Burly challenger - There's no other way to describe the newest entrant in the 250cc arena - the Hyosung GT 250R. We ride it

Meet Bhawesh. He is from Mumbai, is in the food business and thinks motorcycles are a great image booster. He is also married, has a son and is currently drooling over the black and red Hyosung standing outside a restaurant at Lonavala. When finally he does look away from the bike, he spots me staring at him and instantly assumes the bike belongs to me. Next up, he empties out a complete cartridge of questions. "So, was it my red boots or the green lid that gave me away," I indulge him. "The leather (riding) pants man," he replies adding, it would be a tad silly to be dressed like this otherwise. Point well taken given the heat, and the place, which is filled with short cotton shorts draped over lovely long legs.
Bhawesh though is more interested in knowing how fast the bike is and whether it's an import, and of course, how much it costs. On hearing that it was being assembled in India and would cost under Rs 3 lakh, he almost falls over. And when I mention 250cc, he bursts out laughing thinking I am pulling a fast one on him. After the hysteria is over though, he confides that he had in fact assumed this to be 'a' superbike. He did however mention before parting ways that he’d buy one based on the bike's looks and size alone: engine capacity, power output and handling prowess be damned.
And this - the size, the road presence and its big bike aura - is going to power the sales of the new Hyosung GT 250R in India, no question. Moreover, even though the Hyosung will cost as much as the Ninja (the most expensive 250 in the market currently), it does justify its pricing, at least on paper. It gets digital instrumentation missing on the Kawasaki (but present on the Honda CBR 250R, the other 250cc contender) besides LED tail lamps which are missing on the latter two. Also unique to the Hyosung is the front twin disc brake setup and the upside down forks, not to mention adjustable rearsets and brake lever. The Hyosung could nonetheless do with better fit and finish; it's not bad, just inconsistent.
The big bike feel stays even after mounting the GT. In fact, from the rider's perch it feels less like a 250 and more like a supersports including the seating ergonomics. The rearsets are high, the clip-ons set low and there's so much distance between the handlebar and the seat courtesy the big tank that you never really get comfortable particularly when riding at slower speeds.
Then there’s the poor turning radius and the limited clearance between the handlebar and the tank at full lock to make things even more challenging. This is certainly not a bike you would want to ride everyday to work especially given its apathy towards the rider's back and wrists. The heavy clutch doesn't do anyone any favours in traffic either; in fact, the bike as a whole needs quite a bit of physical labour to ride around; not something one looks forward to after a hard day at work.
But, over the weekend, the bike can surprise you. Of course there's no getting away from the effort required to get it to change directions or slowing it down from three digit speeds, but if you are willing to do it and believe in its handling ability, it makes for a joyous ride. The grip from the tyres is good and there's a lot of lean angle to be enjoyed as well. Plus, with a 150 section rear tyre, it gives you the mental reassurance to push it harder.
As far as the engine goes, the GT 250R uses a 249cc v-twin that makes about 28bhp. However, it is coupled to a five speed gearbox and not a six-speed unit which is currently the standard in the segment. The 'box isn't great to operate either; it's neither precise nor positive. The engine too isn't refined and gets quite vibey past 6000rpm. Moreover, the drive from the engine is also quite flat till the rpm needles ambles past this mark. But, as is the case with the bike's handling, if you are willing to put up with the vibes and soldier on, the engine does reward you. It is a high strung unit and only comes into its own past 8000rpm. Beyond that it remains alive and on a song (though in a coarse voice) till the engine limiter gets in the way, cutting short the seamless and strong pull, at a little past 11,000rpm.
The Hyosung GT 250R is clearly a demanding motorcycle and is best enjoyed when ridden hard. It’s not meant for ambling around town given it isn't easy to ride or the most refined. However, if you fancy yourself to be a skilled rider, the Hyosung, even though not very quick, can still be entertaining. As for those looking for something to pose with, well it certainly doesn't get better than this - the GT has the noise, the street presence and the big bike feel missing on the other bikes in the class.

Courtesy: www.autobild.in

Husqvarna Nuda 900R review

 It’s fast, cheeky and a whole lot of fun even on an everyday basis. We ride the Husqvarna Nuda R

Cycling, as I learnt on my recent trip to Mumbai, is a fast growing fad in the city. You can hear about cycling trips, programs and even incentives on the radio; read about it in the papers and on a sultry Tuesday morning, I also witnessed it firsthand. And it was quite a sight, especially the taut and pretty women cycling away with ferocity on roads that would in a couple of hours be chock-o-block with traffic like clogged arteries of a 'fat' food eating couch potato. Interestingly some of the men on cycles looked as if their arteries were already there. However, it was this latter bunch that was encouraging me to ride faster with thumbs ups and loud cheers aplenty.
As for me, I wasn't sure whether to accept this adulation or cheer them on instead. You see, I wasn't exactly cycling; motorcycling would be more like it. But I guess my ride had clearly caught the fantasy of men with receding hairlines and potbellies donned in stifling tees and cycling shorts. And it wasn't the looks of the bike alone - which I agree are a tad odd - but also the noise that got their attention. The Husqvarna Nuda 900R, dear readers, is quite something.
Husqvarna - for the late arrivals - is owned by BMW and will be sold through BMW Motorrad showrooms in the country. Also fondly called Huskies, these bikes are big on the off-road stuff. So much so that Huskies have won a number of championships in this genre. The Nuda though is a street motorcycle and resembles a supermoto than a naked streetfighter. The seating ergonomics are similar too. So, with the seat being flush with the tank, one sits a lot forward than on a normal street motorcycle. The footpegs aren't really rearset either and the handler is a wide, high set one piece unit. One can hold onto the bike tightly too thanks to the tank's shape and the positioning of the footpeg hangers lending better control. Overall, the Nuda is a comfortable place to be in for shorter rides particularly when filtering through traffic.
The Nuda handles like a supermoto too; it feels light on the move, is eager to change directions, and is equally comfortable leaned; whether you choose to do it in the conventional butt-out style or the more dramatic leg-out stance has no bearing. Now we only did ride the bike inside Mumbai city and therefore can't deliver a verdict on its high speed cornering behaviour but whatever we did experience, one thing is clear - the Nuda does show a lot of promise.
Another great bit about this Husky, is its ride-ability. To begin with it is one of the few big bikes we have sampled in a long time that actually has a decent ride quality. We rode it over raised manhole covers, through potholes, and even held it pinned over small speed breakers, but not once did it jolt us rudely or lose its composure by bottoming out or losing grip or moaning even. Plus, with a relatively light clutch (and precise gear shifts), progressive brakes and a light steering, it isn't tiresome to ride either.
Then there's the performance. Again, we don't know how it would behave at very high speeds, but its light and linear throttle, low end torque and well matched gear ratios make it super easy to ride around the city. Even with the throttle fully opened (we could only manage it in 1st and 2nd gears) it doesn't overwhelm you enough to scare you. Moreover, if you want to ride it calmly, it manages that too quite well. We rode it barely at 4000rpm in traffic for quite a while shuffling between photography locations, and no matter what gear we selected but every time we were liberal with our right wrist, it always had enough shove to do its 'big' bike tag proud.
The Nuda gets a near 900cc parallel twin which is basically the BMW F 800 R engine, but with toppings laid out by Husqvarna. So, the power and torque ratings have climbed compared to the BMW and the noise is more purposeful. The power delivery, especially towards the top is sweeter too, but not without having to lose out on the ride-ability, as we mentioned earlier. And of course, the engine gets the red rocker box cover, a typical Husqvarna signature.
The Nuda 900R is quite expensive. After all, for the same money one can buy the likes of the Suzuki Hayabusa and still save some cash. But comparing the Nuda with the 'Busa isn’t fair; after all these bikes set out to deliver very different riding experiences. You want to buy the Nuda only if you are done posing, and want something to ride more often and make those trips to close by destinations. It’s a more everyday bike so to speak. The real competition then is the Ducati Hypermotard, which as our experience tells us, is less refined and more tedious.

Courtesy: www.autobild.in

RE Classic Desert Storm review

Desert Storm - That’s what the new version of the Classic 500 is called thanks to its new paint job. And, the paint job is so good we actually went out hunting for an ideal setting to shoot it

The Classic 500 to me was a benchmark motorcycle. Not in terms of technological advancements or handling prowess or sheer power, even though it can be argued that among Royal Enfields, it certainly ticked all the above mentioned boxes. It was a benchmark motorcycle because it was one model that finally got all sorts of buyers into the RE fold.
There were guys looking at the Yamaha R15 and the Kawasaki Ninja who wanted to buy one. Then there were those who weren’t looking at a bike at all, but wanted the Classic 500 for no apparent reason. And most people I know wanted the Green.
To me then the Classic 500 was what a retro styled bike should be - totally cool. And now there’s a cooler version. It’s called the Desert Storm, and as you can see in these pictures, it looks gorgeous in the new hue. So much so that we rode quite a while to find the right setting to shoot it. Not that you’d mind riding the Desert Storm; not with its lovely and gutsy engine, the baritone for an exhaust note and surprise, surprise, better dynamics!
Yes, the Desert Storm though carries over the same Classic 500 engine and gearbox combo, it has a revised chassis, and as a result, it feels more stable, be it in a straight line, over bumpy roads, or around fast, easy flowing and not-too-demanding corners. It is in fact a joy to ride at the ton mark now. In case you are wondering about the braking; well, that’s quite good too. Yes, there’s still some fork flex under hard braking, but there’s good feel and progression and bite as well. In short you don’t mind riding the new Desert Storm hard; very unlike a RE of yore.
What can I say, the changes made to the Classic 500 made it a worthy enough motorcycle for anyone to consider it. But now with a lovely paint job, better dynamics and the delightful engine, it’s even more tempting.

Courtesy: www.autobild.in

Honda Dream Yuga review

Honda is gunning for the Splendor and Passion combo with the Dream Yuga. But, is the new contender up for the task? AUTO BILD INDIA rode it to find out

It’s a tough ask, but Honda believes it must be done. Not that the other bike makers haven’t tried; in fact, they have tried nearly everything from offering more powerful and better equipped options at lower prices to alternatives that sport radical technologies. But, Hero’s Splendor and Passion combo continue to reign supreme, and are the default choice for entry-level bike buyers even years after their debut.
So what has Honda done to take on the might of the Hero duo? It has gone ahead and roped in Bollywood star Akshay Kumar and then followed it up with a generic, almost boring looking 110cc bike. The bike might have an attention grabbing name – Dream Yuga – but it looks quite ordinary and one can easily confuse it with Honda’s own Shine.
So, not the best step forward then? Actually, it is. You see, because it is so generic, the Dream won’t polarise opinion. And when you are looking at huge sales numbers to come from all across the country, you’d rather have a simple and palatable dish. Nonetheless, it is very well put together. The quality of the plastics and the paint is class leading. The finish too - be it for the engine or the chain-guard or even the levers – is right up there with the best in the segment.
Moreover, the moment you sit on the bike, the seat’s width and firmness as well as the feel of the handlebar grips feel just right and the ergonomics is spot on too. The distance and the height of the handlebar and the positioning of the pegs feel natural and comfortable instantly. Plus, the ergo makes the bike feel compact (not puny, mind), and therefore, easier to manoeuvre.
And easy to ride in traffic, particularly at slow speeds, the Dream certainly is. It feels light and flickable and the effort required to get it to change directions is almost zilch. Additionally, it has light and progressive controls which holds true for the clutch as well as the throttle. The brakes of course are drums at both ends, and the brake feel and bite are quite poor.
What’s endearing about the Dream though, is its performance. There’s clearly no purchase at the top end and hitting 90kmph is an achievement. However, in the low and mid range, its performance does get your attention. It feels perky, like a small dog, ready to jump and get going every time you let the clutch out from a standstill. The enthusiasm stays till about 80kmph beyond which the performance tapers perceptibly and vibes begin to surface. The 4-speed gearbox though works well; the shifts are positive and short, and it doesn’t require much effort to click into place either.
Clearly Honda has taken a straight forward approach with the Dream. It hasn’t gone ahead and tried to reinvent the wheel like many other bike makers in the entry-level segment, instead it has gone ahead and bettered the design. The Dream for its segment is outstanding. It doesn’t offer more quantitatively, but qualitatively, it redefines the segment. Be it ergonomics, quality, the riding experience or even the outright performance and manoeuvrability, it just sets new benchmarks for the segment. But then, to take on the Splendor and the Passion, nothing less would have done.

Courtesy: www.autobild.in

Bajaj Pulsar 200NS review

The new Pulsar has been unveiled and AUTO BILD INDIA has ridden it. And to say it is a big improvement over the older Pulsars would be an understatement, for this one, the Pulsar 200NS is leagues ahead

The Pulsar is a legend. It has changed the landscape of motorcycling in the country, particularly one that caters to the enthusiast like no other. Not only did it set the stunt scenario in the country rolling, it also introduced a number of firsts; there was digital instrumentation, backlit switchgear and of course the concept of proper muscular styling. No wonder it still is the motorcycle to beat when it comes to sales in this segment.
Clearly, following up this act had to be an uphill task from the word go. The good news is Bajaj has pulled it off, and how. The new Pulsar, the 200NS, is an outstanding bike. And not just in the way it looks; though, we’d say it’s a head-turner for sure. Today when most bike makers have chosen the fully faired route for their Indian made high-end bikes, Bajaj has gone in for a street fighter outlook. It’s also retained its muscular look; from the headlamp to the tank and its extensions and even the size of its tyres, the Pulsar 200NS is absolute brawn.

Thankfully when you begin riding it, the NS is less like a gym boy and more like a boxer. It’s very light on its feet. Now we did only ride the NS at the Bajaj’s test track, but it’s quite a challenging one for the bikes – there are tight S bends, flat out long radii corners and a straight long enough to max out the bikes; at least we did manage to max out the NS and it indicated a top speed of 141kmph.
As for its cornering abilities, like we said it’s very nimble on its feet. There’s no real effort required to get it to turn in whether it’s a series of quick direction changes or correcting your line mid corner around a fast bend. All it needs is a slight push of the handlebar and it ends up pointing in the direction you want it to go with the least bit of effort. The excess wallowing that plagued the previous Pulsars has been eliminated as well; no surprise it gives the rider a lot more confidence now.
Just to give you a better idea, the NS feels easier to corner with than say a CBR 250R and dare we say it - almost as flick-able as the R15! However, compared to the above mentioned motorcycles, the NS lacks feedback which is mainly down to its tyres. It also lacks the planted feel of the R15 around a bend. Not that there’s anything wrong with the cycle parts of the new Pulsar. It does get a hybrid twin spar frame made of pressed steel, meaty front forks, a monoshock with a box section swingarm at the rear and reasonably fat tyres. But it just lacks that connect than the R15 is able to deliver.
We were quite impressed with the NS’s engine as well. It is heavily based on the KTM Duke 200’s engine with the lower half of the engine being almost identical. It also displaces the exact same capacity, is liquid cooled and also has a hugely oversquare layout to keep its fast revving nature. Here too the engine is coupled to a six-speed gearbox.  However, Bajaj has made changes to the head. So, besides running a single overhead cam against a DOHC setup on the Duke, the NS also gets three spark plugs against just a single one on the KTM.
The end result is lesser power and torque compared to the KTM and with it a slower acceleration time as well. Undoubtedly, apart from the three spark plugs all other changes have been carried out to reduce costs compared to the Duke including use of a carburettor instead of fuel injection on the KTM. Also Bajaj wants the 200NS to have a respectable fuel economy which will go along with its pricing of under a lakh of rupees.
In terms of feel, the engine is an easy revving one and even at the redline, it doesn’t sound too strained or coarse. It has good drive in the mid range too which makes corner exits quite enjoyable. The throttle response again is sharp and there’s no snatchiness to the drivetrain at all. The gearbox though could be better. It’s not as positive or well weighted as the competition and it threw up some false neutrals on our as well.
We are also not very happy with the finish at some places. The switchgear for instance looks a tad tacky and so do the fuel cock and the plastic surrounding the rear seat lock opener. Then there’s the gap between the tail piece and the rear seat itself which clearly hints towards finish issues. In terms of finish we would have like the footpeg hangers to be better finished as well.
As we mentioned right at the start, the Pulsar 200NS is way better than the Pulsars of yore. But, this is not where it ends. It’s also right up there with the best in the segment. It has the looks, the features and even comfortable ergonomics. Yes, it might not be as fast or as well finished as most others in the segment, but in terms of riding fun, dynamic prowess and even performance, it’s a bike you can consider without giving a second thought. Especially, if it’s going to be priced at about Rs 90,000.

Specs

Bajaj Pulsar 200NS

Engine single cyl, liquid cooled
Displacement 199.5cc
Max power 23.5bhp@9500rpm
Max torque 18Nm@8000rpm
Gearbox 6-speed
Wheelbase (mm) 1363
LxWxH (mm) 2017x1195x804
Kerb weight 145kg
Fuel tank 12.0 litres

Courtesy: www.autobild.in

Honda CBR 150R review

It might be smaller and less powerful than the CBR 250R, but is it also less fun to ride? We spend extensive hours riding the new CBR 150R to find out

It might be the smaller of the two in size, engine capacity, price and positioning, but one thing is for sure - it certainly has a better exhaust note, particularly at idle. We are talking about the new Honda CBR 150R, and of course being compared with it, is the older, bigger, more powerful and expensive -  CBR 250R. In terms of looks though, these are almost identical.

However, the 150R isn’t here as an alternative to the latter at a lesser price; it is here specifically to take on the Yamaha R15 and the more recent KTM Duke 200. Being a clone of the bigger CBR, it does tick the right boxes in terms of visual appeal, so much so that its full fairing, chunky tyres and overall mass lead you to believe this one must displace more cc-s than just 150.
Once you mount the motorcycle though, it’s instantly clear that the 150R is smaller and narrower than the 250R in dimensions, but still larger than say the Duke. The look and feel though is identical to the larger CBR – the clocks, the tank shape and even the riding position is similar. The quality though is surely better on the 150, even though we were disappointed by the switchgear which is more like what you get on cheaper, more commuter-centric Honda bikes.
To really appreciate the 150R, however, one must ride it. Its seating ergonomics is less demanding to start with; it’s still sporty, but one sits more upright asking less from the back and the rearsets positioning don’t threaten to tear your calf muscles either. Moreover, the seats aren’t overtly hard and the handlebar is anything but a stretch to reach; if at all, it’s just a tad narrow.
What we would have liked though, is a more refined engine. This single cylinder, liquid cooled and fuel injected engine starts off well from idle but the moment it hits the 6,000rpm mark, vibrations begin to creep in. The harder you push from then on, the coarser the engine sounds. It’s an engine that packs in all the fun right at the top of the rpm band, but it lacks that free-revving nature that makes you want to exploit this high-strung characteristic of the engine.
There’s however a clear step-up in performance past the 8,000rpm mark and the pull continues till the engine hits its redline at 11,500rpm, but to enjoy this performance you must tell yourself that it’s ok to wring the life off this engine even though it’s not too willing. The shift quality of the 6-speed gearbox doesn’t impress much either; it’s not slick, doesn’t have well-weighted shifts and is notchy. Moreover, it can leave you hanging without a drive at the most crucial time.
The 150R’s forte though is its dynamics and it’s surprising given our experience with the 250R. The latter is, after all, the mushiest 250cc on sale in India. The younger CBR though is exceedingly good. It’s light, precise and extremely communicative. You can place the 150R in a corner where you want it, how you want it and when you want it. There’s so much feedback from the chassis and particularly from the tyres that you can carry a lot more speed around a bend without scaring yourself or even noticing it, for that matter. The braking too is outstanding – there’s less bite initially, but when it comes in, it comes it hard and with so much feel and linear progression, you get on the brakes hard and hold it knowing exactly what the front tyre is doing.

Ideally, I would have loved the combination of the 150R’s dynamic ability married to the performance prowess of the 250R’s engine. Sadly that’s not going to happen in a hurry. But, even with the 150cc powerplant, the 150R is a joy to ride especially if you love tackling corners; you’d always come out the other side with a wide, satisfied grin. What’s more, in the orange and white paint scheme, it looks good too and draws a lot of eyeballs on the roads. Wish it were priced a tad lower though.

Courtesy: www.autobild.in

Hero Maestro Review

A scooter for males? Is there more to this than just a marketing spin? We rode it to find out

The Maestro, says Hero, is a scooter meant for males. So, compared to its only other scooter offering, the Pleasure, the Maestro is bigger, brawnier and surprisingly more stylised as well. And by stylised we don’t mean it’s heavily plastered with stickers; in fact it has none. But, the shape of the headlamp, the front apron and the rear, not to mention the slanting floorboard, make it look very up-to-date. We also found the carbon fibre like finish of the seat cover a nice touch.
The Maestro also feels big once you get astride. The floorboard is large and there’s good distance between the seat and the handlebar enhancing the feel of roominess. The clocks look great and are easy to read too, and the quality, then be for the paint or the plastics or even the fit and finish is right up there with the best in the segment.
Now, the Maestro might be the second product from Hero after its split with Honda, but underneath that stylish shell, it still runs Honda hardware. So, the 109cc engine is the same reliable and refined unit used on the Activa. The CVT transmission too is the same. And one can feel it the moment you open the throttle. There’s no shudder at start up, the pick-up is smooth and linear, and the engine runs with the serenity of a monk no matter how hard you rev it.
The Maestro shares its underpinnings with the Activa as well and runs the tried and tested tubular underbone chassis suspended on segment standard trailing link setup at the front and a unit swingarm at the rear. However, the Maestro does run a mildly longer wheelbase. As far as ride and straight line stability goes, the Maestro is absolutely par for the course. The ride is supple for most part and it manages quick direction changes well too. And we like the fact that this Hero also comes with Combined Braking as standard.
If you like the Activa, you will like the Maestro, no question. Only the Maestro looks more modern and has some nice bits like fancier clocks and sturdy looking folding pillion footrests. It’s priced well too at Rs 52,000 on the road in Delhi, especially when you consider that a large glovebox, Combined Braking and a side stand are standard at this price. As far as it being a scooter for males, all we can say is, males certainly look better riding it than they do riding the Pleasure.

Courtesy: www.autobild.in