Check out our list of five upcoming cruiser bikes in India, including TVS Zeppelin, and even the new 650cc Royal Enfield cruiser
The Indian automobile market is going through a slowdown, which has forced manufacturers to play conservative and limit new vehicle launches. The two-wheeler market has been affected heavily as well, with almost all new motorcycle launches being delayed. That said, things seem to be improving now, and we expect to see new product launches happening soon.
Interestingly, the motorcycle market has matured quite a lot in recent years. The motorcycle touring community is on the rise, and manufacturers seemed to have taken notice. As such, we have a few new cruiser motorcycles lined up for launch in the Indian market, from brands like Royal Enfield, Honda, Suzuki, and even TVS.
1. Royal Enfield Meteor 350
Royal Enfield will be launching its Thunderbird replacement in the Indian market soon. The new motorcycle, named ‘Meteor 350’, was expected to launch earlier this year, but sadly, it got delayed. The motorcycle is currently expected to launch in India in October. It will be available in three variants – Fireball, Stellar, and Supernova.
The Meteor will debut the next-generation 350cc engine from Royal Enfield. This new motor will feature an SOHC setup, and not pushrod-type architecture like before. This will result in smoother power delivery and lesser vibrations. The new powerplant will generate a maximum power of 20.2 HP and 27 Nm of maximum torque, and will be paired to a 5-speed gearbox.
2. Honda Rebel
Since 2017, Honda has been planning to launch a Royal Enfield rival in the Indian market. Now, it seems like the company is finally ready to fulfil that plan. Recently Honda teased a new motorcycle via an audio clip. This new motorcycle is speculated to be a retro-style cruiser motorcycle, either the Honda Rebel 300 or the Rebel 500.
The Rebel 300 will have the same 286cc engine as the CB300R, but tuned to offer better low-range torque. The power and torque figures are expected to be around the 27 HP and 27 Nm mark. As for the Rebel 500, it is expected to generate 47.1 HP and 43.3 Nm. Both engines come paired to a 6-speed gearbox.
3. Suzuki Intruder 250
Earlier this year, patent images of the Intruder 250 started doing rounds on the internet. According to the images, the 250cc model looked identical to the Intruder 150, complete with the bulky fairing and the long, comfy seats. The exhaust system, however, was new. Instead of the short yet bulky unit on the 150cc model, the Intruder 250 will have a simpler, rounded design.
The instrument console, the riding ergonomics, etc., on the 250 will be identical to the 150. As for the engine of the Intruder 250, it will be the same as the Gixxer 250. This single-cylinder 249cc motor can generate a maximum power of 26.5 HP and 22.2 Nm, and will come mated to a 5-speed gearbox.
4. TVS Zeppelin
TVS Zeppelin was first showcased two years ago, at the 2018 Auto Expo. Since then, the motorcycle has been stuck in production limbo. That said, TVS has recently stated that it will focus on its performance motorcycles, despite the market slowdown. As such, we could see the production version of the Zeppelin in India as soon, probably during next year.
Earlier this year, TVS had trademarked the name ‘Ronin’ for an upcoming motorcycle. Several sources claimed that this could the production name of the Zeppelin concept. The concept bike had a 220cc single-cylinder engine, which generated 20 HP and 18.5 Nm, paired with a 5-speed gearbox. We expect the engine to grow larger in the production model.
5. Royal Enfield’s upcoming 650cc cruiser (KX 650)
Recently, a new completely new Royal Enfield motorcycle was spied in India. This new bike was a low-slung cruiser, unlike the Meteor, with some design inspiration from the KX 838 bobber concept showcased at EICMA 2018. Unlike the concept bike, which had a V-twin engine, the test model had a parallel-twin.
We expect this powerplant to be the same one as the RE Interceptor and GT650, without any different tuning. The peak power and torque figures will be 47 HP and 52 Nm, and it will come paired to a 6-speed manual gearbox. The test mule had the same lop-sided twin-pod instrument cluster as the upcoming Meteor 350, which means that Bluetooth-enabled navigation system will also be available.