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Why should guys have all the fun? On hearing it in a TV ad, even if the fun part doesn’t entice so much, thoughts might go across to the many difficulties faced while commuting. The overcrowded buses, fleecing auto drivers, requesting the man of the house to drop you to your destined place, etc. Isn’t there an option that sets you free without being too big a burden on the purse?
Wait, what was the product that was being advertised? A Scooter! Didn’t I see my Dad go through the routine of tilt and start before taking me to school when I was a kid? How am I supposed to use a Scooter for travelling! Well, somebody tells me that the new breed of “gearless” scooters are popular among young working women, college girls and even the elderly. So much is the popularity that the gearless scooter segment has emerged as the second largest category in the two-wheeler segment, after bikes with approx 4.8 lakh being sold every year. There’s plenty of choice as well, every major manufacturer has its offering in the segment: Kinetic Blaze, Bajaj Krystal, Honda Dio and Activa, Hero Honda Pleasure and Scooty Pep Plus from TVS. The designs have improved as well, having neatly sculpted side panels, a large alloy grab-bar and integrated brake and turn lights at rear. There’s ample storage, with a lockable glove box, foldable bag-hook, a flat floorboard and that under-seat space. Even the ride and handling is extremely safe at speeds of around 70kph.
Now, Catch me if you can!

While you can buy a Ferrari, Porsche and even a 4 crore rupee Rolls Royce Phantom off-the-shelf in India, the same simplicity does not apply to a superbike purchase. For some unfathomable reasons, the bike industry has not kept up with its automotive counterparts and the Yamahas and Hondas of the world seem content with selling 100cc economy motorcycles. Did I hear you say that come 2008 and we’ll have Yamaha’s R1/MT-01alongwith the Hayabusa and GSX-R1000 from Suzuki. Well, even I’ve heard such rumours. By the way, anyone remembers whatever happened to BMW F650, the price for which you could buy a luxury car then! Such arguments apart, amidst falling motorcycle sales a commuter “motorcycle” is still the choice of millions in India and they’ve got a plethora of choices too. Just take a look at the list: CD-Dawn, CD-Deluxe, Splendor, Splendor+, Super Splendor, Super Duper Splendor (isn’t it called NXG!), Passion, Star, Super Star(er! Star City), Boxer, Platina, Discover ….the list goes on and on and doesn’t even include similar offering from other lesser known manufacturers. You might ask a commuter motorcycle! Well, when you’re on on pothole ridden and flyover construction affected roads stuck up in a traffic snarl (seated comfortably in your car!!) doesn’t your subconscious tell you (and rightly so!), ‘What the heck, if you’d taken the bike, you’d already be at office/home, one coffee/beer down and feet up’.
Did I hear you say, ‘I need an an electrifying ride and extreme performance from my bike which has linear power curve and crisp feel giving instant response whenever I give the throttle a yank’. Well, in that case you’re bound to find Bajaj Pulsar, Apache RTR, Bullet Machismo etc to your liking. Even without any superbikes to choose from, Indian biking enthusiasts can still experience the “freedom” : The Freedom from the naive charm of passing through a place and never tasting the air there. Can someone in a car echo that!

cheers!
Om Prakash

It’s a weekend, I am standing in the busy sector 18 (Noida) market. Trying to cross the road which by Noida standards is not busy enough yet. But the fearful me, is not taking any chance. A black mercedes drives by. “Wow - an E Class!” my eyes pop out. Escorted closely by Toyotas, Hondas, Hyundais, Mahindras, Fords, and Chevrolets, it sped away from the scene leaving me wondering if every auto brand on the planet has made to India.

As the road cleared, I made my way to the other side thinking that the roads in India haven’t changed much barring a few pockets, however the traffic on the roads has gone much more classy and colorful. So what if the drivers have to keep the side mirros folded - the brand stickers are only in the front and the rear of the vehicle.  And, the fellow drivers do leave enough gap (a couple of inches) to flash the makes and the models.
Not long ago, Tata and Maruti were the only two names that ruled Indian roads and fantacies. But the modern India has a lot of options to choose from. And obviously, the choice depends upon one’s preferences - Budget and Brand being the top most criteria.

I am now back home and blogging but that glitter of E-Class with folded side mirrors has hit me hard. Soon, on TolMol.com, you’ll be able to compare Mercedes, BMW, Audi, and yes, Ferrari as well.

Ferrari? Just why not? It may still be a property of a few Sachins only but I am sure the day is not far when I’ll spot a Farrari in Sector 18. What do you think?
Cheers

Team TolMol