More than half of 2017 has gone by and we have seen some really interesting motorcycles being launched in India. Motorcycle enthusiasts with all kinds of budget have had something to look forward to. But there is more to come! For all those who like their motorcycles to look sporty and have a fairing, you all are in for a treat. There is a slew of entry-level performance bikes with fairings, that will be launched in India. We give you a lowdown of what to expect about these bikes. So here goes.
- DSK Benelli 302R:
( Benelli Tornado 302R)
The Benelli 302R is all set to be launched in India on 25 July, 2017. This will also mark the first instance of the company launching a fully faired motorcycle in India. The 302R was first showcased at the 2015 EICMA show in Milan. It is, in essence, the faired version of the TNT 300, but gets a new chassis. The engine is a 300 cc, liquid-cooled parallel twin unit which makes 35.5 bhp at 12,000 rpm with 27 Nm of peak torque at 9,000 rpm. The engine will be paired to a 6-speed transmission and will have USD forks up front and a monoshock at the rear. The interesting bit is that the Benelli 302R will have twin disc brakes up front with ABS being standard. At 196 kg, it is not exactly a light bike though. Expect the pricing to be about Rs. 3.5 lakh.
- TVS Apache RR 310S:
(TVS Apache RR 310S)
Much has been said and written about the TVS Apache RR 310S or what was earlier known as the Akula Concept which was showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo. It will be the most powerful TVS bike ever along with being the first ever TVS motorcycle to have a fairing as well. The engine is borrowed from the BMW G 310 R and is a 313 cc single-cylinder unit that is said to make 34 bhp and 28 Nm. The Apache RR 310S will also have a vertical digital instrumentation console, which will be a first in the Indian two-wheeler market as well. TVS might offer ABS as an option on the Apache RR 310S. Expect the pricing to be kept under the Rs. 2 lakh mark in order to drive an initial surge of sale. The bike will be launched sometime in September 2017.
- Yamaha YZF R15 V3:
(2017 Yamaha YZF-R15)
The Yamaha R15 was one of the first budget performance motorcycles to be launched, almost 9 years ago. Since then, the R15 has become a favourite with bike enthusiasts with a minimal budget. The R15 V2 or version 2 has become old as well and with so many rival motorcycles being launched in the same space, the R15 V2 is due for an update. Therefore, Yamaha would like to bring in the R15 V3 before the year ends. The new-gen R15 gets a complete overhaul in terms of looks and technical specification. The bike has already been launched in some south-east Asian markets. The design language is quite sharp and has been modelled on its bigger sibling, the YZF R3. The body panels and the cycle parts have been updated and the 155 cc single-cylinder engine too has been re-tuned to make 19 bhp and 14.7 Nm of peak torque, which is over 2 bhp more than the model on sale currently. We expect the Yamaha will bring the same spec-ed R15 V3 to India as it is in other markets. Expect the prices to begin from Rs. 1.5 lakh or so.
- Yamaha Fazer 25:
(Yamaha Fazer 25 Spied)
The second motorcycle from Yamaha this year, will be the faired version of the FZ25, currently being called as the Fazer 25. The underpinnings, engine and the cycle parts on the Fazer 25 will be the same as the FZ25, except the fact that it will have a fairing. From what we hear, the bike will go into production from August 2017 and go on sale later in the year. The engine will be a 249 cc unit which makes 20 bhp and 20 Nm and will be paired to a 5-speed transmission. Yamaha will be positioning the Fazer 250 as a tourer rather than a committed, aggressive sporty bike. We believe that the prices of the Fazer 25 will be around Rs. 15,000 more than the FZ25, which currently retails at Rs. 1.23 lakh (ex-Delhi).
The coming few months are going to be really exciting as we see all these entry-level performance bikes launching one after the other. So, if you're in the market for a new bike, and you're not in a hurry, we suggest you start saving up about Rs. 3 lakh and you will have four new bikes to choose from.
