Bike News

Subterms

    More stories

    • 150 Shares159 Views

      in Bike

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

      by

      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

    • 163 Shares169 Views

      in Bike

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

      by

      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

    • 150 Shares109 Views

      in Bike

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

      by

      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

    • 163 Shares169 Views

      in Bike

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

      by

      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

    • 125 Shares199 Views

      in Bike

      2021 Kawasaki Ninja 300 BS6 Officially Revealed – New Colours

      by

      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

    • 163 Shares119 Views

      in Bike

      Triumph Trident 660 India Price Leaked Via Website – Rs 6.95 L Onwards

      by

      Triumph Trident India Price
      The Triumph Trident 660 will be assembled locally out of CKD kits

      Shortly after its international debut, Triumph Motorcycle’s new entry level model, the Trident 660 street fighter, is about to be launched in India soon. One of our readers happened to come across the starting price listed on the official website, possibly during a test run, but it has been taken down since. Here is how much it is going to cost in India.
      Triumph Trident 660
      The Triumph Trident 660 will have a starting price of INR 6.95 lakh (ex-showroom), as per the leaked photo. It remains to be seen if this is the actual launch price of the motorcycle or not, as Triumph India is yet to announce the prices officially. If the leaked prices are indeed correct, this makes it the most affordable model in the British marque’s lineup. At the time of its global unveil, the company revealed that the motorcycle will be imported into India in the form of CKD kits and assembled locally at its Manesar facility.
      Triumph Trident India Price Leak. Hat Tip – Ram
      The Trident 660 pays tribute to the original 1968 namesake which was the origin of the brand’s famous triple-cylinder family. The styling has a neo-classic appeal to it with a simple circular LED headlamp, a prominent fuel tank with padded knee indents and a cantilevered tailpiece with minimal bodywork. The underbelly exhaust, generously proportioned tyres, alloy swingarm, digital instrument console and alloy wheels add a modern touch.
      Specifications
      The medium displacement motorcycle is based on a steel tubular frame which sits on Showa inverted telescopic front forks and rear monoshock with preload adjustment. The 17-inch alloy wheels are wrapped in Michelin Road 5 tyres measuring 120/70-R17 at the front and 180/55-R17 at the rear. The Nissin braking system comprises of 310 mm twin discs with two-piston calipers at the front and a single disc with one-piston caliper at the rear. Of course, ABS is a standard equipment.
      The Triumph Trident 660 also gets ride-by-wire system which enables road and rain riding modes. Other highlights include adjustable traction control, colour TFT instrument console with white-on-black LCD unit, and so on.
      Powering the naked motorcycle is a 660 cc in-line three-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine which is not entirely new but it incorporates as many as 67 new components to comply with the latest emission standards. Mated to a 6-speed transmission by means of a slipper and assist clutch, the engine pumps out 81 hp and 64 Nm of torque. Triumph claims that 90% of the torque is available almost throughout the rev range.
      Three color themes are available namely Matt Jet Black and Matt Silver Ice, Silver Ice and Diablo Red, and Crystal White and Sapphire Black. Internationally, the motorcycle is offered with a 2 year / unlimited km warranty package and we expect the same in India as well.
      Rivals
      To be introduced in the coming days, the Triumph Trident 660 will take on the likes of Kawasaki Z650 and Ducati Scrambler Icon. The pricing puts it in the sweet-spot right in the middle of of its cheaper and more expensive rivals. More

    • 163 Shares189 Views

      in Bike

      Suzuki Burgman Electric Scooter Continues Testing – Chetak Rival Launch Likely In 2021

      by

      Suzuki Burgman Electric Scooter
      Launch of the new Suzuki Burgman electric scooter is expected later this year

      Till now, electric two-wheeler segment in India has been largely dominated by startups such as Okinawa, Ather, Revolt, etc. It’s only recently that mainstream auto companies such as Bajaj and TVS have forayed in this segment. With immense potential for growth, other auto companies are also expected to launch their electric products in the near future.
      Suzuki Burgman electric spied
      Suzuki is currently testing its first electric scooter for the Indian market, which has been derived from its existing bestseller – Burgman Street. Latest spy shots are credit to automotive enthusiast Nitin Pahwa, who shared the images in Rushlane Spylane Facebook Group.
      In terms of design, Suzuki Burgman electric looks almost identical to its gasoline counterpart. Everything from headlamps to fenders, turn indicators, windscreen, rear view mirrors, side panels and grab rails are largely the same as existing Burgman.
      Talking about features that give Suzuki Burgman electric its unique identity, the scooter could be launched in new colour options. It was recently spotted with a dual-tone white and blue colour scheme, which is not available with existing Burgman. The current Burgman is offered in Matte Blue colour option, which is different from that of Burgman electric.
      2021 Suzuki Burgman Electric Scooter
      Other colour options currently available for Burgman include Metallic Matte Fibroin Grey, Pearl Mirage White, Metallic Matte Black and Metallic Matte Bordeaux Red. It is possible that some of these colour options may be used for the electric variant.
      Talking about functional changes, Burgman electric obviously does not have the exhaust system. Suspension at the rear is also different. In comparison, current Burgman has the swingarm on the left side.
      Suzuki Burgman electric powertrain
      Details about battery pack and motor have not been revealed yet. Burgman electric is expected to deliver the same level of performance as its fossil fuel counterpart. Current Burgman is powered by a 124 cc air cooled SOHC engine that is capable of delivering 8.7 ps of max power at 6750 rpm and 10 Nm of max torque at 5500 rpm. The maxi scooter utilizes a CVT transmission. Burgman electric could have a 3-4 kWh battery pack connected to a motor with 4-6 kW power output.
      2021 Suzuki Burgman Electric Scooter
      Suzuki Burgman electric is expected to get Bluetooth enabled digital console, which was launched recently for current Burgman. It offers a range of features such as turn-by-turn navigation, over speed warning, phone battery level display, alerts for calls, SMS and WhatsApp message, caller ID, missed call alert and ETA updates.
      Suzuki Burgman electric will be a lifestyle product, priced above Rs 1 lakh. It is expected to offer a range of up to 90 km and top speed of around 80 kmph. It will take on rivals such as Ather 450X, Bajaj Chetak, and TVS iQube. More

    • 163 Shares189 Views

      in Bike

      Bajaj Pulsar Sales, Exports Jan 2021 – 125, 150, 160, 180, 200, 220

      by

      Image – The Bengal Rider
      Bajaj has now launched a naked roadster iteration of Pulsar 180 which makes it the eighth product on the Pulsar line of motorcycles

      Pulsar is arguably one of the most popular brands of motorcycles in India for the past two decades. The range of sporty commuter bikes from Bajaj Auto are efficient in daily commutes as well as providing the necessary thrill of performance to a certain extent of course. Hence, it proves to be the best of both worlds.
      Even after twenty years in the Indian market, it continues to grow from strength to strength and has a plethora of options to opt from. The past month was no different as it continued to record positive growth in almost every segment. The entire range registered sales of 97,580 units in January 2021.
      Domestic- Pulsar 125 Tops the chart
      This was against last year January which recorded 68,354 units of Pulsar and the previous month of December 2020 which registered 75,421 units. This translated to YoY growth of 42.76 percent and MoM growth of 29.38 percent.
      The sales chart was led by its entry-level offering Pulsar 125 which recorded 47,080 units last month. In comparison, it registered sales of 24,732 units in January 2020 and 42,686 units in December 2020. This made for a YoY and MoM growth of 90.36 percent and 10.29 percent respectively.
      Bajaj Pulsar Domestic Sales Jan 2021
      This was followed by Pulsar 150 which raked in 32,460 units for the homegrown bikemaker. Bajaj sold 31,216 units and 19,958 units of the 150cc bike in the first and last month of 2020 respectively. Therefore, it registered a YoY and MoM growth of 3.99 percent and 62.64 percent.
      Higher Segments Record Decent Sales Too
      The 160cc, 180cc and 200cc iteration of Pulsar bikes brought in 11,730 units in January this year. While the figures stood at 7,445 units in January last year and 8,279 units in December last year. YoY and MoM growth percentage figures registered were pegged at 57.56 percent and 41.68 percent respectively.
      The brand’s flagship offering- Pulsar 220F sold 6,310 units in January this year. With sales of 4,961 units in January 2020 and 4,498 units in December 2020, growth figures stood at 27.19 percent and 40.28 percent respectively.
      Bajaj Pulsar Exports Jan 2021
      Exports
      Bajaj dispatched 18,056 units of the 160cc, 180cc and 200cc Pulsar bikes to overseas markets. This translates to an MoM growth of 15.94 percent a YoY growth of 51.22 percent and 15.94 percent. The company shipped 12,674 units of the 150cc iteration of Pulsar to foreign countries. While it recorded a YoY growth of 137.96 percent and in MoM sales, it witnessed a degrowth of 9.75 percent.
      3,458 units of the entry-level Pulsar 125 were shipped abroad which translated to positive YoY growth of 73.77 percent and negative YoY growth of 24.08 percent. The flagship Pulsar 220F dispatched 1,536 units to dealerships in foreign markets which translated to an impressive YoY growth of 326.67 percent whereas in MoM figures it registered degrowth of 42.54 percent.
      A total of 35,724 Pulsar bikes were dispatched overseas in January 2021 which marked an overall YoY growth of 82.12 percent and an MoM degrowth of 3.04 percent. The company is looking to expand its Pulsar brand of motorcycles by launching new models in 180cc, 250cc and 400cc categories. More