More dirt-riding-equipped variant of the 1200 Enduro has been designed for riders eager to explore off-road.

The Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro is already an extremely capable adventure touring motorcycle that switches the focus of the standard 1200 from road to off-road. But facing stiff competition from the likes of the extremely off-road oriented BMW R1200 GS Rallye, the Italian motorcycle manufacturer has just unveiled a ‘Pro’-suffixed version of the Multistrada 1200 Enduro that focuses even more on the rough stuff.

So how does the Pro model differentiate itself? Equipment wise, it now sports steel tank protectors made by Touratech as standard that also feature auxiliary LED lights on either side. These protectors are designed to keep the radiator and engine from taking damage in case the bike takes a fall. It also gets a shorter screen which has been designed to give a clearer view over the bike when riding by standing on the foot pegs. There’s a high-performance titanium Termignoni exhaust included with the bike. And while it does sport the same 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wire-spoke wheels, they come shod with the more dirt-oriented Pirelli Scorpion Rally tyres.

There are some visual differences as well. The rear sub-frame, as well as the alternator and clutch cover, now get a black colour scheme. The bike itself comes in a unique sand colour which extends over the middle of the seats, giving them a two-tone theme that matches the rest of the bodywork.

All other aspects of the motorcycle are unchanged from the regular Multistrada 1200 Enduro. It retains the 1,198cc L-twin Testastretta DVT motor with variable valve timing technology. This motor makes 152hp of power and 128Nm of torque, and thanks to a ride-by-wire throttle, it has four riding modes – Enduro, Touring, Sport and Urban – which change the engine’s power delivery characteristics.

It still retains the Multistrada’s IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) which reads the bike’s attitude in real time and feeds that information to the traction control, cornering ABS, cornering lights, wheelie control and the semi-active Ducati Skyhook Suspension. And speaking of suspension, there is 200mm of travel at both ends.

This Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro Pro is set to go on sale in the UK in July at a price of GBP 18,995 (approx. Rs 15.56 lakh). But if this bike were to come to India, and we don’t see why it shouldn’t, expect it to be priced around Rs 20 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi, post-GST) – considering that the pre-GST ex-showroom price of the regular Multistrada 1200 Enduro is already at Rs 17.44 lakh.

Courtesy : Autocar

In 2016, Triumph Motorcycles updated its larger-capacity adventurer tourer, the Tiger Explorer, with a whole host of new features, not the least among which was converting the single model into a range encompassing six variants. Three of these variants were focussed on road riding while the rest three were off-road oriented. The big news now is that this updated Tiger Explorer range will come to India really soon. And by soon, we mean, it could be as early as next month.

The new Explorer range really bumps up its game, which should help it keep up to speed with its competitors such as the BMW R1200 GS and the Ducati Multistrada 1200. The basic 1,215cc inline-three-cylinder maintains its basic configuration similar to the older bike, but thanks to some internal tweaking, makes a little more power and torque – 139hp and 123Nm – respectively. It still retains a six-speed gearbox though and features a shaft drive to send power to the rear wheel.

However, there is a whole new set of electronics based around a 6-axis IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), not on the base XR and XC though, which feeds the cornering ABS and multi-level traction control. And, thanks to the ride-by-wire throttle, the base XR and XC models get two riding modes – Road and Rain – while the top-spec XRa and XCa get five – Road, Rain, Off-road, Sport and Rider!

The chassis has seen a number of improvements as well, with the suspension having switched over from Kayaba forks and monoshock to more capable, semi-active units from WP (although the base XR and XC get manually-adjustable WP suspension). Brakes, a weak point of the older Explorer, have been addressed too. The rear brake, a 282mm, 2-pot Nissin unit, remains unchanged but the twin 305mm discs at the front get radially-mounted 4-pot Brembo monobloc calipers.

Other areas of improvement have been a new instrument cluster along with new switchgear, heated grips and seat, cruise control, a hill-hold system (only on the top spec XRa and XCa), self-cancelling indicators as well as a tyre pressure monitoring system.

We believe Triumph will adopt a similar strategy of rolling out the multiple variants of the Tiger Explorer into India that it has adopted for the smaller Tiger 800s. So, first we’re likely to see the base XR and XC models launch, followed by the more capable XRx and XCx, with finally the top-spec XRa and XCa coming in last. However, Triumph has said that they’re looking at locally assembling 90 percent of the models they sell in India by the end of this year. It’s possible that the Tiger Explorer range might not make the cut when it comes to CKD operations and might be a direct import. In that case, it would even be possible to launch all variants in India at the same time.

In Triumph’s home country, the UK, the Tiger Explorer range is priced slightly lower than the BMW R1200 GS range and a bit more than the Ducati Multistrada 1200 series. In India, the Ducatis cost a lot less compared to the BMWs because of differences in where the bikes get imported from and the accompanying duties. So, prices for the new Explorers could vary depending on how Triumph plans to source them for India.

Speed Triple and beyond

It’s not just the Tiger Explorer range that we have to look forward to this year from the British marque. Speaking to Autocar India at the recent launch of the Street Triple 765 S, Vimal Sumbly, MD of Triumph India, said 2017 would be the year for roadsters from the company. This is not only a clear nod to the top-spec variant of the Street Triple 765, the RS, coming to India shortly, but hints at the larger-engined and recently-updated Speed Triple range landing here in the near future.

Near the end of 2015, Triumph took the wraps off an updated version of its big-boy roadster, the Speed Triple. This new bike was powered by essentially the same 1050cc, inline-three-cylinder motor as the outgoing model. But with some internal updates such as a new cylinder head and new pistons, it now produces 140hp of peak power and 112Nm of peak torque, up by 13hp/7Nm. Other mechanical additions have been a slip-assist clutch and a ride-by-wire throttle, of which the latter has allowed for five different ride modes. The bike does have a switchable traction control system, though it remains a bit more rudimentary compared to some of the more modern systems.

This new Speed Triple is still a little on the portlier side, with a dry weight of 192kg, making it nearly 30kg heavier than the Street Triple 765. So, while it’s not going to set any lap records, it doesn’t shy away from its hooligan reputation, which it has crafted over the years. Suspension is an all-Showa fully-adjustable affair (for the base Speed Triple S) with upside down forks at the front and a monoshock at the back. Braking at the front comes from two 320mm rotors, clamped on by Brembo radially-mounted 4-piston monobloc calipers, while there’s a single, 255mm disc with a Nissin 2-piston caliper at the back. Switchable ABS is offered as standard.

The previous-generation Speed Triple, which was part of the company’s original line-up for India, but has since been discontinued, came here as a CKD and was last priced at Rs 11.49 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). We expect that the new Speed Triple will cost roughly in the same ballpark, although you can expect to pay more for the Speed Triple R which gets lots of carbon-fibre bits and more capable, fully adjustable Ohlins suspension.

Triumph India's Sumbly added that going forward Triumph was also looking at closing the gap between models launched in the UK and India. This means that the rumoured, upcoming semi-faired touring version of the Street Triple 765 would be on the cards for India as soon as it goes on sale in the UK – sometime early next year, we think!

Courtesy : Autocar

In line with its goal to set up 200 outlets of its ‘Best Deal’ pre-owned two-wheeler business, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) today inaugurated its 150th outlet at Aadhi Honda, Coimbatore, in Tamil Nadu.

HMSI, which pioneered the concept of certified pre-owned outlets in the Indian two-wheeler industry, has seen the initiative tap into the huge potential that the pre-owned two-wheeler market offers in the country. From November 2017 onwards, when the two-wheeler industry faced challenges like demonetisation and later the transition from BS-III to BS-IV emission norms, which led to single-digit growth, there was a significant boost in demand for pre-owned two-wheelers.

In 2016-17, sales of Honda’s Best Deal business rose 23 percent, which is three times that of the new two-wheeler industry growth of seven percent. To accelerate growth in this business division, HMSI went about rapidly expanding the Best Deal network which grew by 44 percent to 147 outlets in the last fiscal.

Speaking at the inauguration of the 150th Best Deal outlet in Coimbatore, Yadvinder Singh Guleria, senior vice-president - Sales & Marketing, HMSI, said, “Our experience shows that the pre-owned industry is evolving at a very fast pace and the replacement cycle for two-wheeler has come down to 4-5 years. Honda sees good future potential in the pre-owned two-wheeler business and has advanced its expansion horizon to 200 Best Deal Outlets by the end of this fiscal itself.”

Organised platform in a highly fragmented market

HMSI’s Best Deal, which is the first retail setup by a two-wheeler manufacturer in India in the highly fragmented and unorganised pre-owned market, now covers 117 cities across 21 states of India. The business offers an organised platform to the earlier untapped category of those two-wheeler customers who want to exchange their existing vehicle of any make for a brand new Honda two-wheeler, and those who want to buy a refurbished and certified pre-owned Honda two-wheeler and seek the best deal in the used two-wheeler market.

For two-wheeler owners, the biggest advantage over the unorganised platform is the peace of mind as every purchase comes with two free services, six-month warranty and genuine aftersales support. The seller also receives the best price for his/her two-wheeler. Also, the Honda Best Deal outlet verifies the owner's documents and assures a hassle-free and timely ownership transfer to the new customer.

Courtesy : Autocar

Italian superbike-maker, MV Agusta, has finally taken the wraps off their first ever 'factory custom' creation – the RVS#1. The company began to build the hype last month when they released a small teaser showing a silhouette of the motorcycle. Now that the bike has broken cover, we can assert that it certainly looks stunning.

The RVS in the name stands for Reparto Veicoli Speciali, Italian for Special Vehicle Operations. The objective of this division is to make limited-edition bikes based on models from MV Agusta's line-up, and that's why their first ever handiwork gets the RVS#1 moniker. But the design studio's motorcycles aren't going to be your typical limited-edition fare. The premise here is one bike, one customer, essentially making this #1 a hand-built one-off.

The RVS#1 started life as a Brutale Dragster 800 RR, but then the designers and engineers at MV Agusta's Castiglioni Research Centre (CRC) have gone bonkers with it. There's liberal use of titanium in the form of plates on the fuel tank and the steering head. Custom-designed parts by CRC such as rearsets, engine protectors, handlebars and dashboard support are all part of the bike's unique look. The seat unit is custom stitched in a honeycomb pattern and also features an embroidered design of a red-eyed skull for a bit of personality.

At the front, the RVS#1 gets exceptionally dramatic-looking brake rotors, courtesy of Braking Sunstar's Batfly disc brakes. At both ends are custom wire-spoke wheels from Kineo, shod with Pirelli MT60 RS tyres. Mounted on the right side are a pair of LED lights on a carbon-fibre support, but the headlamp is a far more interesting element. Consisting of an array of LEDs, it features an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) due to which the headlight can automatically illuminate in the direction the bike is turning, based on lean angle and speed.

Powering the RVS#1 is MV's familiar 798cc, three-cylinder motor, which makes 140hp of peak power and 87Nm of torque in its road-legal configuration. However, bundled along with the bike is a titanium SC Project exhaust that's designed for track use only; it bumps up the power figure to 150hp. This exhaust also drops the weight of the bike by 8kg. No matter which way you look at it – 140hp/168kg (dry) in its road-legal trim and 150hp/160kg (dry) in its track-only trim – the RVS#1 is all about high performance.

Since each motorcycle is built so specific to customer requirements, the best way to get your hands on an RVS creation is to contact MV Agusta and let them know you have the interest, and oodles of cash, so that they can commission a two-wheeled work of art for you.

Courtesy : Autocar 

In the past few years, a whole bunch of motorcycle manufacturers have flocked to the Indian market, vying to grab some share of its 18-million-units-a-year-and-growing sales pie. That global biggies like BMW, Harley-Davidson, Ducati, the Japs and Triumph have set up shop here is not surprising; what is, though, is the interest shown by smaller, niche players like Moto Guzzi and UM. Well, this list is about to get a wee bit longer this year with the entrance of yet another player – Cleveland CycleWerks, an American motorcycle manufacturer based in Cleveland, Ohio.

You might be racking your memory at this point of time trying to remember the last time you heard of Cleveland CycleWerks (CCW). Don't beat yourself up if you cannot; it is unlikely you have been acquainted with this brand. In a world where brands like Indian and Harley-Davidson have been making bikes for more than a hundred years, CCW is just a fertilised egg, not even a newborn. Set up in 2009 by three Americans – Scott Colosimo, Jarrod Streng, and Curtis Ray, CCW debuted its first motorcycle, a hardtail bobber called 'tha Heist' in February 2010, and have added four other bikes to their line-up between then and now.

Most of the components of CCW's motorcycles are sourced from China, with the bikes sold in some 25 countries. CCW offers small displacement motorcycles, ranging from 125cc to 450cc. All of its motorcycles are powered by single-cylinder engines that are based on older Honda motors. CCW's principal founder Colosimo wanted to build cool motorcycles that were affordable, accessible and simple, and that is what he has done with CCW's line-up.

CCW will enter the Indian market through a joint-venture with Laish-Madison MotorWerks (LMMW), a company based in Hyderabad, Telangana. LMMW plans to assemble (or manufacture?) CCW bikes in India, probably out of a plant in Telangana itself; our sources tell us that work on setting up this plant has already begun.

CCW will offer three of its five models in India in its first year: Ace, a retro-classic commuter; Misfit, a café-racer; and FXr, a dirt bike. The first bike to be launched in India will be the Ace, and we are told that it has already completed component testing at ARAI and will finish final testing by July 2017. It plans on launching the two remaining bikes from its global line-up – the Heist, a hardtail bobber and the Hooligun, a dual-sport Enduro-style bike – perhaps in its second year.
CCW will officially launch its first bike, as well as its India operations in September 2017.

Below is a close look at the CCW's model line-up:

1. Heist

2. Ace
The Ace is a retro-classic commuter powered by the same 230cc engine as the Heist, sitting in a traditional single-cradle frame. The Ace's engine is in the same tune as the Heist's, putting out 14.8hp at 7,000rpm and 15.8Nm at 5,500rpm. The Ace is available in two variants – Standard and Deluxe. The Standard is a pretty basic motorcycle, while the Deluxe gets a few upgrades such as aluminium wheels, inverted forks, wider bars, dual surface tyres, rear disc brake and a flat seat. The Ace Standard has a wheelbase of 1,280mm, while the Deluxe gets 1,325mm. Both have a seat height of 785mm and weigh 136kg wet.

3. Misfit
The Misfit is a café-racer-style premium commuter. Powered by a 223cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine with an overhead camshaft and a power and torque output of 16.3hp at 7,500rpm and 18Nm at 5,500rpm, the Misfit is meant to be the sportiest bike of the range. It gets inverted front forks, a 315mm, four-piston disc brake up front and a 220mm, two-piston disc brake at the back. The bike has a wheelbase of 1,400mm and seat height of 775mm, along with a wet weight of 144kg.

4. FXx and FXr
The FXx and FXr are crosses between a mountain and a dirt bike, according to CCW. Powered by 124cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engines that produce 8.3hp at 8,500rpm and 8.5Nm at 7,500rpm, these bikes look the part. The FXr is a street-legal version of the FXx, and comes with headlights, taillights and indicators. Both bikes get inverted forks up front and a monoshock round the back, along with front and rear disc brakes, and a wheelbase, ground clearance and seat height of 1,810mm, 360mm and 860mm, respectively.

5. Hooligun
The Hooligun is a dual-sport, Endure-style motorcycle, the largest-capacity bike in the CCW line-up. It is powered by a 449cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine with an output of 43.5hp at 7,000rpm and 42.5Nm at 6,500rpm. The engine sits in an aluminium twin-spar mainframe with an aluminium sub-frame. The suspension setup consists of inverted forks up front and a monoshock at the back, while braking is handled by 240mm discs front and back. The 120kg bike has a wheelbase of 1,500mm, ground clearance of 330mm and seat height of 960mm. It is available in two variants – R and X – with the former sporting on/off tyres for road riding and the latter knobbies for more serious off-roading.

Courtesy: Autocar