PERFORMANCE
 For
performance testing, the actual riding was done by one time racer,
Bhardwaj Jadhav (age 21, height six-foot-one-inch, weight 75 kg),
who I know since we did K2K on Kinetic Nova a year ago. Braking
distance from sixty to dead stop was 14.6 meters. My method for
measuring braking distance is to attain a speed of steady sixty
kph, and when the front tyre touches a prominently drawn (on the
road surface) bright clearly visible line, press both brakes (as
in panic braking), lock both wheels and skid to a dead stop. Top
speed I could do on this bike (full throttle) was 90 kmpH. Acceleration
zero to sixty was measured at 9.5 seconds. Since there is a built-in
human error of @ one second in my rudimentary method, the actual
figure would be closer to 8.5 seconds.
I also checked out the blue Ride Control Switch (which is at RH
switch assembly on handlebar). It is a purely mechanical device
in which there is a single weak (click) impediment to the twist
motion of the throttle, which one can feel if one is mentally conscious
about it and looking for it. I came to know about it only after
reading the owners manual. Before that I just could not make out
what was the principle behind it.
FUEL CONSUMPTION
I did fuel consumption tests on TWO different Discover bikes. The
first bike (MH.12.CN.5505) was almost brand new, done only 700 km,
while the second bike had done 2800 km and two free services had
been done.
NOTE: Following abbreviations have been used:--
GCs===Gear Changings
Brkgs==Brakings
Fuel consumption on MH.12.CN.5505 was as below.
| S.No |
Driving
/ Traffic / Road Conditions |
Distance
Covered (km) |
Fuel
Consumed (litres) |
Fuel
average (kmpL) |
| 1 |
Heavy
traffic. 14 GCs & 9 Brkgs. Complete stop at one traffic
light. Engine off. Self-start and move. Half the journey @ 20-25
kph and later upto max 55. Tried to stay in as high gear as
possible. |
4.3 |
0.0880 |
48.9 |
| 2 |
Steady
40. Only one Brkg & one GC to second. |
3.5 |
0.0410 |
85.4 |
| 3 |
High
speed up to 75. Mostly above 60. Two Brkgs & GCs |
4.1 |
0.0775 |
52.9 |
| 4 |
Normal
traffic. Up and down slope. Three stops. Eight brakings &
10 gear changings. |
7.8 |
0.1425 |
54.7 |
| 5 |
OVERALL
TOTAL |
19.7 |
0.3490 |
56.5 |
NOTE: In this test, I tried to see if keeping Ride
Control Switch ON (==RC on) and keeping it OFF (RC off) made any
difference to mileage figures.
Following abbreviations have been used
RC off==Ride Control switch is OFF.
RC on==Ride Control switch is ON.
Fuel consumption on MH.12.CN.6376 was as below.
| S.No |
Driving
/ Traffic / Road Conditions |
Distance
Covered (km) |
Fuel
Consumed (litres) |
Fuel
average (kmpL) |
| 1 |
RC
off. Heavy traffic. Rode 50 meters in 2nd. Then speed @ 20 kph
for first 2 km in which once rode five metres in 1st & then
up to 55 kph for the next 2.3 km. 22 GCs. 24 Brkgs. |
4.3 |
0.0800 |
53.8 |
| 2 |
RC
off. Speed almost steady 40-45. Two GCs to 3rd. Once accelerate
to 45 to overtake. |
2.70 |
0.0365 |
74.0 |
| 3 |
RC
on. Normal traffic. Speeds up to 50. Three Brkgs & GCs. |
3.10 |
0.0500 |
62.0 |
| 4 |
RC
on. Went 1.7 km at almost steady 40, change to 2nd, made U-turn
and came back to starting point. |
3.45 |
0.0550 |
62.7 |
| 5 |
RC
off. Did exactly same trip in conditions as at 4.above with
RC off. |
3.45 |
0.0550 |
62.7 |
| 6 |
RC
off. Normal traffic. Speeds up to 50. Thrice accelerate to overtake.
Nine GCs. Seven Brkgs. |
6.40 |
0.0950 |
67.4 |
| 7 |
RC
on. Normal traffic. Speeds up to 50. Twice accelerate to overtake.
Seven GCs and eight Brkgs. |
3.40 |
0.0540 |
63.0 |
| 8 |
Overall
Fuel Average |
26.80 |
0.4255 |
63.0 |
As
can be seen from readings 4 and 5 above, the the use or non-use
of Ride Control Switch made no difference. Also, the newer
bike, MH.12.CN.5505, gave an overall mileage of 56.5 kmpL, while
the older bike MH.12.CN.6376, gave an overall mileage of 63 kmpL.
Since rider (Dilip Bam) was same on both tests (which means same
driving style), and road conditions were also same (both tests were
done on the same road at the same time), the difference in mileage
figures is because of the condition and state of tuning of the two
different bikes.
NOTE
All tests done with ordinary GREEN petrol with no additives.
CONCLUSION
If you want to upgrade yourself from the Laborer class (100 cc)
to the Middle Class, then Discover is a good choice. It currently
offers three options.
<1> KS version with bright 60/55 watt headlight, drum brakes
on both wheels & spoked wheels, on-road Pune @ Rs.44,680/-.
<2>ES version with poor 35 watt headlight, drum brakes on
both wheels & spoked wheels, on-road Pune @ Rs.47,555/-.
<3>ES version with poor 35 watt headlight, front disc brake
and rear drum, and mag-alloy wheels, on-road Pune @ Rs.53,165/-.
Version <3> above appears FULLY LOADED, but is NOT. My wish
for fully loaded is version <3> above WITH 60/55 watt headlight
with better beam quality.
I want mag-alloy wheels for style, it is there. I want ES for convenience,
it is there. I want disc brake to stop me from going where I don’t
want to go, it is there. But I also want to clearly see where the
hell I am going at night. Hell, half the time on Earth is in darkness!
Why not give 65/55 watt headlight with good beam quality in version
<3>?
I would be happy to pay Rs.1000/- extra for it. Or even Rs.2000/-.
What’s a couple of thousand when it is a question of life
and death at night?
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