Ducati Diavel - the video

Enjoyed the pics and details HERE
You will surely love this video then..

Ducati Diavel launched - the monster within!

Love cruisers? Love naked power monsters? Well, after years of speculation and months of teaser spy photos, Ducati’s first cruiser in a generation was officially announced today, and it may send the most hardened anti-cruiser hecklers into the nearest lifestyle leather facility to get some chaps and conchoes.

This is Ducati’s first cruiser (and by cruiser we mean a motorcycle with exaggerated styling cues like extended wheelbases, lowered seats or other hallmarks of traditional-styled bikes) since the not-so-cool-looking Diana of 1986. “Cruiser” may be the most descriptive category, but maybe we need a new one for bikes like this Diavel, thethe Star VMAX. These machines offer heart-stopping power, sporting handling, bad-boy styling and frequently, customer-limiting pricing and availability. Megabikes? Supercruisers? Roethlisbarges?

Say hello to the new Ducati Diavel - the bike uses a full-honk 162 horsepower, 94 lb.-ft. of torque version of the wonderful 1198cc Testastetta motor called the “11º.” .It’s good for street riders—although it’s down 8 hp and 3 ft.-lbs. of torque from the 1198, Ducati claims it increases bottom-end power delivery and widens the powerband. Interestingly, the EFI is built by Mitsubishi and Mikuni rather than Marelli or Bosch.

It may look like style over substance, but this is a Ducati, so special attention was placed on having a sweet-handling chassis. Most importantly, weight has been kept to a minimum. At just 463 pounds of claimed dry weight (456 for the “Carbon” version), the Diavel is lighter than some newbie-friendly -priced 600cc cruisers I could name. The frame is a chrome-moly trellis bolted to cast-aluminum side plates, much like the current Monster models. The front suspension uses a fully adjustable 50mm inverted Marzocchi fork, and the rear gets held up with a linkage-equipped Sach monoshock. Brakes? None other than what look like the race-ready four-pot Brembo monoblock calipers found on the superbikes. The only things lacking may be cornering clearance—Ducati made the seat as low as possible (30.3 inches), which means lower footpegs. (Ducati videos show the rider coming close to dragging his toes on a spirited street ride) and quick steering, due to a 62.6-inch wheelbase and M-roadster-sized 240-section rear tire (which Ducati claims was specially made for the Diavel to offer phat looks and optimal handling, but sheesh, that’s wide).

The bike looks low, menacing and muscular, and the “Carbon” version, with special lightweight Marchesini wheels, carbon-fiber side panels and headlamp cowling, works even better. The use of plastic is minimized, and interesting details abound, like the billet-look mirror/turn signals, hideaway passenger footpeg/bracket units (a T-shaped grab handle also deploys for passenger comfort), wheel-hub-mounted license-plate bracket and burly handlebar clamp. Not cool enough? How about a TFT color display under the idiot lights? Or forged aluminum wheels? Icing on the cake is 15,000 mile major-service intervals.

Pricing and availability date for the USA or other markets has yet to be announced but expect the MSRP to be about $20,000, $3000 more for the Carbon.

Enjoy the VIDEO HERE

Honda CBR250R unveiled : Coming to India soon

The all new Honda CBR250R is out. It has officially been launched by Honda and here is a low down on the bike.

1. The bike will only be made in two countries - India and Thailand
2. Design theme taken from the VFR250R
3. All new single cylinder 250cc engine
4. Power is around 27-28bhp with 23-24Nm of torque, depending on the country specs
5. Three after market offerings from various companies including Mugen. Expect the kits to up the power to 30-32bhp!


India will get the bike in April 2011.
1. Pricing will be around Rs 1,50,000. In Thailand, it is around 1,00,000 Baht
2. Bike has awesome low end punch in addition to its high speed capabilities
3. I hit 140km/h indicated on the short Bira racing circuit in 5th. I think she will do 155km/h on open roads in 6th
4. Comfy bike with enough space for tall riders
5. Speedo inspired from the VFR
6. In India, it will be offered at 60% less than the Ninja 250R.

World's fastest 125cc!

146.77mph or 236km/h. That's a lot of speed but when you factor in the engine in question, you do feel amazed. A 125cc engine belting out 44bhp helped Scott Kolb pilot a Honda RS125 powered Streamliner to such speeds and in the process set a world record at the Bonneville Salt Flats recently.

Read more at HellforLeather
Pic by Nicolaus Czarnecki

You may be interested in - The world's most sexiest 125cc bikes

2011 MotoGP Calender out!

Although provisional, but here is the 2011 MotoGP Calender.

As seen, the season starts three weeks earlier - MotoGP's bid to get cracking in line with rivals at the World Superbike series - and Portugal's round at Estoril has been brought forward from September to May.

2011 MotoGP Calendar - provisional

March 20 --------Qatar Losail *
April 24 ----------Japan Motegi
May 01 ----------Spain Jerez
May 15 ----------Portugal Estoril
May 22 ----------France Le Mans
June 5 -----------Italy Mugello
June 19 ---------Great Britain Silverstone
June 25 ---------Netherlands Assen **
July 03 ---------Catalunya Barcelona
July 17 ---------Germany Sachsenring
July 24 ---------United States Laguna Seca ***
August 14 -------Czech Republic Brno
August 28 ------Indianapolis Indianapolis
September 4 ----San Marino Misano
September 18 ---Aragon Aragon
October 09 -----Malaysia Sepang
October 16 -----Australia Phillip Island
November 06 --Valencia Ricardo Tormo Valencia

* Night race ** Saturday race *** MotoGP class only

Also see:
1. Flying car a reality soon

Mahindra's new motorcycle : tested in Italy!

Mahindra two-wheelers has just released this teaser video of their upcoming performance motorcycle. The bike has been tested in Italy and we won't be surprised if the designing and engineering also has its roots in Italy. The reason?
Well, some time back Mahindra took over "Engines Engineering". This company, based in Castenaso near Bologna, offers services іח tһе area οf two wheeler design аחԁ development οf motorcycle prototype.

The new motorcycle is believed to be radical in terms of design as well as the power / performance it packs in.

Enjoy this video

Terrafugia flying car - production by end of 2010

The future is here! Remember watching those flying cars in the movies of the 70s and 80s?

Massachusetts-based flying car company Terrafugia is one step closer to putting a road-and-air-going flying car into a reality. A suitable production facility has been located in Woburn, MA and we believe the production could begin within three months. For this Terrafugia will hire 50 skilled workers and extensive testing will begin on two prototypes.


Regardless, we are getting closer to realizing many a young person's dream. A flying car evokes romantic visions of picking up a date then soaring through the clouds. Sure, the styling of the Terrafugia Transition is a cross between a PT Cruiser and a Paul Walker Pep Boys special, and yes, we are also aware that the skies will eventually become clogged with traffic and flying down the Air-405 will be a nightmare. Still, it's not often you get to see a childhood fantasy come to life.

From: www.autoblog.com

INTERESTING READS:
1. Jean-Michel passes away
2. Robbie jumps 83meters on a bike!

Indian F1 race scheduled for 30th October 2011

History is in the making. The first ever Formula One race in India is now scheduled for 30th October 2011 at the upcoming F1 race circuit in Greater Noida, 40km from New Delhi.
The work is on in full swing and the track should be ready by July after which it will be shown to the official for approval and homologation. We do believe everything is on schedule though.

September 2010 issue of Dreamcarz magazine

The September 2010 issue of Dreamcarz magazine is loaded to the brim with content, features and ofcourse this exclusive full blown review of the new Mercedes Benz E Cabriolet.
In this issue, you will find:
1. Exclusive full blown review of the Mercedes E cabriolet
2. Jaguar XJL photo-shoot
3. Rajeev Kapoor's interview
4. Gul Panag and her motoring side
5. India's F1 track - all the info
6. Kizashi - its coming. Comprehensive review
7. 3400km in a Laura - Delhi to Pune to Delhi
8. Mercedes C and S hit the fog engulfed roads of Lonavala
9. Pimped up S class
10. Fiat Punto90
11. Honda Jazz X
12. Toyota Altis Diesel
13. Hyundai Verna Transform
14. VW Vento and the rivals
15. Nissan Micra
16. Gaurav Gill speaks to us about his recent victory
17. Worlds fastest female motorcycle rider
18. Honda VFR1200F
19. Suzuki GSX-R1000
20. Yamaha SZ-X
21. Jaguar Poster

Surely, a cracker of an issue

August 2010 issue of Dreamcarz magazine

Dreamcarz, India first automotive lifestyle magazine has been catering to the needs of those who look at automobiles beyond their role of being a means of commuting. For us, as well as our readers, bikes and cars are lifestyle statements.
On the same lines, we had the Lamborghini LP 670-4 SV and Bentley Continental Supersports gracing the August 2010 issue.

Click on the cover to see a bigger image

Jean-Michel Baron passes away

Jean-Michel, a Dakar competitor has passed away 24 years after his accident. All this while he had been in a vegetative state. The French motorcycle racer was in coma for 24 years following a crash in the 1986 Paris-Dakar Rally.
After spending almost a quarter of a century in such a state, Jean-Michel Baron passed away at the age of 56 at his home.

Baron was just 31 years old at the time of the crash; the Frenchman spent several months in hospital before being taken home, where he survived with the help of his dedicated wife, Jocelyne.

May his soul rest in peace!

2011 Triumph Sprint GT revealed

We have always had a soft corner for the Triumph Sprint and with its touring avatar finally out, we have even more reasons to want to ride this bike. Christened the Triumph Sprint GT, the changes made to the GT version are quite a lot. Yes, we know you already noticed the new low slung exhaust which have now replaced the under-seat ones. Some one tells us these help pump up more power and torque too!


The seating posture is and comfortable, there is bigger wind screen, better headlamps for night riding, standard 31 litre panniers and ofcourse ABS assisted brakes. On the option list, owners can opt for a top box that can hold two full-size helmets and also includes a 12 volt power supply for charging mobiles / electronics on the go.


The Triumph Sprint GT will be available in the US market this Fall as an early release 2011 model and will carry a sticker price of $13,199 or around Rs 5.9 lakh in Indian currency

INTERESTING READS:
1. Riding to 18,000+ feet on a 223cc bike
2. Electric Royal Enfield
3. Honda's new 150cc for India

Honda Dazzler 150: Info and pics

Honda's latest 150cc offering, the CB Unicorn Dazzler has generated quite a lot of interest among the youth. It is slightly more powerful with 0.7 PS more and lighter with eight less kilos to lug around as well. Interesting? Read more about the Dazzler HERE

In the meantime, click this picture for a high resolution image of the Dazzler

Electric Royal Enfield

Don't 99% of bikers go in for a Royal Enfield for its thump, the sound of the big single motor? Well, James Hammarhead thinks a little differently. How about replacing the 500cc engine with a, well, an electric motor! Gulp!
Called the Volta 102, it is now powered by a 6 KW lithium iron-phosphate battery pack and an EnerTrac hub motor. The fuel tank now houses two 110-volt, 15-amp chargers that take about 4 hours to recharge the bike.


Performance? The motor makes around 13.4 hp continuous and about 40 hp peak. The original 500cc engine managed around 18 horses. The weight of the Volta is more or less same as the original bike and hence, no surprises that the bike should hit a top whack of around 100miles or 160km/h. Thank god there is front disc brake to stop the heavy lump of metal.

You can have one for, hold your horses, US$ 18500 or around 8,20,000 Indian rupees. No thank you, I did rather go in for a Japanese missile.

INTERESTING READS:
1. Honda goes green

2. We ride the new VFR1200F in Japan

3. How it feels to ride over 18,000 feet above sea level

Kymco Pulsar Base 125

I am sure the first thing that comes to your mind after looking at this bike above - another Chinese crap? Errr.. no. This bike is from a company with its roots in Taiwan. Secondly, the company, called Kymco, has been doing pretty decently in various world markets now. I have discussed a lot on their bikes in the past ( see HERE) and here is a brief on the Kymco Pulsar Base 125.

It is powered by a 10bhp 125cc motor - no guesses for speeds. Yes, it maxes out at around 65mph or 105km/h. However, its selling point will be its sticker price, which in the UK will be just 1399 pounds. Dirt cheap for that market.

However, by todays currency 1399 pounds translates into 95,000 Indian rupees. In India here, you can get the following bikes for much lesser amount

1. Bajaj Pulsar 220S

2. Put in 15% more money and take the Yamaha R15

Honda goes green with the EV-Neo

Weird looking scooter or a futuristic concept? Well no.. this is Honda's green baby, the EV-Neo. Production will begin soon and the EV-Neo will initially go on sale, no, lease sale in Japan by the end of this year. But, like most e-bikes out there, this one too has a few limitations. The battery is good enough only for 18 miles which isnt good even for 30km! Top speed is, well, 30km/h. That too on a flat road.

However, knowing Honda, there is for sure a lot more in store for the future - our fingers are crossed!

Robbie Maddison Jumps Over Corinth Canal In Greece

Robbie Maddison does it again! He managed to jump over the 83 meters / 279 feet Corinth Canal in Greece. During the jump, he attained a height of almost 100 meters of 330 feet above the Canal.

The 28 year old Australian daredevil rode his modified Honda 500 through a turn-filled approach past a pool, across a soccer field and past a chicken coop to a speed of 78 mph or 125km/h on Thursday. Maddison has always been known for his jumping events. Previously, in 2007 and 2008 he set three world records for motorcycle distance jumping all the way to 350 feet. On December 31, 2008, he celebrated New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas by jumping up 100 feet onto the Arc de Triomphe in front of Paris Las Vegas and then descended off the monument to ground level. And ofcourse, last year, images of Maddison backflipping the Tower Bridge over the Thames River in London while the drawbridge was open went around the world.

Honda VFR1200F ridden

It always feels special to be on a bike that the world has waited for years, a bike that when launched in its first avatar, rewrote quite a few rules. I was among the millions who had patiently waited for the all new VFR1200F to be launched and finally when it did, I found myself among a select few journalists, who were invited to the land of the rising sun for an exclusive ride experience.

"Even before I thumbed the electric starter, I knew this wouldn’t turn out to be a very long test ride that too on a road that this bike will seldom be seen on. Nevertheless, with a chance to experience one of the most awaited motorcycles in the history of Honda, I wasn’t really complaining. A few minutes later, with my left hand free, the big sweet sounding V4 motor was changing through the gears effortlessly on its own, downshifting quickly without abruptions as I slowed down for the tight curves on Honda’s HSR (Honda Safety Riding) track in Kumamoto. What you see on these pages is the all-new VFR1200F that, hold you breath, is slated for an Indian launch during the third quarter of the 2010 calendar year."

Read the complete ride experience HERE

INTERESTING READ

1. HONDA VFR1200F VS RIVALS

Honda VFR1200F VS Kawasaki Concours 14 VS Suzuki Hayabusa

The lucky blokes at www.motorcycle-usa.com recently pitted the all new Honda VFR1200F against two of its most likely rivals - the Kawasaki Concours 14 (the touring variant of the ZZR1400 / ZX-14) and the mighty Suzuki Hayabusa. Sparks did fly and how...

Read the full comparo at www.motorcycle-usa.com

INTERESTING READ:

1. HONDA VFR1200F - ALL DETAILS

1690km, 5 states, 2 SBKs, 2 crazy riders

"This was our fifth rain shelter stop since morning and the fifteenth (or was it the twentieth) cup of hot tea. The sun had already disappeared into the horizon and our jeans and boots were wet. The outside temperature was less than ten degrees and understandably, our nuts were semi frozen, clinging to the body for that extra warmth. We still had to cover over 150km to reach our destination and the road conditions were deteriorating with every passing mile. Who says covering long distances on Superbikes in a country like India is an easy task?"

In January 2010, we rode from Pune to New Delhi, capital of India on a Honda CB1000R and a Suzuki Hayabusa. In a country like India, riding such distances on Superbikes means a lot of fun, danger and well... Read the whole article HERE

Honda CB Unicorn launched

Motorcycle manufacturers are gearing up to meet the next level of emission norms in India, the Bharat Stage III norms, which come into effect from 1st April.
Honda, in a bid to make the 150cc Unicorn meet these norms has recently made a slight changes, in addition to a few other ones, and named the bike the CB Unicorn.

The Honda CB Unicorn now comes with a Viscous air filter to cut down on maintenance. Further a new color option is also on offer. There has been a slight hike the price as well
The CB Unicorn will cost the following (on-road prices)
DELHI - Rs 61,933
MUMBAI - Rs 69,116
PUNE - Rs 67,008
BANGALORE - Rs 69,042

Four US bikers dead after truck hits group

Motorcyclists all over the United States are in a shock. A garbage truck, out of control, went and hit a stationary group of motorcycle riders waiting at a red light in Phoenix Arizona. Some eye-witnesses at the spot said that some motorcycles burst into flames while others, along with the riders, were dragged 50 to 75 yards beneath the dump truck. Our deepest condolences with those involved in this tragic mishap.



Pic: Visordown.com / kpho.com

Royal Enfield Electra goes twin-spark

After the 350cc Thunderbird, it is now the 350cc Electra that gets the twin-spark plug treatment. It is further powered by the new UCE or the Unit Construction Engine. Read more about the power / torque details at BIKE INDIA

INTERESTING READS

1. Royal Enfield wheelie videos

Modified Yamaha FZ-S, Yamaha Fazer and Yamaha R15

Our reader Keyur Bhagat sent us these pictures of visually modified Yamahas, some of which we do like!

Modified white and red Yamaha Fazer

Modified Yamaha Fazer with sticker job

Modified Yamaha Fazer with some parts of the R15 fairing

Modified Yamaha Fazer with sticker job

Modified Yamaha R15 with sticker job

Yet another modified Yamaha Fazer with sticker job

We love this. The Yamaha FZ16 with sticker work and an after-market exhaust

If you like these mod-jobs, leave us a comment. Incase you want to contact Keyur Bhagat, shoot him a mail at suzukimotogpfan@yahoo.com

New Ducati Monster 796

After the launch of the smaller 796 Hypermotard, the Italian firm is now readying a smaller Monster as well. It will essential use the 796cc motor from the Hypermotard and will be announced for the US market next month. It should go on sale in a couple of months from then we believe.

The Monster 796 will be based on the elder Monster 1100 though, sharing the same chassis. We expect the pricing to be under US$10,000 easily.

But why is Ducati doing this? Apart from giving customers an option of a cheaper Monster, it is believed that the bigger Monster 1100 wasnt doing too well in the markets. Watch this space for more!

Honda CB Twister road test review

Honda's little 110cc wonder for India, the CB Twister was recently tested by BIKE INDIA. It might be pricey for a commuter machine but then it does look the best of the lot, offers a lot of performance and is comfortable as well.
Read the complete road test HERE

Other Interesting reads:
1. BIKE India April 2010 issue
2. Yamaha FZ8 / Fazer8
3. 2011 Honda Goldwing?

Yamaha FZ8 / Yamaha Fazer8 launched

Medium capacity street and naked bikes are picking up and how. Now, Yamaha has finally officially launched the 800cc FZ8 and the 800cc Fazer8 motorcycles with full specifications.



Essentially the same, the FZ8 is the naked street fighter variant while the Fazer8 will appeal to those looking at some touring as well.



These are powered by 779cc motors belting out 106 horses with 82Nm of torque, decent figures considering the bikes weigh in at around 211-215 kilos. As of now, the FZ8 and Fazer8 will go on sale in Europe, followed by other markets. Each of the new models is available in three colors, including white, black and blue

Interesting reads: 1. 2011 Honda Goldwing? 2. Honda' 110cc CB Twister 3. Rossi's tail up for grabs