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Tag: motor

  • Hyundai Appoints First Indian Ceo In Landmark Move For Global Auto Industry

    Hyundai Appoints First Indian Ceo In Landmark Move For Global Auto Industry

    Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) made the exciting announcement today that Mr. Tarun Garg will assume the role of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. Subject to shareholder approval, his tenure will commence on January 1, 2026. This appointment marks a significant landmark for HMIL; for the first time since its inception 29 years ago, an Indian national will lead the company. Mr. Garg currently holds the position of Whole-time Director & COO at HMIL. As he assumes his new role, the present Managing Director, Mr. Unsoo Kim, will be transitioning into a strategic position at Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) in South Korea.

    A Milestone for Hyundai and India

    Mr. Garg’s appointment is a testament to Hyundai’s faith in Indian leadership and the nation’s burgeoning importance in the global automotive industry. HMC singled out his capabilities for this position. Over the past two years, Mr. Garg diligently worked alongside global management in anticipation of this promotion.

    HMC President and CEO, Mr. Jose Munoz, celebrated Mr. Garg’s appointment, recognizing it as a momentous occasion in HMIL’s nearly three-decade history. He commended Mr. Garg’s transformative and innovative leadership style, remarking on his in-depth understanding of the Indian market, and attributing HMIL’s record-breaking sales for three consecutive years, record profits, and India’s largest IPO in 2024 to his guidance. He also acknowledged Mr. Garg’s focus on customers, teams, and long-term investment. Mr. Munoz ended his remarks by thanking Mr. Kim for his immense contributions to HMIL’s success.

    A Vision for the Future

    Mr. Garg expressed deep gratitude for the faith and trust placed in him by the Hyundai Motor Group. He acknowledged the transformative phase of India’s automotive sector and expressed his eagerness to contribute to HMIL’s continued growth. He emphasized the importance of excellence in all aspects, from design and engineering to sales and service, and expressed his gratitude to Hyundai’s talented employees, dealer partners, and suppliers.

    Mr. Garg affirmed that he and his team would remain committed to enhancing HMIL’s 29-year legacy of customer satisfaction and loyalty, shaping the future of mobility, and building enduring relationships in India.

    Questions & Answers

    What does Mr. Garg’s appointment mean for Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL)?
    Mr. Garg’s appointment marks a significant milestone in HMIL’s history. He is the first Indian national to lead the company since it was established 29 years ago, reflecting Hyundai’s strong confidence in India’s leadership capabilities and its growing strategic importance in the global automotive landscape.

    What are Mr. Garg’s achievements as COO at HMIL?
    Under Mr. Garg’s guidance as COO, HMIL achieved record sales for three consecutive years, record-breaking profits, and completed India’s largest IPO in 2024.

    What is Mr. Garg’s vision for HMIL?
    Mr. Garg aims to continue HMIL’s growth in the Indian market, maintaining a strong focus on excellence across all areas, from design and engineering to sales and service. He is committed to strengthening HMIL’s legacy of customer satisfaction and loyalty and to shaping the future of mobility in India.

  • South Korea’s Hyosung motorbikes come to Vietnam

    South Korea’s Hyosung motorbikes come to Vietnam

    South Korean motorbike brand Hyosung has come to Vietnam with the GV300R, a 300 cc vehicle whose prices start at VND148 million (US$6,200).

    It has a 29.5-horsepower engine, a smart key, an LCD screen, and a pillion that costs around VND5 million.

    The motorbikes are manufactured in China.

    Hyosung belongs KR Motors, a company established in 1978 in South Korea.

    At first it partnered with Japan’s Suzuki and assembled the latter’s products. But it established its own research and development unit in 1986 and has since been making its own motorbikes.

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  • Harley-Davidson Launches X350 In The Chinese Market

    Harley-Davidson Launches X350 In The Chinese Market

    Harley-Davidson has officially taken the wraps off its highly awaited 353 cc motorcycle for the Chinese market, the X350. The bike has been developed in collaboration with Chinese two-wheeler manufacturer QJMotor.

    The body style of the X350 closely resembles that of a roadster. The round LED headlamps and the sleek, sporty styling make the bike looks very fashionable. Harley-Davidson states that the bike was designed taking inspiration from its 1970 XR Flat Tracker. In order to improve ergonomics, Harley has given the front of the seat and the rear side of the fuel tank a flat shape that they believe will give the rider more grip while braking and turning. The bike gets a combined digital and analog instrument cluster in which the speed is displayed on the analog side while the digital meter shows the time and total distance travelled.

    The bike is powered by a liquid-cooled, in-line twin, 353cc engine that churns out 36 bhp and 31 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 6-speed transmission and has a compression ratio of 11.9:1. The claimed mileage figures of the powertrain come to 20.2 kmph. The bike’s suspension setup includes 41 mm inverted rebound adjustable front forks and a preload adjustable shock absorber at the rear. In the brakes department, it gets floating front disc brakes and fixed rear ones. The bike gets 17 inch rims that are shod with Pirelli Angel ST tyres.

    The X350 currently comes with a price tag of 33,388 Yuan (approximately Rs. 3.93 lakh) in the Chinese markets. There is currently no information about if/when the bike will make it to India. However, considering its stylish look and high-revving engine, there is a chance that the bike will do well here. But only time will tell if Harley-Davidson decides to bring it here or not.

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  • Yamaha Motor Establishes $100 Million Sustainability Investment Fund

    Yamaha Motor Establishes $100 Million Sustainability Investment Fund

    Japanese motorcycle giant Yamaha Motor Co Ltd has announced that it has established the Yamaha Motor Sustainability Fund, that will look to invest in companies working to address problems with the environment. The aim of the Sustainability Fund is to combine carbon offsetting with an actual reduction in the carbon footprint of Yamaha’s existing businesses. In total, the Fund has $100 million of investment value, and will be run for a period of 15 years, a statement from the company announced.

    Yamaha Motor’s corporate mission is to “offer new excitement and a more fulfilling life for people all over the world,” and eco-focused initiatives are among the most important themes for achieving this mission. “Through this fund, Yamaha Motor intends to foster collaborative relationships with the numerous companies striving to solve environmental issues and to contribute as a like-minded partner toward creating a better world while mutually enhancing each company’s own pursuits,” a company statement said.

    Yamaha Motor has made strengthening its efforts for sustainability a central theme in addition to the growth strategies and reinforcement of management foundations that the Company has pushed to date. The Company is exploring new technologies and business models that contribute to sustainability in order to accelerate the carbon offsetting efforts necessary to achieve its carbon neutrality goals.

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  • Ford Aims To Be World’s Second Largest Electric Vehicle Maker Within Two Years

    Ford Aims To Be World’s Second Largest Electric Vehicle Maker Within Two Years

    Ford Motor expects to be the world’s second-largest electric vehicle manufacturer within two years, with an annual production capacity of nearly 600,000, a top company executive said Friday.

    The automaker’s optimism stems from the increasing demand for its next new EV, the Ford F-150 Lightning pickup, with retail reservations approaching 200,000, Lisa Drake, chief operating officer of Ford North America, said.

    Reuters reported on Wednesday that Ford likely would be vying with Stellantis for third place in the EV race by 2025, behind Tesla and the Volkswagen Group, based on production forecast data provided by AutoForecast Solutions.

    Speaking at an investor conference, Drake said Ford is working to vertically integrate more EV components, including power electronics and e-drives, at existing facilities that build parts for combustion vehicles – a modern take on founder Henry Ford’s pioneering work in building many of his own components.

    “We haven’t used ‘vertical integration in this industry in a long time,” Drake said, but “you’re going to hear it a lot more” as Ford and other automakers transition from combustion to electric vehicles.

    She said Ford working with five global battery suppliers to manufacture and help develop battery cells for its future EVs, aiming to build 240 gigawatt-hours of production capacity globally by 2030. Those suppliers include SK On, LG Energy Solution, CATL, BYD, and Panasonic.

    Ford expects to reduce EV battery cell cost to $80 per kilowatt-hour at the pack level “well before the end of the decade,” Drake said.

    The automaker is looking at different cell chemistries, including cobalt-free lithium iron phosphate, and cell-to-pack structural batteries to help reduce costs.

    Ford and BMW are working with Colorado-based startup Solid Power on developing solid-state batteries, which Drake said should be commercialized “well before the end of the decade.”

  • Energica Unveils Liquid-Cooled Electric Motor

    Energica Unveils Liquid-Cooled Electric Motor

    Italian electric motorcycle manufacturer Energica has joined hands with Italian engineering company Mavel, to co-design a new liquid-cooled electric motor that will be used in Energica’s upcoming electric motorcycle range. Called the EMCE (Energica Mavel Co-Engineering), the new liquid-cooled powertrain increases peak power to 126 kW (169 bhp), compared to the outgoing unit’s figures of 110 kW (147 bhp). The motor also offers an increased range by 5-10 percent, while decreases overall weight by as much as 10 kg. The new motor will be used in the firm’s electric motorcycle models for the 2022 model year.

    “The introduction on the market of the new EMCE engine was scheduled for release in 2022, but following the difficulties of our supply chain – due to the global pandemic situation – we decided to anticipate this timing and instead, in just 6 months we have developed this co-engineering with Mavel, into our current model year production,” said Giampiero Testoni, CTO of Energica.

    According to Energica, the new motor features innovative rotor and stators’ geometries that minimize energy losses and maximize performance. The innovative and patented cooling of the rotor is capable of generating an internal flow of air that laps the magnets and cools them. This allows the engine to exploit its potential even at high speeds. According to Energica, the new EMCE powertrain will be introduced in electric motorcycles in Europe later this year, followed by the US, and then Asia. Energica however, doesn’t have a presence in India yet.

  • Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Launch Date Revealed

    Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Launch Date Revealed

    The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 finally has a launch date! It will be launched in India on November 6, 2020. It is going to be the most important launch for Royal Enfield after the 650 Twins. The Meteor range represents a new era for the company, as the bikes are built on a brand new platform and get an all-new engine too. The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 will be positioned as a global product and is likely to replace the Thunderbird 350. Leaked brochures and other documents suggest that Royal Enfield will offer the Meteor 350 in three variants, Fireball, Supernova, and Stellar.

    The main differences, cosmetically, seem to be the new instrument console set-up and the new split seat design, together with other changes in the rear fender, headlight, and taillight. The instrument console, certainly is the center point of the changes, with an asymmetrical design, and could possibly offer far more information than the rather rudimentary set-up on the Thunderbird 350X. Design cues are likely to include a tear-drop shaped fuel tank, bright colour options, LED daytime running lights, new alloys, and a split-seat.

    As mentioned earlier, the Meteor is likely to employ a new frame and a new engine. Spyshots reveal that the Meteor 350 uses a double-cradle chassis as opposed to a single downtube frame on the Thunderbird 350. Plus, the new 350 cc engine on the Meteor is likely to generate better power and torque figures than the 350 cc UCE (unit construction engine) but not so much that it overwhelms first time buyers. The leaked brochure suggests that the engine will pump out 20.2 bhp and 27 Nm of peak torque.

    Another set of spy shots suggest that the Meteor will get a secondary TFT color display, along with the main unit that comes with an analog speedometer and LED panel for trip meter and other essential information. The leaked images show that the new TFT display will have a turn-by-turn navigation feature, which in turn suggests that the new Meteor could also get Bluetooth connectivity, making it the first Royal Enfield motorcycle to get it.

    We expect the RE Meteor 350 to be priced between ₹ 1.5 lakh and ₹ 2 lakh and it will go up against the Benelli Imperiale 400, Jawa 300 and the newly launched Honda H’Ness CB350 and the latter has been solely launched by HMSI to go up against the Meteor 350.

  • Hyundai Motor India Suspends Operations At Its Chennai Plant

    Hyundai Motor India Suspends Operations At Its Chennai Plant

    The life-threatening Coronavirus pandemic has put the world on stand by and the story is no different in our country. Many automakers across the globe have already stopped production and even automakers in India are suspending operations as the number of Corona cases cross 350 in the country today. After Maruti Suzuki, Honda Cars India, Mahindra and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), even Hyundai Motor India has announced shutting down its Chennai plant March 23 onwards till any further notice.

    The step comes after the lockdown announcement by the State government as a precautionary measure against the outbreak of COVID-19. In succession to the ‘Janta-Curfew’ implemented nationwide today, over 80 cities in the country including the national capital are going on a lockdown tomorrow 6:00 AM onwards. Even Tata Motors that had announced to excessively scale-down productions at its Pune plant March 23 onwards is likely to go on a complete shutdown. Tata Motors had earlier affirmed through a statement that the company will preferably stop operation March 24 onwards after observing the situation in the country.

    Hyundai has taken several initiatives for the welfare of its customers as well amidst the Coronavirus scare. The carmaker will be providing round the clock roadside assistance to its customers in case of any emergency. It will offer two months extended warranty to those customers who are not able to avail the standard or extended warranty and free services due to any health emergency or shutdown of dealerships and workshops during the lockdown. Hyundai has deployed 1000 doorstep bikes and cars to provide road assistance services to its customers.

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  • Hyundai Motor Unveils Plan To Invest $52 Billion Over Six Years

    Hyundai Motor Unveils Plan To Invest $52 Billion Over Six Years

    Hyundai Motor plans to invest about 61.1 trillion won between 2020 and 2025, about one-third of the expenditure focused on electric and autonomous vehicles, the company said on Wednesday. The South Korean carmaker unveiled a “Strategy 2025” roadmap that envisaged annual average spending of 10 trillion won, higher than previous years, and up from a 2018 figure of 6.1 trillion won.

    Hyundai will devote about 20 trillion won of the total investment, spread across six years, to future technologies, it added.

    It also set an ambitious deadline of 2025 to place itself among the world’s top three makers of battery and fuel cell vehicles, with annual sales of 670,000 electric vehicles, including 560,000 battery-based cars.

    Hyundai shares were up 2% by 0136 GMT after the announcement, which included a plan to buy back 259.6 billion won worth of common shares.

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  • New Benelli Motorcycle Launch Details Disclosed

    New Benelli Motorcycle Launch Details Disclosed

    Benelli India is all set to launch a new motorcycle in India towards the end of October 2019. We believe that it could be the Imperiale 400. At the launch of the Leoncino 500, the company had confirmed that it will be launching three new products by the end of 2019 which were TRK 250, Leoncino and the Imperiale 400. We believe that it is going to be the Imperiale 400, which will be launched in October 2019. The Imperiale 400 will go up against Jawa and the Royal Enfield Classic 350.

    What’s interesting to know is that the Benelli Imperiale 400 will see a lot more local content going into it than the TRK 502 and the Leoncino, which should help keep the prices competitive. While the company did not confirm the percentage of local content on the cruiser, we should get a fair idea on the same at the time of launch. The local assembly will help the Imperiale 400 stay accessible to bigger customer base with a price around the ₹ 2-2.5 lakh (ex-showroom) mark. It may not undercut the locally manufactured Royal Enfield Classic 350 or the Jawa at this price point, but certainly will be a compelling alternative.

    The Benelli 400 gets a 373.5 cc single-cylinder engine with fuel injection that churns out 19 bhp at 5,500 rpm and 28 Nm of peak torque at 3,500 rpm. The motor is paired to a 5-speed gearbox. The bike uses a double-cradle steel tube frame underneath and is suspended by telescopic forks upfront and dual shock absorbers at the rear. The vintage-looking cruiser comes with disc brakes at either end with dual-channel ABS as standard. The bike has a kerb weight of 200 kg and a fuel tank capacity of 12 litres.

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  • Hyundai Teases Electric Concept For The 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show

    Hyundai Teases Electric Concept For The 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show

    We’ve already told you what Hyundai is bringing to the 2019 Frankfurt Motor show but the company has now teased a new model, and from the looks of it, it is another electric vehicle. The company says that this EV will focus on the future direction of the company’s car design and the inspiration from the past while also stepping into the future. The looks of the electric car in question is inspired by the brand’s first model in the 1970s. It’s called the 45 concept and yes, it’s an all-electric model. The company says that the 45 electric car concept will act as a milestone for Hyundai’s future EV design.

    The second electric vehicle will be the company’s first-ever electric racing car, which the carmaker claims will tease the future of motorsport. The new electric race car has been designed and built at the company’s headquarters in Alzenau, Germany by Hyundai Motorsport (HMSG). The company says that the car “will underline the company’s high-performance capabilities, green technology credentials and unwavering passion for motorsport.”

    The car will be unveiled on September 10, 2019 and will bring out the sensous and sporty design language that the company has been bringing in their cars lately. There are no technical details that have been released yet, but from the looks of it we’ll get a digital fascia. In addition to this showcase, Hyundai will debut the next-generation Hyundai Grand i10 (known as just i10 in Europe), and one more electric car.

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  • Kia Motors Receives Over 32,000 Bookings For Seltos Compact SUV

    Kia Motors Receives Over 32,000 Bookings For Seltos Compact SUV

    The Kia Seltos compact SUV has been launched in India, with prices starting at ₹ 9.69 lakh and going up to ₹ 15.99 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Kia has received over 32,000 bookings in India since it started taking bookings for the Seltos July 16, 2019 onwards. In fact, the company received more than 6,000 bookings on the first day itself. By the first week of August 2019, the number of bookings went up to 23,000 units. Kia says that over one-fifth of the bookings have been done online, from Kia’s website. The company has already manufactured over 5,000 units of the Seltos from its Anantpur facility in Andhra Pradesh! Kia’s production plan for the Seltos is set and the company will start the deliveries of the Seltos from today itself. Manohar Bhat, Head, Sales & Marketing, Kia Motors India, said that the company will not stop taking bookings for the Seltos. The Anantpur plant currently has production capacity of 300,000 units annually.

    There will be a total of 16 variants on offer with three engine options and two trims. The three engine options which are the 1.4-litre GDI turbo petrol, the naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre petrol, and 1.5-litre diesel engine will be conforming to Bharat Stage 6 (BS6) emission norms right from the beginning. All three motors will be BS-6 (Bharat Stage VI) complaint from the time of the launch. The 1.4-litre GDI turbo petrol motor is tuned to produce 138 bhp and 242 Nm of peak torque, and comes paired with a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed automatic transmission. The 1.5-litre NA petrol belts out 113 bhp and 144 Nm of peak torque, and is paired with a 6-speed manual and an IVT (Intelligent continuously variable transmission) automatic transmission. Lastly, the 1.5-litre VGT diesel produces 113 bhp and 250 Nm of torque, and is paired with a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission.

    The Seltos will also be equipped with the UVO (Your Voice) connected car tech that can be controlled via a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The SUV also gets an 8-speaker sound system by Bose, segment-first a 360-degree surround camera, an 8 inch heads up display, and a 7-inch colour TFT unit for the instrument console. Other features include – LED headlamps and fog lamps, rear reclining seats, ventilated seats, eight-way power-adjustable driver seat, wireless charging, electric sunroof, rain-sensing wipers and more.

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  • Tata Motors To Launch Three New Models In India By 2021

    Tata Motors To Launch Three New Models In India By 2021

    The imminent one, of course, will be the Altroz premium hatchback which was unveiled at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show and is slated to be launched this year, close to the festive season. The H7X or Buzzard which is the seven-seater version of the Harrier was also unveiled at the Geneva Motor

    Show this year and has been spotted testing several times in India. Tata Motors is planning to launch the H7X in India in the first quarter of 2020. The H2X or the Hornbill subcompact SUV which will be the youngest one to adorn this design language will follow the cycle and is expected to be launched in the last quarter of the calendar year 2020. The H2X is still in its concept stage and is expected to be introduced to the market in 2021.

    All of them will also be exported to foreign markets alongside being on sale in India. Other than these all-new models, the Tiago hatchback, Tigor subcompact sedan and Nexon subcompact SUV are also due for a facelift. The facelifted models will also be inspired by the Impact 2.0 design and get similar design cues. The Tiago and Tigor facelifts are already in works and will go on sale this year while the Nexon is expected to get a facelift next year, given the product’s lifecycle.

    The company says that the design ethos are categorized under the 3 Ex’s and 3 In’s which reflects on the exterior and interior design respectively. The exterior design features have an integral part in deciding the proportions, surfaces and details of the Harrier and also of all the other upcoming models based on the IMPACT 2.0 design language while the interior aspects have helped making the cabin spacious, plush and ergonomically usable.

    The IMPACT design philosophy is also up to the task when talking safety and the Nexon is definitely the best example, being the first and only made-in-India cars to have bagged five stars in the Glocal NCAP crash test. Tata Motors claims that the Harrier along with upcoming products will take the safety legacy ahead accompanied by several safety features.

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  • Harley-Davidson India Launches Internship Programme

    Harley-Davidson India Launches Internship Programme

    In a celebration of Harley-Davidson’s tenth year in India, the American motorcycle brand has announced a summer internship, offering motorcycle fans an experience of a lifetime. The internship was launched in the US last year, and now Harley fans can become a part of the brand, and experience the Harley-Davidson lifestyle up close and personal.

    This one-of-a-kind opportunity will allow interns to be part of Harley-Davidson’s marketing and social media team, and will get to take to the road, and document their journey throughout summer. The internship has been launched on March 31, 2019, and Harley-Davidson India is inviting applications from fans of the brand to be a part of the Harley-Davidson story in India.

    “We are thrilled to launch the INTERN program in India for the first time. The Internship will be a great way to engage and build future Harley-Davidson riders, lending them a first-hand experience of the Harley-Davidson way of life. We are looking forward to the next few months where at the end of the selection process, three candidates will earn their place here to spend a whole month with us,” said Sajeev Rajasekharan, Managing Director, Harley-Davidson India.

    According to Harley-Davidson, to qualify for this internship, candidates must be socially savvy storytellers, and interested candidates must describe what freedom means to them by creating a video, writing an essay, developing a photo collage or creating whatever piece of content they want to make their application unique and submitting it to the Harley-Davidson India’s Instagram handle.

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  • Over 100 Ducati Monster 821 Sold In India

    Over 100 Ducati Monster 821 Sold In India

    Ducati India today announced selling over 100 units of the Ducati Monster 821 in India in less than one year. Launched in India on May 1, 2018, the Monster 821 has become one of the top-selling motorcycles in the sport naked category in India. To commemorate the success the company is offering customers buying a new Ducati Monster an opportunity to avail a host of special accessories as standard with the motorcycle. The exclusive offer is valid from 1st April – 30th April 2019 across all Ducati dealerships.

    Under this special offer, customers purchasing a Monster 821 he will get a Termignoni Exhaust and Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) Up/Down as standard, while customers the Monster 797+ will also get a Termignoni exhaust at no additional price during the celebration period. Both the accessories will be offered to customers at no additional cost to buyers. The Monster 821 is currently priced at ₹ 10.99 lakh and the Monster 797+ at ₹ 8.60 lakh.

    Talking about the bikes and special offer, Sergi Canovas Managing Director of Ducati India, said “The Monster has always been the most special bike in the Ducati portfolio. Last year we celebrated 25 years of Monster with the comeback of Monster 821, and this year, we decided to celebrate one year of Monster 821 in style by complimenting it with armour it rightfully deserves and would definitely excite the naked bike enthusiasts in the country. The addition of the Termigioni exhaust system and DQS will work flawlessly to make the Monster 821 much more desirable as an urban city tourer while giving it more aggression and street presence. Now even the 797+ will come with the Termignoni with this celebratory offer, I am sure that the passionate bikers will find a lot more value in this package and, the Monster will once again be their companion of choice in the naked-bike category.”

    The Ducati 821 is powered by an 821 cc Testastretta L-twin engine which makes 108 bhp at 9,250 rpm and peak torque of 86 Nm at 7,750 rpm and comes mated to a 6-speed transmission. The 797+, on the other hand, comes with an 803 cc L-twin engine which makes 72 bhp and 67 Nm, while mated to a 6-speed gearbox. The Ducati Monster 821 rivals the Triumph Street Triple RS, Suzuki GSX-S750 and the Kawasaki Z900.

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