CS Santosh and teammate Joaquim Rodrigues did a good job of successfully completing the gruelling marathon stage of the Merzouga Rally on their Hero MotoSports Team Rally bikes.

In the marathon stage the riders are left to fend for themselves, as they are not allowed any help from their team and mechanics. This challenge gets magnified if one has a crash or technical problem during the stage. Rodrigues took a tumble and broke his navigation device, thus getting left directionless. He finally had to follow another rider to the stage finish line.

Rodrigues and Santosh master difficult marathon stage

The hardest days of the Afriquia Merzouga Rally in Morocco are over for the riders. After staying overnight in the bivouac in the Atlas mountains on their own, the pilots went to work this morning to complete the penultimate stage of the race. Joaquim Rodrigues, riding for the newly formed Hero MotoSports Team Rally, missed another top ten result by a couple of minutes, but the Portuguese rookie still lies well placed in the overall standings.

Rodrigues sums up his initial marathon experience: “My first ever (two-day) marathon stage didn´t start that great. I got lost too many times on Wednesday and had a crash. My navigation device broke and that was really bad. Luckily I found a fellow rider and followed him to the bivouac. I managed to fix the bike and started today alright. I was trying to catch the riders in front of me and got a little lost. Still it was a pretty good ride, happy to have finished this new challenge. Tomorrow we will end the rally with a format that should suit me. I´ll give it my best one more time.”

“Yesterday was extremely tough,” adds India´s CS Santosh, who finished Thursday´s stage in 23rd place. “The organisers had told us it was going to be demanding and it was for sure. They cut things short because of the weather, which was the right decision. This morning I started well, but I made a mistake in the navigation.

That cost me a lot of time. Overall I´m happy to be back at the main bivouac. The bike is fantastic, no problems at all. Now looking forward to the final stage.”

Friday’s closing stage five offers a special test of 74 kilometres in length. The top riders will be sent into the desert with a Le Mans-style start procedure. The race will be completed after six days and 1,500 km in the town of Erfoud around noon local time.

Provisional Results Stage 4

1. Kevin Benavides, ARG, Honda 2:19:35 hrs
2. Gerard Farres Guell, SPA, KTM +6:18 min;
3. Stefan Svitko, SVK, KTM +6:48;
4. Adrien van Beveren, FRA, Yamaha +8:11;
5. Ricky Brabec, USA, Yamaha +13:48;
12. Joaquim Rodrigues, POR, Hero +39:49;
23. CS Santosh, IND, Hero +1:02:14

Provisional Overall Standings

1. Benavides 13:39:30 hrs
2. Svitko +3:05 min
3. van Beveren +11:36
4. Farres Guell +12:09
5. Helder Rodrigues, POR, Yamaha +12:53
9. Joaquim Rodrigues +2:45:24
19. CS Santosh

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CS Santosh finished the 5 stage Afriquia Merzouga Rally in 16th place while teammate Joaquim Rodrigues finished 9th on their Hero Rally Bikes.

Mission accomplished for Hero MotoSports Team Rally in Morocco

The Afriquia Merzouga Rally has concluded today with the final stage held near the town of Erfoud. The riders had to complete a double loop in Motocross-style before turning off the engines after 1,500 demanding kilometres through the Moroccon desert.

Joaquim Rodrigues used all his skills as a former Motocross specialist to place his Hero 450 in fifth place in Friday´s stage. The Portuguese rookie finished his very first rally in ninth position overall – a great result for a rider who has never competed in such difficult circumstances.

His Indian team-mate CS Santosh has raced in Africa before, but never the Merzouga. Santosh ended his week in the top twenty overall and the final stage in 22nd.

“Today was like a Motocross race in the dunes,” Rodrigues said. “It was my first time and a lot of fun. I was a bit scared because I can´t yet read the dunes that well, but I had a decent start and then a big battle with the top guys developed. I pushed to the end and passed a guy in the last corner. Now I am really happy to finish the rally and to take my Hero bike to the end.”

CS Santosh commented: “The Merzouga is in the books. It was a very hard week, the navigation was tough, the dunes were tough, so were the rocks and the heat. I´m happy to be here at the finish. I learnt a lot of things that will help me build towards the Dakar. Really glad to be safe and sound and to be involved in this exciting project with such great people.”

“Mission accomplished,” said the team´s Managing Director Wolfgang Fischer. “A new era has started for our team. It´s great both riders made it to the finish. We are very happy to have come here with the recently formed Hero MotoSports Team Rally. It was a nice race and it gives us a very good feeling. We have fun and a great spirit in the team and that is important for the future and the results. I look very positively at the experience we collected. This was just the first step. The bike is excellent and we will provide our boys with a good backing for the future. Looking forward to the things ahead. Thanks to everyone involved and best regards to India.

Final standings after 5 stages (provisional)

1. Kevin Benavides, ARG, Honda 15:05:52 hrs
2. Stefan Svitko, SVK, KTM 15:09:37
3. Adrien van Beveren, FRA, Yamaha 15:15:50
4. Gerard Farres Guell, SPA, KTM 15:22:06;
5. Helder Rodrigues, POR, Yamaha 15:22:45
9. Joaquim Rodrigues, POR, Hero 17:52:39
16. CS Santosh, IND, Hero 19:23:10

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Yes, you heard it right. This French man named Emile Leray built a working motorcycle from a broken down car to escape the African desert. Though this incident took place 20 years ago and it was featured in brief on French television in the 1990s but the news was brought back into light after appearing in a motoring website.

In 1993 the Frenchman was driving through the desert in northwest Africa when he hit a military roadblock preventing him from continuing due to some conflicts in the area. But instead of heeding the advice of the armed guards, Emile decided to loop around the roadblock through the desert, where his Citroen hit a rock—breaking a swing arm and a frame beam which left him stranded in the middle of nowhere. He realised that can’t make it out on foot, than he decided to build a makeshift motorbike using parts of his wrecked car to escape from the Moroccan desert.

He had enough supplies of food and water for 10 days with him. Emile started work on his DIY motorbike by using parts from his broken down car to escape the African desert. He converted the car’s rear bumper into a rudimentary seat, shorten the chassis, and place the engine and gearbox in the middle to create a vehicle which somehow kept going long enough to transport him to safety.

He succeeded after twelve days of hard work, he started to ride his motorbike out of the desert. After a day of riding Emile was picked up by the Moroccan police force who took him to the nearest village. They also handed him a big fine because the registration documents for his car no longer corresponded to what he was driving – his car, bike thing.

News Source

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Actor Keanu Reeves ‘The Matrix’ is working on his second motorcycle after the successful launch of his Arch KRGT-1.

Keanu Reeves, is a co-founder of Arch Motorcycles Co. and they have recently released a promo video of their second motorcycle which has just passed its emissions tests with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the Environmental Protection Agency to be legal in all 50 of the United States.

The actor started his company “Arch Motorcycles Co.’with a designer and engineer Gard Hollinger back in 2007. Their first project Arch KRGT-1 was launched in 2014, the bike is equipped with 2,032cc S&S Cycle V-Twin engine which produces 122hp of power, paired with a six-speed Baker Drivetrain transmission. The model has a chassis in aluminum and steel, BST wheels in ultralight carbon fiber, with Ohlins suspension.

However no further information is released about the Arch’s new motorcycle but we believe that it will be called Arch KRGT-2.

The Arch Motorcycles Co. website shared some interesting background info on 51 year old canadian actor that he has long loved motorcycles and only owned two cars.

According to the website “His first motorcycle was a Kawasaki 600 Enduro, followed by the beginning of his Norton affair and the first of many he’d own over the years. Often away from home and his Norton’s, he got in the habit of buying a bike when filming on location and selling when the shoot was done. He’s owned a Suzuki GS1100E, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1974 BMW 750, a Kawasaki KZ 900, an ‘84 Harley Shovelhead, and a Moto Guzzi among others.”

News Source

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TVS XL 100 Launched in Delhi at Rs 30174/- Ex-Showroom Delhi.

Adding a new chapter to its iconic brand: TVS XL, TVS Motor Company today announced the launch of its new four stroke TVS XL 100 in Delhi. The all new TVS XL 100 has been designed to meet the evolving needs of today’s customer.

The all new TVS XL 100 is powered by a 99.7cc four stroke engine which effortlessly delivers  4.2PS power with excellent initial pick up and a top speed of 60kmph.  TVS XL 100 returns best in class mileage of 67 kmpl (among all auto-geared two wheelers) under simulated test conditions as per TVS Motor standards.

Commenting on the launch, J S Srinivasan, Vice President Sales and Service, TVS Motor Company said, “This launch reiterates our commitment to deliver high quality, customer centric products and also underlines our commitment to continually establish a strong brand connect with our customers. The all-new four stroke moped TVS XL 100 has been designed to meet the evolving needs of today’s customer and is one of the most affordable, reliable, easy to ride, powerful multi-utility two wheelers in the market. We are confident that TVS XL 100 will garner high levels of customer satisfaction and will be well received in the market place.”

The all new TVS XL 100 comes with a seat which is broader and more comfortable. It also has a detachable rear seat with a robust rear flatbed platform to enable carrying of loads. The front platform of the all new TVS XL 100 is wider and longer so as to enable more space.  Easy centre stand, (patent pending), which makes parking the vehicle easier and improves stability while the vehicle is on stand.

The ergonomics of the all new TVS XL 100 have been designed to ensure a more comfortable riding position. Additional features include an easy kick-start, bold style muffler, bigger tank and stainless steel brake cable for effective braking.

The all new TVS XL 100’s bold styling is complemented with attractive and vibrant graphics and comes in five colours of black, red, green, blue and grey. Along with TVS XL Super and TVS XL Super Heavy Duty, TVS XL 100 is currently available across all TVS dealerships in Rajasthan. TVS XL is priced at Rs. 30,174 ex showroom in Delhi.

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Hero MotoCorp Ltd (HMCL), the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, today further augmented its Senior Leadership Team with the appointment of Malo Le Masson as the Head of ‘Global Product Planning’.

Malo, formerly with Infiniti Premium car Brand (Nissan Motor Company), will spearhead Hero’s entire product planning for its global markets, including the domestic market in India. The appointment of Malo, close on the heels of Hero MotoCorp making its Centre of Innovation and Technology (CIT) in Jaipur operational, significantly ramps-up its newly-created function of ‘Global Product Planning’.

The current ‘Product Strategy’ team at Hero has done a commendable job in laying the initial foundation of this function, and this team has now been merged with the new entity to create a world class ‘Global Product Planning’ function.

Malo Le Masson joins Hero MotoCorp from Infiniti Motor Company – Hong Kong, where he was the Global Head of Product Long Term Strategy since 2013. Prior to that, Malo had been associated with the Nissan Motor Company, engaged in various projects and product planning roles at Global as well as European level. Over the years, he has acquired expertise in Project Management, Competitive Analysis, Strategy Analysis, Business Planning, Market Analysis Pricing, Product Marketing and Electric Vehicles Engineering.

Pawan Munjal, Chairman, Managing Director and CEO, Hero MotoCorp, said, “We are taking giant strides in our journey towards becoming a truly global company, and with the appointment of Malo in this core function, we have taken a decisive step towards aligning our future product development to our overall corporate strategy. With his extensive global experience and varied expertise, I’m sure Malo will take our global product planning into the next logical level in delivering technologically superior products for our customers across geographies.”

Malo has an Engineering diploma from ENIT (National Engineering School of Tarbes, France) and also a Masters in Fluid Dynamics from Aix-Marseille, France. He is accredited with the Concept of the new generation Nissan Micra to be presented later this year, along with the development and launch of the Nissan Juke and Nissan Leaf in Europe, as well as management of the entire B platform Nissan cars for Europe. He was defining and aligning the new Infiniti products to its brand values prior to joining HMCL.

Hero MotoCorp has recently attracted a series of high profile senior global experts, including its CTO Dr. Markus Braunsperger, who joined Hero after being in senior positions at BMW, Germany for 25 years

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TVS Racing announced an exclusive collaboration with the new Alisha Abdullah Racing Academy for Women– India’s first training school for women racers. TVS Racing will support the academy with the racing bikes and technical expertise. The academy has shortlisted 18 women riders who will race exclusively for TVS Racing Team in the first year.

The first batch of 18 students at the Alisha Abdullah Racing Academy for Women has been selected from 80 entries after clearing rigorous tests. These riders are now being trained to improve physical fitness and hone their racing skills. The academy is based in Chennai and the racers will be trained on a hired racing track according to their training requirements.

Alisha Abdullah, founder of the Alisha Abdullah Racing Academy for Women said, “We are proud to be associated with TVS Racing as it is India’s most professional two-wheeler racing team with the best motorbikes and trainers. This association will help the academy develop the best talent among women racers as they get exclusive access to best in class machines, racers and technology. I also hope our racing academy attracts and encourages more women racers to get into motorsports in India.”

Arvind Pangaonkar, Head – TVS Racing Team said, “We are thrilled to collaborate with the Alisha Abdullah Racing Academy for Women and believe this initiative will help create opportunities for women racers in India. TVS Racing is strongly committed to promote two-wheeler racing in India and generate interest and improve support for the sport in India. We make continuous efforts to take the sport to as many sections of the society as possible and create the ultimate machine and promote the riders for these machines.” 

Since the past 33 years TVS Racing has been actively participating on and off- road racing events such as road racing, Super-cross and Motocross, Dirt Tracks, Rally etc. TVS Racing is the only factory team in India to have any woman rider as a part of their team. In early 2015, TVS Racing became the first Indian factory team to take part in the Dakar rally, which is the longest and toughest rally in the world. TVS Racing won eight championships across all forms of two-wheeler motorsport events Supercross, Rallies and Road racing last year.

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The Ducati 959 Panigale has now arrived in India and is on display at the Ducati Dealerships in Gurgaon and Vasant Kunj. The innovative new 959 Panigale shares the same innovative stylistic features that characterise the 1299 Panigale, while its engine is designed for a more accessible, everyday riding experience that is equally thrilling on the race track.

Announcing the start of sales, Ravi Avalur, Managing Director, Ducati India said: “Since we first unveiled the model, our dealers have received an overwhelming interest from motorcyclists all over the country. The 959 Panigale is the embodiment of Ducati’s premium sportbike culture and is now on display at our dealerships in Delhi and Gurgaon.”

With increased power and torque from the Euro 4 emissions L-twin engine, balanced with safety-enhanced electronics and stunningly beautiful styling, every last detail of the 959 Panigale is a result of Ducati’s legendary racing heritage.  The electronics package includes ABS, Ducati Traction Control (DTC) and Engine Brake Control (EBC) and can be adjusted through three pre-programmed power modes, to change the model’s personality between Race, Sport and Wet modes. The 959 Panigale DQS electronic quick shift further enhances its competition feel with clean and fast gear changing.

The final touches to this work-of-art are the new split tailpiece design, the new high-penetration fairing with redesigned lateral air intakes, new rear view mirrors and the new aluminium billet-machined footrests for enhanced grip.

The 959 Panigale is available in traditional Ducati red with black wheels at INR 13,97,000 (ex -showroom New Delhi). Ducati currently has dealerships in Bengaluru, Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai and Pune and plans to further expand its network by opening two new dealerships by the end of 2016.

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Triumph Thruxton R Launched at Rs 1090000/- Ex-Showroom Delhi.

Out of all the members of the new Bonneville family, the new Triumph Thruxton R has the most to live up to. Its name is about as legendary as it gets, even for an icon like the Bonneville. Back in the 1960s and ’70s it was synonymous with Triumph’s racing success across the world and most notably at the Isle of Man TT, and it inspired a generation of teenage café racers and custom specials.

The all-new Thruxton R more than just look the part, it really delivers out on the road too. Returning the café racer to its heritage performance roots, with all the power, delivered by its 1200cc ‘Thruxton spec’ engine, and the handling, agility and capability to match its beautifully imposing and authentic styling. It is simply the most thrilling and full-blooded sports classic you can buy here in India. The Thruxton R is equipped with Brembo monobloc callipers, Showa big piston forks, Öhlins rear suspension and Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa Tyres.

Vimal Sumbly, Managing Director, Triumph Motorcycles, India, said, “Its uncompromisingly elegant and imposing lines are perfectly matched by the quality of the design, detailing, power and performance, and the incorporation of contemporary technology into a ride that’s as poised as it is exhilarating. This combination of head-turning style, spine-tingling performance and unparalleled heritage and character is what makes the new Thurxton R the real deal as well as the ultimate modern classic café racers and something which will enthral the riders here in India. The legend is back.”

The new Thruxton R is launched at INR 10,90,000 Ex-showroom Delhi. The Bonneville range has been the motorcycle of choice by people across the globe from all walks of life; movie stars, musicians and the likes have chosen this motorcycle for its style, spirit and individuality making it the bike to be seen on. Some of the biggest names across the world ride Triumph motorcycles with great pride.

Keeping alive the same tradition here in India, Triumph Motorcycles is proud to have eminent Bollywood actress, social activist & entrepreneur, Gul Panag as a Triumph Motorcycles customer. The well-known rider today added the very recently launched Triumph Bonneville T120 to her bevy of mean machines. Vimal Sumbly, Managing Director, Triumph Motorcycles India formally handed the keys of the new Bonneville T120 to Gul Panag at a gala event in Mumbai and welcomed her as a proud Triumph Motorcycles customer.

A visibly ecstatic Gul Panag said, “Owning a Bonneville T120 is like a dream come true. I have been part of the first preview of the new generation Bonneville motorcycles in London last year and set my eyes on it since then. It was love at first sight for me, and kept waiting till it hit the Indian shores.”

“Being a passionate motorcyclist, I am glad to see that more and more people are getting into the world of riding. Riding a motorcycle gives us a sense of both adventure and freedom. Triumph Motorcycles, with its extra ordinary features, adds that fun element to riding; exactly what we look forward to,” she further added.

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Two Wheeler Sales Report for the Month of May 2016

India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd announced 36% growth in domestic sales (including Nepal) in May 2016, selling 62,748 units as against 46,084 units sold last May. Yamaha’s increasing focus on expanding in Tier II and III cities, thus reaching out to larger groups of target population has also been instrumental in boosting sales.

Hero MotoCorp saw its domestic sales grow by just 2% to touch 5,83,117 units, up from 5,69,876 units sold in May last year.

The company said that market demand was very low in May, due to the heavy retail that happened in April on account of the marriage season and regional festivals in different parts of the country during that month.

However, the company expects the sales to grow in the coming months as a good monsoon, which has been forecast by Indian Meteorological Department, could lead to a change in sentiments in the rural markets and improve sales in second half of the year.

Bajaj Auto, India’s second largest motorcycle manufacturer, showed a growth of 9 % in its domestic sales. The company’s total domestic sales stood at 2,04,234 units as against 1,86,614 units during May 2015.

Honda 2Wheelers, saw a growth of 18.8 % in May 2016. The company sold a total of 436,358 units in May 2016 as compared to 367,167 units in May 2015. This includes sales of 147,479 units of motorcycle and 268,423 units of scooters.

TVS Motor’s domestic sales growth too hovered around the 18 %. Domestic two wheeler sales grew by 17.9 % increasing from 175,533 units in May 2015 to 206,886 units in May 2016.

For TVS too, scooter was the dominant segment as it grew by 20.2 % increasing from 54,426 units in May 2015 to 65,434 units in May 2016. Motorcycles sales grew by 5.6 % increasing from 91,344 units in the month of May 2015 to 96,485 units in May 2016.

Royal Enfield recorded sales increased 37% in May 2016. The Company, sold a total of 48,604 motorcycles in domestic market as compared to 35,354 units in the same month last year.

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Ducati Desmo Owners Club in Mumbai embarked on their first official ride starting from the Ducati Dealership in Bandra on 5^th June 2016. The club rode through the city to Nariman Point and then onward to Hard Rock Café, Mumbai at Lower Parel.

Desmo, which is short for Ducati’s unique and famous Desmodromic valve control, is further abbreviated to D.O.C. and represents the heart of the Italian manufacturer’s loyal and passionate community of owners celebrating their passion for riding. The D.O.C. is one of the largest official motorcycle communities in the world with over 200 official clubs and 23,000 registered members. In India, as around the world, the club will also welcome non-Ducati owners passionate about the iconic brand. The Mumbai D.O.C. represents the first in India and the 25th in Asia, where Ducati’s popularity is growing fast.

Ravi Avalur, Managing Director, Ducati India said, “The Desmo Owners Club is intended for Ducati owners but is open also to owners of other brands who are passionate about Ducati. We’re happy to see this community growing and D.O.C.s beginning to expand across India.”

Members get together to enjoy new experiences, discover new places and take part in exciting events in India and around the world. Eight D.O.C. Mumbai members are travelling to the 9th edition of World Ducati Week, at the Misano World Circuit in Italy next joining D.O.C. members and Ducatisti from around to world to celebrate Ducati’s 90th anniversary.

Dr. Ashutosh Palep, President of the Mumbai D.O.C. said: “We are very excited to start the very first Indian Desmo Owners Club in Mumbai. The club is dedicated to bringing together motorcyclists who share a passion for Ducati and riding and focuses heavily on safety so that we promote an enjoyable lifestyle. I look forward to riding with the growing community of Ducatisti in and around Mumbai!”

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History was made in the final qualifying of the Superbike TT last week. Norton set a new record with fastest average lap speed of 128.5mph. Australian rider David Johnson beat Cameron Donald’s best time of 124.6mph on the Norton at last year’s TT and took the title of “fastest rider of a British bike”.  TT Star, Guy Martin set the record of 126.8mph last year on his Triumph Supersport bike.

Johnson took the Norton prototype V4 to 8th place on Friday with a top speed of 194.5mph. It was the fastest top speed of the session.

During the opening race of 2016 Isle of Man TT, Michael Dunlop set the best lap speed of 133.393 mph on his BMW S1000RR and won the RST Superbike Race ahead of Ian Hutchinson.

Michael Dunlop also recorded first ever sub-17 minute lap of the Mountain Course. His first two laps were both under 17 minutes, the fastest being 133.393 to secure the RST Superbike Race title. John McGuinness came third on his Honda CBR1000RR with a fastest lap time of 128.79mph.

RST Superbike Race Results:

1. Michael Dunlop (BMW S1000RR), Total Race Time 1:44:14.259, Average Lap Speed 130.306 mph, Fastest Lap 16:58.254, Best Lap Speed 133.393 mph
2. Ian Hutchinson (BMW S1000RR), 1:44:33.323, 129.910 mph
3. John McGuinness (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:45:27.498, 128.798 mph
4. Peter Hickman (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:45:44.951, 128.444 mph
5. Dean Harrison (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:46:09.896, 127.941 mph
6. Michael Rutter (BMW S1000RR), 1:46:40.202, 127.335 mph
7. David Johnson (Norton), 1:46:56.430, 127.013 mph
8. Bruce Anstey (Hon RC213V-S), 1:47:05.936, 126.825 mph
9. Gary Johnson (BMW S1000RR), 1:47:16.523, 126.616 mph
10. Lee Johnston (BMW S1000RR), 1:47:16.614, 126.614 mph

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Three time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton said that MotoGP is more exciting than Formula One and also expressed his desire to ride MotoGP bike. He said this in a press conference in Spain during F1 pre-season testing at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

He said: “MotoGP is just so cool, much more exciting to watch, I would say, just because it’s closer racing.”

“I really need to try a MotoGP bike. I’m dying to at least get on the back of one.”

“That would be so cool. I just won’t tell my team that I’m doing it!”

Lewis Hamilton is not the only F1 driver to have a passion for MotoGP, both Michael Schumacher and Mark Webber are huge fans of the sport, in fact Schumacher have raced in the German domestic series.

In October last year, MV Agusta realeased a video on their YouTube channel featuring Lewis Hamilton doing a burnout on customized Brutale 800 Dragster RR. Before that he was seen riding an MV Agusta Brutale in Monza when F1 was there in September last year.

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TVS Racing announced today that Aravind KP will ride for TVS-Sherco Rally team at Dakar 2017. The rider has won 2015 Raid de Himalaya and 17 other national titles in his motorsport career.

The Dakar 2017 season will see two Indian rally teams and two riders namely Aravind KP for TVS-Sherco Rally team and C.S. Santosh for Hero MotoSports Rally team.

TVS Racing Press Release

TVS Racing, undisputed leader in two-wheeler racing, announced that its champion rider Aravind KP will be competing for the ‘Sherco-TVS Rally Factory’ team at Dakar Rally 2017. Aravind has been a part of the TVS Racing team for the past ten years and this will mark his debut in the world’s toughest cross-country rally.

Aravind KP started racing in 2005 at the age of 19 looking to prove himself on the national racing. TVS Racing spotted Aravind in 2006 at Gulf Dirt Track National Championship. Since 2006, Aravind has won 15 National Championships in Dirt track, Rallies and Motocross and in 2011 he became the first Indian to win an overseas Motocross Championship (Srilanka).

Aravind KP, Racer, Team TVS Racing, said, “It’s quite an unbelievable feeling to be selected to race at Dakar Rally and I couldn’t ask for a better team than ‘Sherco-TVS Rally Factory’ team to race for. TVS Racing and I have a strong relationship and I thank them for bestowing their faith in my abilities. The next few months of preparation with the Sherco-TVS crew will be crucial as I train on what it takes to participate in Dakar Rally 2017″.

Arvind Pangaonkar, Head of Team TVS Racing, said, “Dakar Rally is the epitome of high endurance racing and we are happy to announce that Aravind KP will be a part of the team this year. Aravind has been riding for TVS Racing for the past 10 years and seeing his skills and performance records, racing at Dakar Rally was just a matter of time. Our partner Sherco is equally excited about having an Indian rider in Aravind on board and is geared up to give him the best training both in navigation and riding in sand dunes for Dakar Rally 2017.”

Aravind KP will team-up with Juan Pedrero a Spanish Champion for Sherco-TVS Rally Factory team at Dakar Rally 2017. The third rider, a European rider for the team will be added soon. This is the third consecutive year that Sherco-TVS team will be participating in the 39th edition of Dakar Rally (January 2, 2017 – January 14, 2017). The rally runs through three countries, Paraguay, Argentina and Bolivia. Dakar Rally is the toughest rally in the world, covering 9000 km in distance.

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What is India in 0-100 Motorcycles: #100Motorcycles is a living narrative of motorcycles and motorcycling in India. OLX and xBhp join hands along with Motul & CEAT Tyres and supported by Pirelli, Triumph Motorcycles India, Wrangler, Spartan Pro Gear, & Alienware in a quest to discover and ride 100 most amazing and exotic motorcycles and get you up close with those amazing machines on two-wheels in a way that has never been done before. These are the machines that stretch right from the historical to the iconic and the exotic. And then those that can only be found through OLX. In short, #100Motorcycles is a bridge between the past & the present of motorcycling in this land and everything in-between.

Watch this video to know more 

Keep an eye on this space or log on to 100motorcycles.xbhp.com for regular real time updates & more dope on #100Motorcycles!

Bike #1: Bajaj Pulsar 180 Classic.

Read the full blog here. Video coming up soon!

Bike #2: Triumph Rocket III

Read the Full Blog HERE. Video coming soon!

Bike #3: DSK Benelli Tornado 1130

Read Full Blog HERE. Video Coming Soon!

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Bike #4: Honda CB 750F

Read the full blog, here. Video coming soon!

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Bike #5: Yamaha RX100

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No. 6 – Vespa SXL 150

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Bike #7: Honda Rune

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Bike #8: Suzuki Bandit 1250S

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Bike #9: BMW R69

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Bike #10: JAWA 250

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The post India In 0-100 Motorcycles – No.30 Hero (Honda) Karizma – The Wildfire appeared first on xBhp.com.

TVS Motor rolled out a TVS Jupiter MillionR special edition to commemorate the sales of over 1 million TVS Jupiters in the Indian two-wheeler market, this milestone has been achieved in a mere 30 months.

Staying true to the brand’s promise of Zyada ka Fayda, the TVS Jupiter MillionR edition is equipped with 10 additional features, a tribute to its 10 lakh happy customers. The scooter comes in a royal wine colour with beige inner panels and dual tone seats. It is equipped with a front disc brake and sports an elegant MillionR edition badge on the front panel. There is a provision for mobile charger installation.  Other features include the chrome mirrors, beige floor mat and MillionR key ring.

Commenting on the TVS Jupiter MillionR edition, Aniruddha Haldar, Vice President – Marketing, TVS Motor Company said, “We are deeply humbled and grateful for the outstanding response and love that TVS Jupiter has garnered in such a short time. 10 lakh families have reposed faith in Jupiter and its promise of Zyada ka Fayda. It is only fitting that this milestone be celebrated in the same manner. This gave birth to the MillionR edition, with 10 new features, a tribute to each of our 10 lakh happy customers. We take this opportunity to recommit ourselves to always delivering Zyada ka Fayda to our customers. We wish to acknowledge our gratitude for the love and trust bestowed on us by our customers.”

TVS Jupiter is powered by a next generation, all-aluminum, low-friction 110cc engine that delivers an amazing mix of power, superior acceleration and best in class fuel efficiency. The metal bodied, TVS Jupiter is styled to have a substantial on road presence which delivers high performance ride quality with superior ride comfort making it a perfect, sensible companion.

Priced at Rs. 53,034 (ex-showroom Delhi), the special edition TVS Jupiter MillionR is currently available at all TVS dealerships across the country.

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It is official, even Lewis Hamilton has said that MotoGP is better than F1! The dilemma of why the dog sticks its head out of the window is solved – finally. So it is no surprise that hordes of journalists from around the world catch red eye flights to witness one of the rounds of the pinnacle of two wheeled racing. This time is was in the sunny Spain, at Catalunya.

Let me put it straight up: I am not a fan of watching races live. Ultimately once the atmosphere sinks in and you bask in the sunshine (of the cold, or the rain as the case may be) and have checked out the umbrella girls and have exhausted all options of meeting your heroes live – you need to stick to the screen to follow the races closely. So once in a while it is acceptable. And when in Spain – definitely so. The weather was absolutely a dream – no wonder why so many MotoGP riders are Spanish. Perhaps the Spanish know how to make racing tracks and Italians know how to make the machines.

And French – the tyres? It seems so.

Friday Practice at Barcelona will be remembered for a long time to come. It was the day MotoGP (Moto2) lost another young rider, Luis Salom. The 24 year old Spaniard crashed at one of the most unlikely corners on the track and went on to hit the air fence. His bike bounced off the air fence and crashed into Salom. He was immediately attended to by the track marshals, before being taken to medical centre and then to the hospital. No stone was left unturned to save his life, but unfortunately he succumbed to his injuries in hospital. The race organisers asked his family if they would like the race to continue, and Salom’s family requested that the race be held albeit with a change to the racetrack. All three classes were to use the F1 layout, which would replace the fast flowing corner where Salom crashed with a chicane. A sombre mood had set on the paddock, as every rider from all three classes were deeply affected by the loss. A minutes silence was held on Sunday to mourn the loss of Luis Salom.

Despite all the advances in motorcycle, tyres, riding gear and track technology, the danger of such incidents is always lurking. We forget it or choose to ignore it. But every once in a while, it rears its ugly head, reminding us of the dangers that these racers undertake.

Tyres play a significant role in any motorcycle. More so in the premier class, where these machines are built for a spec tyre. Since the introduction of the spec tyre rule in MotoGP, the bikes have to be designed around the tyre, and not the other way around. The manufacturer, who gets it right, will be closest to the pointy end of things. After 7 years Michelin made a comeback to the premier class of motorcycle racing. Since they last raced in MotoGP, the bikes have gotten faster, lean angles have increased, corner speed has increased, electronics have improved and braking has gotten significantly stronger. Michelin had a year and a half to relearn MotoGP bikes and build a tyre that would be able to do all that these bikes are capable of and more. Of course, that is easier said than done. And the French tyre manufacturer had its ups and downs in the initial few races this season, but have steadily progressed and improved. The tyre compounds, carcass and structure has been finalised, and the riders are once again breaking lap records and pole records.

The challenge for Michelin was to build a tyre which would be as fast as Bridgestone, without sacrificing on tyre life. But most importantly, the tyres needed to be safe, with zero mishaps acceptable. At every race Michelin offers two compounds for the riders to use. At Barcelona, the hard and medium compounds were offered for use because of the high track temperatures expected. And even though track temperatures were hovering around 50 degrees centigrade, not all the riders went out on the harder compound. Dani Pedrosa and Tito Rabat ran medium tyres on their Hondas. Pedrosa eventually finished on the third step of the podium, which proved the consistency of the medium tyre, this was aided by the fact that the Spaniard is one of the smoothest riders around. On the other hand, there was Pol Espargaro as well, who is known for his aggressive riding style, and he ran the medium compound tyres on his Tech 3 Yamaha, front and rear. Yet he finished a credible fifth. Both these results are a strong showing for Michelin, where the riders have a real option between the two compounds for race day.

The hard tyre was employed by the rest of the field and Rossi clearly managed his rubber best on a greasy track. In the last few laps, Marquez appeared to be riding a bucking bronc in comparison to Rossi’s super smooth lines. Eventually, that got better of the Honda man as he almost crashed on the penultimate lap trying to keep up with the Italian. The Spaniard used his head and decided to take the twenty points and the championship lead, rather than risking a crash and losing it all.

It was a good battle between the Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez for the win at Barcelona, but the two champions shaking hands in Parc Ferme was the icing on the cake for race fans around the globe. Since the start of hostilities between the two at Sepang last year, this was the first time Marquez and Rossi acknowledged each other’s presence, let alone exchanging pleasantries.

MotoGP Race Report:

Jorge Lorenzo took the holeshot and led Marc Marquez into turn 1, while Andrea Iannone got a fantastic start of the third row of the grid and found himself in 3^rd ahead of Dani Pedrosa. Rossi dropped through to 8^th position as they entered the first corner. Pedrosa immediately overtook Iannone, as the Repsol Honda riders didn’t allow Lorenzo to get away at the front.

Rossi worked his way through traffic and found himself behind the Ducati of Iannone as they crossed the line for the first time. The Yamaha didn’t have the grunt of the Ducati to use its slipstream, so Rossi went really deep on the brakes into turn 1, while Vinales didn’t let go of the opportunity and went passed the Ducati as well. Maverick was in a hurry to get past Rossi and made multiple attempts at passing him, only to run wide and lose ground.

On the third lap, Rossi passed Pedrosa at turn 10 and Vinales followed through at the chicane, but the Honda rider got back immediately at turn 16. The next lap, the Suzuki rider made a couple of more attempts at turn 5 and turn 10, only to run it wide. Thanks to the scrapping between the two, the front three started gapping them.

Rossi on the other hand, had clear air in front and behind him and set about reeling in Lorenzo and Marquez. Vinales was the first rider to drop into the 1’45s.

On lap six, Rossi passed Marquez at turn 4 and started closing the gap to his teammate. The next lap he would pass Lorenzo at turn 1 on the brakes, and Marquez followed through at turn 5, not wanting the Italian to get away.

Lorenzo was steadily moving backwards and Pedrosa passed him into turn 1, as Vinales attacked him in turn 5. Vinales was on the back wheel of the Yamaha, but couldn’t make a pass stick. It was incredible the number of times during the race, Vinales would make a move and run wide. Finally on lap 12, the Suzuki rider passed the Yamaha and immediately started pulling away.

The Ducati of Iannone and Tech 3 of Pol Espargaro were steadily closing the gap to the championship leader. On lap 17, Iannone had closed right up on Lorenzo’s back wheel and out braked himself into turn 10 and torpedoed Lorenzo in the process, who was sent flying into the gravel. The Spanish rider was visibly angry at the stupid move pulled off by the Italian.

Marquez was riding on the ragged edge as he tried to keep up with Rossi and almost lost it at turn 14, it was a miracle that he didn’t crash out. He instead went about once again closing the gap to the Italian and on lap 21 made an unsuccessful move on him. On lap 22, Marquez was close enough on the main straight to use the Yamaha’s slipstream, but Rossi held him off on the brakes going into turn 1. The next lap would see a repeat performance, with Marquez coming out on top in the game of late braking. Rossi immediately attacked at the next corner, but the Spaniard held him off.

On the penultimate lap, Rossi returned the favour and went past him on the main straight and held off Marquez into the first corner. Marquez pushed to find a way past Rossi, only to make a mistake at turn 7, which allowed Rossi a 1.5 second cushion. The Italian kept his cool and finished the final lap comfortably ahead of Marquez to take his second win of the season. Pedrosa finished a comfortable third, while Vinales finished in fourth. Pol Espargaro finished in 5^th almost 30 seconds behind the race winner. Cal Crutchlow took 6^th, which was his first top six result of this season. Andrea Dovizioso, Alvaro Bautista, Danilo Petrucci and Jack Miller rounded out the top ten.

With Lorenzo crashing out, Marc Marquez now leads the championship by 10 points, where earlier he was trailing the Yamaha man by 10 points. Rossi has closed the gap from  37 points to 22 points behind the championship leader. With Rossi’s win and Lorenzo crashing out, the championship once again is wide open and either of the top three riders could win. But if there is one thing that this season has shown, it is that the unexpected will happen…

Photos Courtesy: Yamaha MotoGP. Except where specifically mentioned

But hang on, this would be incomplete without the Barcelona city photos, which is what makes this place so wonderful post race:

The post Hola Rossi, Ciao Lorenzo. Who belled the #CATalunya GP appeared first on xBhp.com.

DSK Benelli TNT 600i launched with ABS, the motorcycle now gets a switchable ABS at an attractive price of  INR 5,73,000 (Ex-Showroom, Delhi).

Offering pure style with rich Italian lineage, the TNT 600i showcases a powerful DOHC 600cc, in-line four cylinder engine that produces 85.07bhp @ 11500rpm.

The TNT 600i is amongst the most sought-after, sturdy and roaring street fighter that has grabbed the attention of every mettlesome rider. More than 700 units of the DSK Benelli TNT 600i have been sold across India.

The DSK Benelli TNT 600i ABS will be available across all 16 DSK Benelli showrooms in India, these include: Pune, Mumbai, Thane, Goa, Ahmedabad, Surat, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Coimbatore, Delhi, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Indore and Kolkata.

News Source: DSK Benelli Press Release

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Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. has nominated five Yamaha riders currently competing in the Asia Production 250 (AP250) class of the Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) to attend the VR46 Riders Academy.

The selected riders will travel to Valentino Rossi’s hometown of Tavullia in Italy to take part in a programme dubbed “The Master Camp” from July 4th – 8th, 2016, where they will receive instruction and guidance from none other than nine-time World Champion and living MotoGP legend, Valentino Rossi, with the goal of improving their racing skills.

The participants for the first run of this exclusive programme were chosen amongst young Yamaha riders from Asia, based on their current AP250 class points standings, age and other factors. “The Master Camp” that they will be a part of will combine the knowledge and experience of both Yamaha and the VR46 Riders Academy to train, develop and prepare young riders to flourish on the world stage of motorcycle racing.

The planned curriculum for the programme will have Rossi himself and full-time VR46 Riders Academy instructors teaching the participants about dirt track riding at the Motor Ranch at the Academy, track riding at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli and other technique enhancing activities.

To support young Italian riders aiming to become world-class racers, Rossi decided to put his vast experience and knowledge from his many years of racing to good use and established the VR46 Riders Academy in 2014. Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. is currently in the process of creating a step-up model and system to provide tier-based opportunities for young riders to further develop their careers. With the goal to help young talent make their way in the racing world, Yamaha entered into a formal three-year partnership agreement with the VR46 Riders Academy in March 2016 as an Official Partner and also as its Official Motorcycle Supplier.

The VR46 Academy will play a key role as a step in Yamaha’s rider development and mentoring system by boosting the motivation of young riders, provide them with an unparalleled riding experience and build up skills to help them move up through the step-up programme.

Valentino Rossi said, Only a few months ago the partnership between Yamaha and VR46 began and it brought the guys of the Academy some fantastic bikes for their training, on track and at the Ranch. This was already a great step towards helping young talent, but today I am even happier when thinking about the start of the first edition of ‘The Master Camp’, which is only a few weeks away. In the first week of July some by Yamaha selected riders will come to train with me and the VR46 Academy riders. This initiative is a great achievement, and it’s only the first of many more exciting projects to come from this collaboration. Yamaha and VR46 have the same objective; they aim to help young talents to achieve top results in the motorcycle racing. I’m personally very happy to play an active role in helping young talent and I’m looking forward to meeting the Yamaha riders and training with them and the Academy guys at the Ranch and at the Misano circuit. They will spend an entire week with us, train with us, following the same programme every day, on track and at the gym. It won’t be easy for them, but I’m sure we’ll have fun! It will be a beautiful and busy week!

The post Valentino Rossi to train 5 Asian Road Racing Riders at VR46 Riders Academy appeared first on xBhp.com.

Hari Krishnan continued his record-breaking spree, becoming the first Indian to clock two-consecutive podium finishes at the Asia Dream Cup during Round 3 of FIM Asia Road Racing Championship at Suzuka International Circuit, Japan. Nurtured by Honda 2Wheelers and Ten 10 Racing academy, Hari has made his international racing debut last season only and is already getting noticed as a strong competitor from India.

Having finished 2^nd in the previous Round Two in Thailand, the 22 year old from Chennai bagged the third position in the Asia Dream Cup Endurance race on Sunday (a two hour race where a team of two riders have to complete maximum laps in 2 hours) to mark yet another triumphant outing of his fledgling international racing career. 

Hari celebrated his third-place finish (clocking Timing – 2:01’27:830) by bringing the Indian flag with him to the podium. 

Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj – Vice President, Customer Service, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Hari’s performance proves that Indian racing is now coming of age. From 2008, Honda has been aggressively identifying, developing and nurturing Indian riders who show racing talent. The motorsports initiation begins with Honda Ten 10 Racing academy, followed by national level exposure in Honda One Make Race & National Championship. Honda 2Wheelers India is now reaping the results of investing in developing Indian riders of international caliber. Further to this, Honda has been giving international exposure to 3 most promising Indian racers by sponsoring them to the highly competitive Asia Dream Cup and Asia Road Racing Championship.   We at Honda believe that this is just the start of next motorsports chapter in India.”

Sharing his race experience after returning to Indian soil today morning, Honda sponsored Ten 10 Racing team racer Hari Krishnan said, “Right back from my B.Tech days, I was always fascinated by the sound and feel of motorcycles. My racing journey began in 2012 when I first enrolled in the Honda CB Twister novice category of Honda One Make Race. I improved my skills intensive training in Honda Ten 10 racing academy and won Group D (165cc) championship in 2014. My big break came when Honda sponsored me for the Asia Dream Cup in 2015. It’s a completely different and fiercely competitive experience. I want to make racing my career and after the first international experience last year, the double podiums this year are a validation of my efforts.”

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