Start Saving: 15 exciting new Motorcycles to watch out for in 2011
2011 Honda CBR250RI love wheels, more so if they come in a pair than in a quartet. Like they say, while four wheels move your body, two wheels move your soul. We Indians, have been starved of performance motorcycles, of the affordable kinds I mean. 2010 promised a lot only to usher in a 2011 with even more promises. While 2010 was a dull year for motorcycles by and large, 2011 appears to a lot more rewarding for the industry as well as motorcyclists as a bevy of motorcycles, right from humble economuters to the super sport machines and everything in between are set to compete for the motorcyclist’s purse strings. Team ICB has compiled a list of 15 very exciting motorcycles to watch out for in 2011. Happy Reading!
2011 Yamaha R15
2011 Yamaha R15 Spy Shot
The first fully faired made-in-India motorcycle, the Yamaha R15 resurrected Yamaha India Motor from the brink and along with than gave Indian motorcycle enthusiasts a wonderfully forgiving, performance motorcycle on which they could commute on the weekdays and hit the track on the weekends. Yamaha, in a further testament to it’s commitment to improving the general biking scene in the country even organized the one make R15 racing series and launched a slew of factory supported upgrades to the R15.
In the face of the competition hotting up, Yamaha simply cannot rest on it’s laurels and hence, time to say howdy to the 2011 Yamaha R15. Touted to be the Yamaha R15 that embodies most of the changes the existing R15 owners would have liked in the first place, the 2011 R15 will come with split seats, redesigned rear end, replete with broader tires and few other changes. The engine department might see an extra pony or two making it’s presence felt. Expected launch is in the period between January and February 2011 at a price not too different from that of the the existing R15.
2011 Yamaha FZ225
2011 Yamaha-Scorpio-Z-225
The Yamaha FZ16 goes around corners like a peach with that big 140 section rear serving only to encourage more such peg scraping, knee down antics. But when the going got straighter, the Fz16 rider felt an abject lack of power on the rapider side of 80 kph. With the Karizma-R still doing decent numbers along with the Bajaj Pulsar 220S, a bigger lump between the legs(no puns intended) is just what the doctor ordered for FZ16 riders.
So, Yamaha could shoehorn the 225cc, 18 Bhp motor of the Yamaha Scorpio and give the much needed boost the FZ16 rightly deserves. If this indeed does materialize, it would certainly make the FZ one fun bike to own. For now, this story remains just that, a story. But given the few rumblings we’ve been hearing from Faridabad, Yamaha might just pull off a coup in 2011. Time to keep the antennas attuned to Yes! Yamaha.
2011 Hyosung ST7
2011 Hyosung ST7
The erstwhile Kinetic Engineering Limited brought in a limited number the Hyosung Aquila 250s and managed to sell the first shipload like hot cakes off a steaming oven. Then came in the second equally quick selling shipload curiously after which Kinetic simply stopped importing more Aquilas, thus shattering many a teen’s dream of owning this long, low V-Twin Cruiser.
Pune based Kinetic is defunct now and it has taken another firm from the same city, called Garware, of the sunfilm fame, to tie up with Hyosung and bring the 700cc Hyosung ST7 Cruiser to India in CKD guise. You get a bucket load of chrome, a powerful and torquey 678.2cc V-Twin engine that produces 62 Bhp of sh0ve and 63 Nm of twist.
All this power and torque can leave the Harleys far behind when it comes to straight line performance and at a price of INR 6-7 Lakhs, you simply cannot complain. Hyosung ST7 motorcycle should be launched anytime now as the original launch period of Diwali 2010 had been postponed to the new year.
2011 Hyosung GT650
2011 Hyosung GT650
Kinetic reprised the Aquila story with the Comet GT250 and the GT250 goes out for a more powerful 650cc offering going by the name, the Hyosung GT650. This Korean middleweight might not be a race-to-the-redline 600 when it comes to the performance stakes, but with 79 Bhp of max power from it’s 650cc Suzuki SV650 derived four stroke, 8 valve, DOHC V-Twin lump, the GT650 will more than deliver when it comes to a solid kick in the pants..
As with the ST7 Cruiser, Garware Motors has chosen to play the value quotient with the generously sized GT650 as well, as the anticipated price tag is INR 5 Lakh. We’re expecting a significant chunk of the prospective Ninja250R crowd to migrate to the GT650 if Garware manages to retain the promised price points. The GT650 could launch any time now and if you’re in the market for a good 600, you might as well put your monies on the GT650.
2011 Kawasaki Ninja 650R
2011 Kawasaki Ninja 650R
Kawasaki India Motor has set up an assembly unit in Bajaj Auto’s Chakan plant and the 2011 Kawasaki Ninja 650R could be the first motorcycle to get assembled at the spanking new facility. The 650cc parallel twin, though not being a track bred tool to hit the race track every weekend, would just be the perfect tourer to hit the rapidly improving Indian road infrastructure.
And the Kawasaki Ninja 650R can do a fair bit of bad road riding too as the motorcycle is a light enough tool to be hustled along ruts without the bodywork screaming, “give me a break”. You get 70 horses and 66 Nm of twist to play with on the 650R and this, allied to a price of INR 5-6 Lakh, could just prove to the proverbial cat set on the pigeons(read Hyosung GT650). What say, Bajaj?
2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX10R
2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX10R
The 2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX10R has had it’s fair share of starting problems with an early pre-sale recall for bouncy valves in the trial sale versions. The boffins at Kawasaki Heavy Engineering have devised a fix to cure just this and the good news about all this is the fact that the original 197 Bhp peak output of the Kawasaki Ninja ZX10R is set to remain. 197 Bhp on two wheels is a scary prospect.
Even more so on the bucaneering Kawasaki ZX10R, which has always been known as a real meanie when it comes to it’s unforgiving power delivery and road manners. The BMW S1000RR might have just met it’s match when the most powerful ZX10R ever hits Indian roads, and gives Indian SBK enthusiasts a taste of what the Green magic is all about. Expect to pay about INR 11-12 Lakhs for the 2011 Kawasaki ZX10R, when it gets launched in India sometime this summer.
2011 Harley Davidson SuperLow
2011 Harley Davidson Sportster SuperLow 883
You can perhaps buy the Hyosung ST7 which will go faster and handle better than the SuperLow 883, and might even cost lesser or, is it the same? But there is something that the Korean cruiser simply can’t hold a candle to. The aura of the Harley Davidson badge on the tank or is it the legendary potato-potato-potato.
The cheapest Harley Davidson yet, the SuperLow 883 is Harley Davidson India’s maiden attempt at assembling Harleys in the sub continent and along with that, it hopes to achieve the larger goal of putting more Indian riders on Harley Davidson motorcycles.
The 2011 Harley Davidson SuperLow comes in as a CKD kit and it’s assembly at Harley’s spanking new Gurgaon plant would result in the SuperLow 883 retailing for an ex-showroom INR 5.5 Lakhs. That’s the price at which urban India buys it’s diesel hatchbacks at, and there, that exactly gives the SuperLow a killer chance to sell well with the great Indian middle class finally being able to afford Harleys.
2011 Harley Davidson Iron 883
2011 Harley Davidson Sportster Iron 883
The SuperLow 883 might be cheapest Harley Davidson you could buy in India but I’d put my monies on the Iron 883, for, it looks the classiest amongst all the Sportster Harleys on offer. And who’d want to be seen on the cheapest girly Harley in town while one more Lakh could get you gorgeous looks and that all important street cred among your motorcycling mates.
The Harley Davidson Iron 883 that runs on the tried and tested 883cc sportster engine, will sell for INR 6.5 Lakhs, Ex-showroom India and that would be the primary selling factor. The bookings for this baby opened right when 2010 rolled into 2011 and if you want to get one of these, you should head to your nearest Harley dealer, who’ll even help you find finance for your favourite Harley.
2011 Honda CBR250R
2011 Honda CBR250RFinally, Honda thinks that it is just the right time to introduce to Indian motorcyclists, the pleasure of riding sporty 250cc motorcycles and thence, the 2011 Honda CBR250R. The motorcycle, powered by a liquid cooled, four valve, DOHC 250cc single would be the logical progression for all those still smitten by the Unicorns super smooth 150cc engine.
Promising a much more relaxed riding position when compared to the R15, the 2011 Honda CBR250R is designed to be the perfect Jekyl and Hyde bike. Honda, being a game changer that it has always been, will also bring in the ABS version of the CBR250R. This move, might really do a lot for improving motorcycle safety as it could kickstart the mad scramble amongst other motorcycle manufacturers to usher in the ABS revolution to Indian motorcycling.
Any which ways, deliveries of the 2011 Honda CBR250R will begin starting from April and Honda has already started accepting bookings through it’s dealerships. The non ABS version of the 2011 Honda CBR250R will cost INR 1.5 Lakh while the ABS version would be dearer by a further INR 30,000.
2011 Bajaj KTM 200
2011 KTM-Bajaj 200
Originally touted to come with a 125cc heart at a price tag of close to INR 1.2 Lakhs, Bajaj Auto suddenly realized the fruitlessness of it all. Yes, the Bajaj-KTM 125, manufactured at Bajaj’s Chakan plant and exported to mature motorcycle markets across the world is indeed a technological showcase of how far Bajaj Auto has advanced in it’s motorcycle making prowess.
But expecting the customer to shell out more than a Lakh for what essentially is a 125cc, 15 Bhp motorcycle bike doesn’t make for sound business sense. Therefore, the Bajaj KTM 125 is undergoing a transformation into a 20cc machine, courtesy the new 200cc liquid cooled, four stroke mill that Bajaj and KTM are jointly developing.
With the price remaining unchanged, the Bajaj KTM 200 looks definitely like a terrific deal as all other bits on the Bajaj KTM 200 are, in one phrase, top of the line. Expect this motorcycle to hit Bajaj dealers in winter 2011 and we still think Bajaj should pre-pone that launch date of theirs.
2011 Bajaj Pulsar 250
2011 Bajaj Pulsar 250 Render
The tag of the fastest Indian is under threat as home boy Mahindra readies up the Mojo 300. Not wanting to fade out, Bajaj Auto Limited will mount a counter attack with the biggest of Bajaj’s recent branding successes, the Pulsar platform. The Bajaj Pulsar 250 will feature a four valve, Liquid cooled single cylinder, four stroke item to take on the likes of the Mahindra Mojo 300 and the Honda CBR250R.
Bajaj, being Bajaj is expected to play the value card quite prominently by endowing the Bajaj Pulsar 250 with class leading power and torque figures at a price that will simply make the competition run for cover. On the features front too, Bajaj might borrow some stuff from KTM to give the Pulsar 250 that “premium” feel. Expect a feature packed, sharply styled Bajaj Pulsar 250 sometime in the middle of this year.
2011 Mahindra Mojo 300
2011 Mahindra Mojo 300
When Anand Mahindra tweeted that something big is brewing at Mahindra Two Wheelers, few would have imagined a 300cc motorcycle launch, from a company, that is essentially the rebranded, albeit a well managed Kinetic Engineering Limited. In what began life as the stillborn Malaguti MR250, that Mahindra owned Engines Engineering developed for Italian scooter maker Malaguti, the Mojo 300 has all the trappings of a super seller with a 26 Bhp peak power allied to a Italian bred taut handling chassis.
In other words, the Mahindra Mojo is essentially an Italian supermoto and if Mahindra manages to price the Mojo at a price close to INR 1.5 Lakhs rather than the suggested INR 1.75 Lakhs, the Mojo may just put the Mojo right back into Mahindra Two Wheelers’ sales charts. The Mahindra Mojo will begin sales in the first quarter of 2011 and we’re still hoping that Mahindra Two Wheelers’ marketing folks replace that very cheesy sounding Mojo moniker with something a little more palatable.
2011 Ducati Diavel
2011 Ducati Diavel
For the cruiser aficionados who don’t want to leave the Ducatista brotherhood, here comes the 2011 Ducati Diavel power cruiser. Powering the Diavel is the Testastretta 11° engine good for 162 Bhp and tree stump pulling 127.5Nm of torque. Er, that’s an SBK motor that Ducati has managed to tune into a torque lump for the arm socket wrenching, tyre shredding grunt that folks riding muscle cruisers, more so a Ducati, will come to expect.
This, plus ravishing looks only the Italians can sculpt and handling honed in the Italian alps, the Diavel is one mean muscle cruiser. So, there, a power cruiser if you’re back is too still to get back onto your other Ducati is what the Diavel is all about. Yes, this baby is making it’s way into the Indian premium motorcycle market in April, 2011 and you can bring one home upwards of INR 20 Lakhs. Expensive eh! When have Ducatis been a cheap mode of getting from one place to another?
BMW S1000RR
2011 BMW S1000RR
Very quietly, BMW Motorrad has just started initial deliveries of the award winning, segment topping BMW S1000RR superbike in major Indian cities. One such example was delivered to a BMW aficionado in Bangalore who was all grins when asked about how the BMW S1000RR was when compared to other similar speced SBKs.
The BMW S1000RR is a very special motorcycle for BMW Motorrad, as this is one motorcycle that BMW Motorrad focused all it’s energies on getting right to achieve sales success in the highly competitive 1000cc segment of the Superbike territory, which hitherto has been dominated by the Jap big four.
Launched in 2009, as one of the most powerful SBKs on sale, the BMW S1000RR is powered a 999cc inline four screamer producing 193 Bhp at the crank for a kerb weight of 183 Kilos. Yes, that is some massive power and for this very reason, you’ve got to be up to scratch to handle this insanely powerful monster. On sale right now through BMW car dealers at an ex-showroom price close to INR 22 Lakhs.
BMW R1200GS
2011 BMW R1200GS
Just as a Bangalorean walked away with the keys of the first officially sold BMW S1000RR, a motorcyclist from Pune laid his hands on the BMW R1200GS. BMW is renowned for making great touring machines and Indian even got a sample of the BMW Funduro 650, when Hero Motors launched it way back in the noughties. The BMW R1200GS is an extremely popular touring machine that has been made iconic with actor Ewan McGregor’s road trip titled Long Way Down.
Topping the touring bike charts for many years now, the R1200GS features a 1200cc Boxer Twin whose 2010 version has DOHC cams to deliver a maximum power of 110 Bhp and maximum torque of 120 Nm. Now, that explains why the BMW R1200GS is one machine the tourers worship and adore. Meanwhile, the Indian deliveries of this iconic motorcycle have already begun and you can buy one for yourself for about INR 20 Lakhs, ex-showroom.
Happy Motorcycling and yes, put that lid on every time you swing your leg across the saddle.
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