Suzuki access has a tough challenge in form of Honda Activa or rather vice versa. Honda Activa because Kinetic Flyte poses no threat due to various reasons primarily lack of focus (they keep on changing models of bikes and scooters every 6 month many a times Korean and other brands at that), reliability and customer satisfaction, even though Flyte may offer some better tidbits in package that may be of interest for teenagers! This will not be a detailed road test but an evaluation of Suzuki access post few Kilometers of test driving and some personal observation on scooter. In fact I was the first one to start the scooter on that day (Saturday – 17th 2007) early morning and it did start with one single press of a button….unlike the Honda activa which had to be given initial choke for few seconds. So for hassle free start it beats Honda Activa compared showroom to showroom while real life starting may differ but I still feel Suzuki access scores here. Next obviously was the exhaust note and acceleration. I had my apprehensiveness as to will opening the throttle stall the scooter like Honda Activa (happens in cold start) but here again it scored. After warm up I went for a test drive and the exhaust note is pretty interesting (more depth) then activa in fact its like Honda Eterno!! As I opened the throttle to start moving, the delay from standstill to intial movement post opening the throttle is typical of any variometric scooter and after that it zooms past. The pickup appears slightly better then Honda Activa though I didn’t clock it. But then this is no surprise as the engine is a 125 cc as compared to 102 of Activa prima facie, which may though be compensated by higher weight of Access 109 Kgs as compared to 104 Kgs of Activa. Riding position was much more ergonomical and comfortable then Activa but purely from my physical characteristic point of view and hence may differ from individual to individual. Braking was spot on and didn’t have any spongy feeling like Activa. Front forks are pretty smooth and may better Activa in typical Indian condition which has potholes and craters. I managed to drive it intentionally at low speeds through potholes and it was pretty impressive as it didn’t bottom out as was the case with Activa. One advantage though is that its forks are telescopic bike like!! Rear suspension and comfort is excellent while the firmness of the cushion is also very good. Nothing much to differentiate from Activa here. Access comes with rear foot pegs, side stands, floor mat, mirrors and without stepney. The body is anti-rust due to it being non-metallic but inspite of this it was heavier (see above) isn’t it? If you forget its an 125 cc engine so the engine weight comes into play!! The fit and finish was damn good where both Activa as well as Access scores here…nothing to differentiate. Head lights of Access is much superior with good focus and increased power as compared to Activa though I would have loved to evaluate this in night condition instead of day. Vibration was almost nil during the short ride. Before I forget…Access has a shutter mechanism for its key hole. This means theres a squarish separate key slot adjacent to main key slot. One needs to insert a given specifc key in this squarish key slot and turn it to operate the shutter which is a flap (metallic) that covers the main key hole. The logic here is one (children) cannot fiddle with the holes (insert sticks etc… inside) once shutter is operated. Practical thought at that. I couldn’t manage more then 60 KMPH so cant comment on top speed and I usually don’t go by companys figure. The same is true to fuel economy. I think it should be between 40 to 45 KMPL on real life condition though the company claims 60 KMPL. Look wise masses may love access but I loved the understated look of activa. So for a layman should they go for a 125 cc scooter or should they go for a 102 cc Activa …. Interesting isn’t it. Cost wise hardly there’s any difference as on road price in my area (Thane) is 47250 for Access without a wait period and Activa retails at 46000+. One has better value for money in Access, more power, same fuel economy, same reliability and a better services (Honda has a dismal service and hence nothing can be worst then this….personally experienced this and experiencing this till date). Yes one thing that Access lacks is they have not aggressively pushed the vehicle like Bajaj Kristal, Hero Honda Pleasure etc… and hence you may not hear much. But test drive this product and you will witness the superiority and reliability for yourself…though its slightly on costlier side.
Access 125 SPECIFICATIONS:-
Dimensions And Dry Mass
Overall length 1780 mm Overall width 650 mm Overall height 1125 mm Wheelbase 1250 mm Ground clearance 160 mm Seat height 780 mm Dry mass 109 kgs
Engine:-
Type Four-stroke, Air-cooled,OHC Number of cylinders 1 Displacement 124 cm3 (cc) Max Power 6.4 Kw@7000rpm (8.58hp@7000rpm) Max Torque 9.8Nm@5000rpm (1.0kg-m@5500rpm) Air cleaner Non-woven fabric element Transmission CVT Starter system Self & Kick
Suspension:-
Front Telescopic Rear Swing-arm
Brake:-
Front Drum brake (130 mm) Rear Drum brake (130 mm)
Applications of mechanical engineering are found in the records of many ancient and medieval societies throughout the globe. In ancient Greece, the works of Archimedes (287 BC–212 BC) and Heron of Alexandria (10–70 AD) deeply influenced mechanics in the Western tradition. In China, Zhang Heng (78–139 AD) improved a water clock and invented a seismometer, and Ma Jun (200–265 AD) invented a chariot with differential gears. The medieval Chinese horologist and engineer Su Song (1020–1101 AD) incorporated an escapement mechanism into his astronomicalclock tower two centuries before any escapement could be found in clocks of medieval Europe, as well as the world's first known endless power-transmitting chain drive.[1]
During the years from 7th to 15th century, the era called islamic golden age, there have been remarkable contributions from muslims in the field of mechanical technology, Al Jaziri, who was one of them wrote his famous "Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices" in 1206 presented many mechanical designs. He is also considered to be the inventor of such mechaincal devices which now form the very basic of mechanisms, such as crank and cam shafts.
During the early 19th century in England and Scotland, the development of machine tools led mechanical engineering to develop as a separate field within engineering, providing manufacturing machines and the engines to power them.[2] The first British professional society of mechanical engineers was formed in 1847, thirty years after civil engineers formed the first such professional society.[3] In the United States, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) was formed in 1880, becoming the third such professional engineering society, after the American Society of Civil Engineers (1852) and the American Institute of Mining Engineers (1871).[4] The first schools in the United States to offer an engineer Mechanics
Mohr's circle, a common tool to study stresses in a mechanical element. Mechanics is, in the most general sense, the study of forces and their effect upon matter. Typically, engineering mechanics is used to analyze and predict the acceleration and deformation (both elastic and plastic) of objects under known forces (also called loads) or stresses. Subdisciplines of mechanics include
Statics, the study of non-moving bodies under known loads
Dynamics (or kinetics), the study of how forces affect moving bodies
Continuum mechanics, a method of applying mechanics that assumes that objects are continuous (rather than discrete)
Mechanical engineers typically use mechanics in the design or analysis phases of engineering. If the engineering project were the design of a vehicle, statics might be employed to design the frame of the vehicle, in order to evaluate where the stresses will be most intense. Dynamics might be used when designing the car's engine, to evaluate the forces in the pistons and cams as the engine cycles. Mechanics of materials might be used to choose appropriate materials for the frame and engine. Fluid mechanics might be used to design a ventilation system for the vehicle (see HVAC), or to design the intake system for the engine.
Kinematics is the study of the motion of bodies (objects) and systems (groups of objects), while ignoring the forces that cause the motion. The movement of a crane and the oscillations of a piston in an engine are both simple kinematic systems. The crane is a type of open kinematic chain, while the piston is part of a closed four bar linkage.
Mechanical engineers typically use kinematics in the design and analysis of mechanisms. Kinematics can be used to find the possible range of motion for a given mechanism, or, working in reverse, can be used to design a mechanism that has a desired range of motion.
Mechatronics is an interdisciplinary branch of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and software engineering that is concerned with integrating electrical and mechanical engineering to create hybrid systems. In this way, machines can be automated through the use of electric motors, servo-mechanisms, and other electrical systems in conjunction with special software. A common example of a mechatronics system is a CD-ROM drive. Mechanical systems open and close the drive, spin the CD and move the laser, while an optical system reads the data on the CD and converts it to bits. Integrated software controls the process and communicates the contents of the CD to the computer.
Industrial robots perform repetitive tasks, such as assembling vehicles.
Robotics is the application of mechatronics to create robots, which are often used in industry to perform tasks that are dangerous, unpleasant, or repetitive. These robots may be of any shape and size, but all are preprogrammed and interact physically with the world. To create a robot, an engineer typically employs kinematics (to determine the robot's range of motion) and mechanics (to determine the stresses within the robot).
Robots are used extensively in industrial engineering. They allow businesses to save money on labor, perform tasks that are either too dangerous or too precise for humans to perform them economically, and to insure better quality. Many companies employ assembly lines of robots, and some factories are so robotized that they can run by themselves. Outside the factory, robots have been employed in bomb disposal, space exploration, and many other fields. Robots are also sold for various residential applications.
Structural analysis is the branch of mechanical engineering (and also civil engineering) devoted to examining why and how objects fail. Structural failures occur in two general modes: static failure, and fatigue failure. Static structural failure occurs when, upon being loaded (having a force applied) the object being analyzed either breaks or is deformed plastically, depending on the criterion for failure. Fatigue failure occurs when an object fails after a number of repeated loading and unloading cycles. Fatigue failure occurs because of imperfections in the object: a microscopic crack on the surface of the object, for instance, will grow slightly with each cycle (propagation) until the crack is large enough to cause ultimate failure.
Failure is not simply defined as when a part breaks, however; it is defined as when a part does not operate as intended. Some systems, such as the perforated top sections of some plastic bags, are designed to break. If these systems do not break, failure analysis might be employed to determine the cause.
Structural analysis is often used by mechanical engineers after a failure has occurred, or when designing to prevent failure. Engineers often use online documents and books such as those published by ASM[20] to aid them in determining the type of failure and possible causes.
Structural analysis may be used in the office when designing parts, in the field to analyze failed parts, or in laboratories where parts might undergo controlled failure tests.
Thermodynamics is an applied science used in several branches of engineering, including mechanical and chemical engineering. At its simplest, thermodynamics is the study of energy, its use and transformation through a system. Typically, engineering thermodynamics is concerned with changing energy from one form to another. As an example, automotive engines convert chemical energy (enthalpy) from the fuel into heat, and then into mechanical work that eventually turns the wheels.
A CAD model of a mechanical double sealDrafting or technical drawing is the means by which mechanical engineers create instructions for manufacturing parts. A technical drawing can be a computer model or hand-drawn schematic showing all the dimensions necessary to manufacture a part, as well as assembly notes, a list of required materials, and other pertinent information. A U.S. mechanical engineer or skilled worker who creates technical drawings may be referred to as a drafter or draftsman. Drafting has historically been a two-dimensional process, but computer-aided design (CAD) programs now allow the designer to create in three dimensions.
Instructions for manufacturing a part must be fed to the necessary machinery, either manually, through programmed instructions, or through the use of a computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) or combined CAD/CAM program. Optionally, an engineer may also manually manufacture a part using the technical drawings, but this is becoming an increasing rarity, with the advent of computer numerically controlled (CNC) manufacturing. Engineers primarily manually manufacture parts in the areas of applied spray coatings, finishes, and other processes that cannot economically or practically be done by a machine.
Drafting is used in nearly every subdiscipline of mechanical engineering, and by many other branches of engineering and architecture. Three-dimensional models created using CAD software are also commonly used in finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
Frontiers of research:
Mechanical engineers are constantly pushing the boundaries of what is physically possible in order to produce safer, cheaper, and more efficient machines and mechanical systems. Some technologies at the cutting edge of mechanical engineering are listed below (see also exploratory engineering).
Composites or composite materials are a combination of materials which provide different physical characteristics than either material separately. Composite material research within mechanical engineering typically focuses on designing (and, subsequently, finding applications for) stronger or more rigid materials while attempting to reduce weight, susceptibility to corrosion, and other undesirable factors. Carbon fiber reinforced composites, for instance, have been used in such diverse applications as spacecraft and fishing rods.
Mechatronics is the synergistic combination of mechanical engineering, electronic engineering, and software engineering. The purpose of this interdisciplinary engineering field is the study of automata from an engineering perspective and serves the purposes of controlling advanced hybrid systems.
This field is not infant, actually the basis of Finite Element Analysis(FEA) which is Finite Element Method(FEM) dates back to 1941, but evolution of computers has brought a revolution in the extent to which FEM can be used for analysis of structural problems. Many commercial codes such as ANSYS, MSC MARC MENTAT and ABAQAS are widely used in industry for research and design of components. Other techniques such as Finite Difference Method(FDM) and Finite Volume Method(FVM) are employed to solve problems relating heat and mass transfer, fluid flows, fluid surface interaction etc.
Field of mechanical engineering is normally considered broadest of all engineering desciplines. Work of mechanical engineering can be seen from the bottom of the oceans to the farthest boundaries of space which man has ever been able to reach.
I recently watched the Movie of Rajasekhar's "Satyamevajayete", iam a big fan of Rajasekhar's Police Story Films but i didnt understand why Rajasekhar did such a C-Grade Movie. And i didnt like Sivaji's role in the film, if we see Akshay Kumar's role in Khakee, he played well like a lover and at last he changes to a good Police officer.
And i didn't know what is the role of 'NeetuChandra', she played like a vamp in the film.
