The Indian two-wheeler market witnessed a lot of buzz in the last week, thanks to the multiple launches that took place back to back. From Royal Enfield to Ducati, various manufacturers had something new for us in the store. Here's a round-up of five such launches which grabbed our attention the most.
Most affordable Royal Enfield launched
Royal Enfield has launched more affordable versions of its Bullet model which are also the cheapest offerings from the bikemaker till date. Notably, these are the cosmetically updated versions of the Bullet with new colours and decals. The Bullet 350 ES (electric start) is now available in Jet Black, Regal Red and Royal Blue colour options which are sold at Rs 1.26 lakhs. Whereas, the Bullet 350 KS (kick start) now comes in Bullet Silver, Sapphire Blue, and Onyx Black shades which have been priced as low as Rs 1.12 lakhs! The previous colour options of both Bullet models will continue to be sold at their older pricing.
Suzuki has launched its second quarter-litre offering, the Gixxer 250, in India. A naked iteration of the SF 250, the motorcycle retains the same design as its 155cc sibling, the Gixxer. However, a few elements such as bronze-finished cam cover and different colour options help it stand apart. Powering the bike is the same 249cc, oil-cooled engine which does duty on the Gixxer SF 250 while both bikes also share similar cycle parts. Suzuki has priced the motorcycle at Rs 1,59,800 making it Rs 11,000 cheaper than the SF version. The naked streetbike will compete against the KTM 200 Duke and the Yamaha FZ25.
Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 MotoGP edition launched
With an intention to add a pinch of excitement to its quarter-litre offering, the Gixxer SF 250, Suzuki has launched the MotoGP edition of the motorcycle. With the Racing blue paint scheme, adorned by bold Team Suzuki Ecstar decals, this version is surely a head-turner. Besides the cosmetic changes, the motorcycle remains unchanged mechanically. It is powered by a 249cc, oil-cooled motor which produces 26.1bhp and 22.6Nm and comes mated to a six-speed gearbox. Priced at Rs 1,71,456, the Gixxer SF 250 MotoGP edition is around Rs 1,000 more expensive over the standard model.
Benelli plans to go aggressive with its expansion plan by launching multiple products in the coming months. The implementation of the plan has already begun as the company, after launching the TRK siblings, has now introduced the Leoncino 500 in the country. The motorcycle is a retro-inspired scrambler which gets modern features such as fully-digital instrument cluster and full-LED lighting. It shares its powerplant with the TRK models which is a 499cc, parallel-twin, liquid-cooled engine, good for 47bhp and 45Nm. Considering this whole package, Benelli has priced the Leoncino impressively at Rs 4.79 lakhs.
Ducati has launched its new power cruiser, the Diavel 1260, in India. The motorcycle is the successor to the outgoing Diavel and has been revamped substantially. Besides the more aggressive bodywork, the Italian bikemaker has also reworked on the trellis frame and sub-frame to enhance its handling and stability. While it also gets more features, the highlight of the motorcycle is the new 1262cc motor which is up from the previous 1198cc. This Testastreta L-twin behemoth with Desmodromic Variable Timing (DVT) belts out a healthy 157bhp and 129Nm of torque. As for the pricing, the standard version costs Rs 17.70 lakh while the higher-spec ‘S’ variant is priced at Rs 19.25 lakhs.
(All prices are ex-showroom)
