KINETIC ENGINEERING LTD.

"THINK KINETIC. THINK PIONEERISM"

KINETIC ENGINEERING WAS THE FIRST COMPANY IN INDIA TO BRING THE

CONCEPT OF PERSONALIZED TRANSPORT BY LAUNCHING 'LUNA' MOPED IN
1974. THE CREDIT OF MAKING GEARLESS SCOOTER FIRST TIME IN THE
COUNTRY ALSO GOES TO THE COMPANY. KINETIC COMET AND KINETIC AQUILA
ARE THE TOP-END WORLD CLASS BIKES OF THE COMPANY TO THE INDIAN
MARKET.

QUICK FACTS

FOUNDER LATE SHRI. H.K. FIRODIA

YEAR OF ESTABLISHMENT1974
INDUSTRY TWO-WHEELERS
BUSINESS GROUP KINETIC GROUP
LISTINGS & ITS CODES NSE
KINETIC ENGINEERING LTD: KINETICENG
KINETIC MOTOR COMPANY LIMITED: KINETICMOT
KINETIC MOTOR COMPANY LTD.: KINHONDA
BSE
KINETIC ENGINEERING LTD.: 500240
KINETIC MOTOR COMPANY LTD.: 505190
KINETIC TRUST LTD.: 531274
CONTACT DETAILS D-1 BLOCK, PLOT NO. 18/2, MIDC
CHINCHWAD, PUNE 411 019
TEL.: +(91)-(20)-27474301TO 5
FAX: +(91)-(20)-27475842 TO 3
E-MAIL: JANE@KINETICINDIA.COM
WEBSITE WWW.KINETIC2WHEELERS.COM

PRODUCTS BRANDS
MOTORCYCLES PREMIUM MOTORCYCLES
• COMET • AQUILA
SPORTY MOTORCYCLES
• GF LASER • GF 170 CITY
COMMUTER MOTORCYCLES
• STRYKER • BOSS 115
• GF 125 • BOSS EX
• VELOCITY

SCOOTERS FAMILY SCOOTERS

• BLAZE • ZOOM
• 4S • NOVA EX
• NOVA 135 • NOVA
• KINETIC SYM FLYTE
SCOOTERETTES
• KINE • ZING 80

UTILITY VEHICLES LOADCARRYING VEHICLES

• V2 • KING
ECONOMICAL AND FUN
• LUNA

COMPANY PROFILE
MEET SULAJJA FIRODIA MOTWANI, JOINT MANAGING DIRECTOR, KINETIC ENGINEERING,
AND DIRECTOR, KINETIC MOTORS , WHO DOES A NEAT FAST VOLLEY AT Q&A SESSIONS,
JUST LIKE SHE USED TO ON THE MAHARASHTRA STATE BADMINTON CIRCUIT DURING
HER YOUNGER DAYS. ''SPORTS TAUGHT ME TO TREAT BOTH SUCCESS AND DEFEAT WITH
EQUAL IMPORTANCE,'' SAYS THIS MARKETING AND FINANCE MBA.
THE NIMBLE-FOOTED MOTWANI, 32, APPLIES WHAT SHE HAS LEARNT ON THE
BADMINTON COURTS IN SPEARHEADING THE GROUP. THE TWO-WHEELER BUSINESS OF
THE KINETIC GROUP IS DIVIDED BETWEEN KINETIC MOTOR COMPANY
(MANUFACTURING AND SELLING SCOOTERS AND SCOOTERETTES) AND KINETIC
ENGINEERING COMPANY (MAKING MOTORCYCLES AND MOPEDS). KNOWN PRIMARILY
AS A TWO-PRODUCT GROUP - LUNA, THE MOPED, AND KINETIC, THE UNGEARED
SCOOTER - THE PAST FIVE YEARS HAS SEEN DRASTIC CHANGES FOR IT.
AND MOTWANI WAS AT THE THICK OF IT ALL EVER SINCE SHE JOINED THE BUSINESS IN
1996. BORN INTO A BUSINESS FAMILY - GRANDFATHER H K FIRODIA STARTED KINETIC
ENGINEERING AND FATHER ARUN FIRODIA FOUNDED THE KINETIC GROUP - MOTWANI IS
THE SECOND OF ARUN'S FOUR OFFSPRING. ELDER SISTER KIMAYA IS SETTLED IN THE US,
WHILE YOUNGER SISTER VISMAYA, AN ENGINEERING GRADUATE, LOOKS AFTER THE
GROUP'S EXPORTS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS. BROTHER AJINKYA IS WORKING IN THE US.
ARMED WITH A MANAGEMENT DEGREE FROM
CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY, PITTSBURG,
MOTWANI JOINED BARRA INTERNATIONAL,
CALIFORNIA, AN INVESTMENT CONSULTANCY FIRM.
FOUR YEARS WITH BARRA GAVE HER AN EXPOSURE TO
FINANCE. THIS WAS ALSO THE TIME SHE MET AND
MARRIED MANISH MOTWANI, WHO WAS WITH SUN
MICROSYSTEMS. THE TWO, THOUGH ALIKE, ARE
DIFFERENT TOO. ''HE IS CALM AND BALANCED, WHILE I AM HYPERACTIVE. FURTHER, I
LIKE TO SOCIALISE WHILE HE IS A RESERVED HOMEBIRD. BUT WE'RE BOTH FAMILY-
ORIENTED AND ENJOY SIMILAR THINGS.''
ON RETURNING TO INDIA, MOTWANI JOINED HER FATHER'S BUSINESS WHILE MANISH
STARTED HIS OWN COMPUTER MONITOR MANUFACTURING UNIT. A YEAR LATER SHE
TOOK CHARGE AS JOINT MANAGING DIRECTOR OF KINETIC MOTORS. BESIDES THE
SEVERE COMPETITION, THE DECISION OF HONDA MOTOR COMPANY, THE JOINT
VENTURE PARTNER FOR KINETIC HONDA MOTORS ROLLING OUT THE POPULAR KINETIC
HONDA SCOOTERS, TO GO IT ALONE WAS A JOLT.
BUT THE DIVORCE WAS AMICABLY ACHIEVED IN 1998 AND THE COMPANY WAS
RENAMED KINETIC MOTORS. MANY FELT THE GROUP WAS AT CROSSROADS WITH JUST
TWO VEHICLES IN ITS PORTFOLIO - AN UNGEARED SCOOTER AND A MOPED. THE
COMPANY'S PREMIUM SCOOTER, THE MARVEL, WAS NOT A GREAT SUCCESS. THE GROUP
THEN DECIDED TO TRANSFORM INTO A FULL RANGE TWO-WHEELER MANUFACTURER,
LAUNCHING NEW MODELS AT ALL PRODUCT SEGMENTS (MOTORCYCLES, SCOOTERS,
SCOOTERETTES AND MOPEDS) AND AT EVERY PRICE POINT.
ALL THE NEW PRODUCTS HAD TO ADHERE TO THE CARDINAL RULE OF AGGRESSIVE
PRICING, LOW OWNERSHIP COST AND MAINTENANCE, GIVING OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE.
THE GROUP ALSO RESTRUCTURED ITS FINANCE BUSINESS BY MERGING THREE
COMPANIES INTO ONE AND FLOATED KINETIC MARKETING AND SERVICES TO CARRY
OUT DOOR-TO-DOOR MARKETING OF TWO-WHEELERS. ''MY FATHER GAVE ME THE
FREEDOM AND I AM NOT AFRAID OF TAKING DECISIONS,'' SHE SAYS.
BUT DECISIONS ARE TAKEN AFTER INTENSE CONSULTATIONS WITH EXECUTIVES. ''MY
STYLE OF WORK IS MORE PARTICIPATIVE AND CONSULTATIVE. I BELIEVE IN LISTENING,
AS IT IS A SOURCE OF LEARNING.'' VOUCHES N SHANKAR, DEPUTY REGIONAL MANAGER,
TAMIL NADU: ''SHE EFFICIENTLY DELEGATES RESPONSIBILITY AND IS RECEPTIVE TO
IDEAS.'' IN ACCORDANCE WITH A SUGGESTION, MOTWANI AGREED TO DESIGN AND SELL
THE V2 XL, A MOPED EXCLUSIVELY DESIGNED FOR THE TAMIL NADU MARKET.
WHEN THE KINETIC GROUP DECIDED TO FOCUS ON FOUR-
STROKE TECHNOLOGY FOR ITS BIKES, THE TECHNICAL
TIE-UP WITH THE TAIWANESE COMPANY UEN HELPED.
THE ENTRY INTO THE MOTORCYCLES SEGMENT WITH
THE K4, A STEP-THROUGH BIKE, WAS SOON FOLLOWED
UP WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE CHALLENGER AND THE GF
RANGE OF BIKES. FOR THE LATTER, THE KINETIC GROUP
HAS A TECHNICAL TIE-UP WITH HYOSUNG MOTORS,
KOREA. THE LATEST LAUNCHES ARE A FOUR-STROKE
ENTRY-LEVEL MOTORCYCLE (BOSS), A FOUR-STROKE SCOOTER (NOVA) AND A 65CC
SCOOTERETTE (ZING).
AND MOTWANI HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR IT ALL, RAISING THE GROUP TO RS 1,200
CRORE AND TRANSFORMING IT INTO A COMPOSITE TWO-WHEELER MANUFACTURER
WITH PRODUCTS FOR DIFFERENT PRICE POINTS. ON THE IMMEDIATE ANVIL ARE A 150CC
GF, A 110CC CHALLENGER UPGRADE AND ANOTHER BIKE IN THE SAME CATEGORY. IN
THE NEXT FISCAL, TWO MORE MODELS IN THE SUB 200CC WILL BE ROLLED OUT.
MOTWANI SAYS INDIA IS THE SECOND LARGEST TWO-WHEELER MARKET IN THE WORLD
AND IS ALL SET TO OVERTAKE CHINA, THE NUMBER ONE.
''THAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE COST OF OWNING A TWO-WHEELER COMES DOWN AND
THE ROAD CONDITIONS IMPROVE.'' THE GROUP INTENDS TO BRING DOWN COSTS BY A
WHOPPING 22 PER CENT OVER A THREE-YEAR PERIOD. HOWEVER, IN THE FIRST YEAR, IT
WILL BE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 8 TO 10 PER CENT. THIS WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH
DESIGN MODIFICATION AND LOCATING COMPETITIVE SUPPLY SOURCE AND
LOCALISATION IN RESPECT OF GF BIKES.
WITHIN THE TWO-WHEELER SEGMENT, MOTWANI PREDICTS THAT MOTORCYCLES WILL
RULE THE MARKET, WHILE UNGEARED SCOOTERS WILL SHOW A HIGHER GROWTH RATE
THAN GEARED ONES. ''WHILE THE UNGEARED SCOOTERS WILL BE IN DEMAND IN URBAN
AREAS, THE RURAL AND YOUTH SEGMENTS WILL PREFER BIKES.'' FOR THE GROUP, SHE
PREDICTS THAT BIKES WILL CONTRIBUTE 40-50 PER CENT SALES FOLLOWED BY
SCOOTERS WITH 40 PER CENT AND THE BALANCE BY MOPEDS.
WITH MOPED SALES COMING DOWN, KINETIC ENGINEERING HAS CHANGED THE
PRODUCTION LINE IN A MAJOR WAY TO ROLL THE BOSS OUT OF ITS AHMEDNAGAR
PLANT. THE CHANGEOVER WILL DOUBLE THE BIKE PRODUCTION TO 1 LAKH BY THE
END OF THIS YEAR. SIMILARLY, THE PITHAMPUR PLANT OF KINETIC MOTORS ROLLING
OUT THE DX AND ZX KINETIC SCOOTER MODELS WAS RELAID TO MANUFACTURE THE
NOVA AND THE ZING. THOUGH BOTH THE COMPANIES LOGGED A LOWER TURNOVER
LAST FISCAL AND THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE CURRENT FISCAL, THE GROUP EXPECTS
TO REVERSE THE TREND.
''LAST YEAR, WE FOCUSED OUR EFFORTS IN PREPARING FOR THE CHANGEOVER. ALL THE
NEW MODELS ARE FOR VOLUME SEGMENTS. THIS YEAR WE WILL REAP THE BENEFITS.''
SHANKAR SAYS THE GROUP HAS SOLD 19,000 VEHICLES IN JULY 2002 AND IS CRUISING
SMOOTHLY TOWARDS A MONTHLY TARGET OF 26,000.
ON THE THREAT POSED BY FOREIGN COMPANIES SETTING UP
SHOPS ON THEIR OWN AFTER DIVORCING THEIR INDIAN JOINT
VENTURE PARTNERS, MOTWANI SAYS: ''THAT THREAT WAS
ALWAYS THERE. BUT WE HAVE BEEN IN THIS MARKET FOR A
LONG TIME AND INDIAN CONSUMERS ARE VALUE- AND NOT
BRAND-CONSCIOUS. WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED MEETING
THE THREATS.''
NOT ONLY IS SHE MEETING THE COMPETITION BUT HAS ALSO
UNDERTAKEN EXPORTS TO OTHER COUNTRIES. THE GROUP EXPORTS MOPEDS,
SCOOTERS AND GF BIKES TO THE US, CANADA AND AUSTRALIA, AND SEVERAL
EUROPEAN, ASIAN AND AFRICAN NATIONS. APART FROM COMPLETE VEHICLES, THE
GROUP ALSO EXPORTS ENGINES TO CHINA, EGYPT, KUWAIT AND ARGENTINA. THE
INCREASING EXPORTS TO LATIN AMERICAN MARKETS HAVE PROMPTED MOTWANI TO
CONTEMPLATE SETTING UP A PRODUCTION BASE THERE.
EVER SINCE MOTWANI DECIDED TO FOCUS ON PROPELLING THE KINETIC GROUP AHEAD
IN THE TWO-WHEELER INDUSTRY, SHE HAS BEEN LIVING OUT OF SUITCASES
TRAVELLING FOR NEARLY 20 DAYS IN A MONTH. ''I BELIEVE IN FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE
AND HAVE TRAVELLED TO EVEN SMALL TOWNS IN SOUTH,'' SHE SAYS. ''BUT MY TRAVEL
HAS REDUCED NOW, DUE TO MY TWO-YEAR-OLD SON SIDHANT.''
WHEN NOT LAUNCHING NEW BIKES, MOTWANI LIKES TO PLAY GOLF, SKI, READ NON-
FICTION AND WATCH MOVIES. ''IN THE US, I LEARNT SKY-DIVING, SCUBA-DIVING AND
MOUNTAIN-BIKING.'' HER FAVOURITE AUTHORS ARE NOBEL LAUREATE TONI MORRISON
AND INDIAN DIPLOMAT-WRITER SHASHI THAROOR, WHILE HARRISON FORD AND
AMITABH BACHCHAN ARE HER FAVOURED ACTORS.
MOTWANI IS FLUENT IN MARATHI, RAJASTHANI, HINDI, ENGLISH, FRENCH AND CAN
EVEN ''MANAGE A SMATTERING OF SINDHI.'' GRATEFUL THAT ALL HER DREAMS HAVE
COME TRUE, MOTWANI WANTS TO BE REMEMBERED AS ''A SUCCESSFUL AND DOWN-TO-
EARTH PERSON.''

COMPANY FLASHBACK

KINETIC GROUP, AS A WHOLE, SOLD MORE THAN 6 MILLION VEHICLES IN INDIA.

THE COMPANY HAS A HISTORY OF INNOVATION AND PIONEERING AND HAS
INTRODUCED SEVERAL CONCEPTS THAT HAVE REVOLUTIONIZED THE TWO
WHEELER INDUSTRY. IT BROUGHT THE CONCEPT OF PERSONALIZED
TRANSPORT IN THE COUNTRY WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE MOPED 'LUNA' IN
1974.

KINETIC, IN 1984, BROUGHT TO THE MARKET THE FIRST-EVER GEARLESS

SCOOTER WHICH HAS COME TO SYMBOLIZE COMFORT, CONVENIENCE AND
UNIVERSAL APPEAL. THE CREDIT OF TECHNOLOGIES LIKE FOUR VALVE
ENGINES, ELECTRIC START ON SCOOTERS AND MOTORCYCLES, V- TWIN
ENGINES, USD FORKS ETC. GOES TO THIS COMPANY. KINETIC IS THE ONLY
COMPANY IN INDIA TO OFFER TOP-END WORLD CLASS BIKES COMET AND
AQUILA TO THE BIKE MARKET.

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF KINETIC:

• PRESENTLY, KINETIC VEHICLES ARE SOLD IN MORE THAN 40 COUNTRIES
INCLUDING NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, AUSTRALIA, CENTRAL AMERICA,
SOUTH AMERICA, AFRICA,MIDDLE EAST AND ASIA.
• MORE THAN 150, 000 VEHICLES ARE EXPORTED. 25,000 VEHICLES
EXPORTED TO USA.
• KINETIC IS THE WINNER OF 14 EXPORTS EXELLENCE AWARDS ON STATE
AND NATIONAL LEVEL INCLUDING THE PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL TROPHY
FOR TOP EXPORT PERFORMANCE.
HAVE ASSEMBLY LINES IN MANY COUNTRIES IN AFRICA, ASIA AND LATIN
AMERICA

CUSTOMIZED PRODUCTS OF KINETIC

KINETIC, IN ADDITION TO TWO-WHEELER RANGE, DEVELOPS CUSTOMIZED
PRODUCTS FOR CERTAIN COUNTRIES. SOME OF THE CUSTOMIZED PRODUCTS
ARE MENTIONED BELOW:
• ELECTRIC SCOOTER
• GO KART
• CHILDREN'S BIKES
• MODIFIED SCOOTERS FOR THE DISABLED
• DELIVERY VEHICLES
• POLICE VEHICLES
• EMERGENCY MEDICAL ASSISTANCE VEHICLES
KINETIC NOVA

THE NEW NOVA IS ACRYLO-BITRILE BUTADINE STYRENE I.E. ABS, A NEW AGE
ENGINEERING POLYMER BEING USED GLOBALLY BY MAJOR AUTOMOTIVE
GIANTS. IT HAS NUMEROUS ADVANTAGES OVER THE METAL, SUCH AS IT IS
RUST FREE, DOES NOT GET DENTED, IT IS LIGHTER AND REQUIRES LEAST
MAINTENANCE. IT STAYS COOL IN SUMMER.

COMPANY STROKE MAXIMUM POWER

KINETIC MOTOR 4-STROKE 7.2 BHP @ 7500 RPM

STRIKING FEATURES

• POWER: 115 CC ENGINE THAT GIVES 7.2 BHP POWERS - BE THE FIRST OFF
THE BLOCK!
• ENGINE REFINEMENT: REFINED FOUR STROKE ENGINE WITH LOW NOISE
AND HIGH REFINEMENT
• OUTSTANDING MILEAGE: 55 KMPL MILEAGE WITH SPECIAL MILEAGE
EXPERT
• UTILITY: LARGE UNDER SEAT STORAGE SPACE CAN ACCOMMODATE TWO
HELMETS, PLUS GLOVE BOX
• COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE: ELECTRIC START AND SMOOTH
GEARLESS TRANSMISSION
• STYLE: ELEGANT STYLING WITH HIGH GLOSS BODY WORK WHICH IS ANTI-
RUST AND ANTI-CORROSIVE, CONTOURED PANELS AND SPECIAL LIGHTING
ARRANGEMENT
• EASY MAINTENANCE: SINGLE SCREW ACCESS TO SPARK PLUG &
CARBURETTOR, 3 SCREW ACCESS TO COMPLETE ENGINE; 2 YEAR
WARRANTY
AWARDS

OVERDRIVE: SCOOTER OF THE YEAR 2003

BUSINESS STANDARD MOTORING: SCOOTER OF THE YEAR 2003
BUSINESS WORLD: DESIGN EXCELLENCE
OUTLOOK MONEY: BEST GEARLESS SCOOTER IN INDIA (AUGUST 15, 2003)

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

DIMENSIONS
OVERALL HEIGHT
1076 MM
OVERALL LENGTH
1819 MM
OVERALL WIDTH740 MM
WHEELBASE 1250 MM
DRY WEIGHT 103 KG
ENGINE
TYPE 4 STROKE AIR COOLED
CUBIC CAPACITY
113.5CC
MAX. POWER 7.2 BHP @ 7500 RPM
MAX. TORQUE 7.7 NM @ 5000 RPM
CHASSIS & SUSPENSION
CHASSIS TYPE TUBULAR UNDERBONE
TYRE FRONT 3.50" X 10" - 4 PR
TYRE REAR 3.50" X 10" - 4 PR
WHEEL RIMS NEW
SUSPENSION FRONT
LEADING LINK HYDRAULIC DAMPER
SUSPENSION REAR
UNIT SWING ARM / HYDRAULIC DAMPER
TRANSMISSION VARIOMATIC
BRAKES
FRONT BRAKES 110 MM DIA
REAR BRAKES 110 MM DIA
ELECTRICALS MAGNETO
BATTERY 12 V / 9.0 AH
HEAD LIGHT 12 V 25 / 35 W ( MFR )
TAIL LIGHT 5W
BRAKE LIGHT 21 W
TURN SIGNAL LIGHT
10 W
HORNS SINGLE

KINETIC NOVA 135 NEW MODEL

METALLIC BLUE AND GRAY, THE NEW KINETIC NOVA 135 LOOKS MUCH
BETTER THEN ITS PREVIOUS COUNTERPART. LOOKS DO MATTER WHEN WE
TALK OF SCOOTERS AND THE NEW KINETIC NOVA HAS ALL THAT IN
ABUNDANCE.

ONE OF THE GREAT FEATURES IN KINETIC NOVA 135 IS ITS ECONOMETER.

IT BEEPS WHEN SCOOTER CHANGES FROM POWER TO ECONOMY MODE. IT
COULD BE SWITCHED OUT COMPLETELY IF YOU FEEL IRRITATED WITH THE
BEEP SOUND. THE MILEAGE FOR THE SCOOTER IS ABOUT 40-45 KPL,
WHICH IS QUITE IMPRESSIVE FOR THE SIZE OF THE ENGINE IT USES.
OTHER GREAT FEATURE INCLUDES ITS GREAT BRAKES AND YOU DON'T
NEED TO SHIFT GEARS WHILE RIDING.

IF YOU ARE EYEING FOR A HASSLE AND TENSION FREE RIDE THEN THIS IS
THE MACHINE FOR YOU.

PRIME MOVERFIRST REPORT THE PETITE STRESS-FREE NOVA IS GETTING

ITS FIRST TASTE OF MUMBAI. THE METALLIC BLUE-AND-GRAY NOVA 135 IS
THE NEWEST ADDITION TO OUR FLEET. LOOKS DO MATTER ON SCOOTERS
— WHILE WE FEEL THE STYLING IS A BIT TOO CONTRIVED, THIS PAINT
SCHEME LOOKS MUCH BETTER THAN THE BROWN ONE WE HAD ON TEST A
FEW MONTHS AGO.
THE NEW KID WAS SITTING QUIET AND PRETTY WHEN WE DECIDED TO
FIND OUT WHAT IT WAS LIKE IN ACTUAL MUMBAI TRAFFIC. THE 135CC
MOTOR IS STRONG AND SMOOTH; PLUS, NOT HAVING TO SHIFT GEARS IN
TRAFFIC MAKES THIS THE ULTIMATE POINT-AND-SCOOT SCOOTER.
THE SUSPENSION SOAKS UP POTHOLES AND BAD ROADS WITHOUT
TRANSFERRING TOO MUCH TO THE RIDER’S BACKSIDE. THE SOLE
CONCERN IS THAT IT FEELS NERVOUS WHEN ASKED TO SHIFT DIRECTIONS
QUICKLY AND DOESN’T INSPIRE TOO MUCH CONFIDENCE WITH THE WAY IT
HANDLES IN TRAFFIC. THE BRAKES ARE GOOD, BUT COULD DO WITH
SLIGHTLY MORE BITE.
THE HUGE BOOT CAN EASILY ACCOMMODATE A FULL-SIZE HELMET AND
OTHER PARAPHERNALIA. KINETIC HAS PROVIDED AN ECONO-METER IN THE
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT TELLS YOU IF YOU ARE RIDING IN POWER OR
ECONOMY MODE DEPENDING ON THE THROTTLE POSITION, NOT UNLIKE
THE SYSTEMS ON MANY OF THE 100- AND 125CC MOTORCYCLES. THERE IS
A BEEPER THAT EMITS A BEEP WHEN YOU CROSS BETWEEN THE MODES,
BUT THANKFULLY IT CAN BE SHUT OFF VIA A SWITCH NEAR THE
ACCELERATOR. AND FOR THE ALL-IMPORTANT ‘HOW FAR IT WILL GO ON A
LITRE OF PETROL?’ QUESTION. WE GOT AN AVERAGE OF 40.31 KPL WHICH
IS NOT TOO BAD CONSIDERING THE SIZE OF THEENGINE AND THAT IT IS
STILL BEING RUN IN. SUFFICE IT TO SAY, THE NOVA 135 IS STRESS-FREE
AND PRACTICAL TO RIDE IN TOWN AND FOR THIS REASON, WE PROBABLY
WON’T SEE IT SITTING IDLE ANYMORE. L
OUSEPH CHACKO

LOG BOOK
DISTANCE COVERED 500KM
FUEL CONSUMPTION
TOTAL FUEL CONSUMED 12.4 LITRES
AVERAGE FUEL
CONSUMPTION 40.31 KPL
NO. OF FILLINGS (BRIMMED) 2
WORST 37.6KPL
BEST 42.3KPL
TOTAL MAINTENANCE COST NIL
RUNNING COSTS RS 1.09 PER KM
FAULTS NONE
LIKES BIG BOOT, SMOOTH POWERFUL ENGINE, GEAR-LESS HASSLE-FREE
MOTORING.
DISLIKES CONTRIVED STYLING, NERVOUS HANDLING

KINETIC ENGINEERING CLAIMS A TOP SPEED FIGURE OF 73KMPH WHICH

WE FEEL IS WELL IN HER REALM OF CAPABILITIES. AND WHILE WE ARE ON
AN OPTIMISTIC NOTE, HOW ABOUT THE SPEEDO THAT WENT WAY OVER
90KMPH EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO PERCEPTIBLE INCREASE IN SPEED
ONCE IT HAD CROSSED THE 70KMPH MARK? HOWEVER ACCELERATION IS
SLIGHTLY OFF THE PACE AND WE ESTIMATE A 0 TO 60KMPH TIME IN THE
REGION OF 17 SECONDS. KINETIC CLAIMS A MILEAGE FIGURE OF 60KMPL
WHICH WE FEEL IS A TAD OPTIMISTIC. AIM FOR A BEST FIGURE OF 54KMPL
AND WORST FIGURE OF 45KMPL AND YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY.

A DEFINITE VERDICT ON HER PERFORMANCE WILL BE POSSIBLE ONLY

WHEN THE SCOOTER HAS BEEN PUT THROUGH THE RIGOURS OF A FULL
BLOWN ROAD TEST, WHICH SHOULD BE IN YOUR HANDS SAME TIME NEXT
MONTH.

WHILE STRAIGHT LINE POKE AND TOP END IS WELL IN THE BALL PARK,
AND AT LEAST ON PAPER THE SCOOTER HAS CLASS LEADING POWER AND
TORQUE FIGURES, WHEN CONFRONTED WITH INCLINES, THE NOVA
STUMBLES. WITH SNAPPER SURESH WARMING THE REAR, THE NOVA
MOANED, GROANED AND GENERALLY STRUGGLED UP EVEN MODERATE
INCLINES. THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED ONCE THE SPECIFICATIONS ARE
FINALISED AND A FINAL PRODUCTION VARIANT IS READY.

HOWEVER AS WE STRUGGLED UP THAT INCLINE ONE THING THAT STRUCK

ME WAS THE AMAZING CONTROL OF VIBRATIONS. THE ENGINE HAS BEEN
ISOLATED SUPERBLY AND I AM NOT KIDDING WHEN I SAY THAT I FELT NO
VIBRATIONS WHATSOEVER, NEITHER THROUGH THE FOOTBOARD NOR
HANDLEBARS OR SEAT. THIS IS MOST UN-KINETIC LIKE SINCE ALL THEIR
OTHER TWO-WHEELERS TOP THE VIBRATOR CHARTS. SEEMS LIKE OUR
CRITICISMS HAVEN'T BEEN FALLING ON DEAF EARS, AFTER ALL. THE
OTHER TWO ALPHABETS THAT MAKE UP THE NVH TRIO HAVE ALSO BEEN
WELL TAKEN CARE OF AND ARE AT THE TOP OF THE GAME.

THE RIDE WITH SURESH ALSO DEMONSTRATED THAT THE NOVA HAS BEEN
DESIGNED TO BE PILLION FRIENDLY. APART FROM THE OBVIOUS DROP
IN PERFORMANCE, I HAD NO PROBLEMS CARTING SURESH AROUND
IN QUEST OF HIS ELUSIVE AND LEGENDARY "DEADLY SHOTS"
(PRONOUNCED DUU-DL-Y WITH A TONNE OF DEEP BASS. GO ON NOW SAY
IT...).

THE SCOOTER IS EXTREMELY MANOEUVRABLE AND EASY TO HANDLE, OH

SO VERY IMPORTANT CRITERIA WHILE TACKLING MADDENING RUSH HOUR
TRAFFIC. CHASSISRIGIDITY AIN'T A PROBLEM AND CORNERS CAN BE
TAKEN AT A FAIR CLIP WITH EASE. RIDE QUALITY IS ALSO OF A HIGH
ORDER EMPLOYING A SUSPENSION SETUP SIMILAR TO THE KINETIC ZOOM
AND MARVEL SCOOTERS, VIZ LEADING LINK AT THE FRONT AND A UNIT
SWINGARM WITH HYDRAULIC DAMPERS AT THE REAR. THE SEAT-
HANDLEBAR-FOOTREST POSITIONING IS ALSO WELL THOUGHT OUT AND A
BOON FOR BACK AND SHOULDER MUSCLES.

SCOOTERS LIKE THE NOVA ARE DESIGNED PRIMARILY AS URBAN ASSAULT

WEAPONS, A CHARGE TO THE MARKET, AN ASSAULT ON THE THEATRE, A
RAID ON THE COLLEGE AND MYRIAD MILITARY CONNOTATIONS YOU CAN
THINK OF. THE NOVA BOASTS A WELL STOCKED AND IDEALLY PACKAGED
ARSENAL CAPABLE OF ALL THAT IS DEMANDED OF SUCH A SCOOTER AND
THEN SOME MORE. HER REFINEMENT LEVELS ARE TRULY TOP CLASS AND
QUALITY LEVELS ARE UP THERE WITH THE BEST. IF THESE HIGH
STANDARDS ARE MAINTAINED AND BETTERED ON THE PRODUCTION
MODEL, KINETIC SURELY WILL HAVE A WINNER ON THEIR HANDS WHICH
IS BOUND TO SEND SHUDDERS DOWN SPINES OF THE CURRENT PLAYERS.
BEATING THE REIGNING KING OF THIS SEGMENT WILL TAKE SOME SPECIAL
DOING THOUGH
ULTIMATELY IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO PRICING AND WILL DETERMINE
WHETHER THE NOVA WILL CLICK OR NOT. OF LATE MY SISTER HAS BEEN
CHEWING MY BRAIN FOR A CHANGE OF SCOOTER FROM HER PRESENT
URBAN RUNABOUT. NOW IF KINETIC PRICES THE NOVA RIGHT AND ALSO
ELIMINATES THE PERFORMANCE BOTHERS, MAYBE MY SISTER WILL HAVE A
SHINY STAR ILLUMINATING THE GARAGE THIS TIME NEXT MONTH