Top 5 Concept Bikes From 2017 EICMA

It’s quite normal to pine over something you cannot have, and it seems automakers have taken a note of it. Hence, this year’s Milan Motor Show saw a lot of manufacturers bring out some interesting concepts. Today, in no particular order, we pick our cream of the crop. Here’s our list of 5 interesting concepts that graced the 2017 EICMA show. 

1) Husqvarna Svartpilen 701 Concept

Along with the Svartpilen 401, Vitpilen 401 and Vitpilen 701, Husqvarna also unveiled the Svartpilen 701 concept. It shares the same mechanicals that we have seen on the Vitpilen 701 production bike. The production bike packs a 693cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine which produces 75PS of power and 72Nm of torque. 

The concept looks as beautiful as other bikes in the company's portfolio. It sports a short handlebar, a flat seat floating at the rear and a petite headlight assembly, giving the naked a mean look.

2)  Honda CB4 Interceptor Concept

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No this is not a production prop from a Tron movie. This futuristic concept was unveiled by Honda at the 2017 EICMA show in Milan last week. The mechanicals are carried over from the CB1000R. Its 998cc liquid-cooled inline 4-cylinder engine produces 145PS of power and 104Nm of torque.

The CB4 Interceptor was designed by the Japanese automaker's R&D centre in Rome and is part of an ongoing research around the 'Neo Sports Cafe' design. Draped in all black the CB4 sports some interesting features, such as a fan mounted at the front which converts the motorcycle's kinetic energy to power the touchscreen located on the tank.  As bad as we want it, it is very unlikely that the concept will see the light of day.

3) KTM 790 Adventure R Concept 

After years of pining, KTM has finally brought us the adventure bike we were craving for… and it's a concept!  The 790 Adventure concept will share the same engine that features in the recently launched KTM 790 Duke. The LC8c parallel-twin engine churns out 105PS of power at 9500rpm and 86Nm of peak torque at 8000rpm. However, we are expecting the Adventure R's engine to be tweaked for touring and adventure riding. The concept also features a  21-inch front and 19-inch rear knobby tyres paired with long-travel WP suspension. This will allow for heavy duty off-roading. 

In terms of design, it pays homage to KTM's legacy in Dakar, Enduro and Motocross. It features raised front fenders. The front cowl, on the other hand, has a minimalistic wind deflector that also covers the LCD panel. We can expect to see the 790 Adventure in European markets next year, according to KTM. However, the same cannot be said about India. At least, not anytime soon.

4) Yamaha Tenere 700 World Raid

This year EICMA was dominated by ADVs, and so to join the bandwagon, Yamaha also threw their hat into the mix. The Yamaha Tenere 700 World Raid is based on the Yamaha T7 concept which was unveiled last year. The Tenere 700 is powered by the same 689cc parallel twin unit that we've seen on the MT-07. It churns out 76PS of power and 68Nm of torque. Along with the engine, the steel frame of the MT-07 has been carried over here. However, it has been reworked and improved to handle off-road duties. To reduce the weight carbon fibre has been used on the side panels, front fenders and the one-piece rear tail. It has helped in reducing the bike's weight to approximately 170-180kgs.

In terms of design, a clear resemblance to Yamaha's Dakar Rally machines is visible, with its four-project headlight assembly. It also features a lower seat height and a big fuel tank. 

Before the production model hits our showroom, Yamaha will take the Tenere 700 across America, Australia, Africa and Europe. However, we are keeping our fingers crossed that the company will bring this motorcycle to India sometime in the future. 

5) Moto Guzzi V85 Concept 

The retro-style adventure-tourer segment is heating up. In order to compete with this, Moto Guzzi has created a mishmash of a retro-styled adventure-tourer in the form of Moto Guzzi V85. It is powered by an 850cc V-Twin engine which produces 81PS of power. 

To combat rough off-road terrains the bike comes with a high mudguard, twin headlamps with LED strip, a tail rack, spoke wheels, an upswept exhaust and fork protectors. In terms of suspension, the V85 gets Ohlins inverted forks at the front and a monoshock unit at the back. The company has not given us any confirmation regarding the timeline for its production. However, we can expect the production model to be unveiled next year.