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      Royal Enfield New Himalayan Long Term Review – More Negatives Than Positives?

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      Royal Enfield New Himalayan Long Term ReviewWhile there are a lot of praise-worthy attributes on Royal Enfield New Himalayan, almost all of them were prone to negatives, taking overall experience downHimalayan 411 has always been the de facto motorcycle for many Indians craving a motorcycling journey filled with touring, off-roading and adventure. After a successful run, Royal Enfield retired the legendary Himalayan 411 and launched New Himalayan debuting the Sherpa 450 powertrain. After spending a long time with the review sample Royal Enfield provided, this is our long-term review of the New Himalayan.Royal Enfield New Himalayan Long Term ReviewYou must be wondering how we found more negatives than positives with the New Himalayan. It is sort of like James May starring in a Bengali TV serial. Hard to believe, but true nonetheless. So, is the motorcycle bad? Is it a lemon? Not at all. Almost everything on the Royal Enfield New Himalayan is praise-worthy. However, almost all of those praises come with caveats, taking the overall experience down.Royal Enfield New Himalayan Kamet WhiteWill the motorcycle stay this way forever? We hope not. We think Royal Enfield will iron out most of these negatives in the future, considering how Himalayan 411 was launched and how it evolved towards the end of its life cycle. But as it currently is, New Himalayan 450 aims to be the jack of all trades. Is it a master in any? Let’s take a look.Design & AestheticsNew Himalayan sticks to its design roots and maintains an overall similar silhouette as Himalayan 411. That said, New Himalayan has bulked up quite a bit and looks and feels like a big bike. When you’re on the saddle, this visual bulk lends a feeling of riding a much bigger motorcycle than it is. Fatter tyres at the rear, a large fuel tank along with USD telescopic front forks at the front lend a substantial feel. We love the way Royal Enfield integrated brake lights within rear turn indicators. Cool stuff.Royal Enfield New Himalayan Front QuarterThat said, I didn’t like the beak and the pattern on Kamet White colour, which is subjective, though. Objectively, Tripper Dash console clamp could have been tidied up. Especially with a transparent windshield, this unappealing setup is on full display. Rear luggage rack is sharp around the edges. Our driver nicked his hand when cleaning around this area. Other than that, we didn’t see any other sore points like exposed wiring, ugly welds and other attributes that might be termed deal breakers.Ergonomics & ComfortRoyal Enfield New Himalayan gets two-step adjustable seat height – 825mm and 845mm. I’m a 182 cm long individual and I found the taller seat height more appealing. I could even flat foot easily with the taller setting. Riding ergonomics of Himalayan are spot on and Royal Enfield has nailed the rider’s triangle. At least for my body composition. Riding posture is upright and lends great comfort in the long hauls. Standing and riding while off-roading feels like second nature. Heel plates are perfectly positioned too, offering good leverage to control the motorcycle.New Himalayan 450 ErgonomicsI had initially planned a 3,000 km long travelogue with New Himalayan. But that plan faded with every kilometre I clocked on this motorcycle due to the hard seat. While my shoulders, back, knees, ankles, neck and other parts were fatigue-free on longer hauls, my bottom wasn’t. And I constantly had to take a break every 100 km or so and switch positions every 50 km. 3,000 km of this pain? No sir. Maybe If Royal Enfield had given me the bike with Touring Seat accessory on, that would’ve been a different story.Powertrain & PerformanceThis is by far the juiciest part of the New Himalayan debuting Sherpa 450 engine. This is the first-ever Royal Enfield motorcycle to feature liquid cooling and a DOHC 4V head. Also, the first-ever single-cylinder Royal Enfield to feature a 6-speed gearbox, a slipper clutch and a ride-by-wire throttle. Performance metrics from this 452cc engine are 40 bhp peak power at 8,000 RPM and 40 Nm of peak torque at 5,500 RPM.Royal Enfield Sherpa 450 Engine100 km/h comes up in under 7 seconds and this is easily one of the most fun to ride Royal Enfield ever. Acceleration is addictive and is almost KTM-like in the way it builds pace. I liked the vigour and gust with which this machine accelerates. This new Sherpa 450 is not a thumper and sounds like any other liquid-cooled motorcycle would. Which is just fine, if you ask me.What isn’t fine, are those weird vibrations starting around 95 km/h and making their presence known till 120 km/h. Post which, engine smoothens again. These vibrations numbed my wrists and could be felt around fuel tank and footpegs. This is quite a bummer because 100 km/h to 120 km/h is kinda the sweet spot for this machine and that’s exactly where these vibrations are.Himalayan 450Also, the Royal Enfield personnel who briefed me about this motorcycle, said that the engine has high tappet noises and is quite normal for Sherpa 450’s high-compression nature. In my experience, I didn’t face any abnormal tappet noises at all. However, there were harsh and loud crackling noises from the engine at higher RPMs with our unit. I don’t wanna say knocking noises, but that’s how they sounded.Fuel Economy & Running CostsIn the first impressions review, I mentioned a 34 km/l fuel efficiency which turned out to be inaccurate as the bike’s fuel gauge is hilarious. More on it later. I did a proper tank-to-tank range test and the actual fuel efficiency turned out to be between 26 km/l to 28 km/l. For a 196 kg motorcycle hitting 100 km/h in under 7 seconds, that might look impressive. However, these figures I mentioned are best-case scenarios and if you wring the throttle more often, this engine gulps down fuel at a faster rate.Royal Enfield New HimalayanIf I take my commute needs and try to fit the New Himalayan in it, I was not impressed with bike’s high running costs. The 90 km commute between my home and my farmhouse on the New Himalayan commanded Rs. 650 to Rs 700 worth of fuel for a round trip. If I shell Rs. 100 to Rs. 150 more, I can just take my car. My car might be around 5 seconds slower to 100 km/h than New Himalayan, but it has a 4-cylinder engine displacing 1.5L and lugging a 4.4m long SUV weighing 1.4 tonnes along with 5 occupants and their luggage.Ride, Handling & DynamicsIf there is one area where New Himalayan didn’t show me any negatives, it is the bike’s ride and handling dynamics. The unit I was given had its triple tree misaligned, despite never falling once. In this sense, handlebar is always tilted towards exhaust side, while going straight. Also, there were strong rattles from the triple clamp area on my unit too.Royal Enfield New HimalayanDespite that, the way New Himalayan handles Indian roads is its strongest flex point. Suspension setup is significantly overhauled when we bring Himalayan 411 into the equation. We have USD telescopic front forks, first ever on any single-cylinder Royal Enfield. They do a fantastic job of absorbing bumps and ondulations. I often found myself carrying more speed onto bad patches of road and trusting the suspension and large 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels to do their thing. Which they did beautifully. When riding with a pillion, potholes or cavities made their presence known, but nothing sinister.Chassis is beautifully engineered on the New Himalayan. There is good cornering clearance, although, New Himalayan is not a corner carver. Lending more grip and confidence is the 140-section rear tyre as opposed to 120-section on its predecessor. Steering is not very quick, especially with the large 21-inch front wheel. But it is par for the course and lends a sense of stability and security.Royal Enfield New Himalayan SeatRiding Experience1. City – Royal Enfield has lowered the kerb weight on New Himalayan when compared to Himalayan 411 by 3 kg. At 196 kg, New Himalayan is still not a light motorcycle in any sense of the world. Further dragging the city riding experience is a rather heavy clutch. Especially in large cities like Bengaluru, Pune, Mumbai and Delhi NCR, with slow-moving traffic, one would crave more lightness in both these regards. But weight and heavy clutch were present in Himalayan 411 too.What hindered city riding experience the most, was this Sherpa 450 engine on New Himalayan. This engine has little to no bottom-end tractibility, which is completely opposite to the torquey character on Himalayan 411. I have stalled this bike in 3rd gear, 2nd gear and even in 1st gear. One will get used to it eventually, but not having low-end performance is not a good thing. What is a good thing, though, is the liquid-cooling setup on this engine. Even in peak Bengaluru traffic, it got warm. Never uncomfortably hot, though.Royal Enfield New Himalayan Rear Rack2. Off-Roading – The same negatives that bothered me in the city, also bothered me while off-roading. These are heavy clutch, lack of low-end performance and bike’s rather heavy kerb weight. There was another negative that bothered me more, punctures. In North Karnataka, there’s Jaali plant in excess and occupies around 75% of non-forest and non-agricultural land. This plant has lethal thorns, especially when dry. Local people use Jaali plant as firewood and spread these lethal thorns while cutting and transporting this plant.Still, I did three different hill climbs on this motorcycle and I even blasted it across beaten paths on my red-soil and black-soil farms. Just like in the city, negatives kinda fade away when you increase the pace. On more technical off-road bits, New Himalayan gets slightly cumbersome. I turned on rear ABS when on my red soil farms as the terrain was filled with loose stones. I wanted to try water wading in a stream but was sceptical owing to the stubby exhaust positioned lower than in Himalayan 411.Royal Enfield New Himalayan 21-Inch Front Wheel3. Touring – This is New Himalayan’s biggest strength. The motorcycle yearns to be unleashed on the highways. There are ample provisions for you to mount your saddlebags, panniers, top box and even a tank bag. High-speed touring is very comfortable on this motorcycle, only if you opt for the optional touring seat accessory, that is. Engine heating is well controlled at higher speeds and straight-line stability is commendable. However, the big negative here is the vibrations that creep in between 95 km/h to 120 km/h.SwitchgearRoyal Enfield New Himalayan shares quite a bit of switchgear components from other RE bikes. The right side switchgear is fine and works as intended with a Mode button and hazard light button. I’m not a fan of left switchgear where Royal Enfield has integrated pass light into the main headlight dial. Where passer switch was located on older RE bikes, we have a Home button for Tripper Dash.New Himalayan Left SwitchgearNew Himalayan Right SwitchgearTo use a passer/flasher on New Himalayan, your left thumb has to be an Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast and is very hard to reach when you’re wearing full leather gloves like I do. Passer/flasher had a 7/10 successful hit rate too. Which is not as bad as the joystick used to navigate Tripper Dash. This joystick is very flimsy and doesn’t feel like a quality item. When you want to go up, down, left or right, there’s no issue with 9/10 click rates. But pressing this joystick to select, had around 2/10 click rates and it almost always registered right function over select (press).It was quite a shocker to me when I figured that New Himalayan doesn’t have self-cancelling turn indicators on an almost Rs. 4 lakh (OTR, Karnataka) motorcycle. Also, there is no beeping sound to the indicators and I often forgot to turn them off. On a touring machine, that’s not a good idea. Round ORVMs look nice. But they’re not very practical. Around 50% of the real-estate was occupied by my riding jacket and these ORVMs are prone to vibrations. When cruising at around 100 km/h where the vibrations creep in, left ORVM tends to fall and right ORVM tends to face the rider. Also, I have caught ORVMs yanking loose on bad patches of road or speed humps on video.New Himalayan ExhaustTripper DashWith New Himalayan, Royal Enfield is offering the Tripper Dash, a bright circular colour TFT display that supports smartphone connectivity, Google Maps integration and music controls. When I first received the motorcycle, Bluetooth connection was established, but navigation and music control never worked with both IOS and Android. There was a FOTA update rolled out for New Himalayan Tripper Dash on 21st February 2024 consisting of five software packets.Post this update, both navigation and music controls worked, albeit only occasionally. I often know where I am going. So, I didn’t use the navigation feature as much. There are two negatives why I would be hesitant to rely on this navigation feature. Firstly, navigation feature drains my phone’s battery as it needs Wifi, Bluetooth, mobile data, location and my screen to be turned on at all times. Yeah! If you’re thinking that using the Type-C charger to charge my phone on a holder would solve this issue. But now my phone is exposed to direct sun (40+° C in North Karnataka) and it heats up, force shutting Royal Enfield app and navigation will turn off regardless.Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Tripper Dash UpdateSecondly, navigation feature doesn’t work all the time and randomly freezes when on the move. I used navigation feature once and it froze on the move and I caught it on video. If there were any turns and I had completely relied on the Tripper Dash’s navigation, I would have missed them all. Other than navigation, there are other features like dark/light mode based on ambient light, gear position indicator, detailed trip reports and other features that work flawlessly. What doesn’t work flawlessly, are the real-time fuel efficiency and DTE (Distance To Empty).Speaking of DTE, it is a good time to report about the hilarious fuel gauge. Initially, I thought Royal Enfield New Himalayan only showed more fuel than I was introducing it with. There is another behaviour where it doesn’t show any fuel on the meter, despite there being ample fuel inside. You never know if the gauge is showing more fuel than reality or less. Once, the meter was fully down and DTE was 0, the bike still covered 100 km with fuel to spare. You must have heard of range anxiety on an EV, I had range anxiety on this bike and carried a bottle of fuel in my bag, which is ridiculous in 2024 on a motorcycle that costs almost Rs. 4 lakh (OTR Karnataka).Himalayan 450 Tripper Dash Maps – When it doesn’t workLastly, we have to speak about the enthusiastic speedometer. One time, I was cruising at around 120 km/h and an esteemed gentleman on a 100cc Hero Splendor kept up with me for a long time, raising questions about whether the bike was really going at 120 km/h. I verified the variance in speedometer by matching it with my car’s cruise control. Then I took my GPS and accelerometer-equipped camera out and measured the variance. I don’t wanna quote numbers as they’re taken from consumer-grade electronics and not professional equipment, but there is variance. So, the 165 km/h top speed you might have seen on social media is likely to be way less than that in reality.ConclusionWe should not dwell on the negatives of Royal Enfield New Himalayan. To conclude this motorcycle, we have to take a few steps back and look at it from a broader perspective and we’ll realise that this is not a motorcycle at all. No. This is a statement. Royal Enfield is saying ‘Stand up, take notice, I’m making high-tech motorcycles now’. And what a statement this is! New Himalayan is a first-gen product and has a few niggles. But with some time, this platform is likely to be stronger than ever and will have fixed all or most of these niggles.Royal Enfield New HimalayanSure, we would like stronger lighting, a louder horn, self-cancelling turn indicators with sound alerts, cruise control as it has ride-by-wire throttle, reliable features and a hassle-free experience with a motorcycle that costs almost Rs. 4 lakh (OTR Karnataka). But we sure like the direction Royal Enfield is taking and are excited about the future products positioned on this new platform.Sherpa 450 Engine More

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      Hyundai Creta Electric Spied Inside Out – New Interior Features Leak

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      Hyundai Creta Electric SpiedMost of the visual aspects of Creta EV across exteriors and interiors appear to be the same as the ICE-based modelIn the electric segment, Hyundai currently offers the Kona EV and Ioniq 5. For the mass market, Hyundai is readying the Creta EV. It will be the most affordable Hyundai electric car in India at the time of launch. Creta Electric will take on rivals such as MG ZS EV and upcoming Maruti eVX and Tata Curvv EV.Creta Electric interiors revealedMuch of the interior spaces, centre console, dashboard and other plastic parts appear to be the same as that of ICE Creta. However, one can see an entirely new steering wheel that is a lot more elegant in comparison to the unit in use with ICE Creta. The new steering wheel onboard Creta EV does not have the ‘H’ logo’. The central area is more rounded and has a circular chrome trim, along with a horizontal chrome strip in the centre.Hyundai Creta Electric SpiedHyundai EVs like Ioniq 5 don’t have any brand badging on the steering wheel. A similar approach could be used for Creta Electric. Another thing revealed is the drive selector located behind the steering wheel on the right side.This again is something similar to Ioniq 5. Steering mounted controls can be seen as well. Other key features include the seamlessly integrated infotainment and instrument cluster screen. It’s the same unit as used with ICE Creta. Interior spy shots are credited to Pilot on Wheels.Hyundai Creta Electric SpiedCreta EV – Equipment listMost of the features for Creta Electric will be borrowed from ICE Creta. Some of the key highlights include dual-tone interiors, leather pack for top trims and power adjustable driver seat.Hyundai Creta Electric SpiedCreta EV will have ventilated seats, wireless charger, cruise control, rear AC vents, USB charger and glove box cooling. Other highlights include premium sound system, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, voice commands and OTA updates. A range of connectivity features will be available via Hyundai Bluelink connected car technology.Safety kit will also be similar to ICE Creta. Some key features include ADAS, electronic stability control, vehicle stability management, tyre pressure monitoring system, rear parking sensors and camera, front parking sensors and burglar alarm.Hyundai Creta Electric SpiedWhat is the range of Creta Electric?Details about Creta EV’s powertrain are not available at this point of time. However, as per industry standards, Creta EV could deliver a range of more than 400 km. It is expected to get multi-level regenerative braking, as seen with other Hyundai electric cars. Features like vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-load (V2L) are also likely. Both AC and DC fast charging options will be available with Creta EV.To get the early bird advantage, Hyundai will be looking to introduce Creta EV in the shortest possible time. The electric SUV could be launched later this year or sometime next year. Creta Electric could be offered at a starting price of around Rs 20 lakh.Source More

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      Tesla India EV Market Entry Expected: Right Hand Ahead

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      Tesla Model 3 on test in India. Image – Maitrey GogateTesla India EV Market Entry: Tax Incentives Fuelling The WayTesla’s expected entry into the Indian market marks a strategic move, manufacturing right-hand drive cars in Germany for export to India. This decision meets demand for electric vehicles (EVs) in right-hand drive markets. Aiming to expand its global presence, expected Tesla India operations could be a strong foothold in key emerging markets.India’s recent reduction in import taxes on select EVs offers a significant boost to Tesla’s entry. Fulfilling the condition necessitates a minimum $500 million investment and local production within three years. This move aims to attract foreign investment and foster domestic manufacturing in the EV sector.File photo from 2023. Elon Musk and Narendra ModiRoadmap to Tesla: India’s Factory Location OptionsWhile Tesla is allocating RHD cars for India, the specific models remain undisclosed. India’s provision allowing the import of up to 8,000 cars annually at reduced tax rates presents a promising opportunity for Tesla India’s EV Market entry.Selecting a factory location in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, or Gujarat is a crucial consideration for Tesla. The meticulous site selection process factors in logistical efficiency, skilled labor availability, and proximity to key markets among other decision making factors.Tesla Successful Models – Charging Infrastructure and Dealership ModelIn addition to vehicle production, Tesla prioritises charging infrastructure. By enhancing accessibility and reliability of charging stations, Tesla accelerates transition towards EVs, garnering wider acceptance even from other manufacturers.Tesla operates over 130 stores and galleries globally, spanning 34 countries. These outlets enable direct sales both online and in-person, diverging from traditional dealership models. With minimal marketing budget, Tesla relies on referral programs and word of mouth to bring customers to them. Stores, often in malls, serve as showrooms, educating customers about Tesla’s vehicles and brand. In states with strict dealership laws, Tesla employs mobile shipping-container stores and Airstream trailers to extend its reach, challenging conventional automotive sales practices.There’s Tesla, and There’s BYDGlobally, BYD boasts a diverse product portfolio, selling around 3,024,417 New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) in 2023. BYD India, beginning PV sales in 2021, sold 1,997 units by the end of 2022 and 2,038 units by the end of 2023. Its EV portfolio in India includes the newly launched BYD Seal, BYD ATTO 3, and the All-New e6.The government’s ambitious target of achieving a 30 percent EV market share by 2030 presents significant growth opportunities for manufacturers in India. With its global expertise in EV technology, Tesla stands well-positioned to capitalise on these opportunities. Elon Musk’s upcoming meeting with the Indian Prime Minister may seem ceremonial, as strategic decisions likely precede it. Expectations for this high-profile meeting include announcements of investment and policy discussions regarding Tesla’s expansion plans in India. More

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      Maruti EVX Parked On Roadside, Next To Venue – Interiors, Exteriors Walkaround

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      Maruti EVX Electric SUV Spied – WalkaroundWhen launched, Maruti Suzuki eVX SUV will rival MG ZS EV, Mahindra XUV400 and upcoming Tata Curvv EV, Hyundai Creta EV and Mahindra BE.05India’s largest car manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki, has a massive portfolio of petrol and petrol+CNG vehicles. What it currently lacks is a BEV. The company is poised to unveil its first-ever electric car in the form of eVX SUV. Recently, Maruti Suzuki eVX has been papped in a detailed walkaround video, revealing its interiors for the first time.Maruti EVX Parked On RoadsideeVX will be Suzuki’s first-ever BEV. By the looks of it, eVX might make its world debut at 2025 Auto Expo and India could be the first market to witness a launch. A lot is riding on Maruti Suzuki eVX’s shoulders and it needs to be an extravaganza as it is the first of its kind for the brand.Maruti EVX Electric SUV Spied – WalkaroundWe’re happy to report that eVX packs a lot of sauce and is likely to leave a lasting impression on the automotive industry. A recent walkaround video by Manish Kaushik Shorts reveals most of the interior details of eVX electric SUV. We can see a new twin-spoke steering wheel with almost perfect 9 and 3 positions.Steering controls get a glossy finish. These controls are unlabelled on this test mule, but there is a probability that these might be touch-sensitive and labels are backlit. Flat bottom effect for the steering looks very modern and sophisticated. Dashboard is clad with a cloth. However, we can see a free-standing infotainment screen that could be 10-inch+ in size.Maruti EVX Electric SUV Spied – WalkaroundTwo central AC vents are vertically arranged and spaced out, lending a sense of width. Centre console area is stuffed with testing equipment. There is a floating centre console on eVX like on a European car. Hyundai Kona has something similar too. Centre console is clad with camouflage, but we did spot a rotary dial, maybe a gear selector, and an electronic parking brake.Maruti EVX Electric SUV Spied – WalkaroundBased on YY8 skateboard, a derivative of born electric 27PL platform from Toyota, there is no need for a traditional transmission tunnel, allowing OEMs to explore their creative ideas. Seats look very hugging with massive side bolsters, like that of a Euro car. We can see a single-pane sunroof along with rear AC vents shared with Grand Vitara.Maruti EVX Electric SUV Spied – WalkaroundExterior highlights and powertrainWe have covered exterior highlights before and there were no new features spotted on this test mule. Refreshing your memory, Maruti Suzuki eVX gets projector headlights, striking alloy wheels, all-four disc brakes, rear washer and wiper, a large roof spoiler, rear door handles on C-Pillar, a shark fin antenna, camera on ORVMs, front camera, radar module for ADAS, charging port on front left fender and more. Dashcam might be aftermarket.Maruti EVX Electric SUV Spied – WalkaroundWhere powertrain is concerned, we can expect a single-motor front wheel drive layout as standard and a dual-motor all-wheel drive layout as an option. Battery size could be a 45 kWh and 60 kWh units promising a range of up to 550 km. More

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      2024 Bajaj Pulsar N160 For Latin Market Debuts – New Colours, Looks Upmarket

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      Latin-spec Bajaj Pulsar N160The Latin-spec Bajaj Pulsar N160 competes with TVS Apache RTR 160 4V, Hero Hunk 160 (Xtreme 160R), Honda X-Blade and Pulsar NS160Bajaj Auto in India has been on a launch spree bringing new Pulsars left right and centre. The company has recently updated Pulsar N160 in India along with Pulsar N150. There was a completely different update to Pulsar N160 globally which is a far more appealing proposition visually than what we got in India. Let’s take a look.Latin-Spec 2024 Bajaj Pulsar N160 DetbusOne of world’s leading 2W and 3W manufacturer, Bajaj Auto, has been serving many global markets shipping products manufactured in India. Latin American market is one of the largest markets that Bajaj caters to outside of India. Here, Bajaj sells a bunch of 160cc motorcycles in the form of Pulsar N160 and Pulsar NS160.Latin-spec Bajaj Pulsar N160Company’s strategy on a broader spectrum is to revamp the entire Pulsar portfolio in India in 2024. The new ‘Biggest Ever Pulsar’ is incoming too. In Latin market, however, the agenda is to offer more panache. In that regard, we can see dual-tone colours on Pulsar N160 that are not on offer in India.We get Pearl Metallic White, Polar Sky Blue and Brooklyn Black shades in India. In Latin market, Bajaj is offering two striking dual-tone shades – Khaki Green with Silver and Navy Blue with Silver. Along with that, Bajaj has gone overboard with stickers for Latin market. These stickers are in contrasting colours and they’re executed very nicely and almost lend a triple-tone effect.Latin-spec Bajaj Pulsar N160 – Old ClusterWe also liked the the new and stylish side body guard or engine guard or crash guard with a plastic cover that looks much more sophisticated. Especially when compared to the exposed bent steel pipe crash guard we get in India. The stickers on body panels covering rear subframe look nice.[embedded content]Wheel pinstripe and Dual-channel ABS stickers are finished in contrasting shade – a fluorescent neon yellow with Khaki shade and neon orange with Navy Blue shade. Because of these attributes, Latin-spec Bajaj Pulsar N160 looks like a different machine altogether, despite being the same bike as sold in India. The power of colours and stickers, eh?We want these colours too, Bajaj AutoLooking at the Latin-spec model, we wish Bajaj Auto gave these striking dual-tone shades with those funky stickers and the premium-looking crash guards to India-spec model too. Especially that Khaki Green shade and Silver with neon yellow contrasts. Rest of the componentry is identical to India-spec model.Latin-spec Bajaj Pulsar N160Where features are concerned, Latin-spec model lacks the new fully digital instrument cluster with Bluetooth connectivity that we got last month. The same 164.82cc single-cylinder oil-cooled engine with around 16 bhp and 14.5 Nm is seen with Latin-spec model, mated to a 5-speed gearbox as well. There, Pulsar N160 competes against TVS Apache RTR 160 4V, Hero Hunk 160 (Xtreme 160R in India), Honda X-Blade, Gixxer 155, Yamaha FZ and Bajaj’s own Pulsar NS160. More

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      Electric Car Sales March 2024 – Tata, MG, Mahindra, Citroen, Hyundai, BYD, Kia

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      New Tata Punch EV. Image – Shubhadip SinghaTata Motors headed this list by a huge margin over MG and Mahindra – Thanks to Punch EV and Nexon EV, Tata has over 73% market shareThanks to the Government of India’s favourable policies regarding promotion of electric vehicles (EVs), sales in this segment are increasing by leaps and bounds. There are several cars currently on sale in this segment and there were nearly 91,000 electric cars sold in India during the period FY 2024 (April 2023 and March 2024). In March 2024, electric vehicle sales grew 7.50% YoY and 31042% MoM to 9,503 units. There had been 8,840 units sold in March 2023 and 7,231 units sold in February 2024 thus showing the growing demand that this segment has experienced.Tata Motors Commands 73.71% Market ShareTata Motors, with an EV lineup that includes the Tiago, Tigor, Punch and Nexon has seen sales of 7,005 units in March 2024 to command a 73.71 percent market share. Though this was a 4.21 percent YoY decline from 7,313 units sold in March 2023, sales improved dramatically by 41.77% on a MoM basis from 4,941 units sold in February 2024. Apart from a healthier lineup, Tata Motors’ EV are also more affordable priced between Rs 7.99 – 19.29 lakh. (ex.sh). There is now the Tata Curvv EV that is currently being tested ahead of launch sometime in the 2nd quarter of financial year 2024-2025.Electric Car Sales March 2024MG Motor has the Comet and ZS in its electric segment and has seen sales of 1,131 units last month. This was a 118.76% YoY growth while MoM sales also showed off strong growth by 7.41%. The Comet and ZS are priced from 6.99-25.08 lakh. MG has also started testing the Cloud EV which will be its 3rd electric car when launched in India later this year or by early 2025.Mahindra XUV400, the sole electric model in the company lineup has seen sales of 616 units last month, up 155.21% from 259 units sold in March 2023. MoM sales also grew by 6.27% from 622 units sold in February 2024. Mahindra will be expanding its EV lineup to include the XUV.e8, XUV.e9 and BE.05, each of which have been seen while on speed tests at the company’s track in Chennai. In the Citroen electric lineup is the eC3 priced from Rs 11.61-13.35 lakh. Sales dipped to 178 units in the past month from 209 units sold in March 2023 while it was outstanding growth of 125.32% when compared to just 79 units sold in February 2024.Electric Car Sales March 2024 vs March 2023 – YoY comparisonAmong the higher priced electric cars in the non-luxury segment are the Hyundai Kona and Ioniq 5. Priced from Rs 23.84-45.95 lakh (ex.sh), sales of these two cars grew by 206.25% YoY to 147 units in the past month from 48 unit sold in March 2023. It was also outstanding MoM growth of 24.58 percent over 118 units sold in February 2024. Hyundai recently updated the Ioniq 5 with new colour schemes in a bid to boost sales. BYD E6, Atto3 and Seal have seen sales dip 54.33% YoY and 4.20 % MoM to 137 units while MoM sales also suffered a setback by 4.20%.Electric Car Sales March 2024 vs Feb 2024 – MoM comparisonBMW India Claims Top Spot Among Luxury BrandsIn the luxury electric vehicle segment, BMW India took a top spot among luxury brands with its iX1, i4, iX and i7 gaining in YoY sales by 20.09% to 71 units from 55 units sold in March 2023. MoM sales however, saw sales dip 44.09 percent from 127 units sold in February 2024.Heralding outstanding YoY and MoM growth was Mercedes India with its electric vehicle lineup growing by 45.71% YoY and 21.43% MoM to 51 units in the past month. There had been 35 units and 42 units sold in March 2023 and February 2024 respectively. The Mercedes EV lineup is currently priced from Rs 74.5 lakh-2.45 crores.Lower down the sales list was Volvo with its XC60 and C40 commanding sales of 44 units while Kia EV6 sales stood at 33 units. Porsche sales have escalated several fold to 16 units in March 2024, up 128.57% YoY and 433.33% MoM taking up market share to 0.17% from 0.54% on a MoM basis. More

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      2W Sales FY 24 vs FY 23 – Hero, Honda, TVS, Bajaj, Royal Enfield, Yamaha, Ola, Vespa, Jawa

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      Image – The Sameer VlogsTwo wheeler sales grew by 9.30% YoY in FY2024 as buyers showed particular preference towards electric modelsTwo wheeler sales in FY2024 as revealed by Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) touched a total of 1,75,17,173 units. This was a significant growth over 1,60,27,411 units sold in FY2023. A close look at this table shows particular growth by electric two wheeler OEMs Ola and Ather along with Greaves Electric, the latter which sees sales increase several fold.Two Wheeler Sales FY2024 – Led by Hero and HondaWith Hero and Honda commanding a combined market share of 55%, were at the helm of the two wheeler segment in FY2024. Hero MotoCorp sales improved to 53,95,924 units in FY2024, up from 51,35,129 units sold in FY2023. It was the company’s motorcycle segment that sold significantly higher units as compared to its scooter sales.Two Wheeler Retail Sales FY 2024The second largest two-wheeler manufacturer and largest scooter maker, HMSI, also posted YoY growth with its sales at 40,92,126 units in FY2024, up from 39,73,186 units sold in FY2023. Honda Activa, India’s best-selling scooter, drove up these sales figures and the company ended the past financial year crossing the 6 crore domestic sales milestone ever since it went solo in 1999.TVS Motor Company’s total sales for FY2024 stood at 29,65,744 units, a growth over 24,89,121 units sold in the same period of 2023. High demand for the Bajaj Pulsar range steered its maker Bajaj Auto Limited to record 21,08,049 unit sales in FY2024. This was a growth of 4,03,595 units over 17,04,445 units sold in FY2023. The company also has the Chetak in the electric segment that attracts a number of buyers. It competes with the Ola S 1 Air, TVS iQube and now the newly introduced Ather Rizta.Two Wheeler Retail Sales FY 2024Japanese subsidiary Suzuki Motorcycle India (SMIPL) has also emerged with good figures in FY2024 with 8,46,991 units sold during the said period. This was a growth of over 6,87,176 units sold in FY2023. The company currently commands a 4.84 percent market share, up from 4.29 percent it held in FY2023.Royal Enfield got good attention among buyers in India and led the company to register total sales of 7,80,904 units in FY2024. This was a significant growth over 6,98,117 units sold in FY2023, taking up market share to 4.460 percent YoY. Lower down the sale list was also India Yamaha Motors with 6,06,560 units sold in FY2024 relating to a growth of 50,252 units over 5,56,308 units sold in the same period last year.2W Sales FY2023 -Electric Two Wheeler GrowthElectric two wheeler makers Ola Electric has seen outstanding growth in FY2024 when compared to that of FY2023. Sales of its e-scooters (S1 Pro, S1 Air and S1 X+) improved to 3,29,237 units from 1,52,791 units YoY taking up market share to 1.88 percent.It was followed by Ather Energy with 1,08,889 unit sales in FY2024 from 1,52,791 units sold in FY2023. The new Rizta, a family oriented scooter, is set to take off with outstanding sales as it competes with Ola S1 Air, Bajaj Chetak Urbane and TVS iQube, scoring several points over its rivals especially in terms of range which is claimed at 123 kms.Thereafter sales dipped for two wheeler makers Piaggio (Vespa / Aprilia 35,811 units), Classic Legends (Jawa / Yezdi 30,881 units), Ampere (23,771 units) and Okinawa (20,873 units) while Greaves saw significantly higher sales at 31,273 units in FY2024 over just 1,032 units sold in FY2023. Other OEMs which also included EV makers contributed 1,40,140 units to total sales in FY2024, down from 2,89,105 units sold in FY2023. More

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      2024 Bajaj Pulsar N250 Compared With Rivals – Best Price:Performance Ratio!

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      2024 Bajaj Pulsar N250 Compared With RivalsWhen 2024 Bajaj Pulsar N250 compared with rivals, it strikes a better price:performance ratio against Apache RTR 200, Hornet 2.0, Gixxer 250 and MT-15In a calculated move, Bajaj Auto is giving its indigenous 250cc platform a major boost with a recent update. Launched yesterday, 2024 Bajaj Pulsar N250 strikes a much higher VFM quotient with the introduction of a ton of new cycle parts, features and technology at a negligible price increment. But how does it compare to rivals?2024 Bajaj Pulsar N250 Compared With RivalsIf it was up to us, we would have compared the newly launched 2024 Bajaj Pulsar N250 with Suzuki Gixxer 250, Honda CB300F and Bajaj’s own Dominar 250. Except for Suzuki Gixxer 250, Bajaj doesn’t seem to be considering the other two as immediate rivals for the new Pulsar N250. Instead, Bajaj is positioning Pulsar N250 against Honda Hornet 2.0, TVS Apache RTR 200 4V, Yamaha MT-15 and Suzuki Gixxer 250.Starting with engine displacement, both Gixxer 250 and Pulsar N250 have the edge here with Yamaha MT-15 being the smallest engine. MT-15 has the least amount of torque at 14.1 Nm and Honnet 2.0 has the least power. If we take raw performance, it is Gixxer 250 that packs 26.5 bhp and 22.2 Nm, both best in this comparison.Bajaj N250 develops 24.5 bhp and 21.5 Nm, not far off from Gixxer. But Bajaj’s performance metrics are achieved earlier in the rev range than Gixxer, which might prove to be an advantage. MT-15 proves to be quite a screamer making its peak performance at much higher revs. When compared to Apache RTR 200, N250 has more power and torque and at lower revs. Bajaj doesn’t show gearbox stats in their table because N250 gets a 5-speed gearbox, while Gixxer 250 packs a 6-speed unit.2024 Bajaj Pulsar N250 Compared With RivalsWheelbase is the longest with Hornet 2.0 and shortest with MT-15. Apache RTR 200 scores some brownie points for offering the highest 180 mm ground clearance. Where Kerb weight is concerned, nothing can beat Yamaha’s MT-15 weighing just 139 kg, whereas the just-launched Pulsar N250 is in fact the heaviest at 164 kg.At the front, only Hornet 2.0, Pulsar N250 and Gixxer 250 offer 110-section tyres, while MT-15 offers 100-section and Apache 90-section. Where rear tyres are concerned, Gixxer offers the fattest 150-section tyre and Apache packs 130-section tyre, whereas others including N250 pack a 140-section tyre. N250 packs the biggest fuel tank at 14L, which is always appreciated.Pulsar N250 has best Price:Performance ratioBraking hardware is the most promising only with N250 and Gixxer 250 with 300 mm front disc. N250 has a larger 230 mm rear disc, though. Except for Hornet 2.0, all the vehicles offer dual-channel ABS. Except for Gixxer 250, all the vehicles offer a slipper clutch. N250 just offered Traction Control, while MT-15 was the only one to offer it.2024 Bajaj Pulsar N250 ColoursTVS loves to showcase a fatter brochure, hence Apache RTR 200 is the only one to get riding modes and ABS modes. With 2024 update, Pulsar N250 now gets three ABS modes too. Bajaj is the only one to offer a USB socket as standard. Honda Hornet lacks any sort of Bluetooth connectivity, while others offer it in varied functionality.MT-15 and Gixxer 250 can’t accept and reject calls, whereas Apache and Pulsar can. Only N250 and MT-15 have DTE (Distance To Empty) readout. A glaring omission in MT-15 is the lack of navigation, something with Pulsar N250, Gixxer 250 and RTR 200 offer. Bajaj wants to draw your attention towards the price-to-power ratio of Rs. 6,156 per PS and the price-to-torque ratio of Rs. 7,015 per PS. Both of them are lowest in segment, striking a stellar VFM proposition.Where pricing is concerned, Bajaj Pulsar N250 costs Rs. 1.51 lakh (ex-sh) and is not as affordable as the TVS Apache RTR 200 at Rs. 1,46,820 (ex-sh) and Honda Hornet 2.0 at Rs. 1.39 lakh (ex-sh). However, it is a better proposition when opposed to Yamaha MT-15 at Rs. 1.72 lakh (ex-sh) and Suzuki Gixxer 250 at Rs. 1.81 lakh (ex-sh). More