The 2016 edition of the Auto Expo has welcomed several new motorcycles to look forward to as well as some cool looking concepts to ogle at. Right from 110cc mini bikes to tarmac-shedding litre-class motorcycles, there is everything for everyone.
What we have here is a selection of motorcycles and scooters that we think would appeal to the masses when the Auto Expo opens its doors for the public starting tomorrow.
Benelli Tornado 300: The new Tornado 300 is Benelli’s first fully faired sports motorcycle since the iconic Tornado 1130. Showcased first at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan last year, the Tornado in essence is a fully faired version of the BN302 which is sold as the TNT 300 here in India.
For propulsion, Benelli has fitted an in-line twin cylinder engine which produces 36bhp of power at 12,000rpm and 27Nm of torque at 9,000 rpm. This engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox. Although it’s a faired version of the TNT 300, the Tornado 300 is apt for track riding thanks to its Metzeler tyres, lightweight alloy wheels, 260mm floating discs up front and a single 240mm disc for the rear. Expect competitive prices for the Tornado 300 which will rival the KTM Duke RC390.
Honda Navi: Moving on to the wacky bits of the Auto Expo, there’s the Honda Navi which resembles the brand’s globally acclaimed 125cc mini bike – the Grom. The Navi, however, is the first ever Honda model to have been designed and developed from scratch from the brand’s Indian R&D arm.
Honda themselves aren’t too sure whether the Navi is a scooter or a motorcycle. Either way, the Navi does look very interesting and tempting as well if you consider the ex-showroom pricing of Rs 39,500. However, those looking to get their hands on the Navi will have to wait till April 2016.
Mahindra GenZe 2.0 electric concept: The Mahindra GenZe 2.0 is one of the many concepts shown at the Auto Expo. What makes it interesting though is the fact that it is truly a global product and promises to take a big step forward towards the future of mobility.
The GenZe 2.0 allows continuous monitoring of more than 95 vehicle parameters including battery state-of-charge, range estimation, remote diagnostics, alerts for theft and customised navigation features. There’s even a 7-inch touch screen display and connectivity with configurable riding modes. The electric motor and the advanced lithium-ion battery allow a decent top speed of 48.3kmph.
Benelli TRK 502: Among Benelli’s newest range of motorcycles there’s the striking looking TRK 502 adventure-style model. Featuring a design that draws upon adventure motorcycles for inspiration, the TRK 502 is a direct rival to the Honda CB 500X, a motorcycle that we all expected to turn up at the Auto Expo.
The TRK 502 is built around the traditional Benelli steel trellis frame. What’s new though is the 500cc twin-cylinder engine developed for Benelli’s new range of models. This liquid-cooled unit produces 47bhp and 45Nm of torque and is paired to a 6-speed gearbox. As for the design, the TRK 502 oozes ruggedness with a hefty 20-litre tank, muscular looking hand guards and a tall windscreen. When launched later this year, the TRK 502 will be sold below the existing 600 GT sports tourer in Benelli’s range.
Hero Xtreme 200S: Hero, as we know, has actively worked on developing and expanding its Xtreme commuter range. And now, the brand has taken a sporty approach to for this long-standing model. Hero, in fact, has brought out the new Xtreme 200 S which features a rear mono suspension and more importantly, ABS.
Powering this bigger iteration of the Xtreme is an air cooled, single cylinder, 200cc engine which makes 18.6bhp at 8500rpm and 17.2Nm at 6000rpm. The engine is mated to a five-speed gear box and is built around a diamond type chassis design. What comes as a bad news though is that Hero has officially announced that the Xtreme 200S is still a year or so away from hitting the showrooms.
TVS Akula 310 concept: Following the launch of the all-new Apache RTR 200 last month, TVS is continuing with its sporting spirit with the unveiling of their Akula 310 concept. Designed to celebrate 33 years of TVS racing, the Akula looks menacing from every angle. Interestingly, it’s based on the BMW G310R which is always a good start.
While it looks pretty impressive in concept form, the production-spec motorcycle will be toned down a bit in terms of styling. The latter will compete with the KTM Duke RC 390 and the Yamaha R3.
Honda Africa Twin: The Honda CRF1000L, more popularly known as the Africa Twin, is one adventure motorcycle that can be ridden pretty much over every terrain out there. Officially revealed in July 2015, the Africa Twin has officially arrived in India at the Expo and will go on sale in the country later this year. Now 94bhp and 98Nm from its 1,000cc parallel-twin engine may not sound a lot especially in comparison with rival motorcycles from KTM and Triumph, however, the Africa Twin is guaranteed to offer more than adequate grunt across toughest of terrain.
Although Honda is yet to announce the launch date, we expect the Africa Twin to arrive in India by second half of this year. When launched, it will compete with the BMW R1200GS as its arch nemesis.
Yamaha MT-09: The MT-09 is first of the motorcycles under Yamaha’s MT series that will eventually arrive here in India. Priced at Rs 10.20 lakh, ex-Delhi, the sporty naked model has been launched at the Auto Expo and is being sold as a fully imported model.
Powering the MT-09 is an 873cc engine that dishes out 115bhp of power at 10,000rpm and 87.5Nm of torque at 8,500rpm. Now that it has arrived in the Indian market, it’s got some stiff competition to face in the form of the Triumph Street Triple and the Kawasaki Z800.
Aprilia SR 150: While the SR series from Aprilia is spanned across a variety of engine options, right from 50cc to 300cc, it’s the 150cc SR 150 which holds a lot of promise. Despite being locally manufactured at Piaggio’s facility in Maharashtra, the SR 150 will be a pricey affair at around Rs 1.25 lakh.
The SR 150 is powered by a 150cc four-stroke single-cylinder engine paired to an automatic gearbox. The extra displacement over most of the scooters in India will surely work in favour of the light and zippy SR 150.
Triumph Street Twin: The entry-level Street Twin is one crucial model for Triumph as its being aimed at a wide spectrum of riders looking for a cruiser that can be personalised with a load of customizable options. It uses Triumph’s new 899cc ‘high torque’ engine. This 8-valve, parallel twin engine makes 80Nm of torque at a rider friendly 3200rpm, giving the Street Twin healthy low down grunt. The rest of the new Bonneville range, meanwhile, uses Triumph’s bigger 1199cc unit.
Rather surprisingly, the Street Twin was not only unveiled for the first time today but also officially launched for Rs 6.90 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).
