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    Bajaj Pulsar NS 125 Vs Vs New Keeway SR 125 Vs TVS Raider – Specs, Price

    Priced at Rs. 1.19 lakh, Keeway SR125 seems to justify its price, when taking into account all the extra goodies it brings to the tableImage – Bike Point By Mintu&RahulAs part of Keeway’s 8 motorcycles launch strategy in India, we got SR125. As a final installment, Keeway SR250 launch is likely to happen sometime in the near future. SR125 was previously predicted to be priced at a premium end of 125cc spectrum. At Rs. 1.19 lakh (ex-sh) it is at the pricey end of 125cc motorcycle spectrum, but not as pricey in comparison.We have TVS Raider and Bajaj Pulsar NS125 which could be termed as premium 125cc commuters. They are priced slightly more than regular 125cc commuters and come with their own charm. Speaking of charm, Keeway SR125 has loads of it and at Rs. 1.19 lakh, one can even say that it is justifiable. Let’s take a closer look.Keeway SR125 Vs Premium 125cc CommutersLooks are subjective. In this case, Pulsar NS125 comes off as a sporty product owing to its NS200’s body. It is the most muscular of this lot. Raider 125 also has some muscles to flex and has a unique design. Keeway SR125 looks the most charming as it pays tribute to motorcycles of yesteryear.Raider 125 is the only one to get oil cooling, even though it doesn’t fall into sight immediately. SR125 and NS125 only get air cooling. All three motorcycles get a 5-speed gearbox coupled with their engines. Speaking of, NS125 leads this comparo with 11.6 bhp at 8,500 RPM. Followed by 11.2 bhp at 7,500 RPM by Raider 125 and lastly, we have Keeway SR125 with 9.56 bhp at 9,000 RPM.Keeway SR125 Vs RivalsTorque is 11.2 Nm at 6,000 RPM on Raider 125 followed by 11 Nm at 7,000 RPM of NS125 and lastly, 8.2 Nm at 7,500 RPM on SR125. Keeway’s commuter makes lowest power and lowest torque at a higher rev range as opposed to its rivals. Raider strikes the best balance in this aspect. Keeway is lightest at 120 kg followed by 123 kg on TVS and NS125 weighs fricking 144 kg.Despite its weight advantage, Keeway is less likely to be very peppy owing to its fatter 110/70-17 front and 130/70-17 rubber at the rear. Fatter tyres look good but increase the contact patch. Coupled with least performance at a high rev range, SR125 doesn’t seem to be appealing on paper. Both Raider and NS125 come with 80/100-17 at front and 100/90-17 at the rear.Features & PricingKeeway SR125 gets spoke wheels coupled with tube tyres while the other two get alloy wheels with tubeless tyres. Owing to its platform sharing with NS200, NS125 has the longest wheelbase. Ground clearance is the highest with Raider 125. Keeway strikes back with a 14.5L fuel tank which is the highest in the segment and maybe even a segment above.As opposed to a rear disc brake offered by Keeway SR125, Raider and NS only offer drum brakes. All three offer front disc brakes (optional with Raider). Keeway offers the largest in-segment 300mm disc at front and 210 mm disc at the rear. Owing to its old-school appeal, SR125 gets rear dual shockers as opposed to monoshock units on others.NS125 comes off as dated, credit to its halogen headlight and analog/digital instrumentation. Both SR125 and Raider offer LED headlights and the former even offers LED blinkers as well. The only chink in Keeway’s armour might be its limited dealership network. Priced at Rs. 1.19 lakh, Keeway SR125 seems to justify its price, when taking into account all the extra goodies it brings to the table. Raider 125 starts from Rs. 90,000 and NS125 costs Rs. 1.05 lakh (all prices ex-sh). More

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    2023 Royal Enfield Bullet 350 Render In New Colours – Launch Soon

    Bullet 350 has remained a favourite since several decades owing to its rustic charm and ‘go anywhere’ capabilities2023 Royal Enfield Bullet 350 RenderMarket leader in middleweight motorcycle segment, Royal Enfield is on a mission to refresh its 350cc portfolio. The first bike to get the all new platform and J-series engine was Meteor 350, launched in 2020. Last year, new-gen Classic 350 was launched and this year, we saw the launch of Hunter 350. Now, it’s Bullet 350’s turn to get the generation update.New-gen Bullet 350 stylingWhile there are some visual tweaks, new-gen Bullet retains much of its core character. Just like its predecessors, the bike’s striking road presence and bold attitude will continue to be a major draw for enthusiasts. Some of the key changes that have been seen on test mules include a new headlamp and taillamp. These are not very different from the ones used on new-gen Classic 350.Chrome highlights have been used liberally and they are around the same level as compared to existing Bullet. Chrome bits can be seen on the headlamp, turn indicators, fuel tank and rear view mirrors. The long chrome plated exhaust pipe is another feature that makes the bike hard to miss on the streets.Retro theme is largely the same as earlier, with features like round headlamp and turn indicators, classic tear-drop shaped fuel tank, old-school utility boxes on the side, broad rear mud guard and wire-spoke wheels. Based on the production-specs spy shots, Pratyush Rout has created digital renders of 2023 Bullet 350. Please note that these renders are work of an independent artist and not commissioned by Royal Enfield.2023 Royal Enfield Bullet 350 RenderIt is possible that some new colour options can be introduced for new-gen Bullet 350. In its current form, standard Bullet is offered in colour options of Black, Onyx Black and Bullet Silver. Bullet ES (Electric Start) variant has more sprightly colour options such as Regal Red and Royal Blue.Riding ergonomics remains largely similar, although the single-piece saddle could get better quality foam for improved user experience. The bike has a wide, ergonomically placed handlebar for optimal comfort and minimal strain. Scooped out rider’s section of the seat ensures optimal comfort and control. Pillion seat section is long and wide and comes with grab rails for added convenience and safety.New-gen Bullet 350 engineNew-gen Bullet will be using the new 350cc platform, currently in use with Meteor and new Classic 350. The engine will be the new J-series unit that makes 20.2 bhp of max power and 27 Nm of peak torque. It is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The existing 350cc engine delivers slightly less power at 19.1 bhp. However, torque is higher at 28 Nm.2023 Royal Enfield Bullet 350 RenderDifference in power and torque numbers isn’t big enough to make any major difference in actual ride experience. Moreover, it is a fact that the new 350cc platform and engine have been able to significantly reduce vibrations. Users have reported much smoother rides on Meteor 350 and new Classic 350. These benefits will be available with new Bullet as well. More

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    Hero Vida Electric Scooter Vs TVS iQube, Bajaj Chetak, Ola, Ather

    With the launch of Vida V1 Pro and Vida V1 Plus, Hero MotoCorp takes its maiden step towards 2W EVsHero Vida V1Hero MotoCorp launched two electric scooters under Vida name. They are Vida V1 Plus and Vida V1 Pro. Hero is aiming to create a niche for itself by launching a host of other add-ons like charging infra and Vida services, for smoother ownership. Hero MotoCorp also promises to launch nationwide charging stations as well.Hero Vida V1 Vs RivalsBoth Hero Vida V1 electric scooters get front telescopic forks and a single-sided mono-shock at the rear. Ola S1 and S1 Pro both get single-sided front forks as well. Even though there have been some reported failures of Ola’s single-sided front fork, it does make the right side very pretty and uncluttered.Rest of the rivals get dual front telescopic forks as well. Except for iQube, every electric scooter in this comparo gets a mono-shock unit. Hero didn’t mention the disc brake sizes. Both Vida V1 Pro and V1 Plus get disc brake at the front and rear drum brake. Hero MotoCorp has offered 12″ alloy wheel sizes and tyre sizes are not yet revealed.Because of its banana-shaped batteries neatly housed into its floorboard, Ola S1 and S1 Pro offer 36L which is the highest in this comparo. They are followed by 32L of top-spec iQube, Simple One with 30L, Hero Vida V1 Pro and V1 Plus with 26L, 450X with 22L and lastly, Chetak with 20L.Hero Vida V1 Vs Rivals – SpecsBoth Ola scooters and Simple One boast 8,500W peak power. While both Hero scooters’ peak power is 6,000W, followed by 5,400W of 450X, 4,400W of iQube and lastly, 4,080W of Chetak. In terms of continuous power, Ola scooters take the cake again with 5,500W, followed by 3,900W of Hero Vida V1 scooters. iQube is the only one with a hub motor as Vida V1 gets a swingarm-mounted motor.Specs & FeaturesHero hasn’t mentioned torque figures either. So, Simple Energy is still the torque champ with 72 Nm, followed by Ola S1 Pro and S1 with 58 Nm. When it comes to range extracted from a single charge, Simple One is unrivaled with a claimed range of 236-300 km! S1 Pro is next with 181km, followed by Vida V1 Pro with 165 km, 450X with 146 km, Vida V1 Plus with 143 km, S1 with 141 km, top-spec iQube with 140 km and lastly, we have Chetak with 85-95 km (all range figures are claimed by their respective manufacturer).With its secondary removable battery, Simple One boasts a total of 4.8 kWh battery. Top-spec variant of iQube stands 2nd with a 4.56 kWh battery, followed by a 3.97 kWh battery of S1 Pro, a 3.94 kWh battery of Vida V1 Pro, a 3.7 kWh battery of 450X, a 3.44 kWh battery of Vida V1 Plus and lastly, we have Chetak and S1 with 3 kWh worth of juice. Hero Vida V1 gets dual removable batteries that can be charged both internally and externally.Hero Vida V1 Vs Rivals – PowertrainHero didn’t mention if the prices are excluding subsidies or not. Which are likely to be inclusive of subsidies which make them a tough proposition when compared to rivals. So, Vida V1 Plus costs Rs. 1.45 lakh and V1 Pro costs Rs. 1.59 lakh. Prices vary from state to state and hence we advise you to visit your nearest dealer for an exact price quote. More

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    Hyundai Recalls 53,000 Vehicles with Dual-Clutch Transmissions

    Hyundai filed a recall with NHTSA over an issue with a fail-safe malfunction in the transmission oil pump.The recall affects 53,142 vehicles spread across six Hyundai models, all of which utilize a dual-clutch transmission (DCT): the 2021 and 2022 Santa Fe, Sonata, and Veloster N and the 2022 Elantra N, Kona N, and Santa Cruz.Hyundai will inspect and replace affected transmissions while reprogramming the controlling software. The automaker will begin mailing notification letters to owners by December 5. Hyundai issued a recall through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NTSHA) over a potential malfunction found in six models’ high-pressure transmission oil pump. Specifically, the recall affects models equipped with Hyundai’s eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). Filings with NHTSA detail improper fail-safe software logic when oil pump faults are detected, leading to total loss of drive power. The recall report says drivers may be alerted to the problem by “illumination of multiple warning lamps.” At that point, internal fault detection can put the vehicle into a limited-mobility “fail-safe” mode. This can be followed by total loss of motive ability as the transmission clutches and drive gears disengage after 20 to 30 seconds, Hyundai’s filing said. Hyundai’s documents filed with NHTSA say there have been 229 reported incidents in the United States from June 2021 through September 2022 but no confirmed accidents or injuries as a result of the problem. Michael Simari|Car and DriverAffected models include 2022 model year Elantra N, Kona N, and Santa Cruz vehicles and Santa Fe, Sonata, and Veloster N vehicles from both 2021 and 2022, with 53,142 total vehicles involved in the recall. Dealers will inspect the transmissions, replacing them free of charge when necessary. They will also reprogram the transmission control unit with updated software to fix the fail-safe driving capability.Hyundai issued a “stop sale” order of the affected vehicles on October 7 and will begin contacting owners by December 5. In the meantime, owners can check whether their vehicle is affected on the NHTSA recalls website.This content is imported from OpenWeb. 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. More

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    DC Says No More Right Turns at Red Lights

    The Safer Streets Amendment Act of 2022, passed by the District of Columbia’s council in early October, is part of the Vision Zero initiative to eliminate traffic fatalities.D.C. has suffered an uptick in traffic fatalities and injuries recently. Three cyclists were killed in accidents with motor vehicles in July alone, Washingtonianmagazine reports.Right turns on red are considered dangerous to pedestrians because drivers are watching traffic coming from the left before making a turn, as walkers get the signal to proceed and step off the curb.Washington, D.C., will eliminate right turns at red traffic lights in “virtually all cases” beginning in 2025 in what could become a nationwide reversal of laws enacted across the country in the late 1970s. The Safer Streets Amendment Act of 2022, passed by the District of Columbia’s council in early October, is in a broader bundle of safety initiatives that is “part of a toolkit for the Vision Zero initiative,” says Colin Brooke, communications director for the Washington Area Bicyclists Association. On October 5, the same day the D.C. council approved the measure, the Ann Arbor, Michigan, city council banned right turns on red at 50 downtown intersections, according to MLive.StatisticsEliminating right turns on red is more about pedestrians, Brooke says, while that broader bundle also includes partial adaptation of the so-called Idaho Stop for cyclists and electric scooter riders.Vision Zero, initiated in Sweden (naturally) in the 1990s, is “a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all,” according to the Vision Zero Network website..The Safer Streets Amendment was introduced by Mary Cheh, chair of the D.C. Council’s Committee on Transportation and the Environment. Her committee’s bill to increase registration fees for vehicles over 6000 pounds to $500 annually passed earlier this year.While D.C. has embraced Vision Zero for years, it has suffered an uptick in traffic fatalities and injuries recently. Three cyclists were killed in accidents with motor vehicles in July alone, Washingtonian magazine reports.The U.S. highway death rate spiked 10.5 percent to 42,915 in 2021, according to preliminary National Highway Traffic Safety Administration numbers. That’s up from 32,367 in 2011, and much of the increase comes from motor vehicles striking pedestrians and cyclists.The Idaho Stop was established in 1982, when the state enacted laws allowing cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs and to proceed through red lights, according to Bicycle Universe.Bicycle commuters head east on Market Street in San Francisco. San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images|Getty ImagesTen more states have adopted the Idaho Stop, though some, like D.C., do not allow the traffic rule’s full Monty (in some cases, cyclists may proceed through a red light when the stoplight system does not recognize the bike in the intersection).Because of the “hub and spoke” street design Pierre Charles L’Enfant drew up for the District of Columbia in the late 18th century, many streets meet intersections at acute angles rather than at 90 degrees, so bicycles and scooters will be allowed to roll through stop signs but must stop for red lights, WABA’s Browne says.The urban movement to add bike lanes and provide more deference in traffic to bicycles has added to the rift between motorists who believe too much space on urban and suburban streets has been given up for such sparsely used lanes, while cycling advocates counter that the reason bike lanes are often empty is because cars and trucks still are given priority on public roads.Right turns on red are considered dangerous to pedestrians because drivers are watching traffic coming from the left before making the turn, as people step off the curb, often when pedestrians get the signal to proceed while the light remains red.Councilwoman Cheh’s bill does not guarantee all rights on red in Washington will be gone after 2025, as it gives the District’s Transportation department authority to evaluate intersections where it might still be safer to retain right turns on red.”In negotiating the bill, the agency told us that it would be likely there would be [such] locations,” Cheh says. “However, I am not aware of any specific intersections.”Those of us old enough remember when the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 prompted U.S. states and D.C. to adopt traffic laws allowing right turns at red lights. They already were legal in western states, according to Wikipedia, and Massachusetts was last to the party, in 1980. They have been “severely restricted” in New York City but most prevalent on Staten Island with its relatively low traffic and pedestrian volumes, according to nyc.gov.”As the fuel savings argument for allowing right on red becomes less and less relevant with more efficient cars, hybrids, and EVs, and while traffic violence continues to rise across the country, I would imagine other jurisdictions will make the same common-sense decision we did in the District,” Cheh says. [“More efficient cars” includes the proliferation of mild-hybrid stop/start systems.]If this is the beginning of a reverse wave, it probably will be the result of a widespread movement begun years ago to de-car congested urban areas in favor of walkable city streets. A reverse wave would happen without the push from something like the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as “Individual traffic regulations are under the purview of local jurisdictions,” according to the Federal Highway Administration.The upshot? Any wave of such bans will start in congested cities, not in states. This content is imported from poll. 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.This content is imported from OpenWeb. 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. More

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    Electric Scooter Sales Sep 2022 – Ola, Okinawa, Ather, TVS, Bajaj

    With 51,784 units sold, 2W EV retail sales gained 210.51% YoY and 2.53% MoM in September 2021Ola Electric ScooterEVs have had a good run in India when we take YoY analysis. The same can’t be said about this segment when compared to retail sales ofAugust 2022. Sure, the segment gained 2.53% MoM, but a lot of companies dropped sales MoM. Compared to retail sales the previous month, Ola has turned the tides towards it. Ola sold 9,649 units, up by 6,209 units over 3,440 units sold in August 2022.Ola registered 180.49% MoM growth and dethrones Hero Electric which adorned this spot in August 2022 and secured a market share of 18.63%. Okinawa surpassed Hero Electric in 2W EV retail sales too and sold 8,280 units and registered 153.52% YoY growth and a 3.25% MoM drop. Okinawa secured 15.99% of 2W EV space.Electric Scooter Sales Sep 2022Previous best-seller Hero Electric sold 8,019 units and saw a 27.41% YoY growth with a 1,725 units volume gain and saw 23.49% drop in sales MoM with a volume loss of 2,462 units. Ampere registers the highest YoY growth of 687.28% with 6,188 units sold in September 2022. Like Okinawa and Hero Electric, Ampere registered a 3.30% drop in MoM, with a market share of 11.95%.Ather takes 5th spot with 6,176 units and registers 183.95% YoY growth and 16.62% MoM growth. TVS sold 3,940 units of iQube in September 2022 and compared to 6,309 units sold in August 2022, saw a drop of 37.55%. Bajaj Chetak sold 2,593 units over just 381 units in September 2021 and registered 580.58% YoY growth and 0.35% MoM growth.2W EV Retail Sales September 2022 – YoYBenling, Okaya and Revolt sold 963 units, 925 units and 838 units respectively in September 2022 and secured 8th, 9th and 10th place. Benling saw 210.65% YoY growth and a 7.93% drop MoM. Okaya saw 5.11% MoM growth and Revolt dropped sales up to 49.15% MoM. At the 11th spot, we have Pure EV which saw de-growth of 43.83% YoY and 14.27% MoM.Jitendra and TwentyTwo sold 652 and 629 units respectively. Jitendra registered 397.71% YoY growth and 3.99% MoM growth, while TwentyTwo registered 8.26% MoM growth. GoGreen and Komaki sold 389 and 234 units respectively and registered positive growth of 368.67% and 8.33% YoY respectively. Both companies saw de-growth of 3.47% and 6.02% MoM respectively.Newer Start-ups Register GrowthBGAUSS and AMO sold 187 and 186 units respectively in September 2022. Compared to August 2022, gained 43.85% and 186% MoM respectively. RGM shows consistency with 133 units sold in September 2022 and also in August 2022. With 99 units sold in September 2021, RGM saw 34.34% YoY growth.2W EV Retail Sales September 2022 – MoMKinetic Green, Micelio, Jiangsu and IVOOMI sold 129, 101, 64 and 51 units in September 2022 respectively. Kinetic Green registered 290.91% MoM growth, Jiangsu saw 10.34% MoM growth and IVOOMI saw 64.52% MoM growth. Other brands sold 510 units in total with 7.14% MoM growth.All-in-all, 2W EV retail sales saw 51,784 units sold in September 2022, up by a staggering 35,107 units over just 16,677 units sold in September 2021 registering a solid 210.51% YoY growth. With 50,506 units sold in August 2022, this segment only witnessed 2.53% MoM growth with a volume gain of 1,278 units. More

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    Video: What We Learned After Testing a Toyota Sienna Hybrid over 40,000 Miles

    Ask anyone on our staff, and they’ll tell you minivans are the unsung heroes of the automotive world. They might even add that minivans are the ultimate enthusiast cars. Why? These owners actually use their vehicles for what they’re made to do. Why else would you buy one? Ego has no role in minivan ownership.So Much SiennaConsider our 40,000-mile test of this Cypress Green 2021 Toyota Sienna as proof. It traveled across the country multiple times; it hauled cargo and equipment; it served as a camera car on multiple photo and video shoots; and a member on our staff even outfitted it with a roof tent and took it on a honeymoon. The Sienna did all this in relative comfort, and its hybrid powertrain returned significantly better fuel economy than other minivans we’ve tested. We cover all the details in this video, from interior comfort and functionality to service costs and what it was like to drive in winter. We also explain the downsides of installing a trailer hitch, including the reduced departure angle and how annoying the rear collision mitigation tech can be when you have a bike carrier installed. Yes, this video is tardy—we wrapped up our test a few months back—but blame for that falls on internal scheduling alone, because reverence for the Cult of the Minivan remains steadfast. This content is imported from poll. 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.This content is imported from OpenWeb. 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. More

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    GMC Sierra EV Will Emerge with Fancy-Pants Denali Edition 1 on October 20

    The GMC Sierra EV will be revealed at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, October 20, according to the brand’s social media accounts.It’s not our first glimpse of the electric Sierra—GMC already teased its front end—but now we know the debut truck will be the Denali Edition 1. We expect the Sierra EV to share core components with the Chevy Silverado EV when the GMC version goes on sale in early 2024.Teasers are a fun way for an automaker’s marketing department to drum up awareness and excitement ahead of the launch of a new model. Of course, said model usually has to be interesting or notable to really catch people’s attention. Luckily for GMC, the upcoming Sierra EV qualifies as attention-worthy, so today when the company posted a short video clip on its social media accounts, we took notice and learned that the electric pickup truck will be revealed at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, October 20.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.Along with posts on its branded Facebook and Twitter pages, GMC announced the reveal details and more on its consumer site. The video itself is only 15 seconds long. And while the company already released a teaser image of the Sierra EV’s front end last December, we do get a better look at its design and other details in the brief clip. For instance, a set of lower lights on the front bumper are now visible. Plus, we get our first look at the truck’s interior with a close-up of the material on its front seat and Denali embroidered on the headrest. Another Denali call-out is the badge on the rear tailgate next to one of the Sierra’s slim taillights. The other significant detail we see is a massive glass panel on the roof.An earlier teaser of the GMC Sierra EV.GMCEven before this latest teaser, we knew the Sierra EV would offer a fancy-pants Denali model. Because, duh, it’s a massive moneymaker for GMC. What we learned today is that there will also be a Denali Edition 1—similar to what the company did with the Hummer EV Edition 1, which was a fully loaded, limited-edition model. In the small print at the bottom of one of the ads, GMC says the Sierra EV Edition 1 will be available in early 2024 by reservation only; the regular Denali is said to be available that spring.GMC’s Electric Truck StuffIt’s basically a given that the Sierra EV will share core components with the Chevy Silverado EV that’s already been revealed. That suggests the GMC version will also offer up to 400 miles of estimated range, as much as 664 horsepower, and a max towing capacity of 10,000 pounds. Pricing for the Silverado EV is expected to be between about $40k and $105k, but we expect the Sierra version to be a little pricier. As with the specs, we’ll have to wait until GMC officially reveals the full details before we’ll know for sure. With the reveal less than a week away, we shouldn’t have to wait very long. This content is imported from poll. 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.This content is imported from OpenWeb. 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. More