हरियाणा के हथिनी कुंड बैराज में स्पेशल फोर्स के जवानों की ट्रेनिंग के दौरान मंगलवार शाम बड़ा हादसा हो गया। यमुना में अभ्यास के दौरान जवानों को ले जा रही मोटर बोट अचानक बंद हो गई। इसी बीच तेज बहाव के चलते बोट बहने लगी और उसमें सवार 5 जवान नदी के पानी में गिर गए। हादसे के बाद 3 जवान किसी तरह तैरकर सुरक्षित बाहर निकल आए, जबकि दो जवानों का अभी तक पता नहीं चल पाया है।
मीडिया खबरों के अनुसार, स्पेशल फोर्स की ट्रेनिंग 30 अगस्त से चल रही थी और मंगलवार को इसका आखिरी दिन था। शाम करीब 5 बजे यमुना की अपस्ट्रीम में जवानों का अभ्यास कराया जा रहा था। ट्रेनिंग के दौरान जवान हेलिकॉप्टर से एक-एक कर यमुना में मौजूद मोटर बोट पर उतर रहे थे। जवानों के बोट पर पहुंचने के बाद अचानक मोटर बोट स्टार्ट नहीं हुई। इसी दौरान तेज पानी के बहाव ने बोट को अपनी चपेट में ले लिया और वह बहने लगी। बोट पर सवार जवान पानी में गिर गए।
Big Update from Haryana's Yamunanagar.
During an Army training exercise at Hathnikund Barrage, a boat carrying 5 commandos capsized in the strong current.
3 jawans have been rescued safely, but 2 commandos are still missing. Rescue operation is underway.
हादसे के बाद तीन जवानों ने पश्चिमी यमुना नहर की ओर तैरकर सुरक्षित निकलने की कोशिश की। उस वक्त नहर में करीब 14,500 क्यूसेक पानी छोड़ा जा रहा था। तेज बहाव के बीच तीनों जवानों ने करीब 600 मीटर तक तैरकर नहर के खुले गेट से बाहर निकलने में सफलता हासिल की। हालांकि, दो जवानों का अभी तक कोई सुराग नहीं मिला है। उनके पानी में बह जाने की आशंका को देखते हुए सेना और रेस्क्यू टीम ने तलाशी अभियान तेज कर दिया है।
जवानों की तलाश जारी
2 जवानों के लापता होने की सूचना मिलते ही सेना ने तत्काल बचाव अभियान शुरू किया। कर्नल योगेंद्र के नेतृत्व में सेना की टीम यमुना और पश्चिमी यमुना नहर के संभावित इलाकों में सर्च ऑपरेशन चला रही है। रेस्क्यू टीम रस्सियों और अन्य जरूरी उपकरणों की मदद से नदी और नहर में लापता जवानों की तलाश कर रही है। फिलहाल अभियान जारी है और सेना की टीम दोनों जवानों को खोजने में जुटी हुई है।
Only the day before I would be surprised with a passenger ride in a prototype of Bentley’s new electric SUV, I just so happened to be engaged in a conversation about why an EV would be so well suited to this brand in particular. Yes, as we’ve said in the past, EVs are perfect for luxury applications – smooth, silent and effortless as they are. But the other realisation we made was that Bentley, despite leaning into sportiness as one of its core brand pillars, has never been a slave to weight loss. Even its lightest car in 85 years – the new, stripped-down Supersports – is but one kilogram shy of two tonnes! And yet its cars have always managed to deliver the comfort expected of a super-luxury vehicle, and somehow also the poise and agility of a sports tourer. A tricky balance indeed.
Reining in 2.5-tonne-plus vehicles, then, isn’t so much a challenge for Bentley’s chassis engineers as it is standard operating procedure. And thus, when the time came to create the brand’s first EV – a five-metre SUV no less – weight management was the last thing on their minds. Being a luxury EV with the full technological might of the Volkswagen Group behind its development, it would be all too easy to just squeeze out a bunch of eye-watering performance figures and leave it at that. But Bentley engineers say that won’t necessarily be the case, and certainly not the focus. The focus, instead, was on making the Torcal walk the razor-thin line between sport and luxury that every one of their cars is required to.
The Torcal prototype rolls silently into view at the driveway of our hotel in Monterey, California shrouded as it is in its crystalline camouflage – a motif we’ll revisit later. It hides the details well enough, but what’s clear is that this a tall and squared-off SUV, much like the Bentayga, and though aerodynamics will no doubt have been a consideration, that Bentley boldness is recognisable in its bluff front fascia. It’s actually a little smaller than a Bentayga, but the smaller front overhangs tell me they’re making good use of its wheelbase.
We’re ushered quickly into the cabin, which too is wrapped up from floor to headliner, and quickly given a brief before prying eyes can come in for a closer look. There’s stuff we’re told about that I can’t reveal today, but I’m hurriedly making notes all the same. But then Torcal product line director Martin Page presses the start button, and my brain does a somersault. “It’s… idling?” I mutter, as he cracks a smile from the driver’s seat.
Digital meets analogue
Yes, they’ve given the Torcal the sound of a V8, the most enduring engine layout the brand has used in its century of making cars. And while this is hardly the first EV to mimic an engine, there’s a mesmerising authenticity to it that I’ve never experienced from a synthetised setup before. I’d go as far as saying sounds better – more layered and full-bodied than the twin-turbo 4.0-litre you’ll find in the Continental range, and we’re still at a standstill. It’s uncanny.
As we move off, the sound swells, ebbs and flows with an almost flawed resonance that fills up the cabin. It’s not loud or overwhelming; but it’s ever present, though I’m told it can be switched off if not desired. I’m told the car is in ‘Bentley’ mode – the middle ground, as we know from existing models – and once on the move, the sound fades into the background.
The story behind the V8 sound is almost as fascinating as the sound itself. Any other brand would record one of its V8 engines, play the recording through the speakers and call it a day. But in keeping with Bentley’s history of doing things painstakingly by hand, they recorded the sound and got an orchestra to recreate it with live instruments. What I’m listening to is a mix of drums, viola and bass guitar – every beat and note fed into a machine and algorithmically meted back out in proportion with the torque demand. Moving up to Sport mode suitably increases the volume and even alters the pitch slightly, but what doesn’t change is the genuine feeling that somewhere up front, an old-school, hairy-chested V8 is thumping away to move us forward.
The crystal method
The over-engineering doesn’t stop there, however; Bentley’s handcrafted approach extends to the graphics of the Torcal – both physical and digital. The diamond motif has long been a part of the Bentley brand, and you’ll see it everywhere from its cars’ grille mesh patterns, to stitching, to upholstery quilting. Something catches my eye from under the sheet that covers the rear doors, which I carefully lift up to catch a sneak peek.
It’s ambient lighting, shimmering, moving as it cascades across a soft Merino wool door card. The idea was to simulate light flowing through crystal, and though it’s probably a simulated effect, it is incredibly convincing, and oddly relaxing to stare at. Curiously, it’s blue, and we’re in Sport mode, Bentley having chosen to buck the trend of equating ‘Sport’ with ‘red’.
But as Martin cycles back and forth through the modes of the ‘Curation Engine’ – a luxurious way to say ‘drive mode selector’ – I notice something else. The graphics on the curved touchscreen – also with a crystalline theme – are slick and incredibly sharp, in a way I haven’t seen in any Bentley before. Credit to the new-gen PPE (Premium Platform Electric) and its E&E architecture the Torcal shares with the electric Cayenne, I suppose.
I then glance at the digital speedo, which shows a digital number encased in a ring of crystal, which again hides a fascinating story. This seemingly innocuous graphical element is not the result of Adobe After Effects or, god forbid, generative AI. Bentley commissioned Cumbria Crystal to make a cut crystal tube and then shone light through it from various angles. This was filmed and then programmed to play back in sync with the car’s speed, so what you’re seeing is high-res footage of real light passing through real glass, moving in a circle as the car goes faster. But what is luxury, if not unnecessary excess?
Effortless heft
My mind circles back to my conversation from the previous evening, however, as we approach the Freeway. Bentley hasn’t revealed power and torque figures yet, describing them only as ‘ample’, and that’s clear as we break off the on-ramp and merge into the swarm of American commuters hurrying to work. The seat-of-the-pants sensation is one of power that feels effortless, if not hurried, if that makes sense, which is in line with any of the V8 hybrid cars Bentley also sells.
Bentley also hasn’t revealed the kerb weight figure, but going by other EVs of this size and nature, my guess puts it well past 2.5 tonnes and closer to 2.7 or 2.8. Not that you can tell from inside, where there’s a composure that feels truest to the contemporary range of Bentley models. The Torcal uses two-chamber air suspension, adaptive dampers and active anti-roll bars to control its immense mass, and I suspect a bit of magic too, because here too, they’ve managed to find a balance. I noticed the prototype was riding on 22-inch wheels with supercar-like 315-section rear tyres, and road noise is kept incredibly well in check.
The ride is hefty but not harsh like some sports SUVs, comfortable but not floaty like some outright luxury SUVs. It stays steady on the Freeway, and as we get back to the narrower roads that snake around Pebble Beach, it stomps out imperfections with authority. As Martin takes the opportunity to lean it into some curvier bits of road, I sense a bit of give and roll, but not too much. I’m told they could have erased it entirely, but that would feel too unnatural.
And that sums up the Torcal nicely. It feels ‘natural’, and even from this short passenger ride, a great exercise in manufacturing analogue authenticity from what is a very digital set of tools. When advancing beyond the realm of mundane transportation and into more desirable applications – luxury, or performance, for instance, of which Bentleys have to do both – an EV has to be more convincing. So far, ballistic numbers have been that route for most, but there is an increasing effort to build tangible character into these cars that must be applauded. The Torcal feels like one of the best examples of this yet, and though far from the finished product, it’s a promising sign that Bentley is on the right track with its first EV.
जब लोग ‘कार्डियो’ शब्द सुनते हैं, तो अक्सर सबसे पहले दौड़ने (रनिंग) का ख्याल आता है। लेकिन कार्डियोवैस्कुलर फ़िटनेस बेहतर करने के लिए आपको दौड़ने की ज़रूरत नहीं है। पैदल चलना, तैराकी और हाई-इंटेन्सिटी इंटरवल ट्रेनिंग (HIIT) – ये सभी असरदार कार्डियोवैस्कुलर वर्कआउट हो सकते हैं और हर एक के अपने अलग-अलग फ़ायदे हैं।
बेंगलुरु के महादेवपुरा स्थित KIMS हॉस्पिटल्स में कार्डियोलॉजी के डायरेक्टर और लीड कंसल्टेंट डॉ. दीपक कृष्णमूर्ति के अनुसार, कार्डियो का सबसे अच्छा तरीका जरूरी नहीं कि सबसे जयादा जोरदार वाला ही हो। डॉ. कृष्णमूर्ति कहते हैं, “सबसे असरदार कार्डियो एक्सरसाइज़ वह है जिसे आप सुरक्षित रूप से, लगातार और मजे के साथ कर सकें। दौड़ना एक बेहतरीन कार्डियोवैस्कुलर एक्सरसाइज है, लेकिन यह निश्चित रूप से एकमात्र विकल्प नहीं है। अगर पैदल चलना, तैराकी और HIIT को नियमित एक्सरसाइज़ रूटीन में सही ढंग से शामिल किया जाए, तो ये सभी कार्डियोवैस्कुलर फ़िटनेस को बेहतर बना सकते हैं।”
पैदल चलना- आसान, असरदार और जोड़ों के लिए सुरक्षित
जो लोग लंबे समय से कोई शारीरिक गतिविधि नहीं कर रहे हैं, उनके लिए रोजाना की दिनचर्या में कार्डियो एक्सरसाइज़ शामिल करने का सबसे आसान तरीका तेज चलना (ब्रिस्क वॉकिंग) हो सकता है। डॉ. कृष्णमूर्ति कहते हैं, “पैदल चलने को अक्सर कम आंका जाता है क्योंकि यह बहुत आसान है, लेकिन नियमित रूप से तेज चलने से कार्डियोवैस्कुलर फ़िटनेस में काफ़ी सुधार हो सकता है। यह खास तौर पर बुज़ुर्गों, शुरुआत करने वालों और लंबे ब्रेक के बाद दोबारा एक्सरसाइज़ शुरू करने वाले लोगों के लिए फ़ायदेमंद है।”
पैदल चलना एक कम-ज़ोर वाली (लो-इम्पैक्ट) गतिविधि भी है, जिसमें दौड़ने की तुलना में जोड़ों पर कम दबाव पड़ता है। इसकी तीव्रता को धीरे-धीरे बढ़ाया जा सकता है – जैसे कि चाल तेज़ करके, चढ़ाई पर चलकर या चलने का समय बढ़ाकर।
तेज चलने के फ़ायदे
रोज़ाना तेज़ चलने से कार्डियोवैस्कुलर फ़िटनेस बेहतर हो सकती है, कैलोरी बर्न करने और वज़न कंट्रोल करने में मदद मिल सकती है, ब्लड शुगर और ब्लड प्रेशर कंट्रोल में सुधार हो सकता है, पैरों की मांसपेशियाँ मज़बूत हो सकती हैं, स्टैमिना बढ़ सकता है और एक्टिव रहने का एक ऐसा तरीका मिल सकता है जो जोड़ों के लिए भी सुरक्षित हो।
डॉ. कृष्णमूर्ति कहते हैं, “पहले ही दिन से बहुत तेज़ी से चलने की कोशिश करने के बजाय, ऐसी अवधि से शुरुआत करना ज़्यादा ज़रूरी है जिसे आप आसानी से कर सकें और फिर धीरे-धीरे अपनी रफ़्तार और दूरी बढ़ाएँ।”
तैराकी- पूरे शरीर का कार्डियो वर्कआउट
तैराकी एक अलग तरह की कार्डियोवैस्कुलर चुनौती देती है क्योंकि शरीर को पानी के दबाव (रेज़िस्टेंस) के ख़िलाफ़ हिलना-डुलना पड़ता है। साथ ही, पानी की उछाल (buoyancy) जोड़ों पर पड़ने वाले दबाव को कम करती है।
डॉ. कृष्णमूर्ति कहते हैं, “जो लोग कम-ज़ोर वाले कार्डियोवैस्कुलर वर्कआउट की तलाश में हैं, उनके लिए तैराकी एक बेहतरीन विकल्प है। इसमें शरीर के कई बड़े मसल्स का इस्तेमाल होता है, जबकि पानी का रेजिस्टेंस शरीर को लगातार काम करने पर मजबूर करता है।”
इस वजह से तैराकी उन लोगों के लिए खास तौर पर आकर्षक हो सकती है जिन्हें ज़्यादा ज़ोर-शोर वाली गतिविधियां (हाई-इम्पैक्ट एक्टिविटीज़) आरामदायक नहीं लगतीं या जो अपनी एक्सरसाइज़ रूटीन में कुछ नयापन लाना चाहते हैं। हालांकि, पूल तक पहुंच और तैरने की बुनियादी जानकारी होना ज़रूरी है। जो लोग शुरुआत कर रहे हैं और पानी में सहज महसूस नहीं करते, उन्हें सीधे ज़ोरदार कसरत के तौर पर तैराकी शुरू करने के बजाय, पहले तैराकी की सही तकनीक सीखनी चाहिए।
तैराकी के फ़ायदे
तैराकी से कार्डियोवैस्कुलर क्षमता बेहतर हो सकती है, शरीर की कई मांसपेशियों पर एक साथ काम होता है, मांसपेशियों की सहनशक्ति बढ़ती है, कैलोरी बर्न होती है, कुल मिलाकर स्टैमिना बेहतर होता है, कम दबाव वाला वर्कआउट मिलता है और वज़न उठाने वाले जोड़ों पर तनाव कम होता है।
डॉ. कृष्णमूर्ति कहते हैं, “क्योंकि तैराकी में कार्डियोवैस्कुलर गतिविधि और मांसपेशियों का इस्तेमाल दोनों शामिल होते हैं, इसलिए यह एक बहुत असरदार वर्कआउट हो सकता है।” “हालांकि, इसकी तीव्रता व्यक्ति के फ़िटनेस लेवल के हिसाब से होनी चाहिए।”
HIIT- छोटा लेकिन ज़ोरदार
जिन लोगों के पास समय कम है, उनके लिए HIIT (हाई-इंटेंसिटी इंटरवल ट्रेनिंग) कार्डियो का एक अच्छा और समय बचाने वाला तरीका हो सकता है। HIIT में ज़ोरदार एक्सरसाइज़ और आराम या कम-तीव्रता वाली गतिविधि के बीच बारी-बारी से बदलाव किया जाता है। व्यक्ति के फ़िटनेस लेवल के आधार पर, एक सेशन में तेज़ साइकलिंग, दौड़ना, बॉडीवेट एक्सरसाइज़ या दूसरी गतिविधियां शामिल हो सकती हैं।
डॉ. कृष्णमूर्ति कहते हैं, “HIIT कम समय में कार्डियोवैस्कुलर सिस्टम को मजबूत स्टिमुलस दे सकता है। लेकिन क्योंकि इसकी तीव्रता ज़्यादा होती है, इसलिए यह हर किसी के लिए सही नहीं होता है।” शुरुआत करने वालों को सीधे बहुत मुश्किल HIIT सेशन नहीं करने चाहिए। जिन लोगों को पहले से कोई स्वास्थ्य समस्या है, उन्हें भी ज़ोरदार ट्रेनिंग शुरू करने से पहले सही मेडिकल और एक्सरसाइज़ से जुड़ी सलाह लेनी चाहिए।
HIIT के फ़ायदे
सही तरीके से करने पर, HIIT कार्डियोवैस्कुलर फ़िटनेस को बेहतर बना सकता है, कम समय के वर्कआउट में एक्सरसाइज़ की तीव्रता बढ़ा सकता है, सहनशक्ति (एंड्योरेंस) बढ़ा सकता है, कैलोरी बर्न करने में मदद कर सकता है, एक्सरसाइज़ रूटीन में विविधता ला सकता है, कार्डियोवैस्कुलर और मस्कुलर सिस्टम दोनों को चुनौती दे सकता है, और उन लोगों के लिए उपयोगी हो सकता है जिन्हें लंबे वर्कआउट के लिए समय नहीं मिल पाता है।
डॉ. कृष्णमूर्ति बताते हैं, “HIIT का मतलब सिर्फ़ जितनी हो सके उतनी ज़ोरदार एक्सरसाइज़ करना नहीं है। इंटरवल, रिकवरी पीरियड और एक्सरसाइज़ की तीव्रता को व्यक्ति की फ़िटनेस और स्वास्थ्य की स्थिति के अनुसार एडजस्ट किया जाना चाहिए।”
तो कौन सी कार्डियो एक्सरसाइज़ सबसे अच्छी है?
कार्डियो के मामले में कोई एक चीज़ सबसे अच्छी नहीं होती। वॉकिंग, स्विमिंग और HIIT अलग-अलग ज़रूरतों को पूरा करते हैं, और सही चुनाव व्यक्ति के फ़िटनेस लेवल, सेहत, पसंद, उपलब्ध समय और सुरक्षित रूप से एक्सरसाइज़ करने की क्षमता पर निर्भर करता है।
डॉ. कृष्णमूर्ति कहते हैं, “जो लोग रोज़ाना आसान कार्डियो करना चाहते हैं, उन्हें तेज़ी से चलने (ब्रिस्क वॉकिंग) से बहुत फ़ायदा हो सकता है। जो लोग कम-इम्पैक्ट वाला, पूरे शरीर का वर्कआउट चाहते हैं, उनके लिए स्विमिंग बेहतर हो सकती है, जबकि HIIT उन लोगों के लिए सही हो सकता है जो पहले से ही फ़िट हैं और ज़्यादा ज़ोरदार, कम समय में होने वाला सेशन चाहते हैं।”
परफ़ेक्ट वर्कआउट चुनने से ज़्यादा ज़रूरी है उसे लगातार करना
लोग सबसे बड़ी गलतियों में से एक यह करते हैं कि वे सिर्फ़ “सबसे अच्छी” एक्सरसाइज़ खोजने पर बहुत ज़्यादा ध्यान देते हैं और उसे नियमित रूप से करने पर बहुत कम। डॉ. कृष्णमूर्ति कहते हैं, “कार्डियो के फ़ायदे लगातार करने से मिलते हैं। अगर आप बहुत मुश्किल वर्कआउट को कभी-कभार करते हैं और उसे जारी नहीं रख पाते, तो उसका कोई खास फ़ायदा नहीं होता।”
अलग-अलग तरह के कार्डियो को मिलाने से एक्सरसाइज़ ज़्यादा मज़ेदार भी हो सकती है। कोई व्यक्ति अपनी फ़िटनेस और मेडिकल स्थिति के आधार पर ज़्यादातर दिन टहल सकता है, हफ़्ते में एक या दो बार तैर सकता है और कभी-कभी ज़्यादा ज़ोरदार सेशन भी कर सकता है।
ऐसा कार्डियो चुनें जिसे आप लंबे समय तक कर सकें
दौड़ना (रनिंग) एक बेहतरीन कार्डियोवैस्कुलर एक्सरसाइज़ है, लेकिन यह एकमात्र विकल्प नहीं है। तेज़ी से चलना (ब्रिस्क वॉकिंग) शुरुआत करने का एक आसान तरीका हो सकता है, स्विमिंग से पूरे शरीर का कम-इम्पैक्ट वाला वर्कआउट मिल सकता है, और समय कम होने पर HIIT एक ज़ोरदार सेशन दे सकता है।
आखिरकार, सबसे अच्छी कार्डियो एक्सरसाइज़ वही है जो आपकी क्षमताओं के अनुकूल हो और जिसे आप सुरक्षित रूप से और लगातार कर सकें। डॉ. कृष्णमूर्ति कहते हैं, “यह पूछने के बजाय कि वॉकिंग, स्विमिंग या HIIT में से कौन सा सबसे अच्छा है, यह पूछें कि आप कौन सी गतिविधि नियमित रूप से और सुरक्षित रूप से कर सकते हैं। यही बात एक्सरसाइज़ रूटीन को लंबे समय तक जारी रखने लायक और आखिरकार दिल की सेहत के लिए फ़ायदेमंद बनाती है।”
State-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) – Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL), have rejected recent claims of widespread contamination in E20 petrol, saying a nationwide testing exercise found no evidence to support reports of elevated chloride and moisture levels. The companies said fuel samples collected across the supply chain recorded chloride levels within the prescribed limits, while enhanced checks have also found no signs of water ingress in underground fuel storage tanks.
OMCs say chloride levels remained between 0-3ppm
Testing covered refineries, ethanol plants, depots and retail outlets
Two retail outlets temporarily suspended after isolated findings
This statement comes less than a week after reports citing an internal communication from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) alleged elevated chloride and moisture contamination in E20 petrol, raising concerns over possible damage to fuel system components. SIAM, however, subsequently withdrew the communication, saying media reports had “selectively” quoted excerpts from the document and that some of the figures cited required further authentication through additional data collection and consultation with its member OEMs.
OMCs say testing found no widespread contamination
The oil companies said samples collected from refineries, ethanol distilleries, storage depots, tanker trucks and retail fuel stations recorded chloride levels between 0ppm and 3ppm, well below the several-hundred-ppm figures reported earlier. They added that claims of chloride contamination of up to 500ppm could not be validated.
According to the companies, testing included more than 100 petrol samples from refineries, ethanol supplied by 80 distilleries, more than 80 samples from terminals and over 160 samples from retail outlets, all of which returned chloride readings within the 0-3ppm range. The ethanol testing was carried out jointly by the OMCs and the Centre for High Technology, the petroleum ministry’s technical arm.
Two fuel stations flagged during testing
The OMCs said two retail outlets recorded elevated chloride levels during the exercise. Fuel supplies at both stations were suspended, investigated and restored only after corrective measures were implemented.
Moisture checks expanded across fuel stations
On the issue of moisture contamination, the companies said around 90,000 fuel stations have begun mandatory inspections of underground storage tanks, with checks carried out eight to twelve times a day. According to the OMCs, no water intrusion has been detected so far.
The companies added that mobile fuel testing laboratories have been deployed, with results independently verified by fuel laboratories. Test data is also being published on the Centre for High Technology’s website and will continue to be updated as additional samples are analysed.
The DucatiMultistrada is one of the most successful modern motorcycles to have raced up the famed Pikes Peak hill climb, having taken 7 wins over the years. Motorcycle racing was banned at the Peak after Ducati star Carlin Dunne tragically lost his life in a crash just metres before the finish line in 2019, but Ducati still has a tribute to this race in the form of the Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak.
Effectively, this motorcycle goes back to the Multistrada’s roots of being a tall, sporty road-biased motorcycle. The primary sporty element comes in the shift from a 19-inch front on the standard Multistrada V4 to a 17-inch unit here. But there’s a whole lot more that you get for the (considerable) extra cash over the Multi V4 S than just a smaller front wheel. That includes a new Race Mode and Öhlins EC 2.0 semi-active suspension, just like you would have found on the previous-gen Panigale V4 S. It even gets a single-sided swingarm, forged aluminium wheels and a road-legal titanium Akrapovič end-can.
Multistrada V4 Comfort – 8/10
All of these changes are aimed at sharpening the Multi’s handling capabilities, which leaves the question – how much of an adventure bike is still in there? To find an answer, I pulled out Google Maps and picked a few random roads that I’d been eyeing over the years, but never had the opportunity to explore. The idea was to end up at the fabulous roads around Tahmini ghat, which is closer to Pune, and I’d chalked out a round-trip that came up to about 350km.
The Pikes Peak gets carbon parts, different ergos and reduced wind protection
The first quest would be the hour-long escape from the mayhem of Monday morning Mumbai. Ducatis are usually the worst bikes for being stuck in jammed traffic, but the V4-engined Multi is different. As with its lesser V4 siblings, the Pikes Peak uses twin radiators that are housed on the sides, and the bodywork neatly ducts the hot air blast away from the rider. Also, as with all Ducatis, the cooling system does a remarkable job of keeping the operating temperature below 106 degrees even when stationary.
Specifications
Values
Engine Displacement
1158 cc
Max Engine Power
170 hp @ 10,750 rpm
Max Engine Torque
124 Nm @ 9000 rpm
Number of Gears
6
So, unless you’re stuck in a nasty bad jam where the clutch can get painful, this bike is surprisingly pleasant to manage in traffic. Of course, that’s a fairly relative statement, considering that this is a big, tall, 240-plus-kilo motorcycle.
However, after an hour or so, there’s no escaping the heat radiating off the rear cylinder bank that’s right under your thighs. I noticed that this was an issue in 36-degree afternoon heat on the highway, but not so much when the temperatures dropped in the hilly regions around Lonavala. Despite this, the Multi was far happier when it broke free from the clutches of the city.
Multistrada V4 Performance and suspension setup – 9/10
What truly blew me away on the Pikes Peak was the sheer range of its ability to change character. Like with the other V4 models, this one also has many different riding modes, a boat-load of electronic assists and minutely adjustable electronic suspension modes. However, the difference between ‘full chill’ and ‘full attack’ mode on this bike is truly breathtaking. After a couple of hours of quick and perfectly pleasant highway riding, the Multi and I soon found ourselves staring at miles of completely broken rural roads without a soul on them.
There’s no way I’d ever want to bring a sporty Italian exotic to a place like this, but putting the engine into Low Power mode (115hp instead of 170hp) and diving deep into the suspension setting menus to slack off the damping and preload completely changed the bike.
Specifications
Values
Wheelbase
1595 mm
Seat height
840-860 mm
Kerb Weight
227 kg
Fuel Tank Size
22 L
With ADV seating comfort and the 170mm of suspension travel soaking in the terrain quite well, I had no concerns with simply riding through these non-stop broken road conditions. The bike was unbothered to the point that I could ride it at a gentle pace and enjoy the spectacular beauty of rural Maharashtra in the monsoon. However, I must also make it clear that while the Pikes Peak can tolerate this sort of punishment, it doesn’t thrive on it. Think of this as a surprisingly comfortable road-tourer rather than a true ADV.
Race-bred electronics and superbike-spec suspension are what make the Pikes Peak experience unique.
Multistrada V4 Ride and Handling – 10/10
A big Tiger or GS would have surely been more capable in these conditions, but the Pikes Peak would have simply blown away any ADV on the roads that came next. After ages of enduring gravel and shattered tarmac, we finally arrived at Tahmini to be greeted by some of the finest riding roads in the country.
It uses the standard V4 engine with conventional spring valves
A few button presses later, the Multi was now in Race mode, and the difference was startling. The bike suddenly felt tight, taut and taller, thanks to increased preload at the rear. This was no longer a cushy tourer and had suddenly turned into quite a fearsome beast that demanded respect. The raucous intake bark as the V4 engine snarled past 6,000rpm was almost as intoxicating as the way it built speed. While you could get the same sort of performance on a ‘normal’ Multi V4 that uses the same engine, the immense braking and incredible suspension composure of the Pikes Peak was something else.
Pikes Peak gets a single-sided swingarm, forged wheels and an Akrapovič end-can
I was now riding a sport bike, and it cornered and braked with such ferocity that it was easy to get carried away. I had to remind myself that this was a public road and we were going far too fast for good health! Slap on a sticky set of tyres, and this bike could genuinely embarrass a swarm of sport bike riders on the racetrack. After an awesomely exhilarating time on the ghat, there was no doubt that the Pikes Peak spirit is truly alive in this bike, and it most certainly isn’t just a branding exercise to charge a heap of money.
Multistrada V4 Price and Verdict – 8/10
Nevertheless, a heap of money is exactly what you have to pay to own this motorcycle. At Rs 36.9 lakh (ex-showroom), the Pikes Peak is exorbitantly expensive, and you still have to pay more for extras like heated grips, tyre pressure monitoring and keyless functionality for the fuel tank. At the end of the day, this is the connoisseur’s version of what is already a connoisseur’s adventure motorcycle. You’ve got to really want this particularly unique combination of all-road sport bike skills. After all, you can get either phenomenally capable super ADVs or proper super bikes for far less money.
The sheer range of its ability to change character is what is truly incredible.
I struggle to convince myself that it’s worth the price, but I’m also infinitely grateful that such a thing even exists and that we have the option to own one in India. If you’re among the precious few with the desire and funds to own such a bike, all I’d like to say is go for it!
Somewhere in the folds of the Western Ghats, where the Mumbai-Pune Expressway peels off from Lonavala into quieter country, a piece of land is being reshaped into what will, by this time next year, become Maharashtra’s first race track. Except to call it just a race track undersells the ambition entirely. What is rising here, on the grounds of the Nanoli Stud Farm, is a race resort, where cars are not just driven or raced, but lived with.
The Dhunjibhoy family has owned this land for decades, ever since the Nanoli Stud and Agricultural Farm was set up in the early 1990s. Khushroo Dhunjibhoy has spent a lifetime around shipping and thoroughbreds, and it is that same instinct for breeding something exceptional that he and his son, Zahir, have turned toward motorsport.
Aerial view of Nanoli before the tarmac is laid. This 3km circuit will be Maharashtra’s first and a haven for enthusiasts in western India.
Their plan is not a bare circuit with a pit lane bolted on. It is villas, high-end rooms and a clubhouse built into the same grounds as the horses. There will also be a 100-car garage with humidity control to protect exotic machinery from the heat, sun, dust and monsoons. The paddock and pit buildings will be state-of-the-art, with a hospitality deck that gives you a bird’s-eye view of nearly half the circuit. The circuit itself, designed to FIA Grade 3 specs by Driven International out of the UK, will eventually stretch close to three kilometres, with the option to split into shorter east and west configurations, depending on what the day calls for.
None of that exists yet in finished form. What does exist, right now, is the base layer. The dirt has been laid and compacted to a finish so smooth, it could pass for a rally special stage, which is roughly how we decided to treat it.
The obvious car for an afternoon like this would have been something with four-wheel drive and a reassuring amount of ground clearance. Something like an Urus or an RS Q8 – the kind of SUV that turns loose surfaces into a non-event. But ‘obvious’ has never made for a good story. So instead, we brought a Lamborghini Sterrato, which is, in essence, a Huracán that someone at Sant’Agata decided should grow up into a WRC car.
Before the tarmac arrives, the Sterrato enjoys Nanoli in its rawest form, with the future pit and hospitality complex taking shape behind it.
The Sterrato is not a styling exercise with some plastic cladding glued on. Lamborghini jacked the ride height by 44mm, fitted bespoke Bridgestone all-terrain rubber wrapped around 19-inch wheels, widened the front and rear tracks, and reworked the all-wheel-drive system and suspension geometry so the car can absorb a rutted surface without snapping its splitter off in the first hundred metres. Underneath sits the same naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V10 found in the rest of the Huracán range, here tuned to 610hp, still screaming to over 8,000rpm with no turbos to soften the theatre. Only 1,499 Sterratos were built before Lamborghini closed the production run, and of those, 15 made their way to India.
The example driven here belongs to Dinesh Thakkar, who was not only generous enough to hand over the key for a day, but also had the distinction of setting what can be considered the first recorded lap at Nanoli Speedway.
His time of 2m34.80sec won’t be the quickest, but it’s a significant milestone for a circuit that is yet to officially open.
Mechanically, the Sterrato retains the naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V10, producing 610hp and driving all four wheels through a dual-clutch transmission. On paper, it remains very much a Huracán. In practice, the changes in character are immediately evident.
On the compacted dirt, the first impression is one of adaptability. Turn-in is not as immediate as it would be on tarmac, but the front axle bites with a reassuring consistency. The real shift comes under power. Where a standard Huracán demands restraint, the Sterrato encourages exploration.
The recalibrated driving modes, particularly Rally mode, allow for controlled slip. The rear steps out progressively, and crucially, predictably. There is a fluidity to the way the car moves, a willingness to rotate that transforms the experience. It is less about outright speed and more about managing balance.
5.2-litre V10 a nod to the best of internal combustion.
The additional suspension travel plays a defining role. Over the subtle undulations of the track, the car remains composed, absorbing variations in the surface without unsettling the chassis. It allows you to commit earlier, carry speed through sections that would otherwise require caution, and rely on the car to work with the terrain rather than against it.
The V10 is natural aspiration at its best. It sounds absolutely brilliant; the sharp throttle response allows you to precisely meter every one of those 610 horses, and every tap of the throttle feels utterly engaging. Under the sonorous wail of the V10 is the muted rattle of gravel ricocheting off the underbody, giving the full effect of a WRC car.
For Thakkar, setting that first lap was less about outright pace and more about being part of something that will only happen once. Once the tarmac goes down, no one will ever again get to slide a supercar through Nanoli’s corners on loose dirt. That window closes the day the asphalt trucks arrive, which made every lap feel like it mattered a little more than it should have for what was, on paper, just a test session on an unfinished track.
Sterrato owner Dinesh Thakkar is all smiles after a memorable day.
What Nanoli represents, once finished, goes well beyond a fun afternoon for a few car nuts and a Lamborghini. Mumbai’s supercar owners have long had money and machinery with nowhere proper to use either. The city’s roads are hostile to anything with a low chin, and Pune offers little better. A circuit within striking distance of both cities, built to international standards and backed by a family that clearly does not believe in doing things by half measures, could genuinely change how western India’s car culture behaves. This is not simply about building a track. It is about creating an ecosystem. The members-only model ensures exclusivity, but also fosters a focused community. For enthusiasts in Mumbai and Pune, long constrained by infrastructure, this represents a fundamental shift. It’s a controlled environment where cars can be driven to the max without fear of speed cameras or speed breakers.
The tarmac will come soon enough, and Nanoli will become a proper circuit with lap times and lap records and all the polish that comes with a finished facility. But for one afternoon, before any of that, it was just a dirt track, a Sterrato V10, and the kind of first lap that only ever happens once.
सावन (Sawan) हिंदू धर्म का सबसे पवित्र महीना माना जाता है, जिसमें भगवान शिव की पूजा, व्रत और धार्मिक अनुष्ठानों का विशेष महत्व होता है। यह महीना मानसून (monsoon) के बीच आता है, जब मौसम सुहावना तो होता है, लेकिन इंफेक्शन, वायरल फीवर और पेट संबंधी बीमारियों का खतरा भी बढ़ जाता है। कई लोग इस दौरान व्रत रखते हैं और डाइट में बदलाव करते हैं, इसलिए शरीर की सही देखभाल करना बेहद जरूरी हो जाता है। अगर कुछ आसान आदतों को अपनाया जाए, तो आप पूरे सावन भर खुद को फिट और एनर्जेटिक रख सकते हैं। आइए जानते हैं ऐसे जरूरी हेल्थ टिप्स:
Drink clean and boiled water (साफ और उबला हुआ पानी ही पिएं)
सावन (Saawan)और बारिश के मौसम (monsoon season) में दूषित पानी से टाइफाइड (typhoid), डायरिया (diarrhea) और पेट के इंफेक्शन का खतरा बढ़ जाता है। इसलिए हमेशा फिल्टर या उबला (boiled water) हुआ पानी ही पिएं। घर से बाहर निकलते समय अपनी पानी की बोतल साथ रखें और रोड साइड मिलने वाले खुले हुए खाने से बचें।
Eat fresh, light, and balanced meals (ताजा, हल्का और संतुलित भोजन)
बारिश के मौसम में डाइजेस्टिव सिस्टम (digestive system) थोड़ा कमजोर हो सकता है। ऐसे में बासी, तला-भुना और ज्यादा मसालेदार भोजन खाने से बचें। घर का ताजा खाना, मौसमी फल, दाल, हरी सब्जियां और हल्का भोजन शरीर को जरूरी पोषण देने के साथ इम्यूनिटी (immunity) भी मजबूत रखने में मदद करता है।
Prevent nutritional deficiencies (व्रत में शरीर में पोषण की कमी न होने दें)
सावन (Saawan) में कई लोग सोमवार का व्रत (fast) रखते हैं। ऐसे में सिर्फ भूखे रहने के बजाय फल, दूध, दही, मखाना, मेवे, नारियल पानी और पर्याप्त मात्रा में तरल पदार्थ (adequate fluid) लें। इससे शरीर में एनर्जी बनी रहती है और कमजोरी, चक्कर या डिहाइड्रेशन जैसी प्रॉब्लम से बचाव होता है।
Yoga, Pranayama or light exercise (रोज योग, प्राणायाम या हल्की एक्सरसाइज)
बारिश के कारण बाहर टहलना संभव न हो, तब भी घर पर 20–30 मिनट योग, स्ट्रेचिंग (stretching) या प्राणायाम जरूर करें। इससे शरीर एक्टिव रहता है, ब्लड सर्कुलेशन (blood circulation) बेहतर होता है और इम्यूनिटी (immunity) मजबूत होती है। रेगुलर एक्सरसाइज मेंटल स्ट्रेस कम करने में भी मदद करता है।
Adequate Sleep and Rest (पर्याप्त नींद और शरीर का आराम)
हेल्दी रहने के लिए अच्छी नींद उतनी ही जरूरी है जितना अच्छा खानपान (nutritious diet)। रोज 7–8 घंटे की नींद लेने से शरीर खुद को रिपेयर करता है और इम्यून सिस्टम मजबूत होती है। अगर आप व्रत रख रहे हैं या एक्टिविटीज में बिजी हैं, तो बीच-बीच में आराम करना भी जरूरी है, ताकि शरीर पर अधिक थकान न पड़े।
cleanliness and personal hygiene (साफ-सफाई और पर्सनल हाइजीन का ध्यान)
बारिश के मौसम में बैक्टीरिया (Bacteria) और वायरस (viruses) तेजी से फैलते हैं। इसलिए खाना खाने से पहले और बाहर से आने के बाद हाथों को साबुन से अच्छी तरह धोएं। गीले कपड़े ज्यादा देर तक न पहनें और पैरों को साफ व सूखा रखें, ताकि फंगल इंफेक्शन का खतरा कम हो।
Protect mosquitoes and infections (मच्छरों और इंफेक्शन से बचे)
मानसून (monsoon) में जगह-जगह पानी जमा होने से मच्छरों की संख्या बढ़ जाती है, जिससे डेंगू, मलेरिया और चिकनगुनिया जैसी बीमारियों का खतरा रहता है। घर के आसपास पानी जमा न होने दें, पूरी बाजू के कपड़े पहनें और जरूरत पड़ने पर मच्छर भगाने वाली क्रीम या रिपेलेंट का इस्तेमाल करें।
The origin of the species. The very beginnings of the automobile. Where it all started. How it all started. What form the earliest cars took. What if you could experience all of this in one place, at the same time? Say hello to UMS Technologies, India’s smallest carmaker. Nestled in the heart of the bustling city of Coimbatore, where the manufacturing of machines is almost a religion, UMS tech not only recreates the past, it does so with exacting precision and a level of dedication that borders on obsession.
Walk onto the shop floor, just off main street Coimbatore, and you are greeted by finished versions of three icons – the 1899 Stanley Steamer, the 1896 Ford Quadricycle, and the 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen. Each is a faithful replica, crafted with painstaking detail, and together they tell the story of how the automobile was born. It feels like history is coming back to life.
Give me steam
The steam car is the most difficult to steer and can accelerate quickly for a prehistoric car.
The Locomobile, or Stanley Steamer, is perhaps the most theatrical of the trio. Originally powered by naphtha and coal, it relied on steam pressure to drive its pistons. Did you know steam-powered cars predated petrol-powered cars by almost a century? The replica here, however, has been updated with a diesel burner. Pressure in the ‘boiler’ goes up to around 150-200 PSI, and a gauge on the dashboard (origin of the term) tells you when the car is ready to move. This takes a bit.
Clockwise from left: Levers select direction; Braking is via motorcycle discs; Seat feels like a comfy sofa; Diesel burner replaces coal.
Sidebar: steam-powered ships like aircraft carriers sometimes took 12-24 hours to build up a sufficient head of steam before they could start. In the car, once the needle climbs into range, a gentle push on the accelerator sends the vehicle chuffing forward with the rhythm of a steam train. The experience is surreal. Torque is abundant, acceleration is surprisingly brisk, and the soundtrack – a soft, mechanical chuffing – is delightfully addictive. Steering it, however, is a challenge. Without a wheel, only a rudimentary tiller guides the car, reminding me of why the steering rack was one of the most important innovations. Fun fact: none of the three cars here has a steering wheel. For safety, especially considering how quick it is when it builds up a head of steam, UMS Technologies has added motorcycle disc brakes.
Before the Model T
This was the car Henry Ford made before the Model T or even before the company’s formation in 1903.
If the Stanley Steamer is theatrical, the Ford Quadricycle is a burst of youthful energy. Built in 1896, ten years after Karl Benz unveiled his Patent-Motorwagen, it was Henry Ford’s first car, created before he even founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903. The replica is faithful to the original, complete with its mid-mounted twin-cylinder engine and bulb-type rudimentary carburettors that mix the fuel and air. The pistons are exposed, with no sump for oil, so lubrication is handled by drip-feed systems. A brass tube connects the pistons to water tanks for cooling, while spark plugs, carburettor, tappets, and valves are all visible, making the engine look like a mechanical marvel, all the running bits visible and exposed.
Clockwise from top: Twin cylinders placed horizontally; Contact box switch to start the car; Steering knob has button for the bell.
Driving it is exhilarating. The twin cylinders give it a noticeable boost in speed. Steering is again by a tiller, while a lever operates the throttle, much like one on an aircraft; but in reverse. Pulling the lever back sends the car shooting forward, while pushing it forward slows it down! And yes, Ford even thought to add a horn, making this one of the first cars to have this safety feature. Something else that’s fascinating – this car runs on E100 or pure ethanol. However, there’s no blue roundel or Ford badge. This car came before the Ford Motor Company, remember.
Prime petroleum
It moves forward gingerly with a put-putting sound from the weak single-cylinder ‘engine’.
The Benz Patent-Motorwagen, however, is the granddaddy of them all. Widely regarded as the first petrol-powered car, it was unveiled in 1886 and changed the course of history. While steam vehicles had existed since the 1760s, Benz’s creation was revolutionary: a single-cylinder, horizontal piston engine mounted on a tricycle frame. The replica here is almost indistinguishable from the original. Austrian white ash has been imported for the woodwork, just as Benz used in Germany. Brass fittings, carburettors, pistons and connecting rods are all crafted in-house, from the same materials that were used on the original. Even the massive wheels with hard-rubber tyres are made at the factory in Coimbatore, cast and assembled with meticulous care, as we stand and watch.
Operating the Motorwagen is an exercise in patience. The wooden box houses the battery and electrics, while the crankshaft and piston lie horizontally. A pulley system drives the camshaft, with pushrods for intake and exhaust valves. The engine is started by spinning the horizontally placed ‘fly wheel’, and the car starts with a soft and faint put-put-put, white smoke softly escaping from the rear.
Clockwise from top: Brass canisters hold water, fuel; You steer with a tiller and use a long lever to accelerate, brake; Drive is via bicycle chain.
Sat high up, you control acceleration and braking with a single lever; push forward to accelerate or pull back to brake. On the road, it feels fragile and threatens to tip over at times. Unless you push the throttle open, even gentle slopes are a challenge. And then there’s some overrun, so you often need to pump the lever to give it a burst of power. In addition, the ride is harsh, the suspension rocks you and larger bumps simply toss you and threaten to flip the tricycle. But every chug of the piston, every few metres you cover remind you that this is where petrol motoring began.
Recreating history
What makes these replicas remarkable is not just their historical accuracy, but the fact that they are built entirely in-house. UMS Technologies casts its own parts – cylinder heads, crankshafts, flywheels, carburettors – 20km away, then assembles them here. Brass, steel, gunmetal and Austrian ash are all shaped into components that mirror the originals. The workshop even uses a Carl Zeiss measuring machine to check tolerances on the Benz cylinder head – something Karl Benz himself could never have imagined in 1886. And the company doesn’t stop at cars. It also builds engines for drones and RC planes, ranging from single-cylinder 100cc units to seven-cylinder radial engines. Precision, craftsmanship and innovation coexist in this tiny factory, proving that scale is not a prerequisite for excellence. It even makes small turbine engines, complete with flames emitted from the rear and afterburners.
Each car gets its own brochure, as it should.
In an era dominated by SUVs, EVs and autonomous driving, why do these replicas matter? Because they remind us of where it all began. They show us the ingenuity of pioneers who built cars, they highlight the evolution of engineering, from steam to petrol, from tillers to steering wheels, from drip-feed lubrication to blade batteries.
India’s smallest carmaker has achieved something extraordinary. By recreating the Stanley Steamer, the Ford Quadricycle and the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, it has preserved the earliest DNA of the automobile and shown us what it must have been like to drive and be transported by these machines. Even better, if you want to own one of these, each of them is on sale.
Benz Motor Wagen
Stanley Steamer
Ford Quadricycle
Price*
Rs 22.10 lakh
Rs 19.50 lakh
Rs 15.60 lakh
Wheelbase
1,450mm
1,473mm
1,200mm
Power
0.68hp
3.5-5.5hp
3-4hp
Kerb weight
265kg
410kg
227kg
Top speed
16kph
40-48kph
28kph
*Domestic market discount 20-25 percent
No steering required
Driving these three, you get a sense of what the pioneering days of motoring must have been like. You sit exposed, as on a carriage, and looking at this set here, that’s what they really are – horseless carriages. In the Patent-Motorwagen, you pump the accelerator and brake repeatedly, coaxing the car up inclines and slowing it down with a wooden lever. It feels awkward at first, but soon you get the hang of it. The ride is rough, but the sense of history is overwhelming. In the Stanley Steamer, you wait five minutes for pressure to build, then glide forward with effortless torque. The chuffing soundtrack is addictive, and the acceleration surprisingly rapid. Steering with a tiller is tricky, but the experience is joyous. In the Ford Quadricycle, performance takes centre stage. The twin cylinders deliver speed, the ethanol tank nods to sustainability, and the bell-like horn adds a touch of practicality. It feels like the first step toward the modern automobile. Together, they offer a time jump into motoring’s infancy.
How these cars are made in India
All basic parts for the engines are cast or machined either in-house or by a local supplier; for the Benz, the same imported ash wood as the original is used; the spokes and big wheels are made by hand; cylinder and sleeve made to the same spec as the originals; UMS also makes cylinder radial engines for drones and model planes – a nine-cylinder radial and a turbine, among the many.
Interview with GD Gopal, UMS Technologies
Why build replicas of cars that are more than a century old?
Because they are the roots of motoring. Everyone knows the latest SUVs or EVs, but very few have seen where it all began. By recreating the Stanley Steamer, the Ford Quadricycle and the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, we’re preserving history in a way people can touch, feel and drive.
How difficult is it to manufacture these cars from scratch?
Extremely difficult. We cast our own cylinder heads, crankshafts and carburettors. Even the woodwork is done here using Austrian ash, just like the originals. Every part is measured, machined and finished by hand. It’s not about mass production; it’s about precision and authenticity.
What’s next?
We’ll keep building history. And maybe inspire the future too.
The Flying Flea C6 is Royal Enfield’s first electric motorcycle and, by any measure, one of the most unconventional two-wheelers to come out of an Indian manufacturer. The brand says it isn’t designed to be a high-volume product, but rather as a learning exercise and a statement of intent. During our brief stint with the bike, we found the C6 takes a genuinely different approach to electric mobility. Here’s what works in its favour and a couple of reasons it might not be for everyone.
Reasons to buy the Flying Flea C6
Exciting and engaging to ride
The C6’s performance is more impressive than its compact dimensions might suggest. The 15kW peak motor produces 60Nm and the bike can reach a top speed of around 115kph, which it achieves with ease. More significantly, during our time with the bike we found that this performance is consistently available even as the battery state of charge drops. The motor is capable of 8kW continuous output, which is among the highest of any Indian two-wheeler EV.
Four riding modes – Rain, City, Highway and Sport – are available, along with a custom mode that allows you to tweak throttle response, power level, traction control and regenerative braking independently.
Beautifully engineered with impressive attention to detail
The C6 is a genuinely fascinating piece of engineering to spend time with. Virtually no steel is used in the structural components – the chassis is a forged aluminium exoskeleton, the swingarm is aluminium, and the battery casing is constructed from magnesium alloy, a material that is significantly lighter than aluminium and has never been used in an Indian two-wheeler before. The girder fork, in particular, is a mechanical highlight – it’s virtually extinct on modern motorcycles and is fascinating to observe both at a standstill and in motion. Royal Enfield has addressed magnesium’s combustibility risk by designing the chassis as a protective exoskeleton around the battery casing.
High-end technology and thoughtful features
The C6 is the most technically advanced Royal Enfield ever built, by a considerable margin. It comes with cornering ABS, traction control, a 3.5-inch round touchscreen TFT display and keyless operation. A rotary dial on the left switchgear allows riding mode changes on the move and makes for a genuinely intuitive system. App connectivity is standard, and an integrated phone storage compartment with wireless charging allows you to cast Google Maps onto the TFT. An on-board 2kW charger means you only need to carry a cable, not a bulky external unit, and three charging modes let you choose between fast, normal and trickle charging speeds. A notable addition is an optional incognito mode that prevents the bike from relaying data back to the company – a rare and welcome privacy feature for a connected vehicle.
Reasons to skip the Flying Flea C6
Polarising size and limited real-world range
The C6 is a small, compact motorcycle. Deliberately so, given its inspiration from the original World War II-era Flying Flea that needed to be parachute-dropped onto battlefields. Not everyone will find the proportions appealing, and riders expecting a conventional Royal Enfield presence on the road will be surprised by just how compact it feels.
Next, the 3.91kWh battery’s 154km claimed IDC range is modest, and in real-world use the figure varies significantly depending on riding style – aggressive riding can bring it down to 60-70km, while steady riding at 60-70kph makes 100km achievable. The C6 is best suited to urban use; venturing much beyond city limits will require planning. The pillion experience is also compromised, with a small removable rear seat and footpegs mounted on the swingarm that move with the rear suspension.
Price and availability
At Rs 2.79 lakh (ex-showroom), the C6 is a significant ask for a compact, single-speed electric motorcycle with a modest range. That said, given the engineering decisions Royal Enfield has made, it is arguably as reasonable as it could be. More immediately limiting for potential buyers is availability as the C6 is currently only on sale in Bengaluru, with a gradual city-by-city rollout planned. Those outside Bengaluru will have to wait, and there’s no confirmed timeline for when the bike will reach their city.
फिट रहने के लिए जिम में घंटों पसीना बहाना या महंगे सप्लीमेंट लेना ही जरूरी हो, ऐसा नहीं है। कई बार छोटी-छोटी रोजमर्रा की आदतें भी उम्र बढ़ने के बावजूद शरीर को चुस्त और स्वस्थ बनाए रख सकती हैं। इसका उदाहरण चेन्नई के 62 वर्षीय एक शख्स हैं, जिन्होंने अपनी सादगी भरी लाइफस्टाइल और आसान फिटनेस रूटीन से लोगों का ध्यान खींचा है। उनकी फिट बॉडी देखकर कई लोग हैरान रह जाते हैं, लेकिन उनकी दिनचर्या किसी प्रोफेशनल एथलीट जैसी नहीं है। न वह भारी वर्कआउट करते हैं और न ही किसी फैंसी डाइट को फॉलो करते हैं।
उनका मानना है कि नियमित व्यायाम, घर का साधारण खाना और अनुशासित दिनचर्या ही लंबे समय तक स्वस्थ रहने का सबसे आसान तरीका है। उनकी यही सोच अब सोशल मीडिया पर लोगों को फिटनेस का नया नजरिया दे रही है।
न वेट ट्रेनिंग, न घंटों जिम… फिर भी कमाल की फिटनेस
जब उनसे उनकी फिटनेस का राज पूछा गया तो उन्होंने बताया कि वह जिम जाकर भारी वजन नहीं उठाते। उनकी सुबह हल्की स्ट्रेचिंग से शुरू होती है, जबकि शाम को वह बैडमिंटन खेलते हैं। उनका कहना है कि शरीर को रोज एक्टिव रखना सबसे जरूरी है। दिलचस्प बात यह रही कि जब उनकी फिट बॉडी की तारीफ की गई तो उन्होंने मुस्कुराते हुए कहा कि उन्हें खुद नहीं पता था कि लोग उन्हें इतना फिट मानते हैं।
घर का खाना ही है सबसे बड़ा ‘सुपरफूड‘
उनकी डाइट बेहद साधारण है। सुबह नाश्ते में 3 इडली, अंडे का सफेद हिस्सा और सलाद खाते हैं। बीच में भूना चना लेते हैं। दोपहर में चपाती, दही-चावल और सब्जियां खाते हैं। रात के खाने में चपाती, सब्जियां, चना और काली दाल शामिल होती है। खास बात यह है कि उन्होंने चावल और रोटी जैसे कार्बोहाइड्रेट को अपनी डाइट से बाहर नहीं किया है।
कम नींद, लेकिन पक्की दिनचर्या
वह रोज करीब 6 घंटे की नींद लेते हैं। हालांकि आमतौर पर 7 से 9 घंटे की नींद की सलाह दी जाती है, लेकिन उनका कहना है कि नियमित दिनचर्या और एक्टिव लाइफस्टाइल उन्हें पूरे दिन ऊर्जावान बनाए रखती है।
उनका मानना है कि रोज थोड़ा पसीना बहाना जरूरी है। इसके लिए दौड़ना, तेज चलना, बैडमिंटन या कोई भी पसंदीदा खेल खेला जा सकता है। साथ ही उन्होंने जंक फूड से दूरी बनाने और घर का ताजा खाना खाने की सलाह दी। उनके अनुसार अच्छी दिनचर्या, संतुलित भोजन और नियमित गतिविधियां कई बीमारियों से बचाने में मदद कर सकती हैं।
डिस्क्लेमर : यह जानकारी एक व्यक्ति के अनुभव पर आधारित है। स्वास्थ्य, व्यायाम या आहार से जुड़ा कोई भी बड़ा बदलाव करने से पहले डॉक्टर या योग्य स्वास्थ्य विशेषज्ञ की सलाह लेना उचित है।
