Two-wheeler stalls at the first-ever Bharat Mobility Global Expo were abuzz with bike displays ranging from the super cool Hero 450 Rally to the new Suzuki GSX-8R. There was a lot that caught our eye.
TVS
TVS had one of the largest stalls at the Expo with many bikes on display. The first one to catch our eye was the Apache RTE all-electric fully faired race bike. Said to be a part of the one-make championship, the bike had most of its parts made of carbon-fibre and looked beautiful in the white and blue livery. The next thing to attract our attention as we walked inside the stall was the V4CR on display by Norton Motorcycles. It may be recalled that the British brand was acquired by TVS a few years ago. At the moment, it is not clear whether the V4CR will come to our country. TVS also had the Apache RTR 310, a variety of modified Ronins, and a Raider that was powered by flex fuel. They also had a huge display of apparel and riding gear produced in collaboration with Alpinestars.
Hero MotoCorp
Hero MotoCorp had a line-up of all their current models on show. We will cover the important ones like the 450 Rally bike that just landed Hero’s first ever podium finish at the prestigious Dakar Rally, piloted by Motswana rider Ross Branch. They also had the newly launched Mavrick 440 and Xtreme 125R alongside the Karizma CE001 concept, all revealed earlier at the Hero World event. Hero’s electric division, Vida, had a very strong presence, showcasing a number of scooters and off-road bikes.
Yamaha
Yamaha’s stall had the YZF R1M right at the entrance, followed by the rest of the faired bikes such as the R7, the R3, and the beloved R15. There was also the very cool R15 carbon edition which had a carbon-fibre theme running all over the front fairing. Coming to the naked bikes, the display comprised the MT-07, MT-03, and MT-15, along with the FZ-X Chrome edition that was unveiled. A hybrid line-up of scooters was also present with the Cygnus Ray ZR 125 Fi, Fascino 125 Fi, and the Grand Filano. Then there was the NMax 155 Connected maxi scooter that comes with the R15’s engine, just like the Aerox 155.
Royal Enfield
The Royal Enfield stall was headlined by a green Classic 350 that was powered by flex fuel, in line with the Expo’s theme of focusing on alternative fuels. The rest of the display comprised the recently launched bobber, Shotgun 650, along with the Indian Motorcycle of the Year, Himalayan 450, and the Super Meteor 650 cruiser. The Shotgun 650, the latest in the stable, starts from Rs 3.59 lakh (ex-showroom).
Bajaj Auto
Bajaj Auto were present with a flex fuel model of their naked street bike, the Pulsar NS160. There was also a Dominar 400 that was showcased which was 27.5 per cent ethanol compliant. As the Expo’s theme was alternative fuel, there was no shortage of manufacturers showcasing their flex fuel prototypes. Bajaj’s stall also had the Chetak Premium that was recently unveiled. It is an electric scooter priced at Rs 1.44 lakh (ex-showroom).
Honda
At the heart of the Honda’s stall was a flex-fuel powered CB300F. It is Honda’s first flex fuel variant developed especially for the Indian market. The pre-production model was displayed with “Flex Tech”. It will be powered by the 293-cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine and will be compliant with E85 fuel (85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol).
Suzuki
Suzuki India had a very strong presence with a variegated display, with the flex-fuel powered Gixxer SF 250 taking centre stage. Behind the Gixxer were two new bikes—the GSX-8R lightweight sport bike and the V-Strom 800 DE adventure tourer. The GSX-8R comes with the 776-cc parallel-twin and makes 83 hp at 8,500 rpm and 78 Nm of torque at 6,800 rpm. It will compete with the likes of the Yamaha R7 and Aprilia RS660. Suzuki’s superbike presence was also strong with the GSX-1300R Hayabusa and the classic Katana on display.
Tork Motors
The Kratos R occupied Tork Motors’ stall at the Expo. It is an electric bike that comes equipped with a four-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and makes nine kW (12.2 hp) and a healthy 38 Nm of torque. It gets four riding modes in addition to a reverse mode. The Kratos R is currently priced at Rs 1.87 lakh (ex-showroom) and is available in five colours.
Ather
Indian electric scooter manufacturer Ather had their new top-of-the-line 450Apex along with the 450X and 450S. The 450Apex is priced at Rs 1.89 lakh (ex-showroom) and is available in the striking Indium Blue colour.
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