 The
concept behind the Energy (the black unfaired bike) and
the Adreno (resplendent in red) was to offer a distinctive
range of two distinctly different variants on the same base.
This is a stratagem employed skilfully by Hero Honda and
LML has cottoned on to this theme very well. One has to
compliment the scooter maker for this approach when the
same could have been done by, say an established motorcycle
maker like TVS-Suzuki with its Fiero.
Both bikes feature the same single downtube, cradle chassis
with a twin tube top section making them the first such
in this country. Suspension is conventional at both ends
but with the optimised suspension and steering geometry,
plus the longest wheelbase among any of the 100cc four-strokers
alongwith the use of CBZ-sized rubber front and rear, the
Energy and the Adreno come across as serious large capacity
bikes and not ones powered by a 99.1cc engine!
In fact we have heard from some rivals that the bikes have
been overengineered and that LML has lost the plot! That
is open to dispute but there's no getting away from the
fact that both mobikes have brought the bike big feel and
a modicum of style to the 100cc econo-miser class.
 Sure
there are certain ungainly sights on the bodywork, like
on the front end of the Adreno where the fairing and headlamp
leave a lot to be desired or in the antiquated switchgear
and the lack of colour co-ordination of the handlebar and
the rest of the surroundings. These are small but vital
details which should improve once LML itself learns about
mobiking - there, I got it right! But look at the other
stuff one gets: a rev counter and speedo unit as OE, a fairing
on the Adreno plus the option of a front disc brake and
an electric starter; a five-speed transmission on the Adreno
again, lashings of chrome on the Energy which is a very
handsome naked bike. And best of all, the graphics are tasty
while the screwed together quality is of a seriously high
order. It is normal procedure here at this magazine, to
check out the machines after the completion of a test to
see if the intense thrashing has made them shed fasteners,
washers, nipples, spokes, etc or if anything has worked
loose.
Let me be frank and state that on this count the Energy
and the Adreno came up trumps!
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