Bajaj is coming up with upgrade to its Pulsar 180. This forth generation 180 packs 17ps of power. It not only packs more power but also comes with

New Bajaj Pulsar 180 - 2009

• Split Seats
• Tank scoops (borrowed from 200)
• new broader suspension from 220
• 3d logo
• Fatter tyres
• Clip-on handlebars
• and lots more …

overall a nice package from Bajaj.

check more here

We know that Bajaj has invested in KTM and has 30% stake in the Austrian sport bike and off-road bike manufacturer. KTM X-Bow is KTM’s first car and it has got lot of critical acclaim. KTM X-Bow is a mid-engines lightweight super-sport car. Bajaj has also announced that KTM bikes will be available by May 2009, now the question is will Bajaj plan to bring X-Bow to India to build Brand Image.

X-Bow has

• Audi’s 2 liter four-cylinder TFSI engine
• delivering 240 bhp  (177 kilowatts) of power at 5,500 rpm and
• 310 newton metres (230 lb·ft) of torque between 2,200 and 5,500 rpm.
• manual 6-gear transmission by Volkswagen
• Gerald Kiska’s design studio takes credit for the shape of the vehicle.
• Carbon fibre monocoques by Dallara Italy makes X-Box light, yet rigid.
• Suspension by WP Suspension
• 305 mm discs at the front and 262 mm discs at the rear by Brembo
• KTM X-Bow needs only 32.9 metres to decelerate from 100 kph to a standstill.
• 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds
• KTM X-Bow achieves a phenomenal downforce of about 200 kilograms at a speed of 200 km/h – about three times more than most other supersport cars. which shows its aerodynamic capability.
• Last but not least, It weighs just 700 kgs (yes, its as heavy as Maruti 800)

Gallery:

Here comes the 125 Segment comparison. This is the segment where people like college students and executive want to ride. This segment had very little competition not long ago. Now, it is jam packed with all manufacturer having atleast one bike in this segment. Bajaj has 3 bikes in this segment XCD, XCD 135 and Discover 135. Hero Honda has two Super splendor and Glamour FI. Honda recently unvield Honda CBF Stunner, It is the sportiest among all in this segment clearly having its own identity in the lot. Let the challenge begin.

Specification Comparison:

Lets separate the bikes into segments so it will be easy to decide on what two expect off all these bikes

Mileage Champs, All rounders and Power house.

Milease Champs: TVS Flame, Hero Honda Glamour FI, Bajaj XCD 125, XCD 135 will all fall in this category

All Rounders: 125 is all about all rounders and Yamaha Gladiator, Honda Shine, Suzuki Zeus will all fall in this category. Honda Shine and Yamaha Gladiator SS has close fight here.

Powerhouse: Discover 135 and Honda CBF Stunner are in this category. When it comes to shear power, Discover will easily win. Honda has edge in styling.

It looks like Bajaj will comeback to top spot soon from its current 4th spot if the concept vehicle images leaked by UK based 2 wheeler design house xenophya where made for Bajaj. If these sporty vehicles are going to be released with the KTM partnered engines then Bajaj definitely will have a winner with them. lets cross our fingers and see how Bajaj makes its moves.

Scooter market is automotive market in India with 57 lakh units sold this quarter. This segment mainly concentrates on ladies and urban market where people like stress-free riding. Scooters in India are not powerhouses as is in European Markets, where engine capacity exceeds 1000cc. Few of the early scooters like Kinetic Honda which slowly eroded Bajaj’s market share had self start as killer feature. These days even 100cc bikes have self starters and its no more marketable features. Manufacturers these days are looking to sell their products with features like front fueling, cellphone charger, underseat storage, etc.

Lets compare scooters from all major manufacturers from once king of scooter market Bajaj to Japanese Suzukis and Hondas.

Specification:

Its clear from specifications TVS Scooty is the lightest and least powerful and Suzuki Access is the most powerful, all others fall in between this spectrum.

Now lets look into features which are ground breaking and deal breaking.

Features

The above comparison chart clearly shows Honda, Hero Honda and Suzuki as manufacturer who concentrates on core product and no extra features. whereas, TVS, Bajaj and Kinetic wants to add features which differentiate itself from other products in the market with features like central lock/control system, anti theft system, mobile charging etc.