Style, Comfort, Performance!. Review on Kinetic Blaze

NOTE: I AM THE EXECUTIVE EDITOR FOR BIKE INDIA, AND FIRST WROTE THIS REVIEW FOR THE MAGAZINE. THIS REVIEW IS BEING POSTED HERE SO IT CAN REACH A WIDER AUDIENCE.

The new Kinetic Blaze is based on the Italjet Millennium, a stylish 150cc machine from Italy, the land of Ferrari, vino and the antipasto buffet. Usually when foreign machines come to India, manufacturers dumb them down to a lower spec, which they then say is what the market warrants. That’s not the way it is with the Blaze, what with Kinetic bolting on an 11.7PS, 165cc engine on to this scooter, making it the most powerful scooter ever to be sold in this country. Bravo! Somebody is finally also looking at elements like style and power instead of just fuel efficiency.

The Blaze is an undeniably good-looking machine and gets attention everywhere you ride it. There is the occasional ‘iska average kitna hai?’ thrown at you, which I suppose is inevitable, but during the few days when I had the Blaze, I had quite a few people coming up to me and asking how powerful this scooter is, and how fast it’ll go. Its swoopy lines, stepped seat, large front headlamp, rakish front mudguard, and horizontal slats below its tinted mini-fairing are some styling elements that stand out on the Blaze. It looks strong and capable and makes you want to hop on and go for a ride right away. Italjet make some of the most distinctive looking scooters anywhere (the Dragster and the F-125, for example…), and the Blaze is right up there in the looks department. The stance is sporty, the proportions are right and there is just that little hint of aggression there, a little mischievous glint in the eye, which tells you this scooter was born for more than just the A-to-B commute.

The Blaze’s 165cc engine is based on the unit used in the Hyosung GF170, but has been extensively reworked and refined for the Blaze. The engine, which features a four-valve head (SOHC), is smooth and tractable, and power delivery is quite linear. In the GF170, this engine used to make 15PS and 14Nm of torque, but Kinetic have probably tuned it for more fuel efficiency here, hence those figures are down to 11.7PS and 12Nm of torque. At a 136 kilos (kerb weight), the Blaze is no lightweight, but twist the throttle from a standstill and it scoots off the line with grin-inducing alacrity. In stop-and-go city traffic, there is the occasional shudder from the drivetrain, and some driveline snatch, especially while riding two-up. That’s usually not a concern though – the engine is surprisingly smooth most of the time, and the heavy-duty CVT system copes quite well with the engine’s power output. The Blaze sprints from zero to 60km/h in 8.53 seconds and while it’s no rocket of course, you could surprise some 100-125cc motorcycle riders (especially if they aren’t very good at shifting gears) in stoplight GPs! In a straight line, the Blaze is happy cruising at an indicated 80-90km/h, and there is hardly any wind buffeting at that speed, perhaps because of the small fairing up front. I rode the Blaze up and down the Dive ghatsnear Pune, and the scooter covered ground at surprising speed, all the while feeling solid and planted while cornering hard. It’s considerably bigger than, say, a Dio, Activa or Nova, but the Blaze still feels quite wieldy, is easily manageable and is confidence inspiring while pushing hard.

The Blaze has a 6-litre fuel tank, which gives it a range of around 180km, which is useful if you plan to travel between, say, Mumbai and Pune. And yes, this is one scooter on which you could very well travel long distances. The ergonomics worked well for me, and the seat-handlebar-footboard relationship was just fine for my 5ft.8in. frame. However, the one complaint I have is that the Blaze’s stepped seat ‘locks’ me into a certain riding position. While sprinting down my favourite set of twisty roads on the Blaze, I would have liked to sit slightly further back (which a flat, non-stepped seat would have allowed) and lean forward, putting more weight on the front end. The stepped seat also restricts movement while cornering hard, and lets you do only so much, and no more. With its 1495mm wheelbase (which is more than almost all Indian motorcycles!), taut suspension setup, and 12-inch wheels wearing 120/70 (front) and 130/70 (rear) rubber, the Blaze is actually quite capable in corners, but for me at least, it feels weird trying to corner hard while sitting bolt upright.

For many Blaze riders, perhaps more relevant than the scooter’s cornering prowess will be its ride quality. And while it isn’t the plushest thing in the world, the Blaze offers a good compromise between ride quality and handling ability. The telescopic front forks and twin shock-absorbers at the back are firm, which I think is necessary given the Blaze’s size and heft. But the suspension is also reasonably pliant and unless you are traveling over really, really bad roads, the ride doesn’t get overly bumpy. But while the Blaze’s ride quality is quite all right really, the brakes could do with some improvement. I do believe Kinetic should fit a front disc brake on this vehicle, and this should be standard (not optional) fitment. The existing brakes – 130mm drums front and rear – lack feel, and exhibit some fade when used hard. I tried using both brakes hard from 70km/h and the Blaze stopped without drama, and without the wheels locking up prematurely or the vehicle slewing sideways, but still, I’d be much happier with more braking firepower. That 220mm front disc, which is available as an optional extra, should definitely be made standard, please.

So there we are, all bases covered more or less. There are useful extras like ample underseat storage (below the rider’s seat), a smaller storage compartment in the front panel, a digital clock, fuel gauge and even a tachometer. The stepped seat is split so that the rear section flips open to reveal the fuel filler cap, though I had a bit of trouble opening the seat at time. The seat lock is operated via the ignition switch, and I think I would have preferred a separate lock, like the one on old Kinetic Hondas. But these are minor niggles. The bottomline is, I believe that at around Rs 50,000 (ex-showroom, Pune), the Blaze is good value for money. Overall fuel economy is around 30kmpl, which is not too bad for a 165cc engine. And if you’re careful with the throttle, I’m sure you can manage to squeeze even more km per litre.

With its stand-out styling, powerful and refined engine, comfortable ergonomics and handling prowess, it’s a good machine for those who want to get away from the humdrum and the mundane and buy something more exciting. I’d even say it’s a very good alternative for small car owners in cities like Mumbai and Delhi, where traffic and parking hassles are getting worse every day, and where using a car can often be a nightmare. For my daily commute to office, I know I would take a Blaze any day over a Maruti 800, Wagon R or Santro etc. If you’re in the market for a scooter, or a 150cc motorcycle, or a small car, you definitely owe it to yourself to take a test ride on the Blaze before deciding what to buy...