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      New Bajaj Pulsar 160 NS Spied Testing – Launch Likely In 2021

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      Image – Jupiter Lobo
      The new Bajaj Pulsar NS 160 gets significant cosmetic revision while the hardware appear to be retained

      The Bajaj Pulsar NS family of street fighters aged rather well. Started its innings with a 200 cc variant almost a decade ago, the NS nameplate later spawned a popular 160 variant with identical styling. The competition has come up with modern and better equipped compact displacement naked motorcycles, prompting Bajaj Auto to revisit the drawing board.
      New Bajaj Pulsar NS 160 spotted testing
      A prototype of what appears to be the next generation Bajaj Pulsar NS has been spotted testing on the public road for the first time. The air-cooling fins on the engine block strongly indicate that this is a 160 cc variant. The tyre sizes, thin front telescopic forks and box section swing arm also point towards the smaller engined variant.
      The revised bodywork appears to be production ready but the finer details are concealed by the camouflage. The most significant visual change is the fuel tank which now features longer extensions. The headlamp is also completely new with a compact projector unit and a redesigned casing.
      The tailpiece continues to retain familiarity but we expect the taillight to undergo revision. It is reasonable to assume that the new Bajaj Pulsar NS 160 will receive an updated fully digital instrument console. Spy images are credit to automotive enthusiast Jupiter Logo.
      Image – Jupiter Lobo
      Specifications
      The time proven 160.3 cc air / oil-cooled single-cylinder motor is expected to be carried forward. The underbelly exhaust has been done away with in favour of a conventional canister in a bid to meet the stricter emission standards. In its current avatar, the motor produces a healthy 17.2 hp and 14.6 Nm of torque, and is mated to a 5-speed gearbox. Changes, if any, are likely to be nominal.
      The perimeter frame, suspension and braking setup appear to have been carried forward without any changes. The sporty compact displacement naked motorcycle is equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, front and rear discs with single-channel ABS.
      Bigger engined variant on its way?
      It is only a matter of time before the Pulsar NS 200 receives a successor and it is expected to adopt the bigger 250 cc liquid-cooled motor from the Dominar. A bigger engine would help create a sufficient distance from its 160 cc sibling in terms of market positioning and pricing, while also strengthening the brand’s quarter liter lineup.
      Rivals
      The new Bajaj Pulsar NS 160 will be pitted against the TVS Apache RTR 160, Hero Xtreme 160R and Yamaha FZS-FI. The brand pull and a modern design should give the new naked Pulsar an edge over its rivals. We expect the new motorcycle to be ready for the market sometime in the second half of this year to take advantage of the festive season. Expect a marginal increase in the price from current INR 1.10 lakh (Ex-showroom). More

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      Hero Xpulse 200 Modified To Look Like An Enduro Bike – Adventure Ready

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      Hero Xpulse 200 Modified
      Hero Xpulse 200 competes against entry-level adventure tourer motorcycles such as Royal Enfield Himalayan and KTM 250 Adventure

      At Rs 1.15 lakh (ex-showroom), Hero Xpulse 200 is by far the most affordable adventure motorcycle in India. It may not be the best looking bikes but it gets the job done for the purpose it has been built. Apart from being a good touring machine with decent off-road capabilities, the fact that it is super affordable makes it a fan favourite among biking enthusiasts looking for an entry-level adventure tourer.
      It is also a fan favourite when it comes to aftermarket modifications and is one of the most sought after customised bikes in India currently. Over the years we have seen many examples of a modified Xpulse 200, some of them quite tasteful in fact. The latest case is one such example.
      Customised Design
      This piece of Xpulse 200 owned by an enthusiast named Tushar Doultani has been modified to look like an enduro bike. Getting into the details of its design, its stock circular headlamp has been replaced with a square-ish aftermarket unit.
      It also wears a new headlamp cowl to suit its squared-off arches. The modified bike also gets a straight-line handlebar with aftermarket knuckle guards. The owner has ditched the factory fitted rearview mirrors.
      Hero Xpulse 200 Modified
      Switching to its rear end, quite a few interesting mod jobs have been carried out. The most prominent highlight being the aftermarket fender which completely alters the bike’s visual appeal. An almost vertical tail section gives it a much needed enduro look. It has been installed at an angle very similar to its saddle. To top it off, the custom paint job makes it look ready for a dirt rally.
      Hero Xpulse Rally Kit
      However, all the above mentioned modifications look good mainly because the bike has been installed with Hero’s official rally kit. The bikemaker offers a rally kit with Xpulse 200 which comes with a bunch of components that make the bike much more friendly in tough off-roading conditions.
      The package includes an adjustable cartridge front suspension unit, a preload-adjustable rear suspension and chunkier Maxxis tyres. Also part of the kit are an extended gear pedal, extra-long side stand and handlebar risers. It also gets a flat and taller bench-style seat which is useful for long-distance touring.
      Hero Xpulse 200 Modified
      Engine Specs & Features
      Xpulse 200 draws its power from a 199.6cc, single-cylinder, oil-cooled engine returning an output of 17.8 bhp at 8,500rpm and 16.45 Nm of peak torque at 6,500rpm. This unit is paired with a 5-speed gearbox. On the feature front, it is offered with a full-LED headlamp and a digital instrument cluster and Bluetooth connectivity for navigation and call alerts.
      Source More

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      Yamaha Sales, Exports Breakup Jan 2021 – FZ, Fascino, R15, MT15, RayZR

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      Image – Venkatesh
      While Yamaha has reported higher domestic sales in January, exports have declined

      A total of 46,879 units were sold in the domestic market, which is YoY growth of 6.10%. Sales during the corresponding period last year stood at 44,184 units. On exports front, Yamaha has registered negative growth of -19.05%. From 19,052 units in January last year, exports have come down to 15,422 units in January 2021.
      Yamaha domestic sales January 2021
      The top selling two-wheeler for Yamaha in January 2021 was FZ with sales of 21,496 units. YoY sales have more than doubled, as compared to 13,957 units sold in January last year. FZ contributed 45.85% to the company’s overall sales in January 2021.
      Next in the list is Fascino, one of the popular 125cc scooters in the country. A total of 8,416 units were sold in January 2021. YoY sales growth has turned negative at -27.74%, as compared to 11,647 units sold in January last year. Fascino’s share in sales was 17.95% in January 2021.
      At number three is R15 with 8,408 units sold in January 2021. YoY sales are up 25.14%, as compared to 6,719 units sold in January last year. R15 contribution to overall sales was 17.94%.
      Yamaha India Sales Jan 2021
      MT15 is next with a massive 851.85% jump in YoY growth. As compared to 648 units in January last year, sales have zoomed to 6,168 units in January 2021. Percentage share in sales was 13.16%.
      At number five is RayZR with 2,232 units sold in January 2021. RayZR seems to be losing traction, as YoY sales are down by -78.75%. Sales during the corresponding period last year stood at 10,504 units. Percentage share was 4.76%.
      Other Yamaha two-wheelers in the list include FZ25, Saluto, Alpha, R3 and Saluto RX. Of these, only FZ25 has positive YoY growth. Sales are up from 144 units to 159 units, which is YoY growth of 10.42%. Saluto, Alpha, and R3 have zero sales in January 2021.
      Yamaha India Exports Jan 2021
      Yamaha exports breakup January 2021
      Export numbers do not look encouraging, as only four Yamaha two-wheelers have positive YoY growth in January 2021. FZ leads in exports as well with a total of 5,676 units. However, YoY growth has slackened by -10.13%, as compared to 6,316 units exported in January last year.
      Next in the list are Saluto (2,650 units), Saluto RX (1,512) and Crux (1,332), all of which have registered positive YoY growth. Of these, Saluto RX has max YoY growth in percentage terms. Exports have zoomed from 252 units in January last year to 1,512 units in January 2021. Crux has also registered impressive YoY gain of 166.40%.
      FZ25 is placed at fifth spot, with negative YoY growth of -52.92%. Next is SZ with 1,220 units exported in January 2021. YoY growth is 2.43%, as compared to 1,191 units exported in January last year. Other two-wheelers in the list include RayZR (1,074 unit), R15 (390), MT15 (160), Fascino (120) and Alpha (0). All of these have negative YoY growth in January 2021. More

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      Ola Electric Scooter Plant Construction Underway – Production Will Start In 2021

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      Ola Electric Scooter and the manufacturing plant site
      Ola mega-factory Phase-1 production to begin within months

      Construction at Ola’s larger than life mega-factory on its 500-acre site has gotten underway earlier this month. In December 2020, Ola had announced a Rs 2400 crore MoU with Tamil Nadu government. Land acquisition was completed in January 2021. With work progressing rapidly, the company intends to start plant ops in the next few months.
      With industry and manufacturing processes largely improved at current times, this will be one of the quickest transition times starting from scratch to production. With R&D and data to fall back on, Ola’s plant will be one that’s bound to be closely followed by many a big name in vehicle manufacturing. The transition from being a solely ride-hailing platform to manufacturing would in part be based on data, and projected trends.
      For this to come to fruition, an estimated 10 million+ man-hours is planned to aid building the factory in record time. This in turn will help the company becomes operational regard to electric scooter manufacturing at the earliest.
      Ola global markets
      Ola’s factory development processes focus on sustainability. The green belt in the area is being conserved by preserving and transplanting onsite trees. Plans are afoot to maintain a large forest area within the site. And reuse soil and rocks within the factory. Below is the first look video shared by Ola.
      [embedded content]
      Ola’s mega-factory has an initial capacity of 2M units a year in phase 1. The large-scale operational quest will cater to Indian and international markets. This being Ola’s global manufacturing hub for electric scooter range, and two-wheelers across India and international markets, including Europe, UK, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Australia and New Zealand.
      Industry 4.0 principles
      Industry 4.0 principles are standard for the factory. This will be powered by Ola’s own proprietary AI Engine and tech stack. Processes will be deeply integrated in all systems. The new manufacturer is expected to create 10,000 jobs.
      Once operational, the factory is expected to be India’s most automated. 5,000 robots and automated guided vehicles will be pressed into service when ops are in full capacity. Global partners and suppliers have already been onboarded.
      Current preparedness and forward looking approach will aid in sticking to projected operational timelines. Ola will launch its first electric scooters in a few short months.
      They will be built around great design, removable battery, high performance and range, and industry first tech features. The scooter has already been recognised with the IHS Markit Innovation award at CES, and the German Design Award. More

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      TVS Sales, Exports Break Up Jan 2021 – Jupiter, Apache, XL 100, Ntorq

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      Image – Bengal Rider
      TVS Motor Company is currently the third-largest two-wheeler manufacturer in India behind Hero MotoCorp and Honda Two Wheelers

      With the coming of the new year, the automotive market has continued its surge for growth since the last two quarters of 2020. This was evident at the start of 2021 with automotive sales reaching new heights. In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, demand for personal mobility has grown rapidly, especially in the two-wheeler segment.
      Domestic Sales- XL, Jupiter Lead Charts
      TVS, one of the major players in the two-wheeler segment in the Indian market, has been raking in good sales volumes in 2021. The Hosur-based manufacturer posted some strong numbers for January this year as it registered a cumulative domestic sales of 2,05,216 two-wheelers which are 42,209 units higher than January 2020.
      In other words, it recorded YoY growth of 25.89 percent. The highest contributor to its domestic sales volume was the brand’s moped offering- XL. It registered sales of 59,007 units last month against last year’s 52,525 units. This translates to YoY growth of 12.34 percent.
      It is followed by the company’s most popular scooter Jupiter with a cumulative sales of 51,852 units. In comparison, the company sold 38,689 units of Jupiter in January 2020 thus ensuring growth of 34.28 percent.
      TVS Motor Sales Jan 2021
      Apache, Ntorq, others show strong numbers
      Taking the third spot was the brand’s popular range of sporty commuter motorcycles Apache which recorded sales of 28,456 units against last year January’s figures of 23,157 units. This translated to a YoY growth of 22.88 percent. The company’s flagship scooter Ntorq raked in 27,766 units in January 2021. In comparison, the company dispatched 20,638 units of Ntorq to dealerships across the country thus registering a YoY growth of 34.54 percent.
      Ntorq was followed by Radeon to take the fifth spot after the brand retailed 9,857 units of the entry-level motorcycle. In comparison, TVS dispatched 6,055 units of Radeon to dealerships in January 2020 translating to YoY growth of 62.79 percent. The sixth spot was occupied by TVS Sport after it recorded cumulative sales of 8,174 units in January 2021. This is way more than last year’s 2,882 units, thus commanding a greater YoY growth of 183.62 percent.
      At seventh place was the brand’s entry-level offering Scooty Pep+ with a sales volume of 8,076 units. In January 2020, the underbone scooter registered sales of 5,1136 units, therefore, making YoY growth of 57.24 percent. It was followed by Star City which raked in 6,529 units last month in comparison to 10,476 units in January 2020. It was one of the few products which recorded negative growth of 37.68 percent.
      TVS Motor Exports Jan 2021
      Exports
      As far as exports are concerned, TVS shipped 88,284 two-wheelers last month to various overseas markets. In comparison, last year in January, the figures stood at 56,016 units thereby recording YoY growth of 57.60 percent. The chart was led by Star City 125 which registered disbursement of 30,070 units last month against 17,249 units dispatched in January last year. It recorded a positive growth of 74.33 percent.
      It was followed by the regular Star City at 26,488 units registered last month instead of 23,883 units last year. Thus, it recorded a growth of 10.91 percent. Next in line were Apache and Sport with exports of 16,192 units and 8,292 units respectively. Both motorcycles recorded healthy YoY growth of 227 percent and 222 percent respectively. TVS dispatched 4,556 units of Ntorq against last January’s 3,696 units which translated to a YoY growth of 23.27 percent. More

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      2021 Super Soco Electric Motorcycles – TC Wanderer, TS Street Hunter Unveiled

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      SuperSoco TC Wanderer Electric Motorcycle
      Super Soco’s new range electric motorcycles come with more comfort, features and range

      Vmoto, an Australian EV brand owned by Super Soco, hosted a virtual unveiling event of its three electric offerings. These include the TC Wanderer and TS Street Hunter motorcycles along with a CUmini e-scooter. We talk here about the TC Wanderer and TS Street Hunter electric motorcycles.
      TC Wanderer
      The TC Wanderer is a variant in Super Soco’s retro-styled TC lineup. It boasts of a retro design theme with some new features and some borrowed from the Super Soco TC. It gets wrap-around headlamps, raised handlebars, a small fly screen, café racer styled seat and simple body works. It however, boasts of a circular digi-analogue instrument cluster, full LED lighting, keyless ignition, USD fork and disc brakes at both ends.
      SuperSoco TC Wanderer Electric Motorcycle
      Design elements to the rear include a slim LED tail lamp unit and high positioned LED turn indicators. It rides on dual purpose tyres and receives three riding modes. The display indicates a 100 kms range once the battery is fully charged. All critical parts of TC Wanderer are covered with high resistant and infiltration proof aluminum for added protection.
      TS Street Hunter
      Super Soco TS Street Hunter was also unveiled as a replacement for the Super Soco TS. This is a naked sports bike with a sharper design and heavier stance. It gets LED light fittings where headlamp, tail lamp and turn signals are concerned along with a fully digital instrument cluster, 17 inch wheels and stopping power via disc brakes at the two ends along with a Combined Braking System.
      SuperSoco TS Street Hunter Electric Motorcycle
      Power and Performance
      Super Soco TC Wanderer and TS Hunter share the same specs. This motor generates 2.5 kW and 180 Nm with two 60V and 32Ah battery packs taking total storage capacity to 3.84 kWh. The battery can be fully charged in 3.5 hours. The TS Street Hunter rider is offered three modes to alter throttle response and offering a top speed of 75 km/h.
      The Super Soco CUmini e-scooter, ideally suited for urban mobility, gets powered by a 600W continuous motor with a swappable 20 Ah battery. It offers a range of 60-70 km and gets features such as LED lighting and keyless start along with an alarm system, GPS position and battery charge display via a smartphone app.
      Price and Launch Plans
      Super Soco has not yet revealed any details of pricing of these electric motorcycles. The current TC is priced at $4,000 (approximately Rs 2.91 lakhs) in Europe, but the new model could command a higher pricing due to its increased range.
      When will these e-bikes be launched in India is still not certain, especially considering the import bans from China. However, if and when launched in the country, they could compete directly with the likes of the Revolt RV400, Kabira KM 4000 and KM 3000. The Super Soco CUmini could rival the Ampere Magnus Pro. More

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      2021 Royal Enfield 650 Twins New Colour Options Leak Ahead Of Facelift Launch

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      2021 Royal Enfield 650 Twins Colours
      An update from Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 is on the cards which are expected to be launched sometime later this year

      At the end of last year, Royal Enfield made its intentions clear that from here on we will see many new and updated products from the bikemaker for the next seven years or so. It started with the new Meteor 350 and continued with the updated Himalayan earlier this year.
      While there are plenty of upcoming motorcycles in the brand’s scheme of things, exact launch timeline of these products is still very much unknown. Plenty of testing prototypes from the Chennai-based manufacturer have been spotted on roads in recent months. This clearly suggests that the company’s R&D currently has its hands full.
      Amidst all this, new details have emerged online which might excite Royal Enfield fans. New colour options for the 650cc Twins- Interceptor and Continental GT have leaked on the internet which indicates that the modern classic roadsters might be given a mild-facelift soon.
      This is further established by the fact that the latter was recently spotted testing earlier this year. Both bikes made their debut in 2018 and with almost three years in the market, an update shall benefit the brand.
      2021 Royal Enfield 650 Twins Colours
      Updates Expected
      Although we believe that this update will mostly be cosmetic and in line with the updated Himalayan rather than a major makeover. This includes new colour schemes and subtle variations in styling. The manufacturer might also take the opportunity to rectify certain ergonomics issues on both the motorcycles which hamper the riding experience.
      Although, the biggest update expected is the addition of the Tripper Navigation which displays turn-by-turn navigation on the instrument cluster when paired with the Royal Enfield App on one’s smartphone via Bluetooth. This feature made its first appearance in Meteor 350 and later in the updated Himalayan.
      New Colour Options
      Coming back to the colour options leaked, the images show several new paint schemes on both motorcycles. These colour schemes resemble the options available on the 650cc Twins in the Italian market which launched in November last year.
      From the images, we see Interceptor with seven new colour options out of which Orange Crush, Glitter and Dust and Baker Express are already on offer in India. On the other hand, Continental GT is shown in five colour options including British Racing Lean, GT Red, Venture Black and Blue, Cookies and Cream and Mister Clean. Out of these, the last option is already on offer.
      Engine Specs
      Mechanically both bikes are identical. Both draw their power from a 648cc air-cooled parallel-twin engine which puts out 47 bhp at 7150 rpm and 52 Nm of peak torque at 5250 rpm. This unit is mated to a six-speed gearbox with a slipper clutch. There has been no official confirmation from Royal Enfield regarding this update. More

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      2021 Kawasaki Ninja 300 BS6 Officially Revealed – New Colours

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      2021 Kawasaki Ninja 300 BS6 – New Colour
      Upon its launch, the BS6 compliant Kawasaki Ninja 300 will compete against TVS Apache RR 310 and the upcoming KTM RC 390

      A couple of days ago, Kawasaki had teased two upcoming bikes from its lineup on its social media handle out of which one was suspected to be the 2021 Ninja 300. Today, the Japanese superbike manufacturer confirmed it by officially revealing the updated entry-level Ninja on its India website.
      However, going by a couple of images released by Team Green, it seems the updates strictly cosmetic in nature and too very subtle. Though this was expected. But as Ninja 300 has been carrying the same design language for many years, a change would have given the motorcycle a fresh design.
      Cosmetic Update
      The cosmetic update is in the form of a new paint scheme that comprises shades of lime green, black, and white with hints of red accents here and there. Its overall design is intact which continues to feature a twin-pod headlight cluster, split-style seats, a muscular fuel tank, front blinkers integrated into the fairing and a chrome heat shield on the muffler. The white engine cowl with red highlights truly accentuates its sporty appeal.
      Specs
      Another crucial update is in its engine department which is the BS6 complaint now. It will derive its power from the same 296cc liquid-cooled four-stroke parallel-twin engine and will be mated to a six-speed gearbox.
      Kawasaki India has revealed that there are 2 more colours on offer, with BS6 Ninja 300
      In its BS4 guise, this motor churned out 38.4 bhp at 11,000 rpm and a peak torque of 27 Nm at 10,000 rpm. Although exact specs are still in dark, we expect the output figures to remain more or less similar in the BS6 iteration.
      Other mechanical configurations are also expected to remain the same. This includes a tube diamond steel frame which is suspended on telescopic forks at front and a preload-adjustable mono-shock at rear. Anchorage duties are handled by a single disc brake on each wheel while the safety net is imparted by dual-channel ABS.
      BS6 Ninja Price & Versys X300
      The BS6 updated Ninja 300 is slated to hit showrooms very soon while further details are expected to surface in the near future. The last retail price of the BS4 compliant Ninja 300 was Rs 2.98 lakh (ex-showroom). We can expect a premium of around Rs 10,000-15,000 on the updated faired sports bike.
      The other bike in the making, as teased earlier, is suspected to be the Japanese bikemaker’s entry-level adventure tourer Versys X300. If and when launched in India, it will rival the likes of other entry-level adventure motorcycles such as KTM 250 Adventure, Royal Enfield Himalayan and BMW G310 GS. With adventure tourers slowly gathering momentum in India, it will be sensible for Kawasaki to cash in and reap some benefits. More