Motorcycle News Of The Week: Jawas and 250 Duke Get ABS, New Dominar 400 And Much More

With 2019 just a week away, bikemakers have already started to give us a peek into their future plans. While some of these were along expected lines, others were an entirely pleasant surprise. So without further ado, here's  what made the most noise in the world of bikes this past week.

BMW’s baby twins cross 50,000 production mark

The G 310 twins from BMW are an important milestone in more ways than one. Not only did they mark BMW’s entry into the sub-500cc motorcycle space in collaboration with TVS, but also paved the way for similar partnerships between other global biggies and prominent Asian two-wheeler manufacturers. And although the G 310 twins have been slow to sell in India, BMW has been successfully exporting the bikes to over 90 countries around the world. A measure of the twins’ success can be gauged from the fact that over 50,000 of them have been produced since December 2016.

New Triumph Thruxton R coming. Or is it?

In a sea of neo-retro bikes, Triumph’s Thruxton R stands like an island. The bike’s iconic styling hides a level of performance that belies its retro origins. And it seems Triumph is set to introduce an even more potent version of the Thruxton R. Spied testing in near production form, the 2019 Thruxton R might further cement its status as the most fun neo-retro bike, be it on road or racetrack.

Last week also saw leaked pictures of Triumph’s massive power-cruiser, the 2019 Rocket III. The bike is likely to get an extensive electronic package, new single-sided swingarm and, wait for it, an even bigger engine! Oh Triumph!

New Jawas won’t get Perak engine, but they will get dual-channel ABS

Ever since Classic Legends debuted the Jawa and the Forty Two, there have been wishlists galore. Could they get a more powerful engine? Will a rear disc brake be offered? What about dual-channel ABS? Well, at least two of those wishes have been fulfilled and no, the Perak engine will not come to the Jawa and the Forty Two.

But Classic Legends did fulfill the two other wishes by announcing that the Jawa and the Forty Two will get dual-channel ABS. What’s even better is that those who’ve already booked the new Jawa bikes can opt for the dual-channel ABS variants. Icing on the cake? Classic Legends wants just Rs 8,942 more for the dual-channel ABS variant!

The company is also stepping on the gas when it comes to opening dealerships. After openings its first two showrooms in India in Pune, Classic Legends inaugurated three Jawa dealerships in Bengaluru this week.

KTM 250 Duke and RC 200 to get ABS, 390 Adventure launch on track and 790 Duke pricing woes

We knew the 250 Duke will get ABS. But what we didn’t know is that it will likely get a switchable dual-channel ABS unit. Its faired younger sibling, the RC 200, will only get a single-channel ABS unit though. News of both bikes getting the safety net comes in the backdrop of manufacturers updating their bikes with ABS in keeping with the upcoming safety regulations.

The much-awaited 390 Adventure will launch in India in 2019 and KTM will make an announcement to that effect in March 2019. This is great news considering how disappointed we were to not see the baby ADV at the recently-concluded EICMA. KTM is also actively working at localising the 790 Duke before launching it here. If the company does managed to localise major components, expect a manic pricing to go with the 790 Duke’s manic performance.

Bajaj V15 goes up the power charts

The V15 has been a success for Bajaj and in fact, even spawned a smaller 125cc model. However, there was no wishing away its lack of power and as a result, sub-par performance for a 150cc motorcycle. Bajaj has taken a step towards resolving that issue by launching a more powerful V15. Although only a test ride can confirm if the V15 Power Up offers improved performance, we do have high hopes from it.

Lambretta will debut an e-Scooter at 2020 Auto Expo

The name Lambretta is synonymous with childhood memories for a lot of Indians. Although it always played catch up with the Vespa and Bajaj’s Chetak, the brand commanded a following of its own. So when we got to know that Lambretta will be back in India with an electric scooter, it was hard to keep the excitement in check. Here is one more reason to look forward to the 2020 Auto Expo.

Legendary YZF-R1 turns 20

Yamaha has come up with the YZF-R1 GYTR to commemorate the bike’s 20th anniversary. The bike will be limited to only 20 units around the world. Will India get one? How much is it priced? How’s it different from the stock YZF-R1 mechanically? We answer all that and more.

New adventure bike from UM spotted

Just as we were about to pull down our shutters for the weekend, news trickled in about UM’s new adventure bike. Pictures from what looks like a dealer meet show a rather neat-looking adventure bike with all the requisites like long travel suspension, block pattern tyres and underseat exhaust. When will it be launched? Judging from the pictures, we think soon.

Indian working on a new motorcycle

With so much action going on in the cruiser space, how could one of its most legendary proponents keep quiet! To our relief, it’s not. Indian Motorcycles has filed a patent for the name ‘Raven’ in the US and Europe. The choice of name has definitely made the motorcycling world sit up and take notice. Will it be a power cruiser or does Indian have something more ‘electric’ up its sleeve? We can’t wait to find out.

Royal Enfield launches new helmets

It’s very hard to keep Royal Enfield out of the news. Last week saw the retro motorcycle manufacturer add two new helmets to its existing portfolio. The new Royal Enfield helmets offer vintage styling, several colour choices, useful features, an affordable price tag and most importantly, meet essential safety standards!