Thanks to the growing popularity of the existing 300-400 cc KTM and Royal Enfield models in India, companies are seeing a lot of potential in this segment now. Here are five upcoming new entry-level performance motorcycles with engines in the displacement range of 300-400 cc:
KTM 390 Adventure: Affordable adventure tourer is almost here
Yes, the KTM 390 Adventure has been a long time coming. Based on the KTM Duke 390, it is expected to be unveiled at EICMA 2019. The bike will be launched in India first.
The KTM 390 Adventure will be suspended over upside-down fork up front sourced from WP and a monoshock in the rear. The former will be spruced up with extra travel. The KTM 390 Adventure will have a 19-inch front wheel and a 17-inch rear wheel. Tyres will be on and off-road biased. Besides that, expect top-level spec features in the KTM 390 Adventure. This will include LED headlamp, coloured TFT display and optional Bluetooth connectivity as seen in the Duke 390. Other features like ride-by-wire and slipper clutch may also be carried on.
The powerplant will be sourced from the Duke 390. However, we hope KTM tunes it up differently with more grunt in the bottom-end. The company will be launching the 390 Adventure in both alloy and spoke wheeled trims. Expect the 390 Adventure to be priced in the range of INR 2.6-2.9 lakh (ex-showroom).
Also Read: 5 KTM motorcycles we wish to see in India
BMW G310RR: Faired baby Beemer manufactured by TVS
With both the naked and adventure version out and about, a fully-faired BMW G310RR is the next logical step for BMW Motorrad. The bike will carry the mechanicals from the G310R along with a few add-ons. A concept version was showcased in Japan in September 2018. The flagship 2019 BMW S1000RR unveiled in November 2018 too could have some influence in the final design.
The powerplant will be the same 313 cc liquid-cooled, single-cylinder, four-valves, DOHC, reverse inclined engine. Coupled to a 6-speed gearbox, the engine produces 34 PS of power and 28 Nm of torque. Suspension setup will include 41 mm upside-down fork up front and a monoshock at the rear. Braking duties will be performed by 300 mm single disc with 4-piston fixed, radially mounted calliper at the front and a 240 mm single disc with mono-piston floating calliper at the rear.
A fully-faired BMW G310RR hasn't been spotted on test yet, and its launch could take place in 2020. Expect it to cost around INR 3.6 lakh (ex-showroom).
Also Read: Fully-faired BMW G 310 R may be closer to reality than you think
Harley-Davidson 338: Accessible Harley for the developing world
It is no secret that the Harley-Davidson is a sinking ship in its domestic market (US). Diversifying its interests, it wants to increase its international business to 50% of annual volumes by 2027. To make this happen, it has joined hands with Zhejiang Qianjiang, the owner of Benelli.
The 338 cc Harley-Davidson motorcycle will be launched in China first, by end-2020. This will be followed by additional Asian markets. The prototype sketch seen above has confirmed that it will have upside-down fork up front and a monoshock at the rear. Braking setup will include twin, petal-type discs at the front and a single disc at the back. Besides that, the bike will be fitted with a circular headlamp and a circular instrument console.
The new 338 cc twin-cylinder mill seen in the sketch is precariously like the unit seen in the Benelli TNT 300. In its present tune, the engine produces 38.5 PS of power and 26.5 Nm of torque. Besides that, expect the bike to make its way to India by mid-2021 with a price tag of around INR 3.5 lakh (ex-showroom).
Also Read: Bajaj Pulsar 125 detailed in a walkaround video ahead of launch
MV Agusta 350 cc motorcycle: Italian royalty with Chinese manufacturing
Just weeks after Harley-Davidson announced its partnership with Qianjiang, MV Agusta announced a plethora of affordable motorcycle with Loncin Motor. That’s even though it already has an association with Lifan (another Chinese motorcycle brand) for retailing its larger capacity models.
Little has been made public about the upcoming product so far. The bike will get several premium parts like upside-down fork, adjustable monoshock at the back, disc brakes on both the wheels, dual-channel ABS and all-LED lighting. Besides that, it will be interesting to see whether MV Agusta uses its existing model names – Brutale (roadster), F-series (sport) and Turismo (tourer) to this new motorcycle. The body style is yet to be known.
Also, the new MV Agusta 350 cc motorcycle will be manufactured in China and be launched by end-2021. Its Indian launch may happen in 2022.
Also Read: 5 motorcycles from Auto Expo 2018 we want to be launched in India
TVS Apache RTR 310: Naked version of TVS’ flagship
Reports of an upcoming motorcycle from the TVS-BMW family have been rife since May 2019. The duo is reportedly working on a naked version of the TVS Apache RR310. Whatever the model be, it will be manufactured at TVS’ Hosur manufacturing facility.
The TVS Apache RTR 310 will be suspended over upside-down fork up front with a monoshock in the rear. Also, the braking setup discs at both ends with a radially-mounted calliper at the front. Dual-channel ABS will be offered as standard. TVS may even use the existing LCD instrument console from the faired variant in the new RTR 310. Besides that, features like a slipper clutch may also be carried forward.
Also Read: Five interesting 150 cc motorcycle we wish were sold in India
The powerplant of the TVS Apache RTR310 will be the same 313 cc reverse inclined mill with an output of 34 PS and 27.3 Nm. Engineers at TVS (and TVS Racing) may rework the tuning a bit to make it more city-friendly. Also, an official announcement can be expected to be made at Auto Expo 2020. The BS-VI compliant RTR310 will likely cost around INR 2.2 lakh (ex-showroom).
Also Read: Top 5 concepts from Auto Expo 2016 that never made it to production
