This bike is definitely not intended for racing, any moron can figure that. But at the same time straight line acceleration is a must when showing off or impressing chicks at stop lights. Those 15 horses nestling in her cradle will show a clean pair of hoofs to all Indian production motorcycles but for a fistful of Performance two-strokers.

Acceleration from rest to 60kmph is achieved in 7.2 seconds while 80kmph comes up in 12.6 seconds. The bike is good for a top whack of 111.6kmph. That puts her in way above Yamaha RX-135 territory! The quarter mile comes up in 21.4 seconds with the Datron equipment registering 97.9kmph at the 400 metre mark. These figures are all the more impressive when you factor in her high kerb weight and upright riding position that is aerodynamically inefficient.

Top speed on this bike is of academic interest, rather it is the comfortable cruising speed that is of paramount importance. Her beauty lies in the ability to cruise long distances at 90kmph and whereabouts without skipping a beat or feeling strained. And then there are the bags of torque that obviate constant downshifting. The torquey nature of the powerplant is reflected in the roll-on figures. In the 30-70kmph roll-ons, difference in the 3rd gear and 4th gear roll-on was 4 seconds while the difference between the 4th gear and 5th gear roll-ons was 2 seconds. Ditto for the 40-80kmph roll-ons. Just a twist of the throttle is enough to get her to respond with crackling brilliance. The power delivery is an impressive aspect of the bike through almost 90 per cent of her rev range and this stands her in good stead on both the highway and when attacking busy streets.

Brakes are the best seen on any Indian bike. She sports a 230mm disc up front and a 130mm drum at the rear. The setup of the bike aids weight transfer to the front that makes the disc even more efficient. Feel and control are also of a very high order. The brakes hauled the bike to rest from 80kmph in 2.3 seconds taking 19.2 metres. These figures are the best registered by any production Indian bike. The 130/90 rear and 90/90 profile front tyres go a long way in aiding the braking ability of the bike. But watch out all those who are not used to the light front end and the bite from the disc brake (made by Kalyani Brakes here in Pune itself); it can catch one out especially if one hasn't mastered the art of dragging the feet forward to the footrests! And on gravelly surfaces the problem becomes acute and there is certainly the possibility of man meeting mother earth involuntarily!