2019 will be another year in which we will witness plenty of new motorcycle launches across all segment however there will be a special treat for the adventure enthusiast of the country
Finally, we can proudly say that Indian folks are stepping out of their comfortable homes and embracing the outdoor life. A Lot of new motorcycle enthusiasts are packing their bags and riding their motorcycles to explore various unknown places of India. In order to make their journey comfortable, they are either upgrading to bigger adventure tourers or modifying their existing motorcycles to make it more touring friendly machines.
Previously Indian motorcycle buyers did not have too many options in their hand in the Adventure touring category but now they do. In the past few years, we have seen plenty of adventure tourers from renowned two-wheeler manufacturer launched in India. The good news is that the new year too won’t be different either. That said, here is the list of 5 new Adventure motorcycles launching in India in the year 2019.
1. Hero Xpulse 200
Expected Price: Rs 1.05 Lakh (ex-showroom)
The cheapest and the most anticipated motorcycle on our list is the new Hero Xpulse 200. The motorcycle is built on a modified Impulse 150 platform and to be quite honest packs plenty of hardware which will keep the buyer happy.
The Xpulse 200 gets a long suspension setup, higher set mudguards, knobby offroad tires etc. Besides that the Xpulse 200 looks to be the most loaded motorcycle of the Hero lineup because it also gets an all-LED headlamps, fully digital instrument cluster, a compact windscreen etc.
There is nothing much to say about the engine because it will use the same 199.6 cc Air cooled, 4 Stroke 2 Valve Single cylinder OHC unit which produces around 18.4ps of peak power at 8000 rpm and 17.1 Nm of peak torque at 6500 rpm. The engine will be paired to a 5-speed gearbox. The motorcycle will rely on a 276 mm disc brakes towards the front and 220 mm disc at the rear. You can expect the Xpulse 200 to get a single channel ABS setup for its front brakes.
2. KTM 390 Adventure
Expected Price: Rs 2.5-3.0 Lakh (ex-showroom)
While we all thought KTM has delayed the launch of their upcoming 390 Adventure it was spotted once again testing in India this time. While many of us expected KTM to showcase the 390 Adventure at the 2018 EICMA motorcycle show but things did not go according to the plan. KTM unveiled the 790 Adventure at the show but there was no sign of the smaller 390 Adventure anywhere.
That said, the upcoming KTM 390 adventure takes its styling cues from the bigger 790 Adventure. The motorcycle gets an all-LED headlamp unit (taken straight from the Duke 390), a short windshield, wider handlebar, and a slightly raised rear profile. The motorcycle also gets a well-padded split seat and rear parcel track as well.
Suspension duties of the motorcycle will be carried by an adjustable USD suspension setup towards the front and preload adjustable monoshock towards the rear. The KTM 390 Adventure will use the same 373.2cc engine which produces around 43.5 bhp of peak power and 37 Nm of peak torque. The engine will be paired to a 6-speed gearbox. KTM will tune the engine differently for the 390 Adventure variant.
3. Benelli TRK 502
Expected Price: Rs 6-6.5 Lakh (ex-showroom)
Benelli TRK 502 was spotted testing for the first time recently in India. The TRK 502 was spotted in its most off-road centric ‘X’ form. The motorcycle was showcased for the first time at the 2016 Auto expo while the launch was scheduled for 2017 but things did not go according to plan. However, the good news is that it will now finally enter the Indian market.
The motorcycle will be made available in both standard as well as X variants. While the standard variant has been fitted with 17-inch wheels on both ends the off road centric X variant has been fitted with a 17 inch spoke wheels at the rear and a bigger 19 inch spoke wheels towards the front.
Suspension duties on both the variants are handled by a 50mm USD fork at the front and a preload, rebound and compression-adjustable monoshock at the rear. The motorcycle relies on a single 320 mm disc at front and 260 mm single disc at the rear. Both the variants get ABS as standard.
The Benelli TRK 502 is powered by a 499.6cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine which is capable of producing about 47.6hp of peak power at 8,500rpm and 45Nm of peak torque at 5,000rpm. The engine is paired to a 6-speed gearbox. The TRK 502 gets a massive 20-litre fuel tank which provides the motorcycle a decent range. The TRK502 has a seat height of 840 mm and tips the scale of 213 kilogram which is slightly on the heavier side.
4. BMW R1250 GS
Expected Price: Rs 16.00 Lakh (ex-showroom)
There is no doubt in the fact that the BMW R1250 GS is the most popular adventure bike that you can buy with your money. The motorcycle not only features a powerful and torquey engine but also gets a host of advanced technological features which keeps it ahead of its competition.
Still, the biggest change which you will find in the new motorcycle is the addition of a bigger and more powerful boxer engine. The bigger GS is now powered by a 1,254 cc engine which is capable of producing about 136 bhp of peak power at 7,750 rpm and peak torque of 143 Nm at 6,250 rpm. The engine is paired to a 6-speed gearbox.
BMW offers their new R1250 GS with new rain and road riding modes, ABS, automatic stability control and hill start control as standard with the motorcycle. Moreover, the new 1250 GS also gets a new bigger 6.5 inch TFT instrument cluster which gets Bluetooth integration with Smartphone. The motorcycle also features BMW Motorrad connected satellite navigation as well. The R1250 GS will be offered in India in three variants including Standard, Exclusive and HP variant when it finally launches here next year.
5. Triumph Scrambler 1200
Expected Price: Rs 12.00 Lakh (ex-showroom)
Although we have added the Scrambler 1200 to the list this is not exactly a full-fledged adventure touring machine like the other motorcycles in the list. However, the Triumph Scrambler 1200 surely has plenty of off-roading capabilities.
The engine is the same unit which can also be found on the Triumph Thruxton R as well but has been tuned to offer more power and torque on the lower revs. The unit is capable of producing about 89 bhp at 7,400 rpm and 110 Nm of peak torque at 3,950 rpm. The Scrambler 1200 will be available in two variants- the XC and XE but, Triumph will only introduce the XC variant in India as of now.