Benelli 302R and 2017 Triumph Tiger Explorer launch tomorrow

It’s raining big bikes in India, as Benelli and Triumph are set to add a new offering each

2017 has been a great year for motorcycle enthusiasts with a penchant for big bikes. From the 2017 range of Kawasakis, a few Ducatis and Aprilias and more recently the Triumph Street Triple S and the MV Agusta Brutale 800, this year has seen a lot of action in the big bike market. And there is lots more to come. Benelli will be bringing in their first fully faired offering, the 302R to Indian shores tomorrow. Meanwhile, Triumph Motorcycles will be bringing in their 2017 Tiger Explorer too.

Benelli was initially supposed to introduce the 302R in December last year, but the launch was postponed. The Italian bike maker then decided to delay the launch further and introduce a motorcycle that is in line with the new BS IV norms. First things first, the 302R isn’t the same as the TNT 300 with a fairing slapped on. This here is an all-new motorcycle that is based on a new trellis frame. That being said, it does get an updated version of the same 300cc parallel-twin motor. It pumps out 37.7bhp and 26.5Nm and comes mated to a 6-speed transmission. Equipment levels are on par with competition – it comes fitted with upside down forks up front, a monoshock at the back, and ABS. We got to swing a leg on the pre-production version of the Benelli 302R last year. On its launch, the 302R will compete against the likes of the Kawasaki Ninja 300, and the single-pot KTM 390 Duke.

Also launching tomorrow is the 2017 Triumph Tiger Explorer. While the British bike maker has six variants of the Tiger Explorer on sale globally, in India, we expect them to start with the XCx. Just like they have planned for the Street Triple S, other variants of the Tiger Explorer too will be introduced in the Indian market at a later stage. The Tiger Explorer comes with the same 1,215cc three-cylinder motor from the outgoing model. It makes peak power of 136 horses and max torque of 123Nm. All this power is sent to the rear wheel with the help of a 6-speed transmission. The new Tiger Explorer comes heavily loaded with features including cornering ABS, traction control and a highly advanced Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). The 2017 Tiger Explorer also comes with three riding modes – road, rain and off-road. The Tiger Explorer competes against the Ducati Multistrada Enduro and the BMW R 1200 GS. Expect the 2017 Triumph Tiger Explorer to be priced around the Rs 21 lakh mark.