+1, yea the solution is an Indian bike manufacturer should develop a 250/500 in-line twin bike with Indian content which can be priced between 1.5 to 2 lakh

I completely agree with views expressed by Forty6 here.

This thread has brought heated discussions about our desire for an indigenous performance bike, priced at par with small cars but all we get is, either milage culture cheapo bikes...like the 3 launches from Yamaha or "My dad is buying me a snazzy bike, I better bug him for the S-version with added 20cc, stickering and a bikini fairing" bikes (bar a very few exceptions of really unique products)

When global bike manufacturers say "want to target indian market", they come after these two segments dominated by indian companies like H&H, Bajaj, TVS.

I say, if the tax structure is to be fair and promote indian products, then government should impose heavy taxes on these "putter-putter bikes" from Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki etc. which are sold in India! If they want to make them here, they can very well export them to South America, China, South east asia, Africa and to "learing to ride teenagers" of the developed world !

Sorry to add another rant to the forum, but could not contain the frustration after seeing Yamaha's "fresh n exciting launches" after so much of "talk" about them bringing "world class" products soon

Although I agree with your concern about lack of new performance bikes, you logic above isn't right! Why do you want his to happen? Are the small bikes causing you worries in any way?

You need to understand that though the number of people seeking performance bikes is increasing by the day in India, the mileage seekers grossly outnumber them, and I can't understand why should anyone have anything against this segment of buyers. The companies are very right in making products that would cater to the commuter segment. After all, all auto companies are here to make money & not simply serve the needs.
I will however agree that the performance segment is kind of being overlooked at the moment (what i mean is lack of recent launches), but I'm sure something substantial will come up soon. After all, the auto companies do realise that there is a huge market out there that they can tap & make huge money in.

This post is purely because your logic above was purely baseless & wrong.

I am interested in knowing about the fate of DRI confiscated Motorcycles, anyone gotta a clue?
Thanks.

Why do you want his to happen? Are the small bikes causing you worries in any way?


This post is purely because your logic above was purely baseless & wrong. [/QUOTE]

Actually I missed one point here, I wanted to say, "Instead of taxing superbikes, tax the smaller offerings from global manufacturers which are competing with indian commuter offerings"


You are right on the logic part bro, penned it down more out of frustration and jealousy. A rant filled with envy for the people who want a milage friendly, inexpensive bike becuse they have got so many options already - add to that new entrants (by companies taking their first steps in Indian markets or by companies already here)

Guess some people did pay the duty and the penalties to get their bikes back.
But i am sensing that yew want to know about the ones which have been left unclaimed. This i cannot help you with.

@On Topic

I wouldn't be able to grasp your sorrows as of yet Forty6, m still 18 in my head.

But we will not be Bikers if we don't love our bikes, and if we don't have a passion for Biking and for our Bikes.
And it is really heartbreaking when obstacles occur in the pursuit of our passions.

So here are some of my ideas, i know it might sound weird and all

1): Go out of country, buy yer bike (Second hand, and with less kms done), dismantle it, bring it back to India.
Course yew will need to pay the duties (guess its 105% for new and 104% for secondhand)

But the plus is:
a) yer bike has depreciated and hence yew will not have to part with too much cash, compared to buying a new one
b) emmm, there is no second plus..

2): Build your own bike, (easy said ) Plenty of Red Tape to go through , but don't worry, when i get my job at ARAI I will help your case
It is doable but .. will take time, and energy. (and money)

But the plus is:
a) Once yew have set the precedence, yew can help us navigate through all the red tapism.
b) Yew will treat yer bike as a child born to yew, and will not let anyone else ride it.

3): Tie some pontoons to the bike and set sail from Australia or New Zealand, some what like those blokes did at Top Gear, Season 13 Vietnam Special.

PS: dun hate me for my long post, which might have gone slightly off topic, just trying to cheer up the people in this thread.

@Forty6 That really was a young mans frustration at not being treated nicely upon growin' old.. I guess, I too would act the same way after being given the same thing over and over again when I reach the late 20's.

Everything you said voiced the concern of a large no of bikers in our country.
No wonder most of our professionals are fulfilling their biking dreams abroad rather than spending their time and money here.

I wish the situation changes by the time I reach this stage..but I can only be selfish..

Around here, we can't even really dream of a bike for the only dream bikes I have now are the R15's and the Ninja's and there stops the options.

Let's wish ourselves all the best this time around!

@saerius: Please try and not use SMS english, it makes your post unreadable!

whats happening to bikers is well said they take indian customers for granted and even the bikes available in market are not of good quality plus every service department in all showrooms treats bikers like shit

Thank you for pointing out my mistakes.

I have edited out the sms lingo. The post was done in enthusiasm.

And such shortfalls will not occur henceforth.

PS: where are you Forty6??

somewhere here only.

Some random comment has brought this thread back, after a long absence, bottom line here is that Our country doesn't evolve, this is the problem, in terms of biking, the market is cornered by these so called 'commuter bikes' this is what makes the manufacturers their dough, this is propelled by our Olympic ability to reproduce and the tried and tested way of keeping people poor and crying out for more, which means what's good for the masses, i.e 'cheap' is what makes these big companies their dough (quantity over quality), hence the market for better bikes will always be in slow motion.

In india, our priorities are different, we are not like the west or Big daddy USA. we try to get all the goodies and want them for the cheapest possible price. I don't say it is the case always, but it most definitely was the case. I would love to have a bike that chuns out 30bhp... 30 is fine nothing more.. cause out roads, and the sons of the soil who would ride their cattle up on the highway on the wrong side. Ive experienced it personally, try riding 11okms on our beautiful national highway taking up a 30 degree banking and just to see a monster of a tractor with a load full of straw heading up ur way on the wrong side, try slamming up the brakes and pray to good gods. Ive done it a few times and Trust me, its is not a nice thing to experience...
Ive seen morons of the first order riding their bikes like their lower back side is on fire in their pulsar 150s and apache rtr's
90 percent of indian's don't use helmet. I guess only XBHP members or loyalists try and use protective gears.
imagine 100 bhp plus bikes available to the nu eve rich!!!
Money can never buy class... and by class i mean here responsibility...
when more than 80 percent of bikers lack responsible riding, they really don't deserve powerful bikes...

having *****ed about it all yes. i do agree our Motorcycle manufactures are taking us gor a jolly good ride.
I love ZMR but i think i am being short changed by been offered a decade old motorcycle in a new paint.
Herohonda or Honda motor Corp is the biggest cheats going... but they are going strong. churning out cheap good mileage bikes. and still staying no 1.. my son will be born and grow up and would be offered a cbz ztreme. or ytreme.

TVS deserves a pat on their shoulders for whatever they do and try to do....but i would like a 250 by them. Ive never ridden a TVS bikes, but own a WEGO. and pleasantly surprised with the package of the scooter.

Honda seems to be on the track. with cbr250 they have created a new benchmark and expanded the horizon a notch wider.

Yamaha deserves to be considered the no1 bike company other than Royal Enfield. the reason being, Yamaha was the first manufacture who has respected the Indian youth and have brought in good quality bikes. A big salute there.

Royal Enfield is a class apart. we cannot compare other bike manufactures with royal enfield. the only other companies which can be compared to RE is Harley Davidson and Indian Chief. Now some may laugh at me, but I think Even Harley cannot give us a Bike under 1.5L with 35-40 kms per liter( classic 500 FI)

Pulsar continue to give good bikes on paper. their first generation bikes are always a failure. and they seem to learn at the buyers experience. I still think Pulsar has a poor design Quality, and reliability. and poorly put together. i might go out and buy a 220, not because i like pulsar, but just to spite Hero honda for selling us decade old bikes...

If any bike makers are gonna offer us powerful bikes with quality and power, then i think it is between Honda and Yamaha....

Oh yea, there is Suzuki.... it will be funny to see what would happen to them... but going this way.. Suzuki is not gonna last here for another decade or 2

Honest Opinions... brickbats are welcome.

I will reply to you but before that there is another issue.
here goes.

Dear Losers and other such turds who are worshipped by planners,



1. If i on my two-wheeled bike can ride at 70, in rains, and not fall, you are not going to fall off the face of earth in a car. In case you did not notice the car has 4 wheels. I know you believe you can do anything if you put your mind to it, can't frigging fall off a car.



2. If someone in a bigger vehicle hasn't noticed your glaring, because you are driving with both your foot on the brake (and it is called brake even if you prefix it with power), brake lights, he/she will probably miss the blinking yellow light too. While i will love to see you in an amulance with blinking yellow lights waving goodbye to this world, the blinking lights on your car does not make you any safe. Please put them on, only if you are stationary and in trouble.



3. dear mother of the kid, who can't be handed to the person sitting in the passenger seat. What the **** are you even attempting. The kid can survive the trauma of being 10 seconds away from you. He will probably not survive the flight from the front windscreen in case of an accident, which is as bright a possibility as you being the missing link between chimps and humans. Considering it is quite tough to change gears and hold the steering wheel with just one hand. Unless youa re durga or shera wali, in which case why the **** are you in a car?



4. dear traffic police guy, who thinks cometh the rain switch offeth the traffic light is the best thing to happen since the development of opposable thumbs. Wait a sec, do you have opposable thumbs? May i chop them off, along with your head? C***tiyon get away from that light and make sure people are in their lanes. The lights know what they have to do.



5. Is splashing all the water off the road and on me not enough that you have to take your head out of the door to spit? I swear next time i see someone doing that i will just bang the door right on your head. It is ok i will pay for damage to your door.



6. lover boys and lover girls, concentration camp is a place to die holding hands. Expressway is not. DRIVE you idiotic siamese twins.



7. Please, please for christ sake don't go in reverse if you have missed a u-turn, the next turn, contrary to your religious beliefs, is not at wagah border. In fact there is no u-turn at wagah border.



8. A dipper is a means to let you know i want to overtake you from the right side. It is not my way of saying your head is up your arse or that your wife's facial hair is actually more masculine than yours. I don't want to honk, so just stop staring at me and move to the left.



9. Lastly, you morons, who ride their bikes like Tiger Woods rode his luck, yes i have a nice bike. No i won't race with the three of you. Please convey that to the two buffons sitting behind you too.



thanks.

yours,

the guy on the bike getting drenched and wanting to reach home.

I beg to differ on this one point;

Before that, let me start off saying what made me to think; 2 years ago, I was on my way to BLR on a super good highway despite several warning from the family that it rains like hell between Ambur, Vaniyambadi. Nothing new & I went ahead & got caught; it was damn raining & never have witnessed such a heavy downpour ever in my life.

So I was happily driving & wasn't able to see anything beyond a point & I'd to slow down & tailgate a SETC bus. Then comes this Skoda Octavia who was generous in speed & I was happily tail gating this guy; all I could see was his glowing RED rears.

All of a sudden my Waggy started moving diagonally for no reason; it took fraction of seconds for me to realize it was hydroplaning. God saved me that day from hitting the median or even worse.

My lesson learnt was not only with respect to hydroplaning, tailgating, but more of CAPACITY. Each one has their own capacity & we've to respect that. May be if I'd that Skoda, I could've freaked even better than he did or may be done poorer than my hatch. But everyone has their own threshold & very few like us keep challenging the threshold to raise our bars. That was a good lesson for me to understand that, not everyone is capable of doing everything; if someone does lower than the standards, then there's something terribly wrong, otherwise, I ought to respect their limits.