Yamaha has launched the RayZR 125 Fi Hybrid and the Street Rally 125 Fi Hybrid scooters starting at INR 76,830 (Ex-showroom, Delhi).

The new RayZR 125 Fi Hybrid, according to the company, is designed for the unisex audience in the 18-40 years age group. The Street Rally 125 Fi Hybrid, an adventure-themed scooter, is targeted towards a younger audience with its aggressive styling and keen performance. To complement its rugged nature, the Street Rally 125 gets metal plates, coloured wheel stripes, brush guard and block pattern tyres.

Both the scooters are powered by an air-cooled, fuel-injected (Fi), 125 cc engine that produces 8.2 PS at  6,500 rpm and maximum torque of 10.3 Nm at 5,000 rpm. The scooters also share a kerb weight of 99 kg and under-seat storage of 21 litres

As standard, both the scooters feature a hybrid Smart Motor Generator (SMG) system. The SMG function, through an electric motor, assists the rider by supplying power to the drive when accelerating from a stop or during uphill climbs. This reduces the insecurity caused by the wobble during start-outs. There is also an indicator light in the instrument cluster that informs the rider when the power assist (Hybrid System) is in operation.

The SMG also provides additional benefits like the Quiet Engine Start System, Automatic Stop and Start System and the Side Stand Engine Cut off Switch. The top-end disc brake variant of both scooters feature an LED headlight, a digital instrument cluster, unified brake system (UBS) and Bluetooth connectivity via the Yamaha Connect X application. The application provides a host of convenient features to the riders, which include: Answer Back, Locate my Vehicle, Riding History, Parking Record and Hazard alerts.

Motofumi Shitara, Chairman, Yamaha, said, “The launch of the Hybrid version of the new RayZR 125 Fi and Street Rally 125 Fi has allowed Yamaha to further expand its portfolio of Hybrid scooter offerings in India. After receiving immense response for the Fascino 125 Fi Hybrid, we are confident about further strengthening our position in the market with these new offerings.” (MT)

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Bengaluru-based electric two-wheeler major Ather Energy unveiled its new scooter platform ‘EL’ and a suite of advanced technologies at its annual Community Day event. The new platform is designed to be more versatile, scalable and cost-effective, marking the company’s first major vehicle architecture since the launch of the 450 series.

Tarun Mehta, Co-Founder and CEO, Ather Energy, said, “With the EL platform, we are laying the foundation for Ather’s next phase of growth. Just as the 450 defined our first chapter, EL will define the next, enabling us to develop multiple types of scooters at scale far more efficiently. This platform-first approach enables faster innovation and improved efficiency, serviceability, and rider experience. EL reflects years of learning, deep R&D, and engineering. Our new factory at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar will scale with EL platform products to meet growing demand effectively.”

In addition to the new platform, Ather announced several key technological and product updates:

• AtherStack 7.0: The latest version of Ather's software introduces voice-based interaction with the scooter. The system uses a large language model trained on Indian dialects, allowing for more natural conversations. New safety features like Pothole Alerts and Crash Alerts are also part of this update.
• Faster Charging: Ather unveiled a new 6 kW fast charger that is half the size of its predecessor and can add up to 30 km of range in just 10 minutes for select models. The new chargers will also feature built-in tyre inflators.
• Infinite Cruise: This new advanced cruise control system is specifically designed for Indian riding conditions. It offers three modes – CityCruise, Hill Control and Crawl Control – that adapt to different environments, from city traffic to steep inclines and uneven roads.
• Product Updates: The Rizta family scooter will now feature a touchscreen dashboard and a new ‘Terracotta Red’ colour. An ‘Eco Mode’ will also be added to balance performance with range. Additionally, the Ather Halo smart helmet has been updated with new safety and convenience features.

Ather also showed off a concept moto-scooter called Redux, which provides a glimpse into the company's future vision for performance and rider-vehicle interaction. The concept features a lightweight aluminium frame, 3D-printed components and a user interface that adapts to the rider's posture and intent.

The new EL platform and software updates position Ather to expand its product line and continue its growth in the electric two-wheeler market. The company’s new factory in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is expected to scale up production to meet the anticipated demand for vehicles built on the EL platform.

Swapnil Jain, Co-Founder & CTO, Ather Energy, said, “At Ather, we have always focused on simplifying technology and making it mainstream for riders. With AtherStack 7.0, we’re bringing AI into everyday riding through an LLM (Large Language Model) trained for our use cases and tuned to Indian dialects. Voice is the first step in that journey, an interface beyond buttons that makes rides smarter, safer, and more intuitive. It also makes our existing suite of AtherStack 7.0 features more accessible and mainstream for everyday use.”

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Bengaluru-based electric vehicle maker Ultraviolette Automotive has brought on board Dakar Rally racer Ashish Raorane as a specialist for the company’s development programs.

The collaboration is set to focus on key aspects of Ultraviolette's vision, including rider-centric performance, product endurance and safety.

Narayan Subramaniam, Co-founder & CEO, Ultraviolette Automotive, said, “Ultraviolette is building world’s most exciting electric performance machines and rider feedback at the highest level is core to that mission. Ashish brings a unique blend of competitive riding prowess and product expertise, stemming from the wealth of experience he has amassed from the Dakar Rallies and numerous other cross country world championship rallies. His perspective on motorcycles will contribute to future innovations from Ultraviolette as we continue to build rider centric experiences and technologies, for motorcyclists and enthusiasts.”

Ashish Raorane, said, “It’s exciting to be part of Ultraviolette’s journey at such a transformative moment in mobility. I look forward to contributing my perspective to help shape truly exceptional experiences for riders worldwide and to push the boundaries of what the future of mobility can be."

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Thumb the starter on the KTM Duke 160 and the first impression is of familiarity – those tense lines, sculpted tank and sit-in stance that signal ‘Duke’ before the wheels even turn – yet there’s also a welcome lightness to how it picks up and changes direction at parking speeds and in the first hundred metres. That easy agility is backed by a chassis brief that reads serious on paper – trellis frame with bolt-on subframe, lighter five-spoke wheels, hollow axles and geometry that’s a shade sharper than the bigger siblings – so the bike feels eager without getting nervous when the pace rises.

Within a few blocks, two things set the tone for daily life: a clutch that’s genuinely light and progressive and a gearbox that slips through ratios cleanly, letting short, tidy shifts replace the usual 160cc thrash – helped by a slipper clutch that takes the drama out of hurried downshifts when traffic opens and closes without warning.

What stands out

The Duke 160 looks and feels like a proper Duke – tense lines, sculpted tank, sit-in stance – and backs it up with a genuinely light and eager front end thanks to the trellis frame, lighter five-spoke wheels and sharper geometry. The motor’s real-world strength is tractability and in-gear urge rather than fireworks off the line; timed roll-ons of 30–70 kmph in 6.8s (4th) and 9.1s (5th) make short overtakes easy without constant downshifts, echoing the sentiment that it feels brisk between gaps more than it feels explosive from a standstill.

Braking hardware is a headline win: a 320mm front disc with braided lines and dual-channel ABS (rear channel switchable) gives bite and progression few 160s can match and it shows when hustling or panic-stopping in town.

The everyday reality

At 815mm, the seat is on the taller side for an average-height rider; those around 5ft 8in may tip-toe at awkward cambers, though the wide bar and neutral pegs help low-speed balance and leverage in traffic. The clutch and gearbox pairing is excellent – light, smooth and confidence-inspiring – so creeping traffic and quick, clean shifts become second nature within minutes of riding. Lever placement is not perfect from the crate; both the gear and brake pedals could use a quick adjustment during PDI to better match different boot sizes and ankle angles, which takes the edge off initial niggles.

Ride and features

Suspension tuning leans towards control with acceptable compliance: the Duke stays planted and keen to turn, yet retains enough travel to keep sharp edges from jarring too much in the city, though rougher patches still remind that it’s set up to feel taut rather than plush. Thermal management is a positive: a larger radiator surface area helps in slow-moving traffic and while the fan cycles in dense conditions, heat never tips into discomfort during typical urban use in this test window. The monochrome LCD with a dot-matrix pane is clear in bright light, offers all the basics at a glance and the microswitch cubes feel a cut above the class; Bluetooth navigation remains an accessory, which keeps base weight and price in check.

Verdict

Against the Yamaha MT-15 V2, the Duke 160 trades efficiency for feel: the Yamaha is lighter and significantly more frugal (users often report 50+ km/l), while the KTM bites harder on the brakes, feels more planted at the front and pulls stronger in mid-gear bursts on paper and in practice. The KTM’s 19PS and 15.5Nm edge the Yamaha’s 18.4PS and 14.1Nm and its 320mm rotor dwarfs the MT’s 282mm, but the MT-15 counters with lower kerb weight and everyday economy advantages that matter to commuters. If weekly highway runs and traffic sprints define the brief, the Duke’s chassis feedback, brake feel and roll-on pace make a compelling case; if fuel economy and a lower seat are top priorities, the MT-15 remains the pragmatic pick and price positioning in on-road terms still favours the Yamaha in many cities.

In short, the Duke 160 is not the outright quickest feeling 160 off the mark, nor the most frugal, but it is the most ‘KTM’ in the way that matters: front-end feel, braking confidence and mid-gear urge that make real-world riding more engaging and assured than the spec sheet alone suggests. It could do with lower seat options from the factory and cleaner lever ergonomics out of the box; sort those and it becomes an easy recommendation for riders who value control and character over kilometre-per-litre bragging rights.

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TVS Motor Company, a leading manufacturer of two-wheelers and three-wheelers, has expanded its TVS Raider Super Squad Edition. 

The company has introduced two new thematic options for the Raider Super Squad range with the addition of Marvel’s Deadpool and Wolverine decal options.

The new TVS Raider SSE comes a powerful 3-valve engine, which produces 11.75 Nm @ 6,000 RPM of torque. The Super Squad Edition will now also get the iGO assist with Boost Mode for enhanced acceleration and GTT (Glide Through Technology). It also features a fully connected reverse LCD cluster with more than 85 features.

It was in August 2023 that TVS Raider became India’s first motorcycle to launch Marvel-themed editions, debuting with Iron Man and Black Panther.

The new TVS Raider Super Squad Edition is priced at INR 99,465 (ex-showroom Delhi) and will be available across all TVS Motor Company dealerships.

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