Pulsar 220 vs Karizma Drag Videos

Pulsar 220cc vs Stock karizma







Pulsar 220cc vs Modified Karizma (K&n filter and bigger jets)









Pulsar 220cc Self-check

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v180/kedarg/?action=view&current=MVI_0766.flv

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Pulsar 220 vs Karizma Drag Report and Pics

First lets start with Pulsar 220 review:-


Overview

The bike looks good & it’s stunning. It feels big when you sit on it, infact it gives you a big Bike feel the moment you sit on it, mainly due to the clip-ons & slightly backwards footrests. BAL as again has got a winner here, the fit & finish levels are very good infact much better than HH or for that matter ZMA. The digi Speedo console looks great & the self test looks charming. The first things that you notice are missing choke lever, fuel knob & a new pass beam switch along with the backlit switch panel & of course the LCD Digi console.

The Riding experience

My biggest worry was since this bike doesn’t have kick starter was how good the self starter would be & am glad to say that the self lived up to its expectation. The Bike starts very smoothly & almost effortlessly.
The gear shift is smooth & precise but still doesn’t not slot like karizma, some like it some don’t. I was fine with it as I had used this type of shift on my pulsar 180 but yes this one was better than the one on mine. Not a leap of change in the gear shift but nevertheless a good one. Those who like slotting gears may still crib but I was happy with it as I had no false neutrals & no wrong gears.
The engine is smooth really smooth & the Bike picks up really sweetly, the exhaust note is nice but whether one likes it or not may differ from person to person. Once revved up the Bike gets the typical pulsar vibes near tank & fairing though they are minimal but can still be felt on the knee touching the fairing near tank. These vibrations come around 70kph & above.
Just like its smaller siblings the RVMs on P220 become useless at these speeds as they vibrate so much that you cant make out what you see in the mirrors but since you cant see much anyways its not much of a problem. Oh that reminds me did I tell you guys that the RVMs are absolutely useless especially if you are wearing a minimalist riding gear, reminds me of classic Pulsars which had stylish mirrors but very poor visibility wrt the ones sported by DTSI versions, Yeah BAL did it again.

The Bike picks up really well on roll-ons, the most amazing thing was that even at 5th gear the Bike picked up at 25kph, though it pinked a bit but still picked up without any jerks .


Riding Comfort

I found the suspension to be a little stiffer than Karizma while Pawan(owner of 220) felt otherwise. The roads had no bad patches so cant say about how they would feel under bad road conditions.

The bike has very sporty feel to it. The seats have good support & it holds you well. The Bike is really good if you want to ride it fast (which of course you would). I rode the P220 for around 10-15 kms & my right shoulder started to pain, does it make it really bad for long riding ?? To answer this, it reminds of the first two days when I had bought my 180 DTSi (which was my first Bike ever) & when my arms pained like hell for two complete days  so it’s just a matter of getting used to. So does this make the Pulsar 220 a good tourer ?? Or to say will it be more comfy than a karizma for long rides ?? In my humble opinion with a guy of my height (am 5’10”)NO. Although the engine is really refined with enough power to take long stretches effortlessly the riding posture is not what you would want for such long rides. Having said that it’s still a matter of personal choice, I mean some of my friends keep doing long rides on SBKs which in common perception are not good for long rides.
Disclaimer: I am not comparing it to the SBKs, just the riding posture.

All those who got disappointed here’s another way to look at it. Those who are shorter in height may find the Bike to be better than the karizma for riding comfort since they wont face the issue which taller guys like me faced i.e. crouched position & knees touching the fairing. So I think it can be safely put that it would be more comfy for shorter people that taller people for long rides

Handling

I took the P220 on ghats & on straights; the Bike has really good handling when compared to the smaller pulsars especially because of the better swing arm & the riding posture & not to forget wider tubeless tires. The Bike is very eager to lean when compared to previous Pulsars. So is this the new Handling champion ?? Sadly No here where I hated BAL the most, they have actually ruined a great handling Bike into a non handling one, the reason ?? The stupid main stand aargh the mains stand scrapes at slightest of the lean  I am very sure infact confidant that if the main stand is removed the Bike will be an awesome handler

Ok just before some shouts that some have taken curves without scraping the stand, I will like to make it clear that the stand scraping happens when you are taking tight twisties uphill or downhill i.e. it won’t affect much on straights but then you only need the leaning aspect on such twisties

Braking

Full marks here no comments it simply rules here Excellent breaking supported by a wide profile rear as well as front tire(Yes the front tire is broader too )

Headlights

10 out of 10 or may be 11 out of 10. The lights everywhere including the headlights are superb. Let it be tail lamps or the LCD or the backlit switches.

Drag Results

Frankly speaking the drags which we had were very amateurish & should be taken only as indicative & not as a proof because:

- The bikes had diff mileage on odo
- The drag was done on a strip which was barely 100-200 mtrs
- We had no timing device. And a few launches were not synchronized properly
- My Yellow Karizma is stock but has heavier & broader rear tire.
- The Pulsar 220 owner is not a good dragger.

Result 1: P220 VS Stock ZMA

P220 won on 2 runs

Result 2: P220 vs. Modded Karizma (with K&N and bigger jets)

Pulsar 220 won once and Karizma won 3 Times


Conclusion

Well am no journalist & this isn’t any magazine so I am really not sure what to post as a conclusion or verdict, rather I would put it as answers to commonly asked Qs

Q1: Is the P220 worth buying its price?
A1: Hell yeah! the P220 is a very good piece of machinery.

Q2: Is it better than ZMA?
A2: This is still debatable, while the engine is more powerful & has more torque than the ZMA, it still has niggling issues like poor RVMs & vibrations at higher revs which the Karizma lacks, Also the handling though very good is marred by the stupid stand which I believe can be fixed.
At the end one has to decide his priorities & go for it

Q3: Should I trade my karizma for the P220
A3: Unless you want to go for all the gadgetry & that extra power NO. Remember the slightly mudded zap beat it in the unofficial drag.

Phew that was one long write up. Now Enjoy the pics:-

All the bikes Lined up










Pulsar 220 and Stock karizma:-




































Modified karizma with K&N filter and bigger jets:-

































Black Pulsar 220 :-













































































Drag Pics:-



















VIDEOS COMING SOON

Credits:-
Pictures and Write-up By technocrat (www.xbhp.com)
Pulsar 220 Is of Pawan Pullwar
Yellow Karizma is of technocrat
Black Modified Karizma is of Vivek

Source:- www.xbhp.com

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TVS launches special riding gear for Apache owners

Indias third largest bike manufacturer TVS Motor has launched special riding gear for Apache owners. the riding gear includes Helmets (Brand: Vega) which are stylish with affordable price tags(Rs. 1117). 4 colors available.
They also have Gloves which are quite cheap too(Rs. 447) 2 colors available with M and L size.
Tees are just "must have" for a Apache owner. nice print and colors . Price range starting from Rs 256.
They also have Dedicated Apache Tank Pads (Rs.183), Apache tank bags (Rs. 245), AutoCop security system for Apache(Rs. 1531) ,seat Covers for Apache (Rs 296)and Bike covers(Rs. 312). U can purchase all these from any TVS dealer. For more info log on to:-

http://nowornever.in/AccessoriesHome.aspx

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TVS Star Sports Launched

Two-wheeler major, TVS Motor Company (TVS-M) has launched a sport variant of its popular entry level motorcycle, 'Star City'. Launched in two versions, the basic and premium, the 100 cc 'Star Sport' is expected to strengthen TVS-M's market share in the entry level segment.

Further, the year 2007-08 will be an year of new launches and new initiatives for the company. Besides a slew of new launches, TVS-M's two new plants at Himachal Pradesh and Indonesia are also set to go on stream next fiscal.

"We have come out with 'Star Sport' to cater to that segment of customers, who were looking for more style in Star. While the Star variants at present have a market share of 10%, among all categories put together, we expect this to increase to 13%, with the launch of 'Star Sport," Mr K N Radhakrishnan, president, TVS-M told a press conference here on Monday.

Within the 'entry-level' segment, the Star variants command a 26% market share. "We hope to get market leadership in the entry level segment, with the launch of 'Star Sport' and we expect the market share to increase to 35%, from the present 26%," Mr Radhakrishnan said.

He agreed that the launch of yet another variant of Star, may result in eating into the sales of some of the other models from the company. "There could be cannibalisation to the tune of around 10%. But, then the move launch a more stylish Star is for a set of customers, who were keen to buy a Star if it offered more style, alongwith its existing qualities," he said.

While the basic variant of 'Star Sport' has been priced at Rs 33,990 (ex-showroom Chennai), the premium variant of the new model will carry a price tag of Rs 35,490 (ex-showroom Chennai). Nearly 75% of TVS-M's motorcycle sales comes from the Star variants, with another 15% - 20% coming from Apache and the Victor series contributing the rest.

According to him, the financial year 2007-08 will be an year for new launches and new initiatives. "Our plant in Himachal Pradesh will go operational in April this year, even while the company's first overseas plant in Indonesia, is expected to do the same in May. We will also be launching a new Apache, a three-wheeler in August, and a new Victor during 2007-08," Mr Radhakrishnan said.

The move to launch a new Victor, re-inforces the fact that the company needs an aggressive model in the segment to influence market share. "Nearly 50% of all the two-wheelers sold are from the executive segment, where we have just about 5%-7% share. The new product will help us increase our numbers significantly in this segment," he said.

Source:- EconomicTimes

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Govt links Harley's entry to bank licences in US

ICICI Bank chief KV Kamath and State Bank of India chairman OP Bhatt's plans to expand their footprint in the United States could be linked to Harley Davidson's entry into India.

The US government seems more than keen to ensure that India lowers import duty for Harley Davidson besides allowing it to ply on Indian roads despite not complying with the Euro emission norms.

Sources negotiating with US said deep interest is due to Harley Davidson's association with US President George W Bush.

While India has made it clear that it was not in a position to allow Harley Davidson's import without complying with the Euro II emission norms, it has indicated its willingness to follow a system of tariff rate quotas (TRQs) that will mean lower customs duty for a certain number of bikes (say 1,000), beyond which the applicable customs duty will be levied.

Sources said US government officials, who again raised the issue with their Indian counterparts earlier this month, have indicated that Harley Davidson expects to sell around 10,000 bikes over the next 10 years.

By allowing for TRQs for Harley Davidson, the government may be getting into a knotty situation and will make it open to such demands from other automobile makers, who have been complaining of the high import duties in India in the "garb" of protecting domestic manufacturers. So far, India has confined the use of TRQs largely to FTAs when dealing with import of sensitive products.

But officials said India will give the method a try if the US government was willing to grant fresh branch licences to ICICI Bank, SBI and Bank of Baroda, whose proposals have been pending for several years and also fast-track new rules for export of Indian mangoes.

"Indian negotiators have made it clear that any progress on Harley Davidson's case has to be linked to the progress on banking licences. Since US is more than keen to get a favourable dispensation for the bike maker, India is simply trying to seize the chance to negotiate a better deal for its banks,"said a negotiator.

The US government has kept in abeyance applications from the three Indian banks saying that India needs to amend its Prevention of Money Laundering Act to provide that terrorism per se is an offence.

It has said that amendments were a pre-requisite for India to become a member of the elite Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

But India, which believes that US is trying to arm twist it into agreeing on the changes, has cited China's case and said that membership of the FATF was a political decision.

China, which hardly follows any of the prudential or money laundering norms, was recently accorded observer status in the FATF.

In a retaliatory move, the government wants RBI to stop issuing fresh branch licences to US banks. But with Harley Davidson betting big on India, Indian banks could just get a few more US branches.

Source:- timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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Tata's car affect on market: Bajaj

There's no doubt Ratan Tata had only good intentions when he said he conceived the Rs one lakh car as he cared for the safety of those using two-wheelers. But Bajaj Auto Chairman Rahul Bajaj thinks its just a ploy to market the vehicle.

"He has to sell his car... so he has to speak like that," Bajaj shot back when reporters asked him about Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata's remark that one of the major reasons for him to decide on the 'people's car' was the concern for safety of those travelling by two-wheelers.

Two-wheelers are sold all over the world, it has been proven that they are safe, he said, adding his company's products were safe.

Bajaj also denied that the advent of Rs one lakh car would affect the two-wheeler manufacturers.

"Ultimately it is the customers who will decide what they want," he said.

Tata had said that the Rs one lakh car would mark a paradigm shift in the way India travels and will draw customers from the two-wheeler segment as well as from the lower end of the four wheeler segment.

The small car to be powered by a 600 cc engine, which could have air conditioning option and seat four to five people, is widely considered to be a threat to the two-wheeler segment.

Tata Motors is in the process of building a plant in Singur in West Bengal for the people's car, which it hopes to roll out by next year.

The price differentials between the small car and the high end motorcycles likes of Bajaj Pulsar 200 cc, the to-be-launched Pulsar 220 cc and Hero Honda Karizma are expected to be minimal.

No division of Bajaj Auto : Rahul Bajaj

Ruling out a complete division of the Bajaj Auto empire between his two sons, Rajiv and Sanjiv, Chairman Rahul Bajaj Friday said they would continue to be part of the company even after the proposed demerger takes place.

"Both the boys will clearly continue to be in Bajaj Auto, no doubt about it," Bajaj told reporters here.

He, however, added that his younger son Sanjiv "may probably spend more time on the new demerged company or companies".

Bajaj reiterated that plan to demerge the company's financial and investments business into a separate entity was based on the intention of unlocking shareholder value by utilising surplus cash and not because of the reported "rift between the brothers".

"You cannot simply divide a company between individuals when you have so many shareholders interest to be taken into consideration," he said.

The board of Bajaj Auto is likely to take up the issue of demerger in its meeting in May or July, he added.

Sanjiv, Executive Director of BAL, however, said the demerger process was being evaluated at the moment and it would depend on what kind of impact it would have on bal.

"If the cash flows of BAL continue to be positive after the demerger, probably the board will give a go ahead. But if it is going to be negative, I don't think the board will approve of it," he said.

Sanjiv, however, added that in the past few years the company's cash flows have been positive and is likely to continue so.

Asked if the proposed demerger of Bajaj Auto would have any bearing on the company's joint-ventures with German financial firm Allianz, Rahul Bajaj replied in the negative.

"It will have no effect whatsoever on the shareholding of the joint ventures with Allianz," he said.

Bajaj Auto has joint ventures with Allianz -- Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance and Bajaj Allianz General Insurance -- in which it is the majority partner.

On the issue of BAL's 41.5 per cent holding in Bajaj Auto Finance post demerger, he said the board would decide on how and where it would be transferred.

Bajaj also said even if the board gives its nod for the demerger, the whole process was likely to take time as it would have to get regulatory and high court approvals.

BAL has about Rs 8,000 crore cash surplus and its foreign institutional investment partners have been pressing it to utilise it by hiving off the financial and investments business into separate entity.

Source:- CentralChronicle

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Stoner storms to maiden win

Casey Stoner held off 22 laps of intense pressure from Valentino Rossi to take his first Moto GP win at the Qatar Grand Prix.

The 21-year-old Australian made the most of his Ducati's superior straightline speed to hold off the Italian on what was his first race for the Italian squad, triumphing by 2.838 seconds and taking a five-point lead in the championship.

Pole-man Rossi held the lead at the start, followed by Stoner and Toni Elias, but Stoner blasted by the five-time world champion as they crossed the line for the first time, giving notice of his intent to fight for victory.

Rossi's Yamaha was equal to Stoner's Ducati through the twisty section of the track, and it was there where he passed the Australian three times during the race, but was each time undone by his bike's lack of straightline speed, which was 20kph slower than his rival's.

In the end, Stoner made the decisive move on lap 19 when he powered into the lead on the approach to the first corner and then set the fastest lap of the race on the final tour to take victory.

Third was the Repsol Honda of Dani Pedrosa, who made the best of an ill-handling bike to hold off the Suzuki of John Hopkins – who was riding with his hand in bandages following a testing crash.

The pair spent the first half of the race right on the tail of Stoner and Rossi, in what was a six-bike fight for the lead with Loris Capirossi's Ducati and Marco Melandri's Gresini Honda. That battle became five-way when Capirossi binned it on lap seven.

Melandri went backwards through the first half of the race after a bright start, but recovered as his fuel load lessened to pass the Yamaha of the disappointing Colin Edwards for fifth with three laps to go.

Seventh was Chris Vermeulen on the second Suzuki, while world champion Nicky Hayden took a battling eighth on his Repsol Honda – passing Alex Barros' d'Antin Ducati with two laps to go. Shinya Nakano completed the top ten on his Konica Minolta Honda.

It was a disastrous race for Elias though, who was lay third at the first corner. After falling back through the field all afternoon, he took a trip through the gravel after being passed for ninth by Hayden and eventually finished 14th.

At least he finished though, which was more than could be said for Kawasaki's Randy de Puniet, who high-sided out on lap eight and Carlos Checa who slid off his LCR Honda next time round.

Source:- EuroSport

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Bajaj plans bloodbath before 100cc exit

Signalling a bloodbath in the motorcycles space next quarter, Bajaj Auto has written to its dealers (a copy of the letter is with FE) that it will slash the price of its 100cc Platina by around Rs 3,000 (9%) effective March 10. That would make Platina the cheapest bike in the market, more affordable than Hero Honda’s CD Dawn.

Industry watchers see this as Bajaj’s attempt to hurt the margins of Hero Honda Motors, the market leader and the largest player in the 100cc segment, just before Bajaj exits the 100cc market as scheduled in mid-2007. Hero Honda is already under pressure with analysts expecting single digit net margins for the first time in history in the Jan-March quarter. If it responds to the Platina price cut, margins could get even thinner.

In an e-mail to its dealers, Bajaj Auto’s vice president, marketing and sales (two-wheeler), S Sridhar, wrote, “Platina would drive huge growth for us and this would be experienced in March, April and May '07. We are fully prepared for the post-Holi marriage season gameplan.”

The move comes at a time when Bajaj Auto’s sales showed negative growth. In February, Bajaj Auto sold 1,74,220 units, down 3% as against 1,79,880 units in the same month last year.

Platina’s new price, Rs 31,714 (ex-showroom in Uttar Pradesh), would break the 100cc segment's price barrier set by Hero Honda's cheapest model CD Dawn (Rs 31,900). Of late, the sales of the newly-refurbished CD Dawn have taken off, spurring Hero Honda's overall sales and helping it widen the lead over Bajaj Auto. During February, the gap between Hero Honda and Bajaj once again widened to 1.06 lakh units, up from 37,883 units in September last year.

According to auto analysts, Hero Honda's current product mix, including the renewed CD Deluxe, CBZ X-treme, Passion Plus (limited edition) among four others has helped the company thwart Bajaj's gameplan to overtake the number one bike manufacturer so far. Bajaj also intends to price its 125cc-plus bikes in the same range as that of the 100cc bikes in the market.

“Our move to exit 100cc segment and making new bikes with high value proposition for customers are bound to move not only Bajaj customers but the whole of 100cc customers in favour of the new bikes. Platina, which sells around 60,000 units a month, accounts for nearly 10% of the 7 million units domestic bike market,” Sridhar said in his mail, adding that the launch of new bikes will take four to five months from now.

Source:- FinancialExpress

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2007 Honda Unicorn

After so long honda has finally decided to give a new look to there Unicorn bike. Unicorn was really liked by all bike lovers in India but sadly the looks have now got outdated. Consumer is choosing better looking bikes like CBZ Xtreme, Pulsar and apache over Unicorn. So, honda is finally upgrading there Unicorn and it will be launched nxt week

Here are specs of new unicorn.

1) New Karizma like alloy wheels.
2) Trip meter
3) Padded-type bikini fairing for less vibrations
4) 100/90 rear tire
5) Even better handling
6) Displacement and power remains same!
7) Golden front disk calipers
8) New front fairing
9) Dark Silver engine colour
10) CBZ Xtreme like side panels
11) Black front forks


Honda also said that they are looking forward to launch there CBR 600cc by end of 2007 to show there "sporty side".

Source:- www.Xbhp.com

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New pics of Pulsar 200cc RED

here are pics of Pulsar 200cc RED Colour...... ENJOY!
Source:- www.Xbhp.com

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Bajaj to exit 100 cc ,Jan vehicle sales up 13 pct

Bajaj Auto Ltd., India's second-biggest motorcycle maker, said on Thursday it would exit low-margin 100cc motorbikes and launch a new motorbike platform that would help boost profitability.

"With increasingly strong sales of Discover (125cc) and Pulsar DTS-i (150-180cc) platform products, only 45 percent of Bajaj motorcycle sales come from the relatively lower margin 100cc segment," Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj said.

Product design and specifications for the new platform that will be launched in the second quarter of the fiscal year to March 2008 have been finalised and trials have been scheduled for the April-June quarter, he said in a statement.

Bajaj will also commence production at a new plant in Uttarakhand in April, and plans to ramp up its output to 1 million units during the course of the fiscal year.

The new launches, along with robust sales of motorised three-wheelers and more exports should "stabilise, if not enhance profitability" in the fiscal year to March 2008, Bajaj said.

Shares in Bajaj were unchanged at 2,763 rupees in a firm Mumbai market.

The Bajaj Platina 100cc bike competes with the Hero Honda CD series and TVS Motor's Star City.

Hero Honda has said it is expanding its offering in the entry-level, which contributes about 40 percent of its revenue.

Hero Honda and TVS Motor reported worse-than-expected quarterly earnings on high raw-material costs and fierce competition that prevents bike makers from increasing prices and forces heavy advertising and promotion expenses.

Bajaj said sales of motorcycles rose 12 percent in January from a year earlier to 195,560 units. Vehicle sales, including three-wheelers, gained 13 percent on the year to 229,583 units.

Bajaj, overtaken by Hero Honda in 2002, has vowed to reclaim leadership in the world's second-biggest motorbike market.

It expects to sell about 2.85 million vehicles in the fiscal year to March 2007 and is investing 15 billion rupees over three years to take its overall capacity to 5.1 million units by 2009.

Source:- in.today.reuters

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Kinetic plans three new scooter launches this year

The Pune-based Kinetic Motor Co (KMCL) has lined up three launches this year with the first one hitting the market as early as April.

The first one to be rolled out will be the Euro brand of scooterrete, designed and developed by Italy-based Italjet. Euro is one of the seven models that the Kinetic group had bought from Italjet in 2004.

The Euro, powered by a 125-135 cc engine, will be priced higher than Honda Activa, Bajaj Wave and Hero Honda Pleasure, but will be cheaper than the company?s flagship and premium brand, the Blaze.

Sulajja Firodia Motwani, joint managing director, Kinetic Motors, said, ?The Euro will be aimed at the luxury segment and will cater to families and the executives alike. It will be a mix of class, comfort and power.?

Sources said the company stands to benefit from higher scale of business from the two-wheeler segment. KMCL expects aggressive sales growth during the current year on the strength of Italian scooters being launched as well as the upcoming launch of its new scooter through its collaboration with Sanyang Industry Company (SYM) of Taiwan.

The company?s next offering will be a four-stroke scooterrete developed by SYM, which holds 11.1 per cent stakes in KMCL. The bike will have an engine of less than or upto 100 cc capacity. The trial production of the bike is likely to begin in April this year followed by its launch in May.

The last of the launches this year will be the Dragster brand of moto-scooter, which is co-owned by Italjet and KMCL. This is the only brand that is not completely bought out by the two-wheeler manufacturer, and may be launched by end-2007.

Source:- BusinessStandard
Pics source:- www.xbhp.com

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Spy Pics of New Hero Honda Karizma R

The pics you see in this page are of new soon to be launched Karizma R . No technical specifications are out yet but we expect the bike to Pack better performence than current Karizma. I have come to know that there is no fuel-injection in this karizma .

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Bajaj Launches New Pulsar 200 DTS-i

Few days ago Bajaj launched there all New Pulsar 200 DTS-i. Technical specifications are as follows:-

ENGINE & TRANSMISSION:

• Type Four stroke, Natural air cooled/oil cooled.
  
• No. of cylinders One.
• Bore 67 mm Stroke 56.4 mm
  
• Engine displacement 198.8 cc
  
• Compression ratio 9.5 *+* 0.5 : 1
  
• Idling Speed 1400 *+*100 rpm.
  
• Maximum net power 18 Ps (Bajaj figures convert directly to bhp)/13.25Kw
  
• Maximum net torque 17.17 Nm/1.75kg
  
• Ignition system Digital CDI
  
• Ignition Timing 10° 1400 rpm 28° 3500 rpm
  
• Fuel Unleaded petrol. Carburettor UCAL MIKUNI BS29
  
• Spark Plug : 2Nos. Champion RG4HC (Resistive)
  
• Spark plug gap0.6 to 0.8 mm
  
• Lubrication Wet sump, Forced
  
• Starting Electric Start only
• Clutch Wet, multidisc type.
  
• Transmission 5 speed constant mesh.
  
• Primary reduction 3.47 : 1 (66/19)
  
• Gear Ratios 1st 26.04 : 1 (36/13) 2nd 17.67 : 1 (32/17) 3rd 12.97 : 1 (29/21) 4th 10.15: 1
• (26/24) 5th 8.65 : 1 (24/26)
  
• Final Drive Ratio 2.71 : 1 (38/14)
  

CHASSIS & BODY

• Frame type Double cradle type.
  
• Suspension: Front Telescopic (Stroke - 130 mm.)
  
• Rear Trailing arm with coaxial gas assisted hydraulic shock absorbers and coil springs.
• Brakes:
  
• Tyres: 90x90 X 17, 49P, Tubeless
  
• Tyre pressure:
• Rims : Front : 2.50 x 17
• Fuel tank capacity15 litres.
  
• Controls :* Steering Handle bar Accelerator Twist grip type on right hand side of handle bar. Gears Left foot pedal operated Clutch Lever operated on left side of handle bar. Choke Push-Pull knob on carburettor. Brakes Front :Lever operated on right side of handle bar. Rear : Pedal operated by right foot.
• Length :2035 mm.
  
• Width : 750 mm
• Height :1165 mm.
  
• Wheel base :1350 mm.
  
• Turning circle radius : 2500 mm.
  
• Ground Clearance:165mm.
  
• Vehicle kerb weight: 145 Kg
• Max. total weight : 280 Kg.
  

ELECTRICALS

• System 12 Volts (D.C.)
  
• Battery 12V 9Ah MF type
  
• Head lamp 35/35 W Pilot lamp( 2 nos ,5 W each)
• Tail/stop lamp LED/LED
  
• Turn signal lamp :10 W
  
• Turn signal pilot lamp : LED
  
• Side stand indicator lamp : LED
  
• Hi beam indicator lamp : LED
  
• Neutral indicator lamp : LED
  
• Speedometer lamp : LCD Display
  
• Rear No. plate Lamp : 5 W
  
• Horn :12 V DC
  

PERFORMANCE

• Maximum speed :130 km/h with single rider (68 kg) (claimed)
• Price :- 63,019 (ex-showroom) Pune
  

The above specs are taken from Yahoo Bajaj Pulsar Group.



Hands-On Report:-

The new Pulsar has a very sporty riding position. The handlebar is lowered a bit and foot pegs are also kicked back for sportier riding position. The bike has great acceleration and the acceleration is awesome. We found the vibes to be lower than Pulsar 180 kinda Unicornish. The new split seats (from Pulsar 220) look great and are comfortable.

The switchgear quality is top notch and paint quality is really good and seems like it will last long. The Headlight bulb and the pilot lamps (wolf eys) are white. They are Halonix 35/35W bulb i expected brighter Headlamps. Sadly u cannot put bigger bulbs without any mods as The headlight and pilot lamps are not on battery. They get their power from the alternator.

The bike is loaded with MRF Zapper Tubeless tires 90/90 at front 120/80 at back. The tubeless zappers have great grip. There is a Bigger 260mm disk upfront and a 130mm drum brake on rear. There is no chain cover. The bike uses O`ring sealed chain which promise to last longer than the chain used in other indian bikes.

Those who like Kicking better play Football, there is no Kick starter on this new Pulsar. The only way to start the bike is through Electric start and if the battery dies, u can always push start the bike. There is no harm push-starting a Carburated bike. The engine roars more and exhaust note is better. Company claims the top-whack to be 130km/hr but that can be known only after a full road-test. Watch out for this space and we will be bringing a full road-test soon.



Pics are taken by www.xBhp.com member Xionite

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Merc to roll out new C-Class model

Luxury car manufacturer DaimlerChrysler�s Indian subsidiary Mercedes is all set to introduce the new C-Class in the domestic market by early 2008.

Recently at its unveiling, the new car attracted the attention of auto enthusiasts worldwide for its rather unorthodox design and style cues.

Sanjiv Sahajwala, director, sales and marketing, DaimlerChrysler India, said, �We are planning to launch the new C-Class, which is currently under production in the overseas market, in India by early next year. We would have to set up its basic equipment in our manufacturing units in the country in line with the new car. This will be done in the next 8-9 months.�

The company is planning to halt production of the current model by October this year.

DaimlerChrysler has not yet decided on the vehicle�s pricing, but experts said it might be priced on the lines of the outgoing model.

Source:- Business-Standard

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Bajaj gears up for 4-wheel drive

Bajaj Auto (BAL) is planning a full-fledged foray into four-wheelers with a range of light passenger and goods carriers. The company has decided to set up a new plant for its four-wheelers and the location will either be Maharashtra or Uttaranchal.

The first ‘lite’ four-wheeler will roll out in 2009. While BAL has so far only spoken about launching one light vehicle, the company has now decided to roll out an entire ‘family’ of products to plug the ‘middle ground’ between two-wheelers and four-wheelers.

The proposed foray into this new segment forms part of BAL’s search for faster-than-industry-average growth. Speaking to Indiatimes Auto, Bajaj Auto’s managing director Rajiv Bajaj said, “The middle ground (between two and four wheelers) can spawn a range of ‘lite’ vehicles - a diet version if you will - and that’s something we will look at.

We are intending to get into a family of ‘lite’ four wheelers both for people and goods. We will get into that business first with a goods carrier.”

The ‘lite’ range, he said, will roll out of a new platform that Bajaj is currently developing. And the company will not look for any technology partner for this project. “It will be born out of our own skill and technical expertise so we can control the costs and there are no surprises,” Mr Bajaj said.

The whole idea for the ‘lite’ range came from a single question - “Can one conceive of a whole family of vehicles based on this middle ground?” said Mr Bajaj.

“Is it possible to keep things simple like two wheelers but offer the comfort and convenience of a four-wheeler in a way that’s affordable for the customer and profitable for the company? If we can, then we have a new business model.”

The alternative business model is also part of Bajaj Auto’s search for faster-than-industry-average growth. “Worldwide, the two wheeler market is fairly saturated and the four-wheeler market is also getting cut-throat,” said Mr Bajaj.

“So unless we think out of the box, we will be stuck with around 10% growth. Finding the middle ground between two and four-wheelers is one such strategy to break beyond 10% growth curve,” he explained.

Bajaj is not the only two-wheeler major to foray into four-wheelers. Arch rivals Munjals of Hero group have also announced their intentions to get into four-wheelers though it isn’t clear whether the foray will be into passenger or goods carriers.

In an earlier interview with Indiatimes Auto, Hero Honda MD Pawan Kant Munjal maintained that he never said Hero group will get into cars, only four-wheelers. Meanwhile Hero’s Japanese partner Honda has already voiced its discomfort with the idea of Hero getting into the car business.

Bajaj Auto is also cranking up its retail strategy for higher-end bikes with the company-owned Probiking showrooms. “Right now the line up includes the Pulsar and Avenger but hopefully in future there will be bigger bikes,” Mr Bajaj said.

“Out of our total network coverage of 52 towns, BAL is directly selling in 6 through the Probiking showrooms. In the next 12-24 months, we want to be present in all 52 towns.”

These showrooms will cater to the “trend setter customer. By next year, we should be selling 5% of the three million bikes we sell annually ourselves through this channel,” he added.

As for changing equations with Japanese partner Kawasaki as Bajaj Auto moves away from the 100cc/four-stroke market, Mr Bajaj admitted there was a “lull” in the relationship but added that a “partnership isn’t so cut and dried. We carry a huge obligation towards them and we are discharging our dues”.

Even though Kawasaki’s contribution to the CT100 is almost zero, BAL still pays a royalty. “We are investing in future technology,” Mr Bajaj said. “As India matures and bigger bikes take off, I can go nowhere else but to Kawasaki.”

As for how the equation will change if Bajaj partners with another global player (industry reports say the company is in talks with Yamaha for a joint venture), Mr Bajaj said, “Hypothetically even if Bajaj partners with someone else that could easily be a separate company. Bajaj R&D, that works with Kawasaki, will have very little role there.

We would always like to continue the relationship between BAL and Kawasaki.”

Source:- Indiatimes Auto

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Swift joins D-company to challenge Tatas

By launching a diesel Swift, Maruti Udyog has challenged the Tatas for supremacy in the B and C segments, where the Indica and Indigo diesels dominate. In the process, it is also taking competition to the doorsteps of companies like Hyundai and General Motors.

Not only has Maruti fitted the diesel Swift with a 1.3 litre DDiS (common rail diesel technology) engine which is Euro IV compliant, but the company has also managed to price the product aggressively “under Rs 5 lakh” psychological barrier. The company claims that this engine is the smallest 4-cylinder diesel engine for passenger cars anywhere in the world. Maruti is manufacturing the new engine at its Manesar plant, which has initial installed capacity of one lakh units per year but will be scaled up to 3 lakh units with a total investment of Rs 2,500 crore.

There are no other diesel hatchbacks now in India except the Tata Indica; they mostly exist in the larger, sedan cars with prices significantly higher than the Swift diesel variant. So what Swift diesel could do is bridge the gap between petrol hatchbacks and expensive sedans for customers wanting to buy a low-priced diesel car.

Says managing director Jagdish Khattar: “This car is the most fuel- efficient diesel car in India.”

Maruti claims the car can give 21 km per litre on highways and 14-15 km per litre in normal city-driving conditions. The base model called Ldi is priced at Rs 4.68 lakh while the Vdi comes for Rs 4.96 lakh (both prices ex-showroom Delhi).

About the development of this engine, Khattar said that over the past few months it has been localised to 70% but more work needs to be done.

But with Maruti getting aggressive in diesel, is competition sitting pretty? Hyundai is believed to be putting together diesel engines for the Getz and the Santro. The recently launched Chevrolet U-VA may come with a diesel engine and the brand new Dicor engine for the Tata Indica may also become a reality soon. What remains to be seen is whether the customer laps up a lower-priced diesel variant.

Typically, the Indian perception of diesel cars has been vehicles that make noise and require more maintenance than the petrol counterparts. The common rail technology of Swift could well change this perception. Then, diesel is at least 30% more fuel efficient than petrol and this price equation may also lead to a surge in diesel car buyers in the coming months.

Khattar dares Tata in Singur, too

Maruti Udyog’s managing director Jagdish Khattar on Wednesday asked Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata to clarify his allegation that a competitor was behind the Singur furore. “I don’t know which competitor he (Tata) is talking about. Since he has the knowledge, he should tell it.” Khattar added: “We believe in healthy competition.” Last month, Tata alleged that he suspected competitors to be behind the controversy at Singur in West Bengal, where the Tatas are setting up a manufacturing
plant for their Rs 1 lakh car.

Source:- DNA-Money

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Hopkins heats up test

AMERICAN John Hopkins of Team Rizla Suzuki stamped his mark to lead the first MotoGP test session for 2007, which entered the final day under blue skies and glowing sunshine at the Sepang Circuit yesterday. After setting the fastest time on the first two days and upstaging more prominent riders, Hopkins continued his awesome form on his Suzuki GSV-R800 machine by topping yesterday’s morning session with a time of 2 minutes 01.026 seconds.

Bettering Monday’s fastest time of 2:01.806s, Hopkins prompted growing discussion across the paddock with various new theories over his performance, effectively making him the man to watch this season.

Hopkins, however, was quick to play down the attention by saying it was still a long way before the new season opens in Qatar on March 10 and that there was still plenty of testing and development to be done by all teams.

“Naturally, all the other teams will improve with all the other tests before the season starts.

“The bike is working very well. Obviously, Suzuki has upped their level of competitiveness and we need to continue the good work,he added.

The superb speed of the new GSV-R800 machine was further underlined by the performance of Hopkins’ Australian teammate Chris Vermeulen, who was second fastest with a time of 2:01.691s.

Kawasaki’s Randy du Puniet was third fastest with 2:01.878s while five-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi was sixth with 2:02.354s.

Clearly focusing on the new development aspects of his RC212V machine, world champion Nicky Hayden was surprisingly eighth with a time of 2:02.701s.

“We actually learnt quite a lot about how the new bike worked yesterday and we improved by almost half a second so it’s nice to see some progress, said Hayden, the Repsol Honda rider.

“We weren’t testing new parts, just working with suspension, wheelbase, springs – general settings for the bike to go a little bit quicker.

After Sepang, the teams will head to Phillip Island, Melbourne, for another three-day testing from Jan 30 before returning to Sepang for a tough second round of testing from Feb 5-7.

source:- MalayMail

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Hydrogen-CNG combo fuel for Vehicles

The quest for a sustainable source of fuel supply has brought India’s automobile rivals together. Tata Motors, Bajaj Auto, Mahindra & Mahindra, Ashok Leyland and Eicher Motors have joined hands under the aegis of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) to participate in a first-of-its-kind project to create an optimal mix of hydrogen and compressed natural gas (CNG). The idea is to make the fuel mix usable in existing vehicles.

The world over, vehicle makers are looking for ways to use hydrogen fuel in new products, but this project seeks to develop the CNG-hydrogen mixture (called Hithane) for use in the existing on-road fleet of vehicles with minimum modifications in the engine and engine components.

The participating companies are providing seven different types of vehicles for this Rs 5 crore project, which is being done in partnership with the ministry of new and renewable energy. In fact, SIAM and the ministry are expected to sign a memorandum for the purpose soon.

During the course of the project, all vehicles - three light commercial vehicles (LCVs), two three-wheelers, a sports utility vehicle (SUV) and a passenger car - will be first tested on various blends of Hithane. Blends containing between 10-30% of hydrogen will be tested to get to the optimum blend that reduces emissions and achieves the desired fuel supply sustainability. Thereafter, this blend will be used to modify vehicle engines for optimum performance with the new fuel.

The hydrogen needed for this project will be sourced from Indian Oil and a hydrogen station is expected to come up at the Central Government Officers’ Complex in Delhi. Hithane not only reduces dependence on foreign oil, but also cuts down on NOX (nitrous oxide) emissions and helps achieve better fuel efficiency.

In a hydrogen engine, electricity generated from solar power is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Oxygen is released into the atmosphere, while hydrogen is liquefied and stored at a very low temperature (-253 °C). During internal combustion, the hydrogen combines with oxygen and the resulting energy powers the vehicle, while the hydrogen is returned to the environment as water.

However, several issues have to be addressed before viable hydrogen engines can be developed indigenously. Explains Arun Jaura, senior vice-president (R&D and Product Development) at M&M: “Use of hydrogen in vehicles poses several challenges such as its availability, distribution, on-board storage and safety. The SIAM project is the first step towards looking for a viable use of hydrogen in automobiles in the Indian context.” M&M has already made a beginning with hydrogen - by showcasing a concept vehicle called HY-Alpha Champion - a sub-one tonne three-wheeler which runs on compressed hydrogen gas.

Source:- DNAIndia

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Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe Launching In India

This would be their latest offering for the Indian consumer and they hope to perform well by selling good numbers of this car in India.

Ian Robertson CEO, Rolls-Royce spoke about their Indian ambitions: “I think it’ll have a very positive reception. Many of the older convertibles, dating right back to the ’20s and ’30s are in India today. So, we anticipate this will have a strong hold in our sales, going forward.”

The company in order to expand their availability would be opening its second Indian outlet in New Delhi. Their first dealership was opened in Mumbai in 2005. Rolls Royce hopes to attract more millionaires to their vehicles.

Robertson added: “I think there are still maharajahs who are buying these cars but we are also seeing the introduction of the car to many new entrepreneurs - people who have started up their businesses, people who have seen a great deal of success in just a few years. And from that perspective, right across Asia, we see a much younger profile in our overall sales now.”

Source:- AutoIndia

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