The adventure motorcycle segment is gaining popularity, not just anywhere in the world, but here in India too. Chances are, you will get to see a lot of the motorcycle touring crowd these days on adventure bikes, from the Royal Enfield Himalayan to the hugely popular middleweight Triumph Tiger 800 and even the top-of-the-line BMW R 1200 GS Adventure. And 2018 promises to be the year for adventure motorcycle launches with BMW Motorrad India already launching two middleweight bikes in the BMW F 750 GS and BMW F 850 GS. And there are several more adventure bike launches for 2018 in the pipeline as well, so here's a look at the top 7 adventure bikes for 2018.
Hero XPulse Adventure Tourer at the Auto Expo 2018
The smallest and most affordable adventure bike which will hit the market this year is the new Hero XPulse, which was unveiled as a concept, both at the EICMA show late last year in Milan, and then again at the Auto Expo 2018. The XPulse is a slightly bigger version of the now-discontinued 150 cc Hero Impulse, bigger only in terms of engine displacement though; the XPulse has a shorter height overall, to make it more accessible to riders of various builds and height. And, the Hero XPulse gets a new 200 cc, single-cylinder engine which is shared with the Hero Xtreme 200R.
The engine makes 18.4 bhp and 17.1 Nm of peak torque, and is mated to a five-speed transmission. Long travel front suspension and an adjustable monoshock at the rear will give the XPulse decent off-road capability. With a kerb weight of around 140 kg, the XPulse certainly will make for a nimble, affordable, do-it-all motorcycle. Pricing is expected to be very competitive, somewhere around Rs. 1.2 lakh (ex-showroom).
The BMW G 310 GS is made in India and will be the smallest adventure bike from BMW Motorrad
BMW Motorrad India will launch its 'made in India', baby GS this year. The BMW G 310 GS will share the engine with the BMW G 310 R, as well as the TVS Apache RR 310. The bike has been developed under collaboration with TVS Motor Company, and also manufactured at TVS' Hosur plant in Tamil Nadu. The 313 cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine makes 34 bhp and 28 Nm of peak torque, and is mated to a six-speed gearbox. Long travel suspension (180 mm front and rear) gives it decent off-road capability, with a 19-inch front wheel. Expect pricing to be just under Rs. 3 lakh (ex-showroom) and it certainly promises to be a fun, lightweight adventure bike. We can't wait to ride it!
Also Read: TVS Apache Apache RR 310 First Ride Review
The DSK Benelli TRK 502 will be one of the affordable middleweight adventure bikes
DSK Benelli is expected to launch the Benelli TRK 502 sometime later this year. The bike was first unveiled at the EICMA show in 2015, followed by an India unveil at the Auto Expo 2016. In fact, DSK Benelli has several times in the past announced a launch timeline, and we can't be sure when the bike will eventually be launched in India. But it's certainly long overdue and will hopefully be launched soon. The TRK 502 is a middleweight adventure tourer powered by a 500 cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine putting out 47 bhp of power and 45 Nm of peak torque. With 230 mm of ground clearance and 150 mm of rear suspension travel, the TRK 502 promises to be no slouch off-road too. Of course, with a 20-litre tank and kerb weight of 210 kg, it's a capable tourer as well. Pricing is expected to be around Rs. 6 lakh (ex-showroom).
The SWM SuperDual is expected to be priced around Rs. 6 lakh (ex-showroom)
The SWM SuperDual adventure bike will be launched sometime this year, we think in the first quarter of the year. The SuperDual will be marketed by Kinetic Group-owned premium motorcycle initiative MotoRoyale, which already sells MV Agusta bikes and has also announced a partnership with British motorcycle brand Norton to assemble and sell Norton bikes in India, as well as other parts of South East Asia. The SWM SuperDual is a lightweight adventure bike powered by a 600 cc, single-cylinder engine based on the old Husqvarna TE 160 enduro bike. The 600 cc engine makes around 54 bhp of power and 53.5 Nm of peak torque.
The SWM SuperDual boasts of high-quality components and real adventure capability
An 18-litre fuel tank, long travel suspension, high ground clearance and dry weight of 186 kg certainly make the SuperDual a very attractive proposition as a lightweight, easy to use adventure bike. There are no electronic rider aids to speak of - no traction control, no ride-by-wire, and no riding modes. But what it gets is high quality components - Brembo calipers, Sachs shock, Fast Ace forks, LED headlight and optional hard luggage. The only chink in the armour is the brand; not many know about or know of the SWM brand. Priced right, the SWM SuperDual does promise a lot of capability and fun. So, how much then? If it's priced below Rs. 6 lakh, then the SWM SuperDual certainly will be an attractive proposition, if it's priced above it, it remains to be seen how this little-known brand makes it in India.
2018 Triumph Tiger 800 gets updated styling and ergonomics
Triumph Motorcycles will introduce the significantly updated Triumph Tiger 800 models this year, in both the road-oriented Tiger 800 XR trim and the off-road oriented XC variants. The 2018 Triumph Tiger 800 gets updated styling, LED lights, new full-colour TFT instrument panel and the same 800 cc, in-line three cylinder engine with some changes. The gearing has been changed overall, with a shorter first gear, and there are changes in the primary drive, crankshaft and removal of backlash gears.
New Tiger 800 ride-by-wire makes throttle feel punchier, and more responsive
Also Read: 2018 Triumph Tiger 800 First Ride Review
And, there's a new exhaust, which is more compact and lighter - the result is a sound which is noticeably different from the previous generation bike. Gone is the signature whistling sound of the Triumph triple engine, and the exhaust note is meatier and bassier. The top-of-the-line Tiger 800 XCa also gets an Off-Road Pro riding mode, as well as a fully customisable Rider mode. In all, the new Tiger 800 certainly promises significant improvements. Launch is expected sometime in April 2018, and prices are expected to be marginally higher than the outgoing model.
(2018 Triumph Tiger 1200 range)
Triumph will also launch an updated, 1200 cc Tiger in 2018. The 1200 now drops the Explorer moniker and will be called the Tiger 1200, and comes with a host of updates and improvements. It's 10 kg lighter than the outgoing model, minor cosmetic changes, including LED lighting, cornering lights, full-colour TFT instrument panel and electronic suspension. Also new are bi-directional quickshifter and a hill-hold control. Advanced electronics, updated styling and less weight, along with a superb 1200 cc engine makes the Tiger 1200 an attractive proposition for the big adventure bike lover. The Tiger 1200 will be brought in as a completely built unit (CBU) and is expected to be priced around Rs. 20 lakh (ex-showroom). That is the only thing which will probably go against this very capable big tourer, since the competition in that price bracket is intense, to say the least.
Ducati Multistrada 1260
This Italian adventure tourer gets updated for 2018 with a lot of torque and new technology, and this year, it will be launched in India. The 2018 Ducati Multistrada 1260 will replace the existing Ducati Multistrada 1200, and it gets a slight displacement bump as well. The engine is the 1,262 cc, L-twin from the XDiavel, but tuned for more torque lower in the revs. The chassis is updated too, with a slightly longer swingarm, with a resulting increase in the wheelbase. The dash is the same, but gets a full-colour TFT treatment and gets a long list of features, including settings for the electronics suspension, and to tweak each individual rider mode. Keyless ignition, heated grips, tyre-pressure monitoring system, Bluetooth connectivity et al make the Multistrada 1260 a true-blue, modern adventure tourer. Pricing will be around Rs. 19 lakh (ex-showroom).
