Bike News of the Week: KTM 390 Adventure, UM Chill 150 ABS, Aprilia Comfort, 2019 Suzuki Hayabusa

The final week of 2018 was majorly filled with scoops and exclusive reports we brought for our viewers. Just before we dive into the new year, here are all the prominent stories of the concluding week. 

2019 KTM 390 Adventure spied

KTM is taking its own sweet time to introduce the highly awaited adventure iteration of the 390 Duke. The exact launch time of the 390 Adventure is still uncertain but the recent spy shot of the almost production-ready bike signifies its not far now. The spotted bike incorporated alloy wheels which signifies that there will be two variants of the bike – another with spoked wheels. It will get the new-gen 1290 Super Duke styling and same engine as the 390 Duke, albeit in a retuned manner. 

New Yamaha two-wheeler launch on 21 January

As per the invite we have received, Yamaha is all set to launch a new two-wheeler on 21 January 2019. While the model hasn’t been revealed yet, we are pretty sure the company will kickstart 2019 with the successor of the FZ and FZ-S V 2.0. The bike has been spied several times over the last few months revealing major cosmetic upgrades. It will follow the design cues of its elder sibling, the FZ25. Moreover, inclusion of ABS is also inevitable owing to the new norm that mandates ABS in 125cc and above bikes, starting 1 April 2019. 

UM Chill 150 ABS scooter launch by August

UM is busy pulling up its socks and that is quite evident from the number of launches lined up for 2019. One among these is the Chill 150 ABS scooter and we were the first to report it. In our exclusive story, we divulged details about its launch stating that it will be wrapped off in August. With four trendy colour options, 150cc engine and a few premium features, UM is eyeing at competing against Piaggio’s Vespa scooter models. 

Piaggio working on Aprilia Comfort family scooter

In yet another exclusive story, we talked about how Piaggio’s other hand, Aprilia, is working on a family scooter. To be called as Comfort, it will boast of a subtle design and comfortable ergonomics while being powered by the same engine as the Aprilia SR125, albeit in a different state of tune. It is expected to be launched in August and will compete against the TVS Ntorq 125 and the Suzuki Access 125. 

2019 Suzuki Hayabusa launch

While the end of production of the current-gen Hayabusa may have brought in disappointment for the enthusiasts, Suzuki decided to conclude it on a good note by launching the 2019 version of the sportsbike. It remains the same mechanically and on the engine front but gets two new elegant colour options – metallic oort grey and glass sparkle black along with side reflectors. Suzuki is likely to unveil the next generation of the Hayabusa in 2020. 

Triumph Thruxton R photos leaked

Triumph’s Thruxton R is due for an update and before its global unveil next year, the production ready images of the motorcycle have surfaced online. Overall, the stunning café racer remains the same but for the coming year, it gets carbon fibre parts (fairing and front fender), LED head lamps, tail lamps and turn indicators along with a few other modern elements. It will get premium cycle parts such as Ohlins suspension and Brembo brakes and expect slight changes in the powerplant as well.