The premium bike segment stole the show the entire last week as most of the launches, unveiling and spy shots were related to them. KTM, BMW, Benelli and a few other brands made their presence felt by either introducing a new product or by announcing their impending launch. In order to recollect such important stories, here’s a round-up of the top five of them from the last week.
After days of speculations and anticipation, KTM finally launched what will be its flagship product in India, the 790 Duke. Sporting a design similar to the 1290 Super Duke R, this naked streetfighter comes powered by a 799cc, parallel-twin motor which produces a whopping 105bhp of power and 86Nm of peak torque. To keep this power in check, there are a host of rider aids including cornering ABS, lean-sensitive traction control, wheelie control and as many as four riding modes. Considering all the aspects, KTM has priced the 790 Duke impressively at Rs 8.83 lakh (ex-showroom, India).
Benelli opens pre-bookings for Imperiale 400
As a part of Benelli’s aggressive plans to widen its portfolio in India, the Italian bikemaker is now all set to launch its next offering, the Imperiale 400. While the launch is still a few weeks away, the company has officially started accepting pre-bookings for the motorcycle at a minimum amount of Rs 4,000. Interested customers can pre-book the bike either online or through Benelli’s authorised dealerships. Being a middle-weight modern-classic offering, the Imperiale 400 will tap the highly lucrative segment which is currently dominated by Royal Enfield 350cc models. Benelli is likely to peg the motorcycle around Rs 2-2.5 lakh.
New Honda Africa CRF1100L revealed
Honda’s teaser campaign of its upcoming flagship ADV has finally come to an end as the Japanese bikemaker revealed the new Africa Twin CRF1100L. As the name suggests, the biggest change it has received is the larger 1084cc motor, up from the existing 998cc mill. This parallel-twin engine now churns out more power and torque at 102bhp and 105Nm. Besides that, the Africa Twin has also been overhauled in terms of hardware, features and styling. The CRF1100L is expected to come to our shores sometime next year and will demand a significant premium over the existing model which retails at Rs 13.50 lakh.
Next-gen KTM RC 390 spotted testing
KTM’s maniac supersport, the RC 390, will receive some major changes soon as its upcoming model was recently spotted testing in Austria. The test mule looked like a major departure from the current-generation model, especially in terms of styling which is more matured now. Moreover, the ergonomics are likely to be slightly more relaxed with comfier rider and pillion seat and a handlebar which is easier to reach. The hardware will also receive a few changes along with a tweaked motor which will comply with the upcoming emission norms. To see the final production model, we might have to wait until November when it is likely to be unveiled at the 2019 EICMA show in Milan.
BMW R 1250 R and R 1250 RT Pro launched
BMW has updated its portfolio by launching the all-new R 1250 R and the R 1250 RT Pro. While the former is a naked street bike, the latter is a full-size touring model. The new models retain the basic styling of their predecessors, however, a bunch of minor updates keep the design fresh. Both bikes run a 1254cc, Boxer-type, twin-cylinder powerplant which belts out 132bhp at 7,750rpm and 143Nm at 6,250rpm. Similar to other BMWs, both bikes are also equipped with a plethora of electronic features. As for the pricing, while the BMW R 1250 R costs Rs 15.95 lakh, the R 1250 RT goes up to Rs 22.50 lakh.
(All prices are ex-showroom)
