I really like the dual tone colour theme with the neutral shade that makes the scooter feel premium and youthful. The headlamp offers a good spread but could be brighter. It’s plenty enough for city riding though. It’s the small things that make the Ather Rizta special. It has a large underseat storage space which is fantastic but what makes it special is the storage bag that lines the boot space and you can fill the boot with stuff and simply pick up the bag to carry it home, no need to transfer stuff to another bag. The flexible bag on the front apron is another special touch. It expands quite a bit and gets waterproof zippers to ensure stuff stored inside remains dry. There is also a small pocket in front of the underseat storage to store your phone or cleaning cloth. Ather designers have really thought the storage solutions through on this.

It is a quick scooter as well — for a family scooter that is. The two Zip and Smart Eco modes are easy to toggle between on the go. The Zip mode is quick enough for most situations, even with pillion riding, and easily reaches a top speed of 80kmph. It does sap the range quite a bit. While the Smart Eco is another alternative for a more economical drive, I found it to be neither here nor there — it does not impress in performance or economy. Rather why not simply have a separate City and Eco mode and let the customer choose?

While Ather claims a range of 125km, so far I have managed to eke out upto 100km with 20 percent riding done in Zip mode and 80 percent in Smart Eco mode. The regen works well and the Magic Twist is a cool feature where twisting the throttle the other way engages battery regen.
Like the 450, the Rizta impresses with its tech-packed features as well. The TFT display is not a touchscreen unit, but is easy to navigate via a four way joystick. It easily connects to the Ather app and offers information on your phone about the scooter’s charge status and location. Overall, the Rizta feels like a complete family scooter.

The post Ather Rizta: Long Term Update first appeared on Turbocharged.

That’s mainly down to its motor that delivers 8.15PS and the Xoom 110’s compact dimensions. It easily reached speeds of up to 80kmph on open stretches and felt like it can cruise at those speeds all day long. While its compact dimensions come handy for filtering through traffic that seems to be getting worse with each passing day, the scooter is large enough for my six-feet plus frame! The seat is quite accommodating and there is enough legroom so I do not feel cramped but on the flip side, I can not carry any stuff on the front footboard. I guess it is a size issue as Vaibhav has comfortably carried his camera bag on the footboard the couple of times he has borrowed the scooter. I am beginning to appreciate the practicality of scooters, especially compact scooters, much to Ben’s delight.

I love the way the Xoom looks. The sharp lines and the headlamp design are a head turner but for me, it is the small things, like the usable grab rail that’s neatly integrated into the bodywork. The Xoom 110 also fares well on the practicality front. The carefully integrated USB charger above the front storage compartment ensures that your electronic devices are safely stored while charging. It’s 19.2 litre underseat storage is enough to store a half-face helmet along with a few small items.

I even tried venturing into the unknown with the Xoom 110 and on one particular occasion, I got to experience the benefits of having cornering lamps which light up as soon as the vehicle tilts on its respective sides. At first, I thought it might be a gimmick but soon realised it is a very utilitarian feature when it comes to riding through the poorly lit roads in the urban jungle.

The suspension works well and although ride quality is on a slightly firmer side, complement the scooter’s character brilliantly. The 12-inch wheels soak up most of the bumps and offer impressive straight line stability making it quite the fun-to-ride scooter.
Overall, my experience of living with the Hero Xoom 110 has been a positive one and I was a bit sad to see it go.

The post Hero Xoom 110: Long Term Update – 3,849km first appeared on Turbocharged.

It’s a different kind of charm, a different world with these motorcycles. The Bullet is special. It connects with you in a way few other motorcycles can. Like the KTM 390 Duke – the only difference being the intense ride experience is replaced with a sense of calm. When I am not riding fast, I tend to spend my time on a motorcycle gathering my thoughts, letting my mind out in a controlled state of wander. It’s my way of meditating. My way of motorcycle therapy. It’s something you can’t really do in a car and something you can do very well on a Bullet.

It isn’t perfect in the way of Japanese precision. The fuel gauge isn’t precise and one of the turn indicators looks like it will for off. For me though, the Bullet is perfect as it does exactly what I expect of it. To keep on riding without missing a beat. It is reliable as well, as I have come to expect of modern Royal Enfields. The wife loves it too and prefers pillion rides on the Bullet to my other longtermers. Maybe she too finds her nirvana on the Bullet.

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The Himalayan 450 then is a different kettle of fish. It does not just get a more powerful motor, it is lighter than its predecessor despite being larger in every aspect. And I love it! Everything about the new Himalayan 450 ticks the fitness of purpose check box. The design, for example, is now more organic and makes the Himalayan 450 quite the looker. The design is an evolution of the Himalayan 411 so you still get the tubular exoskeleton you can hang stuff from. Then there are the dimensions which make it look like a large-capacity motorcycle but is quite accommodating when you get around the business of riding it. The seat doesn’t feel too tall either and if it does, you can easily reduce the seat height by a notch.

The all-new Sherpa 450 motor is lovable. It does not set records in refinement or performance but is brimming with character. The new liquid-cooled motor delivers 40PS and 40Nm, a significant jump over the Himalayan 411. The motor offers excellent mid-range performance which makes the Himalayan 450 feel at home be it slicing through city traffic or navigating the steep rocky trail. More importantly, it allows you to cruise at triple-digit speeds all day long.
The chassis complements the motor well, be it high-speed cruising or attacking technical trails. The long-travel Showa suspension coupled with a 21-inch front/17-inch rear wheels make the new Himalayan feel unstoppable. What’s even more impressive is the motorcycle’s agility despite the forgiving suspension and larger front tyre. The Himalayan feels like the perfect ‘one motorcycle to do it all’.

The Himalayan 450 already has me dreaming of the upgrades I’d do to mine. First off would be weight reduction. The Himalayan is already lighter than its predecessor but can lose a lot more by taking off a couple of guards. The plus point, it would look more like a scrambler (the upcoming Scrambler 450 is already sounding delicious). Then of course would be go-faster bits to liberate a bit more horsepower. A significant upgrade would be switching to spoked tubeless rims, I feel that the current tubed setup restricts the Himalayan’s go-anywhere ability. While the Ceats are impressive, I would switch to more aggressive profile tyres.

Royal Enfield has some interesting rally official accessories for the Himalayan – like a rally mudguard, one piece-seat and tapered handlebar. Maybe I’d raid the online shop. The new Himalayan 450 is so good, it makes you daydream.

The post Royal Enfield Himalayan 450: Long Term Update – 3,059km first appeared on Turbocharged.

I did spec out the DesertX before heading out on any adventure. The offroad accessories pack includes knuckle guards, a more aggressive sump guard, a radiator guard, a water pump guard (I saw someone bust that with a dumb fall) and of course steel tube engine guards. I had ordered these the day I knew the DesertX was coming home but Ducati has been so bogged down with orders worldwide causing my order to be incredibly delayed. The package arrived just in time for the Mustang ride (You can read about that in the January 2024 issue).

Ever since I came back from Mustang I have not ridden my Ducati DesertX out of the city. In the few months that I have been away, Dad has been riding it around Chandigarh. I even got a challan while he was out riding and I learnt the process is even faster than the DesertX because the email and message reached me within seconds of Dad crossing the speed camera. I even have a cool picture of Dad riding at 90kmph in a 60kmph zone. Other than that, it has been an uneventful few months for the Ducati. I took this time to add a few upgrades to make it more mine.

I did spec out the DesertX before heading out on any adventure. The offroad accessories pack includes knuckle guards, a more aggressive sump guard, a radiator guard, a water pump guard (I saw someone bust that with a dumb fall) and of course steel tube engine guards. I had ordered these the day I knew the DesertX was coming home but Ducati has been so bogged down with orders worldwide causing my order to be incredibly delayed. The package arrived just in time for the Mustang ride (You can read about that in the January 2024 issue).

Lazy Ass Bikers sent me a Nano Glass dashboard screen protector by Speedo Angels, a simple but quite useful update. The next simple upgrade is the Kriega fork seal covers. They proved their worth in Mustang where we crossed two large muddy sections and a muddy water crossing. Riding the DesertX for 10 days in the mountain, I found the handlebars to be quite low even at their highest settings so risers were next on my list of upgrades. They were available at Motousher and worth every penny. A fellow DesertX rider runs a company called Barracks which manufactures auxilary lights for motorcycles. He sent me the Maxximus 50W set to try on the bike. It turned out to be an easy fit and just a few hours to mount on. Funnily, Dad was picking the bike up from the service centre when he was caught over the speed limit.

It has been a year since I got the DesertX and next on the list are maybe some heated grips (and those expensive auxiliary fuel tanks) if I end up on a snowy winter sojourn.

The post Ducati Desert X: Long Term Update – 5,462km first appeared on Turbocharged.

The Hero Karizma XMR, despite being a supersport bike, has a really compliant suspension, something that comes in handy while traversing through the scarred landscape commonly referred to as Pune roads. I decided to take it one step further, and explore some unpaved roads around my place. Regular dirt roads were no match for the suspension, which soaked up the bumps with ease, so I upped the ante and went on a really rocky road I usually ride on my Impulse. 

While it would have been easier on the dirtbike, it was not really difficult on the Karizma, which means Hero is acutely aware of the fact that the potential customer base of its current flagship may not necessarily be city-dwellers. I just wish Hero hadn’t made the turn indicator cancel button so ridiculously tiny that it takes multiple angry taps if you, like me always wear riding gloves. But that small niggle aside, the Karizma is one of the most comfortable sports bikes I have ridden in a long time.

The Karizma XMR’s suspension has already garnered widespread fame as a friend called me asking if he should plonk his money down for it as he has a bad back, a conversation I never expected to have with anyone regarding a sportbike!

The post Hero Karizma XMR: Long Term Update – 1,470km first appeared on Turbocharged.

There’s something else from Worcestershire that has had a similar long lifespan, refusing to die, against all odds. It is of course the Royal Enfield Bullet. And kind of like the sauce, people have heard of it, even if they haven’t ridden it. The Bullet has the longest production run of any motorcycle in the world — more than 90 years, in fact.

Royal Enfield has finally bid goodbye to the UCE and in its place is the new J-Series engine, mounted on a new chassis. However, you would be hard-pressed to tell the differences from ten paces, such is the styling of the new Bullet in terms of staying faithful to the original. Even the speedo remains a proper analogue unit, though it doesn’t have the top-down sweep of a Smiths dial. 

Having ridden Bullets of a varied vintage, including a 1956 Redditch-made one, and a 1978 CI-block with the heavy crank and points ignition, I will say this – Royal Enfield managed to get the riding geometry just right. Mechanically it is identical to the current-gen Classic 350, however, the feel of the motorcycle is completely different. The Bullet, thanks to the more relaxed geometry and possibly a different tuning of the engine, makes you take things easy, in a nod to the unhurried times from whence it hails.

I must mention the exhaust note, as it was something I really loved. Gone is the treble-heavy, hollow sound of the UCE, replaced with a nice, bassy tone. Granted, with the engine made out of aluminium, it can’t match the sound of a cast iron-engined machine from the yesteryears, but the sound is something truly likeable, and it was evident that Royal Enfield spent some extra time getting it just right.

And that, in itself is the crux of the Royal Enfield Bullet, where it becomes greater than the sum of its parts, a trick it has been pulling for nearly a century. The more it changes, the more it remains the same. As timeless as steaks, coated with some Worcestershire sauce.

The post Royal Enfield Bullet 350: Fleet Intro – 974km first appeared on Turbocharged.

When I started riding it, I noticed the same thing about the curiosity of the onlookers. I have ridden around town on far more rare and intriguing bikes, but the XMR has the kind of recognition that borders on the uncanny. I do not know if our longtermer is in fact the first Hero Karizma XMR in the state, but despite that, people just seemed to know what it was and they had many questions. From the de rigueur ‘Bhav kitna hai?’ and ‘Kitna deti hai?’ to more interesting ones such as how to adjust the fairing, what’s the cruising speed on the highway in 6th gear and even engine heat management, from which I gathered that it is not just us enthusiasts but the general populace as well who are curious about the return of the legendary nameplate. 

However, behind the sharply-styled supersport persona lies the soul of a sport tourer, and it kept reminding me of the OG Karizma, with its relatively upright riding position and the amazingly compliant suspension – not just for a sportbike but by any yardstick. The refinement of the DOHC motor in the upper reaches of the rev range is exemplary as well.

However, there are a few things that let down the overall experience, the first one is the angle of the console. When you are riding around midday, regardless of what your height is and how you position yourself, all you can see on the console is the reflection of the life-giving fusion reactor suspended in space, i.e that sun. Another thing that bugged me a bit was the nonlinear throttle response – in the first quarter-turn of the throttle, the XMR gains speed too sedately and it doesn’t improve the rideability. Past that point, it felt like the fuel mapping changed and the bike became much more sprightly. The feeling is akin to the 2-stroke machines of yore, with their narrow powerbands kicking in only past a certain rpm.

I can totally envision myself on the Karizma XMR, cruising down the highway at a decent clip, with the horizon ahead. It makes a believer out of me, thanks to its all-around competence. Let’s see if I can convince Ben to lend it to me for some highway escapades!

The post Hero Karizma XMR: Fleet Intro – 941km first appeared on Turbocharged.

I will unequivocally say that the Burgman is not just good, it is excellent. With the fuel prices the way they are, we can’t all have gas-guzzling monsters parked in our garages. So the consistent mileage in the 50kmpl ballpark helped me a lot, as I recently made some investment towards my setup and every little bit helped. This great mileage coupled with a 5.5-litre fuel tank means the range of the scooter is in the region of 275km, and you can go on longer rides without worrying about refuelling frequently. Even on the highway, while cruising at a speed of 70-80kmph, the Burgman managed to return a commendable 48kmpl mileage, so at worst your range will drop to 265km or thereabout – 100km one way return trips are entirely within the realms of capabilities of the scooter.

Ever since I started riding the Street EX, I have recommended it to everyone who asked and to some who didn’t even ask! The scooter managed to exceed my expectations in every parameter, be it performance, comfort or fuel economy. It kept doing this for the 4-month tenure of my time with it. 

To sum it up, the Suzuki Burgman Street EX has truly won my heart as my go-to scooter. It made my daily journeys more enjoyable and convenient and I can confidently say that it will do the same for anyone who chooses to take it out for a ride. I did ask Ben, if we really had to return it, half-joking, but I knew that my time with the friendly Suzuki had come to an end.

At this point my old KTM 200 Duke is out of the workshop and fully functional and the weather has cleared up, bringing with it the motorcycling season. So I am not too sad, but if I could, I would park a Burgman Street EX in my garage right now – one I won’t have to give back.

The post Suzuki Burgman Street EX: Fleet Wrap-up – 3,224km first appeared on Turbocharged.

Owing to the advent of the monsoons, there were no shortage of mucky trails around, and I found one of those, bright and early on a Sunday morning. Being used to my Impulse for this sort of shenanigans, the weight of the Suzuki impeded my progress a smidge, but I soon learned to trust the grunty motor to pull myself out of predicaments, which were entirely of my own creation. The torque is omnipresent, and so long as you do not select a completely unreasonable gear to begin with, pulls you through most situations with aplomb. Another thing to note — the few jumps (or yumps if you’re a WRC fanatic) I encountered were acquitted rather well by the suspension, and the stiffness ensured it didn’t bottom out in these situations. Would I have preferred a softer suspension setup off-road? Yes. Did the stiffness of the suspension turn my excursions on rugged terrain into an exercise in futility? Absolutely not. 

That being said, it was quite evident that the MRF tyres the V-Strom came shod with were optimised for usage on firm pavement, and having ridden with some of the more off-road-biassed tyres recently, I can’t help but feel that swapping the tyres out on the V-Strom would open up a new chapter in the book of the off-road capability of the Suzuki. The lesson I learned, though, is not to be afraid of being a bit crazy, as the results may be surprising.

The post Suzuki V-Strom SX : Long Term Update – 2,526km first appeared on Turbocharged.