The Zeppelin concept was originally showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo as a 220 cc single-cylinder cruiser motorcycle, and now an R has been added to its name
TVS Motor Company showcased a cruiser concept at the 2018 Auto Expo by the name of ‘Zeppelin’, and speculations regarding the launch timeline of the manufacturer’s first cruiser motorcycle started doing rounds of the internet. However, since TVS decided to skip the 2020 Auto Expo, no information was confirmed abut the Zeppelin.
However, recent patent documents have revealed that the homegrown two-wheeler manufacturer has gotten the name ‘Zeppelin R’ copyrighted, which means that could indeed, be the name that is given to the production-ready version of the cruiser bike. TVS is yet to reveal any information about the bike, and a launch is only expected next year.
The mass-market cruiser segment has seen a range of new bikes being launched in recent times, including the Jawa and the Honda H’ness CB 350. Royal Enfield is also set to launch a new cruiser bike by the name of ‘Meteor 350’, which will make its debut in India on November 6.
Talking about the Zeppelin concept, the motorcycle came equipped with full-LED lighting, and a 2200 cc single-cylinder engine. Apart from that, the Zeppelin cruiser concept also sported a long-ish fuel tank, and a single-piece seat. It is yet to be seen how much of this makes it to the production-ready version.
If TVS manages to price it aggressively, the bike will definitely be able to make a difference in the segment. The Zeppelin R is expected to be priced around Rs 1.5 lakh. That being said, the Royal Enfield Classic 350 is currently priced from 1.61 lakh onwards, while the Jawa retails from Rs 1.74 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom).
Its other potential rivals are the Benelli Imperiale 400, which was recently upgraded to comply with the BS6 emission norms, and is currently priced from Rs 1.99 lakh; as well as the newly launched Honda H’ness CB 350, which is available in two variants – DLX and DLX Pro, priced at Rs 1.85 lakh and Rs 1.90 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom) respectively.