Long live the King! - pictures of a TVS King LX auto rickshaw

[dkamath]

Hi All, happened to see a TVS King LX auto rickshaw in close quarters during my last visit to Mangalore. These rickshaws have been on sale for quite a few months now, and their clan is certainly increasing by the day, in the coastal district.

The owner of this rickshaw looked happy on his purchase decision. As per him, it drives like a car on the highways . The vehicle comes with a 200cc two-stroke engine and sports a self-starter too. Other features that look appealing are a single windscreen, clear-lens twin headlamps and tail lamps, wheel caps, water bottle holder for the driver on the A-pillar frame, and a uniform floor area of the vehicle body. It is priced marginally lower than its well-known competitor.

Feel good to see this one on road, as the monopoly by a single manufacturer (well, almost) in this segment didn't look innovative to say the least. Do not possess more details or specifications apart from these. Anyone, please feel free to fill in.

Finally, hope this vehicle sells well and we get to see a four-stroke variant of it in future.

[Steeroid]

Looks as bad as any Bajaj or Ape autorickshaw around - one would expect a new entrant into the market to try and do things differently.

Whatever happened to the terrific prototype developed by one of the IITs a decade ago, I wonder? That looked really good - a bit futuristic at that point, but by now it should be possible to bring that design out onto the roads.

[prabuddhadg]

While this one may look better than the Bajaj, and be easier for the passengers because of the low floor, fact remains that I for one, hate these three wheelers. They are too manouevrable for the comfort of other road users. I consider them a nuisance.

[srishiva]

Anybody know what the mileage is on this ? They still produce two-stroke engines ? Nonsense.

[narayan]

Atleast TVS launched a 2 stroke rickshaw - the diesel ones of piagio/bajaj etc are so annoying to hear and move like a snail

wonder how much power this puts out ? the bajaj RE i think ran the same 2 stroke engine as the chetak scooters which i think was 150cc ( 7-8 bhp ) ?? and they were quite zippy ( 90% of chennai ricks are the petrol ones and there are quite a few one can spot on the roads that are really well maintained and are quite quick atleast 0-50kmph

[benbsb29]

Another clan of pests on the roads, as if the existing ones werent enough!

I got to see one of these in front of Christ College in Bangalore. It can be mistaken for a Bajaj from the rear.

[Fountainheader]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Another clan of pests on the roads, as if the existing ones werent enough!

I got to see one of these in front of Christ College in Bangalore. It can be mistaken for a Bajaj from the rear.

Same here. Happened to see one near CMBT Chennai.

Driving like a car on a highway ?

[Jeep]

It looks really ugly and not aerodynamic at all. That too with a 2-stroke engine.
I thought the former Bajaj autos came with 175cc engine (2 stroke)

[aaggoswami]

We can do without these. Agreed that electricals will be good specially the headlamps, but not overall. Just another three wheeler. Expect more overloading. 2 stroke is not a good thing, and they must have gone in for 4 stroke. Nothing different, just the same ordinary stuff.

They could have done less cost cutting for front wheel suspension.

[prabhuav]

I am swimming against the tide here to say that this looks pretty neat for a rick. At least it has decent sized headlights and tail lamps

[vikram_d]

Originally Posted by prabhuav

At least it has decent sized headlights and tail lamps

Size doesn't matter. I have never seen an auto with working tail lights. I wonder if they are just empty covers in place.

[prabhuav]

What - it doesn't???

The bajaj autos and their chetak derived magnetos and 3" headlights are horrible. But the Piaggio APE goods autos have decent light.

Vijay

[Steeroid]

Google brings up some interesting results - allegedly the engine is a "low friction" (?) 200cc 7-port 2 stroke that delivers plenty of low-end torque and is very fuel efficient.

Maybe TVS developed a 200cc engine and found that its useless on a motorcycle, so they decided to make some autos for it.

[shuvd]

Why Why WHY? Do we really need another breed of traffic hazard?

[prabhuav]

Plus this thingy is fuel injected - pretty clean stuff from an emission perspective