15 AWESOME, sporty yet affordable motorcycles launching in India during 2018; Yamaha R15 V3 to Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500X

2017 saw a number of popular bike launches in the Indian market. In 2018, there are many more interesting bikes lined up for the launch. Here are 15 hotly awaited motorcycles that will be launched in 2018.

Bajaj Avenger 180

Bajaj will discontinue the Avenger 150 to launch the more powerful Avenger 180 in the market. Bajaj plans to take on the recently launched Suzuki Intruder 150 and will launch the 180cc variant of the Avenger. The higher power Avenger 180 will still remain cheaper than the Intruder in the market.

It will be powered by a 178.2cc oil-cooled engine that also powers the Bajaj Pulsar 180. The engine generates a maximum power of 17 Bhp and 14 Nm of peak torque. It is expected to be priced at around Rs. 85,000 while the Intruder is priced at Rs. 98,000.

All-new TVS Apache 160 & 180

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. Even though the engine specifications are not expected to change, we will get to see a lot of visual updates. TVS will first launch the RTR 160 and will follow up with the launch of the Apache RTR 180 in 2018.

Yamaha R15 V3

The much-awaited Yamaha YZF-R15 V3.0 will be launched soon. The bike has already been spotted in the Indian dealerships. Yamaha launched the all-new R15 in the international markets last 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 new 155cc engine that generates 19.1 Bhp – 14.7 Nm.

Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350X & 500X

Royal Enfield will launch the two new bikes based on the Thunderbird 350X and the 500X. The bikes have been spied already at the Royal Enfield showroom in India and launch is imminent. The bikes get cosmetic updates like longer exhaust, new rear-end styling, flatter handlebars, kicked out footpegs, blacked out engines with contrasting body colour. The bikes look much more modern with alloy wheels and the new age paint scheme.

The engines are expected to remain same. There will be 346cc engine producing a maximum 19.8 Bhp – 28 Nm and 500cc engine producing 27.2 Bhp – 41 Nm in the bikes. Both the engines will be mated to 5-speed manual transmission.

BMW G310 R

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 this year. 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.

Royal Enfield Interceptor and Continental GT 650

The Royal Enfield Interceptor and the Continental GT 650 were recently unveiled at the EICMA show. The much-awaited bikes will be the first parallel-twin engine powered products from the brand and they will be the most powerful Royal Enfield bikes ever built by the company. The Interceptor is a cruising motorcycle and vintage looks with modern bits like disc brakes and ABS while the Continental GT 650 is a cafe racer.

Both the motorcycles 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 bikes are expected to carry a price tag of around Rs. 3 lakh.

Hero Motocorp XPulse 200

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. This 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.

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