A quick look at the upcoming 400cc to 800cc motorcycles that'll go on sale in India in 2017.
2017 is going to be a year full of new motorcycle launches. Apart from the sub-400cc and above 800cc segments, the 400-800cc segment will also receive a couple of new products from biggies like Honda, Ducati, Kawasaki and Benelli. Here’s a list of some of the important 400-800cc motorcycles that’ll go on sale in the country the coming year,
DSK-Benelli TRK 502
DSK-Benelli is going to launch four new motorcycles in India in 2017. The TRK 502, however, is going to be the most important launch for the manufacturer here since it’s going to be the first middle-weight adventure tourer in our market. At the heart of the TRK 502 is a 499cc, parallel-twin liquid-cooled engine that develops 47bhp and 45Nm of peak torque, mated to a 6-speed gearbox. The TRK 502 comes fitted with 50mm upside down forks up front and a pre-load adjustable rear mono-shock. Braking duties are carried out by Brembo brakes – 320mm dual discs in the front and a 260mm single disc at rear. The motorcycle also comes with a 20-litre fuel tank, making it ideal for long rides.
2017 Kawasaki Ninja 650
The Ninja 650 is one of the best-selling motorcycles from Kawasaki in India. However, the current model has been a little too long in the tooth. Kawasaki has addressed that issue now as it unveiled the updated 2017 Ninja 650 at 2016 Intermot show a few months ago. Highlights of the new model include a sharper design that takes cues from the bigger ZX-10R. A number of revisions have been made to the 649cc parallel-twin motor, making it cleaner and Euro4 compliant. The power output has gone down by 2bhp to 69bhp, albeit there have been some significant weight savings in the new motorcycle. The 2017 Ninja 650 uses an all-new aluminium frame that weighs just 15 kilograms. The motorcycle also comes with uprates brakes while ABS and slipper clutch will come fitted as standard.
2017 Honda CBR650F
2017 will see Honda launch the updated CBR650F in India. Honda unveiled the updated version at 2016 EICMA, featuring a number of cosmetic updates such as a redesigned fairing, full LED headlamps and LED taillights. On the mechanical front, the 649cc inline-four cylinder engine has been tweaked and it now produces 89.8bhp@11,000rpm – a bump of around 5bhp over the current model. Among other highlights, the 2017 CBR650F will come with new 41mm Showa forks along with uprated brakes. Like the current model, the CBR650F will be assembled locally for sale in the Indian market.
Ducati Monster 797
When launched, the Ducati Monster 797 will become the entry-level motorcycle in the Monster range, below the 821. Powering the Monster 797 will be the same 803cc L-Twin motor that does duty in the Scrambler. The engine develops 74bhp, and comes paired to a 6-speed gearbox. Since the Monster 797 will be an entry-level motorcycle, it misses out on a couple of goodies such as traction control, riding modes, LED DRLs and more. ABS will be offered though. The Monster 797 comes with 43mm KYB front forks and Sachs monoshock at the rear. It gets the same brakes as the Monster 821 though – Brembo M4.32 callipers with 320mm dual discs on front wheel and a 245mm disc at the rear.
2017 Kawasaki Z650:
The Kawasaki Z650 will replace the aging ER-6N. Unlike the ER-6N, the Z650 adopts a sportier and aggressive stance, which is inspired from other Kawasaki “Z” motorcycles. Mechanically, the Z650 will be based around the aforementioned 2017 Ninja 650. This means it will come powered by the same 649cc parallel twin engine developing 69bhp and 65Nm of torque. Like the new Ninja 650, the Z650 will also get an-all new lightweight aluminium frame gives it some serious weight savings – the Z650 weighs just 187kg as compared to the 206kg ER-6N.
DSK-Benelli Leoncino
Showcased first at the 2015 EICMA, the DSK-Benelli Leoncino is expected to go on sale in the Indian market sometime later in 2017. The Leoncino is basically a Scrambler that shares its mechanical components with the TRK 502. As a result, it comes powered by the same 500cc parallel twin liquid-cooled engine of the TRK 502 that develops 47bhp and 45Nm of torque. Power transmission duties are carried out by a six-speed gearbox. Other highlights include upside down forks up front, and a preload adjustable rear monoshock, spoke wheels shod with meaty off-road tyres, dual disc brakes at front, etc.
Ducati Scrambler Café Racer & Desert Sled
At the 2016 EICMA show, Ducati revealed two new Scrambler motorcycles. The first one is called the Café Racer, and as the name suggests, it’s a retro-modern motorcycle featuring unique design elements like a racer-styled seat, small front fender, 17-inch gold alloy wheels, etc.
The Scrambler Desert Sled on the other hand replaces the Scrambler Urban Enduro. The Desert Sled has been modified to do a fair amount of off-roading, and so it comes fitted with long travel suspension, increased wheelbase, wide handlebar and a tubular frame with extra reinforcement. Spoke wheels of size 19-inch (front) and 17-inch (rear) with off-road tyres replace the alloy wheels and road tyres of the standard version. Powertrain in both the new versions is identical to other Scrambler variants. Which means they come fitted with an 803cc L-Twin engine, developing 74bhp and 68Nm of torque.
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