new motorcycles

 Suzuki introduces new models for 2015





The spirit of adventure has always led explorers to go farther and to see more. With this “more adventures” attitude, Suzuki creates its 2015 Adventure motorcycle lineup. New for 2015, Suzuki presents the V-Strom 650XT ABS. Twelve years after the birth of the V-Strom series, and following the introduction of the V-Strom 1000 ABS, the V-Strom 650XT ABS evolves from the top seller in the 650cc to 800cc dual-sport class – the V-Strom 650 ABS – and expands its versatility with Suzuki’s unique reverse spoke rims, a wider range of accessories and more adventurous styling. Its distinctive front end incorporates a beak-like front cowl that extends into the front fender – it resembles the 1000cc big brother.
The new V-Strom
650XT ABS is available in a Metallic Matte Fibroin Gray color, for a suggested retail price of $10,399.

Just a short two years removed from a complete redesign, the 2015 V-Strom 650 ABS continues to be a top seller, and for good reason. From its powerband-friendly 645cc V-twin engine to impressive styling that is a versatile as it is functional, the V-Strom 650 ABS is an environmentally friendly vehicle that has excellent fuel economy for daily commuting and weekend touring. The Suzuki V-Strom 650 ABS Adventure returns for 2015, featuring hard saddlebag luggage. This model is just what you dreamed of to take on your exotic getaway. The V-Strom 650 ABS is available in two colors: Pearl Bracing White, Metallic Triton Blue, both for a suggested retail price of $8,549. The V-Strom 650 ABS Adventure, with bags, is available in Metallic Fibroin Gray for a retail price of $10,049.





Returning for 2015 is the V-Strom 1000 ABS. It’s where size, weight, power, and maneuverability come into balance thanks to Suzuki design and engineering; this adventure motorcycle was made to conquer every road. It handles city traffic as easily as a rough dirt road. One of several leading features on the V-Strom 1000 ABS is its Traction Control System. The three-mode system continuously monitors the front and rear wheel speeds, and gets information from the throttle position sensor, the crank position sensor, and the gear position sensor. It quickly reduces engine output when it detects wheel spin. This V-Strom is powered by a 1037cc, 90-degree V-Twin thoroughly updated for 2014 to deliver balanced power for varied riding conditions. Also improved or redesigned for 2014 were the fuel injectors, magneto, idle speed control, radiator, clutch, transmission, exhaust, suspension, and much more.

The 2015 lineup also features the V-Strom 1000 ABS Adventure, which takes the standard V-Strom 1000 ABS and adds the following key accessories: Under cowl, hand guards, touring windscreen, side cases and mounting brackets and accessories bars.

The V-Strom 1000 ABS model is available in Glass Sparkle Black for a retail price of $12,699. The Adventure model with hard luggage bags comes in Pearl Glacier White for a retail price of $13,999.

Major features of the new 2015 Suzuki V-Strom 650XT ABS:

    Versatile, dependable 637cc V-twin engine
    Finely tuned Fuel injection system
    Lightweight, compact Aluminum frame
    Newly equipped, spoke wheel rims and tubeless tires
    Lightweight digital ABS
    Comfortable, upright riding position
    Informative, multi-function instrument
    Three-way adjustable windscreen
    Tool-less adjustable rear suspension
    Low seat height
    Newly designed, distinctive beak design
    Narrow and compact bodywork
    Newly designed top case and side cases

Specifications

Engine type: 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 90° V-Twin
Engine displacement: 645 cc
Bore x Stroke: 81.0 mm x 62.6 mm (3.2 in x 2.5 in)
Fuel system: Suzuki Fuel injection
Compression ratio: 11.2 : 1
Ignition Type: Electronic ignition (Transistorized)
Transmission: 6-speed constant mesh
Overall Length: 2290 mm (90.2 in)
Overall Width: 835 mm (32.9 in)
Overall Height: 1405 mm (55.4 in)
Wheelbase: 1560 mm (61.4 in)
Ground clearance: 175 mm (6.9 in)
Seat Height: 835 mm (32.9 in)
Curb mass: 215 kg
Suspension, Front: Telescopic, coil spring, oil damped
Suspension, Rear: Link type, coil spring, oil damped
Brakes, Front: Disc brake, twin
Brakes, Rear: Disc brake
Tires, Front: 110/80R19M/C 59H, tubeless
Tires, Rear: 150/70R17M/C 69H, tubeless
Fuel tank capacity: 20.0 L (5.3 U.S. gal.)
Color: Metallic Mat Fibroin Gray

NEW 2015  Honda CBR250R vs Yamaha YZF-R15





Similarity is a strange characteristic, since it almost always incites a direct comparison. Carrying the same displacement of 250cc, the newly launched Honda CBR250R and the Kawasaki Ninja 250R suffer from a similar fate. I say suffer, since anyone who has ridden the two bikes knows that apart from the cubic capacity, there is little similar between the two bikes, and that is unfair to both. For the Kawasaki, it is about being pitted against a much cheaper motorcycle that should technically be one segment below itself. And for the baby-CBR, it’s about needing to punch way over its weight, a street-spec single-cylinder going up against a scaled-down, multi-cylinder sportsbike.






So we decided to do a quick comparison between the new Honda and the scalpel sharp Yamaha YZF-R15. A quick comparison is what we churn out from our office desks - it means we didn’t take the two bikes out on the road side-by-side but having ridden enough of both, decided to pen down the thoughts off the top of our heads to paint a better picture. On paper again, the two bikes are very dissimilar for a straight scrap, but we know too many of our readers, who find the Ninja 250R way beyond their budgets, were looking at an R15, and would want to know if they should shell out the extra money for the CBR instead. Short reply – if you are not a cornering junkie, yes.

If you are into learning the art of cornering and wish to have a race-replica that’s affordable though, there still is nothing that comes close to the R15. I have been using it as my long termer for quite a while now, and everyday I ride it makes me love it even more. The bike does everything right – it is neutral in its handling, light and nimble enough to change direction at the speed of thought, has beautiful brakes that can comfortable bring you to a halt from whatever speed the bike is capable of – and all that is wrapped into a chassis that speaks to you but never shouts. The engine is refined and revvy, and match the best in its class in terms of acceleration and top speed. It has its shortcomings as a city commuter though, starting from the seating position, and ending thereabout. Fantastic bike. But too focused.

That’s where the Honda CBR250R takes the game away. Of course, it has a lot more power and grunt which means its comfortable cruise speeds are higher than the R15’s. It also has a significant ‘big bike’ feel to it when compared to the minimalist Yam. The seating position is more comfortable too, which means the CBR is set to become the de-facto sports tourer for the nation. But take it out on a set of demanding twisties, and the 45 kilo additional weight compared to the R15 begins to show as clear as the sun. The soft suspension which soaked up everything in its path suddenly becomes the root of all nervousness mid corner. Exits are quick and effortless, but big front-end dive under brakes makes the whole corner entry experience less spontaneous. Don’t expect to get your knee down anytime soon. This is a bike to take things easy on.


By the end of our quick comparo, we get a feeling of being unfair once again, but that’s just the CBR250R’s fault for straddling the sparse Indian performance bike space so well. Or, looking at it another way, it provides the perfect rung to climb on to if the R15 is too little and the Ninja too much. Plus, if you are the sort who does not have a sufficient explanation to the patent question about why the R15’s rear tyre is so skinny, you won’t have to face that question again. At an additional cost of about Rs 70,000, you get a bike that cannot do things half as well as the R15 can, but can do twice as many things instead.

25 Easy Ways To Fit In 10 Minutes Of Exercise





Stolen Moments Add Up
Experts recommend working out 45 minutes to an hour a day (30 minutes for beginners) for weight loss and fitness. But if you're like most women, you don't always have a block of 30 to 60 minutes a day to devote exclusively to doing your workouts.

Lest you think that short bursts of activity have a negligible effect on your fitness program, think again. One study found that women who split their exercise into 10-minute increments were more likely to exercise consistently, and lost more weight after five months, than women who exercised for 20 to 40 minutes at a time.

In a landmark study conducted at the University of Virginia, exercise physiologist Glenn Gaesser, PhD, asked men and women to complete 15 10-minute exercise routines a week. After just 21 days, the volunteers' aerobic fitness was equal to that of people 10 to 15 years younger. Their strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility were equal to those of people up to 20 years their junior. "It would be useful for people to get out of the all-or-nothing mind-set that unless they exercise for 30 minutes, they're wasting their time," says Gaesser.







Breaking exercise into small chunks on your overscheduled days can also keep your confidence up, since skipping it altogether can make you feel tired, guilty, or depressed. Keep in mind, though, that short bursts of exercise are meant to supplement, not replace, your regular fitness routine.

Here are simple, practical ways to work exercise into your day even when you're short on time:

Around the House

1. When you go outside to pick up your morning newspaper, take a brisk 5-minute power walk up the street in one direction and back in the other.

2. If you're housebound caring for a sick child or grandchild, hop on an exercise bike or do a treadmill workout while your ailing loved one naps.

3. Try 5 to 10 minutes of jumping jacks. (A 150-pound woman can burn 90 calories in one 10-minute session.)

4. Cooking dinner? Do standing push-ups while you wait for a pot to boil. Stand about an arm's length from the kitchen counter, and push your arms against the counter. Push in and out to get toned arms and shoulders.

5. After dinner, go outside and play tag or shoot baskets with your kids and their friends.

6. Just before bed or while you're giving yourself a facial at night, do a few repetitions of some dumbbell exercises, suggests exercise instructor Sheila Cluff, owner and founder of The Oaks at Ojai and The Palms, in Palm Springs, CA, who keeps a set of free weights on a shelf in front of her bathroom sink.

While Waiting
7. Walk around the block several times while you wait for your child to take a music lesson. As your fitness level improves, add 1-minute bursts of jogging to your walks.

8. Walk around medical buildings if you have a long wait for a doctor's appointment. "I always ask the receptionist to give me an idea of how long I have left to wait," Cluff says. "Most are usually very willing to tell you."

9. While your son or daughter plays a soccer game, walk around the field.

10. Turn a trip to a park with your child into a mini-workout for you. Throw a ball back and forth and run for fly balls.

At Work
11. Walk to work if you can. "I walked to work for months, 1½ miles each way," says Mary Dallman, PhD, professor of physiology at the University of California, San Francisco, and she really saw results.

12. If you dine out on your lunch hour, walk to a restaurant on a route that takes you a little bit out of your way.

13. If you have a meeting in another building, leave 5 or 10 minutes early (or take some time afterward), and do some extra walking.

14. On breaks, spend 5 to 10 minutes climbing stairs.

15. If you're pressed for time and must wait for an elevator, strengthen your core with ab exercises. Stand with your feet parallel and your knees relaxed. Contract the muscles around your belly button. Then elevate your upper torso, and release. Finally, contract your buttocks for a few seconds.

16. Use a ringing phone as an excuse to stretch your back. Stand with your feet astride. Imagine that you are encased in a plaster cast from your waist to your head. Gently tilt the lower part of your pelvis backward. Contract your abdominal muscles. Then gently tilt your pelvis forward.

When You're Watching TV
17. Put away your remote and change channels the old-fashioned way—by getting up and walking to the television set.

18. Dance as if you were 16 again. Put on a music program or MTV. Then dance like crazy, advises Peg Jordan, PhD, RN, author of The Fitness Instinct. "Free yourself to think of movement as something that you have a right to do," she says.

19. During commercials, jog in place. A 150-pound woman can burn up to 45 calories in 5 minutes. Or try our Couch-Potato Workout.

20. Do leg exercises and lifts with small weights while you watch The Weather Channel, cooking shows, movies, or the news.

While Traveling
21. Pack your sneakers and a fitness DVD. Call ahead to make sure your room has a DVD player. If it doesn't, ask to rent one from the hotel.

22. If you're traveling by car, stop twice a day for short, brisk walks and some stretching.

23. During layovers at airports, avoid the mechanized "moving carpets" that transport travelers from concourse to concourse. "If you're in between flights, walk around the concourse as much as you can," suggests Cluff.

24. Book a hotel room between the fifth and eighth floors, then ignore the elevator. Better yet, take two stairs at a time. (Check with the hotel first because for security reasons some hotels do not allow guests to use stairs except for emergencies.)

25. Do calf stretches while riding in elevators.

Adapted from Fit Not Fat at 40-Plus