Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500X & 350X launched. Image gallery inside

Royal Enfield launched the Thunderbird 500X & Thunderbird 350X at Rs 1.98 lakh & Rs. 1.56 lakh respectively. Prices are ex-showroom Delhi. Royal Enfield calls it factory custom models. 

The Thunderbird X now gets blacked out theme will sport four new colours - Getaway Orange and Drifter Blue for the Thunderbird 500X and Whimsical White and Roving Red for the Thunderbird 350X.



The Thunderbird X features

• Alloy wheels and tubeless tyres, a first for Royal Enfield


• "Gunslinger’ styled seat coupled with the new grab-rail


• Shortened rear mudguard


• Blacked-out theme on silencer, front forks, side covers, headlamp cover, indicators and grab-rail


• New flat handlebar for leant-in riding position


• Disc brakes, both in front and rear

The Thunderbird 500X is powered by a fuel injected single cylinder, air cooled, 499cc engine which produces maximum power of 27.2 hp @ 5250 rpm and generates 41.3 Nm torque @ 4000 rpm.

Thunderbird 350X is powered by  a UCE carbureted single cylinder, air cooled, twinspark, 346cc engine which produces a maximum power of 19.8 bhp @ 5250 rpm and generates a maximum Torque of 28 Nm @ 4000 rpm.

Along with the Thunderbird 500X and 350X, Royal Enfield Thunderbird will also continue to be retailed.

Image Gallery:

Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 X - Getaway Orange

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Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 X - Drifter Blue

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Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350 X - Whimsical White 

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Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350 X - Roving Red

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Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster launched in India

Triumph Motorcycles India launches its first all new classic cruiser- Bonneville Speedmaster at INR 11.11 lakh (ex-showroom). This will be the brand’s most affordable ‘cruiser’ in India.

[caption id="attachment_24771" align="aligncenter" width="999"] Vimal Sumbly[/caption]

With the Speedmaster, Triumph now offers four different Bonneville versions in India. The Bonneville Speedmaster is based on a tubular steel cradle frame. It has a wheelbase of 1,510 mm and its seat height is 705 mm. The bike weighs 245.5 kg and comes with a 12-litre fuel tank. The Speedmaster rides on KYB 41 mm front fork and it has a monoshock rear setup.

In terms of styling, the Speedmaster is based on the Bonneville Bobber and features a circular LED headlight, twin slash-cut exhausts finished in chrome and a unique rear wheel hub. It has swept back handlebars, dual-tone fuel tank and a stepped seat.



The Bonneville Speedmaster is powered by a 1,200 cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin cylinder engine. It produces 76 BHP @ 6,100 rpm and 106 Nm of torque @ 4,000 rpm and is paired with a 6-speed gearbox via a torque-assist clutch. It comes with two riding modes - road and rain. Twin 310-mm discs in the front with 2-piston calipers and a single 255-mm disc in the rear paired with a single-piston caliper handle the braking duties.

The Speedmaster comes equipped with a multi-functional LCD display, ABS, traction control, cruise control, engine immobilizer, ride-by-wire among other features.

Legendary artist D*Face creates custom Triumph Modern Classics

To celebrate 59 years since 1959, Triumph has collaborated with one of the world’s foremost contemporary artists, the London-based bike enthusiast, D*Face, on an incredible new customisation project under the banner of ‘The Spirit of ’59’.

The motorcycle has always been cultural shorthand for freedom and individuality. It’s why bikes have always appealed to independent thinkers from film stars and fashion icons to the most innovative musicians and artists. Now a new Triumph art collaboration is poised to take that appeal even further.

[caption id="attachment_24716" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Bobber spirit of 59[/caption]

Working closely with the team at the Triumph factory in Hinckley, D*Face created three unique Spirit of ‘59 bikes for 2018, each one based on a model from the Bonneville Modern Classics range. All three bikes are hand-painted by D*Face and features a range of accessories and custom features from the Triumph range.

[caption id="attachment_24719" align="aligncenter" width="640"] D*FACE[/caption]

Dean Stockton, better known as D*Face, is not your typical artist. As one of the UK’s most prolific street artists, D*Face has been at the forefront of his practice since his initial breakthrough in 2005. With countless murals and exhibitions across the globe, from Japan to the USA, his vibrant pop style and punk aesthetic have become synonymous with British Street Art.

His work sells regularly to international buyers at auction houses including Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Bonhams. As both a partner in Rebels Alliance Motorcycle Company in East London and a Triumph rider for many years, the Spirit of ‘59 represents the sense of individuality that drives his work and combines his two greatest loves: art and bikes.

 

[caption id="attachment_24718" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Thruxton R_ Spirit of 59[/caption]

D*Face has personally customised three unique Modern Classic bikes as part of this unique art collaboration: a Bonneville Thruxton, a Bonneville Bobber Black and a Bonneville T120 - painting the fuel tanks by hand and configuring each bike individually using custom Triumph accessories. The hand-painted designs are unique and celebrate the Spirit of ’59 through D*Face’s distinctive and original style. The result of collaboration between two British icons, each bike can be considered an instant collector’s item and a true work of art - three unique motorcycles in the world.

For the music and movie stars of the 60’s, from Steve McQueen to Bob Dylan, the Triumph Bonneville helped define their style and represented their shared attitude to life. Today, for a new generation of famous motorcycle fans from Tom Cruise to David Beckham and Tom Hardy, Triumph’s Modern Classics continue to encapsulate all of the spirit of individuality and freedom born in ’59.

Moreover, anyone who takes a Triumph Modern Classic for a test ride between the 7th February 2018 and 30th April 2018 will have the chance to win one of these unique bikes (full terms and conditions are available on the Triumph website for participating markets).

There is no need for any India EV policy now: Nitin Gadkari

The government has decided against formulating an electric vehicle (EV) policy. A breather to many carmakers that are unprepared for an abrupt shift to the clean-fuel technology. 

“There is no need for any policy now,” said Nitin Gadkari, minister for road transport. He was addressing reporters along with Amitabh Kant, chief executive of government think tank NITI Aayog.



Gadkari said the policy was awaiting approval from the union cabinet. He had earlier outlined the government’s ambitious plan to shift to electric vehicles by 2030. Companies such as Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd, have been publicly voicing concerns about the proposed India EV policy.

“Everyday, new technology is coming into the market. Technology is always ahead of rules and regulations. And in India, it becomes very tough to change rules and regulations, so let there be just actions,” Kant said, explaining the reason behind the decision.

The government’s decision to have an EV policy had created uncertainty in the automobile industry for the past year, although several companies had outlined their strategies for EVs or lobbied the government to drop the idea.

 

Electric vehicle sales are low in India because of few available models and a lack of charging infrastructure. Sales rose 37.5% to 22,000 units in fiscal 2016 from 16,000 in the previous year, according to Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV). Only 2,000 of these were, however, cars and other four-wheelers.



To overcome some of the problems for electric vehicles, NITI Aayog, along with Colorado-based Rocky Mountain Institute, in their 2017 report on the future of shared, electric and connected mobility future in India, had suggested setting up “a manufacturer consortium for batteries, common components, and platforms to develop battery cell technologies and packs and to procure common components for Indian original equipment manufacturers”.

The report said that adoption of electric and shared vehicles could help India save $60 billion in diesel and petrol, along with cutting down as much as 1 gigatonne of carbon emissions by 2030.

[caption id="attachment_24389" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Emflux One[/caption]

Source: Livemint

Policy to scrap old vehicles finalized: Nitin Gadkari

India will soon come out with a policy to scrap vehicles that are more than 15 years old. The policy aims at curbing rising vehicular pollution in the country. 

"Vehicles completing 15 years or more would be scrapped", Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said without giving more details. Will have to wait and watch for that !!

The minister added that the prices of new vehicles are bound to come down if materials like plastic, rubber, aluminium and copper - all reused from the scrap will be used for re-generation of auto parts.

Earlier, the Road, Transport and Highways Ministry had sent a concept note on Voluntary Vehicle Fleet Modernisation Programme (V-VMP) to the Committee of Secretaries on creating an ecosystem for voluntary scrapping and replacement of old polluting vehicles. The V-VMP policy proposes to take 28 million decade-old vehicles off the road.

Gadkari also added that the PMO is keen on the proposal and once it is implemented, pollution would be checked considerably as 65 per cent of the pollution is caused by heavy vehicles that are more than 15 years old.

The ministry had proposed a relief of about Rs 5 lakh to people who purchase new commercial vehicle of about Rs 15 lakh, if they surrender their over 15-year old commercial vehicles.  Gadkari expects that if the proposal is accepted, it is bound to result in Rs 10,000 crore boost in tax revenue as the automobile sector will benefit from it.

VEHICLE SCRAPPING POLICY ACROSS THE GLOBE

SOUTH EAST ASIA China: China substituted an estimated 2.7 million high polluters from the national car fleet by offering rebates of $450 to $900 from June 2009 to May 2010 Malaysia: Launched in 2009, a scrappage scheme paying owners of vehicles at least 10 years old MR5,000 ($1,354) was shared equally by the government and auto makers Indonesia: Spiralling traffic congestion in capital city Jakarta had forced the city government to think of a car scrappage scheme but the central government's 'low-cost green car policy' that makes cheap cars widely available had been a setback Bangladesh: No scrappage policy adopted so far. As the automobile industry is not developed in the country, most commercial/ heavy vehicles are imported from India. Sri Lanka: The Sri Lankan Ministry of Environment and Renewable Energy and that of Transport had suggested scrapping of high polluting vehicles as part of an environmental sustainability report. EUROPE United Kingdom: The UK introduced a scrappage incentive scheme in the 2009 budget whereby Scrapping a car more than 10 years old allowed for a £2,000 cash incentive, with the money being shared equally between the govt and the auto industry France: Cars older than 10 years could be exchanged to buy a new car meeting particular CO2emission standards. It started with €1000 for a car with less than 160 g/km Germany: The largest scrappage scheme ever, Germany paid a premium of€2,500 ($3,320) to every owner of a car older than nine years when buying a new car United States: The famous $3 billion US federal "cash for clunkers" scheme, succeeded in improving fuel efficiency by 58% in the country Japan: Japan introduced a program for 1 year from April 1, 2009 onwards, offering up to 250,000 yen (US$2,500) to trade in vehicles 13 years old or more for new environmentally friendly cars

Source: ET

2018 Maruti Wagon R spied under heavy camo

While everyone is engaged with the launches and happenings at the 2018 Delhi Auto Expo, Maruti Suzuki is busily testing the 2018 Wagon R.

The test mule was spotted near Maruti’s Gurgaon plant and the body panels seems almost production ready. The car may be heavily camouflaged but gives away clear cues of the new design and dimensions.



The 2018 Maruti Suzuki Wagon R will continue to be a tall-boy hatchback but will get a new exterior design for a more modern look and feel. The car gets flared fenders and a prominent muscular line that runs across the side body panels.

The 2018 Maruti Wagon R will meet the Bharat Stage 6 (BS6) emission norms, in addition to  the stricter safety norms under Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program (BNVSAP).



The market position and the pricing of the new car will be similar to the ongoing model. Most other details about this car are not known for now.

Currently, the Wagon R is powered by 3-cylinder, 998cc engine which produces 67 hp and 90 Nm mated to 5-speed manual gearbox. Auto Gear Shift is option on higher trims.

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Emflux One - India's first electric superbike made its world debut

The Emflux One is the much talked about India's first electric superbike by Bengaluru-based start-up Emflux Motors and finally made its debut at the ongoing Auto Expo 2018.



The pre-orders for the Emflux One will start in July 2018, with the first deliveries to begin in April 2019.

The Emflux One is a full-faired electric superbike with top-of-the-line components like

• Brembo brakes with dual-channel ABS,


• Single-sided swingarm, Ohlins suspension


• Fully connected smart dashboard with artificial intelligence capabilities


• 7-inch touch TFT display with features like GPS navigation, real time vehicle diagnostics and auto updates all accessible via mobile app

The design and circuits of the Emflux One have been developed completely in-house by Emflux Motors.

Powering the Emflux One is Samsung Lithium Ion 9.7 kWh high power cells with a 60 kW AC induction motor, with power limited to 53 kW from the controller. The motor produces 71 bhp of power and 84 Nm of peak torque, which has been electronically limited to 75 Nm. The motorcycle can cross 100 kmph mark from standstill in just 3 seconds. Top speed is 200 kmph !!

Emflux is also working on a naked street model, called the Emflux Two, which will be launched subsequently.

Emflux will be making 200 units of the Emflux One which will be sold via online channel in the country. They also have plans to export over 300 units to other parts of the world.

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Technical Specifications

CHASSIS

• Frame - Tubular Steel Trellis


• Subframe - Tubular Steel Trellis


• Swingarm - Single Sided Tubular Steel Trellis

SUSPENSION

• Front - 43 Upside Down Forks (Upgradable to Öhlins Race and Track USD 43mm forks with Adjustable Preload, Damping and Rebound)*


• Rear - 46mm Mono Gas Shock (Upgradable to Öhlins with 46mm Monotube Gas Shock with Adjustable Preload, Damping and Rebound)*

BRAKES

• Front Brakes - Dual 300mm disc with Brembo monoblock 4 piston radially mounted calipers*


• Rear Brakes - Single 220mm disc with Brembo fixed caliper*


• ABS - Dual Channel ABS

RIMS & TYRES

• Front Tyre - Pirelli Diablo Rosso II 120/70 ZR17*


• Rear Tyre - Pirelli Diablo Rosso II 180/55 ZR17*


• Wheels - Cast Alloy (Upgradable to Forged Alloy)

DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT

• Wheelbase - 1395mm


• Seat Height - 810mm


• Rake - 23.5 degrees


• Steering Angle - 64 Lock to Lock


• Kerb Weight - 169 Kg


• Load Capacity - 200 Kg

BATTERY

• Pack Description - Emflux™ Li-ion, Liquid Cooled Modular Battery Pack with Integrated High Power Samsung® Cells*


• Nominal Capacity - 9.7 KWh


• Charger Type - Emflux™ WARP Charger™


• Charging Time - 80% in 36 minutes from WARP Charger™,


• 3 Hours from Regular 15A Wall Charger


• Cooling System - Air cooled

BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• BMS System - TI™ BMS IC with Hercules™ Microcontroller*


• Cell Balancing - Passive Balancing


• Protection Features - Over voltage, Under voltage, Over


• Current, and Extreme Temperature Protection


• Extra Features - Advance battery capacity/health monitoring

MOTOR

• Peak Torque - 84 Nm (Limited to 75Nm from the controller)


• Peak Power - 60kW (Limited to 53 kW (71hp) from the controller)


• Type - Emflux™ 3 Phase AC Induction with Liquid Cooling

DRIVETRAIN

• Primary Reduction - 58:19


• Final Drive - 45T/15T Chain Drive


• Transmission - Direct Drive

WARRANTY

• Battery Warranty  - 100000 Km/5 years (More than 80% of the initial capacity)


• Motorcycle Warranty - 100000 Km/5 years (Except for normal wear and tear)

PERFORMANCE & RANGE

• Top Speed - 200 Km/h


• 0-100 Km/h - 3.0 seconds


• City Range - 200 Km


• Highway Range - 150 Km @ 80 Kmph

 

CHARGER

• Charging Time - 80% in 36 minutes from WARP Charger™,


• 3 Hours from Regular 15A Wall Charger


• Input - 85-264V /15A AC Supply


• Output - 84-118V / 33A DC


• Power - 3.3KW Nominal


• Efficiency - 95% (Min.)


• Cooling System - Liquid Cooled

MOTOR CONTROLLER (INVERTER)

• Nominal Operating Voltage - 100V


• Maximum Operating Voltage - 120V


• Continuous Current - 220A


• Peak Current - 600A


• Continuous Power - 20KW


• Peak Power - 60KW (Electronically limited to 53KW)


• Control Method - Field Oriented Control (FOC)


• Cooling System - Liquid Cooled

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

• Parking/Walking Assist - Back and Forth - 3 km/h max controlled speed


• Charger Locator - Location/booking of charging stations through Emflux App/Emflux ONE Dashboard


• Lights - Energy efficient full LED lighting


• Body Panels - Lightweight Glass-fibre panels (Upgradable to Ultralight Carbon Fibre panels)

 

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Made-in-India Menza Lucat electric motorcycle launched

Menza Motors launched their first electric motorcycle - Lucat at INR 2.79 lakh Ex-showroom, Delhi. One can pre-book the bike starting mid-Feb with deliveries expected mid-August.  

Based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat Menza Motors was launched in March 2016 and with their all new product the company aims to bring about a change in the automobile industry of India.

Powering the motorcycle is a Brushless DC motor with output ratings of 18 Kw and 60Nm. The 72V Lithium-ion battery pack with smart BMS System can be fully charged in 4 hours and can be fast charged in just 90 minutes on any wall socket and onboard charging. Once charged the Lucat can be ridden for 100 Kms in the city and 150 kms on highway. Top speed is 121 kmph !!

The motorcycle is built as per the rider’s requirement which includes the body-type, suspension, seat, height and footrest and rolls on 17-inch spoked wheels . It gets inverted WP telescopic front suspension and a custom rear monoshock. Braking is taken care by 300mm disc brake at the front and 230 mm disc brake at the rear. The bike weighs around 153 kg.

The motorcycle is incorporated with a track package, a dynamic safety system which gives notifications on speed limits and battery drainage, along with an automatic motor off and a button for launch control.

The Lucat has been extensively road tested over 10,000 kms before putting into actual production. Supporting the Government’s Make in India initiative, 84% of the Motorcycle parts are have been designed or manufactured locally. The company  plans  to  set up  an  entire  ecosystem  for electric motorcycles within the country, which would include the product and the easy availability of charging stations along with creating a community of Menza motorcycle riders in the near future.

The company has recently set up vehicle charging stations along the Yamuna Expressway leading up to the iconic Taj Mahal before the launch. Established in public domains, this service is free for public use.

Bajaj Qute & Mahindra Quadricycle launch in months

The concept of quadricycle has been well received by many top-notch cities around the world, to avoid congested traffic and reduce emissions. For India, the quadricycle segment is absolutely new and is likely to get a green signal in coming weeks.



Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors have again got active to be part of the new mobility solution for last-mile connectivity. Bajaj Auto, which already sells a quadricycle in foreign markets, meanwhile, has asked component suppliers to be ready for higher production.

A year back, Mahindra C101 Quadricycle was a topic for discussion several times on the web world. Sources close to Mahindra said, “For a company which sells two-wheelers to trucks, it makes obvious sense to have a quadricycle as part of the portfolio. It is part of the plan and the showcase of the concept is a proof in itself of M&M’s interest in the segment,”



The government is expected to notify rules for the quadricycle segment in a fortnight. Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari, quoted that the safety standards for quadricycles will be more stringent than in Europe.

The Bajaj Qute has proven itself to be a truly versatile city vehicle as tourist vehicles, passenger carriers and school transport vehicles in many international markets. Once the ministry notifies the rules, Bajaj Auto will have to clear a mandatory crash test to obtain certification from the Automotive Research Association of India to sell its quadricycle, the Qute, in India.

The Qute is powered by a fuel injected, water-cooled Digital Tri-Spark ignition 4-valve engine which produces 13.2 hp & 19.6 Nm and is mated to 5-speed gearbox. With a small turning circle radius of 3.5m, Qute is equipped to take the twists and turns of urban roads with ease and has maximum speed of 70 kmph. CNG and LPG variants are also on the list.

The Qute has a dash mounted shift lever, which offers very low resistance and is also conveniently located. The body of the Qute is made of high strength steel and sits on monocoque construction.

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Image Source: Gaadiwaadi

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