LML has a predominant reputation as a scooter manufacturer with a few mopeds thrown in to keep the sales figures in the black. December 2000 changed all that! LML laid stake to its maiden venture in the motorcycling arena with the Energy and the Adreno throwing the gauntlet in the face of the Big Four Jap collaborators - Hero Honda, Kawasaki Bajaj, Yamaha and TVS-Suzuki. Backed by Daelim technology, the LML siblings Adreno and Energy were the first 'affordable' multi-valved motorcycles to be manufactured in India. The question was, could they stand up to the bludgeoning competition? From the look of things, both the Adreno and the Energy more than hold their own in a market infused with good lookers and able performers.
  
Overlook the lack of cubic capacity (99.1cc) and you would have been hard pressed to find fault with any other aspect of both the early bikes. Ride, handling, braking, gearshift and test timings were on par in class. Except for the bossman, who steadfastly swears by his Qualis, everybody else wanted the LMLs to inhabit their parking lots. Though the Adreno hogs the lion's share of adulation by virtue of proving the veritable 'babe magnet', the Energy can be depended on for all the mile crunching, sweaty oddball chores. Both bikes have been with OVERDRIVE for the last eight months and have proved their worth in more ways than one.
  
Getting to the point, the lack of cubic capacity makes both the Energy and the Adreno feel seriously underpowered for their girth and frame. In view of the feedback, LML decided to revise the powerplant without phasing out the older models. And voila! A single stroke has enabled LML to offer the masses a variety of engine capacities by unveiling the new Adreno FX and the Energy FX! Brilliant marketing strategy. Also in what must be termed as a first for the industry, LML intends to unleash two more models with larger engine capacities in the coming months. The first of these that will see the light of day come March 2002, will feature a 125cc powerplant. The next, incorporating an awe inspiring 175cc block should hit showrooms in June 2002, which should set a new precedent. Never before have consumers had the choice of multiple engine capacities of the same model, save the Bullets 350 and 500 (which may not seem much of a choice except for block... er bulletheads). LML's enthusiasm sure seems serious.
  
When the bossman assigned me to the Energy FX and Adreno FX road test, I was far less than overjoyed, I confess. Not displeased, just a tad less than enthusiastic. The bikes sporting an extra 10cc failed to set my pulses racing, like a 175cc would. LML is treading a conservative path in setting the precedent in the 100-110cc segment by commissioning the Adreno FX and the Energy FX to take on the competition.