Even then its no cool as you need to hand it over to Govt - archeological dept

Me too felt the same!!!

Interesting point you raised there frankpilli. I was thinking abut it too. Some moons ago Bunty punia in his column in bike india raised the issue of a perfect tourer and one of the things he mentions was better lights. And there is nothing i agree more.
And the funny thing is on xbhp there are people posting pictures and ways to put a xenon and what not. And if they can do it, why not the manufacturers?
And here you are mentioning about a guy who makes a vtwin. So we know it is not rocket science, it is just someone wanting to do it. If they wanted to do it, they will.

And about the 650R, it is on my radar but that was not the point of my post, what if someone likes 600R more than 650R. What if someone and there are a few on this post itself, want an off roader like a beemer. Am talking about options. Options which are just not there.
And any given day an indian manufacturer might not be able to match the quality of the japs, just like japs can't match the look of europeans, but they will undercut them on price and that's what will be their calling card.

The more i read xbhp the more i realize it can be done, i hope indian manufacturers are reading this too.

So true, I am a sucker for in-lines but know few of my riding mates crave equally for V-Twin and or an off-roader. We don't have a choice.

Japs don't just under cut Europeans/Italians on price. It is more, but lets leave this topic for some other day.

And old issue. Discussed to death many times.

Some facts:-

Yamaha Vixion $ 2050 (Rs. 90000) Finally lands (as R-15) at 97,000/-
Ninja 250 $ 4400 (Rs. 2.10 lakh) finally lands at 3.00 lakh.
HOnda CB 300R $ 4400 (Rs. 2.10 Lakh) Finally lands at ???
Honda Civic Base $ 16,000 (Rs. 7.70 lakh) finally lands at 12.00 + lakh.

A great degree of localisation is essential to achieve the parity of price of products sold in India with the price of those sold abroad.

So, either foreigners set up a production line with good local content in India or Desi manufacturers take a bold initiative to introduce such a model in India made locally, which is not seen happening in the near future as the demand is low.

The Result: all of you above characters are screwed up big time by Desis, with foreigners not bothered at all about our plight.

Please leave!

Agreed!

grass is always greener on the other side dear. In India your tax money goes to politicians (though why every one here thinks that custom tax money IS unregulated and abused?). Abroad, it goes to people/parents who are fit enough to work but choose to stay at home and live a lavish life on gov. benefits which is again taxpayer's hard earned money mate

OMG, thats rude. but funny

@forty6.....

Its not often that one comes across such a well written narration of a bikers expressions, frustrations, and aspirations. Pat on the back for writing the way you've written.

And you sure are more than an above average writer who certainly can influence when required. If only the right people who had the powers to make a change could be influenced, then we'd have a different and more happy tale to tell here.

As for the main topic of discussion, you've said it the best way it could have been said.....I need not elaborate any further.

.....Simba

Funny, coz I thought it was just rude. (No offense to ken cool)

+1
And not to mention the cost of health care, education, insurance & the safety of kids at schools & colleges.

That that country, that that problem

Another rant. People always strive for what they don't have or for what they lust! And then crib, and get frustrated and start a never ending debate, yet again. Human nature. I don't have anything to say, that would add to the rant. I never have. I neither agree nor disagree to opinions here. I just plain and simply want to put up a question:

What have you done with the 150-220 cc 14-21 bhp odd two-wheels sold at a dealer near you, in India, that you strive for something much more powerful? Or, in simpler words, what would be your utility for that something more powerful to justify its power?

Think about it.

This is not intended/directed at anyone, it is just a question that came to mind and demands an answer, that comes to mind.

the topic was going well until yachts, vtwin by a US bloke, risk factor and other stuff came in.

Agreed that there are no options for a biker in this country. Agreed that you can't ride what you want but that has changed a lot past few years. The term "sport/super biking" for Indian motorcycle consumer market is still new. the first ever superbike in India with nation wide availability was launched in 2007, just 3 years ago and in next few hundred days, we have another 5 international bike manufacturer who successfully identified Indian market as a big ground for their business. So the start is late but not bad at all. And when people talk about taking risk in business, sorry for my words but it sound that they know rat-ass about any thing. Talk to you MBA (finance/marketing) friend and he will tell you the whole dynamic of business, be it selling cup cakes or cars. What I always see are few of the repetitive keywords people use often use to blame manufacturers and government for taking away their bridal shower present.

Home production/localization? - Compare Japan, US and UK market with India's. Thats why. Yamaha alone sell average 1500 sports/superbikes ranging (125cc commuter bikes excluded) annually in UK. Multiply that figure with 13 other manufacturers present locally. Big numbers indeed and I think numbers are the simplest way of finding out how you doing in your traits. Now, even if those 13 manufacturers came to India in 2011-2012 and started making bikes in your backyard, no company would reach those targets to that of west even in coming decade, even though India is the second largest market for bikes, why? that's my next point

Market matureness? - A price tag of 3 lakh for a 250cc bike seems too much for most of the "will-kill-anyone-for-a-sportsbike" bikers and indeed 250R is a bit pricey only if it was made locally for 2.6-2.8 lakhs or so, but would that made 250R sell more? yeah may be 1000 more but not enough to sustain that product for long and would company gain any viable cost and profit with new "risky" launch and million pounds localization? well, it still can at this stage, if my third point is valid enough..

Lifestyle? - How many of us has a family of four? Many. How many of us in those four have love for big bikes and will buy one million+ rupees bike just for leisure. In another terms, you are financially capable enough to spend one million rupees apart of what you spend on your mortgage/loans/holidays/family/children/marriage and so on monthly/annually. Families where mother supports her daughter or a father supports his son for motorcycling are almost none. We are not a bikers country to be honest and even if we are, there is still time and effort left for that to surface.

Taxes? - Dude, there is tax for every thing every where, from your underwear to medicines, both make life easy I must say. However, I too believe 110% on CBU vehicles is insane but they must be there for a reason I am sure. What I hear (from xbhp itself) is its there to save local manufacturer which if its true, I totally support because bajaj, HH, TVS wont be what they are now if the their share of trade was exploited with foreign businesses. May be all that tax and custom money does go somewhere worth in...

...Infrastructure? - And we still don't have roads, we still don't have enough tracks and we still don't have traffic sense, period. Things are looking good but are not ready. Also, good highways and traffic laws only doesn't alone make good infrastructure, good intact and independent system does. System for everything but I will stick to those related to motorcycling. Reading terms like "dedicated parking", "emergency breakdown assistance", "emergency services assistance" "motorcycle lanes" makes you think, is he even talking about India, but the truth is its here where this all should have started long time. It surprises me to see that no one sees a business opportunity in India about "emergency breakdown service" where majority of the vehicles are way over their "due date".

having said all that, it will all start to roll but we need to give time. Wait and have patients and not rant about it online producing no result. If you can't afford a superbike in your youth, no body can help you. When was the last time you got what you ever wanted?

Now this brings in some constructive sanity to the fresh-lime soda that was gassed more than it should have been .

The topic has been exceedingly well-presented by @forty6. His influence being apparent by the collective head nods all over since his thread has been approved. But I guess its time to look inwards awhile and put up what all each has done with the tools at hand. Believe me, there's a lot more to these 'low-bhp' tiddlers than one tends to see. They can give you an enviable foundation to riding and managing those 'power-generators' that are being craved for here.

edit: That seems to be the real reason behind the rant. The 'Shylockian Industry and Uncaring Government' are just those passive whipping horses. When I rode my KB100 Delta to leh in '98, a bike like the ZMA was a dream come true. And I still cannot use it to the hilt. Its capability envelope is beyond my skill capacity. You never ride out of the motorcycling school for good...even on a moped.

Consumerism is not utility based. Most of the stuff people buy these days are way beyond their needs anyway - house, cars, cellphones, personal services; the list goes on.

That is off context, don't you think. You are bringing economics into machinery

People do a lot of things, buy a lot of stuff which is quite frankly of absolutely of no 'substantial' usage to them. But then, they just go out their and buy it, import it from hell if it is not available at in their friendly neighborhood. They don't 'rant' or 'crib'

This was a question to those who do.

Well written.
I think the problem is with the way the people siting on top think.They still think bikers are either commuters of show offs with fancy paint jobs.
The 250R has proved that there is a huge league of bikers who are ready to spend a decent amount of cash for a proper bike...i just hope all the manufactures realize this and move forward rather than backwards...i mean from 350's (RD) we have comeback to 150's and 220's!