Power play
Come 2009 and there will be a flurry of new motorcycle launches with two things in common—gut-wrenching power and a hefty price tag... We put these beasts through their paces so you will know what’s the right fit.
Bajaj plans to sell the KTM 990 Super Duke alongside the Kawasaki. And compared to the more sedate and well rounded Japanese, the Austrian is quite a monster. It’s huge, with sharp edges. It’s brutal in beating anything on the roads to submission in terms of street presence. But, on the move, it’s agile and fast. Powering the naked streetfighter is a 1000cc twin cylinder that develops 120bhp and 100Nm of torque.
Acceleration, as a result, with the throttle wide open, is like getting hit by an alien force. And then there’s the howl of the engine which gives you palpitations all over. The 990 is a hooligan. But, it’s quite a friend once you understand it needs to be treated well. The 990’s alloy trellis frame, which is both light and rigid along with the beefy suspension and state-of-the-art brakes, makes it a delightful ride on open stretches of roads and around hilly roads, too.
KTM 990 Super Duke
Bajaj plans to sell the KTM 990 Super Duke alongside the Kawasaki. And compared to the more sedate and well rounded Japanese, the Austrian is quite a monster. It’s huge, with sharp edges. It’s brutal in beating anything on the roads to submission in terms of street presence. But, on the move, it’s agile and fast. Powering the naked streetfighter is a 1000cc twin cylinder that develops 120bhp and 100Nm of torque.
Acceleration, as a result, with the throttle wide open, is like getting hit by an alien force. And then there’s the howl of the Engine which gives you palpitations all over. The 990 is a hooligan. But, it’s quite a friend once you understand it needs to be treated well. The 990’s alloy trellis frame, which is both light and rigid along with the beefy suspension and state-of-the-art brakes, makes it a delightful ride on open stretches of roads and around hilly roads, too.
Specifications
Engine: 999cc, L-twin
Max power: 112bhp
Max torque:100Nm
Gearbox: 6-speed
0-100KMPH: 4 seconds (approx.)
Top speed: 220 kmph (approx.)
Price: Rs 8-10 lakh (approx.)
Honda CBR1000RR
Also known as the Fireblade in some parts of the world, the CBR1000RR is Honda’s best sportsbike. In fact, it is the best litre class (motorcycles that displace 1000cc) superbike in the world. It’s not the prettiest to look at and gets you as much attention as a blank, well-worn Tee. But it’s equally comfortable—to ride and live with. The seating posture like others in its class isn’t torturous, even on longer rides and the power delivery is smooth and predictable. It’s also a narrow and light bike and, therefore, easy to wrestle around.
Now, the essence of the CBR RR series when it was born, was to have a compact, easy-to-ride motorcycle with great leading power to weight ratio. The latter, after all, is a sure way of extracting good performance. It was a 600cc motorcycle with a larger, more potent heart. In its 2008-09 iteration, the philosophy hasn’t changed. It gets an all-new Engine and is more efficient than ever before, but it is also significantly lighter.
Honda has also given the bike more mid-range grunt, which means it’s more rideable in everyday conditions rather than being an outand-out track-focussed bike that needs to be revved constantly to be enjoyed. A good fit for India, it must be said, given our traffic conditions. But don’t for once think it doesn’t pack in the punch; like any 1000cc bike, it shoots off like a cheetah on steroids and keeps gathering pace endlessly. Chances are you’d run out of road even before you hit top gear on this one.
Specifications
Engine: 1000cc, inline four
Max power: 170bhp
Max torque:114Nm
Gearbox: 6-speed
0-100KMPH: 3 seconds (approx.)
Top speed: 290 kmph (approx.)
Price: Rs 12-15 lakh (approx.)
Kawasaki 250R
This one really is for those on a budget; if you can term a Rs 2 lakh purchase, a budget buy, that is. The Kawasaki 250R, to be marketed by Bajaj Auto through its Probiking showrooms, has the tiniest Engine on these pages and is the least powerful as well—250cc and 33bhp of power isn’t something to write home about in the company of 1000cc, 100bhp plus motorcycles. However, compare it to what us mortals can buy in India (220cc and 20bhp of power, at best), and it doesn’t seem so bad.
In fact, it’s a very good bike. Based on the ZZR250, a motorcycle the Japanese firm introduced over a decade back, it has been heavily modified for 2008. The 249cc, liquid cooled, parallel twin Engine imparts the bike with better low- and mid-range grunt so as to make it an able city riding chum.Even so, on the highway, you still need quick downshifting and the throttle opened to the max to get the best out of it. Okay, you don’t exactly need to rev the daylights out of the Engine every time you intend to overtake, but with a responsive Engine, one can’t help but push it hard!
You’d also look for excuses to push it hard around bends. That it can manage a top whack of over 160ks is enticing enough, but its composure at these speeds seals it for you. With its sharper steering geometry and light weight, tipping it into corners is as easy as rocking on your granddad’s chair. And then, its petal-shaped disc brakes at the front do a first-class job of hauling the 250R down with feel, bite and urgency.
Specifications
Engine: 249cc, inline twin
Max power: 33bhp
Max torque:21Nm
Gearbox: 6-speed
Top speed: 170 kmph+
Price: Rs 2 lakh (approx.)
Suzuki GSX-R 1000
The Gixxer (as the Suzuki GSX-R series is more popularly known) it is said, is the motorcycle that started it all—the unadulterated performance focus like that of a race bike, in the 1980s. It wasn’t the best looking bike at the time with its boxy outlines or the easiest to ride; the earlier GSX-R1000s were almost evil with their sudden and violent power delivery.
Today, though, in its eighth iteration, it’s blossomed into a beautiful swan. The seating has improved and it allows you to sit comfortably. And even though it has a lot more power than the models of yore, the power is more accessible for the average rider. But it has also grown in size and weight, and, therefore, isn’t as agile as the Fireblade, and can be quite a pain at slow speeds.
The GSX-R1000, nonetheless, is loaded with the latest in motorcycle technology, be it the chassis, suspension or brake components. Moreover, it is the only litre class bike to get a three position power switch. What this essentially does, is to give you three bikes in one—on C, or the most sedate mode, it behaves like a 600; in B, it’s more like a 750; and then in the full fat A mode, it unleashes all its 160 horses with the vitality of a teen.
Specifications
Engine: 999cc, inline four
Max power: 160bhp
Max torque:115Nm
Gearbox: 6-speed
0-100KMPH: 3 seconds (approx.)
Top speed: 290 kmph (approx.)
Price: Rs 12-15 lakh (approx.).jpg)
While the biggies make their presence felt, these two superb bikes also promise to make a mark on Indian roads in 2009
Suzuki Hayabusa & KTM RC8
The good news for the really rich and hardcore bikers is that Suzuki is also considering the Hayabusa for India. This ugly,
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Like the Super Duke, it nearly follows razor-sharp styling. It is fast when you need it to be, but otherwise, unlike the Busa which might not be everyone’s cup of tea, the RC8 is a lot more accommodating—be it riding hard or just living with it on an everyday basis.
