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      Harley-Davidson X440 Booking Window To Close On 3rd August

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      Harley-Davidson X440 booking window closes on August 3rdHarley-Davidson X440: Booking Now Could Lock in the Price Before It Rides HigherWith Royal Enfield brand to take on, Harley-Davidson and Hero MotorCorp are strapped together with the launch of X440. With Nightster-inspired design, and Harley-Davidson brand value, there is a lot to like about X440. Triumph Speed 400 is yet another legacy brand offering from Bajaj-Triumph duo that crashed into Hero and Harley’s party by announcing deliveries.There is an overwhelming reception for Harley-Davidson X440 in India. Customer previews have begun and prospective buyers have till 3rd August 2023 to make a decision. This costs 5 grands. Let’s get down to finer details.Harley-Davidson X440: Test Rides and Production UpdatesThe company announced a starting price for base Denim model at Rs. 2.29 lakh (ex-sh). Top-spec S model is pricier at Rs. 2.69 lakh (ex-sh). Harley-Davidson India announced bookings on July 3rd, 2023, ensuring a long month of activity.Harley-Davidson India has planned a thorough event schedule to keep customers engaged until delivery of their prized possessions.Harley-Davidson X440 Vs Rivals ComparisonTest rides for will commence from September 1st, 2023 at a national scale. The company will commence production in September at company’s Garden Factory in Neemrana, Rajasthan state. Delivery for Harley-Davidson X440 customers will begin from October onwards.Hero MotoCorp and Harley-Davidson are considering ramping up production line to accommodate more capacity. Level of scalability will depend on demand and purchase trends.Beat Price Hikes in the FutureWhen Harley-Davidson India commences bookings again, there is likely to be a change in pricing depending on time and input costs. Updated pricing details will be available at a later date. So, getting on the orderbook now could prove to be beneficial.Niranjan Gupta, Chief Executive Officer, Hero MotoCorp said, “It is heartening to see the increasing inflow of inquiries and bookings for Harley-Davidson X440. The volume so far has surpassed our expectations and we have reached a point where we have decided to close the online booking channel temporarily.“The response is reflective of the brand love and trust that riding enthusiasts hold for Harley-Davidson and Hero MotoCorp. As we prepare for production and deliveries of Harley-Davidson X440, we are confident of offering an exceptional riding experience to the customers with best-in-class power, performance, and value proposition.” More

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      Honda New Bike To Debut On 2nd August – Vintage Vibes, Modern Rides?

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      Honda new bike teased for IndiaHonda could use an existing brand name for the new bike, something similar to the strategy used for Shine 100Every year during the festive season, most 2W OEMs introduce new or updated products. It’s when consumer sentiments are at an all-time high. There is increased willingness to spend on big-ticket items like bike and cars.In case of Honda, one of the upcoming products is a new motorcycle. Scheduled to debut on August 02, the new bike’s displacement could be in the range of 150cc to 180cc. Honda already has popular products in this space such as Unicorn 160, X-Blade and CB Hornet 2.0.Speculating Honda’s New 150cc-180cc Bike: What’s in Store for Riders?If Honda chooses to go with an existing brand name, the options include Shine, X-Blade  and SP. These are currently among the popular commuter bikes in the country. For a long time, Honda’s X-Blade has been crumbling in terms of sales. Numbers hardly cross double digits and often sees single digits and even zero.Given that sporty 160cc street bikes are seeing new entrants and updates, Honda could cash in from a new vehicle. Honda has dropped first teaser. It shows a motorcycle with with chunky proportions. It is less likely to be a scooter as it boasts a long exhaust pipe. Which is a motorcycle trait.Honda is only showing tail light signature, which could very well be an evolved X-Blade’s defining element. It even mentions “Get ready to leave behind a trail of awe”. Outgoing X-Blade already features slightly crossover-ish design attributes. It even has a fancy tail light signature resembling a Batwing.Outgoing model already carries a lot more flamboyance in comparison to other commuter bikes from Honda. LED headlamps, sporty graphics, layered fuel tank, long and wide comfortable seat, premium chrome muffler cover and sporty tail light.Balancing Style Formats: SP125 vs. 160cc/180cc Honda BikesThere is a possibility of this as well. If it is an SP125, this new bike will be sharing much of the hardware with outgoing model. It will be interesting to see how Honda achieves a balance between the distinct style formats of its 125cc and 160cc / 180cc bikes.In case Honda’s new bike is a 160cc model, it will utilize the same 162.71 cc engine as outgoing X-Blade. It generates 13.67 bhp of max power and 14.7 Nm of peak torque. It is mated to a 5-speed gearbox. Some of the key highlights of X-Blade include a maintenance-free battery, single-channel ABS, a fully digital instrument panel and more.This new bike is less likely to be a 180cc bike. But if it is, it will share Hornet’s engine developing 17.26 PS and 16.1 Nm, mated to a 5-speed gearbox. Because this new bike has halogen turn indicators, we doubt it is a 180cc grade like Hornet 2.0 is.Honda has under-delivered to massive hypes before. So, there is a possibility of this being a very minuscule update to one of its existing motorcycles as well. Launch or unveil could happen on August 2nd. More

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      Ola S1 Air Bookings cross 3k units in hours – Lightning Speed

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      Ola S1 Air colour optionsOla S1 Air bookings are available for an introductory pricing of Rs. 1,09,999 (ex-sh)Indian 2W EV space has had a bit of a bumpy ride in the past couple of months. The reduction of subsidy in FAME II scheme has necessitated 2W EV manufacturers to reach out to Indian price-conscious buyers with a lower base price model. In comes vehicles like Ather 450S and Ola S1 Air.Out of the two, Ola S1 Air better leverages its large-scale manufacturing to offer a more value-for-money product than its immediate rivals. Purchase window for Ola S1 Air opened yesterday with 3,000 orders already underway. Enthusiastic CEO Bhavish Aggarwal took to social media platforms to announce this. Let’s take a look.Accelerate Change: The Race to Book an Ola S1 AirYes, you read that right. Yesterday. Ola Electric had intended to open purchase window on 28th July, 2023, today. But the company opened purchase window on 27th July, 2023, a day earlier than originally planned. Exceeding manufacturer’s expectations, Ola S1 Air has hit 3,000 orders within the first couple of hours of commencing purchase window.Bhavish Aggarwal took to Twitter (or Twitter X as the X has taken over the Blue Bird) to announce this development. The first 3,000 orders came in within a couple of hours of opening the purchase window. The social media update on the first 1,000 orders came in under an hour.3000! I’m also heading to the factory now ? https://t.co/q89piwCOfA— Bhavish Aggarwal (@bhash) July 27, 2023S1 Air is currently Ola’s most affordable electric scooter on sale. Introductory pricing is applicable to all orders placed by 31st July 2023 at Rs. 1,09,999 (ex-sh). Once this offer expires, buyers will have to shed Rs. 10,000 more.This introductory pricing is only applicable for all potential buyers who had already reserved their S1 Air prior to 28th July 2023. If not, Ola S1 Air will cost Rs. 1,19,999 (ex-sh). This is a 3 kWh battery model with 125 km of range and 90 km/h top speed. Unlike its prime rival Ather 450S, Ola S1 Air retains its touchscreen dashboard as well.Vibrant Wheels: Colour Palette of 6There is some amount of cost-cutting in the form of conventional telescopic front forks and conventional rear dual shock absorbers, drum brakes, different battery unit as opposed to banana-shaped Ola S1 and S1 Pro batteries, and a rear hub motor with 4.5 kW (6 bhp) and lack of a few gimmicks and flagship features with its touchscreen unit.Ola S1 Air bookingsOla Electric is offering six colour choices. They are Stellar Blue, Neon, Porcelain White, Coral Glam, Liquid Silver and Midnight Blue. Even though S1 Air misses out on some of S1 Pro’s 12 colour options, but these look stunning nonetheless. More

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      150cc-200cc Motorcycle Sales June 2023 – Pulsar, Apache, Unicorn Dominate

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      Image – MRD Vlogs150cc-200cc Motorcycle Sales June 2023 – Pulsar Roars Ahead: Bajaj Leads 150-200cc Motorcycle Sales in June 2023Following our earlier report on 200cc to 500cc motorcycle sales in June 2023 which revealed 44.50 percent YoY growth, we now bring you 150cc-200cc Motorcycle Sales June 2023 sales.Sales in this segment too have improved YoY by 34.34 percent YoY to 1,35,934 units in June 2023 from 1,01,186 units sold in June 2022. This related to 34,748 units volume growth. It was also a MoM growth from 1,28,197 units sold in May 2023.Unicorn’s Astonishing Comeback: 33,687% YoY Surge in June 2023″Bajaj Pulsar led the list with 32,924 units sold in the past month. Up 3.61 percent from 31,778 units sold in June 2023. At 1,146 units volume growth, Pulsar commanded 24.22 percent market share. TVS Apache was at No. 2 with 68.05 percent YoY growth in sales to 28,127 units, up from 16,737 units sold in June 2022. Volume growth stood at 11,390 units with the Apache commanding a 20.69 percent market share.150cc-200cc Motorcycle Sales June 2023Outstanding YoY growth was seen in the case of Honda Unicorn. Sales of which improved 33687.34 percent YoY to 26,692 units in June 2023 from just 79 units sold sold in June 2022. These three models in the 150-200cc segment together commanded a 65 percent market share.There were 3 bikes from Yamaha that appeared in quick succession on this list. YoY de-growth was reported for Yamaha FZ by 15.48 percent. Down at 16,316 units from 19,305 units sold in June 2022. It was followed by R15, sales of which improved by 21.38 percent YoY to 10,111 units in June 2023. Up from 8,330 units sold in June 2022.Yamaha also had the MT15 on the top 10 sales list with 17.24 percent YoY growth at 9,127 unit sold. Up from 7,785 units sold in June 2022. Hero Xpulse 200 sales dipped 22.94 percent YoY to 3,577 units in June 2023 from 4,642 units sold in June 2022. Xtreme 160R/200 saw 18.68 percent YoY de-growth to 3,095 units from 3,806 units sold in June 2022.Underdogs Unleashed: KTM 200 and Suzuki Gixxer Surpass ExpectationsLower down the list was KTM 200 series with sales of 2,723 units last month, up 255.02 percent over 767 units sold in June 2022. Suzuki Gixxer sales also improved significantly by 1098.61 percent to 1,726 units in June 2023 from 144 units sold in the same month last year.Avenger sales dipped 70.03 percent to 1,447 units with a 1.06 percent market share. This was a volume de-growth of 3,381 units when compared to 4,828 units sold in June 2022. At No. 12 was the relatively new entrant Kawasaki W175 with 69 units sold. Kawasaki launched the new W175 in October last year. It takes on Yamaha FZ-X, Royal Enfield Hunter 350, Honda CB350, Jawa and Yezdi Roadster in its segment. More

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      TVS Norton Combat Trademarked In India – Royal Enfield 350 Rival?

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      Upcoming TVS cruiser motorcycle – Design patent leaksRoyal Enfield’s dominance in the 350cc segment has been the envy of many OEMs – Soon there could be a new rival from TVSAs of now, Royal Enfield enjoys an unrivalled dominance in 350cc space with unprecedented popularity. Honda, Bajaj, Jawa, and Yezdi brands have tried their luck at rivaling Royal Enfield but results are not very prominent. Now, Royal Enfield will face rivalry from two international legacy brands in the form of Harley-Davidson X440 and Triumph Speed 400.Speed 400 looks the most promising at the price of Rs. 2.33 lakh (ex-sh) to make a dent in Royal Enfield’s armour. Is Norton the next international legacy brand in the race to rival Royal Enfield? This seems to be possible as TVS-owned Norton Motorcycles has trademarked Combat name in India.TVS trademarks Norton Combat name in IndiaTVS Norton Combat trademarked in IndiaNorton is a British brand with a rich 125 years of motorcycling legacy to look back upon. TVS Motor Company currently is the parent company to this Solihull, UK-based motorcycle brand. As of now, Norton currently has two powertrains and it sells three motorcycles with these powertrains.Commando 961 is a cafe-racer-style motorcycle with a 961cc parallel-twin with an old-school push rod configuration and oil-cooling. V4CR and V4SV are much more modern in their construction and both feature a 74-degree 1200cc V4 engine with a DOHC configuration and gets liquid-cooling too.V4CR is a street fighter and V4SV gets full fairing. If Norton Combat is a Royal Enfield rival from TVS for both Indian and global markets, it will very well feature a single-cylinder engine. SOHC or DOHC layout with 4 valves per cylinder along with liquid-cooling and 6-speed gearbox is likely too. Displacement could be anywhere between 300cc to 500cc.What to expect?Design will probably take a lot of inspiration from Commando 961. There could be variations in it to carve out a cruiser and a cafe racer body style as well. Commando 961 is a gorgeous motorcycle that captivates retro styling and radiates an old-school aura.If TVS is positioning Norton Combat to rival Royal Enfield, these attributes will come in handy. TVS filed the Norton Combat trademark way back in 2020. But it seems to be “Accepted & Advertised” recently as the journal date reads 03/07/2023.Currently, TVS has Ronin on offer in India which seems to be primarily targeting Hunter 350. Maybe TVS will re-utilise Ronin’s 225.9cc engine that generates 20.1 bhp of power and 19.9 Nm of torque, mated to a 6-speed gearbox. This is possible too. More

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      Bajaj Sales Breakup June 2023 – Pulsar, Platina, Chetak, CT, Avenger

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      Bajaj PulsarBajaj Auto had the Pulsar as its most sold model in domestic markets while it was the Boxer that captured buyer’s attention in export marketBajaj Auto ended June 2023 with total two wheeler sales (domestic + exports) at 2,81,585 units. This was a YoY de-growth from 3,07,084 units sold in June 2022 relating to a volume decline by 25,499 units. While the company has posted increased sales in domestic markets with almost all models showing off a YoY growth, exports have fallen significantly with every model in the company lineup ending in the red.Total sales (domestic + exports) had stood at 2,97,733 units in May 2023. Bajaj Auto 2 wheeler sales in domestic markets stood at 1,60,410 units in June 2023 up 29.66 percent as against 1,23,719 units sold in June 2022. This was a volume growth of 36,691 units.Bajaj Auto Domestic Sales June 2023The domestic sales list was headed by Bajaj Pulsar with 1,07,208 units sold in the past month, up 28.05 percent from 83,723 units sold in June 2022. Currently commanding a 66.83 percent share on this list, the Pulsar was also at No. 3 on the list of top 10 best-selling motorcycles in June 2023 after the Hero Splendor and Honda Shine.In the Pulsar lineup, it was the Pulsar 125cc that garnered the most attention with 67,134 units sold last month, up 30.22 percent from 51,554 units sold in June 2022. Pulsar 150cc sales however dipped 2.05 percent to 16,628 units while Pulsar 200 and 250cc saw increased demand with 16,296 units and 7,150 units sold respectively.Bajaj Domestic 2W Sales Breakup June 2023Platina sales also increased 31.80 percent to 36,550 units in June 2023 from 27,732 units sold in the same month last year to command a 22.79 percent share on the company list. Sales increased by 186.76 percent YoY for Bajaj Chetak e-scooter to 7,080 units, up from 2,469 units sold in June 2022. CT sales also improved in domestic markets by 163.57 percent to 6,360 units in June 2023 from 2,413 units sold in June 2022 with 4,608 units of the 110cc variant and 1,752 units of CT125cc sold during the month.Bajaj Avenger sales dipped 70.07 percent YoY to 2,076 units, down from 6,936 units sold in June 2022 while Dominar sales improved by 154.71 percent to 1,136 units last month. Dominar 250cc and 500cc each had 509 units and 627 units sold respectively.Bajaj Auto Exports Led by Boxer in June 2023With every model in the company lineup posting YoY de-growth, exports of Bajaj Auto stood at 1,21,175 units in June 2023. This was a YoY de-growth of 33.92 percent when compared to 1,83,365 units sold in June 2022 relating to a 62,190 unit dip in volumes.Bajaj 2W Exports Breakup June 2023Bajaj Boxer commanded the list with 71,021 units shipped in June 2023, down 24.42 percent from 93,962 units exported in June 2022. The Boxer commanded a 58.61 percent share in the export list. Maximum demand was seen for the Boxer 110cc with 56,960 units shipped last month while there were also 7,587 units of the Boxer 125cc and 6,474 units of Boxer 150cc exported in June 2023. Pulsar exports dipped by 37.50 percent YoY to 25,130 units from 40,205 units exported in June 2022. This included 17,566 units of Pulsar 200cc, 3,270 units of Pulsar 250cc, 2,902 units of Pulsar 125cc and 1,392 units of Pulsar 150cc.Even as Bajaj CT exports dipped 47.55 percent YoY to 13,191 units from 25,152 units sold in June 2023, it saw increased demand for its 150cc model, exports of which improved 300 percent to 1,152 units in June 2023 from 288 units shipped in June 2022. Exports also fell for the Discover (5,024 units) and Dominar (4,736 units), Dominar 250cc saw increased demand by 9.94 percent to 2,190 units in June 2023 from 1,992 units sold in June 2022. Exports of Platina (1,809 units) and Avenger (264 units) fell 17.40 percent and 65.63 percent respectively. More

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      Hero Karizma XMR New Details Revealed Ahead Of Launch

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      New Hero Karizma XMR 210Upcoming Karizma XMR has potential to emerge a bestseller by offering an optimal mix of performance and affordabilityHero MotoCorp is bringing back the Karizma, which was once hugely popular for its sporty profile and powerful performance. The new Karizma XMR is scheduled to debut on August 29. It is expected to be offered in the price range of Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 1.8 lakh, ex-sh.Earlier this month, a design patent of Hero Karizma XMR had revealed the top-side view of the bike. Now, some more patent images have leaked online. These are of individual components, which reveal the finer details of the bike.New Hero Karizma DetailsHero Karizma XMR new details emergeNew patent images reveal the design of Karizma’s LED headlight casing, front cowl and instrument console. LED headlamp casing has a curvy V-shaped design, with dual-projector LED lights in the centre. The unit appears pretty large, which will help achieve a prominent profile for the front fascia. The dual LED setup will also ensure improved illumination, thereby enhancing safety in dark conditions.Talking about the front cowl, it has a sharp, sporty profile. It complements the bike’s overall look and feel. A compact windscreen further enhances the bike’s look, while being functionally relevant. Patent images also reveal the panel of the new fully digital instrument console. It is a rectangular unit, with bevelled lower corners. Flaking the digital screen are spaces for indicators on both sides. These are likely for turn signals, side stand indicator, neutral, ABS, etc.New Hero Karizma DetailsOther details about new Karizma revealed earlier include the pulled-back handlebar, body-hugging fairing, sculpted fuel tank, split seat design and stubby upswept exhaust. Portions of the frame and engine assembly are exposed, which helps achieve a sinewy profile for the bike. New Karizma appears to have an aerodynamic design, which can boost both performance and fuel efficiency.New Hero Karizma DetailsHero Karizma XMR engine, specsIt is likely that Karizma XMR will be aiming for best-in-class performance or somewhere close to that. Some of the key rivals will be Bajaj Pulsar RS200 and Suzuki Gixxer SF 250. For reference, Pulsar RS200 is powered by a 199.5 cc, liquid cooled, triple-spark 4-valve engine that generates 24.5 PS of max power and 18.7 Nm of peak torque. Gixxer SF250 has a 249 cc, oil cooled motor that makes 26.5 PS and 22.2 Nm. According to industry insiders, Karizma XMR could be generating around 25 PS and 25 Nm. It is expected to get a 6-speed gearbox.Hero is likely to equip Karizma with Bluetooth-based connectivity features. It will be made available via Hero Connect platform. As of now, Hero Connect is offered with products such as Xpulse 200, Xtreme 160R, Destini 125 and Pleasure Plus. Some of the key connectivity features include topple alert, live vehicle tracking, tow away alert, geo fence alert, last parking location and speed alert. More

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      TVS XL Electric Design Patent Leaks – Rival To Kinetic Luna EV

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      Modified TVS XL Electric image for illustration purpose. Credit – Jayanta TechThe battery on TVS XL Electric could be enough to travel 60 km of range on a single rangeIndian 2W EV space has seen unprecedented growth in the past couple of years. Not only is EV making a lot of noise in mainstream passenger vehicle space, but in commercial 2W space too. There are more new entrants in commercial 2W EV space now, more than ever.Now, TVS wants a piece of this pie as well. TVS already makes XL 100 which is an ICE commercial workhorse. But TVS also makes iQube range of electric scooters. When both these ideologies fuse together, we get TVS XL Electric, which the company has patented in India.TVS XL Electric Design Patent LeaksTVS XL Electric Patented In IndiaAs of now, TVS only has a iQube lineup in its electric portfolio. There is a new 2W EV that the company is set to launch or unveil in August. This is likely to be a more high-end electric scooter, most likely something based on the Creon design concept.Sticking with XL Electric, it bears semblance with XL 100 ICE moped. We can’t call this a moped, though. Because there are no pedals on this. Construction is very minimal and follows the footsteps of XL 100. There is a central spine tubular chassis. This patent drawing doesn’t show body panels.With XL 100, the front apron area was its fuel tank. That is not necessary anymore. So, this area is empty. Where a petrol engine was, with XL 100, is now where batteries are. TVS could have gone with a hub motor, but has chosen to go with a mid-mounted setup. What looks like a chain drive, sends power to the rear wheel.Maybe TVS went with a mid-mounted motor because of pedals in the future? Motor position is perfect for pedal integration too. We say this because hub motors are generally less sophisticated and less expensive and are the preferred choice in economic and budget builds.What to expect?There are split seats. Rear seat should have a removable function to accommodate luggage. Headlights look identical to XL 100. There are RSU telescopic front forks and dual-shock absorbers in the back. Drum brakes do duties here. Battery and motor should eke out around 60 km of range on a single charge.TVS XL Electric could be an ideal vehicle for last-mile delivery businesses with both B2B and B2C models. That said, this design patent has a saree guard too. This could indicate that TVS is eying private buyers as well. More details will follow when TVS unveils it. Upon launch, it will take on the likes of Kinetic Luna electric, which is also nearing launch.Source More