Two Wheelers Reviews

Sales of BMW Motorrad in March 2017 accounted for over a half of the first quarter's sales so far this year. While model-wise sales details haven't been announced, the BMW G 310 R is expected to contribute significantly to the company's overall sales.

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) has launched the Bharat Stage IV (BS-IV) compliant Honda Livo 110 cc bike in India priced at Rs. 54,331 (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar is the latest to have noticed the lack of helmets being worn while riding and recently took it upon himself to spread the word.

The fuel-injected Royal Enfield Bullet 500 now meets Bharat Stage 4 (BS IV) emission regulations which came into effect from 1 April 2017. The recent Supreme Court order banning the manufacture, sale and even registration of any vehicle not meeting these regulations meant Royal Enfield had to update those models which did not meet the BS 4 emissions criteria. The engine of the updated Bullet 500 remains the same, but power and torque have marginally increased, thanks to the new technology. The Royal Enfield Bullet 500 is now available in three shades - Marsh Grey, Forest Green and Black.

The Benelli TRK 502, Benelli's middleweight adventure tourer, has been launched in Malaysia at a price of RM 30,621 (around Rs 4.5 lakh). The TRK 502 has been launched along with the Benelli 302R, the full-faired 300 cc sportbike in Malaysia. In India, Benelli will first launch the 302 R in May, but the TRK 502 will be launched later in 2017.

People who buy new models of two-wheelers are more satisfied than buyers of carry-over or updated models, according to a new study. However, satisfaction levels decline if buyers face problems with vehicle quality during the initial ownership period. The JD Power 2017 India Two-Wheeler Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (2WAPEAL) study is based on evaluations from 9,406 owners across 45 cities in India. The study includes 87 two-wheeler models from 10 makes, and includes owners who purchased a new vehicle between March 2016 and October 2016.

Based on the BMW R 1200 GS Adventure, the xDrive Hybrid is essentially a two-wheel drive version of the 1200 GSA, and uses a 45-horsepower electric motor housed in the front wheel hub in addition to the internal combustion engine. The unique all-wheel drive system offers better traction on slippery road conditions, deep sand or mud, according to a BMW Motorrad release.

Dubbed Yamaha's variable valve actuation (VVA), it is a basic version of variable valve technology which uses a mechanism to shift between cam profiles for low-rpm engine speeds as well as high-rpm speeds. The VVA allows Yamaha to use a single overhead cam which makes the cylinder head more compact, and is also said to return sharper throttle response. The engine is now a 155 cc single-cylinder SOHC mill capable of producing 19.3 bhp at 10,000 rpm and 14.7 Nm of peak torque at 8500 rpm.