Does smart-looking Hornet 160R have what it takes to dethrone our defending champions?

The first thing you notice about the Honda CB Hornet 160R is the extensive use of sharp lines. The headlamp, fuel tank, side panels and tail all match up. The Suzuki Gixxer and Bajaj Pulsar AS 150 next to the Honda, definitely look softer and more curvy. The Pulsar AS 150 has the slimmest, and least muscular styling of this trio, but a tallish wind deflector over the headlamp, and nice and muscular tank region give it enough of its own brawn.

Instrumentation on the Bajaj Pulsar AS 150 looks best here, with a mix of digital and analogue. The tachometer gives riders good visual feedback from the engine. The Hornet has an all-digital speedometer that looks really modern, only lacking in terms of good readability when riding in sunlight. In contrast, the Suzuki Gixxer's unit looks rather plain, although it too comes packed with ample information. Switchgear on the Bajaj is really good, and likewise, the Suzuki switches too are premium. The Honda lags behind here as it misses out on an engine kill-switch, and has an unconventional layout that will take some getting used to. Palm grips feel good on all three motorcycles.

When it comes to the engine, the Honda CB Hornet 160R leads the comparison with 162.7cc. This air-cooled, four-stroke unit outputs 15.7bhp and 1.5kgm of torque, but compared with the Suzuki Gixxer and the Bajaj Pulsar AS 150 however, the Hornet lacks a potent feeling in power delivery. Throttle response, where you need it the most, at low and middling speeds, is dull which the Honda doesn’t make up for at high rpm either. While the Suzuki Gixxer's 155cc engine makes a slightly lower 14.6bhp of maximum power, this is delivered with gusto, with peppy delivery in the low to mid range of the powerband. The Bajaj Pulsar has the most powerful engine, with 16.8bhp available, despite displacing 149.5cc. This is delivered strongly, with good acceleration available throughout the rev range.

All three motorcycles come with five-speed transmission, as shifts in a one-down, five-up pattern. The Honda surprisingly felt the least smooth of these bikes, and has some work to do before it matches up to its Suzuki and Bajaj rivals.

However, the upright riding position on the Honda CB Hornet 160R feels the most relaxed. The Honda seat too, is wide and comfy. The Bajaj Pulsar AS 150 too is just as accommodating on short rides, as it lets you sit upright. The Suzuki Gixxer has the sportiest riding position of all three, but still does manage to be comfortable even on longer rides.

When it comes to handling, it is the Suzuki Gixxer that leads, with the Bajaj following close behind while feeling very confident at all times. The Honda Hornet 160R, however, was a little too sharp for our liking, and ends up coming across as nervous.

Suspension on all the three is good, with the CB Hornet 160R being really comfortable at slow speeds. At higher speeds, the Honda doesn’t quite keep up, and the front end gets easily unsettled when you hit rough patches. The Pulsar soaks in the rough stuff easily, and takes to corners happily, but being on the softer side, you have to cut it some slack when really riding hard.

The Suzuki Gixxer offers the firmest ride quality of all, and this can be felt over sharp bumps. However, over bad surfaces it still feels very composed. The firm suspension keeps the bike composed through corners, even at high speeds. Also, adding a big measure of confidence to the Gixxer's cornering ability are its top-class MRF-made tyres. Despite the fact all three bikes came shod with MRF tyres, the ones on the Gixxer feel grippiest, followed by the Pulsar AS 150 and CB Hornet.

Another top-class feature on the bikes are the brakes. They offer strong bite and good feel at the lever. The Hornet 160R has the advantage of Honda’s proprietary Combi-Brake System. CBS is a good safety feature that applies both brakes in a preset ratio, even when riders operate only one of the two brake levers.

As far as results go, the Suzuki Gixxer manages to retain its crown, and makes the best value-for-money proposition at Rs 75,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi), with great all-round performance and handling, apart from generous specifications.

The level of refinement and good features on the Bajaj Pulsar AS 150 justifies its Rs 80,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi) price tag too, and makes it our runner-up in this test, owing to its good all-round capabilities.

The Honda Hornet 160R, however, isn’t priced to thrill. At Rs 79,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi), the motorcycle fails to measure up to its better equipped rivals. Honda, undoubtedly capable of so much more, is yet to put its best foot forward in the Indian 150cc bike segment. Sure, with the Hornet 160R, Honda has made its most exciting looking product in the segment, but it lacks in several key areas and struggles to be in the same league as the Suzuki Gixxer.

Courtesy :  Autocar

Benelli showcased three exciting India-bound motorcycles at EICMA. We take a look at what else the Italian manufacturer has planned for the year.

The Benelli line-up in India is going from strength to strength. The launch of the TNT 25 has cemented the Italian motorcycle’s foothold at the starting range of the premium bike market. Shrewd pricing and adaptations for the Indian market make the Benelli range very tempting and now, the Indo-Sino-Italian combination is ready to tear into more segments. At the EICMA 2015, Benelli showcased a few new motorcycles and they are all headed to India in 2016. Here’s when you can expect them.

Storm in a suit: Tornado 302; Expected: Q1 2016

Armed with a 300cc, in-line two, liquid-cooled engine, the Tornado 302 will be showcased at the upcoming 2016 Auto Expo. The motorcycle is good for 34.8bhp of maximum power at 12,000rpm, and a healthy 2.7kgm of maximum torque at 9,000rpm. It also has a six-speed gearbox.

The Tornado 302 will get upside-down forks up front, and a monoshock at the rear suspending the steel tube frame. Braking is via dual 260mm discs up front, and a 240mm disc at the rear, both equipped with an anti-lock braking system. This motorcycle will rival the recently launched Yamaha YZF-R3, and the Ninja 300. The Tornado 302 is expected to be launched at a premium of Rs 30,000 over the current model, when it is launched in the first quarter next year.

More Muscle: TNT 400; Expected: H2 2016

This is a very exciting approach by Benelli as they plan to upgrade the TNT 300's engine to 400cc. This bored out motor will offer sportier performance and with this you can expect power to rival other motorcycles in the segment. This combination will give the TNT serious bite to take on other twin-cylinder motorcycles from Japan and make for a very strong value proposition. Expect the price to increase only slightly from its current point.

Scrambler fever: Leoncino; Expected Q3 2016

Benelli will also showcase the Ducati Scrambler-like Leoncino at the Auto Expo next year. When we saw the prototype at EICMA, we were impressed by its modern feel and high-quality finish. LED headlamp inserts, a seat finished in Alacantara leather and LED tail-lights are some of the premium features on it.

Powering the motorcycle is a 499.6cc twin cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC engine with a four valve layout. The engine is good for 46.9bhp of maximum power, and 4.6kgm of torque. This too, gets upside-down forks on the front, and a monoshock at the rear. Braking is via 320mm discs on the front and a 260mm disc on the rear. The motorcycle comes equipped with ABS.

The Benelli Leoncino is expected to launch later, sometime around August or September. It is expected to be priced around Rs 4 lakh.

Hungry for Adventure: TRK 502

Last but not the least is the Benelli TRK 502, which is an adventure motorcycle. While this one shares its name with the larger ones, it does not take its design cues from those. In fact, it looks quite similar to the larger adventure motorcycles out of Bavaria. It gets a similar engine as the Leoncino, a 499.6cc twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that has a four valve per cylinder layout, and DOHC. It too, makes 46.9bhp of maximum power, and 4.6kgm of maximum torque.

Suspending the motorcycle are upside-down forks on the front and a monoshock at the rear. Performing braking duties are dual 320mm discs from Brembo at the front, and a 260mm disc at the rear. To make it adventure-worthy, it will most likely be shod with knobby type tyres on the 19-17 inch wheels. It even gets high ground clearance of 230mm. We expect the motorcycle to be priced between Rs 4-4.5 lakh.

Updates: 600i and GT

Alongside this, Benelli has also been working on improving the brakes on the models in its current line-up, and has been testing anti-lock braking systems on them. The safer Benelli TNT 600i and the TNT 600 GT should be ready in the next couple of months. However, be ready to shell out an extra Rs 10-15,000 for the added safety.

With all these launches in the pipeline, DSK Benelli has plans to expand their assembly capabilities for which a new location near Pune is being readied. With an expanding dealership network DSK Benelli is looking to give motorcyclists much to get excited about! 

Courtesy : Autocar

The expansion of the line-up is to start in 2017; models to include successor to V40 and a compact sedan.

After a long wait, the Jeep brand will finally make its way to India, three models in tow. Here’s the dope on all three of them

Fiat has been considering bringing the Jeep brand to India for a while. The Italian car maker initially declared the launch of the Jeep brand in India in 2013 but that was postponed due to price related issues. Now though, it seems that the launch is finally around the corner. With the launch of its Indian website and recent activity on all social media platforms it seems evident that the launch is around the corner. 

Two years back when Jeep was scheduled to come to India, it was expected to come with two models – the Wrangler Unlimited and the Grand Cherokee. But apart from these two, a third model is also expected to come to India now - the flagship Grand Cherokee SRT. This new model will mark the introduction of the performance SRT brand in India. 

The Grand Cherokee SRT comes with a 6.4-litre Hemi V8 unit that makes 475 horses and an insane 630Nm of torque. These figures allow the Grand Cherokee SRT to touch the 100kmph mark from standstill in just 5 seconds, and that’s quite a feat considering its humungous size. 

The standard Grand Cherokee on the other hand will sport a 3.0-litre unit that makes 240PS. This engine comes mated to a ZF-sourced 8-speed autobox. The Wrangler Unlimited is available in short wheelbase and long wheelbase version in the international market but in India only the longer one is expected to go on sale. The 4-door Wrangler Unlimited will make 200PS from a 2.8-litre diesel mill. This unit will come mated to a 5-speed automatic gearbox. 

Fiat is expected to launch the Grand Cherokee SRT at around Rs 1.40 crore. The Grand Cherokee and the Wrangler Unlimited should be priced around Rs 60 lakh and Rs 40 lakh respectively. Expect all these three cars to be showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo in February. 

Courtesy :  Zigwheels