KTM 200 DUKE: The Urban Warrior

      The KTM Duke 200 is another name synonymous to performance in Indian motorcylce market. It  has been wholely built and designed at Chakan, Pune.

It is undoubtedly the best looking naked street bike in it's class.

The headlamp, the short seat, rear fender sitting atop the mono-shock suspension, tank decals and sharp lines makes it looks aggressive and hard edged.

Engine and Performance:

This is a liquid cooled, 200cc block producing 25bhp of power mated to 6 speed gearbox and weighs just 136kg, by far these numbers are best in the industry

The centre console displays all necessary information and greets you with 'Ready To Race' as you turn on the ignition.

It's a shortstroke engine that begs for high revs before you find serious power. The enthusiastic 200 Duke engine displays a flowing, sweet revving character that adds a lot to riding pleasure. The throttle response is crisp higher in the 3000 powerband. Once past this hurdle, the 200 Duke engine feels pretty much flawless, power building smoothly anywhere post 4500rpm, and surging ahead strongly with a vibe free nature into the meat of it. The clutch is well weighted, and works to get enough progression.  It’s quick for a 200cc bike, taking an impressive 9.52secs to pass 100kph after launch while 0-60 comes up in around 4secs.

The Duke exhaust is located below the engine and on the go, the KTM 200 Duke exhaust sounds delightful and healthy for a single. 

 Ride and Handling:- 
The Duke has a sporty riding position and the footrests are located far behind

Wide handlebars with superior leverage makes maneuvering the Duke through crowded city traffic simple. The 200 Duke comes with firm ride quality that helps keep the bike planted when slicing up corners. It flicks quickly from upright and safe to well beyond dicey lean angles, at which point you start to appreciate its low-profile, MRF radial front and rear tyres. Although the aggressively rounded rear with its limited contact patch did sometimes slip a wee bit when pushing over the limit, overall grip levels felt good. If you are looking for performance, this bike will never upset you.

 The the fuel-injected KTM gearchanges are quick and crisp when you want to vroom ahead. The liquid-cooled four valve DOHC single builds up revband like it’s is on fire and in full performance testing. If you want to extract good acceleration times from the KTM then it is more about timing your shifts than your throttle work in the lower gears.
The Brembo brakes are the best in the category with great stopping power.

The KTM is like sitting on a hard surface, your butt will beg for mercy on long rides. The seat can feel like a plank when ridden back to back and though the stiffness does wonders in the corners, the KTM gets very cross with bad roads. The wheels  offer phenomenal grip level on tarmac but slightly struggles on gravel.

The KTM Duke 200 is a premium motorcycle. It is features loaded from the ones in its all-digital instruments to various chassis and engine aggregates. It has the more powerful motor, lighter weight plus crucial bits like sticky radial tyres and that hard-to-clean aluminium swingarm which make their presence felt. It’s a marvelously quick motorcycle and brilliant around corners. 

Buy this if you want a fast performance naked street bike and want to stay ahead in the race. The KTM won't upset you.

Special Thanks to my buddy Dr. Sainath for lending his bike for the test and Suhas Maga for the brilliant photos.

The whole thing is written in just under a hour and I know their is a lot to improve which will be reflected in upcoming posts. Stay tuned.

RIDE SAFE FOLKS.
Comments and suggestions are most welcome.

Fiat Linea

   

      The Fiat Linea has always been a good looking car. It may not be as flamboyant as Verna but is surely an elegant looking car. The new facelifted model carries the lines further with neat cosmetic changes on the exterior like new fascia which includes restyled front grill, bumper and new fog lamp clusters. At the rear, the boot gets a big chrome strip and the number plate has been moved onto the bootlid. The side profile remains same except for new alloy wheels.


                            

     The body is robust and feels it will last forever. It's got 185mm of ground clearance which is best in it's class so you don't have to worry about scraping the bottom at speed breakers.
   
This is the only car in it's segment to have automatic switch on/off headlamps based on outside light conditions and even auto rain sense wipers.

      Step inside and you will be impressed by it's stylish cabin. Fiat has given a host of new features which has freshened up interior feel. The dashboard has dual tone black and beige theme which feels soft and nice to touch. There is also a new orange mood ambient lighting through the dash and door pads which gives a premium feel. The slick center console gets a storage box at the top which is made of dampening material to cut unwanted rattle noise of loose things you place inside.
The stereo panel is finished in piano black and does the job with Aux and USB port decently.

      Linea now comes with cruise control and auto climate control which is a welcoming feature.
The instrument cluster is bold and has tons of features like customizable options. You can change the color intensity of the display and also the alarm buzzer volume which buzzes up when the car hits certain speed which is preset.
      It has also got digital odometer, external temperature indicator, mileage distance to empty indicator, front passenger airbag deactivation.

      The steering is nice to hold and has volume control and blue me buttons. You can adjust the height now as the reach adjust has not made it to new car.
There are some negatives however- the buttons are tiny and difficult to operate and plastic quality around steering is compromised.

       The linea's front seat are supportive and comfortable and the emotion variant gets perforated leather which can be quiet a task in keeping it clean.
Coming to the rear, it's got a A/C vent for passengers. The seats are really comfortable and have got excellent thigh support and knee room, it can seat 5 people in decent comfort but still nowhere to the City.

      What's not impressive is the performance, despite having 1.3litre 90bhp multijet engine mated to 5 speed gearbox it feels snappy below 2000rpm and you don't get sudden surge of power when you push the pedal hard, but what you do get is everyday easily useable power delivery. In test it took 14.7secs to do 0-100kmph which is acceptable if you ask me.

     On the move Linea impress with it's excellent ride quality and handling characteristics. Push it hard in corner and won't disappoint you. The tyres offer phenomenal grip too.

      Safety: It offers 2 airbags and has ABS and EBD too.

      The new changes have made world of difference to the new linea. With ever growing dealer capacity it is making it's mark in the market quietly. The prices are competitive too.
There are total 6 shades to choose from.
If you want a no nonsense sedan then Linea is definitely worth considering.

   

                       

A Big thanks to Rohan of Rohan Motors, the authorized dealer of Fiat in Bijapur for giving us the car.

Ford EcoSport-Test Review

          Come-on tell me what all do what to want in a car?  Handling, comfort, ride quality, efficiency, cabin features, parking ease of a car along with ground clearance, practicality, road-presence of a SUV!

This is why we have seen immense popularity of Compact SUV segment in India. These cars are not to command roads but a degree of safety & Ford EcoSport is one such fine example.

          Ford has given everything to make it a complete package & still priced very competitively. No wonder it has set sales chart on fire & now command a 6 month long waiting period. 


          The EcoSport is available in both diesel & petrol engine options, a brand new 1.0litre petrol Ecoboost engine & a 89ps 1.5 litre turbo-diesel engine.

Design: -

The EcoSport is just a millimetre short of 4-metre mark giving it full benefits of under 4-metre-length car tax benefit

The overall design is very tight & compact. On the front you get a pair of sleek & futuristic looking headlamps & that high bonnet gives the car a purposeful stance. From side it the looks small. The back is where EcoSport gives a proper impression of an SUV thanks to the tailgate mounted spare wheel.
The EcoSport is based on B2E's Fiesta platform. It has got independent MacPherson struts in front & non-independent torsion beam rear axle.  

It has 200mm of grond clearance, approach angle of 25 degrees & Ford claim it can wade through 550mm of water which is pretty handy.

Interiors:-

The Fiesta based dashboard is stylish. It sits very high & is deep. The 'chest-out' centre console is very appealing to look but equally tough find the right button without looking at it. It's got USB slot, AUX & CD slot. Above it is a small info screen which has got dull graphics & catches reflection but I think it is better than others.The dark color cabin makes it feel small than actually it is. The steering wheel is nice to hold & gets telescopic adjustment.

Top end variants get push start button  There are plenty of storage spaces, there is a nice rubberised cubbyhole ahead of gear-lever to keep your phone, 3 bottle/can holders around handbrake & it got big door pockets. In total you get 9 bottle/can holders. You also get USB/AUX & 12v charging ports placed near handbrake. Glove box got a dual level & the bottom compartment has got an air-con duct to keep your cans cool.
The instrument console looks very sporty. The dials are easy to read & is lit with blue light. It gets only one trip meter which sho Tuld be ok for you.

The car has not been provided with grab handle above doors, the passenger gets nothing to hold onto which might turn annoying & tiring.
The audio system is very good. It also gets 'speed volume compensation' which automatically increases the volume when the speed increases to kill the engine noise.

The front seats are supportive & comfortable enough for long runs. Those with heavy built may find it bit tight but are plenty of options to make seat adjustments & find your perfect driving position. It's got lumbar support too & driver gets armrest too.

Coming to back you get enough legroom & headroom but it feels very narrow & will be very tight for 3 passengers, which I suggest is best avoided.

EcoSport has got a decent 362 litres boot which is acceptable. The tailgate is smartly scooped inside to accommodate large bags.You can split fold seats to get 700 litres space but it is still not enough to swallow decent sized study table. That's a serious letdown.

Engine Performance:-
I drove the more popular 1.5litre diesel which makes only 90bhp which feels a bit underpowered for my liking but it's got 21kgm of torque to pull through when needed. The engine is responsive but you don't get the any turbo kick when pushed.
The gearbox feels very smooth to use & shifts easy. 
It took over 16 secs to hit the 100kmph mark from standstill & it can reach upto 170kmph.

Handling:- 
Like other Fords it's a joy to drive. It gives you a commanding view of road ahead.
The steering is lite but feels well connected to road. It is absolutely effortless to drive in city but equally tough to park due to limited rear visibility. 
It's a good cruiser on highway & you will enjoy pushing it hard.

Efficiency:-
We got 14.5 kmpl in city & 19kmpl on long highway stretches, which is very much acceptable keeping in mind this not a hatchback.

Final verdict:- It is a very smart package & it's got everything to appeal your tastes. It's fun to drive, it's easy to maintain. Ford has also packed it with many equipment & many first in-class features. 
Moreover it's cleverly priced with many models as cheap as hatchbacks(petrol versions).
This is one car I would surely recommend. 

Note: The visibility offered by headlamps were not satisfactory hence the bulbs were upgraded to 'Philips Xtreme vision' at the cost Rs/-1,200 which now offer better visibility.
I advice owners to install a rear parking camera as rear visibility is very poor.
The wheel cover on the back of the vehicle is a optional accessory & cost's a whopping Rs/-22,000.


P.S.- Special thanks to Dr. Sandeep Harshangi for letting his new drive for the review.

The all-new Range Rover.

          It's no secret that I love SUVs & that Range Rover is my favorite. It's rugged, very off-road capable & at same time luxurious, fast & look handsome. As far as SUVs go it always been very desirable.

The all new fourth-generation Range Rover launch was a grand affair. Celebrity guests like Holly Valance, Jimmy Parr & Olympian models Zara Phillips & Victoria Pendleton were few of score who were invited at the Royal Ballet School, UK. Watching the launch on youtube I couldn't help but swell with pride as this iconic brand in now owned by our very own Tata Motors.

There is still nothing else like Range Rover. Audi, BMW, Mercedes & Porsche all sell SUV's in the same segment, but neither one of them has managed to marry luxury with off-road ability. No wonder, that the current car will be more popular than ever.

As with the looks, the new Range Rover is unmistakable, it has got road presence like no other SUV.
It is the biggest Rangie yet but shorter than before for a sleeker shape & better aerodynamics. All the important design elements are retained on demand, like the shape, floating roof, two-piece tailgate. The headlamps are again typically Range Rover & give a through modern look. The massive 19 & 22 inch wheels give Rangie a planted look.

The new Range Rover with all-aluminium chassis & body is the first SUV to feature so. This has slashed a whopping 420kg than the outgoing model. This will give advantage in areas like fuel economy, handling & emissions. The chassis also stiffer & 39 percent lighter than than previous steel structure which will give it better dynamic ability.

 Get on the inside & you will welcomed by acres of luxury. The cabin in enrobed in a mixture of wood & soft leather that's perfectly stitched. The armchair-style front seats gives you throne like comfort along with great visibility, the leather wrapped steering wheel is a joy to hold & large instrument cluster displays a digital speedo & tachometer., top-mounted window controls are still present. Since many customers will be chauffeur driven the rear-seat comfort have been been greatly enhanced. The legroom is up by 118mm  & wheelbase by 40mm. Range Rover's back seats offer sheer comfort & luxury, you can even opt the aircraft style 2 bucket seat package in Autobiography edition divided by a extnded centre console that houses a small cool-box & aircon controls & a pair of 12.3inh HD screens. The seats offer wide range of movements like nine-degree recline & 5 mode massage function to pamper you. Must-tick options include a mood ambiance roof lighting, panaromic glass roof & a superb 1700W,29 speaker Meridian 'Signature Reference' sound system to blow off your socks.
The only let down Is see is the paddles-shift levers are made from plastic when I want aluminium.

The 60mm wider track & lower roofline have also helped the car feel more agile through corners, with significantly less body roll. There's the same smooth palpable glide of the tyres you get with a Rolls Royce & that's no surprise as the RR Ghost was one of the cars Range Rover has benchmarked against.

Three new engines are available to choose which is attached to 8-speed ZF automatic transmission. The entry-level, high efficiency 3.0 litre V6 diesel develops a nice 254bhp & does 0-100 in under 8 seconds. Next up is more stronger & popular 334bhp 4.4litre TDV8 that develops a barge-tugging 517lb of torque 7 ensuring ton under 6.5 seconds, while the footballers & sheiks will signing the cheque for the ridiculous 503bhp, 5.0litre V8 Supercharged petrol.

The multiple modes of Terrain Response combined with hill descent manage system & ability to raise the car up on it's air-springs will manage to walk over every terrain you choose to throw at this car. Further it's got 5-star rating from Euro NCAP in crash tests.

The incredible thing about this car is while you put this through all the abuse, you're calm & in great luxury & can listen to music while it's crossing Amazon. The fourth gen version takes not just its capabilities even further but the image of Britian's most significant automotive icons, having established the concept of luxury SUV.

Finer thing sin life always comes for a price & in this case it's upward 1.7 crore, yup you heard it right.
Icon is not a word you can throw out to every car, but not all cars are Range Rovers.

       

          

The timeline of Pulsar

          When you look at the history of Indian Motorcycles, you see that Pulsar has created a revolution sort of thing in Indian Motorcycle Industry or precisely speaking Pulsar has brought the Sport Biking Concept in India that was absent from a long time.

         While that was the time of Hero Honda and Yamaha 2 strokers domination and they were bringing lot of Commuter Bike segmentation to the market with few exceptions, Bajaj was the only company who thought of bringing a bit change to the market and winning the hearts of Indian Bike enthusiasts.

        The Pulsar not only transformed the way Indians commuted, but also changed the DNA of  the country's second-largest two-wheeler maker that till then had successful but staid models like the M-80, the  rear-engine three-wheeler and of course the blockbuster scooter, Chetak.

        ‘Pulsar', a word that’s become synonymous with sports-performance, macho looking motorcycle. This Indian powerband showed & shook the Europeans & Jap’s with their technology & patents. This was competent to last nut & was smashing in every department.

      Bajaj priced the Pulsar very well, a bit low than competition CBZ X-treme & Karizma but with better performance. This was easy on average Indian buyer who would also get the best bike of that time. Another thing was Pulsar was available in wide range starting from 135cc to 220cc.

       Currently there are 5 variants of Pulsar available, with engine capacities of 135 cc, 150 cc, 180 cc, 200 cc(Pulsar NS) and 220 cc. Previously it was also offered with a 200 cc DTS-i oil cooled engine, which now has been discontinued. With an average monthly sales of  around 86,000 units in 2011, Pulsar has a market share of 47% in its segment. By April 2012, more than five million units of Pulsar were sold.  
Making it the India’s Number-1 sports bike.

The Timeline of the Pulsar

2001: The first generation of Pulsar was a runway success. It introduced us to the world of performance. It taught us the words like, bhp, torque, 0-100time and power-to-weight ratios. It was not a just a mode of transportation but was new relation between rider and the bike. The first Pulsar's to hit the market were powered by a 150cc air cooled single cylinder 4 stroke petrol engine which delivered a power output of 11.8bhp. It used a carburettor for sending the air-fuel mixture to the engine and a single spark-plug for its ignition. It sported the dome shaped round headlights and its styling was an inspiration derived from a wide open muscular human arm! The 180cc Pulsar launched after that produced a power of  15bhp and was equipped with electric start as a standard fitment. It was 'Definitely male'.

2002-03: The Pulsar was already the default choice of youth of the Youth. It became the bad-boy of the streets out-selling and out-performing every other bike. It featured Headlamp fairing with twin pilot lamps and the revolutionary DTS-i(Dual Twin Spark-ignition) technology which gave performance advantage over the competition which it still holds. Not to forget it also had engine kill switch. It had 13 and 16bhp for 150 and 180cc models respectively.

2004-05: Each Pulsar upgrade has had 2 aspects to it - styling and technology. The changes were very been significant, each time redefining the segment. Competition was constantly kept on its toes trying to stay at least just behind Pulsar thus keeping Pulsar and the Pulsar maniacs ahead of the curve. UG2 was the first all black Pulsar had many technological upgrades that are till date a part of the Pulsar. It had standard for the industry - 17' alloy wheels Exhaus TEC, nitrox filled suspension. This was where I became a Pulsar maniac.

2006: By this time more than 1 million Pulsars were sold. The 2006 pulsar had the most significant updates featuring the digital speedometer, back-lit switches, self cancelling indicators, LED tail lamps etc. Multiple sensors and the digital console gave the rider a lot of information about the overall performance of the bike and with it a confidence to push forward with additional power.

2007-08 : The first Indian bike to break the 200 cc barrier had hit the road - The Pulsar 200 and 220. Biking in India was set to change and Pulsar was again leading this revolution. While the 200cc sported a carburetor, the 220cc was fuel injected! These babies could dish out undulating power of 18bhp and 20bhp respectively and also boasted of an oil cooler. They came out with split seats, 220 also had both front and rear disc brake and projector head-lamps.

2009-10: 3 million Pulsars were on road by this time. The 150 got clip-on handle bar and 15bhp power in Feb.

2010: All black styling DC Lighting The 180 got a whopping 17 Ps power, split seas, clip-on handle bar, tubeless tyres, O-ring sealed chain etc. 

This period also saw the launch of the smallest pulsar, the 135LS. It had 4 valve DTS-i engine and was also the first bike to have 2 intake and 2 exhaust valve giving it superior performance in terms of both power and mileage. 

During this year the 220 carburetor version was also launched and the fuel injection was discontinued. This also meant an increase in power for the 220 taking it to 21 Ps and a highest in class power to weight ratio of 140 Ps/ Ton. Later a naked streetfighter version of same was introduced along with tanks flaps.

2011: The Pulsar 150, 180 and 220F didn't go through any major upgrades apart from some new color combinations introduced.

2012: This was the special year for pulsar fans. The Pulsar family had already sold over 5million pulsars and all new Pulsar in the form of 200 NS came, showing the all new path. It was world's first triple spark bike and set a new benchmark for bike makers.