“Style is no more a differentiator”

Style icons of a goneby era - the RD 350 & RX 100

A manufacturer said this to me recently. And I can see where he is coming from – with every new bike being styled so well, it alone cannot be the selling point. What he choose not to mention though, was how manufacturers are blatantly coping each other with the pretext that they are in reality following the on going design trends.
This, copying business isn’t a recent phenomenon though. Here’s a look at our past…
During the RD and RX days, round headlamps were in; the only difference was the varying diameter of the head lamp unit, and the intensity of the beam!
In the 90s, the Splendor came in and took India by storm. Manufacturers tried to break it, trying all sorts of things, including a different styling direction, but nothing worked, until everyone; be it for an entry-level 100 or a premium 150, gave in and slapped on a bikini fairing much like the Hero Honda. Bikes with bikinis soon became as common as flies in a sweet shop. The result was the advent of wild and absurd stickering jobs, all in a bid to stand out. The pioneer, of course, was and is, Hero Honda itself.
But giving the company its due, it did make half fairings popular with the Karizma, and at a time when this styling direction had returned fatal results – remember the LML Adreno or even the Kinetic GF Laser, both of which failed miserably at the market. Half fairings, courtesy Karizma, is today a signature of sorts for super premium bikes. Little surprise, Bajaj followed suit bolting one on, on its Pulsar 220.
The Indian two-wheeler creed mutates at a surprisingly alarming rate, and it ought to, to keep their noses ahead of each other. So, now the half faring theme has mutated into a bikini front and tank flanks or extensions (with dummy air scoops and side indicators at times) with the in between connection being done away adding more aggression to the styling. The flanks also help add to the bike’s girth where it matters.
Today you can see it on the Hunk, the XCD Sprint, as well as on the Flame & RTR FI.
Taking this a step further, bike makers are now bolting on a third piece around the engine and calling it aerodynamic belly pans and racy engine shrouds.
And as if all this information wasn’t too much to process, Yamaha has now showcased yet another styling direction with the unveiling of the R15, that of a fully faired theme. The concept isn’t completely new though, as bike customisers have used it for ages trying to ape big bikes. Manufacturers, have hitherto stayed away as it isn’t the most intelligent thing to do for bikes with air cooled engines. Maybe the R15’s success will spawn a breed of liquid cooled fully faired, high-revving pocket rockets for all of us to indulge in…
As for the big question, what is now going to be the differentiator - the R15 presents the answer to this one – technology, horsepower and exclusivity.

Tata Nano vs motorcycles

Here's another piece from Mail Today...

The potential customers for the Tata Nano are tipped to be the 5 lakh something Indians who put down their money on low priced (relatively of course) and fuel efficient motorcycles, and scooters each month. The general perception is - thanks to the lack of an affordable car on the market, two wheeler buyers chose the unsafe option of riding two wheels. But now that the Nano is here, things are set to change.
That, however, might not be the case. You see, it’s not as if the Indian bike buyer never had affordable options – after all, there have always been sub Rs 1 lakh cars available on the used car market. Sure, financing was an issue, as was the higher interest rates attracted by used cars, but options existed.
To understand why the two wheeler makers can continue to rest easy let’s first look at how the two wheeler circus works.
The two-wheeler arena is broadly segmented into motorcycles and scooters, with the former having the lion’s share (almost 70 %). Motorcycles are further classified depending on their price and power output into entry-level, executive, premium (or performance) and super premium segments. Majority of buyers purchasing premium and super premium bikes (read 150cc and above) do so for two main reasons – for the sheer pleasure of riding and second, they see their bikes as a social extension of themselves. Needless to say, the buyers here, mostly in the 18-30 year age bracket, aren’t looking at trading their rides for a cheap, sensible city car. They’d rather put their money down on a more upmarket used car to keep their standing intact.
As for the entry-level and executive bike (100cc offerings) buyer, price is the overriding decisive factor; then be it the purchase price or running costs or even EMI outgo. The dip in bike sales in the past year thanks to rising interest rates among other reasons stands testimony to the same.
The Nano meanwhile with its Rs 1,00,000 ex factory price is still 60 per cent more expensive to buy than an entry level two wheeler. Add to it higher recurring costs like fuel and maintenance bills, in addition to higher yearly insurance outgo, and over three to five years, the bike buyer is looking at a comparatively bigger dent in his bank balance.
But, I am in no way saying that Tata’s wonder car won’t sell; it will, but would probably be bought as the family’s second or third car; bought above all for the wives and mothers of city dwellers. The Nano would also make sense to buyers who have always wanted a car, but have found the monthly EMIs for even a M800 a tad high, and two-wheels, a dangerous proposition.A few bike buyers will buy the Nano too, but not as their daily commute vehicle (which will continue on our phenomenally fuel efficient and easy-to-ride motorcycles), but as the weekend dinner and movie car to safely haul the wife and kids in.

Bikes for 2008

Here's the link of a story carried in the Sunday edition of Mail Today (http://www.mailtoday.in/), a daily newspaper circulated in Delhi NCR. It talks about the bikes due in 2008. You can click on the 'you' section and then click on pages '14-15' & '16' to view the article.

Here's what it says btw...


The past year hasn’t been a great one for two- wheeler manufacturers. Sales growth, thanks to higher interest rates and stricter disbursement measures, continued to be negative year-on-year. But this year promises better prospects riding on new launches from almost every two-wheeler maker in the country. Here’s what’s in store for you.sprint to drive 125cc segment

Bajaj Auto unveiled two motorcycles and a scooter at the Auto Expo 2008. The Discover 150 DTS-i uses the drivetrain from the Pulsar 150, pumping out identical power and torque figures of 14bhp and 12.8Nm respectively. Design-wise, too, the bike is different from the earlier Discover, though the makeover isn’t all that great. The idea behind this launch is to ensure that Discover eventually replaces the Pulsar 150 and to move the Pulsar brand to a more performance-oriented nice.
The more important of the two bikes, though, is the XCD Sprint because the company is working hard to give the sporty 125cc bikes a distinct identity, rather than keeping them as wannabe 100cc offerings, which is also the reason why the segment hasn’t picked up. Extra engine capacity must lead to extra performance, so the new Sprint gets a 4-valve head, and although the engine capacity remains identical to that of the older XCD, the reworked engine now produces a max of 12bhp, which is a 3bhp increase. Bajaj has also sorted out the design deficiencies that plagued the older bike. The styling of Sprint is sharper and more contemporary, helped immensely by the bigger LED tail lamp and the new tank cladding. Expect to pay a premium for the new offering.
The scooter to watch is the Blade 125. Bajaj, as is well- known, hasn’t done too well in scooters after it shifted focus to motorcycling. The company is now banking on Blade, which is targeted at college-going male students, to stage a comeback. It has a 125cc engine with similar power and torque figures as the Sprint, but is coupled to a CVT. So, you can expect the performance and fuel efficiency of Blade to be a few notches below that of Sprint.
The surprise for the year, though, will be the all-new, 4-valve, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled 300cc Pulsar. The bike will kickstart yet another segment in performance biking. Expected to sport an exhaustive features list, it is tipped to set off the next wave in motorcycle styling. The bike will retail cheaper than the Kawasaki Ninja 250, which Bajaj will import and sell at its Probiking outlets.fuel-injected karizma soon?

Hero Honda, the largest player in the motorcycle arena, will continue to push its strategy of introducing refurbished models. A restyling job for its premium-end bike, the Karizma, is expected during the year with the possibility of a fuel-injected version making its debut as well. Needless to say, the fuel-injected variant will command a premium in the range of Rs 3,500-Rs 6,000 over the carburetted model, with the upside being an improvement in rideability and fuel efficiency.

Honda will begin the year with the nationwide introduction of its new scooter, Aviator. The new scooter, a successor to the Activa, will continue to sell along with it till it is well-accepted in the market. It uses the same 102cc engine as the Activa but sports up-rated cycle parts, like a telescopic front suspension for better ride and handling, and a front disc brake on the options list.
The company will expand its motorcycle portfolio as well in 2008 with a sporty 125cc bike to take on the TVS Flame and Bajaj XCD Sprint. The CBF concept shown at the Auto Expo could well be a teaser of what to expect from the Japanese major.

Suzuki is all set to introduce another scooter based on the recently introduced 125cc Access, but it will be styled to appeal to a younger audience. The company will also launch a new motorcycle in the 150cc arena, which, according to its executives, will lead the way in performance and styling. Suzuki may also roll out high-end bikes and look at assembling them here to get a price advantage.

TVS Motor, which has been the worst hit by the sales slowdown, will kickstart the year with the nationwide launch of its new 125cc bike, Flame, followed by the introduction of the fuel-injected Apache RTR. The company will launch aftermarket performance kits for the RTR to fit the carburetted models for starters. The kit, which will include an aftermarket end can (exhaust), high lift cams and a tweaked control chip, is expected to raise the 160cc bike’s performance to the level of 180cc motorcycles (read Pulsar 180 DTS-i).
TVS will launch a new 180cc motorcycle from its own stable in the course of the year. The bike, which is essentially intended for export to markets like Indonesia, will have improved styling, in addition to LED tail lamps, an LCD display, rear disc brake option and fuel injection. The company will also move the Star brand to the executive segment with the introduction of a fuel-efficient 125cc variant. The bike will be pitched squarely against the Bajaj XCD.

The most talked-about company in the last quarter of 2007, Yamaha Motor India, will launch three motorcycles spanning the 150-250cc segment, two of which were showcased at the Expo.The YZF R15, being positioned as a scaled-down R1 with the same attributes, uses a 4-valve, single-cylinder, fuel-injected and liquid-cooled 150cc engine. This high-revving engine, coupled to a close-ratio, 6-speed box, is capable of pumping out 18-20bhp, and should re-define performance in the lower rung of premium biking. When the bike hits the showrooms in June, it’ll cost the moon by Indian standards, its price being close to Rs 1,00,000.
For the less-enthusiastic biker, Yamaha also showcased the FZ150. The brute-looking naked offering will be powered by a derivative of the Gladiator’s 125cc engine and displace 150cc. Unlike the R15, the FZ will use a 5-speed gearbox and be more rideable as well, thanks to peak power and torque coming early in the rev range. The engine will trace a flatter torque curve as well, helping both city riding and enabling overtaking on the highways. Although Yamaha has not announced the pricing of the FZ, expect it to cost close to Rs 60,000. The company, in all probability, will launch its 250cc offering this year. The bike will complete against the Kawasaki Ninja 250.

CBF – Honda’s new 125!

The 125cc segment is fast changing. The idea now is to give these bikes a distinct identity rather than positioning them as more expensive, less fuel efficient and a bit more powerful wannabe 100cc bikes.
125s are now taking on a sporty image. The Flame was the first to jump in. However, its power figures were a let down.
Bajaj was next to jump in with the XCD Sprint, and has given some respectability to the concept of sporty 125s by making significant changes to the XCD engine. There’s now a 4-valve head in place instead on a 2-valve cover as on the older bike and the power rating is up too - 12.5bhp.
Honda is next. The company had announced launching a sporty 125 to appeal to the younger crowd sometime last year, and the CBF concept shown at the expo is a teaser of what we can expect.
Unlike, what most others are saying, I don’t think the CBF is a concept based on the Unicorn; it is in fact based on the Shine. And the obvious give away are the twin shock absorbers at the rear.
I know what you might say, Honda can always make that change on the Unicorn platform. Sure, it can. But it won’t!
You see, when every one around said monoshock wasn’t the way forward, Honda shouted that it was. It can’t possibly go back on that, after all it’s a question of its standing, not just in the industry, but among buyers as well.
Speaking of cycle parts, I think Honda has done a superb job on the concept, especially on the Racing version, putting on thin USDs on the front along with a large petal disc, besides an aluminium subframe, gas charged dampers and an underseat exhaust at the rear. Superb. The Sports version meanwhile, which is much more a production reality, though not as sexy as Racing, is still decent with the stepped seat and an aggressive rear mud guard.
But what about the CBF Sports’ drivetrain, will it use the Shine’s engine in a higher state of tune with a 5-speed box to go along with its focused looks?
I would love it if the company did. But going by what Honda has achieved with the Aviator, sticking to the same drivetrain with upgrades made just to styling and a few cycle parts against the Activa, I am inclined towards believing, it will retain the Shine engine, and in the same state of tune.
I would however, love Honda to prove me wrong, when the bike goes on sale later this year. And it might, if it takes cue from the Bajaj’s Sprint.

What about the FZ150?

I wonder why anybody isn’t showing any interest in Yamaha’s other bike, the FZ150. After all, this is the more affordable of the two unveiled at the Expo! And that is also a reason why it might actually sell more. Moreover, unlike the R15, The FZ will be more rideable on a day-to-day basis. Will explain why, a little later...
Now, Yamaha hasn’t said anything about the engine, its characteristics, power of torque rating, or even its roots, but here’s what I think…
…Yamaha, most of you are aware, is into road racing in India, as well. The company runs its Gladiator at the event. In the Group B or fully modified 4-stroke class, the Gladiator displaces over 150ccs. And is quite a threat to the TVS Apache RTRs running around the circuit alongside.
I do agree, Ashwin, Yamaha’s rider is a gifted guy, but TVS riders aren’t jokers either, and the skill set of Moses is nothing short of brilliant.
Where am I going with all of this?
Just digging to find the roots of the FZ really!
Like I said, the Gladiator 125cc engine has been bored and stroked to displace 150cc plus for racing purposes. The FZ will run a variant of this tweaked engine. Variant because, given the performance and the state of tune the racing engine runs, it might be a little difficult for us fuel efficiency conscious buyers to digest.
Moreover, anybody in interested in a true performance machine can always pick up the R15, right?
So, the FZ then will run a 150cc engine. But unlike the R15 there won’t be no fuel injection, no liquid or oil cooling, or even a 4-valve head. Power be will down too, expect max output to be around the 15bhp mark. Torque will be potent though, and will come into play pretty early in the rev range as well, aiding both city rideability as well as highway riding, particularly overtaking and negotiating ghats. The bike will run a 5-speed box, the same from the Gladiator, and might run identical gear ratios as well.
Performance wise, expect it to fall short of the RTR by a very slight margin in the acceleration runs - the 0-60kmph and the 0-100kmph times. It will however, have the Hunks, the X-tremes, the Unicorns and even the Discover 150s running for cover.
On the commercial side of things, the FZ150 will comfortably out sell the R15. But will it outsell the rest as well?
Initially, maybe not. But the R15’s magic might rub on the FZ too. So all those RD, RX and even the R15 fans who don’t have a lakh to spare (in case of the latter) or for in case of the former two, enough time, will buy the FZ for the promise and the brand.
Furthermore, there’s little disputing that its styling is absolutely kick-ass – then be it the FZ inspired naked front, edgy mud guard, muscular tank, stubby exhaust, or even the pseudo spar frame (it’s actually a single downtube diamond type layout). Style conscious buyers then, will without doubt pick it up as well.
Price it around the 60,000 mark, and Yamaha could have a winner on its hands!

Honda Aviator – the new Honda Activa!

Honda put out quite a presentation at the launch of its new 100cc scooter, the Aviator, saying its market research indicated a decently large market for male centric scooters. Scooters that working men, men who own the Honda Civic, dressed in suits, would want to buy. And therefore, the scooter needed to draw design cues from the car and look modern and upmarket. From the company’s point of view it’s fine, talking about this new male customer.
But the thing is, if you talk about male centric scooters, one has to pack in aggressive styling, extra go, and a male ego satisfying attitude. The Kinetic Blaze is a good example of such a scooter. The Aviator however, is not.
I think it would have been best if Honda would have come out with the truth and said, “Now look, the Activa has been around for donkey’s years, and even though it’s still selling quite splendidly, we ought to look at the future. And so for those who swear by the Activa’s mechanicals but want a more modern, but not too overstated a scooter, here’s the Aviator. Cheers.”
I would have appreciated that.
I mean come on, which Civic owner is going to leave his car parked in the garage while he faces and fights pollution that threatens to spoil his beauty parlour caressed and toned skin? It’s absurd, I know!
Another line of thought, influenced by the Honda guys of course, is that there’s potential to create a niche, a niche that Suzuki has tried to cater to with the 125cc Access – understated styling, and a higher capacity scooter with more zip and load carrying capability. In short, an alternative for the old Chetak and present Eterno customer.
Sounds good. But with the Aviator, it doesn’t make too much sense, particularly with the Activa drivetrain still driving the Aviator.

Will post a review soon…

Yamaha delivers, finally!

And I am absolutely thrilled that when it delivered, it delivered in spades. The YZF R15 - close ratio six speed box, 4-valve head, fuel injection and liquid cooling. Perfect. To add, there’s a full fairing and a digital console. The only thing missing really, are the LED lamps and a better styled rear end. The end can could have been styled better too.
What was also missing at Yamaha’s presentation was the 150cc single cylinder’s power and torque figures. We would most definitely want 20-22bhp, as the rumours suggest, but the truth might be a little disappointing. Some say, it might just be 16bhp, while others say the figure might hover around the 17-18bhp mark.
So for all you know, the R15 might not stake claim as the fastest bike in the country, but it might be the fastest accelerating for all you know. But does it matter?
Not really, and here’s why. The one thing you can be sure about is that the R15 will return a riding experience similar to none. 20bhp or not, I am sure it’ll bring a grin on every biking enthusiast’s face within minutes of being on the motorcycle. It will be, I am hoping, a short stroke, free and high revving engine. Add to it the close ratio six speed box, and we are talking about riding the bike on the absolute upper end of the rpm band - bang, bang, bang against the rev limiter in every gear. Boy! won’t that be something!
Then of course, you have the twin spar frame, which means better straight line stability, plus cornering that’s not just precise, but forgiving and enticing.
Can’t wait, like most of you, to get her between my legs!

Bajaj Sprint – a TVS nightmare?

The Bajaj Sprint may give TVS a few nightmares, particularly, the Flame’s development team. The Flame as you know is still to witness a nationwide launch. But before it could get going and bag its own clientele, that of an image conscious but slightly miserly Indian, the Sprint has already torn through the curtain.
Bajaj has announced the bike will debut this year. And alongside, has done just enough showcasing the bike’s styling and the engine output to hold buying decisions in favour of the Flame.
Now, not everybody might wait for the Sprint, but for the enthusiastic bunch on a budget, more horsepower is always welcome. Cause we in general relate it to better performance.
In this particular case, I think we are right- the Sprint will surely chew the Flame on traffic light gps and insignificant drag events, thanks to both more power and possibly less weight.
So what is TVS to do now? For starters maybe work towards giving the Flame a couple of variants – and not in the conventional sense of slightly different stickering and instrumentation, but offering the bike in different state of tunes. Along with some visually differentiating bits.
The sportier version for instance, can carry a better, more aggressive looking and sounding exhaust. The front fairing of the bike isn’t beauty pageant winning either, so maybe extend the aggrieve look to the front too.
And just so that it doesn’t seem like trailing Bajaj and stopping at the formers goalpost, bring in a third variant! Maybe like the RTR, a slightly higher capacity, fully blown Flame for the hardcore enthusiast. Again, on a budget!
Or maybe, like car companies, do a stripped down version! Who knows, with our mindsets, either can work!

Bajaj’s new XCD, the Sprint

The recently unveiled XCD based Sprint is a classic example of Bajaj’s product strategy; the company’s way of thinking, and execution.
You see, Bajaj thinks cycles ahead; so when it launches a product, let’s say like the XCD 125 it already has the next two or three iterations of the product ready, which ideally would surface every two years.
Now, you might argue that most manufacturers think on the same lines, and you are right about that, they do, but where Bajaj races ahead, is in having production ready iterations already sitting pretty on the shelf when the first product makes its debut, while the others, mostly, have it on paper.
The advantage – if the first iteration loses steam earlier than planned, or worse fails altogether, the company is in the position to support the earlier product and bring in an updated, more appealing one without losing time and sales.
We have already seen the same in the 100cc segment – Bajaj launched the CT 100, soon after introduced a fairing version, and then brought out the Platina when the CT began losing ground. The end result – it not only arrested falling sales in the segment, it in fact, increased Bajaj’s share in the pie!
The Sprint therefore, is here to lend support to the XCD, which according to sales reports is hovering around the 40,000-45,000 unit mark on a month-on-month basis, falling significantly short of the 75,000 unit mark Bajaj had in mind.
The Sprint though has more significance than being a mere support aid for the XCD and Bajaj’s 125cc campaign - it is squarely aimed at blowing out TVS’s Flame. This sportier, more powerful version of Bajaj’s attempt to show the 100c customer a better life, is also a pre-emptive move to Honda’s sporty 125 due this year. Honda’s CBF concept displayed at the Expo is actually a teaser to the product.
Meanwhile, Bajaj XCD 125 DTS-i Sprint, as the bike is christened, promises a lot.
At first, it sets aside XCD’s short comings in the styling department thanks to a new, better executed front fairing and a new tank attachment. But more importantly, the new tail piece design, and particularly the revised tail lamp now lend the XCD a wide ranging appeal. The bike in fact, outdoes the Flame in terms of appeal!
It also promises to take care of the older fuel efficiency conscious engine’s reservations towards performance, thanks to a potent engine (at least on paper) – the bore x stroke config remains unchanged of course, but Bajaj has slapped on a 4-valve head and along with other internal tweaks (which I don’t know of, at the moment), the unit now makes 12.5bhp.
But for those who did not like the Sprint too much, don’t fret, there’s already another iteration waiting at the factory gates…