Apache RTR or Unicorn?

Hi Rahul,

This is Amzad..! I am planning to go for a new bike.. As of now I have RTR and Unicorn in my mind.. I am really confused to select one.. Please let me know your view ..
And also about the RTR engine, Will it do its best in the future.. I mean will it work for a long time(engine stability) when compared to Unicorn.
Awaiting for your reply..
Regards,
Amzad


Hello Amzad. The decision between the Apache RTR and the Honda Unicorn is purely functional. In terms of styling, performance and handling, the Apache RTR is the logical choice. But if you are looking for a more relaxed riding posture, longer distances and really bad roads, then the Unicorn makes more sense. You should judge your situation based on this.

Also, we do not see why the RTR engine should not go a long way. With a good run in, proper warm up and regular services, it will serve you a long time.
Ride Safe and let us know what you finally bought.

The Megola Racing Model

This, dost is the world's most unconventional motorcycle! Only 2000 (only?) of these were built between 1921 and 1924.

Designer Fritz Cockerell was heavily inspired by the rotary aero engines of World War I and came up with a 5 cyclinder radial mounted engine inside the front wheel! Now beat that. For each forward rotation of the front wheel, the engine rotated in the opposite direction 6 times.

It was a 640cc, 5 pot, 14 bhp machine that was clocked to a whopping 148 km/h! Darn, our heads are going round in circles...

Table for 4 please, but I am paying for 1!

Hi Rahul / Team Monoshock,

I’m an out and out Monoshock fan. And one of the pictures I like best is the one in which the Guy is standing next to the Karizma and err.. ..as its mentioned doing not what we’re thinking he’s doing..???
Any ways
I’ve been planning to get my first bike for over a year now, and since I’ve been riding friends' bikes for long enough , I thought I’d better go in for a gr8 one when I buy one myself. My options include Karizma, P220 or P200.
I might also include that there’s a really good CBR [Modified CBZ -2002 model, still gives 30 kmpl] at 70 Grand which is adding to my confusion. Please check out this bike here at
http://reddevilbike.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.html

Can u please help me decide what to do?
More over can you please give me some idea of the process involved in getting your bike to another state within India i.e. Re-Registration, Road tax, NOC etc.

Thanks a Ton…

All the very Best….
Ride safe..
Cheers,
SHAANT

Hello Prashant. Thanks for your words. Let me try to address your queries one at a time. Firstly, rule out the mod! It does not make sense to me in any way. Even if it looks good, let it look good with the owner.

Now to come down to your choices, the Karizma is a great bike but its dated and the mileage is not exactly top of the line. Buy this bike only if you are a die hard Karizma fan or doing long rides between cities is part of your KRA!

The P220 is a contemporary machine and few can match it when it comes to bikes on Indian shores, but I would suggest you wait a year for this. Sit back, use a friend's bike for the time being and see how things are shaping up in the segment and how the P220 finally evolves!

The P200 is an instant smile machine and would make the best buy out of the 3 as of now on all parameters. People may differ but that would be my personal opinion and I will stick by it.

Lastly, while changing states of residence, obtain an NOC for transfer from your current place of registration (takes about 90 days normally to come through) and then take the bike to the next state, apply for transfer with the required forms, cash and jam in the NOC you have with you for instant results! Add sugar to taste.

Cheers mate

- Rahul

Stop or my mom will shoot!

"We havent had that spirit here...
Since 1969"

Yeah, that is right out of an Eagles mega hit number, but why? You ask.

The Honda CB750 in the picture here was an inline 4, 736 cc 67 bhp motorcycle which could go upto 200 kays an hour! Not happy? But before you write this machine off and assign it a footnote in your knowledge base, please consider that the CB was produced in 1969! Darn! Right?

Oh, and why that heading for this post? The CB750 was the first production machine in the world to have hydraulic disc brakes!

Once Britten, Twice....

Say hello to this design legend, the Britten V1000, designed by a legendary man, John Britten.

The 60 degree V-Twin is an integral part of the chassis and the front and rear suspensions are bolted on to this! Actually this bike takes the word multi tasking to a new level, with almost every part performing dual functions! It was a 985cc 165bhp beauty that was capable of 304 km per hour! Only 11 bikes were ever built and John died even before these bikes could come into their element. Here is to you John!

Recognize this?

Hello comrades. Ah! Nice er 'thing' we have here. We recognize a V8, and a rear tyre taken off a Lada or something. What we do not recognize is the front suspension setup!

Hate it, love it but you sure cannot ignore it. We found this somewhere on the web. Accompanied by a 600 odd word description (we sure hope thats what it was) in Russian. Whatever it meant, we sure recognized the word 'suicide'!

Awesome threesome!

Hi Rahul,

New Tvs apache RTR 160 or Hero Honda CBZ Extreme or Bajaj Pulsar dtsi 150

Pls advice a best bike from above.
Thanks
Bala

Hello Bala. If its sheer performance, styling and oomph, then do not look beyond the new RTR. If it is doing long distances then the CBZ is the best bet. If you want a jack of all trades (and thus the second part of the saying too..) then the Pulsar is a great buy! Please keep us posted.

Monoshock Club Sandwich - RSA

Hello Folks, it has been a long sabbatical from the Monoshock main site. Updates and new content have been delayed for almost a month, thanks to low resources and too much of work.

But things are in order now. Loads of road tests and new clubs and a smashing new gallery are underway. You should have access to all this new content from Wednesday (29th August) evening onwards.

Not to forget that the Rubber Smoking Angels also make their presence heavily felt in our club sandwich section from then on! Cheers!

Sunday Morning Breakfast at Goa

When the sea breeze is all around while you sleep, stay awake and/ or make love all night, you are going to wake up one really hungry person.

So before you hit the road with that rented Honda Activa, or go down to the beach or try your hands (and legs) at scuba diving, we suggest you check out the Souza Lobo's in Calangute. This joint, set in an authentic Goan house right on the beach serves up some toungue numbing seafood which is as fresh as it is delicious!

In the evenings, you can also get all romantic, mushy and dance to the tunes in house! Er, that is if you can take your hands off the darn lobsters!

Its alright

"Give it all and its got no return,
Very soon you' ll see
And you' ll begin to learn
Its alright, its alright"

The one song for which this album becomes so darn endearing. Originally done by Ozzy but the Axl version sure is rendered really well.

Add to that Rocket Queen, November Rain, Paradise City, Knockin' on Heaven's Door and Estranged and you have a full house. Nothing else will do this Saturday night. And its only just 2 am!

Must have album guys.

Stick no bills! Just paint them

While going through the web, we found some great graffitis. But this one, called the eyeball graffiti was simply stunning.

The colors and the entire concept is out of the world! There are some more great biking ones which we will put up with time.But hey! It is illegal to paint someone else's wall.

Try bike tanks and Tees instead.

Falling in love with the Karizma again!

Let me cut out the nice things and the riff raff from this and get down to the point. I am in love with the Karizma, and am jotting down 5 points which make it a far superior tourer than the P180!

1) The long stroke motor always feels relaxed and rollover lugs from the engine between 60 and 90 kays an hour is awesome!
2) The ergonomics are made for long distances. So even with a beer belly and a few extra kilos, you will be right at home blasting across on our highways
3) The suspension and the long wheelbase are a work of art. Even at high speeds, this art does not seem to lose the layers of paint on the canvas!
4) Stamina. Yes if you have been doing long distances on your bike, you will know what it means. The engine starts to fag out on the Pulsar if you keep the throttle pinned for long distances. No sir, not on the Karizma!
5) Lights. If you zap a trucky up front with a high beam, a left swerve from him to let you go will be an immediate reaction. Also great while riding through B Class unlit roads and rural no roads.

You have some more to add? Or would you like to minus something?

Its an open road.

- Rahul

Lost!

Hi,
U can put up the old e-mag links too, like i read in ur blog bout the unicorn issue, i searched for it on ur site but couldnt find it.......... i would be grateful to u if u could mail me that issue!
- K A Somaiah

The Emag interface is being revamped and come September, we will have all back issues up on one page for easy browsing and downloads.

For now, you can click here. . .(Actually just right click and use 'Save Target As' option). Thanks!

Zeroing in!

Dear Rahul,
I have zeroed in on two bikes

1) New Bajaj Pulsar 150 Dtsi &
2) New Honda Unicorn.

I am really confused. Please help me out.

Thanks & regards,
Kartik H. Shah

Hello Kartik,
Thats great news. Both these bikes are great choices but in terms of serenity, refinement and reliablity, the Honda is a winner. We would push for the GP edition, as it looks really great. The red one looks amazing too! However, since you are so confused, could I add to the confusion by asking you try out the HH CBZ Xtreme too?
Keep us posted.

Look ma! I came first and second too!

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Confederate Motor Company was awarded First and Second Place Prizes at the American Motorcycle Dealer’s (AMD) World Championship of Custom Bike Building in Champions Park in Sturgis, South Dakota on August 8, 2007.

The new B120 Wraith, which began production last month, was awarded first prize / production manufacturer class and Confederate’s flagship model, the F131 Hellcat, was awarded second prize in the same category. The competition features the world’s best collection of custom motorcycles and awards prizes for excellence in motorcycle engineering and design from across the globe. The champions are awarded based on a peer judging system of fellow competitive bike builders.

“We are honored to be recognized by a jury of our peers – other builders who get the passion and determination it takes to create a motorcycle,” Matt Chambers, owner of Confederate Motor Company, said. “We are so proud of this machine and are pleased to see her making fans across the world.”

The B120 Wraith is scheduled to appear at the BUB International Motorcycle Speed Trials at the Bonneville Salt Flats September 2 – 6, where Confederate will attempt a new land speed record. Currently, Confederate Motor Company is considering sponsors for the B120 Wraith ride.

That was what Kelly sent us in from Confederate. We have featured them in our emagazine before and written about them in the blog too! More coming up in the emag next issue. Exclusively on Monoshock! We are proud to be associated with Confederate.

Enjoy

Air Brushed

"We feel that the best answer to this is to go with what you can afford. As you get more involved and "better" you will want to move up in class accordingly. You will find however, that a lot of the airbrushes you will start with will work for different scenarios later.

For example, I went to one of these artist go away things for automotive painting, and as I was setting up I got asked if I was a t-shirt artist based on the fact that I brought a paasche (my workhorse airbrush). Now there is nothing wrong with being a t-shirt artist, and I do not go around with my resume, magazine articles, dvd and video game covers, etc. taped to my forehead. Bottom line, its not the airbrush, its the loose nut behind the wheel."

That is Wetcoats for you. A place where you can see some of the best cycle custom paint jobs. Take a cue from there and email them in case you need some help starting your own!

And this amazing skull on the tank is from Tommy, a guy known to go overboard with his colour schemes! You can check him out here!

Awesome eh?

Pair Up!

The best thing you can do on a long ride is find a buddy who can ride along with you. There are times when you need conversation and company. But the greatest thing it does is that it makes the journey more swift. Here are a few tips I can give you:

1) Choose your riding partner well. Nothing can be more crucial than this
2) My riding speeds often drop when I am doing long distances alone, but with Rahul its better than ever. One of you should always lead and change leads every half hour or so the other guy can relax a bit.
3) The trick is trust. The guy riding up ahead will give you a clear idea of the road condition. Potholes, slime, turns, oncoming traffic in a blind turn etc become much easier to navigate.
4) Keep a distance of 50 feet between the both of you. That way emergency braking can work easily. And just keep a look out for his brake light. (Brake light not working? What the hell are you doing on the road anyway?)
5) Keep a lookout for your mate behind after every turn and once in a while on straights as you go. Nod your head when you see something you like, it enhances the spirit of the guy riding a lot.
6) Never ever think that you are racing.

The road is an amazing place to build such a relationship, and with time and knowledge about each other, you can munch huge distances with a lot of ease!

- Nitin

Land's End

Our constant search for the most amazing biking destinations brought us to this beach. A 14 kilometre long afair where you can keep the throttle pinned till the end of time.

The Karizma gave us hours of riding pleasure with the sea spray for company. The full story will be in the September issue of the emagazine.

Till then, we brought this desktop wallpaper back for all of you!

Enjoy.

Tall ones!

Hi,
I am looking to go for a Cruiser bike, can you let me know is there any chance that Kinetic will launch the Aquila again or any other bike in this category? If yes then when and what will be the price estimated.
I am 6.3” with long legs, hope the Aquila will suit me, please let me know your suggestions.
With regards,
Udai

Hello Udai. One of us at Monoshock had an Aquila for almost a year and a half and she was the apple of our eye. Great bike. But there was no service back up and the owner decided to sell her off while she was still good rather than watch her slowly fall apart. We don't think the Aquila is coming again, and even if it does, we would say stay away from it till you have the assurance of proper company services and spares.

Till then, if you need a cruiser and a cruiser only, look at Bajaj or Enfield. The only other choices you have. Please feel free to speak out by posting comments here.

2008 Suzuki Hayabusa - Whats new?

This really intrigued us for a while so we hunted down every piece of reliable information to find out whats new about the 2008 'Busa.

1) Chassis: A more rigid but lighter chassis this time is being employed
2) Engine: Displacement is now up to 1340 cc. The pistons are lighter and the valves are made of titanium. Compression is up to 12.5:1.
3) Exhaust: Huge dual silencers now in place to get the mammoth to meet Euro 3 emissions.
4) Fuel Injection: Dual valve, dual injector setup with the new Drive Mode Selector! Essentially it is a selectable engine mapping offering 3 kinds of power delivery!
5) Brakes: One of the old bike's weak points now updated to 4 piston radially mounted calipers and smaller but thicker 310 mm discs.
6) Aerodynamics: Improved with a wider fairing and a 15mm higher screen.
7) Forks: Coated with a carbon compound to reduce static friction.

In short, 7 points to make life easier for those who swear by the Busa. And totally unnecessary information for the modders in our country. These are non issues. What would have taken their sleeps away was if just the sticker on the fairing had changed! Can you beat that?

Number 1 on our bullet list

With all this hype about the E magazine, it seems we guys had forgotten about breaking our Enfield Bullet virginity ! And to tell you that Monoshock Editor in Chief (Ben) has been riding only various Enfields for the last 22 years!

He currently owns and simply adores his 500! But he won't let anyone else ride it and he cannot corner! So no story yet.

But this month's issue will change all that. We are going to strike off that bullet point which says "Enfield?". Thump!

Image: Was sent in by one of our readers. This machine looks so good.

Homecoming!

Hi,
This is Anish, and i am in Canada right now, coming back to India next month and am very much interested in the P200, but i am confused; is that a good bike? How much is the average and how much it costs on road.

Thanks and Regards
Anish Mathur

Hello Anish. Great to hear from you. As our report here suggests, the 200 is a good machine. One of the best from the Bajaj stable without doubt. The riding style requires a bit more commitment than commuter bikes but hey, thats what we are looking at right? Looks smashing and that motor will get you 45 kays to a litre if you are not ham-fisting the throttle.
Price would be about 75 thousand bucks (on the outside) on road.
Feel free to get back here with your comments.

Crash Season?

Listen to our man Max go!

"Now this is really going a bit too far, too much! Will the voodoo gods please stop! Turn those stars somewhere else! Leave us harmless bikers alone will ya! 4, not one or two, or even three, but 4! 2 of them on the same blinking day! If its a coincidence then I'd say its the darnest coincidence I've come across in a long time!"

If a crash has never cracked you up, this sure will. Max is our reality check man and he sure has a way with words. Please read up the entire post on his personal blog here. . .
And hey buddy, we hope you are not whiling away time crashing yourself against objects, in the quest for better blogging material becuase the September issue is now due! Heh heh.

We just loved this one. Give us some more! (Shiny sides up please)

Crash image by: tony.rocks.cc

Tell me Xtremely Quick!

Hi,
I read your road test of the Xtreme on Monoshock and had a few queries as I am planning to buy this bike really soon.

I am listing down my queries -
1) Are there vibrations from the bike and are felt by the rider above 80 kmph ?
2) How is the performance of the Engine, Clutch plates, Gearbox in long term ?
3) Do you recommend me to buy this bike among the 150cc segment or you will let me go for Unicorn / Pulsar / Apache ?

Also I am 5' 6" tall so does it put some restriction to owe a bike to ride it through a heavy traffic or a highway ?
Please reply soon as I am in immediate need of the bike and have to buy one really soon ...

Thanks

Yogendra

Hello Yogendra,
Being 5.5 feet tall is no limitation to any riding. So just go ahead and enjoy the highways and traffic alike. Make sure you are wearing a helmet at all times!

1) The CBZ does have some vibrations at top speed but its not that high that you cannot buy one. If you are however, looking at carrying a pillion for long road trips, we would suggest the Unicorn.
2) The Honda motor that the CBZ comes with should give you long term reliability and fun. Its really great. The gearbox and clutch are good and there should be no issues if riden carefully, warmed up a bit each morning and serviced at scheduled intervals.
3) Its between the CBZ and the Unicorn here mate. Then its your personal choice. We can tell you that the CBZ has more character!

Keep us posted and post comments here for us to get back again. Ride Safe.

Happy Independence Day, or something like that!

Hello Readers. Happy Independence Day! We woke up this morning and found this staring at us in the face on the frontpage of a daily! It said
"A bus full of school-going children mowed down a couple on EM Bypass on Tuesday morning. Anutosh Majumdar, 46, and his wife Madhumita, 30, were on their way to work when their motorcycle hit a pothole, lost control and ended up under the wheels of the schoolbus. The couple has a 10-month-old daughter." Awesome!

Potholes on the road the size of craters are bound to happen, is what some civic authority will say. Bikers will die, will be the murmur of some others. The headline will be forgotten and someone else riding down will take the honour of hogging another day's headline! We wonder whats the point in filling up web pages with road tests and great pictures? When fellow bikers keep kicking the bucket each and every day. Some for their own faults and some for the fault of others.

Nature has a way of protecting the vulnerable. Come on mother, do something for us. Max, Synn, Rearset, guys where are you? Can we do something? Start an outdoor campaign? Educate the f***ing nuts on wheels without lids that they will all be mercilessly slaughtered one day? We are angry! And the worst thing is that tomorrow morning, the pressure of the daily schedule or a call from that lustful babe is going to blow these thoughts into oblivion!

Its amazing how we are degenerating. Its amazing how we are so proud of Monoshock. Its amazing how we are still alive!

- The Monoshock Team

Tyre fetish!

Hahahahahahahahaha! Oh man we are rolling at office with this, man get us some water please before we choke!

Rear rubber is one of bikers' biggest fetishes, and there are no exceptions. Like our man Nitin fitted a 120 rear section to his P180 and now he is grumbling about how lanky it looks. We have seen Pulsars with 150 sections too!


Here are a couple from Sculpture Cycles. They call it their 'steroid bikes' and these are up for sale now. Each one of these can be bought wearing a hold your breath 360 section on the rear!!!!!!!

And thats not enough, they are working on a 400 section now! We will keep you posted on the same when the rumour becomes a reality. Nitin is busy sulking out of office.

He does not want to be around seeing this. But his job leaves him no option. We love it!

Guys lets straighten things out!

Great riding is a lot about how well and how fast you can exit corners. So here goes some from us..
1) Look where you want to go. This is an old one guys but if you are looking 4 feet ahead of you on the road, you won't know what is coming your way. If you are looking at the distant scenery, chances are that you will mate with it, bike in tow! So focus on the bend!

2) Don't twist the wrist too fast. Too much gas may upset the rear wheel traction if sent in a jerk so hold that wrist (and save it for the end moment of the being your own best friend do) and throttle gradually and surely!

3) Hold the handle bars tight only during braking! Do not cling on to them tight otherwise. Have a relaxed grip and turn smoothly to reduce unnecessary feedback from the front about the hazards of it's job!

4) Be in the right gear always. Once you are leaning over, you do not want to go half a km that way for the revs to build up. Also, right in the middle of a right hander, you should not run out revs and contemplate shifting. Stay just below the powerband and shift up only once you are straight.

That should set the record straight! Ride Safe.

Triumphant Strides

The much awaited Triumph Street Triple was officially unveiled to over 5,000 Triumph owners on Saturday, June 30th, at Triumph Tridays in Neukirchen, Austria.

The Street Triple offers 675cc of pure, naked aggression, combining the streetfighter styling of its older brother, the Speed Triple, with the 675cc engine, chassis and performance of the award-winning Daytona 675. Genetically engineered by Triumph, the Street Triple is set to become the most desirable naked middleweight motorcycle in the market.

Packing a powerful punch of 107 horsepower (claimed) and 51 lbs. ft. of torque, the Street Triple is set to dominate the class (of one!), and probably a few of the heavyweights too. The proven 675 engine should deliver strong performance from idle to the redline, while the distinctive three cylinder feel, and unmistakable sound, offer unique ride.

The Street Triple’s aluminum frame and swingarm come directly from the Daytona 675, while the Nissin two piston sliding calipers with sintered pads (the same material as used on the Daytona 675) give braking power that is top of its class.

The lightweight five-spoked wheels also come straight from the Daytona 675, with Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier tires fitted as standard (120/70 ZR17 front and 180/55 ZR17 rear). Lean and agile, the Street Triple is equipped with Kayaba suspension front and rear, with rear preload adjustment, giving class leading handling.

Complete details here. . .

Images: Triumph

Win an ipod Shuffle!

Hello Guys, the 5th issue of the Monoshock E Magazine is now due next month, and guess what? We are giving away a free ipod Shuffle (512 MB) to one lucky dude who sends us the wildest, craziest story about 2 wheels!

Your story may be about a bike, an experience or just about anything else that involves motorcycles. We are looking at 800 words and if you have pictures to go with it, you sure can take the lead!

Send them in to mail@monoshock.co.in

Enjoy!

Need for Speed!

Hi,
I am wondering which bike to buy after selling my pulsar 180cc...should i go for a pulsar 220cc or the KARIZMA...suggest...which one is faster...i am looking for the fastest 2 wheeler in town...
- Aritro Ganguly

Hello Aritro, we hope you have gone through our extreme road test of the P220. For all those who came in now, its here... if you are looking for the fatsest bike in town, then the P220 is the best bet. No two ways about it. Pick one up from Bajaj Probiking. We guess there will be a little waiting time attached though. And hey! Send us pictures when you do.
Ride Safe.

Guiding Star

Hi,
I really like monoshock..its an excellent source for information on bikes. I want to buy a Pulsar 200 will you guide me?
- Vishaal

Hey Vishaal, glad you like Monoshock, to tell you the truth, so do we!
You can read the Pulsar 200 road test report here and some more findings here.
The rest is a cake walk. Locate dealer, withdraw money, stub out cigarette and walk in and book (though not necessarily in that order!) your P200. Its a good bike, we say. How else could we guide you dude?

The smashing new KBC Force RR Speed Demon

Retailing for a 140 Brit Pounds, the KBC Speed Demon in gun metal and gold finishes simply left us speechless. The graphics on the side are completely out of the world!

Add to that an advanced POWERCORE resin, Dual Vent air circulation system, DURALUX removable interior, one step tool free visor removal and that high gloss finish!

Can be drooled (and bought) at kbchelmets.co.uk!

Ride Safe!

Greatest mystery of the universe!

Ever crashed your bike? If you have reached this far in your quest for motorcycling content, we take that as a yes!

I recently felt the rear of my bike going out of line in a corner and no matter what I did (becuase there was too much gravel!) a few nano seconds later, realized that this was going out of hand. I slid on my behind and saw the bike sliding ahead of me on the deserted road, every little bump causing a few thousand rupees worth of damage!

Roger everything mate, including the laws of physics and friction but a sliding bike seems to take an eternity to stop! Trust me. And why that is is one of the greatest mysteries in the universe!
- Nitin

A thousand years!

A million roads, a million fears
A million suns, ten million years of uncertainty
I could speak a million lies, a million songs,
A million rights, a million wrongs in this balance of time
But if there was a single truth, a single light
A single thought, a singular touch of grace
Then following this single point , this single flame,
The single haunted memory of your face
I still love you
I still want you

That is an excerpt from Sting's 'A Thousand Years'
One of my most favourite songs. Hunt it down guys, you will not regret it!
- Rahul

Faulty Discovery!

Hi,
Can you please let me know more about the Discover 125 as i own it for the last 1 year and i have issues regarding the handling and pickup. My mechanic says all discovers are faulty bikes from the factory. I have maintained it, regular servicing every 3 months and washing everyday. So please enlight on this issue. Im from Mumbai. Thanks in advance. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
- Sameer Shah

Hello Sameer, we have done fairly long distances on the Disco 125 and find no reason for it to be a faulty bike. Neither is there such a rumour in the air. As far as your handling and pick up go, change your mech to someone who is more eager to help rather than blaming the company! (Is this a company service centre?) The Disco is a good choice and with your service schedule, it will serve you well for a long time to come! Post your feedback and/ or further issues here. If there is no solution, we will rattle some cages for you!

Tip: Get the spark plug, and carb checked properly. Ditto chain and sprocket. For handling, check the wheel alignements and the suspension, stiffen it a bit if you want it to handle better.

We just could not resist this!

Sample this:

Dear doods,
You know who can endorse your bikes best? Your bikes. And you don't have any of them in India. No, lawnmowers don't count. Especially when they are grafted with the cranium of a praying mantis.
So get your collective heads out of your big friggin' ignorant ass, and do the needful. Give us some good bikes, make an ad that shows nothing but them, and display a slogan on the lines of "Now here are some REAL motorcycles. Beat that, bitches".

That is The Synner for you! We could not agree more with you brother! For the entire vent out, click here. . .

Which Bike?

Hi,

I read your review about the Apache RTR and somehow it doesn't impress me more than the CBZ-Xtreme which you had tetsted in your earlier issue.This has put me in a dilemma as I was banking on the Apache RTR to be my new bike. So i would like to have your suggestions on what should be the best bet. CBZ-Xtreme or Apache RTR. Hope to get a reply from you soon.

Rakesh Singh

Hello Rakesh. The RTR and the Xtreme are two different lines of thought though they are so close to each other in terms of cubic capacity. If you do long distances (or look forward to in the near future), need a more relaxed riding posture, carry a pillion often and need extreme levels of reliability, then the CBZ is the best bet! However, dost, if your knees weaken at throttle responsiveness and power, you feel like being in a more committed posture while riding and expect your bike to change direction at the speed of thought, the RTR 160 is your machine.

2 different ballgames. If you know what you want, there is no dilemma at all! And let us know what you finally decide!

Note: Which Bike? questions to be emailed to rahul@monoshock.in

Out of words!

Artist's impression. Well rendered. Amazingly delicate concept. Gas tank too small. Thank you. See ya!

(In case you are wondering, refer topic!)

Cornering Part 2: Beware!

For those who gate crashed the cornering party late, the first part of the topic of discussion is here. . .

However, we would like to point out at this point that while you are riding into the countryside or the hills, corners will be aplenty and trust us about them being so tempting. But keep this 5 point bulletin in mind!

#1 Avoid leaning too much or going too hard into a blind corner, you never know what the other (and more importantly blind) end has in store for you.

#2 Avoid hard cornering on roads that pass through heavily wooded or forest patches. Animal poo can send you and your machine hurtling, rubber side up!

#3 If the road is very steep downhill, avoid it again unless you are a pro from the school of cornering. Gravity has a way to weigh things down heavily. Keep on a lower gear and do not use the clutch. Even if your revs reach the moon, the bike will be in control.

#4 If there is a sweep that needs the vision to cross a blazing sun, be careful. We have seen people lose control with that intense flash of sunlight. Its a big distraction. Imagine someone letting a flash gun go right in front of you while you are leaning!

#5 Do not look for lean when its not there. Very important. Judge each corner in isolation. They are not all the same and do not promise the same amount of fun!

Ride Safe

Honda, can we have this please?

Okay, so the action is in the 125 to 150 cc segment right? We will listen to that rant and agree, but on one condition. Give us a decent 125 like this. The Honda CBR 125 R is a 13.3 bhp, 10.1 NM torque bike which uses a single, liquid cooled cyclinder and six gears to see itself ride into your heart.

More goodies include disc brakes all around, a monoshock at the back, 80/ 90 rubber up front and 110/80 at the rear as footwear! Nothing that India does not have in production yet. Weighing in at a 110 kgs (only?) and that mean look it wears, we think this could be the best bet for Honda to blow a lot of urban competition into the weeds. But if wishes were horses, darn darn darn! Why drool over a litre class bike and cry your throat hoarse when you cannot afford one in the first case? Any feedback?

World's fastest motorcycle! The Bub Streamliner 7

Welcome to the world of pure functionality! Nothing about this two wheeler is 'cool'. We mean, its not something you can park beside a movie hall and expect to impress your date!

Get a load of this: Christened 'Seven' (it being the seventh streamliner Manning has designed in 40 odd years of holding and chasing the absolute Land Speed Record), the fastest motorcycle in the world features a purpose designed and engineered V-Four cylinder turbo charged 16 valve liquid cooled double overhead cam motor that delivers nearly three liters (158 inches) and close to 500 brake horse power to the technically demanding and notoriously difficult Bonneville surface via a custom designed and made monocoque carbon fiber and Kevlar construction chassis that provides the strength needed by the world's most demanding racing test.

Top speed attained: 354.832 miles per hour! Enough said. To hell with the movies and the date be darned!

Bike of the month - Bigdog!

We were feeling so darn bad about the Bikini Shoot hoax on the cover of the August Issue of the Monoshock E Mag that we had to make up in some way!

While surfing the net, we found this amazing site called Bigdog, which like many others from the West, believes in the theory of overbuilding to extremes.

Browse their site and you will find loads of models to drool over (the bikes you pervs!). Send us a thank you note if you like some(one/ thing)!

Hats off to you lady!

Since May 6, she has crisscrossed the entire country, navigating each one of the 50 states over the course of her 25,000-mile "Dream Power Ride." Some days, she plowed on for as many as 500 miles, going the distance even while always keeping the speed down to legal limits. And this isn’t the first major mileage for Jones and a bike nicknamed "Big Bertha." At the end of her journey, the odometer had twice turned over - meaning 200,000 miles plus since Jones first got her hands on the 1999 Honda Valkyrie cruiser.

Thats DJ Jones for you guys. Take a little time and read the article here. . .

Our heart goes out to you! Cheers.

Monoshock Wallpapers now available on Mobile!!!

In an effort to make our content more accessible, we have tied up with Mjoy on short code 56569! Our wallpapers are now available on mobile phones across operators around the country!

To see the wallpapers available currently, click here....

Follow the short code download instructions on the page that opens up and enjoy our images right on your cell phone. Standard download rates apply as per operator!

Enjoy, er Mjoy!

Phsychological Gamble!

Check out Mac here without a helmet! Quite a pretty picture it makes right? Considering that the clean roads and the blue skies and that awesome cruiser have to put up with an eyesore without a lid!

But if you were to go deep into psychology, there would be an explanation. If you refer to James W. Kalat's Introduction to Psychology (its a great volume), you will find that life is full of gambles. Your selection of college is a gamble, your personal relationships are gambles and your investments are gambles. Heck, even riding a bike without a lid is a gamble and when you see a rider without one, it means he has a reckless mind that is always looking at covering losses.

Notice a gambler on the card table as he puts in more and more money when losing to cover his losses at one go rather than focussing on winning. Quite a revelation there mates! If you want to gamble, we say go buy yourself a lottery ticket or something. But wear a lid always!

More from the realms of psychology soon!

The Road Has Promises #3

Imagine the surprise, when, after crossing the messiest of roads and the dirtiest of slums in rural West Bengal, you come across a river front where all the architecture is French!

Yes, you heard that right. Chandennagore is that place. As you hit the road which is called 'The Stand', you have beautiful French architecture to sample on the right side, a lovely pavement on the left with park benches that are shaded with lush green trees. Beyond the pavement is the river Hoogly, so untouched and virgin in its form. Nobody washing clothes or bathing. Just clean water stroking the embankment.

We saw this beautiful Sacred Heart Church too... Another substantial example, that the road has promises! The image can be downloaded to make a neat wallpaper for your desktop!

7 points to remember while riding across India

1. Auto rickshaws aka Samosas! Yeah thats we call them at Monoshock. These guys are not made in the same assembly line as normal human beings. You can be trained hard enough to become Rossi but you have to be born an auto driver.

Keep a look out for these very sharply. They can swerve to extents unimaginable and land up right in your path and cause immense damage. Most of these guys have unions which could get you into trouble if you hit one, so its a double jeopardy situation. Solution: Slow down while overtaking one, and honk!


2. Bazaars. These are treacherous grounds. While crossing a town or a small village along a highway, you will come across these. Lazy fruit, vegetable and meat sellers will look at you from both sides of the highway.

People who just finished buying their veggies will cross the road and buy meat, and never assume that they know its a road. For them, its part of their market place and you are an intruder. Children can be seen crossing the road too and fro at insane rates, candies, fries or cheap ice creams in hand. Solution: At all costs, just crawl. Enjoy the colours of this country. You will emerge a happier man. Dont curse them, it will not get you anything. Notice the zonked policeman in the picture above!


3. Cattle. We have a simple rule for this one. Size. Judge these bovine buggers by size. The smaller and younger it is, the bigger the threat. As these four legged dudes get older, they get lazier and do not move much unless provoked. Younger ones are jumpy and will come right in your path for nothing and from nowhere.

Solution: Never assume anything. Slow down to a crawl if you see too many of them. If you judge their next move by human standards, you will be taking the bull by the er, horn!


4. Cyclists. The Monoshock travel India dictionary says 'a cyclist in India is a human being riding a bike with no motor of any kind, yet carrying the attitude to beat out a Busa, whether in traffic, straight lines or corners!'

Let them be in their blissful states of mind please. There are millions of them and each one has a different CPU!! Solution: Honk like crazy when you are overtaking one. If there are more, stop, have some water, light a smoke and let them get out of the darn way!




5. Level Crossings. Indian railways have laid a crazy amount of track. However, they have not manned all their crossings! Amazing! Whenever you see one of these coming up, STOP! No matter what you feel/ think/ assume. Even if you see a lazy cyclist pedal across, stop and verify the proximity of a train.

If you just ride across one that is unmanned and there is a diesel loco coming down hauling 3000 tonnes of steel behind it, you will be squashed like a bug! Curtains. Not worth it we say! Notice the two jerks with cycles sniffin the train's body!



6. Narrow Bridges. While you are going down this two way strip, enjoying the scenery, you will suddenly come across a small bridge/ culvert that will be half the width of the road. Now thats not such a bad thing you tell yourself. You are darn lucky they made one there in the middle of nowhere. Yes.

All that is fine unless there is a Sumo coming the other way. Trust us, it will not slow down for you. Just slam your brakes, let the pads feast on the rotor and let him cross in peace. If you are caught midway on the bridge, you are erased! Notice the old lady making way. Awesome!


7. Trucks and Buses. Be very careful while overtaking as well as letting them pass as oncoming traffic. In this case, trucks are easier to trust. They will let you pass at the first chance they get. Buses have some serious ego issues and will immediately get into the 'lets race' mood. Avoid overtaking them from the left. You might get squeezed! If you see a bus trying to overtake another, coming on to you from front on a two way street, just get the hell out of the way! Just get the hell out of the way! Yes, double emphasis on that one.




Be careful while you are riding. Stop when tired, there is nothing you are proving to anyone. Enjoy yourself and remember, there are people waiting at home, to hug you when you get back. Just think of that when you are getting edgy! Happy riding!