Rearset's Annual Motorcycle Awards: List Two

Still here, so what of the year
Hero Honda CD-Deluxe

Despite the brand new engine, it changed absolutely nothing. That has to be an achievement. Imagine if the US launched a Space Shuttle, which returned after years in orbit and billions of spent dollars. The first words the astronaut says, 'Well, the shuttle runs quieter than before. And... yeah, that's it.'

Too late of the year
TVS Flame

The Flame is the motorcycle that the GLX upgrade (cosmetic upgrade 2007) should have been. Then, by now, the court case would have been closer to a solution. And TVS's sales wouldn't have been at half-mast. I mean flagging.

Famous no show of the year
Bajaj Sonic

So much for Collection 2006, the theme of Bajaj's 2006 Auto Expo Stall. The Sonic, which still gets an enormous amount of web traffic at this blog is still firmly under wraps. Don't tell me they'll unveil the upgraded Sonic at the Auto Expo...

Rehash of the year
Suzuki Zeus CD

'Hey, the Zeus isn't selling, wonder why?'
'Let's do a customer poll.'

'What do you mean they miss the electric starter, alloy wheels and stuff that the competition we have. Can't they see the build quality'

'Oh all right, have it your way. Call so-and-so-san and ask him to send you the production specs for the alloy-electric-disc version.... Can't believe they didn't spot the amazing build quality. Nuts-san!'

Worst named bike of the year
Hero Honda Hunk

Self-explanatory. Cue rustic, lantern-jowled man in black muscle tee pumping iron while indiscriminately leering at female passers-by from shop window. Ugh.

Disaster of the year
Hero Honda Spendor NXG

The idea was to fiddle as little with the super-acceptable Splendor package and create a replacement that would eventually take over from the ageing, slow, stupid sterile Splendor. No such luck, I'm afraid.

Product of the year
Electric bikes

Ecoweenies be damned. Anything that has a top speed of 40 kph, takes ages to get to it is a hazard of a public road, no matter whether it has zero tailpipes or eight. Unless all you plan to do is go to the shops to buy toothbrush replacements, steer clear until their performance becomes more respectable.

Did not notice it only of the year
Hero Honda Karizma R

What's there to notice? The additional plastic does not an all-new bike make. Ditto yellow clock faces.

Most improved bike of the year
Honda Unicorn

What can I say? The black alloys cut down the 0-60 kph time by 0.4 seconds. Polished engine fins and red text on the crankcase is worth an extra 6 kph. Absolutely amazing. No wonder the sales are up 20 percent. Or something like that.

Most meaningful cosmetic upgrade of the year
Hero Honda Hunk

What well-crafted plastic will do, eh? The best bike of last year, gets the best plastic of this year. Then gets saddled with a name that will, in time, become a nomenclature nadir of some repute. So close, yet so far...

Manufacturer of the year
Yamaha

I made a list of launches this year. There was one name missing. . Then, they made up for it. And how.



Read about last year's, erm, winners