The last week of 2019 was as interesting as it should be. It brought along a whole bunch of attention-grabbing two-wheeler news and we reported each one of them in detail. While you can scroll through the BikeWale news section to check all of them out, here we focus on the five most important among them.
New Suzuki Access 125 BS6 unveiled
Suzuki unveiled its first BS6-compliant two-wheeler, the 2020 Access 125, in India. Besides a powerplant updated in accordance with the new emission norms, the brand’s highest-selling two-wheeler has received a couple of other new bits as well. This includes LED headlamp, an external fuel filler cap and a voltage meter for indicating battery condition. Suzuki has also worked upon making the new Access more comfortable by increasing the length of the seat and footboard. The pricing of the new model will be announced in January and it is expected to be around Rs 5,000-8,000 more expensive than the BS4 version.
2020 Kawasaki Z900 and Z650 BS6 models unveiled
Kawasaki announced that the 2020 editions of its streetfighters, the Z650 and the Z900, will be launched in India soon. Both bikes are now compliant with BS6 emission norms while they have also been updated in terms of design and features. The addition of a full-colour TFT display and LED headlamps is complemented by a more aggressive-looking styling in both models. As for their pricing, Kawasaki has announced that the 2020 Z650 will cost between Rs 6.25-6.50 lakh while the new Z900 will be priced in the ballpark of Rs 8.5-9 lakh.
After the next-generation KTM RC 390 was spotted testing a few weeks ago, a new leaked image of the motorcycle gives a clearer sight of how the new model will look like. KTM has evidently tried to make the bike more comfortable by lending it a more relaxed design and geometry. From the headlamp to the tail section, the new RC will go through a complete design overhaul. We can also expect it to be equipped with new features and, of course, it will get a Euro5/BS6-compliant engine. KTM is expected to unveil the next-gen RC 390 at the 2020 EICMA show while the India launch might take place in 2021.
Ampere Reo Elite e-scooter launched
Ampere Vehicles has expanded its product portfolio by launching a new electric scooter, the Reo Elite. Positioned between the existing Reo and Magnus, the Elite version has been priced at Rs 45,000. The scooter runs on a 250W motor which is powered by a 45V-2Ah lead-acid battery. It is claimed to deliver a range of 55km in the city and 60km on the highway. The Reo Elite is also modern in terms of features, boasting of LED headlamp and a fully-digital display. Online bookings for the scooter have begun at Rs 1,999 and the customers will also get a free helmet, as a part of the brand’s safety promotion campaign.
Piaggio rolls out Aprilia and Vespa BS6 models
Piaggio has also joined the BS6 league by launching the updated Vespa and Aprilia scooters in India. The company has announced only the starting price of both line-ups. While the BS6 Aprilia models start at Rs 85,431, the base Vespa model will cost Rs 91,492. This is a hike of around Rs 17,000-21,000, which is profoundly steep considering all the scooters remain unchanged in terms of design and features. Interestingly, the Aprilia SR 150 has received a bump in its displacement and will now be called the SR 160. Moreover, the power output has also gone up by 0.6bhp which now stands at 10.8bhp.
(All prices are ex-showroom)
