Chennai: Motorists who have booked their new two-wheelers are upset with the recent alterations by manufacturers resulting in electric short circuits. The absence of a switch to regulate headlights as per the international standards is now a disaster for two-wheeler riders as it leads to short circuits of headlamp, indicators and other electric appliances.
"Till February, the bikes sold by dealers had dedicated headlight switches to switch on or off irrespective of the engine capacity, but now the vehicles delivered in the month of March do not have the provision of headlights switch.
This means the headlamp is on once the engine is started and this short-circuits the inbuilt electric fuse," said Mohammad Ansar, who purchased a new bike from a Bajaj dealer in West Mambalam. "My bike is just three days old, but twice I have changed the electric fuse, which trips due to the automatic headlamp provision and the bike dealers do not have a proper explanation on why my headlamps, indicator and horn fail due to the new alterations", he rued.
"To have the headlights on is an international norm and also followed for motorbikes that have more engine capacity. But in India, most of the people ride bikes with lower engine capacity not exceeding 150 CC and we are in a tropical country where headlights will not be visible during day time", explains S. Clinton, an avid racer. In racetracks and for super bikes these norms are followed, but for a sunny city like Chennai this will not serve any purpose, he said.
An industry source into two-wheeler business said all the major companies have passed instructions to their manufacturing units to roll out bikes with auto headlamp facility similar to that one installed in cars. There are teething problems and the customers are unhappy. Yamaha and Honda are also to come out with two wheelers with auto headlamp facilities, he said.
