Honda EV-Neo is a proper scooter for India

Every automobile manufacturer is thinking about the social responsibility and are significantly trying to cut down on the carbon emission. The phase of increasing oil prices and the concern for the environment are forcing automobile manufacturers to think about the future aspects regarding these concerns.

Might not translate into sales volume, but electric vehicles are gaining popularity in the Indian market as well as the other parts of the world, And to cast a spell, Honda is working on its electric EV- Neo scooter which they are currently testing in Barcelona, Spain.

What is the Honda EV-Neo scooter?

The scooter is targeted at the urban population as a low cost and flexible transporting solution. It uses a Lithium-ion battery with a 2.8kw motor which takes about 3.5 hours to full charge the battery. With a rapid charger you can even charge it in 30 minutes and that gives the range of 34km at 30km/hr on a level ground.

Why are they testing the Honda EV-Neo in Barcelona?

Barcelona City council and RACC, Spain’s leading Automobile Club along with Honda are doing research and development in Barcelona. Motorcycle accounts to 30% of all vehicles in Barcelona which makes it an ideal destination for testing. On similar grounds, Indian market is also on the same marketing pattern. It will be a success in the Indian market as well because Honda is one of the largest two wheeler manufacturers in the country and has the technology ready. There are many brands that operate with electric two-wheelers, but no one apart from TVS has really made a realistic effort to make in roads.

Why should they test the Honda EV-Neo in India?

The electric vehicles has zero emissions and have a huge appeal since the climate change awareness in the country. Foundations like TERI are working on these issues and have also earned a Noble prize for that. India as a developing nation is one of the largest two wheeler market in the world and the electric vehicle is a great alternative. Not only EV-Neo is a compact solution for the congested roads in India, but affordable as well.

Speculation – Is VTR 250 the Honda KYZ for India ?

A few months ago IMB had reported that Honda Motorcycles & Scooter India (HMSI) is planning on launching a250cc bike in India and its codename was KYZ.

There are news going around the internet these days on Honda planning to launch their VTR250 but one should not be surprised if Honda launches a fresh model for the Indian market having the technology borrowed from any of their exisiting 250cc bike from the international market.

Honda VTR250 for India?

Honda VTR250 price

The 250cc segement is the least exploited segement in India till now, the only option available is the Kawasaki Ninja. The cost which is the most important factor for any premium bike in India will play a major role this time too but to surprise everyone the 250cc from Honda is expected to be priced under or around 1.5 lakh rupees.

Honda VTR 250 for India

The VTR250 is a V-Twin and the maximum power output can be anything around 30ps with maximum torque of around 22 Nm. Remember that Honda will consider re-tuning the bike so that the element of fuel economy isn’t completely destroyed.

Another thing to look out for is if this bike from Honda would be a naked or a fully faired bike. I would love to see a fully faired 250cc bike instead of a naked bike.

The launch date for tis bike could be around Diwali as Honda would want to take full advantage of the festive season mood in India. If this is the case then we dont have to wait for long.

Honda VTR 250 Video

Honda VTR 250 Specifications

Model Name – VTR250
Engine Type – Liquid-cooled 4-stroke DOHC Vtwin
Bore & Stroke – 60 x 44.2mm
Compression Ratio – 11 : 1
Displacement – 250cc
Ignition – Computer-controlled fully transistorised with electronic advance
Carburation – PGM-FI electronic fuel injection
Starter – Electric
Transmission – 5 speed
Final Drive – O-ring sealed chain
Dimensions (mm) – 2,070 x 725 x 1,055 (LxWxH)
Wheel Base (mm) – 1405
Seat Height (mm) – 775
Ground Clearance (mm) – 155
Fuel Capacity (litres) – 12.4 litres (including 2-litre reserve)
Front Tyres – 110/70 17M/C (54H)
Rear Tyres – 140/70 17M/C (66H)
Front Wheel – Z-type cross-section 5-spoke cast aluminium
Rear Wheel – Z-type cross-section 5-spoke cast aluminium
Front Brakes – 296mm single hydraulic disc with dual piston caliper and resin mould pads
Rear Brakes – 220mm hydraulic disc with single-piston caliper and resin mould pads
Kerb Weight (kg) – 161kg (F: 77kg; R: 84kg)
Warranty Period – 12 Months
Max. Carrying Capacity – 336kg
Loaded Weight – 340kg (F: 114kg; R: 226kg)

Honda VTR 250 Features

Monoshock hydraulic damper at the rear
Low lying seat that improves rider confidence
Chamber-less muffler with oxygen sensor, pre-catalyser and main catalyser that keeps the environment green
Liquid cooled 4-stroke Dual Overhead Camshaft 90° V-twin gasoline engine.
PGMFI (fuel injection) takes help from 6 sensors placed in and around the engine to control ignition timing and fuel injection.

BlackBerry smartphones under attack by Zeus (Trojan)

Trend Micro, a security solutions provider, claimed that they have found a Trojan that is very much capable of exploiting your BlackBerry smartphone. The Trojan called Zeus seems to target specifically the SMS feature of the Blackberry. Basically a Trojan, sometimes referred to as a Trojan horse, is a non-self-replicating malware that appears to perform a desirable function for the user but instead facilitates unauthorized access to the user's computer system. In this case it’s a cell phone. The Trojan maybe in the form of an application, once installed sends a confirmation message to the hackers that transmitted the Trojan, to signal that it is ready to receive commands. Once the Trojan sender or the hacker sends a confirmation message, the Trojan can view, delete and forward SMS’s, block calls, change the administrator on the device and block phone numbers. It sends all data on the phone to the hacker in the event that it gets shut down.

Earlier attacks by a similar Trojan were seen on Symbian and Windows Mobile operating systems. Mr Amit Nath, Manager of Trend Micro India and SAARC said, "As more users access the Internet from the expanding pool of devices, web-based threats will continue to grow in size. The growth of smartphones and faster data speeds will also increase the possibilities of infection. As criminals devise ways to make money out of exploiting mobile technologies, mobile users will grow extremely vulnerable."

Now is a good time to get those antivirus softwares for you cell phones people, and be sure to not install uncertified applications.