Diwali is the single biggest festival in the country, and unlike some other festivals, it isn’t limited to certain areas of the market. As such, it makes for a great time to launch a new product, and almost all the manufacturers get into the act. Here are four two wheelers that you should be looking forward to eagerly during the festive season.
Hero Duet 125
Hero’s 125cc scooters are ready, and the company is merely waiting for an opportune time to launch. Scooters are the way forward for everyone, and 125cc is the new 110cc. Judging by the amount of value and features Hero usually manages to deliver with its other products, the regular players in the 125cc segment will have to sit up and take notice. And that is before we consider what a wide dealer network the brand has. The Duet is the more svelte of the Hero scooters, the Maestro Edge catering to the male population.
Twenty Two Flow
We’re continuing with scooters here, but the Twenty Two Flow is the future of scooters – or at least, one version of it. This electric scooter isn’t your run-of-the-mill electric runabout. It recharges the battery as you coast, extending range. It charges to 100 per cent in just five hours. It weighs just 85kg. Then there’s programmable LED lamps, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity and a geofencing system that alerts the owner if it goes outside a designated area – this last feature will certainly be a favourite with parents who have teenage children. The next step in two wheeler features seems ready to drop, this Diwali.
Suzuki V-Strom 650
The V-Strom 1000 went largely under everyone’s radar thanks to giants of the segment like the BMW R1200GS, Honda Africa Twin and Triumph Tiger. The V-Strom 650 is just as capable, and enters a segment that isn’t as crowded. The only competition worth mentioning is the Kawasaki Versys 650, and the V-Strom will offer a much more off-road capable version as well. For those who want just enough power but aren’t chasing overkill, the V-Strom 650 will be a perfect mix.
Royal Enfield Interceptor 650
We’re getting a little ahead of ourselves here, but ever since Royal Enfield changed its mind about launching its 650cc bikes in the Indian market long after they were launched globally, we have been waiting excitedly. The launch of the 650 isn’t far off, but we’re expecting dealers to start accepting bookings soon after Diwali. The Continental GT 650 is undoubtedly the prettier motorcycle, but the Interceptor is the one that will be easier to live with. We’ll be riding it soon, so watch this space!
We'd have loved to add one or two more products like the TVS Jupiter Grande Edition, but lack of information has forced us to leave it out of this list. The festive season is almost upon us - more products will certainly be announced soon!
