The last week was all about new products gracing the Indian two-wheeler industry. The most talked-about entry was that of the Suzuki VStrom 800DE which made its India debut with a very attractive price tag. Besides, there were more such updates to keep the excitement of the enthusiasts going and here’s a round-up of them.
Suzuki launched the V-Strom 800DE after showcasing it at the Bharat Mobility Show 2024. The motorcycle is pegged at Rs. 10.30 lakh, making it Rs. 70,000 cheaper than the Honda Transalp 750 and close to Rs. 2 lakh cheaper than the Triumph Tiger 850 Sport. The bike is powered by a 776cc, parallel-twin, DOHC motor that is paired with a six-speed gearbox. The motor gets a 270-degree crankshaft that delivers an output of 84bhp at 8,500rpm and 78Nm at 6,800rpm.
Hero Pleasure Plus Xtec Sports launch
Hero MotoCorp widened the Pleasure Plus line-up by adding a new Xtec Sports variant to it. The scooter is priced at Rs. 79,738 which puts it between the top-end Xtec Connected and Xtec standard trims. The only aspect that differentiates Sports from the other Xtec variants is the paint scheme and graphics. The Abrax Orange Blue colour scheme comprises blue as the primary shade with slashes of orange and ‘18’ number on the side panels, front apron, and front fender.
The Ather Rizta is all set to be unveiled on April 6 and with just a few days to go, the company has announced the commencement of pre-bookings for the new electric scooter. Customers need to pay Rs 999 to reserve the Ather Rizta. Another announcement made by Ather talks about a segment first anti-skid feature on the Rizta. This could be anti-lock brakes or ABS and is a welcome safety feature given the unpredictable nature of our roads.
TVS had unveiled the Ronin scrambler concept at its Motosoul festival. It looks like the brand is planning to create production-spec iteration of the same. The Hosur-based company has already applied to register the design of the bike almost a year ago. With such an approach, it is clear that the company has strong intentions to put the bike into production. The response to the concept was quite good, and there’s a high chance the Indian market would see the TVS scrambler in two to three years.
The BMW R1300GS was launched in international markets last year and after keeping us waiting for a few months, BMW Motorrad is preparing to launch the bike in India. The launch is expected to take place in a few weeks’ time, possibly around the end of April which is when we will be riding the bike as well. The R1300GS will pick from where the R1250GS will leave and those are pretty big shoes to fill. It has been updated in every area with the biggest change coming to its engine which is a larger 1,300cc mill.
(All prices are ex-showroom)
