Category: Naked Bikes

Posted on

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.

Posted on

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.

Posted on

TVS Star City Plus Review – Specs, Features, Fuel Efficiency etc.

By Admin

Pictures: Admin

We all start from somewhere and the Start is always small, which is good. Even I feel that one should always ‘Think Big – Start Small – Scale Fast’ and that is what many of the Indian motorcycle manufacturers have done in the recent times. Thirukkurungudi Vengaram Sundaram – sounds a bit unknown to many but what if we tell you that it stands for initials of our very own TVS Motor Company – which had a very humble beginning and in recent times has brought in great products like Apache RTR series, TVS NTORQ 125 and many more.

The product range starts from mopeds – one which we will definitely review very soon in the time to come –  to road legal motorcycles which are full of racing DNA. But today we are going to discuss #TVS #StreetCity+ or should I say Star City Plus and how it redefines the competition in Commuter segment.

Design, Looks & Comfort:

A commuter motorcycle, a motorcycle used for reaching from point A to point B, with a 100-130 CC engine capacity, which is low on torque and high on fuel efficiency, and usually, does not requires to look good. But then again, commuters like #StarCity+ need eyes and heart which are serious about appreciating beauty and this is what happens when you don’t look seriously at StarCity+. It is like a girl/boy in the party whose overall appearance does not influence your brain sensors which are responsible for defining beauty to your heart. But when you look at StarCity+ with some patience and seriousness you realise that the same girl/boy has the best features.

The tank has sharp edges just below the TVS logo, looks good, which could have been more eye catching, had it lasted till the end and had not ended abruptly in the middle. But, if we go by what TVS has to say about the tank design, well it lowers the coefficient of friction and helps the bike to easily slice through air, then one can easily ignore that abrupt ending. The side panel with 3d emblem saying ‘StarCity+’ looks amazing and makes the side profile of the bike appealing. The seat of StarCity+ along with that all aluminium grab-rail adds to the looks department. The exhaust may not sound amazing, again a not so important thing among the commuters, but the ‘EcoThrust’ motif on exhaust muffler with all that chrome makes the side looks catchy.

The electric start along with Kick start option make things comfortable especially when I used the bike in streets around my residence and in bumper to bumper traffic of Delhi. An ‘Engine Kill Switch’ may have made the life more luxurious as many a times during traffic signals which were more than 30 seconds, required taking away life from the engine by turning the key to ‘Off’.

The multi-function console of the bike was like a friend who is as good in English as she is in Hindi and is always ready to help you out in your exam. It has Economy and Power indicator which really helped me to control the accelerator and reminded that I was driving a commuter bike and not a sport bike. The console has ‘Econometer’, a term used by TVS to define the indicator showing remaining fuel in the bike. Oh, by the way google accepts ‘Econometer’ as a term but MsWord somehow does not agrees with either Google or TVS.  Apart from this the console has ‘odometer’, ‘turn signal indicators’ and ‘service reminder’ indicator which are again, like the friend I have spoken about, makes life easier.

Also, the colour options provided are 11 and the quality of work is good and has definitely helped TVS Motor to attract more customers.

Ride, Handling & Performance:

Here I want to confess one thing, I have a tendency of reaching my destinations late, not because of being too slow while driving but because of being a bit lazy, until and unless the work has to do something with automobiles. This is where the heart of the StarCity+ which is a 109.7 cc engine with a maximum power of 8.4PS @ 7000rpm and maximum torque of 8.7Nm @ 5000rpm made my life punctual and easy. Jumping from one traffic signal to the other was not difficult as the engine packs power for the city drive but once you enter open stretches – highways, lack of power, especially when you try to achieve 3 digit figure, is clearly visible.

We all know that it is difficult to have that perfect recipe which gives satisfaction not only to stomach but to soul also. In case of StarCity+ the very satisfaction to stomach, if not to soul, is provided by its ability to handle awesomely in city and on highway and ride quality is good enough to keep you seated even while facing the idiotically designed speed breakers and un-seasonal potholes. Yes, the very lack of power on highway is taken care of by the handling capability and ride comfort of Starcity+.

Fuel Consumption & Price:

The very deciding factor for achieving good sales figure in this segment, most of the time, is the fuel consumption and price of the motorcycle. We drove around Delhi and by that we mean literally traveling to Rohini from South Delhi – making visits to doctor’s clinic in my neighbourhood where bumper to bumper traffic and sudden breaking are quite common. We drove in conditions for which any commuter motorcycle should be prepared for and still, the 109.7CC engine gave an astounding 60+ km/litre range to us especially when the motorcycle given to us was brand new and had literally few Kilometres (not even into hundred) on the odometer.

Price of this amazing no compromise motorcycle is something which has helped TVS keep its sales counter busy. The price ranges from Rs.45991 for the base (Kick Start MAG) to Rs. 51770 for the top end (dual tone) version ex-showroom Delhi. All in all 4 variants with multiple options are available.

Our Verdict:

We gave a lot of thought and time while coming up with this article. The reason being that TVS Starcity+ is a great product, a dish which has been prepared as per the book but somehow lacks zing, the same zing which could make it a household name. Therefore, we have concluded about TVS Starcity+ in the following manner:

 

  1. Best Thing about Star City Plus-

 

  1. The peppy Engine with good amount of torque for that fast take off from a traffic signal.

 

  1. The fuel consumption impressed me a lot because I used this bike in 60:40 ratio in city (60) and on Highways (40) and the almost 60+ average made my experience quite ‘Economically Emotional’.

 

  1. The comfort for the pillion rider was amazing as far as comparing it with Hero, Honda, Bajaj or Yamaha is concerned.

 

  1. What more is expected-

 

  1. The bike should come along with front disc brakes. Once riding the starcity+ a dog came suddenly out of nowhere and three of us ‘just managed’ to save ourselves from getting bruised.

 

  1. The seats are fantastic, especially for the pillion but as far as the front portion of the seat is concerned, in our case, if ‘sudden breaking’ is done, the rider hits the tank. Courtesy Delhi traffic this happened many a times and every time I was happy that nothing happened to the most sensitive part of my body.

 

Rest, the Star City Plus, according to me is an amazing product which is a perfect combination of comfort and fuel consumption which is lighter on pocket price wise and maintenance wise.

 

Posted on

TVS Apache RTR 200 4V 2.0 launched

By Admin

Pictures: TVSApache.com

Few days ago the very idea of owning a motorcycle with slipper clutch in India meant either buying a Kawasaki Ninja 300 or KTM Duke 390. But within few days everything changed as TVS Motors announced and officially posted on their website the arrival of the Apache RTR 200 4V R2.0 race edition which is fitted with A-RT slipper clutch where A-RT stand for Anti-Reverse Torque. TVS motor, by introducing slipper clutch, is trying to reflect upon the racing DNA of RTR series.

The introduction of A-RT slipper clutch at a price which varies from Rs.95,000/- to 1.08 lakh, Ex-showroom Delhi, is indeed a tough task for other manufacturers to achieve. The all new TVS Apache RTR 200 4V R2.0 also boasts of well sculpted fly-screen for an aggressive racing stance and new sticker combination for that sporty look to allure more customers and creating a rush in the lane leading to booking counter. Oh! Please ignore the words in Bold.

Carrying it forward, there are three variant which are available – RTR 200 4V R2.0, RTR 200 Fi 4V R2.0 and RTR 200 4V ABS R2.0 with five colour combinations of black, grey, red, white and matte black. The racing DNA is highlighted by the FI  which has twin spray fuel-injection and the dual -channel ABS with Rear wheel lift-off protection which detects and helps to recover wheel lock.

The whole game comes down to one thing, THE PRICE. Yes we are discussing it again because it is the price of RTR 200 4V R2.0 with slipper clutch which excites not only us and but also the prospective customers. At a price ranging from Rs. 95000/ ex-showroom for the RTR 200 4V R2.0 to Rs.1.08 lakh ex-showroom for the RTR 200 4V ABS R2.0, TVS has played a psychological price game which must have confused the competition. And yes this time don’t ignore the words in Bold.

Posted on

Triumph Launches Speedmaster

By Admin

Pictures: Admin

#Triumph, the name speaks for itself especially when the owners list includes names like #SteveMcQueen to current Heart throbs like #TomCruise and #DavidBeckham, has brought back the real cruiser culture in India. To strengthen its position in the Indian market where they launched around 5 products in 2017 – Street Triple S & RS, Street Scrambler, Tiger Explorer XCx and Bonneville Bobber – #TriumphIndia has recently launched #Speedmaster with a price tag of Rs.11.11 Lakh, Ex-Showroom. Speedmaster carries the authentic ‘British custom’ attitude with a pure reflection of Bonneville’s timeless DNA and features of Bobber.

The actual Speedmaster is almost similar to what it was designed initially and that is why you straight away fall in love with curves which are given in right amount at right places. The #beautyonwheels has a very responsive high torque 1200cc engine. The 8-valve liquid cool parallel twin engine has 270-degree crank which churns out 76 BHP and 106 Nm torque. This gives a linear trajectory to the engine for a smooth and refined ride along with pulling power which gives confidence to the rider. The torque assists wet multi plate clutch system is synchronised with a 6-speed gear box for taming highways and long rides. The motorcycle boasts of features like full LED headlight with DRL, single button cruise control, ride-by-wire fed by twin throttle bodies, road and rain riding modes, ABS & traction control, immobiliser and high Functionality Single clock.

The best thing about speedmaster is the list of equipment which comes as standard –  Full LED headlight with DRL, Single button cruise control, Ride-by-wire fed by, twin throttle bodies, Road and rain riding modes, ABS & traction control, Immobiliser, torque assist clutch, trip computer. Apart from this Triumph is giving 2 years unlimited Kilometres warranty with first major service interval at 16000 Kilometre. Also, the bike has a seat height of 705mm which is good for people with short height.

The Speedmaster has accessories which redefine the ownership experience. Owners can opt for Highway which is meant for touring and Maverick which comes with single seat set up, meant for riders who give preference to its machine.

Riding high on the success of its current product range, Triumph India is expecting great year ahead.

Posted on

‘Race to the Clouds’- initiative by TVS Apache

By Admin

Pictures: TVS Motor Company

The Apache Owners Group (AOG) initiative by TVS Apache saw another event in our very own Delhi, the Capital of India. A ride, ‘Race to the Clouds’ was flagged off on 27th of July, 2018 which saw 30 TVS Apache owners from   across the country participating, including three women riders. The 14 days ride started from Delhi and will cover 2600 Km distance across 5 cities and will conclude at Nubra Valley on 3rd of August, 2018.

TVS Apache was launched back in 2006 and since then TVS has been bringing different models under Apache brand. As of now Apache series boasts of TVS Apache RTR 160 4V, RTR 200 4V, RTR 180 ABS, RTR 180, RTR 160 and RR 310. TVS even has its own Apache race series giving opportunity to budding riders.

The initiative of bringing all TVS Apache owners together has made a positive impact as almost 3000 customers in more than 35 cities are member of the group.

Posted on

TVS Motor Company Successfully Concluded Apache Owners Group (AOG) South Chapter

By Admin

Pictures: TVS Motor Company

Apache series has pushed TVS Motor Company to new heights as more and more people line up at the dealership. An increment, which was done silently, in the price of recently launched RR 310 itself speaks about the success it has brought for the Indian manufacturer. To improve upon this faith shown by customers and to have an engaging relationship with its customers, TVS Motor Company has taken up an initiative and under this they successfully concluded Apache owners Group (AOG) South Chapter.

To make the experience rich and interesting, a visit was made to the state-of-the-art Mysore manufacturing facility where motorcycles of TVS Apache series are built for customers across the globe.  A detailed tour was given, almost 150 TVS Apache owners participated, for that ‘first-hand’ experience and understanding of what goes behind the screen. Riders from cities of Bengaluru, Kochi, Coimbatore, Calicut, Chennai and Madurai came together for the two-day event which was flagged simultaneously from Bengaluru and Coimbatore on April 6, 2018 and concluded on April 8, 2018 in Mysore.

AOG or Apache Owners Group has presence in 30 cities with over 3000 passionate and like-minded customers who are brought together because of one common thing – that racing DNA which is indeed a unique experience in itself. The Apache series was launched in 2006 and has products ranging from 160, 180, 200 and the recently launched TVS Apache RR 310.

Posted on

BMW Motorrad Launches G310R & G310GS in India

By Admin

Pictures: BMW Motorrad

BMW Motorrad has added two new motorcycles in its portfolio in India. With the launch of G 310R and G 310GS company has made owning a BMW easier and people friendly.  These two #beautyonwheels cater to two different breed of motorcycle enthusiasts. For the ones who prefer riding around city and on tarmac would prefer G 310R which is a dynamic all-round roadster which is quite sporty in nature. For those of you who prefer off-road and adventure will definitely will get bold by the looks of G 310GS. With these motorcycles BMW Motorrad has entered sub-500 cc segment where Royal Enfield’s Classic 350 is doing great business. It is worth sharing that Bajaj Dominar is slowly and steadily picking up the pace. Although, both motorcycles have been developed in Munich, Germany by BMW Motorrad but they will be produced in Hosur, India by cooperation partner TVS Motor Company.

Mr. Dimitris Raptis, Head of Region Asia, China, Pacific, South Africa, BMW Motorrad said, “the all-new BMW G 310 R and the all-new BMW G 310 GS have opened up another important chapter in BMW Motorrad’s history and will lay a strong foundation for future growth.”

 

Mr. Vikram Pawah, President, BMW Group India said, “Both the offerings are set to redefine their segment as they are ideal for young people, novices, returning riders and many other motorcyclists.”

BMW Motorrad has used an attractive line for marketing i.e. Make Life A Ride (#MakeLifeARide) which quite clearly reflects the approach and character of the two products they have launched. Both motorcycles share the same 313 cc 4 valves & two overhead camshafts water-cooled single cylinder 4-stroke engine with power equal to 34 horses and a maximum torque of 28Nm for that initial push. The engine is capable of achieving, as per BMW Motorrad, 0-50 Km/hr in 2.5 seconds and reach up-to 143km/hr

 

Both, G 310 R and G 310 GS boast of 2-channel Anti-lock Braking System, torsionally stiff, highly robust tubular steel frame, upside-down fork at the front while at the rear there is an aluminium swinging arm in conjunction with a spring strut and 6-speed gearbox. BMW Motorrad is providing Standard warranty for three years and unlimited kilometres, with an option to extend warranty to fourth and fifth year.

The way both motorcycles have been priced by BMW Motorrad, it is to be seen how customers will react. G 310R is INR 2.99 lakh and G 310GS is INR 3.49 ex-showroom, available on attractive finance schemes through BMW Financial Services India with all-inclusive monthly instalments starting at INR 6,999 and INR 7,999 respectively.