How to Protect Your Car on the Road

Bos Automotive - These days there are many vehicles on the road and, consequently, this means that there are increased dangers on our roads. Such dangers can include fellow drivers driving fast or negligently and other vehicles causing damage to the roads. Potholes are a very common problem on many roads. It is an occurrence of wear and tear on the roads that are used regularly, especially by heavy vehicles. However, all of these factors can affect your vehicle's tyres. So how can you protect your car and its tyres on these roads?

There are a number of ways that you can protect your car and its tyres on the roads.

Invest in quality tyres that will last you a fair duration of time. Toyo tyres are one such brand of tyres that are manufactured with modern roads in mind; and according to European road and weather conditions. These tyres are able to handle in both wet and dry conditions because they have functional tread design for wet and dry handling.

Quality tyres such as Toyo have a dual tread compound for exceptional handling and braking. If you find yourself in a position where the car may react against you, these tyres can assist you with optimal handling and when attempting to come to a sudden stop.

Toyo tyres are developed with a high stiffness wall and bead for good steering response. Whenever anything may happen to your car, you want to rest assured that your car's wheels and tyres will respond to the direction in which you steer the car.

It is also important to find a tyre that is stable at all speeds, especially highway speeds. Many accidents happen on the highway so using a tyre that can handle and respond to the speed of your vehicle is imperative.

To protect your tyres while on the road, it is best to avoid speeding into or over potholes. Try to avoid them wherever possible. If you can't avoid it, try to go over them slowly so that you minimise any damage to the tyres. Strong quality tyres should be able to resist pothole damage for a certain duration. This keeps you safe and prevents damage to the car.

It is important to protect your car on the road, not only for the car's sake but ultimately for your safety. Finding the proper wheels and tyres that suit your type of vehicle and the conditions in which you regularly drive is important.

Minty's is amongst the leading tyre suppliers in South Africa, and is recognized for our high standard of customer service. We have built a reputation amongst our customers and ensure that they receive tyres and alloy wheels of the highest quality, amongst the largest brands nationwide.

Bajaj Discover 125 - Discovering Speed

Bos Automotive - Bajaj Motorcycles and Scooters Limited is the third largest two-wheeler manufacturer in India. Many world class bikes have come out from their stable. The Bajaj has many vehicles in the 100 cc, 125 cc and 150 cc segments. The Discover 125 was launched long back in 2004 in 4 variants. But in 2005 only a single variant was kept in circulation. The Discover 125 was re-launched in 2011. The Discover 125 ST was launched in 2012 and the variant 125T in 2013. In 2014 two variants Discover 125 Disc and 125 Drum have been launched.

The Bajaj Discover 125 has 6 variants presently. The base Discover 125 drum variant is priced Rupees 49,017 and the top variant Discover 125T Disc Rupees 54,659. All the variants have kick and self starts. The instrument panel has an analogue speedometer, a fuel gauge, a low fuel alarm and a low battery indication. The bike has a 12V MF battery, 35w halogen multi reflector head lamps, LED tail and brake lamps and crystal lamp turn and pass signals.

The Discover is the first Bajaj bike with a 4 valve twin spark plug DTSi engine. The 124 cc, 11 bhp and 10.8 Nm torque engine with carburetor fuel system gives mileages of 77 kmpl for the 125T variants and 82 kmpl for the other variants. The Discover takes 6 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 kmph and the top speed is 100 kmph. The transmission is 5 speed manual with wet multi plate type clutch.

The Bajaj Discover 125 comes in colours of brilliant blue, midnight black and blue, flame red and midnight black and red. The dimensions of the Discover are 2035 mm length, 760 mm width, 1087 mm height, 800 mm seat height, 1305 mm wheel base and 165 mm ground clearance. The 118 kg bike has a fuel tank of 8 litres with a 2 litre reserve capacity.

The chassis of the Discover is double cradle type with telescopic suspension with 130 mm fork at the front and Nitrox gas filled suspension with 110 mm wheel travel at the rear. The 17" alloy wheels have 2.75x17-41P tyres at the front and 3.0x17-50P tyres at the rear. The brakes are 200 mm disc or 130 mm drum type at the front and 130 mm drum type at the rear.

The Bajaj Discover is having 100 cc and 150 cc variants also. This tried and tested model has many variants, nice performance and good mileages as plus points. The absence of a digital console and visible cost cutting on the body are the weak points. The competition comes from the bikes like the Suzuki Hayate and the TVS Phoenix

Bajaj Pulsar 220 - A Stylish Bike

Bos Automotive - The Bajaj bikes are very popular in India because of their bold designs and competitive fuel efficiencies. The Bajaj Pulsar originally introduced in 2001 with 150 and 180 cc models has undergone many revamps. A 220 cc compact sports model has been launched in 2007. The sports model got a facelift and has been released as Bajaj Pulsar 220F in 2011. This bike is the cheapest sports bike available in India at a price of Rupees 82,023 ex-showroom.

The Pulsar 220 comes in beautiful colours of plasma blue, cocktail wine red and midnight black. The console has a digital speedometer, an analogue tacho meter, 2 digital trip meters, a digital fuel gauge and low fuel, low oil and low battery indications. The electricals include a 12V MF battery, 55 watt projector head lamps, LED tail and brake lamps and crystal turn and pass signals. Also there are a start button, a kill switch, a self cancelling indicator and a side stand alarm.

The engine is the best part of the Pulsar 220. The 220 cc, 67 mm bore, 62 mm stroke single cylinder oil cooled engine has 4 valves and twin spark plugs. The fuel system is the carburetor type and the ignition is digital twin spark ignition. The engine develops 21 bhp and 19.2 NM maximum torque and delivers mileages of 68 kmpl which is quite high for a 220 cc bike. The 5 speed manual transmission has wet type clutch and chain drive. The Pulsar 220 takes 3.9 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 kmph and the top speed is about 134 kmph.

The chassis of the Pulsar 220 is double cradle type and the suspensions are telescopic with anti friction bush at the front and 5 way adjustable nitrox shock absorbers at the rear. The wheels are 17" alloy type with tubeless tyres. The front tyre has 90/90-17 and the back tyre 120/80-17 specifications. The brakes are 260 mm solid disc type at the front and 230 mm solid disc at the rear.

The physical dimensions of the Bajaj Pulsar 220 are 2035 mm length, 750 mm width, 1165 mm height and 795 mm seat height. The bike with a good wheel base of 1350 mm has a ground clearance of 165 mm. This slightly heavy bike weighs 150 kg and has a fuel tank of 15 litres capacity with 3 litres reserve.

The Bajaj Pulsar 220 F has a good design, a well tuned engine, a reasonable mileage and good maneuverability with an effective braking system. Awkward riding position and vibrations at higher speeds are the weak points of the bike. The competition comes from the bikes like the Hero Karizma and the Yamaha R15.

Hero Ignitor Vs Bajaj Discover

Hero Ignitor Vs Bajaj Discover - Hero Ignitor was launched in 2012 as a re-badged version of the Hero Honda Stunner. In spite of the parent companies, Hero and Honda, going separate ways, it was decided that the new company, Hero MotoCorp, would share technology and products till 2014.

Bajaj Discover is a successful series of bikes from the house of Bajaj Auto Limited, the second largest producer of motorcycles in India. Bajaj launched the Discover in the year 2004 when the Indian motorcycle market was going through a bad patch. The Discover bikes came like a breath of fresh air and instantly went on to become a national bestseller.

Hero Ignitor provides good on road mileage and is one of the best performers amongst the 125 cc segment commuter. The Ignitor comes in only two variants - one is a self start with front-disc break and the other is a self start with drum brake.

When compared to the Ignitor, the Discover bikes are offered in several variants. Ever since Bajaj came out with their Discover 125 cc bike, they have been constantly launching various up-gradations that range from the 135 cc to the 150 cc powered engine. The first Discover bike to showcase a quarter fairing - the Discover 150F was also quite popular amongst the urban youth. Another Discover with a 125 cc engine was launched with the new DTS-I engine (Digital Twin Spark Ignition technology). The Bajaj Discover 100 4G was launched with Bajaj Discover 100 T, Discover 100 and Discover 100 M as the three models.

Hero MotoCorp Ignitor gives an average mileage of 62 kmpl in the city. 
While the Bajaj Discover 125 renders a fuel efficiency of 70 kmpl, the Discover 135 DTSi-KS offers a mileage of 65 kmpl. The Discover 125 DTSi-ES gives a mileage of 70 kmpl and the Discover 135 DTSi-ES offers a mileage of 65 kmpl. 
The Ignitor comes with a digital-analogue instrument console while the Bajaj bike comes with a basic instrument console.

The Ignitor with its easy and comfortable handling and mind blowing performance has become hugely popular in the Indian bike market.

The Discover series provides a decent power and good on road mileage and is always ready to take on its competitors.

The Ignitor comes with a price tag of Rs. 57,550 to 59,550.

The Bajaj Series starts from a fairly lower price when compared to the Ignitor bikes and comes in a price range of Rs. 44,001 to 58,739

The Discover is a perfect package of the right mix of style, power and economy. Their styling and other added features like alloys, self-start and DTSi technology are also worth mentioning.

The maintenance free battery and a better city mileage are the plus points of the Ignitor.

Hero Glamour - The 125 Cc Bike

Bos Automotive - The commuter bike segment of the Indian bike industry has seen only bikes with less power till the arrival of the Hero Glamour.The 125 cc Glamour has been a hit when launched in 2005 because of its extra power. After the split with the Honda Motors the Hero MotoCorp has revamped the model in 2011 and has become the best selling 125 cc Hero bike. The Glamour looks more like a 150 cc bike than a 125 cc one.

This 125 cc engine pumps out a peak power of 9 bhp at 7000 rpm and peak torque of 10.35 Nm at 4000 rpm. The bike has kick and self start options. The ignition is DC-digital CDI with TCIS type. The 2014 variant Glamour FI has a full transistorized ignition system. The clutch is wet multiple plate type and the gear is 4 speed constant mesh type. The Glamour has a fantastic mileage of 60 to 65 kmpl in the city and 70 to 75 kmpl on the highways. The bike takes 7.5 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 kmph and has a top speed of 95 kmph.

A 3 Ah maintenance-free battery, 35 watt halogen type headlamps, a 5 watt tail lamp, a 21 watt stop lamp and 10 watt turn lamps constitute the electrical system of the Glamour. The full analogue console of the bike has a speedometer, a trip meter, a fuel gauge and a low fuel indicator.

The chassis of the Glamour is double cradle type with telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers at the front and rectangular swing arm with 5 step adjustment type shock absorbers at the rear. The 18" wheels have 2.75x18-42 P tyres at the front and 3.00x18-52 P tyres at the rear. The brakes are 240 mm drum (disc optional) type at the front and 130 mm drum type at the rear. The Glamour comes in colours of blazing red, black with tornado grey, black with sportz red, black with frost blue and boon silver metallic.

The physical dimensions of the Glamour are 2005 mm length, 735 mm width, 1070 mm height, 1265 mm wheel base and 165 mm ground clearance. This 125 kg (129 kg for the electric start) bike has a fuel tank of 13.8 (1 reserve) litre capacity, sufficient for a 1000 km ride if the controls are used judiciously.

The Glamour FI is priced at Rupees 58,700 and 62,750 for drum and disc variants respectively. The mileage, the comfort and the power are the plus points of the Glamour. The competition comes from the likes of the Bajaj Discover, the Honda CB Shine and the Yamaha Gladiator.

The colors used are black sports red, black grey metallic, candy blazing red and vibrant orange.

Professional Car Body Repairs You Might Need

Bos Automotive Professional Car Body Repairs You Might Need - A car is very important in today's life. Without it, you would not have a convenient and efficient way of getting to and from work, taking the children to school, running errands for your own family and for your elderly parents, and generally getting anywhere you need to go for work and pleasure. As such, you go great lengths to maintain your car's good condition at all times - you take it for regular checks, keep it clean, and drive with care every time you roll out onto the road. But sometimes, no matter how careful you aim to be, things happen beyond your control.

You park your car outside the supermarket and when you come back a few minutes later, you find a dent on your door. Scuffs on your bumper could be the result of a weekend out on a road trip with friends. Or maybe you just caught an unlucky break and vandals selected your car out of many to vandalise. There's nothing left to do but to take your car to the garage for car body repairs - but did you know that you can have a much better experience getting your car fixed?

If you're like the average adult who juggles work commitments and familial obligations, you're not likely to have much free time to spend on lengthy trips to a garage. Your best solution is to contact car bodywork technicians who can bring their services to you, instead of the other way around. That's right - instead of driving out to get your car fixed, repair specialists will come to your house (or even your workplace) to perform repairs or dent removal on your car while you're getting work done in the office or minding the children at home.

How is it possible that the service comes to you - won't the work require a garage setting to be done properly, you ask? The secret lies in the years of experience and expertise of the car dent repairs specialists you contact. With extensive automotive industry experience and a good grasp of repairing all car makes and models, the best repair specialists will know exactly what tools and skills to use for your car's specific problem, and they will be able to work on your car outside of a garage (as long as there's sufficient space around the car to work in). And it won't be a problem if it rains - they'll have a system in place to ensure that work carries on even in bad weather.

These service providers will be able to tell if your car will benefit most from paintless dent removal or repairs for scuffs, scratches or paint cracking. Whichever service is necessary, they will bring the equipment and the high-quality service that will get your car looking as good as new.

Caring for your car is a top responsibility. But if you find dents and scuffs and need to get them addressed right away, now all you have to do is call in the experts - and watch them do their magic from your office or living room window. Talk about efficient, hassle-free service. Click here for more info on this.

Frame Repair Can Save Your Vehicle

Bos Automotive - You may think that if the frame of your vehicle is damaged it is a total loss. With today's modern frame repair the frame of your vehicle can many times be safely repaired and your vehicle saved. Something as simple as hitting a pothole at high speeds can damage your frame. Most of today's vehicles are constructed with a unibody frame which means the vehicle is built right onto the frame (unlike older methods which placed the vehicle on the frame after it was built) and this presents a challenge to frame repair. This is why frame repair is better left to the professionals who have the right equipment and skills to perform frame repair safely and efficiently.

How Frame Damage Affects Your Vehicle

There are several signs your vehicle may have suffered frame damage. A bad accident is an obvious cause, but uneven tire wear, vibration, uneven wheel alignment, and leaning to one side can also be symptoms of frame damage. The safety and performance of your vehicle is greatly affected by frame damage. Your ability to control your vehicle as well as increased wear and tear are all factors to be considered. If the frame of your vehicle is damaged the signs and symptoms will only worsen with time.

Frame Repair Basics

As mentioned before many cars, SUV's, and small trucks have a unibody construction. Larger commercial vehicles are still built with a separate frame, and it takes a qualified shop to know how to fix both types of frame construction. The technician does more than just a quick overview to assess the damage; they must have a thorough knowledge of each type of frame, and the signs of damage to look for.

Once the damage is assessed the vehicle is placed on a large hydraulic machine which stretches and bends the frame back to factory specifications. The technician monitors this process carefully to ensure the frame is properly manipulated. Many times additional straightening and welding are needed to repair the frame. Not only do technicians need a thorough knowledge of vehicle construction, but they must also be versed in the many different types of metals used in frame construction and their properties. This helps prevent further damage to the frame, and enables the technician to repair the frame safely.

Not a Shade Tree Mechanic Job

You may see frame repair kits at your local store, but they can't give you the safe and proper repair provided by a qualified shop equipped with heavy duty equipment and a thorough knowledge of repair processes. If repaired incorrectly your vehicle may become unsafe and unreliable. For example unless they are calibrated to the original factory setting your air bags may not deploy properly in the event of a crash, or they may deploy at the wrong time. Don't take chances with your vehicle's safety and leave this job to the professionals.

If done properly frame repair can save your vehicle. Not all frame damage is catastrophic. A qualified shop with the right equipment can straighten and repair your vehicle and get it back on the road in good running order.

Kathryn McDowell is a freelance writer with a mission to educate her readers. She recommends professional frame repair if your vehicle has suffered any type of frame damage.

What You Must Know Before Buying a Motorcycle

In recent times there has been a rise in the number of motorcycles available in the market. Different types of bikes feature different sizes and shapes. Furthermore, each type of motorcycle is designed for a particular purpose and performance. For instance, if you are the kind of person that likes travelling for long distances without being in a hurry, then a sport bike may not be the right choice for you. In such circumstances a travelling motorcycle may be the right choice. The factors to consider when buying a motorcycle include:

Type of motorcycle Bos Automotive

Motorcycles range from cruiser to travelling, including sport bikes. Various motorcyle series grant you the ideal opportunity to choose from a range of bikes. Each type of bike has its own performance and function. The performance includes high, average or low. Therefore, if you are the kind of person that enjoys adventure while riding consider a cruiser motorcycle. Some bikes cannot be ridden for many kilometers because the manufacturer did not intend them to run for tens of kilometers and to exceed a certain distance or speed. Hence, it is important to know which type of bike serves your needs. By reading the motorcycle reviews you will be able to familiarize yourself with the available models.

Body type

It is important to choose a bike that fits your body type. This might sound obvious but it is surprising most people fail to consider their body types when choosing a motorcycle. Motorcycles are available in different sizes and shapes, the same way humans are. Some are short, others are tall, while others are average in height. If both of your feet cannot touch the ground flat-footed while sitting on the bike, then the bike is not right for your body size. When you are about to stop suddenly or take an unexpected corner, both feet have to be used. When you are not able to place your feet on the ground while seated upright you might cause an accident.

The motorcycle's performance

If you are a novice in riding bikes, you should avoid high performance motorcycles. High performance bikes are harder to control their speed than other average bikes.A novice rider would end up causing an accident because the rider lacks enough experience to ride such bikes. Ideally, a bike with an engine capacity of more than 600cc should be left to experienced riders. It is advisable to begin with a slower bike and in due course you can gradually advance to a faster bike- after you have become a better rider.