Apart from being remembered for all the wrong reasons, 2020 brought some cheer to the Indian motorcycle enthusiasts as well. Along with a bunch of premium motorcycles, 2020 yet again saw a slew of adventure motorcycle launches in the country. KTM launched the 390 and 250 Adventure motorcycles in the beginning and towards the end of the year while BMW launched the updated, BS6 compliant G 310 GS and a revised price point. Then, you had the big ADV launches in the Triumph Tiger 900 and the Ducati Multistrada 950 S. So, we give you a quick lowdown on all these exciting motorcycles which were launched in India this year.
Also Read: Top 10 Motorcycle Launches Of 2020
(KTM 390 Adventure)
Perhaps the most anticipated motorcycle of 2019, the KTM 390 Adventure was launched in January this year and has seen decent success in the market. The KTM 390 Adventure uses the same engine as the KTM 390 Duke, which is a 373 cc single cylinder unit that is liquid-cooled and pumps out 43 bhp at 9,000 rpm and has a peak torque rating of 37 Nm at 7,000 rpm. The engine is BS6 compliant and is paired to a 6-speed gearbox and KTM offers a bi-directional quick-shifter as a standard fitment. KTM did well to load the 390 Adventure with a long list of rider aids which include lean sensitive traction control, cornering ABS, off-road ABS, KTM MyRide smartphone connectivity and optional turn-by-turn navigation. It is currently priced at Rs. 3.06 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).
Also Read: KTM 390 Adventure Review
(The halogen headlamp with the LED DRL replaces the full-LED unit, while the 250 ADV also misses out on ride-by-wire over the 390)
Now this is the model, which perhaps makes more sense, compared to the 390 Adventure. The KTM 250 Adventure was launched in India in just about a month ago and it is priced at Rs. 2.48 lakh. The design of the 250 Adventure is very similar to the 390 Adventure. It gets the same 248 cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine as the 250 Duke. It makes 29.5 bhp at 9,000 rpm and 24 Nm of peak torque available at 7,500 rpm. The motor is paired with a 6-speed gearbox and comes with an assist and slipper clutch. The KTM 250 Duke gets an LCD screen, missing out on the TFT screen with Bluetooth connectivity that its elder sibling, the 390 DAV gets gets. Apart from that, the 250 Adventure gets a dual-channel with off-road mode wherein you can turn off the ABS for the rear tyre.
Also Read: KTM 250 Adventure Launched In India
(The 2020 BMW G 310 GS is priced at Rs. 2.85 lakh (ex-showroom)
Yes! The BMW G 310 GS has been in India for a couple of years now, but it never could became as popular as its other 'GS' siblings. But with the BS6 engine, revised styling and more importantly, an affordable price tag meant that the desirability quotient increases significantly. The BS6 BMW G 310 GS is priced at Rs. 2.85 lakh (ex-showroom) which is Rs. 64,000 lesser than before. The G 310 GS gets a new LED headlight along with new colour scheme which makes the bike look more youthful. The 313 cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder, four-valve engine has the same output as before. The output of the engine remains the same with maximum power of 33.5 bhp at 9,500 rpm and peak torque of 28 Nm at 7,500 rpm.
Also Read: BS6 BMW G 310 GS Launched In India
(The Tiger 900 looks menacing and has a more purposeful stance)
The new Triumph Tiger 900 was launched in India this year. Prices for the Tiger 900 range start at Rs. 13.7 lakh for the GT variant and go up to Rs. 15.5 lakh for the top-spec Rally Pro model. The Tiger 900 Rally variant is priced at Rs. 14.35 lakh. All prices are ex-showroom, India. The Tiger 900 is a completely new model ground-up and is BS6 compliant too. The 900 GT is the road-going model, with alloy wheels, lower seat height, and less equipment. The Rally and Rally Pro are the off-road biased variants with wire-spoked wheels, more off-road equipment and a higher seat height. The Tiger 900 uses an 888 cc inline three-cylinder motor that makes 94 bhp at 8,750 rpm and 87 Nm at 7,250 rpm. The design and features on the motorcycle has been completely revamped too. The frame and the cycle parts are new as well. Plus, the Tiger 900 is lighter than before as well. It makes for a good purchase in the middleweight ADV segment.
Also Read: Triumph Tiger 900: All You Need To Know
(2020 Ducati Multistrada 950 S)
Ducati launched the 2020 Multistrada 950 S in India this year, with prices starting at Rs. 15.49 lakh. The Multistrada 950 S gets a BS6 compliant 937 cc L-Twin, liquid-cooled engine which makes 111 bhp at 9,000 rpm and peak torque of 96 Nm at 7,750 rpm. The 6-speed gearbox remains the same too, apart from the added quick-shifter. gets a long list of hi-tech features, including electronic suspension with Ducati Skyhook Suspension Evo (DSS), Ducati Quick Shift Up and Down (DQS), essentially a bi-directional quick-shifter, full-LED headlight with Ducati Cornering Lights, a 5-inch full colour TFT display, Hands-Free system, cruise control and backlit handlebar controls and lastly, Bosch cornering anti-lock braking system (ABS). The bike gets four riding modes - Sport, Touring, Urban and Enduro.
