Riding Mojo

Have followed the Mahindra Mojo story ever since it was announced 5 years back. Was glad to know its about eventual launch with very much the same design that was shown so many years back. And finally was able to check it out in my city.

The bike is huge. Fit and finish felt good. White and red colored bike felt far far more pleasing to the eyes than the black one.

The default sound of the engine is really good. But for the one that I test-rode, they had removed the mufflers so that it could sound even louder. The sales guy explained, people want louder sounds in order to feel like a heavy bike. I can understand his point since I hear so many superbike riders rev their bikes real hard as they cross the busy street outside.

The sitting posture is upright. I am not a fast rider so I could barely take it beyond 60kmph in the little stretch I rode the Mojo for. Yes, the bike felt really really stable. I am not surprised so many Mojo riders and reviewers feel good on the highways.

These days I often look for nimbleness whichever bike I test-ride. The worst point about this bike is the one that strikes the most to the onlooker. Yesss, the twin-headlight console attached to the handle-bars section of the motorcycle. To me the console felt way too heavy, and so the handle-bar has a certain heft which doesn't lend itself to nimble handling. Again, it could just be a matter of habit but I felt the same problem when I rode the Pulsar 200NS and when I used to ride my Bullet way back in 2006-07. Mojo has been developed as a tourer, and on the highways, I suppose, one wouldn't have to handle in the way that one does in city conditions. When seen that way, it might not look like such a big drawback. But I prefer lightness and nimbleness when it comes to swing-arms whether for within-city-riding or highway riding.

Since I have been riding the Yamaha FZ for 5 years now, I obviously do find it a great motorcycle for city riding. Way before I bought the FZ, I got a chance to ride the R15 for quite a few days soon after it was launched. I still remember the experience. And now I understand how well designed these motorcycles are. On occasions, especially on widely spaced roads, they might feel just slightly under-powered but they are so amazing to handle. I've test-ridden the Duke200 as well and I have a similar impression regarding its handling. So nimble.

Two points about motorcycle handling I realize. No matter the bulk of the motorcycle in totality, the handle-bars or swing-arms should feel nimble. Obviously it contributes when there are fewer things attached to the handle-bars section of the motorcycle. And when it comes to city-riding, 200cc is just about the right (safe and enjoyable) capacity for even enthusiasts.

I've to test-ride the Pulsar 200AS now. And am eagerly waiting for KTM's 200cc adventure version for India. Hoping it'll be out soon. I've saved some money for a new motorcycle.

Some pics of my Yamaha FZ16, the cruiser!

Look good, no? :)

It's a looker from all angles.

Slightly changed angle. The bike looks meaty. Hunk keeps talking. This one's understated and yet commands a presence.

I think very few bikes match the stance that FZ offers. It corroborates the claim 'Lord of the Streets'. More than that, the stance also makes riding extremely easy and pleasurable. I would venture to say that the stance itself makes this bike so fit for cruising - far better than Avenger 200 which I used to own at one point in time. I owned a Bullet Machismo as well some 3 years back and I can say that the stance of this bike is better than that offered by a Royal Enfield Classic or even an Electra. Don't believe me? Check them out.

Bullet, I must admit, has a lot going for it now. Great looks, great stance, much better engine and the greatest sound. Avenger in comparison is diminutive and ridiculous as a cruising machine. In fact, Avenger is a shame. Hopeless braking, rather unbecoming pick-up. The only thing that might appeal to one and all is the look. Power notwithstanding, an FZ offers a far enriching cruising experience than an Avenger. And even when compared with a Bullet, at around 60-65kmph, FZ would fare and feel better as a cruiser.

Eye-candy!

The bike feels so stable and well-grounded; the word 'Lord' fits so well.

This is my favorite pic!

Burly Red Beast

Couldn't resist motorcycling any more. While I liked the yellow one for sure, I couldn't move away from the red. And I booked one yesterday. Should get my hands on it tomorrow or, in any case, in a couple of days.

So the strange list of motorcycles I've owned and ridden now looks like this:

1. Hero Honda Splendor (1996-1998)
2. Yamaha RXG 135 (1998-2004)
3. Bajaj Kawasaki Wind 125 (2004-2006)
4. Royal Enfield Machismo (2006-2008)
5. Bajaj Avenger 200 (2007-2009)
6. Yamaha FZ16 (2011...)

And of course, I've experienced quite a few other bikes as well in all these years.

So yes, after a 2-year hiatus, am back to motorcycling. Why FZ16? Not that I am a very knowledgeable motorcyclist or a motorcycle tourist. Though I ride fast and have deft reflexes, never had an instinct or desire to race or stunt or turn sharply around corners. Whatever it is, for me when it comes to automobiles, nothing beats the simple pleasure of riding on two wheels. And while riding is the best experience, I can sense the refinement of a motorcycle simply on the basis of the engine sound and the way it looks. My feeling before and after riding the FZ stayed the same - it is the most-refined and most-exciting little motorcycle India has. That's why the choice.

I'll keep readers posted on my experience with the burly little red beast.

Burly got yellow

 

And just when I thought it is getting boring, it got yellow! Yes, the red riding dude likes yellow! ;) This color was long long awaited by many enthusiasts I suppose. Undoubtedly, the best looking 150 in the country.

Yamaha FZ16 & my predictive analyses

And if one wasn't enough, Yamaha has another warrior in a different armor. Back in early January this year, just before the annual Motor Show in Delhi where two bikes - R15 and FZ16 - were displayed, I had analyzed the motorcycle market in India and suggested what TVS needed to do to really break the shackles and capture certain important segments. Of course, my basic assumption was that Yamaha would not wake up in time to grab the position it had left vacant for years together.

Irrespective, Yamaha ends up doing almost precisely as I had written on my other blog called fork-blog.blogspot.com (it's all about business and marketing strategy using the concepts of divergence and focus). And I am so glad about that. If I were to express the emotion, a motorcyclist is witnessing a second revival (the first was launch of Bajaj Pulsar) of performance motorcycling in the country.

That's FZ16 for you. The lord of the streets! Ravishing red!

Yamaha line-up is a visual delight

Picked this picture up from the Yamaha website. The website remains as hopeless but these bikes look ravishing standing in one line. Starting from left, the bikes are Gladiator Type SS (Stylish & Sporty), YZF-R15 and FZ15. While the first is an improvement of the current Gladiator, the other two are 150cc bikes modelled on two of the best (also big) global bikes of Yamaha, R1 and FZ1. Late, really late but eye-pleasing nonetheless.

From what I've read in Bike and on 2wheelsindia.com, the R15 is expected to redefine what we call performance bikes. Here's a picture from one of the posts on Payeng's blog.

Payeng is 5'5". Comparing the bike's build with Payeng's, the two seem to be a good match :). So, is it a small bike for the average Indian male? Some comments on Payeng's blog suggest that readers do think it's a smallish bike considering what all it promises in terms of performance.

I have some thoughts. If we look at Yamaha RD350 and Yamaha RX100, the two performance bikes of yesteryears, both had a rather naked look. RD350 had twin cylinders, packed 32bhp power and yet wasn't really as big. RX100, the same. The tyres weren't really fat. Reason, the broader the tyres, the more it takes to propel the bike and therefore loss in pickup and loss in fuel-efficiency. The narrower the tyres, the better the concentration of power to propel the bike (Forgive me for not using the technical jargon. This is the best I can explain. Hope you are getting it). Of course, the tyres can't be cycle-like! :)

So, why does one need broad tyres for YZF-R15? Are we gonna take really close-to-the-ground turns on racetracks at 100mph or what?

There have been comments on the size of the bike too. It is said that the wheelbase is lesser than the likes of Pulsar, Karizma, etc. Does the length of the bike matter so much? Perhaps not. In fact, it's the sitting height which matters more. If it's too high it can affect handling since your feet might not touch the ground comfortably; if it's too low it might feel more like a cruise-bike instead of a sports-bike.

So guys, just chill. I would rather reserve my judgments until the time I take a ride on R15. As far as the specs and the styling are concerned, I think the bike excites. Let it come out on the roads. Then we'll discuss the rest too :). What say?

Thanks Payeng for getting the bike closer to us through your blog.