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 NSEKINETIC ENGINEERING LTD: KINETICENGKINETIC MOTOR COMPANY LIMITED: KINETICMOTKINETIC MOTOR COMPANY LTD.: KINHONDABSEKINETIC ENGINEERING LTD.: 500240KINETIC MOTOR COMPANY LTD.: 505190KINETIC TRUST LTD.: 531274

CONTACT DETAILS D-1 BLOCK, PLOT NO. 18/2, MIDCCHINCHWAD, PUNE 411 019TEL.: +(91)-(20)-27474301TO 5FAX: +(91)-(20)-27475842 TO 3E-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 GF 125 VELOCITY

BOSS 115 BOSS EX

SCOOTERS FAMILY SCOOTERS

BLAZE 4S NOVA 135 KINETIC SYM FLYTE

ZOOM NOVA EX NOVA

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 HEIGHT1076 MM

OVERALL LENGTH1819 MM

OVERALL WIDTH740 MM

WHEELBASE 1250 MM

DRY WEIGHT 103 KGENGINE

TYPE 4 STROKE AIR COOLED

CUBIC CAPACITY113.5CC

MAX. POWER 7.2 BHP @ 7500 RPM

MAX. TORQUE 7.7 NM @ 5000 RPMCHASSIS & 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 FRONTLEADING LINK HYDRAULIC DAMPER

SUSPENSION REARUNIT SWING ARM / HYDRAULIC DAMPER

TRANSMISSION VARIOMATICBRAKES

FRONT BRAKES110 MM DIA

REAR BRAKES 110 MM DIAELECTRICALS MAGNETO

BATTERY 12 V / 9.0 AH

HEAD LIGHT 12 V 25 / 35 W ( MFR )

TAIL LIGHT 5 W

BRAKE LIGHT 21 W

TURN SIGNAL LIGHT10 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. LOUSEPH CHACKO

LOG BOOKDISTANCE COVERED 500KMFUEL CONSUMPTIONTOTAL FUEL CONSUMED 12.4 LITRESAVERAGE FUEL CONSUMPTION 40.31 KPLNO. OF FILLINGS (BRIMMED) 2WORST 37.6KPLBEST 42.3KPLTOTAL MAINTENANCE COST NILRUNNING COSTS RS 1.09 PER KMFAULTS NONELIKES 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 THOUGHULTIMATELY 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

40%

45%

10%5%

SURVEYS WAS DONE FROM 100 PEOPLE USING THE PRODUCT

PRICE

BRAND

INGREDIENTS

PROMITION

42%

25%

18%

10%5%

SURVEYS WAS DONE FROM 100 PEOPLE USING THE PRODUCT

PONDS

AVON

OLIVE

AYUR

CHARMIS