Witnessing launch of new models every year, the quarter-litre sports space is expanding at a fast pace. There has been a shift in preference lately as bike enthusiasts look for high-displacing sports bike that offers great performance. While affordability remains the most important component, the new-age customer is also giving prominence to other aspects such as power, equipment and styling. As we prepare to enter into a new financial year soon, we bring you a list of upcoming 200cc and 300cc Bikes in India in 2018, 2019.
1. Suzuki Gixxer 250
Buoyed by positive response for Gixxer range, Suzuki is now planning to launch a 250cc motorcycle in the country in 2019. The company will sold this model under Gixxer plate, similar to the Yamaha FZ series. Suzuki will first llaunch the naked streetfighter which will be followed by a faired variant. The motorcycle is likely to share design cues from the premium Suzuki GSX-S750 and the GSX-S1000, which are already on sale in India. The motorcycle is expected to be powered by a 250cc, single-cylinder engine paired to a six-speed gearbox. This motor is likely to get a 4-valve head, and will use an oil-cooler instead of liquid-cooling. Power output is expected in the range of 22-25bhp.
Expected Launch Date – 2019
Expected Price- Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 1.8 lakh
Competition- Yamaha FZ25 and Honda CBR250R
2. Bajaj Pulsar 250
Next model in our list of upcoming quarter-litre motorcycles is the next-generation Bajaj Pulsar 250. This model will come as a replacement for the existing Pulsar 200 and will rival the Yamaha FZ25. The Pulsar 250 is expected to share the mechanics with the KTM Duke 250. It will be powered by a 248.76cc single-cylinder petrol engine, but with Bajaj’s triple spark ignition technology. While powering Duke, this engine churns out 29.60bhp of power and 24Nm of torque. Power will be transmitted to the rear wheel via a 6-speed gearbox.
Expected Launch – 2019
Expected price-1.3 lakh – 1.5 lakh
Competition-Yamaha FZ25
3. Yamaha MT-03
Currently, the only model from Yamaha in this segment is the R3 brand. In a bid to expand the line-up, the bike-maker is planning on introducing the new MT-03 naked streetfighter sometime this year. Primarily a naked version of the YZF R3, the new 300cc Yamaha bike will be routed to India via CKD from Indonesia and will be assembled locally in India. The bike will share underpinnings with the fully-faired YZF-R3 that uses a compact and lightweight diamond steel chassis. In terms of styling, the bike shares most of the styling cues with the larger bikes from the MT series in Yamaha’s global line-up.
The key design elements like single headlamps, air-intake pods on fuel tank sides, clip-on handle bar and a digital analogue instrument cluster will enhance the bike’s visual appearance. While power on the bike will be derived from the 321cc, 4-stroke parallel-twin liquid-cooled DOHC engine making 41.6bhp at 10,750rpm and 30Nm of torque at 9,000rpm, transmission duties are taken care of by the six-speed gearbox. Power for retarding the speed comes from the disc brakes that work mutually with ABS and the telescopic front forks along with monoshock rear absorbers ensure to keep the bike poised.
Expected Launch – 2019
Expected price-Rs 2.75 lakh to Rs 3 lakh
Competition- KTM Duke 390 and BMW G 310R
4. Cleveland CycleWerks Ace & Misfit
American two-wheeler automaker, Cleveland CycleWerks had showcased the Ace and Misfit motorcycles at the 2018 Delhi Auto Expo. Now, the company has started producing the motorcycle in India and both the motorcycles are expected to be launched during Diwali 2018. The Cleveland Ace is a retro-class commuter with a scrambler variant. Powering the scrambler motorcycle is a single-cylinder 229.5cc carburettor engine. This engine is capable of producing a maximum power output of 14.2PS and a peak torque of 16.5Nm. Coupled to a 5-speed gearbox, the scrambler is claimed to have a top speed of 112kmph.
On the flip side, the Misfit is a retro-styled cafe racer built on the full perimeter frame. It is powered by a 223cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine with counter balancer and OHC valvetrain configuration. This engine is capable of producing 16bhp of power and 18Nm of torque. Transmission on offer is a 5-speed unit.
Expected Launch Date- October-2018
Expected Price-Rs 1.5 lakh
5. Hero XPulse 200
The next model to join the list of upcoming 200cc or 300cc motorcycles in India is the new Hero XPulse 200. First previewed as the concept at the EICMA 2017, the new XPulse 200 will be the company’s new Dual-purpose motorcycle in the country. The company had unveiled the production version of the motorcycle at the 2018 Delhi Auto Expo. The new model will come as a replacement for the Xpulse motorcycle.
The new Xpulse comes with a raised front fender, a round full-LED headlight, larger windscreen, enduro-bike-style handlebar, hand guards, digital instrument console with gear shift indicator, underseat USB charger, etc. The vehicle also gets Bluetooth connectivity, which has enabled features like turn-by-turn navigation assistance on the console.
It is based on a single-downtube chassis with box-section swingarm and a monoshock rear suspension. The motorcycle rides on 21-inch front wheel and 18-inch rear wheel and features single-channel ABS and a telescopic front fork with 190mm travel. The motorcycle has a large ground clearance of 220mm, while the seat height stands at 825mm. Powering the motorcycle is the 18.4bhp, 200cc, single-cylinder, fuel-injected motor that also powers the Xtreme 200R. However, Hero will tune this engine for better torque.
Expected Launch Date – mid-2018
Expected Price-Rs 1.10 lakh
6. New Hero XF3R
Seeing the growing demand for entry-level quarter-litre motorcycle segment, Hero MotoCorp is planning to launch a performance oriented 300cc, single-cylinder entry-level sportsbike in the country. This motorcycle is expected to be based on the Hero XF3R, which was unveiled at the 2016 Delhi Auto Expo as concept. This 300cc motorcycle will rival the likes of Mahindra Mojo, KTM 390 Duke, Benelli TNT 25 and others in its category.
In terms of features, this motorcycle gets conventional street fighter style headlamp, fuel tank extensions with turn indicators and air-intakes, twin-port exhaust system, LED tail-lights with integrated turn indicators, silver color body panels and split seats. The engine details are yet to be revealed, but it is expected to feature a new 300cc engine with dual map technology mode and fuel injection system.
Expected Launch Date- 2019
Expected Price-Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 1.75 lakh
