First of all, happy New Year, may this year be full of adventures for you.

When I first started thinking of making the first post of 2007 I thought I might do car of the year, bike of the year kind of thing ala Rearset’s Blog. But I am not yet as knowledgeable as Mr. Rearset (yes sir I know who you are and let me say this, I love reading what you write, both on your blog and in the print publication you work for). So I decided to write what I thought mattered in 2006, so here it goes:

The Indian two wheeler scenario: It keeps getting better by the month, what I will remember this year for?

150cc segment: We might crib that we don’t get powerful motorcycles and manufactures aren’t bringing any proper bikes here, but I liked the way 150cc segment is emerging.

CBZ X-Treme though cursed for using CBZ tag and not living up to the expectations, was the first 150cc 4st in India to breach 14bhp mark. While you might say what’s the big deal with that? Let me put it this way, my almost five year old Pulsar 180 Classic which was the performance king back then, only produces 14.8bhp. And now the 150’s are coming too close for comfort and who knows they might exceed my bikes max bhp rating by next year!

Also my prediction is that by the end of 2008 we might see a change of dynamics in the market, with the 150cc’s becoming executive commuters and 125cc’s catering to the ecno-commuter segment.

Fuel Injection: Ah it’s finally here, sadly the first bike to support it wasn’t a “performance bike” but it is here and it is here to stay, courtesy impending upgrade in the emission norms. Which will make it harder for the existing bikes to pass the test, with this, Fuel Injection should see a wider application from most of the two wheeler manufacturers which in turn would lead to lower cost.

As for those who fear Fuel Injection will cause problems due to bad fuel quality and poorly trained mechanics. All I can say is, there will be some problems initially but this shouldn’t be an issue in the long run, at least with the fuel quality, after all Indian cars have FI and they don’t have too much of an issue cause of it! As for mechanics, well they are already screwing our carbureted motorcycles and I don’t see that changing any time soon!  

I didn’t count Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi even though it was launched in 2006, simply because I think its real impact would be seen in the 2007 once it starts selling.

Scooters: Oh yes, scooters are back in fashion and it shows by the revival in their sales figure. With the new scooter becoming more powerful, getting a little better with fuel efficiency, comfort levels etc. With the news of Bajaj Auto reentering scooter market soon and other two wheeler manufacturers all set to roll out upgrades and new models, all I can say 2007 is going to be an interesting year for the scooter segment.

But the biggest story of year as far as scooter segment is concerned was the arrival of first moto-scooter in India, Kinetic Blaze. Definitely a head turner with the performance to back it, I would say this was the most significant launch in the two wheeler segment in 2006 after FI Glamour. While some might crib about its hefty price tag and for the fact that it is not value for money when compared with 150cc motorcycles. According to me it’s a step into the right direction from kinetic, it is more of a lifestyle product and this is what is needed in the Indian two wheeler scenario to help it mature and only then can we expect to see some performance motorcycles and scooters. After all a performance motorcycle won’t be value for money, it would be more of a life style statement and some thing only enthusiasts would go for.

Paving the way for imported motorcycles: This November Indian Government decided to soften its stand against importing motorcycles, this was done to help Harley Davidson sell its motorcycles here. Even though there was no cut in duty, but the fact government decided to remove the cap on the number of imported motorcycle and also soften its stand again emissions is encouraging to say the least. Source: Rediff 

While I am no fan of Harley’s (well maybe the fatboy), this should also help Japanese Manufacturers like Suzuki and Yamaha which are trying to get their imported bikes here.

What does it means for enthusiasts?

While it is unlikely that we will see a price drop in the price tag of imported motorcycles and companies might sell it at a higher cost than most importers. What we can expect are “legally imported motorcycles” (most of the motorcycles imported in India are illegal) which will have service backups (at least in the metros), insurance and who knows maybe we will see finance companies coming up with schemes to help you get a loan for your dream sports bike. All in all I believe by the end of this year we should see the first legal imports coming to India.

Biking accessories: Through out this year I witnessed a rise in the availability and sale of biking accessories. This I attribute to the rising number of biking clubs and movies like Dhoom. People are now buying better quality helmets and gloves, riding jackets etc. Which in turn is leading to the opening of more and more specialty store which sell riding gear, i.e. Angels Racing, KRP and Planet DSG. I guess this will only rise in 2007 and I am happy to see this scenario, though I really hope people will wear those expensive helmets instead of putting them in their arms.

All in all an exiting year for biking and bikers in India and with the impending launch of 220 DTS-Fi and Karizma Fi, I can only say it is all set to get even more interesting! So watch this space…

Oh yes, there is some thing else that is coming this year, that will change the biking sphere in India in a big way, what is it? You will know soon enough

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