With EICMA just around the corner and new small and big capacity motorcycles and scooters expected to hit Indian shores, expect the next couple of months to be actioned packed! So, here’s a list of the top 5 two-wheelers that’ll surely get your heart racing, starting from the smallest displacement.
Hero Maestro Edge 125
Recently, Hero stepped into the 125cc scooter segment with its own budget offering, the Destini 125. The scooter is based on the same platform as the Hero Duet, which was showcased along with the upcoming Maestro Edge 125 at the 2018 Auto Expo. When kept side-by-side, it’s pretty evident that the Destini 125 is designed to appeal to the mature audience while the Maestro Edge 125, with its sharp and muscular styling, is mainly targeted towards the younger male audience. It also gets premium features like a disc brake up front to compete with the Honda Grazia, Suzuki Burgman, TVS NTorq and the Aprilia SR 125. With the Destini 125 being priced as a budget 125cc scooter, the Maestro Edge 125 is likely to be priced slightly on the higher side of the spectrum but still be an affordable option. According to the manufacturer, the scooter is likely to be launched by the end of December.
Yamaha MT-15 and NMax 155
The Yamaha MT-15, which is the naked version of the R15 V3, is likely to make it to India according to sources close to the company. And, much like the R15, the MT-15 features the same 155cc motor and underpinnings. Moreover, the bike gets advanced features like variable valve timing (VVT), a slipper clutch, LED headlamp and tail lamp, and ABS as standard, considering the implementation of more stringent safety norms for two-wheelers above 125cc. We expect the bike to be priced around Rs 1.18 lakh owing to the additional safety feature.
While that’s Yamaha’s plans for the bikes, it also intends to target the higher capacity scooter segment in India with the NMax 155. While we don’t have the exact spec sheet for India, the scooter might do away with its liquid-cooled motor, which is currently offered abroad, for a slightly toned down version to keep costs in check. With that in mind, we expect the scooter to be priced around Rs 1 lakh if it’s launched in India next year.
Hero XPulse 200
Remember the Impulse? It was a very capable small-capacity, dual-purpose bike that failed to rake in the numbers thanks to it being a little ahead of its time. The Xpulse, though, is a more powerful and focused version of the Impulse 150. It gets proper long-travel suspension at the front and rear, dual-purpose tyres for better off-road capability, and a gruntier 200cc engine derived from the Hero Xtreme 200R. We could expect the manufacturer to launch the bike by the end of this year at a price of around Rs 1.1 lakh.
Royal Enfield Interceptor and Continental GT 650
We’ve already had a taste of how these twins perform since we’ve ridden them at their international launch event in California, USA. Now, these much-anticipated bikes are finally making its way to India on November 14, which happens to be just before Rider Mania 2018. A few dealerships across India have already started accepting bookings for the duo for a token amount of Rs 5,000. However, expect delivers of the bikes to commence only after the official launch event. The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 are expected to be priced under Rs 3 lakh, which should undercut its competition - the Harley-Davidson Street 750 and Kawasaki Z650 - by a large margin. If the Chennai-based bike manufacturer manages to get the price right, it could be one of the best bikes to come from RE ever.
Triumph Scrambler 1200
The iconic British bike manufacturer recently unveiled its top-of-the-line Scrambler 1200 which will take on Ducati’s Scrambler Desert Sled and the BMW R nineT Scrambler. It resembles the Street Scrambler 900 in terms of design, and to make it more off-road biased, the Triumph Scrambler 1200 gets a bigger engine, rugged looks and underpinnings!
Powering the bike is the ‘High Torque’ version of Triumph’s 1200cc, parallel-twin engine that's tuned to make more power and low-end torque.
Furthermore, the bike also gets a slew of electronic rider aids to harness the power of the retuned 1200cc motor. For instance, the XC gets five rider modes and switchable ABS, while the XE gets six rider modes, switchable ABS and traction control with the assistance of an inertial measurement unit (IMU). The aforementioned updates make it a more capable off-roader than the Street Scrambler.
Both bikes employ a new steel cradle frame, long travel suspension (up to 250mm on the XE), a flat seat, aluminium components to reduce weight, tubeless dual-purpose Metzeler Tourance tyres wrapped around 21-inch front and 17-inch rear spoke wheels. Although these bikes are expected to be launched internationally on December 14, we expect the duo to hit Indian shores in the first half of 2019 with a price tag starting at Rs 12 lakh.
Source: zigwheels.com
