Mahindra Racing the first and still the only Indian company to enter the world of motorcycle grand prix racing created history by winning the prestigious Constructors Title in the 125GP class at the Italian National Motorcycle Racing Championship (CIV) in Italy. The exciting final race of the 2012 season concluded at the Vallelunga Circuit on Sunday October 14 2012. Also Read: Mahindra Racing to compete for Constructors Title at CIV 2012

The team won the premier title armed with two young but very promising and talented riders andndash 17-year old Miroslav Popov and the Austrian teenager Lukas Trautmann. Bringing to the fore a phenomenal performance Miroslav Popov ended the season in style and brought about a stunning finish for 1st place. Displaying great skill on the track the teamandrsquos second rider Lukas Trautmann put in yet another impressive performance to finish 2nd in the 16 lap race

Popov started the race from pole position after the outstanding performance displayed in qualifying. His team mate Lukas Trautmann at his very first weekend on the bike moved off from the third row of the grid after finishing the two qualifying sessions as the fourth 125GP rider in the classification.

After the lights went out Popov got immediately in the lead while Trautmann was third at Turn 1. Both riders displayed a very good pace that allowed them to put some gap between themselves and other riders.

As the race progressed Popov and Trautmann rode carefully and made no mistakes crossing the line in first and second position. Miroslav Popov also set the fastest lap of the race with a 1andrsquo47andrsquoandrsquo041 lap-time.

Though he did not compete in the last race of the season 27-year old Riccardo Moretti claimed an impressive second place in the overall all Riders Rankings thanks to his phenomenal performances during the season behind leader Lorenzo Dalla Porta in the Riders Classification of the championship. He has already secured five podiums so far in the seven rounds of the season.

This historic win by Mahindra Racing at the CIV demonstrates the superb performance our bikes the skills and commitment of our riders and outstanding team work - all hallmarks of Mahindra Rise philosophy. Our continued success in international motor sports events such as the Italian National Motorcycle Racing Championship is strengthening the Mahindra brand globally.andrdquo said S. P. Shukla Member of Group Executive Board and President of Group Strategy Mahindra Group.

Mufaddal Choonia CEO of Mahindra Racing said andldquoWinning a highly competitive event like the Italian National Motorcycle Racing Championship is a historic achievement for Mahindra Racing and Indian motorsport. We competed against the best in the world with a pair of young and energetic riders and our victory marks a big step forward for the team. The year wasnandrsquot all easy but we remained determined and committed and are thrilled with the results.andrdquo

Commenting on his performance in the race Popov said andldquoI feel very content to have finished the season on a winning note. There were moments that were challenging but we worked hard beat the odds and have come out victorious. We are working together very well as a team and I couldnandrsquot have hoped for a better result than this. The credit for our victory goes to the team.andrdquo

Lukas Trautmann said andldquoI am happy with the results of the race and am gaining more and more confidence after each outing. I thank the team and Mahindra. The future looks promising and I am glad to be racing for Mahindra Racing.andrdquo

After making its CIV debut in 2012 Mahindra Racing became the first from India to win an international motorsport event when Moretti took the chequered flag at the season-opening race in Mugello Italy on 25th March this year. The team won 6 out of the 8 races in the championship with 3 spectacular double podiums. The Indian manufacturer is one among a handful of entrants using its own chassis and engine developing new technology at the same time challenging the might of established racing factories that fill the rest of the grid.

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Mahindra Racing the first Indian team to compete in the Italian National Motorcycle Racing Championship (CIV) is all set to gun for the Constructors Title in the eventandrsquos 125GP category. The final race of the season is scheduled to take place at the Vallelunga Circuit in Italy today.

The team is assured of the Constructors Champion title even if Mahindra Racing is placed second in the race. This win and the consequent Championship victory would be a historic achievement for the first Indian manufacturer backed motorcycle racing team that made its CIV debut in 2012. Currently in the Constructors rankings Mahindra Racing is placed at the top of the table with a narrow 5 point lead over Aprilia.

In the CIV in Italy Mahindra Racing teamed up with Riccardo Moretti and Czech rider Miroslav Popov in the 125 GP Class. The team became the first from India to win an international motorsport event when Riccardo took the chequered flag at the season-opening race in Mugello Italy on 25 March. Team Mahindra Racing has won 5 out of the 7 races so far in the championship with 2 spectacular double podiums.

Mahindra rider Riccardo Moretti is also poised to win the second place in the Riders Classification for the championship. He has already secured five podiums so far in the seven rounds of the season.

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Only after a year in production Bajaj has announced that it will phase out the Boxer BM 150 from the domestic market. At Rs. 43000 (ex-showroom Maharashtra) it was the cheapest 150 cc bike in India and was also tagged as the andlsquoBharat Bikeandrsquo aimed to serve in the rural markets. Its rugged built simple styling and high power delivery were aimed at the rural buyer for delivering better performance than modern day 150cc bikes. However it failed to catch the buyers fancy.

K Srinivas president - motorcycle business Bajaj Auto said andldquoWe produced 8000 units of the Boxer 150 last month and all of it was for the export market. We are discontinuing model in the domestic marketandrdquo. Similarly the Platina 125 is also phased out from the local market said Srinivas though it is available in the export market. The Platina 100 the cheapest bike from the company is still selling at 50000 units a month.

Meanwhile the company also said that it hopes that the slide in demand will get arrested in the upcoming festive season where it is targeting a growth of 10 per cent in sales. However the company has indicated that it will not raise prices of its products immediately unlike some of the competition.

Expect an all new 100cc bike from the Pune based manufacturer soon however this time expect its USP to be modern technology rather than a cheap price tag. Expect the bike to be out by the end of the financial year.

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Hometown heroes of the 2012 Intermot show held in Cologne Germany BMW Motorrad were in full strength showcasing an all-new model of the illustrious R 1200 GS for 2013. The boxer-engined R 1200 GS has been in service for nine years and is revered as one of the most successful enduro machines in the world till date. For 2013 the new model sees some exciting changes to the machine right from worthy engine upgrades to noteworthy tweaks to the suspension chassis as well as the overall design of the motorcycle.

While the air/liquid cooled motor employed is the same as the one on previous yearandrsquos model in its latest guise the coolant oil has been replaced by glycol-water mixture. The mixture is said to ensure a high level of heat absorption capacity of the cooling liquid for more efficient heat dissipation. Often referred to as precision cooling the mechanism liquid cools only select few components of the engine which are particularly exposed to thermal stress while the rest of the motor still depends upon air-cooling. Another striking change is the inclusion of wet clutch instead of the dry clutch as found on its predecessor as well as an engine housing fully integrating the 6-speed gearbox.

In its ninth generation the BMW R 1200 GS sees a host of vital upgrades that raise the bar higher for what is already one of the finest enduro motorcycles in the world with over 170000 units sold till date. Below is the list of changes and upgrades on the new 2013 BMW R 1200 GS:

andbull Completely newly designed engine for top-level riding dynamics within the travel enduro segment.

andbull Capacity 1170 cc rated output 92 kW (125 bhp) at 7700 rpm and a maximum torque of 125 Nm at 6500 rpm.

andbull Cylinder heads with vertical through-flow for increased efficiency and performance.

andbull Compact air/water cooling for optimum heat management.

andbull Basic engine with compact light and yet rigidity-optimised crankshaft.

andbull Vertically separated case in open deck construction.

andbull 6-speed gearbox integrated in engine housing including wet clutch with anti-hopping function and reduced lever operation force.

andbull New intake system for optimum output and torque with 52 mm throttle valve diameter.

andbull E-gas for improved ridability running smoothness and special functions.

andbull Innovative exhaust gas system with electronically controlled exhaust flap for optimum performance characteristics and an earthy boxer sound.

andbull Freely selectable riding modes andldquoRainandrdquo andldquoRoadandrdquo andldquoDynamicandrdquo andldquoEnduroandrdquo and andldquoEnduro Proandrdquo with three different electromotive throttle actuator settings in conjunction with ASC (Automatic Stability Control) ABS and ASC settings for off-road riding as well as different mode-specific Dynamic ESA settings (option ex works).

andbull New suspension with torsionally stiff tubular steel bridge frame and bolt-on rear frame.

andbull Optimised lightweight cardan shaft drive now running on the left-hand side.

andbull Newly developed and optimised Telelever at front and EVO Paralever at rear for an even more precise ride feel.

andbull Refined master chassis geometry data and long swingarm for excellent traction.

andbull Optimised seating width and position and adjustable handlebars for even greater comfort.

andbull Optimised ground reach for rider (inner leg length).

andbull Tyre/wheel dimensions of 120/70 R19 at front and 170/60 R17 at rear as a world first tailored specially to the R 1200 GS.

andbull Revised BMW Motorrad brake system with radially mounted Brembo Monobloc brake calipers at front and 2-piston floating caliper with enlarged brake disc at rear (andOslash 276mm previously 265mm).

andbull BMW Motorrad Integral ABS as standard.

andbull Semiactive suspension Dynamic ESA (ex works option).

andbull Main headlight with optimised light efficiency and LED daytime running light (ex works option).

andbull Worldandrsquos first motorcycle with LED main headlight featuring integrated daytime running light (ex works option).

andbull New vehicle electrical system with partitioning of functions.

andbull Extended electric switch units.

andbull Electronic cruise control (ex works option).

andbull Preparation for navigation unit with Multi-Controller to operate the

BMW Motorrad Navigator IV (ex works option).

andbull Windshield with one-hand operation for excellent wind and weather protection.

andbull Seat with multiple adjustment functions for perfect ergonomics.

andbull Number plate carriers quick to dismount for off-road riding.

andbull Increased ground clearance (+ 8 mm)

andbull New instrument cluster with on-board computer as standard. PRO on-board computer as an option.

andbull Four main paint options to choose from andndash Alpine White Racing Red Blue Fire and Thunder Grey Metallic.

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Austrian bike-maker KTMandrsquos stall at the 2012 Intermot was rather subdued with only the 2013 1190 and 1190 R Adventure twins drawing the limelight. The two new adventure enduro models are said to be the lightest and the most powerful motorcycles in the segment. Powered by an 1195cc vee-twin engine churning out 150PS of power the 1190 Adventure twins have received interesting updates for 2013. The trellis frame made out of sturdy chrome molybdenum steel is ultralight and rigid to take over all sorts of terrains.

Both models also get high-spec suspension components made by WP suspension while braking units are provided by Brembo complimented by Bosch-developed ABS unit. Weighing only 230kg with fuel the 2013 1190 Adventure is sure to be a top class contender in the fight of the big traillies. The andlsquoRandrsquo model gets further upgrades readying it for competition use implying KTMandrsquos motto Ready to Race. It gets a bigger 21-inches wheel in the front and an 18-inch wheel on the rear while travel on the high-quality WP suspension has been increased by 220 millimetres on the front. The rear suspension too has been reworked for the 1190 Adventure R to sustain the cross country riding that it will be subjected to.

The suspension is fully adjustable while the andlsquoRandrsquo also gets KTMandrsquos advanced combined anti-lock braking system. There is also the 4-stage traction control system deployed for those who like to play safe but worry not for the maniacs there is an option to turn off all rider aids and go suicidal in worldandrsquos first ever off-road mode. The above upgrades along with rougher and better tyre treads distinguish the R from the stock 1190 Adventure and present it with competition ready demeanor.

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Nothing significant came out of the Ducati exhibit at this yearandrsquos Intermot show and the company only had new color options for its 2013 range on display. The recently unveiled Ducati Multistrada 1200 took centre-stage while standing alongside were other models from Ducati like the Diavel the 848 Superbike and of course their flagship offering the Panigale 1199. For 2013 most of the Ducati line-up gets new colour schemes while the only model updates worth mentioning are on the Multistrada 1200. Apart from a design revamp and more colour options the 2013 Multistrada gets second generation Testastretta 11anddeg engine and all-new three level ABS while the elite andldquoSandrdquo variants features the innovative semi-active suspension system - Ducati Skyhook Suspension (DSS).

There is also a new touring flagship model in the range for 2013 the Multistrada 1200 S Granturismo which will be further loaded with equipment and extras like increased side luggage capacity top case added LED illumination enhanced wind protection as well as specially configured tyres for long distance riding. Other technologies that are already found on the current generation Multistrada like Ride-by-Wire the electronic riding modes eight-level Ducati Traction Control (DTC) will be carried forward to the next yearandrsquos model.

Amongst the other models the Ducati Diavel gets a charming new red and blue colour options complete with white stripes and white-painted wheels as well as a matte-black paint scheme for the stealth lovers. The Monster series celebrates its 20th year anniversary and gets a very bling-looking golden frame and red paint for 2013. While the flagship the Panigale 1199 is now available in all-white paint scheme and boy does it look hot and how Although our favourite amongst Ducatiandrsquos 2013 line-up is the Ducati 848 Evo Corse in its special edition Ducati Corseandrsquos two-tone Test Team livery in black and grey. And the already quick and spunky 848 now gets a new lightweight aluminium fuel tank for next year. Lighter faster and sexier

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Sometime ago Japanese motorcycle giant Honda announced its re-entry into the venerated Dakar Rally next year and released a teaser image of the machine it hopes to win next year with. At the on-going 2012 Intermot motorcycle fair the big H took wraps off the CRF 450 Rally which will be competing in next yearandrsquos Dakar. Based and developed around existing off-roader the Honda CRF450X the CRF450 Rally will see Honda enter a full factory team in next yearandrsquos Dakar Rally in January 2013.

Honda ran a full factory team in Dakar Rally from 1981 to 1989 and the company won five times during its eight year long tenure in the rally. Now the company returns to the rally after a 24 year long hiatus from the event and its hopes for victory depend entirely on the CRF450 Rally. Whether the new machine can repeat history remains to be seen.

Also on display from Honda was the CBR1000RR Fireblade in new colours the CB1100 retro- machine which sees its return into the European market. The naked siblings the CB600F Hornet and the CB1000R get matte-white treatment for 2013 while the Crosstourer gets a special edition colour scheme in matte-black and an optional fitment for the Honda-patented Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT).

Also added to the 2013 model range is an all-new Honda scooter NSC50R andndash a sporty 50cc scooter that comes with Hondaandrsquos Combined Braking System and a special Repsol paint scheme inspired from the Repsol Honda MotoGP machine the RC213V.

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Yamahaandrsquos decisive move of entering the Indian scooter segment with a female focused product namely the Ray (Read : Yamaha Ray First Ride) has right from the outset enveloped its very existence with initiatives that are bound to lure the fairer sex into purchasing this product.

Among the slew of marketing gimmicks that Yamaha has planned around the Ray there is one initiative in particular that seeks to provide a genuine window of opportunity to ambitious women in the country i.e. the bike makerandrsquos decision to run its new assembly line for the production of the Ray by women employees. The company recently hired around 200 women to run its assembly line for the new Yamaha Ray scooters at the Surajpur plant in UP.

Through this initiative Yamaha is not just creating employment for these young recruits but is also providing them classroom as well as on-the-job training. These girls will undergo an apprenticeship programme approved by the state government which will last for 3 years.

They will also be appearing for an examination by the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) by the end of each year and after completion of their term these girls will be receiving an ITI certification approved by the UP government.

Commenting on the occasion Mr. Roy Kurian National Business Head India Yamaha Motor said andldquoThis is the first time in Yamahaandrsquos history not only in India but also worldwide that the company has started an assembly line which is run exclusively by women. Being the pioneers in this movement Yamaha certainly hopes to see this initiative being replicated across the industry.andrdquo

Like it had announced at the time of the Rayandrsquos official launch earlier this year the company has also developed a riding training program known as the Yamaha Female Riding Training program which will be implemented across India very soon.

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Not many would have seen this coming but the fact that it was sentiment coupled to a honest-to-goodness package that had delivered meaningfully to the aam janta for over two decades was however getting a bit long in the tooth. Propped up by millions of satisfied customers as its best brand ambassadors this ongoing legacy helped keep the Splendor volumes high aided no doubt by Hero MotoCorpandrsquos fine promotions and advertising strategy.

On the other side though was the fact that arch rival Bajaj Auto for long known to play the volume game in the Rahul Bajaj scootering days had changed tack almost completely to a profit-oriented game. Thereandrsquos a thin line some said to this aspect but given that Bajaj Autoandrsquos profitability is probably the best among any in the global automotive sphere it was only a matter of time before the strong back-end of the Akurdi Pune-based firm would also get its products in the high volume commuter class to shine bright on the front end.

For quite a long time Bajaj Autoandrsquos motorcycling ambitions to confront Hero have been strong but unsustainable but ever since the advent of the Discover platform came into being this has been the spearhead of the firmandrsquos commuter segment offering. Borrowing the same cues as the sporty Pulsar range but delivering top essence to everyday two-wheeled commuting the path adopted by the firmandrsquos Stars Ahead R andamp D now encompasses a rich product portfolio where performance delivery style and stance top notch engineering and build are all leagues above other products on the market. If that is not all the Discover (Watch : Bajaj Discover 125 video review) is now acknowledged as the most fuel efficient motorcycle on the Indian market but this gets even more credence because the efficiency doesnandrsquot come at the expense of a pleasure-filled ride or one which lacks on the performance front.

The other aspect to Bajaj Autoandrsquos Discover as also of course its entire product portfolio was and remains to keep each unit profitable and the Discover returns mightily for both consumer and manufacturer to profit from the experience.

BAJAJ DISCOVER THROUGH THE AGES

So when the sales figures for September 2012 came into the public domain it was a huge fall for the Hero Splendor so much so that the consistent sales performance of the Bajaj Discover suddenly saw it propelled to the best selling motorcycle in the world for the month at 122968 units. Of course a single swallow doesnandrsquot a summer make so while the first dent in the Splendorandrsquos hitherto impregnable reputation is fact it will be up to the Discover to keep the ante high so that it develops a taste for leadership. Also to be truthful the Splendor had been steadily losing traction for the better part of the last six months and where it was earlier all about the pull from the market garnering sales in these last few months it was all about Hero MotoCorp pushing the brand to sustain it in the market.

I have always maintained that the first cracks in the Splendorandrsquos record were surely going to appear around 2014-15 but for it to have come so soon are surprising. What is even more of concern is the fact that its erstwhile former partner Honda is gunning for the same glorious patch that the Splendor played and thrived on. Hondaandrsquos DreamYuga commuter is again simplistically made but beautifully engineered and the fight will now be in my opinion between this bike and the Discover unless Hero MotoCorp can pull something out of its barren magicianandrsquos hat.

Further on the Bajaj Discover in its latest 125 ST (Bajaj Discover 125ST : First Ride) avatar is an all new platform from which many new spin-offs have already been penciled in for production. A 100-110cc version is almost production ready and this should again hit the high spots on the fuel efficiency front as well as be in the value priced segment of the market. What has been a fight between lipstick and make-up jobs on a model getting on in age against a young punchy new model is now where the market is veering to. Just like one fine day in the 1990s the bottom fell off the Chetak and Super I can see the same for the Splendor but canandrsquot foretell the exact timeline for the same. The market as they say will speak and tell

BAJAJ DISCOVER THROUGH THE AGES

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