Bajaj: Riding into glory

From riding the Chetak scooter to zipping past the Pulsar 220CC, it has been an evolution for Bajaj Auto. India's second largest two-wheeler maker's origins is rooted in Bachchraj Trading Corporation, first set up to trade in a few 2 and 3-wheelers.

Founded by Jamnalal Bajaj, who associated closely with Mahatma Gandhi during the freedom struggle, the Bajajs' have seen real growth starting from the sixties. Though Bajaj started off as dealers in imported 2 and 3-wheelers, it was only in 1960, that it started manufacturing, having obtained the precious manufacturing licence from the government. In mid-sixties, current Chairman Rahul Bajaj took over the reins as the CEO, but the eighties are still seen as the best years for Bajaj.

"The decade of the 80s was the greatest decade for Bajaj Auto. We did well in the 70s, but 70s was a disaster for Indian industry. It was the height of misguided socialism. No technology was allowed to come," reminisces Bajaj.

Interestingly, during the 80s, Bajaj Auto's production jumped 8 fold to touch 8 lakh units! In the 80s, the company also touched the magic figure of Rs 100 crore, which was in 1980-81. But the rapid expansion saw a cooling off in the 90s. Volumes grew by only about 78%, partly because the scooter king was faced with consumer preference shifing from scooters to bikes. Bajaj had no presence in bikes and had to forge an alliance with Japanese major Kawasaki to get a jumpstart in the motorcycle business in 1986. That was not good enough to fight the new rivals - the Munjals with the Hero Honda joint venture.

As a result of the Kawasaki partnerships, Bajaj succeeded where LML and Kinetic had failed.

That success called for a crucial makeover time for the Bajaj management. The next generation Rajiv Bajaj and Sanjiv Bajaj were inducted into the company in the early nineties. The young energy of the two brothers backed by an equally energetic research team helped Bajaj Auto roll out a winner in this Pulsar in 2001.

This model, the first indigenously developed one by the company, catapulted what was then called a 'niche segment' with sales of around 10,000 units per month among three players to around 60,000 now. Pulsar today has a market share of over 50% in that category.

In the last six years, constant upgradation has led the Pulsar grow from a single variant to four engine options now. A unique technology feat was achieved with what Bajaj calls DTSi having two spark plugs and added frills. Bajaj is itching to push its frontiers to the global markets with buyouts being eyed in Europe.

It will be more to enter new markets or acquire prestigious brands than technology, because, as MD Rajiv Bajaj sees its, "I believe technology is actually to be grown inside out. It's never to be acquired from outside in and certainly, in this business, which is not new to us."

For the business, which is new to the company, Bajaj has started talking to French car major Renault to explore a collaboration for 'very competitively priced vehicles'. This move could also be to pre-empt any problem similar to the scooter to motorcycle shift it faced earlier. That deal may take shape early next year.

While these moves are expected to grow Bajaj into a full fledged automobile company, Rahul Bajaj has clearly charted out the succession plan. The financial acivities of the company have been demerged and will be led by Sanjiv Bajaj. It has been a gradual, seamless handover of responsibilities carefully planned by the Bajaj patriarch.

Says the Chairman, "I take more credit for that change than I take for whatever little I did in the 60s, 70s and 80s."

There are others who also commend the transition of the company. Shankar Sharma, who heads a share broking business with a portolio of over USD 100 million, is one of the few who had a bullish view about Bajaj Auto even during its tough times in early 90s.

"You have to credit them for changing the DNA from a monopoly, to being an aggressive, lean and agile company," he said.

Bajaj Auto has no choice. It's history to wait for a Bajaj Chetak for eight years. So, Bajaj is not wasting time to launch its next motorcycle platform with another technology upgradation, due in September. And it's also leveraging its arrangment with Kawasaki's Philippine subsidiary to export around 100,000 bikes. All these activities to capture a 10% share of the global 2-wheeler market.

And as a four wheeler manufacturer, well it will only start on that jounrey in 2009.

Source:- Moneycontrol

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Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi — Injecting power and passion into your ride

The country’s top three two-wheeler manufacturers have all dabbled in developing and testing fuel-injected engines. However, up until a couple of years ago, there was no interest among these manufacturers to come up with such an engine for their bikes.

Even now, the end to carburetion does not seem to be very near, though only two bikes in the market now have the feature. Fuel injection technology, when incorporated into the same bike, pushes up the cost when compared to its carburetted sibling. That was the case even for cars when fuel injection was introduced; buyers having had to pay a higher price.

However, the difference between cars and bikes is the fact that fuel injection had to be incorporated compulsorily in petrol-driven cars for them to be able to meet new emission standards. Whereas in the case of bikes, even though the current emission norms are among the most stringent in the world, they are being met just by adopting four-stroke technology and better exhaust systems, and despite the engine still being fed through a carburettor.

Naturally, there is not much pressure on two-wheeler manufacturers to adopt fuel-injection technology since it is not exactly necessary to meet any statutory emission requirements. The cost conscious customer in the lower half of the bike segment is also unwilling to pay more for a technology that does not offer any tangible benefits in terms of running costs.

TVS Motor says that it was one of the first to develop an in-house fuel-injected engine, though it never made it into series production. Hero Honda introduced its Glamour 125 with a similar sized fuel-injected engine and quickly managed to record it as the country’s first FI bike. However, the Glamour FI has not exactly managed to light up the market with its sales numbers. And being a bike in the fuel-efficiency and cost conscious buyer segment, the Glamour-FI was not destined to be the first choice when it continues to be offered alongside the carburetted version.

Bajaj Auto has come up with a more sensible product that features fuel injection. Logically, the buyer in the performance bikes segment is less sensitive to cost of ownership and will be willing to pay more for new technology that improves refinement and performance. He is relatively less fuel-efficiency conscious and will pay more if he is offered exclusive technology and features. So, choosing to launch its own version of fuel injection technology in the big-engined Pulsar 220 was probably the better strategy to adopt.

The Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi was launched exclusively in Pune and Mumbai in the first quarter of this year. It has only now been rolled into dealerships nationwide after a six-month observation period, during which Bajaj ironed out product and production issues for the Pulsar 220. The wait was probably a good idea given the fact that the bike has what it will take to be at the top of the performance bikes segment.

The Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi is Bajaj’s first fuel injected bike. It shares quite a bit with the rest of the Pulsar pack and yet Bajaj has managed to load it up with enough unique, futuristic features to leave current bike buyers drooling.

Though from the front, the new top-end Pulsar seems like it is an all-new bike, at the rear, it gives away its lineage. The same alloy grab rail, the same twin LED strips at the rear tail lamp, a similar stepped, split seats for the rider and pillion and the same sharp body side panels as was featured in the Pulsar 200, continue to be available in the 220 DTS-Fi.

Refined features

The new Pulsar and its refined features seem to be like the culmination of Bajaj’s attempts at developing unique new features that have been adopted step by step into every variant of the Pulsar.

The LED tail lamp, the non-contact, backlit type switches, the digital speedometer etc., have been carried forward into the 220, and serve to further reiterate the new bike’s bloodline.

But to mark the new bike’s top-of-the-line positioning, Bajaj has endowed it with even more attractive, hi-tech features like the new headlamp cluster, the clip-on handle bars, the fuel-injected engine, rear disc brake and the new body side cladding, which gives the 220 its big bike looks.

At the front of the new Pulsar, Bajaj designers and engineers have come up with a new, broader bikini fairing that houses a new type and arrangement of bulbs.

While the twin pilot lamps have been retained on either side, the low beam and high beam bulbs have been stacked one on top of the other and now housed inside projector glass shells instead of the usual mirrored reflector.

The high beam is a compact clear lens parabolic lamp and the low beam is an ellipsoidal projector lamp. The halogen bulbs are high wattage (55W) type and are connected to the battery sourcing DC power and thereby ensure no voltage fluctuations affect the light output. The end result is a headlamp arrangement that enables the bike to offer illumination at night that almost rivals that of a car.

Mounted next to the tinted cowl are the two rear view mirrors. They are compact units with short stubs and are rubber mounted right on to the fairing, giving the bike a classy, very unique front finish. However, due to the size and positioning, they do seem to reduce the level of rear visibility for the rider.

Wrapping around the fuel tank and flowing away from the new, broader fairing is the unique plastic side cladding that adds to the Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi’s macho image.

While the same chunky fuel tank of the smaller-engined siblings has been carried forward for the 220 too, the new panels cover much of the tank. The panels are well finished and panel gaps have been minimised, though the bits of the road whizzing past that the rider gets to see can at times be distracting.

The digital instrument cluster (speedo) that has been made standard in all Pulsars is also featured in the 220 DTS-FI, only this time around there are a few more warning lights that attempt to provide timely information to the user. With a more sensitive and hi-tech fuel injected engine, the 220’s digital instrument panel also features a choked air filter indicator, high oil temperature and low battery voltage indicators and a low engine oil level warning lamp.

There is also an engine malfunction indicator that doubles up as a low fuel (reserve) indicator. Since the ‘Fi’ engine uses an electric fuel pump, the low fuel indicator is important so that the bike doesn’t end up with a pump failure.

That long list of novel features that Bajaj has come up with for its new benchmark in performance biking doesn’t end here. Adorning the six-spoked, 17-inch alloy wheels are new tubeless tyres, a first for an Indian bike.

Tubeless tyres being lighter, more heat resistant and durable, will in the long run deliver good performance for discerning buyers in this segment.

The 230mm disc brakes in the rear wheel, in addition to the 260mm disc with twin calipers in the front, also ensure more sure-footed braking for a bike that is clearly the most powerful in this segment.

The thick elliptical swing arm, the naked chain and the ‘fat-boy’, matt-silver finished silencer are all features that further boost the Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi’s street-racer image. Exhaust note of the 220 is soft, yet raspy and gets progressively loud at higher engine rpms.

Technology showcase

The engine in the new Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi is the technology showcase for Bajaj. Developed in-house, this bike’s engine features fuel injection instead of the conventional carburetion. DTS-Fi or digital twin spark fuel injection continues to have two spark plugs like in the other Pulsars.

However, instead of the carburettor that enables the other Pulsar engines to breathe and take in fuel, the 220 DTS-Fi engine features an injector that sprays fuel directly into the combustion chamber. In turn, an electronic control unit (ECU) regulates the injector. The ECU is a microprocessor-based system that is the command centre of the engine and bases its instructions to the fuel-injector on the feedback it receives from an array of sensors.

The ECU considers various parameters such as engine temperature, throttle position, engine speed, etc., before sending the relevant command to the injector ensuring optimum fuelling and spark timing under different operating conditions.

Power packed

Making the 220 a fuel-injected engine has enabled Bajaj to squeeze out the most power from the bike. Bajaj’s in-house ExhausTEC resonator technology for improving torque at low engine rpm has also been carried forward into the new 220.

The bike’s throttle response, ability to accelerate in spurts and the amount of low-end torque available in each gear slot is testimony to the benefits that fuel injection has brought to this engine. The 220 DTS-Fi generates a class-leading peak power of 20PS and a maximum torque of 19.12Nm at 6,500 rpm.

The Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi comes with a five-speed gearbox with the internationally popular one down, rest up shift pattern. Gear shift quality and clutch feedback are good, with false neutrals also being almost non-existent. While the toe-shifter adds to the overall big bike image of the Pulsar 220, the absence of the heel shifter may irk some users.

The front fixed fairing and large side panels will also need some getting used to for bikers who have recently upgraded from the lower ‘cc’ segments, where the fairing is mounted to the handle bar. This issue will come up when bikers attempt to ease out the bike from particularly tight parking slots that are the norm in most cities in India.

Priced at about Rs 80,000 (ex-showroom), the Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi doesn’t come cheap. But, it is loaded enough to take on competition and, in fact, could set a new benchmark in the premium performance bike segment.

Source:- Thehindubusinessline

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Bajaj`s new bike Exceed

Bajaj Auto Ltd., India's No. 2 motorbike maker, plans to make 20,000 new motor bikes in September and raise output beyond 50,000 in December or January, its managing director said on Thursday.

Bajaj, which is in preliminary talks with French car maker Renault on making "very competitive" vehicles in India, is betting a new motorbike will perk up flagging sales and bolster its higher-margin range.

Bajaj's new 125 cc bike, called Exceed, is aimed at weaning customers from its lower-margin 100 cc bikes, which compete in an extremely price-sensitive and crowded market dominated by leader Hero Honda Motors Ltd.

"We are now clearly focused on the bigger bike. We are not going to fight to retain share in 100 cc," Rajiv Bajaj told reporters at the launch of a new engine technology for the bike.

The new engine technology for the bike, called DTS-Si, is an upgrade of its DTSI technology, or digital twin spark ignition.

"More than a third of the motorbike market is 125 cc and above, where the margins are 15-20 percent. On 100 cc bikes, we don't make money," Bajaj said.

To start with, he said the company would make 20,000 units of the new bike in September at its Aurangabad plant in Maharashtra, which would be ramped up to 50,000 units.

Production would be further raised when the company starts making the new bike at its plant in Uttarakhand some time in December or January, Bajaj said.

Initially, the company would concentrate on the domestic market, but would look at exports beyond 2007/08, he said.

At 0953 GMT, shares in the company were down 1 percent at 2,286.30 rupees in a Mumbai market that was down 1.2 percent.

Bajaj, which has more than a third of India's motorbike market -- the world's biggest after China -- had cut its output by 20,000-30,000 units a month following a drop in demand due to high interest rates that led consumers to postpone purchases.

Sales of Bajaj motorbikes in the fiscal year that started in April are down 12 percent from the same period a year earlier.

It has said it expects sales to revive from September, with the new bike and purchases spurred by the festival season.

In May, Bajaj split its manufacturing and finance operations, and in July restructured its auto business, creating separate units for R&D, engineering, two-wheelers, commercial vehicles and international business.

Source:- In.reuters

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Bike Cos get ready to face Rs 1 lakh car

Ratan Tata’s Dream the Rs 1-lakh car isn’t just making MNC auto majors like Renault rewrite their strategies, India’s two-wheeler majors are also changing there strategies. While some bike makers like Bajaj and Hero Honda have already shown their interest in entering the car market, others are planning to concentrate on performance bikes which, they think, won’t compete with cars.

Suzuki Motorcycles India sales & marketing veep Atul Gupta said, “The cheaper car would impact the entry level two-wheelers. So we would aggressively pursue the totally different 150cc to 200cc performance bike segments in India. Another category identified by us, which won’t be impacted by the Rs 1-lakh car, would be automatic scooters, whose market is consistently growing and many new launches are on the anvil.”

Suzuki’s Japanese compatriot Yamaha Motorcycles shares the same philosophy. “Of late, our strategy in the Indian market has been different. Knowing that mini cars planned by Tata and other players (Bajaj-Renault) would hit hard the commuter bike segment, we have finalised plans to de-risk our business. We want to have good presence in the performance segment, which would not compete with cars as they occupy a different space altogether. While the entry-level cars are meant for commuting, performance bikes are for lifestyle and thrill,” a senior Yamaha official said.

Yamaha, despite being a top two-wheeler player globally with over 25% market share has failed to charm Indian bike lovers so far and is re-inventing its gameplan in India with a clear focus on high-powered bikes. The new strategy is in keeping with the shift in customer preferences. Already, a healthy chunk of customers are moving directly to cars instead of first buying a two-wheeler. In the used car market, almost 30% customers move directly to cars while another 40% upgrade from two-wheelers.

Maruti-Suzuki India’s senior executive Ravi Bhatia said , “There is a great mismatch in the used car market. The demand simply outstrips supply. Increased incomes have changed the pyramid with cars, even the used ones, being preferred over two-wheelers” .

The overall two-wheeler market in India has shrunk to 17.42 lakh units in the April-June quarter, a fall of 9%. The anticipated slowdown is reflected in the way leading players — the Munjals of Hero group, Bajaj Auto and TVS Motors — are moving into new product lines. Bajaj Auto has started parleys with Renault while the Munjals are diversifying into three and four wheelers and Rs 15k - Rs 25k bike to hedge their business risks. India’s third largest two-wheeler manufacturer TVS Motors has already diversified into three-wheelers.

J D Power Asia Pacific’s India director Mohit Arora said, “The two-wheeler industry would be the first casualty of the Rs 1 lakh car. The performance bikes (over 150 cc) would sustain the impact, as they are an aspiration-driven market, but the commuter segment bikes (100 cc to 125 cc) would be replaced by the small car.”

The motorcycle market is witnessing a slowdown with negative growth in the past six months forcing all players to undertake remedial measures like production cuts and marketing aggression. The first quarter of the fiscal has been worst for the two-wheeler industry with a 15% dip at 13.78 lakh units.

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Suzuki GSX 650F

Here's fuel-injected proof that sportbikes don't have to be one-dimensional. Introducing the new GSX650F, featuring an ideal balance of sportbike excitement and all-around versatile performance. It offers crisp handling, so you can turn any winding road into a ride to remember. Its liquid-cooled four-cylinder engine is tuned for strong low-end and midrange power, for smooth and easy riding around town. Whether you're on the back
roads or the open highway, you'll appreciate the GSX650F's comfortable design, including a more upright seating position that makes all-day rides a pleasure. And the new GSX650F has one more feature that you'll appreciate - a price tag that will leave you smiling.

New Engine
All new, compact, liquid-cooled, fuel injected, DOHC 656cc engine utilizing a bore and stroke of 65.5 mm x 48.7 mm and featuring strong and easily accessible power and torque
Suzuki Dual Throttle Valve fuel injection system for smooth acceleration. Fuel injectors are compact and lightweight with 4 hole injectors for optimum fuel atomization and greater power output. The cylinder head achieves a narrow valve angle of 17 degrees intake and exhaust for high intake and exhaust efficiency. Cam profiles are chosen with an emphasis on low-to-mid range power output and help to deliver highly accessible performance that is well suited to an entry level rider. Piston rings are manufactured with ion plating treatment using Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) for a smoother surface, increased durability and reduced friction and reduced oil consumption.

Suzuki Composite Electrochemical Material (SCEM) coated cylinders deliver high heat dissipation and allow for smaller piston to cylinder clearances. A large capacity exhaust system utilizes a high capacity catalyzer and an oxygen sensor to meet strict Euro 3 and Tier 2 emissions requirements while still providing strong performance throughout the rpm range. The GSX650F keeps cool with a high efficiency radiator combined with a 190mm electric cooling fan controlled by the ECM and a high output water pump with a bearing-less design for reduced weight. New six speed transmission works smoothly with a hydraulic clutch for crisp shifting in a variety of riding conditions.
New Chassis
All new full fairing design with styling cues taken from the high performance GSX-R series for a sport-inspired look with full fairing protection for the rider New double cradle steel frame provides excellent balance, nimble handling a unmatched rider comfort with a sporty overall feel. New 41mm forks are designed for a smooth ride and are preload adjustable for a variety of riding conditions. New rebound and preload adjustable rear shock works in conjunction with a link-type rear suspension for excellent road holding performance. New Tokico 4 piston front brake calipers are used with a 310mm brake rotor for optimum braking performance and combined with a lightweight single piston rear caliper and a 240mm rear brake disc.

Source:- Infomotori

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Vinci Sport

Vinci Sport will be powered by a transverse rear-mid engine capable of more than 200 hp. Among the technical highlights is the extensive use of carbon fiber for both the chassis and the exterior body panels. This car was styled by Ernesto Freitas for CEIIA-CE, a Portuguese engineering centre where the mock up was engineered and built, whose activities also include virtual design, CAE, rapid prototyping, reverse engineering, prototype construction, composite materials for the automotive and aeronautic industry.

The CEILA (Centro para a Excelência e Inovação na Indústria Automóvel) Engineering Centre is a non profit association that was created with the mission of support and promote the development of technical know how that allow the evolution of the Portuguese Industry in the international market chain.

Source:- Infomotori

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Resident-Evil K1200R

The Resident Evil genre started life as a video game and soon became a global success story. The first two films – Resident Evil and Resident Evil: Apocalypse – based on the mega videogame sellers of the same name from Capcom have generated a total turnover of over 600 million US Dollars worldwide to date. The third film – Resident Evil: Extinction – is produced by Constantin Film AG and will be released in Europe in September. It sees Alice (Milla Jovovich) once again take up the fight against the evil Umbrella Corporation to try to eliminate the deadly virus that threatens to make every human being ‘undead’.

To commemorate the BMW K 1200 R’s starring role in new action blockbuster Resident Evil: Extinction, BMW Motorrad has unveiled a striking show replica of the machine. The Resident Evil: Extinction show bike is based on the 163 horsepower BMW K 1200 R naked roadster that is ridden by Hollywood actress Milla Jovovich in the new science fiction epic.

Thomas Peter Friedl, Board Member of Constantin Film AG emphasized: "The powerful BMW K 1200 R was chosen for the movie because of its muscular and aggressive appearance, which fits perfectly to Alice’s ass-kicking performance in the movie"

The Resident Evil-inspired show bike features immaculately airbrushed spinal bones on the tank and detailed gold lettering on the fairing to tie in with the theme of the action movie. The stunning paintwork design was originally conceived by a BMW Motorrad project team based in Munich and then talented artist Georg Huber – who is renowned for his delicate airbrushing techniques and unusual custom designs – was commissioned to bring this vision to reality.

Georg first began practicing the art of airbrushing in the Eighties and further developed his talents through the repairing and painting of car bodywork while working for seven years in a garage. He then established his own business creating airbrush and fine art pictures and has since made a name for himself by painting trucks, motorcycles, cars, guitars and even walls.

Georg began working on the Resident Evil: Extinction BMW K 1200 R show bike at the beginning of June. About 50 per cent of the machine’s design was done by airbrush, and the remainder is finished with a fine brush. The complex design took him around three weeks to complete. “The bike took a long time to finish as it was important for me to find the best balance between the colours of the bike and all the paintings from the movie,” explains Georg.

“The first thing I had to do was apply the background paint to the motorcycle and then apply the lettering. However, the biggest job was painting the spinal column of bones on the tank, as it was very detailed. I had to remove the majority of the motorcycle fairing in order to complete the airbrushing. I don’t think that I could have put it all back together again without the help of BMW mechanic Gunther Rehbock!”

Georg’s past projects include creating background paintings for movie companies. His behind-the-scenes experience has also led to him teaching other artists airbrushing techniques in countries such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland. His work is also featured in a number of International airbrush and fine art magazines and there is even a collection of electric and bass guitars featuring his artwork, as well as quite a few record cover sleeves showing his pictures.

The stunning Resident Evil: Extinction BMW K 1200 R is making special appearances at various worldwide events in 2007, and makes its first European public outing at Garmisch-Partenkirchen this weekend for the BMW Motorrad Days festival. The bike will also be visiting the San Diego Comic Con International at the end of July and will be at various events in Las Vegas throughout August. The Resident Evil: Extinction movie is released in Europe on 21 September 2007 .

Source:-Bmwk1200s

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