A 'True Blue' Sports Bike. Review on Kinetic Comet 250

Comet GT250, has finally arrived in India and the very first piece was delivered to a Hyderabadi. Kinetic Engineering, the manufacturers of Kinetic Honda and Kinetic Nova scooters, is responsible for bringing this beast of a machine to India through the import route. Yes, that?s right they are not manufacturing it in India, but are importing it as CKD kits and then reassembling it in India before delivering it to those lucky guys.

Every motorbike enthusiast would want to know what this beast of a machine is capable of, and that is simply the crux of the problem. One doesn?t get a chance to test ride this bike because the Kinetic Showrooms do not stock this bike. One has to pay an advance amount to order the bike, and it may take anywhere between one to two months before the bike is actually delivered. One good thing about this bike is that you don?t really need to test ride it, because it really is a proven performer. All you need to decide is whether you have close to Rupees two lacs to fan your ego, and pamper your biking urge.

I recently bought a Karizma (presently, the only sports model manufactured in India) for Rupees eighty thousand and I am thrilled to ride this bike for its smooth and fluid performance, and great road handling capabilities. After the second servicing of my Karizma, I decided to give it the works and reached speeds of up to 130 Kmph on the highway. I found the Karizma at that speed absolutely stable, and the road handling spot on. But, if I had two lacs to play around with a bike, then I would definitely go for the Comet GT250 to enjoy the sheer pleasure of biking. ?Why, what is so special about this bike?? You may ask. Well, my reply is - read on if you wish to know.

COMPARISON:

The Comet GT 250 is a modular 250 cc four-stroke bike delivering a whopping 30 bhp at a slightly higher 10500 rpm. The maximum torque, however, is reached at a healthy 9500 rpm. Now, compare that with a 225 cc Karizma delivering a sedate 17 bhp and the 180 cc Pulsar Dtsi churning out a commendable 16.5 bhp. The Comet delivers 1 bhp for every 8.33 cc, the Pulsar 180 delivers out 1 bhp for every 10.9 cc and the Karizma delivers 1 bhp for every 13.23 cc. Figures don?t always convey the true picture but in this case the Comet is literally and figuratively way ahead of any bike manufactured in India.

Let me compare it in terms of cost of ownership. The Pulsar costs Rs.55,500/- which means each bhp costs Rs.3363/- The Karizma costs Rs.79000/- which means each bhp costs Rs.4647/- The Comet costs a whopping Rs.1.75 lacs which means each single bhp costs Rs.5833/-

Now, take the case of acceleration from 0 -60 Kmph. The Pulsar reaches it in 4.84 secs. The Karizma does that in a reasonably quick 3.8 secs. But the Comet manages it in not so impressive 3.7 secs. Just one-tenth of a second quicker. You wouldn?t want to spend a whole one lac rupees for that difference of one-tenth of a second, would you? Let us look at the 0 ? 100 Kmph acceleration figures. The Pulsar reaches it in 15.69 seconds. The Karizma reaches it in 14.59 seconds. The Comet does that in 9.96 seconds flat. This is where the Comet scores heavily. At higher speeds, it can simply outrun and outgun every other Indian bike on the road.

LOOKS:

The Comet has great road presence. It is a very heavy 170kgs (wet) monster for a 250 cc mill. But then, it is a modular bike which means the same chassis is used for engines up to 650cc. It is a naked bike with minimum decals. There is not much flesh on this bike except for the tank which is anyway half hidden by the bold looking frame and the minimum side panels. 6 spoke Mag wheels. High performance upside down front forks. The head lamp and the twin pods resemble the Kinetic GF series of motorbike. Separate seat for the pillion.

The Exhaust End-can is chrome plated and slanted upwards at a 45 degrees angle. Real fat tubeless tyre at the rear and a respectable looking tubeless tyre upfront. The head lights and tail lights are not much to talk about. There is no chain guard and that may reduce life of the chain in dusty Indian conditions. The Comet comes with an oil-cooler fitted upfront. The engine is also cooled by the redirected air-flow. All in all, the Comet presents a very macho look. The best thing about this bike is that it is totally exclusive as you can only buy it by booking in advance and waiting for the Kinetic people to import and deliver it to you.

THE POWER MILL:

The Comet comes with a V-twin engine fitted longitudinally with an angle of 75 degrees between the two cylinder heads. Both have individual sparks and Mikuni carbs. The engine is vibe free but purrs in an uneven manner reminiscent of all V-twins, but don?t let that fool you. The gear-box is a typical 5 speed 1 down and 4 up affair. The entire engine body is powder coated in dull black to enhance its naked looks. Hyosung is a respectable motorbike manufacturer in South Korea and their expertise reflects in the way this 250 mill is tuned to produce a good 30 bhp.

OVERALL:

The bike comes with disc brakes on both wheels. The front wheel has a large 300 mm disc and the rear has a smaller 220 mm disc. There is also provision to fit another 300 mm disc upfront. The bike is equipped with a self-starter. The manufacturers have thoughtfully provided some useful space below the seat for storing your knick-knacks. The bike can do a top speed of 138 Kmph (claimed), but looks good for a few more Ks.

Continued in the comments section.