12 GREAT motorcycles coming to India in 2018; From Hero XPulse to Royal Enfield 650 twins

We saw many exciting launches in the year 2017 like the KTM 390 Duke, TVS Akula in the Indian two-wheeler market. In 2018, there are many more exciting launches lined-up. Here are the bikes that will be launched in 2018.

Hero XPulse

Expected launch: Early 2018

Hero launched the Impulse in India a few years back but due to the puny engine, it did not gain much popularity among the enthusiasts. Next year, Hero will launch the XPulse in the market. Hero showcased the XPulse concept that will be launched in India sometime in 2018. The bike is expected to be showcased at the Auto Expo 2018.

No technical details about the motorcycle have been revealed yet but the concept model carries a lot of features. There are a bash plate and crash-guard to protect the engine. The motorcycle also gets a small fairing for wind deflection, an LED headlamp, knuckle guard, a twin seat and a high handlebar.

Hero Xtreme 200

Expected launch: February 2018

Hero will launch the new Xtreme 200S naked bike in the market at Auto Expo 2018. The Indian manufacturer will launch the 200cc bike will be Hero’s range-topping model for the Indian market and will compete with the Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS and TVS Apache RTR 200.

It is expected to be powered by a 200cc, air-cooled engine that churns around 18.2 Bhp of peak power and 17.2 Nm of peak torque. It will get five-speed manual transmission as standard. It is expected to get disc brakes and ABS as an option too.

Royal Enfield Interceptor

Expected launch: Mid 2018

The Royal Enfield Interceptor was recently unveiled by the manufacturer at the EICMA show. The much-awaited bike will be the first parallel-twin engine powered bike from the brand and it will be the most powerful Royal Enfield ever built by the company. The Interceptor is a cruising motorcycle and vintage looks with modern bits like disc brakes and ABS.

The motorcycle will be powered by 650cc parallel-twin, liquid-cooled engine that develops a maximum power of 46 Bhp and 52 Nm of peak torque. The Royal Enfield Interceptor is expected to carry a price tag of around Rs. 3 lakh when launched. It will first enter the European markets and will enter the Indian market by mid-2018.

Royal Enfield Continental GT 650

Expected launch: Mid 2018

Royal Enfield will also launch a more powerful version of the Continental GT 535. The new parallel-twin engine will power the bike and the specifications will be similar. However, the riding position will be much more aggressive and it will be suited for the riders who like to go on short trips rather than long journeys.

Benelli TRK 502

Expected launch: Mid 2018

Benelli showcased the dual purpose TRK 502 at the Auto Expo 2016 and it will be launched in India next year. The newly developed motorcycle is powered by a 500cc, parallel-twin engine that is mated to a 6-speed transmission. The fuel injected engine produces a maximum of 47 BHP and 45 Nm of torque.

The premium looking TRK 502 gets a distinctive beak at the front, which is essentially the extended part of the front fairing. It also gets split seats, with a low seat height and an adjustable windscreen. At the front, the motorcycle gets 320 mm disc at the front while the rear tyre gets a single disc set-up of 260 mm. The motorcycle comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, and it is not designed for extreme off-roading.

Yamaha R15 V3.0

Expected launch: Early 2018

The much-awaited Yamaha YZF-R15 V3.0 is finally coming to India next year. The bike has already been spotted in the Indian dealerships. Yamaha launched the all-new R15 in the international markets earlier this year but the Indian launch got delayed.

The Indian version of the bike will miss out on a few features to keep the cost down. The bike will not get Upside Down (USD) front forks, IRC tyres and few other cost-cutting measures like steel footpegs instead of aluminium. The ABS also seem to be missing from the spy pictures of the bike.The new R15 is powered by a a new 155cc engine that generates 19.1 Bhp – 14.7 Nm.

Yamaha YZF-R3

Expected launch: Mid – 2018

Yamaha launched the parallel-twin cylinder powered YZF-R3 in India sometime back but with the implementation of BS IV norms on two-wheelers, the motorcycle was discontinued. Yamaha is expected to bring in the new BS IV compliant R3 in India next year but before that, the new motorcycle will be showcased at the Auto Expo 2018.

The new bike looks much sharper than the discontinued model. The parallel-twin 321cc, the liquid-cooled engine produces a maximum of 41 Bhp and 29.6 Nm. The engine is mated to a 6-speed transmission.

BMW G310R

Expected launch: Late 2018

The BMW-TVS collaboration resulted in two bikes – BMW G310R and the TVS Apache RR310S. The Apache has already been launched in India but the long-awaited BMW G310R will be launched in 2018. The German brand will showcase the bike at the Auto Expo. The motorcycle has been developed with TVS and it will take on the likes of highly successful KTM 390 Duke in India. The BMW G310R will be made in India at the TVS plant and will be exported from here to the foreign markets.

The G310R will draw power from a 313cc, single cylinder, liquid-cooled engine with twin overhead camshafts. The motorcycle produces a maximum of 33.6 BHP of power but weighs only 158 kg, which results in a very good power to weight ratio. The engine is a reversed cylinder design that will give it a better centre of gravity and fun to ride.

Tork T6X

Expected launch: Mid 2018

The Pune-based firm has unveiled India’s first fully-electric motorcycle. The motorcycle will be powered by Li-ion battery and will have a maximum range of 100 km. The batteries charge to full in about 2 hours and Tork says that the battery attains 80% of charge in just one hour. The company is also working to install charging stations in the Pune city first and then the motorcycle will be launched in the other major cities of the country. The is expected to make a public appearance at the 2018 Auto Expo.

Suzuki GSX-R250

Expected launch: Late 2018

After the success of the Gixxer SF in India, Suzuki is now planning to launch a bigger version of the bike. Suzuki will mark its entry in the 250cc segment with the GSX-R250. The bike looks much sharper and sportier than the Gixxer SF and looks heavily inspired from the flagship GSX-R1000. It is powered by 248cc, parallel-twin engine that produces a maximum of 24.7 bhp and 23.3 Nm torque.

TVS Apache 160/180

Expected launch: Early 2018

TVS Apache RTR 160 has been spied testing in India with a new frame and features. The entry-level Apache is quite popular among the youngsters and TVS is doing subtle changes to keep the bike fresh in the market. The engine specifications are not expected to change. However visual changes are expected with the upgrade. TVS will also upgrade the Apache RTR 180 soon after the launch of the Apache 160 in 2018.