Auto Expo 2023: You Can Legally Mix Alcohol And These Bikes Together
Here’s a wrap-up of all the ethanol-powered bikes seen at the auto show
As the automotive industry undergoes a paradigm shift from gas guzzlers to cleaner alternatives, many of you may think that the future is electric. Well, that might be true, but there are other options apart from electric vehicles too.
While Auto Expo 2023 did see a large number of snazzy electric bikes and swanky electric scooters, there also was a dedicated Ethanol Pavilion, which showed us that flex-fuel too stands a chance as a viable way of going green. Let’s take a quick look at all these ethanol-powered bikes.
Honda XRE300 Flex-Fuel
Seeing this dual-sport Honda bike was definitely a pleasant surprise. While it is powered by the same 291.7cc single-cylinder engine, it offers slightly better performance by producing 25.6PS and 27.4Nm. This is 1.2PS and 0.4Nm more than the standard bike, and runs on fuel with ethanol blend varying from 20-85 per cent. Check out what else this bike packs here.
TVS Apache RTR 160 4V Flex-Fuel
Think of ethanol-powered bikes, and the TVS Apache RTR 200 Fi E100 from 2019 immediately comes to mind. However, at Auto Expo 2023, the Hosur-based bikemaker showcased a flex-fuel Apache RTR 160 4V, which runs on a blend of 20-85 per cent ethanol. Here’s what this bike offers.
Bajaj Pulsar NS160 Flex-Fuel
This green Bajaj Pulsar NS160 can run on blended fuel with up to 85 per cent ethanol. While it gets the same 160.3cc engine, it produces 16.9PS and 14.6Nm, which is 0.3PS less than the standard bike. Head here to see more of this green Pulsar.
Yamaha Fazer FZ-15 Flex-Fuel (Brazil spec)
Team Blue too had something green to showcase at the Expo, and it was the Brazil-spec flex-fuel Fazer FZ-15 (also known as the Yamaha FZ Fi in India). This bike can run on fuel with ethanol blend varying from 20-100 per cent, and differs from the Indian-spec bike in quite a few ways. Check out all these differences here.
Suzuki Gixxer 250 FFV
A cane-juice friendly avatar of the Japanese quarter-litre naked bike, decked in vibrant shades of silver and green, clearly conveyed the Gixxer 250 flex-fuel prototype’s intention of being clean. Well, in terms of specifications, this green bike is exactly the same in every aspect as its petrol-guzzling counterpart, and runs on fuel with up to 85 percent ethanol content.
Hero Glamour Xtec Flex-Fuel
With all the big names of the Indian two-wheeler industry showcasing their ethanol-powered offerings, how could Hero MotoCorp be left behind? The brand chose its sporty 125cc commuter, the Hero Glamour Xtec, to be its torchbearer. The Glamour Xtec flex-fuel bike too is identical to the standard bike in every way, except for being one kg heavier and running on fuel with ethanol blend varying from 20-85 per cent.
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All said and done, these flex-fuel bikes are a showcase of how brands are equipped to go down the flex-fuel route, which serves as the perfect middle ground between ICE vehicles and going completely electric. That said, these bikes will be viable only once flex-fuel becomes more mainstream. According to the National Policy on Biofuels, India plans on blending 20 per cent ethanol in automotive petrol by 2025.
User Reviews
Good maintained bike with all time show room recorGot it in a reasonable price, gives good mileage on highway 60kml and in city moderate traffic 50 to 55 km/l and heavy traffic 45 to 50 km/l. Maintenance cost is also budget friendly, good maintained bike. Every service is done in the showroom. Comming to performance, it gives me a good performance.Read More- Good bike for youngstersGood handling and medium breaking, medium performance for short time city and highway riding, good sharp stylish looking naked bike, good road presence, low service charge with medium mileage 30 to 40 kmpl. Long ride comfort is not good after 100km. Wrist pain and shoulder pain, good handling bike. It's give you confidence to flicker very easily. Front break is good stopping power but too much abs kicking problem, rear brake is not good, no stopping power. Top speed after 2nd service 124 highest, mileage not that good 40 km after simple riding. If you ride aggressively, mileage can drop upto 30-25 kmpl. Can recommend this bike to the youngsters who go to college and those who want to explore many places on bike. Short time riding and some time aggressive riding and those who want naked sports bike in low cc and low service charge bike, this is good for them.Read More