TheScooterScoop

(The Bajaj Blade is aggressive and built for boys)

(The Bajaj Kristal sleek and is built for girls)

Straight from Barnala (Punjab) India, we got these tiny snaps of the two new plastic, automatic scoots doing their best to take the place of the classic Chetak. I’ve been searching and searching for full images of these guys and finally ended up asking B.B. Goyal in India to shot some at a local Bajaj shop. Thanks B.B.!

Maybe we can get you some bigger snaps soon.

Here’s what the Hindu Business Line printed about the two of them:

Bajaj Auto too is taking entrenched players TVS Motors and HMSI head on, with two launches in the gearless scooter segment later this year. The company recently unveiled two gearless scooters, Kristal and Blade, and is trying out a new strategy with gender-exclusive products.

The Kristal, which sports a sub-100 cc engine, is meant for college girls and sports the dual twin spark ignition system, a wider seat and 22 litres of storage space. The Bajaj Blade is designed to attract young men. It has a sportier style, large 12-inch alloy wheels and disc brakes. Company officials said both the launches are aimed at tapping the growing gearless scooter market.

And here’s what India Infoline News had to say about Bajaj’s latest breed (looks like a press release):

Un-geared Scooters

Bajaj Auto strengthens its presence in the un-geared scooters segment with the launch of two new scooters-the “Kristal DTS-i” and the “Blade DTS-i”. These two offerings join the “Bajaj Wave DTS-i” to give the widest choice of Un-geared scooters to the Indian consumer.

The Kristal DTS-i:

The Bajaj Kristal DTS-i is the second vehicle in the un-geared scooter segment to ride on the Bajaj patented Digital Twin Spark Ignition (DTS-i) technology with ExhausTEC to offer excellent driving capability. This vehicle has another unique Bajaj technology i.e. the revolutionary SNS (Spring-in-Spring) suspension for superior handling and ride comfort. Targeted at the young College girl, the “Kristal DTS-i” is a quick commuter designed for easy city riding. Despite its compact design, there is no compromise on space – whether it be a wide seat to comfortably carry two or the 22 liters of storage space underneath the seat -substantially more than what is generally available on other comparable vehicles. The unique Front Fuelling system in the “Kristal DTS-i” ensures even more convenience to the rider by avoiding the inconvenience of getting off the vehicle while re-fuelling.

This stylish vehicle further goes on to enhance the personality of the young girl riding to college.

The Blade DTS-i

The Bajaj Blade DTS-i is specifically targeted towards a young male in his early 20′s. It is designed to attract the young male who desires to ride a 2-wheeler without the hassle of changing gears. It is the first such un-geared scooter offering in the domestic market for the young male rider.

This vehicle completely supports its sporty styling with a powerful DTS-i engine to zoom far ahead of any other vehicle in this segment. The central spine that runs through the vehicle enhances the sporty looks of the vehicle and gives it the strong solid look. The twin SNS (Spring-in-Spring) suspension in the rear, large 12-inch alloy wheels, and Disc Brakes make for sporty handling and better riding comfort. The “Blade DTS-i” also comes with a Front Fuelling system to offer great convenience to the rider at the Petrol Pump.

This scooter is designed to get the youth back in scooters by offering a combination of performance, convenience and sleek styling. S. Sridhar, VP (Marketing and Sales) BAL, said, “We are launching the “Pulsar DTS-Fi”, and the “Sonic DTS-i” motorcycles, the two new gearless scooters, “Kristal DTS-i”, and the “Blade DTS-i”, all during the financial year 2006 – 2007. These models would provide superior technology and features, unique to their category.

This is what we call “Excitement Engineering”. With this new breed of riding machines, Bajaj promises to meet every expectation of consumers in terms of technology, styling and features, not only in India but also around the world.”

What does THAT mean? “Around the world”? Does it mean the Kristal & Blade are coming to the Americas? Judging by what I’ve seen and heard so far, they’ve still got some engineering to do before they see some excitement outta me. I want to sit on one and take a better look at the engines before I make any final judgments… but I’m still gonna miss the Chetak. I guess you could still get a Chetak in the USA this year, but after that… gone.