Motorcycle Mayhem This Week

This week had some major launches come our way, right from the highly anticipated TVS Apache RR 310 to the new Honda Gold Wing super tourer to the 2018 Yamaha YZF- R1. Here’s a brief look at the highlights of these three exciting new bikes.

Yamaha YZF-R1:

The 2018 version of Yamaha’s flagship superbike has been priced at Rs 20.7 lakh. The new variant gets important updates like Quick Shift System for quicker upshifts and downshifts and a Lift Control System to prevent the front wheel from lifting off the ground during heavy acceleration.
The bike gets a 998cc, 4-cylinder, 4-valve heart that can churn out 202.8PS and a linear spread of torque from the crossplane crankshaft that has been a Yamaha superbike staple since 2009. 202.8PS is without any ram air so expect the bike to make 10 to 12PS more at speeds above 120kmph.

With a weight of just 199kg, the bike is plenty quick and handles just as well. It competes against the likes of the BMW S1000 RR, Aprilia RSV4, Kawasaki ZX10R, Honda CBR1000RR and the Suzuki GSX-R1000. Know more about the bike here

Honda Gold Wing:

The 2018 Honda Gold Wing has been launched with a price tag of Rs 26.85 lakh for the standard variant and Rs 28.49 lakh for the Tour variant. It is powered by a 6-cylinder, 1833cc engine that is capable of churning out 126PS of power at 5500rpm and 170Nm of torque at 4500rpm -- that is an increase of 7PS and 3Nm over the older bike.

Besides this, other new features are the 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission, ride-by-wire technology and 4 riding modes: Tour, Sport, Econ and Rain. Telescopic forks have been replaced by a double wishbone unit that improves ride quality to a great extent. It gets a large 7-inch TFT screen with Apple CarPlay integration, making it the first motorcycle to come with the feature. The Tour variant gets additional heated seats, a keyless trunk, traction control and electronic rear suspension at a premium of Rs 1.5 lakhs over the standard one.

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The new Gold Wing is significantly lighter and narrower than the last one, the standard variant being 55kgs lighter than the last one, tipping the scales at 364kgs. It will take on the likes of the BMW K1600B, Indian Roadmaster and Harley Davidson Street Glide.
Know more about the updates here


TVS Apache RR 310:

This could be one of the most anticipated bikes of 2017 in India. The Apache RR 310 with its extremely attractive looks and sweet pricing of Rs 2.05 lakh makes for a highly tempting package. The first fully faired production motorcycle from TVS gets sharp features and the poke to go with the show. It draws heavily from the BMW G 310 R, like the 312.2cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that can churn out 34PS of power at 9700rpm and 27.3Nm of torque at 7700rpm, and the trellis frame and suspension. TVS claims the bike can accelerate from 0-to-60kmph in 2.93 seconds and reach a top speed of 160kmph.

Dual channel ABS is standard as is Michelin Pilot Sports tyres, and both add to the safety features of the bike. It also has dual LED projector headlamps and an all-digital console. The RR 310 will compete against the KTM RC 390.
We rode the bike at the Chennai race track. Read the ride review .