear

Shot using Canon cameras and lenses

Download High Res Wallpapers Here

A Message for Suzuki

At the onset of this special presentation compiled by xBhp.com to showcase the visual and all sensory delight that the behemoth of a Intruder is, we would like to thank Suzuki India for providing us with a beautiful machine to test and shoot with our in-house photography and test team. We would also like to thank Suzuki to have provided us Indian biking enthusiasts with water for the soul amidst the plethora of commuters availaible in the market. With the launch of the Intruder and Hayabusa in India, not only one can go right upto his local showroom and get one, but we can also say proudly to the rest of the world that yes, finally the two wheeler giants are realizing that India has the roads and infrastructure to support these kind of motorcycles. xBhp.com has had a big role to play in popularizing superbiking and getting the machines to the masses via the online/offline medium in India since 2006 when it first took a litre class superbike around India and will be doing it again in January 2009. This article has been kept as visual as possible.

Ride the Rumble : Ride Report by Sandeep Goswami

In my almost two-decade long innings at motorcycling, this was the first time I rode a battle-tank on two wheels. The name ‘Intruder’ is a misnomer actually. Its more like ‘The Fearless Challanger’. Rumble on the roll. Throbbing thunder. Because its huge. Because its powerful and because it has a road-presence that few other 2 wheeled stars can boast of.

Walk upto the Intruder from behind and it is mind-blowing. That massive 240 section rear tyre (the widest in any production motorcycle) is overwhelmingly huge, a feature that by itself tips the scales of street-presence heavily in favour of this big Suzuki. From up front, its ‘knitted-brow’ headlight and the deceptively ‘normal-cruiser’ look seems somehow familiar, almost intimate to the ones accustomed to large-capacity cruisers. Get closer though and those flowing lines, tons and acres of chrome, the huge tank with an equally huge seat in tandem make for an imposing yet purposeful beauty in metal. Even amongst a gaggle of cruisers that are generally indistinguishable amongst themselves, the Intruder makes for its own brand of visual and auditory signature. And a big, bold n beautiful signature at that.

If anything has ‘large’ as its existential theme, the Suzuki M1800R Intruder stands as the benchmark and the limit simultaneously. The largest pistons (almost 4 ½ inches across) amongst all V-twins and most passenger cars in production, the highest torque in its class (leaving aside the supernatural Triumph Rocket III), the ‘widest’ rear tyre as mentioned before and being most powerful cruiser ever produced by Suzuki. Hell, even a walk around the bike tires you. Weighing a tad more than a third of a ton, the Intruder is heavy and demands respect just for this. But the almost 350 kg seem non-existent to the amazing engine. The bike ‘goes like stink’ with a rider or two on top. Just roll that throttle and get to warp speeds, as if the bike has the soul of a devilish sportsbike inside its cruiser body. But the ‘go’ comes after you’ve relished starting the engine and hearing that hesitant yet strong and typically V-Twin rumble beat beneath. Switch on the ignition by turning the key in the switch under the seat, flick the red ‘engine kill’ to ‘run’, pull in the surprisingly light clutch and press the starter. A couple of seconds and the huge twin throbs to life, quickly settling to a reassuring idle. Snap the throttle and the engine response belies the presence of the heavy pistons thrashing inside.

Slot it into first, comes with a solid ‘thunk’, and you can be on the move surprisingly easily, thanks to the superbly gradable throttle and light clutch.

Take it easy on the throttle as you shift through the 5-speed gearbox and you’ll find yourself cruising effortlessly at a 100 kmph. Straight-line stability is phenomenal…I felt I could rest my head on the vast tank and go to sleep while the bike chugged along unwavering at a 100+ kph. But twist that throttle hard in any gear and you rouse the sleeping giant. The GXS-R series derived twin throttle butterflies coupled with the spot-on EFI fuels, nay actually instigates the big engine to give you a speed rush that you least expect, from a cruiser at least. The Intruder gathers speed at an astonishing, even frightening rate and any rushed twist of the right wrist demands focus and reflexes as sharp as those for a speeding crotch-rocket. Seriously, going by the astounding torque the engine makes, downshifts for overtaking become redundant. Just roll the throttle and shoot past.

In the real world though, what goes must come to a stop too. And the Intruder again demonstrates its phenomenal finesse as a motorcycle. The inverted forks and those twin disc four-piston calipers (trace their origins to the GSX-R1000 too) allied with the single rear disc just need a good squeeze from the lever and sanity prevails instantly. Even mid-turn scrubbing off of speed is no big issue, surprising for a heavy, long wheelbase large-capacity cruiser. The exceptional straight-line stability at first seems to be making quick maneuvers difficult. But it actually is just a matter of getting used to the handling. The leverage provided by those w-i-d-e handlebars coupled with a gentle touch of brakes makes turn-ins surprisingly easy. Both balance and steering at crawl speeds are great, the full lock turning circle being unexpectedly small for a bike this long.
Any peeves? Yes, a couple at most. The foot-pegs are placed too far up front. Anywhere above a 150 kph, the on-rushing wind almost lifts off one’s feet from the pegs. And this extreme feet-forward position puts a strain on the back – tiring the rider inspite of the comfy and wide seat. Second, the very-limited ground clearance denies this bike the potential lean angles its superlative rubber, suspension componentry and geometry can allow. Metal starts grinding at moderate speeds through round-abouts and sharp turns.

The Intruder is a very quick motorcycle, if need be that is. Otherwise it is a superb sedate cruiser. The 19 ltr tank provides acceptable range, the monster low-end torque is eternal fun on tap, the solid thrum of the V-twin sheer music and the devastating street-presence guarantees you enough attention to make the snazziest perkiest movie star go green with envy. And at 12.5 lacs ex-showroom, it’s a LOT of motorcycle for that money.

The Verdict by Sundeep Gajjar (Sunny)

Before I sound the hammer real hard let me put in a few facts to put the verdict to be in perspective. I am a thoroughly Superbike guy, the one who usually wouldn’t be allowed seen riding a sedate low hung stretched our motorcycle called a Cruiser. I have ridden Fireblade 1000RR once around India, the magnificent Kwasaki Concours around New Zealand, a peppy enough Hyosung GT650R around Australia, and am about the ride the fabled R1 around India in 2009.

Never have I yearned for a cruiser, no matter it has twice the cubic capacity and dimensions that the unassuming and almost invisible Superbikes. But after three days of riding the Intruder over 600kms in all sorts of terrain, I am hooked, addicted and a big sucker for its narcissism inducing physical assets and an all devouring street presence with power of an earthmover at my right wrist. The moment I fling my leg over this damn of a motorcycle I feel a surge of to-hell-with-everyone attitude. I am a part of it at the same time not shy of announcing our combined presence on the road, and anyways, I cannot hide this tank masquerading as a motorcycle. Never before I have felt that I need to have a motorcycle really this bad, except maybe the Fireblade. But then I could always carry it on the back seat of the Intruder just for keep sakes…

Now the photos:

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TEXT AND PHOTOS: Sundeep Gajjar (Sunny)

Often companies try too hard to incorporate a design element that is off norms in a bid to get labelled as radical and trendsetting, sometimes creating a product which fails to appeal in the market despite being very good. Stark examples are the Yamaha MT01, the Suzuki BKing and the Ducati 999 which were not well received primarily because of the styling aspect.

The Vision is one such effort, but one which has succeeded in creating a new object of desire amongst the rich and the famous, and cross continental motorheads as well. It takes a lot of dare to style a bike this radical and force into its elements to look like a ‘V’. The styling is certainly futuristic and might be a hint of things to come in the future, today.

Living in India, you see machines like the Fireblade and R1 once in a blue moon. And then this behemoth comes along. Combining curves of a princess in distress on the shoulders of a bodywork and engine so massive that it will outclass the current breed of tanks on the roads of Iraq.

The first look at it was from upfront, and it had me literally searching for the rider behind its all encompassing frame and the painfully bright headlights which could have probably woken up the pale winter sun to compete for its throne.
It has enough techno-wizadry too: Electronically controlled windscreen and side fin deflectors for better airflow. Satellite Radio, GPS Navigation MP3 ability and more.

Frankly I hadn’t been consciously aware of the bike until I actually knew it was possible to see it in flesh in Delhi. Having ridden some of the good Japanese bikes like the Concours 14 and the Blackbird for considerable distances, my ultimate dream always has been a Goldwing, especially if I was riding it across a country with roads and infrastructure supporting it.
But this one actually has that exotic feeling to it. The one which you probably get when you own a MV or a Benelli. You know that the Japs are equals, if not better, and they cost less too. However this one will help your status go north, even if your wallet balance goes south. And you ask the owners and they will sing out in perfect harmony – it is a different experience to own something so exotic and less common.

People here might be forgiven to think that the bike is manufactured by Harley or a Japanese company. In fact the company is called Victory Motorcycles and it is an American company. The company is based in Minnesota, US and is just 10 years old, while the parent company, Polaris Industries, was founded in 1954. They are better known to make ATVs and Snowmobiles.

The Victory lineup was developed to be in direct competition with the big motorcycles produced by the All American bigwig – Harley Davidson. They wanted it to be the epitome of American motorcycles – larger and louder.
Larger the Victory maybe, but louder, I am not sure. At times I wasn’t even sure the bike was running on wheels because the massive extending bodywork used to curtain them. It used to come across almost as a hovercraft due to the lack of serious nasty noise work.

The Victory was introduced in February 2007 as additions to the 2008 line up, the Vision is a touring configuration. It comes in two versions, the Street, which includes a full fairing and hard saddle bags; and the Tour, which also has a hard trunk with a wide range of luxury electronics.

To most people in India, it was a shock when they saw the Victory running on dried river beds in Lansdowne. In fact I was circling around the Victory on my R1 when it was being ridden on the narrow roads to the small hill station in Uttranchal, India. The rider has to be appreciated for he has shown that no machine is incapable of handling the Indian roads if you know the way to handle them. One of the reason probably was the 5.1 inches of travel in the front telescopic suspension. And the 26” inches low seat height. The Victory indeed commands all the eyes on the road to stare at it. In fact I call it the ‘Mothership’ because it used to come at the end of the fleet in the trip generating gasps and other elements of pure bedazzlement from the onlookers. And we mere mortals used to take sigh of relief as all the poky crowd was drawn to it and away from us!

Specifications

Engine Type: Victory Freedom™ V-Twin

Cooling System: Air and Oil-Cooled

Displacement: 106 ci / 1,731 cc

Bore and Stroke: 101 x 108 mm

Maximum Torque: 109 ft.-lbs.

Compression Ratio: 9.4:1

Fuel Injection: Closed Loop

Transmission: 6 Speed with True Overdrive

Final Drive: Carbon Reinforced Belt

Rake/Trail: 29 Degrees/5.4 inches

Front Tire Size: 130/70-18 radial

Rear Tire Size: 180/60-16 radial

Wheelbase: 65.7 inches

Width: 44.9 inches

Length: 103.5 inches (Street) / 104.9 inches (Tour)

Front Suspension / Wheel Travel: Conventional telescopic fork / 5.1 in / 130 mm

Rear Suspension / Wheel Travel: Adjustable / 4.7 in / 120 mm

Front Brake Type: Dual 300mm floating rotor with 3-piston calipers

Rear Brake Type: 300mm floating rotor with 2-piston caliper

Fuel Tank Capacity: 26 litres

Total Storage Volume: 3370 Cubic Inches (Street) / 6750 Cubic Inches (Tour)

Seat Height: 26.5 Inches

Dry Weight: 365 kg (Street) / 325 kg (Tour)

Colors: Black, Super Steel Gray, Midnight Cherry

Pricing Starting At: (Street) $18,999 US (Tour) $19,999 US

A 360 degrees spin can be seen here: Vision : 360 Spin : Touring

See the Victory Vision in action here: http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/tourer/5…-escapade.html

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Text and Photography: Sundeep Gajjar (Sunny)

Three cylinders and three chromed spitters, that’s where the obsession with the number three stops for the highest capacity production motorcycle in the world – Triumph Rocket III.

When Triumph engineers were asked to develop a flagship motorbike for the company, little they realized it would be this behemoth, however absurd and unreasonable the bike may seem. It is not only the iconic bike for Triumph, but it is often used to settle which man has the bragging rights on the beer table for riding the heaviest and the meanest cruiser (cum superbike, as it has earned its reputation) around.

The thing is such huge chunk of metal mass that it might well possibly be inducing a magnetic field of insane properties while accelerating from naught. The rapidly reacting speedometer needle might suggest the same to the rider.
I had first seen the Rocket II I in Delhi way back in 2006 or so. I could not believe that the motorcycle could run without leaving breadcrumbs of tyre depressions on the pathetic quality roads that we have. Fast forward to 2008, I was again standing in front of what seemed like a satellite of Jupiter that had crash landed at India gate. The radiator up front seemed capable of cooling a jet plane, the tank seemed big enough to hold a year’s Carlsberg supply for those who want to make a make-do pub under the shade of a roadside tree on an inter-continental journey. Whoever designed the bike, his preoccupation with everything big will be go down in history and confirmed! The bike godamn growls in a husky voice to rest of the bikes (and four legged beasts) on the road – get aside you malnutritioned pathetic hyperactive mosquitoes, big daddy is here!

The bike whose development started in 1998 was unveiled in USA in 2003 – making it the next big thing after Pamela Anderson for the Americans.

Have a look at its specifications, comparing it with other heavy production bikes:

Torque

Triumph Rocket 3: 200Nm @2,500 rpm!
Kawasaki Concours 14: 100.30Nm @6200rpm
Yamaha MT-01: 150.3Nm @3750rpm
Suzuki Intruder: 160Nm @3200rom (more torque than the Mt01 at lower rpm!)
Hero Honda Karizma: 18.40 Nm @6000rpm

Power

Triumph Rocket 3: 140Hp @6000rpm
Kawasaki Concours: 155 Hp @8800rpm
Yamaha MT-01: 88.77 Hp @4750rpm
Suzuki Intruder: 125Hp @6200rpm
Hero Honda Karizma: 17Hp @7000rpm

CC

Triumph Rocket 3: 2294 CC
Kawasaki Concours: 1352 CC
Yamaha MT-01: 1670 CC
Suzuki Intruder: 1783 CC
Hero Honda Karizma: 223 CC

I was thoroughly impressed with the Intruder’s torque figures in my first impression, but the Rocket 3 seems to have enough pull to actually pull it’s weight away from earth’s gravitational field and into the orbit. Make sure you have titanium reinforced elbow sockets with Kevlar tendons when you decide to wring the throttle of this heavyweight. Obviously a thing as a big was this on two wheels would need big pockets and big roads, the latter is of which is of a very rare breed in India.

I was graciously given a ride to the machine and I whole heartedly accepted it. I was later told that my 5’10” medium built structure made the bike look huge under me, and made me look handsome and strong, ready for a bar fight, or lead the Republic Day parade, dare I say. The bike does not have the husky note to match the beast it is at the heart. The handlebars seemed very wide and I felt like an emperor sitting on his throne. Thanks to its 240 rear it does add to the confidence while navigating on loose gravel. I gave it a twist on an open stretch and it went like a cheetah stung in the bum. For me a U-Turn manoeuvre is the benchmark of handling a bike. It somewhat felt as if I was steering a sedated 6 ft tall bull with huge horns, consciously reminding myself that this was a 300+ Kg machine with enough torque to carve out a mini grand canyon if I managed loose twist the throttle while turning.

As far as I was concerned, I would choose a Suzuki Intruder anyday, that was one beautiful machine with loads of presence and power put down to use effectively. I would be more happy to admire the Rocket 3 being ridden beside me rather than to be the rider. However, since this is just a first impression, I would like to reserve a space in my virtual garage for the future when I someday put on more mass and more money.

A short review by the Rocket 3 owner, Pranab, who is one guy who actually used the bike it is supposed to be:

My first motorcycle was an RD 350 in 1986. I got back on the saddle in 1999 when I got my Harley – the Sportster 883 Hugger. Last year I upgraded to the Intruder M1800R but after 20,000 kms and three burnt clutches decided to move to the Triumph Rocket III.

The first thing you notice about the Rocket III is that it is a very large motorcycle which is not made in the cookie cutter mould of v-twin cruisers. The large inline triple dominates the proceedings and the asymmetrical triple pipes look great but sound anemic. First upgrade is the pipes and if you want it even louder (and you’re not out of money yet) try the cat bypass. You’ll get a wonderful throaty exhaust that sounds like no other bike. Starting from the wide handlebars to the huge tank and finally the 240 phat tail this is one muscular machine. A set of dresser bars fore and aft are essential add ons to protect your pride and joy in the case of a low speed tip over. If you choose to go the tourer route you could bolt on a screen and some leather panniers but it will cost. In fact the stock Rocket III is a very basic stripped down bike and everything is an optional extra. Fuel gauge, clock, distress lights, flash to pass, and a whole lot of stuff that comes as standard in a Japanese metric cruiser has to be bought separately and it all add$ up.

Riding the Rocket III is an unique experience. The 147 ft lb of torque is available at just 2,500 rpm. The torque band is so wide that I’m almost always on 5th! The handling is quite neutral for a bike this size and slow speed maneuvers are a breeze. The seat height is not bad but for my limited inseam length I’d prefer it an inch lower. The brakes are well modulated with good feedback but you do need to use the rear brakes sometimes. Clutch action is relatively light but in stop and go traffic it is a workout of sorts. Fueling is OK but you can stall it sometimes by running the wrong gear. I’d prefer the foot pegs a bit more forward but that means more $$$.

The sweet spot for this bike is around 150 kmph but is composed at 200 kmph when you can find the road. But there is not much above that with 140 bhp at 6,000 rpm. You can also ride it at 50 kmph on 5th without riding the clutch but just about. The suspension is a bit hard on some of our roads (what roads??). But in spirited cornering you need the taut suspension.

But the most fun I have is chugging along at 80 kmph on 5th and still dust some boy racer in a Camry at full throttle with a twist of the wrist and a burst of torque from the 2300 cc mill.

More Photos:

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Text & Photos: Sundeep Gajjar/ Sunny

There it was. Gleaming in the sun with a purposeful meanness that only a very capable contender could exude. I was in front of the direct descendant of the 900RR, which, 16 years ago demonstrated to the world how Superbikes should be. The 2008 Fireblade also has the DNA of the RC211V, which many say was the ultimate motorcycle to ride. It was such an incredible motorbike which actually got Rossi to change over to Yamaha, just because he needed to prove that he did not win because of the fantastic machine underneath him. A machine which was lightyears ahead of the competition. The 08 Blade had the the same DNA, but for the real world – the road and the track days.

Restarting its four years development cycle the Blade is back with a bang, it looks different and it behaves different. The only think which perhaps constant is the unbelievable modesty it defines itself as the champion of the road and the track in many a journalist’s and test’s books across the world.

Now then, I have personally ridden a Blackbird and a 05 Blade for decent number of miles and I know how smooth and reliable they were. I was also a sucker for how the Blade 05 looked, specially its ultra sharp profile.

When Honda released the first pictures of the 08 Blade I was disappointed. It looked just short of a fantastic design if the nose had been a little more sharper. But then, my disliking stopped there and then. In my heart I knew that superbikes were more about the performance and real life riding than just looks (which are subjective anywhich ways). Delivering more on looks, I have started liking the new blade even more than the previous avatars. Why? Because its radical, a deviation from what the norm would be. The front a tad bit taller than the rear, which in superbikesense, shouldn’t be. The exhaust side stump looks fantastic, the minimalistic graphics coupled with sanely done cutwork on the panels and plastics looks fantastic and graspable. Its simple yet very complex at the same time and often defies the way superbike should be looking from some angles.

Going further from the looks, the performance and reviews further rationalizes the reason why lots of people swear by the Blade – its the overall package which matters.

My first impression of the Blade in flesh confirmed this and more, it is one hell of a talented motorbike and the sheer number of research and grey substance gone into developing this machine coupled with the incredibly rich lineage its got shows through. And if that wasn’t enough, its performance in the WSBK championships are a testimony of what it is actually made of.

And of course, as usual it was pointless taking the Blade and doing anywhere the crazy stuff it can do in Delhi for in every square meter there lies a mass of humanity, some dressed in khaki, some in white!

The color to get would be Black or the European white and black – just stunning!

So now we have to wait and watch till January 2009 comes by and Honda India launches and infuses the Indian motorcycle scene with this incredible DNA.

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The Lord?

Text and Photos: Sunny/ Sundeep Gajjar

When someone has the guts to call himself the’ lord of something’, it definitely must be his previous night’s hangover or he could be really talking about his newfound superpowers which may well have been the result of some freak laboratory nuclear explosion or a mutant-spider’s bite.

So when Yamaha launched this bike in Goa on the 15th of September 2008, they tagged it ‘The Lord of the Streets’. The poor mute machine could not argue about the imposed tag. But wait, was there anything to argue after all?

In my opinion, there just wasn’t any room for an argument.

First looks

One look at the images of the striking orange FZ launched in Goa, and I thought “This is one handsome looking bike, one which I must have.” Earlier to this, I was subjected to this reflex thought only for the 2008 Honda Fireblade, Yamaha MT01 and the Honda CB1000R.

I feel that this is one bike which looks perfect from all angles, something which no other Indian two-wheeler had managed to achieve so far. So what if they had to Xerox the fantastic actual FZ power-bikes and scale them down for India? That makes a lot of business sense and displays market logic.

The once abandoned Yamaha showrooms have started getting horsed of youth traffic, the salesmen are back on their feet again and have a sincere reason again to comb, shave and brush their teeth before they reach the counters daily.

For a true Yamaha fan this is how the stable would look: Yamaha RX100, Yamaha RD350, Yamaha R15, Yamaha FZ16, Yamaha R1 and Yamaha MT-01 – and make that all black for me please, and oh yes, you can buy all the bikes within India – legally. Fantastic, really!

Of course that is where the comparison ends in the above mentioned motorcycles. The FZ16 is not a powerhouse, but a premium executive-commuter-streetfighter, which makes it even more incredible for me. I having trouble accepting that people will buy this bike in hordes just to commute to the office or get vegetables on it. But the very same bike can be used in the umpteen B-grade adverts and Tv soap operas as the chariot of the good looking college chocolate-hero making passes at girls or the spoilt rich brat with a expensive bike respectively.

All the above made possible by the lethal combination of the incredible muscular styling and the spot on price tag.

My only grouse? Why wasn’t it there when I was in college? Why did I have to ride skinny bikes with an engine that couldn’t even pull a small cat out of the well. Darn!

With the Honda Stunner and now the FZ16, things are at all time high for the impressionable young male. Lots of options to impress the damsels with. This means lots of sales, and this would in turn mean better bikes for all of us as the Japanese giants pump in more money into this sector. We are in a win-win situation at last.

I am also pretty sure the FZ16 would be a corner carver, a bike which I would as much love to take to the mountains and as just sit and admire its great looks.

But then why won’t I?

It may have the ‘FZ’ in it’s name, but ultimately it is just another 150CC bike, something which wont seal the deal for a person like me, who has been biking on a few performance machines which have more than just the name in their DNA. Had the mill been producing even 17PS, the same as my Karizma (which again is not a performance machine, but a compromise that we all have had to make, albeit a good one), I would have dumped the Hero Honda and gone for the FZ. But sadly, that is not the case.

However, the fact remains that everytime I see this bike at a red light, at a parking, or laden with a family of four, I will have a slight twitch in my heart with a wish to own it, then I will have a slight twitch in the right wrist and make it a blur in my rear view mirror so as to shorten this agony and reclaim the validity of my decision of waiting for tad more for the perfect bike which not only looks like a Greek god but performs equally well at the Olympics.

Yamaha has built themselves a solid base on which they now cannot afford to be complacent. The passion has been rediscovered and hopes refilled with premium quality Helium. They can’t afford to be complacent now, and I am sure they won’t be.

The next version I expect in the FZ series is the 250CC engine which this bike had, but surprisingly isn’t launched even till now:

Love: The naked styling, FZ brandage, generous rubber, price tag
Hate: Power, but not really considering the target market
Did not understand: Why it was named FZ16 and not the FZ15.
Best Color: Orange
First modification to be done post buying: Loose that damned saree-guard! Thank you.
Perfect Track Day companion: Yamaha R15
Perfect Touring Companion: Comet Gt250 or the Karizma
Perfect Power riding companion: Yamaha MT01]
Next Logical Upgrade in the bike: Fi, projector lamp

Headlight and frontal

The rear 140 looks good and should aid wet cornering, but it will put many a Karol Bagh modification shops out business.

The black treatment looks good and makes the bike look bulkier.

Monoshock : Thumbs Up!,
No chain cover: Thumbs Up!
Saree Guard: Thumbs Down!

The stubby and meaty exhaust does not really lend the bike a husky note but it sure does the job in the looks department. The midship also lends the better a better center of gravity which should result in better handling of the bike.

Arguably the most proportionate looking motorcycle available in the Indian market.

Rear grab rails look functional and good.

Monocross suspension, we know it is there!

Plastic it may be, but it sure gives a lot of character to the bike. Most welcome in the skinny motorcycles Indian market! Now instead of that 12 only litres fuel tank underneath, if we had a huge airfilter, alright, its not a fz6…

Specifications:

Engine type: Air-cooled, 4-stroke, SOHC, 2-valve

Displacement: 153.0cm3

Bore & Stroke: 58.0 × 57.9mm

Compression ratio: 9.5:1

Maximum output: 14PS / 7500 rpm

Maximum torque: 14 N.m / 6000 rpm

Starting method: Electric starter

Lubrication Type: Wet sump

Carburettor Type: BS26

Clutch type: Constant mesh wet multiplate

Ignition type : CDI

Transmission type : Return type 5-speed

Chassis: Diamond Frame

Suspension (front/rear): Telescopic / Monocross

Wheelbase: 1,335mm

Brake type (front/rear): Hydraulic single disc / drum

Tire size (front/rear): 100/80-17 / 140/60-R17

Length × Width × Height: 1,975mm × 770mm × 1,045mm

Seat height: 790mm

Wheelbase: 1,335mm

Minimum ground clearance: 160mm

Dry weight/Curb weight: 126 kg / 137 kg

Fuel tank volume: 12 liters

Engine oil volume: 1.2 liters

Text: Gourab Das/ MG

Photos: Sundeep Gajjar/ Sunny

I already had the first glimpse of Yamaha R15 back in the month of January during Auto Expo 2008. But I never had the opportunity that time to look into the smaller details of the bike. It’s only after Ayush (One of the first customers of R-1-5 in Delhi) had given us the opportunity for a photoshoot that I came so close to the bike.

Looks: I already had an initial impression of the bike as I had seen it sometimes back. My first reaction remained unchanged this time around also. When Yamaha had thought so much about the bike and this is the most important launch for them in years why they have compromised with the final looks? The bike looks a bit disproportionate. I’m not only talking about the rear but the complete bike as a package. The perfect lines which start from the front seem to get lost somewhere in the middle. In an effort to keep a balance between Supersport and the normal Indian buyer they compromised with the overall looks. When the FZ is coming out in near future Yamaha should have gone all out with this product. That said the bike looks absolutely superb from the front or when the bike approaches towards you.
Switchgear quality is average and I would have loved to see better switchgear for a product which costs 1lakh. The rearview mirrors are pretty well built and are very useful. The light looks good but need to check their usability in the night.

The console is neatly done and looks imposing. The panel looks nice from a distance but a closer look at some of the points gives you the feeling that the job could have been better.

Riding Position and Stance: I rode the bike for 5 minutes in a very bumpy surrounding. The riding position is sportier than a P220 and P200 but less sporty than Apache RTR. All concerns about tall riders facing problem can now rest as I found the seating perfect for me. For the record I’m 5’11”.
Power Delivery: I easily felt there is very little power at lower R.P.M which is like any other Supersport so no complaints on that front. But it will be interesting to see how the bike fares in stop-go traffic as most of the buyers will use the bike for a daily commute.

Right now I won’t comment on any other important aspects of the bike and I’m looking forward to have a proper test ride of the bike so as to have a complete idea about the bike.

So did this bike set my pulse racing and its worthy of saying “WOW” as Yamaha promised us on the R1 launch. I would say no and will give it a 3/5 for looks and first impression. I though always judge a bike through its performance so I would reserve my final verdict. And yes I’m looking forward to FZ16.

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Text: Gourab Das/ MG

Photos: Sundeep Gajjar/ Sunny and Gourab Das/ MG

Engine and Performance:

One of the problems that the earlier generation Apaches and to an extent the RTR is the engine roughness. The performance was never a problem. With the addition of Fuel Injection that problem seems to have gone out of the window. The power delivery is very smooth and the throttle response is very crisp. The gearbox too is precise with positive shifts every time you tap the lever. The first gear is a bit weak and you don’t feel the true potential of the 150.7cc mill. It’s only when you slot into second gear that the RTR FI starts to show its true colors. Once past 5k r.p.m it accelerates with authority. Shifting while in the power band, I began to feel at home and was excited enough not to resist the urge to go faster and faster. That said if you shifts the gear in lower r.p.m’s then you feel a tremendous loss in power and it takes quite a while to hit the power band again. So correct shifting is the key if you are riding the bike in day to day traffic. But personally I don’t have any complaints about the character of the bike.

TVS says: The bike was not properly run-in and maybe the tuning was not correct and hence the loss of power in lower gears. You won’t feel the loss of power once the run-in is completed.
Some rough figures which I tested:

1st gear- Didn’t want to rev the bike too much
2nd gear- 70 at 10K r.p.m
3rd gear- 92 at 10k r.p.m
4th gear- 104 at 10k r.p.m
5th gear- Tested only till 116 but I got feeling that it will touch close to 130.
**All the above speeds are speedo indicated.

Ride and Handling:

A look at the weather and the overall surrounding and I knew that I won’t be able to push the bike on the corners which is the main forte of this bike. It has been raining pretty consistently from the past couple of days. That said I tried to give my 100% during the test ride.
To provide that racing intent Apache RTR FI has that perfect seating position, courtesy the clip-ons and perfectly positioned rear sets. You have the option to select between two seating modes based upon your requirement to ride on road or race at the track. Also, it gives an option to people of various heights to adjust.
Apache’s compact geometry and 17-inch front tyre make for quicker turn-ins in a series of corners but it is far more enjoyable on tight corners. But in city traffic, I found it a little bit cumbersome to steer at high speeds.
I’m on a bit taller side and I felt the bike to be a bit cramped especially when trying to get behind the bike for that special moment when you try to attack the corner very hard. People with height up to 5ft10inch will enjoy the bike more than the taller guys.

TVS says: Most of our test riders fall in the category of 5ft10 inch to 6ft2inch and they didn’t face any such problem. That’s the beauty of those two seating positions which a lot of option to two different dimension of people. It has more to do with spending more time with the bike.
Could be yes.

The ride is a bit on the stiffer side bit I have no complaints as I always prefer a stiffer setting than a softer set-up. The gas charged shocks responds quicker to surface inconsistencies and also dissipates rebound damping energy thereby completely eliminating the bouncy aspect. But for longer hours of riding on a not so smooth road the back will take a bit of beating.

Chassis and Suspension

TVS says: We take extreme pride in our chassis and suspension development which is typically suited for both track and road conditions. The project engineers did extensive research in fine tuning the suspension and worked on the chassis to keep the balance and that’s why we feels proud in saying that this is a track tool.

Braking Performance:

Petal discs not only look cools but perform pretty well. Front disc brakes are very sharp and there is a sense of surety whenever you apply it. The rear disc is also very sharp and you don’t feel any sponginess in it. Infact people who have a tendency to use the rear disc brakes more should take it easy before using it properly as it may turn out to be a bane rather than boon.

TVS says: Most of our buyers are enthusiasts who know the correct technique of braking and hence we believe that they won’t face any problem.

Tyre Performance:

As against the popular belief that the TVS tyres are not good and specifically loses traction on wet conditions, I found them pretty decent even if not excellent both in dry and wet conditions. But to be very frank I would have loved to see tubeless on the FI variant.

TVS says:

We accept that the tyre quality in our earlier models( Read the first generation Apaches) were not great but now it is at par to the competition if not better. It’s the perception of public that we need to change. Tubeless would have added the overall cost and the bike is made especially for normal street and track and we don’t see the need as such. But in the higher capacity models you can expect to see tubeless.

Pillion Comfort:

I had the opportunity to have not one but two pillion riders who regularly sits behind me. As per my conversation with both of them this is what they have to say.
“The rear seat is pretty hard and a bit narrow. The two piece grab rails are pretty neat and very usable eve in the case of heavy braking and you don’t feel any pain in the hand. On sudden acceleration you don’t feel like falling backwards but on hard braking you have a tendency to fall on the rider”.

Note: The pillion have the experience of sitting only on Karizma and Pulsar 220 so the above lines are plain comparison with the said bike.

Miscellaneous:

Headlights: Works fine and provides ample light in the night.
Horn: Does its job without creating major fuss but there is no need for any market fitments.
Switchgear including clip-ons: Pretty ok but for something bigger I would like to see a better-finished product.
The best is definitely the digital meter with those added on features and the new blue backlit which makes it even more interesting.
Fuel efficiency: It’s difficult to predict the actual fuel efficiency but I got somewhere around 46 so a proper run-in bike will easily give 50-55 in day to day riding condition. On highway it will be slightly more.

A short compare with RTR Carbed version:

Though both the bikes looks identical on a closer look you can see the difference in the racing stripes pattern and also the different colour backlit speedo. The rear disc is not there and also all the important FI is missing from badging. The difference is the exhaust note is prominent and with your eyes closed, you can say that it’s not the FI version. After riding the FI RTR I didn’t like the carbed one not because it’s a bad product but because FI variant is much better. The throttle response is not that crisp and you can feel a slight roughness in the engine. TVS had cleverly given only one FI variant to differentiate the product and they should seriously think of just continuing the carbed version in the price-sensitive zones.

Sunny’s First Impression

Amidst the battle of the giants, Bajaj, Yamaha and Honda lurks this compact yet dynamic and powerful predator – TVS. I had always liked the Apache advertising campaigns, they were directed towards t he youth. In fact this is when me and most of us stood up and noticed a company called TVS. The Apache was its trump card. Thanks to TVS, we managed to get hold of the Apache RTR Fi 160. Those two additional acronyms do sound impressive, and they are. RTR(Racing throttle response) and Fi (Fuel Injection) give it a purposeful name.

The bike that we had got was an Orange colored one. Strange color you may say, but not stranger than a certain bike in lime green, eh?

My first impression of the bike was, OK, this looks good, I mean this looks really good. The sky again was, not surprisingly, painted with dark clouds and the time was 6.15PM. The light was pathetic and the sun was about to go down taking away all the chances of any photoshoot. Without wasting anytime I sat on the bike, inserted the key and turned it on. The response was a sweet whirr of the FI self test and the ultra cool dials lit up. I was sold to the console assembly and the blue lit LCD.

The shield motif on the handle bar assembly did the trick for me. I personally felt that it was fantastic to see a company develop a bike to be the first to see the chequered flag on the finish line.

The pinstriping was a very subtle but important touch which enhanced the character of the bike.

Race on Sunday, Sell on Monday – this is what TVS lives on, and this is what this exudes.

I also like the way TVS are no-nonsensically are clear about the positioning of the bike – on the racetrack, as a brilliant handler and for the youth who wants immediate response from life as well his bike.

I rode the bike was a couple of kays on wet roads and slush. The bike also sounded wonderful. I am told that this particular model had its catcon removed, hence the sound. Someone will verify this later.

The bike also seemed to handle very well on the corners, the most important thing being it felt light and flickable.

I havent ridden an Apache RTR before, so I cannot comment on the improvements or the lack of the. However, I feel that this would be a potent machine for people looking to do lots of twisty riding in the hills as well as show off on the tracks down south.

MGBiker had the bike for a whole day. He will be penning down his first impressions, including a brief ride report.

Of yes, did I tell you that the console also remembers the top speed that you have done. (Details by MG).

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