Performing a wheelie!

Hey I know it’s been eons since I wrote something, that’s why I thought when I start off again, I it should be interesting and exciting 2 throttle up your sense. What better way than to tell you how to do a wheelie!!
Heres an amatuer's take on performing one... I have done a few basic wheeling stunts on my bike while in India (ofcourse, am just a street biker). And it’s very exciting and I should say it takes courage n time 2 understand the art. But once you understand, the sheer pleasure is exhilarating! Also an added bonus of impressing the other sex! Infact it could be your real motive too for all I know!
As I was about to write about the stunts, I found a similar post on xkmph.com by Santanu, the administrator for the site. Here is the link:
http://xkmph.com/discuss/index.php?topic=730.0
Until I tell you a few variations in my style, drive fast, take chances, be safe!

Images courtesy: GutzyRoadies.com and wikimedia.org

R15 Review on IBN Live

This is a very good review video from IBN Live:



Part 2:


What more can I say!!... Get your hands on it now!
If you are not able to watch the videos, head to the IBN Live site

Yamaha R15 website launched!

The link on the teaser has been unlocked. The R15 website is up! Download the loads of nicely shot wallpapers on it!

The way Yamaha has built the product shows everywhere!.... The marketing of the rpoduct is awesome, atleast on the web. Which is good as this is a niche segment and the targetting is perfect. Coudnt have done a better job!

Yamaha R15 Specification

As the Yamaha R15 goes on sale from today, I thought I might post some trivia on it before other bloggers do! ( Kinda selfish huh! ;))

Yamaha R15 Specs as found on Rocking Roadies

Engine : 149.8cc, 10.4:1 compression, Liquid cooled, 4 Valve, Forged Pistons, 4 valve SOHC
with hi performance Radiator

Fuel Injection - Delphi 6 hole type with Sensors n feedback to ECU and centred spark plug

6 speed gearbox
Steel deltabox frame
Power 17ps/8500 rpm
Torque 15nm/7500 rpm
Top speed 140 kph

Tyres:
Front MRF 80/90 17" Tubeless
Rear MRF 100/80 17" Tubeless
Fuel Tank - 12 Litres
Overall length - 1995 mm
Width - 670 mm
Height - 1070 mm
Wheelbase - 1290 mm
Min. Ground Clearance - 160 mm
Ignition - Self
Suspension:
Front - Standard microscopic

While most specs are known by now, the Power and Torque numbers are news. The bike develops 1PS less than the Pulsar 200(18PS@ 8000RPM) and 3PS less than the Pulsar 220. Nevertheless, thats an impressive spec for a 150cc bike as it betters the 16.5 PS cranked by Pulsar 180.

The rear tyres are thin, this doesnt come as a surprise as the Auto Expo featured a thin tyre version only.

Also the compression ratio specified is not quite what I expected. I expected a CR between 12:1 and 13:1 which would match the P220 CR of 12.8:1.

Wishing R15 a gr8 debut from all Indi bikers!!

Welcoming a new era of super-sport biking on Indi roads!!

P.S: I am though not very sure about the authenticity of the R15 Power and Torque numbers posted in Rocking Roadies.

UPDATE: Figures are correct

Yamaha R15 promo video

Watch this Bangalore Wheels promo on full screen!

Though the video quality in the next video is not very good, nevertheless this is a worth-watch promo

YAMAHA R15 debut on June 12!

YAMAHA YZF R15 countdown begins!


Buckle up for the most exciting new age bike to scorch Indian roads! ( ya, the infamous Indian roads). Scroll down for the teaser from Yamaha...

Loads of Hot Pics of YAMAHA R15!!

I know people are not going to be amused if I am going to talk about or post pics on Yamaha R15 as it is no news now. But then, I just found this large collection of R15 pics on Flickr taken @ Auto Expo 08, that it left me no choice but to rave about it...

Some quick facts about the bike to be launched soon in India , that has made desi bikers mouth-water and spend sleepless nights thinking about the beauty....

• The 1st 6-speed road ready bike in India ( of course excluding sports bikes like R1, MT01 and its likes).
• A high revving 4-valve FI( Fuel Injection) engine ( chech out the pic where the revmeter shows calibration upto 12,000 RPM!) with an expected 20BHP output !
• Front and Rear Disk Brakes alongwith Rear mono-shock suspension.
• And ofcourse the most important, the R1 like front-faring and lots more...

Before you grow tired of my ravings and rantings, here is the link to the photo collection

http://www.flickr.com/photos/praveen_p_sathaye/sets/72157603768379821/

Sincere thanks to this person, Praveen P Sathaye, for hosting the photos.

Apache RTR Vs CBZ Xtreme

Last week, I was lucky to test drive these 2 new bikes on successive days. I wanted to ‘freewheel' them for a long time but never found an opportunity. So on the day of the ride, off I went like an excited kid jumping to drive. I got my hands first on CBZ Xtreme and then on the Apache RTR.
Day 1 (should be saying late night): By now, I have got used to the Xtreme looks, though I still feel the old CBZ is a design to beat in spite of it belonging to the prev bike gen. The Xtreme ride and engine revs were very smooth. I felt as if it was a Unicorn tuned for a further smoother ride. The low end torque somehow didn’t impress me much, I had a feeling I was riding a 125cc machine. For a bike in this category and looking to compete with the likes of Pulsar 150 and Apache, this fatigue won’t help much.
At high speeds above 80kmph, the ride felt solid and confident. I also had the feeling the brakes weren’t sharp and didn’t respond quick enough as I expected. I am also not a big fan of the pilot lamp on the bike. Nevertheless, the ride was exciting and was a good bike to drive without much strain on me and the bike. Overall rating: 3.5/5.
Verdict: Certainly better than the previous generation 150cc bikes.

Day 2 ( Night 2):
Apache RTR. This was a red one belonging to my friend. First look, I was very impressed at how it was different from the 150. Small aesthetic and visual touches at the right areas on the 150 and what do we have? Stunning and gorgious RTR!
Just sitting on the bike gave me a very comfy feel. Before talking more on the bike let us just go back and ponder on what Apache users feedback were on. The bike had a bad gearbox, changing gears - a pain in the neck. Vibration felt at high speeds. Handling - not very comfortable for city ride and felt less confident at high speeds. Surprisingly I found the bike to have none of these. In fact I should say, the bike outperformed Xtreme on all these parameters.
The low-end torque was too good to be true. The ride was very comfortable and brakes had good response. I just love the digital tacho on Pulsar 150 and dream as I may on other bikes, but it was there on RTR. I think the digital tacho gives the bikes the international appeal and that of a superbike. The new clip-on handles were very comfortable. When it was time to stop, I didn’t want to put my feet down, the ride was so good, I wanted to go on. Overall rating: 4.5/5
Verdict: Innovative Engineering by TVS. Eager to see the same quality engineering flow to Flame also (The new TVS 125cc bike).

Final Word: In spite of being very late successor to CBZ, not much technical innovation has gone into the Xtreme as it uses the same Unicorn engine. However the bike feels good and solid. An upgraded Unicorn is my take.
RTR, a smart piece of engineering and a great upgrade for Apache 150. What tops the cake, is that it is a km or 2 more fuel efficient than the Xtreme and I heard its a 1 or 2k cheaper than Xtreme, 2 more reasons to choose the RTR.
People looking for a rush of adrenaline should go for Apache RTR. For a smooth care-free ride it is the Xtreme.

Road Racing Tips

I tripped over this link while surfing through blogs. Though these are tips on professional biking, they are easy to understand and can be used for city biking also (with care). Let me caution you, any of these tricks u try and get unlucky, am not responsible!!! Happy reading...
http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/howto/122_0610_20_pro_motorcycle_roadracing_tips/

gr8 xpectations- big let down - cbz xtreme

It's been long time since I posted, but this big let down on the bike god, that i worship, CBZ, has prompted me to post this note. Many must be waiting to get their first glance on CBZ Xtreme, 'from the makers of CBZ', though once u have a glance at it, u will wonder if it was them who came up with the original version.

Well, what do u think on looking at the pics, does it really look like a CBZ or, as I would put, 'yet another bike from HH'?
On the first look itself, so many qouestions popped into my head:
Y would a bike really need a so-called 'Pilot Lamp' when there is a large head lamp that more than serves the purpose of 'piloting'?

Y have an integrated tail lamp, when the original 1 was just 2 good 2 beat.

In spite of having faced repeated failures with ambition and achiever, Y sport the same fuel tank those failure models use?

Looks like Pulsar and Apache are likely to strike cbz off, as their most-feared destroyer.

Xtreme looks more like a marketing gimmick than a tribute to the god.

On letting down my hopes of a revival, let me at least pay my tributes to the true legend of the original cbz.