The One and The Only – Dilip Bam


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Re: The One and The Only – Dilip Bam

I never heard of him but a really fantastic personality. If you could please come with more words of him .:please:
Here's a fantastic article by him on how to improve fuel efficiency of your bike and make the bike last longer. If he were on this forum, I would have given him 1000 reputation points for posting this[clap]. I just wish more and more forum members get to read this one and get benefited - notice how easily he explains so that even a layman would understand - its a gem of an article .

Mods : The article has been copied and pasted. All punctuations, language, grammar is as it is in the original article.

How to improve average? Seventy percent of the queries I get ask about this question. Truth is, each bike is designed for a specific performance. A Cheetah, which weighs 50 kg, can run at 120 kph (bhp) but you cannot ride it. It does not have the carrying capacity (Torque). An elephant can carry 20 people, (high torque) but cannot run faster than 40 kph. A Cheetah lives for 12 years and an elephant lives for 100 years. The giant turtle of Galapagos lives 500 years, but its speed is just 20 metres (65 feet) per hour and it eats very little. The quantity of food (fuel) which these creatures eat (consume) is also very different.

It is the same with bikes. The faster you drive, the higher will be the rate of fuel consumption. That is why the "STANDARD CONDITIONS" at which most manufacturers advertise their bikes' fuel consumption is at steady 40 kph. Indeed, fuel consumption at 20 kph in 4th gear would be even lesser (turtle).

Thus a Bullet Lightning 535, driven at a constant 130 kph would consume fuel at 16 kms per litre while at steady 40 it would give 37 kms per litre. A Hero Honda CD100 driven at steady 30 kph would easily give 85 kms per litre while the same bike driven at steady 80 kph (its top speed) would give hardly 43 km per litre.

To understand the factors that affect the mileage of any bike, let us first understand how the human body works. Just as petrol is fuel for bike, the fuel for human body is OXYGEN==the AIR we breathe.

To understand how to make the bike last longer, take a look at the CHEETAH==FASTEST animal in the world. It can run at 120 km per hour. The normal life span of CHEETAH is 14 years, that is, it LASTS for 14 years. As against this, look at TORTOISE, the SLOWEST animal in the world which moves at 120 INCHES per hour. Its life span is 300 years, that is, it LASTS for 300 years.

The same LAW OF NATURE that applies to cheetah and tortoise, applies EXACTLY
to human being, and also applies EXACTLY the same way to bikes.

Now understand how we humans breathe. When we are walking normally we breathe about 18 times per minute but when we run fast, we breathe about 72 times per minute. Since AIR is the fuel for living humans and animals, this means that when we run fast we consume 72 units of our fuel (==air), while if we travel the same distance by normal walking, we consume only 18 units of our fuel (==air). Thus by running, we consume FOUR times MORE amount of fuel than we consume by walking the same distance. This is law of nature and applies exactly same way to bikes.

Thus we understand that by driving our bike faster, the bike consumes more petrol (==fuel) for same distance. It is not only faster road speed that consumes more petrol. Even if we travel slower, in a low gear (such as first or second gear), while the bike is moving slow, the engine is running (turning) faster than if we travel at same slow road speed in top (==4th or 5th) gear. This is like human climbing steps or hill. Because while
climbing, even though our speed is even slower than normal walking, we have to do MUCH GREATER EFFORT to move upwards, because we are moving against (opposite to) the GRAVITATIONAL force of Earth which is always pulling us downwards.

So we know that when engine has to make greater effort (that is engine turns / runs faster), it consumes more petrol. There are two factors which resist all kinds of motion on earth, whether it is bike in motion, car in motion or human walking or running. One factor is the friction between tire and road surface (like our feet and road surface while walking or running) and the other is the friction between moving body and air. While friction between road surface and tire is necessary (we cannot move at all if there is no friction, like skidding on wet road surface) for controlled motion, the friction between body and air INCREASES as our speed increases. By research it has been found that at speed of 40 km per hour, 40% of power (==petrol) is used for overcoming air friction (==air resistance) and 60% of power (==petrol) is used to move forward, whereas at speed of 80 km per hour, 80% of power / petrol is used for overcoming air friction (==air resistance), while only 20% of power / petrol is used to move forward. Thus, by moving at 40 km per hour speed, we are actually saving 40% of power (==petrol), which we waste for overcoming air friction resistance when we travel at 80 km per hour speed. This is because at lower travel speed, the air friction resistance is lower and lesser petrol / power is required to move forward than at higher speed.

Having understood the law of nature that applies to all kinds of motion, whether human walking or climbing, or bike moving slow in low gear, or bike moving fast in top gear, what can we do to reduce petrol consumption? We can adopt the following driving style:

1>> Avoid traveling in low gear as much as possible. At any speed, try to stay in as high gear as possible without bike giving jerks due to chain snatch or engine stalling.

2>> Avoid using brakes as much as safely possible because by using brake we are wasting energy (==petrol).

3>> Avoid higher speed, because at higher speed we are wasting energy (==petrol) in overcoming air friction resistance rather than covering distance, which is our objective.

In addition to above driving style, we can TAKE the following TEN steps:

1>>Keep brakes as free (loose) as possible, so that they do not un-necessarily touch (and waste energy==petrol) when we do not need them.

2>>Keep air pressure in tires to the recommended level because less air in tires creates higher friction resistance between tire and road surface, and wastes petrol.

3>>Keep clutch well adjusted, because slipping of clutch wastes petrol.

4>>Change engine oil at recommended intervals and use genuine engine oil of recommended grade to reduce friction losses in engine and keep engine cool.

5>>Clean air filter regularly.

6>>Clean drive chain and sprockets (with kerosene and brush) regularly (every 2000 km) and lubricate it with thick oil or grease.

Also check and adjust chain tension regularly.

7>>Clean carburetor, especially float chamber and jets, and also clean spark plug regularly every 2000 km.

8>>Daily check for leakages of petrol from fuel cock, cracked fuel pipes, fuel filter, and all pipe joints. I have found this to be the single most common reason for not getting good mileage.

9>>Lubricate all cables by putting drops of oil between cable inner and
outer to reduce friction. Also put grease on all cable ends, both sides.

10>>Lubricate both axles (front and rear) and steering cone bearings regularly (every 2000 km).
 
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[lol] Quite an entertaining read Sam I took my own sweet time to read the whole thread, my particular fav were the Unicorn,Shaolin & Roy question,Checking out his website at the moment.
 
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Here are his maintenance tips for motorcycles:. Simple, handy, and absolutely DIY.


1) Clean spark plug regularly. Every 750 km for two stroke bike and every 1,500 km for four-stroke bike. Clean spark points (electrodes) with emery paper and innards with some aluminium wire. After this wash with petrol.

2) Always use correct recommended grade of engine oil as recommended in OWNERS MANUAL.
3) Ensure that the oil is in sufficient quantity as recommended. Check with dipsitck or inspection window or bleed-plug nut.

4) Ensure correct air pressure in tyres as recommended in OWNERS MANUAL

5) Check cables regularly for kinks, bends and frayed ends. Especially check ends. If one or more strands appears broken, replace immediately. Don't try to save money by ignoring it till later time. If cable breaks during journey, OPPORTUNITY LOSS will be far greater than cost of new cable. Also lubricate annular space between cable inner and outer, by holding one end and letting cable hang vertically and letting lubricating oil drip into annular space.

6) Ensure chain tightening. There is a chain tensioner on both sides of the rear axle having graduations. Ensure that the matching marks are equal on both sides. You have to loosen the axle nut before tightening or loosening the chain. Keep chain play at @ 12 mm (you can do this by moving chain up & down with a long nosed pliers thru inspection window in chain cover), or as recommended in OWNERS MANUAL.

7) Check all bulbs. Replace fused ones.

8) Check wiring for worn insulation and loose connections.

9) Check brake liners. If the brake tightening nut has gone up to the maximum threads, or the brake makes a metallic sound then it means that the liners are worn out. Replace them.

10) Ensure that front fork is not leaking. If it is, replace oil seals.

11) Keep carburettor clean. Every 1500 km, clean out the carburettor float chamber and other parts. Clean jets by forcing compressed air thru them.Ensure that float is not punctured and float-pin is not jamming. There should be free play of the float around its hinge in the chamber.

12) Clean the drive chain from time to time. To do this remove the chain and soak it in a tin can full of kerosene oil. Then take an old used tooth-brush and clean the chain. Then wash it again with fresh kerosene (or diesel) and hang it to dry for a few hours (overnight). After dry, soak it for 10 minutes in the thickest oil you can find (fresh oil), such as SAE 50 or even more thick, and agitate it while immersed in the oil. Now again hang the chain again vertically for a few hours and then fit back.

13) Check whether spokes are tight. If loose, tighten. Also check if any of the spokes are bent. If bent, fit new spoke. Do not try to straighten old spoke. It does not work.

14) Check tyres for wear and tear and cracks. Replace if worn. Also replace if there are cracks. This is most important in rainy season. It can save your life.

15) A lot of people complain about "average". The most common reason for poor average is leaking fuel cock or cracked fuel pipe (plastic or rubber one). If cock is leaking, replace fibre washer in it (costs only a few paise). If pipe is cracked, fit new one. The thick black rubber pipe used in Indo-Jap bikes is best.

16) Check entire fuel line, right from where it comes out of the tank, the fitting of the fuel cock, fuel filter, the plastic or rubber pipes etc. touch each spot with your clean, dry fingers. If there is any leak, it will show on your fingers. Also smell your fingers. If you can get petrol smell, then there is a leak.

17) On the fuel tank cap there is a small hole called a breather hole. Make sure that hole is open always. If choked, it can be made open by poking with a needle.

18) Ensure that there is split pin always on the front and rear axle bolts.

19) Keep both brakes properly spaced. Keeping them too tight (too urgent), or too loose (too late) is dangerous. Each person has a distinct style of braking. Ensure that brakes are tightened as per YOUR personal style and requirement.

20) Always ensure that your tax is paid and Insurance cover (Insurance policy) is within validity period. Keep Tax Receipt and Insurance policy at home and keep xerox copy in bike.
 
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Re: The One and The Only – Dilip Bam

DTSi and each plug is triple spark,
Could any one explain the theory behind .? do we have any other triple spark plugs in automobiles used till date?
With all due respect to his expertise and knowlledge, he seems to be slightly mistaken here. The NS (= Naked Sports) has three spark plugs and not two sparl plugs withthree electrodes each. here is an excerpt from the Overdrive website that confirms this:

The Pulsar engine has a pent roof combustion chamber which allows Bajaj to plug in three spark plugs, four valves and a single camshaft into the engine. The centre plug is the primary, mounted in an inclined manner but entering the chamber at the top-centre. The other two are mounted below, diametrically opposite each other, with one of them vertically underneath the master. The slaves fire a bit after the master and the ECU varies the timing of the master and the slaves depending on the load, throttle opening and engine revs as usual.

Source: New Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS first ride - Overdrive

I can not say with absolute certainty that no other vehicle/engine uses/has ever used three spark plugs; but I have till date never heard of any vehicle that uses/has used three spark plugs for each one of it's cylinder.
 
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I remember Dilip Bam very well. In the days of the Indian Auto Journal and Car & Bike International, the only names we heard were Hormazd Sorabjee, Adil Jal Darukhanawala, Neville Jal Darukhanawala and Dilip Bam. BTW what happened to Neville?
 
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Quoting him from hi s review of the KTM Duke 200:[lol]

"What happened to the bloody dipstick? Weight saving? I say BULLSHIT. Weight saving MY FOOT! Plastic dipstick weighs hardly 15 grams! Or maybe KTM is trying to reduce owner/driver weight by making him do gymnastics to check the engine oil level"
 
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Re: The One and The Only – Dilip Bam

Quoting him from hi s review of the KTM Duke 200:[lol]

"What happened to the bloody dipstick? Weight saving? I say BULLSHIT. Weight saving MY FOOT! Plastic dipstick weighs hardly 15 grams! Or maybe KTM is trying to reduce owner/driver weight by making him do gymnastics to check the engine oil level"
Well I too thought the same, But then there is a Glass window on the crank case cover to look at the Oil level. But trouble is that the bike only has a side stand and you need someone to hold it steady to get the level check done.
 
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That's what he means when he says "making the owner do gymnastics". Due to the lack of dipstick and placement of the inspection window, one has to bend down like a contortionist too check the oil level.

Just see how humorously he puts it !
 
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More nuggets:

"I personally despise cusped seats because I don't like dictators who dictate where I should park my ass! Hell, its my ass, and since I am the driver, I demand the right to park MY ass wherever I feel like, not where the seat maker dictates me to."


"Most batteries die early because they are fitted where they are not visible and hence owners forget to service them. In this scooter the battery will be seen by the owner every time he or she fills petrol, and thus will be reminded about servicing it. For this single reason, the battery of this scooter will last the longest."


"Modifications are of two types: Performance and/or Looks, with looks modifications being much more prevalent, because even with enhanced performance there is no guarantee you will win the race, for if that were so, you would not be reading this article. You'd be out there on the GP circuit doing what Valentino is doing."


"Front fork leaks? Aah! Don't ask stupid questions. Like I said, perfection is just a theory."


"The kind of research that the Japanese do,is, by Indian standards, almost like going to the moon to find out whether the moon is really made of cheese!"


"A lot of youngsters remove RVMs for reasons of style and sleekness which is dangerous, for RVMs are in effect LIFE SAVERS. What is the use of being sleek and stylish if you don't live long enough to flaunt your style?"


"Mono shock really makes technical sense, because un-even-ness is impossible in this design. It is a fact that in our body, our two legs are not absolutely identical, neither are our two hands or eyes or ears. We might be born with identical pairs, but as we grow our limbs and components become non-identical due to unequal work we put them to. Same with twin shock absorbers. As we ride any bike, our personal biases and external conditions cause them to wear un-evenly. And over time we get wobble, pulling to one side, instability, etc. But in case of a mono-shock, this is obviously impossible."


"If you want to know the quality of workmanship on any bike, just look at the shape, size, and contour of the welds and you'll know."


"Oil was leaking from the crank case of the bike. Investigations revealed that it was overfilled! We bled it to the specified level and the leak stopped. This looked like the case of over enthusiastic mechanic. Young fellow. Newly employed. New job. Can't blame him. Law of Nature. Naya Mullah zyaada namaaz padhta hai!" (A new muezzin tends to pray more)


"I have much knowledge but poor application."


"I read clearly written on the mirrors "OBJECTS IN THE MIRROR ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR." Very good warning. Reminded me of my visit to a male urinal at the University of Singapore. When you stand in front of the bowl to do your job, right in front of you on the wall at eye level is a signboard in BOLD letters which says, "Stand closer, its shorter than you think."


"I prefer a solid, throaty beat from the exhaust, like Bullet. What's the point of being present if no one notices your presence?"
 
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Here's a hilarious 'armchair' review of the TVS Phoenix by the maestro:

For the past dozen years and more, when TVS had a slew of 4-stroke 125 cc bikes rolling across the cunt ree, to the last two most recent launches: Kluch-less Jive which didn’t jive, and the WeGo skootre which Goes gr8, every TVS bike came to me for test, but not the Phoenix.

The name Phoenix, as you might have read elsewhere – or googled it – comes from the name of a mythical bird that died and was burned to ash, but somehow reformed itself again into bird and came back to life. The catch-line being: The Phoenix has arisen from the ashes! Tragically for me, the Phoenix is still in the ashes. Maybe I am a phoney and for me the Phoenix has NOT arisen. It is still dead. What am I to do? Die Another Day? Or take a SKYFALL? Either way, James Bond always wins. So Lemme try the 007 way. It is a question of balls, particularly eyeballs! Narrow corporate perceptions! So be it!

I did talk to my old friend in TVS who deals with these things. He gave me some corp0 crapp0 which sounded like Bipasha Basu’s sexy dance “nahi-doongi-nahi-doongi” in Jodi-Breakers. I got the gist. For me, The Phoenix was not going to rise from the ashes. At least not in a hurry!

So what is the Phoenix all about? And why the name Phoenix?

Why not MatriX? 0r AsteriX? 0r CacophoniX? 0r 0beliX? 0r DogmatiX?

Bkoz it iz 125 cc!

The immediate predecessor of TVS Phoenix in the 125 cc class was TVS FLAME, lonch’d in May 2008=4.6 years ago. I have it with me. It is probably the 3valve-single plug model called Flame SR125, though SR125 is not written anywhere in the 0wners Manual I got with the bike, nor on the bike itself. It had some innovative features like a small lockable dicky built into the fuel tank right under your nose. Side panels on the fuel tank jutting out front, like has become the norm these days in bikes like CBF Stunner and TVS’s own RTRs. The Flame SR125 has 18-inch rear tyre and choice between 17” or 18” for front. Devil horns type rear grab rail. Technically also there were innovations: Three valves: two inlet and one exhaust. Pretty good Low End Torque. The SR125 morphed into DS125 – the DS standing for Dual Spark. Everything in the engine: power, rpm, torque, bore, stroke of the DS125 remained same as SR125.

Somehow the FLAME didn’t spread much, never set fire to the sales charts. Yet there was fire elsewhere: In the courts of all places! Sometime after my test report of the 3-valve, single plug Flame, TVS lonch’d the twin-plug DS125 version. It seems Bajaj sued TVS for using Bajaj’s claimed patented DTSi technology. Technical kheencha – taani happened. Legal kheencha – taani also happened. They said Bajaj has two valves, while TVS has three, so it is different, and therefore patent law does not apply. Anyway it seems the case is now resolved or gone into cold storage. It doesn’t seem to be an issue anymore.

While the earliest (@ 10 years ago) 125 cc models from TVS like Victor125 and Edge125 had fairly successful runs, yet the Flame125 burned out and the name lay in ashes. So now with the PHOENiX TVS hopes this Phoenix125 offering will RiSE FROM THE ASHES OF THE FLAME.

So what is the Phoenix like? I visited the TVS official website and looked for the Phoenix125 page. There is no data there at 16:43 pm on Sunday 18.Nov.2012 – no official specifications, only riding impressions of staffers from three hard copy magazines, who rode the bike on the TVS track in Hosur.

So to get data I went to the TVS dealer showroom and picked up the snazzy fold-out brochure of the Phoenix125. There are exactly one dozen media hypes in the foldout as given below:

1>Dual tone graphics: As if viewers are color blind and cannot see the two tones!

2>RotO Petal disc brakes: Rot0? 0h really? As if it could be rect0 or squar0!

3>Pilot Lamps: Big deal! Bullet has had it since before I was born 66 years ago!

4>Petal tail lamp: Any shape would be equally effective, but say petal and hype it!

5>ECOthrust Engine: Is the thrust on ECOnomy or ECOlogy. Shooting two arrows? HYPE!

6>Compound padded seat: I found it simple, not compound.

7>Air cavity footpegs: All cavities have air, inklooding our asshole. What did you expect? Gold?

8>Series spring suspension: Bajaj had them pari-passu, so TVS has them in tandem. Avoid court.

9>Fully digital speed0: 0h No! Analog is the new NEW. Digital is passe’!

10>Soft touch switchgear: Hard Lee matters said Bruce Lee!

11>Soft textured grips: Aha! I got you tight now!

12>Hazard lights: something to announce your presence in the tunnels!

Having crawled thru the media hype, let us see what is REALLY on offer.

Firstly, the engine dimensions, that is Bore X Stroke is totally different from Flame. While Flame bore X stroke was 54.5 X 53.5 mm giving a swept volume of 124.80623 cc, the bore X stroke of Phoenix is 57 X 48.8 mm, giving a swept volume of 124.52571 cc, which is a difference of 0.2%, that is one-fifth of one percent or a difference of 0ne in 500, which is very very less, and statistically insignificant.

What is significant for Low End Torque (LET) however, is the stroke/bore ratio. In the Flame, stroke/bore ratio 53.5/54.5==0.98, which is less than 1. LONG STROKE gives BETTER Low End Torque, but this kicks in if the stroke/bore ratio is greater than 1, which in this case (Flame) is 0.98, which is less than 1. In the Phoenix, the stroke/bore ratio is 48.8/57==0.86, which is much lesser than Flame. Therefore as per Archimedes Law, which is “Mechanical Advantage X Velocity Ratio==1” (always), the Phoenix should not have good LET.

An engine in which stroke is less than bore is called short stroke engine. Such short stroke engines need higher rpm to deliver peak power. While the old Flame delivered peak power of 7.7 kw at 7500 rpm, the Phoenix delivers peak power of 8.1 kw==11 PS at 8000 rpm. Funny thing is, while both: the website as well as the 4.6 year old hard copy 0wners Manual of Flame, mention power as 7.7 kw, the 4.6 year old hard copy manual says 7.7 kw is 10.3 bhp, while the today (18.Nov.12) website mentions 7.7 kw as 10.5 bhp. This cannot be. So I did some analysis, and found that what the 4.6 year old hard copy manual mentions is correct, while the today website is wrong, not in the figure 10.5 (actually it is 10.47 rounded off to 10.5), but in the units. The units in the website need to be changed from bhp to PS. Point to note is that 0.73536kw=1.0 PS as per German DIN system, and 0.74556kw=1.0 bhp as per British FPS system.

Readers may kindly note that bhp is the British (FPS) system which today is used ONLY in USA. Even the British have stopped using their own FPS system and converted to the German DIN system. Even India adopted the DIN system on 1.April.1957, and today it is iLLEGAL to use FPS units.

As per the 4.6 year old hard copy manual, old Flame produced 10 Nm of Torque at 6250 rpm, while as per the website the same bike produces same 10 Nm of torque at 6000 rpm. Since website data must be more recent than 4.6 years, and since it can be updated (hard copy cannot be) I take website as more correct. As per hard copy brochure the Phoenix produces 10.8 Nm of Torque at 6000 rpm (there is no official TVS data on the website – only reports by 0tt0mags – Ha!).

Operating at a Compression Ratio (CR) of 9.4 and producing peak power at 8000 rpm, gives it an ELF=Engine Life Factor of 1.33, which is lower than Karizma (1.6) and Bullet (2.24), but is OK and similar to other current bikes.

Knowing the conservative philosophy of TVS, delivering the claimed 67 kmpL mileage would be TVS’s prime focus, and the gear ratios & sprocket ratios, the Phoenix should make for a zero-to-sixty of @ 6+ seconds and a top speed of close to 90, though a three dimensional ROAD TEST could vary the above figures slightly.

Transmission is 4-speed. Suspension is telescopic front forks and twin hydraulic shox rear. There is an innovation here: In the rear shox there are TWO different separate springs, probably with different ratings, arranged in tandem. TVS likes to call it series, which is “ek-ke-baad-ek” or “ek-se-pehle-ek, both mean the same thing, which is in tandem. If they were ek ke andar ek, like in Bajaj, they would be pari-passu, and if they were pari-passu, there might again be court-giri again. Avoid courtships.

Bajaj was the first to introduce two different springs (of different ratings) in rear shox on Bajaj bikes sometime ago. Bajaj named it ‘SnS’ – for Spring-in-Spring, and they were (and are) inside each other Pari-Passu, not in tandem like in Phoenix. The effect is 97.6% same, be it tandem or pari-passu.

Stopping power is by either both front and rear 130 mm drum brakes, or 240 mm disc front and 130 mm disc rear==the price difference is 2K. 17-inch tyres both front and rear are pretty nominal: 2.75” width front and 90/90 width rear. I see no logic here: 2.75 and 90/90 are almost identical: same cost, same performance. But TVS makes its own tyres. Different figures (2.75 & 90/90) impress the kids. Good for media hype.

Fuel tank is of 12 Liters inklooding 2 liters of reserve. Battery is 12V5Ah which is adequate. Headlight is 35 watt which is standard.

Built on a wheelbase of 1265 mm with a claimed ground kleerance of 165 mm, this bike stays with the general geometry of this class of bikes.

So, will the Phoenix turn the fortunes of TVS? It depends on what TVS does to promote it. 125 is NOT the performance segment. 125 is also NOT the economy (100 cc) segment. 125 is the in-between segment. It is the aspirational segment. It is people saying “Mai-hu-na”!

While this is an ArmchaiROAD TEST of the Phoenix, the best write-up and THE BEST photos of this bike are given by **** at http://www.****.com/talkies/first-impressions/24179-tvs-phoenix-125-evolved-commuter.html The bike isn’t even here – I mean NOT ARRiVED in Pune yet, how can I photo it? But Sunny Gajjar has. Gr8 photos!

The FLAME did not set fire to the sales charts of TVS. What will the Phoenix do? Will it rise from the Ashes? It might, depending upon HOW TVS promotes it and how much it lives up to the 67 kmpL claim.

Let us wait and watch.
 
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Very few magazines during those days. Indian Auto, Auto India, and Car & Bike International. Those were relaxed, lazy times. I still have copies of old Auto India issues and shall try to scan them and upload Dilip Bam's road tests.
 

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