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Specifications:

Displacement: 749cc

Cylinders: 2

Max Power: 47 bhp (Street)/ 70 bhp (Street Rod)

Max Torque: 59 Nm @ 3,750 rpm (Street)/ 62 Nm @ 4,000 rpm (Street Rod)

Gearbox: 6-speed

Transmission type: Chain Drive

Harley-Davidson Nepal has introduced the Street Rod 750 and the Street 750 in Nepal for a price of Rs 2,700,000 and Rs 2,300,000 respectively. These bikes are from the Harley Davidson Street family and are entry level bikes.

The Street 750 is the most affordable motorcycle in Harley’s line-up and is also the stepping stone into the Harley Owners Group. It is part of the Dark Custom motorcycle range and has been specifically made for first-time Harley owners. It gets traditional cruiser design cues like a sweptback handlebar, mid-mounted instrumentation and a round headlamp with bikini fairing. Except for the rear shocks and the front forks, which are garnished in chrome, the entire motorcycle gets a matte black theme. 

The Street 750 is an easy to ride bike and is suited for short riders (and not tall ones). It’s easy to manoeuvre and the steering is light too. In fact, it is the lightest Harley, with a weight of 218 kg. Coming with a seat height of just 710mm, it is accessible for most riders in Nepal. 

Rs 2,300,000/
Rs 2,700,000
Price of Street/ Street Rod

The Street 750 is powered by a liquid-cooled V-twin engine which the company calls the ‘Revolution X’. The engine delivers 47bhp and 59Nm of torque and is mated to a six-speed transmission with belt drive. Braking has always been the Street 750’s Achilles heel, though this has been mitigated with a new rear brake setup and ABS. Dual 300mm-diameter front disc brakes deliver confident stopping power. It also gets the company’s proprietary smart security system and a proximity key-fob.

The Street Rod is the Street 750’s evil twin: it’s got more power from a re-worked engine, and better braking from twin discs upfront. Not only this, it looks significantly different, and the chassis has also been reworked to change it from a lazy cruiser into a street bike with sporty intent: the seating is more like a street bike than a cruiser, the suspension travel is higher, the cornering clearance greater and even the engine revs about 1000rpm higher.  

Street Rod styling highlights include a new color-matched speed screen, a short aggressive street fighter-inspired tail, and all-new LED tail lamp and turn signals with a Street Rod signature look. A flat, drag-style handlebar puts the rider in a fist-forward posture on the bike. The Street Rod also features new forged foot controls and aluminum foot pegs that are positioned for a comfortable seating position, which also makes it easy for the riders to get their feet down on the ground at stops.

The Street Rod is agile, powerful and tuned for maneuvering through traffic and congestion. The increased ground clearance and new 17-inch wheels give it an intimidating stance. Finally, a supercharger-inspired air intake and the deeper growl of the exhaust note draw attention to the High Output Revolution X engine.

The compression ratio has been bumped up from 11.0:1 to 12.0:1. In this guise, the engine delivers 70bhp and 62Nm of torque, up from 47bhp and 59Nm in the Street 750. The Street Rod gets a 43mm inverted front fork setup, tuned to offer a stiff ride, and dual 300mm discs upfront and a single 300mm disc at the rear. It will come with a wheelbase of 1,510mm and measures 2130mm in length with a ground clearance of 205mm. The fuel capacity, meanwhile, is 13 liters. This is a baby Sportster. If you’re not comfortable with the cruiser format and still want a Harley, the Street Rod is probably your answer.

The motorcycling industry in Nepal can be split into three general segments. The first is the commuter segment, for the people who need workhorses to get stuff done. These machines are built to get you from one place to another efficiently. It isn’t taking you anywhere fast, but you’ll get amazing mileage and the running costs will be low. Think Platinas, Shines, Hayates, and Splendors.

Then there are the 200-300cc segment that dips a toe into performance motorcycling territory. Serving the commuting purpose while remaining a fun-to-ride motorcycle is tricky business, but that is what most of these motorcycles set out to do. Although still a far cry from actual high performance motorcycles, this segment keeps the dream alive for motorcycle enthusiasts.

The third category includes the ones on the posters we stuck on our bedroom walls and grew up dreaming about owning one day. We’re talking about the Hayabusas and Firebirds here. It will cost you an arm and a leg to purchase and pay for the running costs, but it will all be worth it.

While owning your dream bike is the ultimate goal, it might not happen overnight. So, to keep the dream alive, the majority of us dreamers find the sweet spot in the 250cc space. It is up to the task of undertaking the role of a commuter which can get you around while you can also dip a toe into touring and fat riding whenever you get the chance.

In this review, we see if the Suzuki Gixxer 250 SF can help us find the riding sweet spot.

Specifications:

Displacement 249 cc

Cylinders 1

Max Power 26.1 bhp @ 9,000 rpm

Max Torque 22.6 Nm @ 7,500 rpm

Fuel Delivery System Fuel Injection

Gearbox 6-speed

Rs 496,900 Price of Suzuki Gixxer 250 SF

Styling and Design

In terms of looks, the Suzuki Gixxer 250 SF hits the nail on the head, especially the Moto GP Edition with the stunning and iconic blue and yellow colors. More often than not, people purchasing a motorcycle in this segment are looking for that “big bike” feel. And, with the Suzuki Gixxer 250 SF, you get exactly that with their all new design language.

Overall, it is handsomely built and well proportioned. The sharply designed LED headlight seamlessly merges into the wind visor, which is a little too small to fit the function. This in fact is one of the few gripes we have with the motorcycle. The fairings and tank are well sculpted and emphasize the fresh new appeal of the Gixxer SF 250. To keep things sporty, you get the clip-on bars and beefy tires—a 150 mm one at the rear, and a 110 mm one on the front wheel.

Around back, the tail section is sleek with a newly designed LED tail light. The double barrel exhaust is also new, but the shiny, squarish styling does seem a little out of place when you look at the overall appearance.

All in all, the Gixxer 250SF succeeds in becoming a good looking motorcycle.

Performance

And it continues to impress once you’re on the road. The all-new 249cc single-cylinder, four-valve, oil cooled engine churns out 26bhp of maximum power at 9,000 rpm and 22.6 Nm of peak torque at 7,500 rpm. And with the new Gixxer 250SF all those numbers are smoothly and linearly put through to the rear wheel. With the Suzuki Oil Cooling System (SOCS), you get a unique technology offering a refined acceleration that feels strong and linear. The SEP (Suzuki Eco Performance) engine boasts of superb efficiency without compromised performance. They do this by utilizing six sensors (O2 sensor, Intake air pressure sensor, Intake air temperature sensor, Throttle position sensor, Engine temperature sensor, Crankshaft sensor) to optimize the ECM that commands the Fuel Injector to inject the precise amount of fuel for optimum combustion efficiency, which in turn improves throttle response and gives you higher fuel efficiency. The slick six-speed gearbox compliments all the offerings of the new engine.

Even in terms of handling, the Gixxer 250SF is sublime. In city traffic it is nimble and adheres to your directions. If you’re out on the highway, the numbers on the speedometer climb up pretty quickly and makes light work of most overtaking maneuvers. If you’re ever forced to perform harsh braking, the dual channel ABS ensures there is very little drama to the entire ordeal.

On corners it is rock steady and inspires the confidence to lean into the bends. The front suspensions are stiff and offer more front end rigidity. Nevertheless, the Gixxer 250SF does a good job of soaking up the tattered city roads of KTM.

The ergonomics are sporty, but not to the point of discomfort. The clip on handlebars are set slightly higher so the rider’s triangle is not too tasking, but it is well disguised to maintain the sporty appeal. We certainly think the Suzuki Gixxer 250SF is up to the task of touring too.

Verdict

So does it impress?
Most definitely! The new engine and tech aren’t just gimmicks and you can feel it when you are riding the Suzuki Gixxer 250SF. Suzuki have got the designing aspects down to a tee and made a very appealing motorcycle. And when you ride it, it gives you what you look for in a 250cc motorcycle. It is a great commuter and gets you places, and efficiently. But when you want to have a little fun on it, it’s up to the challenge as well. And it goes easy on new motorcyclists.

The Suzuki Gixxer 250SF provides a great amalgamation of efficiency and power, which makes for a very fun motorcycle. It stacks up well against its closest rival, the Honda CBR 250R. It’s priced very decently too, considering the Honda CBR250R will cost you Rs 679,000 while the Suzuki Gixxer 250SF fetches just Rs 496,900 (Rs 499,000 for the Moto Gp Edition).

Although late to the party, the Suzuki Gixxer 250SF does make quiet an impact on the increasingly popular 250cc segment, and it could be a potential frontrunner in the fight for the quarter-liter segment supremacy.

Sundar Yatayat’s Electric Vehicles (EVs) opened to the public to much fanfare and media attention two months ago. Owner Bhesh Bahadur Thapa had to jump through hoops to get these buses on the valley streets. His goal: to reduce the use of fossil fuel and improve Kathmandu valley’s public transport system.

Sundar’s four electric buses currently in operation all run on the Ring Road, two clockwise and two anti-clockwise. And although they’ve been running for a few months now, they are still a novel sight. The sleek vehicle never fails to draw attention as it silently glides into a station, catching the gaze of curious bystanders. The look of awe and confusion on passengers’ faces as they adjust to the unique face-to-face seating, and lots of standing room, is palpable. Many, if not most, of them have never travelled on electric buses before.

To better understand the public perception of this unfamiliar means of transport, I talk to a few passengers on board one of these electric busses.

Sanjaya Khadgi, a first-time EV passenger, finds the bus more spacious and airier than other public vehicles. With its considerable width, and large windows, the bus does feels more spacious, although it is probably not much larger than other big buses. Khadgi also brings up the issue of energy independence, saying, “We won’t have to worry about blockades or fuel crises if the use of electric buses becomes more widespread.”

Srijana Singh, a nursing student travelling from Dhungedhara to Gopi Krishna Pul (Chabahil), is also a first-timer rider. She also finds it more comfortable and cleaner than others. “The bus made fewer stops and felt faster too,” Singh adds.

Likewise, Suraj Sharma, a chemistry teacher in Capital College and Research Center in Balkumari, has a strong opinion on the prevalence of diesel vehicles in the valley, and argues that the government should take steps to replace them with EVs, starting with the Ring Road route. “All public transport should be electric vehicles, which might be the only way to improve our air quality,” Sharma adds. In his first outing on the EV, he too feels the seating arrangement was unique and more comfortable for passengers.

Trolley’s close cousins

This, however, is not the first time electric vehicles have buzzed around Kathmandu. In 1975 electric powered trolley bus connected the 13-km distance between Tripureshwor and Suryabinayak, with 32 coaches that promised the rapidly urbanizing city a pollution free future. 

Safa Tempos were introduced in the mid-1990s and, at the turn of the century, the city had over 600 zero-emission vehicles. But the run of battery-powered public transport in the valley was brief. Safa Tempo’s homegrown manufacturing unit was shut down in 2000, although some still ply on select routes. And the immensely popular trolley system was discontinued in 2001 after it fell into disrepair amid political and bureaucratic malaise.

But Shanta Basnet had not even heard of the electric bus service, and this is her first time on one. Still she sounds optimistic about its future. “I hope the government can support this innovative trend,” says Basnet. She adds that this bus reminded her of the public transport she took when she was abroad, “but perhaps the seats on this one is a little more uncomfortable”.

Unlike Shanta, Rohit Basnet thinks the seats are perfectly comfortable and unique. The 25-year-old MBA student also takes note of the vehicle’s silent and comfortable movement. “It is the driving and the seating that make the ride so unique,” Rohit adds.

Sarita Rasaili is the only one who had traveled on the bus before, and also the only one who was concerned about the electric vehicles’ longevity on Nepali roads. “I’m not sure if these foreign buses will last on our harsh roads,” Rasaili suspects, even though she too is perfectly satisfied with the new electric vehicles.

Glimpse of the future

Concern about environmental impact is a common concern of many passengers, who talk about the pollution caused by old fuel-guzzling public vehicles. While some like Srijana Singh suggest a transitional approach to reducing the number of diesel-fueled public transport, others like Suraj Sharma and Rohit Basnet reckon a radical approach is essential, such as entirely banning public vehicles that run on fossil fuel.

I see the bus creates excitement in its passengers. People get into it with enthusiasm. Some are bewildered by the unconventional seating, so much so that an aged gentleman refuses to ride on the bus and demands to be let off immediately.

Strangers make small talk, sharing their first impressions. Some discuss the environmental impact of fossil fuel, while others are adamant that electric vehicles will worsen our relations with India. Some even take selfies to commemorate the bus ride.

Two months of operation is nowhere near enough to prove that the buses will pass the test of time, or that they can compete with the existing buses and stay afloat. It would be a shame if this new breed of electric vehicles was to fall apart like the trolley service. For now, Sundar Yatayat offers us a glimpse of the electric future of public transport we desperately need.

As the demand for SUVs has been soaring for the past couple of years, Suzuki has pulled an ace from their deck and given people a chance to drive what may well be the first SUV for the masses. The company has finally launched the S-Presso, the much-awaited mini SUV. Suzuki S-Presso is an entry-level micro SUV that has been receiving great response in India and that will be placed above the company’s Alto car. The S-Presso offers SUV-styling and modern interiors and will rival the likes of the Renault Kwid, Datsun Redi-Go, and Suzuki’s own Alto K10.

The Suzuki S-Presso will come in four variants, the baseline STD priced at Rs 2,299,000, the mid-tier LXi priced at Rs 2,399,000, the high VXi priced at Rs 2,499,000, and the higher VXi+ priced at Rs 2,549,000. All four versions will be powered by the same BS6 compliant 1.0 engine married to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The engine has a torque of 90 Nm and Bhp of 68.

The Suzuki S-Presso looks sporty with features like twin-chamber headlamps, signature C shaped tail lamps, body-colored bumpers, ORVMs and outside door handles, and side body cladding.

The S-Presso comes equipped with a multifunction steering wheel with audio and voice controls, a 7-inch SmartPlay Studio touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and digital speedometer.

The Suzuki S-Presso is based on the fifth-generation Heartect platform and has safety features like dual airbags, ABS with EBD, seat belts with pre-tensioners and force limiters, a driver/co-driver seat belt reminder, a rear parking assist system, high-speed warning alert and reverse parking sensors. The Suzuki S-Presso will be available in six colors—Superior White, Solid Fire Red, Metallic Granite Grey, Metallic Silky Silver, Solid Sizzle Orange and Pearl Starry Blue.

It will be interesting to see how the S-Presso fares in Nepal’s automotive market. Will people buy into the idea of the mini SUV, an entry-level newcomer with a different twist? Or will people see it as just another small car? We will have to wait and see. We will get our hands on the S-Presso soon and share the details with you.