Hero Honda Hunk

Today morning I went to the nearest Hero Honda showroom and I got myself a test ride of the new Hero Honda Hunk. Hunk is a 150 cc bike from Hero Honda and costs Rs.55000 (ex-showroom). It has a self start and kick start model.

How does it look?
I was really astonished by the great looks of the Hero Honda Hunk. Stylish and majestic are the first words that anyone would utter from their mouths on the first looks of Hunk. The side skirts (called shoulders by Hero Honda) in the tank are the most noticeable feature of the bike. It is sharp and curved which gives a really good muscular and sporty look. In my opinion it looks better than Pulsar, CBZ or any other bike in the 150 cc range.

The butterfly like head light design looks like the head light of Karizma but, it is slighly smaller in size. While riding the bike I felt that that the doom is slightly smaller compared to the size of the tank, but this does not affect its external appearance.

The alloy wheels look great. Nowadays alloy wheels have become the standard in every bike in the premium segment. The tail portion of the bike looks unique and some may like and some may not.

How does it perform?
When I took the bile out for the test ride, the first thing that I noticed was the responsiveness of the throttle. It is very sensitive and the engine responds even for the slightest twist. Even though it is just 150 cc, the pickup is quite good in comparison to other bikes. The bike does not vibrate until the speeds of 80 kmph, but after that it becomes a little unstable. For Indian riding conditions, most of the time we would be driving the bike only around 60 kmph!

Hunk boasts a 5 speed gear box with the usual 1 down, 4 up gear shift pattern. The clutch is smooth and gears can be shifted with the slightest effort in the foot. The front wheel has a 240 mm disc break and rear wheel has a 130 mm drum breaks. In my opinion it gives enough safety for Indian road conditions.

How does it feel?
The cushioned seats are very comfortable and in my opinion you can use this bike for long distance travel. The handle bar positions and foot rests are ergonomically designed to keep your body comfortable as much as possible. Hero Honda Hunk is most suited for youngsters, especially college students. The front seat is separated from the back seat by a step and hence it makes a bad choice for a family man to buy it (when he needs to have 2 kids and 1 wife in the same bike!).

How does it stand out?
The bike claims to have a 'big bike feel' which is the most sought after feature in the Indian bikes today. It boasts of puncture resistant tires for tough riding. Many bikes feature 'gas reservoir suspension' nowadays and the Hero Honda Hunk is no exception! Gas reservoir suspension claims to give a 'smoother' ride. Hunk features tumble flow induction technology which combines air and fuel to give a surge of adrenaline pumping pickup. The bike comes in red, blue, black and silver.

The new BMW active hybrid X6

Even more efficient and powerful

With the new BMW Active Hybrid X6, you’ll never need to sacrifice power for efficiency. The newest hybrid houses a 400 horsepower TwinPower Turbocharged V-8 engine, has 450 lb-ft of torque and uses 20% less fuel than comparable gasoline-powered vehicles.

BMW X6 M vs Infiniti FX vs Porsche Cayennevs Range Rover

Just found the video-competition / drag race / from Autocar.co.uk.

SUV drag race featuring such vehicles as new BMW X6 M. See video:

Waiting for your comments ;)

Hero Honda Karizma Bike

How does it look
Indian bikers always wished for a bike like this, a real sporty looking bike, and their dreams have come true with the Hero Honda Karizma. On the first look, people would comment that the bike looks like a fighter jet! The air pocket in the front of the tank has been very precisely carved to blend aerodynamics with beauty.

Hero Honda's Engineers have put in several months of work in developing their flagship model Karizma. It is not easy to bring a foreign style to India without compromising the engine capacity and mileage (which are the most important factors for Indian bikes). The is technically the first bike in India in which the doom blends with the main body of the bike. One big advantage of this is that the handle bars are free to turn because there is no extra weight attached to it (like the head light and dashboard). Hero Honda Karizma is the first bike in India which came with pre-installed alloy wheels.

I like the tail part of Hero Honda Karizma very much. This is perhaps the only bike in India which features dual tail lamps. When you look at the tail part, it does look like a jet. The slogan 'Jet Set Go' is perfect. The seat is little raised for the pillion rider which gives it a really sporty look. The bike has been so perfectly designed that I could not imagine a suggestion for improvement. Considering the overall size of the bike, the tail part does seem to have the right size. In Pulsar, you can notice that the tail is too small compared to the size of its tank, but in Karizma the proportion of the sizes of various parts is perfect.


How does it perform
I can talk about performance all day long, because I have been personally using Hero Honda Karizma for the past four years! But I will try to keep this short and only highlight the main points.

Karizma is undoubtedly the bike with the highest horse power in India. (Considering bikes within the 1 Lakh Range). For a bike of 223 cc, 17 hp is really great! While driving, you can feel the surge of acceleration (and the surge of adrenalin!). You feel like like Hrithik Roshan if you give a full twist to the throttle. My Karizma is the first to dash of when the signal turns green, while others try to catch up with me, I look back to see that they are left far behind!

This bike is suitable both for city riding and riding in highways. As you put the fifth gear and slowly accelerate, the bike maintains its stability upto 110 Kmph, but later it gets a little shaky. I have personally tried going upto 125 Kmph, even though the claimed maximum speed is higher, I wouldn't recommend anyone to go faster than 110.

Looking into the dash board of the Hero Honda Karizma, we can see 2 dials, a RPM meter and a Speedometer and next to it is the digital panel which displays Fuel, a Trip meter, total distance and a digital clock! I really love the clock, I do not need to leave the handle bars to check the time in my wrist while driving! Visit the Karizma Photo Gallery to see pictures of the dash board.

The high beam and neutral indicators are situated in the speedometer dial. The indicators are bright enough so that you can easily see its status in bright sunlight.

Some people may think that such fast sport bikes are risky, but in my opinion, Hero Honda Karizma is the safest bike in India. Provided with adequate wheel base and body weight, the bike comes to halt easily from very high speeds without losing any stability.


How does it stand out

For people who love this bike, it is really hard to admire the competition. Right now Pulsar 220cc seems to be the only competition for Karizma, but I would say that it does not even stand a chance with this legend.

Hero Honda Karizma high cost and size is not just for the looks and power. Along with it you also get something priceless the Self Confidence and the King of the Road feeling. If in your college or institution, you are the only one with a Karizma, imagine the kind of feeling of uniqueness you will get. People will admire you for your bike and you will be known as The man who rides the Karizma.

Too many people have already bought Pulsars, CBZs and Apaches. If you are planning to buy a 150cc bike, wait for a few months, raise some more money and go for the best. Because great people drive great bikes.

Yamaha R15 Bike

Heart on race, wheel on fire

An open invitation for public display of amazing power and engine performance is right here and it’s knocking on your pulse. And, every motorbike lover will love to own the head turning Yamaha R15 from the Yamaha’s portfolio!

Key Features
Watch it voodoo and cast a spell of magic with its forged-piston engine as the powerful 150 cc engine rides past you. If the look doesn’t, the sound will make you crazy about it. The R15 comes with a 150cc Liquid-Cooled robust Yamaha engine which gives you possibly the best ride over rugged terrains, gulled stretches and Indian roads. So who goes to Latasha next?

The Yamaha R15 is a classic 4-Stroke, Single Cylinder and 4-Valve, Fuel-Injected Engine, which means you are contributing in the anti pollution movement with the world! The bike is equipped with forged aluminum pistons in the engine which is usually a sports biking technology, a Delta box frame that offers you solid rigidity and 6-speed gear box, which lets you, well, just zoom through the road.

Great features and outstanding style constitutes this functional genius, which comes directly from the workstation of one of the largest automobile giant, The Yamaha has an awesome torque of 17 bhp from the advanced liquid-cooled 149.8cc engine and you can be sure that it wouldn’t let you down. Featured with liquid cooled engine, that is first of its kind for a two-wheeler technology in India, it performs amazingly well on a rough terrain, without giving much noise. And what more, the absorption of shocks is superb and a rider rarely feels the shocks transmitted to him. No wonder it’s a hot favorite.

Design
The most discussed bikes amongst the bike circles and even the college goers; the Yamaha R15 bike is stealing in looks. Bestowed with a perfect envious body, the Yamaha R15 is all set to hit the road. And soon in the near times the competitors may have to run for their money in the bike market. With the dreamy thing that R15 is, no doubt, the R15 is every bike lover’s dream-come-true bike, at least on roads of India.

Conclusion
No wonder, with its motocross suspension, its superb features and eye ogling style, this is just? Whoa, what a bike?

TVS Apache RTR 160 Fi Bike

The TVS Apache RTR 160 is an excellent sports bike by TVS with a good speed and powerful engine. With looks and design to suit the fancy of almost every kind of user it gives a perfect user sensibility for both family as well as fun riders.


Design and Form

The overall dimensions of the TVS Apache RTR 160 give absolute user comfort. The new Apache RTR comes with some exciting new features like a digital speedometer, petal shaped disc breaks and a clip on the handlebar for different positions. The rear has split grab rail, a made over silencer and LED tail lamps. Not to forget the eye catching colors that it comes in.


Key Features

The bike comes with a 159.7CC engine that is powerful and develops a good torque. When compared to the Apache it has less of stroke and an increased bore. An increased wheel base makes place for a longer swing arm thereby making the bike more stable.
The new Apache has been upgraded with an EFI or Electronic Fuel Injection technology that enhances the power of this motorbike. The bike also gets the name TVS Apache RTR 160Fi due to this technology.




Other Features


The TVS Apache RTR 160 not only comes with an added digital speedometer it also has a clock, odometer, fuel gauge, an analog tachometer and two trip meters. A Naked chain cover, rear disk brakes, and a tank cowl are some of the other interesting features. Useful features like service and battery indicator also make this bike more user friendly.



Verdict


Inclusion of the latest empowering technology and enhancement of ergonomic features makes the TVS Apache RTR 160Fi more sought after. The bike is priced reasonably compared to its features and specifications and is aimed at the rider who wants a fine balance of a family vehicle, efficiency and style.

Bajaj Pulsar 180 dts-i Bike

Bajaj Pulsar 180 DTSi is a visual treat with its mean muscular aerodynamic shape. Apart from the smashing look, Pulsar has lighter yet stronger alloy wheels, which when coupled with the longest wheelbase (1330mm) enhance the stability of the bike and at the same time make it more agile.

Key Features

The Bajaj Pulsar 180 dtsi places itself on par with other high end bikes and has a full throttle feel. The stronger alloy wheel coupled with a long wheelbase of 1330mm enhances the stability of the bike and also makes it more agile. One can sit with ease on the bike with its superior Shock absorption which reduces the vibrations to a minimum. The engine is improved with a stable chassis, a new design magnesium alloy wheel and Nitrox shock absorbers, rear suspension with triple-rated springs for handling extreme road conditions and terrain. The pillion seating is comfortable and the bike provides a mileage of about 45-50kmpl.

Whiling away, in its own devilish glory, the Bajaj Pulsar 180 DTS-I has a decent fuel efficiency and gives an average of 45-50 km per every liter of fuel. To its credit off course goes a cool acceleration t and linear and enough power on all the gears!


Design

As always, the pulsar is made to look sleek and cunning on the road. Robust, tough and looks like a devil that?s set to devour, the Bajaj Pulsar 180 DTS-I is really on. The Bajaj Pulsar 180cc is elegant in its looks with aerodynamic shape and has a flush-fitted tail lamp that?s kinda cool. The bike has an LCD speedo and tachometer console and the fuel tank gives the muscular shaped body to it, that you so go gaga about. The black styling provides the bike a sleek as well as subtle aggression and its scanty dashboard layout and a lighter yet stronger alloy wheels calls for low maintenance, as it wouldn?t rust. Switches are convenient for use and there is a tacho; a beam flasher.

Conclusion

Good looks, stunning style and great performance make the Bajaj Pulsar 180 DTS-i, a great bike. It?s sporty, it?s functional and its fuel efficient and all set to put you on the move. It may look a little on the lighter side while on the toad, but on the whole, its just what you would like to have if you want a bike, that?s both roaring in engine and stealing in style.