WORTHY WINNERS

New two-wheelers, new fuels, and new powertrains. The difficulty in deciding a winner has only increased over the years

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ANY YEAR WITH NEW MOTORCYCLES AND scooters is exciting. A few years ago, the introduction of electric vehicles (EV) was a significant milestone for the Indian market. This year marks another achievement because by launching the Freedom NG04, Bajaj have given us the world's first mass-produced motorcycle that can run on both CNG and petrol. Among different categories, powertrains, and now fuels, our job is tougher than ever. However, good products must be appreciated and the effort must be rewarded. As ever, that remained our goal this year as well.

That is saying something because for the past 19 years, the Bike India jury have been strict and unbiased about awarding points to deserving products. As always, the shortlist comprises motorcycles and scooters that have stood out in their respective categories. Sometimes, the competition is close but the jury are duty-bound to always pick only one winner. These contenders are then subjected to one more round of evaluation and the Twowheeler of the Year award awaits the one with the most points.

The Jury Meet

THE JURY MEMBERS HAVE TO RIDE EACH motorcycle and scooter in the line-up back-to-back before compiling their final scores. The contenders for the awards include two-wheelers launched between the 1st of December 2023 and the 30th of November 2024. Only the top scorers from each category make it to the shortlist for the Two-wheeler of the Year Award.

With 25 points in hand, the jury members have to be careful about how many they award each contender because they can only issue a maximum of 10 to one contender, at least five must receive points and a clear winner must be evident. To arrive at a decision, they take into account multiple parameters, including build quality, technical innovation, performance, fuel-efficiency, styling, practicality, and the value each product offers for its price.