Harley-Davidson Sportster S Completes Endurance Test

Sruthi Manojna Vemuri Is Global Toyota Dream Car Art Contest Winner

The Harley-Davidson Sportster S has covered 3,141 km to successfully complete a 24-hours endurance test in India. 

A team of five riders -- including national racers Anushriya Gulati and Vijay Singh along with vlogger Shubhabrata Marmar joined Malo Le Masson and Vijay Thomas from Hero MotoCorp -- to achieve this feat at the test tracks at Hero’s Global Centre for Innovation and Technology (CIT), in Jaipur, Rajasthan, the company said in a statement.  

Supervised by two leading members of Hero’s team at CIT, David Lopez Cordoba, Head of Chassis Functional Development and National Racing Program, and Alex Busquets, Head of Vehicle Validation, the Harley-Davidson Sportster S was put through the test for 24 hours. Both David and Alex have years of experience in endurance racing all over the world. 

Starting off the 24-hour clock at 1500 hrs on 5 February, 2022, the team went through 31 pit stops, which included fuel refill, rider change and fresh tyre changes after every 1000 km. Every rider completed six runs of an average of 100 km on each run, which was roughly one-full tank of fuel. The team averaged 130.9 km/hr over 24 hours to achieve this feat. 

The 1.74 km-long oval high-speed track was specifically chosen to attempt the run to test the limits of both human and motorcycle endurance. 

Ravi Avalur, Head, Harley-Davidson Business Unit, Hero MotoCorp, said, “We recently took the Harley-Davidson Pan America to the highest unpaved motorable road in the world and that inspired us to do something uniquely different with the new Harley-Davidson Sportster S. The team at CIT and Hero MotoSports Team Rally stepped in with all their experience and helped us complete this extremely challenging attempt. It is a strong testament to the quality of this H-D motorcycle to have successfully endured the test and gone further than any other motorcycle in the country in 24 hours.” 

At the mechanical heart of Harley-Davidson Sportster S is a 121-horsepower Revolution Max 1250T V-Twin engine, the release said. This new version of the latest Harley-Davidson liquid-cooled V-Twin engine is tuned to make tremendous torque at low RPM, with a torque curve that stays flat through the powerband – engine performance designed to deliver strong acceleration from a start with robust power through the mid-range.  

The Sportster S model is equipped with a host of technologies designed to enhance the riding experience. Three pre-programmed, selectable Ride Modes (Sport, Road and Rain) electronically control the performance characteristics of the motorcycle, and the level of technology intervention, the release added. (MT)  

   

Royal Enfield Hosts HunterHood Street Culture In Kochi

Royal Enfield - HunterHood

Chennai-headquartered mid-sized motorcycle manufacturer Royal Enfield brought its street culture platform, HunterHood, to Kochi on 8 August 2026, combining music, art, skateboarding, urban sports and creative expression. The sixth edition of the event followed previous iterations in Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Shillong and Lucknow.

Inspired by the Hunter 350 motorcycle, HunterHood serves as a platform for street-inspired cultures, gathering communities of artists, musicians, dancers, painters, urban sports enthusiasts and designers. Prior to the main event, Royal Enfield hosted a Community Pre-Jam on 7 August in collaboration with Loop Skatepark to engage local skaters and street communities.

The main stage featured performances from Kerala's independent and hip-hop music scene, including Tribe Mama MaryKali, Ranj x Clifr, GABRI, MC Couper, Baby Jean and Dabzee. The Community Stage presented rapper Ameekha Liyana Ansar, DJ Dsco Patrol (Nihell), street culture collective We Are The Boom and Chenda Melam percussion performances.

Skateboarding demonstrations were conducted by the Fly Squad Skateboarding Community and Kovalam Skate Club. Live graffiti, visual art and interactive installations were created on site by HH Art Spaces, Alan Pappy, Trespassers, SquidWorks, Karthik Venugopal, Samriddhi Arora and Om Chopra. Additionally, Kerala-based artist collective Trespassers completed a ten-day mural project focused on local youth culture and riding.

The event incorporated interactive workshops covering skimboarding, football, cricket, basketball and graffiti. Custom motorcycle builds were displayed by XLNC Customs, JD Customs, Garuda Machina, Kunwar Customs and Eimor Customs. The venue also featured an illuminated tunnel installation incorporating lights, Malayalam conversations and cinema dialogues to replicate the experience of riding through the city.

India Yamaha Motor Reintroduces MotoGP Editions, Updates FZ Colour Options

Yamaha India - MotoGP

India Yamaha Motor has announced the return of the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Edition for the R15 V4 and MT-15 Version 2.0 motorcycle models. The release, the company says, responds to customer demand for the company's racing-livery options.

The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Edition models display liveries inspired by Yamaha's racing division across the fuel tank, side panels, and tank shrouds. The R15 V4 MotoGP Edition is priced starting at INR 176,050 ex-showroom Delhi, while the MT-15 MotoGP Edition begins at INR 177,230.

Alongside the special editions, Yamaha updated colour variants across its FZ product range. The FZ-S Fi Hybrid receives an Ice Storm colour scheme, while the existing Matte Black version gets updated graphics. The FZ-S Fi line gains a Metallic Black finish.

Pricing for the updated FZ range starts at INR 129,880 ex-showroom Delhi for the standard FZ-S Fi, with the FZ-S Fi Hybrid variant priced at INR 139,200.

Studds Launches Raider Youth Full-Face Helmet At INR 1,175

Studds

Studds Accessories, one of the leading two-wheeler helmet manufacturer, has launched its latest product the Raider Youth, a full-face helmet designed for younger riders and adults requiring smaller head sizes at prices starting INR 1,175.

The release marks the introduction of a dedicated small-sized full-face model into the company's product line-up. The Raider Youth is an ISI-certified helmet that provides chin and lower-face coverage, moving beyond the open-face helmet designs that have traditionally dominated the youth and small-head-size segments in India. It is offered in two sizes: XXS (520 mm) and XS (540 mm), catering to children, teenagers and female riders or adults with smaller head dimensions.

The product features an outer shell constructed from ABS material paired with an expanded polystyrene (EPS) liner. The ventilation system uses top exhaust ports to channel airflow through the interior, while additional hardware includes a scratch-resistant quick-release visor, micro-fibre inner lining and a quick-release chin strap mechanism.

Sidhartha Bhushan Khurana, Managing Director, STUDDS Accessories, said, "Young riders today are more aware of style, comfort, and safety than ever before, and parents are increasingly seeking products that offer enhanced protection without compromising on usability. The Raider Youth has been developed to address these expectations through a purpose-built full-face design that delivers greater coverage and confidence for young riders. Its vibrant colour palette, modern styling, rider-focused comfort features, and trusted safety credentials have been brought together to make helmet usage both appealing and reassuring. We believe the Raider Youth will resonate strongly with young riders and their families while encouraging the habit of safe riding from an early age."

The initial launch comprises the Unicolor variant across 12 finish options, including solid, matte, and chameleon finishes: White, Black, Cherry Red, Flame Blue, Lavender Pink, Pastel Green, Petrol Blue, Dark Pink, Chameleon Pink, Chameleon Blue, Matt Black, and Military Green.

Anuj Dua

Hero MotoCorp, the world’s two-wheeler manufacturer, has appointed Anuj Dua as the new Chief Business Officer – Premium Segment to oversee its motorcycle and scooter operations in higher-displacement categories.

Dua brings experience from previous executive roles across Hero MotoCorp, Royal Enfield and Bajaj Auto, where he managed global product strategy, brand development and market expansion.

In his new role, Dua will manage product portfolio expansion, strategic partnerships, retail network development and customer engagement initiatives, including community events and branded merchandise across performance and lifestyle segments.

In FY2026, Hero MotoCorp expanded its product line-up through the introduction of models including the Glamour X, Xtreme 125R, Xtreme 250R, Xoom 160, XPulse 210 and the Harley-Davidson X440 T. To support these offerings, the manufacturer expanded its dedicated Hero Premia retail and service network to more than 130 stores across India. The standalone outlets feature specialised sales personnel and dedicated service bays.

Dr. Pawan Munjal, Executive Chairman of Hero MotoCorp, said, “The global mobility landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, led by rising consumer aspirations for premiumization including curated premium experiences. At Hero MotoCorp, we are responding to these transformative shifts with a future-focused strategy that combines innovation, design excellence, performance engineering and deeper customer engagement. Our expanding premium portfolio, retail transformation and motorsport initiatives are integral to this strategy, accelerating product innovation, strengthening brand aspiration, and reinforcing our position as a globally admired mobility brand which is proudly Made in India.”

At present, the company manufactures its premium range from its facility Neemrana, Rajasthan, which incorporates automated assembly lines and digital quality control systems. The vehicle platforms integrate electronic architecture supporting over-the-air software updates and rider assistance systems.

Additionally, the company utilises its Hero MotoSports division to evaluate chassis dynamics, electronic systems and powertrain durability for application across its commercial production models.