6 India-bound sub-400cc motorcycles from EICMA 2016

The 2016 EICMA has just begun and we have already seen most of the new bikes that will be launched in 2016 as well as in 2017. While a lot of these bikes won’t make it to India, there are a couple of interesting ones that will surely be launched in India. In this story, we bring you the six sub-400cc motorcycles from EICMA 2016 that will come to India. 

1: 2017 KTM Duke 390

This bike has been the most anticipated unveil of EICMA 2016 for us. Because the current generation KTM Duke 390 is known for its class leading performance and features. The new generation Duke 390 has taken the game to a whole new level. New aggressive styling from the 1290 Super Duke, new frame, revision to the engine to make it Euro 4 compliant and finally, the side mounted exhaust has made this new Duke look stunning. The Duke 390 gets a new TFT instrument cluster which sports hands-free kit and audio player. KTM India will launch the new Duke 390 sometime early next year as the sales of the current Duke 390 has slowed down considerably since the last couple of months. Expect a marginal increase in price but with such a brilliant update, the Indian consumer will surely be ready to pay the price. 

2: Kawasaki Versys X-300

The X-300 is the most affordable Versys one can buy. In fact, a motorcycle like this makes perfect sense for India due to the road conditions. And for the same reason, we believe Kawasaki will launch the X-300 in India in the next couple of weeks. Built around a new chassis, this tourer will sport the same 300cc parallel-twin engine seen on the Ninja 300, but in a different state of tune. The styling is from the Versys family, however, the X-300 doesn’t have the appeal like its elder siblings. But things like 41mm long-travel telescopic forks, spoked wheels, hand guards, panniers makes this motorcycle a very tempting one. But at the end, the temptation is decided by the pricing, and we’re expecting this Kawasaki to come with a price tag of close to Rs 3.4 lakh (ex-showroom Pune) and yes, it will be assembled in India. 

3: BMW G310GS

The G310GS has been the most awaited BMW bike at EICMA 2016, at least by the Indian buyers. Built around the same G310R frame, the G310GS is an adventure bike that will compete with the likes of Royal Enfield Himalayan and the Kawasaki Versys X-300(when launched) in the Indian market. The BMW G310 GS’ styling draws inspiration from the R1200 GS. The engine on the G310GS churns out 33bhp and 28Nm. Other than long-travel front suspension and higher ground clearance, the German manufacturer is offering panniers and top cases to complete the adventure touring package. TVS will be manufacturing this bike at their Hosur plant and export to the rest of the world. BMW will officially launch this bike in India next year with a competitive price tag. 

4: Suzuki V-Strom 250

The V-Strom 250 is the entry-level tourer from Suzuki. It gets the 250cc parallel-twin engine from the Inazuma. The chassis has been revised to improve load bearing and take the extra weight that will come from the panniers and top case. This tourer can be ridden for close to 450kms in one tank full, thanks to Suzuki’s fuel efficiency claim of 32.5kmpl. This engine is known for its low-end torque, something that’s necessary for a tourer. Suzuki hasn’t equipped the V-Strom 250 with any fancy equipment, making us believe that the pricing would be really good when it launches in India. 

5: Suzuki GSX-R250

The GSX-R250 is a fully-faired motorcycle that’s built on the Inazuma GW250 platform. But the presence of full-fairing has made this bike more appealing than the older GW250. Designed to look like the GSX-R1000, this motorcycle is expected to hit the Indian shores sometime next year. It will be assembled in India, due to which the pricing will be competitive. The Suzuki racing paint scheme on this bike looks outstanding and it wouldn’t be a surprise if that colour becomes the highest selling model in India. The GSX-R250 sees the Honda CBR250 as its competition. 

6: Husqvarna 401 

Husqvarna’s 401 bikes – the Vitpilen and the Svartpilen takes last place in this story because of the brand name. It’s hardly known in India, but that won’t let Bajaj and KTM not launch these bikes in India. Just like the Duke range, the 401s will also be made at Bajaj’s Chakan plant, due to which it makes a lot of sense for the company to launch the bikes here. But we’re expecting Bajaj-KTM to place the Husqvarna in the premium segment and that means a hefty price tag.