The month of July is going to be quite action packed for the Indian two-wheeler market. We’ve got a few launches lined up, across segments and the list includes a premium electric scooter as well. Let’s get straight to it, shall we?
Bajaj CNG bike
The new Bajaj CNG bike is going to be unveiled to the world on 5 July. It might be called the Bajaj Bruzer and is the world’s first production CNG bike. It is expected to redefine economical commuting. There have been a number of sightings of test bikes on our roads and from the looks of it, Bajaj is readying a practical motorcycle. The design, for instance, is likely to be skewed towards the functional end, evident in the shape of the ‘fuel tank’, the long seat and short tail section.
We had access to the blueprints of the bike that revealed the placement of the CNG tank in the central section of the bike’s chassis. There is likely going to be a small fuel tank above the CNG tank, for extra range and to enable one to reach a CNG gas station, if they run out of it. Bajaj is also expected to launch the CNG bike in two variants, one for the urban areas and a more rugged version for rural India. The latter will have a sump guard, knuckle guard and a handlebar brace. Expect the price to begin around Rs 80,000.
The second bike to be revealed this month is the much anticipated Royal Enfiled Guerrilla 450. It is the company’s new street naked that it built to take on the likes of the Triumph Speed 400.
It will be powered by a 452cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine, same as in the Himalayan and makes 39.47bhp at 8,000rpm and 40Nm at 5,500rpm in the ADV. Royal Enfield may tweak the engine’s state of tune and possibly the gearing to suit the performance and rideability of a roadster.
We recently got to know that the Guerrilla 450 will be available in at least two variants. The top variant will have the same TFT display as we’ve seen on the Himalayan while the other variant has a Super Meteor 650 style analouge display and a tripper navigation pod.
The bike is expected to be the most affordable 450cc Royal Enfield with prices starting at Rs 2.30 lakh, ex-showroom.
Ducati Hypermotard 698 Mono
Fans of motorcycles with a crazy streak in them will be looking forward to the launch of the Hypermotard 698 Mono. The highlight of the bike is the 659cc, liquid-cooled Superquadro Mono engine. The big single makes 77.5bhp at 9,750rpm and 63Nm at 8,000rpm. This makes it the most powerful single-cylinder engine in the world.
Complementing the engine is a purposeful design which can be seen in shape of the LED headlight with a long beak underneath it, a slim fuel tank, and nicely fused side and tail section.
It is also kitted out with a decent set of electronics like ride modes, power modes and traction control to keep oneself from wrapping around a tree.
The price of the bike is expected to be announced soon and should sit between Rs 9 lakh-10 lakh, ex-showroom.
The CE 04 electric scooter will go on sale in India on 24 July. This is the first time that BMW will introduce an electric two-wheeler in the Indian market. It is sure to catch a lot of attention for the way it looks with its futuristic design. The BMW CE 04 packs a 15kW, permanent magnet, liquid-cooled synchronous electric motor.
It has an 8.9kWh battery that can help the scooter cover 130km in a single charge. The CE 04 has a 120kmph top speed and should make for a quick city runabout. Prices are expected to begin around Rs 10-11 lakh, ex-showroom.
