BunBurner 1500 on a Ninja 250R and CBR250R : BikeAdvice |  |
- BunBurner 1500 on a Ninja 250R and CBR250R
- Hyosung GT 650N Bags ‘Best Import Bike of the Year – 2011’ Award from NDTV
- Hero Motocorp is Struggling in the 125-250cc Segment
- Countdown Begins For Delhi Auto Expo 2012
| BunBurner 1500 on a Ninja 250R and CBR250R Posted: 22 Dec 2011 11:24 AM PST
Original Source: BunBurner 1500 on a Ninja 250R and CBR250R from BikeAdvice.in In Brief this is what we have done… 1. M. Sriharsha (ME) – Kawasaki NINJA250R – Completed BB2500K and SS1600K
We would like thank Vinu S.V. who is fondly called as MADMAX by the bikers of Hyderbad. He is the first one in Andhra Pradesh to do SS1600k and the first one from the entire South India to have done BB2500k, he is the one who helped us a lot in the planning stage as well as during the ride and he is the one who inspired and encouraged us to do this wonderful feat. Want to see you breaking many more records.
How it all BeganMe (Harsha), Ram and Abhinav shared the common hunger for biking and we were unable to satisfy ourselves with normal weekend rides/speed run. To satisfy our hunger to be on tarmac we did interstate rides but still we werent satisfied and yea more is never enough. Its then we got to know about the IBA which focuses on endurance riding and certifies the bikers for attempting their rides. It’s then we decided to give it a shot and then we started planning for this big ride. First we planned to SS1600k for which we need to 1600kms under 24 hours but later we felt it to be quite easy and its then we decided to move on to the next level that is Bunburner 2500K in which we need to cover 2500kms under 36 hours. Then we started searching for route and in mean while Vinu attempeted this ride and completed his ride successfully and we consulted him and finallly decided on the route. Route Choosen: Hyderabad – Kanyakumari – Hyderabad – Chegunta
Then came another question of choosing the start time, since its going to be a 36 hours ride we have two options to choose i.e to ride on 2 days & 1 night or 2 nights & 1 day, as we are comfortable in riding night and if we choose day we need to to encounter Bangalore traffic which eats lot of time so we decided to choose 2 nights & 1 day and we also fixed the dates for the ride which suits three of us. A week before the ride we got our bikes serviced and did a couple hundred kms to ensure that everything is ok with our bikes.
We picked up redbulls, choclate bars, glucose sachets, wet tissues, dry tissues (to clean visors), waterbottles (to carry extrafuel), first aid kit, bungeenets, few spares, engine oil..etc and prepared ourselves for the ride physically as well as mentally. We decided not to over speed in order to avoid any unfortunate circumstances and decided to keep ourselves cool keeping the aspect of safety in mind The D-day (23-11-2011)We reached the fuel station by 6:30 P.M. got the witness forms signed, took pics, tanked up the bikes, took pics of odo meter and collected the ATM receipts and we started from fuel stop exaclty at 7:05 P.M, just 15 mins after the start of our ride there was a road block because a politician was arriving which took half n hour of time still we didn’t hurry up and started riding at comfortable speeds and we reached Kurnool (which is 220kms away from Hyderabad) which is our first fuel stop and we tanked up bikes and completed formalities by taking the pics of odometer, bike and collected the electronic receipts and resumed our ride, then we again stopped at Anantapur (150kms from kurnool) which is our second fuel stop we stopped here because we couldn’t find many 24hr petrol pumps in between Anantapur and Bangalore. After finishing the formalities at Anantapur we resumed the ride again and headed towards Bangalore.
As we reached the outskirts of Bangalore city we started encountering numerous speed-breakers (I would prefer to call them as speed-mountains) thus we were forced to decrease our speeds drastically, In addition to that we got confused with the route in Bangalore luckily as it was night we didn’t loose much time, sooner we were on the correct route and again we stopped at hosur for fuel and it took nearly 7hrs for us to reach Hosur from Hyderabad which is not bad by any standards, then we munched few choclate bars cleaned our visors, finished the formalities at bunk and then again we were back on saddle with cool mind as were ahead of time-plan, then again we stopped at namakkal for the fuel stop. Its then abhinavs bike started behaving weirdly, the temparature needle didnt want to come down but we saw nothing unusal and kept riding. After 10 kms Abhinav pulled over the bike and complained that he could smell something burning, then three of us pulled over side of the road and then we saw smokes coming from the bike, we three were tensed then. Took out the torch light and along with the help of bikes headlight (it was pitch dark then) we removed the fairing of the bike fastly without getting our fingers burnt only to find out that there was coolant spill over the engine block.
Then Abhinav called to the PBK mechanic of Hyderabad showroom and explained him the situation he suggested to let the bike cool down and continue the ride. We let the bike to cool for half an hour and then fixed the fairing back and started to ride again and again abhinav noticed smoke coming from the bike. Then we made few calls to the mechanic and we realised that it couldnt be fixed there. Its then Abhinav decided to call of his ride and to make it a SaddleSore 1600k and urged me and Ram to continue with BB2500k. With nothing left to do me and Ram started riding towards Kanyakumari. After riding for some good 100kms Ram found something falling off from my bike and then he signalled me to stop the bike, after coming to halt we were surprised to see the bolt which holds the exhaust to the bike is missing and exhaust was hanging without any support.then Ram using his DIY skills and with the help of hooks of bungee nets he gave support to the exhaust and thus this issue was fixed but it half an hour which is a lot of time especially in this kind of rides! then the ride was smooth and we reached Madurai where we decided stop for fuel stop filled up the tanks, collected receipts, took photographs and resumed our ride again.
We were smiling inside as we were able to keep up with our planned time despite of the time we lost because of the mechanical problems but nature has some surprise for us, suddenly it started raining which reduced our speeds drastically which continued for 50kms after which rain disappeared (thanks to our stars!) it was smooth ride afterwards and we were welcomed to Kanyakumari by the sight of huge windmills and we entered Kanyakumari which was our u-turnpoint fuelled up the bikes, took all the pics, electronic receipts along with ATM bills and headed towards highway, we pulled our bikes to side to take some rest. Then we topped up the engine oil, lubed chains, streched bodies, muched few chocs along with redbull and glucose and started from there at 11:00 A.M on 24-11-2011 Meanwhile we called up Abhinav and found that he was somewhere past Hosur and lots of traffic, and reached reached the toll gate of elevated flyover at 11.45am with a smile hoping he'd be able to complete the SS1600 as he had 500km and 7 hours left to complete them. Once on the flyover he switched on his GPS and plotted the course to Bangalore New Airport and voila! The GPS guided him through thick and thin without a single mistake on its part but it was tough for him to cope with the sheer volume of traffic on ridiculously congested roads with construction happening left right and centre.
Finally holding his nerve, he reached new town Yelahanka petrol station at around 1pm and luckily so as his bike was on reserve much before he reached Yelahanka! He took his time to regain his composure, made a few calls to Ram, Vinu and loved ones, had couple of red bulls, mars bars and washed his face as well as not forgetting to take photos. More than anything he rested his bike for one hour before he made his way back to home sweet home but not before doing the math that he still had around 450km to cover in 5 hours which even on a good day is a challenge! hoping that everything goes good with Abhinav we started the return leg of our ride!
Me and Ram stopped at Madurai to fill up the tanks and we headed towards Salem which is the end point of our SS1600k. We reached salem with around 4 P.M by which we completed SS1600k with 3 hours left and we were very happy and confident that we will be able to complete BB2500k with an ease as we were left with 700kms which we should complete under 14 hrs which seemed to be a peice of cake, then we started riding towards Banglore and at the same time fatigue started to set in, so we took few breaks in middle to have tea and to have the food we were carrying and we reached banglore at 7:00 P.M and stopped at a fuel stop in banglore, called up Abhinav and by that time he reached Hyderabad thus finsihing the SaddleSore1600k.
Then we were left with 12 hrs in which we should complete close to 600kms, then we tanked up the bikes and headed towards Hyderabad from the middle of Banglore, its then we tasted the Banglore traffic, it took us nearly 3 hrs to reach the outskirts of banglore considering the fact that its the peak traffic time and at the same time we were not well versed with route of Banglore and thus we reached Banglore outskirts by 10:00 P.M. Then we were left with 550kms which is to be covered under 9 hours, then we kept on riding till Anantapur where we filled up tanks and finished our formailites then the time was somwhere close to 12:00 midnight, so we should cover some good 350kms under 7 hours, but slowly fatigue started showing up and its then we decided not at all to risk ourselves so we took ample breaks whenever we felt sleepy (we stopped for every 30kms till we reach Kurnool), then we stopped by a tea stall had 2 cups of strong tea and then we running tight on time and dont know what happend to us sleep dissapeared and the only thing in our mind was to complete the BB and reach home safely and after that point we never got sleep. We reached hyderabad by 5:OO A.M on 25-11-2011 and soon we reached Chegunta (which is 50kms from Hdyerabad) which was our end point for BB2500k at 6:00 A.M ,took the atm reciepts which had the time and date stamp took the pics of the odo meter and thus the challenge is done!
The seemingly impossible obstacles have been overcome! Months of planning, days of efforts and there they are! It is an ecstatic moment and our hunger for tarmac was satisfied temporarily though and thus…
Ram in his own words "After I bought my CBR in May, I met some really interesting people (read bikers). Initially I found them to be just bikers but soon after a couple of weeks got to know them more and more. End conclusion was that they're much more than just bikers. I saw the real meaning of brotherhood. Now we (bikers from Hyderabad) are a family. We hang out every so often, whenever possible not just to talk about the bikes but we end up doing much more".
Harsha in his own words "This itch began for me when I did an interstate ride along with Abhinav but at that time I couldnt proceed as no one from AP have done it till then,but after Vinu have done both BB2500 and SS1600, I got confidence and then I decided to do it. I couldn't risk doing something like this solo and I don't think I'll be able to find two great friends ever! Meeting these like minded individuals was a no brainer in the beginning but we now end up meeting for things like dinner, movies and even for companionship 24/7".
Abhinav in his own words "I wanted to do this for myself and not for a certificate from the IBA, I just wanted to push myself and know my limits but when doing these it was very important to have friends who're there for me, always! I made some great friends in the process, Kiran who's helped us out like no other during Harsha's crash and during mine. People sharing the same passions tend to transcend the boundaries of friendship much faster and I'm grateful for this. In all Harsha and Ram are more than just great friends to me". - Harsha Sree Share on FacebookRelated posts: |
| Hyosung GT 650N Bags ‘Best Import Bike of the Year – 2011’ Award from NDTV Posted: 22 Dec 2011 10:16 AM PST
Original Source: Hyosung GT 650N Bags 'Best Import Bike of the Year – 2011' Award from NDTV from BikeAdvice.in Hyosung officially forayed into the Indian market in the month of April this year amidst much fanfare. Hyosung is brought into the Indian market by Garware Motors. Garware Motors Ltd is a fully owned subsidiary of Garware Bestretch Ltd. Garware Motors Limited has marked a foray into the fast growing automobile segment by entering the niche segment of powerful and inspirational bikes. Garware Motors has entered into a partnership with S&T Motors, South Korea, manufacturers of the Hyosung brand – a brand which has earned a reputation amongst the global biking fraternity. The brand has gained excellent acceptance in the markets of US, South America, UK, Australia as well as many Asian countries where it has gained a wide acceptance among its customers.
The company got in with two models for the Indian market – a sportbike GT650R and the ST7, a cruiser. Though they were initially well appreciated, their pricing strategy was considered to be the major drawback for the company. But, still the company played a monopoly game for atleast a couple of months until Kawasaki launched its Ninja 650R which gave a perfect blow for the company. But, a couple of months back Hyosung came up with an amazing revival strategy. The company launched its naked streetbike GT650N which is all same as the GT 650R, except the fact that there is no fairing and is a perfect looking aggressive naked bike. Presently, there is no competitor for this particular product in the sub – continent. There are huge chances for Suzuki to be the next brand which will come up with a baked bike into the market but that too will be a 250 cc bike. Now, the news is that Hyosung GT650N has been awarded as the 'Best Import Bike of the Year – 2011' by NDTV. A latest press release from the company says -'Men your machines are here' and now even the world agrees to it. GT 650 N, a product of Hyosung in association with Garware Motors has won the NDTV "Car and Bikes" import two wheeler of the year award. Hyosung GT 650 N was facing some stiff competition in this category, but overcoming all odds GT 650N has won the hearts of the Judge and jury members and convincingly to win the best import bike of the year award. The GT 650N's aggressive styling looks great and comes alive with the 650 cc engine which performs brilliantly. Commenting on the occasion Ms. Diya Garware, Managing Director, Garware Motors said, "We were very confident that the GT 650N is a very good product and it will stand a very good chance of winning the award in the respective category. This is an acknowledgement of our world class products and we are very thrilled at having won this award and I m sure that there are many more to come. We at Garware Motors always aimed at giving better products to our customer and this award stands as a testimony of our dedication towards our customers." The company has also announced a special discount for the GT650N by pricing it attractively at 3.80 lakhs (Ex – Showroom Price). This offer has been running since the beginning of this month and will go on till the end of this year. This is an added advantage for the company to build its reputation here in the Indian market. The price quoted here is very much appreciated and is worth spending the buck on it. We've got news that Hyosung will be launching the GT250, the lower powered version of the GT650R. Let's hope that this brand becomes a great hit in the market as well. Congrats to the company on this fete accomplished. Regards, Related posts: |
| Hero Motocorp is Struggling in the 125-250cc Segment Posted: 22 Dec 2011 12:36 AM PST
Original Source: Hero Motocorp is Struggling in the 125-250cc Segment from BikeAdvice.in Hero Motocorp. country's largest two wheeler manufacturer is yet to prove itself in 125-250cc segment. The company is losing market share in 125cc & above segment on continuous basis. The company has sold 23,860 units in the month of November 2011 compared to 34,116 units sold in the month of January 2011 in the domestic market which reflects de growth of 30%. Notably that company has products like CBZ extreme, Achiever, Hunk, Karizma and now the company has added Impulse to this segment. Despite having five brands the company is not able to compete with its competitors in this segment.
In fact competition is doing much better than Hero Moto corp. Bajaj Auto sold 1,34,506 units in November 2011 compared to 1,01,970 units sold in January 2011 in the domestic market which reflects growth of 31.90%. This is on the back of strong sales of Pulsar series, Discover 125, 150cc, Avenger and recently launched Boxer 150cc. HMSI (Honda Motorcycle and Scooters India Ltd) and Yamaha (India Yamaha Motors ltd) has sold 59,267 and 22,688 units compared to 37,597 and 18,120 units sold in the month of January 2011 respectively which reflects growth of 57.64% and 25.33%. HMSI has strong product like Honda Shine, Stunner, Unicorn, Unicorn Dazzler, Honda CBR250R in this segment. Yamaha's growth story is attributed to strong sales of SZ and FZ series it also has Fazer and R15 in this segment. The reasons, why Hero Motocorp is losing market share in 125cc & above segment are, strong competition, poor brand recall in 125cc & above segment and focus on rural sales. Rural sales account for nearly 45-50% of total sales, which is 20-30% in case of competition. But this is the single reason why the company is still market leader and outperforming in 75-125cc segment. It has sold more than 4,60,000 units domestically in the month of November 2011 in this segment which is, much above than competition. In fact the total of all competitors cannot make half of Hero Motocorp's sales in this segment. For example, Bajaj Auto sold 94,343 units and HMSI sold 12,478 units domestically in November 2011 in this segment. Hero Motocorp is riding high in this segment because of strong brand recall of splendor, passion and CD 100 which has strong presence in rural segment. With the launch of Hero Impulse, Hero Motocrp wants to strengthen its position in 125cc & above segment. However, the competition is preparing to launch new products in 75-125cc and 125-250cc segment. Bajaj Auto is going to launch new Pulsar and KTM Duke in 125-250cc segment while HMSI is preparing to launch two new motorcycles with one 100cc motorcycle which will directly compete with Splendor. 2012 will be the year which will see strong consolidation as far as market share is concerned. - Mahavir Kothari Source: NDTV Proft Share on FacebookRelated posts: |
| Countdown Begins For Delhi Auto Expo 2012 Posted: 21 Dec 2011 08:11 PM PST
Original Source: Countdown Begins For Delhi Auto Expo 2012 from BikeAdvice.in The curtain raiser event for the upcoming Delhi Auto Expo 2012 happened yesterday with a press conference which happened today. This Expo is considered to be 'The' most important one for India as this is where most of the Indian two wheeler and four wheeler manufacturers find the ideal place to launch their new products.
The theme for 2012 Delhi Auto Expo is 'Mobility for all'. This edition of the expo will see around 50 new launches which includes both two and four wheelers. There will also be 1500 participants from around 24 different countries displaying their products here. India-specific products are also to be unveiled simultaneously for the first time since the inception of Auto Expo. Component manufacturers belonging to this sector will also be announcing a big list major innovations and break-through products in their respective fields, especially their efforts in the area of green technology. A massive surge of overseas participation, bigger contingents from Germany and China, besides a strong presence of Indian manufacturers have all resulted in a complete booking of space at the venue -16 halls, the 10 hangers and the outdoor space in total comprising 115000 square meters, Aligning with the theme of 'Mobility for All", Mr Rajive Kaul, Chairman, Steering committee, Auto Expo 2012, highlighted during this press meet. Mr S.Sandilya, President, SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers) said that. 'International attention on the Indian automotive industry is perhaps at its peak today at the Indian market, with the developed markets either stagnant or declining due to frequent recessions. India is one of the few markets in the world which is growing and also has a vast growth potential in the years to come. Therefore, the world is looking at India to drive future global growth in the auto sector. Almost every foreign vehicle manufacturer has a presence in India, and companies who do not yet have a presence in India are expected to enter shortly. All eyes are currently on India considering its growing potential that these manufacturers observe here'.
He also added that with the current lull in the market, the Auto Expo will aim to generate excitement and fulfil the aspirations of the Indian consumers with the Theme of "Mobility for All" and will also position India as a champion of Green Mobility, with a focus on alternative fuels, Electric and Hybrid Mobility etc, which is a national as well as a global imperative today. It's not only the Indian automobile manufacturers who have gone global in the recent past, but the component makers as well either in the form of collaborations or acquisitions. Global component manufacturers like Visteon, Delphi, Magna or Continental either have a dedicated business here or are in tie ups with Indian component manufacturers. Apart from these manufacturers, tyre majors like Michelin, Bridgestone, Pirelli, Dunlop, Continental, as well Indian heavyweights like Apollo, JK, MRF etc too have carved their space in the Indian automotive industry, the Indian companies even gaining international foothold. Increased attention on India is a result of the tremendous growth shown by India, especially when global markets are reeling under severe economic downturns. Exhibitors from the auto component industry have a strong presence in Auto Expo 2012. Some of the major component manufacturers out of the sub – continent from nations which includes Belarus, Canada, People's Republic of China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey and UAE are also marking their presence in the 11th Auto Expo. Making it, a truly "India's global Automotive show" Mentioned Mr Arvind Kapur, President ACMA, during his address. The upcoming auto expo saw major future prospects which are truly with the venue bursting at its seams with massive bookings. Component manufacturers will be announcing major innovations in their respective fields, especially their efforts in the area of green technology, which is considered to be the need of the hour.
Now, let's ge to know a little bit about the history and story of this expo. The auto show is jointly organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) along with the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA). It is the only show in India accredited by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles (OICA). The International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers was founded in Paris in 1919 and its membership which comprises of 41 national trade associations around the world, including all major automobile manufacturing nations. Mr Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII said during his address to the media that around 1500 participants from 24 countries will be taking part in the show. Companies from Germany, People Republic of China, Canada, France, Italy, Japan and the UK have confirmed their participation. Auto Expo is rededicating the first day of the show (January 5th) as a Goodwill Day as in the previous edition. Although the first day is open exclusively for the media, it would also be open to those who are physically challenged. This move is deserves a special appreciation and Team BikeAdvice supports this move strongly. Apart from the innovative additions to the show, it would have its usual focused pavilions. These will include pavilions for accessories, audio, alternate fuel, gas technologies, design, IT, diesel, garage equipment and the popular 'asli-naqli' pavilion. Mr Vikram Kirloskar, Vice President, SIAM, delivered the concluding remarks and said that like in the past the 11th Auto Expo will also showcase future vehicles that will be launched in Indian market during the coming months and years and it is hoped that the event will be a harbinger of revival of the industry in the new year. Regards, Related posts: |
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