TVS RONIN 225 – Why it is different!

By Javed Ali Khan

TVS Motorcycles have always tried to do something new, something which was not done earlier, and if even it was, then doing it in a larger form, basically doing something unscripted. This is what they have done and pulled it off brilliantly by introducing Ronin 225 in the Indian market. The very comparison, although a wrong one as ronin has less engine capacity by 125cc and less torque by 7.07 Nm, with 350 hunter by many proves that indeed TVS has made something different.

If you see Ronin separately in a stand still form and by that we mean the fuel tank, the headlight, the indicators, front gold coloured USD suspension, rear lED lights etc etc… then you may not appreciate the beauty it holds. But when you see ronin in movement then you realise and appreciate how different it looks from other motorcycles present in the Indian  motorcycle market. The looks and stance of Ronin has even confused many experts as they refer it as a cruiser which totally puts the motorcycle in a different range all together.

Ronin 225 has an oil coil engine generating 20.4 PS of power and 19.93 Nm torque which begins to show it’s magic post 3rd gear. The gear shifts are very smooth because of assist & slipper clutch and courtesy the 5 gears and open roads near by DELHI NCR region, helped us to reach a top speed of 127 on odometer and hitting 0-100 within 12 seconds which is 2nd fastest in India. The fastest 0-100 has been recorded by Rider Virji who achieved this in 11:10 seconds with a top spedd of 136km/hr as per the odometer of TVS Ronin.

Rushing Ronin before 3rd gear makes no sense because of Glide through technology which assists the rider to ride even without using accelerator. This is a boon especially when one is in a bumper to bumper traffic and you can easily manoeuvre without changing gears or using accelerator consisitinly and saving the wrist from the torture. But once you are out in  open, Ronin put it’s rider in the commanding position and provides the pull which help in leaving the traffic behind. The only issue is that during the initial surge and excitement you tend to ignore the vibration which begins at almost 65+ Km speed and is observable only when you start to cruise on highways. It is another thing that TVS call Ronin a modern retro and not a cruiser.

The Ronin has great suspension, front 41mm USD suspension and 7 step adjustable monoshock at rear which makes potholes feel like a simple pebble under the tyre – front 110/70-17 and rear 130/70-17 tybeless. This is supported by dual channel ABS brake system with 300mm disc in front and 240mm disc at rear and they work beautifully when put in work together. Even the front brakes generate more confidence rather then the rear ones when used seperately and this is where TVS need to work a bit. Also, the 181 mm ground clearence makes jumping over the speed-breakers a calm and easy exercise.

The SmartXonnect makes Ronin a user friendly product which helps you to understand your riding pattern and also helps you to keep your Ronin well maintained as it provides the option of fixing service appointment just from your mobile. Overall, Ronin is an excellent opportunity for TVS Motorcycles to explore the un-explored by upgrading this beauty in terms of segment and features.

International Jawa-Yezdi Day 2018 – Celebrating the History

By: Javed Ali Khan

Picture: Javed Ali Khan

 

The most exciting part of owning a Yezdi or a Jawa motorcycle is that you don’t have to start the conversation rather these #beautiesonwheels act as the ice breaker. And when you have International Jawa-Yezdi day celebrations coming up then it is obvious that one would come across these rare beauties which would result in numerous conversations with people you are meeting for the very first time.

In our case, we got an opportunity to be a part of the International Jawa-Yezdi Day celebration which was held on 8.07.2018. We were lucky to spend our entire day with the Yezdi-Jawa Club, Delhi (NCR).  The day started with all the members and participants reaching a designated point in Connaught Place and assembled there. The pictures below depict the beauties which we saw and tried to understand how important they are from Historical point of view.

From Connaught Place the group moved towards Rashtrapati Bhawan but because of some reasons all members along with their historical treasure assembled at the main entry point of North-South Block near Rashtrapati Bhawan. Pictures were taken, videos were made and the journey continued.

There were Jawa 350, Yezdi classic, Yezdi Deluxe, Yezdi B Type which were mesmerising for the eyes. The youngest participant was 4-year-old kids who were accompanied by their parents. This event was quite important for Mahindra also as recently Mr. Anand Mahindra had shared that Mahindra would be launching all new Jawa.

We hope that this association of Mahindra with Jawa brand would make whole process of owning a Jawa more interesting and  lead to celebration of the International Jawa Yezdi day in a grand manner.

 

Me, Jawa & Yezdi – The Untold Story

By: Javed Ali Khan

I have been a great admirer of automobiles, and by that, I mean literally anything which has an engine and runs on wheels. Such was my craziness for cars and bikes, when I was a young kid, that one day I entered a vehicle, a Mercedes or an impala, which was parked in a mechanics garage. The owner of the garage saw me and my brother inside the car and came charging towards us. My brother was lucky enough to run away but some how I got stuck and my brother had to rush back and open the door from outside. This was long time back ago, late 80’s and this incident happened in DDA CAR market of Zamrudpur, next to Kailash colony, a part of South Delhi.

Back in 2010, one evening a friend of mine, Hashim, shared that a jawa motorcycle was up for sale. It was a black 1973 jawa, UP registered, having the head of a Yezdi. As it was something which I always wanted to have there was no question of giving a second thought. I went to meet the seller and came back with this black beauty. This bike totally changed my perception about two stroke vehicles and my parents who were against buying a motorcycle let me keep it after I told them that the bike is 38 years Old. I used Jawa as any 4-stroke motorcycle being used by people around me. The picture above was taken near Nizamuddin while on my way back to home. I travelled length and breadth of Delhi on this bike. Not only this, I rode this bike in and around NOIDA and Faridabad also and not even once did it gave me any issue.

In 2013 I wrote on my facebook wall (above) that how nobody –  auto magazines, is writing about Jawas and Yezdis and how important they are from history perspective. And exactly a year later #Topgear India printed and an article on Yezdi and Jawa by the name ‘The Last Soldier’. This forced me to write to Topgear and thank them for bringing out such a beautiful story. In return they published by comments in their magazine in the very next edition, as shown below.

One fine day in 2014, I got a call from a person who shared his story of how his beloved 350cc two stroke motorcycle was sold by his parents while he was out of India for further studies. He shared that he had emotional attachment towards his bike and would like to buy my Jawa for the sole reason that it is quite unique. As I had used Jawa for almost 4 years, I was interested in owning and riding a Yezdi. I decided to sell off my Jawa (picture below after its restoration) and bought a Yezdi, a 1978 D250 classic.

Restored Jawa

The day I bought a second hand yezdi, I took it to my office as I used to take my Jawa. One of my colleagues, who had some complications with his eye sight since birth and could not ride or drive by himself, whom I used to drop near his home, as we lived almost in the same locality, said to me that he has been on many bikes as a pillion but the level of comfort he got on jawa as pillion was quite commendable.

My Yezdi

These bikes were so lucky for me that one day I got a call from NDTV CarAndBike who wanted to do a Classic car and bike theme based ‘Independence Day Special’ shoot. As I had a Yezdi available with me and also as I was going to be interviewed, I straight away agreed. The show was streamed on 15th of August, 2014. This gave me confidence and helped me to achieve my dream to continue my passion. After sometime I sold off my 1978 Yezdi to a Government official from Delhi and bought a 1980 yezdi which I recently sold away to another ‘Two Stroke Nut Cracker’ from Jaipur.

The day I Shot for NDTV show

Today, I work in ‘Development Sector’ and have a 9-5 job, but my love for automobiles is still intact and I am currently, by my own self, running a website by the name www.automotivekeeda.com where I post review and news articles related to cars and bikes. #Automotivekeeda is also present on #Facebook, #YouTube, #Twitter and #Instagram with a very good amount of fan following.

Currently, I am looking for a #Jawa, the two stroke one, as I want to do an all-India tour. Want to relive the experience of traveling long distance on a Jawa. Hope my dream comes true.

Triumph Street Twin Review

Written by & Pictures : Javed Ali Khan

The very idea of doing a long ride is exciting and if you are planning to do it all alone, well, you would prefer a motorcycle which excites you because at the end of the day it’s you and the motorcycle who are left with each other’s company. With this thing in my mind, I went ahead and started my calculations which eventually lead my heart deciding the bike I should take. And there I was, standing with Triumph Motorcycles #StreetTwin and thinking why I listened to my heart when my mind clearly told me that it is more of a city beast.


Well, believe me, the misconception I had regarding Street Twin of only being a capable City motorcycle broke and I am glad that I listened to my heart. The Street twin is Triumph Motorcycles entry level Bonneville in India which is the cheapest motorcycle from Bonneville family but that does not mean that it is less than anything. The best part about our journey was that the bike had not even clocked 6000 km on the odometer. This does not mean that previous riders had not experimented with testing the limits of this beautifully crafted motorcycle.


Style, Design and the oomph factor
The way street twin has been designed leads to a confusion of it being referred as a product from RE but once a look with a consistent pause is given, the words – reference – are taken back and mistake is realised. While undertaking our journey to Shimla we had multiple stops for snacks and coffee which always tasted different and so were the questions which were asked. Right from being declared as a cousin of RE’s classic to a modified RE standard, we utilised every opportunity and made people aware of the fact that it was Triumph Street Twin.


The best thing about the street twin is its naked retro look based on classic theme which makes it one of the most beautiful bikes available in the market which does not require unnecessary accessories to look exciting. The front is remarkable with round headlight coolly sitting on those short front shockers which are covered with a cover made out of rubber for extra protection (pun intended), indeed a necessity especially for the Indian weather conditions.

The brass coloured bend pipes coming out of the engine which are beautifully connected to the silver coloured silencers, make an everlasting impression and forces you to not to ignore the overall appearance. The seat is almost plain except a small step-based design and is the only thing which you would like to modify or change in the complete bike to make your long journey more comfortable.


As far as the overall appearance is considered, street twin has everything at the right place especially when you compare it with the price at which it is available in the market.

Engine, Performance, Ride & Handling


Well I have tested the Triumph T100 in the past and I found it to be a very safe bike as it never forces you to go all out to express the crazy child with in you. Rather T100 was more of a person who has decided to become more mature and responsible right after getting married or is almost on the verge of getting married. Coming back to street twin, the looks of this #beautyonwheels slowly and steadily, first, brings out the child out of you which happens when you are riding this bike within the city and once you are out on straight stretches and curvy roads, this bike forces the child within you to express its craziness by reaching almost 160 Km on odometer and pushing this small but fast bike in corners at high speed.


The only problem which we found was that the soft suspension setting at the rear made it vulnerable to bounce a bit in access while cornering on bad road patches at high speed. So, if you want to test the limits as far as cornering is concerned than we suggest you to do it on a good surface and not on roads where potholes welcome you with open arms.


The 900cc HT 8 valve engine is a parallel twin, which produces 80 Nm torque at 3200 rpm making the engine smooth as butter and free of vibration even after crossing 100km on speedometer. This 900cc beast is linked to a five-speed gearbox which makes it one of the most economically sound motorcycle as we almost got an average of 18 Kmpl while in city and 22 Kmpl on highways. The ride-by-wire mechanism brings enhancement to throttle, its responsiveness and overall feel of the bike is amazing.


The bike boasts of anti-lock braking system which gives you the confidence of testing the potential of this motorcycle in terms of speed and traction control mechanism always keeps a check on the child within you which is always looking for an opportunity to do something crazy. We were impressed by the torque assist clutch mechanism which made the ride an experience worth remembering and yes the access to all the features of the bike through a simple switchgear made this bike more user friendly as you become aware of the potential this bike has.

The Verdict
We will be very crisp and clear as far as ‘verdict’ is concerned. We did not like the seat and would suggest you to change the seat if you plan to use street twin for long rides too. Secondly the rear suspension was on a softer side which made the bike to jump or should I say wobble a bit in access while cornering on bad road patches, ones which are full of potholes.
Right from the appearance to performance the street twin is a masterpiece with very few issues, as mentioned above, which can easily be overlooked. If I have to buy a motorcycle for myself as a beginner to gain understanding about how a ‘almost a litre’ bike feels then indeed it will be a street twin.