Seeing a sport bike or a lazy excavator on Indian roads 10 years ago was pretty unusual. To this day cut and the large bicycle segment has seen a 360 degree revolution with some of the biggest names in the motorcycle business in India. How have times changed? And with the new generation of large motorcycles coming to India in 2020, things will get a lot better. The long list can take some time, so accept me.
Honda:
CBR1000RR-R Fireblade:
We’ll finally see a brand new Fireblade CBR1000RR … R and Fireblade SP. It now produces enough electricity to join the competitive 200HP club. The 2020 CBR1000RR-R is a big step up from Honda’s current-generation liter class superbike. The roots come straight from HRC’s MotoGP manual. The additional R in its name underlines the origins of the race, as does the massive air inlet between the sharp LED headlights and the stacked aero winglets on the sides. click hereif you want to learn more about the bike.
CRF1100L Africa Twin:
It’s bigger, faster, leaner and has a Euro 5 compliant engine. In addition, the frame has been redesigned to be stiffer and 6kg lighter than before, while the electronic suite has been redesigned to make the CRF1100L Africa Twin a healthy package. More about the CRF1100L Africa Twin here.
Aprilia RS 660:
The eagerly awaited RS 660 from Aprilia was presented in its series form at EICMA 2019. It has a sharp fairing that houses elegant LED headlights and daytime running lights and even has aerodynamic winglets – a first in this displacement range. These winglets are designed to generate downforce and direct engine heat away from the driver. The Supersport is powered by a 660cc parallel twin engine with an ignition order of 270 degrees that is said to produce 101.4 horsepower. More information can be found here.
Harley Davidson Pan America:
Harley-Davidson will join the adventure touring range with the wild Pan America, which was unveiled at EICMA 2019. While the bike is still in its prototype form, it looks nearing its final standard equipment. The motorcycle is scheduled to be launched on international markets at the end of 2020. So expect the ADV 2021 to come to our coast. It includes a new liquid-cooled 60 degree V-twin V-twin engine with 60 degree V-twin and a suitable off-road kit and rugged looks. Learn more about Pan America here.
Harley Davidson Bronx:
In addition to Pan America, Harley-Davidson also presented the Bronx street fighter at EICMA 2019. Just like in the adventure touring segment, the naked / muscle space is pretty new to the American brand. Just over a decade ago, the bikemaker sold the XR1200, and the Bronx marks Harley’s second appearance in the genre. The Bronx is powered by Harley’s new liquid-cooled 60-degree V-twin counterbalanced engine with 975 cc. In line with the trend, the bicycle manufacturer may offer a range of electronic rider aids and a smart TFT to match the mean-looking Bronx. Click here for more info.
Triumph Tiger 900:
After several spy shots, Triumph finally got the 2020 Tiger 900 under control. The medium-duty adventure motorcycle has received the most comprehensive update to date. It features a larger engine, new chassis, redesigned design, and updated electronics. In addition, Triumph has removed the moniker XR and XC, and now the range only includes the GT and Rally variants. Here is everything you need to know about it.
New Triumph Street Triple RS:
The 2020 Street Triple RS is expected to be brought to India as a CBU from Thailand with an expected price of around Rs 12 lakh (ex showroom). As a reference, the current model is sold for 11.13 rupees (from the Delhi showroom). The Street Triple RS is among the best bikes we’ve ridden to date, and it’s getting even better for 2020 with subtle cosmetic improvements, mechanical overhauls, and a host of new features. More information can be found here.
Ducati Streetfighter V4:
Ducati revitalized the Streetfighter with a complete overhaul and an engine that produces earth-shaking 211 hp and 123 Nm. So that the front wheel sticks to the asphalt, the bike also has a pair of double-decker winglets that generate 28 kg of downforce at 270 km / h. The Streetfighter will be available internationally from March 2020 and should soon find its way to India. Click here for more details.
Updated Ducati V4 lineup:
Amid the grand reveal of the Streetfighter V4, the new Panigale V2 and the Multistrada 1260 S GT by Ducati, the 2020 range of the Panigale V4 and V4 S was also unveiled. Interestingly, the 2020 Panigale V4, V4 S gets the same aerodynamic package as the V4 R and is a bit stiffer compared to the current generation models. Ducati has also optimized the throttle valve for smooth power delivery. More importantly, the 2020 Panigale V4, V4 S could be priced as high as the current models in India. Everything you need to know is here.
Ducati Panigale V2:
Ducati will replace the entry-level Panigale 959 in India with the Panigale V2. It is powered by a Euro 5 compliant 955cc engine that is equipped with a new exhaust system that delivers 5 horsepower more than before. Other notable features include a 4.3-inch TFT display and a ton of driver aids like cornering ABS, traction control, and wheelie control. Expect Ducati’s entry-level Supersport sport to roll out in India by mid-2020. More about the V2 here.
Kawasaki Z H2:
Kawasaki unveiled its entire 2020 range of motorcycles at EICMA 2019, including a supercharged 200hp monster! The Z H2, as Kawasaki calls it, is a naked street fighter based on the Ninja H2. It has a full electronics suite, bluetooth connectivity and could hit India soon. Everything you need to know about the manic Z H2 can be found here.
Other notable updates for 2020 are the W800, Versys 1000, Ninja ZX-14R and the Ninja 650most of which are receiving color and design updates. The rest of the You can find an updated portfolio here.
Indian FTR rally:
The Indian FTR 1200 Rally is an even tougher, off-road oriented version of the standard FTR 1200. It features aluminum spoke wheels wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires, a retro look thanks to a smoked visor, a brown seat and a Titanium smoke paint job. The bike is powered by a liquid-cooled 1203 cc V-Twin with the same suspension as the standard model. Expect the 2020 FTR 1200 Rally to find its way to India. Click here for more info.
Indian challenger:
The Indian Challenger was launched in the US for a starting price of USD 21,999 (approx. 15.62 lakh). It is powered by the most powerful V-twin engine in its class – the liquid-cooled 1769 cc engine with 122.5 hp and 178 Nm. Expect the cruiser to enter our country like all other Indian motorcycles via the CBU route. More information can be found here.
Benelli TNT 600:
The next iteration of the Benelli TNT 600 has been in preparation for some time. And patent pictures suggest that there will be two versions of the bike, differing only in design and rear subframes. Mechanically, the two designs look almost identical and could possibly be powered by the same four-cylinder in-line engine. More details can be found here.
CFMoto 700 CL-X:
The 700CL-X is the first scrambler from the Chinese brand CFMoto. It is available in three variants: Adventure, Sport and Heritage, but is powered by the same 700cc parallel twin engine. In terms of equipment, all three variants have LED lights at the front and rear, an LCD instrument cluster with Bluetooth connectivity and cruise control. Good news is, CFMoto has confirmed that they could bring it to India by mid-2020.
BMW F 900 R and F 900 XR:
BMW introduced two new motorcycles that use a boring 895cc parallel twin engine – the F 900 R and F 900 XR at EICMA 2019. The F 900 R was designed and developed to take on the KTM 790 Duke and Triumph Street Triple. The XR, on the other hand, is a full-fledged sports tourer. Both motorcycles meet Euro 5 emissions and are fully equipped with electronic aids.
BMW S 1000 XR:
BMW has took the sheets from the new S 1000 XR – a sports tourer based on the S 1000 RR. The new 2020 XR is equipped with the Euro 5-compliant 999 cc in-line four-engine, but dispenses with BMW’s ShiftCam technology. That said, it eliminates the asymmetrical headlight setup for symmetrical LED units, just like the S 1000 RR it is based on. The bike is now 10kg lighter than before and features a full-color TFT dashboard that acts as the control hub for the motorcycle’s multitude of electronic systems.
KTM 790 Adventure:
It will finally be the Austrian brand KTM Bring the highly anticipated 790 Adventure to India next year. It’s powered by the same 799cc parallel twin engine seen on its bare counterpart. The differences, however, consist of an adventure-oriented design, long-stroke suspension, a higher windshield and an increased seat height. It’s also equipped with larger spoked wheels on either end (21 inches at the front and 18 inches at the rear).
Suzuki V-Strom 1050XT:
Suzuki has unveiled its flagship adventure tourers, the V-Strom 1050 and V-Strom 1050XT at EICMA 2019. Both motorcycles have been redesigned to resemble Suzuki’s old school DR Big, even though they are equipped with modern components. While the Standard 1050 is more geared towards the road and has light alloy wheels, the off-road-oriented XT rolls on spoked wheels. The wheel sizes of both versions are 19 inches at the front and 17 inches at the rear. The Twin is based on the current V-Strom 1000 and uses the same 1037cc V-Twin engine that is now equipped with ride-by-wire technology. We can expect to see the V-Strom 1050XT in India in 2020.
Suzuki SV650:
The Suzuki 650cc platform has done well for business, and the brand is keen to take this space even further. The SV650 in particular is the only popular motorcycle in Suzuki’s international portfolio in the 650 cc segment alongside the V-Strom 650 series. This indicates the possibility that Suzuki will launch the bike in India. What works for the bike is its neo-retro vibe that could attract a wide range of customers, as well as its loose ergonomics that make it reasonably practical. More details can be found here.