Bullet’s Lean Burn Engine

engine.gif

Lean burn engine, you must have heard this when TVS launched its apache but before apache Royal Enfield incorporated this technology in Thunderbird. In the Lean Burn engine included valve angle has been reduced from 80 to 55 degrees for better flow, and the combustion chamber has been made more compact to promote faster, cleaner burning. Repositioning the valves allows the spark plug to be more centrally located to shorten the flame path. The pushrod-actuated valve train has been lightened and strengthened, and the bike also gets other improvements in bearings and lubrication in the interest of longer engine life. The compression release activates automatically with the electric starter, or you can use the manual release with the kickstarter. Finally, the Pulse Air System helps it meet most emissions requirements. Royal Enfield offers 346cc bikes Bullet 350, Bullet Electra, Bullet Electra 5S, Bullet Machismo and Thunderbird in India. The company’s R&D Team is working with design experts to put a new bike which would have better fuel efficiency and would be offered at a more affordable price point from the Royal Enfield stable on the roads in 2007. The new bike is expected to be lighter by 15 kg (the present mean machines weigh approximately 175 kg!). The new offering will be in the 350 cc and above

Malyasian Grand Prix

Reigning world champion Fernando Alonso secured his first victory for McLaren as he claimed a pillar to post win in the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Alonso climbed above Kimi Raikkonen in the title race, leading home Lewis Hamilton for a McLaren one-two and their first win since Japan in 2005. Briton Hamilton, 22, held off a late charge from Ferrari’s Raikkonen. Pole-sitter Felipe Massa blew his chances when he slid off trying to pass Hamilton on lap six and finished fifth. “It is absolutely fantastic and a wonderful surprise,” said Alonso, who chalked up his first win since his victory in Japan for Renault last October.

“The team has done a lot of work on the car but we never expected to be that competitive.” Alonso had rounded Massa at the first turn and, in an audacious move, Hamilton rounded both Ferraris from fourth on the grid.

Massa, who had been fastest in practice and took pole, briefly passed Hamilton on lap three, but the British rookie came round the outside of his Ferrari to move back up to second. Massa‘s challenge was ended for good when, allowing his frustration to get the better of him, he tried to move beyond Hamilton again but skidded onto the grass and slid back to fifth.

Raikkonen’s own early attempts to move up the field were thwarted, but the Finn delivered a thrilling finale to the race as he chased down Hamilton. The Australian Grand Prix winner reduced the gap between his Ferrari and Hamilton to 0.8 seconds on the last lap but, despite running at a faster pace than the McLaren, he ran out of time as Hamilton nosed across the line in second.

“That was the most difficult race I have ever had,” said Hamilton, 22. I had Kimi hunting me down for most of the race. I can’t explain how tough that was, it was getting hotter but I had to keep pushing and I made no mistakes.”

Alonso and Hamilton‘s feat in Malaysia saw them complete McLaren’s first one-two since the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2005. Raikkonen had to settle for third which saw him slide two points behind Alonso in the drivers’ standings. “I was happy to get some points but disappointed at the end,” said the Finn. “All weekend we’ve had problems so it was just one of those weekends. I got close to Lewis but didn’t have the same speed as Felipe and couldn’t challenge him.” Nick Heidfeld claimed fourth place for the second race in a row after also benefiting from Massa‘s mistakes. The German moved up the field after Massa‘s excursion on to the grass and drove steadily to again press home BMW Sauber’s improvement this season.

There was also some welcome progress for the Renault team as Giancarlo Fisichella finished sixth with rookie Heikki Kovalainen winning his first point in eighth. Toyota‘s Jarno Trulli split the Renaults in seventh. Williams had shown some impressive pace in Malaysia, and had both their drivers inside the top 10, before the team’s reliability problems came back to haunt them when Nico Rosberg was forced to retire from seventh with smoke streaming from his car. It was another dismal day for Honda as Rubens Barrichello finished 11th, one place ahead of British team-mate Jenson Button.

Super Aguri’s Anthony Davidson took 16th while David Coulthard retired his Red Bull on lap 39 after informing his team that he was “not comfortable with the car”.

Results from the Malaysian Grand Prix, Sepang:

1. Fernando Alonso (Spa) McLaren 1:32:14.930
2. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren +00:17.557
3. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 00:18.339
4. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 00:33.777
5. Felipe Massa (Bzl) Ferrari 00:36.705
6. Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Renault 01:05.638
7. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota 01:10.132
8. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) Renault 01:12.015
9. Alexander Wurz (Aus) Williams-Toyota 01:29.924
10. Mark Webber (Aus) RedBull-Renault 01:33.500
11. Rubens Barrichello (Bzl) Honda 1 lap
12. Jenson Button (GB) Honda 1 lap
13. Takuma Sato (Jap) Super Aguri-Honda 1 lap
14. Scott Speed (US) Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1 lap
15. Ralf Schumacher (Gear) Toyota 1 lap
16. Anthony Davidson (GB) Super Aguri-Honda 1 lap
17. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Ita) Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1 lap
18. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 1 lap

R. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams-Toyota 13 laps
R. David Coulthard (GB) RedBull-Renault 19 laps
R. Christijan Albers (Ned) Spyker-Ferrari 48 laps
R. Adrian Sutil (Ger) Spyker-Ferrari 56 laps

Key: R = retired

Fastest lap: Lewis Hamilton, 1:36.701, lap 22

source:BBC sport

Bullet

Overview:

Though the Bullet is well known for its thudding sound it attracts more customers silently. While Pulsar 220cc and Karizma FI are in the limelight of auto magazines and TV channels, the true big machine maker Royal Enfield watching these silently, as Indians moving up the value chain Royal Enfield plans to expand its reach. Whatever you are either an IT professional or a college student, wherever you are either in a metro or in a rural, I’m sure that Bullet occupies the top slot in your list of dream machines. Not only Indians are passionate about it, Royal Enfield sells its motorcycles in over twenty countries. In UK the cult bike manufacturer Royal Enfield sells 499cc Bullet Sixty-5, Bullet Electra and Euro Classic. The 499cc Bullet sold in similar numbers to Britain’s largest manufacturer Triumph’s 2300cc Rocket III. In USA Royal Enfield has able to penetrate Harley Davidson’s market with offerings like Bullet Sixty-5, Bullet Deluxe, Bullet Classic, Bullet Electra and Bullet Military. Royal Enfield’s annual sale is anywhere between 30000-50000 units including a decent number in exports.

What’s special with Bullet?

The grandiose and solid look, the thudding sound (In US Harley Davidson has the patent for its specific sound), unmatched driving position also its impeccable ride and handling and last but not the least Bullet’s rich heritage. It has the capability to catch a car and it can intimidate even much hyped sport bikes like Suzuki Hayabusa. Enfield famous tag for its solid machines “Built like a gun, goes like a bullet” this is not a fancy phrase you can feel it when you ride it. But note! Next time when you ride a bullet please don’t frighten a TVS apache, Bajaj Pulsar and Hero Honda Karizma they have to come a long way to match this machine.

What’s new in modern Bullet?

It is the only bike which can lure customers through its 1970 styling, its customer demands old styling with modern technology. Although the bikes have remained virtually unchanged since the 1950’s, the Bullet benefited from the introduction of the new all-aluminium lean burn engine in 2005. Not only does this modern unit offer increased power and improved reliability, against the original 1955 model engine, it also delivers incredible fuel economy, in the range of 30-35kpl. Royal Enfield made telescopic hydraulic damping at the front; Gas filled shock absorbers at the rear, twin lead drum brake at the front, single lead drum brake at the rear, 12V headlamp, 19” tyres at the front and rear and dimensions a universal standard in all machines. Royal Enfield offers 346cc bikes Bullet 350, Bullet Electra, Bullet Electra 5S, Bullet Machismo and Thunderbird in India.

Of these offerings, Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 5S, Bullet Machismo, Thunderbird share the same engine and mechanicals. All three features the same 346cc four-stroke engine and five-speed gearbox. The bikes all share the same chassis and dimensions too, so they will behave almost similarly on the road. Though they are similar there are some fine differences when comes to performance and design. Machismo and Thunderbird only features all aluminium engine.

Thunderbird:

thunderbird.jpgThunderbird is the advanced and the best looking amongst the existing set of bikes from Royal Enfield. Thunderbird is aimed at urban youth who wants to enjoy the Bullet, It features 5 speed gear box with left gear foot shift, optional disc brake at the front and electric start, dual tone finish and multi focal headlamp. The only CV carbureted, all aluminium engine makes Thunderbird to achieve a maximum speed of 120km/hr. The Thunderbird features a relaxed, cruiser-style design with curved, raised bars and a deeply stepped seat for an easier ride. If you are not used to big bikes and if you are a beginner, you can choose the Thunderbird. With a lower seat height, handling the bike will be easier and manoeuvring through city traffic will be relatively easy. Riding comfort is also marginally better. Since it does score fewer points as compared to the Bullet in terms of silencer sound long term Bullet enthusiast won’t accept Thunderbird as a true Bullet. Thunderbird is priced between Rs 79,630 – Rs 90,100.

Bullet Electra & Bullet Electra – 5S:

electra-5s.jpgElectra features a traditional 4 speed gearbox with right foot gear shift similar to its mighty sibling Bullet 350 and Electra embraced the modern technology through transistor coil ignition (TCI). Bullet Electra-5S features much advanced digital TCI and 5 speed gear box with right foot gear shift, but Electra- 5S retains the same cast cylinder engine. Electra 5S is more upright, and feature simple handlebars, a teardrop fuel tank and a raised-saddle seating position. Electra 5S tail-lamp unit is broader and more perceptible than Electra. It is the cheapest modern bullet available in the price range of Rs73,000 – Rs82,000.

Bullet Machismo:

machismo.jpgThe Machismo is a few sporty and feature big bike add-ons such as glass visor and stitched side storage bag. It is the only one to feature a spring coiled twin seat and looks good with lot of chrome. Optional leather saddle bag and polycarbonate windshield makes Machismo a perfect mate for your touring.

Bullet Machismo, Bullet Electra 5S and Thunderbird are modern machines featuring advanced ignition systems like electronic CDI and digital TCI as opposed to much problem making contact breaker unit in Bullet 350, left foot gear shift as opposed to characteristic Bullet’s right foot gear shift, optional electric start and optional disc brake at the front. Machismo is priced between Rs75,000 – Rs 79,000

Bullet 350:

b350.jpgIt is the old Bullet which retains the same old cast cylinder engine, traditional 4 speed gearbox with right foot gear shift and flat line seat. Full mug guard and traditional badge on the fuel tank makes the Bullet 350 unmatched for many years. I’m sure that it will lead in the coming years too. Bullet 350 is priced at Rs 66,000.

Trouble’s with the wonder machine:

Bullet is not a reliable machine it may not start at a cold morning; it may make you stranded when it dies without any warning thus spoils your happy outing. Sometime it frightens the owner too the gearshifts of Bullet usually lack a positive feel and are cumbersome. However, with practice and a careful, measured approach, the gears can be made to shift better. Clutch feel is always heavy and vague as most experienced Enfield riders have learnt to bear. Oil leak in crank case cover joints, broken cable, fused bulbs, withering of paint and plating and even sometimes silencer too. Don’t be panic these are the common phenomenon in Bullet. When you get sync with your machine and knowledge about the machine you can get rid of these problems. For owning a Bullet you must follow the regular maintenance schedule and service it often. Also it is must for Bullet owners that you must have intact relationship with the dealer and fellow Bullet owners. Some problems may puzzle you! Shortly this is adult machine which require infant’s care.

But don’t underestimate the Bullet; Royal Enfield has been rated as the best in Total Customer Satisfaction (TCS) in TNS auto survey for the last two consecutive years, in Cruiser segment. Thunderbird won the BBC wheels best cruiser award in 2002. Believe me! There are decent numbers of female Bullet riders.

Things you should look at before buying a second hand bullet:

Insurance, adherence of Emission and noise control norms and maintenance cost are the important three factors on which you should purchase a second hand Bullet. Maintenance cost varies from Rs5000 -15000per year for a Bullet

Important Bullet Clubs/Communities: Here are some useful links which enables you to meet fellow Bullet owners and you can discuss about buying/selling or maintenance tips for Bullet

Enfield Community links 1

Enfield Community links 2

Bullet’s Future:

Eicher Motors hived off the classic Bullet into a separate unit in 2005. Although Eicher presented it as an opportunity for the brand to get much-needed infusion of capital, observers see the move as Eicher abandoning its financial support for Royal Enfield.

Bullet’s competitors Yezdi (popular Yezdi phrase for its bikes “Forever bike forever value”) and Yamaha -Rajdoot (the makers of RD350 which is still loved by many hard core bike enthusiasts) had shut their shop due to labour problems and stringent emission norms also the low mileage and starting trouble leads to the low sales of the vehicle and eventually shut down of Yezdi and Rajdoot. Although the Enfield was the first one to comply when the stringent emission norms were introduced in India and in the past enfield had successfully knocked out the Global leader BMW. With more stringent 2008 auto policy on the line and world leader Harley Davidson reckoning to enter India, Enfield has to produce more efficient engines and vehicles too…..

Ferrari’s 2007 formula one car

Felipe Massa and Kimi raikkonen’s F1 car -tech Spec

F2007 technical specifications

fer2007.jpgCarbon-fibre and honeycomb composite structure
Ferrari longitudinal gearbox, Limited-slip
differential, Semiautomatic sequential electronically, controlled gearbox – quick shift

Number of gears: 7 +Reverse
Brakes: Ventilated carbon-fibre disc
Suspension: Independent, push-rod activated,
torsion springs front and rear
Length: 4545 mm
Width: 1796 mm
Height: 959 mm
Wheelbase: 3135 mm
Front track: 1470 mm
Rear track: 1405 mm
Weight with water, lubricant and driver: 600 kg
Wheels (front and rear): 13″

Engine

Type: 056
Number of cylinders: 8
Cylinder block in cast aluminium: V 90°
Number of valves: 32 Pneumatic distribution
Total displacement: 2398 cm3
Piston bore: 98 mm
Weight: 95 kg
Electronics: Magneti Marelli
Fuel: Shell V-Power ULG 62
Lubricant: Shell SL-0977

The Logan is Here!

Overview:

Logan is one of the cars which have created much anticipation in Indian automotive industry. Logan is one of the cheapest car ever produced by an european manufacturer but when comes to India Renault is able to save 15% of the estimated cost. Mahindra has helped Renault not only to cut down the cost but also to launch ahead of Maruti Suzuki SX4. Mahindra Renault has launched Logan in India with three engine options and both the partners have great expectations for the Logan. In India already the mid segment market is dominated by Hyundai verna, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai accent, Honda city, Tata indigo, Maruti baleno and entry level sedan Ford Ikon and Maruti Esteem. Will the Logan give its peers a jitter? Let’s see…

Engine and Fuel efficiency:

Indian petrol Logan is fitted 1.4L, 75hp and 1.6L, 84.5hp engine whereas the diesel is powered by 1.5L, 65hp CRDi (Common Rail Direct Injection). Instead of 105bhp 1.6L engine Renault has choosen less powered 84.5bhp, 1.6L petrol engine for India also the Indian diesel variant is de-powered by 5hp than its European counterparts but still torquier than most of its indian peers. But petrol logan is less powered and less torquier when compared to Fiesta, City, Accent, verna and Indigo. Mahindra earlier created an entry level SUV segment with its bolero and I believe it intends to follow the same with petrol Logan. Mahindra’s petrol Logan in sub mid segment category will take on match Ford Ikon and premium hatchbacks like Getz and Swift. At the same time its diesel Logan will take on true mid segment cars. Company officials claim that the Indian version of Logan is a fuel-efficient vehicle. The company claims it will return an average of 16 to 19 km per litre in Common Rail Diesel engine and 10-13 km per litre with petrol engine.

loganfront.jpgfront11.jpgrear11.jpg

Design and Dimensions:

Already the European logan is the most spacious sedan of its class, the indian logan is wider by 7mm than its European version. Really Mahindra Renault Logan is the wide-body car if you want a spacious car then you can blindly choose Logan, no other car in its class can match its spacious nature. But Logan will struck with Indian roads because of its 155mm ground clearance. I don’t know why if luxury makers like BMW is raising ground clearance and tweaking suspension for its Indian variants, then why a low cost maker like Mahindra – Renault brings the same vehicle to the deterring Indian roads.

Engineering and Pricing:

Logan comes in 1.4L GL/GLE, 1.6L GLS and DLE/DLS 1.5 diesel variant. GL is the base variant while GLS/DLS is the premium variant. Features such as rear defogger, power windows, glove box light, trunk room light and rear head restraints are found only in premium variant. Logan’s much praised air conditioning will face a tough battle with Indian summer. LCD display Instrument cluster features gauges which is seen in all cars, a computer which calculates average consumption, average speed and distance to empty is only for premium drivers.

logan-int.jpg logan-int-1.jpgrenault-logan-trunk.jpg

Safety and Security:

For this money logan offers airbag for driver apart from the honeycomb dashboard which protects you in case of front impact and cross member at the rear which protects you in case of rear impact. Every manufacturer should follow this kind of safety feature and must protect Indians as Europeans. Remote door locking and central locking are only for premium buyers. Remote fuel lid opener is standard in all variants but there is no remote boot control even for premium customers.

Colours:

The Logan will be available in six colours, namely Toreador Red, Fiery Black, Sahara Beige, Mist Silver, Turf Green and Diamond White (as opposed to our prediction).

Pricing:

The price of the 1.4 litre and 1.6 litre petrol versions of Logan will start from Rs 428,000 (ex-Mumbai), while the 1.5 litre diesel versions will be available in the range of Rs 547,000 and Rs 644,000 (ex-Mumbai). The ex-Delhi price of the Logan will start at Rs 435,000 to Rs 576,000 for the two petrol variants and Rs 554,000 and Rs 651,000 for the two diesel variants. Logan is very reasonably priced and is sure to give trouble to other manufacturers. At present other manufacturers denied announcing any price discounts but expecting this in near future.

Verdict:

Yes, the true champ is here! The 1.4L petrol Logan may lure customers of Ford Ikon and 1.5L CRDi diesel variant will give Ford’s, Honda and Tata a Jitter. Regarding the 1.6L petrol logan Mahindra –Renault may target Fiat Palio stile 1.6L sport hatchback, but to match other mid size cars like Honda city it has to revamp Logan to get a decent response. It is true that Mahindra – Renault has brought India a great car but I believe they have made it in a hurry – the poor ground clearance may spoil its ambitious plans. Also it is evident from www.mahindrarenault.com I am able find different dimensions for the same logan

 

Logan

Breadth(mm

Height(mm)

Tech spec section

1742

1525

Features—Comfort section

1740

1534

 

Expected Launches:

Ford will launch new Fiesta which will feature a 1.6L Duratorq oil burner which will generate 90PS@4000rpm and a torque of 204Nm@1750rpm to take on Logan. But the real battle for the Logan will be with SX4 sedan from India’s true leader Maruti.

 

New Palio Stile from Fiat..

Overview:

Fiat launched its new hatchback Palio Stile in two petrol engine variants, Palio Stile 1.1(SL, SLE and SLX variant) and Palio Stile 1.6 sport. Palio Stile is the first product from the Ranjanagaon plant, the plant was revamped as a part of Tata – Fiat JV. Both the partners are ramping up their plans for India and other countries. While Fiat helps to market Tata’s cars and trucks in other countries Tata helps Fiat with its deep rooted dealership network. Fiat uses the Tata dealership to give its customers a good service which it lacked earlier. Fiat plans to launch Grande Punto, Linea saloon and Blitz in India soon.

New Engine:

Fiat follows Hyundai in engine selection; Fiat has de-powered the palio stile with 1.1L which is earlier powered by 1.2L engine. But here is some good news for the driving enthusiasts Fiat has retained the powerful 1.6 litre petrol engine in the new Palio Stile. The new palio stile offers two engine options a 1.1L engine which pumps out 57PS@5250 rpm(under powered compared to Zen estilo, santro and indica xeta) and a torque of 92Nm@2750 rpm whereas the same 1.6L delivers same power and torque. 1.1-litre engine makes the Palio Stile eligible to qualify as ‘small car’ under the government’s norms and hence become eligible for lower excise duty. The lower capacity motor is 25 percent less power than the current car’s 72bhp, but the pulling power of the engine from low speeds is expected to be better than on the existing version. This will be a big improvement as the last palio lacks pulling power at lower engine speeds. The better low speed torque is also likely to have a positive impact on fuel economy — overall, a step up. The motor is from the Fiat’s excellent FIRE (Fully Integrated Robotised Engine) family, the same as that of the current NV. So you can expect it to be smooth and free-reving. And with innovations like the Electronic returnless Fuel System, an advanced 32-bit Engine Management system and 30% fewer moving parts Fiat claims 15kpl in city run and 17kpl in highway for its 1.1L stile palio under test conditions.

Design:

Fiat has retained almost the same dimensions for its palio stile, the only change is palio is little bit stretched by 64mm without any increase in its wheelbase. Thank you Fiat! Palio stile 1.6 sport is the only sporty B segment hatchback available in the country. Fiat Palio Stile stands apart for its soft, simple and pure design that enables the car to have a dynamic, harmonious look. The imposing aerodynamic front is marked by the Sparkling Double Barrel shaped Head Lamps placed above a stylish bumper. Palio stile looks solid yet dynamic look in side view.

front1.jpgside.jpgrear1.jpg

Exterior changes includes

*a new front bumper

*a wider black anti-matter grille, double barelled headlamps

*new tail-lamps and door handles. On the inside, are the new interiors with plush beige upholstery and a classy dual coloured dashboard in warm browns and brushed metal, typical of the Italian style that typifies the design of the Fiat Palio Stile. The 1.1L Palio Stile will be offered in six colours- Furnace Red, Ozone Blue, Alpine Green, Mint White, Carbon Black and Magnesium Grey. The Palio Stile 1.6 Sport comes in Formula Red and Carbon Black. Fiat’s new red logo does not feature in Indian Palio stile; it retains the blue backed badge.

dashboard.jpg interiors.jpgpalio_gallary_largeimg6.jpg

Safety and special features:

Fiat claims its Palio stile is equipped with auto intelligence system which includes Double Crank Prevention System – A unique engine guard system which prevents re-cranking of the engine when already on, Reverse Gear Lock – A sensible reverse gear lock prevents any accidental engagement of reverse gear and ensures that you always travel the right way and an engine Immobiliser – a high security system which ensures the engine start only when your coded key is inserted and acts as a theft prevention device (a must device for indian vehicles especially when the recovery ratio of the lost vehicle is very poor) along with Fire Prevention System (FPS) and child safety lock. All the safety systems are standard on all variants of palio stile. Rear wiper is standard in 1.1SLX and 1.6 sport and sadly there is no defogger in palio stile too.

Price and Service:

Fiat wishes to rebuild its image with its partner Tata. Fiat palio stile is the first new vehicle produced after Tata-Fiat JV hence both the partners will be keen to ensure customers a valuable service and value for money. Palio stile’s prices are competitive and are ranged from Rs 3.49 lakh to Rs 3.90 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) while the Palio Stile 1.6 is priced at Rs 4.31 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The entire range is available through the country-wide Tata-Fiat network of 63 dealerships covering 42 cities. The plan is to increase this dealership number to 100 in the next few months in preparation for the new models that are on the anvil. Fiat hopes its Tata alliance and aggresive pricing(cheaper by Rs 40,000 than the base models of the recently launched ‘Getz Prime’) will help to sell decent numbers of palio stile and in revival of Fiat’s brand. Yes, the partnership seems to be working.

Maruti first, Tata motors second …

Business world, one of the leading business magazines of India has come with a list of most respected companies in India across various sectors. In Automobile sector, they ranked Maruti Udyog as first followed by Tata motors and Ford India. According to the article, Maruti which holds the 55 % share of the 1.2 million indian market overshadowed its competitors by the 2 lakhs to 5 lakhs range products.

automobile.gif

In the auto ancilary sector, Businessworld ranks MRF as first followed by Bharat forge and Apollo tyres.

auto-ancillaries.gif

Harley Davidson’s Indian Foray

Overview:

Other than sports bikes which we seen in last post there are three important categories you must know – classified on the basis of riding position rather than engine power they are cruiser/chopper/custom, touring and naked/street/muscle bikes. India’s Eicher Motor Royal Enfield sells about 32,000 motorcycles per year in this category. Royal Enfield offers 346cc Thunderbird, Bullet Machismo, Bullet 350, Bullet Electra and Bullet Electra 5S in India.

Cruisers/cult bikes: The riding position places the feet forward and the hands up, with the spine erect or leaning back slightly, which many find to be more comfortable for long-distance riding. Harley Davison and BMW are the important manufacturers in this category. Harley Davidson cruisers may hit India soon. Ideal Jawa which brands its vehicle under the badge Yezdi and Royal Enfield are the notable Indian players. Royal Enfield Thunderbird is the popular Indian bike in this category and the manufacturer sells about 32,000 motorcycles of 350cc and 500cc per year

Naked Bikes: as the name indicates, these are the basic form of the motorcycle stripped down to its fundamental parts. The emphasis is on functionality, performance and ergonomics rather than aerodynamic body panels and exaggerated riding positions that are most common on sport bikes. Suzuki Bandit is the popular bike in this category

Touring: meant for touring equipped with large capacity fuel tanks (for long ranges between fill-ups) and windshields (to offer a high degree of weather and wind protection)

harleydavidsonsportster8.jpg

The Indian Policy..

When US Trade Representative Susan Schwab will be visiting India in this month and in what looks like a goodwill gesture before the visit, India seems ready to allow Harley Davidson access to their market in turn India might get access in US market for their mangoes. Previously, India had not allowed HD imports because they had no regulations for engines in excess of 500cc, now, however, they will allow the big bikes to come in under the Euro III standards followed in Europe. Harley already has Indian customer who has 883cc sportster, Road King 1440cc and Diana Low Rider 1340cc. Initially, Harley is expected to roll out 883cc sportster soon it will launch vehicles which costs in the range of Rs 4 lakh – Rs 14 lakh to targets the neo rich youth of India.

Indian Scenario..

More than 7 million motorcycles sold last year in India also India is the second largest motorcycle market in the world after China. Earlier Karizma is the only bike to satisfy to thirst of Bike enthusiast in India. Now more bike manufacturers wish to offer such bikes in India. Bajaj has decided to stop producing 100cc bikes it wishes to offer high end product such as Pulsar 200cc and Pulsar 220cc. Hero Honda is getting good response for its Fuel Injection bike Glamour FI. But that was not enough for Harley, India is basically a price sensitive market and ever raising fuel prices makes customers to go for fuel efficient bikes.

Tough road ahead for Harley..

Price of the smallest Harleys, the 883cc powered Sportster, is more than $6,600 (Rs. 2.9 lakh) in the US. If it brings this smallest bike to India that price will shoot up to Rs 4lakh because of more than 100% tariff. For that price Indians can buy a car here the cheapest car available in India today costs Rs 2 lakh; by next year, the country will have one that costs half that, made by Tata Motors. Don’t be pessimistic these are the usual outcry, this happened when Mercedes landed in India. But you will see BMW and Volkswagen cars in Indian roads soon with ‘made in India’ tag.

Not only price affects Harley’s Indian foray it is not able to meet the technical requirements too. Indian two wheeler norms are already one to the tightest to follow and with new auto fuel policy which will be imposed by 2008; India will become the toughest market for two wheeler manufacturers to comply. Harley Davidson emits almost 6 times more than the permissible emission for two wheelers. For CSE – Centre of Science and Environment report on Harley Davidson.

India’s Premium bike Market:

Harley-Davidson itself does not expect to sell too many motorcycles in India, it hopes to import only 2,000 of its products to India over the next three years. Whether Harley foray will be successful or not one man is happy – Eicher group CEO Siddhartha Lal. He plans to sell bikes with engine size as high as 500 cc to 625 cc to grab the upmarket segment. He says “from a competitive standpoint, Harley’s entry will have no impact on us because we do not operate in the same segment. But it does enhance the profile of leisure motorcycling in the country and we could actually benefit”. Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa, Yamaha YZF R1, Kawasaki ZX12R Ninja and Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird are the popular imported sports bike in India.

What should you know about before importing bike/car Part-2

In the last post ‘what should you know about before importing bike/car’ you were fed up with rules and regulations for importing bikes. Now let’s know some technical (fancy terms) which will be helpful to you while importing bikes.

Supersport: term used to denote bikes which have 4 cylinder engines and engine should be less than 650cc.

Maxi sport: term used to denote bikes which should be below 750cc in case of 4 cylinder engine and should be below 1000cc in case of twin cylinder V type engine

Superbike: term used to denote bikes which are powered by engines of sized around 800 cc to 1100 cc.

Hypersport bikes: term used to denote bikes powered by engines are usually sized around 1100 cc to 1400 cc

Though they are categorized there is no definite methods for classification some of the bikes falls under more than one category. Suzuki, Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha are popular Japanese sports bike manufacturers. Aprilla, Ducati, Moto Guzzi and MV Agusta are popular Italian sports bike manufacturers. Buell – the american manufacturer and the Triumph and BMW – the European manufacturers are some of the popular manufacturers in this exclusive club.

Some of the popular brands in each category

Supersport Maxisport Superbike Hypersport
Suzuki GSA R600 Suzuki GSX R 750 Honda CBR 1000RR Honda CBR 1100XX
Honda CBR 600RR Aprilla RSV1000R Suzuki GSX R1000 Kawasaki Ninja ZX -14
Yamaha YZF R6 Ducati 999S Yamaha YZF R1 Suzuki GSX 1300RR
Kawasaki ZX-6R Kawasaki ZX 10R
Triumph Daytona 650 MV Agusta F4 1000S

MotoGP bike and it’s sibling

Now we will see the technology behind the hottest sports bike ‘Honda CBR’ which is derived from its big brother 2006 world champion Nicky hayden’s Honda RC211V

Boeing 747 takes off at 320 kph—it’s the top speed of a Ferrari. MotoGP bikes break two bills with power to spare. MotoGP is the ultimate motorcycle racing series, a pure combination of advanced technology and athletes psychotic enough to pilot these overpowered machines at speeds most wouldn’t dare with four tires on the ground. Riders lean so severely into turns that they scrape their elbows and knees on the asphalt; brake so hard they have to force their weight over the back end of the bike to keep it from flipping; and accelerate so violently that their front wheels often leave the ground. The only reason the riders make it out alive is because they drive the most precisely engineered motorcycles ever made.

motogpvs-street.jpg

Take, for example, Honda’s RC211V—the bike 2006 world champion Nicky Hayden rode to victory in the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix last July. The most advanced machine on the MotoGP circuit, it weighs less than 150kg yet packs more than 240 horsepower (around 20 times more than recently launched pulsar 200cc). It rockets to 160 kph in less than five seconds and can hit 346 kph. Oh, and it costs about $3 million (13.5 crores).

The Technology…

  • Chassis
    When you’re leaning the bike so far over that you’re almost parallel to the ground, suspension doesn’t do much; the frame itself has to soak up some of the bumps to keep the rider from losing control. Honda alternated the frame-wall thickness on the RC211V and CBR so that key areas can flex.
  • Engine
    The MotoGP league mandates that every bike have a 990cc engine (2007 regulations mandates 800cc), but that’s about it. Honda chose five cylinders versus three or four because five smaller pistons can get up to their 15,000rpm redline faster. The CBR sports a four-cylinder with a marginally sane 11,650rpm redline.
  • Suspension
    Instead of attaching the rear shock to the frame, as is conventional, Honda hid the suspension on both bikes inside the arm that connects the wheel to the frame. This freed up space for engineers to move the engine and fuel tank to tweak weight distribution.
  • Fuel Injection
    MotoGP bikes need to accelerate fast and still have power at high rpms. To achieve this balance, Honda inserted a second bank of fuel injectors that kick in north of 5,500 rpm, doubling the amount of fuel in the cylinders. The CBR has a dual-stage system as well, but it’s tuned for lower top speeds (“only” 176 mph).
  • Tires
    The middle section of a MotoGP slick is smooth, hard rubber that can handle speeds up to 346kph. The edges are more porous and soft for grip on sharp corners. The stock bike gets treaded Bridgestones or Pirellis rated to withstand a measly 240kph.
  • Radial-mounted Brakes
    To fit the massive 320-millimeter front-wheel rotors necessary to stop the RC211V, Honda had to offset the calipers from the forks. The CBR has the same size discs, but they’re made of steel, whereas the RC211V’s are made from lightweight carbon fiber.

Source:popular science

In the following post we will see about Harley Davidson’s Indian Foray.

What should you know about before importing a car/bike Part-1

Overview:

Thanks to Indian growth story, Cult bike maker Harley Davidson is likely to make its Indian foray soon. While dhoom 1 and Dhoom 2 have given a definite dimension to India’s premium bike market, Rolls Royce and Maybach are already getting decent numbers in their order book. Many youngsters and business honchos are following their sports or film’s hero and love to ride their dream machines.

Here are some rules and regulations which you must know when you are importing cars or bikes. When Sachin imported Ferrari and when Kingfisher Vijay Mallaya imported Lamborghini these regulations and the consequent uproar flashed in our TV screens. A complete knowledge on this will help you to import your dream machines and enjoy!

For importing a new bike you have to pay 105 percent duty and100 percent duty for a used one. In case of cars, for a completely built unit or CBU you have to pay 111 percent duty (60% on CBU imports plus countervailing duties and other levies). Whereas the duty on “completely knocked down” or CKD models which are assembled in country, is only 38 to 48 percent depending on engine displacement. These are based on EXIM policies (export and import policy) which are framed on 2002. Here are the few terminologies and conditions you must know

Customs duty:
Tariff imposed on import/export on autos and auto ancillaries. In this year budget peak rate of Customs duty from 12.5 per cent to 10 per cent and also Central Sales Tax (CST) from 4 per cent to 3 per cent.

Excise Duty: Excise Duty is an indirect tax levied and collected on the goods manufactured in India. In last year’s Budget had reduced the excise duty on small cars (petrol engines within 1200cc and diesel engines within 1500cc) to 16 per cent, while maintaining it at 24 per cent for all other cars and utility vehicles.

Homologation: Process of certifying that a particular car is roadworthy and the Pune-based Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) provide this clearance. According to existing norms, every original car model brought into the country by an individual or a manufacturer must have homologation clearance. Even domestic car manufacturers need a homologation certificate for new models. There are some exclusions as well

•Manufacturers can import left hand drive vehicles only for testing and research purposes.
•Individuals importing top-end cars can waive off the testing — or homologation — requirements. Any individual can import a vehicle priced above Rs 20 lakh without sending it for road-worthiness tests.
•Import of new vehicles is only permitted through Customs ports at Nhava Sheva, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi Air Cargo and at ICD, Tughlakabad
•Very important note for Non Residential Indians (NRIs) – individuals coming to India for permanent settlement after two years of continuous stay abroad can bring in a car provided the vehicle has been in their possession for at least one year abroad. This now ensures that individuals coming to India do not bring in an absolutely new car.

An example will help to understand things better..
If X wishes to buy Suzuki GSX R 1300 Hayabusa(dhoom bike), here is the route ?
Import bikes prices in India are a tricky thing.
Since they can only be imported you will just have to find a reputable importer! The price you can expect to pay for a new bike is based on the following:

Price of bike in the country you wish to buy or the country the dealer has contacts in. + Freight charges + Import Duty @105% + Misc charges.
Eg. NEW from the US $10000 USD(Rs 4,50,000) + $500 Freight + $10500 + $500 = $21500 USD(Rs 10 lakhs).

Import vehicles duty and license structure:

Import of passenger cars / Jeep / Multi-utility vehicles / motorcycles / scooters / mopeds etc. are restricted items of import and can be imported against an import license. However, individuals coming to India on Transfer of Residence after two years continuous stay abroad and other importers may import these vehicles without a license but on payment of customs duty. The various customs duties leviable on vehicles imported into India are as follows:

Customs duty for second hand vehicles

 

Vehicle

Basic Duty

Addl. Duty

Spl. Addl. Duty

Total Duty

Cars

105%

32%

4%

More than 150%

Motor cycles/scooters/ moped

105%

16%

4%

More than 125%

 

Customs duty for new vehicles

 

Vehicle

Basic Duty

Addl. Duty

Spl. Addl. Duty

Total Duty

Cars

60%

32%

4%

More than 110%

Motor cycles/scooters/ moped

60%

16%

4%

More than 85%

Click here for rules and regulations to be followed when importing vehicle and for complete duty structure on vehicles and their parts/ancillaries

Troubles with Second hand vehicles:

The restrictions/conditions imposed on import of cars by importers for commercial purposes shall not be applicable in the case of passengers bringing their own car on Transfer of Residence. However, these imports shall be subject to the condition that the vehicle should have right hand steering and controls (applicable on vehicles other than 2 and 3 wheelers). Value of these vehicles for the purpose of levy of customs duty is CIF value, where C stands for the cost of the goods, I is the insurance and F is the freight. Cost in the case of new vehicles is the transaction value between the seller and the buyer, however in the case of old and used vehicles cost is arrived at by taking value of the vehicle in year of manufacture and after allowing depreciation at following rates.

•For every quarter during 1st year 4%
•For every quarter during 2nd year 3%
•For every quarter during 3rd year 2.5%
•For every quarter during 4th year 2%
•Thereafter subject to a maximum
depreciation of 70%

Here are the few useful sites you must visit before importing your dream machine
http://www.cbec.gov.in
http://www.dhi.nic.in

Since the guidelines are very strict and the duties are very high many follow grey market for buying thier dream machines. Here’s the economictimes report on muscle bike’s grey market. Government is checking the loopholes aggresively, pay the duty and enjoy you dream machine with complete satisfaction.

Bored with economics, relax! in the following posts we will have a look on popular imported bikes in India such as Suzuki Hayabusa, Yamaha R1, Kawasaki Ninja,Honda CBR and also about great Audi, Bentley and Porsche cars.