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  Business   Autos  19 Jul 2017  5 upcoming full-faired bikes in 2017

5 upcoming full-faired bikes in 2017

THE ASIAN AGE
Published : Jul 19, 2017, 12:59 pm IST
Updated : Jul 19, 2017, 12:59 pm IST

Fully-faired motorcycles have always held a special place for Indian bikers.

Let’s take an in-depth look at the top 5 fully-faired motorcycles expected to make its way to India soon.
 Let’s take an in-depth look at the top 5 fully-faired motorcycles expected to make its way to India soon.

Fully-faired motorcycles have always held a special place for Indian bikers. Manufacturers like Benelli, Yamaha and Suzuki will be launching fully-faired versions of their popular bikes in the country, while TVS is expected to launch the Akula or Apache 310 RR this year. Let’s take an in-depth look at the top 5 fully-faired motorcycles expected to make its way to India soon.

DSK-Benelli 302R

DSK-Benelli will ride in its full-faired motorcycle for the Indian market in the form of the 302R. The Italian bikemaker currently sells naked and sports-tourer bikes in India and the new 302R was first showcased at the 2015 EICMA motorcycle show in Italy. The Benelli 302R features sharp design language with a beaky headlamp, split seats and exposed trellis frame making it visually arresting. The overall dimensions are also large and one can easily pass it off as a middleweight supersports machine. The Benelli 302R was supposed to be launched in 2016 but because of the new BS-IV emission norms coming into play and the decision by DSK to equip the upcoming motorcycle with ABS, and it will be launched on July 25.

Bikes

The new motorcycle is expected to make its Indian debut later this month. It is powered by the same 300cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin motor that also does duty in the TNT 300. The motor delivers 36PS of power at 12,000rpm and 27Nm of peak torque at 9,000rpm. Transmission duties are handled by a 6-speed gearbox. The bike comes with USD forks at the front and a monoshock at the rear. Stopping power is achieved from a dual-disc setup at the front and single disc unit at the rear. The Benelli 302R is expected to be priced between Rs 3.5-Rs 4 lakh in India and will rival the likes of the Kawasaki Ninja 300, Hyosung GT250R and the KTM RC 390. 

Bikes

Yamaha Fazer 250

The Yamaha Fazer 250 is the full-faired version of the FZ25 which was launched earlier this year. The new motorcycle is a sports-tourer and will compete against the Honda CBR250R (discontinued because of BS-IV and to be relaunched later this year). The Yamaha Fazer 250 gets a large windscreen and body panels to protect the rider from wind blast at higher speeds while touring. The upcoming Yamaha bike will also feature the same LED headlight as seen on the streetbike. The new Yamaha Fazer 250 will be priced around Rs 1.5 lakh (ex-showroom) and is expected to hit Indian roads by late August or September 2017. 

Bikes

The underpinnings of the new Yamaha 250cc bike are similar to the Yamaha FZ25, including the diamond-type frame, telescopic front forks and monoshock suspension at the back. It remains to be seen whether Yamaha offers ABS as an optional extra on the new bike. The Yamaha Fazer 250 will employ the same 249cc, single-cylinder engine which does duty on the FZ25 and delivers 20.9PS of max power and 20Nm of peak torque. Power will be transmitted to the rear wheel via a 5-speed gearbox. 

Bikes

TVS Akula / TVS Apache RR 310S 

The TVS Akula, or Apache RR 310S as the production version name for the bike goes, is most likely among the most anticipated new motorcycle launches for 2017. TVS wowed every biker when they showcased the carbon fibre-clad Akula at the 2016 Auto Expo and the numerous spy shots and videos of the production bike undergoing testing have only added to the curiosity surrounding it. The new motorcycle will be the first full-faired offering from TVS Motors for India and it will be based on the BMW G 310 R which is being built by TVS at its production facility in Hosur.

Bikes

From the spy shots we can make out that the TVS Apache RR 310S will get sporty styling that will appeal to youngsters. The bike features twin-LED headlamps, turn indicators and a unique pincer-like tail lamp which makes it stand apart. It is equipped with a vertically stacked fully digital instrument cluster and will presumably be equipped with TVS’ race-friendly features like lap timer, top speed recorder and acceleration timing recorder. Clip-on handlebars and slightly rear-set footpegs should result in a sporty but comfortable riding posture which should make it fun to ride both on the track and while munching miles on the open highways. 

Bikes

Part sharing with the BMW G 310 R is obvious and it features similar frame, suspension and brakes. It is expected that TVS will offer ABS as an optional extra on the new motorcycle. The new TVS bike will be powered by the same liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, 313cc single-cylinder as seen on the G 310 R. In the BMW offering, the engine delivers 34PS of peak power and 28Nm of maximum torque. Whether TVS engineers tune the motor for more power remains to be seen. 

Since the bike shares a lot of components with BMW’s entry level offering, expect the bike to command a premium pricing of around Rs 2 to Rs 2.3 lakh, ex-showroom. The bike is likely to be launched by the festive season and will rival the likes of the KTM RC 390, Yamaha Fazer 250 and Honda CBR250R. 

Bikes

Suzuki GSX-R250 

Suzuki has tasted great success with the Gixxer 150cc motorcycle and capitalised on this positive sentiment by riding in the Gixxer SF which still holds the distinction of being the most affordable full-faired bike on sale in India. The Japanese two-wheeler giant recently launched the new GSX-R250 in international markets and there are strong rumours that the bike will come to India by late 2017. 

The styling of the upcoming 250cc bike is based on the older Suzuki GSX-R1000 which was recently replaced in India. (Also Read - 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000 Review). The sharp lines and sporty styling will appeal to youngsters who have a soft spot for full-faired machines. We expect the new Suzuki motorcycle to be priced between Rs 3-3.5 lakh in India and CKD assembly cannot be ruled out. The Suzuki GSX250R will compete against parallel-twin motorcycles like the Kawasaki Ninja 300 and the soon to be launched Benelli 302R. 

Bikes

Underneath the sculpted body panels rests a 250cc parallel-twin motor sourced from the Suzuki Inazuma which was on sale in India a few years back. The liquid-cooled engine delivers 25PS of power and 23.4Nm of peak torque and comes mated to a 6-speed constant mesh gearbox. From the specs one can make out that the new GSX-R250 isn’t a track-focused machine but feel more at home on highways as a touring machine. Suspension components like 37mm telescopic KYB forks at the front and KYB adjustable monoshock at the rear have been carried forward from the Inazuma. Braking is done by disc brakes on both ends while ABS isn't offered even as an option.

Bikes

Yamaha R15 Version 3.0 

Ever since its debut in 2008, the Yamaha R15 has offered great performance and handling at an affordable and unprecedented price bracket. Now, Yamaha is gearing up to ride in the third generation of the R15 in India by late 2017. With the advent of the KTM RC 200, the R15 felt overshadowed in terms of performance and the styling was also starting to show its age. 

The new motorcycle has received a complete cosmetic overhaul, but gladly, the razor-sharp styling has been maintained. The split headlamps are narrower and now get LED headlights, while the fairing is also sportier-looking than its predecessor. Other notable differences include the addition of an all-digital instrument cluster as opposed to the semi-digital unit on the older bike. 

Bikes

Powering it is a 155cc motor which is the bored-out version of the older mill, with 58mm bore and 58.7mm stroke. The liquid-cooled, fuel-injected engine delivers 19.3PS at 10,000rpm and 14.7Nm at 8,500rpm, which makes it 2.3PS more powerful than its predecessor, while the torque figure remains unchanged. The motor has been mated to a 6-speed gearbox but the Yamaha R15 V3 gets the benefit of slipper clutch. 

The Yamaha R15 was renowned for its handling prowess and the twin-spar, or Deltabox frame as Yamaha likes to call it, has been retained. The Yamaha R15 V3 features USD forks at the front, as opposed to the older telescopic forks, which Yamaha claims has helped improve its handling dynamics. 

Bikes

A monoshock does duty at the back and disc brakes provide anchorage while ABS has been given a miss to keep cost low. The new Yamaha R15 will compete against the KTM RC 200, Bajaj RS200 and the Honda CBR150R (if Honda relaunches it later this year). Since the new R15 has USD forks and slipper clutch, expect it to be priced around Rs 1.5 lakh (ex-showroom).

Source: ZigWheels.com

Tags: dsk-benelli 302r, yamaha fazer 250, tvs akula, suzuki gsx-r250, yamaha r15
Location: India, Delhi, New Delhi