Tokyo 2015: 5 exciting motorcycles to look forward to

Honda CBR 350RR

Honda had recently showcased the Light Weight Super Sport concept motorcycle which will be unveiled at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show. It was speculated that the Honda Light Weight Super Sport concept motorcycle will debut in the form of the new Honda CBR 250RR but it seems the Japanese two-wheeler giant has a surprise in store for us. According to Japan-based Young Machine magazine Honda will also ride in the new CBR 350RR specifically developed for the European markets.

The new motorcycle will be performance oriented unlike the sports tourer DNA of the CBR 250R and CBR 300R. From the pictures it is clear that the new Honda CBR 350RR will employ an aggressive design language with sharp body lines, sculpted fuel tank and chiselled tail section. It also sports a conventional single side exhaust muffler that goes well with the overall design. The chassis has been tuned for better handling dynamics. The clip-on handle bars and rear-set footpegs should result in an aggressive and sporty riding posture. Suspension duties are handled by USD front forks and a monoshock unit at the back. Anchorage is provided by petal disc brakes at front and rear. Details regarding the powerplant are scarce but expect it to be powered by a high revving, 350cc parallel twin motor with a power output in excess of 40PS. Given the fact that we have the Kawasaki Ninja 300, Yamaha R3 and the KTM RC390 on sale in India, we can expect the Honda CBR350RR to head to our shores in 2016. Further details regarding the Honda CBR350RR will be revealed at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show.

Suzuki Gixxer 250

We broke the news that Suzuki is working on a new a new 250cc motorcycle for our two-wheeler market. Now-Japan based Young Magazine has released images of what seems to be the next generation Suzuki GSX-R1000 and GSX-R250. The Suzuki GSX-R250 will in all probability be marketed as the Gixxer 250 in India. Since the new bike is based on the next generation litre-class Suzuki flagship the design of the Gixxer 250 is more aggressive and sporty than the current Gixxer SF. The Suzuki GSX-R250 sports LED headlamps and a sharper, more aerodynamic fairing. We expect the Gixxer SF 250 will ditch the LED lights for conventional lamps to keep the cost low in India. The bike will be equipped with clip-on handle bars which should result in a sporty riding position.

According to our sources, the new Suzuki Gixxer 250 will be powered by a single-cylinder 250cc powerplant. By employing a single-cylinder unit, Suzuki will be able to keep the production cost low and thereby pricing the bike aggressively. The new engine is being developed in India under the guidance of engineers from Suzuki’s Japanese headquarters. The motor will be mated to a 6-speed transmission while power output is assumed to be around 25 to 28PS. Braking duties will be handled by disc brakes at front and rear while the Gixxer 250 would employ telescopic front forks and a monoshock unit at the rear. The Suzuki Gixxer 250 concept is reported to be showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo in Delhi and will be among the star attractions of the show. The Suzuki Gixxer 250 is expected to be priced around Rs 2 lakh and will compete against the KTM RC 390 and Honda CBR 250R.

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Suzuki G-Strom 250

With the adventure segment getting more importance in the global market, Suzuki has certain plans up its sleeve. Suzuki is expected to debut a new adventure motorcycle at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show. The bike in question is the new G-Strom 250. The new motorcycle will be a 250cc displacement adventure touring option from the Japanese bike maker.  The Suzuki G-Strom 250 will take design elements from the V-Strom 650 XT. The Suzuki G-Strom 250 will be based on the Suzuki Inazuma which was on sale in the Indian market, and will share powertain and chassis with the 250cc bike. The current 250cc displacement twin-cylinder motor on the Inazuma churns out 26PS of max power while the torque peaks at 24Nm, but it is expected that the engine on the G-Strom 250 will be tuned to better suit its adventure touring dynamics with better low-end torque.

The cycle parts is expected to be remained unchanged on the Suzuki G-Strom 250  and it employs a cradle type downtube chassis, telescopic forks upfront, a preload adjustable monoshock at the rear with a regular box-section swingarm, and single disc brake setup without ABS both front and back. Given the fact that Suzuki already has an assembly facility in India, we can expect the Suzuki G-Strom 250 to enter India in 2016.

Kawasaki Z125

It seems to be raining 125s in Japan! First, Yamaha revealed a 125cc café racer, called the Resonator125, to be unveiled at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show. And now, Kawasaki also seems to be going the 125 way – a spy pic of a new lightweight Kawasaki naked street is doing the rounds of the Internet, first posted by Thai site Motorival.com.

The picture is of poor quality, so not many details can be seen clearly. But the bike does look like a mini Z800, and there’s a prominent Z on the tank shroud too. Due to the low resolution, we can’t really make out if there is a 125 below the Z, but this Kawasaki seems to be powered by a small-ish single-cylinder motor, so it could very well be a 125. There are other resemblances to the rest of the Z family bikes too, with upside down forks and a stubby exhaust. We aren’t sure if Kawasaki plans to bring this to India. A 125 from Kawasaki certainly makes sense here, provided it’s localised to a large extent to keep prices competitive.

Yamaha PES2 and PED2

The two concept electric bikes – PES2 and PED2 are the evolution of the PES1 and PED1 electric bikes Yamaha introduced at the previous Tokyo Motor Show. The Yamaha PES2 (Passion Electric Street) model will be designed for street use while the PED2 (Passion Electric Dirt) model will be for off-road use.

Yamaha has added a hub motor to the front wheel of the PES2 design, making the Yamaha PES2 concept a two-wheel drive electric bike. The PED2 though, is still rear wheel driven and designed for hitting mountain trails, though it’s supposed to make similar power to a 50cc-125cc moped or motorcycle. The PED2 is however, very light, with weight at less than 100kg, making it suitable for off-road use. Yamaha is not expected to introduce either the PES2 or the PED2 in 2016, so it’s not clear yet, if and when production will begin. From the looks of the concepts however, it looks like Yamaha is certainly getting closer to the real thing.