New Cars and Bikes

  As the Indian motorcycle industry gradually bounces back from the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re slowly starting to see more and more bikes and scooters being launched. The month of August saw quite a few interesting and important launches, and you can check them out here. Now, we turn our attention forwards and bring you all the two-wheeler launches expected in September: Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Yes, yes, we know. We’ve been putting this bike on every such list since pretty much June. But this time, we have good reason to believe the Meteor really will launch this month. We’ve come across leaked brochure images of the bike showing how many variants and colours will be on offer. The presence of a finalised brochure from the manufacturer indicates the bike will be launched very soon. Hero XPulse 200T, Xtreme 200S Hero already updated the popular XPulse 200 to comply with the latest emission norms some time ago. Since its cousins, the XPulse 200T and Xtreme 200S, are powered by the

There was a time when the Aprilia Tuono reigned supreme as the king of the nakeds. But recent pretenders to the throne like the Ducati Streetfighter V4 and the KTM 1290 Super Duke R have moved the goalposts in the supernaked segment. Aprilia has now responded with this: the ludicrous Tuono V4 X. The dichotomy of the retro 2006 Bol d’Or livery and the cutting-edge MotoGP-inspired winglets is rather interesting. Those aerodynamic appendages are there for good reason because the Tuono V4 X uses the 1,077cc V4 engine from the RSV4 1100 Factory along with a full-titanium Akrapovic exhaust system, all powering a package that weighs just 166kg (dry). All the weight saving is thanks to billet aluminium control levers, carbon-fibre bodywork, and forged magnesium wheels from Marchesini. Oh, did we forget to mention the power figure? That explosive motor manages a CBR1000RR-R rivalling 220PS! All that firepower is kept in check with an IMU-assisted electronics package and top-spec cycle p

There is a high likelihood it will be called the Roadster 650. The cruiser spotted was seen running with the same 648cc parallel-twin motor as the Interceptor 650 but with different exhaust. Expect it to retail at Rs 3.50 lakh. There are exciting times ahead for Royal Enfield enthusiasts as the heritage bikemaker is readying for an onslaught of new bikes. The Meteor 350 is due to arrive shortly, with the next-gen Classic recently spotted doing the rounds near Oragadam (RE’s plant). While we cannot wait for these bikes, an eagle-eyed rider spotted a new cruiser with the 650 motor , igniting our curiosity further. Here’s what we could make out from the short clip. It is very evident that the 648cc parallel-twin air-cooled engine is what’s at play here. The engine casing has a new gloss black finish. The dual exhausts do not seem to be as bulky as the ones found on the Interceptor 650 or the Continental GT 650 . Plus, they aren’t upswept, keeping in tune with the cruiser vibe. E

  Watch Video Review   Under normal circumstances, August is usually a slow month with few manufacturers launching products. But this being 2020, the industry shook off its lockdown lull and we had some new bikes to talk about. Here are all the two-wheelers that arrived this month: Honda Hornet 2.0 Up until a few weeks ago, the largest motorcycle that Honda made in India was a 160cc sporty commuter. But that changed with the launch of the Hornet 2.0 , Honda’s first motorcycle in the 180-200cc space. It gets a fancy USD fork, a larger 184cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine and some modern features. Head here to know all about the new Hornet. Triumph Street Triple R For the first time in India, Triumph has brought the R version of the Street Triple naked series. It comes in at an attractive price point, lower than what the older Street Triple S used to retail for. The Triple R gets adjustable suspension at both ends, lots of rider aids, and the 765cc motor is not as far off t

Vespa unveiled the Racing Sixties at the Auto Expo in February this year. It is based on the new-gen Vespa SXL 150. The Racing Sixties is offered with retro colour options. It shares its mechanicals with the SXL 150. Vespa has announced that it will launch the Vespa Racing Sixties in the country on September 1. The scooter was unveiled back at the Auto Expo in February this year . This limited edition scooter is based on the 2020 Vespa SXL 150 . Expect the Racing Sixties limited edition scooter to command a premium of around Rs 3,000 over the standard model, which retails at an eye-watering Rs 1,27,008 (ex-showroom Pune). The primary difference between the Vespa Racing Sixties and the standard SXL 150 is the colour scheme. The former features retro graphics in the form of red racing stripes and gold pinstripe on white bodywork. It also gets premium gold finished alloy wheels for an added retro appeal. Other notable features include an LED headlamp, windscreen, idling stop sys

  Watch Video Review   The two G 310 siblings have been spotted with LED headlights. Spied images hint at the presence of ride-by-wire. Expect a significant price cut for the new bikes. It seems BMW Motorrad was quietly working away during the lockdown to get its G 310 siblings ready for BS6 norms. The BS6 bikes were spotted at the beginning of the lockdown abroad and as things started getting more relaxed in the country, the bikes were roaming our streets too. BMW is confident that the BS6 bikes are ready to hit the market as the bookings for the updated G 310 R and G 310 GS have commenced. Motorrad dealerships across the country were already accepting bookings prior to the official announcement. Now that the communication has arrived, the launch should take place soon enough. And there is going to be a treat for new buyers (which will sound miserable to existing owners), BMW Motorrad might be offering the new bikes at a significantly lower price point. According to our

  Indians, Americans, Europeans and even the Japanese. This week’s bike news wrapup is a global affair featuring all of these parties and there’s interesting developments on each front. Here’s everything that you may have missed out on over the last seven days: Honda Hornet 2.0 Launched It’s not quite a 200cc bike and it doesn’t quite have the exact name we expected, but Honda has officially launched the very handsome looking Hornet 2.0 powered by a 183cc engine. To find out all the details including how much it costs, head here . Harley-Davidson 338R Spied Milwaukee manufacturer Harley-Davidson is struggling quite badly on a global scale in terms of sales, and to try and turn things around, it’s collaborating with Benelli to create a 338cc parallel-twin model. The bike has now been spotted in production form for the first time and all the details are available here . Triumph Trident Unveiled Another premium bikemaker that’s trying to make itself more accessible to new buyers

The Honda Hornet 2.0 is the brand’s first motorcycle in the 180-200cc segment in India . It goes up against the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V and the Bajaj Pulsar NS200. So where exactly does it stand amongst its competition? This specification comparison should help clear things out. Engine Specifications Honda Hornet 2.0 TVS Apache RTR 200 4V Bajaj Pulsar NS200 Engine 184.4cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled, fuel-injected engine 197.5cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled, engine with oil cooler & fuel injection 199.5cc, single-cylinder, 4-valve SOHC, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected engine Power 17.2PS at 8500rpm 20.5PS at 8500rpm 24.5PS at 9750rpm Torque 16.1Nm at 6000rpm 16.8Nm at 7500rpm 18.5Nm at 8000rpm Gearbox 5-speed 5-speed with slipper clutch 6-speed The Honda Hornet 2.0 has the smallest engine among the three and its power and torque figures are quite anemic. Instead of developing a 200-odd cc engine from

Three new J-platform motorcycles were spotted testing in Chennai. Spotted all-new Classic 350 motorcycle gets blacked-out engine and exhaust. It appears to be using Royal Enfield’s new J-platform. It could share its all-new motor with the upcoming Meteor.   Royal Enfield has been working on upgrading its motorcycle lineup . A fleet of the bikemaker’s new test mules was spotted testing in Chennai along with a couple of 650cc twins , the upcoming all-new Meteor and Roadster. Among the pack, was the all-new upcoming Classic 350. While test mules of the new Classic 350 have been spotted before, this one had a blacked-out motor and exhaust leading us to believe that it could be a new colour variant of the upcoming motorcycle. The new Classic 350 gets Royal Enfield’s new J-platform consisting of a new double-cradle frame and an all-new motor. It could eventually replace the current UCE-engined Classic 350 BS6 . Royal Enfield may keep the BS6-compliant UCE motor alive and kicking in

  Watch Video Review   It will be offered in a single Metallic Flat Raw Graystone livery. The previous black and orange paint schemes have been discontinued. No change in performance. Retains the same hardware as before. Kawasaki has launched the MY2021 Vulcan S in India at Rs 5,79,000 (ex-showroom). That’s Rs 29,100 more expensive than the standard BS4 model. The updated Vulcan S will only be available in a new grey livery. With this, Kawasaki has updated its entire 650cc lineup to comply with BS6 regulations.  Also read: Suzuki Is Working On A Parallel-twin SV650 Replacement Apart from the new livery and the BS6-compliant motor, the Vulcan S remains unchanged. It continues to be powered by the same 650cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine that offers 61PS of power at 7500rpm and 63Nm of torque at 6600rpm, mated to a 6-speed gearbox.  Also read: Breaking - Kawasaki Versys 650 Goes Green It employs a diamond-type frame with a conventional telescopic fork and a 7-way

The motorcycle has a retro design similar to the Classic 350 BS6. It appears to be using Royal Enfield’s new J-platform. It could share its all-new motor with the upcoming Meteor. Royal Enfield could unveil the Hunter, Meteor, Roadster and Sherpa later this year.   Royal Enfield has been working on upgrading its motorcycle lineup . A fleet of the bikemaker’s new test mules was spotted testing in Chennai along with a couple of 650cc twins , the upcoming all-new Meteor and Roadster . Among the pack was an all-new retro motorcycle designed as the Classic 350. However, we do not believe this would be a replacement for the Classic 350. Since the Classic 350 BS6 has already been launched, the brand could continue selling its best selling motorcycle and offer this new bike as a premium retro alternative.   Also read: Royal Enfield Meteor 350’s Leaked Brochure Reveals Tasty New Details Now Royal Enfield has trademarked the names Hunter and Sherpa but we feel it would reserv

Honda has launched the Hornet 2.0 , its first made-in-India motorcycle in the 180-200cc segment. Here’s every aspect of this newest streetfighter decoded in detailed images: The overall design of the Honda Hornet 2.0 looks a lot more masculine than the CB Hornet 160R . The beefy fuel tank extensions are neatly designed. The bike also gets a tank-mounted key slot for a sporty appeal. The all-LED lighting system, which is a first for a made-in-India Honda, looks quite sleek and premium. The indicators are similar to the ones on the CB 300R. It sports a fully digital instrument cluster that comes with adjustable brightness. The console shows the gear position as well as the battery voltage reading, apart from the regular run-of-the-mill information. The split seat on the Hornet 2.0 goes well with its sporty demeanour. Its predecessor featured a single-piece seat. The Hornet 2.0 packs an all-new 184cc air-cooled engine, which produces 17.2PS at 8500rpm and 16.1Nm at 6000rpm.