9 upcoming retro-modern styled bikes in India: Jawa Perak to Husqvarna twins

Over the last few years, retro-modern bikes have made a grand comeback in the market. Where earlier it was only Royal Enfield who eas the major player in this segment, now we have the Jawa along with a host of other companies who are trying to break in this segment. There is something in the old world charm of a retro-modern bike that attracts people towards them. If you are planning to buy a retro-themed bike in future, here are 10 upcoming similar bikes in India, ranging from neo-retro designs to old-era classics.

Bajaj Avenger 160

The Bajaj Avenger series is the most affordable cruiser bike series in India and this is one of the main reasons for its popularity. However, the company is planning to launch a new 160 cc version of the bike which will take the mantle from the current 180 cc Avenger. This move is being taken in lieu with the upcoming BSVI emission norms and the Avenger 160 will get its engine from the Pulsar NS160. The Pulsar NS160 uses a 160.3 cc, single-cylinder, oil cooled engine that produces around 15.5 PS of power and 14.6 Nm of peak torque. The Avenger 160 will probably come with a single channel ABS and not a double channel system and will be priced around the same as the current Avenger 180. Expect the launch to happen by the next month.

Jawa Perak

While Jawa launched two bikes on 15th of November last year, the Perak bobber is yet to be launched in the market. It will be the first affordable production Bobber themed bike in India and will be more powerful than the other two Jawa bikes. It gets powered by a big bore version of the 293cc motor, displacing 334cc. The bigger engine churns out 30 Bhp of power along with 31 Nm of torque. The engine will come mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. Jawa would probably launch the Perak in the third quarter of 2019 at an ex-showroom price of Rs. 1.89 lakh.

UM Renegade Duty S

The UM Renegade Duty series was showcased at the 2018 Delhi Auto Expo and have been long waiting to be launched in the market. However, UM’s troubled relationship with their previous partner in India meant that the launch was delayed. They will be finally launched this year. The Duty S is the more retro themed bike of the two and will be the most affordable bike by the company when launched. It is powered by a new 223 cc single-cylinder engine that produces a maximum of 17 Bhp at 8,000 rpm and 17 Nm at 5,000 rpm. The Duty S comes with solid colour options and will directly rival the Avenger and Intruder upon being launched. while the Duty Ace gets a sportier, younger generation inspired colours.

UM Renegade Duty Ace

Next comes the Duty Ace from UM motorcycles, which is mechanically the same as the Duty S. This means that it is powered by the same 223cc single-cylinder engine that produces a maximum of 17 Bhp at 8,000 rpm and 17 Nm at 5,000 rpm. UM claims that both the Duty series motorcycles return about 41 km/l as per ARAI and get a 10-litre fuel tank capacity. There is a 5-speed manual transmission that sends the power via a final chain drive. The Duty Ace will be the sportier among the two and gets a sportier, younger generation inspired colours. The cruiser bike get an upright riding position, thanks to the high handlebar and split seats

Royal Enfield Thunderbird X

The updated version of the Royal Enfield Thunderbird X was spotted testing last month and the test mule had quite a lot of changes made on it. To let you know, the Thunderbird ‘X’ series is funkier and street smart version of the regular Thunderbird. The changes on the bike include a new exhaust setup along with revised styling and a new seat. Other design features include new handlebar ends and fork ends, chrome casings for the lights and mirrors and new exhaust pipe design. Further, the rear disc brake has been shifted from the left to the right side of the bike. The engine will also be tweaked to follow the upcoming BSVI norms. Expect the new gen bike to be lighter and faster than the model it replaces.

Royal Enfield Classic

Next in line is the Royal Enfield Classic lineup, which will also be overhauled in the coming time. As seen in the pictures above, the new Classic series bikes get a host of other changes made on it. This includes new tail lamp design with a chrome ring around its diameter, a new saddle design as well as a new exhaust pipe design. Further, the disk brake has been shifted to the other side while the chain sprocket has been placed in place of it. Both the UCE engines available on the Classic series will be tweaked to be BSVI compliant and will also get fuel injection technology. The overall retro theme will remain the same though.

Husqvarna Vitpilen 401

Compared to the Svartpilen, the Vitpilen is a retro, cafe racer styled bike with sporty riding position. However, it is a far cry from conventional cafe racers and features a radical design with fuses the DNA of a cafe racer with a lightweight naked performance bike. It gets powered by the same 373cc engine that does the duty on KTM 390 series bikes. The liquid cooled engine produces 44 Bhp of peak power along with 37 Nm of torque and gets four valve twin cam head, fuel injection and a slipper clutch. A 6 speed manual gearbox is standard.

Husqvarna Svartpilen 401

Husqvarna will make its India entry this year one of the first models to be launched by the company will be the Svartpilen. The Svartpilen is a relaxed, scrambler-styled motorcycle which has a wild design along with typical scrambler traits. The Svartpilen will be powered by the same 390 Duke engine as its other twin. The 373cc engine produces 44 Bhp of peak power along with 37 Nm of torque and comes mated to a 6 speed manual gearbox with slipper clutch.

Benelli Imperiale 400

Benelli will launch a Royal Enfield challenger this year in the form of the Imperiale 400. The retro-modern bike is built on a double-cradle, steel tubular frame and comes with a teardrop-shaped fuel tank with rubber grip to get that classic look. It also gets modern bits like split seats and digital screen in the instrument cluster. The Benelli Imperiale will be powered an air-cooled, single-cylinder, fuel-injected engine. The 373cc engine produces a maximum of 20.4 PS at 5,500 rpm and a peak of 28 Nm at 3,500 rpm. It gets a five-speed transmission.