Looking to buy a hot new computer, but waiting for that price fall of current hot goodies? Don't wait! Go forth and buy! Those "current hot goodies" will be obsolete by the time their prices fall, just ask nVidia's GTX280, if it could speak..
A good, capable PC today will cost you anything upwards of (just) Rs. 20000. Not including a high-end graphics card (known henceforth in this post as "gfx card"), or any add-on cards for that matter! It really makes sense to opt for those "17???" offers you see in the classifieds, because if you do, you'll end up with a decent system, and, if budget permits, you can also obtain a good gfx card upwards of 6000. Just make sure the processor (CPU) is a dual-core or, if need be, a quad-core. And, for the uninitiated, "CPU" means the Central Processing Unit - a tiny chip beneath the "fan" on the inside, not the entire shebang that weighs about a tonne.
Since I've met quite a few people who want PCs, but don't know what to opt for, or fear being victims of sheer highway robbery, I've thought up a config that would fit most budgets, both new or upgrade. So here goes...
Firstly, the cabinet. The good old "dabba" is a vital pick, and choosing a bad model will leave you wanting for a lot more, but when you realise it, it'll be too late. Always pick a very spacious one, and keep upgrades in mind, especially space for an additional hard drive, gfx card or any other card. Make sure you have easily accessible USB ports up front. For a gaming PC, pick a wide cabinet, that has good cross ventilation ie. space for exhaust fans (yes, 2) at the back and vents up front for installation of an intake cooling fan (more on that later).
The power supply (SMPS) unit is a crucial part too. Make sure it is at least 400W, because almost everyone will eventually have to buy a gfx card and an additional hard drive. If you're gaming, and have SLI/Crossfire and RAIDed hard drives on the list, check the gfx card manufacturer's power requirement for the same. A 600-800W one would do for Crossfire or SLI, but 3-way SLI with newer cards requires more or less, 1100W, and that would cost well over 12000. Also check that it has a pair or three of secondary power connectors, which big gfx cards need.
Motherboard - Any gamer would swear by Asus. Overclocking and expandability options are second to none. Well, there are options out there, but way too expensive. Depending on your config, pick an AMD/nVidia/ATi chipset model for running AMD processors, or an Intel/nVidia chipset for running Intel processors. Then consider -
(1) The number and speed support of RAM slots - 4 slots supporting DDR2 at speeds of 667/800/1066/1200 is ideal.
(2) PCI-e x16 slots - for your graphics cards, and if they support SLI or Crossfire.
(3) SATA ports - hard drives and optical drives go here. Look for at least 4.
(4) IDE port - you just get 1 nowadays, but that takes 2 devices, so it's cool. And you only need it if you want to transfer your old CD/DVD burner, or have some old stuff lying around.
(5) USB ports - very important, more is better. Look for 6 rear ports + support for the 2 front ones.
(6) LAN - it's usually standard, but just make sure it's there and your not conned.
(7) Audio - onboard audio is usually good enough. 6 channel (5.1) is standard, but good boards offer 8 channel (7.1).
(8) eSATA - it's still pretty new, but if it replaces USB eventually, make sure you have a good number of those ports too..
(9) PCI-e x1 slot - there's one, but your gfx card will hide it anyway.. That's bad if you want an audio card though, cos you're gonna have to make it fit right there.
CPU - Go AMD. They're cheaper and more reliable than comparable Intel counterparts, and they don't overheat. They have an array of very affordable dual-cores, and reasonably priced triples and quads as well.. An Athlon64 X2 6000+ is a great deal. The 6400+ is good too, but it's power hungry (125W)! Quad-wise, an AMD Phenom 9750 goes head on with Intel's Q6600. Higher models like the 9850 or 9950 from AMD and the QX series from Intel will be expensive, but well worth it. Go for a triple core (AMD 8000 series) if you want more than 2 cores, but if your not willing to pay for 4.. :)
RAM - Always buy two identical units, and slot them in matching colors - this is dual channel, where they are both used simultaneously and you effectively get 2x bandwidth, which translates to 2x speed! 512MB is a strict no-no. For a 1GB setup, it's 2x512MB. But ideally, go for 2x1GB DDR2-800 units, or 4x512MB DDR2-800 units for a 2GB setup. Opt for Transcend, or if you want fancier ones, Kingston or Corsair. If you have a 64-bit operating system to match your processor, it can handle 4GB (4x1GB or 2x2GB) and 8GB (4x2GB) as well, though high speed versions (above 800) might not be available, or if yes, will be very expensive.
Hard Drives - Space - more is less! And it's Seagate. Go for a Barracuda 7200rpm 160GB SATA primary disk - for your operating system and programs. A secondary disk can be used to dump your music and games 250GB or more would be nice.. For gamers, the 10000rpm Western Digital VelociRaptor comes in 150 and 300GB capacities - ideal for RAIDing. A 500/750/1000GB Seagate Barracuda 7200rpm with a 32MB buffer would make a good secondary drive. For those on the move, but who need major capacity, opt for the Seagate FreeAgent Desktop, available in the above mentioned capacities. And if you have a money-growing tree, there's the SSD option...
Optical Drive - A 20x Super-Multi DVD burner. No compromise. It's cheap and effective. Buy 2 if you want to copy discs directly.
Additional Storage - A Transcend/Kingston pen drive in 2/4/8/16/32GB capacity. from Rs.500-8000...
Monitor - Pick one you like, an LCD is better cos it eats less power and hurts your eyes lesser too, apart from the crisp picture quality. A 17" screen size is ideal for regular home use. Gamers go for a 19" or larger screen, if your looking for high-resolution gaming. But make sure you go for a good gfx card too...
GFX card - Onboard video is pathetic. It may sound good with designations like GeForce 7 and 8, but the last 3 numbers tell the tale, 100, 200 and 300 are base models and won't remotely give you the performance you're looking for. An XFX nVidia GeForce 8600GT with 512MB of RAM is good for non-Crysis high-resolution gaming. AGEIA PhysX cards are no longer available, you have to opt for a GTX.
Audio card - Creative SoundBlaster series has been and still is the best out there. If you're really into sound editing or engineering, get a good card, it's worth the money spent. For regular users, the onboard system is good enough - provided it's giving it's output to a good set of speakers.
Speakers - 2.1 for basics, or 4.1 or higher for more involving sound. Creative, Logitech, Altec Lansing or Artis are good picks. Bose, only if you have the moolah.
Keyboard - Logitech, Microsoft or the good old TVS Gold "unbreakable". Avoid "multimedia" keyboards that offer a million functions, they'll all stop working within a month. And warranty doesn't cover much anyway.
Mouse - A Logitech or Microsoft 2 button with scroll wheel. Optical is good, but some users may experience cursor resetting. If you're looking for precision, opt for a Logitech PS/2 mouse. Gamers, a Logitech G series or Razor Lachesis with a high dpi count will be ideal.
UPS - APC or Champion 800Va should do fine. Gamers with SLI/Crossfire need to visit an electronics store and ask for a home inverter for 2 tubes + 2 fans + 2 computers + 1 AC and plug their rig into it once it arrives. No wiring necessary.
Oh, and a USB Bluetooth dongle is a handy add-on too..
Cooling (no, I didn't forget) is very essential. Make sure you have an intake fan mounted at the front of the cabinet, and an exhaust fan, mounted in line with the CPU cooling fan. If you have a gfx card, a second exhaust fan should be fixed in line with the gfx card's fan or heatsink. Fatal1ty gfx card owners should religiously follow this.
A liquid cooling system for CPU and GPU, and also for RAM is good, if you're gonna be gaming for long stints..
For reviews, check out Tom's Hardware or Guru3D.
NewEgg offers good listings and reviews, and helps if you wanna cross check prices.
So there, a normal to extreme config.. Well, hope it's been of some help.. :)
* The opinions expressed are solely that of the author. It's my blog, I'll say wtf I want!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Saturday, July 5, 2008
To be or not to be, green...
Hybrids. The new buzzword that's suddenly taken everyone by storm because of the impending fuel price disaster. However, is it the solution? Do Honda, Toyota and GM, among many others have a solution with their mated electric petrols, or are the Germans, with their intensive diesels, leading the way in the actual right direction?
Not many know that diesel is indeed a lot better petrol. Various noted reviewers, and enthusiast auto magazine editors will now swear by them. Everyone hated it. Yes, they all said, "Diesel engines, they should be in trucks and tractors and stay there! Why disease our passenger cars?" But they all ate their words after taking different examples for a drive. Diesel engines, with "common-rail" technology, uses much higher injection pressures than Rudolf's original creation, by far! Some people are unaware of CRDi even today, and refuse to accept it's superiorities over petrol. Yes, petrol had the horsepower advantage, but was left miles behind by the torque ratings...
Enter generation 3 common-rail. These 3rd gen common rails have destroyed petrols entirely - in terms of power, torque, fuel economy, and even acceleration and top speed! Petrol's only saving grace today is their level of refinement and engine clatter, diesel's inherent and only drawback. But, looking at where BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi have reached with their diesels, it's truly an eye-opener. A petrol will have about a tenth of it's torque rating (in Nm) of it's displacement (in cc) - a 3.0L petrol will have, on an average, 240bhp and 300Nm of torque. A 3rd gen 3.0L CRDi on the other hand, will have about the same power, but more or less 500Nm of torque! There are also blown versions which have power outputs of 285+ bhp and 580+ Nm, from a "measly 3000cc"! Yes, I know what you're thinking, put two turbos on a 3.0 petrol and it'd make 6 million horsepower too, but then it boils down to economy! The turbo petrol's brimmed fuel tank would last you only till you got the damn thing out of the garage and around the first bend down your neighborhood. The diesel would still deliver about 12 kilometres to the litre.
Another commendable effort, which I'd like to bring to the fore, is Mercedes-Benz' bio-diesel endeavor. Thy've been at it for a few years at their plant on Pune's outskirts, and their "C220 BDI" as I like to call it, is definitely IMO the way forward. Yes, it doesn't quite give the same range as diesel, or the power output, but when it costs half as much, does that minor difference in power and torque matter at all?
Which brings me to electrics. A lot of top journos have spoken about this issue. The Honda Civic Hybrid, the GM Volt et all. The batteries that are used to power these things are made of extremely complex materials, which have to be sourced from various locations worldwide. The mines, for some materials, are major pollution causers in the first place, so in actual fact, the pollution caused in making the batteries, is far more than the emission savings from the actual car, years after it has been used! Yet, somehow, petrol-electric hybrids seem to be the path chosen by most manufacturers pursuing hybrids. My question is, why not a 1.0L twin-turbo 3 cylinder diesel, coupled to a smaller, less complicated electric system that would still output about 80bhp and bucketloads of torque, and still deliver in the region of 50 or more kilometres to the litre, genuinely!
It's not that diesels are unclean or noisy or polluting anymore. They're not. Period. We need to get rid of the old carbon-belching IDi and Di engined models and make way for common-rail ones, to truly see the difference. A very good example is Audi's R8 V12 TDi supercar. It is directly derived from their LeMans dominating R10 TDi that has destroyed, mutilated and humiliated it's petrol competitors, from the very first time it showed up. Many years and consecutive victories later, it's still hammering on. Well, back to the R8. This road car has a 5934cc, twin-turbo charged V12. It makes 500bhp (507PS) and 1000Nm (102kgm). It propels the car from 0-60mph (0-96.5kph) in under 5 seconds, and goes on to post a top whack of over 200mph (321.86kph), all while still delivering 9 kilometres per litre!
That, the R8 V12 TDi, the world's first diesel-powered supercar, is my way of saying, "I REST MY CASE!"
Hail diesel! \m/
Not many know that diesel is indeed a lot better petrol. Various noted reviewers, and enthusiast auto magazine editors will now swear by them. Everyone hated it. Yes, they all said, "Diesel engines, they should be in trucks and tractors and stay there! Why disease our passenger cars?" But they all ate their words after taking different examples for a drive. Diesel engines, with "common-rail" technology, uses much higher injection pressures than Rudolf's original creation, by far! Some people are unaware of CRDi even today, and refuse to accept it's superiorities over petrol. Yes, petrol had the horsepower advantage, but was left miles behind by the torque ratings...
Enter generation 3 common-rail. These 3rd gen common rails have destroyed petrols entirely - in terms of power, torque, fuel economy, and even acceleration and top speed! Petrol's only saving grace today is their level of refinement and engine clatter, diesel's inherent and only drawback. But, looking at where BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi have reached with their diesels, it's truly an eye-opener. A petrol will have about a tenth of it's torque rating (in Nm) of it's displacement (in cc) - a 3.0L petrol will have, on an average, 240bhp and 300Nm of torque. A 3rd gen 3.0L CRDi on the other hand, will have about the same power, but more or less 500Nm of torque! There are also blown versions which have power outputs of 285+ bhp and 580+ Nm, from a "measly 3000cc"! Yes, I know what you're thinking, put two turbos on a 3.0 petrol and it'd make 6 million horsepower too, but then it boils down to economy! The turbo petrol's brimmed fuel tank would last you only till you got the damn thing out of the garage and around the first bend down your neighborhood. The diesel would still deliver about 12 kilometres to the litre.
Another commendable effort, which I'd like to bring to the fore, is Mercedes-Benz' bio-diesel endeavor. Thy've been at it for a few years at their plant on Pune's outskirts, and their "C220 BDI" as I like to call it, is definitely IMO the way forward. Yes, it doesn't quite give the same range as diesel, or the power output, but when it costs half as much, does that minor difference in power and torque matter at all?
Which brings me to electrics. A lot of top journos have spoken about this issue. The Honda Civic Hybrid, the GM Volt et all. The batteries that are used to power these things are made of extremely complex materials, which have to be sourced from various locations worldwide. The mines, for some materials, are major pollution causers in the first place, so in actual fact, the pollution caused in making the batteries, is far more than the emission savings from the actual car, years after it has been used! Yet, somehow, petrol-electric hybrids seem to be the path chosen by most manufacturers pursuing hybrids. My question is, why not a 1.0L twin-turbo 3 cylinder diesel, coupled to a smaller, less complicated electric system that would still output about 80bhp and bucketloads of torque, and still deliver in the region of 50 or more kilometres to the litre, genuinely!
It's not that diesels are unclean or noisy or polluting anymore. They're not. Period. We need to get rid of the old carbon-belching IDi and Di engined models and make way for common-rail ones, to truly see the difference. A very good example is Audi's R8 V12 TDi supercar. It is directly derived from their LeMans dominating R10 TDi that has destroyed, mutilated and humiliated it's petrol competitors, from the very first time it showed up. Many years and consecutive victories later, it's still hammering on. Well, back to the R8. This road car has a 5934cc, twin-turbo charged V12. It makes 500bhp (507PS) and 1000Nm (102kgm). It propels the car from 0-60mph (0-96.5kph) in under 5 seconds, and goes on to post a top whack of over 200mph (321.86kph), all while still delivering 9 kilometres per litre!
That, the R8 V12 TDi, the world's first diesel-powered supercar, is my way of saying, "I REST MY CASE!"
Hail diesel! \m/
Monday, June 30, 2008
Funny thing about taste...
Have you ever been in a situation, and I'm sure you have, where someone tells you, "These noodles taste fabulous with Strawberry ice-cream! You just have to try some!"? And you go, "Okaaay... Maybe later..." And then "later" does arrive, and you just end up sampling some, and then wish you hadn't, because you'd rather savor Satan's home cooking than that crap to be honest..
And the same applies everywhere - food, clothes, colors, shapes, sizes, appearances overall, music, cars, bikes, animals.. Then there's how you would deal with things, everyone is different, and has different tastes. Whatever happened to the good old saying "to each his own"? One man's music is another man's noise...
Colors are subjective, looks even more so. Some people say a red Karizma is beautiful, I loathe every inch of it! If I ever, and quote me on this, were to have a Karizma, it would be a stripped-down, bare bones version, with just the chassis, engine, light, free-flow end can, a single seat, round headlamp and light clip-ons - and all the weight-saving bits I can find... No fairing, panels and an exhaust can that weighs a ton.
And the same to the BMW 5 series. Some may think it's ugly, but I think it's gorgeous, with it's wide eyes, which don't look the bit because of it's sweeping eyeline... And then there's it's flowing lines, that accentuate it's length and fitness. Then the back, with the stretched tail lamp assembly and, for some, that glorious "M" badge!
So there. The next time you're about to tell someone to try something that suits your taste, don't say, "This is awesome, you have to try some...". Instead, say, "I think this tastes great, you should try some, you might like it..."
And just so you know, I always suggest a bike or car for someone, but that's based on practicality and requirement, not looks.
And I never pick the color...
And the same applies everywhere - food, clothes, colors, shapes, sizes, appearances overall, music, cars, bikes, animals.. Then there's how you would deal with things, everyone is different, and has different tastes. Whatever happened to the good old saying "to each his own"? One man's music is another man's noise...
Colors are subjective, looks even more so. Some people say a red Karizma is beautiful, I loathe every inch of it! If I ever, and quote me on this, were to have a Karizma, it would be a stripped-down, bare bones version, with just the chassis, engine, light, free-flow end can, a single seat, round headlamp and light clip-ons - and all the weight-saving bits I can find... No fairing, panels and an exhaust can that weighs a ton.
And the same to the BMW 5 series. Some may think it's ugly, but I think it's gorgeous, with it's wide eyes, which don't look the bit because of it's sweeping eyeline... And then there's it's flowing lines, that accentuate it's length and fitness. Then the back, with the stretched tail lamp assembly and, for some, that glorious "M" badge!
So there. The next time you're about to tell someone to try something that suits your taste, don't say, "This is awesome, you have to try some...". Instead, say, "I think this tastes great, you should try some, you might like it..."
And just so you know, I always suggest a bike or car for someone, but that's based on practicality and requirement, not looks.
And I never pick the color...
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Charting courses...
Soaring fuel prices notwithstanding, there's an onslaught of cubes happening and it doesn't seem to have any sort of end in sight. In fact, this is only the beginning!
But first, I want to make something perfectly clear. Personally, I feel the YZF-R15 should have been launched in the BCs rather than ADs... Well, at least a couple of years earlier. It's a fabulous motorcycle, but the hard truth is, in this day and age of rising fuel prices, and depleting fuel sources; it will not find too many takers, especially in our country. True, it is everything an average Indian motorcyclist wanted - which just so happens to be a 100cc, 100kph, 100kpl, Rs. 10000 bike... Which of course, is not entirely possible.. I'm not saying the R15 is something close, I'm saying it's just something else!
It is that kind of bike that looks a little like the sort of thing our population of idiots (which is quite substantial) would want their CBZs or Pulsars to look like, after a whole round of mods... I don't mean everyone who gets the odd fairing, or a paint job, or even a loud exhaust can; I'm talking about owners of bikes like the "Ducati 959 Turbo" or a "KTM Ninja GSX600 FireBlade Sports" with a billion exhausts on either side! On that note, what the R15 is, is a refined, modern 150cc bike, which is powerful, and light enough to destroy all the 150s we have now, as well as a whole bunch of larger capacity motorcycles...
The R15 is a very good thing to have happened, although it happened a little too late. Yamaha could have done the right thing and launched their concept Gladiator in production form 2 years ago, with the R15 following a year later. But they didn't. Anyway, it's happened, and I'm happy it finally did. But, there's another bit they had showed off, but still haven't delivered - the Fazer YS250.
Surely, the reason Yamaha didn't launch the bike could not solely be because they "could not get the price inside the 100000 bracket". It's hideous to try and imagine that, now that they're 150 costs 110000! (;p) Obviously, we are looking at a 180000+ price tag for the Fazer, without the half-fairing even... That aside, there are many bikes that would be ideal for our country - in terms of practicality and desirability alike. So, the point of writing this bit, for me, is to bring "to the fore" the ideal bikes which, according to me, should be here ASAP!
With the stupid "800cc and above" rule, practicality obviously takes a firm back seat! So we can rule out the likes of a 400 or even a 600, without passing homologation, which, by our standards, will again take another decade or so.
First off, the Suzuki Bandit 1250S. Yes, 1255cc may sound huge, but how does 11-odd kgm at 3700rpm sound? Add the near 100bhp output to that and you have an extremely fun, and capable machine. I'm sure Suzuki have it in their list of probables, because it isn't the only one they probably have in mind. The Hayabusa is, undoubtedly the most famous of the lot, and Suzuki spokesmen have, on numerous occassions, confirmed their plans to launch the 1300 here. In fact, you can actually buy the old Hayabusa from a Suzuki showroom near you for about 13.7 lakh. Old I say, because their new 1340 is here, and has taken the crown of fastest hyperbike away from Kawasaki's ZX-14. With an output of 200bhp from the 1340 inline 4, and 180+ horses at the rear wheel, it is very, very brutal! The GSX 1000R too is likely to make it here shortly, since the R1's here already. And I would dearly like the GSR600 to be here here as well...
Honda. Amidst rumors of a new 100cc hair dryer, um, motorcycle, I will go out and say they are being stupid. With Bajaj promoting 125s to replace 100s, it's only fair to say that an upgraded and price-trimmed Shine would be the better way to go. And it wouldn't hurt their image to have a CBR 1000RR FireBlade to gawk at in their window, while you're out buying a Unicorn. Nor would a Hornet 900 or a VFR800 Interceptor, or even the bloody GoldWing, though it would take up the space of a dozen Unicorns and a million Activas put together.. Crikey! They have it all, but they're just not doing anything, are they?!
Kawasaki's new Ninja 250R will hit ProBiking showrooms "soon", according the Bajaj boffins... At 2.2 lakh it is a rather good deal, considering you get excellent service and assurance of a worry-less after-crash period.. :D Then, there's the Z1000 - a personal favorite of mine. Big, yet compact, and brutally good looking! It's sharp, aggressive stance is fantastic and if I had to go out and buy a bike today, given the money, it would be this one. Okay it would be the R1, but that aside, the Z1000 is a very good choice, and they have indeed shortlisted it for launch here, along with a Vulcan (1600 or 2000 no one knows), the Ninja ZX-6R and the ghastly ER-6n...
Away from the little far-eastern island now, Aprilia, MV Agusta, BMW and Ducati are all rather well-known brands. And to say that I'm glad Ducati have roared in would be an understatement. Even so, the fact that they came with their carrier ship full of Italy's finest, was the best bit of news I'd had in a while. We have all their bikes on offer, save for the RR Desmo.. That might make it here sometime too, hopefully. So too for the BMWs and Aprilias. There are so many bikes that we could actually "use" here. Like the Benelli TNT, which just recently got options - an 899 and an 1130! Both sufficiently practical and economical enough to have around here, and yet, be rip-roaring fun at the same time!
On that note, I can say it's finally growing, our bike options; the market too, and so too, the mindset of the people. Realisation is dawning amongst the masses and they are beginning to slowly accept the fact that a bike costing as much as a bungalow, can indeed be faster that a car that costs as much as Paris! And I'm in no mood to discuss our import duty structure at this point... In fact, I'd rather not say anything, than risk being gruesomely sentenced on multiple counts of blasphemy.
Cheers to biking then!
But first, I want to make something perfectly clear. Personally, I feel the YZF-R15 should have been launched in the BCs rather than ADs... Well, at least a couple of years earlier. It's a fabulous motorcycle, but the hard truth is, in this day and age of rising fuel prices, and depleting fuel sources; it will not find too many takers, especially in our country. True, it is everything an average Indian motorcyclist wanted - which just so happens to be a 100cc, 100kph, 100kpl, Rs. 10000 bike... Which of course, is not entirely possible.. I'm not saying the R15 is something close, I'm saying it's just something else!
It is that kind of bike that looks a little like the sort of thing our population of idiots (which is quite substantial) would want their CBZs or Pulsars to look like, after a whole round of mods... I don't mean everyone who gets the odd fairing, or a paint job, or even a loud exhaust can; I'm talking about owners of bikes like the "Ducati 959 Turbo" or a "KTM Ninja GSX600 FireBlade Sports" with a billion exhausts on either side! On that note, what the R15 is, is a refined, modern 150cc bike, which is powerful, and light enough to destroy all the 150s we have now, as well as a whole bunch of larger capacity motorcycles...
The R15 is a very good thing to have happened, although it happened a little too late. Yamaha could have done the right thing and launched their concept Gladiator in production form 2 years ago, with the R15 following a year later. But they didn't. Anyway, it's happened, and I'm happy it finally did. But, there's another bit they had showed off, but still haven't delivered - the Fazer YS250.
Surely, the reason Yamaha didn't launch the bike could not solely be because they "could not get the price inside the 100000 bracket". It's hideous to try and imagine that, now that they're 150 costs 110000! (;p) Obviously, we are looking at a 180000+ price tag for the Fazer, without the half-fairing even... That aside, there are many bikes that would be ideal for our country - in terms of practicality and desirability alike. So, the point of writing this bit, for me, is to bring "to the fore" the ideal bikes which, according to me, should be here ASAP!
With the stupid "800cc and above" rule, practicality obviously takes a firm back seat! So we can rule out the likes of a 400 or even a 600, without passing homologation, which, by our standards, will again take another decade or so.
First off, the Suzuki Bandit 1250S. Yes, 1255cc may sound huge, but how does 11-odd kgm at 3700rpm sound? Add the near 100bhp output to that and you have an extremely fun, and capable machine. I'm sure Suzuki have it in their list of probables, because it isn't the only one they probably have in mind. The Hayabusa is, undoubtedly the most famous of the lot, and Suzuki spokesmen have, on numerous occassions, confirmed their plans to launch the 1300 here. In fact, you can actually buy the old Hayabusa from a Suzuki showroom near you for about 13.7 lakh. Old I say, because their new 1340 is here, and has taken the crown of fastest hyperbike away from Kawasaki's ZX-14. With an output of 200bhp from the 1340 inline 4, and 180+ horses at the rear wheel, it is very, very brutal! The GSX 1000R too is likely to make it here shortly, since the R1's here already. And I would dearly like the GSR600 to be here here as well...
Honda. Amidst rumors of a new 100cc hair dryer, um, motorcycle, I will go out and say they are being stupid. With Bajaj promoting 125s to replace 100s, it's only fair to say that an upgraded and price-trimmed Shine would be the better way to go. And it wouldn't hurt their image to have a CBR 1000RR FireBlade to gawk at in their window, while you're out buying a Unicorn. Nor would a Hornet 900 or a VFR800 Interceptor, or even the bloody GoldWing, though it would take up the space of a dozen Unicorns and a million Activas put together.. Crikey! They have it all, but they're just not doing anything, are they?!
Kawasaki's new Ninja 250R will hit ProBiking showrooms "soon", according the Bajaj boffins... At 2.2 lakh it is a rather good deal, considering you get excellent service and assurance of a worry-less after-crash period.. :D Then, there's the Z1000 - a personal favorite of mine. Big, yet compact, and brutally good looking! It's sharp, aggressive stance is fantastic and if I had to go out and buy a bike today, given the money, it would be this one. Okay it would be the R1, but that aside, the Z1000 is a very good choice, and they have indeed shortlisted it for launch here, along with a Vulcan (1600 or 2000 no one knows), the Ninja ZX-6R and the ghastly ER-6n...
Away from the little far-eastern island now, Aprilia, MV Agusta, BMW and Ducati are all rather well-known brands. And to say that I'm glad Ducati have roared in would be an understatement. Even so, the fact that they came with their carrier ship full of Italy's finest, was the best bit of news I'd had in a while. We have all their bikes on offer, save for the RR Desmo.. That might make it here sometime too, hopefully. So too for the BMWs and Aprilias. There are so many bikes that we could actually "use" here. Like the Benelli TNT, which just recently got options - an 899 and an 1130! Both sufficiently practical and economical enough to have around here, and yet, be rip-roaring fun at the same time!
On that note, I can say it's finally growing, our bike options; the market too, and so too, the mindset of the people. Realisation is dawning amongst the masses and they are beginning to slowly accept the fact that a bike costing as much as a bungalow, can indeed be faster that a car that costs as much as Paris! And I'm in no mood to discuss our import duty structure at this point... In fact, I'd rather not say anything, than risk being gruesomely sentenced on multiple counts of blasphemy.
Cheers to biking then!
At the fore....
After riding, IMO, the top 4 bikes (non-Bullet and non-import) our country has to offer - The Karizma first, the Apache RTR, then the Pulsar 220 and now the YZF-R15, I can safely say that they all have their good, bad and ugly points...
The Karizma is awesomely smooth, at almost any engine speeds below 6krpm, but that's it... It's an old, aging piece of featureless metal and plastic that I detest (even more today than I did when it launched as a 223cc, 16.76bhp bike), more so with it's gigantic "R" stickers and inexplicable, hideous engine cowl, and grotesque yellow dials that wouldn't be out of place whatsoever on a 1969 taxicab! The PGMFI version is long overdue, and it better come with a couple of more steeds, else it will be flattened by bikes over 70cc less creating equal power - like the R15...
The Apache RTR160 has divine handling - the best of the lot, but is an absolute microbe when it comes to feel! The bike is tiny, if you're over 4 feet tall that is! That's the only reason I bought a 220 and not the RTR160. The acceleration is good, ditto braking. The top end though is not what you would expect - nothing the 18.5bhp performance kit won't fix though! But then again, it pushes the cost up to Karizma territory.. And now with those ugly tank extensions, which are unneeded dead weight, since the bike doesn't have an oil cooler. The RTR now has another big ugly point...
The Pulsar 220 has all the goodies a riding enthusiast would savor - FI, nice riding position, with clip-on handlebars, flashy digital gauges and lots of lights everywhere you look! There are discs front and back; nice, bright projector lamp for a good night stint, tubeless tyres for lesser worries and other bits likes the oil cooler and the split seats. Then you notice the rear brake is wooden, and only bites when you're doing 8000kph! Well, 70 or so, but you get my point. It's ferocious power delivery is complemented with very stable handling and a good front brake, if only you don't lock up that is... Always wear your pads n helmet if U plan to do below 70kph! Overall, a good, almost economical bike, that's a joy on long rides, though your wrists may cry for some ice after a long stint...
The YZF-R15 is one of those... Before proceeding, if you're saying, "It's a 150 that costs 1.1 lakh!", please don't read on, and don't bother buying the bike either...
Ah.. You can't decide if you want it for one reason, or the other, or both, but then again, there seems to be a reason not to buy it too, if only you could figure it out! It's a 150, but it makes 17hp, and gives a fuel economy of about 30kpl. It costs as much as a Machismo 500, but looks like a million bucks! It has discs both sides, and effective ones at that! It's fairing is as wide as an H3, and is gonna make it awesome fun to park.. It has tyres that would nicely suit that bicycle you rode as a kid, but it corners like it was on rails. The white backlight and double headlamps (no projector) are good night time buddies.. The Deltabox frame, gas-damped link-type monoshock, 6-speed gearbox and liquid cooled 4V engine all come together in one tight package, making it worth every penny. It feels very substantial, the riding position is awesome, the tank recesses are just right, even if you're 9 feet tall; and most importantly, it makes you feel 10 years old!
I can now sum it all up and say - the RTR160 and the Karizma aside, choosing between the R15 and the Pulsar 220, is sort of like choosing between a Lotus Elise and Lancer ! It's really hard! The Apache is a sort of S2000... The Karizma? Well, that's like a Merc C200K... We all would rather have the C350!
The Karizma is awesomely smooth, at almost any engine speeds below 6krpm, but that's it... It's an old, aging piece of featureless metal and plastic that I detest (even more today than I did when it launched as a 223cc, 16.76bhp bike), more so with it's gigantic "R" stickers and inexplicable, hideous engine cowl, and grotesque yellow dials that wouldn't be out of place whatsoever on a 1969 taxicab! The PGMFI version is long overdue, and it better come with a couple of more steeds, else it will be flattened by bikes over 70cc less creating equal power - like the R15...
The Apache RTR160 has divine handling - the best of the lot, but is an absolute microbe when it comes to feel! The bike is tiny, if you're over 4 feet tall that is! That's the only reason I bought a 220 and not the RTR160. The acceleration is good, ditto braking. The top end though is not what you would expect - nothing the 18.5bhp performance kit won't fix though! But then again, it pushes the cost up to Karizma territory.. And now with those ugly tank extensions, which are unneeded dead weight, since the bike doesn't have an oil cooler. The RTR now has another big ugly point...
The Pulsar 220 has all the goodies a riding enthusiast would savor - FI, nice riding position, with clip-on handlebars, flashy digital gauges and lots of lights everywhere you look! There are discs front and back; nice, bright projector lamp for a good night stint, tubeless tyres for lesser worries and other bits likes the oil cooler and the split seats. Then you notice the rear brake is wooden, and only bites when you're doing 8000kph! Well, 70 or so, but you get my point. It's ferocious power delivery is complemented with very stable handling and a good front brake, if only you don't lock up that is... Always wear your pads n helmet if U plan to do below 70kph! Overall, a good, almost economical bike, that's a joy on long rides, though your wrists may cry for some ice after a long stint...
The YZF-R15 is one of those... Before proceeding, if you're saying, "It's a 150 that costs 1.1 lakh!", please don't read on, and don't bother buying the bike either...
Ah.. You can't decide if you want it for one reason, or the other, or both, but then again, there seems to be a reason not to buy it too, if only you could figure it out! It's a 150, but it makes 17hp, and gives a fuel economy of about 30kpl. It costs as much as a Machismo 500, but looks like a million bucks! It has discs both sides, and effective ones at that! It's fairing is as wide as an H3, and is gonna make it awesome fun to park.. It has tyres that would nicely suit that bicycle you rode as a kid, but it corners like it was on rails. The white backlight and double headlamps (no projector) are good night time buddies.. The Deltabox frame, gas-damped link-type monoshock, 6-speed gearbox and liquid cooled 4V engine all come together in one tight package, making it worth every penny. It feels very substantial, the riding position is awesome, the tank recesses are just right, even if you're 9 feet tall; and most importantly, it makes you feel 10 years old!
I can now sum it all up and say - the RTR160 and the Karizma aside, choosing between the R15 and the Pulsar 220, is sort of like choosing between a Lotus Elise and Lancer ! It's really hard! The Apache is a sort of S2000... The Karizma? Well, that's like a Merc C200K... We all would rather have the C350!
And if you're wondering why the Pulsar 200 isn't discussed above, it's only because I have considered all the manufacturers flagships. The P200, is in some eyes, a more practical alternative (or should I say traditional alternative, with no FI, rear disc and fairing..) to the Pulsar 220. In some ways, I would agree, but then again, I would rather have the whole chicken fried, than just the breast and a leg piece BBQd...
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
R1
Those two letters say it all! In so many cases! True enthusiasts will get goosebumps hearing certain combinations of a letter and a number like R1. Try this - M5, Z4, H1, A8, C5... Too much already? Okay...
Well, here's the in your face truth! Superbikes are here! Whether you believe it or not, whether you believe the time isn't right, or the roads aren't good enuf, or the people aren't educated enuf, or if 99% ppl can't afford them... Yeah, yeah.. ALL TRUE! But still... they're here... (YES!) And it feels so good!
The reason this post is called R1 is simply because I worship it. The Yamaha YZF-R1 is, has been and probably always will be my favorite motorcycle (or should I say superbike?). I respect it firstly, because it was the first to break the 1000bhp/ton barrier (more horsepower than weight)... How's 174BHP and 172kg sound? Good right? That was 2004... This is 2007, well almost 2008 and the R1 now bears numbers of 189bhp and 172kg! Insanity personified!
The R1 will be in showrooms as (or even before) you read this, with a Diwali 07 launch planned. It will be followed by other heavyweights like the TDM900, XJR1300, FJR1300 and even the 1670cc MT-01! The YZF-R6 will be launched a little later because of the stupid "Only-800cc+-Euro III-compliant-bikes-can-be-sold" rule! Also expect the XVS1300A and the huge, gorgeous XV1900 Stratoliner. The catch: All the bikes will have Rs. 9 lakh+ price tags, for the "small" 900 - the R1 will be available for about 11.5 lakhs :(
Stay tuned. Cos it's only gonna get better. The GSX 1000R and GSX 1300R Hayabusa will appear in Suzuki showrooms in March 2008. Also expect the Bandit 1250S because it has a bottom-end of 108Nm (@3700rpm) that very few larger bikes (Big V-Twins exempt ;]) can match, which is more than ideal for the situation in our country. Good idea that...
Honda too will launch their big baddies the Hornet 900, CBR 1000RR FireBlade and the GL1800 GoldWing. Rune anyone?!
Bajaj has just purchased stake in KTM! Can't be happier! (What, should have been 49%?)
Anyway, RC, Adventure, Duke and SuperDuke better come soon... 250s seem a little too piddly now... But hey, they're most welcome.. The more, the merrier, rite?! And hey, Kawasaki?!
Lots of em coming... And the prospect of custom bikes seems more devilishly near than ever before!! Haha!!!!!
Well, here's the in your face truth! Superbikes are here! Whether you believe it or not, whether you believe the time isn't right, or the roads aren't good enuf, or the people aren't educated enuf, or if 99% ppl can't afford them... Yeah, yeah.. ALL TRUE! But still... they're here... (YES!) And it feels so good!
The reason this post is called R1 is simply because I worship it. The Yamaha YZF-R1 is, has been and probably always will be my favorite motorcycle (or should I say superbike?). I respect it firstly, because it was the first to break the 1000bhp/ton barrier (more horsepower than weight)... How's 174BHP and 172kg sound? Good right? That was 2004... This is 2007, well almost 2008 and the R1 now bears numbers of 189bhp and 172kg! Insanity personified!
The R1 will be in showrooms as (or even before) you read this, with a Diwali 07 launch planned. It will be followed by other heavyweights like the TDM900, XJR1300, FJR1300 and even the 1670cc MT-01! The YZF-R6 will be launched a little later because of the stupid "Only-800cc+-Euro III-compliant-bikes-can-be-sold" rule! Also expect the XVS1300A and the huge, gorgeous XV1900 Stratoliner. The catch: All the bikes will have Rs. 9 lakh+ price tags, for the "small" 900 - the R1 will be available for about 11.5 lakhs :(
Stay tuned. Cos it's only gonna get better. The GSX 1000R and GSX 1300R Hayabusa will appear in Suzuki showrooms in March 2008. Also expect the Bandit 1250S because it has a bottom-end of 108Nm (@3700rpm) that very few larger bikes (Big V-Twins exempt ;]) can match, which is more than ideal for the situation in our country. Good idea that...
Honda too will launch their big baddies the Hornet 900, CBR 1000RR FireBlade and the GL1800 GoldWing. Rune anyone?!
Bajaj has just purchased stake in KTM! Can't be happier! (What, should have been 49%?)
Anyway, RC, Adventure, Duke and SuperDuke better come soon... 250s seem a little too piddly now... But hey, they're most welcome.. The more, the merrier, rite?! And hey, Kawasaki?!
Lots of em coming... And the prospect of custom bikes seems more devilishly near than ever before!! Haha!!!!!
The Big Mach :) M500LB
It's here! The new Bullet Machismo 500 (AVL Lean Burn)... With 23.66bhp (@5600rpm) and 40.85Nm (@3000rpm) on tap, it's one hell of a ride! I was in love after the test ride and I so wish that that engine is a part of all Bulls, as an option of course!
The Ride:
A lazy afternoon, I cruise by my dealership and catch a glimpse of chrome, a lot of it (even on the battery box!) There it was, the one I had been waiting for, for so long! Keys in hand, off I went, down Market Yard road, the usual test route.
Acceleration was nothing short of breath-taking, and it leaves you with the feeling that there's so much more on offer, if you ever needed it! The U turn was taken in 4th gear, a near idle thump happening, so much was the torque. The bottom-end is unbelievable! The M500 can coast at 80-100kph all day and never get tired or leave you feeling like something was lacking.
Overall build quality too has improved a lot - less vibrations, cleaner shifts (and a muted thump) make you wanna believe you're not on a Bullet, which in a way is true. No more right shift, CB point, grandfather carb, 500cc this one is... For the afficionadoes, yeah, it's different, but hey, times change, and if retro suits your taste, the 350 Classic's always on the menu!
Moreover, at about 1.1 lakh on road Pune (without all the accessories) she's a good deal (no kiddin!) A bike everyone who likes bikes should definitely saddle up on. But head fast, cos only 500 bikes will be sold throughout the country every calendar year!
The Ride:
A lazy afternoon, I cruise by my dealership and catch a glimpse of chrome, a lot of it (even on the battery box!) There it was, the one I had been waiting for, for so long! Keys in hand, off I went, down Market Yard road, the usual test route.
Acceleration was nothing short of breath-taking, and it leaves you with the feeling that there's so much more on offer, if you ever needed it! The U turn was taken in 4th gear, a near idle thump happening, so much was the torque. The bottom-end is unbelievable! The M500 can coast at 80-100kph all day and never get tired or leave you feeling like something was lacking.
Overall build quality too has improved a lot - less vibrations, cleaner shifts (and a muted thump) make you wanna believe you're not on a Bullet, which in a way is true. No more right shift, CB point, grandfather carb, 500cc this one is... For the afficionadoes, yeah, it's different, but hey, times change, and if retro suits your taste, the 350 Classic's always on the menu!
Moreover, at about 1.1 lakh on road Pune (without all the accessories) she's a good deal (no kiddin!) A bike everyone who likes bikes should definitely saddle up on. But head fast, cos only 500 bikes will be sold throughout the country every calendar year!
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