Hints2high

 Bajaj products have always been synonymous with affordable performance, especially the Pulsar range. With the launch of the NS200 in 2012, the Chakan-based brand took the game to a whole new level. In the past nine years, the NS200 has received several updates and seen two emission norm changes. This, of course, has resulted in a gradual and substantial price hike.

          The NS200’s price has increased from `84,096 (in 2012) to `1.39 lakh (current price). In 2017, Bajaj expanded the rangewith the more affordable NS160, but it, too, carries a sticker price of `1.15 lakh. Now, to expand the range further with a more affordable option, Bajaj has introduced the new NS125. The real question though is this – will a puny 125cc motor do justice to the NS badge, which has always stood for affordable performance?

FAMILIAR LOOK

The Pulsar NS125 carries the same design language as that of the bigger NS160 and the near decade-old NS200. In fact, despite new paint schemes and graphics on offer with the NS125, there is no denying that the design has begun to look a bit too familiar now. The baby NS also misses out on some essential features like an LED headlamp, a gear-position indicator, and a side-stand engine cut-off. In terms of quality, the NS125 feels solid, with impressive fit & finish.

INSIDE STORY

The NS125’s heart has been derived from that of the bigger NS160. With a bore diameter of 52mm and a stroke length of 60.7mm, this single-cylinder air-cooled 125cc unit is an under-square engine. There is sufficient grunt in the low- and mid-range, which makes it quite tractable in the city and sprightly, when you need it to be. The NS125 feels amply comfortable at speeds of about 60 – 70km/h and has enough power to hit triple-digit speeds. Post the 90km/h mark, however, the acceleration is rather slow and vibrations can be felt through the handlebars, foot pegs, and seat.

        Bajaj has taken a more economical approach with its e-carb system, which makes sure that the NS125’s throttle response is crisp and that the engine revs freely right up to the 9,000rpm mark. Overtaking on the highway, however, does require some planning and, in most cases, even a downshift or two.

            Speaking of shifts, the NS125’s gear ratios are well-calibrated. You can quickly move up the initial cogs in the city and rely on fourth and fifth gears on the highway. The five- speed transmission is slick and the clutch is light.

ON THE ROAD

The ride quality of the NS125 is on the stiffer side. The motorcycle over-reads the road surface, which gets borderline annoying. However, it works like a charm on twisty sections of the road, offering firm, positive handling and spirited performance. Its comfortable rider’s triangle further adds to its overall ride experience. The clip-on handlebars are relatively lower, and the foot pegs are rear-set, giving the NS125 a sporty riding stance.

              The motorcycle handles impressively. The overall chassis setup helps the NS125 hide its 144kgs of kerb weight. The bike has quick and sharp turn-ins and feels very surefooted, owing to its stiff suspension. However, the Ceat tyres are not very good in terms of inducing confidence – a pair of MRFs would have been just right.

STOPPING POWER

The NS125’s stopping force comes from a disc brake at the front – which, by the way, is smaller than that of the NS160 – and a drum setup at the back. There is some room for improvement in terms of the calibration of the braking system and you don’t get any feedback, neither from the lever nor from the pedal. The braking hardware on the NS125 does need an upgrade, and we suspect that Bajaj may offer a rear-disc variant sometime in the future.

VERDICT

The pricing of the NS125 is quite similar to that of the Pulsar 150 Neon edition, which has a larger motor and makes more power and torque. In fact, if you are looking to spend around `1 lakh on a bike, the Yamaha FZ FiM is also an option to consider. While both may seem like more sensible options, it wouldn’t be justified to completely discount the NS125. It does, after all, have better underpinnings and hardware that make it more engaging to ride.

                    The NS125 is quite good in terms of everyday usability and offers a touch of sportiness in the way it rides. In fact, I would go as far as to say that it offers a more involving ride than some motorcycles in the 150cc segment. Sure, it does fall behind in terms of features and has a slightly dated design, but like most Bajaj offerings, the NS125, too, offers an irresistible package at an attractive price point.

         The shape has endured for decades: the timeless form of a standard royal enfield is something that we all grew up with and learned to respect at a young age. We have known it by many names over the years — Bullet, electra, Machismo and, most lately, classic — but the enduring formula is unmistakeable. an easy- going, long-stroke, single-cylinder thumper displacing 350 cc, nestled within a simple steel frame. throw in old-world British looks and top off with a generous helping of chrome, and you have one of the most universally recognisable motorcycles in India. this year, royal enfield’s bread-and-butter product gets a long-overdue update and the red and chrome machine you’re looking at is the 2021 classic 350. not much has changed in the looks department over the last 50-odd years; after all, it is the nostalgia for days gone by that is royal enfield’s allure, and meddling too much with the age-old design would be considered blasphemy by brand loyalists. 

          consequently, the bike standing before me could be mistaken for an older model at a glance, but closer inspection reveals a few new bits and build quality that far surpasses that of any past royal enfield 350.

         As expected, royal enfield are offering several colourways on the new classic 350, including solid colours with blacked-out components, optional alloy wheels, designs inspired by the outgoing classic 350 in all-new colours, and more; however, the red and chrome on our test bike is the most authentic option on offer, and successfully captures the old-school charm that royal enfield are known for.

                The Meteor impressed us greatly with its ride quality and refinement when it was launched last year and, since the classic 350 is built around the same J platform as its cruiser cousin, I already knew that it is was going to be a great improvement on its predecessor. the motor fires up promptly with a quick dab of the starter and immediately settles into an even idle, while the long chrome exhaust lets out a deep thump that spontaneously brings a smile to my face. the round speedometer with its chrome bezel looks authentic enough, while the small Lcd just below adds a modern touch and displays odo, trip meters, and a clock as well as a fuel gauge — a first for the classic 350.

       The riding position doesn’t feel any different from that on the outgoing classic 350, although royal enfield claim that the handlebar has been moved slightly forward to positively affect weight distribution. I found the riding position, typical of old British bikes, natural and comfortable even after a couple of hours in the saddle. It must also be mentioned here that while the seats look unchanged, a lot of thought and effort have gone into their shape, material, and foam thickness, the result being an extremely comfortable perch that is supportive without feeling too hard and it still maintains its period-correct look.

           While most of the components and surfaces on this machine feel like a great improvement on its predecessor, the mirrors on the classic 350 are a different story. although the round chrome mirrors enhance the authentic look and provide a decent field of rearwards vision, they feel flimsy and cheap and not in line with the rest of the bike. the mirrors on our test bike came loose twice during our ride and the adjustment ball joint seemed to have a mind of its own; so, the mirrors kept moving around while I was riding, requiring me to re-adjust them every time I wanted to use them. this was quite a let-down, considering how well-built the rest of the bike is, and I do hope royal enfield look into this and come up with a solution.

               Royal enfield had organised a fixed route just outside pune for us to experience their latest motorcycle and, with no traffic to contend with early in the morning, we were soon out on the highway with speeds rising. the new classic 350 pulls strongly from low down, while pushing the higher reaches of the rev-range no longer brings forth the vibrations that plagued the outgoing bike. I saw close to an indicated 80 km/h in second gear and just short of 100 km/h in third, but even bouncing off the limiter, this engine still manages hold on to its refinement; though that’s not how this bike is meant to be ridden.

          Long-stroke, single-cylinder thumpers are known more for their low-end torque delivery than for their performance at redline, and the classic 350 delivers on this count, cruising effortlessly in fifth gear at as low as 40 km/h with the engine spinning along lazily. You do feel a slight buzz through the foot-pegs as you accelerate through the mid-range, but this soon dissolves and the bike goes on to hit an indicated 115 km/h in fourth gear without feeling one bit stressed. the motor is extremely refined when cruising between 80 and 100 km/h in the top two gears, and the bike can comfortably hold these speeds for hours while the rider will no longer suffer from numb fingers after a long journey. Gear-shifts are smooth and fuss-free, while throttle response and fuelling are spot on.

               On the suspension front, the 2021 classic 250 gets a chunky 41-millimetre fork in lieu of the 35-mm fork on the outgoing model. While the 130 mm of travel up front remains unchanged, the new rear shock-absorbers provide 90 mm of wheel travel, which is 10 mm more than before. the bike does feel set up a little taut at first, but ride quality improves exponentially as speed rises. I was especially thankful for the excellent set-up when I hit an unexpected pothole on the highway at close to 100 km/h and the bike just continued on its way without so much as flinching. the suspension feels perfectly tuned to provide excellent ride quality over most surfaces, without sacrificing feel and control.

               Our route soon took us off the highway and on to a narrow road leading into the hills, giving me a perfect opportunity to put the classic 350’s handling to the test; I was not disappointed. When compared to its predecessor, this classic 350 feels extremely well- balanced, and I was able to accurately navigate this section of tight corners without a second thought. the bike holds its line well and goes exactly where pointed, thanks in part to the new chassis and suspension layout and in part to the excellent ceat tyres that are now broader than before. Whether going around fast sweepers or tight switchbacks, the classic 350 felt confidence-inspiring and planted, impressing me greatly with its poise and dynamic ability.

                 We arrived at the pre-determined lunch spot to conclude our day with the new classic 350 and I can safely say that I came away mighty impressed. this iteration has seen massive improvement across the board in terms of performance, refinement, and ride quality, while still retaining the looks, character and sound that brand loyalists are in love with. the good news is that it still is an authentic royal enfield experience and the better news is that royal enfield have loaned us a classic 350 for a long-term test, so look for regular updates in the future issues of Bike India.

 There are a few things that are certain in life – death, taxes, and the launch of a new TVS Apache RR 310 every year. Honestly, I’m not kidding. Since its launch in 2017-18, the RR 310 has been updated every year – the first update came in 2019, which was followed by the 2020 model, and now keeping the family tradition alive is the 2021 version, which just has been launched.

      To be honest, I thought you couldn’t better the 2020 RR 310. So, when I got to know about the new 2021 version, I wasn’t expecting much. However, TVS pulled a rabbit out of the hat with the latest iteration of the bike. The 2021 RR 310 packs a big surprise. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that the latest iteration of the RR310 makes it the best sports bike that you can buy in India. Here’s why..

           CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT

      Three updates in three years is a clear indication of the fact that TVS takes the feedback from its customers and critics quite seriously. The 2020 version was near perfect, but then it left some enthusiasts wanting more – it wasn’t aggressive or racy enough, they said TVS decided to answer that by coming up with a unique ‘Built to Order’ initiative for the RR 310 in India (more products will be added later). Think of it as an online configurator, which allows you to pick and choose performance parts for your RR 310. However, and here is the interesting part, instead of being bolted on at your local dealer, those parts will be factory-fitted. The best thing is that TVS is offering some serious options here, including fully adjustable suspension, more aggressive riding position, and so on.

                      There are two performance kits on offer – Dynamic and Race. The Dynamic kit adds a fully adjustable front fork (20-step compression & rebound and 15mm pre-load adjustment) and a rear suspension (20-step rebound and 10-step pre-load), along with an anti-rust brass- coated chain. The Race Kit will get knurled and raised foot-pegs (by 30mm) and revised clip-on bars – lowered and pulled back by 8 and 5 degrees, respectively. On top of this, you can now have your RR 310 in a racy TVS Racing livery – it looks gorgeous in the flesh, trust me.

                         The standard version has also received some minor updates over the 2020 model. For instance, it gets a new exhaust (design + sound), digital storage for documents in the TFT display, overspeed indicator, dynamic rev limiter, and a day trip meter.

MAGIC SUSPENSION

Now, the bike that we tested at the MMRT (Madras Motor Race Track) was the fully-kitted out version, which means it was fitted with both Dynamic and Race kits. And those add-ons definitely enhanced the dynamic abilities of the motorcycle.

                  For the first session, we kept the suspension at its base setting of 10- 10-10 for the front compression, front rebound, and rear rebound,respectively. These are the standard settings that the regular version of the bike comes with. Just like before, I didn’t find anything to complain about here – the RR 310, even in its supposedly neutral suspension settings, handles beautifully. It’s precise, predictable, sure-footed, and flows around corners beautifully. It’s a hugely forgiving machine too, so for learners, it’s a perfect tool for building confidence.

              The revised ergonomics allow for a more focused riding position, but it’s in no way uncomfortable or wrist-breaking. Plus, while cornering hard, you no longer have to worry about scraping pegs, as there’s more clearance now. That said, I do wish the pegs were a little more rear-set. In some of the corners, like the C2 or the fast- flowing section between C6 and C7, I found myself grating my boot against the tarmac while leaning. A more rear-set setup would have helped. But then, you’ve to remember that 90% of the riders won’t ride the bike like that on public roads, and in that sense, the new riding position is just right.

                      After three laps, we pulled back into the pits, and this time, the suspension was adjusted for racier settings: 2-8-2. Right out of the bat, the difference was evident – the front end firmed up because of reduced compression damping, and there wasn’t excessive nose-dive under hard braking like it was in the base settings. However, the reduced rebound damping, especially at the rear, made the ride jarring while riding over bumps and undulations of the track. Sure, the bike felt fully dialled in, but it was a little too much for me, for I could feel every imperfection on the tarmac – the bike was simply too reactive to even the smallest bump on the track.

                                       For the next session, I increased the front compression damping to 5 and the rear rebound to 4, without changing the front rebound. This made the whole riding experience much, much better. It was neither too firm nor squishy like the standard setup. Around fast flowing corners, the stability was superb and confidence-inspiring – I even managed to get my knee down (yay!) at C10 without trying too hard.

                                   I never thought that adjustable suspension is needed on a motorcycle like the RR 310, but the flexibility it adds to the whole setup is quite impressive. There’s a clear difference in the way the bike behaves. And the more time you’ll spend tinkering with the settings, the better results you’ll have, both on the track and the road. TVS says that an amateur rider can improve their lap time by 3 seconds with the right suspension  adjustments. And it doesn’t just work one way either – on the road, you can also adjust the suspension to be plusher. It’s a great value addition. The whole point is that it introduces you to the subtle nuances of motorcycling – something that’s otherwise reserved for high-end machines.

                                   In terms of engine performance, the bike is unchanged from the previous model. The 310cc is markedly refined, but it does buzz at higher rpm. The ride-by-wire throttle is crisp and peppy in track mode, and the engine never runs out of steam at any point in time. Between mid and high revs, like from 4,000rpm to 8,000rpm, it is the most responsive. What’s more, the new exhaust finally produces deep and bassy noises like that of the RTR 200 – a small but much-needed update.

                            The brakes offer strong bite just like before, and the ABS in track mode is less intrusive. But I still find the brake lever to be a little too long for my liking, and the feedback is also a bit mushy.

VERDICT

TVS has simply outdone itself in coming up with the 2021 RR 310. It has created a product that’s too hard to be faulted. And that’s why I said in the beginning that it’s the best sports bike that you can buy in India. Think about it. The RR 310 is simply gorgeous. You can ride it virtually every day. The engine has more than enough poke for all occasions. It’s packed to the brim with features. And now, with the introduction of adjustable suspension, it feels right at home on the racetrack. Plus, it can also happily double as a comfy sports tourer.

                      Really, it’s the range of abilities of the RR 310 that none of its rivals can match. Sure, it has become a little more expensive – the base price is up by `5,000 – but the kit that’s on offer is priced quite reasonably. The 2021 TVS Apache RR 310, then, is all things to all people.

 Reno series is Oppo’s mid-priced offering and comes only about six months after the Reno 5 Pro debuted. The Reno5 Pro was a competitive device that ticked all the right columns even though it did not have any significant edge over the competitors in this segment. But the Reno6 Pro offers some necessary refinements over the Reno5.

                        The Oppo Reno6 Pro is designed similar to the Reno 5 Pro. The device has a slim design with curved front and back glass. The back has a nice shiny textured design. The top is flat, similar to the Reno5 Pro. The power button is on the right-hand side and the volume buttons on the left. The base has the microphone array, SIM tray and USB Type-C port. Overall, Oppo has once again stuck to the tried-and-tested design. The SIM card tray accepts dual 5G SIM. The phone does not offer a headphone jack, but Oppo has bundled a Type-C earphone with the device. The Reno6 Pro is available in Aurora and Stellar Black colours. The phone is slightly heavier than the Reno5 Pro, but still light and slim enough for single-handed operation.

The phone uses a 6-nanometer octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 1200 5G chipset clocked at 3 GHz. This is one of the most powerful from MediaTek. The device uses an Arm Mali-G77 MC9 GPU. The device is available in a single configuration of 12GB RAM and 256GB internal memory and does not support memory expansion. RAM can be expanded up to 7GB in three steps. The device uses a 6.5-inch FHD+ (2400 x 1080) AMOLED display supporting 60 and 90 Hz refresh rates and 180 Hz touch sampling rate. The screen offers 100 percent DCI-P3 colour gamut. The screen appeared bright and responsive. The Reno6 Pro offers an in-display fingerprint sensor and face unlock. It uses a ColorOS 11.3 skin over Android 11. The software brings its share of extensive bloatware, some of which can be uninstalled. The phone supports 11 popular 5G bands, to ensures connectivity once 5G is introduced in India. Other wireless connectivity features include Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), 802.11a/b/g/n/ and Bluetooth 5.2.

The Reno6 Pro houses a 64 MP main camera, an 8 MP Ultra Wide-angle camera, a 2 MP Macro camera and a 2 MP Monochrome camera at the rear, while the front camera is a 32 MP module. The rear camera can record videos up to 4K at30 fps while the front camera offers up to Full HD resolution at 30 fps. In the Reno5 Pro, we had mentioned some fine-tuning required in the the Reno6 seems to have rectified about cameras, and all that. The photos were excellent, reproducing colours true to the original.

                      Night mode performed flawlessly, rendering shadows and highlights with enough detail, while not overdoing it. Portrait mode produced soft bokeh, while the Bokeh Flare Portrait filter gave a rounded glow to light sources, simulating a fast portrait lens with circular aperture. AI mode pops up the colour as expected, though the effect was not too overpowering. Videos were a pleasure to shoot with Focus Lock and a virtual zoom lever that facilitates smooth zooming.

With HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos, the phone boasts excellent media playback. However, we still miss stereo speakers in the device.

The phone houses a 4500 mAh battery with series- connected 2250 mAh cells. Oppo bundles a 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 charger, which tops up the battery from zero to 100 percent in under 45 minutes. The battery lasted over a day even with some intense gaming sessions during our review period. The device is in fact, a gaming powerhouse, though it carries the bane of Reno5 Pro, which was the single speaker array that gets obstructed most of the time while holding it in landscape orientation.

 We have seen how major smartphone brands like Xiaomi diversified their product portfolio to stay relevant in the tech space and grow their business. Realme is poised to give some

competition to Xiaomi by aggressively venturing into audio,

television and now into the laptop space. Presenting the

Realme Book Slim, the company’s first laptop on offer.

 Killing flagships is not an easy task, yet we occasionally see a device successfully breaking through the defences and managing to kill, or at least seriously cripple existing flagships in the segmental battle group. Realme props up the GT as that daredevil from their stables, integrating the powerful Snapdragon 888 SoC in a 5G device that retails within a ‘sub-flagship’ price range.

Make no mistake, the Realme GT is a head-turner, or at least our review unit proved so. We received the beautifully crafted Racing Yellow variant, which sports a premium vegan leather back with a glossy black band extending up to the camera bump. It is also offered in Dashing Blue and Dashing Silver. The device is quite handy, perfectly sized for single-hand operation. The phone accepts dual SIM and offers a 3.5mm headphone jack.

As mentioned before, the GT is powered by the 5nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G mobile platform, which makes the phone a true gaming and multimedia powerhouse. It uses a Realme UI 2.0 skin over Android 11, and comes with an extensive range of bloatware. Many of these can be uninstalled. The blue and silver variants offer 8GB LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB UFS3.1 ROM, while the yellow variant is available in 12GB/256GB configuration and is dearer by `4000. The GT allows dynamic RAM extension up to 5GB providing a boost in performance when you need. The device offers Wi-Fi 6 Extended and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity along with support for 11 5G bands.The phone uses a 6.43-inch Super AMOLED display offering FHD+ (2400x1080) resolution and up to 120Hz refresh rate. A touch sampling rate of 360Hz makes it responsive for gaming. We tried graphic intensive games like Modern Warships and high response ones such as Call of Duty, and the device proved its mettle as a gaming powerhouse. We did not notice any heating issue, thanks to Realme’s newly developed stainless-steel cooling system and large heat sink. The phone offers a GT mode that optimises it for gaming. The screen offers up to 1000 nits of brightness and reproduces 100 percent DCI-P3 colour gamut.

The Realme GT houses a Sony triple camera system with a 64MP main camera offering multi-frame algorithm for better noise reduction. An 8MP wide-angle camera and a 2MP macro camera complete the trio. The 16MP Sony wide-angle selfie camera at the front also offers bokeh mode like the main camera. The camera is probably the best in a Realme phone. The images were punchy and detailed. AI mode predictably over-saturated the images beyond accepted levels. However, without AI, the images reproduced tones true to the original. Portraits showed excellent bokeh and skin tones were reproduced well. However, we did miss a telephoto camera in the device. 4K video capture was smooth and detailed. The stereo speakers provide great audio, and it helps while holding in landscape orientation, when your index finger is likely to obstruct part of the bottom speaker array.

The Realme GT uses a 4500 mAh battery and is supplied with a 65W SuperDart charger with five levels of charging protection. The adaptor tops up the battery in just over half-an-hour.