Archive for the ‘Bike Reviews’ Category

New Bajaj Platina 125cc – Old wine in new bottle

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

If you thought Bajaj Platina 125cc was no more a bike and was stopped forever, you are just wrong, because Bajaj wouldn’t want to phase out its hit model. So, it has sent the Platina 125cc to its designer studio for some engine tweaks and cosmetic makeover.

Sure it did get a cosmetic as well as adjusted powertrain unit and Bajaj re-launched it into the market during the last week as new Bajaj Platina 125cc. With this re-launch Bajaj expects to reinforce its presence in the entry level bike segment.

So what’s new with the new Platina?
The new Bajaj Platina 125cc has come out with appealing body graphics and total black styling. The company has trimmed down the kerb weight of Platina by over 3kg. This, according to the company should increase the mileage factor of the bike.

The new Bajaj Platina runs on a 125cc engine which is actually scaled down in terms of power generation; generating a 8.5PS of maximum power at 7000rpm and a 10Nm of peak torque at 4000rpm. The previous version of Platina generated a peak power of 9.5PS and a peak torque of 10.85Nm.

As for other features, the new Platina 125cc comes with a 5-speed gearbox as compared to the 4-speed old Platina version. The modifications make the New Platina 125cc a heavy duty bike. Besides it comes with convenient features such as electric start as a standard and the telescopic Front Suspension and SNS suspension at the rear which makes ride smooth and comfortable.

The full-black styling gives the new Platina a richer look and the company claims it to be the best in its class in terms of style, performance as well as mileage.

Bajaj has aggressively priced the new Platina 125cc at Rs. 36,000 (ex-showroom Delhi) and the company claims that the bike is relaunched with modifications for easy daily commuting and comfort riding on Indian road conditions. The company officials say that the competitive pricing makes the new Platina 125cc a true value-for-money bike.

The 100cc Bajaj Platina which was earlier launched in 2006 was a big hit, and then the 125cc version of Platina was launched in late 2008 and now there is a re-launch of the 125cc Platina. But can the new Platina withstand competition from Hero Honda Stunner? Who would anyway want to buy a 125cc when there are many choices in the 150cc segment? Furthermore, the influx of foreign super bikes also can kickbutt these old warhorses off the roads soon. Bajaj may look at promoting the new Platina 125cc in the rural bike market to edge the competition and reinforce its presence.

Harley Davidson FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic Review

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Harley-Davidson FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic

HD FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic is the second bike from the Softail family that was launched in India recently. The Heritage Softail Classic was one among the 12 machines that made it to the Indian market. The Softail Classic is perfect for people who love to travel long distance on their two wheelers. In many ways the FLSTC reminds of its predecessor but the improvised chassis and engine gives the bike the unique edge. The bike certainly will catch the eye of travellers who looks for comfort and performance.

Looks of the HD FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic
The Heritage Softail Classic has undergone a major facelift that sports a classic dresser styling. The retro-styled leather saddlebags with buckles and buttony embellishments, and the large passenger seat with backrest add to the beauty of this beast. In fact the two-piece seat is the feature one will fall for as soon as one looks at the bike.


The bike no doubt reminds you of those touring bikes you must have seen in old American movies; nonetheless, even the youngsters wouldn’t complain about those looks, rather helplessly falling in love with it.

The HD FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic features black powder-coated engine that sport chrome treatment coverage and the oil lines are chromed and so is the oil tank. Then, there are standard foot pegs for the passengers and a cushioned backrest. The huge windshield is detachable. The front fender comes with chrome accents and the dual tone leather tank appeals a lot.

Engine performance and handling of the HD FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic
The Harley-Davidson D FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic is power-packed with a 1584 cc V2 engine, which is rubber-mounted and is placed in a rigid frame. The bike is a road worthy and is a true companion for long distance travelling. The big saddle and comfortable passenger accommodation ensures to give an all-day long travel in sheer luxury.

The engine gives the require power and strength, which contributes to the overall remarkable performance of the bike and the efficient transmission enables easy and silent shifting. Manoeuvring the bike requires minimal effort handling the bike while parking or slow speed operation is unbelievably agile.

Pricing of the HD FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic
The HD FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic is a comfort/luxury bike loaded with the vintage looks. It comes in color options of Scarlet Red, Vivid Black, Flame Blue Pearl and Brilliant Silver Pearl and the bike for all obvious features comes with a huge price tag and it holds good for its Heritage Softail Classic name; the bike comes pegged at Rs. 19,45,000.

Final word about the HD FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic
The groundbreaking design and styling of Softail Classic has undergone surely some tweaks but they are on the positive note and if you see the HD FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic you will agree for the way it looks or appeals, which actually many of you would love. But even if you didn’t fall for it the powerful engine and the luxury it offers while touring on it long is simply irresistible.

Harley Davidson FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide (CVO) Review

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

HD FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide (CVO)
Harley Davidson launched 12 bikes during the recently concluded Indian Auto Expo at New Delhi, and each of these belongs to different family of the bike manufacturer.

The bookings will open from April 2010 in five dealerships all across the country that Harleys are currently working, and the bike of your choice will be dispatched in June 2010. The five dealerships include: Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Bangalore. The HD FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide (CVO) is what we will discuss about here.

HD FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide (CVO) comes from the Touring family and is indeed one of the most expensive bikes among the 12 launched here. The bike is dream machine for those who have loads of money and time to tour around wherever you feel like. After all, you should know that Harleys are for leisure riders and commuters.

Looks of the HD FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide (CVO)
The HD FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide is for the diligent touring rider and the bike is a fine combination of custom paint, potent power train as well as appropriately fit choice of accessories.

Harley Davidson FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide

The HD FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide bike was actually built on the 2009 Touring Chassis that is based on single spar, strong backbone frame and a stout swing arm, which at that time was essentially introduced to fulfil the requirements of touring riders who rode tirelessly.


Engine performance and handling of the HD FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide (CVO)

The Harley-Davidson FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide (CVO) is adorned with a twin cam 110, 1803cc, air-cooled and EPSI fuel injected dual exhaust engine. The 6-speed cruise drive transmission and with a power mill that can displace as much as 1803cc you will seldom think about the bike’s performance and only try to focus managing it on Indian roads. The Brembo brake system and the ABS with the improved FL chassis and the rigid frame make the handling of this giant pretty nimble.

Additionally, the Harley-Davidson FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide (CVO) bike is loaded with splendid features that will give you the most memorable of the riding experience. Basically, the bike is made to give utmost comfort for the touring riders on their long or short expeditions.

Price of the HD FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide
The HD FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide is priced at Rs 34, 95,000, and for a budget-conscious Indian bike lover this is quite a huge investment, but India is soon catching up in this and you might as well see this in every Indian city in the days to come.

Final Word
The Harley-Davidson FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Guide (CVO) comes with the best of all features a huge bike can boast of; not limited to including premium baggage, cruise control, stereo, handling capacity, total instrumentation, and several comfort features. The bike as mentioned earlier is ideal for riders who have time and the money to tour endlessly. Finally, the HD FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide is a kickass machine that promises to give you the utmost comfort on all your expeditions.

Harley Davidson FLHX Street Glide Review

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

HD FLHX Street Glide

Indian bike riders will soon be able to own Harley Davidson bikes; of course not the imported ones but right here through the company’s dealerships that will be opened in fives cities in India. The world famous American bike maker has launched 12 of their motorbikes in the recent Auto Expo and FLHX Street Glide is one of the 12 bikes that has its roots in the Touring family. The FLHX Street Glide adorns every styling detail that every biker dreams about but seldom finds. The bike is braced all the amenities required in a touring machine, which is no less than luxury.

Looks of the Harley-Davidson FLHX Street Glide
To simply put, the HD FLHX Street Glide is a custom bagger and really looks like a mean machine to say the least. The bike maker deserves all appreciation for making it look so adorable reconciling all the good looks of the previous Glide versions. HD walked through the line of fashion and functionality and looks like they have complied with both. A single glance is just not sufficient to admire and appreciate the vast beauty this beast boasts.

Harley Davidson FLHX Street Glide
However, the most attractive features of bike are: lowered rear suspension tainted mini-wind screen, bat wing fairing and the list will go on. But one cannot rule out the fact that the HD FLHX Street Glide is much more than just one good-looking HD machine.

Engine performance and handling of the Harley-Davidson FLHX Street Glide
The HD FLHX Street Glide is powered by a Twin Cam 96, 1584cc, V2, 4-stroke, fuel-injected engine and gives a maximum torque of 131Nm @ 3500rpm. The 6-speed cruise dive transmission and the active intake & exhaust system reduce the clutch lever effort especially while cruising the streets and the bike is found to be pretty nimble at curves.

Looks like the world famous auto maker, Harley-Davidson has decided to enter into 21st-century world of biking with better brake system by having its most of the models, 4-piston fixed-mount front brake callipers replacing the 1-piston floating calipers. This makes handling the big machines a lot better than imagined. Besides, the new frame and the swing arm thingy in the HD FLHX makes handling lot easier than earlier Street Glide versions.

The handlebars and the wide tyres offer great grip and the controls are well placed and can be easily spotted, which overall gives a comfortable riding position, and the audio controls can be easily located even while riding the machine.

Pricing of Harley-Davidson FLHX Street Glide
Continuing the same pricing legacy of the Harleys, the HD FLHX Street Glide comes with almost all amenities you require while touring and precisely that is why the bike is on the higher price range- Rs. 21,95,000.

Last word about HD FLHX Street Glide


It outscores other bike models when it comes to handling and comfort in this class. The HD FLHX Street Glide is the most suitable HD bike for all those ardent leisure travellers who look for luxurious features when on the move for long expeditions.

Harley Davidson FLSTF Softail Fat Boy

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

HD FLSTF Softail Fat Boy

The American bike maker Harley Davidson has come up with 12 of their bikes into the Indian market and FLSTF Softail Fat Boy, is one of the two bikes from the Softail segment and the other is the FLSTC Heritage® Softail Classic. One can book the HD FLSTF Softail Fat Boy come April and get hands on it somewhere in June. Harleys is working on the dealerships in India and they will have them rolled out from 5 cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chandigarh.

There is an interesting myth that says Fat Boy was named so – that it is in the memory of atom bombs dropped on Japan; ‘Fat Man’ and the ‘Little Boy’ but one will dismiss this theory as illogical, as the bike is purely descriptive of its physical appearance and there is nothing more to it.

And there were other rumors too such as Harley Davidson brought out Fat Boy as an answer to the Japanese line up of bikes that were ruling the markets in 70’s and 80’s, (Ah! Those technology-driven metal machines).

Looks of the HD FLSTF Softail Fat Boy
With two large tyres, disc wheels, wider handlebar and the graphics on the fuel tank give the Fat Boy the solid look and this cannot be the bike that’d be missed in a crowd. The HD FLSTF Softail Fat Boy is a package of riding fun anyone would fall for.

Harley Davidson FLSTF Softail Fat Boy
The huge body rests on two large wheels and the magnanimity of the bike is just enough to earn the name Fat Boy. The chrome air boxes, covered fork legs, wider footboards and the well-designed metal are simply adorable and Fat Boy is nothing less than a style statement. The bike is set from other family members of Harley with those silver bullet hole disc wheels (cast aluminum) which are 17 inched and the wheels became such popular that people began calling them as Fat Boy wheels – it’s not easy to come up with something like that to work on the minds of public. Harley deserves :clap, clap, clap: for that.

Engine performance and handling of the HD FLSTF Softail Fat Boy
The mechanical parts of the Fat Boy are tremendously improvised and the bike is now powered by twin cam 96B 1584 cc engine with six-speed transmission, which supplies sufficient thrust that the bulky machine needs.


Fat Boy is a great combination of superb power and torque and don’t harbour any doubts regarding this fact. The transmission is smoother and quieter, which is very similar to the previous variant. You might suspect the handling of this giant but you will be amazed to know that you can smoothly and conveniently cross the curvy roads. And Harley Davidson is known to give you bikes that are superior in performance and handling.

Pricing of the HD FLSTF Softail Fat Boy
Here comes the huge price for the huge bike- it will be around Rs 18,45,000 and so not everyone’s cup.

Last word about HD FLSTF Softail Fat Boy

HD FLSTF Softail Fat Boy is a superb blend of iconic looks and awesome functionality, which can hardly be resisted by any bike riding lover.

Kinetic Italiano Blaze 165cc – No Nonsense Ace

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

The 165cc Kinetic Italiano Blaze, this bike (err…motoscooter) has joined the Indian auto stable about 3 years back (April 2007) and it’s been blazing ever since on the Indian roads. It’s a blow in the face of boredom on the Indian roads and that’s the only thing that sets blazers apart from Activa or Dio scooter riders.

Kinetic Blaze is also India’s first motoscooter that won 5 product awards for the year 2006-07 Scooter of the Year from Overdrive, BS Motoring and also the NDTV Car and Bike; Two-wheeler design of the year from BBC Top Gear as well as NID (National Institute of Design) Buisness World.

Kinetic Italiano Blaze with its super size is obviously the biggest, the tallest and the longest motoscooter that has seen on the Indian roads.

As for looks of the Kinetic Blaze, you got to love it or hate it, just that simple. The bold this-is-no-average-scooter looks may not appeal to all; but it surely makes heads turn and if not for the Italian design at least for the bold colors and even bolder size. The large and monstrous proportions are noticeable even from quite a distance. A big majority of people agree that the Kinetic Italiano Blaze looks great. Some might dislike too much of plasticky looks and the company had to go for the plastics to cut down on the cost. Well, if you are a performance lover, give a heck to this.

The side panels look neatly sculpted with huge grab bar. The under seat storage is decent if not the best and there is a lockable glove box, as well as foldable bag hook and flat floorboard.

As for ergonomics, the riders’ seat appears quite ergonomic and comfortable and cushions the bums for that long drive. The seat intended for pillion may not be comfortable for women as it is quite high and it might be a daunting task for anyone short to get on to the seat. If you are taking a trapeze artiste behind Blaze, it wouldn’t be a noticeable difficulty. This small issue though would not deter any prospective buyer.

Engine:
Kinetic Italiano Blaze runs on a
165.12cc, one-cylinder, air-cooled, 4-stroke, petrol engine
Maximum power: 11.6bhp @7500 rpm
Maximum torque: 1.2kgm @ 5000rpm

Performance :
It hits a top speed of about 110kmph and accelerates 0-60 kmph in 9.29seconds
Mileage: 30-34 kmpL

Kinetic Italiano Blaze has some unique features that sets it apart from any commuter scooter.

• It runs on a powerful 165cc mill that generates a power of 11.6 bhp
• The engine sports superior 4-valve technology
• The suspension is advanced to offer great comfort on any terrain (while the front suspension is telescopic there is a twin rear suspension to offer additional stability)
• Huge seat for rider and pillion for extra seating comfort
• High ground clearance gives it a ride pleasure close to a bike (the scooter was built on extra size, a 1495mm wheelbase and it kind of beats the dust of many bikes)
• The gear transmission is automatic to offer convenient riding
• The electric start (with also the kick start) makes it convenient for today’s riding
• The scooter comes with disc (optional for front) and the drum brakes

Kinetic Blaze comes priced about 55,000 and on road it comes close to 60,000 but for the amount you are setting the roads on blaze and painting the town red. If you are looking for something stylish and has power up its sleeves to beat 100cc commuter bikes and scooters then you don’t have to look further, the Blaze is one for you. Additionally, this is not the one if you too picky about FE and mileage. If you prefer power and style to fuel economy, Blaze is for you. Finally, the “Catch Me If You Can” sticker lives to it. So go get on your rider’s gloves and jacket to set the roads ablaze.

Harley Davidson FXDB Street Bob Review

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

HD FXDB Street Bob
Here come the 12 bikes of the Harley Davidson from the five of its families to make a mark and set the Indian roads afire. New Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Bangalore and Hyderabad are the chosen cities to house the Harley-Davidson company’s dealership counters. The bookings for these bikes would begin around April 2010 and they’d be delivered to customers by June.

HD FXDB Street Bob is from the Dyna breed of Harleys, and the Street Bob has borrowed some part of its styling from the post World War II bobber design or the custom choppers of the 1970’s. And the solo seat with no foot pegs for the passenger is an indication that you can go single with the Street Bob.

Looks of the HD FXDB Street Bob
The Dyna family of Harley-Davidson has the roots from 70s. The Dyna is reputable for amazing handling and the bike has ton of an attitude that actually appeals to the riders.

HD FXDB Street Bob

The HD FXDB Street Bob is a tweaked bob, and has a handlebar that is ‘ape hanger’, the rear fender trimmed and bears the retro taillight (LED) adding to the bike’s design. The tweaked rear fender gives it cool low profile built. The solo seat too is tweaked with the laced wheels and glossy black rims. The authentic fuel tank (Fat Bob) actually finishes the profile of the Street Bob.

Engine performance and handling of HD FXDB Street Bob
The HD FXDB Street Bob is armed with a V2, 4-stroke, 1584cc Twin Cam 96 engine with an Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) and also gives maximum torque of 123Nm @ 3125 rpm. The engine is married to a 6-speed cruise drive transmission, and it generates 92 ft-lbs.

The HD FXDB Street Bob sports exposed rear shock absorbers, under-the-seat battery box, new Michelin scorcher tyres, and black power train. And for a better transmission noise the bike has this new 5th gear helical cut. The Street Bob is known to give a big twin performance with an elongated FX front end. And similar to the other bikes of the Dyna family the Street Bob features great styling and perfect handling.

Pricing of the HD FXDB Street Bob
The HD FXDB Street Bob comes in color options of Black Denim; Vivid Black, Red Hot Denim (New), Pewter Denim and Dark Blue Denim and will be available for a price of Rs. 13,95,000, which is a wealthy man’s pick without any doubt. If you should be one, you can book the Hog in April and most likely own one by June 2010.

Final word about the HD FXDB Street Bob
The HD FXDB Street Bob is a restyled bobber which has been stripped down to minimum requirements for a smooth solo cruise. The big twin performance, bold styling and great handling features are big draws of the Street Bob. This is no silly devil but one tough on roads and great to cruise.

Harley Davidson FXDC Super Glide Custom Review

Sunday, February 21st, 2010

HD FXDC Super Glide Custom

Harley Davidson FXDC Super Glide Custom was one among the 12 Harley Davidson bikes that were recently launched in India. The bikes will be available in the dealerships that the company is planning to open across India; New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chandigarh are the blessed cities. The HD FXDC Super Glide Custom is the second bike from the Dyna family, which will be for the Indian markets. The first FX Super Glide was introduced in 1971, which was a combination of the FLH Electra Glide and the XLH Sportster bikes, and the FXDC Super Glide Custom is the most refined version derived from the very simple model.

Looks of the HD FXDC Super Glide Custom
The fact that it will be a Harley Davison machine is well enough to turn heads when you ride the Super Glide Custom but the bike actually stands out in a crowd for its own unique identity, which includes cool looks.
Harley Davidson FXDC Super Glide Custom
The Super Glide Custom sports plenty of chrome with laced wheels, console mounted speedometer, pullback handlebars, two-up stepped (ribbed) seat and a Fat Bob fuel tank are the contributing factors for the good looks of the bike. The styling of the Custom is basically lean, long and low, which gives it a meaner look. It comes in 7 colors to choose from actually.

Engine performance and handling of HD FXDC Super Glide Custom
The Chrome-rich FXDC Super Glide Custom is powered by an air-cooled 1584cc rubber-mounted Twin Cam 96 engine which produces a torque of 92 ft. lbs.

Some important features of the HD FXDC Super Glide Dyna
Vibration-isolated Twin Cam 96 engine
6-speed cruise drive tranny
Silver powder-coated engine (chrome treated)
Small pullback handlebar
Low-profile fender at the front
Latest fuel sender
Fat fuel tank (5.1 gallon capacity)
Chrome-staggered short dual exhaust
Chrome-laced steel wheels
29-degreed fork angle
Rear fender wrap around type
Console-mounted speedometer
Chrome tank console
Mid-mount foot controls

The seating position on the Super Glide isn’t as great as Softail version nevertheless it is pretty comfortable and the quality of the switchgear and the controls are remarkable. But the Super Glide Custom lacks the adjustable suspension, which is present in its sibling Super Glide Sport. The Custom has a single front and rear disc brakes and the fuel economy is good enough considering the large engine but this is one of the plus points of Harley Davidson bikes. The handling is outstanding especially in the twisty roads and it is highlight of the Dyna version HDs.

The handling of the Super Glide Custom is amazing, and considering that it is an improved version over previous Dynas this should be make one super model and a good value for money.

Pricing of HD FXDC Super Glide
The Harley-Davidson FXDC Super Glide Custom will bear a price tag of Rs. 15,45,000 and interested customers can book the bike in April, which will be delivered in June.

Final word about HD FXDC Super Glide Custom
The Super Glide Custom is suitable for all road and weather conditions and with excellent features and ergonomics the bike offers a pleasurable ride.

Harley Davidson VRSCDX Night Rod Special Review

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

HD VRSCDX Night Rod Special

Finally the Indian bikers can now a have a line up of Harley Davidson bikes at home. The recent Auto Expo was a curtain raiser for many bike brands and Harley Davidson rolled 12 bikes that will be officially available in India through the dealerships across the country. The Night Rod Special is one of the bikes from the HD VRSCDX family and has already stolen a few hearts with its sheer look.

Looks of the HD VRSCDX Night Rod
The HD VRSCDZ Night Rod Special is no nonsense Harley and looks as if it is straight out from the Batman’s stable- mysterious yet stylish all at the same time. But I have to honestly admit that the Night Rod looks a bit grumpy and gaudy too as if challenging the capabilities of an ordinary bike rider. Its not for any and every biker anyway.

Harley Davidson VRSCDX Night Rod Special

If you are fond of black, the all-black Night Rod looks awesome- and you need to see it to believe it. The 240mm rear tyre gives the bike a tougher look. The entire body, which includes all the components of the bike, are painted black and in addition a contrasting color racing stripe runs along the length of the bike simply looks stunning.


Engine performance and handling of the HD VRSCDX Night Rod Special

Your lust for the HD VRSCDX Night Rod Special will grow stronger after seeing its power punch up. The bike runs on a 1250cc Revolution V-twin engine that generates a power of 125hp at 8250 rpm and the torque ranging to 85ft-lbs at 7000 rpm. The bike also sports an ESPFI (Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection), technology with a 5-speed tranny, dual overhead cams and also four-valve heads. The 36˚ fork angle, wider rear tyre and triple-disc brakes are a perfect blend of technology and performance for the new age riders.

The “Slipper Clutch” makes downshift a lot easier as well as convenient, and the ABS or the Anti-lock Braking System, which is a conspicuous component of all of the VRSC variants is the most advanced mechanism featured by any power cruiser. This ABS is quite helpful during those emergency halting situations and the rider is in complete control of how much of the brake needs to be applied in any given situation. The seat height of the Night Rod Special is somewhere around 25 inches, which makes it the lowest in the VRSC family. The extra long wheel base makes the HD VRSCDX Night Rod very stable as well as one street dragster and beware it could turn into a serious addiction with the fun this gives on those long drives too.

Pricing of the Harley-Davidson VRSCDX Night Rod Special


Just hold your breath! For here comes the price of this mean machine- it is Rs. 18.95,000. The price might dampen the spirits of many bikers but one must accept the fact that these iconic bikes can only be a rich man’s property.

Last word about HD VRSCDX Night Rod Special
The HD VRSCDX Night Rod Special is no wonder bike to fall for but for the price, which is too high for an average buyer, especially in India, but you never know, you might well see a couple of Night Rods in your street itself a couple of years down the lane.

Harley Davidson XL883L Sportster Review

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

HD XL883L Sportster

The HD XL883L Sportster is one of the 12 motorbikes launched by the Milwaukee based bike maker company, Harley Davidson in India. These bikes were launched during the recently concluded Auto Expo show at New Delhi.


Harley Davidson is finalizing its dealership companies in India to sell its models to the Indian consumers across the country. As for now the dealership points will be spread across 5 cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chandigarh. One can book the HD bikes somewhere during April 2010 and own it by June 2010. We shall see some features of the Harley-Davidson 883L Sportster here.

Looks of the HD XL883L Sportster
Speaking of the looks of the HD XL883L Sportster one could say that all Harley Davidson bikes get their identity and popularity because of the macho looks they sport and the XL 883L is no different.

Harley Davidson XL883L Sportster
You will get a lot of people turn back and see the bike at traffic signs and parking lots and that makes BIG machines a lot fun to ride. The new graphic on the fuel tank is definitely eye-catching and adds to the iconic status of the brand apart from the obviously low seat.

A rebellious aggressive attitude is what you see in any Sportster model and XL883L is no exception.

Engine performance and handling of HD XL883L Sportster
The HD XL883L Sportster features 4-stroke, 883cc, Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injected (ESPFI) XL V-Twin Evolution engine with the maximum power generation of 68 hp 50.2 KW at 4400 rpm and torque of 70.00 Nm @ 3500 rpm. And have no doubts regarding the performance with signature V2 Evolution engine. The engine is rubber mounted on to the frame to reduce vibrations.

The L in the HD XL883L stands for low which actually implies with the low-profile ergonomics, and the bike features with low seat ergos and seat height of just about 25.3 inches, makes it perfect for the small riders. The seat also protrudes forward and makes it comfortable for riding. The wide handlebars, mid-mount foot controls, both the front and rear suspension are lowered enough to enable superb handling of the bike and also lifting the side stand is so much easier in XL883L.

The HD XL883L Sportster offers great combination of accurate handling and stunner of a style, the front fender looks almost adhered to the chrome wheels and it gives a customized look to the bike. And the XL883L Sportster is for any of those who appreciate light bike that is nimble.

Price of the HD XL883L Sportster
The XL883L would be the most affordable of the Harley models that will kiss the Indian roads The bike is priced at Rs. 6,95,000. And, it could be the price that a few people if not many can actually be willing to shell down in the Indian market.

Last word about HD XL883L Sportster
For short riders who always dreamt of riding a Harley Davidson, this is the bike to go for and the low-end price would enhance your owning chances of the HD XL883L Sportster.