Pro Moto XC- Ashish Raorane has set the fastest known time record from Batal to Kunzum La, Himachal Pradesh, on the KTM Adventure 390.

Ashish on the KTM 390 Adventure went head-to-head with 11-time Raid de Himalaya winner, Suresh Rana, and his rally-spec championship car on a high-speed face off for the title of Kunzum Kaiser.

The World’s Highest Hill Climb Challenge is a 12.5 km treacherous mountain pass stretch from Batal (4000 m) to Kunzum La (4551 m) with 20 hairpin bends. The average temperature is -5 degree Celsius. 

Suresh hit the road first to set the time on his rally-spec championship car. The car started at a blistering pace, but unfortunately, due to engine block damage on turn 18, he had to bow out. The time set at turn 18 was a very competitive 11 minutes 49 seconds.

Ashish was next to take on the challenge on the entry-level sports tourer. He pushed the machine to its limits and continued to lead the time on every turn. He reached the Kunzum La finish line at an impressive time of 13 minutes and 4 seconds, thereby setting the fastest known time record.

A marine engineer by profession, Ashish has been racing international rallies as a privateer or the past 3 years. Last year, he competed in the Baja World Championship, finishing 12th in the world rankings. He also became the first Indian to complete the Africa Eco Race. Ashish also participated in the 2021 Dakar Rally with his KTM 450 Rally Replica machine.

Ashish said, “Considering the altitude at which this challenge is taking place, cold sub-zero temperatures, windy conditions, treacherous nature of the road due to loose rocks and hairpin bends, this was definitely a very dangerous challenge. But I was confident that the KTM 390 Adventure and I will conquer this challenge. I first rode the KTM 390 Adventure during the launch in Pune, and I really loved the way the bike handles and ergonomics that the bike has.”

Speaking on the occasion, Narayan Sundararaman, Head of Marketing at Bajaj Auto Ltd. said “The KTM 390 Adventure has seen a phenomenal response since its launch and holds promise of offering a truly capable and versatile adventure tourer to the biking enthusiasts. The World’s Highest Hill Climb Challenge has given us an opportunity to demonstrate the off-road credentials of KTM 390 Adventure. The recent years have witnessed an increasing trend in adventure touring and the interest in outdoor exploration is on the rise. The 390 Adventure has been conceptualized to address this trend and has been designed for adventure travel.” (MT)

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India Bike Week (IBW), presented by Gulf Syntrac, has shifted its 2025 venue from Goa to Panchgani, Maharashtra. The move, executed due to the rescheduling of Zilla Parishad elections in Goa to the IBW dates, means riders will now converge in the Deccan hills on 19^th and 20^th December 2025.

IBW 2025 will transform Panchgani into a high-altitude playground for riders, featuring new trails, cooler winds, bonfire nights, camping and after-parties. The edition promises IBW’s line-up yet, offering motorcycling experiences across multiple terrains – from hill climbs and mud trails to manufacturer-led road tests.

Martin Da Costa, Founder and CEO, Seventy Event Media Group, said, “As we celebrate 12 years of India Bike Week, it’s incredible to witness how this festival has grown into one of the world’s most spirited motorcycling gatherings. Although circumstances pushed us to shift venues this year, our ethos remains the same – community, adventure, and the freedom to explore. Panchgani offers us a fresh canvas and IBW 2025 is shaping up to be our most exciting edition yet.”

IBW’s 12th edition includes showcases such as the Endurance Stunt Show by Pol Tarres powered by Gulf Syntrac, the Wheelie Experience by Aprilia and India’s Test Ride Arena featuring the majority of India’s premium motorcycle line-up, now including a showcase by the Gulf TrackHouse MotoGP Team.

Over 10 riding experiences await, from the Pulsar Stunt School to a dedicated Kids’ Mini Moto Track by Vida’s Dirt-E K3, along with masterclasses led by expert creators and overlanders.

Competitive racing will feature on FMSCI-backed tracks such as the IBW Hill Climb by Reise Moto and Harley-Davidson Flat Track Race.

The Skoda Kodiaq All-Wheel Drive Track makes its debut, offering driving and off-road challenges.

Presented by Carlsberg Elephant Strong Soda, the festival’s music line-up includes performances by King, Karan Kanchan, Sugga Honey, along with Harley-Davidson Rock Riders’ Music featuring Antariksh.

The BIG TRIP presented by Gulf Syntrac returns with a compelling line-up. Twelve speakers – including global overlanding legends Simon & Lisa Thomas, Elspeth Beard, Zubin Jaafar and storytellers Kshitij Saxena, Gautham AG, Candida Louis and Maral Yazarloo – will bring narratives of grit, resilience and exploration.

The Ladakh Tent presented by Carlsberg Elephant Strong Soda hosts discussions, including ‘India on Two Wheels,’ a Storytellers Roundtable, ‘RTW 101,’ and ‘Women in Motorsports.’

The Jameson Connects Howling Dog space brings together creators, rider groups, and lifestyle influencers.

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Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, registered dispatches of 604,490 units in November 2025, marking a 31 percent YoY growth.

In the domestic market, the company sold 570,520 two-wheelers, up 30 percent YoY, as against 439,777 units sold last year. On the exports front, the sales came at 33,970 units, as against 20,028 units, marking a 70 percent increase YoY.

This performance sustains the growth momentum following the festive season, driven by positive consumer sentiment across urban and rural markets, supported by GST benefits and a macroeconomic landscape.

VAHAN registrations showed strong domestic demand, with 886,330 units registered in November 2025. Retail registrations grew 26 percent to 1,882,739 units for the combined period of October and November 2025, reflecting dealership and consumer demand.

The company's performance was supported by the success of new models such as the Xtreme 125R, GlamourX 125, Destini 110, and Xoom 160.

VIDA, powered by Hero, sustained its growth trajectory with 12,199 VAHAN registrations, reflecting a 66 percent growth compared to the same period last year. The company strengthened its position in the EV sector, capturing a 10.4 percent market share. The VIDA Evooter VX2 continued to drive retail growth and sales volume, and the company also expanded the line-up with the VX2 Go 3.4 kWh variant.

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Suzuki Motorcycle India (SMIPL), the two-wheeler subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan, has announced its sales performance for November 2025, recording total sales of 122,300 units. This marks a strong 30 percent YoY growth over 94,370 units sold in November 2024.

In the domestic market, the sales touched 96,360 units last month, which was 23 percent growth over 78,333 units a year ago.

On the exports front, sales grew 62 percent reaching 25,940 units in November, up from 16,037 last year.

Additionally, SMIPL’s aftersales business continued gaining momentum with spare parts sales of INR 955 million in November.

Deepak Mutreja, Vice-President – Sales & Marketing, Suzuki Motorcycle India, said, “We are grateful for the growing confidence our customers place in Suzuki. Their support, along with the dedicated efforts of our dealer network, continues to drive our growth. Alongside strengthening our presence, we are also expanding customer engagement initiatives and experience-led programs to bring riders closer to the brand. We will continue to invest in enhancing accessibility, after-sales experience, and community-building as we work towards sustained growth.”

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Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI), one of the leading two-wheeler manufacturers in the country, has reported wholesales of 591,136 units in November 2025, up 25 percent YoY.

The total sales figure for the month included 533,645 units in domestic sales and 57,491 units in exports.

During the period, the automaker continued its commitment towards road safety by organising awareness campaigns across various cities nationwide, encouraging responsible road behaviour through interactive learning.

HMSI also celebrated Children’s Month with a Kids Carnival across all its manufacturing facilities, Traffic Training Parks (TTPs), and Safety Driving Education Centers (SDECs). The initiative, themed ‘Safety Explorers: Journey Through Traffic Land,’ aimed to make road safety learning engaging for children while promoting safe habits from an early age.

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