FB MONDIAL HPS 300 – CLUB CLASS COMMUTING NOW IN INDIA
March 11, 2019First showcased to the general public at the India Superbike Festival 2018 here in Pune, the FB MONDIAL HPS 300 is a modern classic styled cafe racer. True to its genealogy this motorcycle imbibes the cafe racer characteristics while keeping in line with its heritage dating back to the 1940’s. Sold in India under the Motoroyale banner by Kinetic, this motorcycle is not just those who are looking for a niche product. The deceiving cafe racer looks promising to shatter your inhibitions once you jump on the saddle.
Power & Performance Basics
Powered by a single cylinder 250cc water cooled engine the HPS300 is more practical than you would think it to be. While this road test was not that of speed, motorcycle manged to hit about a 100+ and stop whenever told to. The rev happy engine give you the musings of an orange incantation, while giving itself 2nd gear starts from ground zero. Low speeds and top gear is a no brainer for this bike. Yes, too much of revving can give it a red light. Butter smooth travel in any gear otherwise.
Agility and rideability
The handling of the bike is a factor I’d prefer to stay away from complimenting for I may over do it(just like an addiction to an addict).unlike the tradition approach applied to this motorcycle I chose to add a twist. In total the association was around a 90 odd kilometers over a 24 hour time window. The 40 odd kilometer ride took us through a metro construction choked old Mumbai – Pune highway, city roads and by-lanes that would scare the all imported parts out of the box! On a hot Saturday evening the HPS300 performed above expectations be it the potholes, the traffic or poorly lit road conditions. The only discomfort was the odd long-jump speed breakers that wanted to play tank slapper, to their disappointment I chose to go slower after the initial attempt toos.
HANDLEBAR handling
The handlebar grips are a worthy mention. At first glance they seem hard enough to leave glove-less riding marks on your palms but are as much harmless. The mirrors provide adequate view for a cafe racer without much ado. Yes, you do need to watch your sides in tight spaces. The rider foot-pegs seems aggressive but are more comfortable than a ‘’Dominating hyper-rider. Even though you are crouched like a sports bike you are cruiser comfortable. The switch-gear is the only area where you play tail the donkey. A pass-light is much required. The tone of the horn is just adequate.
Ergonomics and convenience
The low saddle height is ideal for riders 5.8’’ and below, for those above that height you might want to consider moving the handlebar upwards. YES, the HPS300 does have markings that allow you to rotate the handle bar either to be low slung or to upright. Moving on to general lighting the LED tailgate indeed is a looker coupled with the well placed set of indicators. The headlamp well surprisingly it lights up more than you can expect, just enough to go on an off-road trail in the middle of a summer night sans the moonlight or additional auxiliary lamps.
Getting to the rim of the matter
Don’t worry about stopping power the ABS aided brakes work just fine. What indeed is surprising the lesser known spoke rim mounted off-road CTS tyres that not only offer excellent off-road capabilities but also are as much agile on concrete. A special mention to the build quality – The motorcycle’s rear tyre was punctured due to a nail it picked somewhere on the dust filled dumper truck laden road. In spite of this we managed to safely ride it for about five kilometers to a puncture repair shop. While the technician and passersby were in awe of the bike. He was able to repair the puncture of the tube tyre without any fuss.
The styling department
Leave that to the Italians and they will fail to disappoint you. Dressed for any occasional nevertheless it matches the style quotient of the owner from fit to the finish. The brown leather seat with contrasting tread and the HPS monogram is hard to miss to the connoisseur’s eye. The single all digital display lights up all the symbols and numbers to keep you well informed of the health and wealth of the bike.
The eye-catchers
- Great ergonomics and handling in most riding conditions
Perfect blend of vintage look and modern tech
Combination of agile build and rev happy performance is a sure hit with the ladies
Can be better
- Lowered cat-con
Ergonomics of switch-gear (horn) with a pass-light
High purchase price owing to its SKD stand point
How much?
Price (ex. showroom Pune) is Rs 3.37 lakhs
Specifications? Click on the link below to download the brochure
