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      2021 Yamaha R15 Gets New Colour Scheme – Not Launched In India

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      2021 Yamaha R15Yamaha had recently updated its colour palette for YZF R15 in India which included a new metallic red colour option
      Yamaha YZF R15 has got yet another new colour option in its arsenal in the form of a new silver and neon paint scheme. Unfortunately, this shade has been available in the Malaysian market only as of now. The new silver colour adds a touch of premium-ness to the entry-level faired sports bike.
      New Silver/Neon Paint Scheme
      The silver paint on body panels is nicely complemented by flashy fluorescent yellow rims on the alloy wheels which give it a neon treatment and a funky look. Strips of yellow are also seen on its centre panels along with the tail section. The front suspension forks are embellished in golden colour providing a nice contrast to the overall sportiness.
      Contrast provided by the blacked-out panels, underbelly and exhaust muffler further accentuate the bike’s sporty appeal. Silver paint with a dark grey scheme on the fuel tank spine, front fender, tail cowl and lower headlamp cowl gives the bike a feeling of masculinity.
      The dark grey finish is also prevalent on the body graphics. A carbon fibre weave texture is given to the exhaust cover. Apart from this new paint scheme on offer there has been no other update on the faired motorcycle.
      2021 Yamaha R15 New Colour
      Styling
      In terms of styling, YZF R15 continues to feature a twin-pod LED headlight giving the motorcycle a very aggressive front face. Other design highlights include split-style seats, a full-fairing design inspired by Yamaha’s flagship YZF R1 and a forward-leaning committed riding posture thanks to clip-on handlebars, rear-set footpegs and a muscular fuel tank design.
      The international-spec R15 is slightly different in terms of specifications when compared to its Indian counterpart. Unlike the international model sold in Malaysia and other markets, the India-spec model comes with conventional telescopic forks at front instead of USD forks.
      The rear suspension gets the same mono-shock. Braking duties are carried out by a 282mm disc with twin-piston calipers at front and a single-piston caliper with 220mm disc at rear.
      2021 Yamaha R15 New Colour
      Engine Specs
      Powering the entry-level superbike is a 155cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, four-valve SOHC motor that pushes an output of 18.6 PS of power and 14.1 Nm of peak torque. This engine is paired with a 6-speed gearbox with a slipper/assist clutch preventing rear-wheel lock-up during aggressive downshifts. Further, the engine is equipped with modern features such as VVA (Variable Valve Actuation) and electronic fuel injection.
      In India, Yamaha offers YZF R15 in Rs. 1,51,700, Rs. 1,50,600 and Rs. 1,52,700 in their respective colour schemes namely Racing Blue, Thunder Grey and Dark Knight. The Japanese bikemaker recently introduced a new colour scheme called Metallic Red a couple of weeks ago at a price of Rs 1,52,100 (all price are ex-showroom, India) More

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      Ola Electric Two Wheeler Charging Network To Be Largest In The World

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      Ola Electric ScooterThe upcoming Ola e-scooter is based on Etergo App Scooter and will be manufactured at the company’s swanking new facility currently in construction in Tamil Nadu
      Ola Electric, the electric arm of the largest mobility service provider in India, has announced its plans to launch a wide network of high-speed charging stations. This development comes just ahead of the debut of Ola’s first electric scooter in a few months’ time.
      The Bangalore-based ride-hailing firm has further revealed that it will offer a comprehensive set of charging options to its EV customers. This includes a home-charger that will be made available with the upcoming electric two-wheeler along with a widely deployed network of high-speed Ola Hyperchargers.
      Ola Electric Scooter
      Details Of Hypercharger Network
      Ola Hypercharger Network will boast of the widest and densest electric two-wheeler charging network in the world. For starters, Ola will be setting up over 5,000 charging points across 100 cities in India in the first year itself. The infrastructure will eventually be ramped up to more than 1 lakh charging points across 400 cities. The company also claims that it will be the fastest electric two-wheeler charging network in the country.
      Ola says that using one of these many charging points, the upcoming e-scooter could be charged 0-50 percent in just 18 minutes. This would be good enough for a 75km range. The firm, however, has not yet revealed an exact timeline by when it will be able to install the complete Hypercharger Network across the country. But it did reveal that these Hyperchargers will be deployed in city centers and dense business districts as standalone towers.
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      Units of this vast charging network would also be found in popular public locations such as malls, office complexes, IT parks, cafes and more. The Hyberchargers Network will be built by Ola in association with its partners. On the other hand, the home charged bundled with the upcoming Ola e-scooter will require no installation and can be used by simply plugging it into a regular wall socket for overnight charging.
      Ola Electric Scooter
      Speaking on this development, Bhavish Aggarwal, Chairman and Group CEO, Ola, said, “Electric is the future of mobility and we are reimagining the entire user experience of owning an electric vehicle. Our plans to build a comprehensive charging network is a key piece of this.”
      Ola Electric Scooter
      Ola will be launching its first electric two-wheeler in partnership with its Netherlands-based firm Etergo BV which it acquired in May last year. The electric scooter will be based on Etergo App Scooter and will be manufactured at Ola Electric’s manufacturing facility which is currently being built in Tamil Nadu.
      Ola Electric Scooter charging network
      The upcoming e-scooter is expected to be priced very aggressively in comparison to its rivals such as Atgher 450X, Bajaj Chetak Electric and others. We expect it to be priced around Rs 1 lakh (ex-showroom) at the time of its launch. More

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      Best Selling Top 10 Scooters In FY21 – Activa, Jupiter, Dio, Ntorq Lead With 30 L Sales

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      Honda ActivaHonda Activa continued to command a top most position ahead of TVS Jupiter, Honda Dio and TVS Ntorq despite de-growth
      FY21, a year that was riddled with lockdown and economic downturn in view of the COVID-19 pandemic that struck early in March 2020, has resulted in de-growth across the automobile industry. Motorcycle and scooter sales were particularly impacted despite the urgent need for personal mobility in view of social distancing and the fact that public transportation was an on/off affair depending on the rise and fall of COVID positive numbers. Effectively, it has been only 11 months of sales in this financial year with lockdown announced all through April 2020.
      Top 10 Scooters FY 2021
      Taking into account top 10 scooter sales in India during the period April 2020 to March 2021, it may be seen that overall sales dipped 17.35 percent. Total scooters sold in the said period stood at 38,17,764 units, down from 46,19,432 units sold in FY20 – for the top 10.
      It was the Honda Activa that was at No.1 with highest sales in this segment and a 50.81 percent share, but suffered de-growth when compared to sales in FY20. Total Activa scooter sales for FY21 stood at 19,39,640 units, down from 25,91,059 units sold in FY20. The Honda Activa brand consists of the Activa 6G and Activa 125 with both models regularly topping the sales charts.
      TVS Jupiter was at No.2 with sale de-growth of 9.24 percent to 5,40,466 units in FY21 down from 5,95467 units sold in FY20. The Jupiter range consists of three variants, Standard, ZX, and Classic powered by a 110 cc engine.
      Top 10 Scooters – FY 2021
      Honda also had the Dio scooter at No.3. Sales dipped 28.51 percent in FY21 to 3,14,417 units, down from 4,39,799 units sold in FY20. The Dio scooter has been regaled for its sporty appeal and received a major overhauling in its 2020 avatar with added features and better ground clearance.
      Hero MotoCorp Pleasure and Destini post Growth
      Hero MotoCorp saw its Pleasure and Destini scooters at Nos. 5 and 6 with both these posting growth in FY21 by a significant margin. Pleasure sales increased 31.07 percent to 2,03,594 units, up from 1,55,329 units sold in FY20 while Destini sales were up 26.67 percent to 1,44,332 units in FY21, from 1,13,944 units sold in the same period of the previous year.
      Yamaha RayZR and Fascino scooters also scored among the leading 10 scooters sold in India in FY21. While the RayZR posted positive growth of 21.55 percent, sales of Fascino scooter dipped 34.83 percent.
      TVS Motor had the Ntorq and Pep+ at Nos. 4 and 10 with both scooters recording de-growth in FY21 over sales in FY20. Hero Maestro was also on this list at No.9 with growth of 1.06 percent to 9,533 units, up from 94,533 units sold in FY20.
      As India enters the 2nd wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, constraints in supply-chain coupled with sky-high fuel prices and poor buyer sentiments could continue to be reasons for the poor sales numbers at least for the next couple of months. More

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      2021 Bajaj Pulsar NS125 – First Ride And Top Speed Test

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      2021 Bajaj Pulsar NS125Pulsar NS125 will primarily target first-time performance riding enthusiasts
      Launched recently, Bajaj Pulsar NS125 is available at a starting price of Rs 93,690 (ex-showroom, Delhi). Pulsar NS range includes NS160 and NS200, which are known for their sporty profile and race-ready performance. Addition of NS125 will benefit customers who may be looking for the NS experience at an affordable price point.
      Pulsar NS125 ride review and top speed
      To let users understand its on-road performance, YouTuber Biker Prakash Choudhary has shared the bike’s test ride experience. Below is the video that details all the features of NS125 and how it works in real world conditions.
      2021 Bajaj Pulsar NS125 Top Speed
      As is evident in the video, NS125 has fast acceleration. According to the rider, the top speed of the bike could be 110+ kmph. However, during testing he managed to do 107 kmph.
      One of the key things noted during the test ride is that the bike does not have any unwanted vibration or sound. Some vibration is natural, but it is not something that may adversely impact the ride experience. Changing gears is pretty smooth and braking performance is also good. Take a look at the detailed review video below.
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      The rider feels that Pulsar NS125 would be great for city traffic. It has agility, fast acceleration and low turning radius, all of which will be useful in traffic conditions. The bike has comfortable riding stance, making it suitable for everyday commutes. With its sporty profile and under 1 lakh pricing, NS125 will be appropriate for youngsters.
      Improvement suggestions for NS125
      The rider mentions that Bajaj has included a side-stand indicator with NS125. However, side stand engine cut-off feature is not available. Another thing that seems to be missing is gear position indicator.
      Pulsar NS125 design and specs
      The bike borrows multiple design features from its bigger siblings, NS160 and NS200. Some key features include aggressive headlamp cluster, twin pilot lamps, split grab rail, underbelly exhaust and infinity twin-strip LED tail lamps. The instrument console is the same as that of NS160. Four colour options are on offer – Burnt Red, Fiery Orange, Beach Blue and Pewter Grey.
      Powering NS125 is the same 124.4cc DTS-i engine that is currently in use with Pulsar 125. It is capable of generating 11.8 ps of max power at 8500 rpm and 10.8 Nm of max torque at 6500 rpm. It is mated to a 5-speed gearbox.
      Bajaj Pulsar NS125 has been equipped with segment-first features such as rigid perimeter frame, which ensures high stiffness. The bike has low flex that allows agile handling. Improved stability across varying ride conditions has been achieved with the use of Nitrox monoshock rear suspension. Braking system has CBS, which ensures better safety for riders. More

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      Hero Partners With Gogoro For Electric Scooter Tech, Charging Network

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      Gogoro Electric ScooterHero MotoCorp and Gogoro announce strategic partnership to develop vehicles and use an established battery swapping network
      Hero MotoCorp and Gogoro Inc. are embarking on a strategic partnership. Focus lays on accelerating the shift to sustainable electric mobility in India. Gogoro is reputed for urban battery swapping and smart mobility innovation.
      The development is headed towards a battery swapping joint venture. This will introduce Gogoro’s battery swapping platform to India. The collaboration will work on electric vehicle development to bring Hero-branded, powered by Gogoro Network vehicles to the fore.
      Gogoro Electric Scooter swappable battery
      Gogoro Network already caters to 3,75,000 riders and 2,000 battery swapping stations. This accounts for 2,65,000 daily battery swaps. To date, the company has undertaken upward of 174 million battery swaps. Gogoro is a Taiwan based company, a nation with a $100bn semiconductor industry. The country churns out the majority of advanced microchips too.
      Gogoro Network battery swapping
      The Gogoro Network battery swapping open platform succeeds on the back of connectivity, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. The end result is a smart swappable battery refuelling platform that is scalable, and is continually being developed to cater to wider needs.
      Gogoro Electric Scooter swappable battery
      Gogoro’s vehicle maker partners go on to access the company’s smart innovations and IP. This includes intelligent drivetrains and controllers, components and smart systems. The end product is a plethora of electric vehicles that are compatible with Gogoro Network battery swapping.
      Gogoro Electric Scooter
      To be fair, Hero MotoCorp has seen unprecedented success in the domestic two wheeler market. And this means the company is sitting at the cusp of great development when the next gen of new age vehicles become a mainstream affair. The future is electric. And when electric adaption becomes large scale, Hero MotoCorp will want to lead from the front. Its grip on the market is widespread, and in time, its network will simply shift to being an electric one.
      Ather Energy, Gogoro – What Next?
      Hero MotoCorp is also associated with Ather Energy, a fairly new electric startup. One can expect multiple such smart partnerships and collaborations as Hero lays the groundwork for its big electric transformation.
      Gogoro Electric Scooter
      As demand is generated, mega e-commerce companies are committed to using electric vehicles as part of their fleets. Ola electric is already vying for top spot in the area working at breakneck speed to ready its plant in India. Hero would very much like to be available with a range of products considering demand in the commercial space is already growing.
      Pawan Munjal, Chairman and CEO, Hero MotoCorp, said, “Our strategic partnership with Gogoro is in line with our Vision – ‘Be the Future of Mobility’ which we are bringing alive through our Mission to ‘Create, Collaborate & Inspire’. Today marks another major milestone in our journey, as we bring Hero’s leadership in two-wheelers, our Global scale and innovation powerhouse, with the leadership of Gogoro in Swapping business model, as they have demonstrated over the years in Taiwan and rest of the world.” More

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      Bajaj Pulsar NS 125 First Look Walkaround And Exhaust Note

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      Image – Biker Prakash ChoudharyBajaj Pulsar NS 125 is the third iteration and an entry level offering in the NS segment after the NS 200 and NS 160
      Bajaj Auto Limited has extended its Pulsar lineup with the new NS 125. Launched in India at Rs.93,690 (ex-sh), this entry level sportsbike costs about Rs 15-20k more than the regular Pulsar 125 currently on sale in the country. At the same time, it is cheaper than the Duke 125 by about Rs 70k.
      The new Pulsar NS 125 is offered in colour options of Beach Blue, Fiery Orange, Burnt Red and Pewter Grey while its body gets a high gloss metallic paint finish and it rides on bronze coloured alloy wheels.
      Segment First Features
      Several segment first features make their way onto the Pulsar NS 125. These include a rigid perimeter framework relating to added stiffness while low flex offers better handling facilities. It also receives a Nitrox mono-shock absorber aiding better stability at varying riding speed and on different road conditions.
      Targeting a younger and more adventurous segment of buyers, the Pulsar NS 125 gets sporty features with a signature wolf eyed headlamp cluster with twin pilot lamps, twin strip LED tail lamps and a split grab rail. Below is a first look walkaround video of new Pulsar NS 125 along with exhaust note. Video is credit to Biker Prakash Choudhary.
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      New NS 125, likes its elder sibling, gets similar styling and is heavier than the regular Pulsar 125 by around 4 kgs. It has a total kerb weight of 144 kgs. Dimensions stand at 2,012mm length, 810mm width and 1,078mm height with a 1,353mm long wheelbase. It gets ground clearance at 179mm, saddle height at 805mm and rides on 17 inch alloy wheels with the tyre size 80 section at front and 100 at the rear.
      Technical Details
      Bajaj Pulsar NS 125 gets its power via the same 125cc, single cylinder, air cooled, fuel injected DTS-i engine that also powers the Pulsar 125 which offers 12 PS power at 5,500 rpm and 11 Nm torque at 7,000 rpm mated to a 5 speed constant mesh gearbox. Braking is via 240mm front disc and 130mm rear drum with CBS. Suspension is via telescopic front and mono shocks at the rear.
      Bajaj has been noticing huge increase in sales of Pulsar, post the launch of the 125 cc range. With the NS125, they aim to increase sales of Pulsar range even further. They aim to target young bikers who want a stylish entry level motorcycle in the 125cc segment.
      Bajaj Auto also offers the Pulsar NS series which includes the NS 200 and NS 160. The NS 200 was launched first as a new age and stylish Pulsar. The NS 160 came in with class leading power, advanced features and stylish looks at a highly competitive price point. Now the new entry-level NS 125 model comes in with class leading features, a powerful engine and sporty accents to strengthen the brands position in the entry level sports bike segment. More

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      Top 10 Motorcycles FY2021 – Hero Splendor Leads With 24.6 Lakh Sales

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      New Hero Splendor. Image – Consumer ABSTop 10 motorcycles report cumulative sales de-growth of 10.49 percent in FY21
      In the new environment of the COVID-19 era, when the need for personal means of travel is at an all-time high, motorcycle sales in India have suffered a negative impact. Taking into account the top 10 motorcycles sold in FY21, it may be noted that sales dipped 10.49 percent to 84,27,562 units, down 9,87,331 units as against 94,13,893 units sold in FY20.
      Hero MotoCorp and Bajaj Auto ruled the list while Honda, Royal Enfield and TVS Motor also made their contributions. Among each of these offerings, only Honda CB Shine and Bajaj Pulsar noted positive sales while each of the other motorcycles in the list posted de-growth.
      Hero Splendor at No. 1
      It was the Hero Splendor at No. 1 that commanded a 29.19 percent share in top 10 motorcycle sales in FY21. The Hero Splendor, an entry level commuter bike that boasts of high mileage and lower cost of maintenance saw sales of 24,60,248 units in the past year, down 6.55 percent as against 26,32,800 units sold in FY20.
      Hero MotoCorp had the HF Deluxe at No.2 but also suffering a de-growth, down 19 percent to 16,61,272 units sold in FY21 as compared to 20,50,974 units sold in FY20. Hero MotoCorp has just launched the new HF 100 in India priced at Rs.49,400. It is the most affordable model in the company lineup, positioned below the HF Deluxe with which it shares some styling cues.
      Top 10 Motorcycles FY2021 (April 2020 to March 2021)
      There was also the Hero Passion and Glamour on this list of top 10 motorcycles sold in FY21. Positioned at Nos. 5 and 6 respectively, both bikes saw de-growth in the past year. Passion sales dipped marginally by 2.95 percent to 4,87,455 units, down from 5,02,264 units sold in FY20. Sales of the Glamour motorcycle on the other hand, suffered a relatively high percentage of de-growth at 23.18 percent to 4,62,912 units as against 6,02,623 units sold in FY20.
      Honda CB Shine recorded the third highest sales in FY21. The CB Shine is a popular buy in the premium commuter segment and posted positive sales in the past year at 9,88,201 units, up 4.20 percent as against 9,48,384 units sold in FY20.
      Bajaj Pulsar Posts Sales Growth
      Sales of the Bajaj Pulsar range of bikes also noted positive growth. It was positioned at No. 4 with 10.51 percent growth to 9,45,978 units, up from 8,56,026 units sold in FY20. Bajaj Auto Limited has recently added to the Pulsar range with the new NS 125, an entry level model priced at Rs. 93,690.
      The Bajaj CT was also on the list at No.10 with the most de-growth among each of the top 10 motorcycles sold in FY21. De-growth stood at 41.06 percent with 2,83,027 units sold in FY21, down from 4,80,204 units sold in FY20. Platina sales dipped 21.89 percent to 4,51,685 units commanding a 5.36 percentage share.
      Royal Enfield and TVS Motor also featured on this list. RE Classic 350 was at No. 8 with 3,61,140 units sold down 9.29 percent as against 3,98,144 units sold in FY20. TVS Apache was at No.9 with 3,25,644 units sold, de-growth of 10.84 percent as compared to 3,65,237 units sold in FY20. The company has recently hiked the prices of the Apache range. Apache RTR 200 4V and 160 4V prices have been hiked and prices of the RTR 160 and RTR 180 have also increased by Rs 1,295. More

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      TVS iQube March 2021 Sales Highest Till Date – Beats Bajaj Chetak Electric Scooter

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      Image – Auto Tech Zone
      Through an uncertain FY21, Bajaj Chetak electric scooter sales reach 1.4k units
      Being competitive in the electric two-wheeler segment is currently a small number game. For starters not everyone is participating yet. However, this doesn’t paint a complete picture. Grassroot level efforts are most oft not widely discussed, and patterns being enforced maybe difficult to understand.
      Nevertheless, the space will prove to be an exciting one as the push for electric vehicle adoption receives a timely impetus. For now, subsidy and rebate options exist under government policies if the vehicle qualifies as per set parameters.
      In India, both Bajaj Auto and TVS Motor are playing the electric scooter game through flagship models. Bajaj brought back its Chetak scooter in an all new electric avatar. Its the only electric vehicle in the company’s current portfolio. And TVS introduced iQube.
      Bajaj Chetak and TVS iQube
      There is no historic data when it comes to checking progress or growth on account of both e-ecooters being fairly new launches. And both were launched only months before Covid-19 pandemic rocked our world. Given that one can understand that sales plans and growth plans have all but gone awry. When sales came to an abrupt end in March, companies were only able to pick up on some activity in June.
      Bajaj Chetak vs TVS iQube – March 2021 Sales
      Through trials and tribulations when a trying fiscal ended, Bajaj Chetak came out n top at just under 1.4k unit sales. TVS iQube sales were clocked at 1,110 units. What’s interesting though is in March 2021, TVS managed to report iQube wholesales at a whopping 355 units. However given how logistics works, it’s most likely that both companies are still dealing with clearing the order books that were filled months earlier.
      Bajaj Chetak vs TVS iQube – FY 2021 Sales
      Electric scooter market
      When launched early in 2020, Bajaj Chetak bookings were said to be at 2k units. Even through the fiscal, the company has failed to sell that many units. And through the fiscal ended Match 2021, Bajaj has entertained bookings and has had periods where they haven’t accepted any.
      Where development and sales is concerned, Bangalore proves to be an important city for electric two wheeler manufacturers. The initial push came from Ather, which is associated with Hero Motocorp. The two wheeler manufacturing giant also sells its own electric scooters through its Hero Electric arm.
      Delhi has proven to be another important city in this regard. These set patterns can help determine that city based focus will mean that one can expect a more developed charging network in such focus cities. Bajaj Chetak sales will soon begin in Hyderabad and Chennai. More