Aurelia Butler

CFMOTO 650 NK
Like the smaller 300NK, CFMoto is likely to price the upcoming BS6 650NK at the same price of Rs. 3.99 lakh (ex-showroom) as its BS4 version upon its launch
While CFMoto gave last year a complete miss in India, this year it planned to start afresh with the launch of the BS6 compliant CFMoto 300NK in March. Now, the Chinese bikemaker has teased a larger variant of the naked streetfighter in the form of 650NK on its social media platform. The motorcycle is expected to make its debut in India soon and is likely to adopt styling cues from its smaller sibling.
Expected Styling Updates
Starting with its design, the naked street racer will sport the same styling as its discontinued BS4 counterpart, albeit with some subtle updates. Like 300NK, the upcoming 650NK is also expected to get new fuel tank extensions and covers.
Other design highlights expected to be included are a low-slung full-LED headlamp, a muscular fuel tank, an upswept rear section, a rear-fender mounted number plate and an underbelly exhaust.
Further, sporty appeal of the motorcycle will be enhanced by contrasting shades in various colour scheme options. The teaser image has no signs of the bike visually but mentions that it is an Austrian design which confirms that like its smaller sibling, 650NK will also be designed by KISKA.
CFMOTO 650 NK BS6
These are the same folks who are responsible for the design of the KTM Duke range of naked motorcycles. Instead of the older star alloy spoke design, the upcoming iteration is expected to feature new Y-shaped spoke alloy wheels with new contrasting coloured rims.
Expected Mechanical Specs
There will be hardly any changes to its mechanicals. It is expected to be powered by the same 649.3cc motor although in a BS6 guise. In the BS4 form, this motor returned output of 60.5 bhp and 56 Nm of peak torque while being mated to a 6-speed gearbox. Specifications of the powertrain are not expected in the latest emission standards.
As far as hardware is concerned, the bike will be built on a steel Trellis frame architecture while suspension duties are expected to be handled by USD forks at front and a cantilever-type mono-shock at rear.
Braking duties will be carried out by single disc brakes at both ends which will be assisted by a dual-channel ABS as standard. It is expected to roll on the same 17-inch front and rear alloy wheels that are shod by 120/70 and 160/60 sections of tyres respectively. More

2021 Bajaj Dominar 250 New ColourBajaj Dominar 250 with new colour options have already started reaching dealerships – Launch is expected soon
After introducing new paint schemes for its Pulsar range of motorcycles, Bajaj Auto is now gearing up to launch new colour options for Dominar 250. Two new shades of the quarter-litre tourer namely- Aurora Green and Vine Black, have recently been spotted in dealerships.
Though there has been no official confirmation from the Chakan-based bikemaker regarding this development yet. Currently, Dominar 250 is available in two paint options- Canyon Red and Charcoal Black. Prior to this, the Aurora Green shade was exclusive to the more powerful Dominar 400, hence, owners of the latter might not be very thrilled about this development.
However, there are some subtle differences that visually distinguish Dominar 400 from Dominar 250. For example, the former rides on diamond-cut alloy wheels which the ladder misses out on. Other than the updated colour palette, there will be no changes on the quarter-litre motorcycles. We expect the new colour schemes to be introduced in the coming few weeks.
Dominar 250 Specs & Features
Dominar 250 is powered by a 248.7cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled motor that returns an output of 26.6 bhp and 23.5 Nm of peak torque. This unit is mated to a six-speed gearbox with a slipper clutch. Suspension setup consists of upside-down telescopic forks at front and a mono-shock at rear.
2021 Bajaj Dominar 250 New Colour
Braking duties are carried out by single disc brakes at both ends with 300mm and 230m rotors at front and rear respectively. Safety net is provided by a dual-channel ABS as standard. The motorcycle tips the weighing scales at 180 kg while it can hold fuel up to 13 litres.
Features on offer include full-LED lighting, a digital instrument cluster, split seats, stylish mirror stalks and a twin-barrel exhaust. Prices of the quarter-litre tourer were recently incremented from Rs. 1.67 lakh to Rs. 1.70 lakh (ex-showroom).
Therefore, we do not expect prices to be hiked again for the new colour options. Dominar 250 competes against the likes of Royal Enfield Classic 350, Bullet 350, Jawa Forty-Two and Mahindra Mojo.
New Pulsar NS125
In other news, Bajaj recently launched a new entry-level motorcycle in the Pulsar range called Pulsar NS125. It is powered by a 124.4cc single-cylinder DTS-i engine that pushes out 11.8 PS of power at 8500rpm and 10.8 Nm of peak torque at 6500rpm. It is offered with a 5-speed gearbox. Available in four colour options- Burnt Red, Fiery Orange, Beach Blue and Pewter Grey, Pulsar NS125 is offered at a price of Rs 93,690 (ex-showroom). More

KTM Electric Scooter Concept. Image – Roadrider JapanKTM and Husqvarna electric scooters will help strengthen Bajaj’s EV portfolio
Over the next five years, competition in electric two-wheeler space is expected to increase manifold. Already there are more than two dozen players in this segment. Bajaj will be keen to grab significant market share in this segment, a goal that is already being pursued with Chetak electric scooter. To give more options to customers and expand its EV portfolio, Bajaj has planned to launch KTM and Husqvarna electric scooters in the Indian market.
Made in India products
Just like Chetak, KTM and Husqvarna electric scooters will be manufactured in India. To reduce development cost, these new electric scooters will share the same platform as that of Chetak.
However, KTM and Husqvarna electric scooters are expected to be sportier, trendier and futuristic, as compared to retro-styled Chetak. While Chetak can work for all age groups, KTM and Husqvarna electric scooters will primarily target the young audience. These new scooters will rival the Ather 450X, which is currently the leading electric scooter in the country when it comes to performance and features.
Bajaj is currently planning to open a new production facility in Chakan, near Pune, to manufacture a range of premium motorcycles and electric vehicles. This facility could be used for manufacturing KTM and Husqvarna electric scooters. Launch is expected by 2022.
KTM Electric Scooter leaked info
Collaboration with Pierer Mobility
KTM and Husqvarna electric scooter will be manufactured as part of collaboration between Bajaj Auto and Pierer Mobility. The latter was earlier known as KTM Industries. In addition to electric scooters, the partnership will entail development of electric mopeds as well as electric bicycles.
On its part, Pierer Mobility is currently working on multiple EVs in power range of 3kW – 10kW. These will be manufactured at Bajaj Auto’s Pune plant. Production is expected to commence sometime next year. These new EVs will be available for sale both in domestic and international markets. As may be recalled, KTM had unveiled its E-Speed electric scooter way back in 2013 at Tokyo Motor Show. However, that project did not reach production stage.
Battery swapping infrastructure in European markets
To ensure that KTM electric scooters and motorcycles are not subjected to range anxiety in European markets, efforts are being made to develop a robust battery swapping infrastructure. Fast-charging stations are also being built. KTM has shown interest in partnering with Yamaha, Honda and Piaggio to develop common-use battery swapping infrastructure. These will be used for motorcycles and light EVs.
It has already been confirmed that Husqvarna electric scooter will be utilizing a 4kW electric motor. As for the electric motorcycle named Husqvarna e-Pilen, the EV will be equipped with a modular battery system. These two products are expected to go on sale in European markets by second half of 2022.
For the battery pack, Pierer Mobility will be collaborating with Austria-based Varta Innovation. The company will also use in-house E-mobility expertise from KTM E-Technologies GmbH. It will involve development of new electric drive systems and battery platforms. More

Image – Technical MamuHero MotoCorp’s entry-level commuter motorcycle Splendor led the list of 10 two wheelers sold in March 2021 while Honda Activa was in second position
Two wheeler sales increased substantially in March 2021 over that of March 2020. The need for personal mode of transport, healthy rural climate, year-end financial schemes and discounts offered by two wheeler manufacturers all had a part to play in this increase of sales.
While assessing the top 10 two wheelers sold in the past month, it may be seen that every model in this lineup showed positive growth in March 2021 over that of March 2020. Sales increased by 70.19 percent and stood at 10,80,498 units over 6,34,862 units sold in March 20. Of course, comparing sales to March 2020 is not a correct yardstick considering it was in that month that the Covid -19 pandemic struck the country leading to a complete lockdown.
Hero Splendor Tops the List
Hero MotoCorp, India’s largest two wheeler manufacturer, had the Splendor at No.1 on the top 10 list. This entry level commuter motorcycle, which is regaled by buyers on two counts for its high level of fuel efficiency and lower maintenance saw a total of 2,80,090 units sold in March 21, up 94.96 percent over 1,43,736 units sold in March 20. Of course, comparing sales to March 2020 is not a correct yardstick considering it was in that month that the Covid -19 pandemic struck the country leading to a complete lockdown.
Honda Activa continued its lead in the scooter segment with 18.44 percent share and was next on the list. Sales were at 1,99,208 units, up 73.59 percent over sales of 1,14,757 units sold in March 20.
Top 10 Motorcycles – March 2021
The HF Deluxe, a commuter bike from Hero MotoCorp, was at No. 3. Sales for March 21 stood at 1,44,505 units, up 25.69 percent over 1,14,969 units sold in March 20. The HF Deluxe commands a 13.37 percent share and the company has recently added the HF 100, a new entry-level commuter bike priced at Rs.49,400. It is slotted below the HF Deluxe in the company lineup.
Also noting a significant increase in sales was the Honda CB Shine. Sales were at 1,17,943 units in March 21, an increase of 36.14 percent over 86,633 units sold in March 20. The CB Shine also just missed out on reaching the 1 million unit mark with 9,88,201 units sold during the financial year 2020-21.
Bajaj Pulsar and Platina
Bajaj Auto Limited had two model – Pulsar and Platina on the list of top 10 two wheelers for March 20. While the Pulsar reported a 67.14 percent growth from 51,454 units sold in March 20 to 85,999 units sold in March 21, Platina sales surged 224.61 percent. Sales which had stood at 21,264 units in March 20 increased substantially to 69,025 units in the past month.
Earlier this week the company also introduced the new Pulsar NS125 at Rs.93,690. The ‘NS’ or naked sport range will be positioned as an entry-level bike after the NS200 and the NS160.
Chennai-based TVS Motor Company had three models on this list. These included the Jupiter, XL and Apache. Of these, it was the Jupiter at No.7 that saw the most sales and maximum growth. Sales were at 57,206 units in the past month, up 172.40 percent over 21,001 units sold in March 20.
Sales of the TVS XL were at 44,688 units a growth of 36.21 percent over 32,808 units sold in March 20 while Apache sales increased 52.37 percent to 33,162 units, up from 21,764 units sold in the same month of the previous year. There was also the Suzuki Access at No. 8 with 83.83 percent growth to 48,672 units sold in the past month. More

2022 Honda CB400XDespite being more affordable than their 500cc counterparts, CB400X and CB400F are unlikely to arrive in India anytime soon
Honda has officially unveiled its new 400cc duos- CB400X and CB400F at the ongoing Shanghai Auto Show in China. As the name suggests, the former is an adventure tourer and the latter is a naked streetfighter. Both motorcycles are toned down versions of their 500cc counterparts.
In fact, Honda CB500X recently went on sale in India and has been able to impress a large section of riders with its simplicity, robustness and reliability. The bike duo is slated to go on sale in China in the coming months as a 2022 model. But the question arises why the need for a toned-down version of the 500X and 500F?
The reason being in countries like Japan and China medium-sized two-wheeler driver’s licence only permits vehicles with a displacement up to 400cc. Hence, downsizing the engine will help Honda reach a wider section of consumers especially the entry-level riders. In terms of styling, both models look near identical to their respective elder siblings.
CB400X Styling & Features
Starting with 400X, it retains its adventure styling from 500X although it gets a new LED headlamp setup which is not as flashy and sharp as the latter but still very likeable. The 400X also rides on a smaller 17-inch front wheel instead of 19-inch alloys present in 500X. Like its 500cc counterpart, CB400X also gets LED position lights on both sides for added appeal.
2022 Honda CB400X
Like other contemporary adventure bikes, CB400X also receives a proper ADV stance thanks to longer suspension travel, high ground clearance, relatively tall saddle height and higher set handlebar positioning.
However, like 500X it is unmistakably a road-biased tourer. Feature highlights include a digital instrument cluster, a tool-adjustable windscreen and a hazard light switch.
CB400F Styling
On the other hand, CB400F gets the same styling updates as its larger sibling albeit with some minor tweaks. Being an aggressive naked streetracer on the outlook, it gets a split-style seating setup with muscular bodywork. A redesigned LED headlamp lends the new CB400F a very aggressive appeal.
2022 Honda CB400F
Aerodynamic properties are enhanced by the presence of inlet ducts on the tail section as well as the short fairing at front. Other styling highlights include a flat handlebar with a mildly aggressive riding posture and a muscular fuel tank. For its segment, CB400F extremely light and weighs only 188 kilos.
Powertrain Specs
Coming to the powertrain department, both motorcycles are powered by a smaller 399cc parallel-twin motor which is a truncated version of the 471cc parallel-twin unit present on the 500cc siblings. Equipped with a 180-degree crank, this motor pushes out 44.2bhp and 37Nm of peak torque and is linked to a six-speed gearbox.
2022 Honda CB400F and CB400X
Both models share the same suspension setup with conventional telescopic forks at front and a mono-shock unit at rear. Braking duties are handled by single disc brakes at both ends. More