Review / Comparison of Scooters in India - Part II

Continued from here.

http://boyracer.blogspot.com/2010/04/twelve-scooters-to-spoil-your-choice.html

Hello again motoheads, and welcome to the second installment on Indian Scooters. Yesterday I introduced you to the variety the market has to offer. Today, I shall be sharing my Five Star picks of what is available out there. They are not ranked since the top spot will depend entirely on your preferences!

However, be rest assured, whatever your requirements, there is a scooter in this list that will fulfil your mind, body, soul and pockets!

LML 150 4T NV (My pick): Only geared scooter in the market. Largest scooter exporters(75000 last year).

Who is it for? Office going men conscious of the fuel economy and pride.

Pros: Comfort, biggest engine, power, can be repaired anywhere, retro design, 8 litres large fuel tank

Cons: Limited availability, outdated

Engine: 150cc four-stroke engine with a 4 speed gearbox. 8Bhp @ 5500 rpm and 9.5nm @ 6000rpm. 121kgs is heavier than most scooters.

Website: http://www.lmlitalia.com/

Conclusion: Priced 40,800 ex-showroom. A great buy if you are after some retro charm and a true driving experience.

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Suzuki Access 125 (My pick): Unbreakable

Who is it for? Mostly men but women will find it comfortable too. Seat height 780mm.

Pros: Robust and reliable, most powerful and refined engine, standard 20 litres storage, best in class ride and handling.

Cons: Smaller brakes(120mm), no external fuel filler or mobile charger.

Engine: 125cc engine has 8.58 bhp @ 7000rpm and 9.8nm @ 5500rpm. Heavy at 115kgs.

Website: http://www.suzukimotorcycle.co.in/

Conclusion: Priced 45561 ex-showroom. A driver's scooter at heart, fun to drive - the best no frills scoterette in the market. Grey and silver look good. Stay away from purple.

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Mahindra Flyte (My pick): 'Overdrive' Scooter of the year 2008 and 'Business Standard' scooter of the year 2008

Who is it for? Women will love the style and convinience. seat height 760mm.

Pros: Reliability, engine, 22 litres storage space, front fuelling, mobile charging.

Cons: Brakes (being picky)

Engine: 125cc engine makes 8bhp at 7000 rpm and 9.0nm of torque at 5500rpm. light weight at 106kg weight.

Website: http://mahindra2wheelers.com/

Conclusion: Priced 40499 ex-showroom. Excellent reliability. Looks good in silver and red.

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TVS Wego (my pick): The newest scooter in the market.

Who is it for? The scooter is targeted at both men and women.

Pros: Metal body, 12-inch Alloys, LED tail lamp, mobile charging facility, external fuel filler, front storage.

Cons: Men may find their knees lacking space.

Engine: 110cc engine makes 8bhp @7500 rpm and 8nm torque @ 5500rpm.

Website: http://tvswego.com/

Conclusion: Priced 42500 ex showroom. Easily the best scooterette in the market. Stay away from the golden colour.

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Bajaj Kristal (my pick)- From the king of scooters
Who is it for? The scooter is targeted at women.
Pros: Price, Front-fuelling, liters storage space with illumination, automatic lights, fuel efficient
cons: Weak engine, might be discontinued soon.
engine: 95cc engine makes 7bhp @7500rpm and 7.66nm at 5500rpm
http://www.bajajauto.com/kristal/
Conclusion: Priced at rs. 36,000 ex-showroom. Last of the scooters from Bajaj if Rajiv Bajaj has his way.

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!!COMING SOON!!

Yamaha MIO Soul

So now you have got my recommendations, I hope you are inspired to get commenting and let us know which of these you love and why.

Happy Riding!!

Review / Comparison of Scooters in India - Part I

May the best wheels seal your deal.

TVS Scooty: Oldest and most reliable variomatic still makes a great buy.

Who is it for?: Teens. Grown up people better stay away

Pros: 2stroke/4stroke/electric,  led tail lamps, front glove box and external fuel filler (scooty streak), lightweight, mobile charger, illuminated keyhole,

Cons: outdated design, weak engines, small size, small 14 litres storage space

Engine:  90cc 4-stroke engine. 5bhp@ 6500rpm and 5.8nm@4000 rpm (95kg)

               60cc 2-stroke engine. 3.5bhp@5500rpm and 4.5nm@5000rpm (82kg)

              48v battery. 800w power. 33nm@150rpm (95kg)

http://www.scootygals.com/

Conclusion: Scooty price range 26505-36655 ex-showroom,  Scooty Streak and Scooty Electric best buy. Looks best in red and black.

Hero Pleasure: Just another scoterette in the market.

Who is it for?: 750mm seat height comfortable for Teenage girls and women looking for their daily roundabouts.

Pros:  Front storage is a bonus. 

Cons: Proven but weak engine. 15 litres storage is very small.

Engine: 102cc mill straight lift from the old Activa and the Honda Dio. Least powerful scooter with 7bhp at 7000rpm and 7.85nm at 5000 rpm.   lightweight at 104kg.

http://www.herohonda.com/Pleasure/

Conclusion: Priced 39006 ex-showroom. Looks absolutely stunning in dual tone black. Also looks good in aqua green and force silver.

Mahindra Duro:  NDTV Profit Car and Bike award 2010- Scooter of the year.

Who is it for?: 770mm seat height convinient mostly for men and tall women who need more knee space.

Pros: price, sturdy,  powerful engine, lots of knee space, 20litres illuminated storage plus front storage.

Cons: Outdated

Engine: 125cc engine makes 8bhp@7000rpm and 9nm of torque@5500rpm. 105kg lightweight

http://mahindra2wheelers.com/

Conclusion: Priced 39799 ex-showrooms.  Kinetic Nova redeveloped with technical and design inputs from Engines Engineering from Italy Looks best in white. No nonsense commuter.

Honda Dio:  Designed for tomorrow.

Who is it for?: College going teens and those who follow Gucci and Prada. saddle height 765mm.

Pros: Looks, Brand name

Cons: proven but weak engine, expensive spares.

Engine: 102cc engine makes 7bhp at 7000rpm and 7.75nm at 8000rpm. 110kgs is heavier than most scooters.

http://www.honda2wheelersindia.com/

Conclusion:  Priced 40275 ex-showroom. Only if you need a stylish scooter. Looks good in metallic blue and green.

Mahindra Rodeo: Starwars contender

Who is it for? Both men and women, 760mm seat height

Pros:  22litres underseat storage, mobile charging facility, digital display, front fuel filler

Cons: premium price for unnecessary features.

Engine:  125cc engine making 8bhp@7000rpm and 9nm@5500rpm. 106kg lightweight

http://mahindra2wheelers.com/

Conclusion: Priced 43399 ex-showroom.  redeveloped with technical and design inputs from Engines Engineering from Italy. You are paying extra for the style and jazz. Looks good in black, blue and green.

 

Honda Activa: The scooter that redefined scooters.

Who is it for: Both men and women. seat height 765mm.

Pros: refreshed design, front storage space

Cons: 18litres storage space smaller than competition, 

Engine: New 110cc engine makes 8bhp at 7500rpm and 8.5nm of torque at 5500rpm. 110kg heavier than industry average.
htttp://www.honda2wheelersindia.com/

Conclusion: priced 44456 ex-showroom. A well built scooter that will last well. Sunbeam white and grey metallic look good.

Honda Aviator: Honda's premium scooter

Who is it for: Men  will find it comfortable on the 790mm high seat.

Pros:  Front disc brake, 12-inch front wheel, alloy wheels, 20 litres storage

Cons: expensive to buy, pricey spares,  looks

Engine: 110cc engine makes 8bhp at 7000rpm and 8.5nm@5500rpm

http://www.honda2wheelersindia.com/

Conclusion: priced 50705 ex-showroom. Looks are not appealing. Black and red look good.

Part 2 here:
http://boyracer.blogspot.com/2010/04/twelve-scooters-to-spoil-your-choice_07.html

The charm of European Superbikes

Unless it's an April fool's prank, summers has officially begun in Toronto. The black coats have been shed and people have finally begun to smile and show signs of life. For an enthusiast like me, summer is announced when I hear motorcycles whirring on the streets. 

Ducati is not a new name to many. Casey Stoner made life hell for Valentino Rossi and his Team Fiat-Yamaha. The Ducati just makes up on straights what Yamaha has to struggle to cover on turns. Ducati's answer to the super bikes from East is the  new 1199 Panigale. A history in bikes older than the Japanese is proof enough that these Red blooded Italians know how to build bikes. Now owned by Audi this  195 bhp monster had humble beginnings in the Ducati 851 in 1987. Ducati has since churned out a better technological marvel with each model. 

Interesting fact: Ducati shoes from FILA are awesome and make a great style statement. Check out the FILA website.

Not many European companies have survived the recession well. If there is one motorcycle which befriends the amateur biker in you, the name probably starts with A. Aprilia has always been known as a bike that handles like a GP track bike on the road even in the hands of a beginner and that is not a bad thing at all. Now owned by Piaggio, the RSV4 is a successor to Aprilia's RSV series upgraded in 2009. For those who have seen the previous generation RSV, I don't need to argue how Aprilia's have grown beautiful under Piaggio. In 2010, Aprilia became the most successful motorcycle racing brand in history, surpassing fellow Italian MV Agusta with a record 276th victory.

Interesting fact: searching and clicking on another motorcycle marque 'Laverda' website will route your browser to Aprilia. Both are owned by Piaggio but Laverda name has been dropped.

The Italians sure love the way they do things. Wine and dine, Girls and style, making cars and bikes or anything they do. But one thing they have been bad at is Marketing. If you don't believe me check out Fiat India's record. Benelli is not better. Now a part of Chinese QianJiang Group, the company makes two versions of its famous Tornado super bike. The sad news is the timeless design now does look old and so is the technology. A famous example of how things stagnate in the wrong hands (Read Chinese hands). The bike still retains its Italian character though. The now mediocre 1130cc engine needs an urgent update. Helping push the sales is a smaller 903 version which helps the 1130 save the face.

Interesting fact: apart from motorcycles Benelli brand can also be found on PWC's (personal water crafts) under HSR Benelli brand name and on shotguns under the name Benelli arms.

I am not writing about the MV Agusta last because its not well known or because its not competitive. In fact MV is extremely well known and can knock the daylights out of the Japanese super bikes. Hence for a bike maker with extremely turbulent history and a Ayrton Senna Edition bike to their credit deserve a final mention. At one time they had seven limited edition bikes. Not surprising enough that they are known as the Lamborghini equivalent in the motorcycle world. The F41000 along with RSV4, Tornado Tre and 1198 make up the big four super bikes that have the potential to show the world that style and innovation are not dead. (time to hire some marketing geniuses)

Interesting fact: Once a part of the Malaysian Group Proton along with British Sports car maker Lotus (Elise and Esprit fame), MV Agusta was sold for a token 1 Euro. The company was a part of Harley Davidson USA. After Harley found themselves incapable of handling MV Agusta, the company is again in the hands of Italian Investors.

Also available

BMW Motorrad has recently gave birth to some of the most improved motorcycles in their entire history. Now if they can make the same kind of ads for motorcycles as they do for cars. And they also prove that a sharp design is not always beautiful.

If I end my post here, I will be insulting the motorcycle lovers. How can I commit such treachery and not mention the great 2-stroker champion and the maker of the X-bow? Just as BMW is known by blue and Kawasaki is known by green, this great motorcycle maker is known for its yellow colour. Style, technology and automobile wet dreams cannot gel so well as the KTM 1190 RC8. I will let the picture do the talking. 

Caution: For the classic AJS motorcycle lovers. The new company is said to import Chinese models and rebrand them. I am yet to hear a good review about them.

Woes at Hindustan Motors

Way back in 1998 Mitsubishi Lancer was the epitome of Luxury in Indian cars. Nice engine, superb build quality and those killer looks sold cars off the showroom floors without hassle. HM was happy, so happy they decided to go to sleep. Come 2010, Honda City, Mitsubishi's closest competitor is selling close to 3000 cars a month while HM managed Lancer and Lancer Cedia together hardly make 1% of that number. There were a lot of reasons HM has failed since the advent of Maruti in the 80's. But this post is not about the woes HM is facing. The media I am sure will kill a dying company much before its time by doing that. It is about what HM should do since Ravi Santhanam is not at the helm anymore.

Assets
HM has three major assets. A Brand name that has strong sentimental patriotic values by meaning and by its car making history. Secondly they have two car platforms at hand which are cheap to build and can be repaired just about anywhere with easy availability of Spares (A major reason why most people buy Maruti's today). Thirdly HM has the technical know how from making HM's own branded cars, Mitsubishi cars and outsourcing services for some major companies. Additionally, The Company also has sentimental values thanks to the Hindustan Ambassador's long lasting roots.

What I would do
1. Bring back the HM Contessa refresh model: I don’t know how many Indians are aware that the quickest car in the world is based on a Contessa. :D Even if the world knows, I am sure HM doesn't. Muscle cars are what brought Ford GM and Chrysler back from the dead. It was the Mustang, Camaro and Challenger that gave these American companies a new face. The Contessa reeks of American Muscle cars and that is not a bad thing. Many a discussion groups have tons of people filling hundreds of pages with dreams of converting a Contessa into a muscle car. Hindustan Contessa was a luxury segment car for HM. A segment in which you get the Civic, Cruze, Corolla, Octavia and similar cars today. The last batch of Contessa cars were sold at around 5 lacs. HM has the plant idle and the dye and machinery at Hand. A refreshed Interior designing might costs a bomb but what would giving at a retro look with good quality parts cost? The initial batch will only be a branding exercise to bring attention back to the oldest car maker (which again is an asset from HM).



The list of upgrades needed (assuming they sell a modest 3000 cars in a year)

1. A climate control unit. Most Contessa and Ambassadors have had after market units attached to the dash. A neat job for the same with a climate control unit will be affordable as well as a boon.

2. 16 inch alloys. Some work might be needed with the chassis and suspension as weak suspension has often been cited as the drawback.

3. Redesigned Headlamps. Mr. Manvendra, who worked for Ambassador Avigo can provide a similar update for the Contessa.

4. The same Isuzu petrol unit tuned to give good fuel efficiency will work along with a diesel engine sourced from Ford or Renault. (Both have a 1.4 diesel in their cars in India which best known for their fuel efficiency). HM also has a good tie with Ford. Do the math. Additionally while the engine are not as powerful as the rest of the segment. Look at what Fiat has done with the Linea.

5. A premium audio system with Bluetooth, USB and other knick knacks.

6. Lift the Outside rear view mirrors from the lancer 1.5 parts bin and utilize it on the Contessa.

7. Add ABS with EBD and 2 airbags which are par a segment standard.

8. Provide the car with an add-on RPM meter as the dash doesn’t have one. Ritz and A-star have such tachometers and it looks cool.

9. Since it is a big car, work on the gear ratios to make it more drivable in the city while giving better fuel efficiency.

10. Add stereo controls on the steering wheel to make up for the lack of old interiors.

11. Add fog lamps and rear stop light. Also add a shaker to the hood.

12. Advertise

13. Advertise

14. Advertise.

For a car that was being sold for about 5 lacs. A price tag of 10 lacs is easily justifiable with the upgrades mentioned above along with other minor upgrades still leaving the company with enough room for a fat margin.

2. Introduce an Ambassador hatch: The Beetle has an age old design; the Mini Cooper has been selling for decades. I am sure a properly redesigned small car based on Ambassador will also bring in sales for HM. A length below 4 meters mark along with 1.2 petrol and 1.4 diesel engines and CNG LPG options (all except the petrol engine already available) will make the car even cheaper to sell against the competition. Since the spares are already available for the Ambassador and since it can be repaired anywhere while giving good FE at the same time, there is no reason why a well built Amby hatch won’t sell. The car is also known for robustness and comfort. A rough calculation puts a monthly sale figure at 1000 units if sold at 5-6 lacs.

3. Redesign the Ambassador: The Above two steps should bring in enough finances and a stronger dealer network to redesign the Ambassador grounds up making it equally competitive with the likes of Indigo Manza and Swift Dzire. Using the same engines on all the three cars will further help bring costs down and increase margins while making spares availability easy.

4. Improve the quality to meed European standards and begin exporting cars.

Looking at how shrewd and intelligent the Birlas are, the current state of affairs at HM is a plain shame. The nameplate bears the name of the country and the condition reminds us of the baburaj of Bengal in the 60's and 70's. If GM can rise from Bankruptcy, I am sure HM can do the same too.

Singing off with some nice concept cars based on Ambassador cars with similar history and looks.

Hindustan Motors (HM) Ambierod designed by Dilip Chabbaria (DC Designs)

HM Ambassador Avigo

BMW owned MINI Cooper. Look at the resemblance

Another iconic European car (the beetle). Ambassador is also a European car by roots.

PS: HM has finally decided to do up the Amby with the help of European Design studio.  Looks like someone's been reading my blog. :) Hope they implement the plan completely and do a Royal Enfield kind of turnaround which is not selling like hot cakes thanks to Siddharth Lal. And maybe peugeot can help them as well with R&D and engines.

Indian cars in 2012 you never knew existed

Markets have opened up in India in the last decade and luxury cars have come flying in. Customer flock the showrooms of even Nissan and Volkswagen nowadays. But, if on a normal day you are asked to name 5 Indian car companies / Indian Car brands/ India car manufacturers. you will stop at 2 or maybe three at best and car reviews and comparison of these cars are not available either. So here's some information of the cars makers of India who are alive and kicking.

1. http://www.tatamotors.com/
Tata Motors: Ok, you know about Tata. They made Indians proud with the Nano and purchase of JLR. The new Indica Vista and Indigo Manaza are not built good enough to stand with the best in business. The Grande and Safari still look good and show Tata's UV past. Tata has evolved into one strong car maker and with a JV with Fiat in place and Jaguar Land Rover acquisition, things are just looking better.

Cars on offer

Tata nano
Tata Indica V2
Tata Indica Vista
Tata Indigo CS
Tata Indigo Marina
Tata Indigo XL
Tata Indigo Manza
Tata Safari
Tata Sumo
Tata Grande MKII
Tata TL 4X4 pickup
Tata Xenon 4X4 pickup
Tata Aria
Tata Venture

My pick: Tata Xenon 4X4, Tata Manza, Tata Aria
Suggestion: bring in automatic transmissions for your cars.

2. http://www.mahindra.com/index.asp
Mahindra&Mahindra: Who doesnt know mahindra? The maker of the classic Jeep (FYI Jeep is a brand in itself owned by Chrysler USA now a part of Fiat and Government of USA :P). The scorpio changed the way the world looked at Mahindra. The xylo was another shot in the arm and Mahindra is suddenly the uber cool brand from who doesnt hail from the village anymore. A failed marraige with Renault brought in the Logan but otherwise Mahindra is yet to get a Sedan in its lineup. Until then Mahindra will make do with 'largest selling UV' tag for it's Bolero.

cars on offer.

Mahindra Renault Logan / Verito
Mahindra Thar
Mahindra Scorpio
Mahindra Getaway
Mahindra Xylo
Mahindra Bolero
Mahindra Bolero Camper
Maini Reva

My Picks: Mahindra Thar, Mahindra XUV500, Mahinra Logan Verito Diesel.
Suggestion: Where are the sedans and Hatches? Start with a hatch.

3. http://www.icml.co.in/
ICML: International Cars and Motors Limited is one of the latest entrants on the Indian Automobile scene. The Rhino has done well but not well enough to justify the launch of the small car ICML has waiting in the wings. The makers of the Sonalika Tractors are still going strong with building a widespraed dealer network. The cars are improving regularly and so are the engines. The Rhino like all other Indian cars had handling issues and received tuition from Lotus UK and now with Rover's new engine is ready to sell.

cars on offer

ICML Rhino
ICML Inspire (waiting for release)

My pick: Icml Rhino TCDI.
My suggestion: Bring in the Inspire fast.

4. http://www.premier.co.in/wb/
Premier: Remember the Padmini's? The Maharashtra based maker of Padmini's and 118NE is back and how. With support from the Chinese, I am not really that impressed but Premier has chosen a good car and platform to begin with. The rio is a nice car and more cars are on paper. Fit and finish is not its forte but VFM and utility are. For a small car buyer looking for a small SUV looks, look no further.

Cars on offer

Premier RIO
Premier Sigma

My pick: Premier Rio
Suggestion: Provide service and spares for Padmini's. It will earn you money and reputation. A small sedan will be a nice addition considering the financial muscle permits.

5. http://www.forcemotors.com
Force Motors: Not well known by their current name but many will jump if I say Tempo, Trax or Bajaj. The company has gone through numerous name changes it seems but the models are yet to see revisions. A new SUV based on license from Daimler Benz, the Force ONE has just been launched. Excellent off-roaders.

cars on offer.

Force One
Trax Gama
Trax Gurkha

My pick: Force One
Suggestion: For starters please update the cars with better quality interiors and some kit.

6. http://www.hindmotor.com/
Hindustan Motors: Once the GM of India, HM was the largest car maker selling the Ambassador. Contessa came and went much before its time. What followed was a timewarp and HM never brought in a new vehicle. The good side is that the Ambassador car is more customizable that any other model on offer but the flip side is now even the grandpa's dont want one. Even the Collabration with Mitsubishi is lagging.

Cars on offer.

Hindustan Ambassador petrol
Hindustan Ambassador Diesel 2.0
Hindustan Ambassador Diesel 1.5
Hindustan Ambassador CNG

My Pick: None
Suggestion: Refresh the Hindustan Contessa for the luxury market and bring in an ambassador hatch. If funds are tight Position the Ambassador for the taxi market correctly.

7. http://www.sanmotors.com/
San Motors: It hardly is a car company in operation. Nobody knows if they sell anymore or not, but the website is still up and so is the contact info. While plans were to make 3 cars, only one had come up for sale years ago. Never seen another in 5 years. Just a paper dream nowadays.

Cars on offer

San Storm

My pick: Uhmmm. Pass
Suggestion: Plonk a turbo, add better body panels with good finish and relaunch at the same price tag.

Homegrown bike makers and their marketing skills

I've lots of respect for Domestic 2-wheeler majors Bajaj and TVS. They have coped on quality and innovation fronts better than Mahindra and TATA in 4-wheeler market. Here are some nice commercials from them that I like.

Some Lee Iacocca Quotes

Lee Iacocca is a name which Ford and Chrysler will never be able to forget. He saved one from bankruptcy and put another on the world stage in the process. I wonder why he doesnt come public and buy Hummer to make profitable while saving jobs at the same time. For those who don't know him, here are two links.

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Iacocca
2. www.leeiacocca.com/
 Here are some quotes from him I find interesting.

1. One of the things the government can't do is run anything. The only things our government runs are the post office and the railroads, and both of them are bankrupt.

2. Apply yourself. Get all the education you can, but then, by God, do something. Don't just stand there, make it happen.

3. Every business and every product has risks. You can't get around it.

4. I have found that being honest is the best technique I can use. Right up front, tell people what you're trying to accomplish and what you're willing to sacrifice to accomplish it.

5. I hire people brighter than me and then I get out of their way.


6. If a guy is over 25 percent jerk, he's in trouble. And Henry was 95 percent.


7. If you want to make good use of your time, you've got to know what's most important and then give it all you've got.


8. In the end, all business operations can be reduced to three words: people, product, and profits.
 
9. My father always used to say that when you die, if you've got five real friends, then you've had a great life.


10. The most successful businessman is the man who holds onto the old just as long as it is good, and grabs the new just as soon as it is better.
 
11. We at Chrysler borrow money the old-fashioned way. We pay it back.


12. You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can't get them across, your ideas won't get you anywhere.