Hi,
I am writing from Leh.
You can see the day 1's proceedings at http://www.bikeindia.in/travel
The above link will be updated with day2's ride tomm
We did Khardungla Pass today (18000+feet) and will be riding to Pangong Tso lake tomorrow
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Update: Riding to the roof of the world
Updated at 5:15pm/22nd August local time
In fifteen min, I will be off to the airport. I land in New Delhi at 9:10pm local time. Hopefully should be in bed by 12 mid night and get four hours of sleep!
My bike is on its way and will be delivered at my Delhi home by evening.
Leh, here i come....
PS: Bookmark http://bikeindia.in/travel to read the updates daily. I might not get enough time to update this blog.
In fifteen min, I will be off to the airport. I land in New Delhi at 9:10pm local time. Hopefully should be in bed by 12 mid night and get four hours of sleep!
My bike is on its way and will be delivered at my Delhi home by evening.
Leh, here i come....
PS: Bookmark http://bikeindia.in/travel to read the updates daily. I might not get enough time to update this blog.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Riding to the roof of the world and beyond!
All those who have been following my plans of riding to the worlds highest motorable road and beyond, here is the final itinerary
Sat : Delhi - Manali
Sun : Manali - Sarchu
Mon : Sarchu - Leh
Tues : Leh - Khardung La - Leh
Wed : Leh - Chang La - Pangong Tso
Thu : Pangong Tso - Phobrang - Marsimek La - Phobrang - Chang La - Leh
Fri : Leh - Sarchu
Sat : Sarchu - Manali
Sun : Manali - Delhi
We will riding through numerous mountain passes, the highest being 18,634 feet or 5646 meters about mean sea level. Yes, the Himalayas can make the alps look minute!
I, along with five others leave tomm morning (Saturday morning). I will try to keep you guys updated on the trip. You may catch my ride on www.bikeindia.in/travel
Sat : Delhi - Manali
Sun : Manali - Sarchu
Mon : Sarchu - Leh
Tues : Leh - Khardung La - Leh
Wed : Leh - Chang La - Pangong Tso
Thu : Pangong Tso - Phobrang - Marsimek La - Phobrang - Chang La - Leh
Fri : Leh - Sarchu
Sat : Sarchu - Manali
Sun : Manali - Delhi
We will riding through numerous mountain passes, the highest being 18,634 feet or 5646 meters about mean sea level. Yes, the Himalayas can make the alps look minute!
I, along with five others leave tomm morning (Saturday morning). I will try to keep you guys updated on the trip. You may catch my ride on www.bikeindia.in/travel
Monday, August 18, 2008
Bike India Sep 2008 Issue
Here is the September Issue of Bike India magazine. It should be out on the stands in the next 2-3 days.
If any one needs a copy, shoot an Email to bunnypunia@gmail.com
In the meantime, do have a look at the WEBSITE as well
Monday, August 11, 2008
India : Stunts on the good old Bajaj Pulsar 180
India may be deprived of good powerful motorcycles but there are riders who know how to play around and tame small capacity bikes. See this video for wheelies and stoppies on the Bajaj Pulsar 180. Yep, no riding gear, but their skill is mind-blowing
Guys, if you are watching this, a request from us to invest a few thousand bucks into a good set of riding gear please!
Guys, if you are watching this, a request from us to invest a few thousand bucks into a good set of riding gear please!
Saturday, August 9, 2008
The Ninja 250 comes as an answer to the RD350, after 25yrs?
I have a Karizma for the last five years. A decently powerful 17bhp bike that has served me well. But it’s human and natural to get bored of a handful of horses in five years. My colleagues pester me into buying something more powerful but with no affordable option available in India, I have no option but to squeeze each single horsepower of the 223cc engine each day to somewhat satisfy the enthusiast in me.
While searching some info on the Yamaha RD350 (yes the same mosquito-killing smoke fuming bike that can still lick every single bike being manufactured in India), I happened to come across this particular website. The next two hours were spent reading every single page followed by an hour trying to search for the author who it seems loved being anonymous. But whosoever he is, I salute you buddy!
His love (and hate) for not only two-wheels, but other things in life (including the mighty lord) has been expressed beautiful, with sarcasm as well as love. But what really caught my eye was the page on the RD. Not only has the gentleman enlighten me more on the bike, but is now a source of inspiration on how to ‘write’. No really!
Coming back to the point, way back in 1983 (incidentally the year when I was born), there was a tie-up between Yamaha and Rajdoot. The good thing was the bike that was born out of the marriage of two brands, a 39bhp two-stroke twin-cylinder 350cc bike. The bad thing was that the bike lived up to its advertisement – for a ‘few’ that like to live their dreams. It seems the ‘few’ were hardly a few hundred bikers. The bike was a failure. The ‘few’ ones who went ahead, making a laughing stock of themselves at that time are exactly the one who can kick the butt of each and every sorry arsed excuse for a bike launched since then in India.
The original 39bhp bike was dead for India. A few changes to the exhaust port and the HT (high torque) model was born. It lost 8.5bhp but was still faster than anything an Indian had felt between his groins. It sold a tad more bikes than the original model till its habit of guzzling petrol came out in the limelight. The HT too died. Yamaha engineers were back to work again. Work was done on the exhaust port and the ignition timing and hence the low torque (LT) was born. A full twelve brake-horsepower down than the original one, the LT was still good for around 140km/h or so.
The LT, as compared to the original bike, was a joy to ride at low revs. Power was available on tap for city riding, though you felt as if the bike hit a wall at around 6000rpm or so. But it sold well till the time it was taken off the market for being too expensive on the pocket. The bike still lives on in every hard-core nut’s heart. The lucky few who have managed to maintain the killer machine well or managed to add some dope in the form of modifications are laughing away to glory raping other so called performance machines in India.
An electric start, or discs, or half fairing doesn’t make a bike go fast. Goodies can never be compensated for performance. Bikes came and went, but nothing came close to the RD. True, most RD than run on the road are kept in a horrible state by the owners but if you know the ones who run and keep an RD the way it deserves to be, then you surely understand what I am talking about. If you are one of those who want to feel your hair stand every time the throttle is pinned or feel its time you tasted real blood, I will be frank – the probability of you finding a decently maintained RD is even less than finding one cop in Pune wearing a helmet on the bike.
This doesn’t mean the future for bike nuts in India is a doomed one. There was a bike being sold by Kawasaki abroad for the last 18 years – a 250cc parallel twin bike good enough to keep up with the likes of the RD. It got a much awaited makeover and is all set to hit our roads soon. Yep, the minuscule little baby Ninja 250. It may not send shivers down you spine like the RD, but for Rs 2lakh for a brand new legal small superbike managing 30odd horses will a full fairing is a good deal. The old 250 managed a 6odd second 0-100km/h sprint with a genuine 160km/h capability. I don’t see why the latest 250 (even with revised tuning for environment protecting norms) should still be at par with the best of restored RDs on the acceleration and top speed stakes. Add in better handling, comfort and reliability and your wait for a bike different from the usual tight-tummied screwed-up mopeds seems worth it.
May I add that after market performance add-ons like full exhaust system are already out for the Ninja and with a potential to add another half a dozen horses to the parallel twin engine, the Ninja 250 might well be the answer to the RD350 in India, after a full quarter of a sanctuary. The only way I can keep myself from laughing after writing the last line is by thinking, “better late than never”….
RELATED LINKS:
Read more about the Ninja 250R
My Casio Riseman
The R15 goes touring
I love CARS too!
While searching some info on the Yamaha RD350 (yes the same mosquito-killing smoke fuming bike that can still lick every single bike being manufactured in India), I happened to come across this particular website. The next two hours were spent reading every single page followed by an hour trying to search for the author who it seems loved being anonymous. But whosoever he is, I salute you buddy!
His love (and hate) for not only two-wheels, but other things in life (including the mighty lord) has been expressed beautiful, with sarcasm as well as love. But what really caught my eye was the page on the RD. Not only has the gentleman enlighten me more on the bike, but is now a source of inspiration on how to ‘write’. No really!
Coming back to the point, way back in 1983 (incidentally the year when I was born), there was a tie-up between Yamaha and Rajdoot. The good thing was the bike that was born out of the marriage of two brands, a 39bhp two-stroke twin-cylinder 350cc bike. The bad thing was that the bike lived up to its advertisement – for a ‘few’ that like to live their dreams. It seems the ‘few’ were hardly a few hundred bikers. The bike was a failure. The ‘few’ ones who went ahead, making a laughing stock of themselves at that time are exactly the one who can kick the butt of each and every sorry arsed excuse for a bike launched since then in India.
The original 39bhp bike was dead for India. A few changes to the exhaust port and the HT (high torque) model was born. It lost 8.5bhp but was still faster than anything an Indian had felt between his groins. It sold a tad more bikes than the original model till its habit of guzzling petrol came out in the limelight. The HT too died. Yamaha engineers were back to work again. Work was done on the exhaust port and the ignition timing and hence the low torque (LT) was born. A full twelve brake-horsepower down than the original one, the LT was still good for around 140km/h or so.
The LT, as compared to the original bike, was a joy to ride at low revs. Power was available on tap for city riding, though you felt as if the bike hit a wall at around 6000rpm or so. But it sold well till the time it was taken off the market for being too expensive on the pocket. The bike still lives on in every hard-core nut’s heart. The lucky few who have managed to maintain the killer machine well or managed to add some dope in the form of modifications are laughing away to glory raping other so called performance machines in India.
An electric start, or discs, or half fairing doesn’t make a bike go fast. Goodies can never be compensated for performance. Bikes came and went, but nothing came close to the RD. True, most RD than run on the road are kept in a horrible state by the owners but if you know the ones who run and keep an RD the way it deserves to be, then you surely understand what I am talking about. If you are one of those who want to feel your hair stand every time the throttle is pinned or feel its time you tasted real blood, I will be frank – the probability of you finding a decently maintained RD is even less than finding one cop in Pune wearing a helmet on the bike.
This doesn’t mean the future for bike nuts in India is a doomed one. There was a bike being sold by Kawasaki abroad for the last 18 years – a 250cc parallel twin bike good enough to keep up with the likes of the RD. It got a much awaited makeover and is all set to hit our roads soon. Yep, the minuscule little baby Ninja 250. It may not send shivers down you spine like the RD, but for Rs 2lakh for a brand new legal small superbike managing 30odd horses will a full fairing is a good deal. The old 250 managed a 6odd second 0-100km/h sprint with a genuine 160km/h capability. I don’t see why the latest 250 (even with revised tuning for environment protecting norms) should still be at par with the best of restored RDs on the acceleration and top speed stakes. Add in better handling, comfort and reliability and your wait for a bike different from the usual tight-tummied screwed-up mopeds seems worth it.
May I add that after market performance add-ons like full exhaust system are already out for the Ninja and with a potential to add another half a dozen horses to the parallel twin engine, the Ninja 250 might well be the answer to the RD350 in India, after a full quarter of a sanctuary. The only way I can keep myself from laughing after writing the last line is by thinking, “better late than never”….
RELATED LINKS:
Read more about the Ninja 250R
My Casio Riseman
The R15 goes touring
I love CARS too!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Michael Schumacher crashes on a Fireblade
Michael Schumacher’s latest road racing venture didn’t start too well as this picture, taken by Kel Edge shows.
Schumacher crashed, unhurt, during a timed qualifying session for the Oschersleben Eight Hour race, a round of the World Endurance Championship.
The former Formula One World Champion superstar is riding a Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade for German team, Holzhauer Racing, teamed with current German superbike champion Martin Bauer and Matthias v Hammerstein.
Source : MCN
Interesting Reads
My Casio Riseman
Yamaha YZF-R15 goes touring
The Doctor caught in the act!
More on the new Honda VFR 1000 with V5 engine
Honda has pulled out all the stops to showcase the finest technology ever seen on a road bike with the all-new VFR1000F and touring-spec VFR1000GT motorcycles.
Along with the sexiest VFR yet, Honda has finally succumbed and given us a road motorcycle with a V5 engine derived from the successful 990cc RC211V MotoGP machine.
If that's not enough, they've also linked it to a Ferrari-style push-button gearchange for the fastest, smoothest gearchange yet seen, running through shaft drive with a trademark VFR single-sided swingarm.
To see the full story on these and more of Honda's 2009 motorcycles, pick up a copy of this weeks MCN (August 6), out now.
Honda also has plans for a GT versionWORDS : MCN
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
2009 Honda VFR 1000 V5 revealed!
2009 Husaberg 450 Enduro
When KTM bought Husaberg several years ago, Husaberg loyalists immediately wondered about the direction KTM would take their beloved company. Husaberg had always been a maverick, and employed eccentric design and technology to develop bikes that developed a virtual cult following. For a while, it almost seemed like KTM would let Husaberg die a quiet death.
Now, KTM appears to be using Husaberg as a premium brand employing new, radical technology that may eventually work its way into KTM's own line-up. The 2009 Husaberg 450 Enduro (likely to be called the FE450 in production) is the perfect case in point. What is so radical about the new Husaberg 450? A number of things, really.
As children, we learn about gyroscopic forces while playing with common toys. Spinning a top, for instance, or playing with a yo yo. When an object spins, it creates resistance to movement (inertia). Aprilia, for example, raised the effective center of gravity of its flagship sport bike (the Mille) several years ago in order to make the bike turn better. This confounded many observers, but the fact of the matter is that Aprilia addressed a fairly simple engineering principal regarding location of the crank and its effect on handling.
The new Husaberg design addresses this concept in a radical way. The position of the crank on the new 450 (which actually will displace 448.6cc) has been moved more than a few millimeters (which Aprilia accomplished). In effect, the crank has changed time zones. Nearly four inches higher, and more than six inches rearward of last year's crank position, Husaberg has attempted to place crank inertia precisely at the center of the rolling axis of the new bike. According to a Swede who has been racing the machine (quite successfully) in the World Enduro championship, the new bike handles like a machine of much smaller displacement (think about a 250cc motocrosser versus a 450cc motocrosser). This is precisely why Husaberg undertook the design exercise in the first place.
While radically repositioning the crank shaft, Husaberg designed the new single in a manner that lays the cylinder nearly flat (at a 70° angle). This opened up space for a uniquely placed airbox and fuel tank, which aid performance and further centralize mass. Husaberg is also employing a plastic rear subframe on the new chassis. According to Husaberg, this makes the subframe lighter and stiffer, while allowing a more complex shape that will accommodate the mounting of electric components and closer integration of the muffler system.
So there you have it. KTM is letting Husaberg be Husaberg, after all. This new Enduro model won't be cheap, but it just might be more nimble than any dirt bike of comparable displacement. The new FE450 should go on sale later this year.
SOURCE: MOTORCYCLEDAILY
Casio Riseman in India : Delivered
Last month,, I had written about booking the Riseman (READ). Well, a few days back it was delivered - my own Casio Riseman. And oh boy, am i happy!
See the temperature? 31.4 degrees...Yeah, my office cabin isnt exactly cool!
I always wanted a Casio Protrek - the one with altimeter, barometer and temp display functions and all. But these watches werent available easily in India. And then I saw the Riseman. Tried a lot finding the Casio Riseman in India, but couldnt. Finally, got in touch with an official importer of Casio in India and got mine for Rs 9,995! Yes, expensive, but its worth it.
Pune is a hilly area and my office is on a small hill - 2200 feet above mean sea level
-Has altimeter function - shows your current elevation.
-Has barometer function - shows the atmospheric pressure
-Temp display
-Is solar powered
-Automatic EL : Turning your wrist automatically lightens up the display. Cool feature
-And lots lots more!
If you want the Casio Riseman in India at a special price, shoot me an Email at bunnypunia@gmail.com
See the temperature? 31.4 degrees...Yeah, my office cabin isnt exactly cool! I always wanted a Casio Protrek - the one with altimeter, barometer and temp display functions and all. But these watches werent available easily in India. And then I saw the Riseman. Tried a lot finding the Casio Riseman in India, but couldnt. Finally, got in touch with an official importer of Casio in India and got mine for Rs 9,995! Yes, expensive, but its worth it.
Pune is a hilly area and my office is on a small hill - 2200 feet above mean sea level-Has altimeter function - shows your current elevation.
-Has barometer function - shows the atmospheric pressure
-Temp display
-Is solar powered
-Automatic EL : Turning your wrist automatically lightens up the display. Cool feature
-And lots lots more!
If you want the Casio Riseman in India at a special price, shoot me an Email at bunnypunia@gmail.com
Kawasaki Ninja 250R for India : Read more...
UPDATED : THE BIKE HAS BEEN LAUNCHED. SEE MORE HERE
The August Issue of Bike India Magazine has a ride report on the much awaited Kawasaki Ninja 250R. The bike is headed for India and will be sold through Bajaj's Pro-Biking showrooms soon.
The Ninja got a full revamp last year and definitely is the best 250cc in the world. With a 30odd Bhp twin-cylinder engine, the bike is good for a seven second 0-100km/h sprint with a 160-165km/h top end blast.
Grab the August issue now! For more, visit the website - bikeindia.in
You may also read these links on our blog-
BIKE INDIA AUGUST ISSUE CONTENTS
After market exhausts for the Ninja 250R
Details on the Ninja 250R
2008 GSX-R1000 Team Rizla Suzuki Moto GP replica
Happened to drop by at londonbikers.com
Suzuki has unveiled a new GSX-R1000 Team Rizla Suzuki Moto GP replica limited edition, with just 135 examples coming to UK dealers next week.
Available in the famous 'Rizla dutch blue' colour scheme direct from the factory, the new model features the full 2008 Grand Prix livery (with a paint protection kit), as well as the sought-after Yoshimura Evo exhaust cans, with a limited edition certificate and both Chris Vermulen and Loris Capirossi rider graphics too.
Talking about the special model, Suzuki GB's George Cheeseman commented;
"We are delighted to secure this limited quantity replica. Although the Rizla colour scheme is no stranger to UK riders, this is the very first time an official model has been available in this paint scheme, available with full-factory aftersales support and through authorised UK dealers."
Coming with individually numbered top yoke plaques, the new model is available to order through all authorised dealers with immediate effect. More information on the Team Rizla Suzuki Moto GP GSX-R1000 Limited Edition can be found by visiting www.suzuki.co.uk
RELATED LINKS
Limited Edition GSX-R1000
GSX-R125?
2008 GSX-R600 and GSX-R750
Friday, August 1, 2008
2008 Honda MD250H ridden
We told you about the 2008 Honda Moriwaki MD250 HERE and HERE
Motorbox recently got to ride the Honda MD250.
The MD250 comes with the engine used on bikes like the Honda CRF250X. The four-stroke, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder 249cc engine is specially tuned and fettled by Moriwaki, for the MD250H.
At $11699, it aint cheap though.
Read the whole ride report HERE
Image : Motorbox
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