Motorcycles in India

[zebra7]

The Indian two wheeler market is bustling with choices these days and there are a lot of interesting offerings from various manufacturers to cater to the needs of a wide variety of riders. From fully faired sport models to naked street and adventure tourers we have it all. Nowadays, the average engine capacity of bikes which the first-timers prefer are also increasing slowly. First, 100 cc was the most popular in the market and then years later, in the early 2000's, 150 cc street bikes were all the rage, thanks to the legendary Pulsar series. Fast forwarding to the present, we are spoilt with so many choices that it is actually confusing to decide which bike to buy. Here's a list of top 5 bikes for the enthusiast under the price tag of INR 2 Lakh:

1. KTM Duke 200:

Ever since KTM entered India, they've set the sales charts on fire with their hugely popular Duke series. Versatile naked street design and explosive power from the 200cc liquid cooled single cylinder has gotten a lot of riders hooked up! The design, coupled with practical touches like the multifunctional instrument cluster and top spec parts have made this bike so desirable that every aspiring rider wants to own one.
Specs:
Engine- Liquid cooled 200 cc single cylinder, 6-speed transmission

Power- 26.3 PS

Torque- 19.2 Nm

Ex showroom Price (Delhi): 1.44 Lac (You can use the extra cash from your budget to buy good riding gear and believe me, good quality riding gear can save your life!)

Pros: Power, Technology, Design, Competitive Pricing

Cons: Short range because of small fuel tank, Engine Heating issues, Riding comfort

2. Honda CBR 250 R

Good build quality, reliable and butter smooth engine are the main USPs of the Honda CBR 250 R. The riding position is comfortable enough to be a very good sport tourer. The bike can give decent range, thanks to the 13 litre fuel tank. ABS is also provided as an option. If you're buying the CBR 250 R, I'd suggest you go for the ABS version. The bike's no no-nonsense build makes it the ideal sport tourer in the market.
Specs:
Engine- Liquid cooled 249 cc single cylinder, 6-speed transmission
Power- 26.51 PS
Torque- 22.9 Nm
Ex showroom Price: 1.9 Lac

Pros: Engine refinement, fit and finish, safety (ABS)
Cons: Outdated, a little expensive, could do with more power.

3. Royal Enfield Himalayan:

The Himalayan is the ideal bike for all those adventure seekers out there. Highly capable off-road, commendable on-road dynamics and a much refined engine has made the bike a good potential buy. Add to that, optional panniers, jerry cans and other accessories can complete this bike's terrain conquering capabilities.
Specs:
Engine- 411 cc oil cooled, single cylinder, 5-speed transmission
Power- 24.84 PS
Torque- 32 Nm
Ex-showroom Price- 1.55 Lac

Pros: Much more refined than other Royal Enfields, Long service intervals, good off-road capability and is stable on the highways as well.
Cons: It is a new bike and not much can be said about the reliability for now. Only time will tell. Also, it could do with more power. A six speed transmission could have helped extract more from the engine.

4. KTM RC 200:

The RC 200 is by far the best track-oriented budget bike money can buy. I didn't mention the Pulsar RS 200 because the RC 200 is lighter and slightly more powerful than the RS. Just like the Duke, the RC 200 also gets race-focused parts like inverted forks, front and rear discs, light weight alloys, cracker of an engine and committed riding position.
Specs:
Engine- Liquid cooled 200 cc single cylinder, 6-speed transmission
Power- 25 PS
Torque- 19.2 Nm
Ex- showroom Price (Delhi)- 1.69 Lac

Pros: Fun bike to flog around the track, great pricing, power, ideal as a secondary bike to own.
Cons: Minor quality issues, not an everyday bike.

5. Mahindra Mojo:

The Mahindra Mojo is perhaps the most underrated bike in India! It comes with a highly capable liquid 300cc engine, gargantuan fuel tank (21 litres!), Pirellis, inverted forks and other modern bits at a very competitive price! I don't understand why this bike doesn't sell like hot cakes. Yes, the dealership reach is poor and Mahindra really needs to market this gem of a product better!

Specs:
Engine- 295cc liquid cooled, single cylinder, 6-speed transmission
Power- 27.19 PS
Torque- 30 Nm
Ex-showroom Price (Delhi)- 1.63 Lac

Pros: Amazingly capable tourer, features, price
Cons: Dealership reach, no ABS, even as an option, slightly sluggish handling

PS: If you're going to buy a bike that amounts to under INR 2 lac on-road, invest the rest of the money in good quality riding gear. Always ride responsibly

 

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[T90TankGuy]

In my day the best bike was the bullet , IMHO it still is

 

[zebra7]

I have this byke. Power, Average, and comfort is sufficient.

Here is the market of two wheeler share in India

Honda No. 1 player in 111cc-125cc executive commuter class

Bajaj Auto, Yamaha dominate the 126cc-150cc class

Honda inching closer to TVS’ supremacy in 151cc-200cc class

Pulsar 220, Avenger stars of 201cc-250cc class, Hero Karizma loses sheen

 

[zebra7]

In my day the best bike was the bullet , IMHO it still is

 

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[Kraitcorp]

The legendary motorcycle in India which has the highest resale value even today (The bikes manufactured between 1985 and 1987 were knock-down kits (CKD) cost anywhere above INR 40,000)

 

[Nilgiri]

Does BMW, Kawasaki and other non-traditional names make motorcycles in India or they are purely imported?

 

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[ito]

http://auto.ndtv.com/news/royal-enfield-750cc-motorcycle-spotted-testing-1431719?pfrom=home-auto


There has been a lot of talk going on about Royal Enfield working on a 750cc twin-cylinder engine. So here are a few spy shots of a Royal Enfield motorcycle carrying the all-new engine which it has been testing for a while now. A few months ago, the same engine was also spotted on a Classic 500 that had been modified to carry the new engine. This time around, the motorcycle on which the engine is mounted is undoubtedly the Continental GT with minor modifications. The length of the motorcycle has been revised so as to accommodate the big engine. Of course, all of this is very crude and the final product will see a lot of revisions.

Royal Enfield 750cc Parallel Twin

The first thing that strikes you after looking at the photos is the fact that the parallel-twin unit is carburetted rather than being fuel injected. It will displace around 750cc or so. Therefore, we can safely assume that this motorcycle will see the light of the day in India first and then will it be exported to other countries. The reason being, that a motorcycle running carburettors will simply be non-conforming to Euro IV emission norms and therefore, won't be allowed to run on European roads. For the rest of the world, Royal Enfield will have a different game plan.

Royal Enfield 750cc Parallel Twin

This is the first newly developed engine from Royal Enfield in the longest time and we believe that this is a sign of good things to come from the Chennai-based manufacturer. The current engines although have seen tweaks over a period of time, but have been around for decades. Royal Enfield already has a fuel-injected version of the 500cc engine on sale in Europe.

India still remains the largest market for Royal Enfield, with over 4.5 lakh units sold domestically. With the likes of Triumph, Harley-Davidson et al, Royal Enfield is keen on stepping up its game and not simply resting on laurels. The bike has been developed at the Royal Enfield Technology Centre in Leicestershire, United Kingdom

 

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