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      Bajaj, KTM, Husqvarna Motorcycles Online Booking Platform Launched

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      New Bajaj Pulsar NS200
      Bajaj has initiated an online sales platform for its entire range of Bajaj, KTM and Husqvarna offerings

      Bajaj Auto sales go online at https://online.bajajauto.com/ This online sales platform comes at a time when social distancing is the new normal and this online booking scheme involves the entire process from booking to delivery in a contactless format.
      Buyers need to log onto the online portal, select their brand for the list of Avenger, CT, Dominar, Platina, Pulsar, Husqvarna or KTM models and continue to choose their engine capacities, variants and colours. Buyers will be informed the final ex-showroom price of the vehicle chosen and can select their city and local dealer.
      Buyers can then opt for further details, book a test ride or make a confirmed booking at with an online payment which will be adjusted with the final payment. All this is done from the comfort of their couch.
      The Bajaj Auto online platform is being rolled out in phases across the company network and is currently on offer only in select cities and dealerships. For now, it is only on offer in five cities of Pune, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Hyderabad.
      Bajaj Online sales platform- Online Bajaj
      Last month, the Pune based, Bajaj Auto Limited announced launch of a minimum of two products every three months beginning from the ongoing quarter in a bid to push up domestic sales and market share. Holding a market share of 38 percent as at the end of December 2020, the company will focus on their premium segment which consists of the Pulsar, Avenger, Dominar, KTM and Husqvarna range.
      Bajaj Auto Upcoming Launches
      Bajaj Auto has just launched the new Pulsar 180 BS6 in India at Rs. 1.08 lakh. It borrows its engine lineup from the Pulsar 180F. This naked roadster is powered by a 178.6cc, single cylinder, air cooled engine offering 16.7 hp power at 8,500 rpm, mated to a 5 speed gearbox. It rivals the TVS Apache RTR 180 in its segment.
      Bajaj is also stated to be working on a new gen Pulsar range that will include250cc and 150cc Pulsars. The company plans to bring in Pulsar NS250 and the Pulsar RS250 in India in 2021 and they will be based on the Duke 250 platform and borrow its same engine lineup. Pulsar RS250 will compete with the Suzuki Gixxer SF250 while the NS250 will take on the Gixxer 250.
      Earlier this month, the company also launched the new Husqvarna Svartpilen 125 in Europe at Euro 5,199 (Rs 4.54 lakhs). It will be launched in India later this year. Production has already started at the company plant in Chakan, near Pune.
      New Bajaj Auto Chakan Plant
      Bajaj Auto has also planned a new plant in Chakan from where it will produce the KTM, Husqvarna and electric two wheelers. A capex of Rs.650 crores is set apart to invest into this new plant which will have installed capacity of 1 million units per annum thus taking Bajaj’s total annual production capacity to 2.2 million units. More

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      Royal Enfield 650 Cruiser Spied With Classic 650, Meteor 650 – At Over 120 Kmph

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      Royal Enfield Cruiser 650 and Classic / Meteor 650 Spied together
      Royal Enfield has plans to launch multiple new motorcycles on the 650cc platform

      With good response to 650 twins in domestic as well as international markets, Royal Enfield is looking to further cement its position in this segment. Towards that end, the company has plans to introduce new products, the first of which is expected to be the 650 cruiser. When launched, the 650 cruiser will take on rivals such as Kawasaki Vulcan S.
      Latest spy video credit to Youtube channel Royal Bangalorean Raj, shows not 1, but 3 test mules of the 650cc range. One of them is the Cruiser 650 which is expected to be named KX650 upon launch, while the other two are either the Classic 650 or the Meteor 650.
      Compared to the Cruiser, the Classic 650 has different riding stance / footpeg placement. It also has a larger / wider pillion seat as compared to the cruiser. The cruiser has chrome finish on the twin exhausts, while the other two have black finish on the exhaust. The motorcycles were testing at a speed of 120-130 kmph.
      Royal Enfield 650 cruiser design
      Just like other Royal Enfield motorcycles such as Classic 350, the 650 cruiser sports a retro look and feel. Some of the key design highlights include round headlamp and rear view mirrors, teardrop shaped fuel tank and turn indicators, wide handlebar, large windscreen, dual metallic exhaust, and broad rear fenders. The motorcycle has forward-set foot pegs, allowing a comfortable, feet-forward riding stance.
      [embedded content]
      Royal Enfield 650 cruiser has split seats and comes with pillion backrest. Towards the rear sides, there are dedicated bars for attaching panniers or other items. With its low seat height, the motorcycle will be easier to manoeuvre and control across varied terrains and environments.
      Royal Enfield 650 cruiser powertrain
      It is expected that 650 cruiser will be using the same powertrain as that of Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650. However, it is possible that power and torque output may be adjusted to suit the requirements of a cruiser. On-board the 650 twins, the 648cc dual cylinder, air cooled motor is capable of generating 47 hp of max power and 52 Nm of max torque. It is mated to a 6-speed gearbox.
      Royal Enfield 650 cruiser will be equipped with upside down forks at the front and standard twin shocks at the rear. It uses 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels with disc brakes at both ends. Dual-channel ABS will be part of standard package. Other key features include semi-digital instrument cluster and slipper clutch with assist.
      Tripper navigation
      Royal Enfield 650 cruiser is expected to get Tripper navigation system, which was first introduced with Meteor 350. Tripper system works in conjunction with Royal Enfield app and Google Maps. It has a dedicated screen next to the instrument console that displays navigational arrows for the inputted destination.
      Royal Enfield 650 cruiser is part of the company’s long term strategy to introduce new / next-gen products at regular intervals. A total of 28 products have been planned over a period of seven years. That means we can expect around four launches every year. This will help the company to increase the number of options available to customers. It will also help to fight competition from new rival products. More

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      Kawasaki New Motorcycle Launch Teasers – Ninja 300 BS6, Versys X300?

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      Kawasaki Versys X 300
      The two new motorcycles from Kawasaki India are expected to augment its entry-level portfolio and one of them appears to be an adventure tourer

      Without revealing much, Kawasaki India’s social media handles have released a teaser showing two motorcycles under a green veil. The caption reads “Ride with passion, the new age sensation. Stay tuned”.
      We expect the two new motorcycles to be launched in the coming weeks. If we were to guess, Kawasaki is gearing up to reintroduce its best selling Ninja 300 in BS6 avatar while also augment its medium displacement portfolio with its Versys-X 300 adventure tourer.
      Kawasaki Versys-X 300
      Given that the medium displacement adventure tourers are steadily gaining momentum in the country, it would be a logical move to usher in the Versys-X 300. While there is no official confirmation on its launch, the teaser clearly shows the motorcycle on the right to be considerably taller than the one on the left, leading us to speculate what’s under the wrap.
      The KTM 390 Adventure has done well to activate this niche in India and hence the Kawasaki Versys-X 300 does not need to lay the groundwork. Textbook styling, long-travel suspension system, spoke wheels, dual-purpose tyres and a strong character makes the baby Versys an attractive proposition.
      Kawasaki India Teaser
      The Ninja derived 300 cc parallel-twin, liquid-cooled motor with its refined and effortless performance credentials only adds to its overall appeal. Given that the Versys-X 300 is not going to be as localized as its primary rival, expect the prices to be considerably higher. Something in the ballpark of INR 3.5 lakh (ex-showroom) is likely.
      Rather than going against the KTM 390 Adventure head-on, the Kawasaki adventure tourer, if launched in India, will aim to emerge as a more premium alternative. However, feature highlights are rather modest and include a digi-analog instrument console, dual-channel ABS, and slipper and assist clutch.
      Kawasaki Ninja 300 BS6
      The Kawasaki Ninja 300 BS6 will retain the time proven 296 cc liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine which is paired to a 6-speed transmission. The BS4 version churned out 38.4 hp and 27 Nm of torque but we may see a slight drop in these figures as the motor prioritizes emission performance. That said, the difference in output figures are expected to be negligible.
      Kawasaki Ninja 300
      Visually, the Kawasaki Ninja 300 BS6 is expected to remain identical to the BS4 version but the Japanese brand may chose to use this opportunity to introduce new colour options. The equipment level are expected to stay the same too. The fully faired compact supersports motorcycle will continue to rival the KTM RC 390. Expect the price tag to be slightly above INR 3 lakh mark (ex-showroom).
      The two new launches in the affordable end of the premium motorcycle segment is expected to bring in considerable incremental sales to Kawasaki India’s table. More

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      2021 Bajaj Pulsar 180 Features, Changes, Mileage, Performance – Detailed

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      Image – Nitish Neo
      Bajaj Pulsar 180 is now a naked roadster and hence stands 10 kgs lighter as compared to the Pulsar 180F

      In 2019, Bajaj discontinued the Pulsar 180, and replaced it with 180F. Now they have brought back the Pulsar 180 in 2021. It is priced from Rs 1.08 lakhs, making it Rs.7k cheaper as compared to the Pulsar 180F which carried a price tag of Rs.1.15 lakhs, ex-sh prices. Bookings have opened and initial examples move into company showrooms.
      Bajaj Pulsar 180 Styling Elements
      Borrowing design inspiration from the Pulsar 150, new Pulsar 180 is seen with sporty body graphics across its fuel tank and front fender. It also receives split seats, pillion grab rails and multi spoke black finished alloy wheels.
      Headlamp is halogen and it comes along with twin pilot lamps. It continues to sport the same instrument cluster as seen on its 180F counterpart with an digital-analogue tachometer and LCD screen relaying information in terms of speed and fuel and an odometer.
      The 2021 Pulsar 180 is offered in two colour options of Laser Black and Nuclear Blue. Other design highlights also include a tinted windshield, clip on handlebars and black rear view mirrors. Below is a detailed first look video of the new Pulsar 180, credit to Youtube channel Nitish Neo.
      [embedded content]
      Engine, Braking and Suspension
      The naked roadster gets powered by a 178.6cc, single cylinder, 2 valve, air cooled engine that also powers the 180F. This engine makes 17.02 hp power at 8,500 rpm and 14.2 Nm torque at 6,500 rpm, which is lower by 0.2 hp and 0.3 Nm as compared to the engine on the Pulsar 180F. The engine gets mated to a 5 speed gearbox. Kerb weight stands at 145 kgs which is 10 kgs lighter as compared to the 180F since it is devoid of fairing.
      Braking and suspension is also carried over from the Pulsar 180F with 280mm front and 230mm rear disc setup and a single-channel ABS system and telescopic front forks and five-step adjustable gas-charged mono-shock at the rear. Mileage of new Pulsar 180 is more or less the same as before and there is no huge improvement in this department.
      Rivals
      The new Bajaj Pulsar 180 enters a segment where it will take on TVS Apache RTR 180 (Rs.1.08,270). It will also compete with the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V, Pulsar NS160, Yamaha FZS FI-V3 and Hero Xtreme 160R in a similar price range.
      In related news, Bajaj Auto is also gearing up to add more motorcycles to the Pulsar range, that will include 250cc bikes. The Bajaj Pulsar NS250 and RS250 are pegged for launch later this year. They will share both platform and engine with the KTM 250 Duke. The Pulsar RS250 will compete with the Suzuki Gixxer SF250 while the Pulsar NS250 compete with the Suzuki Gixxer 250. More

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      'F1 Drive to Survive' Season 3 Will Hit Netflix on March 19

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      This content is imported from YouTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

      COVID-19 forced many cancellations in Formula 1, from the season-opening Australian Grand Prix to almost every event on the calendar outside of Europe when the season actually began. It did not, however, cancel production of the Netflix documentary series Drive to Survive, which was able to film throughout the shortened, rescheduled season. Netflix will debut the third season of the documentary series on its platform on March 19.

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      A quick teaser posted on the official F1 Twitter account hints at a season focused on the challenge of keeping a globe-trotting championship together in a year defined by new concerns and roadblocks. The in-weekend cancellation of the Australian Grand Prix, the day cars were set to take to the track in competition for the first time all season, will surely be a significant storyline early in the season, as will the race to get the championship back online on relatively short notice before the Austrian Grand Prix in July.
      This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

      In addition to COVID concerns, other major storylines for the season are likely to include AlphaTauri’s miraculous win at Monza, the massive fireball at Bahrain that injured Haas F1’s Romain Grosjean, and the lasting impact of a year of racing headlined by Lewis Hamilton, who spent 2020 fighting for justice and cementing his résumé as the greatest ever to race. Given how past seasons of Drive to Survive have gone, the hard-fought battle for third place in the championship—ultimately contested between McLaren, Racing Point, and Renault—should also be a major talking point.

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      SAIC Maxus V90 Villa Edition Adds Second Story to the Classic RV

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      If you’ve ever thought there should really be a way to enjoy #VanLife in an RV-based Transformer, look no further than the SAIC Maxus Life Home V90 Villa Edition.
      With a luxury bar and living space, an elevator, and an upstairs Zen tea room, the V90 Villa would certainly draw attention at the campsite, even though it looks relatively normal when it’s driving down the road.
      Unfortunately, this RV is meant for the China market, where it will sell for a little over $413,000.
      When thinking of way to make an RV larger, most people think longer. Some imagine a wider motorhome. But the Chinese engineers behind the SAIC Maxus Life Home V90 Villa Edition had a different idea: why not extend upward? They didn’t imagine just a simple pop-up roof, either, but a full-fledged upper level with a walk-out deck.

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      The two-story RV is full of surprises. When it’s in driving mode, the V90 Villa Edition looks like a fairly standard RV. But when it opens up, Transformers style, at the spot where you’re planning to spend the night, it becomes more than a tiny home on wheels. First, you can extend the V90 Villa’s pop-out sides, which give the main floor a total size of 215 square feet. This space includes the living room, kitchen, “luxury bar,” and bathroom.

      SAIC

      SAIC

      Upstairs, which you reach via elevator, you’ll find the second-level extension gives you another 133 square feet that can be used as an “open, sunlight room,” a Zen tea room, or a study, Maxus said, with windows that can transition from clear to opaque depending on your privacy needs. You can’t store large furniture up there, so the company website shows the space with lots of low tables and pillows.

      SAIC

      The V90 Villa Edition uses LED lighting in the taillights, as accent lights on the outside of the RV, and as a way to create a gentle atmosphere while you’re out on the upper deck. The interior living spaces can be outfitted with any number of convenience and luxury items, such as a JBL sound system, washing machine, kitchenette and air conditioner. There’s an app-driven infotainment screen in the dashboard with navigation. There’s also a pull-out cooking area behind the RV’s rear passenger-side wheel that can turn your campsite into a kitchen with an even better view.

      SAIC

      We will note here that the company website doesn’t feature any actual pictures of the V90 Villa Edition, just renderings, including one of a Level 4 autonomous drive lidar sensor on the top of the front end. That said, SAIC Maxus sells a wide variety of RVs in China and other versions of the V90 are pictured on the company website. The basic (i.e., non-Villa) edition of the Life Home V90 starts at the equivalent of $70,960, but according to New Atlas, the V90 Villa Edition starts at just over $413,000.

      SAIC

      This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

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      Get the Story behind This Custom-Painted McLaren 765LT

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      Road & Track will be chatting all things McLaren next week. Want in?
      For the next episode of Inside Track, the magazine’s virtual Q&A series, our friends at R&T are excited to welcome guests Andy Thomas, McLaren of the Americas VP, and Dave Shuten, renowned builder from Galpin Speed Shop, star of Discovery’s Car Kings, and artist behind this 765LT that appears on the latest cover of Road & Track. It’s all happening on Thursday, February 25, at 5:00 p.m. ET, and they’d love for you to join them.
      Register Here
      In this episode, Road & Track executive editor Dan Pund will sit down with Thomas and Shuten to discuss the custom-painted 765LT and the recent launch of the all-new Artura—a creation that draws together decades of McLaren’s pioneering expertise. If you want to see it all go down, head over to the dedicated sign-up page here.
      Inside Track is one of the many offerings of the newly revamped Road & Track. They’re hosting live events, virtual experiences, and adventures around the globe. They will also be hosting driving rallies at racetracks and on the most epic roads, holding discussions and debates on cool topics with some of the most influential people in the car world, and giving members the white-glove treatment at concours and auto show events.
      Plus, you can access McLaren’s global reveal of the Artura here and read all about the new car here.
      If you want to get in on the fun, become a member of The Track Club. You’ll get every issue of Road & Track magazine, plus a whole lot more. Find more details on the membership tiers and exclusive discounts at roadandtrack.com/join, and check out the full experiences lineup at experiences.roadandtrack.com.
      This content was provided by the Road & Track marketing team.

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      2021 Yamaha MT15 With New Attire Launched In Thailand

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      2021 Yamaha MT15
      International-spec MT-15 features an inverted front fork and an aluminium swingarm instead of conventional telescopic front forks and a box-section swingarm

      Yamaha has launched its entry-level naked streetfighter MT-15 in Thailand with new colour schemes which resemble its bigger, meaner and more powerful sibling MT-09. To be specific, the 2021 MT-15 is now offered in three paint options including Racing Blue, Matt Black and Metallic Gray.
      The good thing though, the Japanese bikemaker hasn’t increased the prices of the bike and is still offered at a price of THB 98,500 (equivalent to INR 2.38 lakh). All three colour variants feature the brand’s signature slanted stripes on its fuel tank like MT-09. And also sports the large MT logo on its tank shrouds.
      Difference between India-spec, Thai-spec MT-15
      One can also notice colour-coded stripes on its tail section too which are nicely complemented by colour-coded stripes on the wheel rims. This visual accentuates the sporty appeal of the naked motorcycle. In India though, consumers get Ice Fluo Vermillion, Dark Matte Blue and Metallic black as colour schemes. However, Indian customers get customisation options that let one opt from as many as eleven colour combinations.
      The Thai-spec model although comes with superior underpinnings. Its hardware setup features a more premium upside-down USD front suspension finished in golden colour along with an aluminium swingarm.
      2021 Yamaha MT15
      The India-spec model, on the other hand, sadly gets conventional telescopic forks at front and a box-section swingarm. Other features on offer in the Indian model include LED headlamps, LED taillights, a digital speedometer, disc brakes on both ends and single-channel ABS.
      Powertrain Specs
      MT-15 in Thailand comes with the same powertrain as the Indian version which features a Euro-5/BS6 compliant 155cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled four-valve motor. This unit is mated to a six-speed gearbox with an assist and slipper clutch and returns an output of 18.5 bhp at 10,000rpm and 14.7 Nm of peak torque at 8500rpm. The bike shares its underpinning, hardware and engine with its faired cousin R-15.
      Other Yamaha Models
      Yamaha has been busy launching updated products in Thailand. A few days ago, the Japanese brand launched its premium Maxi-styled scooter named Aerox 155. As the name suggests, it derives its power from the same 155cc engine which also drives MT-15 and R15.
      2021 Yamaha MT15
      Although, in Aerox this unit is slightly detuned and churns out 15.4 bhp at 8,000 rpm and 13.9 Nm at 6,500 rpm. Equipped with electronic fuel injection (EFI), this unit is linked to a traditional V-belt CVT to carry out transmission duties.
      The Japanese manufacturer has also registered a new trademark with the name FZ-X which is speculated to be the company’s upcoming adventure motorcycle in India. It is likely to be underpinned by the same platform as its quarter-litre sibling FZ25 and FZS25 and hence it is expected to be powered by the same 249cc single-cylinder, air-cooled engine. More