Upcoming Bike Launches in India

Indian Scout Sixty

• Expected Launch Date:Mid 2016 

• Estimated Price:11.00 lakh

Polaris owned Indian Motorcycles has had a decent run in the Indian market. They started off with the premium Chief range of motorcycles that was priced in excess of Rs 25 lakh before launching the rather affordable Indian Scout in 2014. But despite the Scout being competitively priced it still cannot rival the better value offered by Harley-Davidson motorcycles as they are locally assembled and attract lower taxes while Indian Motorcycles products come as a direct import. At the 2015 EICMA motorcycle show, Indian launched the more affordable Scout in the guise of the Indian Scout Sixty. Although, the new Scout Sixty is supposed to be the new entry-level motorcycle in the Indian portfolio, visually it looks similar to the standard Scout.They share the same suspension, brakes and frame. The differences that separate the two bikes are hidden away from prying eyes, deep within the crankcase. The 60-degree V-twin on the Sixty uses pistons with smaller diameter measuring 93mm compared to the Scout’s 96mm ones. This brings the overall capacity down to 999cc from 1130cc. The engine stroke however remains the same at 73.6mm and according to Indian it retains its rev-happy nature. The power is down by about 22PS to 79PS the torque however is down to 88Nm from 102Nm which isn’t all that much. The other major change being that the Scout Sixty employs a 5-speed gearbox as opposed to a 6-speed unit on its sibling. Also ABS has been given the miss for further cost cutting. Expect the Indian Scout Sixty to be priced under Rs 11 lakh which makes it over Rs 1 lakh cheaper than the Scout.

Bajaj Pulsar 150NS  

• Expected Launch Date:Mid 2016

• Estimated Price: 73,000

The ageing Bajaj Pulsar 150 DTS-i is expected to be replaced by the much-awaited naked Pulsar 150 NS in June 2015. The next generation Bajaj Pulsar 150 has been spotted testing for more than a year and more recently, it has been showcased at trade fairs abroad.

The bestselling Pulsar 150 hasn’t seen an upgrade in over almost four years while competition has raised its head in the form of upgraded variants and even brand new models from manufacturers such as Yamaha, Suzuki and Honda. With the new Pulsar 150 NS Bajaj Auto will hope to once again set the sales charts on fire.

Looks and Styling

The 150 NS will take design cues from the 200 NS, but essentially it will be a Pulsar AS 150 without the quarter fairing. The new 150 NS will be based on the same perimeter frame as the Pulsar AS 150 and will also sport a nitrox monoshock at the rear, like the AS 150. The brute streetbike styling should enable it to standout among its rivals and also appeal to the youngsters.Switch gear and the part-analogue-part-digital instrument console have been carried forward from its 200cc sibling. The Bajaj Pulsar 150NS has a slimmer tail section; missing tyre hugger and skinny rear tyre are the visual differences between the two Pulsar offerings.Wheels will be the same 17-inch Y-spoke alloy wheels as on the AS 150, shod with 80/100 R17 rubber at the front and 100/90-17 at the rear.  Braking will be handled by a smaller petal disc at the front than the 200NS and a drum at the rear. An optional disc may be offered at the rear as well. It will get both electric start and kick start as starting options. 

Engine and Gearbox

The Pulsar 150 NS will be powered by the same unit as the AS 150’s – a twin spark, air-cooled, single-cylinder four-stroke engine which is more powerful and efficient than the existing Pulsar 150’s.The engine will make 17PS of power at 9500rpm and a peak torque of 13Nm at 7500rpm, that’s a jump of 2PS power and 0.5Nm of torque than its predecessor. The new engine also gets four valves and will be mated to a five-speed gearbox .  

Price and competition

The Pulsar 150 NS is likely to be priced around Rs 73,000 and will compete against the likes of the Suzuki Gixxer, Yamaha FZ-S FI V2.0 and the Honda CB Unicorn 160.

Bajaj Pulsar CS 

• Expected Launch Date:Mid 2016

• Estimated Price:`2.00 lakh

The Pulsar CS 400 will be Bajaj’s first ever 400cc motorcycle in India, with the idea to provide a reliable, easy to run and maintain motorcycle, which can be used for leisure biking and taken on tours and long rides. And what will make the Bajaj Power Cruiser special will be its fairly affordable price tag which we think could be just under Rs 2 lakh. 

With desirable bikes like the Ducati Diavel and Yamaha V-Max on one end of the spectrum which are beyond the reach of most and the classic styled Royal Enfield on the other, Bajaj Auto sees huge potential to bridge this gap with the Pulsar CS400.

Going by the CS400 concept shown by Bajaj Auto during the 2014 Auto Expo, we expect the production version of the Pulsar CS400, like the Diavel, not to have the classic cruiser styling seen on usual Harley-Davidson and Indian cruisers or even the Triumph Bonneville, but a more modern form of motorcycle which still is as comfortable for tireless hours on the road. Keeping that in mind, the single-piece handle bar, not too rear-set foot rests and a conventional single seat of the new Bajaj Pulsar CS400 will add up to create a relaxed riding position ideal for touring and city use.Since the production ready Bajaj CS400 will be very similar to the concept shown at the Auto Expo, we hope it to sport upside down front forks and rear mono shock, tuned for comfort. Like the recently launched Bajaj Pulsar RS200, the new CS400 will also come with front and rear disc brake with the option of ABS.The new Bajaj Pulsar CS400 is speculated to be powered by a fuel injected 375cc single cylinder, liquid-cooled, 4-valve, triple spark engine teamed with a six-speed gearbox.

Yamaha YZF R15 V3  

• Expected Launch Date:June 2016

• Estimated Price: 1.20 lakh

The YZF-R15 has been the bike that changed the game for Yamaha and it reflected soon after its launch in 2008.If the R15 got it right, the v2.0 launched in 2011 took it a step further, and now the Japanese bike-maker is all set to bring in a refreshed version. 

While the cosmetic changes on the new YZF-R15 v3.0 won’t quite be substantial, it’s the heart that will see a revision. The upcoming R15 will not only get a new ECU to make the bike feel more refined. In fact, in its new avatar, the R15 is also expected to receive a hike in its power output.

The YZF-R15 v2.0 currently makes 17PS and 15Nm. While details of the new YZF-R15 v3.0 are still sketchy, with the FZ-S v2.0, Fazer v2.0 as well as the SZ-R already launched, Yamaha is sure to shift its focus on its flagship model.