Many bikes and scooters will get discontinued in India this month because of being not BS6 compliant. The BS6 emission norms will be enforced in India on 1 April 2020. These are much stricter than the current BS4 emission norms. Indeed, the new more stringent BS6 regulations will reduce the content of harmful emissions emanating from petrol and diesel-powered vehicles.
The new BS6 regulations are so tight that the transition isn't feasible for every model. There are three Royal Enfield discontinued models, including Royal Enfield Bullet 500, Royal Enfield Classic 500, Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500. Following are the top 10 bikes that will be axed this month:
1. Royal Enfield Bullet 500
Rumours about Royal Enfield putting a full stop to the production of its 500 cc motorcycles started emerging in late 2019. In January 2020, these rumours turned out to be true when the Chennai-based two-wheeler manufacturer announced the discontinuation.
The first Royal Enfield discontinued model is the Royal Enfield Bullet 500, which has a 499 cc single-cylinder Unit Construction Engine. The UCE 500 powerplant was first introduced in the Bullet 500 back in 2008. This air-cooled engine delivers 27.2 BHP of maximum power at 5,250 rpm and 41.3 Nm of peak torque at 4,000 rpm. It is paired with a 5-speed constant mesh gearbox. The braking setup includes disc brakes with dual-channel ABS.
2. Royal Enfield Classic 500
The next Royal Enfield discontinued model is another 500 cc motorcycle that won’t make it to the BS6 era is the Classic 500. It is one of the most popular Royal Enfield bikes globally. The company announced a Classic 500 Tribute Black limited edition model to formally bid adieu to its 500 cc engine in January. The Classic 500 is powered by the same 499 cc UCE powerplant as the Bullet 500.
The Royal Enfield Classic 350 BS6 model was the brand’s first BS6 model to be launched in India. Royal Enfield is also working on next-gen Classic models.
3. Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500
The Royal Enfield Thunderbird 500 was one of the top choices of enthusiasts looking for a rock-solid and powerful cruiser. With a relaxed riding posture and cruiser-like appearance, t managed to bring a smile on many faces. And for those who wanted a sportier motorcycle, Royal Enfield had the Thunderbird 500X. The engine of these motorcycles was the familiar 499 cc single-cylinder, air-cooled mill, and it was mated to a 5-speed gearbox.
Royal Enfield is working on a Thunderbird successor that goes by the name Meteor. Various prototypes of the same have been spotted recently. It is being anticipated that the Royal Enfield Meteor will be launched in India sometime in mid-2020.
4. Honda CBR 250R
Honda’s only offering in the 250 cc segment in India is the Honda CBR 250R. Launched back in March 2011, the CBR 250R successfully transitioned from BS3 to BS4 in 2008. Unfortunately, Honda decided to end the CBR 250R’s journey now. The Honda VFR 1200F-inspired quarter-litre sports bike didn’t get any major design or style updates in its entire lifetime.
Powering the CBR250R is a 249.60 cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine with 4 valves and a DOHC setup. It produces 19.5 kW or 26.5 PS of maximum power at 8,500 rpm and 22.9 Nm of peak torque at 7,000 rpm. With Honda’s PGM-Fi system, the CBR250R has a crisp and precise throttle response. The engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox.
5. Yamaha Saluto RX
With the Saluto RX, Yamaha tried to grip the 110 cc commuter segment in India. The Saluto RX was launched in 2016. Later, it was updated and UBS (Unified Braking System) was included. It is powered by a 110 cc, 4-stroke, 2-valve, single-cylinder engine with Yamaha’s Blue Core technology. It produces 7.48 PS of maximum power and 8.5 Nm of peak torque. However, the Saluto RX didn’t garner the sales figure Yamaha was hoping it would. It is priced at INR 53,080 (ex-showroom Delhi).
6. Yamaha Saluto 125
The Yamaha Saluto 125 is the elder sibling of the Yamaha Saluto RX. In terms of looks and style, the Saluto 125 is very similar to the Saluto RX. However, there are a few differences. For example, the Saluto 125 comes with clear lens side turn signals, different graphics, wider rear grab rail, etc. Also, as the name suggests, it has a bigger, 125 cc single-cylinder engine with SOHC and Yamaha’s Blue Core technology. This engine produces 8.3 PS of maximum power and 10.1 Nm of peak torque. The Saluto 125 retails at INR 61,580 (ex-showroom, Delhi) in the disc brake variant.
7. Yamaha Fazer 25
Earlier this month, Yamaha made an announcement suggesting that it has completed its BS6 transition. The Japanese brand released a list of products that have made it through the conversion process. The Yamaha Fazer 25 wasn’t in that list. This could mean that the quarter-litre Fazer will be discontinued this month.
The Yamaha Fazer 25 features a 249 cc single-cylinder, air-cooled engine with a SOHC setup and a fuel-injection system. This engine is capable of producing 20.9 PS of max power and 20 Nm of peak torque and is coupled to a 5-speed gearbox. It is the same engine that used to power the Yamaha FZ 25 BS4, whose BS6 version has already been launched. The Yamaha Fazer 25 is costs INR 1.44 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).
8. Yamaha R3 (could be relaunched later)
The old Yamaha R3, priced at INR 3.52 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), will no longer be available after the end of this month. The R3 has a BS4-compliant 321 cc parallel-twin engine which produces 42 PS and 29.6 Nm. It is known for its smooth and rev-happy engine and brilliant performance.
Internationally, the old Yamaha R3 was replaced by the facelifted version which in 2018. Yamaha has tweaked the R3 to make it much sportier with the mid-cycle refresh.
Some of the new Yamaha R3's key features are Yamaha YZR-M1 MotoGP bike inspired design, twin-LED headlight set up, faux RAM air intake, digital instrument cluster, etc. Maybe the plan is to launch this bike in India directly with a BS6 engine later this year.
9. KTM 790 Duke (will be relaunched later)
The KTM 790 Duke was launched in India in September 2019. Only 100 units of the Scalpel was made available for the Indian market. The bike offers good performance and comes equipped with some of the best safety features available in the segment, like Bosch Cornering ABS with a Supermoto mode, Lean-angle-dependant traction control, etc.
The 799 cc parallel-twin engine of the KTM 790 Duke that produces 105 BHP and 86 Nm is BS4-compliant. It will be upgraded to BS6 later this year.
10. Suzuki Hayabusa
The legendary Suzuki Hayabusa has been permanently discontinued in the Indian market. A BS6 version of the current generation model isn't planned. The Suzuki Hayabusa BS4 costs INR 13.80 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai). It is known for its utmost performance. It has a massive 1,340 cc 4-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine which produces a whopping 197 BHP of power and 155 Nm of torque. No wonder why it is one of the fastest motorcycles in the world.
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