Your weekly dose of bike updates: Suzuki Gixxer 250, Royal Enfield Bullet Trials, KTM 125 Duke sales

We have got past the first week of 2019 with a bunch of bittersweet updates from bikemakers. Apart from the regular scoops and spy shots, this is the time when the two-wheeler sales of the past year are scrutinised. Having said that, let’s take a look at last week’s important bike updates which buyers and enthusiasts need be aware of.

Royal Enfield Bullet Trials photos:

Royal Enfield has kickstarted the year on a good note by creating a stir among its fans with the images of the Bullet Trials. To come in 350cc and 500cc engine configurations, it will be a Scrambler model which will be based on the Classic duo in the RE’s line-up. Retaining the modern classic styling, it boasts of elements such as dual-purpose tyres, upswept exhaust, raised mudguard and luggage rack for showcasing its purpose. We are expecting the Trials 350 and Trials 500 to be launched in the next few weeks.

Suzuki Gixxer 250 engine details:

The quarter-litre segment has been witnessing a rise in demand and Suzuki is likely to take a leap at the opportunity with the Gixxer 250. The patent picture of the bike’s engine was leaked recently giving out information that it is a 250cc, single-cylinder, four-valve SOHC motor. It is expected to flaunt the traditional Suzuki naked bike styling with muscular body panels. The Yamaha FZ25-rival will debut sometime this year.

TVS working on hybrid two-wheelers:

TVS has been bringing something new to the table for years now and with the development plans of hybrid two-wheelers, it is upping the game. These are the vehicles which are powered by internal combustion engine as well as electric motor with both working concertedly. This mechanism will churn out performance like a conventional motorcycle while keeping the emissions in check. There’s no disclosed timeline for the introduction of such two-wheelers yet but we expect TVS to bring it soon.

KTM 125 Duke selling well:

The launch of the KTM 125 Duke created quite a stir in the market simultaneously raising questions about its demand amongst the buyers. To get a perspective, we got in touch with dealers across India and came to know that the most affordable Duke has been seeing commendable demand which is more than the KTM’s best-selling 200 Duke in some cities. 

Tork T6X electric bike spotted:

Amidst these fuel guzzling two-wheelers, the spy shot of the Tork T6X electric bike had us all bright-eyed about the future. The naked electric bike has now been spied testing for the first time, two years after it was unveiled in 2016. The camouflaged bike looks similar to the showcased model and going by the pictures, it might be almost ready for production. Powered by a 6kW motor, it’s claimed to have a 100km range and a top speed of 100kmph. The electric bike is expected to be launched by the end of this year or early 2020.

BMW Motorrad 2018 sales high:

BMW Motorrad is a premium motorcycle manufacturer and selling 2187 units over a year in a budget-conscious market as ours, is commendable. The move towards introducing affordable motorcycles like the G310R and G310GS seems to be working in the company’s favour as 75 per cent (1640 units) of the total sales was registered by these entry-level BMW bikes. The company has dealerships in 11 cities across India and we expect it to expand its reach in more cities in the coming months.

Royal Enfield sales drop by 14 per cent:

Royal Enfield had seen a gradual increment in its sales in India but the last two months have witnessed dwindling sales. Owing to the workers' strike during September and November and disruption in production, the Chennai-based bikemaker reported a 14 per cent slump in its overall sales in December 2018. However, the introduction of its 650cc twins (Interceptor 650 and Continental GT650) and the upcoming Scramblers might bring a favourable transition in its graph.